US08616862B2
A disposable pump head and canister assembly is provided having a disposable pump head having an upper housing with an input port and an output port, and being configured to be engaged to a motor so as to pump fluid into the input port, through the disposable pump head, and out the output port, the upper housing configured to couple to a support plate via a plurality of upper housing flexible tabs that snap fit to corresponding structure of the support plate and configured to be frictionally engaged to a motor so as to pump fluid into the input port, through the disposable pump head, and out the output port; and a canister having an exterior wall portion, a cover and a latching arrangement, where the exterior wall portion is configured so as to form an interior cavity dimensioned to receive the disposable pump head, and where the cover is configured to close and be latched to the exterior wall by the latching arrangement so as to frictionally engage the disposable pump head and the motor.
US08616851B2
An article includes a first section extending from an outer periphery to a predetermined surface located inward from the outer periphery. The first section comprises a nanostructured ferritic alloy. The article includes a second section extending from an inner periphery to the predetermined surface located outward from the inner periphery. The second section comprises at least one other alloy different from the nanostructured ferritic alloy.
US08616843B2
Turbo machinery comprising an impeller and a diffuser positioned on a downstream side of the impeller that a channel wall surface of the diffuser is composed of a pair of a shroud side diffuser plate and a hub side diffuser plate which surface each other and a channel width is formed so as to be increased downstream, characterized in that guide vanes in a circular arc shape lower in height than the channel width are installed in a line of a plurality of vanes on both channel walls of the shroud side diffuser plate and hub side diffuser plate of the diffuser, and a total of vane heights of the two guide vanes at an outlet of the diffuser is set so as to be within a range from 30 to 70% of the channel width at the outlet of the diffuser.
US08616839B2
A turbine is provided and includes a turbine shell including shrouds at multiple stages thereof, and constraining elements, disposed at least at first through fourth substantially regularly spaced perimetrical locations around the turbine shell, which are configured to concentrically constrain the shrouds of the turbine shell.
US08616835B2
A gas turbine including exhaust chamber defined by a cylindrical casing wall and a bearing case that supports a bearing part of a rotor in the casing wall, struts provided at equal intervals in circumferential direction of the bearing case and extending in tangential direction of the bearing case to couple the casing wall and the bearing case, a diffuser unit having an outer diffuser at the inner periphery of the casing wall and an inner diffuser at the outer periphery of the bearing case, a cooling chamber in which the outer diffuser and the inner diffuser are coupled by a strut cover, led to a portion between the casing wall and the outer diffuser, a portion between the bearing case and the inner diffuser, and the insides of the strut cover, and a partition wall that covers the outer periphery of the bearing case.
US08616831B2
A compressor includes a shaft assembly including a thrust disk disposed on a main shaft and a housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions adapted to receive the shaft assembly and enclose the shaft assembly therebetween, wherein the shaft assembly is rotatably disposed within the housing, and wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion includes a shaft assembly retention feature for receiving the thrust disk to regulate a motion of the shaft assembly.
US08616826B2
A vehicle restraint restricts the movement of a vehicle at a loading dock by engaging the vehicle's RIG (rear impact guard). The vehicle restraint includes a barrier carried by a vertically translatable track follower, the barrier being driven by a motor or some other type of power unit. A RIG sensor detects the RIG's horizontal position relative to the barrier and can periodically energize the motor to maintain the barrier in generally continuous contact with the RIG, even if the RIG moves horizontally away from the barrier. Detection of such horizontal movement of the RIG triggers the barrier to move accordingly to reduce a horizontal gap that may have formed between the RIG and the barrier.
US08616824B2
An apparatus for transferring and moving elements that are removably associable with an operating machine comprises a moving arrangement suitable for receiving and supporting the elements, the moving arrangement being movable for transferring to and/or removing from the operating machine the elements; the operating machine comprises a supporting arrangement configured for receiving from and giving to the apparatus the elements, the supporting arrangement in turn comprising hooking elements suitable for abutting and locking abutting elements of the elements.
US08616812B2
A trailer apparatus for transporting a harvest header has a main beam on wheels. A bed assembly is pivotally attached to the main beam above the main beam such that when one side of the bed assembly moves up, an opposite side moves down. The bed assembly is supported at a desired tilt angle by adjustable tilt. The bed assembly includes a movable side extension along one side that is movable through a range from an extended position to a retracted position and can be releasably locked in the range. The tilt angle can be adjusted independently of the position of the side extension. A middle portion of the main beam and bed assembly can be laterally offset to form a recess to accommodate lift arms of a self propelled swather when the swather header is loaded on the bed assembly.
US08616806B2
A riser support system for use in a body of water comprises a buoyant and ballastable support structure and a plurality of substantially vertical and rigid risers each of which is attached to the inside of the support structure at a location below the center of buoyancy of the support structure and below the surface of the body of water. Usually, each riser passes through the inside of a single tube in the support structure. Typically, the riser support system is used to support a plurality of risers and their surface wellheads inside the hull of an offshore platform, usually in such a manner that the axial movement of the risers and support structure is independent of the axial movement of the hull.
US08616805B2
An optical fiber management system for a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) includes a spool containing a length of optical cable, a motor coupled to the spool, a motor controller, a speed sensor and a feed mechanism. The motor controller can detect the speed of the ROV through water and control the rotational speed of the motor so that the optical cable is removed from the spool at a speed that is equal to or greater than the speed of the ROV. A feed mechanism is used to apply a tension to the optical cable so that it is removed from the spool and emitted from the ROV without becoming tangled.
US08616803B2
The present invention relates to a paving stone having stone flanks which are oriented perpendicular to the laying plane, and wherein the paving stone has interlocking elements of a stone flank of an adjacent paving stone.
US08616797B2
In order to provide a thermosensitive decolorable ink composition which can readily be decolored with simple heating by rubbing and the like without using a microcapsule and is not developed again in color even after stored at very low temperature (−50° C. or lower) and which is excellent in stability with passage of time and has a vivid hue intensity, the above thermosensitive decolorable ink composition is provided with a constitution in which it contains as a colorant, color developing particles comprising at least a leuco dye, a developer and a crystalline substance and in which it further contains a decolorant comprising an amorphous resin.
US08616795B2
A tool for depositing material onto a three-dimensional surface comprises a first tubular member comprising a first guide surface and a second guide surface. The tool further comprises a second tubular member comprising a first guide surface engaging the first tubular member first surface and comprising a second guide surface engaging the first tubular member second surface. A first resilient member is disposed to urge the second tubular member in a first axial direction relative to the first tubular member. A tubular material holder is disposed axially within the second tubular member. A second resilient member is disposed in the tool to urge the holder in a second axial direction opposite to said first axial direction.
US08616782B2
A first link and a second link are articulated relative to each other via a joint coupled between the first and second links. A shape-sensing optical fiber is used to sense a position of the first link and the second link relative to each other. The fiber passes through a channel having an opening defining a lip and extending from the first link toward the joint. The lip has a curved surface that begins substantially tangent to a wall of the channel, and during bending of the optical fiber, the optical fiber is positioned tangent to the curved surface of the lip.
US08616769B2
A slide rail structure of relative slide assembly includes two slide guide members disposed on a slide member. Each slide guide member has a locating section connected with the slide member. The locating section has a slide guide section disposed on one side of the locating section, which side is distal from an edge of the slide member. The slide guide section is bent toward the edge of the slide member. Two pivot seats are pivotally disposed on two sides of a relative slide member. A main support is connected on each pivot seat. The main support has a relative slide guide section disposed on the main support and slidable along the slide guide section. The slide guide section is bent over the locating section in an overlapping state. Therefore, the width and volume of the slide guide member are minified to enlarge internal utility space of the slide member.
US08616764B2
A test component coated with a coating system is provided. In at least one defined region of the test component, there is a delamination having defined properties deliberately introduced into the coating system. The test component may be employed in a method for testing a thermography apparatus that is designed for carrying out a thermography method, for its correct operation with a view to the detection of delaminations. In order to test the thermography apparatus, the at least one defined delamination of the coating system is detected on the test component by using the thermography method employed in the thermography apparatus.
US08616761B2
An apparatus and method for combining multiple materials. The multiple materials may include both a major material and one or more minor materials. The major and minor materials are added at transient or steady state flow rates, depending upon a command from a control signal. The actual flow rates track the commanded flow rates, but deviate by an error. The claimed arrangement provides an instantaneous and time-based error believed to be unobtainable in the prior art.
US08616753B2
An optical sheet includes a light-passing base sheet, a plurality of light-passing first patterns formed on a front major surface of the base sheet, and a plurality of light-passing second patterns formed on a rear major surface of the base sheet. The first patterns protrude from the front surface of the base sheet, a top portion of each of the second patterns makes contact with the rear surface of the second patterns while a larger lower surface of each of the second patterns is exposed to serve as a light receiving surface. Voids having relatively low refractive indices are formed between the light-passing second patterns. The optical sheet employs just one base sheet in one embodiment, thereby reducing a manufacturing cost of the optical sheet.
US08616748B1
The present application describes various embodiments regarding systems and methods for providing a lightweight and durable portable computing device having a thin profile. The portable computing device can take the form of a laptop computer. The laptop computer can include a uni-body top case having an integrated support system formed therein, the integrated support system providing structural support that distributes applied loads through the top case preventing warping and bowing.
US08616747B2
A light source apparatus includes: a white LED that emits light including a first wavelength band and a second wavelength band; a violet LED that emits light in a third wavelength band, and a rotating disk including a filter that transmits light in the first wavelength band. The light source apparatus also includes a rotating disk drive section that changes a position of the rotating disk so that if a normal observation mode is selected, the filter is retracted from an optical path of the light emitted from the white LED, if a narrow band observation mode is selected, a filter is continuously inserted in the optical path of the light emitted from the white LED, and if a twin mode is selected, the filter is intermittently inserted in the optical path of the light emitted from the white LED.
US08616746B2
Provided are an optical element and a light-emitting device with which the illuminated area can be expanded in spite of a small light-emitting area, and that also enable the device to be downsize. The light-emitting device is equipped with sheet-like light-guide sections (a first light-guide section and a second light-guiding section) for guiding light, and a light-emitting member for emitting light. The second light-guide section has a prism section with a saw tooth-like cross-section for changing the direction of the light guided to one of its surfaces. In the prism section, the angle of incidence at which parallel light guided to the second light guide section enters reflective surface of saw teeth at positions away from the LED is set to be greater than the angle of incidence (δ) at which the light enters the reflective surface of the saw teeth at the side toward the LED. In addition, in the prism section, the angle of protrusion of the saw teeth at positions away from the LED is set to be greater than the angle of protrusion of the saw teeth at the side toward the LED.
US08616740B2
The lighting assembly (20) includes a light guide (22) formed of a resin material propagating light through internal reflection. A housing (28) surrounds the light guide (22) and maintains the light guide (22) in a predetermined position. A light transmissive coating (24), such as a vacuum metalized coating, is disposed on the light guide (22) and faces outwardly of the housing (28). The light transmissive coating (24) disguises the resin light guide (22) so that the light guide (22) appears to be a metallic trim. A non-light transmissive coating (26), such as a paint, appearing to be the same material as the light transmissive coating (24), may be disposed on the light guide (22) adjacent the light transmissive coating (24).
US08616727B2
According to one embodiment, an LED lamp includes an LED module and a light guide. The LED module includes a plurality of LEDs annularly arranged and mounted on a front surface of a board, and an opening provided in the board at an inside surrounded by the LEDs. The light guide is engaged and fastened to the opening from the front surface side of the board. The light guide guides part of light emitted by the LEDs, and emits the light guided from the front surface side to a rear surface side over an outer edge part of the board.
US08616707B2
A projector includes: a housing; an optical element accommodated in the housing; and an air supply unit configured to generate a flow of cooling air for cooling a cooling target element including the optical element, a dustproof area into which the cooling air can be introduced from the outside of the housing via a dustproof filter is formed inside the housing, the optical element is accommodated in the dustproof area of the housing, and the air supply unit includes a first air supply unit configured to introduce the cooling air from the outside of the housing to the dustproof area via the dustproof filter, and a second air supply unit accommodated in the dustproof area and configured to supply the cooling air introduced to the dustproof area by the first air supply unit toward the optical element.
US08616706B2
An illumination device includes: a first light source; a first beam spread angle changing element; an integrator; and a first small-amplitude oscillation element, in which the integrator is configured of a first fly-eye lens and a second fly-eye lens, optical magnification of an optical system configured of the first beam spread angle changing element and the first and second fly-eye lenses, and a shape of the first small-amplitude oscillation element are determined to allow a size of each light source image formed on the second fly-eye lens by each cell of the first fly-eye lens not to exceed a size of one cell of the second fly-eye lens, an amount of displacement of each light source image by oscillation amplitude of the first small-amplitude oscillation element is determined not to form the light source image over a plurality of cells of the second fly-eye lens.
US08616697B2
An electromagnetic wave irradiation device includes an irradiator which irradiates electromagnetic waves onto a liquid droplet which has been adhered to a recording medium, an irradiation controller which causes the irradiator to irradiate the electromagnetic waves periodically such that a frequency of an irradiation period in which the electromagnetic waves are irradiated is a predetermined frequency, and a time setting unit which sets a time ratio obtained by dividing a length of an irradiation time by the irradiator in the irradiation period by a length of a termination time during which the electromagnetic waves are not irradiated by the irradiator in the irradiation period to be a value of greater than or equal to 0.2 and less than or equal to 2.
US08616694B2
An ink jet recording method includes making a record on a recording medium having micropores using an ink composition containing a glitter pigment. The glitter pigment has an average particle diameter in the range of 1 nm to 100 nm, inclusive, and the recording medium has an average micropore diameter in the range of 3 nm to 200 nm, inclusive.
US08616689B2
A fluid droplet ejection apparatus includes a printhead having a fluid supply and a fluid return. A substrate is attached to the printhead, and the substrate includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet on a surface of the substrate proximate to the fluid supply and fluid return. Nozzles are in fluid communication with the fluid inlet. The fluid inlet of the substrate is in fluid communication with the fluid supply, and the fluid outlet is in fluid communication with the fluid return. A first circulation path through the substrate is between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The fluid supply is in fluid communication with the fluid return through a second circulation path that is through the printhead and not through the substrate.
US08616683B2
Pressure applying sections applying a pressure to ink in pressure chambers are arranged in a staggered array in a sheet feed direction to form a row. Four of such rows of the pressure applying sections are aligned in the scanning direction. One part of inspecting sections among plural inspecting sections detecting resonance frequencies are arranged respectively at positions deviating from both end parts and an approximately center part, in the sheet feed direction, of each row of the pressure applying sections toward both sides in the scanning direction, and are aligned in the sheet feed direction. The other inspecting sections are arranged on both sides, in the sheet feed direction, of the rows of the pressure applying sections, and are aligned in the scanning direction. Further, plural dummy electrodes are aligned with the one part of inspecting sections, the inspection electrodes, and the pads in the sheet feed direction.
US08616667B2
In a feeding course, a first design side end position Xsn of a paper is calculated. A first side end position of the paper is detected by a paper width detector, and the detected position is set to a first side end position Xd1. When the paper is fed from an additional cassette and a paper end detection flag F1=1, an ejection starting position adjustment amount ΔX=Xd1−Xsn is set. However, when the deviation amount is not |Xd1−Xsn|≦L, the ejection starting position adjustment amount ΔX is limited to a limit value L.
US08616666B2
There is provided a method of printing a regular array of rows of subpixels on a workpiece. The subpixels have c different colors and have a subpixel pitch s. A printing head has z nozzles arranged in a row with a spacing p, where z=n1(c) and p=n2(s), the printhead being at a first position relative to the workpiece. There are c different printing inks, one for each of the c colors, and each of the printing inks is supplied to the nozzles in a regular alternating pattern. The method includes steps of printing a first set of z rows of subpixels with the printing head; moving the workpiece laterally relative to the printing head by a distance d1, where d1=n3(s); printing a second set of z rows of subpixels with the printing head; repeating the printing steps for a total of n2 sets of z rows of subpixels. Variables include: c, an integer greater than 1; n1, n2, and n3 which are the same or different and are independently selected from integers greater than 0, with the proviso that n2 is not a multiple of c.
US08616665B2
A door bin for a refrigerator includes a metallic main body, a first endcap positioned at a first side of the main body, a second endcap positioned at a second side of the main body, an upper rail connecting an upper front corner of the first endcap to an upper front corner of the second endcap, and a glass panel.
US08616658B2
A hub assembly includes a retainer housing, a retaining member, a biasing element, and an occlusion. The retainer housing includes a wheel mounting sleeve and a pin sleeve. The wheel mounting sleeve includes an axle bore configured to receive an axle. The pin sleeve has a first end and a second end. The pin sleeve includes a conduit between the first end and the second end. The first end is in fluid communication with the axle bore. The retaining member and the biasing element are in the conduit. The retaining member is configured to engage a groove in an axle. The biasing element is configured to bias the retaining member towards the axle bore. The occlusion is proximate to the second end of the pin sleeve. The occlusion is configured to inhibit the retaining member from exiting the conduit at least prior to coupling the hub assembly to a wheel.
US08616655B2
In an assembly of a mesh cushion in a mesh chair and an assembling method thereof, a mesh member can be strongly fixed to a frame, enough tension can be provided to the mesh member with a simple scheme, and the edge of the mesh member can be prevented from being worn away, since the mesh type cushion assembly of a chair includes: a mesh member; a middle member fixing the edge of the mesh member; a frame and a cover that are assembled with each other so as to fix the middle member to between the frame and the cover; a tension part disposed between the frame and the cover so as to provide the mesh member with tension when the frame and the cover are assembled with each other; and a coupling unit coupling the frame and the cover to each other, and wherein, the mesh member is positioned between the frame and the cover.
US08616652B1
The articulating foot-elevating support includes a base into which a hydraulically actuated cylinder of telescoping sections arises therefrom to support a foot-shaped footrest thereon. The articulating foot-elevating support is designed for a specific use of aiding an end user in tying shoes onto his/her feet. The footrest can articulate about a pivot point atop the topmost telescoping section in a manner consistent with that of an ankle of a foot. The footrest includes an imprint of a foot thereon, which is a visual aid to an end user as to placement and orientation of a foot to be placed thereon. The hydraulically actuated cylinder includes multiple telescoping sections that enable the footrest elevation to be raised and lowered. The foot-shaped footrest may include a heel stop that prevents a foot from sliding off of the foot-shaped footrest when in use.
US08616641B2
A therapeutic back support device including a back support portion that automatically and repeatedly moves forward to maintain engagement with a user's back as the user moves forward with respect to a chair seat. The back support portion substantially resists backward motion and provides substantially continuous therapeutic support to the user's spine pending a release signal.
US08616640B2
A chair includes a base that has a generally U-shaped member. The generally U-shaped member is comprised of a front member attached to a first end portion and a second end portion. A seat is supported on the base and is moveable from an upright position to a reclined position. A first resilient member is attached to the first end portion of the generally U-shaped member. A second resilient is attached to the second end portion of the generally U-shaped member. End portions of the first and second resilient members are attached to the seat adjacent to a rear portion of the seat. The first and second resilient members are sized and configured to resiliently move or flex such that the seat is positioned at the reclined position when a user sits on the seat.
US08616637B2
Described are seat support assemblies comprising at least one of a pitch reducer assembly, a fitting assembly, an energy absorption assembly, and an integrated leg assembly. The pitch reducer assembly may include a pitch reducer housing, at least one pitch riser, and at least one pitch stop. The integrated leg assembly may include a forward leg and an aft leg, where the forward leg is coupled to the pitch reducer assembly. The fitting assembly may include a pair of forward housing mating components and a pair of aft housing mating components, where the pairs of mating components are coupled to the forward and aft legs, respectively. The energy absorption assembly may include a tubular member, a die slidingly coupled to the tubular member, and a die holder coupled to the die, wherein the die holder has a hemispherical outer surface that is configured to pivotally mate with a passenger seat housing and rotate about an arc of rotation relative to the tubular member.
US08616636B2
In a vehicle seat, first and second front links as well as first and second rear links are pivotally connected between a seat cushion frame and a floor of vehicle. The first front link has one pivot point pivotally connected with a drive pinion rotatably supported in one side of the seat cushion frame and another pivot point disposed forwardly of that one pivot point. Likewise, the second front link has one pivot point pivotally connected with the other side of the seat cushion frame and another pivot point disposed forwardly of that one pivot point. A first connecting link element is pivotally connected between the afore-said another pivot point of the first front link and the first rear link. A second connecting link element is pivotally connected between the afore-said another pivot point of the second front link and the second rear link.
US08616630B1
A tailgating bench and table combination, including a bench portion, having a bench frame supporting a bench cushion, and further comprising a member insertable into a trailer hitch of a vehicle; a pair of leg members on the bench frame, supporting the bench portion; a flat table portion, having a pair of legs on the front end supporting the table portion; a second member extending from the bench frame to support the rear end of the table in a horizontal position adjacent the bench portion; wherein the first member extends rearward from the bench to be inserted into the trailer hitch opening; and wherein the second member extends forward from the bench, and further includes an upright portion which is secured to an underside of the table portion. The pair of legs on the front end of the table and on the bench frame are height adjustable.
US08616624B2
In a seat, in a state in which tilting of a back main frame around a tilting center is locked by a reclining mechanism, a lower end of a back joint link is turnably joined to a vehicle side. Thus, turning of a first link, a back sub frame and the back joint link is locked, and operation of a back link mechanism is locked. Therefore, a supporting rigidity from rear side of a back side portion can be enhanced by the back link mechanism (the back sub frame), and a crew sitting in the seat can be thoroughly retained.
US08616620B2
A yard tractor incorporating a fluid cylinder pressurized by fluid from a control valve actuated by a switch accessible from the driver's seat.
US08616610B1
Moto-Auto Visor is an automobile windshield visor that is placed on the dashboard and stuck by 2 suction cups. Moto-Auto Visor helps protect the interior of the vehicle from the Sun's Ultraviolet rays and also keeps it cooler. Moto-Auto Visor is also beneficial to Handicapped Individuals that can't easily remove and install a Sunshade. Moto-Auto Visor opens and closes its shade with Rods connected to the center console, which move in a circular up and down motion. Moto-Auto Visor in its Center Console has a compartment that can store a monetary expressway device and other belongings. Moto-Auto Visor has 3 Variations called Super Deluxe, Deluxe, and Basic. The Super Deluxe can be made to operate by either of 3 ways. First, by on off switch powered by direct or alternating current, secondly by an auxiliary remote control device and third manual. the Deluxe can be made to operate by either of 2 ways, on off switch and manually. While the Basic on manually.
US08616609B2
The present invention prevents a lock pin from coming out of a lock hole even if a fuel lid locked in a bolted manner by intrusion of the lock pin into the lock hole is pushed toward a vehicle body. A second lock hole is formed in an inner peripheral wall of the lock hole and a protruding portion formed on the lock pin is engaged in the second lock hole when the fuel lid is pushed toward the vehicle body.
US08616607B2
The instrument panel assembly for an automotive vehicle includes an instrument panel and a component. The instrument panel includes an exterior surface and a cutout portion having a base which is recessed from the exterior surface. The cutout portion includes an inner wall extending between the base and the exterior surface of the instrument panel. The component attaches to the instrument panel. The component includes an engagement portion located at a distal end. The distal end of the engagement portion is at least partially received within the cutout portion of the instrument panel. The engagement of the distal end of the engagement portion of the component within the cutout portion of the instrument panel provides a continuous contact between the outer surface of the engagement portion and the inner wall of the cutout portion.
US08616601B1
An animal carcass mover enables a user to drag an animal carcass without losing control of the animal carcass. The animal carcass mover comprises an expandable tube assembly mechanically coupled to strap assembly. The expandable tube assembly comprises a left large diameter tube expendably adjacent to a left medium diameter tube section, which is expendably adjacent to a center small tube section. The center small tube section is expendably adjacent to a right medium diameter tube section, which is expendably adjacent to a right large diameter tube section. The strap assembly further comprises a fixed loop end can wrap around the expandable tube assembly and a hook and loop fastener that can wrap around the expandable tube assembly and adjust for the animals of different sizes. In this manner, a user can wrap the strap assembly around an animal in order to drag the animal to a desired destination.
US08616587B2
A joint includes a housing and a refrigerant tube connected to a refrigerant source and communicated with a target part in a rotating machine. A rotating member is loosely fitted inside with the refrigerant tube and fixed to a rotary part of the rotating machine. A relatively rotating member has a fixed-side member and rotating-side member. The fixed-side member is connected to the refrigerant tube via a refrigerant tube extension section. The rotating-side member is connected to the rotating member via a rotating member extension section. A refrigerant zone is formed by spaces defined between the refrigerant tube and the rotating member, and between the refrigerant tube and rotating member extension sections. A sealing member is installed between the fixed-side and rotating-side members. A vacuum chamber and pressure chamber are defined within the housing.
US08616586B2
A sealing element that includes a hollow body of metallic material and first and second male sealing members formed at a respective end of the body. The respective male sealing member has an external spherical contact surface designed for mating with a corresponding internal conical contact surface of a female sealing member so as to form a fluid-tight seal between the male sealing member and the female sealing member when their contact surfaces are pressed against each other. Also, a coupling device and a valve device provided with the sealing element.
US08616581B2
A mounting arrangement for mounting a vertical wall of a fuel tank protector to a vertical wall of a fuel tank includes a protector tab received in a fuel tank slot and a dog-house fastener received through a protector aperture and anchored in a fuel tank dog-house recess.
US08616575B2
A fifth-wheel coupling (1) having a coupling plate (2) with an entry opening (4) for a king pin (5) includes an at least single-part locking device (100) for fastening the king pin (5) and a fixing element which engages on the locking device, which fixing element can be moved from a locking position into an open position and vice versa. A securing device (15) with a blocking element (40, 400) is provided, which blocking element (40, 400) can be moved from a rest position into a blocking position and vice versa, wherein the blocking element (40, 400) projects into the entry opening (4) at least in the blocking position.
US08616570B2
In a method for producing a control arm for arrangement on an automobile axle formed as one-piece part from a light-metal extruded profile, a semi-finished product made from a light-metal extruded profile having a Pi-shaped cross-sectional configuration with a bottom web, side webs extending from the bottom web, and legs projecting from the webs is processed by cutting, whereafter bearing seat openings are introduced and sections of the processed semi-finished product are expanded. A control arm produced with the method of the invention for arrangement on an automobile axle is also disclosed.
US08616543B2
A guide device includes a plate on which a first medium is to be placed, and provided above a space in which a container is to be inserted, a moving member that moves along a surface of the plate in a supply direction of the first medium or in an opposite direction, a substantially sheetlike guide member that guides the first medium in the supply direction, and a drawing member that draws the moving member toward the plate. When the container is taken out of the space, the moving member is drawn toward the plate in the opposite direction by the drawing member, and the guide member withdraws to a position superposed on the plate. When the container is inserted in the space, the moving member is pushed in the supply direction by the container, and the guide member protrudes from the position in the supply direction.
US08616542B2
A print-medium post-treatment apparatus and a control method thereof, to increase the number of print media stacked on a bookbinding stack tray by controlling operation of a conveyor belt. The a print-medium post-treatment apparatus includes a bookbinding stack tray including a tray sensor to sense a print medium and a conveyor belt to move the print medium, and a controller to move the print medium in a given discharge direction by operating the conveyor belt in a first direction if the tray sensor senses the print medium moved onto the bookbinding stack tray and to move the print medium in an opposite direction of the discharge direction by operating the conveyor belt in a second direction so as to reduce a distance between a previously discharged print medium and a subsequently discharged print medium.
US08616536B2
An active dynamic vibration absorber apparatus for a vehicle that may be mounted to a frame of the vehicle and vibrates when power may be supplied to attenuate vibration of the vehicle, may include a housing, an upper spring and a lower spring, and a yoke assembly disposed between the upper spring and the lower spring which may be plates arranged in parallel, and selectively vibrates up/down in the housing, wherein the yoke assembly has an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion that protrude from the top and the bottom thereof, respectively, the upper protrusion being fastened to the center of the upper spring through the housing, and the lower protrusion being fastened to the center of the lower spring in the housing.
US08616535B2
A yoke of an actuator of an active vibration isolation support system, which controls an internal pressure of a liquid chamber by reciprocally oscillating a movable core by energizing a coil, includes a cylindrical portion and a flange portion. The cylindrical portion is disposed on an outer side of the yoke in a radial direction and faces an inner peripheral surface of the coil, while the flange portion faces an end surface of the coil. The yoke further includes an inner inclined surface formed in an inner side of an intersection of the cylindrical portion and the flange portion, and inclined in such a manner that an outer side thereof in the radial direction with respect to an axis of an actuator inclines upward. Accordingly, the vector of a magnetic flux generated through the energization of the coil can be oriented toward the movable core from the flange portion of the yoke via the inner inclined surface thereof. The magnetic flux is thus allowed to flow smoothly from the yoke to the movable core, so that the efficiency of the magnetic circuit is enhanced. As a result, the operational response of the actuator can be improved.
US08616531B2
A fencing apparatus for preventing animals from climbing over a fence, which includes a plurality of first and corresponding second elongated members, is provided. Each of the first and second elongated members pivot relative to each other from a first stationary position to a second variable position. A flexible plastic netting is connected to and extends across the plurality of first and second elongated members. When connected to a vertically extending fence, the fencing apparatus extends from the vertically extending fence such that the second elongated member pivots downwardly upon being subject to a load e.g., by the weight of a climbing animal.
US08616528B2
Hydraulic powered assemblies 10 and 110 are disclosed. The assembly 10 includes a support unit 12, a hydraulic motor 14, and a driven member 16 that is integral with the hydraulic motor 14. The hydraulic motor 14 includes a power group 32 that includes six gerotor power units 34a-34f. Each gerotor power unit 34a-34f includes an inner rotor 40 that is fixed to a stationary through-shaft 24 and an outer rotor 42 that is mounted for hypocycloidal movement relative to the inner rotor 40. The driven member 16 includes segments 51 that support the outer rotors 40 within the segments 51. The segments 51 carry a winch cable receiving member 60 when the assembly 10 is used as a winch. The hydraulic powered assembly 110 is an alternative embodiment that includes two power groups 131 and 132. The power groups 131 and 133 may be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
US08616513B2
A bracket for supporting a load from a mounting assembly. The bracket includes an upper portion having a support element and a lower portion having a mount for coupling the load to the bracket. The bracket also includes at least two side supports coupled to the support element and the mount located on sides of the mounting assembly. The upper portion, lower portion and side supports of the bracket are sized and shaped to fit over a perimeter of the support element. In one embodiment, the support arms are two support arms spaced across a length of the bracket to spread a load on the bracket.
