US08629036B2
Bulk acoustic wave filters and/or bulk acoustic resonators integrated with CMOS processes, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed. The method includes forming at least one beam comprising amorphous silicon material and providing an insulator material over and adjacent to the amorphous silicon beam. The method further includes forming a via through the insulator material and exposing a material underlying the amorphous silicon beam. The method further includes providing a sacrificial material in the via and over the amorphous silicon beam. The method further includes providing a lid on the sacrificial material and over the insulator material. The method further includes venting, through the lid, the sacrificial material and the underlying material to form an upper cavity above the amorphous silicon beam and a lower cavity below the amorphous silicon beam, respectively.
US08629030B2
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an SOI substrate, to improve planarity of a surface of a single crystal semiconductor layer after separation by favorably separating a single crystal semiconductor substrate even in the case where a non-mass-separation type ion irradiation method is used, and to improve planarity of a surface of a single crystal semiconductor layer after separation as well as to improve throughput. The method includes the steps of irradiating a single crystal semiconductor substrate with accelerated ions by an ion doping method while the single crystal semiconductor substrate is cooled to form an embrittled region in the single crystal semiconductor substrate; bonding the single crystal semiconductor substrate and a base substrate with an insulating layer interposed therebetween; and separating the single crystal semiconductor substrate along the embrittled region to form a single crystal semiconductor layer over the base substrate with the insulating layer interposed therebetween.
US08629028B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided that includes forming an oxide containing isolation region in a semiconductor substrate to define an active semiconductor region. A blanket gate stack including a high-k gate dielectric layer may then be formed on the active semiconductor region. At least a portion of the blanket gate stack extends from the active semiconductor device region to the isolation region. The blanket gate stack may then be etched to provide an opening over the isolation region. The surface of the isolation region that is exposed by the opening may then be isotropically etched to form an undercut region in the isolation region that extend under the high-k gate dielectric layer. An encapsulating dielectric material may then be formed in the opening filling the undercut region. The blanket gate stack may then be patterned to form a gate structure.
US08629024B2
Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices and transistors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece comprising a plurality of fins, and forming a semiconductive material over a top surface of the plurality of fins. An etch stop layer is formed over the semiconductive material, and an insulating material is disposed over the etch stop layer. The insulating material and a portion of the etch stop layer are removed from over the plurality of fins. Forming the semiconductive material or forming the etch stop layer are controlled so that removing the portion of the etch stop layer does not remove the etch stop layer between a widest portion of the semiconductive material over the plurality of fins.
US08629023B2
A method for manufacturing a CMOS image sensor includes: preparing a semiconductor substrate incorporating therein a p-type epitaxial layer by epitaxially growing up an upper portion of the semiconductor substrate; forming a pixel array in one predetermined location of the semiconductor substrate, the pixel array having a plurality of transistors and a photodiode therein, wherein each transistor employs a gate insulator with a thickness ranging from 40 Å to 90 Å; and forming a logic circuit in the other predetermined location of the semiconductor substrate, the logic circuit having at least one transistor, wherein the transistor employs a gate insulator with a thickness ranging from 5 Å to 40 Å.
US08629014B2
A stack of a barrier metal layer and a first-type work function metal layer is deposited in replacement metal gate schemes. The barrier metal layer can be deposited directly on the gate dielectric layer. The first-type work function metal layer is patterned to be present only in regions of a first type field effect transistor. A second-type work function metal layer is deposited directly on the barrier metal layer in the regions of a second type field effect transistor. Alternately, the first-type work function layer can be deposited directly on the gate dielectric layer. The barrier metal layer is patterned to be present only in regions of a first type field effect transistor. A second-type work function metal layer is deposited directly on the gate dielectric layer in the regions of the second type field effect transistor. A conductive material fill and planarization form dual work function replacement gate structures.
US08629013B2
Provided is a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a first III-V family layer over a substrate. The first III-V family layer includes a surface having a first surface morphology. The method includes performing an ion implantation process to the first III-V family layer through the surface. The ion implantation process changes the first surface morphology into a second surface morphology. After the ion implantation process is performed, the method includes forming a second III-V family layer over the first III-V family layer. The second III-V family layer has a material composition different from that of the first III-V family layer.
US08629012B2
An integrated circuit structure includes a substrate and a first and a second plurality of III-V semiconductor layers. The first plurality of III-V semiconductor layers includes a first bottom barrier over the substrate; a first channel layer over the first bottom barrier; and a first top barrier over the first channel layer. A first field-effect transistor (FET) includes a first channel region, which includes a portion of the first channel layer. The second plurality of III-V semiconductor layers is over the first plurality of III-V semiconductor layers and includes a second bottom barrier; a second channel layer over the second bottom barrier; and a second top barrier over the second channel layer. A second FET includes a second channel region, which includes a portion of the second channel layer.
US08629011B2
A method of manufacturing a microphone using epitaxially grown silicon. A monolithic wafer structure is provided. A wafer surface of the structure includes poly-crystalline silicon in a first horizontal region and mono-crystalline silicon in a second horizontal region surrounding a perimeter of the first horizontal region. A hybrid silicon layer is epitaxially deposited on the wafer surface. Portions of the hybrid silicon layer that contact the poly-crystalline silicon use the poly-crystalline silicon as a seed material and portions that contact the mono-crystalline silicon use the mono-crystalline silicon as a seed material. As such, the hybrid silicon layer includes both mono-crystalline silicon and poly-crystalline silicon in the same layer of the same wafer structure. A CMOS/membrane layer is then deposited on top of the hybrid silicon layer.
US08629007B2
A method of making a gate of a field effect transistor (FET) with improved fill by a replacement gate process using a sacrificial film includes providing a substrate with a dummy gate. It further includes depositing a sacrificial layer and an encapsulating layer over the substrate, and planarizing so that the encapsulating layer, sacrificial layer and dummy gate are co-planar. The encapsulating layer and a portion of the sacrificial film are removed to leave a remaining sacrificial film. The dummy gate is removed to form and opening in the remaining sacrificial film and to expose sidewalls of the film. Spacers are formed on the sidewalls. A high dielectric constant film and metal film are deposited in the opening and planarized to form a gate. The remaining sacrificial film is removed. The method can be used on planar FETs as well non-planar FETs.
US08629005B1
The present invention relates to a surface mount package for a silicon condenser microphone and methods for manufacturing the surface mount package. The surface mount package uses a limited number of components which simplifies manufacturing and lowers costs, and features a substrate that performs functions for which multiple components were traditionally required, including providing an interior surface on which the silicon condenser die is mechanically attached, providing an interior surface for making electrical connections between the silicon condenser die and the package, and providing an exterior surface for surface mounting the package to a device's printed circuit board and for making electrical connections between package and the device's printed circuit board.
US08629002B2
To provide a technology capable of preventing the deterioration of the reliability of semiconductor devices caused by the gasification of a part of components of the material constituting a wiring substrate.A wiring layer constituting a circuit pattern is formed over each of the front and rear surfaces of a glass epoxy substrate, and after the formation of a solder resist covering the wiring layer while exposing a part of the wiring layer and prior to a heat treatment (first heat treatment) at 100° C. to 150° C. for dehumidification, a heat treatment (second heat treatment) at 160° C. to 230° C. for gasifying and discharging an organic solvent contained in the material constituting a wiring substrate is performed for the wiring substrate.
US08628994B2
A method of making a semiconductor light-emitting device including (A) a light-emitting portion by laminating in sequence a first compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second compound semiconductor layer; (B) a first electrode electrically connected to the first compound semiconductor layer; (C) a transparent conductive material layer on the second compound semiconductor layer; (D) an insulating layer on a transparent conductive material layer; and (E) a second reflective electrode that on the transparent conductive material layer and on the insulating layer in a continuous manner, wherein, that the areas of the active layer, the transparent conductive material layer, the insulating layer, and the second electrode S1, S2, S3, and S4, respectively are related as S1≦S2
US08628981B2
In a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, a first insulating film covering a ferroelectric capacitor is formed, and a first opening that has a relatively large diameter and reaches an electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor is formed in the first insulating film, and then recovery annealing of the ferroelectric capacitor is performed, and thereby, a path for oxygen can be secured in performing the recovery annealing, and the sufficient recovery annealing can be performed without causing problems during a manufacturing process.
US08628980B2
Labels and methods of producing labels for use in clinical, analytical and pharmaceutical development assays are provided. Labels may comprise shape-encoded particles which may be coupled to ligands such as DNA, RNA and antibodies, where different shapes are used to identify which ligand(s) are present. Labels may also comprise reflectors, including retroreflectors and retroreflectors susceptible to analyte-dependent assembly for efficient homogeneous assays.
US08628978B2
A compound of formula (I) is provided: wherein: R1 is an optionally substituted 2-(1-azathiaxanthone); each —R2 is independently of the formula —CH2—C(═O)—R4, wherein R4 is an amino acid or a salt thereof, attached to the remainder of R2 through the nitrogen atom of the amino group; and R3 is hydrogen or a C1-6 alkyl group; or wherein: R1 is an optionally substituted 2-(1-azaxanthone); each R2 is independently an optionally substituted glutaric or succinic acid, or a salt or ester thereof; and R3 is hydrogen or a C1-6 alkyl group.
US08628971B2
A system for managing the inventory of reagents for a laboratory automation system. The system for managing the inventory of reagents comprises a controller, software for the controller, and a refrigerator capable of refrigerating reagents, detecting the presence or absence of reagents in the refrigerator, and detecting the location of reagents in the refrigerator. The system for managing the inventory of reagents is connected to a laboratory automation system. The laboratory automation system comprises at least one clinical analyzer. A typical system for managing inventories of reagents includes an operator interface for the loading of boxes of reagents and other supplies, radio frequency identification system for identification of inventory and tracking, robotic mechanisms for loading containers onto the track system and removing containers from the track system, de-capping equipment, refrigeration equipment, and information technology connections to laboratory analyzers and vendors.
US08628970B1
Disclosed herein is a method involving the steps of (a) precipitating an amount of asphaltenes from a liquid sample of a first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock having solvated asphaltenes therein with one or more first solvents in a column; (b) determining one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; (c) analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; and (d) correlating a measurement of feedstock reactivity for the first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock sample with a mathematical parameter derived from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes. Determined parameters and processabilities for a plurality of feedstocks can be used to generate a mathematical relationship between parameter and processability; this relationship can be used to estimate the processability for hydroprocessing for a feedstock of unknown processability.
US08628959B2
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods of treating cancer. Many embodiments provide methods of treating cancer using stem cells. In one embodiment the method comprises removing cancer cells from a patient and culturing the cancer cells in the presence of stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived cancer cells (SCDCC) which can comprise stem cell derived non-invasive and/or invasive cancer cells. An amount of the SCDCC is introduced into the patient sufficient to induce the patient's immune system to produce antibodies which inhibit or destroy the patient's cancer cells. The SCDCC may also be genetically modified to produce various immune stimulating proteins which enhance the patient's immune response to the cancer cells and improves the efficacy of the SCDNIC in treating the patient's cancer.
US08628958B2
The invention relates to diagnostic and therapeutic tools and applications, particularly useful in diseases that affect vascular health and in inflammatory diseases. In particular, said diagnostic and therapeutic tools employ suitable detection or modulation of endothelial glycocalyx.
US08628951B2
Provided are a lab-on-a-chip and a method of driving the same. The lab-on-a-chip includes a first region where a lower substrate and an upper substrate are bonded to each other, a second region where the lower and upper substrates are not bonded to each other, a gap control member disposed at a terminal of the second region facing an interface between the first and second regions, and configured to control a gap between the lower and upper substrates at the terminal of the second region, and a pressure application member disposed at the terminal of the second region facing the interface between the first and second regions, and configured to apply pressure to the upper substrate at the terminal of the second region to reduce a gap between the lower and upper substrates in the center of the second region. Thus, binding events between a fluid sample to be analyzed and a reagent can be maximized so that a high signal can be obtained using only an infinitesimal quantity of sample.
US08628947B2
The present invention discloses novel isolates of Neorickettsia risticii, compositions comprising such isolates, vaccines and methods for using such vaccines against Potomac Horse Fever.
US08628944B2
Disclosed is a method for producing ethanol from xylose using a recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain transformed to express a xylose reductase that uses NADH as a cofactor and a xylitol dehydrogenase that uses NAD+ as a cofactor, which are coupled with each other. The method provides an increase in ethanol yield and production efficiency, as compared to a control group, and enables production of ethanol at higher yield and high production efficiency by further eliminating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase which mediates production of acetic acid (by-product).
US08628943B2
Gene sequences of key acetogenic clostridial species were sequenced and isolated. Genes of interest were identified, and functionality was established. Key genes of interest for metabolic catalyzing activity in clostridial species include a three-gene operon coding for CODH activity, a two-gene operon coding for PTA-ACK, and a novel acetyl coenzyme A reductase. The promoter regions of the two operons and the acetyl coA reductase are manipulated to increase ethanol production.
US08628938B2
The present invention provides a novel UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and a polynucleotide encoding the same, for example, a polynucleotide comprising nucleotides 1 to 1359 of SEQ ID NO: 4, nucleotides 1 to 1365 of SEQ ID NO: 10, nucleotides 1 to 1371 of SEQ ID NO: 12, and nucleotides 1 to 1371 of SEQ ID NO: 22; or a polynucleotide encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOS: 5, 11, 13 or 23. The invention provides a novel UDP-glucuronosyltransferase with a broad substrate specificity.
US08628936B2
The invention relates to a method for aiding the diagnosis of a disorder in a subject, said method comprising; providing a sample from said subject wherein the sample comprises blood; assaying at least two characteristics of said sample, said characteristics selected from: the structural composition of a polypeptide comprised by said sample; a metabolite comprised by said sample; and a catalytic activity comprised by said sample, wherein each of said at least two characteristics is determined from a multiplexed analysis of the same sample. The invention also relates to certain compositions.
US08628933B2
The invention relates to a kit for a homogenous detection method for the quantitative or qualitative detection of an analyte in an assay and adequate reagents therefor, particularly a homogenous binding test. According to the invention, an analyte-specific binding partner R1 comprises more than one specific binding point for a specific binding partner X that is associated with a component of a signal-forming system while a second analyte-specific binding partner R2 comprises more than one specific binding point for a specific binding partner Y which is also associated with a component of a signal-forming system.
US08628930B2
This invention provides a simple means for detecting a renal disorder, a diagnostic marker for a renal disorder that enables prognostic prediction of a renal disorder (e.g., diabetic nephropathy and IgA nephropathy) and evaluation of the degree of nephropathy at the phase of stage-II diabetic nephropathy by measuring the megalin level in urine associated with a renal disorder used for the detection means, and use of such marker. The invention also provides the use of human megalin obtained from the urine sample of a subject as a marker for detecting a renal disorder.
US08628928B2
The invention relates to a method of identifying a specific fungal species in patient tissue or body fluid. The method comprises the steps of extracting and recovering DNA of the fungal species from the patient tissue or body fluid, amplifying the DNA, hybridizing a probe to the DNA to specifically identify the fungal species, and specifically identifying the fungal species. The invention also relates to a method of identifying a mycotoxin in patient tissue or body fluid. The method comprises the steps of extracting and recovering the mycotoxin from the patient tissue or body fluid, contacting the mycotoxin with an antibody directed against the mycotoxin, and identifying the myocotoxin. Both of these methods can be used to determine if a patient is at risk for or has developed a disease state related to a fungal infection, and to develop an effective treatment regimen for the patient.
US08628898B2
The present invention provides an image processing method which includes any one of recording an image on a thermally reversible recording medium that can reversibly change any one of its transparency and color tone depending on temperature by irradiating and heating the thermally reversible recording medium with a laser beam, and erasing the image recorded on the thermally reversible recording medium by heating the thermally reversible recording medium, wherein in any one of the image recording and the image erasing, the thermally reversible recording medium is located at a position farther than a focal position of the laser beam, and at least any one of the image recording and the image erasing is performed.
US08628891B2
A system and method for electrically interconnecting a plurality of fuel cells to provide dense packing of the fuel cells. Each one of a plurality of fuel cells has a plurality of discrete electrical connection points along an outer surface. Electrical connections are made directly between the discrete electrical connection points of adjacent fuel cells so that the fuel cells can be packed more densely. Fuel cells have at least one outer electrode and at least one discrete interconnection to an inner electrode, wherein the outer electrode is one of a cathode and an anode and wherein the inner electrode is the other of the cathode and the anode. In tubular solid oxide fuel cells the discrete electrical connection points are spaced along the length of the fuel cell.
US08628887B2
A technique to provide fuel to a solid oxide fuel cell with low water consumption is described that includes providing an initial fuel mixture with air and hydrocarbon, and partially oxidizing the fuel mixture with a catalyst to provide a reformed fuel mixture. Also included is adding an amount of water to the reformed fuel mixture to reduce formation of elemental carbon from carbon monoxide in the reformed fuel mixture and supplying a portion of the reformed fuel mixture combined with water to an electrochemical device that produces electrical power from hydrogen in the reformed fuel mixture.
US08628883B2
Disclosed are a positive electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same, and the positive electrode includes a current collector; and a positive active material layer including an additive which is LixV2O5 (1
US08628881B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a lithium secondary battery cathode which can more improve characteristics of the battery. The cathode of the present invention includes a first layer composed of a plate-like cathode active material and a second layer containing particles of the cathode active material and a binder, the second layer being joined to the first layer in a stacked state.
US08628875B2
An embodiment is directed to a battery module, including a first battery having a first terminal, the first terminal including a first metal, a second battery having a second terminal, the second terminal including a second metal different from the first metal, and a connecting member electrically connecting the first terminal to the second terminal, the connecting member having a first portion and a second portion, a face of the first portion being joined to a face of the second portion, a nugget zone being disposed where the face of the first portion meets the face of the second portion, the first portion including a third metal, the second portion including a fourth metal, and the fourth metal being different from the third metal.
US08628862B2
The present invention relates to an electronic device, especially an electroluminescent devices, comprising a compound of Formula (I), especially as host for phosphorescent compounds. The hosts may function with phosphorescent materials to provide improved efficiency, stability, manufacturability, or spectral characteristics of electroluminescent devices.
US08628861B2
Herein are disclosed steel forms having stainless steel exteriors that pass a 0T-bend Advanced T-bend Test. One steel form has a stainless steel exterior; the steel form includes a core region that comprises at least 55 wt. % iron which is metallurgically bonded to a stainless steel coating that consists of a stainless steel region and a bonding region. The stainless steel region can have a thickness of about 1 μm to about 250 μm, and a stainless steel composition that is approximately consistent across the thickness of the stainless steel region. The stainless steel composition can include an admixture of iron and about 10 wt. % to about 30 wt. % chromium. The bonding region is positioned between the stainless steel region and the core region, has a thickness that is greater than 1 μm and less than the thickness of the stainless steel region, and has a bonding composition. The bonding composition can include an admixture of iron and chromium, with a chromium concentration proximal to the stainless steel region that is approximately equal to the chromium concentration of the stainless steel region and has a chromium concentration proximal to the core region that has less than about 5 wt. % chromium.
US08628860B2
The invention relates to a thermal spraying material (5) for the coating of a surface of a workpiece by means of a thermal spraying method, wherein the spraying material (5) contains zinc. The invention further relates to a thermal spraying method and to a thermally sprayed coating sprayed with the material (5).
US08628857B2
A composite material plate comprising a plurality of hard ceramic stubs with silicon rich metal inclusions in a metal-ceramic, heterogeneous poly-phase matrix and a method of fabrication thereof comprising the steps of fabricating green ceramic stubs; densifying; optionally wrapping carbon fibers therearound and arranging the green ceramic stubs into a closely packed array with organic binder, pyrrolizing andImpregnating a silicon based metal matrix by reactive sintering.
US08628853B2
A thermoplastic polycarbonate resin composition which can have excellent light stability and flame retardancy includes about 100 parts by weight of a polycarbonate base resin (A); about 0.1 to about 5 parts by weight of a polyorganosiloxane-containing graft copolymer (B); about 5 to about 50 parts by weight of titanium dioxide (C); and about 0.1 to about 5 parts by weight of a fluorinated polyolefin-based resin (D). The thermoplastic polycarbonate resin composition may further include about 5 to about 50 parts by weight of a filler (E).
US08628840B2
A laminate donor element can be used to transfer a composite of a metal grid and an electronically conductive polymer to a receiver sheet for use in various devices. The laminate donor element has a donor substrate, a metal grid that is disposed over only portions of the donor substrate, leaving portions of the substrate uncovered by the metal grid, and an electronically conductive polymer that covers the portions of the donor substrate that are uncovered by the metal grid. The composite of metal grid and electronically conductive polymer exhibits a peel force of less than or equal to 40 g/cm for separation from the donor substrate at room temperature.
US08628835B2
A laminated panel is formable into a prosthesis. An outer layer of the panel has upper and lower surfaces, and is made of a thermoformable material. An inner layer of the panel has upper and lower surfaces, and is positioned relative to the outer layer such that the lower surface of the inner layer faces the upper surface of the outer layer. At least one reinforcement member has an area representing at most part of the upper surface of the outer layer. The reinforcement member is encapsulated between the inner and outer layers at a selected position relative to the outer layer, locally reinforcing the laminated panel. A prosthesis for a foot of a user made from a laminated panel, and a method of forming a prosthesis for a foot of a user with an outer layer of thermoformable material and an inner layer, are also described.
US08628834B2
A method for fabricating an insulated system such as, for instance, an insulated window unit, includes introducing an insulating material between adjacent walls and stabilizing the system. Particulate insulators preferably are introduced in the system by filling an expanded internal volume. Stabilization of the system can be carried out by reducing the pressure within the internal volume. A stabilized insulated system is fabricated by introducing an insulating material between adjacent walls and stabilizing the system. Also disclosed are processes and equipment for filling insulated systems, such as fenestration units, and insulated systems comprising mixed insulating materials.
US08628827B2
Anticorrosion coating compositions for metallic parts based on particulate metal in aqueous dispersion are described. The compositions include an organic titanate or zirconate compatible in aqueous phase or in organic phase, an optional silane-based binder, and water. Also described are methods of forming anticorrosion coatings for metallic parts obtained from the noted coating compositions as well as a metallic substrate provided with the anticorrosion coating. The anticorrosion coatings exhibit excellent corrosion resistance upon baking at temperatures greater than 180° C. and up to 350° C.
US08628825B2
A composition for treating hard surface includes (a) a liquid silica sol, wherein the solid content of Si02 is 51%˜99.9% by total solid weight of the composition, (b) a solid inorganic gel having nano-scale layered, chained, layered and chained, or framework structure, wherein the weight of which is 0.1%-49% by total weight of the composition, (c) a dispersing medium, wherein the weight of which is 1%-50% by total solid weight. A method for treating hard surface includes the steps of preparing the above-mentioned, coating the composition on the hard surface, and polishing the coated hard surface.
US08628823B2
The presently disclosed embodiments relate generally to layers that are useful in imaging apparatus members and components, for use in electrophotographic, including digital, apparatuses. Embodiments pertain to an improved electrophotographic imaging member incorporating an outer layer having a groove pattern imprinted into its surface to lower friction with the cleaning blade and improve print quality and performance. Embodiments also pertain to methods and systems for making the improved imaging member.
US08628822B2
A method for preparing a crosslinked polymer coated controlled porosity glass (CPG) particle is provided. The method involves mixing CPG particles in a solution comprising polyvinylbenzylchloride and a first solvent at a temperature below 10° C. A second solvent is added and a crosslinking agent is added to the mixture. The first solvent is removed rapidly within 1½ hours of addition of the crosslinking agent. The crosslinking reaction is permitted to proceed and the mixture is then cooled and treated to remove any remaining solvent. The resulting coated CPG particles are washed and dried. Also provided a polymer coated CPG particles using for loading ligand thereon.
US08628813B2
A method for making fresh brewed coffee includes the steps of providing a folded free standing stand, manually unfolding the stand into a free standing configuration, mounted a coffee filter in the stand, placing coffee grounds in the stand, placing a cup on the stand beneath the coffee filter, and pouring water through the coffee grounds and filter into the cup. The stand includes four pivotally connected articulating members of similar shape and dimension.
US08628806B2
The present invention provides a hypolipidemic composition comprising peony extract and Codonopsis extract, or comprising water coextract of peony and Codonopsis, the weight ratio of the peony extract to Codonopsis extract in the composition is between 0.5 and 19:1. The advantages of the hypolipidemic composition are: substantially decreasing triglyceride and cholesterol, while increasing high density lipoprotein. It suggested of a favourable prospect of application.
US08628805B2
A stabilized composition comprising at least one adrenergic compound and at least one antioxidant selected from the group consisting of a bisulfate, a metabisulfite and a sulfite compound.
US08628800B2
The present invention is a substantially non-adhesive elastic gelatin matrix. The matrix is both non-adhesive to wounds, tissues and organs and is also elastic such that it is flexible. The matrix is a lyophilized mixture of protein(s), polymer(s), cross-linking agent(s) and optional plasticizer(s). The invention also provides methods for making the non-adhesive elastic gelatin matrix.
US08628787B2
The present invention relates to a device consisting of cross-linked nanofibrillary fibrin supported on and rooted to a microporous nonwoven fabric consisting of a biocompatible synthetic polymer material. An active ingredient is advantageously dispersed in the fibrin layer. The fibrin layer does not have a haemostatic function, but is suitable for retaining the active ingredient and releasing it with controlled kinetics. The device forming the object of the invention, preferably in the form of patches, is useful for in vitro cell cultures or for treating tissues damaged by wounds or necrosis, such as cardiac walls bearing the sequelae of infarction, or a tissue damaged by a diabetic ulcer. The patch according to the invention can be manufactured by inducing the polymerisation of the fibrin, under suitable conditions, directly on the support layer, which is suitably impregnated with thrombin (at least in a superficial portion of its thickness), and which has been conveniently prepared by means of a spray phase-inversion technique.
US08628780B2
Substantially purified salivary Lu. longipalpis polypeptides, and polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides are disclosed. Vectors and host cells including the Lu. longipalpis polynucleotides are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed for inducing an immune response to sand fly saliva. In other embodiments, methods for treating, diagnosing, or preventing Leishmaniasis are disclosed.
US08628777B2
The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides having homology to the IL-1-like family of proteins and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention, and methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention.
US08628773B2
Antigen binding proteins, such as antibodies, that interact with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) are described. Methods of treating cancers and other diseases by administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of an antigen binding protein to EGFR are also described.
US08628772B2
The invention relates to sequences of a novel variant of the Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and to methods for detecting, in patient samples, nucleic acids, antigens, and antibodies directed against the same.
US08628764B2
Bacterial compositions effective for inhibiting fungal diseases of potatoes and/or potato sprouting are produced by co-culture of two or more of Pseudomonas fluorescens (NRRL B-21133), Pseudomonas fluorescens biovar (NRRL B-21053), Pseudomonas fluorescens (NRRL B-21102) and Enterobacter cloacae (NRRL B-21050). Compositions produced by co-culture of these bacteria together in the same culture medium are significantly more effective for inhibiting fungi-induced diseases of potatoes and/or inhibiting sprouting of potatoes, than blends or mixtures of the same bacteria cultured separately.
US08628758B2
The present invention relates to a process for making up the lips, comprising at least one step of placing in contact on the surface of said lips: —at least one water-soluble organic acid, —at least one alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal carbonate or bicarbonate, and —an aqueous medium, said organic acid and said carbonate or bicarbonate being present in different compositions.
US08628757B2
The present invention relates to an anhydrous fluid composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium: a) at least one hydrocarbon oil and b) at least one lipophilic organic UV screening agent and c) at least one linear C1-C3 monoalcohol, in particular ethanol, and d) at least one lipophilic polyamide polycondensate. The present invention also relates to the use of the said composition in the manufacture of products for the cosmetic treatment of the skin, nails, hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and/or scalp, in particular care products, sun protection products, makeup products or scenting products.
US08628756B2
The invention is directed to a strategy for providing therapeutic or cosmetic benefit to skin by topically applying arginine chemically bound to a second (non-oligo arginine) compound in order to increase transepithelial delivery of arginine through a combination of increased solubility and flux across the skin. The arginine heteromers of the invention can add other complementary or beneficial properties for the skin beyond those that are arginine-related.
US08628737B2
The present disclosure is directed to a method of improving the transfer of slurry in a Bayer process through the addition of one or more chemical species to a Bayer process, wherein said chemical species is selected from the group consisting of: non-ionic surfactants, polyglycols, polyglycol ethers, anionic surfactants, anionic polymers, and a combination thereof. The present invention is also directed to a method of deaerating a slurry in a Bayer process through the addition of an effective amount of one or more chemical species to a Bayer process, wherein said chemical species is selected from the group consisting of: non-ionic surfactants, polyglycols, polyglycol ethers, anionic surfactants, anionic polymers, and a combination thereof.
US08628734B2
Method of recovery of rare earths from fluorescent lamps. The method comprises six steps. The individual process steps are: Mechanical separation of coarse components. Separation of the halophosphate. Extraction in acids of easily soluble rare-earth fluorescent substances (mainly Y, Eu-oxide) Extraction in acids of rare earth fluorescent substances which dissolve with difficulty (for example rare-earth phosphates) Breakdown of the remaining components which contain rare earths (for example rare-earth-aluminates) Final treatment.
US08628731B2
A sample receiving chip comprising a substrate that receives an aliquot volume of a sample fluid and a sample region of the substrate, sized such that the volume of the sample fluid is sufficient to operatively cover a portion of the sample region. The energy imparted into the sample fluid is transduced by the sample region to produce an output signal that indicates energy properties of the sample fluid. The sample receiving chip also includes a channel formed in the substrate, the channel configured to collect the aliquot volume of a sample fluid and transfer the aliquot volume of sample fluid to the sample region.
US08628730B2
A sample substrate configured for samples of biological material is provided. The sample substrate has a dual chambered sample well separated by a wall that may be punctured or otherwise breached to allow mixing of material contained in the two initially separate chambers. The chambers are connected by channels to fluid reservoirs, wherein the channels can be staked to prevent further fluid flow into and out of the chambers. Methods of loading a sample substrate are also provided.
US08628729B2
Three-dimensional microfluidic devices including by a plurality of patterned porous, hydrophilic layers and a fluid-impermeable layer disposed between every two adjacent patterned porous, hydrophilic layers are described. Each patterned porous, hydrophilic layer has a fluid-impermeable barrier which substantially permeates the thickness of the porous, hydrophilic layer and defines boundaries of one or more hydrophilic regions within the patterned porous, hydrophilic layer. The fluid-impermeable layer has openings which are aligned with at least part of the hydrophilic region within at least one adjacent patterned porous, hydrophilic layer. Microfluidic assay device, microfluidic mixer, microfluidic flow control device are also described.
