US08894715B2

A knee joint prosthesis assembly according to the present disclosure can include a femoral component, a unitary tibial component, a medial bearing, and a lateral bearing. The femoral component can have a medial and a lateral condyle portion connected by a patellar track portion. The femoral component can form an opening between the medial and lateral condyles. The unitary tibial component can have a medial portion that includes a first posterior engagement lip and a first outer securing lip. The tibial component can further include a lateral portion that includes a second posterior engagement lip and a second outer securing lip. The medial bearing can have a first posterior groove formed thereon that selectively engages the first posterior engagement lip and a first outer groove that selectively engages the first outer securing lip.
US08894706B2

An intraocular lens for implantation into a human eye is described. The lens has at least one aspheric surface configured with non-prolate profile to maintain lens optical advantage as compared with equivalent power spherical lens within realistic clinical condition of lens tilt and decentration.
US08894703B2

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for endovascularly delivering and releasing a prosthesis, e.g., an aortic prosthesis, within and/or across a patient's native heart valve, referred to hereinafter as replacing the patient's heart valve. In some embodiments the delivery system comprises a plurality of first actuatable element adapted to engage a plurality of second elements in a first configuration to capture the implant within the delivery system, and wherein the plurality of first actuatable element are adapted to engage the plurality of second elements in a second configuration and to release the implant from the delivery system.
US08894699B2

Methods and apparatus for anastomosis of a lumen according to various aspects of the present invention operate in conjunction with an impermeable stent. The impermeable stent may comprise a scaffold and, if needed, a sealant, such as a membrane and/or adhesive. In one embodiment, the scaffold, membrane and/or adhesive comprise biocompatible materials suitable for bio-absorption and/or degradation.
US08894698B2

Thermal therapy pads for providing a temperature controlled therapy to a portion of a patient's body. The pad includes an inner surface and an outer surface that define a tortuous path for the fluid flow throughout the pad. The pad receives a temperature controlled fluid from a pumping unit via an inlet, and the fluid circulates throughout the pad before being returned to the cooling unit via an outlet. The pads are configured to conform to the shape of the portion of the body receiving the therapy. One such pad is a convertible vest that has one configuration that covers the upper torso and another configuration that covers the back and arms. Another such pad wraps around the wrist after being secured at the thumb. Another pad conforms to the face of the patient.
US08894694B2

A locking plate system includes a locking plate having a screw hole with an inner diameter and internal threads, and a slot formed in a top surface of the locking plate adjacent the screw hole. The system includes a screw guide having a main body including an upper end and a lower end, and an attachment flange projecting from the lower end of the main body for insertion into the slot. The screw guide includes a central opening having an inner diameter that matches the inner diameter of the screw hole. The system includes a locking screw having external threads extending along the length thereof. The external threads have an outer diameter that matches the inner diameter of the central opening of the screw guide. The locking screw is insertable into the central opening of the screw guide for being directed into the screw hole.
US08894692B2

A method for stabilizing a spine includes providing a coupling element having upper and lower ends, a rod receiving opening adapted to receive an elongated stabilizing rod, a bore extending through the lower end and a seat surrounding the bore adjacent the lower end; providing a fastener having upper and lower ends, a head having a radial surface, and at least one anchoring element between the lower end of the fastener and the head; assembling the fastener with the coupling element; anchoring the fastener to bone; moving the coupling element relative to the fastener for capturing the elongated stabilizing rod in the rod receiving opening; and urging the captured stabilizing rod toward the head of the fastener so that the rod contacts the head and forces the radial surface of the head against the seat.
US08894690B2

A bone anchor assembly for coupling an offset bone anchor with a previously inserted spinal fixation element and method of use is provided. Exemplary embodiments of a bone anchor assembly are particularly suited for use in a rod-first spinal surgical technique in which a bone anchor inserted into a patient vertebra may be separated from a previously inserted spinal fixation element by a separation distance.
US08894682B2

Embodiments for a device, system and method for occluding an opening in a septum. Embodiments of the device can include a first control component, a first elongate member that extends from the first control component, a second elongate member, a connecting member that positions the first elongate member adjacent the second elongate member and a retraction member releasably coupled to the first control component. The retraction member can be used to change a relative position of the first elongate member and the second elongate member of the device.
US08894678B2

A dermatological skin treatment device is provided. The device comprises a handpiece and a cutting tool, wherein the tool is inserted through the conduit and percutaneously inserted into a tissue disposed within a recessed area of the handpiece. The device and method cut the fibrous structures under the skin that cause cellulite at an angle substantially parallel to the surface of the skin and replace these structures with a non-cellulite forming structure by deploying a highly fibrous mesh through a single needle hole to create a highly fibrous layer directly or through wound healing processes.
US08894677B2

The spacer serves for limiting the depth of insertion of a shaft of a medical instrument into a body of a patient. The spacer has a distal abutment for bearing on a body of a patient. The spacer has a spacer element extending along a length section of the shaft of the medical instrument. A device for releasably mounting the spacer on the shaft has an aperture via which the spacer can be mounted laterally to the shaft. For it the aperture is designed as a lateral slit aperture.
US08894676B2

A cutting implement includes a first tubular portion and a second tubular portion. Each tubular portion is hollow and includes a blade element at a distal end. The blade element helps define an aperture that allows access to the interior hollow portion of the tubular portion. A ligament graft element is threaded through the aperture of each tubular portion and the respective tubular portions are interoperated to cut the ligament graft.
US08894672B2

A cutting implement includes a V-shaped blade portion that defines an aperture through which a quadriceps tendon may pass as a doctor harvests the tendon through a minimally invasive procedure.
US08894663B2

The invention relates to an apparatus for displacing tissue within the body, wherein the apparatus includes two or more attachment members selectively displaceable with respect to each other via a driving member. The driving member preferably is rotatable and is caused to rotate by a magnetic actuator that can be activated by a magnetic field from outside the body.
US08894658B2

A stylet-guided balloon vertebroplasty system, as well as methods for bone augmentation using same are provided. In certain embodiments, a pre-curved stylet with an overlying delivery tube may be used to target an approximately centered target site within a bone structure, facilitating direction thereto of an expandable member useful for creating a cavity that may receive curable material to restore bone height and/or to reinforce the bone structure.
US08894657B2

A tool set for implanting bone screws in a human spine, followed by the implantation of a longitudinal connecting member into the bone screws includes a pair of independently mountable and manipulatable elongate guide tools that form a unitary tool guide when desired. Each guide tool includes attachment structure for independent operable connection of the guide tool to an arm of the bone screw. The bone screw/guide tool attachment includes an undercut and/or recess so as to resist separation of the guide tool member from an attached bone screw. Further tools include a removable stabilizer, a cooperating bone screw driver with an attached stabilizer, a closure starter/reduction tool, a closure driver and a counter torque tool.
US08894646B2

An apparatus treats tissue at or near a sphincter. The apparatus has an elongated member having at least one lumen including an inflation lumen, and a basket assembly including a first and a second arm. An inflatable member is coupled to the inflation lumen and has a deployed and a non-deployed state. In the deployed state, the inflatable member expands the basket assembly into contact with tissue. At least one of the first and second arms of the basket assembly has a fluid lumen having an aperture for conveying a fluid from the basket assembly. A source of fluid is coupled to the fluid lumen for conveyance of fluid through the aperture. The fluid can be, e.g., an electrolytic solution, and/or an anti-infection agent, and/or an echogenic media, and/or a steroid, and/or an anesthetic, and/or a medicament, and/or a tissue cooling agent. The source can be a drug delivery device.
US08894645B2

A drive unit for a rotatable high-frequency electrode of a medical resector for cutting, ablating, or coagulating human or animal tissue includes an engine device for generating a rotation movement and a coupling device for transmitting the rotation movement generated by the engine device to an axis coupled with the rotatable high-frequency electrode when the drive unit is coupled with the medical resector. The drive unit is configured to provide on the coupling device a rotation frequency in a range from 10 rpm to 200 rpm.
US08894639B2

According to some embodiments, a method of treating a subject having diabetes or symptoms associated with diabetes is provided. The method includes delivering a neuromodulation catheter within a vessel (e.g., hepatic artery) having surrounding nerves that innervate the liver (e.g., sympathetic nerves of the hepatic plexus). The method may also include modulating (e.g., disrupting, ablating, stimulating) the nerves by mechanical compression, energy delivery, or fluid delivery.
US08894631B2

A drug infusion system includes an infusion pump; an input device; and a processor, the input device and processor configured to allow an operator to make a selection that specifies a combination of a plurality of drugs to be delivered to a patient, the input device and processor further configured to allow the operator to enter the weight of the patient, at least one of the plurality of drugs delivered based on the entered weight of the patient.
US08894630B2

A device, a system, or a method is described for treating a disease or a condition of one or more joints of articulating bone in a mammalian subject. The device provides one or more medicaments to one or more joints of the mammalian subject. A device is described that includes one or more substrates configured to contact one or more body contours in proximity to one or more joints of articulating bone of a mammalian subject; one or more sensors configured to monitor movement of the one or more body contours; and one or more applicators supported by the one or more substrates and configured to respond to the movement of the one or more body contours by injecting one or more medicaments to the one or more joint tissues of the mammalian subject.
US08894624B2

The present invention is directed towards a method and apparatus for packaging or containing, handling and managing of a variety of materials or other contents from a variety of sources which encounter use under various dynamic applications, conditions and for a plurality of purposes. The invention more specifically is directed towards one or more containers or packages, suitably fitted or used for the handling or managing of materials or other contents along one or more cycles or chains of use. The one or more packages or other containers described herein are intended for and/or used in one or more interconnections or associations with not only the “initial purpose” filling, transport, storage, dispensing, pouring, using, releasing of sterile or other fluids or material contents, but also used in association with, and for carrying out, the additional delivering and receiving of said fluids or materials, and receiving and delivering of said fluids or materials via an ingress and egress, by a variety of ways, for a variety of functions and for a plurality of purposes.
US08894621B2

The invention relates to a self-destructing transdermal therapeutic system (TTS), preferably in the form of a transdermal patch, that includes an active ingredient, an agent rendering the active ingredient useless, and a perforation mechanism. The perforation mechanism allows a mobile phase to reach the agent that is capable of rendering the active ingredient useless after removing the TTS after use. The agent then comes into contact with the active ingredient and destroys the active ingredient in the presence of the mobile phase.
US08894619B2

The present disclosure concerns an indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, particularly for insulin or other liquid preparations, particularly for multiple injection administration of set doses of a medicine from an exchangeable container, for example for the self-application of insulin by diabetes patients. An indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, having an assembly of at least two barrels movably coupled to each other has an indication barrel mounted on the driving barrel contains only marking on its external surface and is co-axially connected to the pull-push control nut.
US08894616B2