US08616511B2
A quick-release swivel fork assembly for pivotably supporting a remote member. The quick-release swivel fork assembly includes a first portion, a body portion releasably coupled to the first portion, a pin supported by the body portion, and a latch member coupled to the body portion. The body portion is rotatable relative to the first portion about a first axis, while separation along the first axis is prevented. The pin defines a second axis for rotatably mounting the remote member. The latch member is biased to a first position in which the latch member blocks separation of the body portion from the first portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The latch member is operable to selectively enable separation of the body portion from the first portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis.
US08616506B2
A cable lead-through is disclosed for a switch cabinet, electric cabinet or the like. In at least one embodiment, the cable lead-through is formed of two substantially identical lead-through halves. The lead-through halves are held together by way of two clamping devices. By placing the clamping devices in grooves of the lead-through halves, the cable lead-through is held together.
US08616495B2
A hydraulic circuit for actuating an undercarriage, the circuit comprising: a feed line for feeding fluid and a return line; at least one door selector connected to the feed and return lines, the selector feeding door service lines, including an opening line and a closing line for opening and closing the doors; at least one undercarriage selector connected to the feed and return lines, feeding undercarriage service lines including a deployment line and a raising line for deploying and raising the undercarriage; and a door unhooking line and an undercarriage unhooking line. The door unhooking line is connected to at least one undercarriage service line while the undercarriage unhooking line is connected to at least one door service line, the circuit also including means for connecting the door service lines together during a door opening stage, and means for connecting the undercarriage service lines together during an undercarriage deployment stage.
US08616490B2
A film dispenser for dispensing stretch wrap or other flexible materials. The film dispenser is comprised of a separate inner and outer mold. The inner mold is comprised of slots and extensions, and a collar which fits into the outer mold, and inner ridges of said inner mold fit into a groove on an extended core. The outer mold is comprised of ribs which fit into the slots of the inner mold.
US08616484B2
A pretensioner includes a gas generator, a pinion, a tube pipe, a piston ball, a plurality of balls, and a tube cover. The tube pipe includes a tubular part that is formed continuously from one end portion to the other end in order to receive the piston ball and the plurality of balls. A hook portion formed at the other end portion is angled toward the pinion. A tip end part of the hook portion is attached to at least one of a refractor frame and the tube cover. With this construction, a reduction in an engagement amount between the pinion and the balls during operation of the pretensioner can be prevented, and as a result, the pinion can be rotated efficiently.
US08616482B2
A kitchen appliance comprising a base station (2) having a support surface (6) on an upper portion thereof and a rotatable drive shaft comprising a first coupling part (7) at a free end thereof. The appliance comprises a removable bowl (3) comprising a bottom part that is supported by the support surface (6) during operation and a coupling member (14) supported from said bottom part. The member comprises a second coupling part (15) for coupling with the first coupling part (7). The first coupling part (7) comprises a head (8) with an outer surface (19) with a number of first cam portions (20). The second coupling part (15) comprises a socket (16) for accommodating the head (8), the socket has an inner circumferential surface (23) with a number of second cam portions (24), said first and second cam portions (20, 24) comprise first respectively second cam faces (21, 25), which mate upon accommodation of the head (8) in the socket (16).
US08616476B2
An individual pulper is used and fibrous material is removed from the pulper in an optimum manner. In order to do this, the screening sheet of a pulper has openings which are disposed in various regions and have different sizes. The regions are concentric to each other.
US08616463B2
An apparatus includes modular track sections adapted to be assembled into a track for autonomous vehicles. The track is configured such that the vehicles tend to stay on the track and that allows the autonomous vehicles to enter and exit the track from at least one side of the track.
US08616457B2
A smart battery label having an RFID or UHF antenna, sensors to monitor battery environmental data and a bi-state display for displaying battery data.
US08616451B1
A finger sensing device may include a mounting substrate having a recess in a top surface thereof and having conductive through-vias extending from the top surface to a bottom surface. The conductive through-vias may extend laterally adjacent to the recess. The finger sensing device may also include a finger sensing integrated circuit (IC) die within the recess and may include a finger sensing area on a top surface thereof and bond pads on the top surface laterally adjacent the finger sensing area. The finger sensing device may also include a dielectric layer over the mounting substrate and the finger sensing IC die. The finger sensing device may further include a conductive pattern carried by the dielectric layer and coupling the conductive through-vias to respective ones of the bond pads.
US08616450B2
A hand held matrix code scanner includes an orthogonal transfer charge-coupled device (OTCCD), a controller coupled to the OTCCD, and a sensor coupled to the controller. The sensor senses movement of the scanner The controller is configured to move a first location of the OTCCD array to a second location as a function of data from the sensor to compensate for the device motion during image exposure.
US08616442B1
An automated banking machine operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. A card actuated automated banking machine may accept checks and dispense cash to users. The banking machine is operated to acquire image and magnetic data from deposited checks to determine the genuineness of checks and the authority of a user to receive cash for such checks. Cash may be credited to a user account corresponding to card data or may be dispensed to the user from the banking machine responsive to one or more deposited checks.
US08616439B1
A system and method includes displaying a prompt on a display device of a first computing device to input information for an e-commerce session. Next, a selection for completing the e-commerce session by an information transfer is received. A machine-readable code that captures data corresponding to the e-commerce session, such as a web session identifier, is generated by the first computing device. The machine-readable code is made available for scanning by the first computing device. A message derived from the machine-readable and produced by a second computing device that scans the machine-readable code is received over a computer network. In response to receiving the message derived from the machine-readable code, information is transferred from a secure server to the e-commerce session. Before any information is transferred from the secure server to the e-commerce session, a prompt may be displayed on the second computing device requesting authorization for the transfer.
US08616425B2
A trim panel for an interior upper surface of a roof of a vehicle includes a plurality of hanging features disposed thereon. Each of the hanging features includes a slot defined by the trim panel, and a hanging portion extending across the slot. The hanging portion is configured to support a clothes hanger thereon. The trim panel may extend laterally across a width of the vehicle, transverse to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and may be disposed adjacent a rear closure assembly, such as a hatchback of an SUV or other similar vehicle.
US08616413B2
A syringe includes a syringe outer tube having a spout and a spout-mounted cap. The cap has a cap main body sealing the spout in a liquid-tight manner, a mounting section mounted onto the spout, and a breakable breaking section linking the cap main body and the mounting section to release the link upon breaking. The inner circumferential portion of the mounting section includes protrusions inserted into a groove on the outer circumferential portion of the spout which also has a tilted section tilted relative to the axis of the spout outer circumferential portion. When the cap is rotated along the axial direction of the syringe outer tube, the protrusions move along the tilted section of the groove. The mounting section is thus displaced in the base end direction and the braking section is pulled in the direction and breaks to separate the cap main body from the mounting section.
US08616407B2
A preform for blow molding a plastic container, and the resulting container, with a flip-top closure includes a container portion and a flip-top closure base portion integrally molded with the container portion. The flip-top closure base portion includes an integrally molded first hinge structure for connecting the flip-top closure base portion to a second hinge structure on a flip-top closure top to create the flip-top closure for the container.
US08616401B2
A closure (2) for a container for pharmaceuticals, in particular a sterile container, includes a closure body (2) that is prefabricated from a non-elastic material. The container has a crucible shape with a bottom (3) and a wall (4, 5). At least one piercable opening (8) is incorporated in the bottom (3) of the crucible-shaped closure body (2) and provided for adding or removing liquid pharmaceuticals. The piercable opening (8) is sealed by a sealing element (7). The sealing element (7) is held in a receptacle (12), which is formed by the bottom (3) and a holding element (11) protruding toward the inside in the use position of the closure (1).
US08616383B1
A saddle rack assembly includes a reciprocating assembly moveable between a deployed position and a collapsed position and a saddle rack coupled to a portion of the reciprocating assembly. The saddle rack is moveable by the reciprocating assembly between a lowered position and an elevated position when the reciprocating assembly is moved between the deployed and collapsed positions.
US08616382B2
A server rack includes a rectangular rack frame, and two mounting brackets. The rack frame includes four support posts. Each post includes a side attachment flange parallel to a lengthwise direction of the rack frame, and an end attachment flange parallel to a transverse direction of the rack frame. The rack frame defines an access in a front of the rack frame for a server unit sliding into or out of the rack frame. Each of the mounting brackets can be selectively fixed between the side attachment flanges of the corresponding support posts to support the server unit, or between the end attachment flanges of the corresponding support posts to shield the access, thereby preventing air from flowing through the access to decrease heat dissipation efficiency.
US08616368B2
A sub basket configured to receive tangs upon which the subs are installed. The sub basket having support members that engaged the tangs and secure them to the sub basket. The support members securable via at least one of a handle latch, a door and a pin latch locking the door closed.
US08616367B2
A firearm cleaning kit includes a case comprising a first side and a second side joined along a fold line, and a fastener for joining together the first and second side of the case. A tool-holding insert is secured to an interior region of the case. The tool-holding insert includes a plurality of tool cavities and a first firearm cleaning implement removably secured in one of the tool cavities. A module attachment element is affixed to an exterior portion of the case. The firearm cleaning kit further includes a modular kit case including a fastening element releasably secured to the module attachment element of the case. The modular kit case further includes a second firearm cleaning implement removably secured thereto.
US08616363B1
Apparatus for stacking sticks of split-firewood has a drum with interior flights as well as a ramp and chute which do not rotate with the drum. The flights partition the inside wall of the drum into a procession of shelves and pockets. Each shelf extends radially between the drum sidewall and an inner edge. The ramp is mounted inside the drum and has an axially extending upper edge disposed to be spaced by a small gap from the shelf edges at about 9 o'clock relative clockwise rotation of the drum. The chute is also mounted partly inside the drum slopes from a top to a discharge end. The chute is mounted relative to the ramp to form a catch zone for sticks sliding off the ramp inside the drum. The chute furthermore extends outside the drum to discharge sticks of split firewood in neat stacks there.
US08616362B1
A conveyor belt with integrated spatially-modulated magnetic arrays and a vibrating device, and a method for use thereof are described, for sorting and aligning parts. A part which is to be sorted and aligned is provided with a spatially-modulated magnetic array that is complementary to that which is integrated into the conveyor belt. The vibrating device assures that parts placed in arbitrary locations on the conveyor belt will be sufficiently moved to come into magnetic proximity with the magnetic arrays integrated into the conveyor belt. A system of multiple conveyor belts for sorting and/or aligning a number of different parts is disclosed.
US08616360B2
A lockable, removable cassette is described. In an implementation, the cassette includes a plastic shell and a currency access door. The cassette may also include a flexible handle and/or an integrated grip. In addition, the cassette may include at least one of an aperture and a transparent window positioned to reveal the contents of the cassette. In an implementation, the cassette includes a stacking mechanism which may include a drive means having non-circular drive gears.
US08616359B2
According to one embodiment, a security grate for limiting access to a coin bin is disclosed. The security grate comprises a plurality of generally parallel upper slats and a plurality of generally parallel slats disposed below the upper slats. The plurality of first slats receives coins and directs coins moving under the force of gravity in a first direction. The plurality of lower slats receive coins from the upper slats and direct the coins moving under the force of gravity in a second direction.
US08616346B2
Disclosed is an electric disc brake including a reduction unit having a transmission function. The electric disc brake includes a piston in the caliper housing such that the piston is movable back and forth to press one frictional pad, a spindle unit including a nut spindle member allowing the piston to move back and forth and a spindle member screwed with the nut spindle member, and a reduction unit coaxially coupled with the spindle unit, and a motor rotating the reduction unit forward and backward. The reduction unit includes a sun gear coupled with a shaft of the motor, a planet gear, a carrier coupled with the planet gear to rotate the spindle member, and first and second internal gears engaged with the planet gear to amplify a rotational force of the motor or transfer the rotational force of the motor to the spindle member without a reduction gear ratio.
US08616338B2
Power distribution is managed in an elevator system including an elevator hoist motor (12), a primary power supply (20), and—an energy storage system (32). A predicted usage pattern for the hoist motor is established based on past hoist motor power demand in the elevator system or in similar elevator systems in similar buildings. A target storage state for the energy storage system is then set based on the predicted usage pattern. Power exchanged between the hoist motor, the primary power supply, and the energy storage system is controlled to address power demand of the hoist motor and to maintain the storage state of the energy storage system at about the target storage state.
US08616328B2
A tensegrity apparatus having multiple tensegrity units for the transmission of solitary waves with adjustable profiles into a material or structure, and the detection of such waves from a material or structure.
US08616327B1
A portable media player sound deflecting assembly includes a panel that has a front side, a back side, a first edge, a second edge, a bottom edge and an upper edge. A first lateral flange is attached to the first edge. The first lateral flange has a first side abutting the front side. The first lateral flange is angled forward of the front side such that an obtuse angle is formed with the front side and the first lateral edge. The first lateral edge deflects sound from a personal sound emitting apparatus forward of the panel when the personal sound emitting apparatus is positioned on the front side.
US08616326B2
A torque detection device includes: a torsion bar that couples a first shaft to a second shaft such that the first shaft and the second shaft are rotatable relative to each other; an annular magnet that is fixed to the first shaft; a pair of magnetic yokes that are fixed to the second shaft and that are arranged to face the magnet; and Hall ICs. Each of the magnetic yokes has a plurality of lugs arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction, and each lug becomes narrower toward its distal end, and has a curved profile with rounded corners when viewed from a radial direction of the corresponding magnetic yoke.
US08616319B2
In a mounting structure for a vehicle battery box, a battery box is supported in a suspended manner between left and right rear side frames at the rear of a vehicle with first and second cross members that are installed between the left and right rear side frames. The first cross member is fixed at a substantially front end of a rear deformation zone that is set at the left and right rear side frames. High-voltage equipment is fixed between the first and second cross members on the top surface of the right rear side frame. The battery box is electrically connected to the high-voltage equipment with a connecting member.
US08616314B2
A wheel driving apparatus is provided. The wheel driving apparatus includes a cylindrical inner housing supported by a vehicle body via a suspension, a wheel supported by the cylindrical inner housing so that the wheel is rotatable relative to the cylindrical inner housing, a motor having a stator attached to the cylindrical inner housing and a rotor attached to the wheel. The wheel includes a main body portion and an outside portion positioned on an outer side of the vehicle body, and the rotor is attached to the main body portion.
US08616304B2
Various embodiments relate to bearing assemblies configured to enable removal and replacement of superhard bearing elements, and bearing apparatuses that may utilize such bearing assemblies. The disclosed bearing assemblies may be used in a number of applications, such as downhole motors in subterranean drilling systems, directional drilling systems, roller-cone drill bits, and many other applications. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes a support ring and a retention ring assembled with the support ring. The bearing assembly further includes a plurality of superhard bearing elements. The retention ring and at least a number of the superhard bearing element are collectively configured to restrict displacement of the at least a number of the superhard bearing elements.
US08616300B2
A power tool of the present teachings comprises a prime mover that drives a tool, a main switch that causes the prime mover to operate when the main switch is turned on and causes the prime mover to stop operating when the main switch is turned off, an illuminator that lights a working area of the tool, and a lighting mode selector switch for switching the lighting mode of the illuminator between a plurality of lighting modes which include a first lighting mode and a second lighting mode. When the first lighting mode is selected, the illuminator will be turned on for a first predetermined period from the point at which the main switch is turned off. When the second lighting mode is selected, the illuminator will not be turned on during the first predetermined period from the point at which the main switch is turned off.
US08616293B2
A system and method for positioning a tool within a wellbore are described herein. The interior surface of a tubular string is provided with one or more pluralities of grooves, each defining a selected profile. A tool is lowered into the tubular string, having a blade in communication therewith. The blade includes a plurality of protruding members thereon, which define a profile complementary to at least one of the selected profiles formed by one of the pluralities of grooves. A biasing member in communication with the blade continually biases the blade toward the interior surface of the tubular string to cause the profile of the blade to engage within the corresponding complementary profile of the tubular string. Positioning a tool in this manner is especially advantageous for locating a cutting tool at a precise location to sever a tubular segment at a joint, releasing tensile forces from the joint.
US08616289B2
A system includes a back pressure valve configured to mount in a mineral extraction system. The back pressure valve comprises a cylindrical body comprising a venting port coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body and a plunger disposed in the venting port, wherein the plunger comprises a stem that extends from the venting port into an adjacent cavity of the cylindrical body. A method of operating a valve, includes biasing a plunger to an open position, biasing a valve locking mechanism to a locked position in relation to a bore of a mineral extraction system, and biasing a plunger to a closed position.
US08616275B2
This application is directed to a probe used for measuring groundwater characteristics such as temperature and conductivity, and for collecting a groundwater sample. The probe also has a shielding device that allows the probe to be driven into a hard underwater surface without damaging the probe. A deployment rig for accurately placing the probe into the underwater surface is also disclosed. The application is further directed to a method for placing a probe and measuring groundwater characteristics. An external screen membrane used with the probe allows accurate groundwater characteristic measurement by filtering particulate matter. The probe and external screen membrane allow for in situ measurement and monitoring.
US08616273B2
A method of producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir comprises pre-heating by exposure to electromagnetic radiation from a electromagnetic radiation source, injecting through at least one injection well a solvent into the reservoir to dilute the hydrocarbons contained in the pre-conditioned portion, and producing through at least one production well a mixture of hydrocarbons and solvent. An apparatus for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir comprises at least one radio frequency antenna configured to transmit radio frequency energy into a subterranean reservoir, a power source to provide power to the at least one radio frequency antenna, at least one injection well configured to inject a solvent from a solvent supply source into the subterranean reservoir to lower the viscosity of the hydrocarbons, and at least one production well configured to produce a mixture comprising hydrocarbons and solvent from the subterranean reservoir.
US08616271B2
The invention relates to a thermal control device intended to dissipate the heat generated by a payload on a spacecraft, comprising a number of surfaces and including means for circulating a refrigerant. An evaporation zone (Z1) comprises means for circulating the refrigerant, a compression zone (Z2), a condensation zone (Z3) comprising at least one radiating panel, linked to a part of the means for circulating the refrigerant, including several branches and comprising means to allow or inhibit the circulation of the refrigerant within these branches so as to vary the area of the heat exchange surface in the condensation zone, a pressure reduction zone (Z4) comprising means for circulating the refrigerant. Such a device is particularly well adapted to thermal problems encountered in telecommunications satellites.
US08616268B2
A constant temperature circulator assembly may include a circulator head assembly having a fixed display and a base ring assembly adapted for connection to a container wherein the circulator head assembly movably engages the base ring assembly so that an orientation of the fixed display may be selectively adjusted with respect to the base ring assembly.
US08616264B2
A partial SEN capable of having flow diverter parts installed therein, and a method of using the SEN in a continuous casting system are disclosed. The partial SEN includes a hollow distribution zone at a bottom portion of the SEN which is designed to allow the installation of at least two different types of flow diverter parts, one type of flow diverter parts for a first type of caster mold, and a second type of flow diverter parts for a second type of caster mold. The design of the flow diverter parts and the resulting angles achieved when the flow diverter parts are installed in the partial SEN are matched to a caster mold such that the flow characteristics of molten steel exiting the SEN into the caster mold during continuous casting operation are of a desired and optimal nature to prevent various types of casting defects.
US08616263B2
Disclosed is a molding machine for simultaneously making upper and lower molds with cope and drag flasks, a matchplate, upper and lower squeezing boards, and a lower filling frame. This machine also includes a cylinder for raising and lowering the lower squeezing board, a driving mechanism that includes pneumatic and hydraulic piping systems for driving the cylinder using an air-on-oil system, and a controller for controlling the driving mechanism. The drag flask, the matchplate, the filling frame, and the lower board define a lower molding space, while the matchplate, the upper board, and the cope flask define an upper molding space such that the controller controls the driving mechanism to drive the cylinder at a low pressure. The lower squeezing board is raised to squeeze the molding sand for simultaneously making the two molds such that the controller controls the driving mechanism to drive the cylinder at a high pressure.
US08616258B2
A composite laminar tape for mass-sealing bottles or similar containers consists, according to the invention, of at least one extensible laminar tape, made of an extensible plastomeric film, which is possibly provided with closed lines for a predetermined separation of areas being meant to act as sealing membranes. The invention also relates to an apparatus for mass-sealing containers with said tape, and to an apparatus for mass-unsealing the containers sealed with said tape.
US08616250B2
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for preparing frozen drinks. In one example, the apparatus includes a stationary platform configured to support a blender cup. The blender cup is displaceable via a mechanically actuated movement arm between a first position beneath an ice shaver and a second position beneath a flavoring dispenser. A weight sensor is mechanically coupled to the platform. The weight sensor is configured to produce an output indicative of a weight of an object present on the platform.
US08616249B2
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for preparing frozen drinks. In one example, the apparatus includes a platform configured to support a blender cup. The platform is reversibly translatable between a first position beneath an ice shaver and a second position beneath a flavoring dispenser. A weight sensor is mechanically coupled to the platform. The weight sensor is configured to produce an output signal indicative of a weight of an object present on the platform. The apparatus further includes a safety circuit configured receive a sensor input and to facilitate safe operation of the apparatus responsive to the sensor input being indicative of a safe condition of the apparatus.
US08616247B2
A method for forming a cabling media includes providing a wire pair including first and second conductor members. Each of the first and second conductor members includes a respective conductor and a respective insulation cover surrounding the conductor thereof. The first and second conductor members are twisted about one another to form a twisted wire pair having a twist length that purposefully varies along a length of the twisted wire pair. The method may include: imparting a purposefully varied pretwist to the wire pair using a wire pair twist modulator; and imparting additional twist to the wire pair using a wire pair twisting device downstream of the wire pair twist modulator.
US08616243B2
A method for repairing a conduit using a tube-shaped liner comprising a single layer of resin-absorbent fabric having a polymeric coating attached to an outer wall of the tube and a reinforcing layer connected to an inner surface of the tube. The liner is impregnated with a resinous material capable of curing and hardening and inverted under pressure into the conduit to be repaired such that the reinforcing layer is pressed against the interior of the conduit. The resinous material is allowed to cure and harden, creating a lining to the conduit. The single layer of fabric may be a non-woven material, such as a felt. The conduit to be lined may be a sewer pipe, and the reinforcing material may be a woven scrim. The woven scrim may be capable of preventing longitudinal stretch of the liner tube while allowing radial stretch.
US08616236B2
A method begins by obtaining a slipstream of a liquid. The slipstream of liquid is then mixed upstream of an injection pump with a latex comprising a drag reducing polymer to produce a drag reducing mixture. The drag reducing mixture is then injected into a liquid hydrocarbon to produce a treated liquid hydrocarbon.
US08616232B2
A fuel cut-off valve includes a case having a first opening communicated with the inside of a fuel tank and a second opening communicated with a canister; a lower float that is provided so as to move up and down inside the case and has a first valve member above the lower float; an upper float that is provided so as to move up and down above an upper portion of the lower float and has a second valve member and a third opening communicated with the canister; a first valve seat provided on the upper float, against which the first valve member abuts to close off the third opening; a second valve seat against which the second valve member abuts to close off the second opening; and a guide member that guides the upper float when the upper float moves up and down.
US08616231B2
A valve device for a compressed air supply system, includes a control chamber to which compressed air may be supplied, a control piston plate delimiting the control chamber, a control piston that is fixed to the side of the control piston plate facing away from the control chamber. The piston protrudes into a discharge valve chamber of a discharge valve, provided with at least one compressed air connection. A valve head delimits the discharge valve chamber, which can be pressurized with the force of a spring in the direction of a valve seat and which can be lifted from the valve seat by the control piston counter to the force of the spring in order to open the discharge valve. The control piston and a valve housing surrounding the control piston define at least two regeneration valve chambers of a regeneration valve having at least one compressed air connection. The at least two regeneration valve chambers are either separated from each other or connected together in accordance with the position of the control piston.
US08616225B2
A dishwasher includes a washing chamber surrounded by walls. The walls include a water-impermeable inner wall and an insulation layer. At least a first wall of the walls has in a first region on an outside thereof an emission changing device configured to change an emission of thermal radiation. The emission changing device includes a layer having a variable emissivity.
US08616216B2
Patterned laser treatment of the retina is provided. A visible alignment pattern having at least two separated spots is projected onto the retina. By triggering a laser subsystem, doses of laser energy are automatically provided to at least two treatment locations coincident with the alignment spots. All of the doses of laser energy may be delivered in less than about 1 second, which is a typical eye fixation time. A scanner can be used to sequentially move an alignment beam from spot to spot on the retina and to move a treatment laser beam from location to location on the retina.
US08616214B2
An earplug for insertion into an ear canal of a user has a front, a back, a side extending between the front and the back, a longitudinal axis, and a transverse axis. A core structure is selectively moveable from an un-deformed position to a deformed, insertable position suitable for insertion of the earplug into the ear canal of the user. A cover covers at least a portion of the core structure and is adapted for contact with the ear canal of the user. An actuator is operatively connected to the core structure for moving the core structure from the un-deformed position to the deformed, insertable position upon application of a force to the actuator.
US08616199B2
An ejection head unit is attachable to an inhaler for ejecting a medicine to cause a user to inhale the medicine and has a plurality of ejection heads having an element generating energy for ejecting the medicine, and a plurality of ejection nozzles through which the medicine is ejected by the element. An inhaler for ejecting a medicine to allow inhalation thereof by a user has an air flow path guiding a medicine that is inhaled accompanying inspiration by the user to a suction port, an ejection head unit having a plurality of ejection heads including an element generating energy for ejecting the medicine and a plurality of ejection nozzles through which the medicine is ejected by the element, and a positioning unit for positioning a single ejection head among the plurality of ejection heads at an opening provided in one portion of the air flow path.
US08616191B2
A wire saw (S) for separating a plurality of ceramic components (11-16) from a ceramic component block (1) has a roller system (2), the roller system has a plurality of deflecting rollers (3-5) guiding a wire (6) to form a wire harp (7), wherein at least one of the deflecting rollers (3) is divided into separate discs (31-36) guiding a single wire winding (61-66) of the wire (6) and being inclined at an adjustable angle (a) of less than 90 DEG to an axle (A) connecting the centers (M1-M6) of the discs (31-36).
US08616183B2
A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine has a fuel distributor (2), in the interior space (4) of which is formed a high-pressure accumulator, wherein transverse bores (6) open into the interior space (4). The transverse bores (6) are connected by connecting pipes (8a, 8b) to pressure lines (10) for the supply and discharge of fuel. A high-pressure sensor (30) is arranged at the face-side end of the fuel distributor (2), which high-pressure sensor (30) is connected by a measurement bore (30c) to the interior space (4), and a permanent magnet ring is arranged at that face-side end of the interior space (4) which is assigned to the high-pressure sensor (3).
US08616180B2
The present subject matter relates to arrangements and uses for engine speed governors. In particular, an automatic idle system for a small engine can include an engine speed governor for connection to a small engine with a governor shaft rotatable in response to a speed of the engine. A governor linkage can include a first portion for connection to the governor shaft and a second portion for connection to a throttle control of the engine, the first portion being movably connected with or to the second portion. An actuator can be connected to the second portion of the governor linkage, the actuator being movable in response to a load on the engine to move the second portion relative to the first portion. In this configuration, when the engine is in a low-load state, the second portion can be moved relative to the first portion toward a throttle-closed position.
US08616178B2
An engine braking system includes an exhaust control path between an engine cylinder and an exhaust discharge path. A relief valve has a valve element located within the path, the valve element operable between a closed position to close the exhaust control path, corresponding to an engine operating condition, and an open position to open the exhaust control path, corresponding to an engine-braking condition. A spring urges the valve element toward the closed position. A retainer is arranged to be positioned in two operating positions, a first operating position which prevents opening of the valve element and a second operating position which allows opening of the valve element. An actuator wedge is operable to move between a first position and a second position to move the retainer between the first and second operating positions.
US08616172B2
The present application relates to a drive and balance mass. In one example, an engine includes, a camshaft, a balance shaft disposed within an interior of the camshaft, and a first gear, intermediate the balance shaft and the camshaft and driving the balance shaft to rotate about a first axis substantially parallel to a crankshaft of the engine in a direction opposite of the crankshaft. In another example, a balance mass and drive for an engine includes, a planetary gear set including a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of pinions mounted on a carrier, an input coupled to an input gear of the planetary gear set, a balance mass coupled to an output gear of the planetary gear set, the output gear configured to drive the balance mass to rotate about a first axis substantially parallel to the crankshaft in a direction opposite of the crankshaft.
US08616164B2
An internal combustion engine has a cylinder (2) wherein a combustion chamber (3) is formed which is delimited by a piston (5) journalled to move back and forth. At least one transfer channel (14) is provided which connects the crankcase (4) of the engine to the combustion chamber (3) in at least one position of the piston (5). The engine has a supply channel (13) which opens with a supply channel inlet (11) at the cylinder bore (34). The supply channel (13) is connected to the transfer channel (14) via at least one piston pocket (22, 42) in at least one position of the piston (5). In order to achieve low exhaust-gas values of the engine, the piston pocket (22, 42) has a distance (a) to a lower edge (27) of the transfer window (15) which is less than the distance (b) to a lower edge (26) of the inlet (11) of the supply channel at bottom dead center of the piston (5). A method for operating an engine provides that the piston pocket (22, 42) is first connected to the transfer window (15) and then to the supply channel inlet (11) during the upward stroke of the piston (5).
US08616150B2
A device for blocking workpieces for the processing and/or coating thereof, has a support surface for positioning the workpiece to be blocked, a blocking station in which the workpiece can be blocked on a blocking piece by a temporarily deformable blocking material, and a transport device which has a retaining head for the workpiece and by which a relative movement can be created between the workpiece being retained at the retaining head, and the support surface and the blocking station. The transport device has at least four position-controlled movement axes, by which to position the workpiece in a defined manner in consideration of the orientation and geometric information relative to a blocking piece located in the blocking station, and can be retained in the defined relative position to the blocking piece during blocking while leaving a blocking material accommodation gap between the workpiece and the blocking piece.
US08616144B2
A system for reducing damage by birds to an airplane, the system including: (a) a detector mounted on the airplane, operable to detect a bird in a vicinity of the airplane and to generate detection information indicative of motion of the bird; (b) a processor, connected to the detector, configured to analyze the detection information and to selectively trigger activation of a jetting system that is mounted on the airplane in response to a result of the analysis; and (c) the jetting system, operable to jet a high pressure jet onto a bird.
US08616137B2
A tray table system to be mounted onto a seat, particularly in an aircraft, and to an associated aircraft, and a system that includes a retractable tray table having utility-surface dimensions that vary between a storage retracted position and an extended use position. The tray table system includes a tray table including an upper utility surface, and a translation mechanism capable of modifying by translation dimensions of the upper utility surface during movement of the tray table between at least a first general storage position and a second general use position.
