US08727898B2
A large-quadrupedal-animal costume suit modeled after a large quadrupedal animal, the costume suit having a head and mouth part, a neck part, a body part, a foreleg part, a hind leg part, and a tail part and being configured, as a whole, a skeletal member and a skin member covering the skeletal member, wherein the body part, the foreleg part, and the hind leg part communicate with each other to form a single hollow, the hollow has a size allowing a foreleg operator fitting in the foreleg part and a hind leg operator fitting in the hind leg part to fit in as standing upright. Frame-pack support members for the foreleg operator and the hind leg operator are installed in the hollow as being fixed to the skeletal member at the body part, and a frame pack for the foreleg operator and a frame pack for the hind leg operator are provided to the frame-pack support members so as to face each other. The large-quadrupedal-animal costume suit capable of making a realistic movement is provided.
US08727895B2
A sliding type tripod constant velocity joint includes a cage that supports the rolling elements such that the rolling elements circulate on an outer periphery of the intermediate member. The cage includes the first, second, third and fourth circulating paths having opening parts over an entire length in an outer peripheral side of the cage and widths of the opening parts of the third and fourth circulating paths are narrower than widths of the opening parts of the first and second circulating paths.
US08727892B1
Various aspects described or referenced herein are directed to different methods, systems, and computer program products for conducting remote, live, multiplayer casino gaming techniques via computer networks.
US08727889B2
A game playing information integration system is provided which is capable of objectively performing selection and/or settings according to preference of a player, and is capable of effectively making entry into market, based on a result of logical analysis of a gaming machine invoking demands of a player and a manger in gaming facility in a well-balanced manner. The system includes a plurality of gaming machine units and a server connected to enable communication with each of the gaming machine units. Each of the gaming machine units includes player identification information reading means, number-of-consumptions data output means, and number-of-payouts data output means. Gaming machine unit identification information is individually assigned to each of the gaming machine units. The server stores data storage means for storing each of number-of-consumptions data and number-of-payouts data in association with reception time data, player identification information, and gaming machine unit identification information.
US08727886B2
An amusement device communication system for direct remote access to money-operated amusement device includes an amusement device, an internet-based server, and a remote computer device. The amusement device has a memory, a display and a controller. The controller is operatively coupled to the memory, the input device and the display. The memory stores at least one electronic game and a system control program. The controller controls the display based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory and based upon inputs from the input device. The internet-based server is in communication with the amusement device through the internet. The remote computer device is configured to access the amusement device through a secured-communication connection through the internet-based server to allow access and control of the amusement device by the remote computer device.
US08727884B2
This description describes techniques for storing and utilizing wagering game histories. In one embodiment, a method for recording progress of a wagering game can include detecting a first event indicating a first activity of the wagering game. The method can also include storing the first event according to a first data format and detecting a second event indicating a second activity of the wagering game, wherein the second event includes random number information indicating a result of the wagering game. The method can also include encrypting the second event and storing the second event according to the first data format.
US08727880B2
A mobile magnetic field apparatus operable to generate and/or receive a magnetic field including at least one coil operable to generate and/or receive a magnetic field, respectively, the magnetic field being modulated by at least one frequency and/or identification code, respectively.
US08727871B2
A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.
US08727870B2
A lottery-like game played by a plurality of players, where each player chooses a whole number within some specified range. The winner(s) are determined by a simple rule that depends on the particular choices the players make. The game can be played by a small group in proximity, or by a large group over the internet.
US08727868B1
The disclosed embodiment relates to methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for enabling real-time competition. An exemplary computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for enabling real-time competition between users according to the disclosed embodiment includes, for example, receiving information from a first user computing device associated with a first user corresponding to the first user's competitive position regarding a real-time event, transmitting information to a second user computing device associated with a second user identifying the real-time event, receiving information from the second user computing device corresponding to the second user's competitive position regarding the real-time event, and transmitting information to the first user computing device and the second user computing device regarding an outcome of the real-time event relative to the first user's competitive position and the second user's competitive position.
US08727864B2
A method of enhancing a screen display of a gaming machine includes creating a background scene for a game screen, creating a plurality of composite symbols to overlie the background scene, and rendering at least a portion of each composite symbol transparent to enable the background scene to be viewed through the composite symbol.
US08727859B2
A support system for the prediction of occurrence zones of random phenomena, based on a new model named “instable sets” is disclosed. The calculation or construction of subsets of weak instabilities allows delimiting a small zone, in which random events appear with a high probability. The system implements a process of characterizing instable sets or subsets of lottery combinations so as to enable an approach of efficient and at the same time participatory gaming. In particular, the system supports configuring options of the game by means of a novel process that make the emission of reusable prognosis for multiple users in an interactive mode possible.
US08727854B2
A matching game is triggered for play by a plurality of players while the players are performing a transaction. A matching rule is established for playing the matching game and a jackpot pool is established for awarding prizes to the players. The players are allowed to initiate a session by logging onto a gaming machine to perform the transaction and the players are identified. A selected set of symbols are established for each player and a match set of symbols are generated. The matching game is triggered in response to a predetermined trigger where only the players in the current session are eligible for the matching game. The match set of symbols are compared against each selected set of symbols. The prize is responsively awarded from the jackpot pool to each player whose selected set of symbols satisfies the matching rule.
US08727853B2
Methods and apparatus for game play using virtual players, sometimes referred to herein as vBots, is disclosed. In one aspect, a method for game play involves the use of the system electronic system environment described herein, wherein one or more virtual players are displayed to the player of the game, preferably, the virtual players have differing play characteristics, receiving from the user association with a selection of a virtual player, displaying a simulated game using the virtual players, identifying a subset of the virtual players as being winners of the simulated game, and awarding a win to the lottery user if the selected virtual player is in the subset of virtual players.
US08727848B1
A game with a housing with a number of colored buttons on the top. Each button has an outer color and small circle in the center of an inner color. The game announces a color randomly from the set of inner colors. The player must press the button with the inner circle of the announced color with a short interval. As buttons are correctly pressed, the game continues to announce random colors. As the game progresses, the time within which the correct button must be pressed decreases. If the wrong button is pressed or the interval expires, the game is terminated and the number of correct presses is announced.
US08727845B2
Methods and systems for emotion-based game character manipulation are provided. Each character is associated with a table of quantified attributes including emotional attributes and non-emotional attributes. An adjustment to an emotional attribute of a game character is determined based on an interaction with another game character. The emotional attribute of the first game character is adjusted, which further results in an adjustment to a non-emotional attribute of the first game character. The behavior of the first game character is then determined based on the adjusted non-emotional attribute.
US08727843B2
A self-powered fluid control apparatus includes a casing having an interior section defined by a plurality of walls, at least one louver positioned within the interior section and extending along a plane, and a fluid flow-driven electrical generator positioned within the interior section substantially along the plane, the fluid flow-driven electrical generator being configured to generate an output current when sufficiently driven by a fluid flow stream through the generator. The flow control apparatus also includes a motor coupled to the at least one louver and a controller configured to generate and provide the control signal to the motor, in which the motor and the controller are powered solely by the output current generated by the fluid flow-driven electrical generator.
US08727841B2
A vent apparatus (10) comprises a perforated screen (12), a door (18), a guide (24), and a handle (26), and a lever assembly (30). The door is adjacent a first face (13) of the screen and includes at least one arm (20, 22) that extends through at least one slot in the screen. The guide (24) is mounted adjacent a second face (14) of the screen. The handle (26) is in pivoting connection with the at least one arm and is operative to move relative to the guide to cause the door to move between a closed position (62) to an open position (64). A lever assembly (30) extends from the handle in pivoting connection with the guide. As the handle moves, the lever assembly is adapted to maintain the handle sufficiently close to the guide such that at least a portion of the handle is operative to slide along the guide.
US08727838B2
A sander has two abrasive-supporting base parts mounted to an oscillating drive mechanism. The base parts may support a sandpaper sheet, or the like, and are connected to one another in a manner allowing ready reconfiguration for different applications. One of the base parts is connected by a pivoting coupling to the other for movement between extended and retracted positions. Latching means releasably lock the coupling so as to hold the parts in the extended position.
US08727835B2
Processing pads for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization or polishing of substrates in the fabrication of microelectronic devices, methods for making the pads, and methods, apparatus, and systems that utilize and incorporate the processing pads are provided. The processing pads include grooves or other openings in the abrading surface containing a solid or partially solid fill material that can be selectively removed as desired to maintain the fill at an about constant or set distance from the abrading surface of the pad and an about constant depth of the pad openings for multiple processing and conditioning applications over the life of the pad.
US08727830B2
A brassiere comprising: breast cups for supporting a breast of a wearer; each said breast cups including at least one inflatable air envelope having at least one internal space which receives air from at least one air pump; connection means allowing communicating between a pump and the at least one inflatable envelope, such that when a pump is actuated, the at least one inflatable envelope is air inflated.
US08727828B2
A wild game call may include a resonance piece. The resonance piece may include a body, pipes, and a plug that may attach to a mouth piece. Also a wild game call may include a mouth piece attached to the body. Additionally, the mouth piece may include a reed and a neck.Alternatively, a wild game call may include pipes of variable lengths attached to a splitter, which combines two pipe openings into one pipe opening. Also, a front pipe may be attached to the one pipe opening of the splitter. Additionally, a wild game call may include a mouthpiece attached to the front pipe comprising openings for exhaling, a reed; and fasteners to attach the reed to the mouth piece.
US08727825B2
A life jacket for aquatic use with a back part 1a and plurality of front parts 1b, which can be connected with each other by means of a fastener, wherein the life jacket 1 is built of a plurality of layers, is intended to improve the survival potential of its carrier in an emergency situation specifically in cold waters. Therefore it is proposed according to the invention that at or near at the interior side a layer 16 is provided, which includes a latent-heat storage material, in which an exothermic reaction takes place upon activation by a provided activation unit 20,21. The layer 16 containing the latent-heat storage material is subdivided into a plurality of chambers 24 in the back part 1a and in the front parts 1b, which are connected directly with each other or are connected to one another via connecting channels. Further the life jacket 1 has short arms 22, which cover the shoulders and extend into the upper arm area. Layer 16 continues into the shoulder area and upper arm area.
US08727820B2
A hybrid drive system for a ship, designed as a parallel hybrid drive system, and comprising an internal combustion engine (103), an electric machine (105), acting as a generator or motor, depending on switching an electric controller (107), a battery (106), at least one switching clutch (115, 116), and a drive device (109) for transferring the drive power to at least one propeller (108). The electric machine (105) together with a first (115) and a second switched clutch (116), form a drive unit (140), that can be modularly disposed between the internal combustion engine (103) and the drive device (109). The first switched clutch (115) is disposed between the electric machine (105) and the internal combustion engine (103) and the second switched clutch (116) is disposed between the electric machine (105) and the drive device (109).
US08727819B2
A contact clamp for connecting a conductor end with an electrical contact and having an insertion side, from which the conductor end can be inserted in the contact clamp, comprising a retaining frame with a contact section, with which the conductor end can establish a contact, as well as a clamping leg, which is pivotally mounted in the retaining frame and can be pivoted back and forth between an open pivot position and a closed pivot position. The clamping leg runs at an angle to the contact section when in the closed pivot position, and is resiliently movable, such that the conductor end can be inserted in the contact, subject to the elastically spring-loaded opening of the clamping leg, to the target contact position, when in the closed pivot position.
US08727811B2
An electrical connector socket includes an outer frame, an insulating base, first socket terminals, and second socket terminals. The outer frame includes a first and second insert space which respectively meets a first and second standard. The insulating base has a tongue including a first and second tongue portion. The thickness of the first tongue portion is different from that of the second tongue portion. One end of the first socket terminals is embedded in the base, and the other end is disposed at the first tongue portion and faces the first insert space. One end of the second socket terminals is embedded in the base, the other end of part of second socket terminals is disposed at the second tongue portion and faces the first insert space, and the other end of the other part is disposed at the second tongue portion and faces the second insert space.
US08727808B2
An electrical connector assembly including an interposer having a side surface and an array of electrical contacts exposed along the side surface. The electrical contacts are located within a contact region that extends along the side surface. The electrical contacts are configured to engage an electronic module mounted over the contact region. The connector assembly also includes a shield wall that is attached to and extends along the side surface. The shield wall separates the contact region into shielded sub-regions. The shield wall includes a conductive material and is electrically coupled to the interposer. At least one electrical contact is located within each shielded sub-region. The shield wall extends between adjacent electrical contacts to shield the adjacent electrical contacts from electromagnetic interference.
US08727805B2
A mobile computing device is presented. The mobile computing device has two housing segments that each contains a set of electrical components. The housing segments are slideably coupled to each other to move between a first position and a second position. The mobile computing device also has a cable connector that connects the sets of electrical components together. The cable connector is configured to include three connector structures that are each configured to mate with a connector. A first connector structure is configured to mate with a first connector of the first housing segment in connecting to the first set of electrical components. Similarly, a second connector structure is configured to mate with a first connector of the second housing segment in connecting to a first portion of the second set of electrical components. The third connector structure is configured to mate with a second connector of the second housing segment in connecting to a second portion of the second set of electrical components.
US08727803B2
A cam portion is provided at a turning shaft portion of a fit-turning arm which holds a fitted state of a connector with a mating connector, a cam-biasing device is provided on a connector main body, and the fit-turning arm is made hard to depart from a “fit-acting position” by applying a turning biasing force to the cam portion in a direction of holding the fit-turning arm which has been turned to the “fit-acting position” at the “fit-acting position”.
US08727799B2
A seal member (50) is to be mounted on an end of a multi-core cable (40), in which a plurality of wires (41) are bundled together and covered with an outer sheath (42). The seal member (50) is to be accommodated into a rear housing (21) of a charging connector (10) and includes a rubber plug (51) and a restricting member (52) to be externally fit on the rubber plug (51). The rubber plug (51) is formed with a cable seal portion (53) that resiliently comes into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the outer sheath (42), and the cable seal portion (53) includes a wire seal portion (54) that individually and resiliently comes into close contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the wires.
US08727792B2
In a contact block comprising a contact holder having multiple through-holes arranged in a position adjustment direction, two positioning pins are inserted via the through-holes to two through-holes selected from multiple through-holes formed in a contact block accommodation portion in the position adjustment direction, and thereby the relative positions of contact portions of contact terminals held by the contact holder can be adjusted with respect to terminals of a semiconductor device.
US08727788B2
A method and system for optimizing memorization of stored content. One or more discrete units of content selected for memorization are obtained. The units of content as displayed to the user according to a pre-determined order. Feedback is received from the user indicating the level of memorization achieved by the user corresponding to the displayed units of content. The subsequent order to display content is adjusted to achieve an optimized order for memorization based on the feedback received.
US08727786B2
An inflatable exhibit of a heart includes an inflatable infrastructure inflatable to a three-dimensional partial representation of the heart at a scale greater than at least, 10:1, but more preferably greater than 20:1, and most preferably, greater than 25:1. The infrastructure includes a cross-sectional plane thereacross. The exhibit further includes a walk-through passageway defined, at least, in part by the inflated infrastructure, and extending through the inflated infrastructure. The cross-sectional plane defines a plane of the passageway.
US08727782B2
Systems designed to train and certify persons to act as at least one responsible person(s) for decision making and management operations as part of an emergency response at incidents that contain at least one hazard zone; such hazard zone defined as any work area which contains a hazard that can injure or kill, for example, burning structures, hazardous material incidents, roadways with active traffic, natural disaster sites, and/or other emergency response scenes.
US08727774B1
An implant carrier device for removable engagement with a dental implant includes a linear body member having first and second faceted exterior ends and an axial bore there through. A screw member having a head end and a threaded end is rotationally captured within the axial bore, with the threaded end extending exterior the second end of the carrier device. The threaded end of the screw member is adapted for rotational engagement of a threaded well within a dental implant. A dental implant engaged with both the faceted exterior second end of the linear body member and the threaded end of the captured screw member is partially driven into an osteotomy by way of the implant carrier device, followed by disengagement of the implant carrier device from the partially driven implant by rotation of the screw member captured within the axial bore of the implant carrier.
US08727766B2
A nozzle-tip insulator (100), comprising: a nozzle-contact surface (102); a mold-gate contact surface (104) being offset from the nozzle-contact surface (102); and a body (106) connecting the nozzle-contact surface (102) with the mold-gate contact surface (104), the body (106) being resiliently compressible, the body (106) defining a void formation (108), and the body (106) and the void formation (108) being coaxially concentrically positioned relative to each other.
US08727762B2
In order to ensure quality of pellets by eliminating temperature differences among extrusion nozzle holes with use of a heating medium flowing through heating channels only once and flowing out through a heating medium outlet, provided is a die plate for resin granulation, in which a plate main body (1) is divided into regions (A to n) for every 360/n (n=4, 6, or 8) degrees, or into first to fourth regions (A to D) for every 90 degrees, and an inner annular heating passage (4) and an outer annular heating passage (5) are formed. A heating medium (F) supplied through a heating medium inlet (2) flows through heating channels (8) only once, and then flows out through a heating medium outlet (3) to an outside.
US08727761B2
A die for an underwater cutting type pelletizer, the die including a die orifice part in which a thermoplastic resin is inhibited from solidifying within the die orifices. The die can have a reduced difference in temperature between the die orifice part and an inner periphery-side fixing part for fixing the die orifice part to a mixer/extruder, and can thereby inhibit the generation of thermal stress. The die is characterized by being equipped with a heating jacket for heating the inner periphery-side fixing part, the heating jacket being disposed within the inner periphery-side fixing part along an inner annular passage formed within either the die orifice part or the inner periphery-side fixing part or both along the boundary between the die orifice part and the inner periphery-side fixing part.
US08727759B1
A Fully Integrated Structural Building System has a pair of pre-stressed multi-stemmed concrete floors. The pre-stressed multi-stemmed concrete floors are adapted to contact each other on one parallel side edge to form peripheral edges and a central joining edge. A part of a building is coupled to a pre-stressed multi-stemmed concrete floor. The building is constructed with a primary structural frame and a secondary structural frame separated by a rigid foam spacer. The spacer is a Class I non-combustible closed-cell foam. The building is strong, energy efficient, non-combustible and easily transported from the factory to the building site. The building is Green and constructed only with renewable and recyclable materials.
US08727754B2
The claimed subject matter relates to a rotary die device for producing soft capsules, comprising a capsule forming unit for forming a soft-capsule shell and a dosing unit for feeding a filling material into the capsule forming unit, characterized in that the dosing unit comprises a conveying apparatus of viscous melts and a portioner, wherein the portioner is connected at an end thereof to the conveying apparatus of viscous melts and is arranged in a filling wedge with a section in such a way that filling material from the portioner reaches the location of the capsule filling directly or by means of one or more channels having a length of at most 30 mm. Using said device, high-viscosity filling materials can be filled and thus novel soft capsules can be made accessible.
US08727748B2
A high-pressure cleaning device has a housing which surrounds a motor pump unit which comprises a liquid-cooled electric motor and a pump. The pump has a suction inlet and a pressure outlet. Liquid, which is subsequently subjected to pressure by the pump, can be supplied to the electric motor for the purpose of cooling it. The electric motor is configured as a fan-less asynchronous motor and the motor pump unit is mounted via vibration-damping buffer elements.
US08727743B2
A first swash plate (30) and a second swash plate (40) are disposed on either side of a cylinder block (4), and a plurality of cylinders (6) are disposed in the cylinder block (4). A first piston (8) and a second piston (9) are inserted opposite to each other in each cylinder (6) such that the first piston (8) slides on the first swash plate (30) and the second piston (9) slides on the second swash plate (40). By providing a servo mechanism (33) that tilts the first swash plate (30) and a tilt linking mechanism (40, 70) that tilts the second swash plate (40) in conjunction with the tilting of the first swash plate (30), tilt angles of the two swash plates (30, 40) can be controlled by the single servo mechanism (33).
US08727731B2
The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a blade connection of a rotor blade for a wind energy system which comprises fastening elements for fastening the blade connection to a hub, which fastening elements are provided on a circular arc, preferably equidistant from each other. Furthermore, the invention relates to a blade connection and a fastening element for a blade connection. The invention is based on the problem of improving the fastening of a rotor blade on the hub of a wind energy system as well as improving the manufacture and/or making a suitable blade connection available. The invention solves this problem as regards the process in that fastening elements formed in pieces are arranged on the circular arc and spaced from each other with spacer elements.
US08727730B2
A composite turbine blade assembly includes a ceramic blade including an airfoil portion, a shank portion and an attachment portion; and a transition assembly adapted to attach the ceramic blade to a turbine disk or rotor, the transition assembly including first and second transition components clamped together, trapping said ceramic airfoil therebetween. Interior surfaces of the first and second transition portions are formed to mate with the shank portion and the attachment portion of the ceramic blade, and exterior surfaces of said first and second transition components are formed to include an attachment feature enabling the transition assembly to be attached to the turbine rotor or disk.
US08727726B2
An airfoil is provided and includes an airfoil body having a pressure surface extendable between radial ends and a fluid path in an airfoil interior defined therein. The pressure surface is formed to further define a passage by which coolant is deliverable from the fluid path in the airfoil interior, in a perimetric direction from the pressure surface for the purpose of cooling a portion on the surface of the radial end.
US08727725B1
A turbine vane for use in a gas turbine engine, the vane including an airfoil portion and an endwall in which fillets extend around the airfoil at the junction to the endwall. A row of film cooling holes that connects to a cooling air supply cavity on the outer side of the endwall and open into breakout holes that are located in the fillets discharge film cooling air into the fillet. The breakout holes extend around the leading edge in the fillet and extend along the pressure side fillet and the suction side fillet just past the leading edge region to discharge film cooling air into the fillets. The film cooling holes are straight holes and are aligned with the curvature of the fillet at the midpoint height of the fillet.
US08727724B2
A turbine bucket is provided and includes a shank interconnectable with a rotor and formed to accommodate coolant therein and an airfoil blade coupled to a radially outward portion of the shank and including a body formed to define a substantially radially extending cooling hole therein, which is disposed to be solely receptive of the coolant accommodated within the shank for removing heat from the body, the cooling hole being further defined as having a substantially non-circular cross-sectional shape at a predefined radial position of the body.
US08727717B2
A serial fan module includes a first fan, a second fan and a plurality of guide elements. The first fan has a first frame body and a first impeller disposed within the first frame body. The second fan has a second frame body and a second impeller disposed within the second frame body. The guide elements are disposed between the first impeller and the second impeller, wherein the guide elements guide airflow from the first fan to the second fan. Each of the guide elements has an axial extended part and an inclined part and the inclined part meets the axial extended part at a camber angle. Each of the inclined part has an inner edge toward the first impeller and each of the axial extended part has an outer edge toward the second impeller.
US08727712B2
An abradable coating for interaction with tips of airfoils (such as vanes or blades of a compressor of a gas turbine engine) includes a metal bond coat thermal, a ceramic layer, and an abradable layer. The ceramic layer on the metal bond coat provides insulation and acts as a fuse that is adapted to spall off upon high rub interaction. The abradable coating on the ceramic layer contacts the tips of the airfoils during operation of the compressor. The abradable coating is sufficiently abradable to roundup the coating by contact with the airfoil tips.
US08727697B2
A variable vane actuation system and method is disclosed herein. The variable vane actuation system includes a first ring member disposed for pivoting movement about a centerline axis. The first ring member is operably connected with at least one vane such that the at least one vane pivots in response to the pivoting movement of the first ring member. The variable vane actuation system also includes a first pin engaged with the first ring member. The variable vane actuation system also includes a ring moving device operably engaged with the first pin to move the first ring member about the centerline axis. The ring moving device includes at least one plate having a first slot and an actuator operable to move the at least one plate. The first pin is received in the first slot and is a cam follower to a cam defined at least in part by a surface of the first slot.
US08727688B2
The invention relates to a riveting element (R) for riveting parts which are made from composite materials (M1 and M2) and provided with a through-hole. The invention is characterized in that it consists of: a hollow bushing (200) including, at one end, a head (210) bearing on the surface of one of the parts to be assembled and a hollow rod (220); and a semi-tubular insert (100) including a first end (110) capable of being inserted into the hollow part of the bushing (200) and an open end (130) capable of deforming in order to form an enlarged base that bears on the surface of the other part that is to be assembled once the insert (100) is translatably locked inside the bushing (200). The invention also relates to the installation tool configured for one such element.
US08727661B2
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for controlling a variable speed boat lift motor. The systems, apparatuses, and methods include a user interface for connection to a variable speed boat lift drive. The user interface transmits a signal to a variable speed boat lift drive that causes the variable speed boat lift drive to rise at a first speed set by a user through the user interface and lower at a second speed set by a user through the user interface.
US08727658B2
A pinless device for orienting a motorcycle stabilizer wiper, such device having a platform adapted for stable attachment to a motorcycle; projections extending, preferably upward, from the platform in order to create a channel; an arm having a first end adapted for attachment to a shaft from a wiper of a motorcycle stabilizer and also having a second end of such dimensions that the second end can fit in the channel between the projections; and a means, such as a set screw, for releasably and securely fastening the second end of the arm in the channel between the projections.
US08727652B2
An oral care system, such as a toothbrush having a detachable dispenser containing an oral care material. In one embodiment, the dispenser may include a housing; an internal reservoir for containing a fluid and a dispensing orifice for dispensing the fluid; a first cam surface, the first cam surface being non-rotatable with respect to the housing; a reciprocator comprising an actuator, a drive screw, and a second cam surface, the reciprocator being rotatable with respect to the housing; an elevator forming a transverse end wall of the reservoir, the elevator being non-rotatable with respect to the housing and threadily coupled to the drive screw; wherein rotation of the actuator causes the elevator to (1) axially advance, and (2) axially reciprocate.
US08727647B2
An actuator including a magnetic field generator configured to provide a magnetic field; and a conductive element mounted for movement relative to the magnetic field generator wherein the conductive element forms a series of loops around a series of different axes.
US08727639B2
An optical transceiver having an optical subassembly electrically connected to a circuit board with an RF connector is disclosed. The optical transceiver further provides a holder for support the RF connector. The circuit board is held by a leg and an arm each being provided in the holder, and putting the circuit board therebetween.
US08727638B2
A fiber channel-interchangeable fiber optic connector includes an adapter, two connectors respectively rotatably mounted in respective axle holes at the front side of the adapter, a sub-assembly detachably attached to the adapter to stop the connectors from rotation and hold down the connectors in position, and a cable inserted through the sub-assembly and mounted in the adapter with two optical-fiber cores therein respectively inserted into ferrules of the connectors. Detaching the sub-assembly from the adapter allows rotation of the connectors and the sub-assembly through 180-degrees angle relative to the adapter to interchange the fiber channels.
US08727635B2
An MPO connector adapter to connect a first female MPO connector to a second female MPO connector includes a housing. An adapter ferrule is retained within the housing. First and second alignment pin sections extend from a first face of the adapter ferrule to mate with guide holes of the first female MPO connector. Third and fourth alignment pin sections extend from an opposite face of the adapter ferrule to mate with guide holes of the second female MPO connector. Optical fibers within the adapter ferrule couple optical signals from the first female MPO connector to the second female MPO connector.
US08727627B2
A structure (200) for containing a volume of lubricant additive gel (10) which is disposed within a mechanical system, in close proximity to a wear critical surface, and which is configured to provide a release of the contained additives into a flow of lubricant over time or as a function of temperature in a site-specific manner to minimize wear or reduce oil oxidation due to harsh operating conditions. The structure defines a cage or capsule with screen or mesh sides (202) having multiple perforations or openings through which the flow of lubricant may circulate. Within the contained volume of the structure (200), additives are disposed in a gel matrix (10), and are release over time or as a function of temperature, through the perorations or openings, in close operative proximity to wear critical surfaces of the mechanical system such as a bearing assembly or gear arrangement.
US08727622B2
To provide a sliding member which can control a relationship between dynamic friction force and static friction force, a sliding member 1 constitutes a bearing having a cylindrical shape and its internal circumferential surface is a sliding layer 2 along a shaft. The sliding member 1 is provided a surface of the sliding layer 2 with uneven surface 6. The uneven surface 6 has the line-like projections 6a, vertexes of which are arranged in gridlike fashion, in the embodiment, to prevent an oil film from being formed and to make the dynamic friction force larger and keep the rate of change in the dynamic friction force in relation to the static friction force smaller. The sliding layer is configured so that a porous layer made of alloy material is formed on a surface of a metal substrate and the resin filled into the porous layer is sintered.
US08727614B2
A method for monitoring a status of a sleeve for lining a system of pipes or conduits, the sleeve being impregnated with a curable resin, includes the steps of providing the sleeve, disposing at least one fiber optic sensor in thermally conductive contact with the sleeve, and generating, using the at least one fiber optic sensor, a positionally resolved thermographic image representative of a temperature of the sleeve as a function of position and time.
US08727610B2
The object is to provide a laser processing apparatus, a laser processing temperature measuring apparatus, a laser processing method, and a laser processing temperature measuring method which can highly accurately detect the processing temperature when carrying out processing such as welding with laser light. A laser processing apparatus 1A for processing members DR, UR to be processed by irradiating the members with laser light LB comprises a laser (semiconductor laser unit 20A) for generating the laser light LB; optical means for converging the laser light LB generated by the laser onto processing areas DA, UA; and a filter 30, disposed between the members DR, UR to be processed and the optical means, for blocking a wavelength of fluorescence generated by the optical means upon pumping with the laser light LB; wherein light having the wavelength blocked by the filter 30 is used for measuring a temperature of the processing areas DA, UA.
US08727606B2
Control mechanism (1) for loading an energy accumulator (20) for a timepiece (100) or a timepiece movement (10) via an intermediate winding mechanism (25), said mechanism (1) comprising a winding button (2) arranged to drive, at least in translation, a winding stem (3) which can occupy at least an initial longitudinal position (T0) for said energy loading.A portion of the length of said stem (3) is ringed or threaded, to pivot and/or drive in translation a winding driving means (4), when said stem is moved in translation as a result of pressure or traction by the user, in a limited travel between said initial position (T0) and an unstable maximum pushed-in or respectively pulled-out position (TL) of said stem (3), which is returned to said initial position (T0) by elastic return means (5),
US08727604B2
A system for calculating and reporting slump in a delivery vehicle having a mixing drum 14 and hydraulic drive 16 for rotating the mixing drum, including a rotational sensor 20 configured to sense a rotational speed of the mixing drum, a hydraulic sensor 22 coupled to the hydraulic drive and configured to sense a hydraulic pressure required to turn the mixing drum, and a communications port 26 configured to communicate a slump calculation to a status system 28 commonly used in the concrete industry, wherein the sensing of the rotational speed of the mixing drum is used to qualify a calculation of current slump based on the hydraulic pressure required to turn the mixing drum.