A method and apparatus are disclosed for a stabilization device for maintaining a position of a medical device relative to a body surface of a patient. The stabilization device comprises a support portion that defines a groove for receiving the medical device. The groove is structured to allow for positioning of the medical device at a plurality of angles relative to the body surface of the patient. The groove has opposing wall portions for securing the medical device.
US08894615B2

An introducer sheath and methods of making the introducer sheath are described. The introducer sheath may include a hub portion and a tubular portion. The hub portion may include a substantially non-planar valve portion in a relaxed state. The valve portion may include an aperture configured to receive a medical device. A hub portion may be formed using a forming device. An aperture may be formed through a distal surface of the valve portion. A valve portion may be formed in a cap defining a cavity sized to elastically receive a proximal end of the hub portion.
US08894612B2

An infusion system includes a disposable wearable infusion device and a filler device. The disposable infusion device has a body arranged to be adhered to a patient's skin and a reservoir for holding a liquid medicant to be infused into the patient. The filler device is arranged to detachably receive the infusion device body and to transfer a volume of the liquid medicant to the infusion device reservoir. The filler device may be part of a service device arranged to detachably receive the infusion device and which also includes a cannula driver and a cannula for providing the infusion device with a cannula and deploying the cannula to beneath a patient's skin.
US08894608B2

A steroid delivery system including a mixing syringe having a first chamber and a second chamber and at least one hypodermic needle is provided. The first chamber of the mixing syringe contains a pre-measured volume of a local anesthetic and the second chamber contains a pre-measured volume of a corticosteroid. An improved mixing syringe and a method for treating pain using the steroid delivery system of the present invention is also provided herein. The improved syringe achieves mixing without the introduction or elimination of air and without puncturing or rupturing of a membrane, diaphragm or other material. The kit concept improves the speed of the procedure, sterility, accuracy of dosing, and immediate availability of disparate items to implement the procedure in a variety of medical practice settings.
US08894593B2

A massaging device includes a base part, vibrators configured to be brought into contact with target parts of a user and to massage the target parts with vibration, and springs each including a first end fixed to the base part and a second end attached to the corresponding one of the vibrators. The spring constants of the springs are set based on skin stress of the target parts.
US08894588B2

Provided is a guide wire, wherein a deformed portion formed by bending and/or curving the guide wire is located in the region of 20-100 mm from the tip in the longitudinal direction of the guide wire, and in the deformed portion, the shortest distance between the central axis in the longitudinal direction of the guide wire and a point that is the farthest in the direction perpendicular to the central axis is longer than or equal to the minimum inside diameter of a lumen of a catheter shaft of an ablation catheter with a balloon used in combination with the guide wire, and shorter than or equal to 40 mm.
US08894587B2

In a medical guide wire 1, a flexible core wire 2 is made of austenitic stainless steel wire treated with a solid solution procedure, and drawn with a whole cross sectional reduction ratio as 80%-97.6%. The core wire 2 and a helical spring body 3 are welded by a welding member 4. The welding member 4 is made of eutectic alloy having a melting temperature ranging from 180° C.-495° C. Upon welding the helical spring body 3 to the core wire 2 which is made of the stainless steel metal, the procedure prevents the medical guide wire 1 from sacrificing its mechanical strength by significantly reducing the thermal influence on the core wire 2 and the helical spring body 3.
US08894577B2

A method of monitoring health parameters of subjects within a defined space and over a period of time includes collecting first data corresponding to a physiological parameter of an ambulatory subject, collecting second data corresponding to a behavioral and cognitive parameter of the ambulatory subject, collecting third data corresponding to an identity and a location of the one of the subjects, collecting fourth data corresponding to the one of the ambulatory subjects from third party sources, generating a data record for the one of the ambulatory subjects based upon the first, second, third, and fourth data, and outputting a modified data record, the modified data record containing portions of the data record, the portions selected based upon an access level of a person requesting the data record and a format of the modified data record selected based upon the access level and community needs.
US08894574B2

A tissue retractor device for retracting tissue includes a base and a plurality of blades connected to and distributed around said base. Each of the blades is outwardly movable from the base and includes a respective sloped portion on an interior region of the blades. The tissue retractor includes a pusher engaged to the base. A portion of said pusher abuts the sloped portion of each of the blades. Movement of the pusher in a longitudinal direction engages a portion of the pusher against said sloped portion of each of the blades to move the blades and angularly displace the blades between a respective closed position and an open position.
US08894572B2

The device for examining and surgically operating on body cavities, in particular the anal and vaginal cavities, comprises an elongate hollow body (2) exhibiting an insertion portion (3) for at least a partial insertion of the device (1) internally of the cavity and an open portion (4), through which the doctor or surgeon can operate. The hollow body (2) exhibits a longitudinal window (5) through which the pathological site of interest on the cavity wall can be isolated. The hollow body (2) exhibits, along the longitudinal window, a transversal section constituted by a curved sector, ends of which extend in a substantially parallel directions which diverge in such a way as to stretch the affected portion of cavity without invading the viewing space and/or the maneuvering space defined by the hollow body (2).
US08894570B2

A video laryngoscope has a handle and a groove on one side of the handle. The groove is used for guiding a guide wire when the larynogoscope is placed in a patient's mouth. A video camera located near the end of the handle is used to view the area around the glottis. When the guide wire is properly positioned near the glottis, the upper part of the guide wire is disengaged from the groove so as to allow an endotracheal tube to be slipped over the guide wire and to be inserted into part of the trachea through the glottis. When the tube is properly inserted for intubation, the guide wire is removed from the tube. An illuminating light source such as an LED lamp can be installed at the end of the handle to provide illumination for the video camera.
US08894569B2

An intubation system of the present disclosure intubates based on an airway pattern indicating a trachea opening. The airway pattern is determined from analysis of airway data detected by a trachea identifying device disposed on a moveable guide stylet of the intubation system. A navigation element is generated based on the airway pattern. In one embodiment, the airway pattern is a gas exchange pattern indicating a trachea opening. In another embodiment, the trachea opening transition pattern is a topographic pattern indicating a trachea opening. The guide stylet is capable of moving in a plurality of degrees of freedom in the airway following the guidance from the navigation element.
US08894549B2

An exercise device having a selectively adjustable footpad is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention describes a footpad whose angular orientation is adjustable by a cam having at least two support sides. The cam can be positioned between the footpad and a link arm. The cam can be rotatable about an axis with each support side being a different distance from the axis. The angle of the footpad can be adjusted by selectively rotating the cam so that the footpad is resting on different support sides of the cam.
US08894544B2

A system and method for minimizing torque disturbances during a shift event for an automatic transmission control actual transmission input shaft torque using a transmission input shaft signal produced by an input shaft torque sensor. The torque sensor provides a signal to a controller that monitors the measured transmission input torque. The torque sensor may be implemented by a strain gauge, a piezoelectric load cell, or a magneto-elastic torque sensor. The system may include a vehicle powertrain having an engine, a transmission coupled to the engine via a torque converter, an input torque sensor coupled to the input shaft of the transmission and a controller configured to control engine torque to cause the measured transmission input shaft torque to achieve a target transmission input shaft torque during the shift event.
US08894537B2

A bushing for use in a planetary gear system has a cylindrical body portion defining a bore extending along a central axis to be received on a planetary gear shaft. A tab extends axially beyond a nominal body portion of the bushing and is received in a notch in a thrust washer adjacent to the bushing to prevent rotation of the thrust washer. A gear cage and an air turbine starter incorporating the bushing, along with a method of installing the bushing are also disclosed.
US08894536B2

A transmission having four planetary gearsets, and shafts and shift elements. Sun gear of gearset (P1) couples shaft (5), which couples ring gear of gearset (P3) and is connectable via clutch (58) to shaft (8), which couples carrier of gearset (P2) and is connectable via clutch (78) to shaft (7), which couples sun gears of gearsets (P3, P4). Carrier of gearset (P1) couples the drive shaft, which couples ring gear of gearset (P2). Sun gear of gearset (P2) couples shaft (9), which is connectable via clutch (39) to shaft (3), which couples carrier of gearset (P3) and is connectable to housing (G) via brake (03). Carrier and ring gear of gearset (P4) couple, respectively output shaft and shaft (4), which is connectable to housing (G) via brake (04). The output shaft is connectable via clutch (26) to shaft (6), which couples ring gear of gearset (P1).
US08894532B2

An arrangement comprising at least one dog clutch which is shiftable for coupling and decoupling a shaft and a component at a transmission. An actuating piston (5) is disposed axially movable, at least to some extent, within the shaft for moving a shifting claw (9) of the dog clutch into a disengaged state and an engaged state. The actuating piston (5) can be pressurized, on both sides, with a pressurizing medium so that the actuating piston (5) can be hydraulically actuated in both directions of movement.
US08894531B2

A planetary gear train including: a first planetary gear set on a first shaft including a first sun gear operated as an output or fixed element, a first planet carrier operable as an output element, and a first ring gear operated as an input element; a second planetary gear set on a second shaft including a second sun gear connected to the first planet carrier, a second planet carrier, and a second ring gear engaging the first planet carrier and the first ring gear; a third planetary gear set on the second shaft including a third sun gear connected to the second ring gear, a third planet carrier engaging the second planet carrier and connected to an output gear, and a third ring gear engaging the first sun gear; three transfer gears; and frictional elements interconnecting the first, second, and third planetary gear sets and/or connecting a transmission housing.
US08894529B2

An example journal pin includes a generally cylindrical body disposed on an axis having a supply passage. A first chamber and a second chamber are disposed in the generally cylindrical body and are in fluid communication with the supply passage. A recess on an outer diameter of the cylindrical body is in fluid communication with the first chamber and the second chamber. The first chamber and second chamber are each radially outward of the supply passage and including an outlet to the recess. The first chamber and second chamber each have a first section radially inward of a second section. A cross sectional area of the second section is greater than a cross sectional area of the corresponding first section.
US08894524B2

A power transmission chain includes a plurality of link units which are aligned in a chain advancing direction, and each link unit includes a plurality of link plates which are aligned in a chain width direction W. The plurality of link plates include link plates which are punched out of a material by pressing to first and second specifications. A punching direction of the link plates to the first specification and a punching direction of the link plates to the second specification are made opposite to each other.
US08894523B2