US08616133B2
A tamping machine for tamping a track is equipped with a track lifting unit, positioned immediately in front of a tamping unit, and an auxiliary lifting device (19) designed for lifting a branch rail (20) of a switch branching off the main track. The auxiliary lifting device (19) is fastened to a beam (21) extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the machine and has a lifting tool (27) designed to be applied to a rail head (26). Two disk-shaped thrust rollers (32), spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the machine and rotatable in a common plane of rotation (33), for application to a first side face (34) of the rail head (26) are connected to the auxiliary lifting device (19). A flanged roller (36) is provided for application to a second side face (35) of the rail head (26) and for resting the auxiliary lifting device (19) on the latter. The auxiliary lifting device (19) is pivotable relative to the beam (21) about an axis (42) by means of a drive (41).
US08616132B2
An apparatus for distributing irritants or warfare agents includes a container having an interior for providing an irritant or warfare agent, which is dissolved or emulsified in a solution gas in its liquefied state of aggregation, which solution gas is in gaseous condition at room temperature and atmospheric pressure or ambient pressure. In addition, the container has at least one predetermined breaking point for producing an opening of the interior to the surroundings of the container at a predefined bursting pressure in the interior, and the apparatus further includes a pressure generator which can generate an increased pressure in the interior of the container that is greater than the bursting pressure of the at least one predetermined breaking point.
US08616130B2
Improved liners and explosive devices having improved liners are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a liner for an explosive device comprises a plate configured to be positioned against an explosive charge. The plate comprises rhenium, palladium, or a combination thereof, at least a bimodal particle size distribution having a powder grain size no greater than 25 microns, a substantially circular diameter, and a substantially concave interior relative to a surface of the explosive charge.
US08616128B2
A gas generator assembly and method of operation. A plurality of stacks of laterally adjacent and laterally and axially supported gas generant wafers are contained within a housing. An igniter material is placed between the wafer stacks and an initiator. Upon ignition of the igniter material by the initiator, the wafer stacks are ignited and combust, generating a gas which, when reaching sufficient pressure within the housing in excess of ambient exterior pressures, opens a closed exhaust gas port and is released into a gas discharge structure where the gas passes through a heat sink material, cooling the gas before it exits the gas discharge structure for an intended use.
US08616127B2
A safety and arming apparatus for use with a projectile includes a rotor pivotable between a safe position and an armed position. A biasing element holds a mass engaged with the rotor to restrain the rotor from rotation and is deformable to allow the mass to displace and disengage from the rotor in response to a setback force on the projectile. A second biasing element includes a displaceable end for engaging with the rotor to restrain the rotor from rotation and is deformable to disengage the displaceable end from the rotor in response to projectile spin. A piston actuator can rotate the rotor to the armed position if the mass is disengaged and the displaceable end is disengaged. A detonator on the rotor can be aligned with a detonation cord when the rotor is in the armed position and unaligned when the rotor is in the safe position.
US08616126B2
A contact printing system is disclosed. The contact printing system is provided with a central roll having a plurality of discrete cells disposed upon an outer surface thereof. Each of the plurality of discrete cells is in fluidic communication with a respective fluid delivery channel. Each of the fluid delivery channels are formed in situ with the formation of the central roll and the plurality of cells.
US08616118B1
A beverage brewer (10) having a housing (16, 30) with source of dispense water (37, 39) for mixing with beverage ingredient to produce a freshly brewed beverage has an electromagnet (76) mounted to the housing (30) and a brew basket assembly (32, 34) with a drain plug assembly (49) that is responsive to energization of the electromagnet (76) to actuate a drain plug assembly to move a drain plug (48) out of blocking engagement with a drain hole (61). The drain plug (48) is attached to a lower end of a plug support member (50) that has an upper magnetic responsive end (51) that is received within a hollow core of (54) of the magnet (76) when the brew basket assembly (32, 34) is toolessly mounted to by raising it into operative position where it is held by mating magnetic connectors (72, 74). During use, the elongate plug support member (50) is used as a handle to remove a filter assembly (60) for cleaning.
US08616117B2
A substance dispensing system comprising in combination:—a disposable container (1) filled with a portion of a substance, the container having a preformed and deformable body with a bottom (2), a peripheral wall (3) adjoining said bottom and having a top end remote from said bottom, an integral circumferential rim (4) extending outwards from the top end of the peripheral wall and defining a filling opening of said container, said disposable container being closed by a cover sheet (5) which is sealed to the circumferential rim by means of a circumferential seal (6), and—a dispensing apparatus (30) comprising a compression device having a cover sheet side support member (15) for the cover sheet side of the container as well as a bottom engaging member (20) for engaging on the bottom of the container, said compression device being adapted to compress the container by reduction of the distance between the cover sheet side support member and the bottom engaging member.
US08616110B2
A method and apparatus for producing an article. The method includes providing a fiber material, splitting the fiber material with a splitting roller having a set of grooves that extend continuously around a circumference of the splitting roller, and cutting the fiber material to a desired length.
US08616109B2
A pair of saw blades comprises a first blade (1), which is adapted to rotate in a first direction about an axis of rotation (r), and a second blade (2), which is adapted to rotate in a second direction opposite to said first direction about the same axis of rotation (r), wherein each blade (1, 2) has a blade body (3, 4) and cutting elements (5, 6), which are provided along the periphery of the blade body (3, 4) and adapted to run close and in parallel to each other when the blades (1, 2) are rotating. A spacer means (7), which extends into a space between the two blades (1, 2), is attached to at least the blade body (4) of one of the blades (2) in order to support itself against and slide along a peripheral part of the other opposite blade (1).
US08616080B2
Provided is an actuator characterized by the use of a shuttle that shifts in response to an overload. The shuttle is movable axially relative to a rotary input member by continued rotation of the rotary input member so that a stop on the shuttle moves from an ambush position allowing free rotation of the rotary input member to a blocking position preventing further rotation of the rotary input member. In this way, the shuttle prevents rotation of a rotary input member during an overload of a control surface.
US08616079B2
A shift switching control device of a vehicle including a shift switching mechanism that electrically switches a shift position of an automatic transmission with activation of a step motor based on an operation signal indicative of an operating state of an operating device for switching a shift position of the automatic transmission, wherein if a first shift switching control is provided that is determined in advance as shift position switching control giving higher priority to higher output of the step motor rather than responsiveness of switching of a shift position, the shift switching control device of a vehicle drives the step motor in a one-two-phase excitation mode and sets a rotation speed of the step motor to a predetermined first rotation speed, and wherein if a second shift switching control is provided that is determined in advance as shift position switching control giving higher priority to responsiveness of switching of a shift position rather than higher output of the step motor, the shift switching control device of a vehicle drives the step motor in a one phase excitation mode or a two phase excitation mode and sets a rotation speed of the step motor to a predetermined second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed.
US08616077B2
A non-destructive inspection method for detecting the presence of a contaminant that has alloyed with a metallic alloy of a part includes exposing the metallic alloy of the part to an extraction solution. The extraction solution extracts at least a portion of any of the contaminant that has alloyed with the metallic alloy. The extraction solution can then be analyzed to determine whether the solution includes any of the contaminant element, which indicates whether the part includes any of the contaminant element.
US08616074B2
A fitting for inserting a pig into a pipeline. The fitting comprises a cast body having a first end for connecting to a first end of a pipeline and a second end for connecting to a second end of the pipeline. The cast body further comprises a third end arranged at a predetermined angle to the first and second end of the cast body. A retractable guide within the cast body can be at least partially inserted into a run portion of the cast body for delivery or retrieval of the pig.
US08616067B2
A pressure sensor assembly is disclosed wherein the substrate to which the pressure sensing die is mounted is decoupled from the package.
US08616057B1
An angular rate sensor having two generally planar proof masses, a sense axis in the plane of the masses, and an input axis perpendicular to the sense axis. The masses are suspended from a driving frame, which is mounted for torsional movement about the input axis in drive-mode. And the masses are constrained for anti-phase movement along the sense axis in sense-mode in response to Coriolis forces produced by rotation of the masses about the input axis, with sensors responsive to the anti-phase movement of the masses along the sense axis for monitoring rate of rotation.
US08616052B1
A system for identifying at least one species in space includes a physical response module for outputting multiple spectral data based on received signals from a target in space; a calibration module for receiving the spectral data and outputting a first dataset, including density of an {x, y, z} coordinate location in space as a function of time, t; and a classification module for receiving the first dataset, and outputting a second dataset including multiple tuples of {x, y, z, t, d} associated with the at least one species, wherein d is density of the at least one species. Also included is an HD processor for receiving the second dataset from the classification module and providing a visual image of the second dataset to a user.
US08616044B2
The present invention provides for test surfaces and methods for calibration of surface profilometers, including interferometric and atomic force microscopes. Calibration is performed using a specially designed test surface, or the Binary Pseudo-random (BPR) grating (array). Utilizing the BPR grating (array) to measure the power spectral density (PSD) spectrum, the profilometer is calibrated by determining the instrumental modulation transfer function (IMTF).
US08616041B2
The invention relates to a method for calibrating a sensor system of at least one measuring bearing for a bearing installation, said method being used to adjust individual measured values of an individual bearing installation using representative reference values of a reference installation.
US08616040B2
A method of forming a stent includes the steps of forming a composite member into a stent pattern, forming openings through an outer member of the composite member, processing the composite member to remove a portion of the composite member without adversely affecting the outer member, and swaging the outer member to create a plurality of lumens. The composite member may be formed of an outer member with an hourglass-shaped inner member, wherein the processing step removes the inner member and the swaging step forms two lumens from the hourglass shaped cavity. The composite member may be formed of an outer member, an inner member, and an intermediate member, wherein the processing step removes the intermediate member and the swaging step presses portions of the outer member into contact with the inner member to form two lumens separated by the inner member.
US08616036B2
The invention relates to a machine for bending a profile in two bending directions, that comprises a bending tool including at least two clamping forms (19) centered on the profile bending axis and having the shape of disks having planar junction surfaces (19a) extending in planes perpendicular to said bending axis, in which are formed two rectilinear grooves (20b, 21b) and a peripheral rebate (22b) extending between said grooves and profiled as a continuation thereof, the grooves and the rebate being adapted so that, in the joined position of the junction surfaces (19a) of two clamping foams, the joined grooves define two clamping ducts of a profile and the joined rebates define a profile-winding bearing surface extending between said clamping ducts.
US08616015B2
A cooling circuit for removing waste heat from a cooling device of an electromechanical converter is provided. The cooling circuit includes a chilling medium, a cooler for extracting heat from the chilling medium, a return connecting the cooling device of the converter to the cooler and conducts warm chilling medium, a feed connecting the cooler to the cooling device of the converter and conducts cool chilling medium, and an absorption chiller for extracting heat from the chilling medium. The absorption chiller is driven by the heat of the warm chilling medium that is in the return.
US08616009B2
The invention provides a method of making a magnetic regenerator for an active magnetic refrigerator, the method comprising: forming a magnetic regenerator from a slurry or a paste containing a magnetocaloric material the magnetic regenerator being formed to have plural paths therethrough for the flow of a heat transfer fluid; and varying the composition of the magnetocaloric material so that the magnetic transition temperature of the magnetic regenerator varies along the paths.
US08616007B2
A structural attachment system for the outlet of a transition duct includes a structural attachment member that has a step over portion with an outer flange at one end thereof and an inner flange at the other end thereof. The step over portion can project away from the inner and outer flanges and can define an open area. The step over portion can have a cross-section that is generally u-shaped, v-shaped, c-shaped, semi-circular, semi-oval, parabolic, or bowed. A portion of the outlet of a transition duct is received within the step over portion of the structural attachment member. Because of such arrangement, the structural attachment member is not constrained circumferentially to fitting in between two neighboring transition ducts. The structural attachment member can manage the thermal displacements that can occur between the transitions, rotor shaft cover and first row of blades during transient engine operation.
US08616005B1
A method and apparatus for boosting the performance of gas turbine engines, pipelines, and other applications using gas turbine engine systems. A pressurizing device or other source is preferably used to deliver an intake air stream to the gas turbine engine at at least 2% above atmospheric pressure. The pressurizing device of other source is preferably not mechanically driven by the gas turbine engine itself.
US08616004B2
A combustor for a turbine engine includes an outer liner having a first group of air admission holes and defining a plurality of outer liner regions. The combustor further includes an inner liner circumscribed by the outer liner and forming a combustion chamber therebetween, the inner liner having a second group of air admission holes and defining a plurality of inner liner regions. The combustor further includes a plurality of fuel injectors extending into the combustion chamber and configured to deliver an air-fuel mixture to the combustion chamber, each of the plurality of fuel injectors being associated with one of the outer liner regions and one of the inner liner regions. The first group within a respective outer liner region includes air admission holes that circumferentially alternate between approximately a first size and approximately a second size, the first size being different than the second size.
US08616003B2
A nozzle assembly comprises a first-fuel-inlet tube, a second-fuel-inlet tube, and a plate stack. The nozzle-plate stack (100) defines a central circuit, corner air circuits, a first fuel circuit and a second fuel circuit. The fuel circuits include a swirl chamber in which the fuel is swirled prior to being merged with the central circuit. The corner air circuits merge with the central circuit downstream of the fuel circuits' merge and provide an additional swirling component to further shape the fuel-air stream prior to ignition.
US08615995B2
A fluid reservoir for a motor vehicle hydraulic brake system, having a housing with at least one fluid chamber, the housing preferably having a housing upper part and a housing lower part, a reservoir warning device for monitoring the reservoir filling level of the fluid reservoir, a filler neck for filling the fluid reservoir, a cap for fluid-tight closure of the filler neck, provisions for pressure balancing of the fluid reservoir and preferably a canister-shaped filling filter arranged in the area of the filler neck and having a wall and a base.In order to provide a cost-effective and easily assembled fluid reservoir, the filling filter, which reliably prevents the ingress of dirt, extends into the fluid chamber and includes a wall molded onto the housing of the fluid reservoir that adjoins the reservoir filler neck.
US08615989B2
A method for regenerating a DPF in an exhaust aftertreatment system includes the steps of: monitoring a temperature of exhaust associated with a DOC; retarding an injection of fuel into at least one combustion cylinder, and thereby intentionally causing a misfire in the at least one combustion cylinder, dependent on the monitoring step; increasing an outlet temperature of the exhaust from the DOC to a first threshold temperature; and oxidizing particulates within the DPF when the exhaust is at the increased temperature. The number and/or frequency of the misfires is controlled to provide the desired exhaust temperature at the DPF inlet.
US08615988B2
An exhaust system that processes exhaust generated by an engine includes a diesel particulate filter (DPF) that is disposed downstream of the engine and that filters particulates from the exhaust. An electrical heater is disposed upstream of the DPF and selectively heats the exhaust to initiate combustion of the particulates within the exhaust as it passes therethrough. Heat generated by combustion of the particulates induces combustion of particulates within the DPF.
US08615981B2
An integrated coal gasification combined cycle facility is provided that can prevent a reduction in power generation efficiency even when low-grade coal having a relatively-high moisture content is used. Included are: a gasification section that gasifies supplied coal; a gas power generation section that generates power by using gas supplied from the gasification section; a steam power generation section that generates power by using the heat of exhaust gas discharged from the gas power generation section; and a coal drying unit that dries the coal by using exhaust heat discharged from the steam power generation section and that supplies the dried coal to the gasification section.
US08615972B2
The present invention provides a torque measuring station, comprising a cap-engaging assembly for engaging a cap that has been secured onto a container, a torque measuring assembly for obtaining a measurement indicative of the torque exerted on the cap by the cap engaging assembly and a processing entity in communication with the torque measuring assembly. The processing entity is operative for receiving the measurement indicative of the torque, and for causing the container to be handled, once released from said cap-engaging assembly, on the basis of the measurement indicative of the torque applied to the cap.
US08615971B2
A system for automatically filling tablets into tablet containers comprising at least one tablet compartment for receiving tablets comprises: reception means (30) for receiving a patient order containing a patient identification (PAT-ID) and at least one prescription comprising prescription data (REZ) regarding the types of tablets to be taken by the patient and instructions for taking said tablets; allocation means (40) for allocating the prescription data (REZ) and patient identification (PAT-ID) to respective tablet containers (1); at least one automatic tablet dispenser (50) containing supplies of a plurality of tablet types for automatically filling at least one tablet compartment of a respective tablet container, wherein the allocation means (40) or the automatic tablet dispenser (50) is/are designed for determining, from the prescription data (REZ), the number of tablets of the respective types of tablets to be taken by a patient at certain times and for allocating a tablet compartment (2) of a tablet container (1) to each determined time for taking the tablets, and the automatic tablet dispenser (50) is designed for filling the tablets thus determined for each determined time for taking them into the tablet compartment (2) of the respective tablet container (1), which compartment has been allocated.
US08615969B2
Disclosed is a reinforcement structure of a rectangular flat metal plate, which is provided with: a rectangular flat metal plate that is predominantly subjected to in-plane shear, and supports a compressive load as necessary; strip-like rectangular section members that are spliced in parallel with both side edges of the flat plate in the longitudinal direction so as to reinforce the flat plate; and a plurality of square tube-like members that are parallelly arranged for each constant interval in the shorter side direction of the flat plate, and are spliced on one side surface of the flat plate, or are spliced so as to overlap one another across the flat plate between both surfaces of the front and back of the flat plate, wherein the torsional rigidity and torsional strength of the rectangular flat metal plate are increased to ensure a yield shear load, and shear yield strength can be stably maintained even in the transition of shear deformation after the yield.
US08615966B2
A structure which is transformable by inflation from a collapsed condition for storage to an erect condition for use has an inflatable tubular framework and at least one flexible web attached to and extending between two or more regions of the framework. The inflatable framework is formed by at least one inner inflatable tubular element (A, B) of flexible, elastic, air-impermeable material and having an inflation valve (13,15) accommodated within an outer sleeve arrangement of a material which is flexible but substantially non-elastic and restrained therein upon inflation. The outer sleeve arrangement is configured to include at least one branch point and/or at least one abrupt bend and the configuration of the inner tubular element or elements (A, B) corresponds to that (branch points (a, b) and abrupt bends (z)) so that the inner tube or tubes will substantially fill the outer sleeve arrangement upon inflation. Each inner tube (A, B) is formed by cutting and bonding of the air-impermeable material to provide a continuous inflatable compartment of relevant configuration and is inserted through an opening in the outer sleeve arrangement and fed through so as to fill it when later inflated in use.
US08615961B2
An insertion connector (1) is provided for hollow profiled elements (17, 18) of spacers or mullions for insulating glass panes. The insertion connector includes lateral walls (3) and at least one central wall (2) having at least one long opening (9) extending along the longitudinal axis 23) of the connector. At least one holding element (7) projects from the central wall (2). The holding element (7) is arranged adjacently to the through-opening (9). The insertion connector (1) can include other holding elements on the lateral walls (3).
US08615960B2
Improvements in the design and construction of solar collector modules. Aspects of the invention include improvements in the layout of a frame for a solar collector module, and in the joining of structural members of the frame at nodes. In one example, a module of a solar collector includes a reflector and a three-dimensional structural frame that supports the reflector. The frame is made up of substantially rigid elongate frame members interconnected at nodes. Improved node connection components include hubs or frame members having tabs for receiving frame member connections. A tab may have a width that is substantial in relation to its height. The frame may incorporate asymmetry in its layout, in the size or presence of frame members, or in the positioning of the nodes.
US08615958B2
A fastener for securing first and second decking boards with a joist is shown and described. The fastener may include a joist connecting member capable of engaging the joist, a board connecting member capable of engaging the first decking board, where the board connecting member is generally perpendicular the joist connecting member. The fastener may also include a retention feature laterally spaced from the board connecting member, where the retention feature is capable of engaging the second decking board.
US08615954B1
An improved solar panel attachment system for a roof and method for its use include a pedestal that has a plurality of protrusions and keyways located along its bottom wall surface and extending along the length of the pedestal. The pedestal is placed into a paddy of foam adhesive laid along a roof underlayment and the keyways receive and engage with the expanding adhesive for bonding the pedestal directly to the roof without the need for mechanical fastening. The protrusions provide spacing between the bottom wall surface and the roof so that an adequate amount of foam adhesive resides between these wall surfaces and those structures. Attaching means are secured to the top wall surface so that the pedestal may be used to securely mount (or secure) a solar panel or other object to a roof.
US08615947B2
A sheet metal yoke for supporting a pair of main runners of a suspended ceiling grid in parallel alignment with a relatively narrow spacing, the yoke having an inverted U-shape with a horizontal span and a depending leg adjacent each end of the span, a lower end of each leg having a tab extending towards the other leg, the tab being proportioned to fit in a cross runner slot of a main runner and being capable of vertically supporting the main runner at a desired elevation.
US08615940B2
An eco-friendly energy integrated building comprises a building frame, doors and windows, a roof and guard rails. A concrete reinforced layer is poured on the roof, a farm soil layer is arranged on the concrete reinforced layer, farm crops are planted on the farm soil layer, a power generation system is arranged on the concrete reinforced layer, and a solar energy device is arranged on the guard rails.
US08615935B1
A multi-heel connector for securing a rafter, a ceiling joist, and supporting building roof structural members in a single bracket connection to withstand enhanced load forces such as hurricane forces. The multi-heel connector combines a loop portion for securing a joist, a rafter contact surface adjacent the loop portion, having a slope which provides for a selected, predetermined roof pitch, mounting tabs for securing the multi-heel connector to a top wall plate, and a tie down for securing the multi-heel connector to exterior wall stud. The multi-heel connector is adaptable for accommodating a riser key to adjust the rafter contact surface pitch, and a joist spacer to accommodate a joist having a cross-section smaller than the multi-heel connector loop portion cross-section.
US08615927B2
An obstacle detection system includes a first component and a second component. The motor is configured to move the second component toward the first component. Radio frequency identification tags (RFIDs) are connected to one of the first component and the second component. A controller is operatively connected to the motor and has a transmitter operatively connected to the other of the first component and the second component. The transmitter is operable to create a magnetic field between the first component and the second component. Each of the RFIDs is operable to provide a respective signal in response to the field. The controller is configured to modify power delivery from a power source to the motor when the respective signals received by a receiver change due to at least a portion of the magnetic field being at least partially blocked or attenuated. A method of detecting an obstacle is also provided.
US08615914B2
The present invention relates to a collapsible display-arrangement (A; B) having a base unit (2) for placing against a support surface (1), a sheet (4) that can be rolled up or unrolled and on which a picture and/or text appears, and also a support (3) for retaining the sheet, the upper edge (4a) of the sheet being arranged for co-operation with said support (3). At least one end part of said upper edge (4a) is designed to be able to be provided with a permanent magnet (7) or the like, and the magnetisation direction or directions is/are so chosen that an attractive force will operate between said permanent magnet (7) and a permanent magnet (7a′) pertaining to an adjacent display arrangement (B).
US08615912B2
A method and system for an illuminated display. The display can include a first image that may be illuminated by a light source and a second image that may be illuminated by a light source. The light source may be a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and the LEDs and uniform illumination may be achieved through the use of waveguides. Additionally, the display may be such that it is flexible and that it may be mounted in any of a variety of locations and onto any of a variety of objects.
US08615911B2
A protective helmet of a type worn by a firefighter or by an emergency worker, wherein the protective helmet is equipped with a mounting device, by which a badge having a front face bearing indicia is mounted to the protective helmet. The mounting device comprises a fitment, which is mounted to the protective helmet and which has a recess opening downwardly and receiving an upper portion of the badge, the upper portion comprising an upper end of the badge. The mounting device comprises a blade, which is mounted to the protective helmet and which has a portion extending upwardly along a back face of the badge as far as the upper edge of the badge, or farther. The badge may be predominantly made of leather. The blade is a leaf spring, which biases the badge frontwardly.
US08615910B2
A holder for receiving and holding a gift card includes one or more pop-up elements that project upward from the inner surfaces of the main body of the holder. When presented for sale, a backer panel bearing a removeably attached gift card projects from the holder and is separable from the holder post-sale by tearing or cutting along perforation line therebetween. The gift card is removed from the backer panel and installed upon a pop-element inside in the holder, the holder is secured in a closed position and the holder is presented to the gift recipient.
US08615907B2
A grapple device includes a torque tube, a pivot, a rod and cylinder, a pivot link, and a tooth. The torque tube has first and second torque pivot points and is adapted to be mounted on a bucket. The pivot is rotatably connected to the first torque pivot point at a pivot cross tube located at a second end of the pivot, and the pivot further comprises a pivot collar at a first end, and first and second pivot faces adjacent the pivot collar. The rod and cylinder are operatively connected to the second torque pivot point, includes a rod and a cylinder, and has a rod pivot at a first end of the rod.
US08615904B2
A cleat for footwear. The cleat includes a base layer that attaches to the outsole of the footwear, a cushioning layer and a traction element layer. The traction element layer is attached to the base layer solely by the cushioning layer. Each of the cleat layers provides friction with the ground when the cleat engages the ground. The durometer of the base layer and the durometer of the traction element layer are greater than the durometer of the cushioning layer. When a user steps on a surface wearing a shoe outfitted with these cleats, the resilience of the cushioning layer at once both lessens the impact of the traction elements on the ground surface and lessens the reaction force on the user's foot transmitted through the shoe's outsole. The user's comfort is thereby enhanced.
US08615903B2
Support liners and cushions which include including a plurality of compressible protrusions. An arrangement is provided for interconnecting the compressible protrusions, the interconnecting arrangement being adapted to ensure strict compression of the compressible protrusions upon acceptance of a compressive force.
US08615898B2
A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a main body having an inner space formed therein, a support body arranged in the main body so as to form a frame of the main body, a flexible drum rotatably installed on the support body so as to have a non-circular cross-section as it is rotated, and rotation guides arranged between the support body and the flexible drum so as to guide rotation of the flexible drum. A distance from a center of rotation of an inscribed circle contacting the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum to one random point on the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum is greater than a distance from the center of rotation of the inscribed circle to another point on the inscribed circle such that the drum maintains a non-circular cross section.
US08615881B2
A method for forming a print head having a plurality of reentrant structures to reduce wetting of the print head surface by the ink during use, and a resulting structure. The method can include the use of a single photosensitive layer to form plurality of reentrant structures, each having a pillar and a cap which overhangs the pillar. A plurality of print head nozzles can also be formed during the formation of the reentrant structures. Embodiments can include the formation of pillars, caps, and nozzles using three different masks, two different masks, or a single mask.
US08615873B2
A method of manufacturing a terminal block for a telecommunication cable comprising the steps of providing a preformed substrate member comprising a podium member, at least one electrical connector and at least one insulated electrical wire attached to an electrical contact positioned within the at least one electrical connector; placing the preformed substrate member in a mold; and injecting a dielectric material into the mold containing the podium member to form an overmolded terminal block, wherein the dielectric material covers the at least one insulated electrical wire and a portion of the electrical contact positioned within the at least one electrical connector.
US08615871B2
A chip mounted circuit substrate (COF) 4 to be installed on a liquid crystal display panel 1 comprises an arrangement wiring electrodes 42 formed on a base film 41 at a first pitch P1 in a first direction (A-direction) and two of first positioning marks 43 formed at both sides of the arrangement of the wiring electrodes 43 in the first direction. Before installing the COF 4 on the liquid crystal display panel 1 by thermo-compression bonding, the first pitch P1 of the wiring electrodes 42 is selected to be narrower than a second pitch P2 after performing the thermo-compression bonding in consideration with expansion of the base film 41 in the first direction. In addition, a part of each the first positioning mark 43 overlaps a second positioning mark 12 formed on the liquid crystal display panel 1 and protrudes outward from the second positioning mark 12 in the first direction.
US08615867B2
A superconductive element is described, comprising a rigid support made of a non-superconductive material, said support comprising at least one superconductive track formed by a groove containing a superconductive material having a density equal to at least 85% of the value of its theoretical density, and the process for producing said element. The present invention also relates to the possible uses of the superconductive elements, and also to superconductive devices comprising said superconductive elements.
US08615866B2
A method of monitoring quality of a control circuit in a power plant is provided. The quality of the control circuit is continuously assessed by determining characteristic quantities describing the quality by applying a plurality of testing methods suitable for describing dynamic properties of the control circuit to current operating data originating from the instrumentation and control equipment of the power plant, and by evaluating the characteristic quantities.
US08615864B2
A disassembled battery and methods for disassembling the battery are provided. Holes are formed in an enclosure of the battery and a fluid is injected into the battery to inactivate an electrolyte inside the battery. The enclosure of the battery is then cut to define strips in the enclosure that can be peeled back to expose a core inside the battery. The core can be extracted and recycled.
US08615855B2
An improved cemetery experience whereby the cemetery and accompanying facilities may celebrate and demonstrate the passion and hobbies of the deceased individual. The contemplated themed cemetery may be a stand-alone cemetery that celebrates a common passion of a plurality of individuals, yet still maintains the traditional burial and memorialization process. The themed cemetery may take a specific event, or commonly understood and loved location and memorialize that location in the theme of a cemetery where those with that common interest and enjoyment of the commonly understood location may desire to be buried. The cemetery would closely resemble both visually, and physically a replica of the theme being celebrated and may provide space for the deceased while still providing adequate income and revenue in the way of advertising for the operator.
US08615844B2
A dust filter for filtering dust out of an air stream has a filter membrane pleated into a row of pleats. A pleat deflector is movably suspended for moving along the row of pleats for cleaning the filter membrane. The deflector has a free end extending between the pleats when the deflector and the pleats are in undeflected condition, such that when the deflector is moved along the row of pleats, the pleats are deflected and released in succession along the row. The deflector includes a flexible plate of which at least a portion between the suspension and the free end has a width transverse to the direction of movement of the deflector, where the width decreases with the distance to the suspension.
US08615835B2
An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure includes a midsole element, an upper sheet, and a lower sheet. The midsole element has an upper surface and an opposite lower surface. In addition, the midsole element defines a plurality of bores extending from the upper surface to the lower surface. The upper sheet is secured to the upper surface and extends over at least a portion of the bores. The lower sheet is secured to the lower surface, and the lower sheet is positioned to correspond in location with the upper sheet and extend under the portion of the bores.
US08615828B2
a reclining bed that raises the upper body and legs above horizontal, but also allows the legs to recline below, the horizontal position. The resulting ergonomic benefits of sitting up for extended periods of time makes the desk specifically designed for such a bed a necessity.
US08615825B2
A liquid drainage system for a sanitary installation has a liquid level sensor for detecting the level of liquid in a drainage receptacle. The sensor employs non-contact sensing, for example an electric field, to detect the liquid level and controls the operating of a drainage pump depending on the detected liquid level. The drainage receptacle may for example be the gulley of a shower tray, or a manifold connected to two or more sinks.