US08727603B2
This invention relates to lighting apparatuses, and more particularly to a lighting apparatus which can dissipate heat from a lighting emitting module and an electronic module, reduce weight, and enables easy partial replacement and service.
US08727602B2
The present invention provides a flat panel display device, a stereoscopic display device, and a plasma display device. The flat panel display device includes a backlight system and a display panel. The backlight system includes a light source, a light homogenization mechanism, and a back frame. The back frame carries the light source and the light homogenization mechanism. The back frame includes at least two assembling pieces. The at least two assembling pieces are joined to form the back frame. The back frame further includes a bracing piece that is fixed to the assembling pieces, wherein the assembling pieces are mountable to at least two different positions of the bracing piece in a lengthwise direction of the bracing piece. The present invention uses assembling pieces that are joined to form a back frame so that a mold for the back frame is of a simple structure, the cost of back frame mold is reduced, the material used for back frame is saved, and the manufacturing cost is lowered down. Further, by making the mounting position of a bracing piece to an assembling piece adjustable in a lengthwise direction of the bracing piece, a single bracing piece may meet different needs for mounting so as to further reduce the manufacturing cost.
US08727594B2
The end surface of the light guide plate has a flat surface and a protruding surface which protrudes with respect to the flat surface. Light traveling from the light source in a direction perpendicular to the flat surface enters the light guide plate in an expanded manner due to refraction at the protruding surface. The protruding surface has a shape in which cylindrical surfaces are integrated, the respective cylindrical surfaces being formed about central axes which are orthogonal to the front surface from which the light exits. A pair of cylindrical surfaces, which is positioned at both end portions of the protruding surface in an arraying direction of the cylindrical surfaces, is each adjacent to the flat surface. Adjacent cylindrical surfaces are connected to each other at a position shifted in a protruding direction of the protruding surface with respect to the flat surface.
US08727591B2
Disclosed are a light emitting device and a light emitting element that can decrease fabrication difficulties, while improving lighting efficiency and controlling the distribution of intensity that occurs in the emitted light. A light emitting device comprises a rod-shaped light guide, an LED that inputs light to the light guide, and a prism that changes the direction of light input from the lengthwise end of the light guide, and emits redirected light from a light exit surface that is disposed opposite the prism. The light emitting device is constituted so that an input lens is formed at the lengthwise end of the light guide as a parallel light forming body to make light exiting from the LED toward the light guide nearly parallel light, and the LED is shifted from the center axis of the light guide toward the side closer to the prism, or toward the side away from the prism, and thus said nearly parallel light is directed to the exit surface of the light guide or to the prism.
US08727590B2
A vehicle headlamp includes a light source; a projection optical system that includes a projection lens projecting an image, formed by a light beam emitted from the light, source, forward of the vehicle; and a reflection optical system including a parabolic reflector that is provided at a position offset from the projection lens as viewed from the front of the vehicle, and that reflects the light beam emitted from the light source and irradiates the same in front of the vehicle, wherein the reflector has a light distribution pattern irradiating a region including a cut line, and the projection optical system has a light distribution pattern irradiating downward with respect to the reflector.
US08727586B2
To provide a lighting device where a light-emitting body including light-emitting elements whose light-emitting regions are spread out in a plane or light-emitting elements in which a plurality of light-emitting regions are arranged in a plane can be exchanged easily. To provide a lighting device in which a terminal of the light-emitting body can be electrically connected to a contact of a mounting portion easily. A light-emitting body including light-emitting elements whose light-emitting regions are spread out in a plane or light-emitting elements in which a plurality of light-emitting regions are arranged in a plane may be fixed by a magnetic force so that a terminal of the light-emitting body is in contact with the contact of the mounting portion.
US08727580B2
An illuminating device has a light source that includes a plurality of light emitting devices and a phosphor; and a lens sheet that stays on an optical axis of the light source, the lens sheet having a plurality of prisms that is symmetrically arranged with respect to the optical axis of the light source. The plurality of prisms is configured at least on a surface of the lens sheet in which to face the light source, and a plurality of light scattering elements is configured at least on a surface of the lens sheet in which not to face the light source.
US08727579B2
A light extraction member includes a plurality of unit lenses arranged on one surface thereof. Each of the unit lenses comprises a combination of two or more kinds of conic lenses.
US08727577B2
An optical film is provided herein which may include a base film including a material having optical transmittance and a thermal resistance, a matrix layer disposed on the base film and including a fluorescent material, and a viscous layer disposed on the matrix layer including a material having adhesive property, wherein the viscous layer may have a prescribed thickness.
US08727574B2
An economical LED light module configured to emit a uniform pattern of light from a single LED utilizing a minimal amount of energy and exhibiting a long and useful life is provided. The LED light module includes a main hyperbolic reflector and a plug receptacle having an electrical connector configured for electrical communication with a power source. A LED is mounted in electrical communication with the electrical connector. An elongate light pipe extends between a light receiving end configured to receive light emitted from the LED and a light emitting end. The light emitting end has a parabolic reflector positioned concentrically about a focal point of the hyperbolic reflector.
US08727567B1
A reflector is mounted to an outer perimeter of a heat sink holding at least one edge-emitting semiconductor chip, for example a laser diode. The reflector has a shape suitable for gathering light emitted by the laser diodes and redirecting the light in an upward direction away from the heat sink. The reflector can be overmolded onto the heat sink. The reflector can operate by total internal reflection, so that no additional reflector coating step is required. Injection molding of the reflectors onto the heat sink holding the laser diodes enables mass production of powerful yet inexpensive laser light sources.
US08727563B2
A luminescent device is disclosed comprising a luminescent substance for the conversion of pump light, wherein a scattering body which scatters the pump light is provided. The pump light input into the scattering body may first be scattered at inert scatterers provided in the scattering body and subsequently converted. Light scattered at luminescent particles may also be simultaneously converted.
US08727562B2
The present invention provides a backlight module, which includes a backboard, a light bar mounted on the backboard, and a thermo-sensitive heat conduction material interposed between the backboard and the light bar. The thermo-sensitive heat conduction material functions to automatically adjust thermal conductivity coefficient with variation of temperature so that different portions of the light bar have different thermal conductivity coefficients in order to control the temperature of the whole light bar in a predetermined range to ensure desired performance of thermal conduction and further ensuring temperature uniformity of the whole backlight module and preventing the occurrence of luminance lowering of the whole backlight module due to excessive local high temperature.
US08727550B2
A hybrid electroluminescent assembly is described wherein the assembly includes one or more electroluminescent structures and a plurality of discontinuous retroreflective segments. Discontinuous retroreflective segments are disposed at least partially in the light path of the one or more electroluminescent structures.
US08727549B2
A lighting system includes a display, a pointer, a motor, a lighting element, a lens, and a coating. The display has first and second opposed sides, with the pointer at least partially disposed on the first opposed side of the display, and the motor disposed on the second opposed side of the display for moving the pointer. The lighting element disposed within the motor on the second opposed side of the display lights the pointer. The lens is disposed on the first opposed side of the display with the pointer at least partially disposed between the first opposed side of the display and the lens. The coating, disposed on an underside of the lens facing the pointer and the display, is made of a material which when excited by light emits light onto the display creating a shadow of at least a portion of the pointer on the display.
US08727546B2
A GPS device comprises a GPS unit, a visor, and an optional attachment means to attach the visor to the GPS unit to improve the viewing of the visual display screen under bright light and/or to eliminate the reflection of the lighted display screen of the GPS unit from a vehicle's windshield during nighttime driving; a visor set comprising said visor and said attachment means; said visor or visor set optionally comprising a GPS antenna for stronger reception and/or a faster acquisition of satellite GPS signals; a method for improving the viewing of the display screen under bright light, for eliminating reflection of the display screen from the vehicle's windshield, and for providing improved satellite GPS signals by using the GPS device or the visor set hereinabove; and an article of manufacture comprising the GPS device or the visor set hereinabove, in association with instructions for use.
US08727541B2
A projector includes: a light emitter; a light modulator modulating light from the light emitter; and a projector projecting the image from the light modulator. The light emitter includes a light emitting element and an optical member. The light emitting element is a super luminescent diode having an active layer constituting first and second gain regions sandwiched between first and second cladding layers. The first gain region is tilted in a clockwise direction relative a perpendicular of a first surface of the stacked structure. The second gain region is tilted in a counterclockwise direction relative to a perpendicular of the first surface. As such, the optical member refracts the light respectively emitted from the end surfaces of the first and second gain regions on the second surface side to thereby emit light beams in the same direction.
US08727533B2
A fundus camera includes an optical path splitting unit arranged between a focusing unit and an imaging unit. The splitting unit has characteristics adapted to reflect light of a visible light region and to transmit near-infrared light. The splitting unit retreats from an optical path when a still fundus image is photographed. A quick-return mirror having such characteristics is used as the splitting unit. When near-infrared illumination light having a wavelength of about 850 nm is used, such light can be incident upon the imaging unit without loss of the amount of light. Visible light output from an internal fixation target is projected onto a subject's eye. A cornea diaphragm and a crystalline lens diaphragm are used for observing a fundus with invisible light. Each of the cornea diaphragm and crystalline lens diaphragm can be changed to another one having a different diameter.
US08727522B2
An ultraviolet crosslinking ink including a radically polymerizable and anionically polymerizable monomer; a photoradical generator; and a photo-base generator. An inkjet recording method including ejecting an ultraviolet crosslinking ink including a radically polymerizable and anionically polymerizable monomer; a photoradical generator; a photo-base generator; and a colorant, toward a surface of a recording material to form an ink image, and irradiating the ink image with ultraviolet light using a light emitting diode.
US08727521B2
There is disclosed an inkjet image forming method. The method includes recording an image on a recording medium by an inkjet method; supplying a liquid including powder particles having a volume-average particle diameter of 1 μm or more to a surface of a heating roller; and applying the powder particles onto the recording medium via the heating roller.
US08727509B2
Disclosed is an electromechanical transducer film forming method including a surface modification process; an application process; and processes of drying, thermally decomposing, and crystallizing sol-gel solution applied to a portion of a surface of a first electrode. An electromechanical transducer film is formed on a desired pattern area on the surface of the first electrode by repeating the above processes. In the application process, each of dots of the sol-gel solution applied by the inkjet method drops onto both a first area inside the desired pattern area and a second area outside the desired pattern area. The first area is a hydrophilic area on the surface of the first electrode, and the second area is a hydrophobic area on the surface of the first electrode. The hydrophilic area and the hydrophobic area have been modified by the surface modification process.
US08727499B2
In an embodiment, a method of fabricating a fluid ejection device includes forming a resistor on the front side of a substrate, depositing a dielectric film on the resistor to protect the resistor from chemical exposure during a slot formation process, and forming a slot in the substrate that extends from the back side to the front side of the substrate.
US08727498B2
A drive circuit for an inkjet recording head includes a plurality of electrically capacitive actuator elements, a drive signal source, a plurality of switching elements, and a plurality of resistances. The actuator elements are provided for a plurality of nozzles, and drive the nozzles to eject ink therefrom. The drive signal source outputs a drive signal for driving the actuator elements. The switching elements are connected to the respective actuator elements to separately drive the actuator elements, and selectively apply the output drive signal to the actuator elements. The resistances are provided for the respective actuator elements, and are connected to low potential sides of the actuator elements. Each of the resistances has a resistance value adjusted in accordance with the length of a wire between the corresponding one of the actuator elements and the drive signal source.
US08727490B2
A fluid discharging apparatus includes: a nozzle for discharging fluid onto a medium; and a rotating body that has a holding region for holding the medium and a non-holding region on its peripheral surface and that rotates while facing the peripheral surface toward the nozzle. The rotating body includes a receiving member for receiving fluid discharged from the nozzle for flushing when the non-holding region faces the nozzle and a removing member for removing the fluid, received by the receiving member, from the receiving member.
US08727489B2
A flushing method for a fluid ejecting apparatus that includes a pressure chamber filled with fluid, a pressure generating element on a surface of the pressure chamber that deforms the surface to change the pressure in the pressure chamber, and a nozzle in fluid communication with the pressure chamber that ejects the fluid, the method including repeatedly performing first flushing process a first period; and repeatedly performing a second flushing process with a second period. The flushing processes include causing the pressure chamber to expand into an expanded state, maintaining the expanded state, and contracting the pressure chamber from the expanded state, causing the fluid to be ejected from the nozzle. The amount of fluid ejected from the nozzle in the second flushing process is larger than the amount ejected in the first flushing process.
US08727487B2
When a jam detector detects jamming, forced discharging from a head and wiping of an ejection surface are performed after a recording medium jammed is removed from a conveyor. When the count on a jam counter matches with any of one or more thresholds, at least the number of times the wiping is executed after the jammed recording medium is removed from the conveyor is greater than that executed when the count on the jam counter does not match with any of one or more thresholds.
US08727476B2
According to one example, there is provided a method of calibrating a printing system. The printing system is configured to supply print media and calibration media to a print zone. The method comprises controlling the printing system to position calibration media in the print zone, printing a predetermined set of color patches on the calibration media, measuring color characteristics of the printed set of color patches, and comparing the measured color characteristics with a set of reference color characteristics. The method further comprises calibrating the printing system based on the compared characteristics.
US08727473B2
A method for aligning a printhead to compensate for printhead roll has been developed. The method includes simultaneously operating a plurality of inkjets in a printhead to eject ink drops to form a plurality of marks on an image receiving member. A plurality of cross-process direction distances between one mark formed by a reference inkjet and each of the marks formed by the other inkjets is identified. A magnitude of a difference between an angular orientation of the printhead and the cross-process direction with reference to the plurality of identified cross-process direction distances indicates any printhead roll.
US08727471B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus for drive a pumping chamber of a fluid ejection system are disclosed. In one implementation, the actuator for drive the pumping chamber includes a continuous piezoelectric layer between a pair of drive electrodes and a continuous reference electrode. The pair of drive electrodes includes an inner electrode and an outer electrode surrounding the inner electrode. The actuator is further coupled to a controller which, during a fluid ejection cycle, applies a negative voltage pulse differential to the outer electrode to expand the pumping chamber for a first time period, then applies another negative voltage pulse differential to the inner electrode during a second time period after the first time period to contract the pumping chamber to eject a fluid drop.
US08727463B2
An image recording apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a medium, which includes a recording material one side of which is a recording layer for an image and the other side of which is an adhesive layer and also includes a separating material covering the adhesive layer, along a transport path using a plurality of transport rollers; a recording unit that records an image on the medium; and a heating unit that fixes the image recorded on the medium. In the image recording apparatus, there are sequentially provided two units of the transport rollers in the transport path, the two transport rollers respectively make contact with different surfaces of the medium, and the outer diameter of one of the transport rollers is different in size from the outer diameter of the other of the transport rollers.
US08727460B2
A device for a piece of furniture that has a furniture part accommodated in a movable manner on a basic furniture structure, for the device defining a stop position of the furniture part, an including an adjustment unit having an adjustable stop part, which bounds a furniture-part closing movement executed during normal operation, wherein the stop part is deflected resiliently out of a starting position, and wherein the stop position is determined by the extent of deflection in a fixed deflecting position of the stop part.
US08727458B2
A drawer for mounting telecommunications equipment to a rack is disclosed. The drawer includes a lower platform and an upper platform for supporting the telecommunications equipment. The upper platform is pivotably coupled to the lower platform. The drawer further includes a mounting structure for mounting the drawer to the rack, wherein the mounting structure includes telescoping portions that allow the drawer to be slid away from and toward the rack.
US08727457B2
A storage system (10) for storing a plurality of single-serve-beverage cartridges (30). The system 10 includes a drawer (40) with compartment lanes (50) adapted to allow a plurality of the cartridges to be single-file situated therein. A slide (80) can be used to move the drawer (40) between a closed position and an opened position.
US08727450B2
A mining machine includes a cutting mechanism with an arm, and a substantial weight of more than a thousand pounds attached to the arm. The mining machine also includes a first disc cutter adapted to engage the material to be mined and mounted on a first disc cutter assembly for eccentrically driving the first disc cutter, the first disc cutter assembly being mounted within the substantial weight. The mining machine also includes at least a second disc cutter spaced apart from the first disc cutter assembly and adapted to engage the material to be mined, and mounted on a second disc cutter assembly for eccentrically driving the second disc cutter, the second disc cutter assembly being mounted within the substantial weight.
US08727449B2
A trim covering for a seat assembly of a vehicle, the trim cover having an inner and outer surface and a bonding tape applied to at least one of the inner or outer surfaces. The bonding tape is used to bond portions of the trim cover together, provide additional structural integrated to the trim cover and provide improved craftsmanship in closing-out certain areas of the trim cover. A method of performing a trim cover assembly for use in a seat assembly of a vehicle. The method includes applying heat and pressure over a predetermined time period to bonding tape arranged at a joint between at least two trim components, placing such bonding tape and trim components in a mold, and applying heat and pressure over a predetermined time period to such trim components having the bonding tape arranged at a joint, to form a one-piece trim assembly.
US08727448B1
An infant support and stabilization cushion seat to provide a safe and secure containment and retainment of an infant in a sitting position. The support cushion seat is formed of a resilient shape retaining foam core with a yielding encapsulating surface cover material defining a contoured child receiving area therewithin. An integrated access retainment tray portion overlies a portion of the child receiving area and is deflectable for child placement and retrieval returning to the original orientation, once released.
US08727446B2
A seat backrest for a motor vehicle is provided with a supporting structure having a rear plate and a front element, which is ring-shaped and is arranged on the front surface of the rear plate; a padding is arranged on the supporting structure and is covered at the front by a cover, one edge of which is attached to the rear plate; the front element is snap-coupled to the rear plate by means of elastically deformable portions, which constitute part of the rear plate.
US08727445B2
A vehicle seat comprising a supporting structure and a first and a second contoured panel fitted to the supporting structure and respectively defining the seat portion and the backrest of the seat. The supporting structure comprises a first and a second lateral supporting member extending along opposite sides of the seat and joined to one another by a cross-member extending along the join between the seat portion and the backrest. The first and the second panel are covered with respective flexible cover sheets that are fixed securely to the supporting structure.
US08727442B2
A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat back operatively coupled to a seat cushion for pivotal movement between an upright seating position, a folded position disposed forwardly of the upright seating position, and a spring engagement/disengagement position between the upright seating position and the folded position. A recliner return mechanism is operatively coupled to the seat back during pivotal movement of the seat back between the upright seating position and the spring engagement/disengagement position such that the recliner return mechanism biases the seat back forwardly toward the spring engagement/disengagement position. The recliner return mechanism is operatively decoupled from the seat back during pivotal movement of the seat back between the spring engagement/disengagement position and the folded position such that the seat back pivots freely between the spring engagement/disengagement position and the folded position.
US08727437B2
Vehicle-seat comprising a seat base, a seatback and a head restraint reduces the gap between the head of a seat occupant and the front side of the head restraint in case of a crash, the vehicle seat further comprising an actuator, which is located in the seat back, which comprises a deformable body, which deforms reversible under the force resulting from the rearward movement of body of the seat occupant during and/or after the rear crash, and which comprises a first and a second end, whereas at least one end, preferably both ends, is/are slideably supported in a basis, whereas the head restraint and the actuator are connected by a force transmitter, which transmits a force, resulting from the deformation of the deformable body from the actuator to the head restraint.
US08727434B2
A seat component has a center portion that contacts the body or legs of a seated occupant, and side portions that contacts neither the body nor legs of the seated occupant. A flow passage has a center vent formed in the center portion, a side vent formed in the side portions, and communication portions that provide communication between the center vent and the side vent within the seat component. The air blown out of a blower is supplied to a seating-face of the seat component from at least one of the center vent and the side vent.
US08727429B2
With a structure for a front portion of a vehicle body, a front side frame has a front side frame main unit of which a cross-sectional shape is generally hat-shaped and of which an opening faces the outer direction where a front wheel is placed, a back plate forming a closed cross-section with the inner face of the front side frame main unit being layered with and joined with a flange facing toward the outer direction, and a tire clearance portion formed in a curved shape to correspond to steering range of the front wheels. A sidewall is formed into a sidewall straight portion in an approximately straight line from the tip of the front side frame to the middle including the tire clearance portion. The flange has a flange straight portion formed to the tire clearance portion, approximately parallel with the sidewall straight portion of the sidewall.
US08727427B2
A front pillar for an automobile includes an outer panel, an inner panel, and a hollow member disposed between the outer and inner panels. The outer panel has a roof-joining outer flange section projecting toward a roof skin flange section of a roof beyond the hollow member, and joined by spot welding to the roof skin flange section. A roof-joining extended flange section is joined by welding to at least two surfaces of the hollow member, extended to project toward the roof skin flange section beyond the hollow member and overlap the roof-joining outer flange section, and joined by spot welding to the roof skin flange section together with the roof-joining outer flange section.
US08727426B2
An expandable vehicle system includes a drivable vehicle having a first propulsion system, a first set of wheels, and a first body supported by the first set of wheels. The first body at least substantially encloses and defines a first interior compartment. An extension unit has a second body and at least one wheel supporting the second body. The second body at least partially defines a second interior compartment. The first body is configured with a first attachment interface and the second body is configured with a second attachment interface. The first and second attachment interfaces are cooperatively configured to attach to one another such that the drivable vehicle is mechanically-coupled to the extension unit to form an expanded vehicle drivable by the drivable vehicle and with the first interior compartment contiguous with the second interior compartment.
US08727421B2
A door beam assembly for a passenger vehicle comprises a roll formed longitudinally-swept tubular beam having a constant cross section defining a generally-orthogonal shape, with the outside wall having an integral channel rib formed into the wall to stiffen the wall. C-shaped mounting brackets are attached to beam ends, with opposing walls welded to and supporting walls of the beam, and with a transverse wall spaced from the adjacent wall of the beam. In one aspect, right and left door beam assemblies includes identical beams, front and rear mounting brackets attached to each end, and identical center brackets.
US08727417B2
The present invention discloses a molded laying interior material for a vehicle includes a decorative layer that faces a vehicle compartment and a buffer material layer that faces a vehicle body panel. The decorative layer has a first concavo-convex shape formed by press molding on a side of the vehicle compartment. The buffer material layer has a second concavo-convex shape formed by press molding a buffer material on a side of the vehicle body panel. The buffer material has a fiber structure in which fibers are oriented in a thickness direction in the fiber structure The decorative layer and the buffer material layer are at least laminated and integrated.
US08727399B2
A door assembly for a vehicle comprises a vehicle door having an outside door panel, and a handle that is moveably mounted to the vehicle door. A latch actuator is operatively connected to the handle. Movement of the handle moves the latch actuator to an open position to allow opening of the door. An internal door part is connected to the outside door panel. The internal door part includes a contact area internally offset from the outside door panel. A counterbalancing member is cooperatively associated with the handle. During a crash condition causing deformation of the door and intrusion of the handle, the counterbalancing member engages the contact area of the internal door part to prevent the handle from moving the latch actuator to the open position.
US08727393B2
The invention relates to a window lock having a trigger and a bolt, the trigger being rotatable about an axis of rotation and the bolt being movable from a locked position to an unlocked position. The bolt also includes a first clip and a second clip and the trigger includes a stop and a ramp. The trigger rotates about the axis for engaging and disengaging the ramp and the stop with the first and second clips for moving the bolt between the locked and unlocked positions. The invention further relates to a window lock that automatically locks without user intervention.
US08727392B2
Disclosed is a convertible motorized latch that may be configured in either of a slam latch or a dead bolt latch configuration, just by desired selection and replacement of a minimal number of components, and which may be used on new (oem) equipment or in retrofit applications. In either preferred configuration, an electric motor contained within the latch housing operates to open or unlock the latch. Latch closure may be provided by spring actuation in a slam configuration or by further motor operation in a dead bolt configuration. Either present configuration may make use of an electrical feedback switch for signaling latch retraction while the dead bolt configuration may also include a second electrical feedback switch for signaling latch extension. A gear train may be incorporated within the latch housing to provide reduced speed and increased torque from the electric motor.
US08727388B2
A coupling arrangement has a coupling body and a helically shaped undulated metal pipe which has an end face extending along a screw thread of its undulation. A metal holding ring is mounted on the connecting part resting against the latter, where the outer diameter of the holding ring corresponds approximately to the outer diameter of the pipe, where the end face of the holding ring facing the pipe extends along a screw thread corresponding to the screw thread of the pipe, and where the holding ring is connected in the mounted position, fixedly to the connecting part by resting fixedly and tightly against the end face of the pipe.
US08727387B2
A coupler assembly (10) and method of manufacture (10) for use with pipe comprising a unitary annular body (20) forming first and second cylindrical openings for surrounding a pipe or piping sections to facilitate forming a fluid-tight seal therein. The unitary annular body (20) comprises a medial portion (64) formed from a first material having a first durometer and first and second lateral portions (56, 58) integrally connected to opposite ends of the medial portion (64). The first and second lateral portions (56, 58) are made from a second material having a second durometer relatively higher than the first durometer of the first material. The coupler assembly (10) further comprises at least one clamping assembly (26) surrounding the unitary annular body member (20) adapted for compressing the coupler assembly (10) into a fluid-tight seal.
US08727379B2
A mobile work machine includes a chassis that has a traveling gear and a bracing device that is arranged on the chassis and can be braced on a support such as to raise the chassis. The traveling gear includes at least one traveling gear part, the relative position and/or inclination of which with respect to the chassis can be varied during the bracing process. At least one position or inclination sensor is arranged on the traveling gear part, the output signal of the sensor being an actual measure of the position or the inclination of the traveling gear part relative to a reference system that is stationary on the chassis or stationary on the ground. In addition, an evaluation unit is provided, which responds to the output signal of the at least one position or inclination sensor.
US08727378B2
In an air bag main body which inflates step by step in a first stage and a second stage by bonding its peripheral edge portion and bonding its inner side than the peripheral edge portion, a connecting member bridging between a lid member opening and closing a vent hole and a coupling member can be always set to a tension state by arranging an adjusting portion in the coupling member which defining a maximum facing distance between a front panel and a rear panel in the tension state in each of the first stage and the second stage, and whereby a closed state of the vent hole can be maintained.
US08727372B2
A device for fastening an airbag module in a vehicle comprises a first part, in particular a steering wheel insert (28), with a latching hook (30), and a second part, in particular a baseplate (10) of the airbag module, with a passage opening (14) for the latching hook (30) and with a holder (16) for a spring element (18). The device furthermore comprises a spring element (18) with a bearing section (22) and an elastically deflectable retaining section (24). The spring element (18) is held in the holder (16) in such a manner that the retaining section (24) is transferable from a starting position into a deflecting position, which permits the latching hook (30) to be guided through the passage opening (14), and into a retaining position, in which the retaining section (24) presses against a retaining surface (40) of the latching hook (30). By contrast, the bearing section (22) is held substantially immovably in the holder (16).
US08727370B2
A stroller with a leg rest that can be rotated to different positions, including an upward position in which the leg rest is adapted to be partially inserted into a notch of an infant car seat for secure placement of the car seat on the stroller. In one embodiment, the stroller frame is collapsible for storage, where a left side structure and a right side structure can be collapsed toward each other. The leg rest is formed of two individual members each attached to one of the left and right side structures. A gap exists between the two members when the stroller frame is in the uncollapsed state, allowing the two members to move toward each other when the stroller frame is collapsed, so that the leg rest does not need to be detached when collapsing the stroller frame. In another embodiment, the leg rest is a one-piece structure.
US08727367B2
A bicycle including a frame that has an elongated hollow frame member, a fork rotationally coupled to the frame, a wheel rotationally coupled to the fork, and a handlebar coupled to the fork for steering the wheel. The frame has an interior surface that defines a longitudinal groove with a groove width. The bicycle also includes a cable that is positioned in the longitudinal groove and that has a cable width less than the groove width.
US08727358B2
A torsion key saddle enables a user to readily change the suspension performance characteristic and the suspension lift in a vehicle with independent torsion suspension without the need to replace the torsion keys. Use of torsion key saddles enables each wheel to be adjusted fully between the extremes available using the six possible positions for a torsion key with a hex torsion bar socket.
US08727356B2
Seal (1) for sealing a shaft (2), comprising a supporting ring (3) and at least one sealing lip (4) made of polymeric material, the pressing of the sealing lip (4) against the shaft (2) taking place by magnetic interaction, the sealing lip (4) containing magnetizable particles (5).
US08727353B2
A brush seal adapted to restrict a fluid flow through a gap between a first component and a second component, comprising: a body; a brush pack secured to the body; and a passage through the body for introducing a cooling flow to said gap. The passage has a first end that is exposed to the gap and a second end that is not exposed to the gap. The passage discharges a cooling flow to the brush seal, the cooling flow being discrete from the fluid flow.
US08727352B2
Methods for providing gaming advice are provided. For example, regarding a blackjack game, one or more first player cards are identified for a first player and one or more second player cards are identified for a second player. The first and second player cards are displayed to the first player. A probability associated with a first one of the plurality of playing options is determined based at least on a set of predetermined statistical blackjack data, the one or more first player cards, and the one or more second player cards. It is then determined, based at least on the determined probability associated with the first playing option, whether to display a first indication corresponding with first advice regarding the first playing option, a second indication corresponding with second advice regarding the first playing option, or a third indication corresponding with third advice regarding the first playing option.
US08727342B2
A feeding device includes a carrying roller to carry a top sheet of sheets in a conveying direction, a reverse roller to transfer subsequent sheets beneath the top sheet in a direction opposite to the conveying direction while being moved in the conveying direction with the top sheet, and an end fence to restrict rear end positions of the subsequent sheets. The end fence includes an upper contacting member to come into contact with an upper surface of the top sheet, and a restricting member extending from the upper contacting member along a rear end surface of the sheets to stop rear ends of the sheets in its entire width direction, the upper contacting member and the restricting member being arranged such that a width dimension of the end fence is changeable in the width direction, and the end fence being arranged above the top sheet.
US08727339B2
When a retard roller is rotating in a sheet feeding direction, the rotation is transmitted to a pickup roller and the pickup roller rotates in a direction for conveying the sheet. When the retard roller is rotating in a direction opposite to the sheet feeding direction or is stationary, the pickup roller does not feed the sheet. Therefore, in a successive feeding operation, the sheet to be fed next is always conveyed such that the leading end thereof reaches a nip position between a feed roller and the retard roller. Therefore, the intervals between the sheets are uniform in the successive feeding operation.
US08727334B2
A recording device includes a judgment unit and a control unit. The judgment unit judges whether or not a designated standby time has elapsed still without a next recording job after the current recording job performed by the recording unit has ended in a state with the first media housing unit arranged in the feed position. The control unit controls the drive unit to hold the first media housing unit in the feed position when the judgment unit judges that it is before the standby time has elapsed, and on the other hand, to move the first media housing unit from the feed position to the removal position when the judgment unit judges that it is after the standby time has elapsed.