US08628725B2
A system for producing hydrogen gas from water decomposition using a thermochemical CuCl cycle, the improvement comprising the use of an insulated hydrogen production reactor comprising a reaction chamber and a separation chamber; the reaction chamber having a hydrogen chloride gas inlet and a solid copper inlet; one or more levels provided in the reaction chamber, the number of which is dependant on production scale and pressure drop; each level comprising a perforated plate with associated filter media, the perforations of the plate and media being of decreasing size from top to bottom of the reaction chamber, and being sized to permit downward flow of the hydrogen gas and molten CuCl products, as well as the HCL gas reactant, and to prevent entrainment of solid copper in the molten CuCl; the separation chamber being located below the reaction chamber and being of greater cross section than the reaction chamber and comprising a first hydrogen removal and entrained copper removal zone and a second molten CuCl removal zone; removal of the reaction products being controlled so as to substantially decrease the amount of entrained copper in the molten CuCl; and the first zone having outlets for removal of hydrogen gas and entrained copper particles, with the second zone having an outlet for removal of molten CuCl.
US08628723B2
An apparatus for introducing a specimen into a flow cytometer comprises: a syringe having a hollow barrel containing the specimen, a plunger partially within the barrel and a needle that extends into a volume of a nozzle of the flow cytometer; a one-way port in the nozzle forming a seal against the needle; a mounting platform coupled to both the syringe and to the flow cytometer; and a syringe pump coupled to the plunger, the syringe pump comprising a motor, a drive mechanism coupled to the motor; and a clamping mechanism coupled to the drive mechanism, wherein the motor operates the drive mechanism so as to cause the clamping mechanism to depress the plunger into the barrel.
US08628720B2
Photomultiplier tubes differ in performance between individual products, and deteriorate over time. To appropriately use a nonlinear calibration curve, it is desirable that changes in signal level be strictly equalized. This invention includes means for, prior to sensitivity adjustment of a photomultiplier tube by application of high voltages, measuring a same sample under a plurality of high-voltage conditions, determining, from linear relationships between logarithms of each high voltage and those of signal levels, an optimal voltage for a measuring operation of predetermined order of execution in the plurality of measuring operations, and recording identification information for identifying each linear relationship; the invention assessing a healthiness level of the photomultiplier tube by assessing the linear relationship.
US08628712B2
A method of determining overlay error between a template and a substrate using placement of template features and placement of substrate features in one or more images. Estimated distortion of the template and/or substrate may be determined using the overlay error. One or more forces acting on the template and/or substrate may be varied based on the estimated distortion for subsequent nano-lithography imprinting. Additionally, bias may be introduced in subsequent imprinting steps based on overlay performance.
US08628711B2
Provided is an in-mold label and a method for producing the in-mold label which has a heat-sealable resin layer with a plurality of interlaced and continuous-arranged micro-protrusions. While the in-mold label is combined on a surface of a specific article, the micro-protrusions may provide multiple blister-exhausting paths. As a result, it is effective to drive out the blisters as combining the label and the article. The in-mold label particularly includes a substrate made of a thermoplastic resin material, a printed layer on the substrate's one surface, and the other surface made of heat-sealable resin. With an embossing process, the heat-sealable resin layer having the interlaced and continuous-arranged micro-protrusions is formed. The in-mold label can be sealed to the article surface excellently since the micro-protrusions form the multiple paths for exhausting the blisters effectively.
US08628703B2
A method and apparatus is provided for preventing a composite material used in forming slabs for residential and commercial construction from entering a predefined space that is maintained open for pipes, plumbing fixtures and other conduits. The preform apparatus comprises a body, apron and cover. The apparatus is assembled by placing the preform body in position to occupy a predefined space, press fitting the apron down over and around the body and the cover on top of the body. Thereafter, the composite material is poured around the preform and allowed to cure. After curing, the preform body and the cover are removed, leaving a material free void within and below the predefined space that the preform had occupied. The preform is straightforward, inexpensive to produce, easy to use and is assembled without fasteners and without disturbing the soil below the slab or the moisture/vapor barrier.
US08628693B2
Composite particles of a metal particle within a crosslinked, cored dendrimer are described. Additionally, methods of making the composite particles and compositions that contain the composite particles are described.
US08628692B2
Certain spin-coatable liquids and application techniques are described, which can be used to form nanotube films or fabrics of controlled properties. A spin-coatable liquid for formation of a nanotube film includes a liquid medium containing a controlled concentration of purified nanotubes, wherein the controlled concentration is sufficient to form a nanotube fabric or film of preselected density and uniformity, and wherein the spin-coatable liquid comprises less than 1×1018 atoms/cm3 of metal impurities. The spin-coatable liquid is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter of greater than about 500 nm.
US08628685B2
Compounds including at least one mesogenic substructure and at least one long flexible segment and methods of synthesizing the same are disclosed. Formulations which include various embodiments of the mesogen-containing compounds and their use in articles of manufacture and ophthalmic devices are also disclosed.
US08628682B2
Compositions comprising a fluorosurfactant and a hydrotrope are disclosed. The hydrotropes are either cationic or anionic benzene derivatives comprising fluoro-substituted functional groups and polar groups. The compositions are useful in various surfactant applications.
US08628680B2
Doped and partially-reduced oxide (e.g., SrTiO3-based) thermoelectric materials. The thermoelectric materials can be single-doped or multi-doped (e.g., co-doped) and display a thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 0.2 or higher at 1050K. Methods of forming the thermoelectric materials involve combining and reacting suitable raw materials and heating them in a graphite environment to at least partially reduce the resulting oxide. Optionally, a reducing agent such as titanium carbide can be incorporated into the starting materials prior to the reducing step in graphite. The reaction product can be sintered to form a dense thermoelectric material.
US08628674B2
A method for trimming a structure obtained by bonding a first wafer to a second waver on contact faces and thinning the first waver, wherein at least either the first wafer or the second wafer is chamfered and thus exposes the edge of the contact face of the first wafer, wherein the trimming concerns the first wafer. The method includes a) selecting the second wafer from among wafers with a resistance to a chemical etching planned in b) that is sufficient with respect to the first wafer to allow b) to be carried out; b) after bonding the first wafer to the second wafer, chemical etching the edge of the first wafer to form in the first wafer a pedestal resting entirely on the contact face of the second wafer and supporting the remaining of the first wafer; and c) thinning the first wafer until the pedestal is reached and attacked, to provide a thinned part of the first wafer.
US08628660B2
A method of and apparatus for treating liquids flowing in a thin film around a source of wave energy to directly expose the liquid to the wave energy, preferably generated in whole or part by an electrical arc between carbon electrodes. In addition to the wave energy generated by the electrical arc, energy generated by cavitation of the flowing liquid may be used in treating the liquid.
US08628654B2
The present invention relates to a liquid treatment module, which comprises power distribution panels, electrode plates and a framework with side plates. The two power distribution panels are fixed on the two side plates. The power distribution panels have electrode plates located on inner side of the panels. There are two or more double-sided electrode plates placed in stacks between the two distribution panels which are connected to the DC power supply through the electric wires. There are separators placed between the adjacent electrode plates to provide the flow channels. Each flow channel is connected with the inlet and outlet holes on the side plates. The exposed surface of the power distribution panels, double-sided electrode plates and the separators are bonded and sealed by the insulating package. This invention has characteristics of simple structure, large liquid handling capacity, high efficiency, and can be used to process liquids of various kinds including water, wine, fruit juices, beverages, dairy products and chemical wastes from various sources for impurities removal.
US08628653B2
An electrodeionization apparatus has a cathode and an anode, and has alternately formed therebetween concentrating chambers and desalination chambers by alternately arranging a plurality of anion exchange membranes and cation exchange membranes, each of the concentrating chambers being provided with a bipolar membrane to partition the interior of the concentrating chamber into a cathode side and an anode side, and each of the desalination chambers being divided into at least two layers including a first layer and a second layer, from an upstream side in a direction of flow of water to be treated, and being filled with an ion exchanger comprising an anion exchanger and a cation exchanger. The ion exchanger filling the first layer contains no less than 50 vol % of the cation exchanger, while the ion exchanger filling the second layer contains over 50 vol % to 80 vol % of the anion exchanger. As a result, the electrodeionization apparatus can be stably operated for a prolonged period of time while preventing formation of scale in the concentrating chambers and desalination chambers.
US08628650B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for measuring an isoelectric point using a field effect transistor. The method includes providing a field effect transistor including a substrate, source and drain electrodes disposed on the substrate and spaced apart from each other, and a channel region between the source and drain electrodes, providing a first electrolyte solution having a first concentration to the channel region of the field effect transistor and measuring a first current value of the channel region between the source and drain electrodes, providing a second electrolyte solution having a second concentration greater than the first concentration and measuring a second current value of the channel region between the source and drain electrodes, and determining the isoelectric point of the field effect transistor or a material disposed on the field effect transistor using a difference between the first and second current values.
US08628648B2
In one embodiment, a system for manipulation of a micro component includes a gripper subsystem for lifting, holding, and releasing a micro component. The gripper subsystem includes a base substrate having a work side and an opposing side, a positive electrode secured to the work side of the base substrate, a negative electrode suitably spaced from the positive electrode and secured to the work side of the base substrate, a dielectric layer formed over the work side of the base substrate and the positive and negative electrodes, and a hydrophobic layer comprising a hydrophobic material with predictable electrowetting behavior formed over the dielectric layer such that the dielectric layer is between the work side of the base substrate and the hydrophobic layer. A method for manipulation of a micro component is also provided as well as a method of manufacturing the system for manipulation of a micro component.
US08628646B2
The subject of the invention is an anode block (13, 13a-13e) made of carbon for a pre-baked anode (4) for use in a metal electrolysis cell (1) comprising a higher face (24), a lower face (23), designed to be laid out opposite a higher face of a cathode (9), and four side faces (21,22,34), and including at least one first groove (31a-31e) leading onto at least one of the side faces, in which the first groove has a maximum length Lmax in a plane parallel to the lower face, and characterized in that the first groove does not lead onto said lower or higher faces, or leads onto said lower or higher faces over a length L0 less than half the maximum length Lmax.
US08628642B2
A system and process that are a hybrid of distillation and membrane separations offers a highly efficient means of separating a fluid feed mixture into organic, solid, and aqueous components. The distillation section is followed by two membrane separation sections operated in parallel, with the distillation section separating the feed mixture into an organics-rich fraction and an organics-depleted and solids-rich fraction. One membrane section operates on the organics-rich fraction and separates it into a more organics-rich sub-fraction and a water-rich, organics-depleted sub-fraction, while the other membrane section operates on the organics-depleted, solids-rich fraction from the distillation section and separates it into a solids-rich sub-fraction and a solids-depleted, water-rich sub-fraction.
US08628641B2
A web turn-up cutting method and apparatus for severing a continuous web that is traveling in a travel direction. The apparatus comprising a first water nozzle and a second water nozzle that are mountable on respective nozzle carriages and transversely movable. The apparatus further comprising a water jet controller adapted to activate a water supply of the first and second water nozzles and a carriage controller adapted to actuate the nozzle carriages to provide a transversal movement of the first and second water nozzles. The first and second nozzles being adapted to define together a substantially X-shaped cut on the traveling continuous web. The substantially X-shaped cut defining at least a substantially V-shaped tail for ending a forming roll, an opposite substantially V-shaped start for starting a new spool, a detachable first wing and a detachable second wing. A method of manufacturing paper in a papermaking machine.
US08628638B2
A laminate prepared by pretreating at least one side of a substrate of a plastic film by plasma treatment and then directly laminating a thermoplastic resin on a surface treated by pretreatment.
US08628636B2
A method of manufacturing a package substrate. A carrier member is formed on an insulation protection layer on either of two surfaces of a core layer. The package substrate has the carrier member combined with one side thereof, and is prevented from being damaged during transportation or packaging due to reduced thickness.
US08628635B2
A process for producing a panel for acoustic treatment including a resistive porous layer, an alveolar structure, a reflective layer with openings, and a drainage plate having a furrow for delimiting at least one evacuation pipe when the drainage plate is flattened against the free surface of the reflective layer, includes: shaping the reflective layer according to its final geometry, affixing a demolding film on at least one portion of the free surface of the reflective layer, positioning on the demolding film a core whose cross-section is adapted to that of the evacuation pipe so that the core covers the openings of the reflective layer, molding the drainage plate on the demolding film and the core, demolding the drainage plate and removing the core and the demolding film, and making the drainage plate integral with the free surface of the reflective layer.
US08628630B2
A hot-pressed steel sheet member has a composition containing, by mass, C: 0.09% to 0.38%, Si: 0.05% to 2.0%, Mn: 0.5% to 3.0%, P: 0.05% or less, S: 0.05% or less, Al: 0.005% to 0.1%, N: 0.01% or less, Sb: 0.002% to 0.03%, and the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, and having a tensile strength TS of 980 to 2,130 MPa.
US08628626B2
A heavy oil cleaning composition comprising: a) a blend of dibasic esters comprising dialkyl methylglutarate and at least one of a dialkyl adipate or dialkyl ethylsuccinate; b) at least one terpene; and c) at least one surfactant. Also described are methods for delivering a solvent at reduced concentration comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a terpene-based solvent; and b) mixing the terpene-based solvent with a carrier fluid (the carrier fluid comprising a microemulsion of i) a blend of dibasic esters selected from the group consisting of dialkyl methylglutarate, dialkyl adipate, dialkyl ethylsuccinate, dialkyl succinate, dialkyl glutarate and any combination thereof, ii) at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of a terpene alkoxylate, an alcohol alkoxylate and any combination thereof; and iii) water) in order to obtain a mixture to clean heavy oils.
US08628624B2
A method and system for removing substances from a surface, in which the surface is irradiated by high-energy laser radiation, characterized in that the laser parameters are chosen to selectively remove one or more predetermined substances from the surface without removing other substances from the surface.
US08628621B2
Provided are a gas injector and a film deposition apparatus having the same. The gas injector includes a body, a supply hole, an injection hole, and a distribution plate. The body is configured to provide an inner space therein. The supply hole is formed in an upper surface of the body to communicate with the inner space and receive a raw material. The injection hole is formed in a lower surface of the body to communicate with the inner space and inject the raw material. The distribution plate is disposed in the inner space of the body. A through hole is formed in the distribution plate. The distribution plate is disposed to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal plane. The gas injector can uniformly inject the raw material and improve vaporization efficiency of the raw material having a powder form.
US08628619B2
A plasma coating system includes at least one coating station with a first side and a second side defining a pathway with at least one bend. The coating station also includes a first plasma arc that provides a plasma jet directed towards a substrate. The first plasma arc is positioned on either the first side or the second side of the bend.
US08628618B2
A vapor delivery system for supplying vapor to a chamber in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system includes a vapor supply that supplies vapor by vaporizing at least one liquid precursor in a carrier gas. A first path includes a first filter that filters the vapor flowing from the vapor supply to the chamber. At least one second path is parallel to the first path and includes a second filter that filters vapor flowing from the vapor supply to the chamber. A plurality of valves are configured to switch delivery of the vapor to the chamber between the first path and the second path.
US08628615B2
An apparatus and methods of forming the apparatus include a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide for use in a variety of configurations and systems. The film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide may be structured as one or more monolayers. The film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide may be formed using atomic layer deposition.
US08628614B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for casting silicon for photovoltaic cells and other applications. With such methods and apparatuses, a cast body of monocrystalline silicon may be formed that is free of, or substantially free of, radially-distributed impurities and defects and having at least two dimensions that are each at least about 35 cm is provided.
US08628601B2
A process for the recovery of carbon dioxide from a gas mixture that includes pretreating a gas mixture comprising carbon dioxide, water vapor, and one or more light gases in a pretreating system to form a cooled gas mixture, fractionating the cooled gas mixture to recover a bottoms fraction comprising carbon dioxide and an overheads fraction comprising carbon dioxide and the light gases, passing the overheads fraction over a membrane selective to carbon dioxide to separate a carbon dioxide permeate from a residue gas comprising the light gases, recycling the carbon dioxide permeate to the pretreating system, and recovering at least a portion of the bottoms fraction as a purified carbon dioxide product stream is described.
US08628596B2
A method of forming a coated abrasive article includes providing a composite binder and abrasive grains on a backing. The composite binder includes at least 5 wt % of a particulate filler having an average particle size of less than 100 nm. The method also includes curing the composite binder.
US08628595B2
A gasification reactor comprising a pressure shell, a reaction zone partly bounded by a vertically oriented tubular membrane wall, a horizontally directed burner having a burner head at which, in use, a combustion flame is discharged into said reaction zone, said burner protruding into the vertical wall part of the membrane wall via a burner muffle, said burner muffle comprising several vertically oriented, concentric and interconnected rings, wherein each successive ring has an increasing diameter relative to the preceding ring resulting in that the burner muffle has a muffle opening for the burner head at one end and a larger opening at its other—flame discharge—end, the rings comprising a conduit having an inlet end for a cooling medium and an outlet for used cooling medium and wherein the muffle opening for the burner head is located between the pressure shell and the membrane wall and wherein the burner muffle protrudes into the reaction zone.
US08628594B1
An unleaded aviation fuel blend. The fuel blend is provided by blending an unleaded aviation gasoline base fuel which may include iso-octane and iso-pentane, and an effective amount of a selected alkyl benzene to improve the functional engine performance to avoid harmful detonation sufficient to meet or exceed selected standards for detonation performance requirements in full scale aircraft piston spark ignition engines designed for use with Grade 100LL avgas. Advantageous alkylated benzenes include those having a meta-ring position between alkyl groups. Alkyl groups may be provided at least in part by methyl groups. In an embodiment, the alkyl benzene may include 1,3-dimethylbenzene. In an embodiment, two or more alkylated benzenes may be provided. In an embodiment, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene may be provided. Suitable alkylated benzenes may include a mixture of xylene isomers. Selected aromatic amines, such as m-toluidine, may also be added to increase motor octane number.
US08628593B2
The process described in the instant invention has the steps of dissolving the lipid-containing biomass in an ionic liquid, whereby a lipid phase and a hydrophilic phase are formed. The lipid phase contains primarily triglycerides, which can be converted to biodiesel by transesterification to, e.g., methyl esters. The hydrophilic phase comprises dissolved biopolymers, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and protein. The biopolymers are converted in situ to compounds that are insoluble in the molten inorganic salt hydrate. The molten inorganic salt hydrates regenerated by removing insolubles, such as lignin, ash from the biomass, and water.
US08628575B2
Vertebral body replacements are provided, including at least one vertebral body replacement in the shape of an oblong object. The oblong vertebral body replacement includes a nose shape to provide as minimally invasive an installation as possible, serrations formed in the side wall of the body replacement's body to prevent expulsion once the body replacement is in place, a tapered asymmetric shape to provide spinal lordosis, and an integral protrusion for stability and to increase the bearing area to reduce contact pressure between the body replacement and the vertebral plate. Hollow passages are typically filled with bone tissue. The body is also provided with holes passing therethrough to promote tissue growth.
US08628569B2
An implantable prosthetic valve assembly having a support stent, or frame, having circumferential struts with multiple bends forming obtuse angles when the valve assembly is expanded to its functional size. The frame can be manufactured with one or more of the circumferential struts in a partially collapsed state and a flexible valve member can be mounted to the partially collapsed frame. The partially collapsed struts can be formed with multiple bends having angles selected to facilitate crimping of the frame to a profile suitable for percutaneous delivery. When the frame is expanded, the bends can expand to form obtuse angles, thereby enhancing the rigidity of the frame to better resist closing forces exerted on the valve assembly.
US08628567B1
A system for repairing body lumens including a modular graft and a method for deploying the graft within the body lumen. The modular graft includes a first component having first and second legs portions which mate with second and third graft components, respectively. The second leg portion has a bell bottom shape. The modular graft further includes expandable members which aid in implanting the modular graft as well as facilitates the mating of its components. In order to repair the body lumen, the first component is placed at the repair site and thereafter the first and second legs are advanced to the repair site and attached to the first component. A further aspect of the invention is a fixation device which is adapted to perform an attachment function. The graft and the fixation device are configured to be axially separated from one another so as to allow the graft to attach to the vascular wall proximal of the graft.
US08628566B2
A stented valve including a stent structure including a generally tubular body portion having a first end, a second end, an interior area, a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of vertical wires extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis around a periphery of the body portion, wherein the plurality of vertical wires includes multiple commissure wires and at least one structural wire positioned between adjacent commissure wires, and a plurality of V-shaped wire structures having a first end, a second end, and a peak between the first and second ends, wherein a first end of each V-shaped structure extends from a first vertical wire and a second end of each V-shaped structure extends from a second vertical wire that is adjacent to the first vertical wire, wherein each V-shaped structure is oriented so that its peak is facing in the same direction relative to the first and second ends of the body portion, and a valve structure including a plurality of leaflets attached to the stent structure within the tubular body portion.
US08628555B2
An apparatus and method for ejecting fluid from a fluid delivery system. The fluid delivery system has a pneumatic assembly that when triggered injects gas into a hydraulic assembly, which in turn ejects fluid through an external interface. An electronic interface displays various measurements, for example, how much fluid has been ejected and if the hydraulic system is closed the pressure of the system. The pneumatic assembly can also be depressurized such that fluid can reenter the hydraulic assembly through the external interface.
US08628553B2
Expanding or foaming adhesives are used to reduce the stomach volume to reduce the caloric intake and weight of a patient. A web structure is attached inside the stomach and an expanding or foaming adhesive is applied to the web structure. The expanding or foaming adhesive attaches to the web structure and to the stomach to partition the stomach. The partition barrier divides the stomach volume into a reduced volume available for food storage and an empty volume that the food cannot enter. The reduced volume enables the patient to feel full faster and reduce caloric intake. A passageway can be provided between the two volumes near the base of the stomach to allow food or fluids to exit from the empty volume.
US08628551B2
The invention provides a rotational atherectomy system, device and method comprising a flexible, elongated, rotatable drive shaft with an abrasive section within a pre-curved section of the drive shaft. The device may further comprise a concentric or eccentric enlarged diameter section that is at least partially covered with abrasive material to comprise the abrasive section. The abrasive section may further comprise an abrasive crown or burr mounted to the drive shaft. The pre-curved drive shaft allows smaller diameter and/or massive abrasive regions to be used while sweeping larger diameters during high-speed rotation. The pre-curved region is substantially straightened for insertion into vasculature and placement adjacent stenosis by insertion of the guide wire. Removal of guide wire proximally from the pre-curved region allows the drive shaft to return to its pre-curved form for ablation. Reinsertion of the guide wire beyond the pre-curved region straightens the drive shaft for ease of removal.
US08628545B2
The present disclosure relates to devices, systems and methods for endoscopic suturing or stitching through an access tube or the like. An endoscopic stitching device is provided and includes a handle assembly; an elongate shaft supported by and extending from the handle assembly; and an end effector supported on a distal end of the elongate shaft. The end effector includes a neck assembly configured and adapted for articulation in one direction between a substantially linear configuration and an off-axis configuration, and a pair of juxtaposed jaws pivotally associated with one another. Each jaw defines a suture needle receiving recess formed in a tissue contacting surface thereof.
US08628538B2
Method for positioning a viewing axis in relation to a distal fixation hole (2) for an intramedullary nail (1). A rigid support (3) is fixed to the proximal end of the nail (1). An adjustable viewing device (9) is mounted on the rigid support (3). A coarse adjustment is done of the length of the rigid support according to the length of the nail (1). A coarse adjustment is done in order to move the viewing device (9) closer to the nail, taking account of the patient's build. A precise adjustment is done of the position of the viewing device in relation to the nail, involving the translational and/or rotational movement of the viewing device in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the viewing device (Z).
US08628535B2
The present invention provides for a bone fixation device, an implantation instrument, and system which are useful in bone fixation surgeries. The bone fixation device of the instant invention allows the surgeon the ability to navigate the rod while being inserted into a pedicle screw assembly through a non-linear pathway by incrementally changing the direction of travel as desired.
US08628526B2
Devices and methods are described for sealing tissue such as melding the two flaps of the foramen ovale together without the need for a permanent implant or closing openings in vessels.
US08628522B2
Cardiac ablation systems and methods of their use and manufacture involve an ablation mechanism, a stabilizer mechanism, and a cinching mechanism that urges the ablation mechanism toward a patient tissue. Embodiments encompass methods for administering epicardial and endocardial lesions, including box lesions and connecting lesions, to patient tissue.
US08628507B1
A disposable nursing pad is provided. The nursing pad of the present disclosure is thin, flexible, absorbent, breathable, hypoallergenic, and environmentally friendly. The pad of the present disclosure is composed of multiple layers—a cotton inner layer worn against the skin of the user, an absorbent middle layer, and a waterproof and breathable outer layer. The pad comprises a variety of embossed channels—one in the center of the pad, one along the perimeter of the pad, and radial channels extending from the perimeter channel towards the center channel.
US08628502B2
A dialysis valve includes a tube attached between an artery and a vein which, when elongated, simultaneously narrows in diameter at least one location. The narrowed portion of the tube decreases the volume and velocity between the arterial and venous side of the patient to prevent damage or intimal hyperplasia on the venous side between dialysis treatments. When the valve is opened for dialysis, an unrestricted blood flow exists between the arterial and venous side, permitting a controlled, open blood flow during dialysis.
US08628496B2
An introducer apparatus includes an outer sleeve and an inner cannula received within the lumen of the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has a profile such that at least a portion of the distal end of the outer sleeve tapers in the distal direction at an angle not exceeding about 2° relative to a longitudinal axis of the apparatus. The distal open end of the outer sleeve has a wall thickness not exceeding about 0.003 inch. The inner cannula includes a tapered distal end portion. The tapered distal portion of the inner cannula extends distal to the distal open end of the outer sleeve, such that a generally smooth diametrical transition is provided between the outer sleeve tapered portion and the open distal end of the inner cannula.
US08628495B2
A power injector syringe assembly (110) is disclosed. The power injector syringe assembly (110) includes a power injector syringe (112) and coupling (130) that are permanently joined. The coupling (130) includes a wedge-shaped mounting flange (144) to facilitate installation of the assembly (110) on a syringe mount (200) of a power injector. The coupling (130) also includes at least one coupling member (150) to facilitate removal of the assembly (110) from the syringe mount (200).
US08628494B2
A needleless fluid injection device including a flexible shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, an injection lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the shaft, and at least one injection orifice extending through a wall of the injection lumen at the distal end of the shaft. The injection lumen can include a depth-limiting system (462) at its distal end for controlling the depth of insertion of the injection lumen relative to a target tissue of a patient. The injection lumen can alternatively or additionally include at least one guidance feature. The injection lumen can alternatively or additionally include at least one flow-modifying protrusion extending from the inner tubular wall of the injection lumen and toward a longitudinal axis of the injection lumen.
US08628488B2
A compression wrap for providing pressure to an injured portion of a joint of a limb is provided. The compression wrap includes a pocket portion for receiving compression insert. The compression wrap further includes a strap connected to the pocket portion and adjustably securing the compression wrap to the limb. A buckle loop connected to the opposite side of the pocket portion as the strap adjustably receives the strap to adjust the size of the strap. Further, the strap portion and the pocket portion are configured such that when the compression wrap is attached to the limb of a person having an injury proximate the joint, the pocket portion is positionable to apply a load to the location of the injury while the strap portion is spaced away from the crease of the joint.
US08628487B2
A cushioning boot for bed-ridden patients. The boot includes a thickly-padded leg engaging portion and foot engaging portion with a front opening for easy insertion of a patient foot and leg. A series of stretchable, adjustable closure panels are removably secured to the boot for positioning and inserted leg in the proper orientation and retaining it in place. The closure panels are provided with guiding in the form of loops secured to the boot. Each closure panel passes through its associated loop for proper positioning.
US08628486B2
A locking system to be fitted on a joint device (10) is equipped with means of control of the relative range of motion (R.O.M.) between two rods or uprights (11, 12) connected to it; said joint consists of a pair of plates (13, 14) connected to each other by means of rivets (15) and to the rods or uprights (11, 12) protruding from the joint. This locking system comprises at least one locking device consisting of a stop member (16) which is inserted between a rod (11) and the plate (13) connected to a fixed central element of the joint. Said stop member is activated to move from a retracted position to an inserted position in the joint, at right angles in respect of the plane of the plate (13), by means of a cursor element (18) sliding on a slide (19) positioned in the upper part of a bridge element (20), said cursor element comprising a sloping surface (17) which causes the movement of the stop member (16) from a retracted to an inserted position.
US08628476B2
A phase line tilt calculating unit (actual measurement) receives phase characteristics Pa(f) and Pb(f) outputted from frequency conversion units, and calculates phase difference characteristics of actual measurement based on a phase difference on each frequency component between the phase characteristics. A phase line tilt calculating unit (model) calculates phase difference characteristics between a transfer function Ga(f) and a transfer function Gb(f) calculated by a transfer function calculating unit, and outputs the calculated phase difference characteristics to a search unit. The search unit fits a variable k and determines a variable kopt (optimum solution) in which a tilt g(k) and a tilt gexp substantially match each other. The variable kopt is an index indicating a degree of arterial sclerosis of a subject.
US08628474B2
A portable ultrasound imaging system includes a scan head coupled by a cable to a portable battery-powered data processor and display unit. The scan head enclosure houses an array of ultrasonic transducers and the circuitry associated therewith, including pulse synchronizer circuitry used in the transmit mode for transmission of ultrasonic pulses and beam forming circuitry used in the receive mode to dynamically focus reflected ultrasonic signals returning from the region of interest being imaged.
US08628462B2
Systems and methods for optimizing the sleep and post-sleep performance of individuals regardless of their environment and time available for sleep are provided. The systems and methods take into account factors that determine the effects of a sleep episode on dexterity, cognitive functions and the subjective feeling of fatigue after sleeping: duration and sleep architecture of the sleep episode, point on the circadian cycle at which the episode occurred, the amount of sleep debt accumulated prior to the episode and the subject's susceptibility to sleep deprivation. The systems and methods include monitoring of sleep architecture over a longer period of time, measurement of accumulated sleep debt and assessment and/or tailoring of the sleep architecture for each subsequent sleep episode, determining a desired sleep state in which the subject should be in, and generating sensory stimuli for guiding the subject to the desired sleep state.
US08628455B2
An exercise machine includes a machine base, on which an axle, a small pulley on the axle, a big pulley, a belt running around the small pulley and the big pulley, at least an idler, and an idler adjusting apparatus are provided. The idler adjusting apparatus includes a lever, on which the idler is pivoted, a linkage connected to the lever, and an adjusting device connected to the linkage. The adjusting device having a bolt head sticking out of the machine base that user may work with the bolt head directly to adjust the idler, without having to disassemble any part of the exercise machine.
US08628443B2
A variable speed transmission having a plurality of tilting balls and opposing input and output discs is illustrated and described that provides an infinite number of speed combinations over its transmission ratio range. The use of a planetary gear set allows minimum speeds to be in reverse and the unique geometry of the transmission allows all of the power paths to be coaxial, thereby reducing overall size and complexity of the transmission in comparison to transmissions achieving similar transmission ratio ranges.
US08628442B2
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque-transmitting devices. Further, a hydraulic fluid control circuit is provided for controlling the operation of the plurality of torque-transmitting devices. The hydraulic fluid control circuit receives pressurized hydraulic fluid from an off-axis hydraulic fluid pump and has a plurality of fluid passages disposed in the transmission house, input member and other coupling members.