US08615823B2
A flusher assembly includes a main body adapted for mounting to a toilet tank; and a flush handle assembly having a shaft rotatably mounted within the main body and operable in a full flush rotation position and a limited flush rotation. The assembly is simple, reliable and efficiently manufactured, and allows selection of full or limited volume flushing of toilets and, thereby, conservation of water.
US08615814B1
The main body of the hand muff of the present invention includes a generally cylindrical member having an opening at each opposite end thereof. A viewing panel forms a section of a generally cylindrical wall of the main body of the hand muff. The viewing panel can be formed of one or both of solid transparent material and screen mesh material. A selectively removable cover flap permits the user to see inside the muff when the free edge of the cover flap is selectively detached from the body of the muff. A pocket with a closure is provided inside the body of the muff and is configured to hold a cell phone, a personal digital assistant and the like handheld device.
US08621659B2
In a method of manufacturing this cantilever for the magnetic force microscope, a magnetic film is formed on a probe at a tip of the cantilever for the magnetic force microscope. When a non-magnetic rigid protective film is formed around the probe, the film is formed from the front of the probe of the cantilever for the magnetic force microscope at an angle (15° to 45°) and from the back of the probe of the cantilever for the magnetic force microscope in two directions each at an angle in a range of (15° to 30°).
US08621658B2
A magnetic-field-observation device and method for measuring magnetic force near a magnetic material specimen's surface with high resolution and detecting the polarity of the magnetic pole of specimen's surface. The device including: a probe; excitation mechanism that excites it; scanning mechanism that relatively moves the probe and specimen; alternating magnetic field generation mechanism to make the probe periodically undergo magnetization reversal and apply thereto an alternating magnetic field having magnitude not making the specimen undergo magnetization reversal; and modulation measurement mechanism for measuring degree of periodical frequency modulation of the probe's oscillation caused by its apparent spring constant periodically changed by force of periodically changed intensity and applied to the probe by alternating force through magnetic interaction between magnetizations of the probe and specimen, by frequency demodulation or by measuring intensity of one sideband wave spectrum among spectrums generated by the frequency modulation. The method performed using the device.
US08621657B2
The invention relates to an electronic system comprising a printed circuit contained in a package. The system comprises a protection device comprising conducting tracks carried by the printed circuit and each having a free end; a first integrated circuit connected to the conducting tracks and adapted for detecting a variation in the capacitance seen by each conducting track; and a second integrated circuit, optionally merged with the first integrated circuit, comprising a configurable memory for selecting certain of the conducting tracks. The second integrated circuit is adapted for determining that an authorized or unauthorized access has occurred on the basis of the detection of the variation of the capacitance seen by at least one of the selected conducting tracks.
US08621655B2
An apparatus for enforcing a media stream delivery restriction uses a stream control service (SCS). The SCS is implemented in a distributed network, such as a CDN, in which a given media stream is delivered to authorized end users from multiple delivery servers, but where an authorized end user is associated with a single log-in identifier that is not intended to be shared with other end users. According to the method, an enforcement server of the SCS identifies first and second copies of the given media stream associated with the single log-in identifier being delivered from multiple delivery servers. It then issues message to terminate delivery of the given media stream from at least one of the multiple delivery servers.
US08621653B2
A location collection system is described herein that provides a uniform facility for reporting location data to a cloud-based service from a variety of devices, and that provides a uniform facility for accessing aggregated location data collected by the cloud-based service. The system collects location information related to a user and reports the location information to a central service to provide a variety of useful services to the user. By providing a big, secure location vault in the cloud, the system enables big data analytics to be used to allow current and future questions to be asked of this data and to correlate this with other data to enable new scenarios not yet enabled. Thus, the location collection system provides a model to report, gather, and analyze location data across devices and users.
US08621650B2
A tracker node verifies content possession by a peer node in a peer-to-peer content distribution system. Upon receiving an announcement that a peer node claims to possess a content item, the tracker node in one embodiment obtains the content item, selects a random portion of the content item; formulates a challenge based on the random portion of the content item and determines an expected challenge response. The challenge may comprise, for example, a request for a hash of the random portion (or alternatively, a hash of the random portion and a random seed value). The tracker node issues the challenge to the announcing node and verifies the announcing node's possession of the content item if the challenge response from the announcing node matches the expected challenge response.
US08621642B2
A method comprising an indicator showing an overall security status of a user.
US08621630B2
A content inspection system provides cloud-based content inspection for mobile devices. The content inspection system includes a content inspection server for receiving a request providing a digital fingerprint of content for evaluation for threats and a data reputation services server for maintaining a threat database. The content inspection system communicates with the mobile device using a service oriented architecture web services based on exchanges of messages between agents of the content inspection system and the mobile device. The content inspection server authenticates the received request belongs to a subscriber, and once the request is authenticated, the data reputation services server operates on the request to determine whether content identified by the digital fingerprint matches pre-existing claims in the threat database. The content inspection system generates a threat evaluation response for the mobile device based on reviewing the threat database for pre-existing claims.
US08621629B2
An intrusion detection system for detecting and defeating unauthorized intrusion within a computer network of an infrastructure element of a high value target, the system including a pre-processor configured to receive data from a computer network of an infrastructure element of a high value target and to output filtered data, a grammar applicator configured to apply grammars produced using a grammar based compression and learning algorithm to the filtered data, a decision making device configured to provide a recommendation based on an input from the grammar applicator as to whether the data in the computer network constitutes an unauthorized intrusion, and an emulator in communication with the decision making device configured to expand a sampling of the filtered data using a polymorphic transformation to allow the decision making device to further analyze the sampled data to determine an unauthorized intrusion. A method and a computer software code are also disclosed.
US08621624B2
An apparatus and method for preventing an anomaly of an application program are provided. More particularly, an apparatus and method for preventing an anomaly of an application program that detect and stop an anomaly on the basis of a behavior profile for an application program are provided. The apparatus includes a behavior monitor that detects behavior of an application program in operation, an anomaly detector that determines whether the detected behavior of the application program is an anomaly on the basis of a behavior profile of the application program in operation, and an anomaly stopper that stops the behavior of the application program determined as an anomaly by the anomaly detector. Possible application program behavior is stored according to its purpose in a behavior profile and an anomaly is detected and stopped on the basis of the behavior profile, thereby decreasing a false-positive rate of anomaly detection and simultaneously solving a problem of a conventional security programs being incapable of defending against attacks using the authority of a program trusted by a user.
US08621617B2
A method of securing execution of a main program that implements nested functions, the method comprising the steps of executing a security management program arranged to update a list of current functions, informing the security management program of the beginning of execution of each function of the main program and updating the list of current functions, informing the security management program of the end of execution of each function, and, after being informed of each end of execution of a function, verifying that the function is indeed the function that was begun the most recently.
US08621615B2
A method includes receiving one or more of user information, role information, or authorization information associated with a user accessing a network, selecting a traffic flow to monitor that is associated with the one or more of user information, role information, or authorization information, monitoring the traffic flow, determining whether an anomaly exists with respect to the traffic flow based on a traffic behavior pattern associated with the one or more of user information, role information, or authorization information, and performing a security response when it is determined that the anomaly exists.
US08621614B2
Computer-readable media and computerized methods for governing treatment of digital communications (e.g., emails and instant messages) upon identifying the communications as potentially phishing emails are provided. A service provider is employed to control behavior of an account that is assigned to an intended recipient of the communications. Controlling the behavior of the account is described in the context of a non-web mail server that renders a UI display, which is not dynamically configurable by the service provider. In one solution, controlling behavior alerts a user to the presence of communications identified as potentially phishing by aggregating these communications in a separate folder. In another solution, controlling behavior facilitates protecting the user by replacing the content of the potentially phishing communications with a warning message. This warning message optionally includes a URL link to a web browser where the user can view the original content of the potentially phishing communications.
US08621607B2
Mechanisms have been developed for securing computational systems against certain forms of attack. Taint status for data accessible by processes is selectively maintained and propagated in correspondence with information flows of instructions executed by a computing system, so that a security (or other appropriate) response can be provided if and when a control transfer (or other restricted use) is attempted based on tainted data. One response that may be triggered is a change in the privilege level (root and guest) that is used to process code executing in a virtual environment, so as to allow remediation to be performed. The triggering events may be specified in a control block.
US08621604B2
Identifying a questionable network address from a network communication. In an embodiment, a network device receives an incoming or outgoing connection request, a web page, an email, or other network communication. An evaluation module evaluates the network communication for a corresponding network address, which may be for the source or destination of the network communication. The network address generally includes an IP address and a port number. The evaluation module checks a predefined white list for the network address to determine whether the network address is valid. Depending on the result, the evaluation module sets an indicator for preventing, allowing, or warning about the network communication. A category code, security code, organization code, or function code, may also be checked against the white list to ensure a valid network node is not compromised. A domain name may also be determined from the network address to further validate the network communication.
US08621599B2
A communication system may be configured to control by a security controller the use of a node in a network for a service or application to transmit data via the node, wherein the security controller controls the use of the node based on a predetermined list indicating whether the service or application is allowed for the node, the predetermined list including combined identifiers for client applications and identifiers for network nodes.
US08621593B2
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus allowing proper communication with a communication partner in accordance with a communication time of the communication partner.
US08621583B2
Sensor-based authentication technique embodiments are presented which generally employ sensor readings captured by a user's computing device (such as a mobile computing device like a cell phone, smart phone, PDA, and so on) to authenticate the user's access to a computer network-based service (such as a web-service) that is secured with traditional textual passwords. These traditional passwords are saved in an off-device password repository service. The aforementioned sensor readings are not cached on the user's computing device and are immediately streamed to the password repository service, where they are validated against a pre-arranged, known sensor-based password. If the validation succeeds, access to the password protected service is brokered by the password repository service on behalf of the user using the appropriate traditional password, and the user's computing device is granted access.
US08621581B2
An email server provided according to an aspect of the present invention protects authentication information of user applications when access user's email account is compromised. In an embodiment, when an email message directed to a user contains content which provides access to authentication information for accessing a user application implemented external to said email server, the email server requires authentication credentials from the user before providing access to the content. As a result, even if the user's email account is compromised, additional controls are provided to reduce the probability of compromise of access to user applications implemented external to the email server.
US08621578B1
Systems and methods to tell apart computers and humans using image recognition task having a dynamic graphical arrangement of randomly selected images. The images can be arranged as a grid or matrix for presentation on a device display for authentication of a user as human. The kinds of graphical images can be derived from a selected category for the image recognition task. A series of randomly generated access codes corresponding to the images can be displayed with the images. The user may enter the access codes corresponding to images from the selected category. An authentication server can compare the access code entry to an authentication reference code corresponding to the particular arrangement of images. The selection of images, their arrangement and their corresponding access codes, may dynamically change in between verification sessions.
US08621570B2
When setting up communication from a user equipment UE (1), such as for providing IP access for the UE in order to allow it to use some service, information or an indication or at least one network properly relating to a first network, e.g. the current access network (3, 3′), is sent to the UE from a node (13) in a sue and network such as the home network (5) of the subscriber ask UE. The information or indication can be sent in a first stage of an authentication procedure being part of the setting up of a connection from the UE. In particular, the network property can indicate whether the access network (3, 3′) is trusted or not.
US08621565B2
An authentication apparatus authenticates an information processing apparatus in cooperation with an external authentication apparatus. The authentication apparatus responds to a request from the information processing apparatus to carry out authentication and obtain item values, and carries out authentication for a required account; responds to the authentication being carried out, and obtains from the external authentication apparatus an item value corresponding to an item name that is set as an item to be synchronized each time; updates an item value in a local database by the obtained item value; obtains a set of item values including the updated item value; and returns to the information processing apparatus a result of the authentication having been carried out and the obtained set of item values.
US08621563B2
An approach is presented for providing recommendation channels. A recommendation platform receives an input for creating at least one recommendation channel, the input specifying at least one category. Next, the recommendation platform determines one or more tokens based, at least in part, on the at least one category, wherein at least one of the one or more tokens represents context information. Then, the recommendation platform determines to create the at least one recommendation channel based, at least in part, on the one or more tokens.
US08621551B2
Techniques for managing and protecting computing environments are disclosed. A safe computing environment can be provided for ensuring the safety and/or management of a device. The safe computing environment can be secured by a safe component that isolates and protects it from unsafe computing environments which may also be operating. As a result, various security and management activities can be securely performed from a safe computing environment. A safe computing environment can, for example, be provided on a device as a safe virtual computing environment (e.g., a safe virtual machine) protected by a safe virtual computing monitor (e.g., a safe virtual machine monitor) from one or more other virtual computing environments that are not known or not believed to be safe for the device. It will also be appreciated that the safe components can, for example, be provided as trusted components for a device. As such, various trusted components (or agent) can operate in a trusted computing environment secured from interference by components that many not be trusted and perform various security and/or management tasks alone or in connection, for example, with other trusted components (e.g., trusted serves).
US08621545B2
A system and method for a content provider to distribute content may include configuring a webserver to be in communication with the Internet and be accessible to subscribers of a communication service provider without accessing the Internet. The content provider may be enabled to store content in at least one data storage bin at the webserver, where the webserver may further be configured to provide digital rights management for the content provider and guaranteed QoS to the subscribers when downloading the content. The content may be communicated from the webserver with guaranteed QoS to the subscribers.
US08621527B2
An aircraft in-flight entertainment system includes a plurality of seat electronic units (SEUs) that are daisy chained through a packet data network (PDN) loop to a content server containing media content. The SEU includes a power supply, a communication switch, a processor, a communication interface, and a power control circuit. The power supply supplies power to the communication switch, the processor, and the communication interface. The communication switch selectively routes packets containing media content through the processor and the communication interface to the video display unit, or through a segment of the PDN loop to a downstream electronic unit. The power control circuit responds to the power supply supplying less than a threshold level of power by supplying power to the communication switch from the segment of the PDN loop connected to the upstream electronic unit and/or the downstream electronic unit.
US08621516B2
Systems and methods for providing travel information associated with a presently viewed media content event. An exemplary method receives a selection for a media content event, receives a media content stream corresponding to the selected media content event, communicates the selected media content event to a media presentation device, communicates to the media presentation device a travel indicator during communication of the media content event, receives a user selection associated with the travel indicator, and presents travel information to the user based on the received user selection. The travel information is based on an analysis of content of the EPG information. The media content event is paused after receiving the user selection of the travel indicator. The travel information associated with the media content event is saved after receiving the user selection of the travel indicator.
US08621506B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of operation involves two operations. The first operation involves receiving feedback information from a viewing audience concerning a displayed video content. After receipt of the feedback, substituting portions of a downloaded data stream with video content selected based on the feedback information.
US08621502B2
A user interaction request is received during playback of video content. The user interaction request can be received independent of any indication from the video content that user interaction is possible. In response to receiving the interaction request, one or more menus are displayed allowing the user to select one or more reaction options and to select whether the selected one or more reaction options are to be communicated to another user or to a content provider.
US08621494B2
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for suspending logically related processes associated with an application, determining whether to resume a suspended process based upon a wake policy, and/or managing an application state of an application, such as timer and/or system message data. That is, logically related processes associated with an application, such as child processes, may be identified and suspended based upon logical relationships between the processes (e.g., a logical container hierarchy may be traversed to identify logically related processes). A suspended process may be resumed based upon a wake policy. For example, a suspended process may be resumed based upon an inter-process communication call policy that may be triggered by an application attempting to communicate with the suspended process. Application data may be managed while an application is suspended so that the application may be resumed in a current and/or relevant state.
US08621492B2
A call for an application programming interface can be received from an application component at a context checking module, and a current application context of the application component within which the call for the application programming interface was generated can be determined. A context token of the application programming interface can be compared with the current application context, and if the context token does not match the context token, a remedial action can be executed. Related methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed.
US08621486B2
Techniques for using action significance levels in an automation system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an automation system includes an event detector, and event analyzer, and a player. The event detector is configured to detect an event affecting execution of an application being monitored by the automation system. The event analyzer is configured to analyze a detected event and determine importance of an action causing the event to operation of the application. Based on the determined importance, the event analyzer assigns one of a plurality of predetermined significance levels to the action. The player is configured to reproduce each action assigned a significance level at least as high as a selected replay level and to not reproduce any action assigned a significance level lower than the replay level.
US08621482B1
A method, computer program, and database system are disclosed. A plurality of instances of a request to a database system are received. All instances of the request have a same set of variables to use in executing the request. The values of the variables are supplied by data in a data source. A specific plan for executing one instance of the request is generated. Generating the specific plan includes taking into account data in the data source. The specific plan is executed on the database system. A system run-time metric and a parsing time for executing the specific plan are captured and saved. A generic plan is generated and cached based on a comparison of the system run-time metric and the parsing time for executing the specific plan.
US08621478B2
A multiprocessor system supports multiple concurrent modes of speculative execution. Speculation identification numbers (IDs) are allocated to speculative threads from a pool of available numbers. The pool is divided into domains, with each domain being assigned to a mode of speculation. Modes of speculation include TM, TLS, and rollback. Allocation of the IDs is carried out with respect to a central state table and using hardware pointers. The IDs are used for writing different versions of speculative results in different ways of a set in a cache memory.
US08621476B2
A method for resource management in grid computing systems includes defining user's demands on execution of a task as SLA (Service Level Agreements) information; monitoring states of resources in a grid to store the states as resource state information; calculating for each resource in the grid, based on the resource state information, an expected completion time of the task and an expected profit to be obtained by completing the task; creating an available resource cluster by using the expected execution time and the expected profit; and determining, if the SLA information is satisfied by the available resource cluster, a task processing policy for executing the task by using at least one resource in the available resource cluster. The available resource cluster is a set of resources having the expected completion time within a deadline of the task and the expected profit being positive.
US08621469B2
An ACT generation unit (208) in an access control apparatus generates an ACT in a form in which the ACT includes function restriction information based on the time period. At this time, in response to an ACT request from a client PC, a list (401) which describes function restriction information based on the time period is referred to based on user information (404) and time information (405) representing the request time. A regular time ACT (410) and overtime ACT (411) are generated in accordance with the request time. By replying the ACT to the client PC, a print job is transferred together with the ACT to a printing apparatus, allowing access control based on the time period.
US08621466B2
Project progress management technology is made more objective by excluding as much human subjectivity as possible. Consideration is given to levels of importance of check items and tasks. A more accurate grasp of the progress of a project is enabled even if a significant change occurs in the middle of the project. An indication of a “complete” or “incomplete” state is used as a progress indicator of the lowest order tasks of the project, and progress of a high order task is based on the progress of the lowest order tasks.
US08621462B2
A customizer autonomically customizes a virtual appliance by retrieving customization values for various customizable properties of a virtual machine from various providers to customize the virtual appliance in order to simplify deployment of the virtual appliance. The customization properties may include CPU properties, memory properties, storage properties, network properties and properties specific to the software in the virtual appliance. The customizer allows an end user to initiate autonomic customization of the virtual appliance at various times prior to deployment of the virtual appliance. The customizer also allows the user to provide additional customization upon execution.
US08621459B2
Methods and apparatus for virtualization of guest operating systems (OSs) include allocating virtual machines (VMs). The VMs are assigned to each of the available hardware threads and resumed or launched for the first time. If scheduling of additional VMs is required upon exiting the VM context, another VM is selected and assigned to the hardware thread to be resumed or launched. A VM monitor is used to resume or launch a VM while the host operating system is prevented from controlling the hardware thread. A VM context structure is loaded. The thread is set to the state of the guest OS and the VM context is resumed or launched. The state of the guest OS is saved locally during a context switch to the context of the VM monitor. The VM context structure is then cleared and the host OS is allowed to control the hardware thread again.
US08621456B2
Various implementations are described herein for detecting and modifying security settings on a computing device to run a web application using a web browser. A loader application detects security settings on the computing device, determines if the security settings will allow the web application to run and function correctly on the computing device, and if necessary, modifies the security settings to allow the web application to run and operate successfully. Further, described herein are techniques for facilitating communication between components corresponding to a web application running in a web browser and external resources.
US08621447B1
A parser can be configured to parse source code to generate code for dynamically generating structures at runtime. Any or all of the structure name, keys, and values can be defined dynamically (i.e. at runtime), rather than requiring declaration in the source code. Embodiments include a method in which a source file is parsed to identify an expression creating a dynamic structure with at least one key-value pair. The method can comprise generating a plurality of expressions for creating intermediate data structures which, at runtime, can cause the dynamic structure to be defined as set forth in the declarative expression. The dynamic structure may comprise one or more declared key-value pairs and/or may comprise one or more key-value pairs that are also dynamic.
US08621429B2
A software development support apparatus includes: a class memory unit which stores a class for generating a unit object which carries out predetermined processing; an object generating unit which reads the class and generates the unit object; an annotation analysis unit which determine whether the class includes annotation information; and an extended-function execution unit which carries out an extended-function object corresponding to the class. When the annotation analysis unit determines that the class includes the annotation information, the object generating unit generates the extended-function object based on the annotation information, and when the unit object to the class is called from a predetermined application and carried out, the extended-function execution unit carries out the extended-function object to the class.
US08621418B2
A computer method and apparatus for managing changes for a given software system is disclosed. The invention method and apparatus forms a respective change request object to represent each user's request to make a change to a given software system. For each change request object, the invention method/apparatus provides an issue hierarchy of issue objects, a task hierarchy of task objects and an activity hierarchy of activity objects. Each issue object represents a respective issue, each task object defines work needed to address a respective issue and each activity object tracks respective work performed. There is provided a tabular user interface including a table representation of the respective issue hierarchy, task hierarchy and activity hierarchy of a change request object. The table representation serves as a to-do list per user and displays issue object, task objects, and activity objects as a function of user role.
US08621416B1
Various embodiments of a system and method for adapting software elements based on mood state profiling are described. The system and method for adapting software elements may include a mood state component configured to, among other things, create a mood state profile of a user. The mood state profile may indicate characteristics of a user's mood state. The system and method for adapting software elements based on mood state profiling may also include a method of application development. The method of application development may include creating an application profile that indicates the mood-altering characteristics of the application. The application profile may be used to, among other things, determine modifications to the application during the application development phase. The mood state component may also enable applications to adapt to a user's mood state while the application is in use (e.g., at runtime).
US08621413B1
A system, method and computer program product are provided for reducing a deactivation function utilizing an optimal reduction. In use, a deactivation function is identified. Additionally, reductions for the deactivation function are calculated. Further, an optimal reduction of the calculated reductions is determined. Moreover, the deactivation function is reduced, utilizing the optimal reduction.
US08621408B2
Systems and techniques for optimizing a circuit design are described. Some embodiments reduce the number of gates in the library (e.g., by dynamically pruning the library) which are considered for optimization. Some embodiments create a linear delay model, and use the linear delay model instead of a non-linear delay model to substantially reduce the amount of computation required to check whether or not a particular replacement gate improves one or more metrics of the circuit design. Some embodiments determine an order for processing the gates in the library or for processing input pins of a gate to facilitate early rejection of a candidate gate in the library of gates. In some embodiments, the evaluation of the impact of a candidate gate transformation is done progressively and level-by-level only up to the point where the gate transformation degrades one or more metrics.
US08621397B2
A mobile terminal including at least a first identity module and a second identity module; a wireless communication unit configured to transceive communication data; a touchscreen configured to receive a touch input on a predetermined touch area for selecting one of the first and second identity modules; and a controller configured to control the wireless communication unit to transmit the communication data using the one of the first and second identity modules based on the touch input performed on the predetermined touch area.
US08621395B2
A method of triggering a hover event for a pointer in a user interface on a display device begins by predicting a future position of the pointer on the user interface. A likelihood that the pointer will hover over a screen object is determined based on the predicting. Finally, a hover event for the screen object is triggered based on the determined likelihood that the pointer will hover over the screen object.
US08621391B2
Computing devices and methods for managing user interface content and user interface elements are disclosed. In one embodiment, after a plurality of user interface elements is selected from an ordered list, wherein a selection order is maintained for the selected plurality of user interface elements: a user gesture to perform an operation on the plurality of user interface elements is detected, and in response, a stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails corresponding to the selected plurality of user interface elements is displayed, wherein a display order of the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails corresponds to the selection order of the selected plurality of user interface elements.
US08621388B2
An image forming apparatus includes an operation panel serving as a display apparatus and an input apparatus for accepting a request for performing processing and a control unit for controlling display on the operation panel. The control unit performs determination processing for determining whether a time period required for the processing requested to be performed is predictable or not, provides animation display by continuously displaying two or more windows relating to the processing when it is determined that the time period required for the processing is predictable, and provides pop-up display by displaying one window relating to the processing when it is determined that the time period required for the processing is not predictable.
US08621376B2
A graphical user interface (GUI) for a system for querying web data includes a query entry component defined to receive textual input of a query language (QL) statement. The QL statement identifies one or more QL tables associated with one or more web data sources. The GUI also includes a results data display component defined to visually display results data obtained from execution of the QL statement present in the query entry component. The GUI further includes a QL web service universal resource locator (URL) conveyance component defined to visually and electronically convey a QL web service URL defined to access one or more QL tables identified in the QL statement through the Internet and retrieve direction from the one or more QL tables regarding access and retrieval of data from the one or more web data sources associated with the one or more QL tables.
US08621365B2
A file sharing method and a file sharing system are provided. The system includes a first file processing apparatus and a second file processing apparatus with wireless transmission function to transfer files therebetween. At first, the first file processing apparatus is coupled to the second file processing apparatus. The first file processing apparatus automatically or manually executes a file sharing software to receive desktop information of the second file processing apparatus, and the file sharing software integrates a desktop of the first file processing apparatus with the desktop information to generate a integrated desktop shown on the first file processing apparatus. The second file processing apparatus processes a file in response to a control operation of an icon on the integrated desktop.
US08621357B2
A system in accordance with the present invention may include one or more processors, memory that receives instructions from the one or more processors according to a clock operating at a frequency, one or more programs stored in the memory, with instructions to: access media content, wherein the media content is associated with meta data, media characteristics, or other media-related data; couple certain of the media content to a style; and, organize the coupled certain of the media content according to the style and the meta data, media characteristics, or other media-related data.
US08621355B2
For media clips captured by several media recording devices, a novel method for organizing the captured media clips is presented. The method arranges the media clips into sequences according to content data associated with the media clips. The method further analyzes content data of the media clips in each sequence to identify a best candidate media clip from each sequence. The method performs one or more algorithms to determine whether the candidate media clips are related. The algorithms are also used to determine a time offset between the candidate clips. The method then synchronizes the sequences based on the time offset determined by the algorithms.
US08621344B1
A computer-implemented method for determining whether a target text-string is correctly spelled is provided. The target text-string is compared to a corpus to determine a set of contexts which each include an occurrence of the target text-string. Using heuristics, each context of the set is characterized based on occurrences in the corpus of the target text-string and a reference text-string. Contexts are characterized as including a correct spelling of the target text-string, an incorrect spelling of the reference text-string, or including an indeterminate usage of the target text-string. A likelihood that the target text-string is a misspelling of the reference text-string is computed as a function of the quantity of contexts including a correct spelling of the target text-string and the quantity of contexts including an incorrect spelling of a reference text-string. In one application, the target text-string is received in a search query, the search executed following a spell-check.
US08621328B2
Storing data in memory using wear-focusing techniques for improved endurance. A method for storing the data includes receiving write data to be written into a memory that is logically divided into a plurality of regions. The plurality of regions includes a first region and a second region that are implemented by the same memory technology. The memory is subject to degradation as a result of write operations. The write data is classified as dynamic data or static data. The write data is encoded using a first type of encoding in response to the write data being classified as dynamic. The write data encoded using the first type of encoding is stored in the first region of the memory. The write data is encoded using a second type of encoding and stored in the second region of the memory in response to classifying the write data as static data.
US08621324B2
Apparatuses and methods for low power combined self-refresh and self-correction of a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) array. During a self-refresh cycle, a first portion of a first row of the DRAM array is accessed and analyzed for one or more errors, wherein a bit width of the first portion is less than a bit width of the first row. If one or more errors are detected, the one or more errors are corrected to form a corrected first portion. The corrected first portion is selectively written back to the first row. If no errors are detected in the first portion, a write back of the first portion to the first row is prevented.
US08621320B2
Some embodiments provide a method for encoding digital video. The method receives a digital video image. The method encodes the digital video image. The method generates error correction information for the encoded digital video image using only data from the encoded digital video image. The method transmits the generated error correction information with the encoded digital video image. In some embodiments, the method determines a level of error protection for the encoded digital video image based on an image type of the encoded digital video image.
US08621306B2
A panel driving circuit that produces a panel test pattern and a method of testing a panel are provided. The driving circuit includes a pattern generation unit and a selection unit. The pattern generation unit responds to a system clock and produces pattern test data and pattern test signals. The selection unit responds to a test signal and selects and outputs either (a) the pattern test data and the pattern test signals that are outputted from the pattern generation unit, or (b) the pattern test data and pattern test signals that are directly applied from the outside. The driving circuit and the method of the panel test generates the panel test data, the horizontal synchronizing signal, the vertical synchronizing signal, and the data activating signal within the driving circuit using a system clock so that the testing of the panel can be carried out without using a separate test device.
US08621302B2
Scan testing of plural target electrical circuits, such as circuits 1 through N, becomes accelerated by using the scan test response data output from one circuit, such as circuit 1, as the scan test stimulus data for another circuit, such as circuit 2. After reset, a scan path captures the output response data from the reset stimulus from all circuits. A tester then shifts the captured data only the length of the first circuit's scan path while loading the first circuit's scan path with new test stimulus data. The new response data from all the circuits then is captured in the scan path. This shift and capture cycle is repeated until the first circuit is tested. The first circuit is then disabled and any remaining stimulus data is applied to the second circuit. This process is repeated until all the circuits are tested. A data retaining boundary scan cell used in the scan testing connects the output of an additional multiplexer as the input to a boundary cell. The inputs of the additional multiplexer connect to the data input and data output of the boundary cell.
US08621293B2
A value read back from storage and a set of bins are received. Each bin in the set of bins has a bin range. A bin corresponding to the read-back value is selected from the set of bins. The bin range of the selected bin is adjusted, based at least in part on the read-back value, so that the read-back value is more centered within the selected bin after adjustment.
US08621275B1
A system, method, and computer readable medium for asynchronous live migration of applications between two or more servers. The computer readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system. Primary applications runs on primary hosts and one or more replicated instances of each primary application run on one or more backup hosts. Asynchronous live migration is provided through a combination of process replication, logging, barrier synchronization, checkpointing, reliable messaging and message playback. The live migration is transparent to the application and requires no modification to the application, operating system, networking stack or libraries.