US08727332B2
A peripheral device includes a body, a carriage, a first feeding assembly, and a second feeding assembly. The carriage and the first and second feeding assemblies are assembled to the body. The first and second feeding assemblies are located at the same side of the body. The carriage moves back and forth along an axial direction. A portion of the first feeding assembly is located on a moving path of the carriage. The first feeding assembly is removably coupled to the second feeding assembly. The first feeding assembly drives the second feeding assembly to move a printing medium into or out of the body. When the carriage is moved to one side of the body, the carriage moves the first feeding assembly away from the second feeding assembly, such that the printing medium is fed into or moved out of the body only by the first feeding assembly.
US08727330B2
A variety of work stands and support assemblies for supporting workpieces such as pipes, are described. The work stands include a base plate and a welding stand-off or grounding lug, at which an electrical grounding cable can be readily attached.
US08727327B2
A work table having elevated support members is disclosed. The work table includes a plurality of generally parallel support arrangements. Each of the plurality of generally parallel support arrangements including a plurality of raised portions, wherein the plurality of raised portions are distributed substantially evenly along each of the plurality of generally parallel support arrangements. Each of the plurality of raised blocks defines an opening configured for receiving an attachment. The work table also includes an adaptor plate. The adapter plate may include a base member and a plurality of inserts, wherein the plurality of inserts are spaced apart for insertion into a plurality of raised block openings to removably attach the adaptor plate to the work table.
US08727326B2
An assembly jig used for assembling a magnet connector including a magnetic body includes a magnet, and a base body having a rear surface and a front surface. The front surface is concaved rearward to form a holding room. The rear surface is concaved forward to form a receiving cavity having a shape in accordance with the external outline of the magnetic body. The magnet is held in the holding room of the base body with the magnetic poles thereof being located in a kind of only certain way. When assembling the magnet connector, the magnetic body is partly attracted in the receiving cavity of the base body by the magnet and then is assembled to the magnet connector with the magnetic poles thereof being uniformly arranged in a kind of only certain way after mass production of the magnet connector.
US08727322B2
An enclosure defines a confined space configured to store goods that can be advantageously maintained by controlling the water vapor levels to which the goods are exposed. A water vapor conversion element, at which liquid water is converted to water vapor, can be operably associated with the confined space to distribute that water vapor to the confined space. A water delivery unit is operatively associated with the water vapor conversion element and is configured to deliver water in liquid form to the water vapor conversion element. The water delivery unit can comprise a drip chamber configured to deliver the water essentially one drop at a time. The enclosure can comprise a drawer in a refrigeration appliance such as a household refrigerator. A sensor configured to determine the water vapor level present in the confined space can be operable to selectively control the distribution of water vapor to the confined space.
US08727319B2
A system includes a device, such as a streetlight or a signal light, having one or more conduits extending therefrom. An electrical conductor extends through the conduit and is connected to the light. The conduit also has a fiber optic cable extending therethrough, installed by way of a rod assembly inserted into one end of the conduit and a tool inserted into another end of the conduit. The ends of the rod assembly and the tool engage one another in the conduit and allow one of the tool or the rod assembly to be withdrawn from the conduit, withdrawing the other. The fiber optic cable is coupled thereto and extended through the conduit.
US08727307B2
A valve has a first duct and a second duct at right angles to the first duct. The first duct opens into a connecting portion of the second duct, defining an intersection that forms a seat for a valve disk that slides in the connecting portion in a direction at right angles to the seat between a closed position and an open position. The connecting portion has two flat walls facing one another and connected by an end wall. The first duct opens onto one of the flat walls. The end wall partially surrounds the valve disk parallel to the a direction of sliding at a distance from an edge of the valve disk that is such that, for the open position, the end wall defines with the edge of the valve disk and the seat a passage.
US08727303B2
A variable bore packer used in a blowout preventer to form a seal against different diameter tubular members for oil and gas drilling operations. The variable bore packer includes a packer member molded of elastomeric material with certain mechanical properties and including an inside curved surface. The packer also includes a plurality of packer inserts molded within the packer member to form an insert array. Additionally, the packer includes a protrusion extending from and bonded to the packer member inside curved surface, the protrusion including increased mechanical properties compared to the packer member. The packer member, the insert array, and the protrusion are molded into a unitary structure and sized to form a seal against the different diameter tubular members upon closure of the blowout preventer. Also, the insert array and the protrusion diminishing extrusion of the elastomeric material between the packer inserts and the tubular members.
US08727299B2
The assembly for an aircraft comprises: at least one device; a part such as a support; and at least one damper via which the device bears against the part, the damper comprising carbon nanotubes covered at at least one of their ends by a layer having a diamond type crystal structure.
US08727296B1
A combination coaster and trivet that is made of a flexible silicon material. It is molded into a generally square form that have several slits formed in it. These slits allow the form to be folded generally square for use as a coaster, or expanded to form a larger apparatus suitable for use as a trivet. The form has a button formed on one end and a corresponding slot on the other end that allows the user to lock the ends together making a flower like form. Moreover because the material is flexible, the form can be used vertically. Locked together, the device can be used as a potholder to lift and carry hot bowls or pots. For example, the device can be wrapped around a bowl and placed in a microwave oven. When the cooking is complete, the user can remove the hot bowl safely by gripping the device.
US08727295B2
The invention relates to a stand for tablet PC, comprising a base with a top surface and a bottom surface; a groove located on the top surface of the base for holding a tablet PC, the groove having an inclined back side wall, wherein the tablet PC tilts backward when placed in the groove. As the base has a groove which has a inclined, and the bottom of the tablet PC can be inserted into the groove, so that the tablet PC can maintain at a relative tilted position with respect to the horizontal plane, then the user may comfortably watch the screen of the tablet PC. In short, the stand has the advantages of a simple structure, small size, low cost, convenient carrying.
US08727289B2
An apparatus and method for clamping one or more cables is provided comprising a first component and a second component, wherein the first and second components each have a main body, a cut out region, and a connector region; and wherein the two components are removably coupled by connecting together their respective connector and cut out regions. The clamping force to the cables can be determined solely by finger pressure, which permits the user to have excellent tactile feedback to safely clamp a cable bundle. The apparatus is compatible with mass production injection molding and can be used for applications requiring UHV compatibility.
US08727285B2
A wing for of aircraft has a wing tip shape that has a profile that extends in the direction of the span of the wing, and across the direction of the span of the wing extends from the wing leading edge to the wing trailing edge. The profile is delimited by a first skin and a second skin, with a winglet, arranged on the wing end. The winglet is substantially planar, and has a transition region arranged between the wing and the winglet, that extends from a connection on the wing to a connection on the winglet. The curvature of the local dihedral can increase in the transition region from a low level or a level of zero at or near the wing intersection in the outboard direction.
US08727284B2
An electromechanical actuation system (10) for a space vehicle includes a propellant source (18) and at least one turbine (14) operably connected to the propellant source (18) and rotatable by a flow of propellant (16) therefrom. At least one electrical generator (20) is operably connected to the at least one turbine (14) and is configured to convert rotation of the turbine (14) into electrical energy. At least one electromechanical actuator (12) is operably connected to the at least one electrical generator (20) such that electrical energy from the at least one electrical generator (20) drives operation of the at least one electromechanical actuator (12). A method of operating a turbine powered electromechanical actuator (12) for a space vehicle includes rotating the at least one turbine (14) via a flow of propellant (16) therethrough. Electrical energy is generated in at least one electrical generator (20) operably connected to the at least one turbine (14) and the electromechanical actuator (12) is operated with the electrical energy generated therein.
US08727283B2
A spacecraft includes a first engine configured to provide primary launch abort thrust and a second engine disposed radially from a center of gravity, the second engine configured to provide a secondary launch abort thrust, a primary orbital maneuvering thrust, and a primary control thrust.
US08727278B2
An article retention device may be provided for a stowage bin. The stowage bin may include a bin interior and may include a door panel that is movable between open and closed positions. The door panel may have a door inner side. The article retention device may comprise a spring member having a protruding portion protruding from the door inner side toward the bin interior when the door panel is in the closed position. The protruding portion may be deflectable in response to contact with an article contained within the bin interior such that the spring member applies pressure to the article to prevent relative moment of the article within the stowage bin.
US08727277B2
The invention relates to a device for developing an aircraft hold located under the floor of the passenger cabin and the cockpit and including a so-called commercial area in which freight can be transported and a technical area including technical equipment and located at the front of the commercial area an at least partially under the cockpit, wherein said device includes: at least one compartment sealed relative to the hold located at the front of said commercial area and at the back of a portion at least of the technical area; a staircase connecting each compartment to a portion of the intermediate floor between the passenger cabin and the cockpit; and a sealed corridor extending from said staircase to each of said sealed compartments.
US08727273B2
A shrink shock strut assembly for retractable aircraft landing gear is disclosed which includes an elongated strut cylinder, an elongated strut piston coaxially mounted for reciprocal movement within the strut cylinder between a shrunk condition when the landing gear is retracted into a wheel well of an aircraft and a fully extended condition when the landing gear is deployed from the wheel well for landing the aircraft, and a blocking mechanism operatively associated with the strut cylinder and mounted for movement into a blocking position with respect to the strut piston, when the landing gear is retracted within the wheel well, to prevent axial movement of the strut piston into the fully extended condition within the wheel well.
US08727266B2
A flying machine comprises a chassis on the underside of which is mounted two vertical axis contra-rotating propellers, which share a common rotational axis. The propellers are driven by two motors through a common drive mechanism, the motors being mounted on the chassis above the propellers and being longitudinally spaced apart along the chassis. Handlebars are movably mounted on the chassis between a seat and a nose piece. A user of the machine thus sits substantially centrally on top of the propellers with their legs straddling the motors and drive mechanism, the riding position thus being closely similar to that of a motorbike. Various collective and cyclic blade pitch control mechanisms are also disclosed. The handlebars and seat in some embodiments are replaced by a load carrying region.
US08727264B1
An orbital launch system and its method of operation use a maneuver to improve the launch condition of a booster rocket and payload. A towed launch aircraft, to which the booster rocket is mounted, is towed to a predetermined elevation and airspeed. The towed launch aircraft begins the maneuver by increasing its lift, thereby increasing the flight path angle, which increases the tension on the towline connecting the towed launch aircraft to a towing aircraft. The increased tension accelerates the towed launch aircraft and booster rocket, while decreasing the speed (and thus the kinetic energy) of the towing aircraft, while increasing kinetic energy of the towed launch aircraft and booster rocket by transferring energy from the towing aircraft. The potential energy of the towed launch aircraft and booster rocket is also increased, due to the increased lift. The booster rocket is released and ignited, completing the launch.
US08727263B2
A device for aiding the localization of an aircraft wreck submerged in a sea is arranged inside the aircraft. The device includes at least one beacon that is able to emit remotely detectable signals. Upon immersion of the aircraft in water, an ejection device automatically ejects the beacon out of the aircraft. The ejection device includes a piston system that generates an opening in the aircraft and expels the beacon accordingly. Also after immersion of the aircraft in water, a trigger device automatically triggers the emission of signals from the beacon.
US08727258B2
Provided is a webbing winding device having a lock mechanism in which a driven body is less influenced by an inclination of a driving body. A peripheral wall extends from an edge portion of a penetration hole formed at a sensor gear constituting the lock mechanism toward a link member, and a guide hole is formed at a bottom wall formed at the front end of the peripheral wall. An engagement pin of the link member passes through the guide hole from the base end portion rather than the front end portion thereof in the protruding direction. Further, in the front end side of the engagement pin passing through and protruding from the guide hole, the outer peripheral portion is spaced apart from the inner peripheral portion of the peripheral wall.
US08727248B2
A comminutor for shredding rag-like materials includes a frame member having a cutter bar that is affixed thereto and has a plurality of cutter teeth, and includes screen bars aligned with the cutter teeth. Each of the screen bars has an end that fits closely to its adjacent cutter tooth and the frame member so as to close a gap between the cutter tooth and the frame member. The end of the screen bar may include a flange that fits closely to the frame member and a tab proximate to the flange that fits closely to the cutter tooth. In an embodiment where the cutter tooth is flush with the frame member, the end of the screen bar includes a flange that fits closely to both frame member and the cutter tooth.
US08727245B2
The present invention relates to an attachment for a pressure washer wand comprising: a plate having a front end, a rear end, top end, and a bottom end; a first wheel connected to the front end of the plate; a second wheel connected to the rear end of the plate; an angle bracket connected to the plate; a clamp connected to the angle bracket; and optionally a spray wand connected to the clamp. The design of the spray wand attachment of the present invention allows for cleaning a narrow area (only a few inches wide) from the edge of the hard surface. The edger of the present invention is not designed to clean the entire areas of the hard surface because the plate needs to be in contact with the edges of the hard surface, which prevents the device from moving away from the edges.
US08727234B2
An electronically controlled scent producing element (800) constituted of: a plate (860) exhibiting a plurality of perforations extending from a first face of the plate to a second face of the plate opposing the first face; a plurality of micro-plugs (870) juxtaposed with the plate (860), each of the plurality of micro-plugs (870) extending longitudinally from a base end to a tip end, and arranged to mate with one of the plurality of perforations; a translation mechanism in communication with one of the plate (820, 860) and the plurality of micro-plugs (870); and a vibrator in communication with at least one of the plate (820, 860) and the plurality of micro-plugs.
US08727232B2
A discharging device for safety-related fluids, such as liquid solutions of irritants such as Oleoresin Capsicum, riot control and self-defense agents such as a combination of (E)-2-butenyl mercaptan (C4H7SH), 3-methyl butanethiol and corresponding S-acetyl compounds, marking agents such as dyes and fluorescent pigments, combinations of the same, and extinguishing agents for fire fighting and early fire fighting such as 1,1,1,2,2,4,5,5,5-nonafluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-3-pentanone, in particular in technical equipment such as switchgear cabinets. The device has a valve connected to a safety-related fluid source. The valve leads to a distributor having discharge openings. The distributor is a driven atomization wheel.
US08727202B2
With a die bonder or a bonding method, the die is adsorbed by the collet, the dicing tape to which the die is adsorbed is thrust up, the die adsorbed by the collet, and thrust up is peeled from the dicing tape, and the peeled die is bonded to the substrate. When the decrease in the air leak flow rate through the gap between the collet and the die upon the thrust up is smaller than the decrease in the normal peel by a predetermined amount, it is judged that a deflection occurs in the die.
US08727196B2
A feeder apparatus for a metal strip includes: a reciprocating block reciprocally moved by a driving means of a press apparatus when conveying the metal strip in which through-holes are formed in a predetermined direction; a moving block disposed above the reciprocating block and connected to a connecting member that moves in the direction of movement of the reciprocating block; a pin block that moves with the moving block and is provided with conveying pins whose front ends are inserted inside the through-holes; and an upper-lower cam portion that raises and lowers the pin block. The moving block is not pulled by the reciprocating block, and the feeder apparatus further includes a moving block driving means for reciprocally moving the moving block separately to movement of the reciprocating block.
US08727186B2
A product delivery mechanism for a beverage dispensing system that dispenses flavor/ingredients and ice into a serving cup for mixing and/or blending. The product delivery system includes a gas operated pump for moving the flavor/ingredients from a product source to a dispensing nozzle above the serving cup. A gas restrictor is connected to an exhaust port of the pump to regulate gas flow rate and product flow rate so as to prevent splashing at the cup while operating the pump well within its rated pressure limits.
US08727179B2
A box structure has a plurality of walls positioned and configured to prevent access to an interior space housing merchandise in a secure manner. A first movable wall permits manual access to a frontal portion of the interior space while at the same time moving a barrier strip to prevent manual access to other than said frontal portion of the interior space. A roll-out shelf mounts merchandise supporting modules with pushers to move merchandise toward the front of the structure where ejection mechanisms in each of the modules are able to direct selected items to the front of the structure where they can be accessed by consumers. The ejection process creates a characteristic noise to alert store personnel that products are being dispensed.
US08727174B2
A tank which optimizes a laminating configuration of hoop layers and helical layers to enhance an efficiency of strength development by wound fibers, and a manufacturing method of the tank. The tank includes a liner, and an FRP layer constituted of an axial fiber layer formed by winding fibers around the outer periphery of the liner at a winding angle in a range exceeding 0° and less than 30° with respect to a tank axis in the center of the tank and a peripheral fiber layer formed by winding the fibers around the outer periphery of the liner at a winding angle in a range of 30° or more and less than 90° with respect to the tank axis, and folded fiber ends of the peripheral fiber layer in a tank axial direction draw a track.
US08727164B1
A resealable tab mechanism for a beverage container having a tab handle with divergent arms with a bar extending therebetween having a gas release pin valve fixedly attached to the tab handle bar. The tab handle is pivoted from a closed position in arc-like fashion that will bend the tab plate downward then the tab handle is rotated in circular fashion providing full access to the beverage container's contents. To close the process is reversed by rotating the tab handle over the beverage container's aperture then pivoted back to its seated position compressing a pair of gaskets that hermetically seals the beverage container's contents.
US08727163B2
In some embodiments, a lid may include a valve chamber comprising a hollow chamber, a valve flap and a hinge. The hollow chamber may be defined by one or more sidewalls and have a first opening at a first longitudinal end and a second opening at an opposing, second longitudinal end. The valve flap may be positioned at least proximate to the second longitudinal end and have a shape and size substantially the same as a shape and size of the second opening. The hinge may couple the valve flap to a sidewall of the one or more sidewalls and may be sized and configured to enable the rotation of the valve flap from an open position to a substantially closed position. Container assemblies and methods of forming lids are also disclosed.
US08727162B2
A cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle and a method of manufacturing a cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle. The cover generally comprises a body portion configured to substantially close an open end of the receptacle and a lid portion hingedly interconnected to the body portion via an integrally formed hinge extending between the lid portion and a portion of the body portion. The body portion includes a covering surface with an access opening therethrough and at least a first, fixed sloped slide surface depending from the covering surface configured to provide a fixed tortuous path extending from the access opening.
US08727152B2
A container may employ an upper portion defining a mouth, a shoulder portion formed with the upper portion and extending away from the upper portion, a bottom portion forming a base, a sidewall extending between and joining the shoulder portion and the bottom portion, and a plurality of smooth surfaced vacuum panels formed in the sidewall, which may be separated by one or more strengthening grooves. The vacuum panels and/or the container in a profile view may form an hourglass shape. The container may also employ a sidewall utilizing three smooth, grooveless, vacuum panels, which may form a triangle in cross-section. The vacuum panels may be concave inward toward a central vertical axis of the container and have an hourglass shape when the container is viewed in a side view.
US08727146B2
An adjust and lock mechanism includes a drive gear (16) rotatably mounted on a frame and adapted to engage a drive track (15) on a member (13) to allow adjustment between the frame (1) and the member by rotation of the drive gear, the drive gear being mounted on a drive spindle (17) that can move axially relative to the drive gear and which is normally spring loaded (34) into locking engagement with the frame and can be moved axially to disengage the locking engagement and allow the spindle to be rotated to operate the drive gear. A locking engagement is provided by a dog gear at one end of the spindle. A lock release button (32) and hand wheel (18) to rotate the drive gear are located adjacent one another for joint operation. A gear train connects the hand wheel to the drive gear.
US08727140B2
A material carousel for manufacturing and/or assembly operations is provided. The carousel includes a hub fabricated from a low friction material wherein the hub has a polygonal shape. The carousel also includes a plurality of equally spaced arms which are press fit into the hub. Each arm is adapted to hold cable and/or harness assemblies or includes a bin for holding materials used for production operations. In addition, the carousel includes a support column that extends through the hub, wherein the hub is adapted to rotate about the support column. An adjustable support collar is also provided for supporting the hub on the support column. Further, the carousel includes a peg mechanism for stopping rotation of the hub after a predetermined rotation angle.
US08727136B2
Method for producing this membrane from a casting solution comprising the hydrophobic first sulfone polymer and the hydrophilic second polymer in a solvent system, the method comprising the steps of pouring the casting solution, conditioned to a molding temperature, onto a carrier to form a film, which carrier has a temperature that is higher in comparison to the molding temperature, conveying the film through a climate-controlled zone, initiating the coagulation in a coagulation bath for the formation of a membrane structure, withdrawing the membrane structure from the carrier with a speed that is increased in comparison to the carrier speed, stabilizing, extracting, and subsequently drying the membrane.
US08727132B2
The invention relates to a system, comprising: a) a sample processing unit, comprising an input port and an output port coupled to a rotating container having at least one sample chamber, the sample processing unit configured provide a first processing step to a sample or to rotate the container so as to apply a centrifugal force to a sample deposited in the chamber and separate at least a first component and a second component of the deposited sample; and b) a sample separation unit coupled to the output port of the sample processing unit, the cell separation unit comprising separation column holder (42), a pump (64) and a plurality of valves (1-11) configured to at least partially control fluid flow through a fluid circuitry and a separation column (40) positioned in the holder, the separation column configured to separate labeled and unlabeled components of sample flowed through the column.
US08727121B2
A tray for a food product is thin-walled, unitary, and plastic. The tray comprises a central portion. The central portion comprises a plurality of downwardly extending recesses for receiving at least one of the food products, and a plurality of upwardly extending posts interspersed amongst the recesses. A first set of the posts is positioned on a first side of a horizontal axis of the tray, and a second set of the posts is positioned on a second side of the horizontal axis. The first set of posts and the second set of posts are positioned asymmetrically on either side of the horizontal axis. Each post comprises a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending lengthwise therealong. The reinforcing ribs are integral to the posts. The tray further comprises an outer wall portion extending about the central portion. A plurality of webs extend between the outer wall portion and the central portion.
US08727104B2
A slip conveyor (10) having a plurality of trays (11, 12, 13). Each of the trays (11, 12, 13) has an end portion (19) with an edge (29) inclined to the longitudinal direction of movement (14) of the tray (11, 12, 13).
US08727101B2
Device for cleaning fluid substances from a conveyor belt including paint, varnish and like products
A device for cleaning a conveyor belt soiled with fluid substances, and in particular for machines used for spraying paint or other products, is disclosed. The conveyor belt has an upper section and a lower return section comprising a (a) reverse roller in contact with the return section of the belt to collect the fluid substances on the belt; (b) doctor blade for scraping the fluid substances collected from the reverse roller; (c) at least one secondary belt conveyor mounted on a pair of supporting rollers and disposed beneath the doctor blade for collecting the fluid substances from the doctor blade and for conveying the fluid substances toward one end of said secondary belt conveyor; and (d) means at the end of the secondary belt conveyor for scraping the fluid substances from the secondary belt conveyor and for conveying the substances to a final collection and/or recycling means.
US08727093B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for suppressing transmission noise from automatic transmissions, in particular for motor vehicles, the transmission having at least two alternating multi-disk clutches that control a power flow via a gearing mechanism through which oil flows to cool the clutches and to reduce wear and tear on them. To create a method and a device that are of simple design and that can operate without wear and tear, it is proposed that under defined operating conditions of the transmission, the throughput amount of oil is increased in such a way that a defined drag torque occurs at the multi-disk clutch that is opened.
US08727091B2
A torque limiter device comprises a rotatable input 10 having an input flange 20 associated therewith, a rotatable output 12 having an output flange 22 associated therewith, the input flange 20 and the output flange 22 having opposing transmission pockets 26a, 26b formed therein, a torque transmission element 28 locatable within the opposing transmission pockets 26a, 26b of the input and output flanges 20, 22 to transmit torque therebetween, at least one disengagement pocket 32 arranged to receive the torque transmission element 28 when the torque transmission element 28 is in a disengaged position in which torque is not transmitted between the input flange 20 and the output flange 22, and resilient biasing means 34 biasing the torque transmission element 28 towards a transmission position in which it is located within the opposing transmission pockets 26a, 26b.
US08727088B2
A work vehicle has a hydraulic pump and a transmission. The transmission includes a transmission body having a cylindrical input shaft, a torque converter body, a lock-up clutch device, a pump drive shaft, and an oil channel. The lock-up clutch device includes a piston, an oil chamber formed at a back surface of the piston, and a clutch portion. The pump drive shaft penetrates the input shaft and is disposed coaxially to the input shaft. The pump drive shaft transmits driving power to the hydraulic pump. The oil channel is formed between an inner circumference surface of the input shaft and an outer circumference surface of the pump drive shaft, and communicates with the oil chamber in the lock-up clutch device.
US08727087B2
A torque transmission includes a housing arrangement drivable around an axis of rotation and filled with fluid and a clutch arrangement between the housing arrangement and a driven member. The clutch arrangement has a first friction surface formation rotatable with the housing arrangement and a second friction surface formation rotatable with the driven member. A clutch piston is movable axially for producing and canceling frictional engagement of the first and the second friction surface formation. A piston carrying element is connected to the clutch piston on the radially inner side for axial movement of the clutch piston. The piston carrying element has in its radially inner end region a first axial supporting area for axially supporting the driven member at the piston carrying element and a second axial supporting area for supporting the piston carrying element at the housing arrangement.
US08727086B2
A torque converter damper, including: an output hub; a first side plate arranged for rotational connection to a lock-up clutch and a turbine of the torque converter. Includes first and second intermediate flange plates; a flange connected to the output hub; springs engaged with the first side plate and the intermediate flange plates; springs engaged with the intermediate flange plates and with the flange; and a resilient element creating frictional contact between first and second components of the torque converter damper. Relative rotation of the first and second components at the frictional contact attenuates vibration at the output hub. The first and second components are rotatable with respect to each other. Rotation of the first component is fixed to rotation of the hub. Rotation of the second component is arranged to be fixed to rotation of the turbine. The hub is arranged to be rotatable with respect to the turbine.
US08727085B2
A collector shoe assembly for use with an electrified conductor rail is disclosed. A support block comprised of first and second housing members secured together which has a plurality of spaced-apart, spring-loaded collector shoe segments movably positioned therein, the outer ends of which are in engagement with the conductor rail.
US08727075B2
An arrangement and a method for supervising the operation of a brake includes a controllable electromechanical brake, including a magnetic circuit with at least two ferromagnetic parts fitted to move in relation to each other. A thrusting force is exerted between the ferromagnetic parts via a spring. The brake includes a magnetizing coil fitted into the magnetic circuit, for forming magnetic attraction between the parts of the brake. The arrangement includes a control of the brake, which includes at least one controllable switch, for adjusting the electricity supply of the magnetizing coil. The control of the brake comprises a supervision of the movement of the magnetic circuit of the brake.
US08727072B2
A method for making an acoustic structure that includes a honeycomb having cells in which septum caps are located. The septum caps are formed from sheets of flexible material that may be perforated before or after the material is inserted into the honeycomb. The flexible material is sufficiently flexible to allow folding into the shape of a septum cap. The flexible material is also sufficiently stiff to provide frictional engagement and locking of the septum cap to the honeycomb cell when the cap is inserted into the honeycomb during fabrication of the acoustic structure. An adhesive is applied to the septum caps after the caps have been inserted into the honeycomb cells to provide a permanent bond.
US08727071B2
A sound barrier comprises a substantially periodic array of structures disposed in a first medium having a first density, the structures being made of a second medium having a second density different from the first density, wherein one of the first and second media is a porous medium other than a porous metal, the porous medium having a porosity of at least about 0.02, and wherein the other of the first and second media is a viscoelastic or elastic medium.
US08727068B2
Sound-damping housing for a pump and for a drive motor for said pump, comprising a block-like casing assembled from sound-damping panels and provided with a support construction and a first door opening for successively placing into and removing from the casing the pump and its drive motor on the support construction, and with at least one guide extending over the support construction transversely of the door opening for the purpose of guiding a pump and its drive motor to be placed in the casing.
US08727064B2
A hybrid internal combustion engine and air motor system is provided and includes at least one chamber having a drivable member and at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve, and a reservoir connected to the chamber through at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve. The system further comprises a computer configured to calculate air compressor efficiency during an air compressor mode of operation and select an intake and exhaust valve opening and closing timing sequence for maximizing air compressor efficiency and/or a computer configured to calculate air motor efficiency during an air motor mode of operation and select an intake and exhaust valve opening and closing timing sequence for maximizing air motor efficiency. A method for selecting an intake and exhaust valve opening and closing timing sequence for maximizing air compressor efficiency and/or for selecting an intake and exhaust valve opening and closing timing sequence for maximizing air motor efficiency is also disclosed.
US08727055B2
A base frame for an electric work vehicle equipped with a battery-driven electric motor includes a base plate, a plurality of device installation compartment plates and a battery accommodation compartment plate. The device installation compartment plates are fixed onto the base plate, and form a plurality of installation regions for mounting a variety of devices of the vehicle onto the base plate. The battery accommodation compartment plate is fixed onto the base plate, and forms a region for accommodating a plurality of batteries in an inside thereof.
US08727049B1
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising providing a first adaptive threshold of charge for a battery within a hybrid vehicle and based upon the first adaptive threshold of charge for the battery, operating the hybrid vehicle in a mode of operation. The method also comprises automatically analyzing at least one condition and based upon the automatically analyzing at least one condition, automatically altering the first adaptive threshold of charge for the battery to provide a second adaptive threshold of charge for the battery that is different from the first adaptive threshold. Based upon automatically altering the first adaptive threshold of charge for the battery to provide a second adaptive threshold of charge for the battery, (i) a proportional use of power to be supplied by a fuel engine component and/or (ii) a proportional use of power to be supplied by an electric engine component is automatically altered.
US08727046B2
Embodiments relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) that are less susceptible to liquid metal embrittlement damage due to the use of at least one transition layer between a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) layer and a substrate. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a PCD layer, a cemented carbide substrate, and at least one transition layer bonded to the substrate and the PCD layer. The at least one transition layer is formulated with a coefficient of thermal expansion (“CTE”) that is less than a CTE of the substrate and greater than a CTE of the PCD layer. At least a portion of the PCD layer includes diamond grains defining interstitial regions and a metal-solvent catalyst occupying at least a portion of the interstitial regions. The diamond grains and the catalyst collectively exhibit a coercivity of about 115 Oersteds or more and a specific magnetic saturation of about 15 Gauss·cm3/grams or less.
US08727044B2
In an embodiment, a polycrystalline diamond compact (“PDC”) includes a substrate and a pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table bonded to the substrate. The pre-sintered PCD table includes an upper surface, a back surface bonded to the substrate, and at least one lateral surface extending between the upper surface and the back surface. The pre-sintered PCD table includes a region including at least a residual amount of at least one interstitial constituent disposed in at least a portion of the interstitial regions thereof, and a bonding region. The at least one interstitial constituent includes at least one metal carbonate and/or at least one metal oxide. The region extends inwardly from the upper surface and the at least one lateral surface.