US08628425B2
A torque fluctuation absorber includes a damper portion absorbing a torque fluctuation between the output shaft and the input shaft with an elasticity thereof, and a limiter portion arranged on the power transmission path from the damper portion to the input shaft, configured to slip when the torque fluctuation by a torsion between the output shaft and the input shaft equals or exceeds a predetermined torque defined to absorb at the damper portion. The damper portion includes a center plate transmitting a rotational power to the limiter portion, side plates receiving the input of the rotational power from the output shaft, an elastic member absorbing the torque fluctuation caused by the torsion between the center plate and the side plates. The side plates directly or indirectly connect to a flywheel that connects to the output shaft at a circumferential portion outward in a radial direction relative to the damper portion.
US08628423B2
Systems and methods for generating hints for a player with an interactive video gaming environment are provided. A plurality of videos from users is received at a remote server. Each of the plurality of videos includes a hint that corresponds to a different one of a plurality of segments within the interactive video gaming environment. An action relating to game play in the interactive video gaming environment is received at the remote server from player equipment. A determination is made as to whether the action is associated with one of the plurality of segments. In response to determining the action is associated with one of the plurality of segments, one of the plurality of videos that includes the hint that corresponds to the one of the plurality of segments associated with the action is selected. The selected one of the plurality of videos is transmitted to the player equipment.
US08628419B2
A game system including a plurality of mobile game apparatuses, and a mobile game apparatus that can communicate with another game apparatus that exists within a communicable range by use of a radio communications unit. When a communicated state is established, exchanging conditions for exchanging game data are received and transmitted, and in a case the exchange conditions are coincident with each other, the game data are exchanged.
US08628413B2
A disclosed gaming machine provides a plurality of virtual gaming peripherals that are each used to generate one or more gaming services. To provide a particular gaming service, each virtual gaming peripheral may comprise virtual gaming peripheral software that controls one or more gaming devices. Examples of gaming services provides by virtual gaming peripherals may include but are not limited to a player tracking service, a vending machine purchase, a lottery ticket purchase, an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) service, a hotel/casino service, a communication service, a registration service, a sports book service, an entertainment service, a prize redemption service and a locator service. A logic device, such as a master gaming controller on the gaming machine, may simultaneously activate a plurality of virtual gaming peripherals. Therefore, a gaming device may be shared by a plurality of active virtual gaming peripherals and additional logic may be provided to resolve conflicts that arise when two or more virtual gaming peripherals desire to control the same gamingdevice at the same time.
US08628408B2
The Return Driven Casino Game Outcome Generator makes the first true class of casino video game possible by creating games that measure and reward skills like fast reflexes and manual dexterity while earning consistent and reliable profits for game operators. An RDOG gaming machine may include a game that includes a reward generating assets and a graphic shown on a display. The graphic is at least partially controlled by the player and configured to interact with the reward generating asset. A reward table is associated with the reward generating assets and is configured such that when the graphic successfully interacts therewith on the display, a random number is obtained and used as an index into the reward table to derive a reward multiplier. The reward due the player for successfully interacting with the reward generating asset may then be determined by a product of the reward multiplier and a collision wager that is dependent upon a time interval since a last successful interaction with the reward generating asset.
US08628400B2
Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting a wagering game, and computer programs for initiating a wagering game are presented herein. A gaming device is presented that includes a wager input device, a display, and at least one controller. The controller executes the wagering game, which includes first and second progressive awards each associated with a respective symbol-based outcome. Each symbol-based outcome has a respective frequency of occurrence. The controller randomly determines an outcome of the wagering game. The controller initiates a progressive-award-determination sequence in response to displaying the first and/or second symbol-based outcomes. There is a first probability of awarding the first progressive award, and a second probability of awarding the second progressive award. The first initial-award amount is greater than the second initial-award amount, the first frequency of occurrence is lower than the second frequency of occurrence, and the first probability is greater than the second probability.
US08628398B2
Gaming apparatus, e.g. an Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) (1), includes a controller (2) for implementing e.g. slot-machine games, casino-type games or other betting game. The EGM (1) displays a gaming image on a display (6), e.g. virtual symbol reels or card hands, and receives player instructions via an input (7), e.g. to spin the reels or manage the cards. The EGM (1) includes a means for playing a number of games simultaneously and for receiving bets, and means for monitoring game events over a number of concurrent plays of the game. It also includes means for placing one or more series bets on the occurrence of game events over a series of concurrent game plays, and series win means for determining that a player has won a series bet based on the bet placed and the monitored events. The monitored game events may be prize events, e.g. the winning of a cash amount, or feature events, e.g. the triggering of a bonus round, free game or the like. The series bet win may be a prize, e.g. a jackpot, or may be some other valuable feature.
US08628389B2
This invention resides in a workstation system comprising at least one work area and at least one partition adjacent the work area. The partition having a plurality of demountable screens, at least one of the screens having a cavity fluidly connected to at least one aperture in the partition. A conduit having one end fluidly connected to the cavity and an opposite end fluidly connected to an air duct to communicate air from the air duct to the aperture.
US08628385B2
An abrasive tool including a bonded abrasive article including a bond material comprising a metal or metal alloy, abrasive grains contained within the bond material, and a reaction agent dispersed within the bond material, wherein the reaction agent chemically reacting with a surface of the workpiece during abrasion to form a reaction product.
US08628383B2
A coated abrasive product includes a particulate material containing green, unfired abrasive aggregates having a generally spheroidal or toroidal shape, the aggregates formed from a composition comprising abrasive grit particles and a nanoparticle binder. Free abrasive products, bonded abrasive products, and the particulate material also contain aggregates.
US08628377B2
A flexure assembly comprising a flexure stack comprising a plurality of individual webs connected together with a force in an x-direction to produce a friction in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-direction between the plurality of webs, the friction holding the plurality of webs in engagement. In some embodiments, the flexure assembly includes a second flexure stack fixedly spaced from the first stack comprising a second plurality of individual webs connected together with a second force in the x-direction to produce a second friction in the z-direction between the second plurality of webs. The flexure assembly may be used, for example, for supporting a workpiece such as a slider row bar in a lapping machine.
US08628374B2
An expandable toy building element being interconnectable with one or more other toy building elements is disclosed having one or more coupling connectors adapted to interconnect the expandable toy building element with another toy building element. The expandable toy building element has a hollow first end component with an open, distal end so as to define a first internal cavity, a hollow second end component with an open, distal end so as to define a second internal cavity; and a translation element acting to expandably connect the first end component to the second end component. The expandable toy building element is expandable between a compact position and at least one expanded position.
US08628363B2
A crimped electric wire with a terminal, includes: an electric wire having a core wire made of aluminum or aluminum alloy; and a terminal fitting having an electric wire crimping section for crimping the core wire partly exposed from the electric wire, wherein: a value obtained by dividing the height of the electric wire crimping section by the width of the electric wire crimping section after the crimping of the electric wire crimping section is set to 0.5 or more and 0.6 or less; and the value obtained by dividing the gross cross-sectional area of the core wire after the crimping of the electric wire crimping section by the gross cross-sectional area of the core wire before the crimping of the electric wire crimping section is set to 55% or more and 65% or less.
US08628343B2
A connector includes: a contact portion electrically connectable to a plate-shaped connection object; a housing having a slit-shaped opening into which the connection object is insertable, the housing accommodating the contact portion; an actuator which is supported on the housing swingably about an axis extending in a width direction of the opening, and configured to directly press the connection object; and a restricting mechanism which is provided along the width direction of the opening, formed in both the housing and the actuator, and configured to prevent the actuator from being deformed in a direction opposite to a pressing direction of the actuator when the actuator is in a posture of pressing the connection object.
US08628342B2
A device comprising a bottom portion providing a first contact and a second contact via an outer surface, an inner surface is conductive with the outer surface. The device comprises a bottom pressure pin, within the bottom portion, connected to the first contact and a top portion rotatably fixed to the bottom portion and comprising first and second connectors functionally exposed therethrough. The device comprises a printed circuit board (PCB), within the bottom portion, providing a first route to the first connector and a second route to the second connector. The PCB is fixably attached to the electrical connectors and the first route continuously contacts with the bottom pressure pin. The device comprises a radial pressure pin, fixably connected to the second route, that provides continuous connection with the second contact through the bottom portion's inner surface. A method of assembly of the device and a kit comprising the device.
US08628341B2
A pluggable mechanism, disposed between a bearing board and a to-be-inserted board, includes: a gear wrench hinged on the bearing board, where the gear wrench comprises a handle and a drive tooth part; and a swing gear, hinged on the bearing board and connected to the to-be-inserted board, where the swing gear comprises a gearing tooth part meshing with the drive tooth part, and the to-be-inserted board moves with the move of the swing gear. A production board including the above pluggable mechanism is also disclosed. A subrack including the above production board is also disclosed. The pluggable mechanism has a simple structure, high reliability, good operability, no occupation of vertical space, and small motion resistance, and is suitable for board plugging requiring great force for inserting and removing.
US08628337B2
An attachment mechanism for an electronic component includes a circuit board and a fastener. The circuit board includes a first connector connected to a second connector of the electronic component. The fastener includes two operation portions and a connection portion connected between the operation portions. The operation portions clamp the first connector. A hook extends from a top of the connection portion to engage with a first end of the electronic component.
US08628336B2
An apparatus is described for burn-in and/or functional testing of microelectronic circuits of unsingulated wafers. A large number of power, ground, and signal connections can be made to a large number of contacts on a wafer. The apparatus has a cartridge that allows for fanning-in of electric paths. A distribution board has a plurality of interfaces that are strategically positioned to provide a dense configuration. The interfaces are connected through flexible attachments to an array of first connector modules. Each one of the first connector modules can be independently connected to a respective one of a plurality of second connector modules, thereby reducing stresses on a frame of the apparatus. Further features include for example a piston that allows for tight control of forces exerted by terminals onto contacts of a wafer.
US08628334B2
A portable walking trainer device for a child, having a U-shaped structure of support bars that are removably securable to a padded base mat. The padded base mat has apertures disposed along its perimeter to facilitate removable securement of the support bars to the mat. Securing posts attached to the support bars are inserted into the apertures, resulting in a stable set of handrails for a child to pull on, lean upon, or use for balance. All support bars are padded to reduce the risk of injury to a child user. When the device is not in use the support bars may be disassembled and fold up within the base mat. Handles disposed at the ends of the base mat allow the self-contained stowed device to be easily transported by a parent or caregiver.
US08628308B2
An apparatus for delivering a fluid includes a housing, an inlet in the housing for receiving the fluid, and an outlet in the housing for discharging the fluid. A piston channel is provided within the housing through which the fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet. An actuator is positioned within the housing and is moveable between a retracted position and a forward position, the actuator defining a piston chamber for storing fluid received through the inlet when the actuator is in the retracted position and for driving the fluid stored in the piston chamber toward the outlet when the actuator transitions from the retracted position to the forward position. The actuator includes an armature and a piston coupled to the armature and moveable within the piston channel. The piston is provided with a groove in an outer surface for conducting fluid from the inlet to the outlet.
US08628306B2
Helium enclosed compressor. A compressor and a motor section with stator having coil ends and a rotor, are housed within an enclosed vessel partitioned into discharge and motor chambers by a frame. The compressor section has a stationary scroll having a spiral wrap standing upright at a disk-like panel and an orbiting scroll having a spiral wrap standing upright at a disk-like panel, made to mesh with each other while their wraps face the inside. The orbiting scroll sucks helium gas from a suction port of an outer peripheral portion of the stationary scroll, and discharges helium gas into the discharge chamber from a discharge port of a central portion of the stationary scroll. An inverter controls a number of rotations of the motor section, wherein a plurality of varnish-treated layers which becomes insulating films is formed on the surface of a coil which constitutes the coil ends.
US08628304B2
A multi-stage membrane suction pump having at least two pump chambers, each having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and having a suction line connecting the fluid inlets. Successive pump chambers are connected via at least one connecting line such that the membrane pump upon reaching/exceeding a differential pressure in the suction line changes from a parallel operation into at least also a serial operation. In the inflow and outflow regions of the at least one connecting line, at least one check valve each is interposed, opening toward the subsequent pump stage. The check valves provided in the connecting line(s) are designed smaller compared to inlet and outlet valves of the pump chambers, and line sections of the connecting lines that open toward the neighboring pump chamber have a smaller clear line cross-section compared to the inlet and outlet valves, and are associated with the check valves.
US08628289B1
A system and method for optimizing the storage capacity of an automated material handling and storage system wherein rows of vertical columns of storage bins are spaced in opposing relationship with one another such that at least one elevator is vertically movable in engagement with the opposing columns of storage bins so that pallets, support platforms or containers may be transferred to or from the elevator to bins of the opposing rows and wherein the elevator may be selectively elevated by overhead carriers that are movable along an intersecting grid track system that is disposed above the storage bins. In one embodiment, the at least one elevator may be independently vertically movable between the opposing column of storage bins.
US08628287B2
A tailpipe stone dumping vessel (1) for stone dumping through a fallpipe suspended from the vessel, comprising: • a hull (1a), • a fallpipe section storage for storing fallpipe sections (2), • a tower (20) at least comprising fallpipe support means (40) for supporting the suspended fallpipe, said tower (20) being adapted for assembly and disassembly of the fallpipe by addition of a fallpipe section to the upper end of the suspended fallpipe or removal of a fallpipe section from the suspended fallpipe, respectively, • a tower gimbal structure (22) provided between the hull and the tower providing a pivotal mode for the tower (20) wherein the tower is pivotable about at least one pivot axis with respect to the hull so that the tower—and the fallpipe suspended there from—has in a plane associated with said at least one pivot axis an orientation essentially independent from sea-state induced vessel motions, • hoist means (31, 32, 33, 34) for lowering and raising the suspended fallpipe, • fallpipe section handling means (10-14, 31-34) adapted to—while the tower (20) is in its pivotal mode—advance a fall pipe section to the tower and to bring said fallpipe section in alignment with the uppermost end of the suspended fallpipe in order to assemble the fallpipe and adapted to—while the tower is in its pivotal mode—disconnect a fallpipe section from the uppermost end of the suspended fallpipe and advance it to the storage in order to disassemble the fallpipe.
US08628274B2
Floating construction (1) having a base (2), a tensioning member (17, 18) extending from the sea bed in the direction of the base, a connector (27, 28) at an upper end (16,19) of the tensioning member and attachment means on the base for attaching to the connector, characterized in that, the attachment means comprise a guide member (14, 15) for lowering a tensioning member (12, 13) section by a predetermined distance (D2), which tensioning member section at a free end (23, 24) is provided with a complementary connector (25, 26) for attaching to the connector on the upper end of the tensioning member, the tensioning member section comprising at an upper end a stopper (31, 32) for engaging with the base and for fixing and/or adjusting the upper end in a vertical direction, the floating construction comprising a pulling device (36, 37, 38, 39) attached to the tensioning member section, for lowering the tensioning member section along the guide member towards the tensioning member.
US08628268B2
A cam lock clamp comprises a stud having a substantially cylindrical body with a first end including a head area and a second end arranged to support one or more disc springs concentrically about the stud. A socket is arranged to mechanically couple concentrically around the stud with the head area of the stud being exposed above an uppermost portion of the socket. The socket is configured to be firmly attached to a consumable material. A camshaft has a substantially cylindrical body and is configured to mount within a bore of a backing plate. The camshaft further comprises an eccentric cutout area located in a central portion of the camshaft body. The camshaft is configured to engage and lock the head area of the stud when the consumable material and the backing plate are proximate to one another.
US08628266B2
A knife with integrated dispenser incorporates a blade terminating at a boss. A handle extends from the boss with a condiment container connected to the handle and the boss. A conduit extending through the boss and communicating with the condiment container terminates in an aperture adjacent the blade for extruding condiment.
US08628265B2
A hand-held dispensing applicator includes a source of fluid, a frangible applicator tip attached to the fluid source, and an absorbent member attached to the frangible applicator tip. When broken, fluid flows from the source to the absorbent member, whereby the fluid is applied and spread on a surface. In one embodiment, the dispensing applicator comprises a support element permanently connected to the fluid source, a relatively rigid tongue element extending outwardly of the support element, and a frangible region there between. Optionally, the tongue element comprises ribs for reinforcing the tongue element to resist unintentional breaking of the frangible region. Also optionally, the applicator tip includes a semi-permeable or non-permeable partial shield member disposed around the frangible region to control the speed and direction of the dispersion of the fluid in the absorbent member. Adaptive embodiments allow the generation of designs applicable to a particular medical purpose.
US08628259B2
An image pickup apparatus capable of reducing variations in the time it takes for mirror bounce to end caused by adjustments made to the angle of a mirror, making assembly of the image pickup apparatus more efficient, and making the image pickup apparatus more compact. A mirror unit comes into contact with a positioning pin so as to be positioned in the shooting optical path. Rotating an adjustment member, on which a lock lever is rotatably fitted and to which the positioning pin is fixed, causes the mirror unit to move following the adjustment member. The lock lever and the positioning pin eccentrically move according to the rotation of the adjustment member and move in the same direction by the same amount. A gap between the mirror unit and a lock pin of the lock lever is constant.
US08628250B2
A support device of a propeller shaft comprises an annular bracket fixed to a floor member of a vehicle body; an annular elastic member disposed in the annular bracket; an annular supporting structure disposed in the annular elastic member and rotatably supporting a cylindrical given portion of the propeller shaft through a ball bearing unit; and an annular seal member intimately disposed in an annular space defined between the annular supporting structure and the cylindrical given portion of the propeller shaft. One of outer and inner cylindrical surfaces of the annular seal member is in slidable contact with either one of an inner cylindrical surface of the annular supporting structure and an outer cylindrical surface of the cylindrical given portion of the propeller shaft. A rust-proofing member is further provided, which is disposed on either one of the inner cylindrical surface of the annular supporting structure and the outer cylindrical surface of the cylindrical given portion of the propeller shaft, to which the outer or inner cylindrical surface of the annular seal member directly and slidably contacts. The rust-proofing member is made of a rust-resistant material.
US08628248B2
A seal arrangement with a centrifugal ring for a sealing between a rotatable bearing part and a static bearing part. The centrifugal ring has a first end piece, which forms both an outer circumference of the centrifugal ring and a cutoff edge located on a disk-shaped outer face. The seal arrangement reduces the coefficient of friction without having to accept any loss of sealing effect, but in which the seal arrangement nevertheless remains cost-effective to manufacture. For this purpose, the centrifugal ring has a second end piece. The end pieces together form a first collecting channel in the vicinity of the cutoff edge and the end pieces each form an annular seal gap with a static bearing part.
US08628247B2
A turbocharger is provided with a rotor shaft, a bearing housing in which a bearing hole is formed, and a bearing member of the semi-floating type arranged in the bearing hole and supporting the rotor shaft in a rotatable state. The bearing member has a first bearing portion and a second bearing portion spaced at a predetermined interval in the axial direction of the rotor shaft, in its inner periphery. A region between the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion in the inner periphery of the bearing member, and an outer periphery of the rotor shaft constitute an oil passage for supply of lubricant oil to inside surfaces of the first and second bearing portions. Oil grooves to suppress the whirl vibration are formed in each of the inside surfaces of the first and second bearing portions. The oil grooves are closed in part.
US08628237B1
A method for measuring a contacting thermal resistance of one-dimensional structures is provided. A first one-dimensional structure and A second one-dimensional structure are crossed and in contact with each other to form a suspended junction. A point P of the first one-dimensional structure is heated until the first one-dimensional structure and the second one-dimensional structure reach a thermal equilibrium. A point A and a point B are selected on the first one-dimensional structure and a point C and a point D are selected on the second one-dimensional structure, wherein the point B, the point A, the suspended junction, the point C and the point D are arranged equidistantly with a distance Δx. A temperature difference ΔTj is calculated by the formula ΔTj=ΔTAC−ΔTBA−ΔTCD. The heat flux Qj is calculated by the formula Qj=2kΔTCD/Δx. The contacting thermal resistance Rj is calculated by the formula Rj=ΔTj/Qj.
US08628223B2
The present invention relates to an imitation candle, comprising a housing, an imitation flame body provided at a top of the housing, a light source adapted to emit light onto the imitation flame body, a swing motion device, and an air blowing device. A lower portion of the imitation flame body is connected with the swing motion device that is configured to allow the imitation flame body to pivot horizontally about at least one of a X axis and a Y axis, and comprises a wind driven pendulum member. The air blowing device is adapted to blow air toward the wind driven pendulum member causing the wind driven pendulum member to swing as well as the imitation flame body to pivot. The wind driven pendulum member is a wind driven bowl adapted to receive blowing air and having an air discharge hole.
US08628221B2
A lamp comprises a base, at least one light source arranged on the base, a cover positioned on the base and covering the light source, and a structured film arranged adjacent to the light source. The structured film has at least one micro structure configured for guiding part of the light backward emitted from the light source.
US08628196B2
A display device and its display method are provided. The display method includes: first, inputting image message, then generating laser beams for forming an image according to the input image message to display an image. The image message includes angular message of each image pixels.
US08628192B2
An inkjet recording apparatus includes: an ink ejection head having ink ejection openings; a conveyance mechanism which is disposed below the ink ejection head and conveys a recording medium facing the ink ejection openings; a recording medium feeder which is disposed below the conveyance mechanism, is capable of stocking therein a recording medium, and feeds a recording medium to the conveyance mechanism; a refeeder which is partially disposed below the recording medium feeder and which refeeds, to the conveyance mechanism, a recording medium having conveyed by the conveyance mechanism; and an ink reservoir which is disposed below the refeeder and reserves therein ink to be fed to the ink ejection head.
US08628191B2
A recording apparatus includes a supporting member on which a plurality of suction holes for sucking a recording medium are formed on a supporting face for supporting the recording medium, a transportation device which transports the recording medium along the supporting face, a recording head which ejects fluid on the recording medium supported by the supporting face so as to perform printing, and a control device which makes the recording head execute the printing when a front end of the recording medium in the transportation direction reaches to a position at which the front end of the recording medium covers the suction holes formed at downstream-most positions in the transportation direction on the supporting face.
US08628184B2
[Object]To provide a recording method by which the occurrence of bleeding and repelling in a cured layer can be suppressed during overprinting.[Solution]In a recording method, a first ink composition containing a colorant, a photopolymerizable compound, and a photopolymerization initiator is ejected from a recording head onto a recording medium; light is emitted from a light source to the first ink composition that has adhered to the recording medium with the result that the first ink composition is cured at a cure rate that is in the range from 70 to 95%; a second ink composition containing a colorant, a photopolymerizable compound, and a photopolymerization initiator is ejected from a recording head to the first ink composition that has been cured on the recording medium; and light is emitted from a light source to the second ink composition.
US08628159B2
In the manufacturing process of a printer, a check (check associated with the liquid ejecting performance of ejection outlets) on the heads is performed, and the heads are ranked based on the result of the check. The heads that are high in liquid ejecting performance are classified as a first rank; the heads that are low in liquid ejecting performance, as a second rank; and the heads that are lower in ejecting performance than the heads of the second rank, as a third rank. The heads of the third rank are dealt with as not applied to the printer. The heads of the second rank are distributed to a color inkjet head that ejects a color ink or to a pretreatment liquid ejecting head that ejects a colorless liquid. The heads of the first rank are distributed to a black inkjet head that ejects black ink.
US08628151B1
A system is disclosed for identifying potential short sale transactions that can be bundled or combined to produce a beneficial result to the financial institutions involved. Embodiments are directed to the identification of properties matching certain criteria that make them likely candidates for a short sale transaction. Other embodiments disclosed herein assess the value of identified properties and associated mortgages to facilitate short sale transactions, so that mortgage holders can have an accurate assessment of potential losses involved in short sale and foreclosure situations where multiple mortgages are involved. One embodiment provides an assessment of estimated potential losses realized by secondary mortgage holders and/or losses avoided by primary mortgage holders in proposed short sale situations. The assessment enables financial institutions involved in certain short sales to offset losses realized and/or avoided with those financial institutions that may have opposite mortgage positions (primary vs. secondary) on other properties.
US08628149B2
A plastic wheel-balancing weight adapted to be removably secured to a wheel to correct an unbalanced wheel to prevent undesired vibrations when the wheel is rotating, the plastic wheel-balancing weight comprising a wheel-securing clip sized and designed to be secured to a wheel, and a non-metallic weight assembled to the wheel-securing clip and at least partially covered with overmolding material that includes a shape adapted to substantially match the shape of the wheel when the overmolded wheel-balancing weight is removably secured to the wheel. A kit of wheel-balancing weight and a wheel comprising a wheel-balancing weight is also encompassed by the present application.
US08628148B2
A holder block assembly for a drum-type cutting tool has a holder block, a sleeve, and a piston carried in a piston channel formed in the holder block. The sleeve includes a shank and an enlarged flange at an end of the shank. The sleeve shank is received in a hole in the holder block, with the shank and hole wall forming a number of axially spaced interference fits. A source of pressurized fluid applied to the holder block forces the piston against the sleeve to extract the sleeve from the holder block. Sealing structure between the piston and the holder block prevents the release of hydraulic fluid when the sleeve is released.
US08628147B2
A pair of semi-cylindrical segments adapted to be connected to form a center drum of a cutter head of a mining machine. The split line between the semi-cylindrical segments is not continuous, but lies on more than one plane.
US08628146B2
A method, system and apparatus for plasma blasting comprises a solid object having a borehole, a blast probe comprising a high voltage electrode and a ground electrode separated by a dielectric separator, wherein the high voltage electrode and the dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe tip, and an adjustment unit coupled to the adjustable probe tip, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to selectively extend or retract the adjustable probe tip relative to the ground electrode and a blasting media, wherein at least a portion of the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode are submerged in the blast media. The blasting media comprises a thixotropic or electro-rheological fluid. The adjustable tip permits fine-tuning of the blast. The property of instantaneous high viscosity of thixotropic and electro-rheological fluids is advantageously used to seal the cavity containing the blasting probe thereby increasing the blasting pressure making the whole system more efficient.
US08628143B2
A corner-braced foot prop including a shelf and an angled support post resting on a base surface to support a load in an elevated position. The shelf includes a clearance hole through which the post is positioned and gripped by the clearance hole when the shelf rotates with respect to the post. The foot prop utilizes surrounding walls for lateral support while providing increasing stability when loaded by downward force.
US08628142B2
A chair includes a base, a seat supported on the base, and a support member having an upper portion and at least one lower portion that is lower than the upper portion. The at least one lower portion of the support member is attached to at least one of the base and the seat. The upper portion of the at least one support member is attached to the at least one lower portion. A portion of the upper portion defines an offset positioned inwardly toward the seat relative to other sections of the upper portion. A tablet is moveably attached to the upper portion such that it is moveable from a first position to a second position. The offset is positioned so it supports the tablet when the tablet is in the second position and transfers a substantial amount of load supported by the offset to the support member.
US08628139B2
In order to optimize the transmitting of force and in order to keep the longitudinal member undamaged in the event of a low impact speed, for example in the event of an accident involving a pedestrian, and in order to permit easy exchangeability of the longitudinal member, it is proposed that, in a normal position, the lower longitudinal member is held spaced apart in the direction of travel from an associated transverse link and can be brought by the frontal impact into a crash position in which the longitudinal member acts on the transverse link in a manner transmitting force.
US08628134B2
A lining for a vehicle part is disclosed. The lining has a main body that comprises a reinforcement. The main body and the reinforcement are made of the same material. The reinforcement may be made of a material removed from the main body. The lining may also include a decorative layer. A method for producing such a lining is also disclosed.
US08628133B2
A package tray assembly for a trunk of a vehicle includes a package tray and a support for supporting the package tray. The support is to be mounted to a body of the vehicle. The support includes a guide portion having a convex top surface. The package tray is to be attached to the support so as to be rotatable round a point located immediately below the guide portion as a center of rotation. The package tray includes a front end portion supported by the support when attached thereto. The front end portion includes a contact portion configured to move back and forth on the convex top surface while tilting at different angles relative to a moving direction.
US08628127B2
A value engineered latch system for latching and unlatching closures in plurality of stages namely fully open, partially open and fully closed comprising: a spring comprising of a metal rod with plurality of wound segments, bent segments and free ends; a metal striker comprising of profiled edges and slots that interact with said spring; a self presenting secondary release system actuated by the movement of the said spring; a base plate that supports the said spring and the said self presenting secondary release system.
US08628124B2
A rotary latch lock for a vehicle door has a lock case forming a cut-out recess for a lock pin; a first rotatably mounted rotary latch engageable with the lock pin; a first rotary latch spring for imposing a force on the first rotary latch; a rotatably mounted actuating lever engaging in the lock case; a first locking pawl pivoting about a first pivot axis; and a guide device for locating, centering and guiding the vehicle door during opening and closing of the vehicle door. The first rotary latch, the first latch spring and the first locking pawl are arranged within the lock case. The first locking pawl engages the first rotary latch, causing the first rotary latch to be maintained in a locked position engaging the lock pin. The actuating lever actuates the first locking pawl, causing it to release the first rotary latch from its locked position.
US08628122B2
A pipe compression joint assembly (10) comprises a male pipe end (20) having an outwardly-extending annular rib (34), a female pipe end (40) adapted for slidable insertion of the male pipe end (20) therein, a first clamp ring (54) adapted for slidable coupling with the male pipe end (20) and bearing against the annular rib (34), and a second clamp ring (52) fixedly attached to the female pipe end (40). The first clamp ring (54) can be controllably urged toward the second clamp ring (52) after the male pipe end (20) has been inserted into the female pipe end (40) so that the female pipe end (40) deformably engages the annular rib (34) to effect a sealed joint without the use of a gasket.
US08628121B1
A system for use in a wellbore using a tubing string formed from a plurality of connected tubulars. The tubulars are connected by a tubular threaded seal connector. The tubular threaded seal connector includes a coupling body. A first seal engagement portion is formed on the coupling body adjacent to a first shoulder formed on a portion of the J-area, and second seal engagement portion is formed on the coupling body adjacent a second shoulder formed on another portion of the J-area.
US08628119B2
A tube connector that allows for a secure connection between a plug and a socket is provided. An accommodation space is provided such that, when the plug is inserted into an insertion hole of the socket while a sleeve is lifted upward to a base-end position, if a ball rolls on an outer periphery of the plug so as to come into abutment with a projection, the accommodation space entirely accommodates the ball at a side adjacent to the socket relative to the outer periphery of the plug.
US08628098B2
A front fork assembly for use with a three-wheel agricultural floater has a yoke having a first yoke portion and a second yoke portion extending downwardly from generally opposite ends of an upper yoke portion. A first plurality of wheel mounting points is formed on the first yoke portion and a second plurality of wheel mounting points is formed on the second yoke portion. The front fork assembly further includes a first wheel mounting arrangement formed from selected mounting points of the first plurality and the second plurality of mounting points. A second wheel mounting arrangement, different from the first wheel mounting arrangement, is formed from selected mounting points of the first plurality and the second plurality of mounting points. In this regard, the front fork assembly provides more than one mounting position for a front floatation tire.
US08628094B2
A metal seal to improve sealing function by increasing contact pressure under a final assembly state with keeping low fastening force. A metal seal of block shape has a first contact convex portion, a middle base portion, and a second contact convex portion. The first contact convex portion and the second contact convex portion are quarter-circular.