US08621273B2
Some embodiments of the invention relate to a single processor configured to comprise configurable hardware extensions, disposed within a data path configured to selectively provide either encoded data or original data, that allow for two modes of operation. In a high performance mode, the hardware extensions allow for increased processing bandwidth by using the hardware extensions for processing extended data (i.e., additional original data). In a safety integrity mode the hardware extensions allow for parallel processing of encoded data concurrent with the processor executing a SBST by processing a self-test program and self-test data. Therefore, the single channel processor provides a single core system that can selectively achieve either high safety integrity levels (e.g., SIL3) for safety relevant applications or high performance for non-safety relevant applications.
US08621272B2
An integrated circuit is provided with error detection circuitry and error repair circuitry. Error tolerance circuitry is responsive to a control parameter to selectively disable the error repair circuitry. The control parameter is dependent on the processing performed within the circuit. For example, the control parameter may be generated in dependence upon the program instruction being executed, the output signal value which is in error, the previous behavior of the circuit or in other ways.
US08621262B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit, including a first master circuit, a second master circuit, a first slave circuit assigned to the first master circuit, and determines that an access request signal is sent from the first master circuit when an identification information is a first value, a first bus coupled to the first master circuit, the second master circuit, and the first slave circuit, a bus controller is configured to transmit the access request signal to the first slave circuit via the first bus, a system controller directs the bus controller to substitute the first value for a second value on the identification information of the access request signal received from the second master circuit when the first master circuit is in the deactivated state.
US08621257B2
A device for powering an electronic circuit that applies at least a first voltage or a second voltage, different from the first voltage, to the electronic circuit. The device includes a performance monitor that receives an item of information defining a constraint and determines a first duration and a second duration, such that the operation of the electronic circuit at a first frequency associated with the first voltage for the first duration, and at a second frequency associated with the second voltage for the second duration, complies with the constraint. The device applies the first voltage and the first frequency to the circuit for the first duration and the second voltage and the second frequency for the second duration.
US08621250B1
According to example implementations, a power source device provides power to a powered device over a network link. The power source device may include a controller and a transceiver configured to transmit and receive data via a network link with the powered device. The controller may be configured to receive one or more network data packets from the powered device indicating a network delay associated with the network link, determine an amount of power to be supplied to the powered device based on the network delay indicated by the one or more network data packets, and control a power supply to supply the determined amount of power to the powered device through the network link.
US08621249B2
A system employing power over Ethernet (PoE) technology may include at least one powered device and power sourcing equipment (PSE). The powered device may include a first powered device (PD) subsystem and a second powered device (PD) subsystem that is electrically isolated from the first PD subsystem. The powered device may also include an interface connecting the first PD subsystem and the second PD subsystem. The PSE may be operable to provide power to one or more of the PD subsystems through a link connecting the PSE to the powered device. Also, the first PD subsystem may be operable to receive a communication from and transfer power to the second PD subsystem through the interface while maintaining the electrical isolation.
US08621236B2
A method for activating a function of a chipset comprising at least a memory and a calculation module in charge of cryptographic operations, the memory containing at least a seed and the calculation module containing at least one cryptographic algorithm, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at least one of a segmentation key, a global key and a global cryptographic algorithm selector; transmitting at least two items selected from the group consisting of the seed, the received segmentation key, the global key and the global cryptographic algorithm selector, to the calculation module, each of the items being provided by different entities; generating in the calculation module, a temporary key by using one of said at least one cryptographic algorithm of the calculation module and at least the two items; and verifying an authenticity of a received activation message using the temporary key and controlling activation based on the verification.
US08621235B2
A secure PIN entry device including a PIN entry assembly operative to receive a PIN from a user, a PIN entry prompter operative when actuated to prompt a user to enter a PIN via the PIN entry assembly, a PIN entry prompt security check enabled controller operative to prevent operation of the PIN entry prompter unless a predetermined security check has been successfully completed and security check functionality operative to check at least part of the PIN entry device for the presence of an unauthorized PIN eavesdropping element thereat and to provide an output to the PIN entry prompt security check enabled controller indicating whether the predetermined security check has been successfully completed.
US08621234B2
To overcome the drawback of difficulties when interchanging a patient's health record among different health information management systems and yet keep the patient's privacy, this invention proposes a method comprising the steps of: extracting, from a certificate, a signature of a first service provider and a first identifier; generating a second identifier corresponding to the first identifier; sending a request to any one of a second identifier manager and the first service provider so as to request a record associated with the first identifier; receiving the requested record from any one of the second identifier manager and the first service provider; and associating the requested record with the second identifier. Use of the proposed method provides the advantage that there is no need to unify all health information management systems adopting the same pseudonymization service, and makes it easy to share health information among different health information management systems without disclosing the patient's privacy.
US08621231B2
A method of managing electronic safes, comprising a step of authenticating a user requesting access to a safe, by means of authentication data of said user, said authentication data to be provided by the user being dependant of an entity by means of which the user is requesting said access.
US08621224B2
A system and method to control the writing on electronic paper (e-paper). An e-paper device may incorporate authentication indicia as part of informational data written on e-paper material. The informational data is protected by a security methodology that is accessible to authorized entities. A reader device may be used to help make a verification determination of whether encrypted or encoded data has been altered. In some instances an output alert operably coupled to the reader device serves as a verification status indicator.
US08621207B2
A system and associated method for handling a cross-platform system call with a shared page cache in a hybrid system. The hybrid system comprises a first computer system and a second computer system. Each computer system has a respective copy of the shared page cache, and validates an entry in the respective copy of the shared page cache for pages available in the respective computer system. The cross-platform system call is invoked by a first kernel to provide a kernel service to a user application in the first computer system. The cross-platform system call has a parameter referring to raw data in the first computer system. The cross-platform system call is converted to be executed in the second computer system and the raw data is copied to the second computer system only when a page fault for the raw data occurs while executing the cross-platform system call.
US08621199B2
The connectivity and security of wireless handheld devices (HDs) can he leveraged to provide a presentation appliance (PA) (e.g. a laptop) with an ability to securely communicate with an enterprise's private network. A split-proxy server, with part of it executing on the HD and a part executing on the PA, implements a full HTTP 1.1 compliant Internet/Web Proxy to couple the PA for communication through the HD. Support for the pragmatic keep-alive header, the CONNECT method, socket connection sharing, and thread pooling, enables a fully functional browsing environment to access web-based applications that are built on standard Internet technologies without the need for re-rendering or re-writing the user interfaces to suit the HD. In addition, Intranet web-based applications are made securely accessible without the need for additional VPN and remote access technologies. The PA may be configured to prevent residual storage of sensitive data on the PA.
US08621181B1
A system including a register and a controller. The register is configured to store a map relating distinct regions of a memory to respective mapping modes. Each of the mapping modes identifies a predetermined order of dimensions of a respective region of the memory. Each of the dimensions of the regions of the memory is identified as a row, a bank, or a column. The mapping modes include (i) a first mapping mode having a first predetermined order of dimensions, and (ii) a second mapping mode having a second predetermined order of dimensions that is different from the first predetermined order of dimensions associated with the first mapping mode. The controller is configured to control access to the distinct regions of the memory according to the map stored in the register, including controlling access to a first region of the memory according to the first mapping mode while controlling access to a second region of the memory according to the second mapping mode.
US08621180B2
What is provided is an enhanced dynamic address translation facility. In one embodiment, a virtual address to be translated and an initial origin address of a translation table of the hierarchy of translation tables are obtained. An index portion of the virtual address is used to reference an entry in the translation table. If a format control field contained in the translation table entry is enabled, the table entry contains a frame address of a large block of data of at least 1M byte in size. The frame address is then combined with an offset portion of the virtual address to form the translated address of a small 4K byte block of data in main storage or memory.
US08621178B1
Described are techniques for performing data storage system management. The data storage system is divided into a plurality of virtual partitions. A plurality of policy sets are specified where each of the policy sets includes one or more policies. One of the plurality of policy sets is assigned to each of the plurality of virtual partitions. Each of the plurality of policy sets includes an access control policy that assigns a portion of data storage of the data storage system as a resource for exclusive use in one of the plurality of virtual partitions that is assigned said each policy set.
US08621169B2
A method for dynamically (i.e., upon boot) rewriting, in a failure resistant manner, of part of, or the entirety of, the flash memory for a device allows for a changing of location for logical blocks of execute-in-place code. Conveniently, the rewriting results in a randomization, of varying degree, of the address space layout upon each boot up cycle.
US08621165B1
A method and apparatus for providing a volume image backup of selected objects is provided. In one embodiment, a method for creating volume image backups using selected objects of a source volume, comprises processing metadata and mapping information regarding at least one object of a source volume, wherein the mapping information is used to identify at least one data block within the source volume for the at least one object, wherein the at least one object is selected from a plurality of objects configuring a file system hierarchy of at least one image file using the metadata and storing the at least one data block in the at least one image file using the mapping information.
US08621147B2
Embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed provide a distributed RAID system comprising a set of data banks. More particularly, in certain embodiments of a distributed RAID system each data bank has a set of associated storage media and executes a similar distributed RAID application. The distributed RAID applications on each of the data banks coordinate among themselves to distribute and control data flow associated with implementing a level of RAID in conjunction with data stored on the associated storage media of the data banks.
US08621139B2
A data writing method for a multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory and a storage system and a controller using the same are provided. The flash memory includes a plurality of blocks. Each of the blocks includes a plurality of page addresses. The page addresses are categorized into a plurality of upper page addresses and a plurality of lower page addresses. The writing speed of the lower page addresses is faster than that of the upper page addresses. The data writing method includes receiving a writing command and data and writing the data into a page address. The page address is skipped when it is an upper page address and a corresponding lower page address stores a valid data written by a previous writing command. Thereby, the accuracy of the data written by the previous writing command is ensured when a programming error occurs to the flash memory.
US08621130B2
A solution for setup and optimization of a data transfer path in extended computer systems, where the I/O system is virtualized. The solution achieves advantageous results via a mechanism that automates the configuration of multiple data path components. The solution achieves initial optimization and then automates continual optimization of the data path through monitoring of changes and through dynamic adjustment of system resources and data transfer characteristics.
US08621128B2
Link startup systems, methods and devices associated with interconnects are described. Asymmetric lane connections are supported by, for example, independent renumbering of the connected lanes after an initial discovery process. Low-power, hibernating states of devices are supported by, for example, initialing alternating between transmission of startup and wakeup sequences over the interconnect between devices.
US08621120B2
A mechanism for temporarily stalling selected Direct Memory Access (DMA) operations in a physical input/output (I/O) adapter in order to permit migration of data between physical pages that are subject to access by the physical I/O adapter. When a request for a DMA to a physical page in system memory is received from an I/O adapter, a migration in progress (MIP) bit in a translation control entry (TCE) pointing to the physical page is examined, wherein the MIP bit indicates whether migration of the physical page referenced in the TCE to another location in system memory is currently in progress. If the MIP bit indicates a migration of the physical page is in progress, the DMA from the I/O adapter is temporarily stalled while other DMA operations from other I/O adapters to other physical pages in system memory are allowed to continue.
US08621119B2
A host I/F unit has a management table for managing an MPPK which is in-charge of the control of input/output processing for a storage area of an LDEV, and if a host computer transmits an input/output request for the LDEV, the host I/F unit transfers the input/output request to the MPPK which is in-charge of the input/output processing for the LDEV based on the management table, an MP of the MPPK performs the input/output processing based on the input/output request, and the MP of the MPPK also judges whether the MPPK that is in-charge of the input/output processing for the LDEV is to be changed, and sets the management table so that an MPPK which is different from the MPPK that is in-charge is to be in-charge of the input/output processing for the LDEV.
US08621118B1
Various techniques and hardware are described for retrieving information in a processing system. In one embodiment, a method is provided for retrieving information in a processing system that includes a central processing unit and a service processor. Here, the service processor retrieves central processing unit information from the central processing unit and resets the processing system after the retrieval of the central processing unit information.
US08621113B2
Memory system controllers can include a host bus adapter (HBA) and a serial advanced technology attachment (SA) programming compliant device coupled to the HBA via a function-specific interconnect configured to simultaneously transfer a command, a response, and other information between the HBA and the SA programming compliant device.
US08621105B2
Methods for using a client agent to route client requests among a plurality of appliances using transport layer information include the steps of: establishing, by a client agent executing on a client, a first transport layer connection with a first appliance of a plurality of appliances, the first appliance providing access to one or more servers; establishing, by a client agent executing on the client, a second transport layer connection with a second appliance of a plurality of appliances, the second appliance providing access to one or more servers; intercepting, by the client agent, a packet transmitted by the client; selecting, by the client agent, one of the connections to transmit the intercepted packet based on a characteristic of at least one of: the transport layer connections, the plurality of appliances, or the servers; and transmitting the intercepted packet via the selected connection.
US08621104B2
A facility for configuring a virtual data center is described. A user such as an administrator uses a management interface to input information specifying a configuration for a virtual data center including virtual network nodes and virtual routers. In response, the facility instantiates each virtual network router needed for the configuration, such as by, for each, instantiating on commodity hardware a virtual machine running a general-purpose operating system used to provide routing services to the virtual network nodes.
US08621096B2
In an embodiment, a method is provided that may include generating, at least in part, at least one packet. The at least one packet may include an indication that the at least one packet comprises a control protocol packet. The at least one packet also may include, at least in part, an identification, at least in part, of at least one characteristic of at least one storage device, and/or the at least one packet may indicate, at least in part, a request for the identification. The at least one storage device may be associated, at least in part, with at least one network server. The identification may be generated, at least in part, in response, at least in part, to the request for the identification. Of course, many alternatives, modifications, and variations are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US08621094B2
An entertainment access system is provided that enables a user to request and receive status reports that present current information concerning a wide variety of items pertaining to the user's devices, entertainment content and usage rights in a standard, predictable and consistent manner. In some illustrative examples, the user can request the status report from one of his devices that is registered with the entertainment access system. The entertainment access system responds by collecting and formatting the status information so that is can be conveniently displayed or otherwise rendered on the registered device. For instance, if the request is received from a device having a small screen, the information may be presented in a relatively abbreviated format. On the other hand, if the request is received from the user's personal computer, the information may be presented to the personal computer in a more detailed or entirely different format.
US08621091B1
A system and method is disclosed for synchronizing settings and state information for a browser component across multiple computing environments. Settings and state information may be stored for a web application in a storage associated with a user account. An API receives updated state information for the browser component from a first web browser associated with the user account and sends a signal to a second web browser associated with the user account that the stored settings and state information was updated. The second web browser may then send a request to the API for the updated information, the API, in response, propagate the updated information to the second web browser.
US08621087B2
A method for configuring a closed user network (CUN) using an IP tunneling mechanism and a CUN system are disclosed. In particular, disclosed is a technique of establishing a tunnel between a tunnel end edge device (TEED) and a control server by using an IP tunneling mechanism to allow terminals connected to the TEED to perform communications by using a closed IP, enabling the TEED to provide a network address translation (NAT) function so that the TEED can perform data forwarding like a general NAT, without performing tunneling on a destination IP outside the closed IP section, to perform communication, and allowing a terminal located in an area where the TEED is not provided to directly establish a tunnel with the control server by using a client software to thereby perform communications with a terminal or a server connected to the TEED by using the closed IP.
US08621081B2
A user device starts a host operating system provided on the user device, when the user device is powered on, and launches a hypervisor with the host operating system. The user device also launches a first guest operating system, provided on the user device, with the hypervisor of the user device, and controls, via the hypervisor, resource usage by the first guest operating system. The user device further provides an interface to display the first guest operating system to a user of the user device, and provides, via the hypervisor, available resource information, associated with the user device, to a management server.
US08621079B2
In one aspect, one or more real-time data stream connections that deliver a set of real-time data streams to a given network node are determined based at least in part on bandwidth capabilities of the given network node. In another aspect, for each of one or more recipient network nodes, a respective link over which to transmit a respective transmission set of one or more real-time data streams is determined. For each of the links, the respective link bandwidth is apportioned between one or more channels that are respectively allocated to the one or more real-time data streams in the respective transmission set.
US08621076B2
One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides systems and methods for analyzing the delivery performance of newsgroup services. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment, among others, includes a newsgroup evaluation system configured to determine a delivery rate for a newsgroup server. In other embodiments, methods and systems are provided for analyzing completion and retention for newsgroup services.
US08621074B2
A management system for processing message-based communications comprising a plurality of servers configured to implement a plurality of sessions that process a plurality of messages, a plurality of message queues coupled to the servers and configured to exchange the messages with the servers, and a workload manager coupled to the servers and the message queues and configured to reallocate the sessions to the different servers and the corresponding message queues to achieve load balance between the servers and the message queues in a recurring manner during processing of the messages by the servers based on a depth of each of the message queues, a quantity of sessions for each of the servers, and a workload manager configuration.
US08621071B1
Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with automatically selecting an access point are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes an inquiry logic in a first device. The inquiry logic is configured to automatically determine attributes of a network connection between a network access point and a second device connected to the network access point. The inquiry logic is further configured to determine the attributes of the network connection in response to the first device being connected to the second device. The apparatus also includes a communication logic that is configured to self-configure and automatically establish a wireless connection to the network access point from the first device using the attributes.
US08621070B1
A variety of complex multiphase tasks may execute within a cluster network environment. It may be advantageous to track and analyze the processing of such multiphase tasks. Accordingly, one or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for tracking the processing of a multiphase task within a cluster network environment. In particular, runtime support for recording task processing annotations may be embedded into a multiphase task using an analysis model. The analysis model may specify task processing annotations that are to be recorded during one or more phases of processing the multiphase task. During execution, task processing annotations may be recorded and associated with corresponding phases of the multiphase task. Task processing annotations may be aggregated into aggregated statistical task data. The aggregated statistical task data may be used to generate views of statistical data, which may provide insight into the cluster network environment (e.g., problematic nodes, bottlenecks, etc.).
US08621069B1
A system is described to provision a computing application deployed on a cloud to a client device. In one embodiment, the system comprises a launch request detector and a provisioning module. The launch request detector may be configured to detect, at a server computer, a request from a client device to launch a computing application. The provisioning module may be configured to provision an application container from a plurality of application containers provided on a virtual instance of a machine for executing the computing application. The client device may be a desktop device or a client device.
US08621068B2
A method is disclosed which emulates accessing web sites by a simulated web visitor. The characteristics of the web user may be controlled as may be the timing and number of visits and the nature of the web sites visited. During the emulated visits cookies of the web visitor are modified. The emulated visits may be directed to a sub-group of web sites which are engaged in agreements granting them reward for the provision of data indicative of the nature of past web visits, and to a sub-group of web sites which are not engaged in such agreements. Comparison of the exposure of the emulated web visitor to advertisements in each of the sub groups may be analyzed to indicate whether the agreements are properly executed and the reward is properly given.
US08621067B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a gateway having a controller to transport media data between a service provider network and one or more end user devices associated with the gateway, and transmit connection signals to a second gateway for establishing a management channel between the gateway and the service provider network when an undesired condition is detected, where the management channel transports management data associated with the gateway to the second gateway for transport to the service provider network using a separate transport queue of the second gateway. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08621066B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a recipient client device having a controller operable to receive and store a media object from an originating device, track locations where the media object has been since the media object has been stored in the recipient client device, track identifiers associated with a device or a user that has accessed the media object at the locations, and track and store annotations about the media object by the device or the user that accessed the media object. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08621056B2
Functionality is described that allows plural computing devices to share a master account. In one implementation, the functionality allows any candidate device to directly communicate with a communication system using the master account, providing that the candidate device satisfies a prescribed condition with respect to a master device. For example, the functionality can allow the candidate device to communicate with the communication system if it is within a threshold distance of the master device. In another implementation, the functionality instructs the master device and the candidate device to set up a tethering relationship. The functionality can then allow the candidate device to communicate with the communication system, via the master device, using the master account. In one implementation, the functionality can set up the tethering relationship without substantial (or any) involvement of the user (or users) who operate the master device and candidate device.
US08621054B2
An information processing device is provided that provides service by executing a service provider program in a cluster system. The device includes a program information transmission unit that transmits to a monitoring node that monitors the cluster system, a node list information reception unit that receives node list information, an update target selection unit that determines which of the other information processing devices which are not yet updated with the service provider program by referring to the program information in the node list information, a command timing determination unit that determines a time after a lapse of the standby time found in the first update timing information as a command timing of the update command, an update timing information generation unit that generates second update timing information and an update command transmission unit that transmits the update command about the service provider program and the second update timing information.
US08621050B2
A system employing a storage device and a host for configuration information exchange between the host and the storage device. In operation, the host manages host configuration information in a data management layer of a communication model, and communicates the host configuration information to the storage device by one or more data communication layers of the communication model. Likewise, the storage device manages storage device configuration information in the data management layer of the communication model, and communicates the storage device configuration information to the host by one or more data communication layers of the communication model.
US08621040B2
An image forming apparatus has a plurality of programs of which an interface is open to public so that an application created according to the interface is executable. An amount condition providing part provides information indicating a mount condition of a group constituted by a plurality of the programs in accordance with a request made by the application.
US08621024B2
A system for prioritizing and displaying received messages, including e-mail, SMS, IM, multimedia, and voicemail, at a communication device includes means for dynamically associating a priority value with a received message upon detection of an evaluation event, and means for dynamically updating a listing of received messages associated with at least a priority value equal to or greater than a predetermined priority value in a designated priority viewport. The viewport is constantly viewable in a message listing screen and comprises a listing of prioritized messages separate and apart from non-prioritized messages. Evaluation events may include user operation such as reading, deleting, replying, moving, or forwarding the message and similar operations, or a determination that the message has reached a predetermined age.
US08621020B2
Disclosed is a system and method for selective email processing. A traffic separator includes an interface for receiving electronic mail traffic from a source network address. The traffic separator also includes a processor for comparing the source network address to a stored list of network addresses to determine a categorization of the network source address. The traffic separator also includes at least one interface for forwarding the electronic mail traffic to one of many message transfer agents (MTAs) based upon said determination. A database stores the list of network addresses. In one embodiment, one or more network addresses in the stored list are network address ranges.
US08621018B2
An Instant Messaging (IM) method and server are provided. The method includes: receiving instance login information sent by an IM client, wherein the instance login information at least includes login information of a user of the IM client and instance information of a terminal located by the IM client (101); authenticating identity of the user of the IM client, according to the login information in the instance login information (102); when the authenticating is passed, allocating an instance number for the IM client, according to the instance information in the instance login information, wherein the instance number is configured to uniquely identify the IM client (103). The server includes a receiving module (801), an authenticating module (802) and an allocating module (803). By adopting the method and server provided, multipoint login of one login account may be effectively achieved, and multiple aspects requirements of a user may be satisfied.
US08621017B2
Email subscribers are notified of the receipt of new email messages when they are not at their computers via voice or page. An email notification server polls the email server corresponding to the subscriber's email account for the presence of new email messages. New email messages are obtained. Header information is extracted. If new email notification is by voicemail, the extracted header information is converted from text to voice. A voicemail message containing the extracted header information is saved on the voicemail system corresponding to the subscriber for whom the email message was intended. The email notification server can also send a page to notify the subscriber of the presence of new email.
US08621016B2
A method of adaptive differential propagation of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) messages is provided herein. The method includes the following stages: classifying incoming SOAP messages according to at least one of: structure, content, and context thereof; selecting a corresponding template out of a plurality of templates for each classified SOAP message such that the selected template minimized a specified diff function applied to the classified SOAP message and the selected template; applying the specified diff function to the SOAP message and the selected template to yield a respective delta; and encapsulating a template identifier with the respective delta, wherein the template identifier is uniquely associated with the selected template, to yield an outgoing SOAP message.
US08620991B2
Technologies for enabling a continuation based runtime to accept or reject external stimulus and, in addition, to determine if an external stimulus may be valid for processing at a later point in execution.
US08620981B2
A digital signal processing system comprising: an input terminal to receive an input signal that includes a distorted component and an undistorted component, the input signal having a sampling rate of R; and an adaptive self-linearization module coupled to the input terminal, to perform self-linearization based at least in part on the input signal to obtain an output signal that is substantially undistorted, wherein: the adaptive self-linearization module is to generate a replica distortion signal that is substantially similar to the distorted component, the generation being based at least in part on a target component having a sampling rate of R/L, L being an integer greater than 1; the adaptive self-linearization module includes a first digital signal processor (DSP) that is adapted to obtain a filter transfer function that approximates a system distortion transfer function, and a second DSP that is configured using configuration parameters of the first DSP.
US08620978B2
An acquired signal indicative of electrophysiological activity is filtered using both a wavelet filter and either a notch filter or a band-pass filter to eliminate noise or interference, such as power line interference. A wavelet transform is used to transform the acquired signal into the wavelet domain, where a wavelet filter is applied to extract a soft component (e.g., a component with small wavelet coefficients). A filter, such as a notch filter or a band-pass filter, is applied to the soft component in order to isolate an interference signal. The interference signal is used to produce an output signal representing the acquired signal filtered to eliminate the interference signal. For example, the interference signal may be subtracted from the acquired signal. Alternatively, the output signal may be reconstructed from respective hard and soft components of the acquired signal as transformed into the wavelet domain.
US08620976B2
A machine-implemented method for computerized digital signal processing including obtaining a digital signal from data storage or from conversion of an analog signal, and determining, from the digital signal, one or more measuring matrices. Each measuring matrix has a plurality of cells, and each cell has an amplitude corresponding to the signal energy in a frequency bin for a time slice. Cells in each measuring matrix having maximum amplitudes along a time slice and/or frequency bin are identified as maximum cells. Maxima that coincide in time and frequency are identified and a correlated maxima matrix, called a “Precision Measuring Matrix” is constructed showing the coinciding maxima and the adjacent marked maxima are linked into partial chains.
US08620972B1
A system for creating a random order file format, wherein randomization occurs at the sub-file level, the system having a data storage unit that stores a plurality of data pieces and at least one RODFF file that is created from said data pieces, where the RODFF files and data pieces are stored according to commands received by a software application; a microprocessor configured by the software application and operatively connected to the data storage unit whereby the microprocessor is configured to execute the software application and enable the RODFF files to be created, according to a set of predetermined methods from the plurality of digital data pieces, and also enables the RODFF files to be stored on and retrieved from the data storage unit.
US08620971B2
An image processing apparatus includes: a database configured to, out of images extracted with a first frequency from the images making up a moving image content, register first layer summary data of a first size; a distance calculation block configured to calculate the distance between the first layer summary data based on the distance between vectors of which the elements are formed by the first layer summary data registered in the database; and a classification section configured to cluster into the same class the first layer summary data between which the distance calculated by the distance calculation block falls within a predetermined distance, the classification section further clustering moving image contents into a plurality of classes based on the classes into which the first layer summary data have been clustered.
US08620955B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to construct a file system tree that includes files to be accessed according to a plurality of custom access control list (ACL) access mechanisms registered by a corresponding plurality of applications, or a default ACL access mechanism. To access the files, metadata can be read/written using a multiple protocol file system cache engine and one of the ACL access mechanisms. In some embodiments, operations may include registering, in response to a request by an application, a selected one of the plurality of custom ACL access mechanisms with a library coupled to a multiple protocol file system cache engine. Further operations may include accessing a file system through the multiple protocol file system cache engine using the selected one of the plurality of custom ACL access mechanisms, or a default ACL access mechanism. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08620954B2
The present invention provides techniques for managing process space on a multi-tenant database system that features a method that provides to multiple users of two or more organizations, over a network, access to information stored in a database repository shared by the two or more organizations. The database repository implements security protocols to restrict a set of first users to a first sub-portion of the information. The set of first users belongs to one of the two or more organizations. The first sub-portion of the information is different from a second sub-portion accessible by users from another organization. Access of the information by the multiple users is monitored. A first processing space for the set of first users is generated in response to the access of the database repository. The first processing space is distinct from a second processing space for the users from the other organization.
US08620953B2
The exchange of documents for execution can be performed efficiently using an automated system that routes and archives documents. The system may facilitate the exchange of drafts between parties by highlighting changes of the current draft with respect to the previous draft. Documents may be conveniently archived for efficient document storage and access by providing one or more central archive databases accessible through a shared network to a plurality of organizations. The operating system of the database may provide systematic access to individuals associated with an organization with the privilege to access documents according to a specific organizational hierarchy. Routing and archiving documents may be accomplished through a central exchange server.
US08620945B2
A query engine receives a continuous stream of data and applies a Structured Query Language (SQL) query to the data. The data is processed on a chunk-by-chunk basis with a query rewind mechanism that sustains the SQL query as a single long-standing query that allows a state of the SQL query to be maintained.
US08620942B1
A user correlation system uses aggregated data and matching/comparison in order to assign an association score that determines likelihood that unique identifiers are associated with the same user.
US08620940B1
A method for processing data for pattern matching includes: receiving a first sequence of data values; and generating a second sequence of data values based on the first sequence and one or more patterns and history of data values in the first sequence, wherein the second sequence has fewer data values than the first sequence and all subsequences in the first sequence that match at least one of the one or more patterns are represented in the second sequence.
US08620937B2
A method and system for processing data into and in a database and for retrieving the processed data is disclosed. The data comprises identifiers of a plurality of entities. The method and system comprises: (a) processing data into and in a database, (b) enhancing received data prior to storage in a database, (c) determining and matching records based upon relationships between the records in the received data and existing data without any loss of data, (d) enabling alerts based upon user-defined alert rules and relationships, (e) automatically stopping additional matches and separating previously matched records when identifiers used to match records are later determined to be common across entities and not generally distinctive of an entity, (f) receiving data queries for retrieving the processed data stored in the database, (g) utilizing the same algorithm to process the queries and (h) transferring the processed data to another database that uses the same algorithm.
US08620929B2
A resource context system (“context system”) computes a contextual profile for a resource based on selection data for the resource and contextual profiles of other resources that are identified as relevant to the resource. The contextual profile includes values that specify measures of relevance of the resource to each of a plurality of corresponding topics. The contextual profile is provided to a processing system, such as an advertisement management system or a search system that can identify topics for which the resource is relevant based on the contextual profile.
US08620928B1
An approach is presented for generating a log parser. A tokenized log comprising elements is generated by delimiting a sample log based on a token. Matches between elements and attributes of fields of the sample log are determined. Positions of the matched elements are determined. Based on the matches, a ranking of the token is determined, which indicates a first likelihood that the token is a delimiter that delimits parts of the sample log. Another ranking of another token is determined, which indicates a second likelihood that the other token is the delimiter. A parser is generated based on the positions, the matches and the token. Based on the first likelihood exceeding the second likelihood, a result of parsing the sample log using the parser is presented without presenting another result of parsing the log using another parser based on the other token.