A chainwheel has a chainwheel body, a first combining hole set and a second combining hole set. The chainwheel body has a center point. The first combining hole set has multiple first combining holes that are formed through the chainwheel body. The first distances between the first combining holes and the center point are equal. The second combining hole set has multiple second combining holes that are formed through the chainwheel body. The second distances between the second combining holes and the center point are equal. The second distance is longer than the first distance. Therefore, the chainwheel can be combined with crank modules of different sizes by the first combining holes and the second combining holes.
US08894522B2

A drive end block for a rotatable magnetron comprises a housing, which has a vacuum-tight rotary feedthrough extending through a wall of the housing, and a drive apparatus for generating a torque. An output end of the rotary feedthrough lies outside the housing for connection to the rotatable magnetron and a drive end of the rotary feedthrough lies inside the housing for introducing a torque. The drive apparatus is situated outside the housing of the drive end block and is connected using a torque transmission apparatus to the drive end of the rotary feedthrough so that the drive apparatus is electrically insulated from the housing and the rotary feedthrough of the drive end block.
US08894521B2

A power transmission device includes a belt-type continuously variable transmission; a first fluid pressure cylinder; a second fluid pressure cylinder; a pressure-adjustment and pressure-feed device; a fluid outflow/inflow device; and a control unit that controls the pressure-adjustment and pressure-feed device based on a fluid pressure that is obtained from a thrust that is required for the second pulley in accordance with a driving state and that, by controlling the pressure-adjustment and pressure-feed device in this manner, controls the fluid outflow/inflow device such that a gear ratio is varied within a permitted gear ratio range in accordance with the fluid pressure that is pressure-fed from the pressure-adjustment and pressure-feed device in conjunction with the pressure adjustment.
US08894518B2

A ball bat includes a hollow handle segment, a wooden barrel segment and a reinforcing segment. The handle segment has a handle section, a connecting section that has an outer diameter smaller than that of the handle section, and an abutment section that is disposed between the handle and connecting sections. The barrel segment has an abutment end section, a top end section that is opposite to the handle section of the handle segment, and an insertion hole that extends from the abutment end section toward the top end section. The connecting section is inserted into the insertion hole. The abutment end section abuts against the abutment section. The reinforcing segment is sleeved on the abutment end section.
US08894514B2

Arena Baseball Game system method of play includes base excessive force, no collision contact slide zones and describes a protective helmet apparatus for use by baseball fielders. The protective sport television or radio audio device means of communication equipped with display, GPS, infrared scan and sensors to monitor performance and physiological parameters. In operation one or more infrared sensor sits against skin of a user to measure his or her heart rate. In response to oscillation translation and/or rotation of the electronic sport device, portions of forces induced by the mass are transferred to the piezoelectric elements. Electrical energy output by these piezoelectric elements is received in a power controller and can be applied to the battery as self charging.
US08894505B2

A method relating to an improved fitting system for a golf club shaft is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention utilizes specific data gathered from the golfer's golf swing itself to determine the best performing golf club shaft for this particular golf swing. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to the utilization of infrared motion capturing cameras to record the location data of a golf club shaft throughout a swing. Based on the location data captured, one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics can be calculated to determine one or more preferred shaft characteristics. Using the preferred shaft characteristics, a shaft can be recommended for the golfer having this particular golf swing. The current inventive fitting methodology is preferred to the archaic fitting method of using data gathered from the result orientated ball flight data together with a tedious process of having to try numerous different shafts.
US08894495B1

A multi-part system utilizing an active-passive configuration of Near Field Communications (“NFC”) in order to facilitate the ability of a visually-impaired person to: (i) ascertain the specific rank and suit of a playing card; and (ii) maintain privacy of information regarding the identity of the card. The present invention comprises: (i) a passive “NFC Tag” that is embedded within a playing card and that is encoded with the information necessary to identify the rank and suit of the card; and (ii) an active “NFC Reader” that is disposed within a wearable sheath and is designed to receive and to relay the said information to a wearable earpiece; and (iii) a said earpiece that deploys a combination of hardware and software in order to convert the said information to an audible signal that identifies the card for a user of the invention.
US08894494B2

A system for allowing a user to remotely access a game includes: a game console; a remote console client configured to receive a game control signal; and a remote console server. The remote console server includes an audio and video encoder configured to receive an audio output and a video output from the game console and to convert the audio output and the video output to a network packet. The remote console server also includes: a game controller emulation unit and a network interface configured to send and receive the network packet. The game controller emulation unit is configured to receive a game controller signal from the game console and to send the game controller signal to the remote console client and to receive a game controller input from the remote console client and send the game controller input to the game console.
US08894482B2

Systems and methods for embedding and tracking revenue from fully operational games into third party websites are disclosed.
US08894478B1

An environmental improvement system for placement within a room bounded by a floor and a ceiling is provided herein. In one embodiment, the system comprises a duct system that extends through the open volume of the room from the floor to the ceiling. The duct system comprises a base unit at a first end terminating proximate the floor, a support unit at a second end terminating proximate the ceiling, and a duct connecting the base and support units. The base unit defines a first opening, and the support unit defines a second opening. At least one fan is disposed between the first and second openings and draws air from the room into and through the system and discharges the air from the system. The first and second openings are each adapted to selectively act as an intake opening or as a discharge opening.
US08894477B2

A display device including a case having a transparent window that forms one side of a first air flow path, a display unit including a display surface that faces the transparent window to form the other side of the first air flow path, a ventilator to supply air to the first air flow path, and a diffuser disposed at an exit of the first air flow path and having a cross-sectional area that is gradually increased.
US08894470B2

A counter-rotating polisher includes: an enclosure, an electric motor, a polishing arrangement and a counter-rotating arrangement. The electric motor is fixed to the enclosure and includes a driving axle. The polishing arrangement includes two polishing device. The polishing devices respectively include a fixed tray and a polishing material that are fixedly connected to an outside of the fixed tray. The fixed tray is perpendicular to the driving axle. The counter-rotating arrangement includes a first driving wheel, a second driving wheel and a change-direction wheel. The first driving wheel is connected to the driving axle and driven by the driving axle. The second driving wheel is fixedly connected to the second fixed tray. The change-direction wheel is connected to the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel. The driving axle rotates the first polishing material positively. The change-direction wheel reversely transmits the rotation to the second driving wheel.
US08894465B2

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a powered children's toy configured for movement along a support surface. According to various embodiments, the powered children's toy includes a drive system configured to impart a motive force on the children's toy that causes the toy to roll, bounce, shake, or otherwise move along an eccentric motion path when placed upon a support surface (e.g., a floor). Various embodiments of the drive system are configured to drive a rotating member about a movable rotation axis, thereby generating a varying motive force that causes eccentric movement along the support surface. This varying motive force assists in freeing the toy ball from obstacles encountered on a support surface (e.g., a wall or piece of furniture). In addition, the children's toy may include a power supply provided in a fixed position within the children's toy and configured for convenient user access.
US08894454B2

The disclosure relates to a module for producing electric power for a main ship, capable of supplying the power required to propel the main ship, the module being produced in the form of a secondary ship separate from the main ship and including a power plant, the secondary ship being provided with an electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection between the power plant and the main ship and a lock for interlocking with the main ship in order to secure the former from moving from the main ship, the electrical connector being suitable for supplying electric power to the propulsion motor of the main ship.
US08894450B2

A connector (10) includes a retainer (30) made of synthetic resin for mounting in a housing (11) at a partial locking position for permitting the insertion of a terminal fitting (20) into the housing (11) and at a full locking position for retaining the inserted terminal fitting (20). Locks (16, 35) are formed on the housing (11) and the retainer (30) and are engageable to hold the retainer (30) at the partial locking position. A pressure receiving surface (15) is formed on the housing (11) and is configured to restrict a movement of the retainer (30) toward the full locking position by pressing the retainer (30) in directions intersecting a moving direction of the retainer (30) from the partial locking position to the full locking position when the retainer (30) is at the partial locking position.
US08894442B2

A contact module includes a conductive holder and a frame assembly received in the conductive holder with receptacle signal contacts arranged in differential pairs. A ground shield is received in the conductive holder between the frame assembly and the conductive holder. The ground shield has a mounting end with ground pins extending from a mounting edge at the mounting end of the ground shield. Forces are imparted on the ground pins during coupling with a circuit board. The mounting end has a plurality of bearing surfaces proximate to the ground pins. The bearing surfaces engage at least one of the conductive holder and the frame assembly to transfer the forces between the ground shield and at least one of the conductive holder and the frame assembly.
US08894432B1

A connector assembly for fitment to a vehicle. The connector assembly includes a base unit for mounting to a vehicle and an expander unit. The expander unit is configured to attach to and detach from the base unit. The base unit includes a base connector face having at least two opposite edges and having therein a base connector and the expander unit includes an expander connector face having an expander connector. The expander connector is configured to connect with the base connector for communicating a signal therebetween when the expander unit is attached to the base unit. Two pins protrude from the base connector face. Two latch plates are mounted to the expander connector face. The pins and connector have relative positions matching the relative positions of the latch plates and connector so that, with the expander connector connected with the base connector, the pins pass through respective latch plates.
US08894430B2

Disclosed herein is an LED-based light for replacing a fluorescent bulb in a conventional fluorescent light fixture. The LED-based light includes a housing having a first end opposing a second end, a circuit board disposed within the housing and extending along a longitudinal axis of the housing, at least one LED mounted to the circuit board, at least one end cap disposed on one of the first and second ends of the housing, the end cap including a switch and at least one electrically conductive pin configured for physical and electrical connection to the light fixture; and circuitry configured to provide a current path between the at least one LED and the at least one electrically conductive pin, wherein the switch is configured to selectively disconnect the current path.
US08894429B2

A device for use with a printed circuit board, PCB, is provided. The device is arranged to electrically connect to a component on the PCB. The device comprises a first layer having a first hole therethrough and a second layer having a second hole therethrough. The second hole is arranged to receive a connector to connect the device to the PCB. Each of the first and second holes has a width in the plane of the respective first or second layer. The first and second holes are substantially coaxial. The width of the first hole is greater than the width of the second hole. Thus proper electrical clearance is provided between the component on the PCB an the device when the connector is not present.
US08894425B2

The invention relates to a connection system for connecting a single-row housing (12) to a terminal element (10), a terminal region (22) being provided on the single-row housing (12) for connecting the terminal element (10) to the single-row housing (12), the terminal region (22) being connected to a printed circuit board provided in the single-row housing (12). According to the invention, the terminal element (10) can be secured to the terminal region (22) by means of a plug contact (24).
US08894424B2