US08628086B2
A shuffling device for playing cards and method of shuffling cards is provided where a first group of cards is moved within the device to form a randomized second group of cards. The device comprises moving parts that assist in the movement of cards within the shuffling device; a processor in informational connection with the shuffling device; a sensor that detects at least one of speed, distance and force of at least one moving part and provides a signal to the processor regarding detection of at least one of speed, distance and force; and the processor containing a program that interprets the signal to detect significant variations in at least one of speed, distance and force of the moving part.
US08628084B1
A gaming machine includes at least one cylindrical mechanical reel mounted in a cabinet. The mechanical reel includes symbols displayed to indicate, at least in part, a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game. The mechanical reel is rotatable about an internal axis and defines an interior space that is free of a hub along the internal axis.
US08628083B2
Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to gaming machines having mechanical reels. The machine is adapted so that the reels to some extent protrude from the front face of the machine to enhance the user's awareness that the reels are genuine and, optionally, the reels may have side walls having matching indicia to the symbols on the periphery of the reels. The reels may also be observed from front and rear sides of the machine or alternatively, rotated about an upright axis to enable a player to observe front and rear outcomes from one point.
US08628080B2
In a mail processing machine having a non-staging transport and a downstream staging transport for moving mailpieces, the speed of the non-staging transport is constant whereas the speed of the staging transport is controllable. In normal operation, both the staging and non-staging transports move the mailpieces downstream in the same constant speed. When a jam occurs downstream from the staging transport, the staging transport is effectively slowed down so that the staging transport can hold additional mailpieces before they arrive at the jam site during the jam clearance process. After the jam has been cleared, the staging transport is controlled in order to re-gap the mailpieces already released from the non-staging transport. After re-gapping is completed, the staging transport is sped up so that the mail processing machine is returned to its normal operation.
US08628061B2
A jack assembly including a base for contacting a support surface and a shaft having a first end coupled to the base and a second end, wherein the shaft includes a power screw disposed therein; and a coupling head pivotally coupled to the second end of the shaft, wherein the coupling head is adapted to be coupled to an object to be lifted.
US08628060B2
The lifting bag comprises an inside bladder (20) having a nipple (22), and a shell (24) of reinforced rubber material located outside of the inside bladder (20) and closely enclosing the inside bladder (20). The shell (24) comprises a passage for the nipple (22). The inside bladder (20) is produced in a first vulcanizing step; the shell (24) is added and is produced in a subsequent second vulcanizing step. A separating material (26) is located between the shell (24) and the inside bladder (20); the shell (24) is not connected with the inside bladder (20). A method for producing such a lifting bag is provided.
US08628059B2
A caster assembly for a frame is described that permits a frame to be easily moved and placed. The caster assembly, which may lift a leg of the frame, can be placed or removed without picking up the frame. The caster assembly further includes a handle that moves a cam for engaging the caster assembly with the leg. A frame having at least one caster assembly is also described.
US08628057B2
Disclosed herein is a locking mechanism for a valve device having a valve body for retaining the valve body at a predetermined opened position, including: a disk having a rotational shaft rotatable together with a valve body driving shaft and having a cutout groove formed on an outer circumferential face thereof; a ball disposed in the cutout groove; a body member having an axial direction restriction face and an inner circumferential face; a holder member having an engaging face which has a diameter gradually decreasing toward the ball and is engageable with the ball; and a spring member biasing the holder member toward the ball, wherein said ball is clamped by and among the engaging face which is acted upon by the biasing force of said spring member, the axial direction restriction face and the inner circumferential face so that a rotational direction position of the rotational shaft is retained.
US08628048B2
An attaching member is provided. The attaching member attaches an electric wiring on a body member of the vehicle seat. The attaching member integrally incldues: an attaching part to be attached on the body member; a protection part which covers an edge of the body member; and a holder part which holder the electric wiring.
US08628043B2
The safety device comprises a first bridle connecting a pilot chute of the reserve parachute to a deployment bag, a second bridle connecting the main parachute to the first bridle, a pin fastened to this first bridle and passed in a releasable manner in a loop formed on a locking bridle fastened to the locking pin and passed through a loop fastened to the second bridle and two eyelets formed through the first bridle.
US08628033B2
The invention relates to a pulper comprising a supply chamber (2) and a displacement chamber (3) for handling materials in an especially gentle manner, having a diameter between the supply chamber and the displacement chamber that is at most ⅓ of the diameter of the displacement chamber (3).
US08628026B2
A spray gun (1) has a fluid reservoir (11) with a removable liner (13) received in a container (12) having a detachable lid (15). The liner (13), which may be thermo/vacuum-formed from a planar material, has a shape that corresponds to and is a close fit within the interior of the container (12) and collapses as fluid is withdrawn from within the liner (13) during operation of the spray gun (1). The lid (15) has an outlet (16) connected to an inlet on the spray gun (1) for transfer of liquid from the reservoir (11) to the spray gun (1) and the container (12) has a vent (12A) in the base end for admitting air between the container (12) and the liner (13) as liquid is withdrawn from within the liner (13).
US08628020B2
Provided herein is an integrated wireless patch comprising a contact layer, an electronics layer, and a battery layer. The contact layer is a substrate having gel cutouts. The electronics layer can be folded into contact with the contact layer. The battery layer can be folded into contact with the electronic layer. Further provided herein is a method of manufacturing a wireless integrated patch comprising folding a substrate comprising at least one cutout, at least one contact disk in communication with a surface of a patient through the cutout, and battery terminals, wherein the at least one cutout, the at least on contact, and the battery terminals are adaptable to be located in different layers after the substrate is folded.
US08628006B1
A banking system operates to provide vault access responsive to authorizing data read from data bearing records. The system selectively permits authorized individuals to access safety deposit boxes located in an interior area of the vault. An individuals's personal mobile device can wirelessly communicate user identifying data to a data reader of the system. A system data store includes data corresponding to authorized users of the vault. A system computer operates to cause a vault gate lock to electronically change from a locked condition to an unlocked condition in response to the data reader wirelessly receiving from the personal mobile device, user identifying data associated in the system data store with an authorized user of the vault.
US08627998B2
A blank of foldable sheet material is provided. The blank includes a bottom panel, a first bottom side panel and a second opposing bottom side panel extending from opposing side edges of the bottom panel, and a front panel extending from a front edge of the bottom panel. The front panel includes opposing side edges. The blank also includes a first and a second diagonal panel extending from a front edge of the first and second bottom side panels, respectively, and a third and a fourth diagonal panel extending from each side edge of the front panel. The third and fourth diagonal panels have a length greater than a length of the first and second diagonal panels. The blank includes a first and a second corner panel, wherein the first corner panel is hingedly connected to the first and third diagonal panels and the second corner panel is hingedly connected to the second and fourth diagonal panels.
US08627995B2
A surgical instrument includes a surgical end effector having a receiving portion for removably receiving therein an interchangeable part. The receiving portion has a communication connection. A handle connected to the end effector actuates the end effector. The handle has a controller electrically connected to the communication connection for authenticating the interchangeable part when placed at the end effector. An interchangeable part is removably connected to the receiving portion and has an encryption device electrically removably connected to the communication connection when placed at the receiving portion. The encryption device authenticates the interchangeable part when queried by the electric controller.
US08627994B2
A surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes a housing having an actuator; an elongated member extending from the housing; an end effector disposed on an end of the elongated member, the end effector having a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw having a staple cartridge and the second jaw having a plurality of staple forming recesses; the staple cartridge having at least a first segment and a second segment, the first segment and the second segment each having a tissue contacting surface and staple receiving slots defined in the tissue contacting surface, the first segment and the second segment being biased toward the second jaw and movable; a biasing members for each of the first segment and the second segment; and a pressure sensor for each of the first segment and the second segment.
US08627991B2
A blind guide work contact tip for mounting to a drive probe of a fastening tool is shaped in a manner which allows for an angled nail placement, such as 45 degree into a workpiece. The blind guide work contact is a one-piece attachment which is fitted around the existing drive probe and includes a body and two wings which extend therefrom forming a channel through which a fastener passes into the workpiece. The body has a work surface with a peak and sloped slides adjacent each side of the peak at approximately 45 degrees. The sloped surfaces allows the blind guide work contact tip to better access corners and angled spaces than previous work contact tips. The work contact tip also has a flat portion at the peak of the work surface so as to not inhibit face nailing.
US08627988B2
A baby carrier includes two strap loops, which are interconnected and arranged to extend around the two shoulder areas of the wearer, a relief belt that extends around the waist, and a carrying pocket mounted to the strap loops and the relief belt, with a front piece that is attached to an adjacent strap loop via an upper connection device, and a seat part that is attached to the relief belt via a lower connection device. The front piece and the relief belt, below the upper connection device, define a leg opening. The lower connection device includes an intermediate piece to which the seat part is attached, and a fastening member arranged at each side and detachably attached to the intermediate piece, and the respective part of the relief belt is attached to the respective fastening member for vertically turnable attachment of the relief belt to the lower connection device.
US08627984B2
A removable non-integrated treating chemistry dispensing cartridge assembly may emit a signal in response to a predetermined amount of treating chemistry being detected and in response to a predetermined amount of illumination being detected.
US08627983B2
A beverage dispenser in the general shape or form of a gun and a method of using the same in a game of chance similar to Russian Roulette to dispense a beverage. The beverage dispensing includes a frame with a front muzzle end, a rear frame, a grip defining a reservoir, a trigger mechanism and a rotatable cylinder received in the frame. The cylinder includes a rear surface with at least one inset portion capable of receiving an end of the trigger mechanism when the trigger is actuated.
US08627979B2
A can end (10) having an end panel (12), an openable non-removable panel (15) defined by a score line (14) in the end panel (12) and a non-removable tab (13) attached to the end for acting on the openable panel (15) to cause it to pivot out of the plane of the end panel (12) to provide an opening, the opening being generally oblate with its minor axis passing through the tab characterized in that the ratio of the dimension of the opening on its major axis to the dimension of the opening on its minor axis is greater than 1.7 and the opening area is greater than 350 mm2.
US08627978B2
An easy-open can end including an inclined surface formed in a direction of a tab tail of a pull-tab from a center of a panel such that the center of the panel becomes a maximum concave portion, a lower surface of the pull-tab abuts on the inclined surface or is brought close to the inclined surface along the inclined surface, the pull-tab has a pit S formed by pressing-down forming, and the pull-tab is bent by the pit S. A method for manufacturing an easy-open can end including a process for pressing down part of an outer rim of the pull-tab after or at the same time as a process for fixing the pull-tab to the panel.
US08627967B2
A drinking container has an interior space (5) for receiving a drinking liquid (14) and a container opening (4) preferably arranged on the top side of the container, into which a closure device (3) with a receiving chamber (9) is provided. The content of the receiving chamber can be selectively released into the interior space (5). The closure device (3) has an externally threaded upper part (6) and a bottom part (7) as well as connection elements (8) disposed therebetween. The receiving chamber (9) is formed between the upper part and the lower part, and has an introduction opening (22) leading to the interior space. Thus, the content of the receiving chamber (9) is releasable into the interior space by a turning-in process of the closure device. The drinking container is suitable for preparing an unstable mixed drink of creatine powder (13) and an aqueous drinking solution (14).
US08627965B2
A multi-component divider including a first divider component and a connection mechanism for a second divider component. The second divider component connects to the first divider component when the first divider component is connected to a base. The second divider component extends above the first divider component, thereby extending the overall height of the divider. The base and multi-component divider can be used in locations where there is limited space between shelves, such as a shelf in a freezer or refrigerated display, or in any application where a higher divider may be preferred, but cannot be installed. The base can additionally include a pusher moveable along a longitudinal direction of the base, wherein the pusher is also adjustable linearly along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base.
US08627960B2
Separating a mixture comprising at least two solid materials comprises transporting the mixture into a plenum, introducing air into the plenum, removing a heavier fraction of the solid materials from the plenum, removing air having a lighter fraction of the solid materials entrained therein from the plenum, removing the lighter fraction of the solid materials from the air that is removed from the plenum, filtering the remaining air, and re-circulating the air back to the plenum. Valves at the locations where material is introduced to and removed from the system can prevent air flow therethrough while allowing the materials to pass. The air can be introduced into the plenum at an angle with respect to the pathway in which the heavier fraction of the materials falls through the plenum, thereby avoiding damage to a screen that diffuses the air being introduced into the plenum.
US08627955B2
A surgical clip cartridge is provided, having a housing member, a plurality of C-shaped surgical clips stored in the housing member, and a plurality of compartments provided on the housing member, each compartment being adapted for receiving a respective one of the surgical clips. A holding member is arranged on the housing member on opposite sides of each compartment, each of the holding members being adapted to be pivoted from a holding position into a release position and, in the holding position, the holding members on opposite sides of each compartment fix the respective surgical clip in the respective compartment and, in the release position, the holding members are removed from the respective surgical clip. A releasable, resilient latching connection is provided for fixing the holding members in the holding position relative to the housing member.
US08627954B2
A strip for the formation of handles or labels for fruit and vegetable product bags, such as mesh bags, the strip having a linear succession of handles, or labels where appropriate, joined without interruption to the immediately preceding and to the immediately following one, a central portion and two opposite ends being distinguished in each of them, which together with those of the immediately preceding and immediately following handles or labels determine respective joining areas, each handle or label provided in the transition area between each end and its corresponding central portion with at least one recess or depression at its edges, the inner contour of which is made up of a curved or mixed curve line devoid of angles and without inflexion points.
US08627948B2
A drive and tensioning unit for a scraper chain conveyor, in particular a face conveyor for drum cutter-loader mining apparatus, includes a telescopically configured machine frame having a machine frame base and a machine frame head, which is displaceable relative to the machine frame base by at least one hydraulic cylinder and has bearing recesses for supporting a chain drum shaft. Each hydraulic cylinder is supported at one end in a connecting joint on a side board of the machine frame head and at the other end in a connecting joint on a side wall of the machine frame base. The connecting joints include a recess in the side boards and the side walls and bearing brackets detachably anchorable in the recesses. Each of the recesses provided in the side boards and in the side walls are structurally identical.
US08627947B2
An agricultural conveyor assembly of the type including a main conveyor, a feed auger assembly, and a main auger boot pivotally supporting the outlet end of the feed auger assembly on the inlet end of the main conveyor for swinging movement further includes a feed auger lift assembly. The feed auger lift assembly includes a bearing surface supported about an inlet opening of the main auger boot and one or more extendable lift members extending between a first end pivotally coupled to the feed auger assembly and a second end supported on the bearing surface for rotational movement about a feed auger swing axis together with the feed auger assembly.
US08627939B1
A device has a deposit, a sell, and an audit mode of operation to monitor and reconcile bills. The device includes a memory storing records, an input receptacle to receive bills, an image scanner to image bills, a transportation mechanism to transport bills, and one or more processors. In the deposit mode, the one or more processors extract serial numbers and generate records. Each record includes a physical bill location field to indicate the location that the bill is expected to be physically located. In the sell mode, the one or more processors update the physical bill location fields to indicate that the expected physical bill location is a second location. In the audit mode, the one or more processors determine if each record corresponds with an audit record and generate an indication that the teller drawer is balanced responsive to a determination that each audit record corresponds with a respective record and a determination that each record corresponds with an audit record.
US08627936B2
A speed monitoring system (6) for a fluid-coupling device (10) includes a hub (44) and a ring magnet (220). The hub (44) rotates at a first speed that is proportional to an input clutch speed of a fluidically engageable input member. The ring magnet (220) rotates at a second speed that is proportional to an output clutch speed of a fluidically engageable output member. A magnetic sensor (232) generates a differential speed signal of the ring magnet (220) relative to the first speed. A controller (54) generates an actual speed signal indicative of the second speed in response to said differential speed signal.
US08627934B2
A fluid transmission device includes a pre-damper (10) that transmits driving force received from a crankshaft (100) to a front cover (20) via first damper springs (14), a mechanism (30) that transmits the driving force transmitted to a pump (31) to a turbine (32) via hydraulic fluid, a piston member (40) that is disposed between the front cover (20) and the mechanism (30) and delivers the driving force to an output shaft (200), a dynamic damper (60) that connects the piston member (40) and the turbine (32) via second damper springs (63), a lock-up clutch (50) that enables the front cover (20) and the piston member (40) to engage with each other, a turbine clutch (70) that enables the turbine (32) and the piston member (40) to engage with each other, and a control device (80) that controls the lock-up clutch (50) and the turbine clutch (70).
US08627932B2
A vehicle suspension damper comprises a cylinder and a piston assembly including a damping piston along with working fluid within the cylinder. A bypass permits fluid to avoid dampening resistance of the damping piston. A fluid path through the bypass is controlled by a valve that is shifted by a piston surface when the contents of at least one predetermined volume is injected against the piston surface which acts upon the valve. In one embodiment, the bypass is remotely operable.
US08627931B2
A torsional vibration damper comprises a housing with a fluid-tight ring-shaped chamber and a vibration ring, which is rotatably supported in the ring-shaped chamber of the housing. Between the vibration ring and the housing, a gap-shaped oil receiving space is formed, which is filled with a viscous damping fluid The oil receiving space has an oil outflow and an oil inflow. The oil drain communicates with a section of the oil receiving space located radially further outside than the oil inflow. The replacement of the damping fluid present in the oil receiving space is thus controlled. This makes it possible to refresh the damping fluid over an operation interval, so that the defined damping properties are maintained during the entire operation period. This helps to increase the life of a torsional rotary damper that is autonomous with reference to the oil supply, or to lengthen maintenance intervals.
US08627929B2
A disc brake includes a brake caliper which engages over a brake disc and which has a caliper head and a caliper back connected thereto by tension struts. Brake pads are received in the brake caliper, are radially secured by a retaining bracket that extends in the axial direction of the brake disc, and can be forced against both sides of the brake disc. The disc brake further includes a measuring device which is connected to an evaluation unit for determining the brake application force and which is designed such that the measuring device has two base elements that can be displaced relative each other in the direction of brake application, one of the elements being a sensor and the other being a corresponding element actively connected thereto. One base element is arranged on the retaining bracket which is clamped on one side of the caliper head or on the caliper back and the other base element is arranged on the brake caliper on the side opposite the side on which the retaining bracket is clamped.
US08627928B2
The present invention provides a fluid displacing transmission filler having a blow molded, foam filled body. The body or shell of the filler is blow molded in a mold which shapes it to conform to internal surfaces and other features, such as gears and shafts, of a transmission. Then, the blow molded filler body is filled with closed cell foam. The resulting transmission filler is lightweight, achieves a maximum volume for an available space within a transmission and is essentially impervious to failure and filling with fluid because the closed cell foam does not significantly absorb transmission fluid.
US08627927B2
A device (10), such as a ladder, scaffold, piece of furniture or a support for any other appliance has at least two legs (12;14), each of which has a slidable leg part (30;32) slidably positioned with respect to another part (18;20) of the device to form a leg having an adjustable length. A locking structure (34;36) is arranged to prevent movement of each of the slidable leg parts (30;32) with respect to said other part (18;20) of the device in a locked state of the locking structure (34;36), and to allow movement of each of the slidable leg parts (30;32) with respect to said other part (18;20) of the device in an unlocked state of the locking structure (34;36). A flexible member (38) interconnects the slidable leg parts (30;32) and is arranged such that it pulls the locking structure (34;36) into the unlocked position when strained under the action of gravity acting on at least one of the slidable leg parts (30;32).
US08627920B2
A low frequency exponential folded horn enclosure employing a bifurcated horn terminal pathway and a single driver with a bifurcated throat channel, with driver access from the top or bottom of the enclosure. The horizontal “butterfly” throat is located at the rear of the enclosure and expands vertically, and the vertically arranged bifurcated horn terminus exhausts in a mostly forward direction on opposite sides of the back chamber which is reflex-ported; said ports arranged to each exhaust into the channel folds at each respective corner of the terminal horn channel.
US08627917B2
A steering system, in a state where a first steering means is not operated, a third signal pressure output means outputs a third signal pressure in response to a second signal pressure fed to the third signal pressure output means, and feeding and discharging control means operates based in the third signal pressure, while in a state where the first steering means is operated, the third signal pressure output means stops outputting of the third signal pressure regardless of whether or not the second signal pressure is fed to the third signal pressure output means, and the feeding and discharging control means operates based on the first signal pressure.
US08627916B2
A saddle riding vehicle having an accelerator operator includes an accelerator operation amount detecting unit connected to a second end portion of an accelerator cable having a first end portion connected to the accelerator operator, the accelerator operation amount detecting unit is disposed at a location less susceptible to the effect from an external force and steering of the steering handlebar with a space to permit removal of screws and other parts that may be dropped during the assembly process. An accelerator operation amount detecting unit includes a rotatable member connected to an accelerator cable so as to be rotated according to displacement of the accelerator cable and a cover plate extending in a longitudinal direction to cover the rotatable member from an upward direction. The accelerator operation amount detecting unit is disposed near a head pipe.
US08627910B1
A collapsible electric transportation system having a front half base and a back half base pivotally connected together via a hinge bracket, the half bases can fold about the hinge bracket in an extended position wherein the half bases create a platform structure and a storage position wherein top surfaces of the half bases are folded to face each other, motors, a seat panel pivotally attached atop the back half base panel, rear wheels and front wheels, a steering assembly adapted to control directions of the front wheels, a steering mechanism pivotally attached to the front half base which can pivot between at least an extended position at an angle with respect to the front half base and a storage position generally flush with the front half base, and a battery bank operatively connected to a motors.
US08627904B2
A diamond construction may include a diamond body comprising a plurality of bonded-together diamond crystals forming a matrix phase, and a plurality of interstitial regions disposed between the bonded-together diamond crystals, the diamond body comprising: a first diamond region extending a depth from a surface of the diamond body being substantially free of a catalyst material used to form the diamond body, wherein the first diamond region comprises the matrix phase and in at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial spaces, the first diamond region comprises a metal carbide and an inert metal, wherein the metal carbide is formed as a result of reaction between the diamond crystals in the matrix phase and a carbide-forming metal; and a second diamond region adjacent the first diamond region comprising the matrix phase and a Group VIII metal in the interstitial regions.
US08627903B2
A method of boring through a formation includes providing a drilling machine and drill string and operatively coupling an earth bit to the drilling machine through the drill string. An air flow is provided through the drill string at an air pressure less than about one-hundred pounds per square inch (100 psi) and an overstrike force is applied to the earth bit, wherein the overstrike force is less than about five foot-pounds per square inch (5 ft-lb/in2).
US08627895B2
A running tool for delivering a hanger into a wellcomprises a main body. In addition, the running tool comprise an attachment means for connecting a hanger to the main body. Further, the running tool comprises a sleeve having an external profile and being rotatably mounted around the main body. The sleeve has engagement means for releasably connecting the sleeve to a landing ring mounted via a thread on the hanger such that rotational movement of the sleeve causes rotational and thus axial movement of the landing shoulder on the hanger.
US08627892B2
A plunger for removing fluid from a gas producing well has a fluid path through the plunger body, a narrow passageway within the fluid path, and a central orifice at an end of the passageway. The plunger may have a lip within the fluid path spaced above the central orifice. The lip can interact with gas and fluid exiting the central orifice when the plunger is rising within the gas producing well. The lip may be provided by an internal fishing neck. The plunger may have a bypass valve to allow the plunger to fall while the well is flowing, and may have a central constriction to regulate the rate of falling.
US08627891B2
The invention relates to a manifold structure that includes a frame construction (1), a number of pipes (2), a pipe bend and possible valves, deployed in a pipe system having a number of pipe terminations projecting from the frame construction. The frame construction (1) is designed with a number of support brackets (5) for respective coupling parts associated with said pipe terminations. Each support bracket (5) is made as a separate, standardized unit that includes several securing means for releasable assembly to the frame construction, where each securing means is arranged for defined adjustability in height and lateral direction for adaption to a preinstalled pipe termination.
US08627890B2
A method for drilling a wellbore includes drilling the wellbore by advancing the tubular string longitudinally into the wellbore; stopping drilling by holding the tubular string longitudinally stationary; adding a tubular joint or stand of joints to the tubular string while injecting drilling fluid into a side port of the tubular string, rotating the tubular string, and holding the tubular string longitudinally stationary; and resuming drilling of the wellbore after adding the joint or stand.
US08627889B2
A method of fracturing a subterranean formation while drilling a well includes the steps of preparing a fluid useful for drilling a wellbore into the formation; drilling the wellbore into the formation with the fluid; acidizing the fluid such that the acid soluble additive is degraded; and fracturing the formation with the fluid in the wellbore to create a channel in the formation.
US08627883B2
A linear actuation apparatus for controlling fluid flow comprises a tubular manifold for conducting fluid through a portion, and a shaft supported for reciprocal axial movement within the manifold. A valve seat is supported within the manifold in substantial alignment with the shaft, and a valve closure element is carried by the shaft for reciprocal axial movement between a closed and an opened position. A magnetic element is also carried by the shaft for reciprocal axial movement therewith. A pair of springs are carried on opposing sides of the magnetic element wherein one spring is compressed and applies an axial force to the shaft when the shaft is moved from a neutral position. A compound magnet, carried by the manifold, applies an axial force to the magnetic element that together with the axial force of the spring(s) and fluid pressure control movement of the shaft and the valve closure.
US08627872B2
A door strut construction includes a strut having a top cross wall connecting lateral side walls that are part of a truncated isosceles triangle and wherein the lateral cross wall joins first and second spaced pylons attached to the top edge of the side walls and further wherein the bottom edge of the side walls include projecting plate members having upstanding, outside lips for reinforcement. The strut further includes lateral ribs positioned in the upper half region of the side walls to improve torsion resistance.
US08627868B2
Apparatus (30) for making pre-shaped insulating sheets (10) for use in a stator or in a rotor comprising shaping elements (40-44) such to produce, starting from a continuous strip (15) made of electrically insulating material having a flat or substantially flat cross section, a strip portion having a cross section comprising a central septum (20) and two lateral portions (21-23, 21′-23′) joined to a respective end portion of the central septum (20), each of the lateral portions comprising a first section (21,21′) joined to the central septum (20), a second section (22,22′) joined and perpendicular, or essentially perpendicular, to the first section (21,21′), a third section (23, 23′) joined to the second section (22,22′) and inclined with respect to the latter towards the central septum (20). The apparatus (30) further comprises a pair of opposite rollers (46,47) having a transverse shaping profile comprising a projecting appendage (56, 57) suitable to be interfaced having a respective portion of the strip (15) facing the central septum (20) and operatively interposable between the central septum (20) and the third inclined section (23,23′).
US08627864B2
A pneumatic tire comprising: a pair of center circumferential direction grooves, first lug grooves that connect to the center circumferential direction grooves and the directions of inclination of which is alternately in opposite directions in the tire circumferential direction, second lug grooves that extend from the center circumferential direction grooves to the edges of the tread and the directions of inclination are in opposite directions on one side and the other side across the equator in the tire width direction, a pair of shoulder circumferential direction grooves that delineate second blocks with the center circumferential direction grooves and the second lug grooves, and sub-grooves that traverse the second blocks in the tire circumferential direction to connect the second lug grooves, and extend in a direction that is orthogonal to the direction of inclination of the second lug grooves.
US08627855B2
An enhanced weaving method and a loom for implementing this method. The loom includes a weaving area (18) into which weft threads are inserted into at least one upper channel and one lower channel, each of these weft threads being inserted between at least two warp threads by at least one weft insertion element: first element for focusing on one of these channels and determining the position of the warp threads relative to the weft thread, and second element for inserting at least one binding thread (16) above, between and below these channels. The loom includes at least one element for gripping the at least one binding thread and element for moving the at least one gripping element out of and into the weaving area (18) so as to place the at least one gripping element in contact with the at least one binding thread and to allow the drawing of the at least one binding thread.
US08627854B2
Pressure cast lined steel pipes comprise an annular concrete or mortar liner along an inside diameter, and a metal shell surrounding the liner, wherein the liner is in direct contact with the metal shell. The wall thickness of the liner can be from 10 to 50 times the thickness of the metal shell. The pipe may be coated with a dielectric material. A mold assembly used to form the pipe includes an annular concrete or mortar composition chamber formed between the metal shell and an inner mold member. Pressurized water is used in the mold assembly to pressurize the concrete or mortar composition and exert a desired pressure force onto the metal shell while the composition cures in the mold. Once a desired degree of cure is achieved, the pressure is removed causing the metal shell to exert a desired compression force onto the cured liner.
US08627851B2
A multi-position valve assembly including a valve housing, a stator element and a rotor element rotatably mounted about a rotational axis. The valve assembly further includes a pressure adjustment assembly movable between a release position and a stop position, hard stopped relative to the valve housing. The pressure adjustment assembly includes a pressure adjuster device configured to movably cooperate between the rotor element and the valve housing to adjustably generate an axial compression pressure at the rotor-stator interface at a calibrated operating pressure, PC. When the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the release position, the axial compression pressure is substantially removed from the rotor-stator interface. In contrast, when the pressure adjustment assembly is oriented in the stop position, the axial compression pressure is substantially reproduced at the calibrated operating pressure, PC.
US08627844B2
An escutcheon mounting assembly including an escutcheon coupled to a base and including an opening for receiving a valve user interface. A magnetically attractive element is supported by one of the base and the escutcheon, and at least one magnet is affixed to the other of the base and the escutcheon and is configured to magnetically couple the escutcheon to the base.
US08627841B2
A tank system includes a high-pressure tank, a detection unit for detecting a temperature increase in at least a portion of the high-pressure tank, a decompression unit for decompressing the high-pressure tank, and a control unit for controlling the decompression unit to decompress the high-pressure tank when a temperature increase in at least a part of the high-pressure tank is detected by the detection unit.
US08627840B2
This invention is related to the preparation of polyethylene pipe resins suitable for transporting hot and cold water containing chloramine.
US08627839B1
A mobility system for the visually impaired has a removable data processing module attached to a generally elongated collapsible pole. The pole has a proximity sensor located close to a pole first end and a second proximity sensor located a pole second end. The pole has a fingerprint scanner located close to the pole first end. The system has a data processing module that has a microprocessor, a power switch, a power supply, a charging port, a data port, a microphone, and a speaker located within the module housing. The microprocessor has a global positioning system component. The data processing module can be attached to the collapsible pole or carried by the user via a strap or a clip. The fingerprint scanner can turn on or off the system based on the fingerprint of the user.
US08627838B2
A rotary impingement cleaning apparatus is configured for use in sanitary environments with a minimum of components to enable easy inspection and cleaning. The components of the cleaning apparatus are formed to fit relatively loosely to one another and promote self flushing and self drainage of cleaning liquid. A stator is mounted within a housing for diverting the flow of the pressurized cleaning liquid from axial to angular to impinge and rotationally drive a rotator stem or a rotor. The rotator stem or rotor causes an elbow to rotate around the vertical axis and a number of nozzles mounted to a nozzle housing to rotate around the horizontal axis.
US08627833B2
The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus (1) for cleaning welding torches (5), comprising at least two coils (4, 11) and an opening (3) in order to introduce the welding torch (5) for the electromagnetic cleaning thereof, a supply device (7) connected to the coils (4, 11), and optionally an apparatus for applying a cleaning fluid to the tip of the welding torch (5), wherein preferably all components are disposed in a common housing (2) and regulated by a controller (8), and to a corresponding method for cleaning welding torches (5). In order to increase the cleaning quality and the cleaning range, according to the invention the coils (4, 11) can be supplied independently of each other with electrical energy by the supply device (7) for the purpose of cleaning the welding torch (5), and a cooling apparatus (14) is provided for cooling the coils (4, 11).