US08620911B2
A document registry system (10) includes a registry database (20) with a specific task sub-database (22) and an analytics-supporting general task sub-database (24). The sub-databases (22, 24) include i) pre-existing fields configured to store, respectively, specific task-related and analytics-related document data received from one or more of a plurality of sources (S1, S2, S3, S4) or from a source (NS1, NS2) other than the plurality of sources (S1, S2, S3, S4), and ii) de novo fields configured tote generated as a result of, respectively, a specific task query and a general task query and configured to store, respectively, specific task-related and general task-related document data received from source(s) (NS1, NS2) other than the plurality of sources (S1, S2, S3, S4). A query mapping engine (26) is configured to receive a request entry, map the request entry into a query, and actively collect data based upon the query. Data is collected from the specific task sub-database (22) or the analytics-supporting general task sub-database (24), and from the source(s) (NS1, NS2) other than the plurality of sources (S1, S2, S3, S4).
US08620907B2
Search results are identified and returned in response to search queries by evaluating and pruning candidate documents in multiple stages. The process employs a search index that indexes atoms found in documents and pre-computed scores for document/atom pairs. When a search query is received, atoms are identified from the search query and a reformulated query is generated based on the identified atoms. The reformulated query is used to identify matching documents, and a preliminary score is generated for matching documents using a simplified scoring function and pre-computed scores in the search index. Documents are pruned based on preliminary scores, and the remaining documents are evaluated using a final ranking algorithm that provides a final set of ranked documents, which is used to generate search results to return in response to the search query.
US08620903B2
Systems and method are disclosed for query optimization in a scale-out system with a single query processing machine and a distributed storage engine to store data by receiving a query rewritten for an internal schema; optimizing a query execution plan for the query; and executing the plan and returning result to an application.
US08620902B2
Computer program products and methods for query collection optimization and executing a query collection against one or more electronic documents are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method of executing a query collection having a plurality of full term queries against an electronic document includes receiving the query collection, determining common terms, and searching the electronic document for the common terms in accordance with a frequency that the common terms appear in the query collection. The method further includes, for each common term found in the electronic document, searching the electronic document for full term queries that include the common term that was found in the electronic document. The method further includes, for each common term not found in the electronic document, preventing a search of the electronic document for the full term queries that include the common term that was not found in the electronic document.
US08620895B1
During a data-access technique, a query that is associated with an organizational accounting code is used to generate a set of queries for business databases. In particular, when generating the set of queries, the organizational accounting code is mapped to a set of database-specific accounting codes using a reclassification list. After receiving answers to the set of queries (which are associated with the set of database-specific accounting codes) from the business databases, the answers are presented to the user. In this way, the user can access the business databases, which may have incompatible database-specific accounting codes, from a single environment with little or no additional effort or expense.
US08620894B2
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to searching files. In aspects, a search engine is able to search not only the current files but also is able to search for deleted and previous versions of files that satisfy queries. The search engine may maintain an index that facilitates searches. In addition, the search engine may also determine not only that a file satisfies a query but what version(s) of the file satisfies the query.
US08620892B2
One example embodiment includes a method for indexing online references of an entity. The method includes identifying one or more channels of the Internet to be searched for references to an entity and identifying one or more signals to be evaluated within each of the one or more channels. The method also includes crawling the Internet for online references to the entity, wherein crawling the Internet comprises searching the one or more channels of the Internet for references to the entity and evaluating the one or more signals. The method further includes constructing a reverse index of the references, wherein the reverse index is based on each channel in which a reference is found and the one or more signals evaluated for the reference.
US08620891B1
Systems and methods for enabling refinement of information sets utilize recorded instances of user behavior in connection with information units of the information sets. Information units are each associated with one or more attributes and provided to users in ranked information sets. Instances of user selection of information units are used to determine how refining search result sets according to attributes would have improved the positions of the selected information units. Information is accumulated accordingly to determine how to present representations of attributes to users to enable the users to refine information sets.
US08620886B1
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for performing host side deduplication. Host side deduplication may be performed upon writeable data within a write request received at a host computing device configured to access data stored by a storage server. The host side deduplication may be performed at the host computing device to determine whether the writeable data is already stored by the storage server based upon querying a host side cache comprising data stored by a storage server and/or a data structure comprising unique signatures of data stored by the storage server. If the writeable data is stored by the storage server, then a deduplication notification excluding the writeable data may be sent to the storage server, otherwise a write command comprising the writeable data may be sent. Accordingly, unnecessary network traffic of redundant data already stored by the storage server may be reduced.
US08620869B2
Techniques to manage retention policy tags are described. A system may comprise a tagging component operative to tag a message with an expiration tag to form an expiration tagged message, the expiration tag having expiration information used to expire the expiration tagged message in accordance with a retention policy. The system may further comprise a presentation component communicatively coupled to the tagging component, the presentation component operative to present a view of the expiration tagged message with an expiration field having the expiration information for the expiration tagged message.
US08620865B2
Methods and systems that permit file protocols and object protocols to co-exist using a file namespace and an object namespace in a unified storage system are disclosed. Data stored in the unified storage system are file-objects that preserve the behaviors expected by both file clients and object clients.
US08620862B2
A method is provided for processing base level data of a change queue that is not serialized at the logical level. The base level change queue data is transaction data previously posted to a source database. A logical replication engine is provided to replicate and post the change queue data to a target database in the order that the transaction data is stored in the change queue. Upon detection in the logical replication engine of change queue data that is not serialized at the logical level, the change queue data is reserialized at the logical level before the logical replication engine applies the change queue data to the target database. The change queue data that is not serialized at the logical level may be posted to the target database using asynchronous database access.
US08620858B2
An apparatus adapted to operate as an A party in a database synchronization with a B party via a mobile communication network. The database contains data items to be synchronized. The apparatus includes mechanisms for maintaining a copy of the database and a client-server communication module with a client part and a server part. The client part is configured to communicate via the mobile communication network with the server part of the B party. The apparatus also includes change detection mechanisms responsive to a detection of a changed data item, for initiating a synchronization event via the client part of the client-server communication module.
US08620851B2
The system and method for determining fuzzy cause and effect relationships in an intelligent workload management system described herein may combine potential causes and effects captured from various different sources associated with an information technology infrastructure with substantially instantaneous feedback mechanisms and other knowledge sources. As such, fuzzy correlation logic may then be applied to the combined information to determine potential cause and effect relationships and thereby diagnose problems and otherwise manage interactions that occur in the infrastructure. For example, information describing potential causes and potential effects associated with an operational state of the infrastructure may be captured and combined, and any patterns among the information that describes the multiple potential causes and effects may then be identified. As such, fuzzy logic may the be applied to any such patterns to determine possible relationships among the potential causes and the potential effects associated with the infrastructure operational state.
US08620848B1
Provided are methods and systems that extract facts of unstructured documents and build an oracle for various domains. The present invention addresses the problem of efficient finding and extraction of facts about a particular subject domain from semi-structured and unstructured documents, makes inferences of new facts from the extracted facts and the ways of verification of the facts, thus becoming a source of knowledge about the domain to be effectively queried. The methods and systems can also extract temporal information from unstructured and semi-structured documents, and can find and extract dynamically generated documents from Deep or Dynamic Web.
US08620835B2
Disclosed herein is a protocol that enables the π/8-gate in chiral topological superconductors in which superconducting stiffness λ has been suppressed. The protocol enables a topologically protected π/8-gate in any pure Ising system that can be fabricated into genus=1 surface. By adding the π/8-gate to previously known techniques, a design for universal topologically protected quantum computation which may be implemented using rather conventional materials may be obtained.
US08620828B1
A social networking system, method and device provides a social network environment in which one user subscribes to a newsfeed or ticker related to another user. Per a disclosed embodiment, users share URLs and post user-generated content, and other users view, comment on, or indicate that they like or dislike such posts; user approval or disapproval of such posts is made visible through, inter alia, a disclosed quantity indicator of popularity. Disclosed embodiments further provide a disclosed mechanism for recommending one user to another, for resolving disputes between users, and for displaying a wish list or an inventory on behalf of a user. Disclosed embodiments further provide for verifying a user and for checking a URL. Disclosed embodiments further provide revenue generation through collecting data pertaining to users, serving advertisements to users, and facilitating transactions between users.
US08620827B1
An environment provided by a financial entity in which buyers and sellers may be brought together to initiate and complete a transaction for the purchase of a property for sale or rental. The environment enables sellers to list items together with relevant information that buyers may need to understand the item. Buyers may apply for financing, insurance or other related services to receive approval to purchase properties. A mechanism by which the seller and buyer may communicate enables a negotiation process, scheduling and other processes associated with the sale or rental. After an agreement is reached between the buyer and seller, components associated with the environment, such property and casualty and banking may complete the necessary paperwork, etc. to close the deal.
US08620815B1
A user retains access to a document previously generated or received by an institution system and stored in encrypted form in storage of the institution system or another entity associated with the institution system. However, the institution system does not have access to the document (in readable form) after an expiration of an amount of time. The document is encrypted in such a manner that only the user can decrypt the document, but the institution system cannot decrypt it. In this manner, the institution system may meet business or regulatory requirements or policies directed to discarding (i.e., purging) the document after a predetermined amount of time, but can still provide secure storage of the document in encrypted form to the user independent of the business or regulatory requirements or policies that mandate purging the document.
US08620806B2
A network operator intermediates a cashless transaction by sending a payment device issuer an outbound clearing data file enriched with cleansed merchant data. Issuers that choose to participate in the merchant data cleansing service will be provided with the cleansed, and optionally augmented, merchant information. Providing this data to the issuer could be used to help reduce costs associated with “do not recognize” calls by cardholders, disputed charges, and charge-backs. With cleansed data provided in the clearing record, a device holder would be given access to this cleansed information about the merchant where a transaction took place through their statement. The present disclosure also provides for augmenting the clearing record data to include merchant-specific add-on and/or aggregate data not presently included in the transaction clearing record, yet useful to the issuer both in form and content.
US08620801B2
The present invention generally relates to financial data processing, and in particular it relates to credit scoring, consumer profiling, consumer behavior analysis and modeling. More specifically, it relates to risk modeling using the inputs of credit bureau data, size of wallet data, and, optionally, internal data.
US08620796B2
Systems and methods for providing trading using an eVWAP price in an illiquid market are provided. In an illiquid market there may be little or no actual trades. During a trading period, the eVWAP price is therefore determined from not only trades, but also unmatched bids and offers. The eVWAP price is determined when new information becomes available or at a specified time interval. The final eVWAP price is determined when the sampling period ends. Once the final eVWAP price is determined, the value of the final eVWAP price is published for use as a price to settle a contract.
US08620791B1
Uncollected tax liens are made collateral for a loan to a public authority who buys the tax liens from the taxing district. The public authority assigns its right to receive monies obtained through the normal collections/property sale channels by the taxing district to the lender to payoff the outstanding note. Collection procedures remain unchanged except that the taxing district forwards receipts to the lender in satisfaction of the debt. Any questionable collections can be devalued/exempted from the total and up to 103% of the basis amount loaned to the taxing district. The taxing district agrees to repurchase unredeemed claims after a fixed period. The loan can be renewed annually by substituting the most recent year's liens for the oldest year's to re-figure the basis. An optional re-acquisition provision is included enabling the taxing district to repurchase of unpaid liens for 10% of face value, once the lender has been repaid.
US08620785B1
Aggregation processes and systems acquire user data from many internal and external sources, such as a host financial institution, external institutions, and publicly available websites and databases. The data aggregation may be used to pre-populate the fields in a questionnaire that would otherwise have to be manually populated by the user. A financial plan based on the data is generated and provided to the user. After presenting the financial plan to the user, additional information may be requested from the user. After the additional information is received, the financial plan may be revised and provided to the user.
US08620784B2
Systems and methods for the formation and rearrangement of ad hoc networks and more particularly to systems and methods for sharing bandwidth in ad hoc networks. The method comprises broadcasting a table to at least one potential lender requesting pertinent lender information and receiving the table from the at least one potential lender with the pertinent lender information. The method further includes selecting one or more lenders of the at least one potential lender which meet preset criteria and establishing an ad hoc network with the one or more lenders based on the selecting.
US08620781B2
A system and method of funding a financial transaction card, providing a financial transaction card to a user, wherein the financial transaction card has a face value and wherein an amount of funds pertaining to the face value is placed in a liability account, and wherein the financial transaction card has an actual value of zero, activating the financial transaction card by the user; and funding a funds pool for the financial transaction card with the funds from the liability account after the activation of the financial transaction card, wherein only funds from the funds pool is available for conducting a purchase.
US08620778B2
Online document storage and/or retrieval techniques are described. In an implementation, one or more computer-readable media comprising instructions that are executable to provide a web service application programming interface (API). The web service API is configured to accept a document and information specified by the document's provider. The information specifying which of a plurality of tabs in a user interface at least a portion of data included in the document is to be associated with for display in which at least one of the tabs pertains to billing data and another one of the tabs does not pertain to billing data.
US08620777B2
The invention is directed to a computer-based method for logging transaction-tax-related transactions, the method using rules which define, depending on transaction data, what transactions have to be logged, the method comprising: receiving a logging request for a transaction; evaluating the logging rules with transaction data of said transaction, logging said transaction if the result of the evaluation demands it. The invention is also directed to related software modules and a related software application.
US08620776B1
Disclosed are various embodiments of a self healing andon system. One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a system comprising at least one server. The system further includes logic executed on the at least one server that retrieves a defect history associated with a vendor and at least one product from an inbound shipment from a memory. The at least one product is stocked in a materials handling facility, and the defect history is associated with a specified time period. The at least one server extracts at least one inventory defect from the defect history in a computer system and calculates an inventory defect rate. The at least one server imposes remedial measures if the inventory defect rate exceeds a specified threshold of the inventory defect rate.
US08620775B2
An arrangement includes a plurality of containers and a processing circuit. Each of the plurality of containers has a microsystem disposed thereon. Each microsystem is configured to sense at least one environmental condition and to sense movement of the corresponding container. The microsystem is configured to communicate information regarding the at least one environmental condition and the movement wirelessly. The processing circuit is operably coupled to receive the information regarding the at least one environmental condition and the movement from each of the microsystems.
US08620771B2
A method and system for reserving future purchases of goods or services using plural electronic options. The purchased electronic options are automatically exercised upon completion of an electronic purchase transaction for a desired good or service associated with the purchased electronic option and a final purchase price automatically adjusted based on exercising the electronic option. The final purchase price is adjusted based on electronic option terms as well as other factors including reward points, loyalty points, etc.
US08620768B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for suggesting item prices using item attributes specific to an item classification. One or more input values are received for a set of attributes corresponding to a selected item classification. A user interface is rendered that includes a suggested price range. The suggested price range is determined from a set of historical transaction prices for multiple items that are classified under the selected item classification and match the input value(s) for the set of attributes.
US08620762B2
A method for automatically generating a custom name list for use in an order form which can be submitted to an Internet shopping site to complete an order. The method utilizes address book data, stored primarily online utilizing a third party service. In one method according to the invention, names and addresses are read from an address book database and incorporated into a form which enables the user to easily select recipients for one or more gifts.
US08620754B2
A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a point of sale device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; calculating a total purchase amount for the item in response to a request from the user to purchase the item; and sending payment authorization for the total purchase amount from the point of sale device to a payment entity, in which the payment authorization is sent to the payment entity via a mobile communication device of the user. The method further includes receiving a result of the payment authorization from the payment entity through the mobile communication device; and completing the payment transaction based on the result of the payment authorization.
US08620753B2
A restaurant management system and method interface is provided. In accordance with the invention, data from various restaurant operations is collected and stored for processing. The data is processed into useful metrics, such as those indicative of various categories of restaurant staffing, efficiency, performance and quality. The useful metrics can be displayed as a human-readable chart, graph or report. The data can be processed in real time, permitting managers to promptly make adjustments and to alert restaurant workers or crew members of deficiencies so that prompt and effective remedial action can be taken to improve restaurant performance. Reports may be generated that provide the performance of restaurants individually and as a combined group.
US08620750B2
A computer-implemented method of targeting electronic messages to travelers, comprising performing processing associated with: utilizing geographic information comprising itinerary information, to determine where the travelers are currently and/or are projected to be during a given time period; creating a list of travelers which categorizes the geographic information and/or traveler information about the travelers on the list; electronically notifying a merchant with information related to the list and the current geographic information and/or current traveler information of the travelers on the list; receiving an electronic request from the merchant to transmit an electronic targeted message to some or all of the travelers on the list; and transmitting the electronic targeted message to some or all of the travelers on the list.
US08620740B2
An offer delivery system provides a mechanism for coordinating presentation of offers to customers that may originate from multiple different sources and that may be delivered to the customers over different channels. The systems makes use of rules to prioritize, select, and time the delivery of offers to any particular customer, allocate limited resources in the channels to deliver offers to a set of customers, and provide mechanisms for users or their agents to limit the delivery of offers, for example, by their frequency or type.
US08620722B2
A system, method and program product are provided for organizing a store into a department store having shops associated therewith. The method includes receiving a designation of at least one store as being a department store. The department stores of the enterprise defining a department store organizational level. A designation of at least one shop having a type and being a member of the department store is received. A shop organizational level is defined by each shop in the enterprise. The shop operates as a component of the associated department store.
US08620720B2
Systems and methods for automatically forecasting the future availability of one or more resources, such as Internet advertising opportunities, are described herein. In accordance with various embodiments, a forecasting model that accounts for event-driven resource availability is trained based both on historical supply data and calendar information specifying events and event duration. The trained forecasting model is then used to forecast the availability of resources at one or more specified future time periods. In accordance with certain embodiments, the forecasting model comprises a Gaussian process model that has an event-driven kernel as a covariance function.
US08620709B2
A computer-implemented method for handling a microflow includes receiving a workflow request that includes a task associated with the workflow and a contact address associated with the task, performing an operation associated with receiving the workflow request that includes at least one of opening a communication session with the contact address and sending a response to the workflow request to the contact address. The method further includes storing the task, prioritizing the task, and performing an operation associated with execution of the workflow including at least one of opening a communications session with the contact address, sending a status associated with performance of the task, and sending a completion status of the task.
US08620706B1
A method of estimating an employment level receiving a first set of payroll data that includes at least one payroll record associated with at least one entity and identifying a format associated with the at least one payroll record of the first plurality of payroll data. The format associated with the at least one payroll record of the first plurality of payroll data may be normalized to substantially conform to a format associated with a second set of payroll data. A regression coefficient associated with the normalized first set of payroll data may be calculated. An employment level is estimated based on the first set of normalized payroll data and the regression coefficient. The regression coefficient comprises a value indicative of a difference in growth rates between the first set of payroll data and the second set of payroll data and is based at least on a number of initial unemployment claims filed during a portion of a time period associated with the first set of payroll data.
US08620703B1
Methods and apparatuses are described for creating and using full-kit tasks, monitoring the progress of full-kit tasks, determining full-kit dates, checking compliance of release conditions associated with full-kit tasks, and/or computing and reporting full-kit task delays. A full-kit task can be used in the project plan to represent the preparations that are required or recommended to be performed before executing a set of tasks. The full-kit task can be a zero-duration task that has a full-kit date and that includes a list of items which need to be completed by the full-kit date. The full-kit task is capable of being in one of the following states: not started, in progress, released, and completed. In some embodiments, the set of tasks associated with the full-kit task can only be started if the full-kit task is either in the released state or the completed state.
US08620696B2
A method is disclosed of financing the liabilities of sovereign governmental entities, their political subunits, and like entities (e.g., school boards, etc.), and private business entities through the use of insurance products. In one embodiment, the method may include: receiving a population data set, generating a plurality of mortality data sets, generating a financial target data set, transmitting the financial target data set to a plurality of life insurance vendors, receiving from each of at least two life insurance vendors a rate table, generating a proportional rating for each insurance vendor, generating a final rate table having a per member life insurance premium rate for each mortality data set.
US08620692B2
Dynamic insurance rate adjustments are communicated to a vehicle operator in order to allow the vehicle operator to adjust various parameters before an actual change to an insurance rate is communicated to a service provider or trusted third party. The various parameters can be external parameters and/or internal parameters and further can include historical information, current information, and/or predicted information. Communicating the insurance rate adjustments provides for insurance visibility for both the operator and passengers of the vehicle. The insurance rate adjustment is communicated though a device located within a vehicle to enable perception by a vehicle occupant.
US08620686B1
A computer assisted method that enables multiple users with client devices to simultaneously connect via a network to a processor and data storage with computer instructions to use the computer instructions to identify contextual awareness situations, identify contextual awareness compliance specifications, calculate data specifications to meet the compliance specifications, collect raw data related to the contextual awareness, compare the collected raw data with the data specifications to meet compliance specifications, generate a visualization of the contextual awareness for defined time periods including times in the future, and formulate an integrated composite decision plan that accelerates decision making for compliance regarding the contextual awareness by stakeholders.
US08620684B2
The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a system for interfacing with multiple medical imaging modalities that includes a manifest generator for generating a manifest of medical images. The manifest can be used to determine an ordering or a layout of the medical images generated by the modalities, optionally as a function of the modality type, anatomical area, and other variables. In some embodiments, the various medical images and metadata may be received at an image order management system that parses the metadata and assembles the metadata into the manifest files that may be transmitted independently to remote interpretation sites, which in turn may be equipped with image viewer applications that analyze the manifest files and determine a rearranged ordering and/or grouping of the medical images, wherein the rearrangement is executed as a function of modality, anatomy, orientation and other variables.
US08620683B2
A system and method is provided for generating a multi-dimensional contextual platform that may be used to manage, diagnose, and communicate with patients in a medical practice. In particular, the system may provide a website that may provide dynamic, avatar-based interfaces that include a doctor interface and a patient interface. A doctor may create a subscription with an operator of the website in order to find new patients and view patient health records across multiple dimensions. A patient may create a subscription with the operator to locate a doctor and maintain open communications with the doctor. Once subscribed, the doctor and patient may use the website to enhance the overall healthcare experience by using social networking aspects of the website to facilitate doctor and patient communication in real-time.
US08620674B2
An audio encoder and decoder use architectures and techniques that improve the efficiency of multi-channel audio coding and decoding. The described strategies include various techniques and tools, which can be used in combination or independently. For example, an audio encoder performs a pre-processing multi-channel transform on multi-channel audio data, varying the transform so as to control quality. The encoder groups multiple windows from different channels into one or more tiles and outputs tile configuration information, which allows the encoder to isolate transients that appear in a particular channel with small windows, but use large windows in other channels. Using a variety of techniques, the encoder performs flexible multi-channel transforms that effectively take advantage of inter-channel correlation. An audio decoder performs corresponding processing and decoding. In addition, the decoder performs a post-processing multi-channel transform for any of multiple different purposes.
US08620663B2
A speech synthesis system includes a server device and a client device. The server device stores speech element information and speech element identification information in association with each other so that, in a case that speech element information representing respective speech elements included in speech uttered by a speech registering user are arranged in the order of arrangement of the speech elements in the speech, at least one of speech element identification information identifying the respective speech element information has different information from information arranged in accordance with a predetermined rule. The client device transmits speech element identification information to the server device based on accepted text information. The client device executes a speech synthesis process based on the speech element information received from the server device.
US08620661B2
A system for controlling digital effects in live performances with vocal improvisation is described. The system features a controller that utilizes several switches attached to clothing that is worn by an artist during a live performance. The switches activate a digital vocal processor unit that provides a dual mode, multi-channel phrase looping capability wherein individual channels can be selected for recording and replay during the performance. This combination of features allows a sequence of digital audio and video effects to be controlled by the artist during a performance while maintaining the freedom of movement desired to enhance the performance.
US08620658B2
A voice chat system includes a plurality of information processing apparatuses that performs a voice chat while performing speech recognition and a search server connected to the plural information processing apparatuses via a communication network. The search server discloses a search keyword list containing the search keywords searched by the search server to at least one of the plural information processing apparatuses. The at least one information processing apparatus includes a recognition word dictionary generating unit that acquires the search keyword list from the search server to generate a recognition word dictionary containing words for use in the speech recognition, and a speech recognition unit that performs speech recognition on voice data obtained from a dialog of the conversation during the voice chat by referencing a recognition database containing the recognition word dictionary.
US08620654B2
A system in one embodiment includes a server associated with a unified messaging system (UMS). The server records speech of a user as an audio data file, translates the audio data file into a text data file, and maps each word within the text data file to a corresponding segment of audio data in the audio data file. A graphical user interface (GUI) of a message editor running on an endpoint associated with the user displays the text data file on the endpoint and allows the user to identify a portion of the text data file for replacement. The server being further operable to record new speech of the user as new audio data and to replace one or more segments of the audio data file corresponding to the portion of the text with the new audio data.
US08620650B2
A system for combining signals includes a first microphone generating a first input signal having a first voice component and a first noise component, a second microphone generating a second input signal having a second voice component and a second noise component, a mixing circuit, and an adaptive filter. The mixing circuit applies a first gain having a value α to the first input signal to produce a first scaled signal, applies a second gain having a value 1−α to the second input signal to produce a second scaled signal, and sums the first scaled signal and the second scaled signal to produce a summed signal. The adaptive filter computes an updated value of α to minimize the energy of the summed signal based on the summed signal, the first input signal and the second input signal, and provides the updated value of α to the mixing circuit.
US08620648B2
An audio encoding device which can improve encoding performance while performing division search on an algebraic codebook in an audio encoding. In a distortion minimizing unit (112) of a CELP encoding device: a maximum correlation value calculation unit (221) calculates a correlation value by using each pulse and a target signal in each candidate position for four pulses constituting the fixed codebook so as to acquire a maximum value of the correlation value for each pulse and calculates a maximum correlation value by using the maximum value of the correlation value; a sorting unit (222) divides the four pulses into two subsets each having two pulses; and a search unit (224) performs a division search on the fixed codebook and acquires a code indicating the positions and polarities of the four pulses where the encoding distortion is minimum.
US08620647B2
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a selector supports the selection of a first encoding scheme or the second encoding scheme based upon the detection or absence of the triggering characteristic in the interval of the input speech signal. The first encoding scheme has a pitch pre-processing procedure for processing the input speech signal to form a revised speech signal biased toward an ideal voiced and stationary characteristic. The pre-processing procedure allows the encoder to fully capture the benefits of a bandwidth-efficient, long-term predictive procedure for a greater amount of speech components of an input speech signal than would otherwise be possible. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the second encoding scheme entails a long-term prediction mode for encoding the pitch on a sub-frame by sub-frame basis. The long-term prediction mode is tailored to where the generally periodic component of the speech is generally not stationary or less than completely periodic and requires greater frequency of updates from the adaptive codebook to achieve a desired perceptual quality of the reproduced speech under a long-term predictive procedure.
US08620646B2
A system and method may be configured to analyze audio information derived from an audio signal. The system and method may track sound pitch across the audio signal. The tracking of pitch across the audio signal may take into account change in pitch by determining at individual time sample windows in the signal duration an estimated pitch and a representation of harmonic envelope at the estimated pitch. The estimated pitch and the representation of harmonic envelope may then be implemented to determine an estimated pitch for another time sample window in the signal duration with an enhanced accuracy and/or precision.
US08620645B2
A decoder arrangement comprising a receiver input for parameters of frame-based coded signals and a decoder arranged to provide frames of decoded audio signals based on the parameters. The receiver input and/or the decoder is arranged to establish a time difference between the occasion when parameters of a first frame is available at the receiver input and the occasion when a decoded audio signal of the first frame is available at an output of the decoder, which time difference corresponds to at least one frame. A postfilter is connected to the output of the decoder and to the receiver input. The postfilter is arranged to provide a filtering of the frames of decoded audio signals into an output signal in response to parameters of a respective subsequent frame.
US08620634B2
A computer implemented method includes providing information related to wind speed and direction prediction to a wind turbine energy prediction module, providing wind energy production prediction information to a resource allocation engine, and combining the wind energy production prediction information with information about non-renewable energy resources to provide an output identifying energy production resources to use for optimal load servicing.
US08620633B2
A method is provided for predicting a value of a first variable based on values of a plurality of additional variables, values of a plurality of first coefficients, and values of a plurality of second coefficients. The method is usable in, for example, predicting by-products of a process based on values of variables relating to operation of the process.
US08620632B2
A static heat transfer model is derived from a system of dynamic equations by integrating the dynamic equations over different time periods. That static heat transfer model links periodic (e.g., monthly) energy usage with cooling and heating degree hours, humidifying and dehumidifying hours. Its coefficients of measuring correlations correspond to the thermal parameters of buildings. Temporal data from a building may be used to estimate the overall heat transfer parameters. A clustering scheme may be developed to decompose all the buildings into different clusters based on one or more similarity criteria. The overall heat transfer parameters are separated into values for the wall, roof and window using multiple buildings' data in the same cluster or group.
US08620618B2
A process control system uses an asset optimization reporter to collect status information of dissimilar types pertaining to the assets of a process plant from various data sources of the plant including, for example, data tools, data collectors, and data generators. This status information is used to generate reports that may be displayed to various users, including maintenance persons, process control persons and business persons. The status information may be used as the basis for further types of status information and/or be categorized in based on an assessment of relative consequence, where each category has a spectrum of status quality values between a good status quality and a relatively worse status quality. The reports are generally displayed via a user interface routine that enables users to view the status information as a graphical representation having a leg of a normalized spectrum of values for each category arranged in order of the relative consequence, the relative status quality value being identified at a point on the respective leg.
US08620615B2
A method for evaluating a person for a sleep system, the method including: while the person is not positioned on an evaluating member, adjusting a pressure of a comfort layer inflatable member disposed within a comfort layer of the evaluating member to an initial comfort value; positioning the person on the evaluating member in a first position; while the person is positioned on the evaluating member in the first position, measuring a pressure of the comfort layer inflatable member as a first measured comfort value; calculating a difference between the first measured comfort value and the initial comfort value as comfort pressure 1; calculating a first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member using comfort pressure 1; and recommending a sleep support member for the person using the calculated first optimal pressure level for the comfort layer inflatable member and using data measuring quality of sleep.
US08620610B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for determining the attitude and heading angle of a crane jib. Crane jib angular velocity, crane jib roll angle, crane jib pitch angle, crane jib specific force, and magnetic field in the local operating environment of the crane jib are all sensed and supplied to a processor. All of these measurements are processed, in a processor, to estimate the attitude and heading angle of the crane jib.
US08620609B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for identifying anomalies of a signal, by analyzing a signal using a frequency-based technique, analyzing results of the frequency-based analysis using a statistical analysis technique, determining one or more limits based on the statistical analysis, and comparing a frequency domain representation of the signal to the limits to identify anomalies of the signal.