A solar panel assembly attachment apparatus is provided including a strut defining a generally U-shaped channel; an electrically conductive grounding clip; and a panel retainer. Upon insertion of the panel retainer into a housing receptacle of the clip, a clip slot and a panel body slot are aligned to allow passage of the portion of the solar panel frame. Advancing the solar panel frame through the aligned clip slot and panel body slot compresses a spring to secure the solar panel frame while barbs electrically connect and provide a ground to the solar panel frame.
US08894423B2

A contact includes a head, a tail including an opening, a body connected at one end thereof to the head and at another end thereof to the tail, a first lance and a second lance extending from the body, a dimple raised from the body, and a solder member attached to the tail such that the solder member engages at least a portion of the opening. The first lance and the second lance are arranged to deflect when the contact is inserted into a connector; and the first lance, the second lance, and the dimple are arranged to frictionally secure the contact to the connector.
US08894422B2

An electrical connector includes an insulative housing with a number of through holes extending therethrough, a number of contacts assembled to the insulative housing, and a number of solder balls disposed in the though holes and each is clasped by the tail and insulative housing. Each contact includes a vertical base portion secured to a first side of the through hole, a contact engaging arm extending from a top end of the base portion, and a solder portion extending from a bottom end of the base portion. The solder portion has a wave arrangement below the base portion and projecting from the base portion to a second side of the through hole which opposites to said first side, and a tail extending downwardly from the wave arrangement and capable of moving from the first side to the second side.
US08894418B2

A retractable contact assembly includes an outer casing having a first opening and a piston located in the first opening of the outer casing and moveable axially within the opening. The piston has a second opening. The assembly further includes an inelastic force generating device configured to control an axial movement of the piston and a contact located in the second opening of the piston and movable axially in the second opening of the piston. The assembly further includes an elastic force biasing device configured to provide an elastic force to the contact in an axial direction outward from the second opening.
US08894417B2

The present disclosure describes one or more systems, methods, routines and/or techniques for guiding a child (or other person) to perform tasks. The present disclosure may help children (or other people) perform various tasks (e.g., taking a shower) without a parent having to be present with the child during each task. One or more embodiments may describe a guidance device comprising a display and circuitry and/or computer code disposed in the guidance device. The display may show a figure with multiple parts. The guidance device may be operable to progress through multiple defined time segments. During each one of the multiple defined time segments, the guidance device may indicate one or more of the multiple parts of the figure that are associated with a sub-task that the user should perform. The guidance device may indicate completion progress of the time segment and the sub-task.
US08894413B2

A method, simulator and program for simulating vehicular movement based upon user input parameters related to simulation topology and simulation vehicles including, but not limited to linear vehicular density. The simulator generates the simulation topology having a simulation area using the user input parameters, places a plurality of simulation vehicles within the simulation area at an initial placement using at least two input parameters related to simulation vehicle and the generated simulation topology; and determines movement of the plurality of simulation vehicles starting with the initial placement using a plurality of movement models. Each of the plurality of simulation vehicles has mobility characteristics generated using the plurality of movement models. When vehicle moves outside the simulation area, the vehicle re-emerges at a location within the simulation area. The vehicle re-emerges with new movement characteristics.
US08894401B2

The present invention is on injection mold with cooling and heating passage which can form cooling and heating passage close to forming space in the inside of mold body and easily design cooling and heating passage in forming space with complicated trajectory. Injection mold with cooling and heating passage consists of lower mold and upper mold forming blowed forming space by combining said lower mold on the top of said lower mold, provided that said lower mold or said upper mold consists of mold body in which forming space is created on one side so that melted resin is injected and formed; connecting groove depressed towards said forming space from the opposite side of the side with said forming space created; and sealing kit which is inserted into said connecting groove in separation from the end of forming space of said connecting groove and creates cooling and heating passage 60) in said separated space.
US08894398B2

A modular plastic extrusion apparatus has several component parts. The design of the integration of those parts into a modular extrusion system is unique. Said design allows for rapid assembly, testing, disassembly and placement into production of extruded plastics. This modular plastic extrusion apparatus has several components with replaceable counterparts that, after one product line of a particular color has been extruded by the apparatus, enable the component parts used to produce the particular color extrusion to be removed from the apparatus and replaced with their clean counterparts to continue producing an extrusion product line of a different color while the removed components are cleaned off line.
US08894396B2

A pump apparatus including a drive shaft and a driven shaft supported by bearing members, respectively, a center plate, first external gears, second external gears, first and second side plates, first and second seal members, a pressing means for applying a pressing force between the tooth tips of the respective external gears and the seal surface of the respective seal members in a closing region disposed between the respective external gears and the respective seal members, wherein contact between inner circumferential surfaces of the bearing members and an outer circumferential surface of the drive shaft is established on the side of the closing region, while the tooth tips of the respective external gears and the seal surface of the respective seal members in the closing region are kept pressed against each other by the pressing means.
US08894393B2

An oil pump for a vehicle including a sealing apparatus is provided for preventing leakage of oil from the regulator chamber. The oil pump includes a sealing chamber formed between the outer ring and the housing, a sealing apparatus disposed in the sealing chamber, and an oil passage formed in the outer ring to facilitate a fluid communication of the sealing chamber with the regulator chamber. The sealing apparatus includes a contact portion, first and second sealing members. The first sealing member closely contacts the contact portion if the second sealing member is pushed by the hydraulic pressure of the regulator chamber supplied thereto through the oil passage, and thus prevents leakage of oil from the regulator chamber.
US08894387B2

An axial flow pump for a blood circulating pump for the circulation of blood, the rotor the rotor being constructed and arranged to impel blood in a downstream direction upon rotation of the rotor about its axis in a forward circumferential direction. The rotor is provided with hydrodynamic thrust bearing surfaces, each such thrust bearing surface being constructed and arranged to apply a hydrodynamic force to the rotor with a component of the force in the downstream direction upon rotation of the rotor in the forward circumferential direction.
US08894386B1

According to the present invention, there is provided a wind driven machine with a furling system to move the machine to between an active position and an inactive position in response to a predetermined condition. The wind driven machine includes a propeller section and a tail section, the tail section hinged to the propeller section to direct the propeller section into the wind. The furling system includes a first portion to rotate with one of the respective sections and a second portion that is generally rotationally fixed and moves axially between an active position and an inactive position corresponding to the active and inactive positions of the wind driven machine.
US08894384B1

A multi-piston motor/pump is disclosed particularly useful for air motor applications incorporating a cylinder block having a plurality of radially extending pistons and cylinders. Each cylinder is provided with a bronze insert at the top of the cylinder having an intake and exhaust port therein. Rotary valves are mounted on an output shaft and include axial flanges having openings therein that align with the input or exhaust openings in each cylinder. As the rotary valves rotate, the openings therein sequentially align with the input/exhaust ports provided in the bronze inserts such that air or fluid entering each cylinder enters axially of the cylinder. A center mounting plate is secured to the cylinder block and separates the input ports from the exhaust ports to enable fluid flow into the input ports and exhaust from the exhaust ports while isolating each port from the adjacent port in each cylinder.
US08894375B2

A blade for a stator in a torque converter including: a first blade segment connected to first inner and outer circumferential sections; a second blade segment, separately formed from the first blade segment, connected to second inner and outer circumferential sections, and including first and second portions; and a channel disposed between the first and second blade segments. In a circumferential direction, the first and second portions are separated by the channel.
US08894372B2

Systems, methods and devices adapted to ease installation of turbine bucket assemblies about a rotor and to reduce related stress concentrations in the rotor are disclosed. In one embodiment, an insert includes: a base portion adapted to complement an entry slot in a rotor of a turbine; and a neck portion extending radially outboard from the base portion, the neck portion adapted to complement a post of the rotor to form a substantially continuous dovetail about the rotor.
US08894366B2

This wheel comprises a plurality of vanes (2) arranged on a crown (3) and is equipped with a tip-forming member (10) attached to a central region (32) of the crown or hub of the wheel (1), radially inside the vanes (2), the crown defining a wet surface (31) for guiding a flow (E) passing between the vanes. The tip-forming member (10) is provided with at least one opening (121) for diverting a fraction (E1) of the flow towards the internal volume (V10) of this member. This member comprises a frustoconical annular skirt (11) and at least one fin (15) arranged in its internal volume (V10) and able to modify the path of the flow fraction (E1) entering this volume through the opening (121). This fin (15) extends as far as the edge (112) of the skirt (11) which defines an outlet opening (14) of the member (10) for the flow fraction (E1).
US08894364B2

An exemplary aerofoil blade for an axial flow turbomachine has a radially inner platform region, a radially outer tip region, an axially forward leading edge, and an axially rearward trailing edge. The aerofoil blade has a pressure surface which is convex in a radial direction, and a suction surface which is concave in the radial direction. The axial width (W) of the aerofoil blade can vary parabolically between maximum axial widths (Wmax) at the platform and tip regions, respectively and a minimum axial width (Wmin) at a position between the platform region and the tip region.
US08894351B2

A retaining ring presenting, on its periphery, a plurality of radial bores, each of the bores being able to receive a blade root. The retaining ring also includes at least one first radial opening traversed by a compression tube and at least one second radial opening, the at least first radial opening and the at least second radial opening being separated from each other by at least one of the bores of the plurality of radial bores. The ventilation device finds a particularly interesting application in the field of turbine engines including a pusher open rotor.
US08894350B2

A centrifugal pump has a stationary diffuser with a bore. A thrust bearing is pressed into the diffuser bore and has a curved interior. A thrust runner having a curved exterior is correspondingly and closely received by the thrust bearing interior. The thrust runner is keyed to a shaft and transmits thrust from a rotating impeller to the diffuser via the thrust bearing. The curved surface of the thrust bearing allows for handling of both axial and radial thrust without the need for multiple thrust bearings. The increased surface area of the curved surface in the thrust bearing can also handle higher loads.
US08894340B2

Provided is a clip able to lock axial movement and circumferential movement thereof by employing a simple configuration. A hub of the clip can be inserted into an insertion hole formed in an undercover. In each elastic flap, a basal part is supported in a cantilever manner, and a free end part elastically deforms around the basal part which forms a fulcrum so as to approach or separate from an outer periphery. Each elastic flap spreads out from the basal part toward the free end part so as to increase in width in a circumferential direction. The clip is attached to the undercover such that axial movement and circumferential movement of the clip are locked.
US08894330B2

A method and a device for distributing cut tobacco for feeding cigarette-making machines. The distributing device is equipped with a distribution chamber having a bottom, with a feeding channel for feeding the cut tobacco to the distribution chamber, the channel being connected to the chamber from above, with at least one receiving channel for receiving the cut tobacco from the distribution chamber, the receiving channel being connected to the chamber at side walls thereof. A rotary element for changing local bulk density and disturbing the flow of the cut tobacco fed to the distribution chamber is eccentrically mounted to a stationary bottom of the distribution chamber.
US08894325B2