US08727037B1
A method and system to aid and/or train well control personnel by measuring the actual hydraulic delay and pressure attenuation of operator choke changes during well control operations or simulations. This provides the choke operator with an anticipated drillpipe pressure as soon as the choke is adjusted, accounting for hydraulic delay, pressure attenuation and prior choke adjustments that are currently travelling through the wellbore as well as reflections of the transient pressure waves against the pumps and choke. The technique that is described utilizes only three inputs, and works without knowledge of or inputting data such as well depth, pipe and hole geometry, mud properties, temperature, water depth, land, offshore platform or floating (subsea BOP's) drilling rigs. Further, the system can detect and warn the operator of potential problems based on the results of the real time analysis.
US08727033B2
An apparatus for reducing the stresses placed on a cantilevered component mounted to a rigid frame includes cushioned bushings coupling the cantilevered component to a rigid frame. As the cantilevered component is loaded due to bending moments, the cushioned bushings flex and cushion the cantilevered component. The cantilevered component is retained within the bushing using hardware that allows the cantilevered component to float as needed to further reduce stresses and strains thereon.
US08727023B2
A wireline lubricator and a connector includes a first part with a first seal portion and a first throughgoing passage for receiving a part of a wireline, and a second part with a second seal portion and a second throughgoing passage for receiving a part of a wireline. The first part is pivotally connected to the second part such that the connector is capable of assuming a first configuration and a second configuration. The second configuration and the first and second throughgoing passage are aligned. The first and second seal portion engage each other to provide a sealed wireline passage defined by the aligned first and second throughgoing passage.
US08727022B2
Disclosed are systems and methods of supporting a multilateral window or casing joint from pressurized collapse. In one embodiment, a casing joint assembly is disclosed and includes a casing joint having a pre-milled window defined therein, a sleeve arranged at least partially about the casing joint and configured to cover the pre-milled window, and one or more reinforcing members arranged about the casing joint and interposing the casing joint and the sleeve. The one or more reinforcing members are configured to provide radial support to the sleeve.
US08727015B1
A method and apparatus for stopping oil flowing from the end of a ruptured pipe, by mounting a flange on the end of the ruptured, if a flange is not already present; providing a gate valve having a flange on its lower end to mate with the flange on the ruptured pipe; providing a permanently affixed gasket member on the mounting flange of the gate valve; lowering the gate valve to the depth of the flowing oil from the ruptured pipe; providing at least two flexible bolts through opposite openings in the flange of the gate valve; threading each flexible bolt through two opposite openings in the flange of the ruptured pipe; placing pulling pressure on the lower ends of the two flexible bolts to pull the gate valve from a position adjacent the ruptured pipe to a second position where the gasket of the gate valve mounts against the face of the flange of the ruptured pipe, while the gate valve is in the open position; continuing to hold the gate valve in place by the flexible bolts while inserting permanent bolts in the remaining openings of the mated flanges to secure the gate valve permanently in place; and closing the gate valve to stop the flow of oil.
US08727008B2
An assembly for removing debris and/or conducting a wellbore operation may include a mandrel, a sliding sleeve rotationally coupled to the mandrel, and a flushing sleeve coupled to the sliding sleeve. A releasable connection may temporarily prevent axial movement between the sliding sleeve and the mandrel. A downhole tool may be coupled to the mandrel to conduct the wellbore operation. The flushing sleeve may be hydraulically actuated to an extended position ahead of the downhole tool. A method of removing debris from a wellbore and conducting a wellbore operation may include lowering an assembly into the wellbore, supplying pressurized fluid into the wellbore using the assembly to remove debris from the wellbore, and moving a downhole tool to a position where at least a portion of the downhole tool is disposed outside of the assembly to conduct the wellbore operation.
US08726995B2
By using reactive shaped charges, a dynamic underbalance effect associated with detonation of a perforating system is enhanced without compromising shot density. Fewer shaped charges can be loaded to achieve the same or better effective shot density as a gun fully loaded with conventional shaped charges, thereby increasing the free volume within the gun while creating debris-free tunnels with fractured tips and substantially eliminating the crushed zone surrounding each perforated tunnel. Further, the strength and grade of gun steel required to construct the gun can be reduced without compromising the amount the gun swells following detonation.
US08726992B2
A method and a device for sealing a void incompletely filled with a cast material, in which an expandable material is placed in the void which is to be filled with a cast material, the expandable material expanding, when expanding after the cast material has cured, into spaces which are not filled with cast material.
US08726981B2
A tandem progressive cavity pump system lifts well fluids from a production zone to a well surface. The system provides a first pump and a second pump. The system positions the first pump at the production elevation within the well, and the second pump at an intermediate elevation within the well. The system then connects a discharge of the first pump to an intake of the second pump. The system is then operated so that the first pump lifts well fluids from the production zone to the intermediate zone, depositing the well fluids in the intake of the second pump. The second pump then lifts the well fluids from the intermediate zone to the surface of the well.
US08726976B2
A heat exchanger can have a manifold which includes a plurality of laminated sheets that allow a customization of the heat exchanger. The design can allow for a more optimal flow of coolant to areas of high load, thereby making the temperature distribution across the heat exchanger more uniform, or intentionally non-uniform. Furthermore, the laminated sheets can allow multiple circuits to be employed in the heat exchanger such that different coolants can be utilized therein and maintained separate from one another. The tubes can be microchannel tubes. A single set of manifolds can be used with multiple heat exchanger cores to provide a more compact heat exchanger. Mounting features can be integral with a group of the sheets.
US08726970B2
An extensible car window shading apparatus mountable inside the car and comprising a first plurality of slats having at each longitudinal end a slat hole in which a slat spring attached to a slat stick is inserted, such that the slat stick extends outwardly from the slat hole, a second plurality of panels, the second plurality being exactly twice the first plurality, such that there is a panel at each longitudinal end of each slat, wherein each panel has a panel hole in which a panel spring is inserted, the panel hole being configured to receive the slat stick, and wherein the panels on each side of the apparatus are joined by hinges, such as to allow folding or deploying of the extensible car window shading apparatus by a user, and a support arm that keeps the extensible car window shading apparatus in folded position.
US08726968B2
An aircraft window shade assembly is provided. The assembly includes an inboard shade, an outboard shade, a housing and a cover. The inboard and outboard shades each include a plurality of holes disposed along one side. The housing includes a transparent inboard panel, a transparent outboard panel, a pair of inboard guide slots to receive the inboard shade, a pair of outboard guide slots to receive the outboard shade, an inboard motor and an outboard motor. The inboard motor is coupled to a drive gear sprocket having a cylindrical outer surface and a plurality of teeth extending radially therefrom that mesh with the plurality of holes in the inboard shade, and moves the inboard shade between open and closed positions. The outboard motor is coupled to a drive gear sprocket having a cylindrical outer surface and a plurality of teeth extending radially therefrom that mesh with the plurality of holes in the outboard shade, and moves the outboard shade between open and closed positions. The cover is attached to the housing and includes a pair of inboard guide slots to receive the inboard shade, and a pair of outboard guide slots to receive the outboard shade.
US08726965B2
The invention relates to a method for at least partially reworking or replacing a reinforcement element of a fibre composite structure. In a first method step, at least one fibre layer is arranged on a surface section of the reinforcement element and/or at least one replacement section of the reinforcement element of the same material and same layer structure is arranged on a surface reinforcement section of the fibre composite structure. In a second method step, at least a pressure mat adjusted to the contour of the reinforcement element is disposed above the at least one fibre layer and/or the at least one replacement section of the reinforcement element, wherein the at least one pressure mat is supported and fixed in a nominal position by a fixing frame adjusted to the contour of the reinforcement element. In a third method step, the at least one pressure mat is then acted upon by a pressure medium in order to press the same against the reinforcement element and the fixing frame. In a fourth method step, a hardening of the at least one fibre layer and/or the at least one replacement section of the reinforcement element is carried out. The invention further relates to a corresponding connecting device for carrying out the method.
US08726959B2
Tire support rings mounted within a tubeless tire to prevent the tire from collapsing upon the occurrence of a leak in the tire and to support a vehicle until the leak can be repaired.
US08726953B2
A device for extracting a card such as a credit card from a wallet. The device may comprise a pulling hook formed from relatively thin material, a handle for grasping, and a strap connecting the handle to the pulling hook. The handle may be configured as a T-handle. The strap may bear adhesive to discourage the card from sliding along the length of the strap. The device may have a pushing hook opening in a direction opposite that of the pulling hook, such that the card may be inserted between and engage the pushing hook and the pulling hook and be entrapped therebetween. The hook may have sufficient overall length to project outside a pocket into which the card has been stored and in which the card is fully contained.
US08726951B1
A handbag including an outer bag and an inner bag. The inner bag and the outer bag are configured to entrap a piece of material wrapped around an exterior surface of the outer bag and tucked in between the outer bag and the inner bag.
US08726948B2
A drink layering portion machine reliably creates undisturbed air bubble free multiple drink layers. The portion machine includes a flat bottom hollow structure, a top with a pouring cup that is shaped as a bowl having a hemispherical or semi-circular basin and having a central aperture at its bottom base. A thin rod, preferably textured, passes through the aperture with a small clearance. A second aperture displaced from the first aperture supports the thin rod providing wobble free movement. The bottom end of the thin rod carries a float, preferably textured. The drink layering portion machine is placed with a hollow structure encircling or hovering over a glass and stabilizing it from tilting. The float rests on the liquor in the interior of the glass as liquor is poured into the pouring cup. The liquor runs down at a slow volumetric rate through the small clearance, down the thin rod, over the float external surface into the glass forming layered undisturbed drink free from air bubble entrapment.
US08726944B2
A method in a fraction collector for accurate positioning of a dispensing device with respect to wells of a micro plate in which prior to the dispensing a sensing device is moved over the micro plate the sensing device being able to detect the number of walls between the wells in the rows and columns of the micro plate.
US08726943B2
The present invention is a method and apparatus for forming wire loops using wire looping pliers. In one embodiment of the invention, the pair of wire pliers having a cylindrical jaw and a recessed jaw for accepting the cylindrical jaw allows the user of the tool to make symmetrical wire loops on a consistent basis. Additionally, the width of the recessed jaw can be set such that the user can use the recessed jaw to measure the distance from a particular point where the neck of the wire loop should be broken. The recessed surface of the recessed jaw and the cylindrical jaw mate together in such a manner as to provide uniform pressure around a significant portion of the loop so as to prevent marring of the surface of the wire.
US08726929B2
A gas engine regulator includes a decompression chamber defined internally of the regulator and having a gas inlet through which liquefied gas fuel enters and a gas outlet through which the gas fuel exits. The gas inlet is provided at one end side of the decompression chamber while the gas outlet is provided at an opposite end side laterally spaced via a space from the one end side. The regulator also includes a partitioning wall disposed to surround the gas outlet and having a gas passage communicating with the gas outlet, the gas passage having a passage inlet disposed upwardly of the gas inlet.
US08726924B2
A flow-control valve has a housing having first and second input ports and respective first and second output ports for respective first and second separate fluid streams and formed between the first and second port with first and second valve seats. Respective first and second valve bodies are axially shiftable in the valve seats, and a coupling element connected axially between the valve bodies moves the valve bodies axially jointly. A diaphragm between the first piston and the housing defines an axially inner compartment into which the first input port opens and between the diaphragm and the housing an axially outer compartment. The first valve body is formed with a passage extending through the first valve body and having an axially extending part opening into the outer compartment and a transversely extending part opening into the housing between the first seat and the first output port.
US08726916B2
Provided is an interchangeable makeup brush including: a plurality of brush tips fixing a brush; and a brush rod having the brush tip detachably coupled thereto, and being grasped by a hand of a user, wherein the brush tip includes a mounting protruding portion formed at a rear thereof which is inserted and coupled in the brush rod. According to the present invention, a brush tip may be attached and detached to and from a brush rod, enabling convenient use when applying makeup by selecting and mounting a required brush, and allowing only one brush rod to be provided for economical advantage and ease of portability and storage.
US08726913B2
The invention relates to an applicator for applying a decorative cosmetic with a flowable consistency from a storage container, such as in particular mascara, comprising an applicator brush equipped with a bristle area consisting of outwardly protruding bristles and/or bristle discs that comprises stationary bristles and/or bristle discs, wherein the bristle area is additionally formed from mobile bristles and/or bristle discs whose base area can be displaced relative to the base area of the stationary bristles or bristle discs in such a way that a free space between the stationary bristles or bristle discs that can be loaded with the cosmetic by dipping the brush into the reservoir can be arbitrarily varied.
US08726912B2
A head ornament fastening member that attaches a head ornament to hairs on a head. The head ornament fastening member comprises a first fastening member that includes a base, and a plurality of stems which protrude from a surface of the base and are inserted into the hairs from upside; and a second fastening member that includes a plurality of comb-tooth-like portions which intersect the plurality of stems and are inserted into the hairs from a lateral direction. The plurality of stems of the first fastening member and the plurality of comb-tooth-like portions of the second fastening member intersect with each other in the hairs from upside and a lateral direction, thereby fastening the head ornament to the hairs.
US08726909B2
Methods and apparatus for the endoluminal revision of previously performed obesity procedures which have failed are described. One or more endoluminal instruments may be advanced per-orally into the previously formed failed pouch where a number of different procedures can be performed. One or more tissue folds can be formed and secured to reduce the size of the pouch, or the stoma connecting the pouch to the intestinal tract can be reduced in size using endoluminally deployed tissue anchors. These procedures can be performed entirely from within the pouch lumen or upon the exterior surface of the pouch via transgastric entry of the instruments into the peritoneal cavity of a patient. Alternatively, the interior tissue within the pouch can be injured or sclerosed to shrink the pouch lumen. In another alternative, a length of the Roux limb can be shortened endoluminally to create a malabsorptive region.
US08726907B2
The present disclosure relates to a one piece customized disposable surgical drape to be used in any surgery, and more specifically to a one piece customized disposable surgical drape that includes one or more of the following: (1) a patient drape for use with a standalone non-draped image acquisition device (requiring circumferential access to the patient); (2) a patient drape for use with a standalone non-draped image acquisition device with image guidance navigation technology; (3) the means to provide temporary sterile coverage of an underlying sterile field; (4) the means to provide sterile separation of at least a portion, if not the entire temporary sterile coverage; and (5) the means to provide covering of the undersurface of the operating surface and enclosing any suspended medical devices, wires, cables, tubes, etc.
US08726902B2
A method for delivering ventilatory support to a patient is presented. The method includes controlling delivery of a first backup breath by delaying onset of the first backup breath, wherein delaying the onset of the first backup breath is configured to allow selection of an appropriate backup rate. Systems and computer-readable medium that afford functionality of the type defined by this method is also contemplated in conjunction with the present technique.
US08726900B1
A demand valve is fixedly and rigidly mounted on an anesthetic gas mixer stand in close proximity to the gas mixer. A single-patient-use disposable breathing and scavenging circuit is adapted to be removably connected to the demand valve output for permitting a patient to breath gas, or a mixture gases, supplied by the gas mixer through a remotely located disposable face mask included as a portion of the breathing circuit. The breathing circuit further includes a scavenger portion for collecting exhaled waste gas from the face mask. The scavenger portion of the circuit also is disposable.
US08726896B2
A barbecue grill assembly comprises a firebox having a bottom and first and second ends, side walls extending from the first and second ends, and a pair of lids each hingeably connectable to an upper portion of one of the side walls and separately movable between open and closed positions. The pair of lids forms a cooking enclosure with the firebox when in their closed positions.
US08726895B2
A non-lethal pistol for propelling projectiles, such as paintballs. The pistol has a body with a grip portion and a barrel. A canister of propellant received in the body to supply a valve assembly with propellant that is selectively vented to propel projectiles through the barrel. The pistol includes a firing mechanism adapted to actuate the valve assembly.
US08726888B2
An atmosphere-opening structure is provided for a canister of a vehicle which can prevent invasion of dust and water drops from an atmosphere-opening passage by a simple configuration which is easy to produce. A fuel tray is provided around a fuel filler such that fuel leaking from the fuel filler to the outside upon refueling is received by the fuel tray. The fuel tray is covered with a fuel lid which can open and close the fuel filler from above. A drain hole for discharging fuel to the outside is provided in the fuel tray. An opening hose for communicating the canister and the atmosphere with each other is provided. An opening end of the opening hose is communicated with a position higher than the drain hole in the fuel tray.
US08726887B2
A method is provided for operating a hybrid vehicle (1) having an internal combustion engine (2) and an electric machine (4) that can be used individually or jointly to drive at least one axle (9, 10) of the hybrid vehicle (1) by connecting a clutch (15), and having a regeneratable filter device that takes up fuel vapors from a fuel tank of the internal combustion engine (2). To improve the comfort in a purely electric driving mode and/or to improve the reproducible operation of a hybrid vehicle during a special exhaust gas test, in a purely electric driving mode in which the hybrid vehicle (1) is driven only by the electric machine (4), the internal combustion engine (2) is switched on with the clutch (15) open to regenerate the filter device.
US08726874B2
A cylinder bore with selective surface treatment includes a longitudinal axis and a cylindrical wall extending along the longitudinal axis, the cylindrical wall including first and second end portions and a middle portion positioned between the first and second end portions, the middle portion having a greater surface roughness than at least one of the first and second end portions.
US08726872B2
Methods and systems are provided for reducing variability in air-fuel control due to variations in brake booster vacuum levels at an engine start. A throttle position is adjusted during an engine start based on the vacuum availability in the brake booster to control a rate of intake aircharge flow. By allowing aircharge to enter the intake manifold at a more consistent rate, air-fuel control is improved and exhaust emissions are reduced.
US08726871B2
A corona discharge (24) ignition includes an electrode (38) emitting a radio frequency electric field and providing a corona discharge (24) to ignite a combustible mixture. The system includes a controlled high voltage energy supply (52) providing energy to a main energy storage (28) at a main voltage. A fixed high voltage energy supply (54) provides extra energy to an extra energy storage (26) at an extra voltage, which is greater than the main voltage. While the corona discharge (24) is being provided, the energy of the main energy storage (28), but not the extra energy storage (26), is provided to the electrode (38). When the corona discharge (24) switches to arc discharge, the extra energy of the extra energy storage (26) is provided to the corona igniter (22) to enhance the arc discharge and provide reliable ignition until the corona discharge (24) is restored.
US08726866B1
A camshaft phaser for controllably varying the phase relationship between a crankshaft and a camshaft in an internal combustion engine is attached to the camshaft with a camshaft phaser attachment bolt. The camshaft phaser attachment bolt includes a stepped bore for communicating pressurized oil from the internal combustion engine to a valve spool and is defined by a larger diameter bore, a smaller diameter bore, and a shoulder between the larger diameter bore and the smaller diameter bore. A check valve assembly includes a check valve body axially moveable within the larger diameter bore. The check valve body includes a plurality of azimuthally spaced guiding walls, a plurality of clearance walls separating the guiding walls, and a seating surface at one end of the guiding walls and the clearance walls for selectively seating with the shoulder to prevent fluid communication between the larger diameter bore and the smaller diameter bore.
US08726856B2
An Otto cycle, Atkinson cycle or supercharged internal combustion engine (10) and a timing mechanism therefor. The engine comprising: a cylinder (14) and a piston (12) reciprocally mounted within the cylinder (14) in which reciprocating movement of the piston is converted into rotational movement of an output shaft (28) by way of rollers (20, 24) engaging primary (22) and secondary (26) cam means which are affixed to, and rotatable with, the output shaft (28). The timing mechanism comprising cam means (52, 53) mounted on, and rotatable in unison with, the output shaft (28), a cam follower (54, 55) arranged to engage the cam means (52) and a linkage connecting the cam follower to a pivoting rocker arm for actuating the engine's induction and exhaust valves, the rocker arm pivot being adapted to be moveable on an arcuate locus centered on the axis of the output shaft (28).
US08726850B2
The present disclosure relates to a pet collar breakaway buckle device configured to be worn around the neck of a pet. Certain pets may have a natural instinct to wander, climb, and/or squeeze in to small places. Pets that squeeze into small places may catch their collars such that the pet becomes stuck. The pet collar breakaway buckle device described herein may be configured to break away under the bodyweight of the pet, reducing the risk of strangling and/or other unintended injury to the pet. A pet owner and/or other person may apply a compressive load to the buckle device to attach the collar around the neck of a pet and a tensile load to remove the device from the neck of a pet. In some implementations, the pet collar breakaway buckle device may comprise a strap, a first interlocking clasp, a second interlocking clasp, and/or other components.
US08726844B1
A remote animal restraining device includes a device collar having a panel storage compartment, at least one panel storage compartment door pivotally carried by the device collar and positional between open and closed positions relative to the panel storage compartment, a flexible restraining panel carried by the panel compartment door in the panel storage compartment, a door release mechanism carried by the device collar and adapted to normally retain the panel storage compartment door in the closed position and a remote control adapted to remotely activate the door release mechanism.
US08726843B2
A system for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock includes a carriage mounted on a track, the carriage operable to translate laterally along the track. The system further includes a robotic arm including a first member pivotally attached to the carriage, a second member pivotally attached to the first member, and a spray tool member pivotally attached to the second member. The robotic arm further includes a spray tool attached to the spray tool member. The system further includes a controller operable to cause at least a portion of the robotic arm to extend between the hind legs of a dairy livestock such that the spray tool may discharge a disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.
US08726838B2
According to various embodiments of the disclosure, an apparatus and method for enhanced deposition and etch techniques is described, including a pedestal, the pedestal having at least two electrodes embedded in the pedestal, a showerhead above the pedestal, a plasma gas source connected to the showerhead, wherein the showerhead is configured to deliver plasma gas to a processing region between the showerhead and the substrate and a power source operably connected to the showerhead and the at least two electrodes with plasma being substantially contained in an area which corresponds with one electrode of the at least two electrodes.
US08726832B2
A painting system having a painting robot with a stationary base mounted to a wall of a paint booth in cantilever fashion. A stand is mounted to the stationary base and is rotatable around a first axis that is disposed substantially horizontal. A first arm is rotatably mounted to the stand around a second axis, and a second arm is rotatably mounted to the first arm around a third axis. The second arm is operable to rotate around the third axis 180 degrees relative to the first arm. An end effector is connected between the second arm and a painting tool. The end effector is operable to orient the painting tool.
US08726821B2
The handheld hair weaving sewing machine has a motor driven by electric power and an on/off switch for providing electricity to the motor. A dial is provided for selecting a stitch pattern. A power switch is pressed to apply power to the motor to sew. A bobbin case containing a bobbin of thread and a bobbin thread spool for delivering thread to the needle are disposed within the machine housing. Rubber guards are provided to protect the scalp from injury. A tension dial is provided for adjusting the tension of the thread leaving the bobbin thread spool. A rotary wheel is provided for moving a needle up and down and moving the needle high enough to position the hair for properly sewing.
US08726816B2
Element for the storage, handling and transport of planar or primarily planar objects (33), that has an approximately rectangular shape with a length (L) and width (B) in the horizontal plane, that defines on its top two bearing surfaces (20) sloping inwards and two approximately perpendicular support surfaces (21) standing on them, whereby the support surfaces (21) together also define a ridge (23) that extends over the length (L) of the element (27, 29), the ridge (23) is in such a position that the two bearing surfaces (20) are of different sizes.
US08726813B2
A honeycomb table, including an upper skin tapped with holes for mounting equipments, a lower skin with a plurality of holes, a honeycomb core layer, connecting side walls, a number of cups and funnels in honeycomb core cells one-to-one. The cups are positioned on the holes in the lower skin. The cups and funnels prevent contaminants and residue from reaching the interior of the honeycomb core, such that the honeycomb can be continuously maintained in a clean working condition.
US08726812B2
A rail road freight car truck has a truck bolster mounted transversely between a pair of side frames. The mounting interface between the wheelset axle ends and the sideframe pedestals allows self-restorative longitudinal rocking self-steering motion proportionately resisted as a function of displacement and of the vertical force carried at the interface. The center of rotation of the rocking motion is lower than the center of rotation of the axle. The interface may also permit lateral rocking swing motion of the sideframes. Auxiliary centering elements may be mounted in the pedestal seats. The auxiliary centering elements may be elastomeric. The truck may also have low stick-slip friction dampers, and may be provided with brake linings, or similar features. The friction dampers may be mounted in a four-cornered arrangement at each end of the truck bolster.
US08726803B2
An apparatus for compacting and dehydration of organic waste includes a first drawer, which is designed to receive organic material and/or kitchen-produced foodstuff waste and is equipped with mechanical elements for compacting and dehydration of the foodstuff waste, as well as a second drawer, underlying the first, which is designed to receive the compacted and dehydrated foodstuff waste that comes out of the first drawer.
US08726801B2
There is provided a controlling technique for a servo press capable of optimal forming for handling variability in a sheet thickness and material property of a workpiece and for handling each workpiece. A controlling device for controlling a servo press in accordance with a slide motion data includes: measurement equipment for measuring a forming state of a workpiece, attached to a die for forming the workpiece; a measurement result receiving portion for receiving a measurement result sent from the measurement equipment; and a slide motion data changing portion for changing a slide motion data for forming the same workpiece at scheduled measuring time in accordance with the measurement result received by the measurement result receiving portion.
US08726799B2
An avocado pitting device comprises a housing having an inner surface defining a recess. The recess is configured to receive a pit of an avocado. An engagement member projects inwardly from the housing inner surface. The engagement member is configured to engage the pit and retain the pit within the recess such that the pit is removable with the housing from the avocado.
US08726794B2
The present invention relates to a frying device for carrying out a frying process for food products (2) comprising a frying oil reservoir (20) which can be filled with a volume of frying oil; a food product carrier (3) which can at least partially be immersed in the frying oil in the frying oil reservoir and at least one heating unit (30) having at least one heating element (31) which is positioned at least partially inside the frying oil reservoir and which has a heating surface (32a) which is in contact with the frying oil in the frying oil reservoir during the frying process. Characteristic of the frying device according to the invention is the fact that the heating unit comprises a frying oil duct (35) with a channel-heating surface (35a). Furthermore, the heating unit comprises a first pump (38) for passing frying oil through the frying oil duct. During the frying process, the frying oil duct is in flow communication with the volume of frying oil in the frying oil reservoir, as a result of which frying oil can be passed from the frying oil reservoir through the frying oil duct.
US08726792B2
A charbroiler having both heated grids and at least one radiant heater and a method of charbroiling a food product are disclosed. Each heat source of the charbroiler can be an independently regulated heat source. The independently regulated heat sources can be adjusted to each contribute to the overall cooking of a food product in a cooking cycle. Each of the independently regulated heat sources can be many types of heat sources capable of being regulated either manually or automatically by a cooking control system.
US08726783B2
A turret assembly without deck penetration for minimizing exposure of combatants to enemy forces when accessing above deck equipment comprises a base plate on top of which is mounted at least one finable and remotely operable combatant interfaceable implement, the base plate being rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and supported for rotation by bearing means mounted within a deck of a military facility; a hatch displaceably connected to the base plate, for normally covering a hatchway formed in said base plate and for exposing said hatchway when displaced; and a rotatable disc of a slip ring unit carried by the hatch, by which electricity for operating equipment mounted on top of the deck and for initiating control signals is transmitted to the equipment.
US08726782B2
A barrier comprising a base unit composed of a bullet resistant material and a transparent upper wall removably interconnected to the base unit and composed of a bullet resistant material. The base unit includes a front wall and two side walls extending from the front wall to provide protection to the front and sides of a person standing behind the barrier. A series of casters, preferably locking casters, are attached to the bottom edges of the side walls, and a pair of handles connected to each of the side walls permitting the barrier to be conveniently transported from one site to another.
US08726776B2
A table saw guard assembly for guarding a blade on a table saw is provided. The table saw guard assembly includes a support structure and a hood assembly including at least one of a front curtain, first side curtain, second side curtain and top curtain, wherein each of said curtains are independently moveable and/or removable from the hood assembly. Furthermore, a table saw guard assembly is provided including a quick release mechanism for connecting the hood assembly to the support structure.
US08726773B2
A power tool includes a table structure having a work surface and a motor assembly having an output drive positioned under the work surface. The motor assembly is adjustable relative to the work surface between a first position that is close to the work surface and a second position that is further from the work surface. A fan member is coupled to the motor assembly to generate an airflow. A blade case is positioned under the work surface including a first sidewall and an opposing second sidewall, and an air guide configured to channel the airflow into the blade case through an opening in the first sidewall. The air guide is further configured to move with the motor assembly between the first position and the second position. The air guide covers the opening in both the first position and the second position.
US08726757B2
A device is provided for adjusting, in a vehicle cabin, the position of a steering wheel secured at the free end of a steering shaft. The device includes an adjusting arrangement for adjusting, in a preferred driving position, the position of the steering wheel in at least one direction, the adjusting arrangement being supported by a retracting arrangement capable of moving the steering wheel into a retracted position wherein the steering wheel does not protrude into the vehicle cabin while maintaining unaltered, with respect to the adjusting arrangement, the preferred driving position. The device makes it possible to maintain the individual adjustment carried by a driver when the steering wheel is moved into retracted position.
US08726753B2
A gear includes an outer ring, an inner ring, gear teeth, and elastic members engaged with the gear teeth. The outer ring defines a number of first fixing holes. The inner ring and the outer ring are concentric, and the inner ring defines a number of second fixing holes respectively corresponding to the first fixing holes, and each pair of first and second fixings hole align with the center of the rings, and define an axis of movement for spring loaded gear teeth.
US08726749B2
Disclosed is an exemplary transmission clutch fork position sensor including an elongated bar and a clutch fork slidably engaging the elongated bar. A yoke bar includes a first end coupled to the clutch fork for concurrent movement therewith. A position sensor operably engages the yoke bar, and is operable for detecting a position of the yoke bar.
US08726747B2
A method, apparatus and system for obtaining a sample of a fluid solids, such as a coke and hydrocarbon mixture, from a fluid solids process is provided. A sample vessel is provided that contains a first end, a second end, an aperture in the first end and an interior cavity. A cooling device can be provided for cooling material in the interior cavity of the sampling vessel. In operation, fluid solids can be routed through the aperture and collected in the interior cavity. The collected sample material can then be cooled by the cooling device and used for testing.
US08726740B1
The multi-axis dynamometer provides detailed information regarding the forces developed between the machine tool or bit and the workpiece during machining operations. Force sensing is provided along three mutually orthogonal axes, sensing being provided in opposite directions along two of the axes. A housing is split along its diagonal to form two portions that connect together at one corner, a clamp bolt adjustably securing the two opposite corners together. A workpiece holder receptacle is provided between the two portions, and a workpiece fits closely within the receptacle. Four sensors are installed on the four walls of the receptacle, and a fifth sensor is installed on the floor of the receptacle. Preload is applied to the sensors by adjusting the clamping force of the clamp bolt. Motion of the workpiece during machining operations produces forces upon the sensors, the sensor output being received by a microcontroller and transmitted for further use.