US08627829B2
A hair brush includes a body having a head and a water absorbent material carried by part of the body. The hair brush can have a plurality of bristles. The body has one or more vents. The water absorbent material can be a foam material, a microfiber fabric, or other suitable material.
US08627827B2
Some embodiments of a tobacco article may include tobacco disposed in a porous matrix. The tobacco article may provide tobacco, tobacco constituents, or both tobacco and tobacco constituents to the consumer's mouth in the form of particles, liquid, or vapor so as to provide tobacco satisfaction to the consumer. In some circumstances, the tobacco may be integrally molded with a plastic material so that at least a portion of the tobacco is disposed in pores of the matrix.
US08627814B2
The present invention provides a solar water heating apparatus which includes concentric inner and outer vessels defining an annular cavity therebetween, within which cavity a phase change material is located, and which is vaporised when solar radiation is incident on the outer vessel, in order to transfer heat to a water store contained in the inner vessel, this water store being fed fresh unheated water while the heated water is extracted therefrom for domestic or other purposes.
US08627813B1
A carrying handle for a compound archery bow includes an anchor portion, an intermediate portion, and a hand engaging portion. These portions are integral with each other and form a one piece handle. The handle lower end is on the anchor portion. The handle free end is on the hand engaging portion. The anchor portion includes a riser engaging surface and a bore with a stabilizer bore axis. A bolt passes through the bore and in to a threaded stabilizer bore in the riser. The intermediate portion sets the distance between a bow hand grip and the hand engaging portion. The hand engaging portion is directly forward of the hand grip on the riser. The hand engaging portion includes a hand engaging surface. A threaded bore with a forwardly facing open end is provided in the engaging portion. A stabilizer is received in the threaded bore.
US08627809B2
An engine lubrication method is provided. The four-cycle engine has an engine block having a cylindrical bore and an enclosed oil reservoir. A crankshaft is mounted in the engine block. An oil pump driven by the cam gear, brings the oil from the oil reservoir and the valve chamber. The engine is provided with a cylinder head assembly having a pair of overhead intake and exhaust valves. A circular arc wall surrounds the web of the crankshaft at a slight distance from the web. The crankshaft web causes the oil to fly to lubricate engine parts and the oil, returns into the oil reservoir by a check valve. Flowing of oil in to the combustion chamber when the engine is oriented to incline is prevented by oil recesses and long pipes. Another lubrication and breathing system without pump is presented, wherein construction except pump is basically followed.
US08627805B2
A system includes an internal combustion engine receiving intake air from an intake manifold and providing exhaust gases to an exhaust manifold. The system further includes an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) conduit fluidly coupling the exhaust manifold to the intake manifold. The system includes a conical spring check valve disposed in the EGR conduit, the conical spring check valve having a helically wound spring including a number of turns of decreasing diameter, where each turn progresses axially in a normal flow direction of the EGR from a previous one of the turns. Each of the turns further overlaps a previous one of the turns.
US08627800B2
Methods and systems are provided for identifying and differentiating knock and pre-ignition using a plurality of knock sensors distributed along an engine block. By dynamically adjusting cylinder-specific assignment of the knock sensors for knock detection and pre-ignition detection based on operating conditions of each cylinder, knock and pre-ignition is more reliably identified and distinguished.
US08627794B2
A fluid brake device has a case defining a fluid chamber. Magneto-rheological fluid is contained in the fluid chamber. A brake member is rotatably supported on the case and receives a braking torque according to the viscosity of the magneto-rheological fluid. The device has a movable member driven by a thermo-sensitive wax so that a volume of the fluid chamber is increased as the temperature in the fluid chamber is increased. The movable member is driven to maintain a pressure in the fluid chamber within an allowable range when the temperature in the fluid chamber is changed.
US08627792B2
An adjusting device including an electric motor that has a motor housing, the shaft of the motor running perpendicularly upwards from the electric motor and supporting a gearwheel of an actuating transmission. Oil is conducted from an oil outlet of an oil circuit to the actuating transmission. The upper face of the motor housing has one or more oil inlet openings and the lower face has one or more oil outlet openings, the region of the oil inlet openings being covered by a filter element.
US08627787B2
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, relates a method of manufacturing an animal chew by molding two body portions of a first material each having at least one concave surface and one or more through holes, attaching the two portions together such that the concave surfaces face one another to form a hollow body portion, injecting a second material into the hollow body portion to fill at least a portion of the hollow body and form areas of exposed regions of the second material by filling the one or more through holes. In a second exemplary embodiment, the two portions may have the concave surfaces over-molded with a second material which fills the one or more through holes. In a third exemplary embodiment, a separate shape of a second material may be molded in a configuration having dimensions complementary to the two half portion and holes when the portions are combined.
US08627784B2
In certain embodiments, a system includes a milking parlor entrance lane with an entrance positioned adjacent to a cattle holding pen and an exit positioned adjacent to one or more stalls of a rotary milking platform. The system also includes an exit lane positioned on a side of the entrance lane opposite a forward direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform, the milking parlor exit lane positioned adjacent to one or more stalls of a rotary milking platform such that dairy cows may enter the exit lane from the one or more stalls of the rotary milking platform after being milked. The system also includes a pressure sensor positioned adjacent to the exit lane, the pressure sensor operable to generate a trigger in response to detecting a triggering pressure on the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is additionally operable to communicate the generated trigger to initiate the stopping of the rotary milking platform.
US08627776B2
Retainers for holding a refractory ceramic fiber insulation layer in a furnace, kiln, or forge are in the form of ceramic tile members is formed with an array of small hook structures on an inward-facing surface, which serves as the hook component of a hook-and-loop fastening system. The ceramic fibers of the insulating layer serve as the “loop” component. The tile members may be formed in a RAM press, or the hook structure can be formed using a slurry spread with refractory grains or particles.
US08627768B2
A device for marking a ball includes a stencil ring and a housing. The housing includes a base and a top. The base includes a base quick connecting element. The top includes a top quick connecting element. The base and said top quick connecting elements are for connecting and disconnecting the base to the top. The housing encloses the stencil ring when the base and the top quick connecting elements are connected. The stencil ring includes stencil symbols. The base and the top are sized to hold the ball for marking with the stencil symbols when the base and top quick connecting elements are connected.
US08627763B2
A system for automatically filling and maintaining fryer pots with oil in a deep fryer having a deep fryer and a plurality of fryer pots disposed within the deep fryer. Each of the plurality of fryer pots contains a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor. The second temperature sensor is enabled to commence a filling cycle of a fryer pot in response to said first temperature sensor when said first temperature sensor senses a first predetermined temperature.
US08627761B2
A machine (1) operating with capsules for the preparation of coffee and other hot beverages is designed to be equipped selectively with a first motorized actuator module (44), which comprises a support (43) and a first electro-mechanical locking assembly (22) mounted on the support (43) so as to form a preassembled interchangeable module, and with a second manually operated actuator module (70), which comprises a second mechanical locking assembly (72) able to be releasably connected to a lever (5) which can be operated by a user so as to be manually actuated by means of the lever (5).
US08627759B2
A whirlpool with an inner chamber for hot break separation by means of the whirlpool effect. In order to remove undesired volatile substances from the wort in a simple manner, the whirlpool comprises an integrated stripper, which has an outer chamber arranged around the inner chamber, for evaporating undesired volatile substances from the wort that has been transferred from the inner chamber.
US08627746B2
A transmission installed between a drive machine and a unit to be driven, the transmission being fitted with a drive shaft and a driven shaft, wherein the drive shaft is in driving connection with the driven shaft for speed/torque conversion, and wherein the driven shaft is supported in the transmission using at least one primary axial bearing. The transmission including a starting unit absorbing axial loads of the driven shaft, wherein the starting unit comprises a secondary axial bearing, and wherein the starting unit is formed in such a way that when the unit is actuated, the axial loads of the driven shaft are substantially completely absorbed by the secondary axial bearing.
US08627745B2
A worm wheel housing portion 19 of a gear case 16 has a bottomed cylindrical shape having a bottom wall portion 19a and a cylindrical wall portion 19b, and a bottom cover 35 is assembled at an opening portion of the worm wheel housing portion 19 so as to seal the opening portion. Among a plurality of latching structures for assembling them, as a latching structure other than those on a worm housing portion 17 side, a groove 44 is formed to a latching claw 38b extending along the cylindrical wall portion 19b from an outer circumferential portion of the bottom cover 35, and a projecting piece 47 engaged with the groove 44 is provided on an outer wall surface of the cylindrical wall portion 19. Wall portions 53 and 54 covering side surfaces a and tip face of the latching claw 38b are provided on the outer wall surface of the cylindrical wall portion 19b, so that breakage of the latching claw 38b or release of the engagement of the latching claw 38 to be caused, for example, when an object hits the latching claw 38b can be prevented.
US08627733B2
A device (1,2) for characterizing a size distribution of electrically-charged particles in an air flow (50), comprising: a particle charging unit (60), a parallel arrangement of a first measurement section (10) and a second measurement section (20), located downstream from the particle charging unit (60), and a data evaluation unit (40), wherein the first measurement section (10) comprises: a first particle sensing unit (11) arranged to precipitate substantially all entering electrically-charged particles, and to generate a first output signal (41), the second measurement section (20) comprises: a second particle sensing unit (21) arranged to precipitate at least part of all entering electrically-charged particles, and to generate a second output signal (42), and a first particle precipitation unit (22) arranged to partially reduce the concentration of electrically-charged particles having a size larger than a first particle size limit, the data evaluation unit (40) for calculating a particle number concentration and an average diameter based on first and second output signals.
US08627727B2
A capacitive strain sensor for sensing strain of a structure. The sensor includes a first section attached to the structure at a first location and a second section attached to the structure at a second location. The first section includes a capacitor plate electrically isolated from the structure and the second section includes two electrically isolated capacitive plates, both of the plates being electrically isolated from the structure. A flexible connector connects the first section to the second section. The capacitor plate of the first section is separated from the two capacitive plates of the second section by at least one capacitive gap. When strain is experienced by the structure, a change occurs in the capacitive gap due to relative motion between the first and second sections.
US08627725B2
A capacitance type vibration sensor has a substrate including a hollow portion, a vibration electrode plate, which is arranged facing the hollow portion at an upper surface side of the substrate and which vibrates by sound pressure, and a fixed electrode plate which is arranged facing the vibration electrode plate and which is opened with a plurality of acoustic perforations passing therethrough in a thickness direction. The capacitance type vibration sensor has an air path, which communicates a space between the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate to the hollow portion, between an upper surface of the substrate and a lower surface of the vibration electrode plate in at least one part of a periphery of the hollow portion. The capacitance type vibration sensor also has an air escape portion, which is a perforation or a groove formed in the substrate.
US08627724B2
A non-intrusive sensor for in-situ measurement of recession rate of heat shield ablatives. An ultrasonic wave source is carried in the housing. A microphone is also carried in the housing, for collecting the reflected ultrasonic waves from an interface surface of the ablative material. A time phasing control circuit is also included for time-phasing the ultrasonic wave source so that the waves reflected from the interface surface of the ablative material focus on the microphone, to maximize the acoustic pressure detected by the microphone and to mitigate acoustic velocity variation effects through the material through a de-coupling process that involves a software algorithm. A software circuit for computing the location off of which the ultrasonic waves scattered to focus back at the microphone is also included, so that the recession rate of the heat shield ablative may be monitored in real-time through the scan-focus approach.
US08627707B2
An improved test setup facility, referred to as a “Quick Development Cell” (QDC), which allows for rapid turnaround testing with valuable feedback to a design engineer. Because the QDC allows for quick and efficient testing at a sufficient frequency, QDC tests are compatible with production quality control. In addition to fostering improvement of the API's Section 2 type tests using stressed natural rock for benchmark experiments, the QDC tests allow for progress to be made towards the development of a flow-optimized shape charge and superior well performance.
US08627689B2
A clothes washer is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current state of an associated utility. The controller operates the clothes washer in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by adjusting one or more of an operation schedule, an operation delay, an operation adjustment, and a selective deactivation of at least one of the one or more power consuming functions to reduce power consumption of the clothes washer in the energy savings mode.
US08627687B2
An apparatus and method for determining the degree of engagement between a clothes mover and fabric items during a wash process, and a method for setting the liquid level in the automatic washer based on the degree of engagement between a clothes mover and the fabric items.
US08627684B2
A pull roll apparatus and method are described herein that can control a cross-draw tension and a down-draw tension of a glass sheet while manufacturing the glass sheet. In one embodiment, the pull roll apparatus includes a first driven stub roll pair, a second driven stub roll pair and a control device (e.g., PLC) that controls the first and second driven stub roll pairs while a first edge portion of the glass sheet is drawn between two vertically downtilted rolls associated with the first driven stub roll pair and while an opposing second edge portion of the glass sheet is drawn between two vertically downtilted rolls associated with the second driven stub roll pair. If desired, the pull roll apparatus may include a pulling roll assembly (located below the first and second driven stub rolls) or another set of driven stub roll pairs (located below the first and second driven stub roll pairs).
US08627683B2
Methods for controlling thickness variations across the width of a glass ribbon (104) are provided. The methods employ a set of thermal elements (106) for locally controlling the temperature of the ribbon (104). The operating values for the thermal elements (106) are selected using an iterative procedure in which thickness variations measured during a given iteration are employed in a mathematical procedure which selects the operating values for the next iteration. In practice, the method can bring thickness variations of glass sheets within commercial specifications in just a few iterations, e.g., 2-4 iterations.
US08627682B2
A jewelry system includes a first screw end, a first base, a second base, a screw wire and second screw end. The first and second screw ends are connected to respective ends of the screw wire. The first and second bases include receiving holes for receiving the screw wire. One or more sides extending from the first base include a cutout, and one or more sides extending from the second base corresponding to the side or sides of the first base including the cutouts include corresponding a cutout. The sides of the first base and the sides of the second base are configured to be connected together between the one or more cutouts, and corresponding cutouts of the first base and the second base form receiving areas when combined together. Each receiving area is configured to hold a gem stone or other decorative item when the first base and the second base are connected together.
US08627681B2
A process for recovery of natural gas liquids is disclosed, the process including: fractionating a gas stream comprising nitrogen, methane, ethane, and propane and other C3+ hydrocarbons into at least two fractions including a light fraction comprising nitrogen, methane, ethane, and propane, and a heavy fraction comprising propane and other C3+ hydrocarbons; separating the light fraction into at least two fractions including a nitrogen-enriched fraction and a nitrogen-depleted fraction in a first separator; separating the nitrogen-depleted fraction into a propane-enriched fraction and a propane-depleted fraction in a second separator; feeding at least a portion of the propane-enriched fraction to the fractionating as a reflux; recycling at least a portion of the propane-depleted fraction to the first separator. In some embodiments, the nitrogen-enriched fraction may be separated in a nitrogen removal unit to produce a nitrogen-depleted natural gas stream and a nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream.
US08627680B2
A centrifugal compressor assembly for compressing refrigerant in a 250-ton capacity or larger chiller system comprising a motor, preferably a compact, high energy density motor or permanent magnet motor, for driving a shaft at a range of sustained operating speeds under the control of a variable speed drive. Another embodiment of the centrifugal compressor assembly comprises a mixed flow impeller and a vaneless diffuser sized such that a final stage compressor operates with an optimal specific speed range for targeted combinations of head and capacity, while a non-final stage compressor operates above the optimum specific speed of the final stage compressor. Another embodiment of the centrifugal compressor assembly comprises an integrated inlet flow conditioning assembly to condition flow of refrigerant into an impeller to achieve a target approximately constant angle swirl distribution with minimal guide vane turning.
US08627676B2
The present invention relates to a flow rate control system in refrigeration circuits, to a method for controlling a refrigeration system and to a refrigeration system properly speaking, which may include, for example, from a domestic refrigerator to an air conditioning system. In particular, the present invention is directed to a solution for the loss of efficiency in the expansion valve (17), when the system load varies, making the expansion valve (17) operate below its nominal capacity and, therefore, at low efficiency. One of the ways to achieve the objectives of the present invention is through a flow rate control system in refrigeration circuits comprising a hermetic compressor fluidly connected to a closed circuit (20). The closed circuit (20) comprising a condenser (11), an evaporator (12) and a fluid expansion device (17), the closed circuit (20) being filled with a fluid, the fluid expansion device (17) having a nominal expansion capacity and being positioned between the evaporator (12) and the condenser (11), the hermetic compressor (10) promoting a fluid flow inside the closed circuit (20), the closed circuit (20) having a circuit nominal flow rate capacity. In addition, the system comprises a flow control valve (15) which is positioned between an outlet of the condenser (11) and an inlet of the fluid expansion device (17), the flow control valve (15) being modulated so that the fluid passing through the fluid expansion device (17) is always at nominal expansion capacity. A method for controlling a refrigeration system is also disclosed.
US08627674B2
The invention discloses a modular air conditioning, heating, and heat recovery system. Particularly, the invention discloses a modular system having the condenser and/or evaporator heat exchangers mounted outboard of the modules and being easily removable and separatable by virtue of their positioning and valving.
US08627667B2
A fluid tank structure is disclosed that is integrated within a bypass duct of a turbofan gas turbine engine. The fluid tank structure includes a hollow interior that is closed off when the fluid tank structure is coupled with an inner wall of the bypass duct. The inner wall forms one wall of a fluid tank volume enclosed by the fluid tank structure.
US08627661B2
The present concepts relate to turbocharger exhaust arrangements. One example involves a system that includes an internal combustion engine configured with a turbocharger. The system also includes an exhaust arrangement comprising a post-turbocharger (PT) exhaust pipe connected to the turbocharger and positioned proximate to the internal combustion engine, the PT exhaust pipe extending away from the turbocharger along the internal combustion engine. The PT exhaust pipe includes a first portion extending above at least one part of a set of header exhaust pipes connecting the internal combustion engine with the turbocharger. The PT exhaust pipe also includes one or more additional connected and contiguous portions extending below at least one other part of the set of header exhaust pipes.
US08627656B2
An oil supply device for a vehicle includes an oil pump driven by a rotation of an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic actuator to which oil is supplied from the oil pump, an engine lubricating system to which the oil is supplied from the oil pump, an oil supply adjusting valve adjusting a supply condition of the oil from the oil pump to the hydraulic actuator and the engine lubricating system, a first oil supply passage supplying the oil from the oil pump to the hydraulic actuator, and a second oil supply passage supplying the oil from the oil pump to the engine lubricating system, wherein the oil supply adjusting valve consistently distributes the oil to the first oil supply passage and the second oil supply passage.
US08627637B2
Devices and methods for forming air pillows are described. In accordance with embodiments of the invention, an apparatus for manufacturing air-filled pillows from a tube material includes a plurality of support rollers, a drive means, an injector means, and a sealing means. The plurality of support rollers support a roll of a tube material along an outer circumferential extent of the roll, in which the tube material includes two opposing sheets joined along at least one longitudinal edge thereof. The drive means draws the tube material from the roll along the support rollers, the injector means injects air into an interior space between the two opposing sheets of the tube material drawn from the roll, and the sealing means seals the two opposing sheets together with the injected air entrapped in the interior space therebetween.
US08627633B2
The present invention provides a portable modular roof truss system for creating a symmetric roof. In one embodiment, the portable modular roof truss system comprises a collar, a crossbar, two arms, two connecting members, and a locking mechanism. The arms are elongated hollow cylinders coupled to opposing sides of the hollow cylindrical collar at a predetermined slope. The crossbar is also an elongated cylinder residing parallel to the ground and is coupled to both arms. Each hollow cylindrical connecting member is coupled to the end of an arm, respectively. Finally, the locking mechanism is coupled to the bottom portion of the collar and prevents a roof pole residing therein from moving back and forth. Each connecting member further comprises two apertures residing on opposite sides of the member used to couple the truss system to a variety of truss components (e.g., spacers, clamps, hinges, etc.).
US08627631B2
Hard panels formed from a wood-based material and having a decorative layer for floor coverings are provided, at least on two opposite edges, with coupling devices made in one piece with the panels wherein similar panels may be coupled together to form a floor covering, wherein these coupling devices provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of coupled panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of coupled panels. These coupling devices are constituted of a tongue and a groove. The top side of the tongue has a protrusion that cooperates with a meshing recess located in the lower side of the upper lip of the groove of the coupling devices, and a portion extending generally parallel with the plane of the panel to form a contact surface cooperating with the lower side of the upper lip of the groove.
US08627618B2
Closure assemblies for movable partitions may include a leading end assembly having a first side and a second side and a latching assembly coupled thereto. The latching assembly may include a first latching member having a portion thereof positioned proximate to the first side and a second latching member having a portion thereof positioned proximate to the second side. Movable partition systems may include a plurality of hingedly coupled panels movably coupled to a track, and a leading end assembly coupled to at least one panel of the plurality of hingedly coupled panels. The leading end assembly may include at least two latching features positioned on the leading end assembly. Methods of securing a movable partition may include retaining a first latching member and a second latching member in a retracted position and extending the first latching member and the second latching member to an extended position.
US08627617B2
A mounting assembly (70c) for installing solar cell or photovoltaic modules (58) on a building surface (34) is disclosed. The mounting assembly (70c) includes a mounting device (74), a stud (114) that may be threaded to the mounting device (74), a clamping member (142) that may be positioned on the stud (114), and a nut (128) that may be threaded onto the stud (114) to secure the clamping member (142) to the mounting device (74). A mounting plate (110′) is disposed somewhere between the clamping member (142) and the mounting device (74). This mounting plate (110′) includes a raised structure or dome (174) on its upper surface (170) for positionally registering modules (58) thereto, a plurality of grounding projections (172) on this same upper surface (170), and a plurality of wiring tabs or clips (178) on its lower surface (176).
US08627615B2
A system is disclosed for retaining a concrete to form a foundation of a structure. The system includes side walls that receives and retain the concrete and a bracket assembly that retains the side walls. The side walls include a first side wall and a second side wall, at least one of the first and second side walls is comprised of a component having an interior cavity. The bracket assembly includes reinforcement posts and a separator bar. The separator bar has a plurality of apertures disposed along its length. The apertures include a first set and a second set. The first set and the second set of apertures are sized to retain the reinforcement posts at locations corresponding to nominal widths of the component and building materials that comprise the components to form a cross section of the foundation approximating one of a rectangle, a trapezoid or combinations thereof.
US08627613B2
An avian nesting diverter system for inhibiting a bird from building a nest on a structure includes a base and a spring member. The base is adapted to be mounted on the structure. The spring member has first and second ends. The first and second ends are secured to the base and the spring member extends over the base. The spring member presents a resilient, unstable platform for a bird attempting to perch on the spring member. The spring member also presents an impediment to a bird attempting to perch on the base.
US08627612B2
A net layer (32) defines the shell (40) of a building, carried by any necessary supports. A hardening layer (34) is applied to fix the shape of the net layer (32) and to establish wall, roof, and floor. Optionally the shell is of sufficient strength to receive application of further layers in order to define an exoskeleton. Structures of roof sections include parallel-sided segments and converging-sided segments, with troughed or domed section shapes. Structures of walls include opposed shell sides (35), (78) and central filler layers (70), together defining an exoskeleton. Posts (72) can add additional structural capacities for supporting walls, roof and floor and can be formed integrally of net (32) and hardener (34).
US08627606B2
A combined sealing system comprises a frame, a panel, a first sealing system, a second sealing system, and a third sealing system. The panel is within and movable, relative to the frame, between at least an open position and a completely closed position, and the panel includes a plurality of subpanels hinged relative to one another. The first sealing system is configured to engage a sill rail of the panel with a sill of the frame. The second sealing system is configured to engage a stile rail of the panel with a jamb of the frame. The third sealing system is configured to engage a meeting rail of the first panel with a header of the frame. In the closed position, the first and second sealing systems movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration.
US08627605B2
A door assembly including a vertically moving door to permit and prohibit access through an opening which has a top, a bottom defined by a floor, and at least two sides, the door assembly. The assembly having a door body having upper and lower portions, and being mounted proximate the opening such that the lower end portion being proximate the floor when the door is in the closed position. A protective body is configured in connection with the door so as to be moveable between a first position under at least a portion of the door body lower portion when the door is in at least a partially open position and a second storage position. The protective body having at least one debris collecting surface, and opposing ends, the protective body being configured such that debris collected on the debris collecting surface will be urged toward one of the opposed ends.
US08627603B2
A barrier employed to keep children and/or pets in or out of certain areas in the house. The barrier includes four panels. Two main panels slide parallel to each other to lengthen or shorten the barrier as a whole. Two side panels stabilize the main panels and extend to the front and rear faces of the main panels to provide a self-supporting in-house barrier. Each of the panels includes a wooden frame. The wood lends less weight, less sharp edges, and more pleasing aesthetics than, for example, a metal gate.
US08627594B1
A fishing lure with changeable appearance may comprise a lure body having an exterior surface, and a midline plane extending through the lure body and bisecting the lure body into two lateral sections. The lure may also comprise a cover assembly removably covering at least a portion of the lure body. The cover assembly may comprise at least two parts being configured to cover a portion of the exterior surface of the lure body when the cover assembly is in a mounted condition. The at least two parts may be separable from the lure body when the cover assembly is in a dismounted condition.
US08627588B2
An ESL and ESL holder combination includes a locking mechanism for releasably securing the ESL to the ESL holder, and an ESL provided with at least one gripping means for cooperative engagement with the ESL holder. The ESL holder is attachable to an edge of a shelf, the ESL holder being provided with one or more receiving means such as for example slots for receiving the gripping means and the locking element in cooperative engagement. A spring loaded element is arranged inside the ESL such that the spring loaded element, in a latched position, secures the ESL to the ESL holder when the gripping means is brought into a hooked position in the receiving means. When displaced from its latched position, allowing the gripping means to leave its hooked position, this enables removal of the ESL from the ESL holder.
US08627583B2
An energy-return shoe system includes a shoe portion. A shaft runs longitudinally along a lower sole and the shaft is rotatable along its axis. A mechanical interface between the shaft and the shoe portion keeps the shoe portion in horizontal synchronization with the shaft, thereby shoe portion maintains horizontal position with respect to the shaft and a forward set of points on each of the shoe portion and the shaft converge and diverge to and from each other at the same rate as a rearward set of points on each of the shoe portion and the shaft.
US08627580B2
A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a main body having an inner space formed therein, a fixed drum provided in the inner space of the main body, and a tumbling device coupled to the drum. The fixed drum may have a non-circular cross-section as it is rotated. The tumbling device may tumble laundry items received in the fixed drum as it slides along an inner circumferential surface of the fixed drum.
US08627575B2
A hook pose detecting equipment and a crane with the hook pose detecting equipment, in which the hook pose detecting equipment comprises an angle measuring apparatus for obtaining the angle between an axis in a second coordinate system and the corresponding axis in a first coordinate system, an acceleration measuring meter for obtaining the acceleration of the hook in a predetermined direction, a processor for building the first coordinate system and the second coordinate system, and an output equipment. The first coordinate system is relatively fixed with a predetermined location, and the second coordinate system is relatively fixed with the hook. The processor obtains the pose parameters of the hook in the first coordinate system according to the angle obtained by the angle measuring apparatus and the acceleration obtained by the acceleration measuring meter. The operator is able to take appropriate hook-stabilizing measures according to the pose parameters, and thus the efficiency of lifting work is increased.
US08627573B2
The invention relates to a hair-removing device with a movable actuator head and/or at least one movable actuator support, which have at least one actuator element for removing hair on a skin surface. The particular feature of the invention is that a detecting device for detecting a parameter which relates to the position of the actuator element relative to the skin surface is provided as well as at least one actively actuated positioning device for modifying the position of the actuator head and/or the actuator support and a control device for activating the positioning device according to the detected parameter.
US08627572B2
A chainsaw having a brake arrangement comprising: a kickback brake drum (10) arranged to rotate together with a drive sprocket driving a saw chain of a chainsaw, a kickback brake for quickly stopping the saw chain if at least one kickback actuator (7) is actuated, the kick back brake including a kickback brake band (11) extending around the kickback brake drum (10) and means for tightening the kickback brake band (17-19, 22) around the kickback brake drum (10), and; a coasting brake weaker than the kickback brake being arranged to brake the saw chain (2) unless a coasting actuator of the chainsaw is actuated, the coasting brake includes a coasting brake band extending around a coasting brake drum (10) arranged to rotate together with the drive sprocket (37), and means for tightening the coasting brake band (20, 22, 23) around the coasting brake drum, wherein the coasting brake band is either at least one longitudinally slit portion (11b) of the kickback brake band or a separate brake band.
US08627566B2
A ceramic header configured to form a portion of an electronic device package includes a mounting portion configured to provide a mounting surface for an electronic device. In addition, the ceramic header includes one or more conductive input-output connectors operable to provide electrical connections from a first surface of the ceramic header to a second surface of the ceramic header. The ceramic header also includes one or more thermally polished surfaces.
US08627564B2
An electronic assembly comprises a housing, a cover for the housing, a printed circuit board receivable in the housing, and a compliant pin header assembly. The compliant pin header assembly is moimtabie in the housing by inter-engaging features on the header assembly and the housing. The compliant pin header assembly has compliant pins for engaging corresponding features on the printed circuit board to connect the compliant pin header assembly electrically to the printed circuit board. The cover, when the electronic assembly is assembled, engages the housing and also engages the printed circuit board at a location spaced from an outer periphery of the printed circuit board.
US08627563B2
A process relating to a one step low pressure injection molding method of encapsulating high voltage circuitry while incorporating a unique recessed high voltage connector contact means within the injection molding material, greatly reducing the component size, while increasing the capabilities of this type of circuitry. The process reduces the manufacturing time and maintains a clean sealed contact point for repeated usage by the means of a conductive rubber slug. An additional advantage is by creating cavities through the circuit board; axially leaded high voltage components may be conveniently mounted without additional assembly components while being fully encapsulated.
US08627561B2
A lamp socket assembly tool includes an engaging end configured to engage a lamp socket inserted in an opening of a lamp housing, which may be a vehicle lamp housing. The tool includes a driving end operatively connected to the engaging end and configured to receive and transmit an axial and rotating force to the engaging end to assemble or disassembly a socket engaged by the tool relative to the housing. The tool includes a passage for receiving a connector portion of the socket such that the tool is not in contact with a connector interface. The passage may define an aperture through which a connector wire attached to the socket may exit or move freely during rotation of the socket by the tool. The engaging interface may substantially conform to a socket interface defined by a standardized filament lamp, such as an ECE H9 or H11 socket.
US08627558B2
A production line for manipulating objects is provided. The production line has working stations for performing consecutive working steps on the objects by a stationary operator. At least one working station is arranged to be operated by a stationary operator that is a human and at least one working station is operated by a stationary operator that is a robot. The at least one working station being arranged for a stationary operator that is a human and the at least one working station being operated by a stationary operator that is a robot are arranged such that transfer of objects from one working station to the other working station is performed by one or both of the stationary operators. The robot has at least two arms. A method for operating a production line applying a corresponding concept is also provided.