A submerged hydrocarbon recovery apparatus for the collection and conveyance of fluids from sub surface leaks to the water body surface. The apparatus comprises a hydrocarbon fluid collector having an opening for receiving and collecting fluids emanating from an underwater hydrocarbon leak; a floatation assembly located below the water surface at a depth not affected by surface disturbances; and a conduit extending between the fluid collector and floatation assembly. The apparatus includes components to prevent the formation of hydrates or accumulation of solids that would obstruct the conveyance of fluids.
US08894324B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a drainage system for draining surface liquids from a first surface adjacent to one side of a drainage channel and for providing a transition from the first surface on one side of the drainage channel to a synthetic turf surface or other thick surface material on the other side of the drainage channel.
US08894320B1

The apparatus and method provide for the removal of well fluids from well cuttings and a method of disposal thereof. A vibratory separator mechanically shakes the well fluids from the cuttings into a first compartment and the well cuttings fall into a second compartment. Once the well cuttings are dried, cement kiln dust (CKD) is added to neutralize any remaining well fluids on the well cuttings. The neutralized well cuttings are applied to the roadbed of a gravel or dirt road.
US08894319B1

A permeable paver and paving slab that have water permeability of on average about 1 inch per hour and compressive strength of an average of about 5000 psi to 8000 psi, the paver and paving slab manufactured by forming a mixture comprising blast-furnace slag, sand, gravel and Portland cement into predetermined sizes, shapes and colors as desired utilizing a hydraulic-type or equivalent compacting block forming machine.
US08894317B2

A ball joint with a housing formed entirely by a cold forming method. The housing having an inner chamber for receiving the joint ball of a ball pin and an opening through which the ball pin extends, and a contact area on the outer surface area of the housing forms a seal with a bellows. A forming section of the housing secures the joint ball within the inner chamber such that the joint pall can both rotate and pivot. Following completion of the housing, the material displaced during the cold forming method creates the forming section of the housing. The method for producing a ball joint comprises the steps of producing a metallic housing blank with a thickening formed by compression, forming the outer contour of the housing by compression, shaping the inner contour of the housing through dishing, and using the displaced material for creating the forming section.
US08894309B2

A cosmetics unit comprising a storage container and an applicator with two applicator arms, wherein each applicator arm carries one applicator element and the two arms are interconnected by a spring member, wherein the applicator has a bipartite applicator-side closure member for closing the cosmetics container, whose one part is a component of the one applicator arm and whose other part is a component of the other applicator arm, wherein the closure member has a bipartite threaded portion, the one threaded-portion part of which is formed on the one part of the closure member, and the other threaded-portion part of which is formed on the other part of the closure member, and with which the closure member can be screwed on to a container-side closure member.
US08894302B2

Described herein is an elevated system that can be used for various purposes including capturing images or video at an elevated height. In one embodiment, the elevated system includes support members and a mechanism (e.g., gimbal, pivot) that is coupled to at least one support member. The mechanism provides a range of motion along independent axes. An elongated member is coupled to the mechanism. The mechanism is capable of providing movement of the elongated member with a range of motion of three hundred and sixty degrees.
US08894299B2

A fixing module for gripping an optical fiber includes a support member, a fastening member, and a locking member. The support member includes a fixing portion defining a receiving portion. The fastening member comprises a first resisting portion and a second resisting portion slantingly connected with the first resisting portion. The first resisting portion comprises a first resisting surface facing the bottom of the receiving portion. The second resisting portion comprises a second resisting surface facing the bottom of the receiving portion. The fastening member is received in the receiving portion, and the locking member sleeved on the fixing portion. The first resisting surface and the second resisting surface resist the bottom of the receiving portion in turn as the locking member slides along the fixing portion.
US08894295B2

A suspension strut bearing includes a guide ring, a cap, and a thrust bearing for an axial mounting of the guide ring on the cap. The plastic guide ring is reinforced with a reinforcement ring including a radial flange, an axial guide nozzle adjoining the radial flange, a bushing section for reinforcing the guide nozzle and an integrally formed radial collar adjoining the guide nozzle for reinforcing the radial flange. A sliding seal is made out of a softer plastic and sprayed onto the radial flange of the guide ring, a sealing lip of the sliding seal being arranged around the guide ring and bearing against a peripheral surface of the cap, the radial collar of the reinforcement ring forming an integrally configured raceway of the thrust bearing. The radial collar includes recesses arranged spaced along a periphery of the radial collar, through which recesses the softer plastic penetrates.
US08894291B2

A bearing holder for fixing a bearing to a support structure such as a casing of a gearbox uses a single plate-like body. The body has a through hole, a plurality of hooks extending from a first side of the body and defining a first axial step limiting the axial movement of the bearing through the hole, and a plurality of projections extending from a second side of the body and arranged to be radially deformed to define a second axial step limiting the axial movement of the bearing through the hole in a second axial direction. Centering lips extending inwardly from the edge of the hole may be provided to fix the lateral position of the bearing.
US08894289B2

A sealing device for an axle bearing includes a lubricant maintained on sliding contact surfaces, thereby suppressing elevation of torque due to the depletion of grease. A lubricant-adsorbing layer comprises a thickener and a binder. The lubricant comprises a base oil and a thickener. The thickener and the thickener are mutually attracted. A lubricant layer of a prescribed thickness is formed on the lubricant-adsorbing layer. This lubricant layer adheres closely to the lubricant-adsorbing layer making it difficult to separate the lubricant layer from the lubricant-adsorbing layer.
US08894286B2

A damper film bearing assembly for supporting a rotatable shaft includes a bearing housing having a longitudinal opening passing therethrough for receiving the rotatable shaft. The bearing housing also has at least one radial recess formed in an outer surface thereof. At least one resilient element is disposed within the recess in the bearing housing above the floor of the recess, the resilient element biasing the support piston away from the axis of the rotatable shaft. The resilient element in accordance with the disclosure may be a bridge spring or a rod spring as appropriate.
US08894285B2

A charging device may include a shaft rotatably mounted on at least one slide bearing in a shaft bearing region. At least one flow opening for introducing and discharging a fluid may be defined on the shaft bearing region, wherein the shaft in the shaft bearing region may have two outer portions each running in a circumferential direction and axially binding an inner portion. At least one of the outer portions on its surface may include at least one microstructure.
US08894271B2

A method for disposing of solid refinery waste is disclosed. The method includes removing solid waste constituents from inside a refinery tank using excavating machinery, delumping the solid waste constituents, and conveying the delumped solid waste constituents into a mobile tank. The method further includes transporting the delumped solid waste constituents in the mobile tank to a burning facility, adding at least one diluent, mixing, and pumping from the mobile tank a flowable mixture of refinery waste and the at least one diluent at the burning facility.
US08894268B2

An LED lightbulb is configured to properly illuminate a broader region. The LED lightbulb includes a light emitting unit, a pedestal, a power source unit, a heat dissipator, a base, and a globe swelling toward one side in a first direction for enclosing the light emitting unit. The globe is configured to diffusingly transmit light from the light emitting unit. The light emitting unit provides a light amount not less than 50% of the maximum light amount in a region not exceeding ±60° about the central axis extending in the first direction set as 0°. The globe provides a light amount not less than 50% in a region exceeding ±125° about the central axis set as 0°.
US08894263B2

A display apparatus includes a light source, a display panel and an optical plate between the light source and the display panel. The optical plate includes a supporting sheet, a first, a second and a third optical layer. The first optical layer is disposed on a bottom surface of the supporting sheet and has a plurality of first protruding portions on a bottom surface of the first optical layer and has a first refractive index. The second optical layer is disposed on the bottom surface of the first optical layer and covers the first protruding portions. The second optical layer has a second refractive index larger than the first refractive index. The third optical layer is disposed on a top surface of the supporting sheet and has a plurality of second protruding portions on a top surface and has a third refractive index smaller than the second refractive index.
US08894249B2

The present disclosure provides a method including providing a light-emitting diode (LED) device (e.g., a LED element and PCB) and a heat sink. The LED device is bonded to the heat sink by applying an ultrasonic energy. In an embodiment, the bonding may form a bond comprising copper and aluminum. The PCB may be a metal core PCB (MC-PCB).
US08894244B2

A transmission type optical element (10) comprises a surface relief micro-grating (5, 9) for guiding light (13) propagating through the optical element. According to the present invention, at least a portion (5) of the thickness of the optical element (10) is formed of a colored material (4) so as to make the optical element colored.
US08894240B2

An illumination device includes a main body unit, a light source module and a cover unit. The light source module is disposed in an upper space of the main body unit to be separated therefrom and includes a substrate and at least one light emitting device respectively disposed on both surfaces of the substrate. The cover unit is disposed on the main body unit to cover the light source module and allowing light emitted from the light source module to be emitted from a surface of the cover unit in a radial manner.
US08894237B2

A backlight unit 12 according to the present invention includes an LED 17, an LED board 18, a connector 25, a chassis-side reflection sheet 22, and a support 26. The LED 17 is a light source. The LED 17 is mounted on the LED board 18. The connector 25 is a mounted component mounted on a mounting surface 18a of the LED board 18 on which the LED 17 is mounted. The chassis-side reflection sheet 22 is a reflection sheet 21 configured to reflect light and arranged on a side on which the mounting surface 18a is arranged. The mounting surface 18a is the surface on which the LED 17 and the connector 25 are mounted. The support 26 holds the chassis-side reflection sheet 22 away from the mounting surface 18a of the LED board 18.
US08894232B2

A light-emitting diode (LED) system to retrofit a light fixture has a frame configured to be installed under an existing light fixture and a LED lighting assembly couplable to the frame. In one example, the frame is formed as a plurality of rails having a flange to be installed between the light fixture and a grid member of a ceiling suspension system. The frame may be installed without removal of the existing light fixture. The LED lighting assembly includes an LED array and an optical waveguide for dispersing light from the LED array. The LED system maintains a thin profile, enabling it to retrofit existing light fixtures. Installation time is reduced, thereby reducing labor costs, while the LED lighting provides more light with less energy.
US08894229B2

A backlight assembly comprising: a plurality of fluorescent lamps each including a lamp tube having a fluorescent layer, a discharge gas contained in the lamp tube, a first electrode disposed in the lamp tube, and a conductive terminal capacitively coupled to the first electrode; and a lamp socket which secures the plurality of fluorescent lamps.
US08894223B2