US08726737B2
A structural health monitoring system for multiple layer structures includes a plurality of strain-sensitive magnetic particles dispersed within a bonding area between at least two individual layers, at least one multiferroic sensor dispersed on a surface of the multiple layer structure, proximate to an area of the structure to be monitored, the at least one multiferroic sensor capable of monitoring strains experienced by the strain-sensitive magnetic particles, and analyzing changes in the strains experienced by said strain-sensitive magnetic particles that may indicate damage or degradation in the structure, and a controller configured for periodic interrogation of the at least one multiferroic sensor.
US08726736B2
A method for determining, in a first semiconductor material wafer having at least one through via, mechanical stress induced by the at least one through via, this method including the steps of: manufacturing a test structure from a second wafer of the same nature as the first wafer, in which the at least one through via is formed by a substantially identical method, a rear surface layer being further arranged on this second wafer so that the via emerges on the layer; measuring the mechanical stress in the rear surface layer; and deducing therefrom the mechanical stress induced in the first semiconductor material wafer.
US08726733B2
An ultrasonic measuring method includes: (A) receiving a coded spread spectrum ultrasonic signal in at least two receivers, and generating at least two received signals; (B) performing an quadrature detection on the received signals using the carrier frequency, and producing I and Q components of the received signals; (C) performing phase difference processing on the I and Q components with a coding period synchronized with that of the carrier frequency, and obtaining I′ and Q′ components from which a phase shift caused by a Doppler shift has been canceled; (D) despreading the I′ and Q′ components signals using different codes at time intervals synchronized with the carrier frequency, and obtaining despread I″ and Q″ components; (E) computing the amplitude and phase information based on the I″ and Q″ components; and (F) calculating the propagation distance and/or orientation of the ultrasonic wave based on the amplitude and phase information.
US08726732B2
A device for detecting seismic acceleration includes a proof mass; a base for providing a sensor acceleration, relative to the proof mass, based on the seismic acceleration; and an optical fiber portion operatively connected between the proof mass and the base for providing a fiber tension based on the sensor acceleration. A fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FFPI) in the optical fiber portion provides an optical characteristic representative of the fiber tension. A compensator applies a compensating tension to the FFPI to compensate for a change of the optical characteristic due to a temperature change of the FFPI.
US08726731B2
A micromechanical structure including a substrate having a main plane of extension, and including a first seismic mass, the first seismic mass including a grid structure made of intersecting first mass lines and the first seismic mass being flexibly secured with the aid of first bending-spring elements, and moreover, a first line width of the first mass lines parallel to the main plane of extension being between 20 and 50 percent of a further first line width of the first bending-spring elements parallel to the main plane of extension.
US08726726B2
The present invention concerns a dynamic pressure sensor unit (5A) for a logging tool for hydrocarbon wells with a piezoelectric element (5) in a sensor sleeve (3). The piezoelectric element (5) is a tubular element with an inner and an outer diameter. The sensor sleeve (3) has an inner cylindrical area with an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the tubular piezoelectric element (5). The piezoelectric element is situated in the inner cylindrical area of the sensor sleeve (3). A gap (12) with a gap thickness is formed between the inner cylindrical area of the sensor sleeve (3), defining an annular volume. The gap is filled with a noise transmitting liquid.
US08726717B2
A method for calibrating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) vibrating structure gyroscope is provided. The method includes obtaining an indication of a position of at least one proof mass with respect to at least one drive electrode and applying an electrostatic force to the at least one proof mass as a function of the indication, the electrostatic force configured to position the at least one proof mass in a first position with respect to at least one drive electrode.
US08726716B2
A piston insertion force gauge tool for measuring the insertion force of a piston into a bore of a brake caliper includes a housing assembly having an inner housing member at least partially disposed in an outer housing member, where the housing members are generally coaxial and selectively displaceable along the axis. First and second end members form the ends of the gauge tool. The inner housing member is received into the outer housing member at a second open end. A measuring device extends from the second end member through a first open end and to the first end member. The measuring device displaces the inner housing member with respect to the outer housing member to indicate the insertion force imparted on the piston.
US08726706B2
The invention relates to a locking device, in particular for a motor vehicle, having a key (10) and a lock cylinder (30), having a cylinder core (32), which is mounted in a rotatable manner in a cylinder housing (31) and has a key channel (33) into which the key (10) can be introduced, having spring-loaded tumbler elements (41, 42), which are mounted such that, when the key (10) is inserted into the key channel (33), they can be displaced radially in relation to the axis (34) of the lock cylinder (30), and having a plurality of outer surfaces (13, 14, 15), which are provided on the key (10), have control tracks (11, 12) and act on the tumbler elements (41, 42) when the key (10) is introduced. For this purpose, it is provided according to the invention that the outer surfaces (13, 14, 15) have two narrow sides (14, 15) and two broad sides (13), wherein each broad side (13) is configured with a first control track (11), the first narrow side (14) has a second control track (12), and the second narrow side (15), which is located opposite the first narrow side (14), is designed to be free of any control track.
US08726698B2
The present invention is generally directed to a method of making chalcogenide glasses including holding the melt in a vertical furnace to promote homogenization and mixing; slow cooling the melt at less than 10° C. per minute; and sequentially quenching the melt from the top down in a controlled manner. Additionally, the present invention provides for the materials produced by such method. The present invention is also directed to a process for removing oxygen and hydrogen impurities from chalcogenide glass components using dynamic distillation.
US08726697B2
A convection heating furnace for a glass sheet, into which oven glass sheet (3) arrives along a hauling track, as on moving rolls (4), and said furnace further comprises of heating elements (12), in order to heat the air, which is blasted against glass sheet (3), a blaster and blast air channelling in order to blast said air against the glass sheet, and the blast air channelling has, elongated channels (1), into which at least a part of the blast air heating elements 12 are fitted, and each channel comprises air blasting means on its flank directed against the glass sheet (3). As air blast elements there are nozzle groups fixed on the channel (1) flank, where the nozzle group formed of sheet metal, as of two, into shape formed sheets joined together to form a casing, whereby said casing comprises one or several for blast air directed discharge channels (6), and the direction of air flow in said casing (2) is essentially in the same direction as in said discharge channels (6).
US08726686B2
An ice-making device and a refrigerator having the ice-making device are provided. The ice-making device includes an ice-making housing defining a predetermined ice-making space therein, an ice tray rotatably installed in the ice-making space and provided with a plurality of ice-making grooves, and a protruding rib that is formed on the ice tray to prevent water from being splashed out of the ice-making grooves.
US08726682B1
A hybrid multi-source system that is used to heat or cool a building. The system utilizes a heat pump or similar HVAC unit. A solar/air heat exchanger is provided. At least one ground heat exchanger is utilized. A plumbing network interconnects the heat pump, the solar/air heat exchanger, and the ground heat exchanger. A heat transfer fluid circulates through the plumbing network. Temperature sensors are used to monitor temperatures of the heat transfer fluid at multiple points in the system. At least one pump circulates the heat transfer fluid through the plumbing network. Valves are disposed within the plumbing network that can selectively isolate the heat pump, the solar/air heat exchanger, and the ground heat exchanger. A systems controller is coupled to the temperature sensors, the valves, and pump. The system operates in multiple modes which allow for higher efficiency and long term underground thermal storage.
US08726681B2
A method and system of cooling components of a computer system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are computer systems comprising an enclosure, a motherboard within the enclosure, a heat generating component coupled to the motherboard and within the enclosure, a canister comprising a compressed fluid (the canister coupled to the enclosure), and a gas cooling device selectively fluidly coupled to the compressed fluid (the gas cooling device produces chilled gas when fluidly coupled to the compressed fluid). The chilled gas is directed upon the heat generating component.
US08726667B2
A bearing plate assembly for a turbine engine fuel injector includes a bearing plate 30, with an opening 80 bordered by a race 82. A swivel ball 90 nests inside the race and is rotatable relative thereto. A lock, which may be a tip bushing 108 resists disengagement of the swivel ball from the race. A fuel injector nozzle 38 extends through an opening 98 in the swivel ball. During engine operation, the ball can swivel inside the race to accommodate rotational movement of the nozzle about lateral and radial axes.
US08726665B2
An airborne mobile platform that has at least one turbofan engine assembly having a fan driven by a core engine, a short nacelle around the fan and a forward portion of the core engine, and a fan exhaust duct through the nacelle. A mixer duct shell is disposed substantially coaxial with and extending forwardly into the fan exhaust duct to provide a mixer duct between the mixer duct shell and a core engine shroud of the core engine. At least a portion of the mixer duct shell has a honeycomb core structure having an inner surface and an outer surface, with an acoustic lining on one of the inner or outer surfaces. The acoustic lining attenuates sound emanating from the turbofan engine assembly.
US08726657B2
A power plant includes an engine configured to receive charge air and produce exhaust. A first turbo machine is configured to be driven by the exhaust and drive a compressor that receives air. The compressor is configured to produce the charge air. A second turbo machine is configured to receive the charge air and rotationally drive a pump in response thereto. The pump is configured to receive an EGR from the exhaust and introduce the pumped EGR to the charge air. The power plant also includes an exhaust gas recirculation passage. The second turbo machine includes a turbine rotationally coupled to the pump. The turbine has an expanded air passage, and the pump is arranged in the exhaust gas recirculation passage. A pre-cooler is arranged in the expanded air passage and in the exhaust gas recirculation passage upstream from the pump.
US08726655B2
A modular exhaust gas assembly includes a turbocharger housing having an exhaust flange and a bearing flange receptacle, and a plurality of turbine scrolls of different sizes for selective installation into the turbocharger housing in dependence on a power of an engine. Each turbine scroll has an inlet zone and is connected to the bearing flange receptacle via a selected one of a plurality of different bearing flanges and to the exhaust flange via a selected one of a plurality of different exhaust links. The inlet zone of each turbine scroll is configured to complement a contour of an outlet zone of a standard manifold so that the turbine scrolls are selectively connectable via their inlet zone to the manifold to suit the engine power at hand.
US08726654B2
The present invention relates mainly to a braking system comprising a master cylinder comprising means of connection to a hydraulic braking circuit and means of connecting at least one chamber of the master cylinder to means of injecting brake fluid into said chamber. The main subject of the invention is a master cylinder (48) comprising at least one variable-volume chamber and one moving piston (207), the movement of which causes the volume of said chamber to vary, and means of connecting said chamber to a hydraulic braking circuit, characterized in that it further comprises means (217) of connection to a source (116) of pressurized brake fluid. The invention applies notably to the motor industry. The invention applies mainly to the braking industry.
US08726645B2
A hydraulic control system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have a tank, a pump configured to draw fluid from the tank and pressurize the fluid, a swing motor configured to receive the pressurized fluid and swing a body of the machine relative to an undercarriage, and a tool actuator configured to receive the pressurized fluid and move a tool relative to the body. The hydraulic control system may also have an energy recovery device configured to convert hydraulic energy to mechanical energy, a first accumulator configured to store waste fluid received from the swing motor, and a second accumulator configured to store waste fluid received from the tool actuator. Stored waste fluid from at least one of the first and second accumulators may be selectively discharged into the energy recovery device.
US08726643B2
The present disclosure relates to a device for mounting an injector to an exhaust pipe. The device includes an injector mounting structure having an exterior surface configured for mounting the injector. The injector mounting structure also includes an interior surface arrangement defining an interior volume and a port for allowing the injector to inject a reductant into the interior volume. The interior surface arrangement is configured to prevent swirling of exhaust within the interior volume.
US08726632B2
A method of providing a slim-line nacelle for a gas turbine engine includes the steps of detecting a windmilling condition and increasing a discharge airflow area of a variable area fan nozzle in response to the detection of the windmilling condition.
US08726623B2
Provided is a simple, inexpensive, truly feasible technical solution that readily permits do-it-yourself retrofitting of existing combine harvester heads to allow their crop dividers to pivot out of the way for transport. Provided is a retrofit hinge kit adapted for use with square tube frames and methods for its use.
US08726610B2
Crack-resistant member, a method of preventing crack propagation, and a method of assembling a tower
A crack-resistant member for preventing crack propagation, a method of preventing crack propagation, and method of assembly a tower are provided. The crack-resistant member includes at least one insert attached to at least one removed portion at a predetermined location along a girth weld and adjacent a heat affected zone of the tower. The at least one insert is positioned perpendicular to a weld direction and intersecting the girth weld. The at least one insert prevents crack propagation in the girth weld of the tower.
US08726608B2
Apparatus for processing board insulation into granules of loosefill insulation are provided. The apparatus includes an upper unit having inlet and outlet ends. The inlet end is configured to receive board insulation. The upper unit is configured to break the board insulation into small pieces. A lower unit is connected to the upper unit. The lower unit is configured to receive the small pieces of board insulation exiting the upper unit. The lower unit includes a plurality of conditioning mechanisms configured to condition the small pieces thereby resulting in granules of loosefill insulation. The lower unit further includes a distribution mechanism configured to distribute the granules of loosefill insulation into an airstream. A distribution hose is connected to the lower unit and configured to convey the granules from the apparatus to a building insulation cavity. The granules are configured for use as loosefill insulation within the building cavity.
US08726606B2
A truss chord for use in a light steel truss includes a flange portion, a pair of web portions and at least one wing. The flange portion has an end and an end portion. The end portion has a double thickness. The pair of web portions extend substantially orthogonally from the flange portion and are spaced inwardly from the ends of the flange portion. The at least one wing extends outwardly substantially orthogonally from at least one of the pair of web portions. There is provided an alternate embodiment wherein the wing having a plurality of spaced apart holes formed therein. There is also provided a truss web. As well there is a truss which uses the truss chords and truss webs and a truss system which uses a plurality of trusses. In addition there is a mass customization system for the trusses.
US08726603B2
A floor board assembly convenient to lay is characterized in that, in one embodiment, it comprises a frame, a filler board and an upper material with the frame and filler board affixed to the underside of the upper material. The frame includes latch tongues that extend outwardly from the lower side edges of the frame, and the tongues have locking projections that fit into recesses arranged just inside the periphery of the underside of the frame. The tongues and intervening spaces (with locking bars behind them) are space along the periphery of the board, such that any side of one board may be joined to any side of a similarly configured board. The upper material may be selected from a variety of materials, including LVT (luxury vinyl tile), carpet, high pressure laminate or other decorative material. The filler board may be selected to accomplish reduced cost, and/or improved acoustics. In other embodiments, a frame and/or upper material may be absent. The floor board assembly requires a lower manufacture cost and lower equipment investment, has stable quality, versatility and ease of installation.
US08726596B2
A high-strength pintle anchoring system for a cavity wall is disclosed. The high-strength pintle anchoring system employs a partially compressively reduced veneer tie that is cold-worked with the resultant body partially having substantially semicircular edges and flat surfaces therebetween. The edges are aligned to receive compressive forces transmitted from the outer wythe. The partially compressively reduced veneer tie, when part of the anchoring system, interengages with the receptor portions of a wall anchor and are dimensioned to preclude significant movement lateral with or normal to the inner wythe.
US08726593B2
The invention relates to a venting band with at least two side strips extending parallel to one another and a center strip. Parallel to the side strips extend venting bands formed by continuously connected walls or webs. The venting bands can therein have diverse forms. At least one venting channel is provided; however, it is also possible to provide several venting channels. Through the use of certain materials with restoring forces for the venting band, the at least one venting channel can open automatically during the rolling out of the venting band. However, it is also possible, to bring about an opening of the at least one venting channel by pulling on the side strips.
US08726586B1
A constructed enclosure, adjacent to an interior habitable space, uses a microprocessor-based control unit to operate enclosure openings to provide a multi-layer insulation barrier containing or creating heat, or providing a radiant barrier, isolating by open air, a thermal insulating layer from warm exterior surfaces, maximizing insulation values. The enclosed space, through the use of openings, which in one embodiment are windows, skylights and dampers connected to louvers, is heated by radiant exposure or cooled by natural air flow or exhaust fan. Return air is heated upstream from a forced air heating unit by traversing ductwork heated by the enclosure and by direct solar exposure from enclosure windows. Enclosure openings to the habitable interior spaces create air displacement drawing warm air out of the interior and fresh air in through exterior windows. The energy efficient system is tailored for immediate climate specific conditions.
US08726564B2
A method and system for disinfecting and disinfesting a commodity, such as a perishable agricultural commodity, by treatment with an environment of low oxygen/high ballast gas with cycled pressure changes that overwhelm and damage the respiratory system of the insect without damaging the host commodity. The system and method may also include the introduction of disinfectants, antiseptics and other toxic chemicals or the exposure to radio frequencies with intense electric fields that may increase the metabolic activity of the pest or decrease the fitness of the pest within the low oxygen environment. Treatments according to the methods can also increase the shelf life of agricultural commodities by eradicating or delaying the growth of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other microbial pests.
US08726563B2
A non-snagging fish hook having a shaft with a barb at one end and an opening at another end for receiving a line is attached to a wire loop member. The wire loop member is a continuous length of flexible wire bent back upon itself at a place between its two ends to provide a first end having an open loop, a second end having said two ends, and two substantially parallel wires that extend from the first end to the second end. The second end is attached to the fish hook near the opening for receiving a line. The wire loop member is not in tension and does not engage the barb end of the fish hook. When a pushing force is applied, it resists with a progressively increasing resistance force.
US08726559B1
A barrel nut for a firearm. A cylindrical shell is provided with internal threads extending from one end of the shell and opposite slots extending axially from the opposite end of the shell. A cylindrical core has external threads on one end, with the external threads being shaped to engage the internal threads of the shell. When the core is installed in the shell, it is secured at a desired axial location by at least one fastener secured in a bore of the shell and engaging one of a series of circumferential indentations in the core.
US08726553B2
Labels for a garment include a fabric first label with brand indicia woven therein for attachment to the garment and a fabric second label with content indicia printed thereon for attachment to the garment. The printed content indicia has an appearance of being woven like the woven brand indicia. The content indicia is preferably printed in a font having an appearance similar to alphanumeric characters of the woven brand indicia. The font preferably resembles a thread pattern of the alphanumeric characters of the woven brand indicia.
US08726548B2
An integral greeting card/game is disclosed wherein a multi-panel greeting card also serves as a game board and is combined with a game piece and launch mechanism to create a novel, interactive greeting card. The multi-panel greeting card contains a sound module therein and a magnetic trigger is contained and concealed below one or more of the multiple greeting card panels. The game piece contains a magnet therein so that when the game piece comes into contact with the area of the greeting card above or proximate to the magnetic trigger, playback of an audio file is initiated.
US08726545B2
Fold-away ironing device comprising a frame (12) attached to the wall and in which there is an ironing board surrounded by a mobile frame (18). In a first position, the ornamental front part is visible in the frame fixed to the wall and the ironing board is folded away, and in the second position, the front part is folded away and the ironing board becomes visible. First pivot means comprising a top hinge and a bottom hinge at the right-hand end or at the left-hand end of the frame fixed to the wall forming a vertical axis allowing the ironing board to be pivoted through an angle of around 90° and, on the other hand, two hinges situated at the middle of the horizontal parts of the mobile frame forming the vertical axis (20) allowing the ironing board to pivot so that it becomes visible. Second pivot means allow the ironing board in the second position to be moved from the vertical position into the horizontal position.
US08726524B2
A power operated rotary knife (100) including: an annular rotary knife blade (300) including a knife blade bearing surface (319); a blade housing (400) defining a blade housing bearing surface (459); and a blade-blade housing bearing structure (500) disposed between the knife blade bearing surface (319) and the blade housing bearing surface (459). The blade-blade housing bearing structure (500) includes a rolling bearing strip (502) having a plurality of rolling bearings (506), such as ball bearings, disposed in spaced apart relation in a flexible separator cage (508). The rolling bearing strip (502) traverses through an annular passageway (504) defined between the knife blade bearing surface (319) and the blade housing bearing surface (459) to secure the knife blade (300) to the blade housing (400) and support the knife blade for rotation about a central axis (R) with respect to the blade housing (400).
US08726523B2
A labor-saving horticultural scissors has a first blade and a second blade. Both blades are respectively disposed with a cutting section and a transmission section. Both blades are mutually pivoted to pivotally rotate to perform cutting motion, wherein a rotatable component leans against the transmission section of at least one of the blades. When both blades mutually pivot, the rotatable component rolls and displaces along the transmission section.
US08726522B2
A pair of scissors with an open second handle includes a first blade and a second blade pivotally connected by a pivot member. A first grip portion of the first handle surrounds the basal portion of a user's thumb, the thumb extends out of an inserting hole of the first blade in a lateral direction and presses against a first extension section, so that the user can hold the first grip portion with the thumb without bending too much at the wrist, thus enhancing stability of holding the scissors. The user's middle, ring and little fingers press against the grip section of the second handle, and the index finger rests against the second extension section. Besides, since the second grip portion is an open structure, the fingers of the user are supported but not restricted by the second grip portion, which improves stability and flexibility when using the scissors.
US08726515B2
An oil-impregnated sintered which does not damage rotating shaft and itself and has a high durability even in the case that the rotating shaft is inclined in the bearing by a large shear load applied thereto, and a method of manufacturing an oil-impregnated sintered bearing which exhibits center deviation-suppressing action of the bearing satisfactorily by accurately forming a bearing hole in an intermediate completely sintered are disclosed.
US08726512B2
A contoured metal building panel comprising an inner layer formed from a piece of flexible material that has been manipulated to create contours along its surface and an outer coating that substantially encases and hardens the flexible material so that the contours are substantially rigid and fixed.
US08726508B2
A number of flat tubes, flat tube heat exchangers, and methods of manufacturing both are described and illustrated. The flat tubes can be constructed of one, two, or more pieces of sheet material. A profiled insert integral with the flat tube or constructed from another sheet of material can be used to define multiple flow channels through the flat tube. The flat tubes can be constructed of relatively thin material, and can be reinforced with folds of the flat tube material and/or of an insert in areas subject to higher pressure and thermal stresses. Also, the relatively thin flat tube material can have a corrosion layer enabling the material to resist failure due to corrosion. Heat exchangers having such flat tubes connected to collection tubes are also disclosed, as are manners in which such tubes can be provided with fins.
US08726505B2
A technique and apparatus for heat dissipation in electrical devices is described. A bulk body may be configured with a plurality of radiating devices so that the bulk body may be divided into smaller bulk bodies to be used in conjunction with other electrical type assemblies to quickly and efficiently provide for a heat dissipation sub-assembly. In one aspect, the bulk bodies may be configured with internal voids such as a duct or tunnel interconnecting at least one input port and at least one output port for aiding in heat dissipation of an electrical device employing bulk body technique.
US08726503B2
A method of positioning a bearing of a turbomachine in a squeeze film annulus is disclosed. The method includes providing a bearing in which a rotor shaft is disposed and a bearing support mounted about and radially supporting the bearing, with the bearing support at least in part defining the squeeze film annulus. A further step typically includes providing a plurality of centering elements associated with the bearing and bearing support and acting to center the bearing within the squeeze film annulus, with the centering elements provided at radially spaced locations around the bearing. An additional step in the method may include individually machining or shimming the centering elements to adjust the positioning of the bearing in the squeeze film annulus or to impart pre-load to improve the resiliency of the centering elements.
US08726499B2
In one embodiment, a method of fabricating an implantable pulse generator, comprises: providing a lead body including a plurality of conductors; providing a feedthrough component comprising a plurality of feedthrough pins; hermetically enclosing pulse generating circuitry and switching circuitry within a housing, the feedthrough component being welded to the housing; laser machining each of the plurality of feedthrough pins to comprise a slot along a surface of the respective feedthrough pin; placing a respective conductor from the lead body in the respective slot of each of the plurality of feedthrough pins; and performing welding operations to connect the plurality of conductors of the lead body with the plurality of feedthrough pins of the feedthrough component.
US08726498B2
The invention comprises methods for filling holes in printed wiring boards and printed wiring boards produced by these methods. The methods involve plating metal conductors inside the holes of the printed wiring boards while protecting the conducting surfaces of the printed wiring boards from being plated using photoresist film. The side surfaces of a printed wiring board are covered with photoresist. The photoresist is exposed to developing light, except the photoresist covering the holes on one side of the board is masked to prevent exposure of the holes to the developing light. The undeveloped photoresist covering the holes is removed. The board is subjected to a plating process, which deposits conductive materials in the holes, but the photoresist on the conducting surfaces of the board prevents conductive materials to be plated on the surfaces of the board.
US08726488B2
A handheld computing device and handheld music player are disclosed. The handheld computing device includes a seamless enclosure formed from an extruded tube. The extruded tube includes open ends and internal rails which serve as a guide for slidably assembling an operational assembly through the open ends of the extruded tube, a reference surface for positioning the operational assembly relative to an access opening in the seamless enclosure, and a support structure for supporting the operational assembly during use. The handheld music player includes an elongated extruded tube extending along a longitudinal axis. The elongated extruded tube has a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end, and defines an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for slidable receipt of operational components of the handheld music player. The lumen includes rails for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen.
US08726485B2
A housing for an electronic device includes a base and a pattern layer formed on the base. The pattern layer includes a blasting area and peripheral area, the blasting area has rough surface formed by sandblasting, the blasting area is a pattern section and has a width of at least 70 micrometer; the peripheral area has a slippery surface a peripheral section of the pattern section. The disclosure also described a method to make the housing.
US08726484B2
A waterproofing device is provided for a mobile apparatus, using a thin coaxial cable or an optical cable and capable of being applied to a portable telephone of a bi-directionally openable/closable type. The waterproofing device is adapted to connect housings to each other by a linear member. The waterproofing device is provided with seal members consisting of a rubber-like elastic material and sealing a gap between the housings, and also with a connecting member having opposite ends in the vicinities of which the seal members are integrated. The linear member is passed through the inside of the connecting member to electrically interconnect electronic parts of the housings. The connecting member has a circular tube-like shape consisting of a soft resin material.
US08726477B2
One or more support elements radially extend through one or more openings defined in a turbine engine casing and are configured to centralize and at least partially support a rotor assembly of the engine during an engine disassembly or assembly procedure. The support elements are configured to transfer any rotor assembly weight loads to an engine casing while a bearing support of the rotor assembly is absent or removed.
US08726475B2
A method for producing a piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes forming a sacrificial layer on a substrate, performing a plasma treatment on the sacrificial layer so that the surface roughness (Ra) of end surface portions of the sacrificial layer is about 5 nm or less, forming a strip-shaped dielectric film so as to be continuously disposed on the surface of the substrate and the end surface portions and the principal surface of the sacrificial layer, forming a piezoelectric thin-film area including a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a piezoelectric thin-film disposed therebetween so that a portion of the lower electrode and a portion of the upper electrode surface each other at an area on the dielectric film, the area being disposed on the upper portion of the sacrificial layer, and removing the sacrificial layer to form an air-gap between the substrate and the dielectric film.
US08726458B1
Methods and systems for cleaning a plurality of solar collectors by a cleaning device that may traverse the gap between a current solar collector and a proximate solar collector by controlling the interaction between the cleaning device and the plurality of solar collectors.
US08726457B2
A vacuum cleaner includes a foot, a handle pivotally attached to the foot, a suction source, and a display disposed on one of the handle and the foot. The foot includes a suction nozzle. The handle is pivotal relative to the foot about an axis of rotation. The suction source is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle. The display is for displaying content in a first orientation relative to the display and a second orientation relative to the display based on the position of the handle relative to the foot. The second orientation is different than the first orientation.
US08726447B2
An ansate implement, especially a toothbrush, having improved tuft retention and a staple for use therewith. The staple has a specially designed topography that provides reliable anchoring and creation from cost effective materials. In one embodiment, the invention is an ansate implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to said handle and having at least one hole extending into the head from a surface; at least one cleaning element positioned in the hole; and a staple located in the hole anchoring the cleaning element in the tuft hole, the staple having a longitudinal axis and a first major surface, wherein a plurality of spaced apart grooves are formed into the first major surface, each of the grooves extending along a linear axis from a bottom edge of the staple toward a top edge of the staple, the linear axis intersecting the longitudinal axis at an acute angle of 40 to 70 degrees.
US08726427B1
A commode flushing handle that is attachable to a toilet wherein a horizontal rod section is rotatably disposed upon said toilet and a handle section is disposed endwise upon the rod section, said handle section disposed proximal the toilet bowl, whereby lifting the handle section depresses the flush handle of the toilet to flush the toilet without the user having to turn around or stand up from the toilet.
US08726422B1
A leg covering enhances aesthetic appearance of disproportionate musculature, provides a natural look for medical prosthetics, and insulates body heat. The leg covering comprises a padding fixed to the leg covering, where the padding further comprises a contoured shape, such that the padding can be affixed on a centroid of a user's leg. The padding further comprises three layers and a contoured shape in order to model curvature of a natural calf muscle and to provide the lifelike and appealing appearance.
US08726421B2
A neck supporting piece of apparel, such as a scarf, which includes an inflatable bladder in a neck portion and a tube coupled to the bladder and extending downward to a port easily accessible by the user while wearing the apparel in order to inflate and deflate the bladder, which serves as a neck cushion or pillow. While the neck portion may be configured to go behind the user's neck, the apparel also may include a connector to join the apparel together in front of the user, helping to keep the cushion formed around the user's neck. In addition, the scarf may include pockets at a position generally where the user's hands would lie when sitting or standing, such that tensioning the scarf with the user's arms may increase the cushioning effect of the pillow.
US08726419B2
A head and neck support device includes first and second head support members that may be positioned in complimentary opposing locations to a rear area of the head. Each head support member comprises a substantially rectangular shaped pillow that may be affixed to headwear (e.g., hat) or a headband. The first and second head support members are configured to complimentarily support and distribute a weight of the head to substantially bypass a neck or the wearer and effectuate translation of the forces of gravity (somewhat equally) to the sides of the head of the wearer.
US08726417B2
This invention relates to a clamp assembly useful for attaching together two items of clothing, a garment comprising the clamp assembly, and a process for attaching two items of clothing; the clamp assembly including a circular band and a tubular resilient cover having a hollow body, and wherein the clamp is positioned in the hollow and is encased on all sides by the resilient cover.
US08726413B2
A band is described for providing support and/or protection to the wearer. In one embodiment, the band is a wrist band having pockets for several longitudinal reinforcement elements. Thus, for example, a wrist band may be formed from an elastic material had be stitched to form pockets. In one embodiment, the pockets are closed, and the band is provided with a given amount of protection or support. In yet another embodiment, one or more pockets have an opening, which allows a user to adjust the amount of protection and/or support in each pocket.
US08732851B2
This invention achieves to prevent information leakage as much as possible when a material printed by an image forming apparatus is left unrecovered. This invention relates to an information processing method in an image forming apparatus capable of printing a Web page displayed by a browser, including a step of, when an instruction to display a Web page is input, searching a storage unit which stores information representing the confidentiality of the Web page and its URL in advance in correspondence with each other, a step of reading out, from the storage unit based on the search result, information which corresponds to the URL of the display instruction-input Web page and represents the confidentiality of the Web page, and a step of printing, together with the Web page displayed based on the display instruction, the readout information representing the confidentiality of the Web page.