US08620605B2
A method for detecting and determining a position of faults using reflectometry in a wired electrical network including: injecting a test signal e(t) into a cable in the electrical network, a timing of successive injections being controlled by a synchronization module that generates an emission clock signal and a reception clock signal; retrieving a reflected signal on the cable; sampling the reflected signal at a frequency Fe=1/Te, where Te is a sampling period; counting a number of samples obtained for the reflected signal and comparing the number of samples obtained with a number n predefined as a function of a length of the cable or the electrical network to be diagnosed, where n is an integer; repeating the injecting, the sampling, and the counting steps N times, shifting the emission clock signal by a duration δ; reconstituting the reflected signal from n*N samples obtained; and analyzing the reconstituted reflected signal to detect a fault.
US08620604B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that generates a composite vibration profile in a frequency range for a computer system. First, a vibration spectrum in the frequency range is measured for a test computer system in each configuration in a set of configurations. Then, the composite vibration profile for the computer system is generated based on the measured vibration spectra.
US08620602B2
This patents refers to a system developed for detecting leaks in single-phase and multiphase fluid transport pipelines characterized by use measurements cells (3), sensors (4), locals processors (5) and neural models, where the measuring sensors (4) and the measurement cells (3) are installed at a number of locations along the pipeline with the purpose of monitoring the characteristic leak and normal operational pipeline transient waveforms. The local processors (5) are responsible for obtaining and sampling the signals supplied by the sensors (4), as well as their pre-processing, to make them compatible with the inputs to the neural model, this are associated to dynamic memory banks for analyzing the signals supplied by the sensors with the aim of emitting an alarm in the event that waveforms with the characteristics of a leak are detected. The local processors (5) are necessaries to implement and execute the neural models and, in the event that a leak is detected, carry out the localization calculations based on the different propagation velocities of the fluid dynamic transient caused by the leak. The system use of a communications network for transmitting data between the local processors with the aim of comparing the alarms originating from the local processors (5).
US08620593B2
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for performing a prenatal diagnosis of a sequence imbalance are provided. A shift (e.g. to a smaller size distribution) can signify an imbalance in certain circumstances. For example, a size distribution of fragments of nucleic acids from an at-risk chromosome can be used to determine a fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. A size ranking of different chromosomes can be used to determine changes of a rank of an at-risk chromosome from an expected ranking. Also, a difference between a statistical size value for one chromosome can be compared to a statistical size value of another chromosome to identify a significant shift in size. A genotype and haplotype of the fetus may also be determined using a size distribution to determine whether a sequence imbalance occurs in a maternal sample relative to a genotypes or haplotype of the mother, thereby providing a genotype or haplotype of the fetus.
US08620588B2
The present invention is concerned with methods for the de novo sequencing of polypeptides from data obtained from mass spectrometry devices, particularly from (MS)n devices.
US08620582B2
A system and method of determining a position of an electronic device is presented herein. An image is displayed having at least one celestial object and a celestial object indicator for selecting a celestial object. The celestial object indicator is overlaid on the at least one celestial object. Data indicating a relative angle of the device with respect to the Earth in at least two dimensions is received at the processor. The time when the celestial object indicator is overlaid on the at least one celestial object is determined. The position of the electronic device is determined by comparing the location of the celestial object in the image data and relative angle information at the time of the indication to a database at least partially stored on the electronic device in response to an indication that the celestial object indicator is overlaid on the at least one celestial object.
US08620576B1
The exemplary technologies can automatically offer customer directions for navigating to a store, having a desired product in stock, on the customer's mobile station, for example, turn-by-turn directions from a store that does not have the customer-desired product to an affiliated store that has the product in stock.
US08620573B2
A method for determining a route from a starting point to a destination point in a navigation system for a motor vehicle, a factor which influences the energy consumption or the pollutant emissions while traveling the route being taken into account when determining the route. The factor describes the energy consumption or pollutant emissions during standstills of the motor vehicle while traveling the route and a navigation system for this purpose. A route calculation is improved with the goal of minimizing the energy consumption or pollutant emissions over the entire route and thereby contributes to environmental protection.
US08620570B2
A mapping application that returns results for a target location as a function of at least one nearby landmark. The one or more nearby landmarks can be selected based on an expected user familiarity with the landmark, a precision of the landmark and/or a spatial relationship of the landmark with respect to the target location. Although landmarks are an integral aspect of navigation, they have rarely been used within electronic navigation devices. Electronic navigation means for a mobile device or other devices can guide the user along a route using photographs of landmarks together with audio and text instructions that reference these landmarks. This can assist older users who often find their mobility hampered by declines in sensory, cognitive and motor abilities.
US08620569B2
Disclosed is a vehicle control device that generates a speed pattern of a vehicle in a predetermined traveling section and controls the vehicle on the basis of the speed pattern. The vehicle control device includes an average traffic flow vehicle speed acquiring unit for acquiring an average traffic flow vehicle speed in the predetermined traveling section, an optimal low fuel consumption speed pattern generating unit for generating a speed pattern which is optimized to reduce the fuel consumption of the vehicle in the predetermined traveling section on the basis of the average traffic flow vehicle speed, and a control unit for controlling the vehicle on the basis of the optimal low fuel consumption speed pattern.
US08620567B2
Various systems and methods are described for controlling an engine in a vehicle, the engine being coupled to a transmission. One example method comprises, under selected braking conditions, shutting-off the engine and spinning-down the engine to rest while the vehicle is traveling, and in response to a foot-off-brake event, restarting the engine by at least partially engaging the transmission to assist in spinning-up of the engine from rest while the vehicle is traveling. In this manner, vehicle inertia can be used to assist in spinning-up the engine from rest when the vehicle is moving.
US08620559B2
A system and a method for executing tasks for an internal combustion engine (14) has two control devices (1, 2), with the two control devices (1, 2) being provided in order to process the tasks independently of one another, with the first control device (1) having a first release signal and a first switchover signal, with the second control device having a second release signal and a second switchover signal, with, by exchanging the two release signals and the two switchover signals, it being defined that only one of the two control devices (1, 2) executes a defined task at the same time.
US08620553B2
A method for establishing a network across a plurality of locomotives in a consist includes designating one locomotive of the plurality of locomotives as a network lead locomotive and designating the other of the plurality of locomotives as network trail locomotives.
US08620549B2
A safety system is provided for use in a first vehicle at a first location. The safety system includes a position unit configured to determine the first location; a sensor group configured to detect an opening of the enclosure; a controller coupled to the position unit and the sensor group, the controller configured to generate a warning message including the first location when the opening of the enclosure is detected; and a transmitter coupled to the controller and configured to transmit the warning message.
US08620548B2
Secure failure diagnosis of a brake switch is enabled with a simple configuration. Inconsistency detection is performed for output signals from two brake switches 6a and 6b provided such that an operation condition of a brake pedal 1 may be detected (S102), and when inconsistency is detected, after a certain time has passed from the relevant detection point, inconsistency detection is newly performed for output signals from the two brake switches 6a and 6b (S108), and when inconsistency is detected again, a determination counter performs count of a predetermined incremental value, those operation being periodically repeated (S110), and when a count value reaches a predetermined value α after the determination counter performs the count, the two brake switches 6a and 6b are determined to be failed (S114 and S118).
US08620546B2
An on-demand-type drive state control apparatus for a vehicle is provided. In the case where acceleration slippage occurs at drive wheels (rear wheels) of a vehicle when a drive system is in a two-wheel drive state, the drive system is switched from the two-wheel drive state to a four-wheel drive state. That is, the maximum transmittable torque of a multi-disc clutch mechanism increases from “0” to a predetermined value. In the four-wheel drive state, the maximum transmittable torque decreases stepwise from the present value by a predetermined value every time the vehicle travels over a predetermined distance in a state in which none of the wheels cause acceleration slippages. That is, the clutch drive current supplied to the multi-disc clutch mechanism decreases gradually (stepwise or in a plurality of steps), and the drive torque distributed to the front wheels (rear wheels) decreases (increases) gradually.
US08620541B2
In a vehicle driving-force control device, when a brake switch is turned on, a transmission control unit determines a currently-selected engine mode and sets a deceleration determination value by referring to a determination-value table corresponding to the currently-selected engine mode, using a vehicle speed as a parameter. Then, the transmission control unit compares an absolute value of a deceleration with an absolute value of the deceleration determination value, and shifts down the gear stage if the absolute value of the deceleration exceeds the absolute value of the deceleration determination value.
US08620538B2
A system and method for detecting vehicle movement based on the measurement of the torque value on a vehicle drivetrain is disclosed. The system includes a torque sensor for measuring the torque on a vehicle drivetrain. This measured torque is utilized by a control module, with various other measured vehicle parameters, to determine if the conditions are such that vehicle movement may occur or has already begun. Possible vehicle movement is indicated when either the measured torque value exceeds a threshold value and changes towards zero, or big noise spikes are present in the torque sensor output signal.
US08620535B2
A control system is disclosed for a mobile excavation machine operating at a worksite. The control system may have a locating device mounted on the mobile excavation machine that is configured to generate a signal indicative of a current position of the mobile excavation machine at the worksite during completion of an excavation plan. The control system may also have a controller in communication with the locating device and the mobile excavation machine. The controller may be configured to autonomously control the mobile excavation machine based on the excavation plan, and to determine a volume of material missed during completion of a first cut of the excavation plan based on the signal. The controller may be further configured to adjust a characteristic of a second cut of the excavation plan based on the volume of material missed during completion of the first cut of the excavation plan.
US08620529B2
A sub-frame in a vehicle includes a sensor, which is configured to sense an occurrence of a vehicular crash. By being connected to the sensor, a controller is adapted to receive a signal from the sensor. The controller further functions to process the signal and provide an output to at least one fastener, the fastener configured to fasten the sub-frame to the vehicle's underbody. The fastener includes at least one chamber filled with an explosive charge, where the explosive charge is configured to explode and detach the sub-frame from the vehicle's underbody, upon receiving the output.
US08620527B2
According to one aspect, a vehicle control system. The control system includes a steering control coupled to at least one steerable wheel, the steering control having a first position, a second position and a plurality of positions therebetween. The control system also includes a steering sensor coupled to the steering control and configured to generate steering sensor signals based upon the position of the steering control. The control system also includes a control module coupled to the steering sensor, the control module configured to (i) record a first steering sensor signal value when the steering control is in the first position; (ii) record a second steering sensor signal value when the steering control is in the second position; and (iii) determine a current position of the steering control by comparing the first and second steering sensor signal values with a current steering sensor signal value.
US08620525B2
A system for performing posture control of a motorcycle is such that in outputting a synthesized output by adjusting a yaw direction output and a roll direction output outputted from a displacement detection sensor by an adjustment part respectively, a synthesized output in which the yaw direction output is larger than the roll direction output is outputted when a vehicle speed is low, and a synthesized output in which the roll direction output is larger than the yaw direction output is outputted when the vehicle speed is high. Accordingly, in either a case where the vehicle is traveling at a low speed or a case where the vehicle is traveling at a high speed, the displacement and the behavior of a motorcycle 10 can be detected with high accuracy thus eventually realizing a control of the posture of the motorcycle 10 with high accuracy.
US08620522B2
Systems to manage servo controls are disclosed. In some embodiments servo controls may implemented in systems to deflect control surfaces in aircraft. In one embodiment, a system to manage the output of a servo valve comprises a first plurality of feedback loops to receive a plurality of commands representative of a desired piston position and to generate, from the plurality of commands, a plurality of position difference signals which represent a difference between a desired piston position and a current piston position, a plurality of amplifiers to generate, from the plurality of position difference signals, a corresponding plurality of magnetic flux target signals, a second plurality of feedback loops to receive, from the plurality of amplifiers, the plurality of magnetic flux target signals, wherein the magnetic flux target signals represent a desired magnetic flux measurement in the servo valve, and to generate, from the plurality of magnetic flux target signals, a plurality of magnetic flux difference signals which represent a difference between a desired magnetic flux measurement and a current magnetic flux measurement, and an assembly to regulate the servo valve using the plurality of magnetic flux target signals. Other embodiments may be described.
US08620519B2
An improved fault detection system and method is provided. The fault detection system and method combines the use of discrimination and representation based feature extraction to reliably detect symptoms of faults in turbine engines. Specifically, the fault detection system and method uses a kernel-based Maximum Representation Discrimination Features (MRDF) technique to detect symptoms of fault in turbine engines. The kernel-based MRDF system and method combines the use of discriminatory features and representation features in historical sensor data to facilitate feature extraction and classification of new sensor data as indicative fault in the turbine engine. Furthermore, the kernel-based MRDF technique facilitates the uncovering of nonlinear features in the sensor data, thus improving the reliability of the fault detection.
US08620514B2
A control process, which may be known as a toolset, for control of part or all of a maintenance method based on reliability centred maintenance (RCM) includes: a significant item selection (SIS) element a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) element; an algorithm element; a tasks element; a sampling element; and a reports element. The SIS element produces one or more of the following: reference data; and progress data. The SIS element makes use of input from design approved organisation functionality. The FMEA element makes use of input from maintenance approved organisation functionality.
US08620505B2
A hybrid powertrain includes and internal combustion engine, an energy storage device, an electro-mechanical transmission having at least one electric machine rotatably coupled to the engine. The electro-mechanical transmission is selectively controllably operative to transmit torque among the engine and the at least one electric machine. A method to start operation of the internal combustion engine includes initiating rotation of a crankshaft of the engine with the at least one electric machine until a first predetermined crankshaft speed is achieved, firing the engine while controlling engine speed with the at least one electric machine until a flare threshold occurs, controlling the engine speed without any interaction from the at least one electric machine based on controlling combustion parameters of the engine, and when a predetermined condition occurs, controlling the engine speed with the at least one electric machine while the engine is still firing.
US08620503B2
A switch sets the voltage level of a control line to a first level corresponding to a first voltage by electrically coupling the control line with a first node when manual operation is not executed. The switch sets the voltage level of the control line at a second level corresponding to a second voltage by electrically coupling the control line with a second node during a period of time over which manual operation is executed. An ECU switches the operation mode of a hybrid vehicle having first and second power sources between a first mode in which the first power source is used having higher priority for the running of the hybrid vehicle, and a second mode in which said second power source is used having higher priority for the running of the hybrid vehicle, based on a change of the voltage level of the control line.
US08620498B2
A method of regulating operation of a hybrid vehicle traveling on a surface having a grade includes determining a drive force of the hybrid vehicle, calculating a brake pressure value and determining whether a grade freeze condition exists based on the brake pressure value. The method further includes calculating a grade value of the surface based on the drive force when the freeze condition does not exist and regulating operation of the hybrid vehicle based on the grade value.
US08620496B2
A system for damping nutation and removing wobble of a spacecraft spinning about a given axis is provided. The system includes a sensor configured to determine three dimensional attitude measurements of the spacecraft, a processor operatively coupled to the sensor and configured to execute a process that facilitates aligning the spin axis with a spacecraft momentum vector. The processor, when executing the process, is programmed to receive spacecraft attitude data from the sensor, determine a torque command using the received attitude data, and control a momentum storage actuator on the spacecraft using the determined torque command such that an angular deviation about the given axis is reduced.
US08620492B2
An alternative system for damping the dutch roll mode in an aircraft is provided using roll control surfaces. Classical yaw dampers for the dutch roll mode utilize the yaw control surfaces such as a rudder to dampen the dutch roll mode oscillations. An alternative damper is described that utilizes roll control surfaces such as spoilers or ailerons to dampen the dutch roll mode.
US08620491B2
A method for intelligently managing a transportation network is provided. The method includes providing a roadside apparatus to communicate with vehicle nodes associated with vehicles in a transportation network, the vehicle nodes being in a range of control of the roadside apparatus. Based on real-time location and direction information received from a particular vehicle node associated with a particular one of the vehicles, a specific neighboring roadside apparatus whose range of control is next to be entered by the particular vehicle is identified. Handover information is communicated to the specific neighboring roadside apparatus, and the particular vehicle node is communicatively connected to the specific roadside apparatus before disconnection from the roadside apparatus.
US08620484B2
A system and method of controlling inductive power transfer in an inductive power transfer system and a method for designing an inductive power transfer system with power accounting. The method of controlling inductive power transfer including measuring a characteristic of input power, a characteristic of power in the tank circuit, and receiving information from a secondary device. Estimating power consumption based on the measured characteristic of tank circuit power and received information and comparing the measured characteristic of input power, the information from the secondary device, and the estimated power consumption to determine there is an unacceptable power loss. The method for designing an inductive power transfer system with power accounting including changing the distance between a primary side and a secondary side and changing a load of the secondary side. For each distance between the primary side and the secondary side and for each load, measuring a circuit parameter on the primary side in the tank circuit and a circuit parameter on the secondary side during the transfer of contactless energy. The method further including selecting a formula to describe power consumption in the system during the transfer of contactless energy based on coefficients and the circuit parameters, and determining the coefficients using the measured circuit parameters.
US08620476B2
A method and apparatus for controlling climate within a building. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a smart climate unit for (i) obtaining distributed generator (DG) information pertaining to operation of a DG that generates power for the building, and (ii) controlling at least one climate condition within the building based on at least one of the DG information, local input, or remote input.
US08620473B2
In a coupled control mode, the surgeon directly controls movement of an associated slave manipulator with an input device while indirectly controlling movement of one or more non-associated slave manipulators, in response to commanded motion of the directly controlled slave manipulator, to achieve a secondary objective. By automatically performing secondary tasks through coupled control modes, the system's usability is enhanced by reducing the surgeon's need to switch to another direct mode to manually achieve the desired secondary objective. Thus, coupled control modes allow the surgeon to better focus on performing medical procedures and to pay less attention to managing the system.
US08620469B2
A processing equipment unit performs a predetermined process to a carried object. A case accommodates the carried object. A carrier carries the carried object in the case. An opener is configured to enable the carrier to mount the case on the opener. The opener includes an opener control unit configured to exchange a signal with the carrier to control elevation of the case. The carrier is configured to exchange a signal with the opener control unit thereby to mount the case on the opener. The opener is equipped to the processing equipment unit.
US08620464B1
A visual automated score system (VASS) is provided to enable computerized accuracy assessment of weapons systems through video photography. Images are fed into a computer which tracks the intended target, detects impact points and then provides human operators with an automatically computed miss distance based on the cross-correlation of at least two video images. The VASS may then provide feedback to the weapons system to correct and direct gunfire.
US08620460B2
A controller equipped with a user interface having multiple-day programming capabilities, including methods of programming such devices, are disclosed. The user interface may include one or more menus or screens that can be used to program a schedule for one or more selected days during the week. An illustrative method of programming the controller may include the steps of entering a scheduling routine, selecting multiple days for schedule modification, changing the schedule parameters for one or more periods during the selected days, and then exiting the scheduling routine.
US08620454B2
A medical lead is provided for use in a pulse stimulation system of the type which includes a pulse generator for producing electrical stimulation therapy. The lead comprises an elongate insulating body and at least one electrical conductor within the insulating body. The conductor has a proximal end configured to be electrically coupled to the pulse generator and has a DC resistance in the range of 375-2000 ohms. At least one distal electrode is coupled to the conductor.
US08620452B2
Techniques for selecting electrode combinations for stimulation therapy include delivering stimulation via each of at least five combination groups. A first group of electrode combinations is characterized by the presence of a caudal anode. A second group of electrode combinations is characterized by the presence of a rostral anode. A third group of electrode combinations is characterized by the presence of a single anode above and a single anode below the cathode(s) of the combination. A fourth group of electrode combinations is characterized by the presence of multiple anodes above and below the cathode(s) of the combination. A fifth group of electrode combinations is characterized by the presence of transverse anodes. A sixth group of electrode combination is characterized by at least one off-center cathode. One or more preferred electrode combinations groups, and/or a number of leads to implant within the patient, may by selected based on patient feedback.
US08620451B2
The invention is directed to a therapy device, including a body, an energy source disposed on the body for emitting a desired wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, and a proximity sensor for sensing proximity of the device to a desired surface. Also disclosed are a material dispensing system disposed on the body for dispensing a desired material for use with the device and accessories and compositions used with the therapy device, including interchangeable energy source-containing heads and interchangeable material containers. Methods for using the therapy device are also disclosed.
US08620450B2
A system including two neurostimulation leads can be used for stimulating a select region of a nerve within a nerve bundle. For example, two leads can be used to stimulate a select region of the vagus nerve located within a patient's carotid sheath. The first neurostimulation is positioned within the carotid sheath and the second neurostimulation lead is positioned external to the carotid sheath. Each of the first and second neurostimulation leads includes at least one electrode defining an electrode array about the select region of the nerve. The electrode array, and more particularly, the different possible electrode vector combinations provided by the first and second neurostimulation leads facilitate steering of stimulation current density fields as needed or desired between the electrodes to effectively and efficiently treat a particular medical, psychiatric, or neurological disorder.
US08620447B2
Improved methods and devices for communicating via radio frequency (RF) in transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) systems is provided. In particular, an improved implantable coil for use in a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system is provided having an integrated radio frequency (RF) antenna. Further, a method of communicating between an external device and an implanted device having a plurality of secondary coils with integrated RF antennas is also provided.
US08620437B2
The disclosure describes an implantable neurostimulator device for delivery of neurostimulation to treat head, neck, or facial pain or tension, including pain or tension caused by occipital neuralgia. The device may be a neurostimulation device having a miniaturized housing with a low profile that permits subcutaneous implantation at a stimulation site directly adjacent a neuralgic region at the back of the neck of a patient. For example, the device may be subcutaneously implanted at the back of the neck of a patient to relieve symptoms of occipital neuralgia.
US08620415B2
Apparatus for graphical representation of a train of ECG complexes each including an R wave and a T-P interval and having variable isoelectric levels. The apparatus includes an isoelectric alignment unit for aligning the complexes in terms of isoelectric level by aligning respective T-P intervals, thereby to provide a graphical representation of the train of ECG complexes; and a temporal alignment unit for aligning the complexes temporally using a selected point on the respective R waves. The aligned units are superimposed to provide a distribution of a normalized ECG signal over a series of pulses or heartbeats.
US08620413B2
A watch or other type of portable electronic console that employs a number of different functions in order to improve its usability. The watch may, for example, allow a user to connect the watch to one or more remote electronic devices, such as an electronic performance sensor or MP3 player. The watch then displays information related to the connected electronic devices. Still further, the watch may allow a user to control the operation of one or more connected remote electronic devices. Thus, if the watch is connected to a remote speed/distance monitor employing a calibration variable, then the watch may allow the user to adjust the calibration variable.
US08620409B2
A system and method for confocal imaging of tissue in vivo and in situ, e.g., for minimally invasive diagnosis of patients. A catheter is provided that has a dye carrier coupled to the distal end of a fiber optics bundle, which allows for the introduction of at least one fluorescent dye therein the dye carrier into a portion of the tissue of interest of a subject or patient when the dye carrier is selectively brought into contact with the portion of the tissue of interest. The resulting confocal images permit the acquisition of diagnostic information on the progression of diseases at cellular/tissue level in patients. Furthermore, a system for ECG-triggered image acquisition is provided.
US08620403B2
In a method for acquisition of magnetic resonance slice images of an examination subject of a patient by using a magnetic resonance apparatus having a control device controlling the image acquisition operation, wherein the slice images are acquired as slice image stacks situated in different planes in a field of view within a homogeneous magnetic field, wherein the control device determines the volume of the examination subject using an overview image exposure and, dependent on the determination result, at least one or more of the image acquisition parameters of slice thickness, slice interval, slice count and/or size of the field of view is adapted.
US08620402B2
A physiological sensor device is attachable to the skin of a person for collecting physiological signals generated by the person's body. The device includes a flexible front layer made of a material that does not conduct electricity and a flexible back layer made of a material that does not conduct electricity. A flexible intermediate layer made of a material that does not conduct electricity is sandwiched between and fixed to the front layer and the back layer. Electrodes and electrical conductors are fixed to a back side of the intermediate layer. Each of the electrodes is attached to one of the electrical conductors and all of the electrical conductors are attached to a single common connector that protrudes through a portal in the front layer. A conductive gel pad is adhered to and aligned with each of the electrodes and protrudes through a portals in the back layer to contact the skin of a person when the physiological sensor device is attached to the skin of a person. Each layer of the physiological sensor device has, when attached to a standing person's chest, a vertically extending portion with a horizontally extending portion located at a lower end of the vertically extending portion to give the physiological sensor device a shape like an inverted T. The vertically extending portion is intended to overly a person's sternum and is sized to comfortably fit either a male or female patient.
US08620398B2
The present application provides Ag/AgCl based reference electrodes having an extended lifetime that are suitable for use in long term amperometric sensors. Electrochemical sensors equipped with reference electrodes described herein demonstrate considerable stability and extended lifetime in a variety of conditions.
US08620393B2
An apparatus and method for optimizing battery life and network resources during position tracking is disclosed. The position of a target being tracked is compared with a predefined geofence boundary. If the position of the target is far from the geofence boundary, position fix of the target is calculated using low quality of service (QoS) parameters. If the position of the target is not far from the geofence boundary, position fix of the target is calculated using high quality of service (QoS) parameters.
US08620390B2
An in-vehicle hands-free apparatus transfers, from a cellular phone to the hands-free apparatus, information regarding all the e-mails received from a communication network and stored in the cellular phone, right after the connection of a Bluetooth (BT) communication channel between the cellular phone and the hands-free apparatus. Thus, received e-mails that are received by the cellular phone from the communication network during a BT communication channel disconnection time can be synchronized between the cellular phone and the in-vehicle hands-free apparatus, thereby allowing the user to handle, on the hands-free apparatus, the received e-mails that have been received by the cellular phone while the BT communication channel is absent between the cellular phone and the hands-free apparatus.
US08620387B2
Methods, systems, and products present a custom alert to a recipient of an incoming data communication. A data message is received that specifies the custom alert associated with the data communication. The customer alert is then visually and/or audibly presented to provide notice of the data communication.
US08620386B2
Each of the cases C1 and C2 is formed in a plate. A sliding mechanism SL1 is slidably coupled with the case C1 and the case C2. A Felica circuit 24 is provided with an antenna (24a), and is contained in the case C2. A magnetic sensor 28 is contained in the case C2. A magnet 30 is contained in the case C1. A main LCD monitor 32 is attached to a top surface of the case C1. A CPU (22) determines whether an open position or a closed position from the output value of the magnetic sensor 28. In the closed position, an assist mark (36) is displayed on the main LCD monitor 32 at a position of the antenna (24a) with respect to the main LCD monitor 32.
US08620384B1
The communication device comprising a voice communication implementer, a multiple & real-time & chronological speech-to-text implementer, and an email sending implementer.
US08620381B2
An electronic assembly for securing a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card includes: a printed circuit board (PCB) having opposed first and second sides and defining an aperture extending from the first side to the second side; and a SIM card holder comprising a base received in the aperture, electrical connectors located in the base and having a first end connected to the first side of the PCB and a second end opposite to the first end, contacts located on the second side of the PCB and connected to the second end of the electrical connectors, the contacts configured for interfacing with corresponding contacts of the SIM card, and a card retaining member attached to the second side of the PCB for releasably securing the SIM card attached to the second side of the PCB.
US08620380B2
Embodiments of apparatuses, articles, methods, and systems for utilizing a subscriber identity module having a plurality of subscriber identities for communications within wireless networks are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08620351B2
A configuration device for configuring a wireless device within a wireless cell can include a receiving unit configured to receive a request message from a wireless device within a wireless cell. In addition, the configuration device can include a first processing unit configured to determine location information of the wireless device, and a second processing unit configured to determine a communication capacity of the wireless device, and to estimate a communication requirement based on the request message. Furthermore, the configuration device can have a transmitting unit configured to transmit optimal information to the wireless device with respect to the request message.
US08620345B2
Methods, program products, and systems of determining a time zone based on location is disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can store one or more geometric shapes using latitude and longitude coordinates. The geometric shapes can be associated with time zones. The mobile device can determine a current location. The mobile device can identify a geometric shape in which the mobile device is currently is located. The mobile device can determine the time zone associated with the identified geometric shape.
US08620338B2
A radio terminal, radio base station, channel signal forming method and channel signal receiving method wherein when an upstream unit band and a plurality of downstream unit bands associated therewith are used to perform communications, the quality of downstream assignment control information can be prevented from being degraded. In a base station (100), the PDCCH signals including upstream assignment control information are limited to ones that are placed in some of the downstream unit bands. This can reduce the probability of performance of zero padding to downstream assignment control information having greater importance. Also in the base station (100), the PDCCH signals of the downstream unit bands other than the basic unit band include only downstream resource assignment information. For this reason, in the individual regions of the downstream unit bands other than the basic unit band, the bandwidth of the downstream unit bands is always used as a reference of size adjustment and hence requires no information size adjustment. As a result, there is no need of performing zero padding to the downstream assignment control information, so that the quality of downstream assignment control information can be prevented from being degraded.
US08620337B2
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are for selectively establishing radio access bearers configured to support simultaneous voice and data communications in a mobile telecommunications network. An exemplary method includes receiving a request to initiate a data session at a mobile device that is currently engaged in a voice session and, in response to receiving the request, determining if the mobile device is capable of supporting a radio access bearer configured to simultaneously support the data session and the voice session. The method further includes allowing or denying establishment of the radio access bearer based upon the determination.
US08620318B2
A system and method are provided for mobile stations for enhancing the ease of use of a mobile station. An example method includes connecting with a first wireless network and displaying a first indicator associated with the first network. The example method includes connecting with a second wireless network while connected to the first wireless network and displaying a second indicator associated with the second network. The example method includes selecting one of the first network and the second network to place a voice call and placing the call using the selected network.
US08620315B1
Various embodiments are directed to providing a multi-tiered anti-abuse approach to registration of a mobile device user. A registration service may determine whether communications with the mobile device is through a trusted carrier gateway, and if so, then a mobile device identifier may be used to automatically register the mobile device. Otherwise, a determination may be made whether the mobile device is configured to support a challenge-response image. In one embodiment, such determination may be based, in part, on information received from the mobile device through a user agent, or the like. If the mobile device is capable of supporting a challenge-response image, one may be sent to the mobile device to enable registration. If, however, the mobile device does not support the challenge-response image and the carrier gateway is not trusted, the mobile device may be directed to employ an SMS mechanism to complete registration.
US08620312B2
A scanning module within a non-AP station receives first scan parameter values for performing a first type of scan to obtain a first type of information, and receives second scan parameter values for performing a second type of scan to obtain a second type of information. From the first and second parameter values the scanning module determines combined scan parameter values that satisfy scan requirements for both types of scans. The combined scan parameter values are used to control a sequence of combined scans. A combined scan yields both the first and second type of information. In one example, an IEEE 802.11(n) non-AP station receives 20/40 coexistence scan parameters. The 20/40 parameters and locally-generated background scan parameters are used to determine parameters for performing combined background and 20/40 scans. Reducing the number of scans using combined scans has advantages including increasing data throughput, freeing processing resources, and reducing power consumption.