The present invention provides a base which can be used for both manually retractable vehicle door mirror in which a shaft is placed on a rotating side and electrically retractable vehicle door mirror in which a shaft is placed on a stationary side. A base includes a car body fixing section and rotation support section. The rotation support section is equipped with an upright shaft fastening surface on which a shaft of an electric drive mechanism of an electrically retractable door mirror is fastened upright. A center hole is formed in a central part of the upright shaft fastening surface to rotatably pass a shaft formed on a rotating side of a manually retractable door mirror. An annular wall housing groove is formed on an outer circumferential side of the upright shaft fastening surface to rotatably house an annular wall formed coaxially with the shaft on the rotating side of the manually retractable door mirror.
US08894218B2

A projector comprising: a discharge lamp; a discharge lamp drive unit that drives the discharge lamp by supplying drive power to the discharge lamp; and a control unit that has a first mode and a second mode as operation modes and controls the discharge lamp drive unit according to the operation modes, wherein the control unit controls the discharge lamp drive unit to supply first power as the drive power to the discharge lamp when the operation mode is the first mode, and controls the discharge lamp drive unit to supply the drive power to the discharge lamp while changing the drive power in a range equal to or less than second power smaller than the first power and equal to or more than third power smaller than the second power when the operation mode is the second mode.
US08894215B2

An illumination unit includes one or more light sources and an optical member. The optical member includes an integrator having a first fly-eye lens on which light from a solid-state light-emitting device is incident and a second fly-eye lens on which the light from the first fly-eye lens is incident. The integrator uniformalizes an illuminance distribution of light in a predetermined illumination region illuminated by the light incident from the solid-state light-emitting device. Each of the first fly-eye lens and the second fly-eye lens has a plurality of cells. The cells of the first fly-eye lens are arranged in a first direction and a second direction that intersect each other, and positions of the cells in the second direction are different from one another at least partially among a plurality of cell rows arranged along the first direction in the first fly-eye lens.
US08894204B2

An ophthalmic lens, such as an intraocular lens (IOL), a phakic IOL or a corneal implant, and a system and method relating to same, having coupled thereto and/or integrated thereon at least one rotationally asymmetric diffractive structure. The lens of the present invention may include a single or limited number of rotationally asymmetric diffractive echelettes that provides an extended depth of focus.
US08894199B2

A pair of spectacles is provided, wherein a temple main body includes a plate spring section formed to a side of the front frame; and a highly rigid section formed to a rear side of the plate spring section with the ear suspension section inclusive and having bending rigidity higher than that of the plate spring section while the plate spring section is formed in such a manner that its vertical width is rendered constant or tapered with narrowed by a predetermined ratio from its frontal side to its rear side as well as such that a thickness of the plate spring section satisfies the predetermined equation in relation with vertical widths of the plate spring section, positions in a longitudinal direction thereof and an abutment position with the lateral side of the head at the highly rigid section.
US08894184B2

A cover for a liquid container. The liquid container comprises a first to third surfaces. The first surface has a wall which surrounds a communication port and a liquid supply portion. The third surface has an air hole communicating with the communication port and has at least one of a protrusion and a recess. The cover comprises a covering portion that covers the wall, and a first cover portion that covers the at least one of the protrusion and the recess.
US08894183B2

A process, which produces a liquid ejection head including a recording element substrate having a principal surface and a support member having a color separation wall for ink flow paths and an outer wall, the substrate being narrower than the support member, a plane formed by conducting translation of a lower side of a substrate outer surface perpendicularly to the principal surface having an intersection with an outer wall top surface at a position distant from an inner edge of the outer wall top surface by an outward distance, includes applying an adhesive onto top surfaces of the outer and color separation walls such that a surface height of the adhesive at the intersection is higher than that at a position distant from an inner edge of the color separation wall top surface by the outward distance, and bonding and fixing the substrate to the support member with the adhesive.
US08894182B2

A liquid discharge head includes a liquid discharge substrate having a discharge port array, and a channel member having a mounted face on which the liquid discharge substrate is mounted, channels for supplying liquid to the discharge port array, and a low thermal conductivity portion, wherein the channels includes an opening for flowing liquid, which is provided at a part except for both ends of the discharge port array, a first channel for passing the liquid, and a second channel for passing the liquid in a direction opposite to the liquid flowing direction in the first channel, wherein the opening, the first channel, the low thermal conductivity portion, and the second channel are provided in this order to be vertical to the mounted face, and the opening and the low thermal conductivity portion are provided to be at least partially overlapped one above the other.
US08894173B2

A method including acquiring a first deviation value of ink landing positions in each position in a first range from a first pattern printed over the first range of a recording sheet in a scanning direction at a first moving velocity of an inkjet head, acquiring variation information representing a variation in the scanning direction of the first deviation value, acquiring from the variation information a first representative value representing the first deviation value in the first range, acquiring a second deviation value from a second pattern printed over a second range included in the first range at a second moving velocity of the inkjet head, acquiring a second representative value representing a deviation value in the first range at the second moving velocity, based on the second deviation value and a difference between the first representative value and the first deviation value in the second range.
US08894171B2

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a reference drive signal generation section that generates a reference drive signal, a signal modulation section that modulates the reference drive signal to generate a modulation reference drive signal, a signal amplification section that amplifies the modulation reference drive signal using switching elements to generate a modulation drive signal, a signal conversion section that converts the modulation drive signal to a drive signal, and a head which includes a piezoelectric element that deforms in response to the drive signal, a pressure chamber that expands and contracts due to the deformation of the piezoelectric element and has a Helmholtz resonance frequency of a period Tc, and a nozzle opening portion that communicates with the pressure chamber. A period of an alternating current component contained in the modulation drive signal is a divisor of a section of one of the drive signal.
US08894166B2

A cupboard-type domestic appliance is provided having a housing delimiting an interior in which a support can be displaced between a retracted and a pull-out stop position by a telescopic pull-out mechanism. The telescopic pull-out mechanism includes a first runner fastened on the housing and at least one second runner that can be displaced in a direction contrary to that of the first runner. A projection of the second runner is coupled to a self-retracting mechanism mounted on the housing at a distance to the runners.
US08894163B2

An ejection device for a movable furniture component disposed in or against a furniture body includes an electric motor, a lever having a free end for ejecting the movable furniture component, and a gear mechanism for transmitting force from the electric motor to the lever. The gear mechanism has a slipping clutch which includes a spring washer and driving dogs. The spring washer extends upon overload and slips over the driving dogs. The ejection device may also include a path measuring device which activates the ejection device. The path measuring device can be a potentiometer directly coupled to the lever such that slipping of the slipping clutch does not change a position of the potentiometer relative to the lever.
US08894160B1

A modular display having a front panel, a plurality of side panels, a rear panel, a first engagement member and a second engagement member is disclosed. A plurality of modular displays may be joined together by juxtaposing or superposing the various first engagement members and second engagement members of the plurality of modular displays.
US08894156B2

A hub bearing assembly for a motor vehicle wheel comprises a flanged ring and a set of pin connection elements. The flanged ring defines a central axis of rotation and comprises a tubular core made of steel and an outer flange of light metallic material having axial bores formed therethrough. Each pin connection element includes a head portion and an axial cylindrical shank defining a respective longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of rotation and is accommodated in one of the bores, and a threaded cylindrical surface for connecting the flanged ring to a wheel or to a suspension standard of the vehicle. Each head portion is shaped differently from that of a solid of revolution generated about the longitudinal axis of the shank portion. Each head portion is accommodated in a respective recess of corresponding shape, formed in one of the two radial opposite faces of the flange.
US08894147B2

A plurality of seating assemblies 9, 10, 7 which may be operatively deployed upon a selectively movable assembly 12 and which includes independently formed and ribbed members what make the deployed seat assemblies light weight and durable.
US08894146B2

A portable fire fighter equipment station for use at a fire fighting scene is provided. The self-supporting frame comprising three support members pivotally connected to each other at one end, the self-supporting frame configurable into an in-use configuration with non-pivotally connected ends of the support members spaced apart to form a tripod and the self-supporting frame configurable into a transportation configuration with the three support members moved into close proximity. Each firefighter station is attached to one of the support members of the self-supporting frame and has a seating surface configurable into an in-use configuration to support a firefighter in a seated position, and a transportation configuration with the seating surface in close proximity to the self-supporting frame. A breathing apparatus holder is provided for securing an air bottle to the support member of the respective firefighter station.
US08894140B2

An accessory that attaches to a bucket seat in a vehicle that prevents objects placed on said bucket seat from slipping off of the seat surface is disclosed.
US08894122B2

An interior deck system of a trailer includes a side rail configured to be coupled to an inner surface of a sidewall of the trailer and a panel coupled to the side rail. The panel is movable between a generally vertical, stowed position and a generally horizontal, use position. The interior deck system further includes a hinge assembly including a hinge butt coupled to the side rail and a hinge strap coupled to the panel.
US08894106B2

A latch is provided, the latch having: a fork bolt that moves between an unlatched position and a latched position; a first detent lever that that cooperates with the fork bolt and moves between an engaged position and a disengaged position; a hold open lever for biasing against the first detent lever when the first detent lever is in the released position; and a single switch that is activated only when the first detent lever is moved from the engaged position towards the disengaged position and when the fork bolt moves from the unlatched position towards the latched position, wherein the latch does not have any other switches.
US08894102B2

An eduction tube assembly made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene material for use on a containment vessel for corrosive liquids. It includes a vertical eduction tube and a unitary transition flange member having a first flange for connection of the assembly to an attachment flange associated with the vessel and a second flange to receive a connected hose flange. A single segmented ring with multi-directional capability is disposed between the flanges and receives securement elements to accomplish both connections. Bolts are used for one connection, upstanding threaded studs secured to the segmented ring are used for the other.
US08894081B2

An adapter for interconnecting two bicycles in a side-by-side configuration, wherein the adapter comprises a plurality of articulating joints to permit the joined bicycles to articulate or tilt in coordination while being ridden. The present invention further includes various tilting mechanisms and braking systems to achieve and maintain desired tilted positions of the joined or interconnected bicycles.
US08894079B2

An upper support for vehicle suspension including: an inner cylindrical member; an outer cylindrical member spaced apart peripherally outward from the inner cylindrical member; a rubber elastic body interposed between the inner cylindrical member and the outer cylindrical member while elastically connecting the two members; and a flange portion extending radially outward from the outer cylindrical member while being adapted to be overlapped and fixed onto a mounting portion of a vehicle body. A fastening seat portion is provided to the flange portion over a prescribed area and has a contact face adapted to be in contact against the mounting portion of the vehicle body. A concave/convex portion is formed on the contact face of the fastening seat portion over a prescribed area thereof.
US08894070B2