US08732846B2
The present invention provides a system and method for providing a social context to software applications. According to one embodiment of the invention, a user of a social network authorizes access by an external software application to information available in the social network. At some time later, the user of the social network uses an application designed by a third-party software developer. The application contacts the social network provider for permission to access the information available in the social network. If access has been authorized, the application incorporates the information from the social network into its interaction with the user, providing a social context to the user's interaction with the application.
US08732845B1
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for generating a video such that when another person views the video, the other person can view non-private information but not private information of the person who generated the video. A first interview screen is generated by a financial application and displayed to a first person or user of a financial application. The screen includes private data related to the first person. A video of the interview screen is generated and may be transmitted over a network to a second person who may also utilize a financial application. The video is displayed to the second person, but the second person cannot view the private data related to the first person.
US08732842B2
A method and an apparatus which permits intuitive management of a variety of digital contents stored in a mobile device. In a method for managing the contents, the mobile device determines a type of the content when a play of the content is ended. If the content is digital rights management (DRM) content, the mobile device checks a license count for authorized access to the DRM content and then determines whether or the license has expired or will expire shortly. If the license has expired, the mobile device removes the license-expired DRM content, or alternatively transfers the license-expired DRM content to a specified folder.
US08732839B2
A first method for automatically protecting a computer system from attacks that exploit security vulnerabilities detects requests for execution of code portions, determines vulnerabilities of a code portion for which an execution request is detected, evaluates whether or not the execution of the code portion shall be prevented in a case at least one vulnerability concerning the code portion is determined, and prevents execution of the code portion if determined to do so in the evaluation. A second method for automatically protecting a computer system from attacks that exploit security vulnerabilities detects code portions which are currently executed, determines vulnerabilities of a code portion that is currently executed, evaluates whether or not the execution of the code portion shall be aborted in a case at least one vulnerability concerning the code portion is determined, and aborts execution of the code portion if determined to do so in the evaluation.
US08732830B2
Various embodiments include at least one of systems, methods, software, and data structures to evaluate function calls within a host, such as a scripting or application programming interface (API) host, prior to execution. Such embodiments may determine if a called function is authorized for execution. When the function is not authorized for execution, the function is not executed. Authorized and unauthorized functions may be set in a representation including one or both of authorized and unauthorized function functions. The representation may be stored external to the host so as to be modifiable.
US08732821B1
A method and apparatus for preventing accidental disclosure of confidential information via visual representation objects is described. In one embodiment, the method includes establishing pattern information with respect to confidential information, wherein the confidential information is used to authenticate users, monitoring a visual representation object having an input focus associated with a user interface, wherein the visual representation object receives input data, comparing the input data with the pattern information to identify at least one unobscured portion of the confidential information and producing indicia of detection of the at least one unobscured portion of the confidential information on the visual representation object.
US08732820B2
A method for imputing different usernames and passwords using an input device with a display to use different protected assets that requires the inputting of a preselected username into a username enter box and the inputting of a preselected password into a password entry box immediately prior to use. The method includes the steps of designating two or more username keys on said input device, each said username key being assigned with a unique letter or number located on said input device and to a unique username made of a plurality of alpha-number characters, designating two or more password keys on the input device each being assigned with a letter or number located on said input device and to a unique password made of a plurality of alpha-number characters. Next the protected asset is then accessed and the username key and keyword key assigned to the asset is imputed.
US08732818B2
End-to-end authentication capability based on public-key certificates is combined with the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to allow a SIP node that receives a SIP request message to authenticate the sender of request. The SIP request message is sent with a digital signature generated with a private key of the sender and may include a certificate of the sender. The SIP request message my also be encrypted with a public key of the recipient. After receiving the SIP request, the receiving SIP node obtains a certificate of the sender and authenticates the sender based on the digital signature. The digital signature may be included in an Authorization header of the SIP request, or in a multipart message body constructed according to the S/MIME standard.
US08732798B2
To reduce automatically a number of enabled connection profiles in a mobile station, for example, while the number of enabled connection profiles is at its maximum, a mobile station automatically selects one of the existing enabled connection profiles to disable and automatically disables the auto-selected connection profile.
US08732797B2
Architecture that addresses security concerns while still providing transparent user experience with ability to perform tasks. When a user machine is considered incompliant or compromised due to, for example, a suspected infection, the user machine can be blocked from further access to a network or other computing hosts until the incompliance is resolved. A notification is presented that indicates the nature of the problem, and a way to access an automatically configured isolated environment via which to continue working. The user can be automatically routed to use the alternative isolated environment for temporary access to network resources. Once the user finishes activities in the isolated environment, the system hosting the isolated environment is reverted back to a known good state.
US08732793B2
The present invention provides a method and a system for improving security of a key device in the information security filed. In order to solve the problem that the security performance of the key device is lower due to the possible tamper of the data needed for encryption and signature in prior art, the present invention provides the method, including steps in which the key device is connected to a computer, then is used to receive the data input by the user through a computer and display the same after a user makes a successful authentication; and to make digital signature or encryption of the data input after the user confirms the content displayed. The above-mentioned system comprises an authentication module, a data receiving module, a display module, a confirmation information receiving module, and a key module. The present invention makes relative display on the key device according to the data input by the user, and provides an input device or generates a random authentication code for confirmation and therefore prevents invalid digital signature or encryption, and improves the security of the key device greatly.
US08732792B2
A device management system is configured to manage access to electronic documents on client devices using policies. The policies specify one or more download and processing restrictions to be enforced with respect to the particular electronic document at client devices for example, particular hardware and software configurations that are required at client devices before data is permitted to be downloaded to those client devices. The policies may also specify other requirements that must be satisfied before data is permitted to be downloaded to those client devices, for example, user authentication.
US08732788B2
The present invention is an integrated set-top box. In one embodiment, the up-stream path and the down-stream path are integrated on a common semiconductor substrate. The down-stream path can include a TV tuner and a digital receiver portion that is integrated on the common semiconductor substrate with a power amplifier of the up-stream path. In another embodiment, the TV tuner is implemented on a first semiconductor substrate and the digital receiver portion and the power amplifier are configured on a second semiconductor substrate. However, the two substrates are mounted on a common carrier so that the set-top box appears to be a single chip configuration to the user.
US08732784B2
A particular computing system includes a processor and a network interface to receive media content from one or more media recorder devices. The media content is transcoded into a portable media format. The computing system also includes a storage module executable by the processor to store the received media content to a data storage device. The computing system further includes a sideloading module executable by the processor to sideload stored media content from the data storage device to one or more first endpoint devices. The computing system also includes a streaming module executable by the processor to stream the stored media content from the data storage device to one or more second endpoint devices. The computing system further includes a backup module executable by the processor to transmit the stored media content from the data storage device to a second data storage device.
US08732780B2
Content delivery systems and methods to operate the same are disclosed. A disclosed example content delivery system comprises: a receiver station; a content server to transfer a file to a receiver via a point-to-point communication signal; and a transmission source that includes a computer readable medium to store the file containing pre-packetized content data and a controller to send the file containing the pre-packetized content data to a broadcast transmitter and to the content server.
US08732771B2
Systems and methods for providing direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and digital subscriber line (DSL) video services to multiple display devices are disclosed. Generally the disclosed system receives a plurality of DBS channels and DSL content. The system receives a first user-initiated video selection and generates a first television signal based on the first user-initiated video selection. The first television signal combines video from at least one DBS channel and video from DSL content for simultaneously displaying at least a portion of the video from at least one DBS channel and at least a portion of the video from the DSL content on a display device. The first television signal is then transmitted to a first display device. Additionally, the system receives a second user-initiated video selection, generates a second television signal based on the second user-initiated video selection, and transmits the second television signal to a second display device.
US08732759B2
Provided are a method of browsing a recorded news program and a browsing apparatus for performing the method. The method includes grouping moving picture news reports included in a plurality of news programs according to news report, and selecting one moving picture news report from among each of a plurality of groups according to preference information input by a user, thereby reproducing only a user desired part from contents of a moving picture news report. Thus, the method can be used to rapidly and efficiently browse the plurality of news programs.
US08732757B2
A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement.In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.
US08732745B2
Certain aspects of a system and method for inserting an advertisement in a media stream may include a content access server. The content access server may receive the media stream from one or more content providers. The media stream may comprise one or more pre-determined positions for inserting the advertisement. The content access server may insert the advertisement in the media stream at one of the one or more pre-determined positions. The advertisement is selected from one or more advertisements in real-time based on a first metadata associated with the media stream, a location of the one or more pre-determined positions in the media stream, and one or more parameters associated with a user.
US08732734B2
A user recovers and records multiple programs communicated simultaneously using a communications channel, e.g., QAM communications channel. The simultaneous communication may be by communicating, e.g., an MPEG-2 transport stream including data corresponding to multiple programs through a corresponding to QAM communications channel. Thus a user device, e.g., a set top box, is able to receive and record programs corresponding to multiple simultaneously broadcast programs using a single tuner. This allows a device to receive and record or display more programs at any given time, than the number of QAM tuners and/or receivers in the user device. Novel user interface features which facilitate a user's ability to identify and record multiple programs corresponding to a QAM channel are also described. Methods and apparatus for determining program to communication channel mappings based on user program recordation information are also described.
US08732729B2
The present invention provides a technical solution for a unified driver used in a handheld device. An embodiment of the technical solution may comprise a unified driving method used in a handheld device, which method may comprise: determining driver types of currently installed hardware; setting a current dispatch table on the basis of the driver type and a unified dispatch table suitable for multiple hardware and driving corresponding hardware or software by calling the current dispatch table.
US08732726B2
A parallel computer includes nodes, each having main memory and a messaging unit (MU). Each MU includes computer memory, which in turn includes, MU message buffers. Each MU message buffer is associated with an uninitialized process on the compute node. In the parallel computer, managing internode data communications for an uninitialized process includes: receiving, by an MU of a compute node, one or more data communications messages in an MU message buffer associated with an uninitialized process on the compute node; determining, by an application agent, that the MU message buffer associated with the uninitialized process is full prior to initialization of the uninitialized process; establishing, by the application agent, a temporary message buffer for the uninitialized process in main computer memory; and moving, by the application agent, data communications messages from the MU message buffer associated with the uninitialized process to the temporary message buffer in main computer memory.
US08732724B1
Generating a message output is disclosed. An indication triggering generation of a message is received. A message output of the message is generated in a manner that allows the message to be rendered using a later determined context. Rendering a message is disclosed. An indication that a previously generated output of a message is desired to be rendered is received. The message rendered based at least in part on a context determined after the message output was generated.
US08732721B2
A processor includes a VM trap logic and a buffering logic. The VM trap logic determines whether or not an instruction acquired from a VM (Virtual Machine) satisfies a predetermined VM trap condition. The buffering logic determines whether or not the instruction acquired from the VM satisfies a predetermined buffering condition.
US08732719B2
Methods and system for managing resource connections are described. In one embodiment, an initial user request to access data stored at a resource is received. The initial user request is generated by an application of a plurality of applications having access to the resource. An existing connection from the application is utilized to provide the data to the application. A current user request to access data stored at the resource is received. Based on a determination that the existing connection is unavailable, the current user request is assigned to a waiter queue. A number of requests assigned to the waiter queue during a pre-defined time period is determined to exceed a threshold. A new connection from the application to the resource is created based on the availability of a further connection to the resource and the exceeding of the threshold.
US08732717B2
At least one candidate allocation time period is determined according to a resource benefit time step function. The resource benefit does not vary with time in the at least one candidate allocation time period. Resources and relations between the resources are converted into sub-resource groups according to the resource cost time step function. Each of the sub-resource groups comprise sub-resources that correspond to the resources and relations between the sub-resources. The resource benefits and resource costs of the sub-resources do not vary with time. With respect to the at least one candidate allocation time period, the sub-resource groups are input into a resource schedule optimizer to obtain optimized results with respect to the sub-resource groups. An optimized result, with respect to the at least one candidate allocation time period, is obtained from the optimized results with respect to the sub-resource groups.
US08732709B2
A method and apparatus for managing database transactions in a web service messaging environment. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a web service call indicating a beginning of a database transaction from a client, and creating a database transaction in response to this web service call. The method further includes receiving subsequent web service calls from the client, and for each subsequent web service call, associating a corresponding web service call with the database transaction, and performing the corresponding web service call. Afterwards, the database transaction is terminated upon committing or rolling back data resulting from the subsequent web service calls.
US08732708B2
Systems and methods for dynamic generation of scenarios for managing computer system entities are described herein. A number of management programs are deployed in an administrator framework as embedded plug-ins. One or more management descriptors are provided for the plug-ins. The management descriptors include a number of relationships between the deployed programs and a number of computer system entities. The relationships indicate that the management applications can administer one or more aspects of the corresponding entities. A first management program is selected from the number of deployed management programs to administer a related computer system entity. One or more other management programs are dynamically identified and presented to the user as possible management scenarios. The identification of the other management programs is based on correspondence defined in the management descriptors to the aspects or the types of the computer system entity.
US08732702B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for managing access to data in a data storage system. For example, an apparatus comprises at least one processing platform associated with a distributed virtual infrastructure. The processing platform comprises at least one processing device having a processor coupled to a memory. The processing platform is operative to instantiate a meta data management process that is configured to provide at least one client process with information to allow the client process to perform one or more operations in accordance with one or more data storage devices through a storage area network. The information provided to the client process may comprise one or more data block descriptors. Each of the one or more data block descriptors may comprise path information for at least one of the data storage devices and an offset address in the at least one data storage device. The one or more data block descriptors may correspond to one or more data blocks of a given data file that is stored or storable across the one or more data storage devices.
US08732701B2
A first virtual device is created including every logically addressable unit of a data storage server that utilizes data protection. A second virtual device is created including no logically addressable unit of the data storage server that utilizes data protection. Data transfers are disabled within all command phases of the first virtual device.
US08732699B1
In a system including plural physical machines containing virtual machines, a first group including a subset, of the plural physical machines is defined. A controller is provided in the first group for identifying a placement of virtual machines on the physical machines in the first group. Migration is performed of at least one of the virtual machines between or among the physical machines in the first group according to the identified placement.
US08732690B1
A computing device configured for installing an application is described. The computing device includes a processor and instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The computing device determines if an application instruction length is a first instruction length or a second instruction length. The first instruction length is shorter than the second instruction length. If the application instruction length is the first instruction length, then the computing device runs an application installer in a first instruction length mode. If the application instruction length is the second instruction length, then the computing device determines if an operating system instruction length is the first instruction length or the second instruction length. If the operating system instruction length is the second instruction length, then the computing device disables a compatibility module.
US08732689B2
A lighting system controller is provided that is adapted to upgrade a lighting controller with a software component having multiple upgrade dependencies. According to one example, the lighting system controller is configured to generate an upgrade plan based on the current configuration of the lighting controller and the upgrade dependencies associated with the software component. Further, according to this example, the lightings system controller executes the upgrade plan to install the software upon with the software component is dependent prior to installing the software component.
US08732687B2
For a program that is made up of functions in units, each function is divided into instruction code blocks having a size CS where CS is the instruction cache line size of a target processor and an instruction code block that is Xth counting from the top of each function F is expressed as (F, X). Flow information of nodes that take (F, X) as identification names is extracted from an executable file of the function program. For each identification name, as neighborhood weight of each identification name that differs from that identification name, information for which that the frequency of appearance of each identification name is taken into consideration that belongs to a function that differs from that function in the neighborhood of each appearing node in the flow information is found. Based on said neighborhood weight information, the functions are arranged in the memory space such that the number of conflicts of said instruction cache is reduced.
US08732686B2
A sequence generator generates a table of optimal instruction sequences for all bitwise expression having a specific number of variables. An index generator generates a bit-string index that corresponds to a particular bitwise expression. The bit-string is generated from a truth table. A table lookup unit is coupled with the index generator. The table lookup unit finds an optimal instruction sequence for the bitwise expression from within the table of optimal instruction sequences based at least in part on the generated bit-string index.
US08732684B2
According to one embodiment, a first program code including a plurality of variables is converted to a second program code to be executed by a multi-core processor including a plurality of cores. Specifically, an access pattern of each variable in the first program code is decided. All variables in the first program code are classified into a plurality of groups each of which variables belong to the same access pattern. A member structure of each group having variables belonging to the same access pattern is created. Each member structure includes variables of one group. A route-pointer indicating an address (in a memory) of variables of the member structure is created. The variables in the first program code are converted to the member structure and the route-pointer (in the second program code) that indicate the variables. The second program code is outputted to the multi-core processor.
US08732679B2
A new computer-compiler architecture includes code analysis processes in which loops present in an intermediate instruction set are transformed into more efficient loops prior to fully executing the intermediate instruction set. The compiler architecture starts by generating the equivalent intermediate instructions for the original high level source code. For each loop in the intermediate instructions, a total cycle cost is calculated using a cycle cost table associated with the compiler. The compiler then generates intermediate code for replacement loops in which all conversion instructions are removed. The cycle costs for these new transformed loops are then compared against the total cycle cost for the original loops. If the total cycle costs exceed the new cycle costs, the compiler will replace the original loops in the intermediate instructions with the new transformed loops prior to generation of final code using the instruction set of the processor.
US08732676B1
A method and system for testing a computer software system based on execution paths including: executing the computer program to obtain an execution path in the computer software; recording the execution path; modifying variables in the recorded execution path to create one or more perturbed paths; analyzing the one or more perturbed paths to detect potential errors; and generating unit tests for the one or more perturbed paths having the detected potential errors. The created test units may then be executed to test the computer software.
US08732672B2
A method of creating constraints for use with object code insertion technology can include deriving an A-representation and a B-representation of values produced by execution of instructions of a portion of object code, wherein prior to object code insertion the A-representation and the B-representation of a value produced by same instruction(s) are equivalent. The method further can include identifying equalities between A-representations of values produced by different instructions and determining constraints from the identified equalities using B-representations, where the constraints are observed after object code insertion.
US08732670B1
Aspects of an application program's execution which might be subject to non-determinism are performed in a deterministic manner while the application program's execution is being recorded in a virtual machine environment so that the application program's behavior, when played back in that virtual machine environment, will duplicate the behavior that the application program exhibited when originally executed and recorded. Techniques disclosed herein take advantage of the recognition that only minimal data needs to be recorded in relation to the execution of deterministic operations, which actually can be repeated “verbatim” during replay, and that more highly detailed data should be recorded only in relation to non-deterministic operations, so that those non-deterministic operations can be deterministically simulated (rather than attempting to re-execute those operations under circumstances where the outcome of the re-execution might differ) based on the detailed data during replay.
US08732665B2
Environments for testing are deployed. A library of different topology groupings is provided. An interface is presented to a user for receiving environment definitions. Elements from the library of different topology groupings are automatically provided to the user for creating a test environment according to the received environment definitions. The platform delivers fully configured instantaneous topology deployments of all flavors for product development and testing efforts. The topology deployment service platform is used to create reliable topologies of varying layers of complexity, varying machine providers, different roles, different product builds, integration with partners and varying product configurations. The ability to launch and create multiple test and development environments trivially in an automated reliable fashion allows complicated customer scenarios and configurations to be deployed.
US08732657B2
According to some embodiments, a method and apparatus are provided to receive an application type and a platform environment type. An application based on the received application type and the platform environment type is created. The application comprises an instantiation of the received application type configured for the received environment type.
US08732656B2
Embodiments of the invention introduce development tools that connect various artifacts in a database aware fashion. For example, embodiments of the invention integrate SQL query builders across multiple application development interfaces (e.g., a source code editor, XML editor, database scripting tools, etc.), significantly improving developer productivity, reducing development cost and time. Thus, the process of consuming heterogeneous artifacts in an application (or creating them for consumption) becomes a very productive experience, eliminating the need to manually cut/paste information in multiple project files in many cases.
US08732653B1
A system and method of modifying a resource in a resource based virtual community is disclosed. The method of modifying a resource includes the steps of (a) accessing the resource, (b) selecting a sub element of the resource for modification, (c) making modifications to the sub element, and (d) submitting the modifications to a virtual community server. Alternatively, a method of displaying a modified sub element of a resource in a resource based virtual community includes the steps of (a) accessing a virtual community server, (b) receiving the modified sub element of the resource in the virtual community server, (c) applying the modified sub element to the resource, (d) and displaying the modified resource.
US08732651B1
A design system provides data structures to store parameters of physical structures that can be viewed and modified in a front-end process through a logical design interface. In this way, system behavior defined by component structure can be evaluated and modified through a schematic representation of the data, regardless of a state of data representing the physical layout of interconnected physical structures. In electric circuit applications, for example, high frequency circuits can be incrementally designed and evaluated through structural parameters defined in a schematic diagram data abstraction without modifying and evaluating a layout data abstraction of the circuit directly.
US08732644B1
The present invention systems and methods enable configuration of functional components in integrated circuits. A present invention system and method utilizes micro electro-mechanical switches included in pathways of an integrated circuit to flexibly change the operational characteristics of functional components in an integrated circuit die based upon a variety of factors including power conservation, manufacturing defects, compatibility characteristics, performance requirements, and system health (e.g., the number of components operating properly). The micro electro-mechanical switches are selectively opened and closed to permit and prevent electrical current flow to and from functional components. Opening the micro electro-mechanical switches also enables power conservation by facilitating isolation of a component and minimization of impacts associated with leakage currents.
US08732633B1
Disclosed are a method, non-transitory medium, and system of a tunable design of an Ethernet region of an integrated circuit (IC). In one embodiment, a method comprises modeling a design abstraction of an Ethernet sub-circuit of an integrated circuit as a register transfer level (RTL) code within a data processing device, wherein a first stage of sequential logic in the RTL code is associated with a first stage of combinational logic in the RTL code. The method further comprises implementing, through a processor and based on a timing parameter input into a synthesis tool associated with the RTL code, a selective bypass or a selective enablement of the first stage of sequential logic. Still further, the method comprises synthesizing, through the processor, a netlist from the RTL code, wherein the first stage of sequential logic is sequentially bypassed or sequentially enabled.
US08732628B1
A method comprises: selecting a circuit pattern or network of circuit patterns in a layout of an integrated circuit (IC) to be fabricating using double patterning technology (DPT). Circuit patterns near the selected circuit pattern or network are grouped into one or more groups. For each group, a respective expected resistance-capacitance (RC) extraction error cost is calculated, which is associated with a mask alignment error, for two different sets of mask assignments. The circuit patterns in the one or more groups are assigned to be patterned by respective photomasks, so as to minimize a total of the expected RC extraction error costs.
US08732620B2
A stereoscopic cursor method comprising: calculating a cursor scene depth of a stereoscopic cursor for a stereoscopic user interface comprising plural stereoscopic buttons, wherein the stereoscopic cursor is positioned between a viewer and the plural stereoscopic buttons; constraining movement of the stereoscopic cursor between the viewer and the plural stereoscopic buttons at the cursor scene depth for input device movements by the viewer that navigate across the front of the plural stereoscopic buttons; receiving an input signal corresponding to viewer selection of one of the plural stereoscopic buttons; and responsive to receiving the input signal, causing movement of the stereoscopic cursor from one end of the cursor scene depth to the one of the plural stereoscopic buttons in a direction coincident with the cursor scene depth.
US08732613B2
In one example, a computing device executes a plurality of application processes, each of which has an associated graphical user interface element. The computing device renders a common graphical user interface on a presence-sensitive screen. The common graphical user interface includes a currently rendered graphical user interface element associated with a currently selected application process from among the plurality of application processes; a tab row comprising a plurality of tabs, wherein each of the graphical user interface elements corresponds to one of the plurality of tabs; and a slide bar positioned proximate to the tab row. The computing device renders a first tab in the tab row with a larger size than other graphical tabs in the plurality of tabs responsive to receipt by the presence-sensitive screen of a gesture input associated with a region of the slide bar that is closest to the first tab.
US08732612B2
Optical storage media often contain data structures for a menu suitable for selection of a title, a chapter, a parameter or others. Such menus usually comprise a number of buttons to be displayed, with each button having a state. Possible states of buttons are; e.g., “unselected”, “selected” or “activated”. According to the invention, the menu may contain buttons that can be selected through the keys on the remote control, but that don't have any images or text associated. This allows creating “invisible buttons” that automatically execute commands upon selection. Further, a sound or sound sequence; e.g., melody or click, may be associated to a buttons state, and may be played back when the button enters this state. Such menu data may be stored; e.g., on a Blu-ray disc.
US08732610B2
A method and apparatus for enhanced browsing. The apparatus includes a user interface for presenting an enhanced browsing window of content identified by a link in a page displayed by a browser. The apparatus may include a prefetcher for fetching or prefetching the content and a cache for storing the window. The apparatus may also include an ad interface for retrieving advertisements for display with the content. When a first page is displayed in the browser, content identified by a link to a second page is automatically fetched and an enhanced browsing window, which may initially be invisible, is built. When a user mouses-over a status indicator associated with the link, the window is automatically displayed and the user can navigate the displayed content. The status indicator may change appearance to indicate a status of the prefetching (e.g., initiated, completed, success, failure, communication error).
US08732609B1
A system and method for providing a visual scrollbar position indicator whereby data included in a defined data field, or other data, associated with each entry in a list of entries is selected for display and as the list of entries is being scrolled through, the data included in the defined data field, or other data, associated with each entry in the list of entries selected for display is displayed to the user as each entry is passed, i.e., scrolled through, and as the scrolling is in progress, i.e., while the scrolling function is still activated.
US08732606B2
Disclosed are implementations of methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable storage media for rendering information. In some implementations, user interface data including content capable of being displayed on a page is received. A dynamic window including one or more links linked with respective identifiable portions of the content on the page can be generated. The page of content and the dynamic window can be displayed in a user interface on a display of a computing device. The user interface can have a first state in which a first view of the page of content is displayed and a second state in which a second view of the page is displayed, where the second view is different from the first view. The dynamic window is capable of remaining displayed independent of a change of the user interface from the first state to the second state.
US08732602B2
A system and method for altering a user interface of a power device is provided. The user interface includes an interface structure. The method includes acts of receiving user preference information, determining additional configuration information of the power device, adapting the interface structure based at least in part on the user preference information and the additional configuration information and providing at least a portion of the adapted interface structure to a user via the user interface.
US08732595B2
A system for monitoring processes of a distributed business application an integration builder tool. The integration builder tool includes a condition editor having a user interface providing an editing area on a display in which to receive a text-based expression of one or more conditions of a business application process. The editing area further includes an operator palette providing a plurality of operators for use in the text based expression of each of the one or more conditions, and a toolbar providing one or more editing tools for editing the text-based expressions.
US08732588B2
A system and method for remotely displaying screen files and for trapping a customized set of operator input is disclosed. A server generates and deploys a plurality of screen files to a remote client. The screen files each include a plurality of display control elements and a list of events to be trapped and forwarded to the server. The list of events may be optimized for each particular screen file. The remote client displays the plurality of display control elements and stores the list of events. For any event that occurs which is included in the list of events, such as a submit data event, the remote client sends data indicative of the event to the server. The server interprets the data indicative of the occurrence of the event, processes the event, and, if appropriate, generates and sends a command to update the displayed representation of the screen file.
US08732579B2
An internet client-server method to rapidly preview video files. Source video files are compressed into lower resolution preview video files, thumbnail image files, and stored on a preview internet server. Typically only a small fraction of the source video frames, such as 1 frame in 60, is used for the preview. A user using a touch sensitive computerized device such as a smartphone can view the thumbnail video images while the compressed video files load in the background. When the user touches or swipes an image of interest, or shakes the device, device video preview application software detects the action and directs the device to start playing the preview video file(s). The application software detects when the user swipes the preview video, and changes the rate and direction of playback of the preview video file, and trickplay functionality, often according to the speed and/or direction of the swipe.
US08732577B2
Contextual, focus-based language translation within a broadcast radio automation software application allows the user interface to enable interaction with users having various written or graphical language requirements. The software does not require special training or learning to enable the translation of text within the application. When the user enters a translation mode and selects a text string in the original language, the program displays a corresponding text string in a second language based on the specific display area, e.g., child window. The translated text string can be displayed proximate to original first text string within the specific display area, and can further be displayed as an entry in a table of a translation window which also displays additional text strings in the second language corresponding to additional text string fields for the specific display area.
US08732575B2
A word processing system includes an undo function monitor that monitors the history of a user's use of the undo operation. Depending upon the pattern detected, the system disables the particular auto-formatting feature that triggered the undesired automatic operation. In an illustrative embodiment, the system tracks whether a number of undo operations exceeds a programmable threshold. In one illustrative implementation, the system also tracks the number of times a user has undone, i.e., reversed, an automatic formatting operation compared with the number of instances where the user has permitted the subject automatic formatting operation to take place.
US08732574B2
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for generating a new workflow for an application. The method includes generating a parameter tree related to a current workflow, wherein the parameter tree includes a different node corresponding to each parameter included in one or more documents associated with the current workflow, modifying a value associated with a first node included in the parameter tree based on an input, wherein the first node corresponds to a first parameter included in a first document associated with the current workflow, evaluating a second document associated with the current workflow based on the modified value associated with the first node, and generating the new workflow based on the evaluated second document.
US08732572B2
The present invention is and includes a device, system and method for providing an image enhancement widget. The device, system and method include a javascript component that, upon execution, obtains at least one subject of primary content on a networked page, and at least one permission for enhancement of the primary content, ones of a plurality of content produced remotely from the javascript component and according to the javascript component, and an enhancement widget. The enhancement widget may be a flash widget.
US08732552B2
A block management method for managing physical blocks of a rewritable non-volatile memory module, and a memory controller and a memory storage device using the same are provided. The method includes maintaining an error information table for recording one or more error correctable physical blocks among the physical blocks and an error bit number corresponding to the one or more error correctable physical blocks. The method further includes selecting a physical block for writing data according to the one or more error correctable physical blocks and the error bit number thereof recorded in the error information table. Accordingly, the data stability of the memory storage device can be improved.
US08732536B2
A slave station 30 includes a cyclic-memory managing unit 36 that generates data expansion state information indicating whether received cyclic data is expanded into a cyclic memory 33 and data processing state information indicating whether the slave station 30 is in a state in which the slave station 30 can receive data frame at the time of receiving the data frame, and a frame transmitting unit 38 that transmits a state notification frame including the data expansion state information and the data processing state information to a master station. The master station includes a system-abnormal-state determining unit that determines, when a token frame is received, an error state of the slave station 30 using the data expansion state information and the data processing state information of the state notification frame received by a frame receiving unit.
US08732532B2
An information processing system comprises a memory module having a plurality of unit memory regions, a memory controller, connected to the memory module via memory interface, configured to control access to the memory module, an error detector, which is in the memory controller, configured to perform an error detection on data read from the memory module, a failure inspection controller configured to switch a mode of the memory controller from a normal mode to a failure inspection mode, read data from an address, where data was written, to be inspected for each of the plurality of unit memory regions, cause the error detector to detect an error in the read data and perform a failure inspection and a determining unit configured to determine a memory failure or a transmission path failure on the basis of the state of the error detected from the unit memory regions.