US08627548B2
A multi-pivot pin system has a hinge assembly having a plurality of housings formed within the hinge assembly. A channel is formed through each housing wherein an outer diameter center-line of the hinge assembly is off-set from a center-line of an inner diameter of the channel. A rotating device is positioned in each channel.
US08627547B2
A self-closing invisible hinge for returning a door to its closed position from its opened position including a self-closing structure in which the closing force can be selectively adjusted externally at the hinge and in which the self-closing structure is compact. The self-closing invisible hinge further having an embedded wiring system for providing electrical communication between an area on or in the door and an area adjacent a mounting structure supporting the door, such as a building electrical and/or communication system.
US08627542B2
A robot cleaner having a configuration capable of improving an ability to collect dust, etc. is disclosed. The robot cleaner includes a suction hole to suction dust, a dust collector to receive the dust suctioned through the suction hole, and a rotating brush provided at a side of the suction hole. The robot cleaner is configured to sweep up and collect the dust into the dust collector by a drive force of the rotating brush.
US08627539B2
A connector device for coupling a wiper arm and a wiper blade includes a coupling body, a first support portion provided on an upper surface of the coupling body and extending from the coupling body in a form of a cantilever and for applying an elastic restoration force to the wiper arm, a second support portion provided for supporting the wiper arm in a thicknesswise direction of the wiper arm to prevent the wiper arm from moving in the thicknesswise direction, and a third support portion for preventing the wiper arm from moving in a lengthwise direction of the wiper arm, wherein the second support portion is in a form of a hole with closed upper and lower sides and open front and rear sides.
US08627538B2
A vacuum can include a housing having an inlet adapted to receive debris being vacuumed. A mounting bar can be fixedly coupled to the housing. A floor collector assembly can be rotatably disposed about a first axis defined by the mounting bar. The floor collector assembly can include a floor scoop that, in the use mode, can be pivoted to be disposed adjacent to the floor. The front wall of the floor scoop can define a recess that allows debris to pass under the recess so that the floor collector assembly can be used in a debris pickup mode. A visor can be mounted to the floor scoop and can be moved to a closed position to block at least a portion of the recess so that the floor collection assembly can be used in a water pickup mode.
US08627533B2
Detailed is a device for cleaning an immersed surface, including a body and members for driving the body over the immersed surface, a filtration chamber which has a liquid inlet in the body located at the base of the body, at least one liquid outlet out of the body, a hydraulic circuit for flow of liquid between the inlet and the outlet through a filtering device, wherein it includes: at least one rear outlet, and a rigid wall which is arranged in the filtering device and which extends in a direction which is non-parallel with at least one direction which connects an inlet and an outlet in order to form an obstacle to the flow of liquid from this inlet to this outlet which brings about a swirling flow of liquid in the filtering device downstream of this rigid wall.
US08627520B1
An infant bed construction includes an outer fabric cover having longitudinally opposed rounded end portions joined by a generally rectangular medial portion. The cover includes an oval bottom assembly and a continuous sidewall extending upwardly from the perimeter of the bottom assembly. A pair of end frames are removably secured in the end portions of the bed. Each end frame includes an upstanding sidewall having a generally semi-cylindrical shape, with a base panel spanning the lower edges of the sidewall in contiguous fashion. A center frame panel is interposed between the two base panels in the bottom assembly. The fabric cover has end pockets to secure the end frame. The sidewalls of the medial portion of the bed include a layer of breathable structural material that is form-retaining yet bendable. The bed folds for transport by bringing together the two end portions, in clamshell fashion.
US08627514B1
Preferably, a vehicle ready modular light weight load bearing equipment apparatus “V-MOLLE,” includes a semi-rigid panel portion that includes a front side surface and a backside surface. In a preferred embodiment the front side surface includes a plurality of attachment points configured for reception of a number of utility pouches. The apparatus further preferably includes a vertical anchor system secured to the panel portion and configured for communication with a seat of a vehicle, and a horizontal anchor system secured to the panel portion and configured for communication with the seat of the vehicle. Additionally, the apparatus includes a cover portion attachable to a backside surface of the panel portion, wherein the backside surface of the panel portion is exposable to reveal a signal panel when the cover portion is detached from the panel portion.
US08631497B1
Methods for blind detection of computational vulnerabilities include the submission by a detecting system of potentially interpretable information to a target system; measurement of the timing characteristics of the output from the target system by the detecting system; and diagnosis of the vulnerabilities of the target system by the detecting system as based on the timing characteristics, optionally in conjunction with auxiliary data. Invented systems provide reference implementations of these methods.
US08631480B2
Systems and methods for providing a login context operate a virtual machine, wherein the virtual machine includes an open services platform and an authentication service, wherein the authentication service includes a classloader, and an initial classloader is designated as the classloader of the authentication service, register a login module, receive an authentication request from a first application, and responsive to receiving the authentication request designate a classloader associated with the login module as the classloader of the authentication service, generate a login context of the login module, and provide the login context of the login module to the first application, whereby the first application uses the login context to perform an authentication.
US08631479B2
A method comprising providing a plurality of links to a plurality of end-user devices communicatively coupled to a network system, a particular link of the plurality of links supporting control-plane communications between the network system and a particular end-user device of the plurality of end-user devices over one or more wireless access networks; receiving a message from a server communicatively coupled to the network system, the message comprising payload for delivery to the particular end-user device; generating an encrypted message comprising the payload and an identifier identifying a particular device agent of a plurality of device agents on the particular end-user device, the identifier configured to assist in delivering at least a portion of the payload to the particular device agent on the particular end-user device; and sending the encrypted message to the particular end-user device over the particular link.
US08631475B1
A method is used in ordering inputs for order dependent processing. Ordered inputs are derived from original inputs. The ordered inputs have an order based on values of the original inputs. Order dependent processing logic is applied to the ordered inputs, to produce a result that is derived from the original inputs.
US08631468B2
Techniques for controlling access are disclosed. The techniques can be used for reference monitoring in various computing systems (e.g., computing device) including those that may be relatively more susceptible to threats (e.g., mobile phones). Allowed access can be disallowed. In other words, permission to access a component can be effectively withdrawn even though access may be on-going. After permission to access a component has been allowed, one or more disallow access conditions or events can be effectively monitored in order to determine whether to withdraw the permission to access the component. As a result, allowed access to the component can be disallowed. Access can be disallowed by effectively considering the behavior of a component in the aggregate and/or over a determined amount of time. By way of example, a messaging application can be disallowed access to a communication port if the messaging application sends more messages than an acceptable limit during a session or in 4 hours. Disallow-access policies, rules and/or conditions can be defined and modified, for example, by end-users and system administrators, allowing a customizable and flexible security environment that is more adaptable to change.
US08631460B2
A method of providing transparent encryption for a web resource includes a key manager receiving an encryption key policy; receiving user identifiers and resource locators; defining an access control list based the user identifiers; generating an encryption key and a key identifier for a first resource locator; and establishing a secure communication channel between first and second watchdog modules. The method also includes the watchdog sending encryption information using the secure communication channel. The method also includes a transparent encryption module storing the encryption key and the access control list in protected memory; receiving an input comprising a request to access the first resource stored in the web resource; determining that the user identifier is included in the access control list; encrypting data using the encryption key; and decrypting data using the encryption key.
US08631458B1
A method and apparatus for elastic (re)allocation of enterprise workloads on clouds identifies a set of requirements for a workload. The workload includes one or more application running on a set of virtual machines. The requirements are defined by a set of compliance standards. The method and apparatus compares the set of requirements with a set of controls installed for various virtual infrastructure elements in at least one cloud. The method and apparatus selects virtual infrastructure elements satisfying a minimum cost criterion for placement of the set of virtual machines for the workload. The virtual infrastructure elements can include one or more hosts, one or more network devices, and/or one or more storage devices. The method and apparatus deploy the set of virtual machines for the workload on the selected virtual infrastructure elements.
US08631451B2
A media server component serves media programs to a plurality of client media players across a distribution network taking into consideration available data transfer rate and media player characteristics. The media programs are served adaptively, considering screen size, refresh rate required, frame rate, audio format, user preferences at the recipient media player's end and estimated available data transfer rate. The media server component responds to the channel conditions, recipient media audio and video characteristics and the user preferences at the recipient device's end in real time, by either delivering a stored program or transcoding the stored program in real time.
US08631447B2
A digital television (DTV) signal for use in a DTV receiver includes an extended text table (ETT) which includes a header and a message body. The header includes a table identification extension field which serves to establish uniqueness of the ETT, and the message includes an extended text message (ETM). If the ETT is an event ETT, the table ID extension field includes an event identification which specifies an identification number of an event associated with the ETT. On the other hand, if the ETT is a channel ETT, the table identification extension field includes a source identification which specifies a programming source of a virtual channel associated with the ETT. A section-filtering unit included in the DTV receiver is able to use table identification extension fields of a plurality of ETTs for section-filtering a pertinent event or channel ETT from the ETTs.
US08631442B2
A digital television (DTV) signal for use in a DTV receiver includes an extended text table (ETT) which includes a header and a message body. The header includes a table identification extension field which serves to establish uniqueness of the ETT, and the message includes an extended text message (ETM). If the ETT is an event ETT, the table ID extension field includes an event identification which specifies an identification number of an event associated with the ETT. On the other hand, if the ETT is a channel ETT, the table identification extension field includes a source identification which specifies a programming source of a virtual channel associated with the ETT. A section-filtering unit included in the DTV receiver is able to use table identification extension fields of a plurality of ETTs for section-filtering a pertinent event or channel ETT from the ETTs.
US08631434B2
Multiple channel maps are embedded in a television transmission and the appropriate channel corresponding to the particular television service used by the viewer is downloaded for use with the television receiver. Each channel map is accompanied by a channel map identifier which identifies the source of the television transmission and a geographic identifier. The source of a television transmission is automatically detected by monitoring the radio-frequency spectrum allocations of telecast stations. The geographic area identifier is determined by comparison with a user inputted geographic area identifier. The channel map having a channel map identifier corresponding to the detected television transmission source and the user inputted geographic area identifier is downloaded and stored for future use.
US08631428B2
A system for executing a method is disclosed for monitoring video data, the method including but not limited to monitoring end user activity data for media usage for a plurality of end user client devices associated with a designated group of end users in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system; receiving from a first one of the end user client devices, avatar data indicating at least one search criterion within the end user activity data; searching the end user activity data based on the at least one search criterion; and sending to the first one of the end user client devices, search result data from the search based on the at least one search criterion.
US08631407B2
Common clients for consumer electronics devices that include natively implemented virtual machines are described. One embodiment of the invention includes audio and video decoders, a natively implemented host process, a natively implemented virtual machine, a common client including natively implemented processes configured to coordinate playback of audio and video using the playback device's audio and video decoders, a VM framework configured to execute within the virtual machine and to enable scripts executing within the virtual machine to initiate playback of audio and video using the natively implemented processes, and a user interface implemented as a script configured to be executed within the virtual machine.
US08631404B2
A mechanism for downloading hypervisor updates using existing virtual machine (VM)-to-host channels is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes receiving one or more updates to the hypervisor from the VM via a hypervisor update component, verifying that the one or more received updates are valid, and installing the one or more received updates if the one or more received updates are valid.
US08631402B2
A duplicator duplicates a specified guest program to create a guest copy. A virtual machine activation requester selects a center apparatus for maintenance and requests the selected center apparatus for maintenance to activate a virtual machine based on the guest copy. A maintenance requester requests the activated virtual machine to perform a maintenance process. After the maintenance process, when the guest copy has been changed, a maintenance reflector replaces with the guest copy the guest program, among data stored in a guest program storage, associated with a specified program ID.
US08631400B2
A virtual installation map, and method involving installing a software functionality using the same, the virtual installation map including a first software installation map including a plurality of software elements representative of a related software file, the software elements also including at least one dependency to another software element. The virtual installation map further including a second software installation map also including a second plurality of software elements representative of related software file along with related dependencies. The first and second software installation maps may be hosted in separate databases and may relate to software products provided by different vendors. One or both software installation maps may include a pointer or other reference to the other installation map thereby providing a virtual installation map, in one example.
US08631391B2
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and a method for process discovery. Embodiments of the present invention comprise extracting process data from a data source, creating a trace using the extracted process data, wherein the trace comprises a plurality of events, and detecting a process model using the plurality of events.
US08631388B2
Techniques for developing a graphical editor using an incremental development approach. Externally-stored descriptors are used to specify information on which a graphical editor engine operates to create a graphical editor. Developers can thus redefine the look and feel of the graphical editor by modifying these descriptors, effectively re-configuring the elements of visual models without changing the code of the graphical editor engine. Visual models for modeling a domain can be created and used, without first requiring the domain model to be defined.
US08631384B2
Automatically creating a progression plan for a software test, by computing for each test period unit x the effort for attempting to perform test units, ATTx, and the effort for completing test unit execution, CCx. Three variables characterizing the test strategy are introduced in the computation: the Effectiveness, which represents the efficiency of the test team, the Defect Density rate, and the Verify rate value. By choosing the test strategy, the test manager defines the three variables' values which influence the progression plan. During test execution, a cumulative ‘attempted’ curve of the ATTx values and a cumulative ‘complete’ curve of the CCx values allow the test manager to compare the effort already made to the effort expected to be made for the Test Units which have been attempted and for the Test Units which have been completed, i.e. when the defects found in the code have been corrected.
US08631382B2
A method includes converting an active region in a layout of an integrated circuit into a fin-based structure that has a fin. The active region belongs to an integrated circuit device, and has a planar layout structure. The method further includes extracting a Resistance-Capacitance (RC) loading of the integrated circuit device using the parameters of the fin-based structure. The steps of converting and extracting are performed by a computer.
US08631378B2
A method, system and computer program product for implementing enhanced clock tree distributions to decouple across N-level hierarchical entities of an integrated circuit chip. Local clock tree distributions are constructed. Top clock tree distributions are constructed. Then constructing and routing a top clock tree is provided. The local clock tree distributions and the top clock tree distributions are independently constructed, each using an equivalent local clock distribution of high performance buffers to balance the clock block regions.
US08631373B1
Systems, methodologies and technologies for the analysis and transformation of integrated circuit layouts using situations are disclosed. A method for transforming an integrated circuit (IC) layout includes recognizing shapes within the IC layout, identifying features for each of the shapes and extracting situations for the respective features. Extracted situations can be used to improve optical proximity correction (OPC) of the IC layout. This improved OPC includes extracting the situations, simulating the situations to determine a set of the situations identified for modification based on failing to satisfy a desired OPC tolerance level, modifying the set of situations to improve satisfaction of the desired OPC tolerance level, and reintegrating the modified set of situations into the IC layout. Extracted situations can also be used to improve aerial image simulation of the IC layout. This improved aerial image simulation includes extracting the situations, simulating a subset of the situations to determine aerial images of the subset, and tiling the subset of situations to form a larger aerial image. Extracted situations can further be used to improve density analysis of the IC layout. This improved density analysis includes extracting the situations for a window of the IC layout, removing overlap from the window based on the extracted situations, calculating a density for each of the situations, and calculating a density for the window based on the density for each of the situations.
US08631371B2
Disclosed are embodiments of a method, system and program storage device for accurately modeling parasitic capacitance(s) associated with a diffusion region of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) device and doing so based, at least in part, on proximity to adjacent conductive structures. In these embodiments, the layout of an integrated circuit design can be analyzed to determine, for the diffusion region, shape, dimension and proximity information. Then, a formula can be developed and used for determining the parasitic capacitance between the diffusion region and the substrate below (CD-S). This formula can have a perimeter component, including a side edge component and, if applicable, a corner component, both of which account for the fact that CD-S is generally dependent on the distances between the diffusion region and any adjacent conductive structures. Additionally, the parasitic capacitance between the diffusion region and any adjacent conductive structure (CD-D) can be determined based on such distances.
US08631361B2
The present disclosure provides one embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) method. The method includes receiving an IC design layout having a pattern, assigning target points to segments of the pattern, and producing first a simulated contour of the pattern based on the assigned target points. The method further includes reassigning the target points to the segments of the pattern based on the first simulated contour of the pattern; producing a second simulated contour of the pattern based on the reassigned target points, and after producing the second simulated contour of the pattern, producing a modified IC design layout.
US08631357B2
A device includes a display screen, at least one processor, memory, and a plurality of programs stored in memory that are configured to be executed by the at least one processor and cause the device to: display, on the display screen, a column of data comprising a plurality of data values; display a selection row that intersects the column of data to indicate a selected data value; detect a first gesture on the column of data; scroll the column of data to change the selected data value in response to detecting the first gesture; detect a second gesture, different from the first gesture, on the column of data; and, when the selected data value has an alternative expression, indicate the alternative expression to the selected data value in response to the second gesture on the column of data.
US08631349B2
A method for changing an application User Interface (UI) in a portable terminal using menu theme information is provided. UI theme information contained in menu theme information is loaded, a main window image is selected from the loaded UI theme information, and theme index table information is selected. A user interface consistent with a menu UI is created using the selected theme index table information and the selected main window image. The created user interface is stored as a basic interface. The created user interface is applied and displayed.
US08631347B2
A method and system for rendering electronic document objects is provided in which a style matrix holds potential attribute values, and attribute references are used to address values in the style matrix. A mix of attribute references and actual attribute values may be used to make some attributes theme- and application-specific, and others theme- and application-independent. Further, a method for rendering a gallery of potential styles is provided. Additionally, a method for associating a style matrix with an electronic document application is provided. Finally, a computer-readable medium for storing a computer-interpretable data structure that identifies a matrix of style attribute types and style attribute values is provided.
US08631346B2
Some embodiments of a system and a method to process file conversion initiated by natural human behavior have been presented. For instance, a file conversion manager running on a processing device may intercept an operation invoked by a user to rename at least a first extension of a file name of a file having an original file format to a second extension associated with a target file format. In response to the operation, the file conversion manager may select and execute one of a group of third party file conversion applications to convert the file from the original file format to the target file format.
US08631345B2
An information processing apparatus includes: a display control section for displaying a window showing a first icon and a second icon of a predetermined display size on a display screen. The display control section reduces the display size of at least either the first icon or the second icon so as not to overlap with each other if it determines that the icons overlap with each other when it alters a display area of the window being displayed on the display screen.
US08631338B2
A method, system and article of manufacture are disclosed for creating a graphical user interface (GUI) item, in a computer system having a graphical user interface and a display screen. The method includes the step of enabling a user to create one or more instances of a defined GUI item. This enabling step, in turn, includes the steps of displaying on the display screen a Universal Graphical User Interface (UGUI) item; and identifying on the display screen, in a defined manner associated with the display of the UGUI item, a desired GUI item. In response to said identifying this desired GUI item, the displayed UGUI item is visually transformed on the display screen to said desired GUI item. The UGUI item may be a UGUI element or a UGUI relation for indicating the relation between two GUI elements.
US08631336B2
Disclosed is a display system for an aircraft cockpit. The display system includes a plurality of display devices, each of which comprises at least one viewing screen configured to display a display format, and a cursor management unit linked to each display device and configured for moving a cursor over sensitive objects on the viewing screens of the display devices. Each of the display devices includes a format display unit configured to determine the display format of an associated viewing screen; a cursor detection unit configured to detect the presence of the cursor on the associated viewing screen; a geographic determining unit, linked to the format display unit and cursor detection unit, and configured to determine current geographic position of the cursor on the associated viewing screen; a data transmission link that links the geographic determining unit to the data transmission network; and a display unit configured to display a characteristic signal representing the determined current geographic position of the cursor.
US08631334B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for composing and managing a presentation in a virtual world. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for composing and managing a presentation in a virtual world can include arranging a set of slides in a presentation, selecting a location in a portion of a virtual world for displaying the slides and also for attendee avatars viewing the slides, composing movements and gestures of a presenter avatar in coordination with a display of slide content of the slides, and presenting the presentation in the location of the virtual world at the location selected for displaying the slides for the attendee avatars placed the selected location for the attendee avatars while applying the composed movements and gestures of the presenter avatar coordinated with a display of slide content of the slides.
US08631328B2
A mobile terminal includes a wireless communication unit, a memory, a touch screen, and a controller. The wireless communication unit establishes a connection to an external digital picture frame. The memory stores a plurality of images including one or more characters and information mapped to the characters. The touch screen displays a first image stored in the memory. And, the controller transmits the first image and first information mapped to the first image to the digital picture frame via the wireless communication unit.
US08631326B2
Some embodiments provide a method that receives a timeline that includes several pieces of content. The method receives user input to divide the timeline into hierarchical segments of varying duration. The method defines associations between the pieces of content and at least one hierarchical level of the segments. In some embodiments, the method is performed by a media-editing application and the pieces of content are media clips inserted into the timeline by a user.
US08631321B2
Provided herein are exemplary embodiments of a system and method of enabling a content author, such as an instructor, to rapidly create interactive, educational content for use in an online environment, without a costly pre-production or post-production process. In one embodiment, the system comprises a network, a library of interactive template files in a first file format, such as .swf; at least one authoring device coupled to the network, capable of recording a plurality of audio visual content segments in a second file format, such as .avi, and providing one or more of the interactive template files; and a device for converting the audio visual content segments in the second file format to files in the first file format. The authoring device is also adapted to assign a defined run order to the files in the first file format.
US08631319B2
There is provided a document management system that eliminates the necessity of performing such a complicated operation as to input a password by the user each time he/she tries to open any of document databases, thus improving the operability or the like for the user. A plurality of document databases are provided, which are capable of being accessed by a client apparatus via a communication medium. A document management apparatus manages the plurality of document databases such that different authentication methods are used for respective ones of the plurality of document databases when one of the at least one client apparatus having made an access request so as to open any of said plurality of document databases is authenticated, and makes settings such that the one client apparatus is not required to be authenticated again when accessing another one of said plurality of document databases after the one client apparatus has been authenticated.
US08631310B2
A method for reducing uncorrectable errors of a memory device regarding Error Correction Code (ECC) includes: performing majority vote according to data read at different times at a same address in order to generate majority vote data corresponding to the address; and checking whether the majority vote data has any uncorrectable error in order to determine whether to output the majority vote data as data of the address. For example, the method further includes: within the data read at different times at the same address, temporarily storing all of the data except for data of a last time into buffering regions/buffers, respectively, with the majority vote data being temporarily stored into a second buffering region/buffer to utilize a latest generated portion within the majority vote data to replace a latest retrieved portion within data in the second buffering region/buffer. An associated memory device and the controller thereof are further provided.
US08631302B2
Memory devices and methods are described such as those that mix data and associated error correction code blocks between multiple memory device locations. Examples include mixing between multiple memory blocks, mixing between memory pages, mixing between memory chips and mixing between memory modules. In selected examples, memory blocks and associated error correction code are mixed between multiple levels of memory device hierarchy.
US08631300B2
The present inventions are related to systems and methods for data processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for power governance in a data processing system.
US08631295B2
A method and apparatus for selectively replacing damaged portions of a data stream. The method comprises analyzing the data stream to identify damaged portions therein; selecting a damaged portion for replacement; and replacing the selected damaged portion. The selected damaged portion is selected for replacement in dependence on a rate of replacement, the rate of replacement being that at which previous portions of the data stream have been replaced.
US08631292B2
A flip-flop circuit includes a master latch, a master/slave gate, a slave latch, a slave gate, a feedback latch, and a master gate. The master latch has an input and an output. The master/slave gate has an input coupled to the output of the master latch and an output. The slave latch has input coupled to the output of the master/slave gate and an output. The slave gate has input coupled to the output of the slave latch and an output. The has an input coupled to the output of the slave gate and an output. The master gate has an input coupled to the output of the feedback latch and an output coupled to the input of the master latch.
US08631290B2
An automated guardband compensation system automatically compensates for degradation in the guardband of a clocked data processing circuit while that circuit is connected within a data processing system. A control circuit automatically and repeatedly requests: a switching circuit to switch a critical path within the clocked data processing circuit out of a data processing pathway within the data processing system while the clocked data processing circuit is connected within the data processing system; a guardband test circuit to test the guardband of the critical path while the critical path is switched out of the data processing pathway; a guardband compensation circuit to increase the guardband when the results of the test indicate a material degradation in the guardband; and a switching circuit to switch the critical path back into the data processing pathway after the test.
US08631281B1
Systems, methods and apparatus for archive verification including the verification of media in a library, are disclosed. More specifically, a method of archive verification may include performing an initial verification on a set of media to obtain an initial result for each of the media. Based on the results of the initial verification a subsequent set of media may be selected for subsequent verification utilizing a set of rules. A subsequent verification may then be performed on each of the subsequent set of media. Based on the results of the subsequent verification it can then be attempted to determine if any of the media require still require subsequent verification using the set of rules. This iterative process may continue until no media need any subsequent verification.
US08631277B2
A connection state system is described herein that allows a client to resume a connection with a server or a different replacement server by remotely storing client state information in association with a resume key. The system provides a resume key filter operating at the server that facilitates the storing of volatile server state information. The state information can include information such as oplocks, leases granted to a client, and in-flight operations on a file handle. The resume key filter driver sits above the file system, which allows multiple file access protocols to use the filter. Upon a failover event, such as a server going down or losing connectivity to a client, the system can bring up another server or the same server and reestablish state for file handles held by various clients using the resume key filter.
US08631272B2
A duplicate-aware disk array (DADA) leaves duplicated content on the disk array largely unmodified, instead of removing duplicated content, and then uses these duplicates to improve system performance, reliability, and availability of the disk array. Several implementations disclosed herein are directed to the selection of one duplicate from among a plurality of duplicates to act as the proxy for the other duplicates found in the disk array. Certain implementations disclosed herein are directed to scrubbing latent sector errors (LSEs) on duplicate-aware disk arrays. Other implementations are directed to disk reconstruction/recovery on duplicate-aware disk arrays. Yet other implementations are directed to load balancing on duplicate-aware disk arrays.
US08631268B2
A slave device communicating with a master device includes a transmission unit configured to transmit a signal to the master device through a communication channel, a calibration unit configured to measure a flight time of a calibration signal which is transmitted to the master device and fed back through a calibration channel coupled to the master device, and a transmission delay unit configured to delay the signal transmitted from an internal circuit of the slave device to the transmission unit by a delay value determined according to the measurement result of the calibration unit.
US08631267B2
Disclosed herein are solutions for addressing the problem of skew of data within a byte lane by factors caused external to the integrated circuit or module providing the data. To compensate for such skew, an on-chip delay is added to the data out paths of those bits in the byte lane with otherwise would arrive early to their destinations. Such on-chip delay is provided delay circuits preferably positioned directly before the output buffers/bond pads of the integrated circuit or module. By intentionally delaying some of the outputs from the integrated circuit or module, external skew is compensated for so that all data in the byte lane arrives at the destination at substantially the same time. In a preferred embodiment, the delay circuits are programmable to allow the integrated circuit or module to be freely tailored to environments having different skew considerations, such as different styles of connectors.
US08631257B2
Embodiments of a system for receiving power management guidelines from a first plurality of components of a system, and developing a power management policy to manage one or more of a second plurality of components of the system based at least in part on the received power management guidelines. Other embodiments are described.
US08631255B2
A method and apparatus may detect an event related to an external device communicating with a host controller. One or more external device characteristics of the external device may be determined. One or more physical memory cells for the host controller may be modified based on the one or more external device characteristics.
US08631254B2
A network device and a network control device in a Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN), and a secure wake-up method and a wake-up authentication code (WAC) generation method of the network device and the network control device are provided. The network device includes a wake-up circuit to receive a wake-up radio signal from a network control device using a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) receiver, to compare a WAC contained in the received wake-up radio signal with a WAC stored in advance, and to determine whether to wake up a main circuit unit, the network control device being contained in the WBAN; and the main circuit unit to be woken up in response to an interrupt signal from the wake-up circuit.
US08631251B2
A system includes an operating system, first hardware, second hardware, and a system management controller, the latter which also may be considered an integrated management module or a baseboard management module. The first hardware executes the operating system and is under control of the operating system. The operating system causes the first hardware to enter a first reduced power state. The second hardware is different than the first hardware and is not under control of the operating system. The system management controller is implemented by the second hardware. In response to the operating system causing the first hardware to enter the first reduced power state, the system management controller causes the second hardware to enter a second reduced power state corresponding to the first reduced power state. The first reduced power state may be a more-power-conserving reduced power state than the second reduced power state.
US08631247B2
An asset management system is provided, which includes a hardware module operating as an asset control core. The asset control core generally includes a small hardware core embedded in a target system on chip that establishes a hardware-based point of trust on the silicon die. The asset control core can be used as a root of trust on a consumer device by having features that make it difficult to tamper with. The asset control core is able to generate a unique identifier for one device and participate in the tracking and provisioning of the device through a secure communication channel with an appliance. The appliance generally includes a secure module that caches and distributes provisioning data to one of many agents that connect to the asset control core, e.g. on a manufacturing line or in an after-market programming session.
US08631238B2
The present invention relates to methods and systems for preventing race conditions in secure token conversations. The method includes generating a message from a client application to a server application, determining that a first secure conversation token (SCT) exists, and using the first SCT to encrypt the message. The method further includes sending the encrypted message to the server, receiving an indication that the first SCT has expired, and initiating an SCT renew request. The method includes storing the first SCT, receiving a second SCT in response to the SCT renew request, and storing the second SCT in addition to the first SCT. The method further includes retrieving an encrypted message, determining that the encrypted message has been encrypted using the first SCT, in response to the determination, using the first SCT to decrypt the message, and generating a response from the server to the client.
US08631235B2
A system and method for storing data in a virtual file system using write once read many (WORM) protection includes a WORM server in communication with one or more storage devices and a controller in communication with the WORM server. A first time stamping process for creating a first time stamp for a data object based on instructions applied by the controller for storage on the WORM server. A second time stamping process for creating a second time stamp for the data object for storage on the WORM server. The second time stamping process creates the second time stamp for the data object and first time stamp to ensure the integrity of the data object stored on the system.
US08631234B2
An apparatus includes a plurality of connection-source terminating units. Each of the plurality of connection-source terminating units constitutes an independent communication path coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of connection-destination terminating units provided for a connection-destination apparatus. The apparatus establishes encryption information including first information used for encryption processing on communication performed via a plurality of the independent communication paths established between the apparatus and the connection-destination apparatus. The first information is used in common for all the plurality of the independent communication paths when packets are transmitted through the plurality of the independent communication paths established between the communication apparatus and the connection-destination apparatus.
US08631233B1
An apparatus including a key mixing circuit, an input circuit, a packet number circuit, and an encryption circuit. The key mixing circuit generates a plurality of encryption seeds, wherein each encryption seed is generated based upon a predetermined key, a transmitter address, and a corresponding value for a packet number. The input circuit receives a plurality of packets of data. The packet number circuit inserts, into each packet of data received by the input circuit, a different one of the corresponding values for a packet number. The encryption circuit encrypts each packet of data using the encryption seed that was generated based on the corresponding value for the packet number inserted into the packet of data. The key mixing circuit generates each of the plurality of encryption seeds prior to the input circuit receiving the plurality of packets of data.