An energized composite metal to metal seal. A sealing device includes a metal seal with a metal sealing surface facing radially outward, and another metal sealing surface facing radially inward; and a nonmetal seal including a nonmetal sealing surface positioned proximate one metal sealing surface and facing radially outward, and another nonmetal sealing surface positioned proximate the other metal sealing surface and facing radially inward. A method of sealing between a housing assembly and a closure member includes applying a pressure differential across the sealing device while the sealing device seals between the housing assembly and the closure member, and the pressure differential increasing contact pressure in a metal to metal seal between the housing assembly and a metal sealing surface on the metal seal, and increasing contact pressure in a metal to metal seal between the closure member and another metal sealing surface on the metal seal.
US08894063B2

An image forming apparatus to which a sheet positioning device can be provided to perform a sheet positioning includes an image forming device and a sheet positioning device that includes a sheet setting plate, a pair of side fence units disposed facing each other along opposite sides of the sheet setting plate to move in a lateral direction of the sheet, a moving mechanism to move the pair of side fence units, a contact member to contact and press the sheet, a position detector to detect the position of the contact member, and a controller moving the pair of side fence units when the sheet is placed on the sheet setting plate, halting movement of the pair of side fence units after the contact member has contacted and pressed the sheet, and moving the pair of side fence units again based on detection results obtained by the position detector.
US08894037B1

A lift truck platform apparatus for transporting rolling racks provides a platform and a frame extending upwardly from the platform. A clamp is attached to the frame. The clamp is vertically moveable relative to the platform for selectively engaging and securing in place the rolling racks when the rolling racks are loaded on the platform. The clamp is vertically moveable away from the platform for releasing the rolling racks.
US08894034B2

A spigot-type fastener for an aircraft is to be interposed between the structure of the aircraft and an attachment structure of the aircraft engine. The fastener is to absorb the force generated by the engine along two orthogonal axes. The fastener includes a first part, a second part, a third part, and one or more strain gauges. One end of the first part is secured to the second part. One end of the second part is separated from the first part by a clearance. The opposite end of the second part fits into a recess of the third part via a protrusion, such that the force along both axes is transmitted by the first part to the third part by the second part.
US08894033B2

Described herein is a mounting system and slider clips that support simplified installation of photovoltaic structures. The mounting system comprises a support structure which can be mounted to support columns via an optional tilt table. The support structure comprises a plurality of parallel spaced beams and a plurality of parallel spaced rails that are mounted approximately perpendicular to the beams. Disclosed embodiments describe a collapsible support structure in which the rails are pivotally mounted to the beams. Rails are preassembled with prefabricated slider clips for holding edge portions of the photovoltaic structures. Rails can also be integrally formed with slider clips. Described herein are also methods of installing one or more photovoltaic structures using the mounting system and methods for manufacturing slider clips and a photovoltaic structure mounting system.
US08894026B2

The fixing device of this present invention provides a fixing device of a sucking disc type with smaller volume and simple structure, connects to a housing case of the portable electronic device by a locking screw, and comprises an elastic rubber plate and a resilient metal sheet. The elastic rubber plate has an air-hole. The resilient metal sheet also has a through-hole. The resilient metal sheet forms a tiny gap with the elastic rubber plate, when the fixing device is pressed onto the smooth surface of the metal or glass object, the air between said rubber plate and the smooth surface of the metal or glass object going through the through-hole into the tiny gap and going out of the elastic rubber plate via the air-hole.
US08894016B2

Vehicles with bidirectional control surfaces and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a rocket can include a plurality of bidirectional control surfaces positioned toward an aft portion of the rocket. In this embodiment, the bidirectional control surfaces can be operable to control the orientation and/or flight path of the rocket during both ascent, in a nose-first orientation, and descent, in a tail-first orientation for, e.g., a tail-down landing.
US08894010B2

An aircraft fuselage frame assembly includes a first lower frame element having a cross member and a curved fuselage tub frame. A second upper frame element of the assembly has a cross member and a curved upper frame segment. A third frame element of the assembly is made of a cross member section, floor strut section and frame section. The third frame element is formed as a single, integral triangle element having a hypotenuse that is curved to adopt a curvature of the aircraft fuselage and joining portions at angle areas of the triangle. A lower frame link is joined to the first upper frame and at a first angle area of the triangle element; an upper frame link is joined to the second upper frame and at a second angle area of the triangle element; and a floor cross member is joined at a third angle area of the triangle element.
US08894005B2

A landing gear assembly includes a control system configured to output an amount of operation corresponding to an operated physical amount; a wheel; a landing gear supported by a frame of the aircraft, and configured to rotatably support the wheel; a steering system configured to steer the wheel using the amount of operation as a command value; and a detection sensor configured not to output a detection signal when the aircraft flies in air, and to output the detection signal when the aircraft stays on ground. When the detection sensor does not output the detection signal, or when speed of the aircraft is higher than first limitation speed, the steering system orients rotation of the wheel in a longitudinal direction of the aircraft in disregard of the amount of operation.
US08894004B1

Obliquely folding articulating wing mechanisms that include a wing rotatingly connected to a base.
US08894002B2

A solar-powered airship with a hull configured to contain a gas and at least one propulsion assembly with a propulsion device and electric motors configured to drive the propulsion device. The airship may also include a power supply system including solar panels operatively coupled to the electric motors and configured to supply power to the electric motors. The power supply system may also include batteries operatively coupled to the solar panels and configured to receive and store electrical energy supplied by the solar panels, the batteries being further operatively coupled to the electric motors and configured to supply power to the electric motors. The batteries may each be located within an outer envelope of the airship defined by the hull of the airship in a position selected to provide ballast. The solar-powered airship may also include a cargo system configured to contain passengers or freight.
US08893996B1

The present invention relates to an improved mill, and in particular to an improved mill having a drum with several blades that rotates within a housing having several bars affixed near the bottom of the housing. In one embodiment, the mill has a hopper for introducing feed into the housing and a motor assembly for turning the drum within the housing. Several bars are stationarily fixed within the housing. The drum has several blades spaced remote from a central shaft which are supported by a plurality of discs. Each disc has a plurality of holes there through. The blades have an ear at the end proximal the housing outlet to propel the milled feed from the mill. An internal path is provided wherein the feed is likely to make several passes between the blades and the bars, and is unlikely to short circuit within the mill.
US08893993B2

This invention relates to the art of methods and apparatuses for grinding various materials into smaller particles; particularly, to those known in the art as pulverizing systems and devices. This invention provides methods and apparatuses for an improved disc mill assembly that utilizes a tapered flywheel and water jacket in conjunction with planar grinding disk cutting devices to create a tapered grinding channel.
US08893985B2

A pump fragrance device includes a pump spray, an inner housing connected to a spray head, and an outer housing on the inner housing. On the inner housing, a junction piece connected to the spray head has an opening thereon. The inner housing's surface has an assembling piece to fit with the outer housing, which has an assembling structure to fit with the inner housing. The inner and outer housings form a fixing structure. The fixing structure is filled with a volatile carrier agent, at least a part of which is located in the spray path of the pump spray. When used, the pump spray sprays content onto a surface of the volatile carrier agent, thereby reducing the quantity of the volatile aromatic agent used. This prolongs the diffusion time of the volatile aromatic agent, thereby relieving users from the danger of the fragrance device being under high temperature.
US08893984B2

An improved misting bottle and fan apparatus capable of both convective cooling and evaporative cooling independent of either other. The operator can select to have the convective cooling effects of air being blown over the operator. The operator can select to have the evaporative cooling effects of pressurized fluid forced through a small orifice showered down at the operator. In the alternative, the operator is able to select both style of cooling using this device. The positioning and shape of the atomizing device in relation to the forced air is unique as well as the shaping of the air flow optimizes the cooling effects. Location of the atomizing device is proscribed as to prevent the occurrence of drips and runs commonly associated with misting fans.
US08893972B2

The invention relates to an RFID reading tunnel for identifying objects by means of RFID having a screen for electromagnetic radiation which forms the tunnel and has side walls and a cover part, a cover device or conveying device for the object in or through the tunnel and at least one RFID reader having at least one RFID antenna. To provide an improved RFID reading tunnel which is less expensive and can be installed more easily, it is proposed that the screen is formed by modules which can be variably and releasably connected to one another and that the modules are selected from a kit of predefined modules.
US08893968B2

A unique identifier may be stored in an RFID chip, a bar code, or other methods of passive storage associated with the networked light bulb. The unique identifier may be accessed while the light bulb is unpowered and before the light bulb is put into service. Information is stored in a database that identifies an association between the unique identifier and a particular network. If the light bulb is put into service, the light bulb may send the unique identifier over the network. A device may receive the unique identifier and query the database for information related to the unique identifier. If the unique identifier is associated with the particular network that the light bulb is connected to, the light bulb may be added as an authorized node on the particular network.
US08893963B2

Issuing a debit card associated with only non-personally identifying information includes communicating among an input device, a network coupling, and a card dispenser. The input device is configured to receive a new account request. The new account request includes only non-personally identifiable information. The network coupling is configured to send the new account request to an acquirer processor and to receive an approval response from the acquirer processor. The card dispenser is configured to dispense a debit card to the user based on the approval response received from the acquirer processor. The debit card includes only non-personally identifiable information. The non-personally identifiable information includes the account number.
US08893948B2

A tilt anvil assembly is disclosed which includes a center rod, a head assembly, and a torsion spring configured to pivot the head assembly relative to the center rod. The head assembly has a locking collar defining a locked position preventing pivotal movement of the head assembly, and an unlocked position allowing pivotal movement of the head assembly. The torsion spring selectively engages the locking collar to maintain the locking collar at either the locked or unlocked position.
US08893944B2

An adjustable exhaust assembly for a pneumatic fastening tool having body and a handle extending from the body, the handle defining an inlet channel for receiving input of pressurized gas and an outlet channel for outputting exhaust. The adjustable exhaust assembly includes a base non-rotatably attachable to an end of the handle opposite the body. The base has a plate and a boss extending from the plate. The boss is configured to receive an air hose and defining an inlet opening configured to direct compressed air to the inlet channel. The plate has an outlet opening in communication with the outlet channel. A substantially annular and cap is rotatably received about the boss. The cap defines a substantially annular channel in communication with the outlet opening of the base and an outlet port defined in a portion of a circumferential wall of the annular cap and in communication with the annular channel. Rotation of the cap about the boss moves the outlet opening among a plurality of radial positions relative to the boss.
US08893940B2