US08620311B2
There is provided a communication system and a communication method of making available both a shared telephone number shared by multiple communication terminals and an individual telephone number dedicated to a user's own terminal in a single communication terminal. A shared managing unit 11 of a communication system 1 manages terminal identifiers 1 and 3 identifying each of a plurality of communication terminals 30a and 30b to which a shared telephone number is assigned in correlation with the shared telephone number. An individual managing unit 12 manages a terminal identifier 2 identifying a communication terminal 30b to which an individual telephone number is assigned is correlation with the individual telephone number. A user information managing unit 13 manages user information including base station information of communication terminals identified by the identifier every terminal identifiers 1, 2, and 3. A call control device 20 carries out call control of communication terminals 30b, to which the shared telephone number and an individual telephone number are assigned, using this information.
US08620303B2
A radio base station 200 according to the present invention includes a common control signal reception unit 11 to receive a common control signal transmitted from each neighboring cell, a measurement unit 12 to measure a reception level of the received common control signal, a recognition unit 13 to recognize a transmission level of the common control signal at the neighboring cell and a type of the neighboring cell based on the received common control signal, a transmission level determination unit 14 to determine a transmission level of a common control signal based on the reception level of the common control signal, the transmission level of the common control signal at the neighboring cell and the type of the neighboring cell and a common control signal transmission unit 15 to transmit the common control signal at the transmission level determined by the transmission level determination unit.
US08620283B2
The described embodiments involve use of a mobile communication device in the context of facilitating contact from within a telephone application. The described embodiments are primarily concerned with enabling quick and efficient access to contact methods other than by telephone from within the telephone application. This is done by generating a contact list, which may have one or more contacts, using an integrated dialing field provided by the telephone application and then displaying all available contact types or methods available for contacting a particular contact selected from the list.
US08620277B2
The present invention provides a method and a device for backing up an unread short message, both of which can store a new short message received by a mobile communication terminal in a terminal storage and back up the new short message to a subscriber identity card, and delete, when a user reads or deletes an unread short message stored in the terminal storage, a backup unread short message, which stored in the subscriber identity card, corresponding to the new short message. The method and the device of the present invention can synchronize the unread short message in the terminal storage and the subscriber identity card, so that the user will not lose the unread short message even when changing the mobile communication terminal.
US08620275B2
A system and method for providing a message on the graphic display of a wireless device while the wireless device is connecting to an application download server across a wireless network. When the wireless device attempts to communicate with an application download server or changes files while navigating an application download server, a message is transmitted across the wireless network to the computer platform of the wireless device and displayed to the user of the wireless device. The message can be transmitted to the wireless device from the same application download server that the wireless device is attempting to connect to or navigate, or alternately, the message can be transmitted from another server on the wireless network.
US08620266B2
A mobile communications device for communicating with a wireless network, including an electronic storage having data stored thereon, a processor connected to the storage for accessing the data, a communications sub-system connected to the processor for exchanging signals with the wireless network and with the processor, a user input interface connected to send user input signals to the processor in response to user action, and a security module associated with the processor for detecting a trigger condition and automatically taking a security action if a bypass user action is not detected after detection of the trigger condition.
US08620262B2
IMS networks, subscriber databases, and methods are disclosed for providing AoC services in IMS networks. The subscriber database is provisioned with AoC indicators for IMS users that subscribe to AoC services. An S-CSCF in an IMS network receives a first register message from an IMS user, and transmits a second register message to the subscriber database. In response to the second register message, the subscriber database identifies an AoC indicator for the IMS user that is registering, inserts the AoC indicator in a third register message, and transmits the third register message to the S-CSCF. The S-CSCF then stores the AoC indicator for the IMS user. If a signaling message is received for a session involving the IMS user, then the S-CSCF will forward the AoC indicator for the IMS user to an AoC application server, which collects the appropriate AoC information and provides the information to the IMS user.
US08620258B2
A method includes selecting user equipment based at least on tracked information related to a wireless service in a geographic region, and messaging the selected user equipment to offer upgraded wireless service relative to a current wireless service. The offer for the upgraded wireless service is contingent on users of the user equipment meeting criteria. In response to the one or more users of the user equipment meeting the criteria, performing one or more of the following: indicating to a new operator that contracts for wireless service for users of the user equipment may be transferred from current operators to a new operator; or transmitting to the user equipment a commitment to deploy new wireless infrastructure to provide, within a specific time interval, coverage over of the geographic region; or indicating to corresponding current operators that contracts for wireless service for users associated with the user equipment should be updated.
US08620257B2
Example systems and methods to manage location information for emergency services support of an internet protocol (“IP”) communication device are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves storing first and second geographic location information in a first list of geographic location information associated with an internet protocol device. The first list is stored at a service provider server. At least a partial copy of the first list is communicated from the service provider server to the internet protocol device for storing as a second list of geographic location information in the internet protocol device.
US08620249B2
In RF transceivers a method and system for process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) measurement and calibration are provided. A nominal DC offset current may be generated at a nominal temperature and may be based on a calibration voltage. A nominal transconductance parameter may be determined based on the nominal DC offset current and the calibration voltage. The nominal transconductance may be stored and may be utilized to determine temperature and process conditions during operation. In another embodiment, a plurality of DC offset currents may be generated at different temperatures and these generated DC offset currents may be based on a calibration voltage. The calibration voltage may be constant over the range of temperatures. Transconductance parameters may be determined based on the DC offset currents and the calibration voltage. The transconductance parameters may be stored and may be utilized to determine temperature and process conditions during operation.
US08620248B2
A multichannel receiver system comprises a first plurality of receiver circuits, each having a first input connected to a corresponding one of a second plurality of input lines, each being arranged to provide a corresponding one of a third plurality of received signals; a second input connected to a local oscillator arranged to provide a local oscillator signal; and an output arranged to provide a corresponding one of a fourth plurality of output signals; and an upconversion mixer having a first mixer input for receiving a reference signal; a second mixer input connected to the local oscillator; and a mixer output providing an upconverted reference signal to a fifth plurality of directional couplers, each directional coupler connected to a corresponding one of the second plurality of input lines.
US08620246B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure can include, for example, determining at a port of a matching network reflection information from a signal sampled across at least one predetermined fixed-value reactance component, generating at least one control signal according to the reflection information, and tuning the matching network with the at least one control signal, where the matching network comprises one or more controllable variable reactive elements each with an independent control voltage. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08620244B2
An electrical component with a diversity front-end circuit that is exclusively designed to transmit received signals is disclosed. The diversity front-end circuit is capable of receiving incoming signals in at least two frequency bands simultaneously. The diversity front-end circuit includes at least two receiving paths coupled to a diversity antenna, wherein the received signals of the respective frequency band are transmitted in each receiving path.
US08620241B2
Some embodiments discussed relate to an apparatus comprising a power amplifier module. The power amplifier module includes a plurality of sensors, and a first digital communication port configured to provide a monitor signal from at least one of the plurality of sensors. The apparatus includes a transceiver module coupled to provide an signal to an input of the power amplifier the transceiver module including a second digital communication port configured to receive the monitor signal from the first digital communication port, a processing unit configured to generate at least one of a bias control signal and a back-off signal dependent upon the monitor signal, and a power controller to receive the at least one of bias control signal and the back-off signal and provide at least one further input signal to the power amplifier based on at least one of the bias control signal and the back-off signal.
US08620236B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for limiting tuning of a matching network having variable reactive elements coupled to a variable load impedance to at least reduce an undesirable effect caused by an RF signal. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08620230B2
Wireless network system including a plurality of base stations each configured to manage active links to mobile stations within a range; and a controller configured to control the base stations to provide at least two of the active links from two different base stations simultaneously to a given mobile station in integral manner for joint processing.
US08620221B2
A base station device (10) communicates between a first terminal device and a second terminal device over the same channel by spatial multiplexing. The base station device (10) comprises an interference cancellation coefficient extractor (30) that extracts an interference cancellation coefficient from a signal received from the first terminal device to cancel interference on a propagation channel with the first terminal device in advance, and transmits a pilot signal that contains information related to the interference cancellation coefficient to the second terminal device. In addition, the base station device (10) also comprises an interference canceller (16) that uses the interference cancellation coefficient to cancel an interference component from transmission data to be transmitted over the same channel, and transmits the transmission data from which the interference component has been canceled by the interference canceller (16) to the first terminal device and the second terminal device over the same channel. A wireless communication system is provided which, in a multi-user MIMO, suppresses superimposed interference components resulting from channel fluctuations and channel estimation errors when interference cancellation is performed in advance in a base station unit on a modulated signal to be transmitted.
US08620216B2
A system is provided including a device and a control module. The device has a first wireless interface for connecting to a first further device and a second wireless interface for connecting to the control module. The first wireless interface is suitable for detecting that a second further device is located within its coverage area. The second wireless interface is suitable for communicating to the control module that the second further device is located within the coverage area. The control module is suitable for executing a service logic and for transmitting to the second wireless interface a command to disconnect the first wireless interface from the first further device. The first wireless interface is configured for executing the command, thus automatically disconnecting from the first further device, and for connecting the device to the second further device.
US08620207B1
A wireless cellular or other device to control distribution and presentation of audio, video, or combined audio and video content transmitted from a content server and delivered to at least one contiguous device at substantially the same time. The cellular device sends control signals via various wireless communication protocols based upon user input. The control signals are sent to a content server attached to a TCP/IP network. The wireless cellular device and the content server interact through a request and reply interface, located within the wireless cellular device, based on inputs from the wireless device user. Content available for transmission from the content server is displayed and subsequently selected by the user. Separate audio and video content may be distributed to individually distinct rendering devices contiguous to and selected by the user. During or after the content is transmitted, the user may interact with the content through the wireless cellular device.
US08620204B2
A print-medium storing unit, a print-medium storing apparatus including the same, and an image forming apparatus including the same which are provided in a power transmission mechanism, print-medium storing apparatus which is installed on a discharge path of a print-medium in an image forming apparatus, includes a plurality of storing units which is arranged with multi-layers, and a controller which controls to drive a feeding unit of another storing unit arranged between the storing unit through which the print-medium is to be discharged and the image forming apparatus, by a driving source of the storing unit through which the print-medium is to be discharged.
US08620200B2
Certain embodiments provide an image forming device including: a print portion; a first roller provided in a sheet transportation direction; a heating element provided in either the first roller or an endless belt wound around the first roller and generates heat by magnetic flux; a second roller that forms a nip together with the heating element; a coil that has a coil hole facing the nip with a gap therebetween and generates the magnetic flux; an induction heating circuit that supplies the coil with a drive signal; an insulating mold that has a through hole facing the coil hole and supports the coil; a mechanism that transports the sheet through the through hole to the nip; and a controller that causes the mechanism to transport the sheet to the nip and the induction heating circuit to perform the induction-heating.
US08620195B2
The toner supply apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a shaft connection mechanism in which a first and a second joint are engaged to thereby enable transmission of rotation of a first shaft of a development device and a second shaft of a toner storage container. The first joint has a first engagement member biased from a first main body towards a second joint, and a biasing member for biasing the first engagement member. The second joint has a second main body and an engaging recessed portion engaging with the accommodated first engagement member in a configuration that is substantially incapable of rotation. When the first rotation axis is not aligned with the second rotation axis and the first engagement member is accommodated in the engaging recessed portion, the first engagement member inclines relative to the first or second rotation axis and can engage with the engaging recessed portion.
US08620159B2
The invention relates to improvements in or relating to modulation in an Optical Network, and to an apparatus, a method and a communications network for modulation in an Optical Network. An apparatus is arranged to receive a modulated optical signal comprising a carrier wavelength and first data. The apparatus is arranged to substantially erase the first data from the optical signal by performing an inversion operation on the modulated optical signal. The apparatus is arranged to receive second data and to modulate the carrier wavelength with the second data for onward transmission of the second data. The inversion operation comprises applying a signal comprising an inverse of the first data to at least a portion of the modulated optical signal. The signal may further comprise the second data such that the modulation of the carrier wavelength and erasure of the first data is performed in a single operation.
US08620152B1
An auxiliary lens positioning system for use with portable cameras is disclosed which includes a base member, an elongate flexible member, a lens mounting flange, an auxiliary lens and a retention member. The elongate flexible member extends from one end of the base member and includes a lens mounting flange at the opposing end. The auxiliary lens may be either removably coupled to the lens mounting flange of the elongate flexible member or permanently coupled therewith. The elongate flexible member may comprise a plurality of interconnected ball and socket segments. The base member may further include a first and second clamping member for engaging the external surfaces of a portable camera.
US08620141B2
To record a video signal on a recording medium for faithful reproduction A signal processing unit generates a video signal corresponding to a specified color space. An encoding/decoding unit performs data compression on the video signal in accordance with the MPEG4-AVC standard to generate a compressed video signal to be recorded on a recording medium. A CPU generates a color space identifier including information indicating the specified color space and is configured so that an access unit including an SPS NAL unit in the compressed video signal includes an SEI NAL unit in which the color space identifier is stored. The video signal recorded on the recording medium is a signal to which a color space identifier having information for a color space of that video signal is added.
US08620139B2
Processing video for utilization in second language learning is described herein. A video file includes spoken words in a source language, subtitles in the source language, and subtitles in a native language of an end user (a target language). The subtitles in the source language are synchronized with the spoken words in the video, and the subtitles in the source language are mapped to the subtitles in the target language. Both sets of subtitles are displayed simultaneously as the video is played by the end user.
US08620134B2
Upon receipt of an MPEG stream, a time information converter modifies the PTSs of the audio data in the stream so that the timing for outputting the audio sound is delayed by the amount of time that is required for the processing of the video signal to be performed in a video signal processor while keeping the PTSs of the video data in the stream unchanged.
US08620133B2
There is provided an audio amplifier, including: an AV signal acquisition unit that acquires an AV signal; a television connection unit to which a television receiver is connected; a first audio amplifying circuit to which a speaker is connected; and a control unit. The control unit transmits to the television receiver a command to shut off power for a second audio amplifying circuit of the television receiver when outputting the video signal of the AV signal acquired by the AV signal acquisition unit from the television connection unit toward the television receiver and when inputting the audio signal of the AV signal to the first audio amplifying circuit. The control unit shuts off power for the first audio amplifying circuit when outputting the video signal and the audio signal of the AV signal from the television connection unit toward the television receiver.
US08620132B2
A terahertz scanning reflectometer is described herein. A high sensitivity terahertz scanning reflectometer is used to measure dynamic surface deformation and delamination characteristics in real-time. A number of crucial parameters can be extracted from the reflectance measurements such as dynamic deformation, propagation velocity, and final relaxation position. A terahertz reflectometer and spectrometer are used to determine the permeation kinetics and concentration profile of active ingredients in stratum corneum.
US08620123B2
A fiber optic cable includes a first optical fiber, a jacket, and a second optical fiber. The first optical fiber includes a glass core and cladding. The glass core is configured to provide controlled transmission of light through the fiber optic cable for high-speed data communication. The jacket has an interior surface that defines a conduit through which the first optical fiber extends. The jacket further has an exterior surface that defines the outside of the fiber optic cable. The second optical fiber is integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket.
US08620105B2
According to this invention, image processes are classified into a plurality of categories, and the result of processes belonging to each category is written in an intermediate buffer prepared for the category. The order of categories is determined in advance, and an output from a process of a preceding category serves as an input to a process of a succeeding category. The preceding category includes image processes such as automatic correction requiring no quick response. The succeeding category includes image processes such as manual correction requiring a quick response.
US08620098B2
Adaptive entropy encoding and decoding which utilizes Set Partitioning within Generalized Hierarchical Trees (SPRIGHT) and a method of designing trees utilizing directionality. After decorrelation and quantization a tree structure is selected from multiple candidates, based on geometric relationships within the image block, for coding the coefficients toward improving zero-clustering of coefficients. Trees for the SPRIGHT encoding are created in response to finding frequency position of each coefficient and scaling frequency position followed by use of octave-band partitioning of coefficient patterns into squares and L-shapes, and the L-shapes are iteratively partitioned into squares. The tree comprises leaf nodes containing coefficients associated with each non-leaf node. The number of zero clustered coefficients can be increased, thus decreasing the number of nodes coded into the encoded image output.
US08620097B2
An image coding method includes: dividing a picture into tiles; coding the tiles to generate pieces of coded data each of which corresponds to a different one of the tiles; and generating a bitstream including the pieces of coded data. The coding of the tiles includes: generating a first code string by coding a first tile which is one of the tiles, without referring to coding information used in coding another one of the tiles; and adding a bit string after the first code string to make a bit length of first coded data which is one of the pieces of coded data, a multiple of a predetermined N bits, N being an integer greater than or equal to 2.
US08620094B2
An image and supplementary information of the image, such as a photographing point and time, are input by an image input section and are stored in an image data storage section. Character recognition in the image is performed by a character recognition section, and the recognition result is stored in a character recognition result storage section. An analysis section extracts object character information relevant to an object from the image, the supplementary information, and the character recognition result on the basis of the analysis conditions input in a designation section to thereby analyze an object, and the analysis result is output to a result output section. Accordingly, a change in the object can be analyzed by analyzing a change in character patterns indicating the identical object.
US08620089B1
A method of recognizing features in a 3D environment includes using a sensor that collects a plurality of sensed data points, populating a strip histogram grid having a plurality of strips, each strip having a dx dimension and a dy dimension, by assigning each sensed data point to a strip in the strip histogram grid that has x, y and z dimensions that encompass the spatial coordinate information of the respective assigned sensed data point, and estimating the local ground plane for a strip in the strip histogram grid by using information on each sensed data point assigned to that strip and surrounding strips in the strip histogram grid. Further methods include extracting smooth surfaces, building segmentation, top down segmentation and bottom up segmentation.
US08620087B2
The feature selection device includes a feature extraction unit that extracts M types of features from each of a plurality of original images and each of a plurality of altered images obtained by applying an alteration process to the plurality of original images; and a feature selection unit that handles an original image and an altered image of the original image as identical images and handles altered images of the same original image as identical images, while handles other images as different images, and with use of discrimination capability which is a degree of discriminating different images and robustness which is a degree that a value of a feature does not vary due to the alteration process applied to an image as evaluation criteria, evaluates the M types of features extracted from the respective images, and selects a collection of N types of features, the N types being smaller in number than that of the M types, from the M types of features as features for discriminating images.
US08620080B2
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems and methods for locating text in a digital image. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a multi-stage filtering technique may be used to progressively refine a set of candidate text components associated with a digital image. A first, refined set of candidate text components may be formed by filtering an initial set of candidate text components based on component properties. Text lines may reconstructed from the first, refined set of candidate text components. The first, refined set of candidate text components may be further filtered based on text-line properties measured on the reconstructed text lines.
US08620078B1
The technology is directed to determining a class associated with an image. In some examples, a method determines the class associated with an image. The method can include determining a segmentation score for an image segment based on a comparison of the image segment and a region of an image. The region of the image can be associated with the image segment. The method further includes determining a confidence score for the image segment based on the segmentation score and a classification score. The classification score can be indicative of a similarity between the image segment and at least one class. The method further includes determining a class associated with the image based on the confidence score. The method further includes outputting the class associated with the image.
US08620074B2
An image sensor apparatus is disclosed. The image sensor apparatus includes an image sensor for generating pixel data corresponding to a scene under a scene illuminant and a processor. The processor includes an illuminant estimation module for receiving a subset of the pixel data associated with a subset of a color space and finding a chromaticity trend in the pixel data subset to estimate the scene illuminant. A white balance and color correction module in the processor applies white balance and color correction coefficients to the pixel data according to the estimated scene illuminant.
US08620061B2
A visual inspection method and apparatus detecting a defect with the use of a detected signal obtained by illuminating one of a light and an electron beam onto a substrate to be inspected. The visual inspection method and apparatus includes calculation of an image feature based on an image of the detected defect, calculation of a coordinate feature based on position information of the detected defect, and outputting of real defect information by performing false alarm judgment by processing with respect to one of the image feature and the coordinate feature.
US08620053B2
The present invention is a method of generating a best estimate of an image attenuation map derived from a truncated image attenuation map and PET emissions data for the object being imaged by a morphological imaging modality. The method involves a plurality of steps beginning with the recordation and processing of PET emissions data. Next, the morphological imaging modality records image data which is processed to determine an attenuation map. The attenuation map, for image modalities such as CT and MR scanning systems integrated with PET, is truncated, resulting in a truncated attenuation map image. Pixels for which attenuation data needs to be determined are identified and attenuation coefficients for these pixels are estimated and combined with the truncated attenuation map to generate a full initial attenuation map for the image, which is iteratively processed together with the PET emission data until the improvement change in the emission image reaches a defined threshold improvement level.
US08620051B2
A co-registration system provides a means for spatially warping an optical image of an object with another images of a similar object. The optical image may be a scatter image, and the second image may be the same type of image modality, or may be different. The co-registration may use landmarks selected by a user, or may make use of contour information derived from the images. The system may also include processing of three-dimensional volume data in the form of sets of two-dimensional slices for co-registration.
US08620046B2
A method for predefining a set of radioactive-emission measurement views, for radioactive-emission imaging after an administration of a radiopharmaceutical, the method being tailored to a specific body structure and optimized with respect to the information gained about the body structure and based on modeling body-structure, based on its geometry and anatomical constraints, which limit accessibility to the body structure.
US08620045B2
The present invention provides a motion analysis system for measuring the relative function of one anatomical structure to another based on optical fiducial markers tracked in a series of images and in turn data, where the components of hard and soft tissue are used in analysis and where the image data can be compared in a time series such that probabilities of involvement with various tissues can be correlated to the image data.The system measures displacement at various positions and can relate the data to various muscle and other soft tissue variations within the constraints of the anatomy and physiology including motion in three dimensional space, including rotations and translations and functions including velocity and acceleration.
US08620039B2
The disclosed Biometric Card Pointer arrangements store (207) a card user's biometric signature in a local memory (124) in a verification station (127) the first time the card user uses the verification station (127) in question. The biometric signature is stored at a memory address (607) defined by the card information (605) on the user's card (601). All future uses of the particular verification station (127) by someone submitting the aforementioned card (601) requires the card user to submit both the card and a biometric signature, which is verified against the signature stored at the memory address defined by the card information (605) thereby determining if the person submitting the card is authorized to do so.
US08620029B2
Systems and methods for identifying, tracking, and using objects in a video or similar electronic content, including methods for tracking one or more moving objects in a video. This can involve tracking one or more feature points within a video scene and separating those feature points into multiple layers based on motion paths. Each such motion layer can be further divided into different clusters, for example, based on distances between points. These clusters can then be used as an estimate to define the boundaries of the objects in video. Objects can also be compared with one another in cases in which identified objects should be combined and considered a single object. For example, if two objects in the first two frames have significantly overlapping areas, they may be considered the same object. Objects in each frame can further be compared to determine the life of the objects across the frames.
US08620017B2
A high performance speaker is provided and includes a simple structure magnetic circuit achieved without the need of a complicated manufacturing process, and a high performance speaker is provided and includes a simple structure diaphragm achieved without the need of a difficult process for forming a U shape of a narrow width in the diaphragm. A speaker 100 is equipped with an inner-magnet-type magnetic circuit 4 provided with a magnet 1, a plate 2 and a yoke 3, a voice coil 7, and a diaphragm 6 supporting the voice coil 7 in place close to the end of the plate 2 while allowing the voice coil to vibrate. The yoke 3 is formed in an approximately flat plate shape having a diameter equal to or larger than that of the plate 2. The diaphragm 6 has a dome-shaped vibrating section 61 formed in a central portion, a cone-shaped vibrating section 63 having an outer periphery supported by a speaker frame 5, and a voice coil bobbin 62 which is formed between the dome-shaped vibrating section 61 and the cone-shaped vibrating section 63. The voice coil bobbin 62 is formed in an L-shaped cross section bending outward from an end of a tubular portion in which the voice coil 7 is mounted. The dome-shaped and cone-shaped vibrating sections and the voice coil bobbin are molded together in one piece.
US08620016B2
A speaker assembly having a removable grill. The grill includes a perforated portion circumscribed by a flange. The flange has one or magnets disposed around an outer periphery of the flange. The speaker body has corresponding slugs disposed so as to align with the magnets of the grill upon assembly. The magnetic bond formed between the slugs and magnets keeps the grill attached to the speaker body during operation of the speaker assembly.
US08620015B2
A vibrator for generating vibrations in a bone conducting hearing device, i.e. a hearing device of the type in which the sound information is mechanically transmitted via the skull bone directly to the inner ear of a person. The vibratory movements are provided by a piezo-electric or magneto-elastic element arranged to transfer the vibrations via the skull bone from the area behind the outer ear to the inner ear. The piezo-electric or magneto-elastic element is arranged to be at least partially implanted in a surgically drilled hole directly into the mastoid bone behind the outer ear so that the vibrations are transferred directly from the element to the bone and transferred in the skull bone to the inner ear. The element is encapsulated with a bone integrating material, such as titanium or various biocompatible ceramic materials or coatings and is disc shaped and acts with a radial expansion upon electrical stimulation so that longitudinal sound waves are induced into the skull bone.
US08620011B2
A method, medium, and system generating a 3-dimensional (3D) stereo signal in a decoder by using a surround data stream. According to such a method, medium, and system, a head related transfer function (HRTF) is applied in a quadrature mirror filter (QMF) domain, thereby generating a 3D stereo signal by using a surround data stream.
US08619995B2
Methods and apparatus for generating, communicating, and/or using sets of addresses corresponding to a communications device are described. A first communications device generates, from a public key and a random number, both a first address and a second address. The generated address pair is communicated to a second communications device along with proof of ownership information regarding the address pair via an address signaling message such as a binding update message. The second communications device processes the received address signaling message and determines address pair validity and/or address pair ownership information. The first address may be associated with a first network, e.g., an unsecure WAN network, while the second address may be associated with a second network, e.g., a secure peer to peer network. Decisions on switching between using the first address to using the second address may be based on address validity and/or address ownership determinations.
US08619988B2
A method of providing virtual Wi-Fi service with accounting and authentication control via a virtual Wi-Fi access network is provided. The method comprises: connecting a subscriber to the virtual Wi-Fi access network, wherein the virtual Wi-Fi access network comprises a plurality of individual Wi-Fi access points in communication with at least one virtual Wi-Fi access server; prompting the subscriber for an account ID and password; performing subscriber authentication at the virtual Wi-Fi access server; where the subscriber has been authenticated, establishing a Wi-Fi session for the subscriber in the virtual Wi-Fi access network and applying an accounting function to the Wi-Fi session; and notifying the virtual Wi-Fi access server when the subscriber exits from the virtual Wi-Fi network.
US08619983B2
A digital TV conditional access system having an authentication module, a conditional access front-end module, and a receiver module. The authentication module communicates bidirectionally with and authenticates the receiver module to generate a unique ID number and authentication information, the ID number and the authentication information being recorded to a data base. The conditional access front-end module communicates bidirectionally with the data base, collects information of the receiver module from the data base, encrypts entitlement management message of the receiver module, and transmits the encrypted entitlement management message to the receiver module by an addressing mode. The conditional access front-end module further includes an entitlement control message generator, and the receiver module receives a scrambled program with the help of the ID number and the authentication information. A method of using the digital TV conditional access system for transmitting and receiving encrypted digital data is also provided.
US08619981B2
Arbitrary numerical distributions are presented for use in devices having limited processing and storage capabilities by having the device accept strings of arbitrarily distributed numbers from a source outside of the device. In one embodiment, a master controller creates a table of values which follow the desired minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation, etc. of the particular desired statistical distribution required. The created table is then communicated to the limited capacity device and can be used whenever a distribution of random values is required. The master controller could have one of several slave devices associated with it in the system. In another embodiment, where the storage capability of the device is large enough to store a table of values with sufficient different entries to create a distribution of satisfactory “randomness” for the particular application, a random number generator within the device is used to select the order of presentation of the table of values.
US08619979B2
Electronic devices and methods are disclosed to provide and to test a physically unclonable function (PUF) based on relative threshold voltages of one or more pairs of transistors. In a particular embodiment, an electronic device is operable to generate a response to a challenge. The electronic device includes a plurality of transistors, with each of the plurality of transistors having a threshold voltage substantially equal to an intended threshold voltage. The electronic device includes a challenge input configured to receive the challenge. The challenge input includes one or more bits that are used to individually select each of a pair of transistors of the plurality of transistors. The electronic device also includes a comparator to receive an output voltage from each of the pair of transistors and to generate a response indicating which of the pair of transistors has the higher output voltage. The output voltage of each of the pair of transistors varies based on the threshold voltage of each of the pair of transistors.
US08619973B2
The present invention provides a flexible encryption device, comprising N encryption units connected in series for encrypting N-bit input data, each one of the N encryption units further comprising an exclusive-OR gate for receiving an input data; and a flip-flop connected coupled to the exclusive-OR gate. Furthermore, the present invention also provides the data transferring system that can be easily modified without the needs of manual intervention.
US08619972B2
A method and system are provided for atomicity for elliptic curve cryptosystems (ECC-systems). The method includes a side channel atomic scalar multiplication algorithm using mixed coordinates. The mixed coordinates are chosen based on a ratio of I/M where I and M are the time required to execute an inversion and a multiplication in the ground field respectively. If the I/M ratio is less than 60, a mixture of affine and Jacobian coordinates are used during scalar multiplication. If the I/M ratio is 60 or more, a mixture of Chudnovsky-Jacobian and Jacobian coordinates are used during scalar multiplication. The method is optimized for elliptic curves over Fp defined by an equation of the form y2=x3+ax+b, where a, bεFp, having a=−3.
US08619971B2
Systems and methods provide multiple partitions hosted on an isolation technology such as a hypervisor where at least one of the partitions, a local secure service partition (LSSP), provides security services to other partitions. The service partitions (LSSPs) host those high assurance services that require strict security isolation, where the service can be shared across partitions and accessed even when the user is not connected to a network. The LSSP also can certify the results of any computation using a key signed by a TPM attestation identity key (AIK), or other key held securely by the hypervisor or a service partition. The LSSPs may be configured to provide trusted audit logs, trusted security scans, trusted cryptographic services, trusted compilation and testing, trusted logon services, and the like.
US08619958B2
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed herein for organizing communication information. Data received associated with a communication is recorded at the communication device. An identifier is associated with the communication. The identifier indicates a unique identity. A call score is calculated for the identifier at the communication device based on the communication. The particular identifier is ranked in a list in accordance with the calculated call score.