US08631230B2
A method may include allocating a number of public keys, where each respective public key is allocated to a respective entity of a number of entities; storing a number of private keys, where each respective private corresponds to a respective public key; storing one or more decryption algorithms, where each respective decryption algorithm is configured to decrypt data previously encrypted using at least one encryption algorithm of the encryption algorithms. Each respective encryption algorithm may be configured to encrypt data using at least one public key. Each respective decryption algorithm may be configured to decrypt data using at least one private key. The method may include receiving encrypted data, where the encrypted data is encrypted using a first public key and a first encryption algorithm, and the encrypted data is provided over a network.
US08631225B2
Mechanisms are provided for dynamically rewriting branch instructions in a portion of code. The mechanisms execute a branch instruction in the portion of code. The mechanisms determine if a target instruction of the branch instruction, to which the branch instruction branches, is present in an instruction cache associated with the processor. Moreover, the mechanisms directly branch execution of the portion of code to the target instruction in the instruction cache, without intervention from an instruction cache runtime system, in response to a determination that the target instruction is present in the instruction cache. In addition, the mechanisms redirect execution of the portion of code to the instruction cache runtime system in response to a determination that the target instruction cannot be determined to be present in the instruction cache.
US08631223B2
A processor includes an instruction sequencing unit, execution unit, and multi-level register file including a first level register file having a lower access latency and a second level register file having a higher access latency. Responsive to the processor processing a second instruction in a transactional code section to obtain as an execution result a second register value of the logical register, the mapper moves a first register value of the logical register to the second level register file, places the second register value in the first level register file, marks the second register value as speculative, and replaces a first mapping for the logical register with a second mapping. Responsive to unsuccessful termination of the transactional code section, the mapper designates the second register value in the first level register file as invalid so that the first register value in the second level register file becomes the working value.
US08631222B2
An address provided in a request issued by an adapter is converted to an address directly usable in accessing system memory. The address includes a plurality of bits, in which the plurality of bits includes a first portion of bits and a second portion of bits. The second portion of bits is used to index into one or more levels of address translation tables to perform the conversion, while the first portion of bits are ignored for the conversion. The first portion of bits are used to validate the address.
US08631221B2
Methods and apparatus for allocating host memory for use by a host channel adapter (HCA) with insufficient on-board memory are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes determining when a host memory arrangement which has a host memory updates a system address map associated with the host memory, and obtaining control from a system basic-input-output-system (BIOS) associated with an operating system (OS) of the host memory arrangement when the system address map is updated. The method also includes allocating a first memory block in the host memory using an add-on device after obtaining control from the host memory arrangement. The system address map is updated by the add-on device to indicate that the first memory block has been allocated to the add-on device. Finally, the method includes returning the control to the system BIOS after updating the system address map.
US08631213B2
In an embodiment, a memory controller includes multiple ports. Each port may be dedicated to a different type of traffic. In an embodiment, quality of service (QoS) parameters may be defined for the traffic types, and different traffic types may have different QoS parameter definitions. The memory controller may be configured to schedule operations received on the different ports based on the QoS parameters. In an embodiment, the memory controller may support upgrade of the QoS parameters when subsequent operations are received that have higher QoS parameters, via sideband request, and/or via aging of operations. In an embodiment, the memory controller is configured to reduce emphasis on QoS parameters and increase emphasis on memory bandwidth optimization as operations flow through the memory controller pipeline.
US08631211B2
According to an aspect of an embodiment, a disk drive diagnosis apparatus is included in a RAID system in which a RAID control unit and a drive enclosure that encloses a disk drive are interconnected via a fabric switch. The apparatus comprises a virtual login processing unit configured to virtually execute a login process for a fabric switch of a disk drive and a control unit configured to notify the RAID control unit of a result of the virtual login process and disconnect from a connection line for the RAID control unit a disk drive that has not normally performed the virtual login process relative to the drive enclosure.
US08631210B2
Methods and apparatus relating to allocation and/or write policy for a glueless area-efficient directory cache for hotly contested cache lines are described. In one embodiment, a directory cache stores data corresponding to a caching status of a cache line. The caching status of the cache line is stored for each of a plurality of caching agents in the system. An write-on-allocate policy is used for the directory cache by using a special state (e.g., snoop-all state) that indicates one or more snoops are to be broadcasted to all agents in the system. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08631195B1
A search system for detecting whether one or more overlapping sequences of input characters match a regular expression including a prefix string preceding an intermediate expression having a quantified number m of characters belonging to a specified character class is disclosed. The search system includes a CAM array for storing the regular expression, a shift register for counting sequences of input characters that match the character class, and a control circuit that enables the shift register in response to a prefix match and increments the shift register in response to character class matches.
US08631191B2
According to the embodiments, an external storage device switches to an interface controller for supporting only a read operation of nonvolatile memory when a shift condition for shifting to a read only mode is met. A host device switches to an interface driver for supporting only the read operation of the nonvolatile memory when determining to recognize as read only memory based on information acquired from the external storage device.
US08631182B2
A wake-up signal test system to test a wake-up signal output by a platform controller hub (PCH) of a motherboard includes a test card and an oscillograph. The test card includes a board with an edge connector, and a button. The button is connected between a first ground pin and a first wake-up signal pin of the edge connector. When the edge connector is inserted into a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) socket of the motherboard, the first ground pin is connected to a second ground pin of the PCIe socket, the first wake-up signal pin is connected to a second wake-up pin of the PCIe socket. When the button is pressed, the first wake-up signal pin is connected to the first ground pin to output a low level signal to the PCH to wake up the motherboard. The oscillograph displays a voltage state of the low level signal.
US08631163B1
Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method comprising for a given information device, automatically identifying each installed network interface card (NIC) that is compatible with accessing a predetermined network. Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise automatically determining that a connection can not be achieved via a selected compatible NIC to a server on the predetermined network. Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise automatically trouble-shooting the selected compatible NIC.
US08631160B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for supporting the development of a parallel/distributed application, wherein the development process comprises a design phase, an implementation phase and a test phase. A script language can be provided in the design phase for representing elements of a connectivity graph and the connectivity between them. In the implementation phase, modules can be provided for implementing functionality of the application, executors can be provided for defining a type of execution for the modules, and process-instances can be provided for distributing the application over several computing devices. In the test phase, abstraction levels can be provided for monitoring and testing the application.
US08631144B2
A system reduces latency associated with accessing multiple sources of content provided to a mobile device. In one implementation, a streaming server receives multiple live encoded streams and makes the received encoded streams available to the mobile device. The mobile device instructs the streaming server as to which received encoded streams to provide to the mobile device. When the instructions indicate that the mobile device is requesting a different encoded stream, such as by using PAUSE and PLAY buttons on the mobile device, the streaming server switches the content streamed to the mobile device and provides the newly desired content to the mobile device.
US08631132B2
The different illustrative embodiments provide a method, apparatus, and computer program product for folding at each affinity level for a partition spanning multiple nodes. In one illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for identifying a number of domains in a number of affinity levels. A lightest loaded domain is identified in the number of domains identified. A number of nodes are identified in the lightest loaded domain identified. A lightest loaded node is identified in the number of nodes. A lightest loaded processing unit on the lightest loaded node is identified and the lightest loaded processing unit is folded.
US08631127B2
Embodiments of methods and systems comprise collecting data associated with a library or library components and storing the collected data in repository. By collecting data associated with a library or library components and storing the collected data in a repository, the degradation of library components can be monitored and the reliability of library components determined, allowing unreliable components to be bypassed or replaced, enhancing the reliability of the library and preventing data loss.
US08631123B2
When an operating system process evaluates a rule for an operation being attempted on a logical network port, the operating system process determines whether the target logical port falls within a range of logical ports, and then determines whether the operation is associated with a permitted domain of the range of logical ports. If the operation is a bind operation, then the process attempting to bind to the target port will be allowed to bind if the target port falls within the range and the operation/process is associated with a permitted domain. Otherwise, the binding operation will not be allowed to proceed.
US08631122B2
Methods and systems for determining demographics based on user interaction are provided. Demographic information is maintained in association with certain indicators. Information regarding user interaction related to an item of interest is accessed, and indicators may be identified based on the user interaction information associated with a user. It is determined that the user belongs to one or more demographics based on the identified indicators, and a report may be generated.
US08631121B2
A data processing system-implemented method can be used to better track a user's movements between network addresses. The method can comprise sending a frame identifier and a requested (current) network address at a first time. The method can also comprise finding a record including the frame identifier that has a prior network address and a time prior to the current time. The method can further comprise generating an entry for a table that includes the frame identifier, the current network address, the prior network address, and time. A server computer or a client computer can generate the entry. Improved accountability and improved user profile accuracy can be obtained with the method. A data processing system readable medium can comprise code that includes instructions for carrying out the method.
US08631119B2
Interruptibility awareness service enables a requestor to learn whether a requestee is interruptible, for instance, by obtaining current social interaction information of a requestee; determining whether the requestee is interruptible based on the requestee's current social interaction information; and returning a response that indicates requestee's interruptibility.
US08631118B2
A computer executes a distributed processing program. The computer is a master computer that uses communicable worker computers to execute distributed processing on plural jobs. The computer determines an allocation destination of the jobs from the worker computers. The computer calculates the number of jobs to be allocated to the allocation destination based on the processing performance and the communication time (delay time) taken for communications with a worker computer. The computer generates a job group to be allocated to the allocation destination on the basis of a calculation result obtained. The computer transmits a processing request of the generated job group to the allocation destination.
US08631109B2
A system and method for dynamically controlling network management traffic load on network devices is provided. A network management module on a network management server has a request module for requesting management data from a network device. A storage device accessible by the network management module stores a list of the network devices and associated management request limits representing a number of management requests the network management module is allowed to send to a particular network device for processing at a time. A queue module on the network management module stores a management request from the network management module when a number of outstanding management requests exceeds the management request limit and places the management request in a queue. The queue module also forwards a management request from the queue to a network device when the network management module receives a response from the network device.
US08631105B2
A method to optimize revenue realized under multiple service level agreements with multiple data storage clients is disclosed. The method provides an information storage and retrieval system. The method includes entering into (N) service level agreements to provide data storage services for (N) applications using the information storage and retrieval system, where each of the (N) service level agreements specifies an average maximum response time RTSLA. The method calculates for each value of (j), the value per unit throughput νj for the (j)th application, and then determines for each value of (j) the optimum data flow rate x(j)OPT. The method estimates, for each value of (j), a maximum data flow rate X(j)MAX that the (j)th application can utilize, and determines, for each value of (j), if x(j)OPT equals X(j)MAX. For each value of (j) where x(j)OPT does not equal X(j)MAX, the method delays execution of I/O requests from the (j)th application, such that the average response time for the (j)th application equals RT(j)SLA.
US08631099B2
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for a cloud deployment engine for selective workload migration or federation based on workload conditions. A set of aggregate usage history data can record consumption of processor, software, or other resources subscribed to by one or more users in a or clouds. An entitlement engine can analyze the usage history data to identify a subscription margin and other trends or data reflecting short-term consumption trends. An associated deployment engine can analyze the short-term consumption trends, and generate a decision to either deploy any over-subscribed resources to a set of federated backup clouds, or to one or more new host clouds. In aspects, the decision to augment the capacity of the host cloud with either a cloud federation or a complete host cloud replacement can be based on a set of selection criteria, including the margin by which the resources are over-subscribed and/or whether the over-subscription is static, increasing or accelerating, among others.
US08631088B2
Improved techniques and apparatus for managing data between a host device (e.g., host computer) and a media device are disclosed. The data being managed can, for example, pertain to media data for media assets. The managing of the media data thus can involve transfer of media assets between the host device and the media device. In one embodiment, the transfer of media assets between a host device and a media device can be referred to as synchronization.
US08631084B2
In one embodiment, a geo-social networking system automatically tags one or more social contacts of a first user to a photo of the first user by ranking the social contacts based on spatial and temporal proximity to the first user, and in response to the first user's selection of one or more top ranked social contacts, associating the selected social contacts to the photo.
US08631082B2
Various technologies pertaining to instant messaging are described herein. A persistent instant messaging group is created, wherein the persistent instant messaging group comprises a plurality of members and persists over a plurality of instant messaging sessions. Instances of an instant messaging application are installed on mobile telephones, and the instant messaging application is used to transmit instant messages between members of the persistent instant messaging group. Messages directed towards offline members of the persistent instant messaging group are transmitted to such members when they come online.
US08631079B2
Technologies are described herein for displaying a list of file attachments associated with a message thread an email application. The messages associated with the message thread are identified, along with any file attachments attached to those messages. An aggregated attachment list is generated containing an entry for each file attachment associated with the message thread. The aggregated attachment list associated with the message thread is then displayed in a window of the email application.
US08631072B2
The present invention relates to a method for selecting suitable peers CL1-CL5 in a peer to peer network for content downloading. The method comprises: Requesting addresses of peers possessing a specified content. Receiving to an operator node MON4, a reply comprising the requested addresses. Modifying 3 the reply, which modifying is based on operator preference available to the operator node. Sending the modified reply to a requesting client.
US08631068B1
A peer-based communications service is provided in which linking relationships between members and topics of interest and the properties of members and topics of interest are represented by links in a links table. Each row in the links table corresponds to a link. Each row contains an association portion and a descriptive attribute portion. Link associations are used to associate member and topic objects to each other and are used to associate a member or topic with a property of that member or topic. The descriptive attributes include privacy settings that are used to restrict access to content in the service. Members may be related to each other as friends, friends of friends, or through other relationships. The privacy settings may be used to restrict viewing of links and properties to appropriate members.
US08631067B2
A method and apparatus for providing an application programming interface for accessing multiple disparate cloud computing systems is described. In one embodiment, the method includes defining a neutral format for cloud computing system requests and responses. The method may also include providing an application programming interface that exposes the neutral format to a client computer system to enable communication between the client computer system and a plurality of different cloud computing systems via the server computer system.
US08631066B2
According to one aspect of the invention, a request to generate a state checkpoint of a computer is initiated within a user-level software entity, such as a virtual machine. Upon sensing the request, a checkpointing mechanism generates and stores at least one checkpoint, each checkpoint comprising a representation of the total state of the computer system. Upon sensing a state restoration request corresponding to one of the checkpoints, the checkpointing mechanism restores the checkpointed state in the computer, which can then resume operation from the restored total state. According to another aspect of the invention, a total checkpointed state is exported to another computer, where the state can be modified, for example, debugged, and then loaded into either the originally checkpointed computer (which, again, may be a virtual machine), or some other computer.
US08631065B2
The present invention is, in one embodiment, a system and method based on a client-server architecture for seamlessly integrating various information systems. In one embodiment, a bundle of files is deployed to a collaboration client, in order to enable the integration of the collaboration client with disparate information systems and content. In one embodiment, content within a mailbox item is allowed to become a “live” object, and is associated with trigger events, and actions, including sending all or part of the content to a separate information system. In one embodiment, mailbox items are subjected to predefined searches to assess whether they include certain content objects. In another embodiment, panel item elements are visible in the overview panel of the collaboration client. The user may interact with the panel items by dragging content onto them, double clicking them, and invoking actions from a context menu if one is available.
US08631064B2
A method and/or a system of unified management of a hardware interface framework is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of the hardware interface framework includes applying to a client interface module with a generic agent module agnostic to a change in a device coupled to the hardware interface framework and a change in a management module and communicating a management data of the management module between the client interface module and a server interface module coupled to the device using the generic agent module. The method may also include synchronously communicating a request data of the management module to collect a response data of the device and asynchronously communicating an event data of an adapter module to the management module.
US08631060B2
A more efficient encoder/decoder is provided in which an N-point MDCT transform is mapped into smaller sized N/2-point DCT-IV, DST-IV and/or DCT-II transforms. The MDCT may be systematically decimated by factor of 2 by utilizing a uniformly scaled 5-point DCT-II core function as opposed to the DCT-IV or FFT cores used in many existing MDCT designs in audio codecs. Various transform factorizations of the 5-point transforms may be implemented to more efficiently implement a transform.
US08631051B2
A method of managing memory, and a system implementing the method, are disclosed herein. In one embodiment according to the invention, the method comprises the step of allocating a first space, a first semi-space and a second semi-space of a memory unit. The first space has a first space size, and the first and second semi-spaces have a semi-space size. The first object is transformed into a plurality of elements and a spine containing pointers to the plurality of elements. The plurality of elements are stored in the first space and the spine in one of the first semi-space and the second semi-space. First memory portions of the first space are reclaimed using a mark-sweep policy and second memory portions of one of the first semi-space and the second semi-space are reclaimed using a moving policy.
US08631047B2
Some embodiments provide a 3D video editing application. The application identifies a set of video clips on one or more external sources. The set includes a first video clip of a particular scene from a first view and a second video clip of the particular scene from a second view. The application associates the first video clip with the second video clip and stores the associated first and second video clips in a storage. The association for use in creating a composite presentation that includes the set of video clips. The application receives an edit to a first video clip in a first track of the composite presentation. The application identifies an associated second video clip in a second track and automatically applies the received edit to the first video clip and the associated second video clip.
US08631041B2
In one embodiment, a method comprising selecting a first node included in a data structure, the data structure representing, in a node-and-link representation, a first portion of electronic content, the data structure including a first external link being associated with the first node, the first external link referencing a first serialization, the first serialization representing a second portion of electronic content in a representation differing from the node-and-link representation of the data structure, augmenting the data structure using the first serialization comprising constructing a set of new nodes, the set of new nodes including all nodes constructible from the serialization, selecting a target node from among the set of new nodes, inserting the target node into the data structure, and inserting a first inter-node link into the data structure, the first inter-node link connecting the first node and the target node, the first inter-node link corresponding to the first external link.
US08631036B2
This invention relates to an advertisement machine which provides advertisements to a user searching for desired information within a data network. The machine receives, from a user, a search request including a search argument corresponding to the desired information and searches, based upon the received search argument, a first database having data network related information to generate search results. It also correlates the received search argument to a particular advertisement in a second database having advertisement related information. The search results together with the particular advertisement are provided by the machine to the user.
US08631034B1
A database system supporting persistent queries, comprising a client software application, a persistent query service, and a plurality of network-attached data sources. On receiving a request to create a persistent query from the client software application, the persistent query service: creates a query virtual table; parses the persistent query; creates a plurality of intermediate virtual tables; establishes listeners for the query virtual table; creates a plurality of data source virtual tables; causes the plurality of data source virtual tables to retrieve initial data from data sources; and propagates data via intermediate virtual tables to the persistent query virtual table. On detection of a data change in a data source, the associated data source virtual table causes the data change to propagate via intermediate virtual tables to the persistent query virtual table, and the client software application executes client code of at least one listener.
US08631028B1
A method for processing an inputted XPath query against an inputted XML document is provided. The method generates a summary index, an ancestor-descendant path index, and a value index from one or more inputted XML documents. The summary index and the ancestor-descendant path index and the value index have at least one path defined. XPath queries at articulation points are parsed into multiple partial queries. The cursor type index access methods are determined. Partial queries are executed against the SUM-Index to generate a list of path identifiers (PID) satisfies the partial query segments. A set of ancestor-descendant PID identifiers list is generated to provide a result sequence. The result sequence of nodes is filtered producing one or more outputted XML documents from the final result sequence of nodes. A related system and computer medium is also provided.
US08631027B2
An information retrieval system uses phrases to index, retrieve, organize and describe documents, analyzing documents and storing the results of the analysis as phrase data. Phrases are identified that predict the presence of other phrases in documents. Documents are the indexed according to their included phrases. Related phrases and phrase extensions are also identified. Changes to existing phrase data about a document collection submitted by a user is captured and analyzed, and the existing phrase data is updated to reflect the additional knowledge gained through the analysis.
US08631014B2
The method and system of the present invention provides an improved technique for integrated asset management. Information is aggregated from a variety of sources into a centralized computerized database. Thereafter, asset transition events are scheduled. Information from the centralized computerized database is used in the performance of the asset transition events and information relating to the asset transition events is added to the centralized computerized database. Subsequent changes to the asset are also recorded into the centralized computerized database. As a result, a plethora of information is available within said database for the purpose of managing future asset transition events.
US08631013B2
Mediums, methods, and systems are provided for efficiently logging data. A model may include one or more logging points which process data, the data being stored in a log associated with the logging point. The logging point may request that a logging object store the data point. The logging object may include a reference to a vector for storing the data point. When two or more logging objects are associated with the same logged data points, the two or more logging objects may share the same vector. If an object logs a point which is not present in a shared vector, the object may update the object's reference so that the object references a different existing vector, or the object may create a new vector. The vectors may be compressed and/or made circular to achieve improved efficiency.
US08631012B2
A method and system are disclosed that associate search keywords with relevant images from within sources, such as books, magazines, journals, etc., thereby making the images available for search using the associated keyword. Such associations enable a search engine to identify, in response to a search query, a relevant image within the source that would have not been provided otherwise. For example, an image of the Titanic that appears in a historical or cultural book may be associated with the search keyword “ship.” Accordingly, if a user submits the search query “ship and Infamous Ocean Voyages” (i.e., the keyword “ship” and the title of a book), an image of the Titanic from the book entitled “Infamous Ocean Voyages” may be returned among the search results.
US08631004B2
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for clustering and presenting search suggestions. A segment of text is obtained via a search query section of a user interface, the segment of text being a portion of a search query. A set of suggestions is obtained, each suggestion in the set of suggestions being a suggested search query relating to the segment of text. Two or more groups of suggestions are generated, each of the two or more groups of suggestions including a different subset of the set of suggestions. The two or more groups of suggestions are provided such that each of the two or more groups of suggestions is displayed in a separate partition of a search assistance segment of the user interface.
US08631003B2
Apparatus, systems and methods for predictive query identification for advertisements are disclosed. Candidate query are identified from queries stored in a query log. Relevancy scores for a plurality of web documents are generated, each relevancy score associated with a corresponding web document and being a measure of the relevance of the candidate query to the web document. A web document having an associated relevancy score that exceeds a relevancy threshold is selected. The selected web document is associated with the candidate query.
US08630996B2
A data management system (102) has a memory (102B-C), and a processor (102A) coupled thereto. The processor is programmed to extract (206) historical data from a historical database according to predetermined extraction criteria, search (208) for one or more potential duplicate entries in the historical data according to a portion of selection criteria used for generating the historical database, and submit (214) a notification when one or more potential duplicate entries have been identified.
US08630993B2
A human-computer interface for a search engine or similar application includes specification means for a time condition applicable to a search query, and visual feedback means expressive of relative availability of sought or potentially sought database items at one or more specific times within a time period under consideration. The invention provides a new and unique way to support interactive searching of a database that includes information relating to time availability of represented items, in order to identify items that match one or more search term(s) and are available at a specific time or during a specific time period.
US08630992B1
A system and method for determining a rank of a URL for a search query. A processor is effective to receive a search query and a URL. The processor may send the search query to a search engine and receive at least a first and a second result set from the search engine. The processor may determine a rank of the URL for the search query based on the first and second result sets. The processor may determine a variability of the rank of the URL based on the first and second result sets and generate a report including the rank and the variability of the rank.
US08630981B1
Techniques for differencing binary installation packages are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for performing differencing binary installation packages. The method may comprise populating at least one data structure using information from different builds of a binary installation package, comparing information in the at least one data structure, and generating a result of the comparison.
US08630980B2
Architecture for restoring nodes. After restoring a node, fix-up occurs to make the node appears as a different node than before the restore operation. The node appears as a new node, which new node knows the data up to a certain point from when the new node had the prior identity. This allows for new changes generated by the new node to flow to the other nodes in the topology, as well as have the changes that the prior identity sent to other nodes flow back to the new node. In other words, the architecture maintains information to create the new node in the topology while maintaining prior data knowledge. Additionally, item level metadata of associated data items is updated to correlate with the updated data items so that changes can be correctly enumerated and applied. This metadata update occurs across scopes of which the data items are included.
US08630973B2
Calculations to be performed on a massive data set may be delegated to a plurality of local servers for parallel processing. Each local server advances through a subset of database objects to determine if the objects are relevant to the calculation. If so, the objects' data is used as an operand to the calculation to generate intermediate results at the local server. The intermediate results of the various local servers are transmitted to a central server, which generates final results and transmits them back to the local servers. The local servers write the final results into each object in its respective subset, where relevant. The method is efficient because each object in the database is opened at most twice. Opening and closing database objects often involve transfers from bulk storage and, therefore, are some of the most time-consuming operations that computer systems perform.
US08630972B2
An overwhelming number of articles are available everyday via the internet. Unfortunately, it is impossible to peruse more than a handful, and it is difficult to ascertain an article's social context. The techniques disclosed herein address this problem by harnessing implicit and explicit contextual information from social media. By extracting text surrounding a hyperlink to an article in a post and assessing the article as a function of content surrounding the hyperlink, an article's social context is determined and presented. Additionally, articles that are sufficiently similar in content may be grouped to establish a many-to-one relationship between posts and an article, creating a more accurate assessment.
US08630959B2
Techniques are disclosed for modeling costs when editing a workflow process model. A request may be received to assign a cost factor to a workflow process step of the workflow process model. Responsive to the request, the cost factor may be assigned to the workflow process step, such that a traversal of the workflow process step by a transaction invoking the workflow process model results in the cost factor being included in a total cost to be charged for executing the transaction.
US08630932B1
Tokenless biometric authorization of transaction between a consumer and a merchant uses an identicator and an access device. A consumer registers with the identicator a biometric sample taken from the consumer. The consumer and merchant establish communications via the access device. The merchant proposes a transaction to the consumer via the access device. The access device communicates to the merchant associated with the access device. After the consumer and merchant have agreed on the transaction, the consumer and the identicator use the access device to establish communications. The access device communicates to the identicator the code associated with the access device. The identicator compares biometric sample from the consumer with registered biometric sample. Upon successful identification, the identicator forwards information regarding the consumer to the merchant. These steps accomplish a biometrically authorized electronic financial transaction without the consumer having to present any personalized man-made memory tokens.
US08630927B1
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for auditing in-store sales transactions when a digital receipt is issued. A receipt application server formulates a digital receipt from digital receipt data received from a POS system. The digital receipt is sent from the receipt application server to an auditor mobile device at the location of the POS system. A human auditor can view the digital receipt during an in-store audit. In some embodiments, one or both of the receipt application server and the auditor mobile device reorder receipt entries so that items having specified characteristics are presented more prominently on a display. For example, receipt entries can be re-ordered such that higher profit margin items, bulkier items, or more likely to be stolen items are presented more prominently. As such, a human auditor is more likely to expressly audit these types of items.
US08630917B2
A computer-implemented method guides a user in designing a product defined by data. The method involves examining (420) items of the data to detect whether each item conforms to rules (106) or violates the rules; performing (431 . . . ) at least one action in response to a detection of a rule violation; displaying (450) the data to the user in a manner emphasizing at least one particular data item that caused the rule violation; receiving (460) any new data input from the user; and repeating the examining, action performing, and displaying steps using the new data. The displaying step may involve displaying data defining a current state of the product in a tabular (spreadsheet) format, including displaying data detected to have caused the rule violation in a first manner that is visibly distinct from displaying other data that is not detected to have caused the rule violation.
US08630916B2
In both an on-line and a conventional auction, an auctioneer may encourage competitive bidding behavior through the provision of rewards to those bidders whose bids meet predetermined criteria. For example, a bidder may be rewarded if her bid exceeds a prior bid by a threshold value. An auctioneer may further discourage non-competitive bidding behavior by penalizing those bidders whose bids fall below predetermined standards.
US08630914B2
A method and system for providing status of a data item after receiving status information pertaining to the data item. It is determined whether the received status information is new relative to further status information pertaining to the data item. The status record is updated to include the received status information if the received status information is new. The updated message indicating the received status information is then composed and transmitted over a network.
US08630912B2
A product retail sales management server for managing the retail sales of a product across a communication network comprises: a retail sales management module for managing the retail sales of the product; a price update 13 for dynamically setting the price of the product in accordance with rules and the retail sales state of the product and in accordance with the actual retail sales state of the product when managed by the retail sales management module; and an acceptance module 11 for, upon the receipt of an information request via the communication network, furnishing a request transmission source with the information concerning the product and the price of the product, set by the price update module at the time the information request is received.
US08630904B2
Each of a plurality of consumer accounts in a data store has a first consumer account identifier. Login information is received from a consumer device over the network interface device. The first consumer account identifier is received from the consumer device and stored in association the consumer account. The first consumer account identifier is storable as one of at least two types of identifiers and the storing by the consumer device of the first consumer account identifier is only permitted upon successful login based on the login information. The charge request is received over a network interface device, the charge request including the amount and the second consumer account identifier. A selected one of the consumer accounts is identified by associating one of the first consumer account identifiers with the second consumer account identifier, and the charge request is processed based on an account detail of the selected consumer account.
US08630892B2
A churn analysis system helps a business analyze, predict, and reduce customer churn. The system analyzes customer experiences by using an insightful block level approach to correlate customer experience with customer churn. Through the block level approach, the system is able to more accurately predict and effectively reduce future customer churn. As a result, businesses are able to reduce customer acquisition costs and improve customer retention rates.
US08630882B2
An intelligent enterprise architecture (LEA) for an enterprise is defined. One or more IEA entry points are selected. IEA entry points represent a starting point for defining the IEA, which is an architectural development process for defining an enterprise computing architecture within a smart computing system. One or more business drivers for pain points in the enterprise are associated with a selected IEA entry point. A business value model is generated and utilized to focus a scope of the business drivers for the selected IEA entry point. An optimal IEA that satisfies the business drivers to ameliorate the pain points in the enterprise is then defined.
US08630881B1
An apparatus, method, and program for pre-selling tickets to determine whether to book an event or activity, and for facilitating the sale of those tickets. Consumers who pre-purchase a ticket are plainly notified if an event has not yet been booked. They are also shown the progress toward the likely booking of the event. A successful pre-sale of tickets triggers the booking of the event. An unsuccessful pre-sale results in the event not being booked. Consumers who help effect an event booking may be given privileges over those who purchase traditional tickets for the same event after it has already been booked.
US08630869B2
A method includes receiving an input indicative of a user's geographic location and providing a listing of providers available for use in planning and implementing a dental implant treatment plan based on the user's geographic location. A listing of dental implant treatment and planning software options available for use in planning and implementing the dental implant ireatment plan for the patient are provided and selected by the user. Dental implant information for the patient is received from the user. A listing of user selectable dental implant treatment plan options is provided. A cost associated with the user selectable dental implant treatment plan options available for inclusion in the dental implant treatment plan are provided and the cost is updated based on the user's selection of the user selectable dental implant treatment plan options.
US08630868B2
An online system and method enabling users to exchange information and establish collaboration in scientific projects on rare diseases is described. The website allows users to create a list of symptoms for a patient with a rare disease who is under their care. The patient's list of symptoms is then used to find other patients sharing a similar list of symptoms. A matching system creates a match report that ranks patients with similar symptoms. Once a list of potential matches is available, the user may take the initiative of contacting other colleagues with similar clinical cases under their care, for the purpose of exchanging information and/or establishing collaboration in scientific projects about a particular rare disease. A database containing information on rare diseases, along with other services, is also provided to the users at the website.
US08630865B2
Closed-loop control is applied to the field of automated on-line business bandwidth planning tools by comparing measured business bandwidth with a baseline for providing a difference indication, changing the baseline according to the difference, and reporting the change as an event relating to a service level agreement.