US08732523B2
A data processing apparatus has a plurality of storage elements residing at different physical locations within the apparatus, and fault history circuitry for detecting local transient faults occurring in each storage element, and for maintaining global transient fault history data based on the detected local transient faults. Analysis circuitry monitors the global transient fault history data to determine, based on predetermined criteria, whether the global transient fault history data is indicative of random transient faults occurring within the data processing apparatus, or is indicative of a coordinated transient fault attack. The analysis circuitry is then configured to initiate a countermeasure action on determination of a coordinated transient fault attack. This provides a simple and effective mechanism for distinguishing between random transient faults that may naturally occur, and a coordinated transient fault attack that may be initiated in an attempt to circumvent the security of the data processing apparatus.
US08732512B2
A semiconductor device with a clock control circuit that outputs an internal clock signal configured by delaying external clock signals based on at least a feedback clock signal; a plurality of output buffers that output data in synchronization with the internal clock signal; an output replica that is a replica of the output buffers and that generates the feedback clock signal in synchronization with the internal clock signal and supplies the feedback clock signal to the clock control circuit; and a clock tree that receives the internal clock signal from the clock control circuit and transmits the internal clock signal to the plurality of output buffers and the output replica such that signal line are substantially equal to one another.
US08732510B2
An opportunity is apparent to develop alternative circuitry. Simplified circuitry without artifacts tied to the clock that drives a digital frequency generator (DFG) is useful in a variety of tunable electronic devices. The present invention relates to digital frequency generation. In particular, it relates to a method and apparatus for the digital generation of a pulse stream having a desired frequency relative to a reference clock signal and the ratio of two integers. The method applies generally to integers whose ratio is not an integer. The DFG as a device can be integrated onto a simple chip, without need for an off-chip filter.
US08732508B2
Determining power topology of a computer system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including communicating with a first computer system of a plurality of computer systems mounted in a rack (the communicating through dedicated communication conductors integral with a first cord carrying operational power to first computer system), communicating with a second computer system of the plurality of computer systems (the communicating through dedicated communication conductors integral with a second cord carrying operational power to first computer system), determining a power topology regarding the plurality of computer systems based on the communicating, and displaying an indication of the power topology.
US08732505B2
A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the energy consumption of an electronic terminal. The method implements a step of modifying the timeout-before-standby duration for said terminal after an action performed by and/or on said terminal at a current instant, depending on the membership of the current instant in a given temporal category, from among at least two predefined temporal categories.
US08732499B2
A state retention component is provided which is configured to form part of data processing circuitry. The state retention component is configured to hold a state value at a node of the data processing circuitry when the data processing circuitry enters a low power mode. The state retention component comprises a scan input, wherein the state retention component configured, when a scan enable signal is asserted, to read in the state value from a scan input value applied at the scan input, and a scan output, wherein the state retention component is configured, when the scan enable signal is asserted, to read out the state value to the scan output. When the scan enable signal is not asserted, the state retention circuit outputs at the scan output a parity value, wherein the parity value is generated by combinatorial function circuitry on the basis of the state value and the scan input value, wherein the combinatorial function circuitry is configured such that the parity value inverts if either the state value or the scan input value changes, thus providing an external indication of the integrity of the state value held by the state retention component.
US08732496B2
A method and apparatus for supporting a self-refreshing display device coupled to a graphics controller are disclosed. A self-refreshing display device has a capability to drive the display based on video signals generated from a local frame buffer. A graphics controller coupled to the display device may optimally be placed in one or more power saving states when the display device is operating in a panel self-refresh mode. Data objects stored in a memory associated with the graphics controller may be aliased in another memory subsystem accessible to the operating system, graphical user interface, or applications executing in the system while the graphics controller is in a deep sleep state. The disclosed technique utilizes a virtual memory pointer, that may be updated in one or more virtual memory page tables to point to either the memory associated with the graphics controller or an alternate memory alias.
US08732490B1
A processing engine fetches one or more lines of software instructions into an instruction cache. Based on the contents of the cache, potentially needed functional units are identified as functional units that are operable to execute at least one software instruction stored within the instruction cache. Unneeded functional units are identified as functional units that are not operable to execute a software instruction stored within the instruction cache. A power increase is initiated for selected ones of the potentially needed functional units that are determined to be in a low power state. A power decrease is initiated for selected ones of the unneeded functional units that are determined to be in an operable power state.
US08732488B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method that comprises, within a sample window, determining an active time of a central processing unit (CPU) at an operating frequency. If there are any different operating frequencies within the sample window, the method further comprises determining active times of the CPU at the different operating frequencies within the sample window and, based upon the active times for the operating frequencies within the sample window, calculating a millions of instructions per second (MIPS) value for the sample window. The method further comprises performing a comparison of the MIPS value to a threshold value and, based upon the comparison of the MIPS value to the threshold value, setting an operating frequency of the CPU for a next sample window.
US08732487B2
The described implementations relate to predictive computing device energy management. One implementation measures resource usage of a computing device that employs a power policy. This implementation also estimates resource usage of the computing device having at least one different power policy without actually running the at least one different power policy on the computing device.
US08732480B2
According to an embodiment, a memory management device increments a lower value of a first counter, updates the counter by incrementing an upper value and resetting the lower value when the lower value overflows, increments to update the lower counter value when the upper value is incremented as a result of writing a second data piece having the upper value in common to a memory, recalculates a first secret value calculated using the first counter values and a root secret value in response to the first counter update, writes a first data piece and the first secret value to the memory, and at reading of the first data piece and the first secret value, calculates a second secret value using the updated first counter values and the root secret value, and compares the first secret value with the second secret value to verify the first data piece.
US08732478B2
A security framework for a host computer system which allows a host to control access to a compliant security token by ensuring enforcement of established security policies administered by a middleware application. Processing between the host computer system and the security token is performed using one or more modular security application agents. The modular security application agents are counterpart applications to security applications installed in the security token and may be retrieved and installed upon to ensure compatibility between counterpart token and host security applications. The security policies are a composite of host security policies and token security policies which are logically combined by the middleware application at the beginning of a session.
US08732474B1
Methods and apparatus for installing browser extensions are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a browser extension installation package in a main browser process, validating a digital signature of the installation package and launching a sandboxed sub-process of the browser application. The example method includes, in the sandboxed sub-process: respectively transcoding or recoding at least one of the plurality of constituent files, where the transcoded and/or recoded files replace their corresponding original constituent files. The example method includes, after the transcoding and/or recoding, passing the constituent files from the sandboxed sub-process to the main browser process and installing the browser extension to the browser application using the transcoded and/or recoded files.
US08732472B2
Analysis of authenticity digital certificates includes. Initial information pertaining to digital certificates is collected from diverse information sources. For each of the digital certificates the initial information includes intrinsic parameter data from among contents of the digital certificate and extrinsic parameter data pertaining to the digital certificate and comprising static data not contained in the contents of the digital certificate. Selected parameter data is stored and analyzed to determine a measure of suspiciousness for each of the digital certificates. If necessary, circumstantial data based on actual usage of one or more of the digital certificates are collected. The initial data and supplemental data are compared against a set of decision criteria that define fraudulent activity, and a determination of authenticity of each of the digital certificates is made.
US08732471B2
A computer including at least two processors is used to preferably perform a secure data communication. Data containing a processor ID identifying one of the at least two processors provided for a first computer (computer 31) is transmitted from the first computer to a second computer (a node at the other party) (S91, S92). The second computer returns data containing the processor ID contained in the data transmitted in S91 and S92 and a public key certificate relating to the second computer. The first computer receives the data returned from the second computer, acquires, from the received data, the processor ID contained therein, and causes a processor (SPE1), which is identified by the processor ID, to process the received data. At this moment, the processing of the data is restricted according to a content of the public key certificate contained in the received data.
US08732470B2
According to one embodiment, a storage system includes a host device, a secure storing medium, and a non-secure storing medium. The secure storing medium includes a memory provided with a protected first storing region which stores secret information sent from the host device, and a second storing region which stores encoded contents, and a controller which carries out authentication processing for accessing the first storing region. The host device and the secure storing medium produce a bus key which is shared only by the host device and the secure storing medium by authentication processing, and which is used for encoding processing when information of the first storing region is sent and received between the host device and the secure storing medium. The host device has the capability to request the secure storing medium to send a status.
US08732457B2
Managing a digital certificate includes a landlord providing a digital certificate, a secure hardware device generating a series of n hash values, the secure hardware device providing an nth hash value to the landlord, wherein other hash values are not readily available to the landlord, the landlord placing the nth hash value in the certificate, the landlord digitally verifying the certificate containing the nth hash value to obtain a digitally signed certificate, a tenant obtaining the digitally signed certificate, the tenant obtaining the n hash values and the tenant managing the certificate by periodically issuing a previous hash value in the series of n hash values in response to the certificate being valid when the previous hash value is issued.
US08732443B2
A program processing device comprises a CPU for carrying out predetermined processing according to a program; an internal memory storing the program and data generated by the CPU by carrying out the program, and a data acquiring circuit connected to an external program processing device, for acquiring the program from the external program processing device to write into the internal memory, wherein the CPU, the internal memory, a debug processing circuit, and the data acquiring circuit are integrally mounted on the same semiconductor substrate.
US08732439B2
A method and computer-usable medium including instructions for performing a method for scheduling executable transactions within a multicore processor comprising a plurality of processor elements. The method includes listing, using at least one distribution queue, a portion of the executable transactions in order of eligibility for execution. A plurality of executable transaction schedulers are provided, wherein each executable transaction scheduler includes a scheduling process for determining a most eligible executable transaction for execution from at least one candidate executable transaction ready for execution. The executable transaction schedulers are linked together to provide a multilevel scheduler. The most eligible executable transaction is output from the multilevel scheduler to the at least one distribution queue.
US08732438B2
Embodiments of the present invention execute an anti-prefetch instruction. These embodiments start by decoding instructions in a decode unit in a processor to prepare the instructions for execution. Upon decoding an anti-prefetch instruction, these embodiments stall the decode unit to prevent decoding subsequent instructions. These embodiments then execute the anti-prefetch instruction, wherein executing the anti-prefetch instruction involves: (1) sending a prefetch request for a cache line in an L1 cache; (2) determining if the prefetch request hits in the L1 cache; (3) if the prefetch request hits in the L1 cache, determining if the cache line contains a predetermined value; and (4) conditionally performing subsequent operations based on whether the prefetch request hits in the L1 cache or the value of the data in the cache line.
US08732437B2
Systems and methods for performing single instruction multiple data (SIMD) operations on a data set. The methods may include examining a structure of the data set to determine what reorganization may be necessary to facilitate SIMD processing. The method may include selecting a stored bit mask corresponding to the organization of the data set and loading the bit mask into an application specific register (ASR). Subsequently, the data may be reorganized inline according to the ASR as the data is loaded into the SIMD functional unit such that the SIMD functional unit may operate on the data set. The results of the SIMD operation may be written to a results register.
US08732436B2
A device for storing data includes a sequence generator configured to generate a first number sequence that is a pseudorandom number sequence, a cross-correlation unit configured to produce a second number sequence that is a cross-correlation between the first number sequence and a third number sequence, and a write and read unit configured to write the second number sequence in memory and read the second number sequence from the memory, wherein the cross-correlation unit is further configured to reconstruct the third number sequence by obtaining a cross-correlation between the first number sequence and the second number sequence read from the memory.
US08732434B2
A memory device includes a hash table storing a hash value, a bit value, and a page address for each of a plurality of pages, a memory cell unit configured to store the pages and output contents corresponding to the page addresses of the pages having a same hash value, and a controller including a comparator configured to compare the contents output from the memory cell unit and change at least one bit value associated with a respective one of the pages upon determining that the contents of the pages are the same.
US08732433B2
Apparatuses and methods for providing data are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a plurality of memories coupled to a data bus. The memories are configured to provide data to the data bus responsive, at least in part, to a first address. The plurality of memories are further configured to provide at least a portion of the data corresponding to the first address to the data bus during a sense operation for a second address provided to the plurality of memories after the first address. Each of the plurality of memories provides data to the data bus corresponding to the first address at different times. Moreover, a plurality of memories may be configured to provide at least 2N bits of data to the data bus responsive, at least in part, to an address, each of the plurality of memories configured to provide N bits of data to the data bus at different times.
US08732432B2
A system including a write module, a read module, and a signal processing module. The write module is configured to write pilot data, having a first predetermined pattern, in a page of memory cells. The pilot data are interspersed with user data stored in the page. The read module is configured to read the pilot data and to generate pilot signals based on reading the pilot data. The signal processing module is configured to compare the pilot signals and the pilot data, and to estimate, based on a comparison of the pilot signals and the pilot data, a disturbance to the user data.
US08732429B2
An apparatus, system, and method for preserving a deleted storage volume. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a receiving module, a reference module, and a preservation module. The receiving module receives a deletion command to delete a data volume managed by a storage controller. The data volume is associated with one or more deletion parameters specifying that data of the data volume is to be preserved upon deletion of the data volume. The reference module references the deletion parameters. The preservation module preserves the data of the data volume prior to the storage controller deleting the data volume. The preservation module preserves the data of the data volume according to the deletion parameters.
US08732427B2
Disclosed is a method of collapsing a derivative version of a primary storage volume into the primary storage volume. The method comprises generating the derivative version of the primary storage volume that contains a plurality of data items stored in a secondary storage volume, wherein the derivation version comprises a plurality of blocks, identifying changed blocks of the plurality of blocks that changed as a result of modifying at least one of the data items, identifying which of the changed blocks of the plurality of blocks that changed remain allocated, and collapsing the derivative version of the primary storage volume into the primary storage volume by copying those blocks identified as changed and allocated to the primary storage volume.
US08732426B2
A system and method for effectively scheduling read and write operations among a plurality of solid-state storage devices. A computer system comprises client computers and data storage arrays coupled to one another via a network. A data storage array utilizes solid-state drives and Flash memory cells for data storage. A storage controller within a data storage array comprises an I/O scheduler. The characteristics of corresponding storage devices are used to schedule I/O requests to the storage devices in order to maintain relatively consistent response times at predicted times. Should a device exhibit an unscheduled behavior which may be indicative of the device being in an unknown state, the scheduler may schedule one or more reactive operations on the device configured to cause the device to enter a known state.
US08732422B2
A storage apparatus obtains a snapshot(s) of a first logical volume when needed and saves old data to a second logical volume when data is written to the first logical volume after obtaining the snapshot. A storage area of the second logical volume is allocated in chunk units to the first logical volume and a tendency of order to delete snapshots is judged when the chunks have been completely used up. If there is a tendency to delete the snapshots in their acquisition order, a new chunk is allocated to the first logical volume and a storage area in that chunk is determined to be a save location of the old data. If there is a tendency to delete the snapshots randomly, an unused storage area in a chunk already allocated to the first logical volume is determined to be the save location of the old data.
US08732417B1
Techniques for creating snapshots of a target system are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for creating snapshots of a target system comprising a module for tracking modifications to a target system after a given time, a module for storing information from the target system in a read-only snapshot and a writable snapshot, and a module for modifying the writable snapshot after the given time.
US08732415B2
In various embodiments, dedicated mask pins are eliminated by sending a data mask on address lines of the interface. A memory controller receives a request for a memory write operation from a memory client and determines the granularity of the write data from a write data mask sent by the client. Granularity, as used herein, indicates a quantity of write data to which each bit of the received write data mask applies. In an embodiment, the memory controller generates a particular write command and a particular write data mask based on the granularity of the write data. The write command generated is typically the most efficient of several write commands available, but embodiments are not so limited. The write command is transmitted on command lines of the interface, and the write data mask is transmitted on address lines of the interface.
US08732414B2
A control device including: a storage device that includes a first storage area including a plurality of blocks into which data can be written more than once and a second storage area into which data can be written only once, wherein the first storage area further stores a flag for each of the blocks, the flag indicating whether or not the block is allowed to be used; a flag management information creation unit configured to create, on the basis of the flag, a flag management information for managing whether or not data can be stored in each block of the storage device; and a management information controller configured to cause the flag management information to be stored in the second storage area.
US08732411B1
Technologies for eliminating duplicate data within a storage system can efficiently identify and eliminate duplication by remapping borrower regions to share physical storage space with lender regions. Block-level de-duplication can co-exist with storage architectures for thin provisioning and snapshot management. Lending maps can track redirected pointers from borrower regions to shared physical storage from lender regions. The lending maps can track the freed status of regions to support efficient write I/O operations without defaulting to unnecessary read-modify-write cycles to complete data writes. Redundancy of de-duplicated data can maintain one or more copies to support recovery from media errors. Candidate regions for de-duplication can be identified by monitoring the times and patterns of data access operations. A sampled mechanism for calculating and comparing signatures of data blocks can support the efficient identification of duplicated data within the storage system.
US08732407B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that avoids deadlock while attempting to acquire store-marks on cache lines. During operation, the system keeps track of store-mark requests that arise during execution of a thread, wherein a store-mark on a cache line indicates that one or more associated store buffer entries are waiting to be committed to the cache line. In this system, store-mark requests are processed in a pipelined manner, which allows a store-mark request to be initiated before preceding store-mark requests for the same thread complete. Next, if a store-mark request fails, within a bounded amount of time, the system removes or prevents store-marks associated with younger store-mark requests for the same thread, thereby avoiding a potential deadlock that can arise when one or more other threads attempt to store-mark the same cache lines.
US08732402B2
Provided is a method for managing track discard requests. A backup copy of a track in a cache is maintained in a cache backup device. A track discard request is generated to discard tracks in the cache backup device removed from the cache. Track discard requests are queued in a discard track queue. If a predetermined number of track discard requests are queued in the discard track queue while processing in a discard multi-track mode, one discard multiple tracks message is sent to the cache backup device indicating the tracks indicated in the queued predetermined number of track discard requests to instruct the cache backup device to discard the tracks indicated in the discard multiple tracks message. If a predetermined number of periods of inactivity while processing in the discard multi-track mode, processing the track discard requests is switched to a discard single track mode.
US08732397B2
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a chip including a cell array and first and second caches configured to hold data read out from the cell array; an interface configured to manage a first and a second addresses; a controller configured to issue a readout request to the interface; and a buffer configured to hold the data from the chip. The interface transfers the data in the first cache to the buffer without reading out the data from the cell array if the readout address matches the first address, transfers the data in the second cache to the buffer without reading out the data from the cell array if the readout address matches the second address, and reads out the data from the cell array and transfers the data to the buffer if the readout address does not match either one of the first or second address.
US08732396B2
A DAS system that implements RAID technology is provided in which an array of solid state disks (SSDs) that is external to the DAS controllers of the DAS system is used by the DAS controllers as WB cache memory for performing WB caching operations. Using the external SSD array as WB cache memory allows the DAS system to be fully cache coherent without significantly increasing the complexity of the DAS system and without increasing the amount of bandwidth that is utilized for performing caching operations. In addition, using the external SSD array as WB cache memory obviates the need to mirror DAS controllers.
US08732385B2
Disclosed herein is a non-volatile memory, including: a memory cell array to be accessed with data including a data portion and a specific field as a unit of access; a buffer configured to hold the access-unit data read from the memory cell array or the access-unit data to be written to the memory cell array; and a control circuit configured to control access to the memory cell array in accordance with a specified address, a command, and data in the specific field of the access-unit data held in the buffer.
US08732383B2
A computer system includes a controller coupled to a plurality of memory modules each of which includes a memory hub and a plurality of memory devices divided into a plurality of ranks. The memory hub is operable to configure the memory module to simultaneously address any number of ranks to operate in a high bandwidth mode, a high memory depth mode, or any combination of such modes.
US08732378B2
A bus bandwidth monitoring device may include a buffer unit that is connected to a common bus, the buffer unit storing data that has been input via the common bus, a processing unit that performs predetermined processing based on the data stored in the buffer unit, and a detection unit that detects a bandwidth of data transmitted through the common bus based on a state of data transaction between the buffer unit and the processing unit.
US08732374B2
A subscriber node of a communication system, a communication system and a method for transmitting a message in the communication system. The message is transmitted from a first subscriber node of the communication system via a data bus of the communication system to a second subscriber node of the communication system. An application program of the first subscriber node files the message, that is to be sent, in a message memory, from where it is retrieved by a communication controller, upon a sending command of the application program, and is transmitted via the data bus. In particular in the case of a cancellation of the transmission job, in order to be able to improve the capacity utilization and the efficiency of a host CPU, it is provided that a transmission event for the message, that is to be sent or that has been sent, is stored in at least one transmission event memory, that is functionally separate from the message memory, and that the application program is able to access the data stored in the event memory at any time.
US08732372B2
Methods and systems are described for displaying enabling the transmission, formatting, and display of multimedia data after a hot plug event during a start-up dead period. In particular, approaches for transmission, formatting, and display of multimedia data in the absence or non-operation of a hot plug detect system or signal, so that multimedia information can be displayed in a proper format even during the dead period when no hot plug detect signal is received.
US08732369B1
An apparatus including a first register, a second register, and a control logic. The first register may be configured to store requests from a plurality of clients for a current cycle. The second register may be configured to store an indicator value indicating which of the plurality of clients received a grant in a previous cycle. The control logic may be configured to determine which of the plurality of clients having a request in the current cycle receives a grant based upon (i) a pointer value and (ii) the indicator value.
US08732365B2
In an embodiment, a method of operating a zone manager of an input/out system includes, in response to a storage device being inserted into a particular storage-device location of the input/output system, determining whether the particular storage-device location and the storage device are assigned to a same server of the input/output system, and assigning the particular storage-device location and storage device to the same server in response to determining that the particular storage-device location and the storage device are not assigned to the same server.
US08732363B2
A data processing apparatus may include a data conversion unit that arranges the input data in each transfer data in the conversion unit using one transfer data as one transfer unit and a predetermined number of transfer units as one conversion unit when converting a plurality of input data input sequentially into transfer data having a bit number identical to a predetermined bit number of a data bus and sequentially transferring the converted transfer data. The data conversion unit may include a data generation unit and a first data arrangement changing unit. The first data arrangement changing unit may include a bit change number calculating unit, a bit change number analysis unit, a first data sorting unit, and a data coupling unit.
US08732349B2
An Input/Output (IO) Virtualization (IOV) system provides a mechanism for sharing computer peripheral devices or resources between multiple host computers by presenting a single resource multiple times to numerous host systems. The IOV system provides IO virtualization and host-to-host communication services to the host computers. The system comprises device interfaces coupled to the IO devices. Each IO device comprises at least one endpoint function (EPF). Host interfaces are each coupled to one of a number of host computers. Each host interface includes a proxy, and each proxy comprises configuration data.
US08732340B2
The present invention is a method for providing multi-pathing via Small Computer System Interface Input/Output (SCSI I/O) referral between an initiator and a storage cluster which are communicatively coupled via a network. The method includes receiving an input/output (I/O) at a first target device from the initiator via the network. The I/O includes a data request. The method further includes transmitting a SCSI I/O referral list to the initiator when data included in the data request is not stored on the first target device, but is stored on a second target device. The referral list includes first and second port identifiers for identifying first and second ports of the second target device respectively. The first and second ports of the target device are identified as access ports for accessing the data requested in the data request.
US08732339B2
One embodiment is a storage device that has multiple physical ports receiving input/outputs (I/Os) from a host computer. Each of the ports presents plural virtual ports using N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) to prioritize the I/Os.
US08732335B2
A method and a network device for enabling communication between unnumbered interfaces are provided. A device level address may be assigned to a network device. The network device may announce the assigned device level address to a neighboring network device over a link. A corresponding device level address associated with the neighboring network device may be received over the link. A route may be stored including the received device level address associated with the neighboring network device and the link. In some implementations, the announcement of the assigned device level address is performed during protocol configuration.
US08732334B2
Provided are a method, computer program product and system for network multi-pathing. Paths to a storage system are through a first network type and a second network type. The first network type has a higher Input/Output (I/O) per second performance characteristic than the second network type. A length is determined from a received I/O request. The I/O request is sent on one of the paths to the storage system through the first network type in response to determining that the length of the I/O request is below a threshold length. The I/O request is sent on one of the paths to the storage system through the second network type in response to determining that the length of the I/O request is above the threshold length.
US08732323B2
A computer supports generating a model of transactions in which services are processed in multiple layers. The computer refers to start times and end times of processings, which are invoked and generated from another processing in the services, of the same server to calculate time intervals between the processings. The computer generates possible thresholds indicating thresholds that are possible criteria for grouping the processings according to the time intervals between the processings. The computer puts together, for each of the generated possible thresholds, consecutive processings, in which the time intervals between the processings are equal to or smaller than the possible threshold, into the same group to generate a group that the processings belong to. The computer divides a group, among the generated groups, without a processing serving as an invoker into processing-by-processing groups. The computer determines the possible threshold with the least number of groups as the threshold.
US08732322B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for providing content. A script is received for execution when a resource is rendered on a client device. The script is stored. A request for the resource is received that includes a token identifying a requesting source item that was interacted with by a user to generate the request. The script is executed. A determination is made as to when fixed or recyclable contact information associated with a content sponsor of the resource should be provided with the resource. When recyclable contact information should be provided, the information is requested from a service including providing the token to the service. Recyclable contact information for the content sponsor and time-out information are received and stored. The identifier is stored on the requesting device. The resource and recyclable contact information are provided responsive to the request.
US08732315B2
A device previously configured as a registrar and that has established an independent ad-hoc network is automatically discovered by another device also previously configured as a registrar. To form an ad-hoc wireless network between these two devices, each device periodically enters a scanning mode to scan for and intercept beacons transmitted by the other device. Upon such interception, one of the devices becomes an enrollee in accordance with a predefined condition and in response to a user selected option. Subsequently, the enrollee modifies its beacons to include an attribute, such as the MAC address, associated with the other device. After intercepting the modified beacon, the remaining registrar prompts it user to decide whether to allow the enrollee to join the registrar's network. If the user responds affirmatively, a handshake is performed between the two devices and a subsequent attempt is made by the enrollee to join the registrar's network.
US08732305B2
A management server which is connected to a plurality of client terminals via a network, includes a storage unit adapted to store a management policy including usage-permitted time periods of the plurality of client terminals, and an application unit adapted to read out from the storage unit the management policy including the usage-permitted time period of the client terminal to be managed, output the readout management policy to the client terminal, and apply the usage-permitted time period to the client terminal, and extends the usage-permitted time period of the client terminal in accordance with a state of the client terminal.
US08732290B2
Virtual workplace server software may be selected for and/or provided to an organization server based on various characteristics of the organization. One or more inputs may be received corresponding to organization characteristics, for example, organization type and size, along with other potential organization characteristics and additional relevant information. Based on the organization characteristics and/or other relevant information, virtual workplace software may be selected for an organization server. The selection of the virtual workplace software may be output and/or the corresponding software may be downloaded and installed to provide desktop virtualization at the organization server. After the virtual workplace software is installed at a desktop virtualization server, the software may be used to provide virtual desktops to authorized end users and management functionality to authorized administrators.
US08732288B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for controlling a network using identification information of an object. The network controlling apparatus may include an extractor to extract identification information of a receiving object from received data, and a controller to verify, from a database, forwarding information that is stored in correspondence to the identification information, and to transfer the data to a gateway associated with a second domain designated by the forwarding information, when the receiving object is not included in a first domain.
US08732286B2
A shadowing platforms and systems in a network with a remote platform are provided. The shadowing platform includes a shadow health management module and platform storage coupled to the shadow health management module. The shadow health management module is configured to receive health information from the remote platform; store the health information in the platform storage; receive status information from the remote platform; and provide the health information to the remote platform when the status information is unacceptable.
US08732283B2
A method includes, at a first device of a first portion of an ad hoc network, receiving, from a second device of a second portion of the ad hoc network, information relating to a second set of addresses of the ad hoc network locally stored at the second device, the first and second portions of the ad hoc network having been disconnected prior to receiving the information about the second set of addresses; determining that the second set of addresses is different from a first set of addresses locally stored at the first device; requesting from the second device the second set of addresses; receiving a response from the second device including the second set of addresses; and generating a set of addresses of the coalesced first and second portions of the ad hoc network as a reunion of the first and second sets of addresses.
US08732277B1
In general, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to techniques for determining a user's potential exposure to defined audio content (e.g., television and audio advertisements) using a mobile device. In one example, a method includes receiving first audio content. The method further includes generating a first digital representation of the first audio content. The method also includes accessing a data structure, wherein the data structure contains at least a second digital representation of at least second audio content. The method also includes comparing the first digital representation to at least the second digital representation contained in the data structure and if there is a match between the first digital representation and at least the second digital representation contained in the data structure, transmitting a message to a remote server indicating the match.
US08732275B2
An exemplary method includes a media content presentation system 1) delivering a primary media content stream to a primary access device, the primary media content stream comprising data representative of a media content instance that is presented by the primary access device as the primary media content stream is delivered to the primary access device and data representative of an executable application related to the media content instance, 2) determining that a secondary access device associated with a user is located within a detection zone associated with the primary access device during a time period associated with the presentation of the media content instance by the primary access device, and 3) directing the primary access device to generate and deliver a version of the executable application that is personalized for the user to the secondary access device. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US08732273B2
This invention discloses a data inquiry system for three-dimensional location-based image, video, and information, which comprises a client device and a remote server. The client device provides space parameters and lens parameters to the remote server through a transmission module. The remote server determines a space inquiry range by the space parameter and lens parameter, inquires an object data of an object space position parameter at the space inquiry range, shows the object data in an image data displayed by the client device to facilitate users to identify the desired viewing object, and further inquires the object data and related image and/or video data.
US08732270B2
A communication control method and system for controlling communication among multiple industrial control systems connected via a network. The communication control system includes: a communication relay apparatus for relaying communication between at least two of multiple industrial control systems; a monitoring section for monitoring the multiple industrial control systems; and a control section for switching, if the monitoring section detects an anomaly from at least one of the multiple industrial control systems, communication between an industrial control system detected with an anomaly and a second industrial control system so that the communication is performed via the communication relay apparatus.
US08732269B2
The present invention provides several methods and apparatuses for transmitting multimedia data using streaming media protocols such as real-time transfer protocols (RTP) and real-time streaming protocols (RTSP) in a computer network environment. In one exemplary embodiment, a request for RTP data and its associated extension is sent from the caching proxy server to the server. The request may be for one specific type of data or multiple unrelated types of data. The server responds to the request indicating its support for the requested RTP extension data. The caching proxy server determines whether to proceed or terminate the data transmission process based on the response provided by the server. If it is determined to proceed with the data transmission process, the caching proxy informs the server to send the requested and supported RTP data. The server sends the requested data in a variable and extendible header format.