US08630853B2
A speech classification apparatus includes a speech classification probability calculation unit that calculates a probability (probability of classification into each cluster) that a latest one of the speech signals (speech data) belongs to each cluster based on a generative model which is a probability model, and a parameter updating unit that successively estimates parameters that define the generative model based on the probability of classification of the speech data into each cluster calculated by the speech classification probability calculation unit.
US08630837B2
Systems and methods for emulating the reception of a multicast message considering simulated host channel characteristics. Methods, according to various embodiments, may comprise executing a plurality of host applications subscribing to a first multicast group address. The methods may also comprise executing a plurality of sockets. The methods may also comprise receiving a data packet indicating the first multicast group address. The data packet may be modified according to a first channel impairment condition to generate a first impaired data packet, which may be directed to a first host application selected from the plurality of host applications via a first socket selected from the plurality of sockets. The first socket may correspond to the first host. The data packet may be modified according to a second channel impairment condition to generate a second impaired data packet directed to a second host application via a second socket.
US08630825B1
A method of determining the surface topology of a reflector for convergence of a beam incident thereupon.
US08630814B2
Apparatus, including an ultrasonic liquid level gauge and control system, includes a gauge configured to be coupled on the outside of a device, having a boiler or hot water tank, having liquid contained therein. The gauge is also configured to receive and contain a small part of the liquid of the device; and an ultrasonic transducing and signal processing arrangement configured to: reflect an ultrasonic pulse off a liquid surface of the small part of the liquid of the device contained in the gauge, and determine the level of liquid in the device based at least partly on a time of flight analysis related to the ultrasonic pulse reflected off the liquid surface of the small part of the liquid of the device contained in the gauge.
US08630812B2
Embodiments include a system for determining cardiovascular information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to create a physics-based model relating to a blood flow characteristic of the patient's heart and determine a fractional flow reserve within the patient's heart based on the three-dimensional model and the physics-based model.
US08630808B2
A method for estimating concentrations or concentration changes of particular biological markers, e.g. proteins, includes performing estimations by providing a mathematical model with data from measurements of other biological markers, e.g. other proteins. Thus, instead of measuring the concentration of particular proteins, this concentration can be estimated using the model. The estimated proteins can be used together with other clinical data in another model which is able to provide information or estimations of a patient's disease, for example.
US08630802B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus including a display device for displaying graphical information; a processor arranged to control the display device to display the graphical information; a store for color mapping information, the information being representative of a relationship between orientation-related information of a trajectory and color; and a trajectory-color module for determining orientation-related information of a trajectory and a color according to the determined information and the color mapping information. In at least one embodiment, the processor is responsive to the trajectory-color module to control the display device to display a graphical element at least partly in the determined color.
US08630797B2
A method, device, and computer-readable medium are configured for guiding a person (21) to a destination. The method comprises the steps of storing an association between a person (21) and a content item, wherein the content item comprises audio and/or at least one image, determining a destination for the person (21), determining a current position of the person (21), identifying at least one reproduction device (22, 23, 24, 25) between the current position and the destination, and reproducing the content item on the identified at least one reproduction device (22, 23, 24, 25).
US08630791B2
A vehicle route guidance system is provided that may dynamically determine one or more possible destinations within a predetermined distance of a current location of a vehicle having the vehicle route guidance system. The vehicle route guidance system may determine respective routes to the one or more possible destinations and may access price information with respect to the one or more possible destinations. For each of the one or more possible destinations, the vehicle route guidance system may estimate a cost of fuel to be consumed by the vehicle to reach respective ones of the one or more possible destination based on received traffic information, a respective route, and vehicle fuel consumption information. The vehicle route guidance system may provide information for guiding the vehicle to one of the one or more possible destinations having a lowest total overall cost.
US08630773B2
A method for monitoring safety of a waste collection vehicle, a digital image is captured by an image capturing device positioned on the waste collection vehicle. The method detects a person in the digital image, and controls a safety device to cut of power being supplied to the waste collection vehicle if the person has been detected. The method further outputs alarm messages by lighting one or more signal lamps of the waste collection vehicle.
US08630765B2
An OBD II-compliant diagnostic PC tablet and method are provided. The tablet enables the simultaneous display of diagnostic data from multiple systems. Further, the tablet enables retrieval of potential solutions in response to the diagnostic data. The tablet may be used to retrieve the diagnostic data from a given vehicle system. The tablet features a display screen, an input node, and a processor. The tablet may communicate with one or more remote databases obtaining diagnostic summaries therefrom. Thus, the computer receives the diagnostic data vehicle system, derives diagnostic information therefrom, and can use external databases to derive potential diagnostic solutions therefrom.
US08630763B2
A single track in-line legged vehicle is controlled to coordinate movement along a desired single-track trajectory by causing each in-line leg to selectively perform a stance-to-flight phase, a flight phase, a flight-to-stance phase, and a stance phase. During the stance-to-flight phase, reaction forces and torques between a foot and the ground are unloaded to lift the foot off the ground. During the flight phase, a foot moves in the same general direction and at a generally faster rate as a major direction of motion of the vehicle body. During the flight-to-stance phase, foot positioning is controlled to place a foot on the ground according to the desired single-track trajectory. During the stance phase, foot-to-ground interaction develops reaction forces and torques that are transferred from the foot through the corresponding in-line leg to propel, torque, and stabilize the body in the x, y, z, pitch, roll, and yaw axes.
US08630762B2
A method for calculating a collision-avoiding trajectory for a driving maneuver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, in order to evade at least one obstacle approaching the motor vehicle during driving operation. The lateral speed of the motor vehicle is taken into account in the calculation independently of the longitudinal speed of the motor vehicle.
US08630754B2
The present invention relates to a method for replacing legs in an air navigation procedure described as a series of legs, the legs forming part of an initial family of legs. The method includes: a step of determining a restricted family of legs included in the initial family of legs, so that each leg not belonging to the restricted family corresponds to a combination of legs belonging to the restricted family: The method also includes: a step of replacing in the navigation procedure the legs not belonging to the restricted family with combinations of legs belonging to the restricted family.
US08630740B2
The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that initially aggressively learn, and then continue, in a steady-state mode, to monitor, learn, and modify one or more control schedules that specify a desired operational behavior of a device, machine, system, or organization controlled by the intelligent controller. An intelligent controller generally acquires one or more initial control schedules through schedule-creation and schedule-modification interfaces or by accessing a default control schedule stored locally or remotely in a memory or mass-storage device. The intelligent controller then proceeds to learn, over time, a desired operational behavior for the device, machine, system, or organization controlled by the intelligent controller based on immediate-control inputs, schedule-modification inputs, and previous and current control schedules, encoding the desired operational behavior in one or more control schedules and/or sub-schedules.
US08630734B2
A method to move a person with an automated manipulator, in particular a robot, includes moving a rider receptacle for a person with the manipulator, and determining an acceleration variable of this movement before and/or during the execution of this movement and comparing the acceleration variable with a predetermined acceleration variable and/or adapting the movement to a predetermined acceleration variable in the event that the determined acceleration variable deviates from the predetermined acceleration variable, and/or a predetermined acceleration variable is used that includes different permissible acceleration durations that are respectively associated with a permissible acceleration value.
US08630730B2
A machine for cutting a continuously extruded tube into segments of lesser and predetermined length, comprising: —means (33) for actuating sliding means (3) that are movable along a guide (30) parallel to a direction (20) of advance; said sliding means (3) comprising a first and a second station (31, 32) for cutting the tube which in turn comprise respectively a first and a second shearing cutter (311, 312). To the first shearing cutter (311) is associated a first cutting plane (310) transverse to the direction (20) of advance of the tube, to the second shearing cutter (312) is associated a second cutting plane (320) that is transverse to the direction (20) of advance of the tube and distal from the first cutting plane (310);—means for measuring the relative displacement between said tube and said first and second cutting plane (310, 320) along the direction (20) of advance of the tube;—control means commanding said actuating means (33) of said sliding means (3) according to the desired length of the segments produced by the machine (1) and according to the information provided by said measuring means.
US08630724B2
Techniques for implementing system best practices are provided. In one aspect, a method for monitoring, modeling and managing a physical system is provided. The method includes the following steps. A physical data model of the physical system is provided. Real time data is obtained from the physical system. The physical data model is updated based on the real time data. An analytic model of the physical system is created based on the updated physical data model. Operation of the physical system is controlled based on output from the analytic model.
US08630721B2
An electrode array which is able to be inserted to a desired depth within the cochlea to provide useful percepts for the recipient which will also preferably not cause damage to the sensitive structures of the cochlea. The electrode array is insertable through an opening in the cochlea and into at least the basal region of the cochlea and comprises an elongate carrier having a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of electrodes supported by the carrier at respective spaced locations thereon in a region between the proximal end and the distal end. A stabilising collar extends outwardly from the elongate carrier at or adjacent a proximal end thereof and has an abutment surface adapted to abut a portion of the cochlea surface around the cochleostomy and at least substantially prevent movement of the carrier following completion of insertion of the array into the cochlea.
US08630718B2
A medical device lead includes a proximal connector, an insulative lead body extending distally from the proximal connector. The proximal connector is configured to couple the lead to a pulse generator. A first conductive coil is coupled to the proximal connector and extends through the lead body. The first conductive coil is coupled to a first electrode at a distal end of the first conductive coil. A first magnetically impregnated polymer layer is adjacent the first conductive coil.
US08630711B1
Methods and related systems for treating patients suffering from several disorders including bladder dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and bowel elimination disorders are disclosed and described. The method can include identification of the disorder followed by the step of accessing a pudendal nerve of the patient. A microelectrode array having a plurality of electrodes thereon is inserted into the pudendal nerve of the patient. A controller is electronically associated with the microelectrode array which is programmed to provide selective activation and/or blocking of various muscles using the microelectrodes of the array. The selective stimulation can be tuned to selectively activate or block at least one muscle selected from the group consisting of the external urethral sphincter, the detrusor muscle, the anal sphincter, and the cavernous smooth musculature of the penis.
US08630706B2
Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by repetitively blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with chemical blocking agents are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of chemical blocking agents and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed.
US08630704B2
A system embodiment comprises at least one respiration sensor, a neural stimulation therapy delivery module, and a controller. The respiration sensor is adapted for use in monitoring respiration of the patient. The neural stimulation therapy delivery module is adapted to generate a neural stimulation signal for use in stimulating the autonomic neural target of the patient for the chronic neural stimulation therapy. The controller is adapted to receive a respiration signal from the at least one respiration sensor indicative of the patient's respiration, and adapted to control the neural stimulation therapy delivery module using a respiratory variability measurement derived using the respiration signal.
US08630702B2
A system for the detection of cardiac events occurring in a human patient is provided. At least two electrodes are included in the system for obtaining an electrical signal from a patient's heart. An electrical signal processor is electrically coupled to the electrodes for processing the electrical signal and a patient alarm means is further provided and electrically coupled to the electrical signal processor. The electrical signal is acquired in the form of electrogram segments, which are categorized according to heart rate, ST segment shift and type heart rhythm (normal or abnormal). Baseline electrogram segments are tracked over time.
US08630700B2
In an implantable heart monitoring device and a monitoring method, an impedance is measured across at least part of an atrium, such that variation of the impedance is related to the volume change of the atrium. Values are stored at different occasions that indicate the rate of change of the measured impedance. The stored values are determined such that, when the device is used in a living being, the variation of the stored values will be related to the variation of the speed with which the atrium is filled with blood during the atrial diastole.
US08630693B2
In a magnetic resonance device having a PET unit for acquiring positron emission tomography data and a gradient coil, the PET unit includes a carrier tube on which at least one PET detector is arranged. In at least one embodiment, the carrier tube is arranged inside the gradient coil and is displaceably mounted in such a way that access to the PET detector is made possible by its displacement. This allows easy access to the PET detector during maintenance activities.
US08630692B2
In an implantable medical device for monitoring glucose concentration in the blood, a blood-glucose concentration analysis is performed using correlations of blood-glucose concentration with measures of metabolic oxygen consumption including oxymetric, and/or temperature. Analysis of electrocardiographic data is used in a parallel method to detect and/or confirm the onset and/or existence and/or extent of hypoglycemia and/or hyperglycemia. Blood-glucose concentration calculation is enhanced by using the combination of the oxygen metabolism analysis and electrocardiographic analysis.
US08630685B2
A communication device including multiple microphones is provided. The communication device includes at least two microphones. The communication device further includes a sidetone feedback notifier for producing a notification signal. The sidetone feedback notifier is coupled to the microphones. The notification signal is based on the combination of, a first input audio signal provided for by a first microphone, and a second input audio signal provided for by a second microphone. The sidetone feedback notifier is coupled to a notification device for providing a feedback signal to a user based on the notification signal.
US08630682B2
A method and apparatus for time-based mediation of wireless communications is provided to a user of a wireless communications device. The method involves determining local time information associated with the recipient communication device in response to a user-initiated contact function; determining a mediation condition based at least in part on said local time information; and if the mediation condition satisfies a predetermined criterion: providing, to a user of the wireless communication device, an indication of said mediation condition; presenting, to said user, a menu of two or more options for contacting the recipient communication device using the wireless communication device; and initiating communication in accordance with an option selected from said menu. The method can be implemented on an apparatus such as a wireless communication device.
US08630681B2
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which data can be conveniently shared between a terminal having a projector and an external device connected to the terminal. A mobile terminal includes a projector module configured to project an image onto an external surface, a wireless communication unit configured to establish a wireless connection for communicating with an external device, and a controller configured to display an icon in the projected image corresponding to the connected external device, receive an input selecting the displayed icon, execute a function related to the external device in response to the input, and direct a movement of an object displayed in the projected image according to a signal received from the connected external device.
US08630676B2
A wireless communication apparatus and method are provided. The wireless communication apparatus includes: a transmission/reception side location recognizing unit recognizing the location of a transmission side and that of a reception side; a transmission power determining unit recognizing radio wave propagation characteristics according to the locations of the transmission side and the reception side, and determining transmission power in consideration of the radio wave propagation characteristics; a transmission time determining unit analyzing a transmission signal service type and determining a transmission time in consideration of a frequency usage fee if the transmission signal is not required to be transmitted in real time; and a transmission and reception unit transmitting the transmission signal according to the transmission power and the transmission time determined by the transmission power determining unit and the transmission time determining unit.
US08630667B2
Methods and apparatus enabling a mobile device to receive paging notifications from multiple networks. In one embodiment of the present invention, a first device connected to a first network momentarily ignores the first network, to monitor a second network instead. The first device identifies and prioritizes a list of applications of the first network; the prioritized listing allows the first device to preempt one of its lower priority tasks to monitor the second network for paging messages instead. The described methods and apparatus enable e.g., GSM paging for Class B cellular devices which are connected to GPRS NMO-2 type networks. The Class B cellular device can ignore certain GPRS data (which is tolerant to error), to decode GSM paging channels, which would otherwise be missed.
US08630665B1
A location engine is disclosed that estimates the location of a wireless terminal using (i) cell ID, (ii) triangulation, (iii) GPS, (iv) RF pattern-matching, or (v) any combination of them. The location engine is adept at discounting the contribution of apparently reasonable but erroneous data. The location engine receives data that are evidence of the location of a wireless terminal at each of a plurality of different times. The location engine then generates an initial hypothesis for the location of the wireless terminal at each time assuming that all of the data is correct and equally probative. Next, the location engine generates one alternative hypothesis for each initial hypothesis and each datum assuming that the datum is erroneous. Finally, the location engine generates the estimate for the location of the wireless terminal at each time by determining which combination of initial hypotheses and alternative hypothesis is the most self-consistent.
US08630664B2
A location beacon database and server, method of building location beacon database, and location based service using same. Wi-Fi access points are located in a target geographical area to build a reference database of locations of Wi-Fi access points. At least one vehicle is deployed including at least one scanning device having a GPS device and a Wi-Fi radio device and including a Wi-Fi antenna system. The target area is traversed in a programmatic route to avoid arterial bias. The programmatic route includes substantially all drivable streets in the target geographical area and solves an Eulerian cycle problem of a graph represented by said drivable streets. While traversing the target area, periodically receive the GPS coordinates of the GPS device. While traversing the target area, detecting Wi-Fi signals from Wi-Fi access points in range of the Wi-Fi device and recording identity information of the detected Wi-Fi access point in conjunction with GPS location information of the vehicle when the detection of the Wi-Fi access point was made. The location information is used to reverse triangulate the position of the detected Wi-Fi access point; and the position of the detected access point is recorded in a reference database.
US08630662B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products communicate location information associated with a device, such as a mobile device, to a server. Content identified by the server is received at the device, from the server and/or from a content service. The content can include an application associated with the location information. The content received at the device is displayed on the device only while the device is at or near a particular location identified by the location information.
US08630661B2
A method, a mobile device, and a computer-readable recording medium for a location-aware application are provided. In the method, at least one signal source around the mobile device and a signal strength thereof are detected by using a signal detecting module. Then, each detected signal source and the signal strength thereof are compared with a signal source and a signal strength thereof recorded in multiple system profiles, so as to find a system profile having matched signal source and signal strength, in which the system profiles include signal sources and signal strengths thereof which are recorded and detected by the mobile device at multiple different locations and a system setting of the mobile device applicable to each location. Finally, a system setting of a matched system profile is executed.
US08630655B2
A femtocell basestation selects its carrier frequency by detecting a carrier used by at least one other basestation in its network, and selecting its own carrier frequency such that it partially overlaps with the detected carrier. The downlink power of the femtocell basestation is set based on the degree of overlap between the selected carrier and the detected carrier, so that a user equipment having a connection to the other basestation is forced to search for the selected carrier.
US08630645B2
Systems and methods for providing fast handoff support by transferring information are provided. Additionally, a generic protocol message format is presented which allows the transfer of information used in the handoff. The generic protocol allows a gateway to request contexts or session information and send information that allows tunnel setup and mapping to other connections. The session, tunnel, and mapping information allow the gateways to switch packet processing operations without causing disruption to the packet flow. Further, in inter-gateway handoffs or inter-access network handoffs, fast and seamless handoffs are provided so the mobile station keeps the same IP address and the session continues.
US08630640B2
Systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are described for refinement of femtocell coverage area information in a wireless communication system, particularly in context of a femto-proxy architecture. Zones may be defined within a femtocell coverage area using beacon sources, and a zone map of zone signatures may be defined for each zone of the femtocell coverage area, according to macro signatures detected in those zones. The zone map can be used, by access terminals, the femto-proxy system, and/or the macro network, to provide functionality, including reduced power level femtocell discovery and association, enhanced network planning, improved femtocell troubleshooting, etc.
US08630635B2
Techniques for use in processing user data associated with a user account of a mobile device having an application is described. The mobile device includes a memory and an interface configured to receive a removable memory card. A encryption/decryption key is stored in the memory, but is not stored in the removable memory card. The mobile device regularly receives and stores updates to the user data in the memory for use in the application. For updates to the user data, the mobile device updates a copy of the user data stored in the removable memory card in an encrypted format in accordance with the encryption/decryption key.
US08630628B2
A calling method for performing a video phone call including: establishing a bearer of a video phone call between a calling terminal and a Multimedia Ring Back Tone (MRBT) device; playing, by the MRBT device, a MRBT to the calling terminal via the bearer between the calling terminal and the MRBT device; sending, by a MSC server of the calling terminal, a prompt message to the calling terminal; removing the bearer between the calling terminal and the MRBT device upon receiving the prompt message; establishing another bearer of the video phone call between the calling terminal and a called terminal; and performing a video phone call communication between the calling terminal and the called terminal via the bearer between the calling terminal and the called terminal. The present invention also provides the corresponding systems, thereby realizing the Multimedia Ring Back Tone service of a video phone call.
US08630620B2
A method and apparatus for securing location information and access control using the location information are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) includes a location sensing entity and a subscriber identity module (SIM). The location sensing entity generates location information of the WTRU and the location information is embedded in a message in an SIM. A trusted processing module in the WTRU verifies integrity of the location information. The trusted processing module may be on the SIM. The location information may be physical location information or contextual location-related information. The trusted processing module is configured to cryptographically secure and bind the location information to the WTRU, and verify trust metrics of an external entity prior to granting an access to the location information or accepting information from the external entity. The trusted processing module may be a trusted computing group (TCG) trusted platform module (TPM) or mobile trusted module (MTM). The location information may be used for an authentication purpose or access control. The location information may be combined with time information.
US08630618B2
A Home Location Register (HLR) and an Interworking Gateway (IWG) of an operator are configured to redirect Mobile Originated Short Messages (MO SM) sent by roaming cellular communication devices of both prepaid and postpaid subscribers hosted by a foreign network to a real time charging gateway (RTCG). The RTCG retrieves from the operator's database the type of subscription of the sending device. If the device is of a postpaid subscription, the RTCG operates as a relay between an SMSC and the foreign network. If the device is of a prepaid subscription, the RTCG communicates with a PrePaid System (PPS) and forwards the MO SM to the SMSC only in case there are sufficient funds in the respective prepaid account.
US08630616B2
The present invention is directed to an improved operations method for a wireless communication system. The improved business method, operations method, network and system of the present invention includes the steps of delivering cellular services to the mass market, reducing peak capacity, increasing overall capacity utilization, improving capital utilization, providing an “all-you-can-eat” pricing model, and designing capacity based upon where the users live, work, and play.
US08630597B2
Disclosed are an antenna tuner and a method for adjusting antenna impedance. The antenna tuner includes a reference impedance resistor, a first coupler having an isolated port connected to one end of the reference impedance resistor, a second coupler having an input port connected to an output port of the first coupler and an output port connected to the antenna, and an impedance adjusting device group connected to the second coupler to adjust impedance of the antenna. An impedance controller generates an impedance adjustment control signal according to a first voltage applied to a coupled port of the first coupler, and a second voltage applied to a coupled port of the second coupler to provide the impedance adjustment control signal to the impedance adjusting device group.
US08630568B2
Provided is a liquid development apparatus having a constitution in which liquid developer containing carrier liquid with toner dispersed therein is supplied from a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member on a pool forming member arranged facing to a supply roller so as to form a pool of the liquid developer, from which pool the liquid developer is supplied to the supply roller, wherein a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member supplies cleaning liquid on a pool forming member to form a suitable pooling portion of the cleaning liquid and the liquid developer remaining on the surface of the supply roller is removed and cleaned.
US08630559B2
According to one embodiment, a toner receiver includes a tray that is located below a path through which a supply port of a supply container passes if the supply container mounted to a main body is removed from the main body, and includes a first surface close to the supply port and a toner sump recessed from the first surface; and a toner guard that includes an upper surface including a same height as the first surface and causes toner spilled from the supply port to pass from the first surface to the toner sump.
US08630557B2
An aspect is a medium detection device to detect a slack of a medium to be introduced into a fixation device in an image formation apparatus. The fixation device is detachable from a part of the image formation apparatus other than the fixation device. The medium detection device includes a lever support provided at the fixation device, a lever supported by the lever support such that the lever moves or displaces when the lever comes in contact with slack medium, a sensor support provided at the part of the image formation apparatus other than the fixation device, and a sensor supported by the sensor support and configured to detect the movement or the displacement of the lever.
US08630549B2
The visible light communication apparatus includes: a brightness signal generator that calculates a duty cycle of an driving signal corresponding to brightness requirement information and generates clock frequency information on brightness signals based on the calculated duty cycle; a transmission data generator that generates transmission data; an illumination driver that generates and outputs an driving signal in a pulse waveform based on the clock frequency information of the brightness signals and the transmission data and controls a pulse position of a turn on section for each bit unit time in the waveform of the driving signal based on the transmission data; and an illumination that is operated according to the driving signal from the illumination driver.
US08630540B1
A translation agent adapts DOCSIS information, primarily QoS information, for transmission over a PON. The agent places into an IP address field of a DHCP message the MAC address of an ONU associated with a CPE device attempting to register with a CMTS. The translation agent intercepts DHCP reply messages from the DHCP server using the MAC address of the ONU. The translation agent extracts information, including an IP address of the client CPE assigned by the DHCP server. The agent downloads a configuration file for the CPE device using the configuration filename and configuration file server contained in a DHCP reply message. Information contained in the configuration file is converted from content in a format used by DOCSIS, to content in a format used by PON devices. The translated content includes QoS parameters, functions related to which are controlled at the ONU by an OLT coupled to the CMTS.
US08630536B2
Identification of starting and ending times of commercial breaks and commercials within those commercial breaks found in audiovisual content is disclosed. A solution to a “batch optimization” problem is used in which commercial locations within a set of audiovisual content are detected as a group by choosing a set of commercial locations which optimizes a cost function which can include considerations of, for example, 1) one or more cues, 2) relative locations of commercials within the audiovisual content, and/or 3) probability models based on statistics obtained regarding characteristics of typical commercial and commercial breaks. Optimization can be done over the total set of commercial location decisions, rather than on a per-commercial basis. Additionally, the cost function can be iteratively evaluated and many more types of cues and combinations of cues can be used in detection of commercials.
US08630524B2
A reproduction apparatus is disclosed. A reproduction section reproduces video data from a record medium, the video data being managed in a unit of a clip composed of a plurality of frames which are chronologically successive. A first decode section decodes a first clip which is currently being output and stores the decoded first clip. A second decode section pre-decodes at least a frame which is output at beginning of a second clip adjacent to the first clip in a reproduction order and stores the decoded frame. A control section controls a clip adjacent to a decoded position side of the first clip in the reproduction order to become the second clip for an early region and a late region of a time length based on a center position of a reproduction time length of the first clip.
US08630518B2
A system and method are provided for using bubble structures to control the extraction of light from a waveguide top surface. The method determines a maximum angle (α) of light propagation through a waveguide medium relative to a first horizontal direction parallel to a waveguide top surface. A plurality of bubble structures is provided having a refractive index less than the waveguide medium. The bubble structures have a base, and sides formed at an acute angle upwards with respect to the base. The bubble structure bases are separated by gap (W), have a height (H), and have a top separated from a waveguide top surface by a space (h). The method varies the gap (W), the height (H), and the space (h). In response, the intensity of light extraction at even the maximum angle (α) of light propagation, can be controlled from the waveguide top surface.
US08630506B2
An image correcting device includes an image input section, image storage section, correction table storage section, geometry correcting section subjecting an input image to geometrical correction based on a correction table, and image output section outputting the input image as a corrected image. The table is created by: calculating a pair of angles (θ, φ) corresponding to each pixel position on the output image as the corrected image; calculating a light direction based on an intersection line between a plane obtained by rotating a YZ plane by angle θ about Y axis and that by rotating an XZ plane by angle φ about X axis, in three dimensional Cartesian coordinate system with origin at a projection center of the input image; calculating a position on the input image corresponding to the light direction, as a resampling position; and associating the resampling position with the pixel position on the output image.
US08630504B2
An auto-focus image system includes a focus signal generator and a pixel array coupled thereto that captures an image that includes a plurality of edges. The generator computes a focus signal from a plurality of edge-sharpness measures, each measured from and contributed by a different edge as a quantity with a unit that is a power of a unit of length. The generator reduces a relative weight of the contribution of an edge depending on a shape of a normalized gradient profile of the edge as identified by an n-tuple of values of n different shape measures (n≧2). Each shape measure varies across normalized gradient profiles of different shapes. One shape measure may be the edge-sharpness measure itself. The weight may be zero if the n-tuple falls outside a predetermined region. At least one symmetrical shape that has perfect reflection symmetry receives reduced weight.
US08630500B2
A method for encoding an image, the encoding being a mixed encoding with the possibility of using a first lossless compression type, and a second lossy compression type, the method including: dividing the image into a plurality of elementary blocks; determining which elementary blocks have a high level of detail; allocating the first type of compression to each elementary block that has a high level of detail; allocating the second compression type to each elementary block that does not have a high level of detail; applying the first type of compression to each elementary block to which the first compression type has been allocated; applying the first compression type to each elementary block directly surrounded by two elementary blocks to which the first compression type has been allocated.
US08630498B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for detection of pictorial regions in an image using a masking condition, an entropy measure, and region growing.
US08630497B2
There is disclosed a quick and efficient method for analyzing a segment of video, the segment of video having a plurality of frames. A reference portion is acquired from a reference frame of the plurality of frames. Plural subsequent portions are then acquired from a corresponding subsequent frame of the plurality of frames. Each subsequent portion is then compared with the reference portion, and an event is detected based upon each comparison. There is also disclosed a method of optimizing video including selectively storing, labeling, or viewing video based on the occurrence of events in the video. Furthermore, there is disclosed a method for creating a video summary of video which allows a used to scroll through and access selected parts of a video. The methods disclosed also provide advancements in the field of video surveillance analysis.
US08630487B2
There is provided an image processing apparatus including: a first color transform unit carrying out a color transform on a combination of color components with high correlation out of a plurality of color components included in image data; and a second color transform unit carrying out a color transform on a combination of color components aside from the combination of color components subjected to the color transform by the first color transform unit out of the plurality of color components included in the image data.
US08630486B2
A method for registering color deviations on printing materials produced in machines processing printing material, includes using a computer to analyze image data from a prepress stage with regard to coloring in a printed image on the printing materials. During the analysis in the computer, the image data from the prepress stage are organized into image types, the image types are allocated set points and the set points are compared with actual values registered by a color measuring instrument on the printing materials being produced.
US08630484B2
Signal processing techniques are applied to digital image data to remove the distortion caused by motion of the camera, or the movement of the subject being photographed, or defective optics, or optical distortion from other sources. When the image is captured, the effect of relative motion between the camera and the subject is that it transforms the true image into a blurred image according to a 2-dimensional transfer function. The 2-dimensional transfer function representing the motion is derived using blind estimation techniques or by using information from sensors that detect the motion. The transfer function is inverted and used to define a corrective filter. The filter is applied to the image and the blur due to the motion is removed, restoring the correct image. Another embodiment uses the transfer function to avoid blur by combining multiple consecutive images taken at a fast shutter speed.
US08630480B2
Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus including: a depth-information extraction section; a luminance extraction section; a contrast extraction section; a gain generation section; and a correlation estimation section.
US08630478B2
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for automatic optoelectronic detection and inspection of objects, based on capturing digital images of a two-dimensional field of view in which an object to be detected or inspected may be located, analyzing the images, and making and reporting decisions on the status of the object. Decisions are based on evidence obtained from a plurality of images for which the object is located in the field of view, generally corresponding to a plurality of viewing perspectives. Evidence that an object is located in the field of view is used for detection, and evidence that the object satisfies appropriate inspection criteria is used for inspection. Methods and apparatus are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images at high speed so that multiple viewing perspectives can be obtained for objects in continuous motion.
US08630474B2
For filtered back-projection of a projection image data set, the projection image data set is cosine-weighted. The cosine-weighted projection image data set within the image plane of the projection image data set is subjected to a two-dimensional Radon transformation. The Radon transform of the cosine-weighted projection image data set differentiated with respect to the distance from an image origin of an image coordinate system. The derivative of the Radon transform is redundancy-weighted. The redundancy-weighted derivative is subjected to a two-dimensional Radon back-transformation. The Radon back-transform is differentiated and back-projected with respect to an image column coordinate. A differentiation step width entering into the differentiation is varied depending on depth.