US08732267B2
Techniques are described for selecting an optimal data center for instantiating a first cloud service. Embodiments of the invention receive a request specifying a topology of a first cloud service to be hosted by one of a plurality of data centers which provide computing resources to host a plurality of cloud services. A suitability value is then determined for each of the data centers which measures a fitness of the data center for instantiating the first cloud service. In one embodiment, the suitability value is determined by calculating a plurality of metric values for the data center, normalizing the metric values and calculating a weighted average of the normalized values. One of the data centers is then selected for instantiating the first cloud service, based at least in part on the determined suitability values.
US08732265B2
Techniques for reconciliation and remediation of messages sent by a server for storage in an archive are described. Some techniques may comprise receiving a message to be reconciled corresponding to a message sent by a server to be stored in an archive. The received message may be categorized for reconciliation, and a delivery confirmation query may be issued to the archive according to categorization of the message for reconciliation. Based on the response to the delivery confirmation query, it can be determined with certainty whether the message sent to the archive for storage is indeed stored at the archive. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08732257B2
A server apparatus for establishing communication with a plurality of input/output devices via a network. The apparatus includes: a management unit configured to manage a communication session with the input/output devices; a storage unit configured to store information of the input/output devices in association with group information thereof; an execution unit configured to execute an application program; a communication unit configured to receive an operation instruction for the application program and to transmit to the input/output devices a processing result of the application program; a determination unit configured to determine whether the processing result requires connection of the input/output devices to an external server; and a message transmission unit configured to generate a message including an instruction to connect to the external server, when the determination unit determines that the processing results requires such a connection. The message includes the group information.
US08732256B2
A system and method are disclosed for registering a email sender for the purpose of sending an email message to an email receiver including receiving a challenge message wherein the challenge message includes a machine answerable question; processing the challenge message to determine that it is a challenge message sent for the purpose of authorizing delivery of the email message; analyzing the question to determine a valid response to the challenge message; and sending the valid response that includes the answer wherein a nontrivial amount of resources are required to send the valid response.
US08732253B2
Receiving a notification message by a mobile subscriber can include establishing a session with a notification service; maintaining a persistent communication connection with the notification service after the session is established; subscribing to a node hosted by the notification service, wherein the node is pre-provisioned for use by a mobile subscriber; and receiving from the notification service a notification message corresponding to the subscribed node. Further, a message can be transmitted over the communication connection to the notification service at a predetermined interval and it can be determined whether the communication connection is viable. Additionally, it can be determined that the communication connection is no longer viable if no response is received from the notification service, the period of the predetermined interval can be decreased, and another session with the notification service can be established.
US08732242B2
Methods and systems for bandwidth adaptive computing device to computing device communication are described. Bandwidth adaptive communication includes receiving a communication from a first participant, storing the payload data of the communication in a channel memory element associated with the first participant, and transmitting the payload data to a second participant.
US08732238B2
Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for synchronizing applications between devices. The method displays, on a sharing device, a list of one or more applications which are available to share with other devices, and receives a selection, at the sharing device, of an application to share with a receiving device from the list of applications. The method then determines by the sharing device, sharing preferences of the selected application, creates an application package at the sharing device, based on the sharing preferences, and establishes a network connection from the sharing device to the receiving device. The system transmits the application package from the sharing device to the receiving device via the network connection.
US08732232B2
A digital audio playback device that includes a wireless communication link to enable it to interact and synchronize with computing platforms as well as other mobile digital audio players and fixed digital audio players. A digital audio playback device is configured such that the computing platform may automatically or upon user request copy, add or remove digital audio content or other information, such as playlists. In addition, digital content on the digital audio playback device can be synchronized with a computing platform. In one embodiment of the invention, the digital audio playback device is configured to enable wireless communication among other digital playback devices and/or a computing platform to allow synchronization and control.
US08732226B2
Systems, methods, processors, media, and other embodiments associated with integer rounding a floating point number in one micro-operation (uop) are described. One system embodiment includes a memory to store an integer rounding floating point instruction and a processor to perform the integer rounding floating point instruction. The processor may include a floating point unit that includes circuits and/or logics that integer round the floating point number.
US08732224B1
A method and apparatus for implementation of high order MASH by reuse of single stage MASH have been described.
US08732218B2
A disclosed file access system is capable of receiving each of code data from a server apparatus and updating a local file without increasing the processing time upon receiving the code data as the number of received code data is increased. The file access system includes a header data receiving unit receiving header data; a header data writing unit writing the header data into the local file; a code data receiving unit receiving designated code data from among the code data; a storage area allocating unit allocating a storage area with respect to the local file so that the code data received by the code data receiving unit can be written from the same starting position of the local file as that of the original file; and a code data writing unit writing the code data from the position of the local file.
US08732215B2
Discovering environment objects for information management in a networked environment. Information management provides services such as data protection, backup, retention, compliance, etc., by classifying the objects and/or infrastructure of an entity according to its value to the entity. Information management begins by discovering the data in a network and by discovering the servers and services operating in a network. The servers and services are discovered using adapters that can collect information regarding the environment objects. This information can then by used by information management systems to assign or orchestrate various services.
US08732212B2
A method for simplifying an extensible markup language (XML) schema, including: identifying data in an instance specification as variable or fixed, wherein the instance specification corresponds to a complex XML schema; determining a set of types including the variable data, wherein the set of types conforms to a structure of the complex XML schema; capturing the set of types as metadata annotations associated with the instance specification; and generating a simplified XML schema from the instance specification, wherein the simplified XML schema is stored on a memory device.
US08732207B2
An embodiment for evaluating rules pertaining to an event includes providing a rule trie comprising multiple nodes, wherein match conditions must be met to trigger a given rule, and each match condition corresponds to a different node. An attribute trie is provided for a string attribute, which includes a node sequence having a value. The string attribute is extracted from the event and also has a value. The value of the extracted string attribute and the value of the node sequence are compared, by traversing a path extending along the node sequence. Responsive to determining that the values of the extracted string attribute and the node sequence are the same, notice is provided that the match condition of a particular node of the rule trie has been met by an attribute of the received event.
US08732205B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to determining a universal device identifier (UDID) for a client device, based on multiple service-dependent identifiers (SDIDs) used by client applications, websites, or other services to identify the client device. SDID types are prioritized with pre-assigned weights. A received SDID causes a single database read to access all other SDIDs, and any existing UDID(s) associated with the client device. A final UDID is created or selected based on the SDID weights. The database is updated in a sequence that enables self recovery of a prior UDID in case of database error during update. First, any non-selected UDID records are updated with the final UDID. Next, lower weighted SDID records are updated. The final UDID record is updated. The highest weighted SDID record is updated last, to preserve the prior UDID as long as possible in case of update error, which aborts the remaining update.
US08732197B2
A document taxonomy alignment system and method, relying on document glosses and utilizing a soft ontology expansion. An all-new hierarchical leaf node can be created expressly for the purpose of better aligning the plurality of document taxonomies in question. A small but valuable subset of the nodes created by soft ontology expansion turn out to capture some otherwise unmappable taxonomy nodes, and thereby have the effect of classifying the documents better than would any pre-existing node in any one of those taxonomies.
US08732193B2
Various aspects described or referenced herein are directed to different methods, systems, and computer program products relating to multi-media management and streaming techniques implemented over a computer network. In one embodiment, a Multi-Media Management and Streaming (MMMS) System may be configured or designed to provide online users with “location based” streaming radio functionality. Users from different geographic locations may access a variety of MMMS System GUIs to search for, create, and/or share customized streaming radio stations which may be configured to identify and play/stream music associated with one or more artists/bands, songs, venues, and/or events.
US08732192B2
In a method for searching for a previously visited web page, a first computer receives a plurality of search parameters from a second computer. The plurality of search parameters include a parameter identifying a characteristic of an element of a previously visited web page and a parameter identifying a weight of confidence in a recollection of a user that the element has the characteristic. The first computer searches for the characteristic of the element in a database including one or more characteristics of elements of indexed web pages. The first computer finds a match between the characteristic of the element and a characteristic of an element of an indexed web page of the indexed web pages. The first computer creates a list including an identification of the indexed web page. The first computer sends the list to the second computer.
US08732179B2
The embodiments described herein generally relate to a local mass storage device that provides a suggested read list of digital data to a host device. In one embodiment, a method is provided in which a local mass storage device receives a request from a host device for a suggested read list of digital data stored in the local mass storage device. The local mass storage device creates the suggested read list and provides the suggested read list to the host device. In this embodiment, the local mass storage device is managed by the host device using a logical block addressing protocol.
US08732176B2
One embodiment provides a computer system for detecting associations between a reviewer and an entity under review. During operation, the system estimates a relationship strength between the reviewer and the entity under review, and determines whether the relationship strength between the reviewer and the entity under review exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US08732175B2
Media objects, such as images or soundtracks, may be ranked according to a new class of metrics known as “interestingness.” These rankings may be based at least in part on the quantity of user-entered metadata concerning the media object, the number of users who have assigned metadata to the media object, access patterns related to the media object, and/or a lapse of time related to the media object.
US08732165B1
Image galleries are automatically located within documents, such as web pages. Documents that are determined to contain image galleries may be treated differently when storing the document for later retrieval by an image search engine. In one implementation, the image galleries are automatically located within a document by calculating position information indicating relative positions of images in the document. The document may be determined to contain an image gallery when the position information indicates that the images in the document are generally evenly distributed.
US08732159B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for receiving an indication of a defined outer join to enable obtaining a first database table at a first database and a second database table at a second database; sending a first request to the first database to obtain the first database table; sending a second request to the second database to obtain the second database table; receiving, in response to the first and second requests, each of the first and second database tables; performing an outer join on the received first and second database tables, the outer join forming an output database table; and providing the output database table.
US08732153B1
A method includes receiving search queries. Images are generated that represent the volume of each search query relative to all search queries over a period of time. The images are processed to generate wavelets for each image. Related queries having similar increases or decreases in volume are identified by comparing at least some of the wavelets corresponding to a first query to wavelets corresponding to other queries.
US08732147B2
Data collections on a mobile device may be user-defined to include various types of objects including any combination of apps, contacts, email subscriptions, data feeds, and so on. A user interface associated with the data collection includes representations of the various objects associated with the data collection and representations of broadcast data received in association with the objects associated with the data collection.
US08732145B1
Embodiments of a computer system, a method, and a computer-program product (e.g., software) for use with the computer system are described. These embodiments may be used to generate an application description of one or more data-described applications that provides one or more functions in a virtual environment on a portable electronic communication device, such as a cellular telephone. This application description may be based at least in part on a schema that defines one or more fields, one or more formats and/or one or more sequences of data. Using the application description, a given data-described application may interpret data in the virtual environment. Moreover, by compiling the schema with the appropriate data to describe an application, the application running on a virtual environment can support multiple models and configurations of the portable electronic communication device.
US08732143B2
Concepts and technologies are described herein for reducing locking during database transactions without using a cache. In accordance with the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a server application generates a changeset in response to receiving an operation for modifying base data stored in a database. The changeset is stored as a set of tables that are stored at the database with the base data, and include a first table reflecting records in the base data that have been created and/or modified by the operations. The changeset further can include a second table reflecting records in the base data that have been deleted by the operations.
US08732135B1
Restoring a backup from a deduplication vault storage. In one example embodiment, a method of restoring a backup from a deduplication vault storage includes various steps. First, entries in a list of unique blocks in a backup of a source storage at a point in time are ordered according to locations of corresponding unique blocks as stored in a vault storage. Then, the corresponding unique blocks are read in the order from the vault storage. Next, communication is established between the vault storage and a restore storage. Then, the corresponding unique blocks are stored in the restore storage.
US08732133B2
A system and method for data deduplication is presented. A deduplication system includes a plurality of data deduplication nodes; and a data deduplication control node communicatively coupled to the plurality of data deduplication nodes. The deduplication control node performs the operations of performing data deduplication operations at a deduplication system having one or more deduplication nodes at which deduplication data blocks are stored; monitoring a performance characteristic of the deduplication system; and adding an additional deduplication node to the deduplication system when the performance characteristic indicates performance of the system below a predetermined minimum.
US08732126B2
A method and apparatus for capturing database system workload and replaying that workload in a database system is provided. According to one aspect, in order to subject a test database system to the same workload to which the production database system actually would be subjected, a database server in the production system captures and records workload that the database server receives from external entities. This captured workload is processed. Processes external to a database server in the test database system send the processed workload to that database server. As a result, the test database system is subjected to the same workload to which the production database system originally was subjected. The foregoing technique permits a database administrator to determine how the production database system will fare if the difference that is present in the test database system is introduced into the production database system.
US08732125B2
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for construction field management and operations with building information modeling. In certain embodiments, the invention provides systems for construction field management and operations, that include a central processing unit (CPU), and storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the CPU to: encode and map data structures and data sets received from Building Information Modeling software; select particular data structures and data sets relevant to at least one person associated with a construction project; transmit the selected data structures and data sets to a user terminal operated by the person; receive inputs made by the person to the selected data structures and data sets; and synchronize and update the data structures and data sets received from Building Information Modeling software based on the inputs received from the person.
US08732113B2
A degree of nonlinearity based on intra-wave frequency modulation is proposed here with the value substantially between 0 and 1. The degree of nonlinearity is used for obtaining the state rather than a system. The data required for defining the degree of nonlinearity is the state of the motion or the observed data. For a complicate state with more than one IMF containing prominent energy density, the degree of nonlinearity has also considered the amplitude variations. The combination of the intra-wave frequency modulation and the amplitude variation gives the Combined Degree of nonlinearity. With the definitions of degree of nonlinearity, the nonlinearity characteristic can be quantified, and the discussion of nonlinear effects could be conducted more precisely.
US08732112B2
System fault codes, component fault codes, and failure modes may be received at a system. A first level model comprising first level causal relationships and first level causal weights between the system fault codes and the component fault codes may be generated. A second level model comprising second level causal relationships and second level causal weights between the component fault codes and the failure modes may be generated. The first level model and the second level model may be combined to generate a model such as graphical model. One or more causal probabilities may be determined using the graphical model.
US08732092B2
The present disclosure describes a fund raising method and system wherein a provider produces discount cards containing information such as the manufacturer ID, the family code, and the value code. The information may appear on the card in the form of a bar code, a magnetic strip or by any other commonly recognized means. Representatives of an organization sell the discount cards to interested parties. When those parties present the discount cards at an enrolled retailer at the time of check-out, the card is read by the reader which is in communication with the retailer's payment system. The holder is then credited a pre-specified percentage of the sale at the time of sale and a percentage of the sale is set aside by the retailer. On a periodic basis, the amount set aside by the retailer is paid to the provider whereupon the provider pays a pre-specified portion of that amount to the organization.
US08732084B2
Methods, systems, and machine-readable media are disclosed for identification of an individual and evaluation of risk from doing business with that individual. In one embodiment a method of evaluating a risk from conducting business with an individual comprises receiving identity information related to the individual. The identity information includes information from an identity credential presented by the individual. The identity credential is validated based on the information from the identity credential and one or more positive databases. An identity of the individual is verified based on the identity information and the one or more positive databases. The identity information is screened against one or more negative databases indicating past losses to one or more entities. Results of the screening are reported based on one or more criteria of an entity considering doing business with the individual.
US08732079B1
Apparatus for coordinating a rule-based relationship between a bank, a vendor and a merchant is provided. The apparatus may include a vendor data platform, a vendor payment platform and a vendor clearing platform. The vendor data platform may receive a vendor name, a vendor identification number and vendor banking information and may this information into a third party database maintained by a third party. The vendor payment platform may receive the vendor identification number and a payment amount electronically associated with the vendor identification number without the banking information and transmit, to the third party, the vendor identification number and the payment amount. The vendor clearing platform may receive, from the third party, the payment amount and the banking information, and may transmit information to a clearing house. The information may initiate a transfer of funds into a vendor bank account.
US08732077B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products are defined for notifying customers, post-transaction of the ability to change payment form for the just completed transaction. In addition, the notification may include the advantages presented by the alternative payment forms and/or the optimal payment form for the completed transaction. Once notified, the customer may effortlessly and automatically change the payment form if so desired. If the payment form is changed to an interest-bearing payment form, such as a credit or loan account, the customer may be subsequently notified with an option to automatically and immediately pay-off the transaction amount using another customer account, such as a savings account, checking account or the like.
US08732072B2
The present invention relates to methods for allowing an account holder to easily customize the terms of an account such as a loan account, an asset account, a mortgage account, an insurance account, or a brokerage account. Exemplary embodiments of the invention allow the user to specify various preferred terms such as cost (e.g., APR and annual fee), rewards programs, card design, affiliates, credit line, and payment due date, among others. The financial service provider issuing the account, e.g., the issuing bank, may make the various available terms for the account easily accessible to the user, for example through an internet website or an automated phone system, enabling the user to easily specify his or her preferences. The customization methods may be applied to the process of opening a new account or customizing an existing account. The customization methods may dynamically update the available terms as the user begins to select his or her desired terms.
US08732070B2
The disclosed embodiments relate to information systems and to real-time processes residing on a computer system. More specifically, the disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for creating, monitoring, processing, and transforming the beneficial interests of one or more entities which issue two or more offsetting claim interests which are linked to changes in an endogenous or exogenous variable or index. Such offsetting interest claims will be subject to transformation by the system where system transformations will modify the relative entitlements.
US08732069B2
Systems and methods are provided which monitor trades entered into and cleared by counterparties, track the net and gross positions of counterparties and the counterparties' parent entities, trigger warnings when counterparties or their parent entities exceed a warning limit, and shut-off counterparties' trading ability when counterparties exceed a credit limit. An operator of a credit system using these systems and methods is provided with a variety of interfaces through which the operator can set up new counterparties, search a list of counterparties, view and edit basic information for counterparties, view financial information for counterparties, view and edit notes regarding to counterparties, view and edit limits of counterparties, view position versus limit information for counterparties, view the current day's position information for counterparties, and view cumulative position information for counterparties.
US08732068B2
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for the creation of enhanced securities. Enhanced bonds are backed by the security of a credit default swap contract without the need for separate purchase thereof. Building on this approach, multi-obligor securities can also be credit enhanced to provide a single security reflecting the position of the multi-obligor securities and a backing credit default swap contract.
US08732066B2
A seller server receives an offer which specifies a type of product (e.g. a seat on a flight), at least one condition (e.g. destination and date of departure), and an offer price specified by a buyer. The seller server also receives an associated payment identifier that specifies a financial account, such as a credit card account. The payment identifier essentially “guarantees” the offer in that the seller may receive payment from the financial account even if the buyer attempts to renege. The seller determines whether to accept the offer, based on various factors such as the offer price and the availability of appropriate products to satisfy the conditions of the offer. If the offer is accepted, payment is provided to the seller using the payment identifier.
US08732063B2
Methods and Systems for routing an indication of interest message are provided in which one or more external trade messaging systems are monitored to discover and collect information related to a trading posture of a plurality of trading counterparties. The information related to the trading posture of the plurality of trading counterparties is stored in a database and accessed, upon receipt of an indication of interest message to intelligently route the indication of interest message to at least one of the plurality of trading counterparties based at least in part on the information regarding the trading posture of the plurality of trading counterparties stored in the database.
US08732049B2
Object oriented design strategies and patterns are applied to financial data processing systems for processing and modeling of financial products (also referred to as financial instruments) with an emphasis being on derivative products. The system employs valuation independent, well-defined financial components (also referred to as financial events) that can be combined to build new financial structures. A general purpose software model is provided for representing the structure and characteristics of these products. A declarative specification language is provided to describe financial instruments in a consistent manner that lends itself to processing in such an object oriented system. A general traversal process is provided that can be applied to the macro structure of a financial instrument to implement various functions that produce results based on such information, such as the stream of financial events associated with the instrument, or the pricing or valuation of the instrument.
US08732046B1
A method for managing business rigor for a financial institution includes receiving business rigor data based on activities to implement a plurality of core products. A performance table, unit cost report, and summary report are created or updated based on the business rigor data. The performance table may include data based on an analysis of the business rigor data; the unit cost report may include a cost report based on the performance table data; and the summary report may include a report based on the unit cost report. The summary report is presented in order to improve the business rigor data.
US08732022B2
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which relate to securing payments from a mobile communications device. In exemplary embodiments, a mobile communications device communicates with a payment server via a point-of-sale device to conduct a transaction. The mobile communications device uses a client payment logic to send payment information to the point-of-sale device. The point-of-sale device uses a vendor payment logic to forward the payment information to the payment server. The payment server verifies the payment information and sends confirmation to the point-of-sale device.
US08732019B2
An embodiment is directed to a non-expanding advertisement that displays a video loop or a portion of a video within the advertisement. If the user interacts with the advertisement, the entire video is played within the advertisement without expanding. The user is not given the option to stop or pause the video. In addition, since the advertisement does not expand, the user is not given the option to close the video, ensuring that a complete view of the video is delivered to the user.
US08732015B1
Processes for determining predicted prices of social media actions from disparate social media types are disclosed. In one example process, campaign attribute data associated with an advertising campaign on a social media service may be received. The campaign attribute data and historical campaign attribute data associated with previously performed advertising campaigns may be used to generate a plurality of predicted prices for the social media action. A weighted sum of the plurality of predicted prices may be calculated to generate a final predicted price for the social media action. Predicted prices for other social media actions performed on other social media services may similarly be generated. Systems and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for performing these processes are also provided.
US08732014B2
A system and method for automatically classifying ads into a taxonomy of categories, the method including: extracting text features from ad images using OCR (optical character recognition) techniques; identifying objects of interest from ad images using object detection and recognition techniques in computer vision; extracting text features from the web-page of the advertiser to which the user is re-directed when clicking the ad; training statistical models using the extracted features mentioned above as well as advertiser attributes from a historical dataset of ads labeled by human editors; and determining the relevant categories of unlabeled ads using the trained models.
US08732002B2
In order to reward a consumer for trying or learning about a product, the customer is given a unique identification number, preferably an unvalidated ATM readable card, and instructions for completing a test or survey by telephone or on the Internet. Upon successful completion of the test by the consumer, the identification number is validated so that the consumer may withdraw a cash reward from a temporary bank account funded when the identification number is validated via an ATM. Where the consumer is the patient of a physician, the patient may receive the number and card from the physician along with a prescription for redemption at a pharmacy whereat the pharmacy dispenses a supply of the drug to the patient and is paid by the manufacturer of the drug through the former's insurance payment processing system.
US08732000B2
Method for determining toll fees for vehicles in a road toll system including vehicle-onboard units and positionally distributed beacons capable of communicating with the onboard units via radio signals. The method includes: providing a toll fee level and a validity time frame; retrieving an identifier of the onboard unit, the toll fee level and the validity time frame from the onboard unit as a data record; resetting the toll fee level, if the validity time frame has expired; increasing the toll fee level and storing the updated data record in the onboard unit and the beacon; transmitting a request for deletion of stored data records for this identifier to other beacons; transmitting the data record from the beacon to the central station, if no deletion request for the data record arrives within the validity time frame; and deleting the data record in the beacon.
US08731992B1
Methods and apparatus for evaluating geographic market opportunity are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention provide scaled market index values that indicate relative market opportunity among geographic statistical areas. Data can be gathered from both internal sources and public sources and the data from the two types of sources can merged to create summarized data corresponding to the geographic statistical areas of interest. A linear regression can be used to determine a scoring equation and average revenue per market. The scoring equation takes into account a plurality of market variables. In example embodiments of the invention, a raw market index is calculated for each geographic statistical area using the scoring equation and the average revenue. A scaled market index can be produced for each geographic statistical area using the raw market index.
US08731989B2
Project management systems and methods to streamline project planning, task management, time management, and other similar applications. The method includes filing a request to start a project on a project management system. The method further includes receiving notice that role handlers have been assigned to a plurality of tasks required to complete the project. The method further includes performing at least one task of the plurality of tasks. The method further includes receiving notice that the at least one task has been reviewed by at least one of the assigned role handlers.
US08731988B2
A migration system and method. The migration method comprises receiving a request to generate a migration plan for an entity and generating a strategic plan comprising procedures for transferring knowledge required for performing job functions comprised by a first set of individuals to a second set of individuals and defining a set of temporary individuals to perform a transition management process. Additionally, an allocation plan and a ramping down plan are generated. The allocation plan is for allocating the set of temporary resources to the entity for the transition management process and allocating the second set of individuals for the transferring. The ramping down plan is for ramping down to close out the set of temporary individuals based on external data. The resource migration plan is for supporting the entity.
US08731975B2
A system and method are disclosed herein for maintaining an inventory of assets located at an insured property covered under an insurance policy based on data received from IP-addressable devices located at the property. The system includes an inventory database for storing inventory information about assets located at an insured property, a communication interface for receiving registration and operational data associated with an IP-addressable device, and a business logic computer. The business logic computer creates a data structure for storing inventory information about assets located at the insured property in the inventory database for each insured property. The business logic computer determines, for the insured property, the inventory information about the insured property's assets based on registration and operational data received from its IP-addressable devices located at the property. The business logic computer stores the insured property's inventory information in its associated data structure in the inventory database.
US08731958B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses to facilitate administering of medication.
US08731954B2
Techniques for implementing Quality Assurance of the process of coding medical documents are disclosed. An audit of a coding process for a medical document is initiated by selecting and setting audit parameters. Using the selected parameters, a sample batch of coded documents is obtained from a universe of coded documents. The sample batch of coded documents is presented to auditor(s), and the auditor(s) provide corrections, which are recorded, and a score for each correction is calculated. A sample score, based on the corrections, is calculated in a manner that tracks to subjective auditor assessments of the process quality as being acceptable, marginally acceptable, or unacceptable, and which sample score accounts for the individual auditor subjectivity and an error.
US08731953B2
An electronic account links an electronic address to a physical address of a customer. Services provided to the customer using the electronic account can be delivered to the physical address or the electronic address of the customer. If the customer requests to receive only physical mail, the link between the addresses can be used to deliver any electronic mail to the physical address of the customer.
US08731952B2
A method and apparatus provides information to enhance at least one of: a sales, a service and an administrative transaction by communicating with a plurality of applications from a group of applications in accordance with rule information and based on at least two of the received: end user identification information, client identification information and transaction type information. In one example, the apparatus includes a rules engine, an application integrator, an integration and presentation module, and an integrated user interface. The rules engine causes the application integrator to communicate with a plurality of applications in accordance with the rule information, and at least two of: the end user identification information, the client identification information, and the transaction type information. The application integrator then generates integrated output information received from the plurality of applications to produce the integrated user interface that includes output from the plurality of applications. Based on end user input, the integrated user interface then provides interactive user response information to the application integrator which passes the interactive user response information to the rules engine. The rules engine then determines which of at least one additional supporting application of available applications to use in a next stage of the transaction, which may be the same as or different applications from the plurality of applications. The application integrator then communicates with the additional supporting applications and accordingly updates the integrated output information on the integrated user interface to include output from the at least one additional supporting application.
US08731946B2
In frame-based bit stream formats the data required for decoding a current frame are usually stored within the data section for that frame. One exception is the mp3 bit stream where data for a current frame is stored in previous frames. If the decoder did not receive the required previous frame, decoding of the current mp3 frame is skipped. The invention can be applied for such bit streams, in an archival mode, a streaming mode and a sample-exact cutting of an archival mode. In the streaming and cutting modes, new headers are established. The number of frames required for initializing the decoder status is signalized in the header, as well as a consistency check value in the streaming mode. These frames are used for decoder initialization but not for decoding samples or coefficients. For a sample-exact cutting, for the frame at which the cut shall occur, the number of samples or coefficients to be muted is also indicated in the header. The invention can be applied for the hd3 audio file format for lossless extension of an mp3 bit stream.
US08731939B1
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving a voice query at a mobile computing device and generating data that represents content of the voice query. The data is provided to a server system. A textual query that has been determined by a speech recognizer at the server system to be a textual form of at least part of the data is received at the mobile computing device. The textual query is determined to include a carrier phrase of one or more words that is reserved by a first third-party application program installed on the computing device. The first third-party application is selected, from a group of one or more third-party applications, to receive all or a part of the textual query. All or a part of the textual query is provided to the selected first application program.
US08731935B2
A method, system, and computer program product for issuing an alert in response to detecting a content of interest in a conference. A listening logic comprising multiple conference engines monitors speakers, topics, and words spoken during a conference. A speech-to-text engine monitors the conference and records a transcription. A word emphasis engine monitors the transcription for key words. A voice identification engine monitors the live conversation and the recorded transcript, in real time, for a particular individual to begin speaking. An outline engine may create an outline of transcription. The listening device may issue an alert upon detecting a content of interest in the conference. The listening device may additionally display an outline or a selected portion of the transcript regarding a particular content of interest to inform a user of the listening device of a portion of content of the conference that may have been missed.
US08731931B2
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for speech synthesis. A system practicing the method receives a set of ordered lists of speech units, for each respective speech unit in each ordered list in the set of ordered lists, constructs a sublist of speech units from a next ordered list which are suitable for concatenation, performs a cost analysis of paths through the set of ordered lists of speech units based on the sublist of speech units for each respective speech unit, and synthesizes speech using a lowest cost path of speech units through the set of ordered lists based on the cost analysis. The ordered lists can be ordered based on the respective pitch of each speech unit. In one embodiment, speech units which do not have an assigned pitch can be assigned a pitch.
US08731928B2
A phonetic vocabulary for a speech recognition system is adapted to a particular speaker's pronunciation. A speaker can be attributed specific pronunciation styles, which can be identified from specific pronunciation examples. Consequently, a phonetic vocabulary can be reduced in size, which can improve recognition accuracy and recognition speed.
US08731921B2
A frame erasure concealment technique for a bitstream-based feature extractor in a speech recognition system particularly suited for use in a wireless communication system operates to “delete” each frame in which an erasure is declared. The deletions thus reduce the length of the observation sequence, but have been found to provide for sufficient speech recognition based on both single word and “string” tests of the deletion technique.
US08731916B2
Noise and channel distortion parameters in the vectorized logarithmic or the cepstral domain for an utterance may be estimated, and subsequently the distorted speech parameters in the same domain may be updated using an unscented transformation framework during online automatic speech recognition. An utterance, including speech generated from a transmission source for delivery to a receiver, may be received by a computing device. The computing device may execute instructions for applying the unscented transformation framework to speech feature vectors, representative of the speech, in order to estimate, in a sequential or online manner, static noise and channel distortion parameters and dynamic noise distortion parameters in the unscented transformation framework. The static and dynamic parameters for the distorted speech in the utterance may then be updated from clean speech parameters and the noise and channel distortion parameters using non-linear mapping.
US08731912B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for audible alert tones are disclosed. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of determining whether audio input data received after ceasing output of a first instance of an audible alert tone includes voice activity and determining whether to delay a successive instance of the audible alert tone based on determining whether the audio input data includes voice activity.