A bag or pack, such as a backpack, having a pack portion that includes a back side made of flexible material, a carrying system directly or indirectly connected to the pack portion and including at least one carrying element, a frame connected to the pack portion, the frame including at least a rigid or semi-rigid sheet frame which is affixed to the back side of the pack portion by adhesive bonding.
US08893932B2

Methods and apparatus for dispensing flowable fluids, particularly those which are high viscosity by passing a stream of fluid through an elongate discharge passageway and injecting air into the fluid stream to initiate severing of the stream between an inner portion inward of the injected air and an outer portion outward of the injected air.
US08893926B2

An apparatus for and method of cleaning and sanitizing a beverage dispenser is characterized by fluid connectors that may quickly and conveniently be manually fluid coupled with either supplies of beverage components to be delivered through flow paths to beverage dispensing valves or with a source of cleaning and sanitizing fluid to be delivered through the flow paths to the beverage dispensing valves to clean and sanitize the flow paths and dispensing valves. The beverage component supplies have valves with which the fluid connectors fluid couple, and a manifold has an inlet port for receiving cleaning and sanitizing fluid and outlet ports that are each located in proximity to an associated beverage component supply valve and with which the fluid connectors may be fluid coupled after being de-coupled from their associated beverage component supply valves.
US08893921B2

The present invention provides a banknote storing/feeding device 23 that can increase a storing amount of banknotes while the device is made compact as a whole.The banknote storing/feeding device includes a winding roller 38 that winds and unwinds banknotes together with a tape 37, and a reel 40 that winds and unwinds the tape 37 with respect to the winding roller 38. The banknote storing/feeding device includes a motor 55 including a motor main body 56 disposed inside the winding roller 38, and a first drive axis 58 and a second drive axis 59 projecting from a first end portion side and a second end portion side of the motor main body 56. The banknote storing/feeding device includes a transmission mechanism 70 that transmits a drive force from the second drive axis 59 of the motor 55 to the reel 40. A drive force from the first drive axis 58 of the motor 55 is transmitted to the winding roller 38 to rotate the winding roller 38. A drive force of the second drive axis 59 of the motor 55 is transmitted to the reel 40 to rotate the reel 40.
US08893915B2

A storage system is provided comprising a container, lid and removable dividers with rubberized edges. The container features at least one track into which corresponding removable dividers with rubberized edges are inserted and held in place. The removable dividers of the system are inserted into the track(s) of the container and form a watertight seals and separate the container into two or more sections. The lid of the system is secured to the container with a threaded or pressure snap attachment mechanism and forms a watertight seal.
US08893914B2

A temporary sealed double-door junction device, for temporarily communicating a controlled-environment chamber with a controlled-environment removable container having a flexible wall, includes a female flange normally blocked by a female door, forming an assembly for the chamber, and a male flange normally blocked by a male door, forming an assembly for the container, wherein the male flange is to be sealingly coupled to the female flange, and the male door is to be sealingly coupled to the female door and to pass through the female flange. A shaft passes through the male door at a central portion thereof, wherein, on the side of the surface to be joined with the female door, an impeller having at least two blades is mounted by rigid attachment onto the shaft, and on the side of the opposite surface, a crank having at least two arms is mounted by rigid attachment onto the shaft.
US08893900B2

A bicycle rack including a support structure defining at least a back groove portion having an upper and a lower end, and a base groove portion having a front and a rear end, wherein at least the base groove portion is formed with a central narrow groove for receiving a first width of tire, a wedge-angled slot configured to receive tires of a range of widths from a second width to a third width, the second width having a value greater than the first width and the third width having a value greater than the second width, and a transition portion connecting between the central narrow groove and the wedge-angled slot.
US08893897B2

A device and method of clamping bicycles in a mouth (6) having a moveable jaw (8) and a stationary jaw (7) to which a high load potential may be utilized within a toggle joint (18) and ratchet mechanism (14) and a release (12) may be triggered to open a mouth in a quick movement(s). In embodiments, a multisized object securement grip (9) may be located on a contact surface of a moveable jaw and stationary jaw to allow for universal gripping of various sized objects.
US08893895B2

The fluidized bed processor of the present invention includes an internal filter assembly with a rack and a cartridge-type filter supported at the lower end by a bracket. The rack includes an elongated rod extending through the filter. An end cap is provided on the lower end of the rod for normal sealing engagement with the filter bracket. During normal operation of the processor, the upper and lower ends of the filter are sealed. During or after cleaning of the filter, the rack is lowered, and a spring separates the filter and support bracket from the end cap so as to create a gap for drainage of cleaning fluid.
US08893891B2

A tray for storing and transporting bottles includes a plurality of spaced apart base walls each for supporting a bottle thereon. A pair of opposed side walls and a plurality of interior columns are connected by a plurality of dividers. The dividers also connect the columns and the side walls to the base wall. Each divider includes a lower end having spaced apart pocket walls each connected to a different one of the base walls.
US08893876B2

A unit for forming one or more layers of individual flat supports, taken from at least a first conveyor device, conveying the supports from upstream to downstream at a first speed, that includes a second conveyor device, conveying the supports from upstream to downstream at a second speed lower than the first speed, positioned downstream of the first conveyor device, equipped with a receiving zone for receiving the supports arriving from the first conveyor device, and having a curved portion, and means for forming the layer positioned above the second conveyor device, situated downstream of the curved portion, and driven at the second speed.
US08893859B2

A hydraulic brake controller does not only dispose a first oil-return hole, which is connected to an oil storing space, at a stroke place of allowing a piston to reciprocate in a main oil cylinder, but also disposes a regulating screw, which stretches the first oil-return hole, on a controller main body. The speed of returning hydraulic oil to the oil storing space can be controlled by simply changing the degree of the regulating screw stretching the oil-return hole so that time of allowing the piston passing through the oil-return hole to completely impose the braking force on the brake pad can be extended or reduced, thereby achieving a goal of conveniently regulating the braking sensitivity.
US08893858B2

In accordance with at least some embodiments, a process for determining the safety of an elevator may be implemented to collect, by an acceleration sensor, an operational measurement of the elevator in operation, wherein the operational measurement includes a velocity measurement of the elevator. The process may be implemented to determine, by a processor, an operational status of the elevator by evaluating the operational measurement. The process may further be implemented to generate, by the processor, a warning signal when the operational status indicates that the elevator is operating abnormally.
US08893853B2

A mobile storage tank includes a wall, a platform secured to the wall, and a structure that provides ascending access to the platform. The structure is configured to transition between a retracted position and an extended position.
US08893847B2

An electric power steering system includes elastic members arranged at respective axial ends of a first bearing by which a motor shaft that serves as a hollow shaft is rotatably supported and which elastically support the first bearing relative to a rack housing in the axial direction; and a support member disposed on the outer periphery of the first bearing to support the first bearing with displacement of the first bearing in the radial direction restricted. The motor shaft is disposed so as to move relative to the rack housing in the axial direction as the first bearing slides relative to the support member while elastically deforming the elastic members and a second bearing moves in the axial direction.
US08893845B2

A brake assembly includes an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, and brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal. The brake pedal linkage is configured to apply a braking force in response to the depression of the operator brake pedal. A brake pedal effort input is associated with the brake pedal angle, and a first rate of change of the brake pedal effort input with respect to the brake pedal angle may be associated with an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal. A second rate of change of the brake pedal effort input with respect to the brake pedal angle may be associated with a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal. The second rate of change may be greater than the first rate of change.
US08893840B2

An engine enclosure and a method for assembling such an engine enclosure for a vehicle are disclosed. The engine enclosure may comprise a hood, a first door, a second door, a first fender and a second fender and a plurality of hinges. The hood may be disposed above the engine and may have an inset rim extending along a side of the hood. The door may be moveable between a generally vertical closed position and an open position. The door may include an upper edge, a non-metallic interior panel, and a non-metallic exterior panel fixedly joined to the interior panel. Each hinge may be attached to the hood and a door, and may be configured to rotate the door through a swing angle and to lift the upper edge of the door above the rim when the door is moved from the closed position to the open position.
US08893833B2

Provided is a swing arm device for an electric two- or three-wheeled vehicle that can be reduced in the number of components for a reduction in weight while being mounted compact in an electric vehicle for which a swing arm of an electric vehicle includes a battery and a charger. The swing arm device for an electric two- or three-wheeled vehicle to be fitted on an electric vehicle includes a swing arm (30) one end of which is coupled to a swing shaft and the other end of which supports a rear wheel (WR), an electric motor (M) placed at the other end side of the swing arm (30) and for driving the rear wheel (WR), and a battery (56) for supplying electric power to the electric motor (M), and a charger (200) for charging the battery (56) is incorporated in the swing arm (30).
US08893832B2

A mobile apparatus has a first articulating section comprising a leading traction control assembly including multiple points of contact inclined at a forward angle, and a second articulating section comprising an intermediate traction control assembly. A propulsion system is configured to coordinate movement of the leading traction control assembly and the intermediate traction control assembly. A connector operatively couples the first articulating section to the second articulating section, and the first articulating section is configured to articulate relative to the second articulating section in response to one or more of the multiple points of contact of the leading traction control assembly coming into contact with an obstacle. A bias assembly is configured to exert a continuous compression force against one or both of the first articulating section and the second articulating section to maximize the number of points of contact between the mobile apparatus and the obstacle.
US08893828B2

A drill bit may include a bit body having a plurality of blades extending radially therefrom and at least one cutting element for engaging a formation disposed on at least one of the plurality of blades. The bit body has a continuous infiltration binder and a plurality of carbide particles dispersed in the continuous infiltration binder, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of carbide particles and at least a portion of the continuous infiltration binder form a first carbide matrix region, and wherein the plurality of carbide particles forming the first carbide matrix region have an average grain sizes of less than about 44 microns.
US08893825B1

An improved top drive assembly for a telescoping derrick provides the telescoping derrick with two rectangular telescoping section each defining rear legs and front legs defining a longitudinal channel, each set of front legs further defining rails attached to inner facing surfaces upon which lateral guide tracks of the improved top drive assembly are led, each lateral guide tracks providing a set of parallel channel segments having a friction reducing inner lining and an upper and lower track wheel which travel upon the facing surface of each guide rail for smooth and secure travel up and down the derrick during drilling and completion operations.
US08893818B2

A hydraulic system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic system may have a tank configured to hold a supply of fluid, a pump configured to draw fluid from the tank and pressurize the fluid, a first cylinder operatively connected between a first side of a work tool and an undercarriage of the machine, and a second cylinder operatively connected between a second side of the work tool and the undercarriage of the machine. The hydraulic system may also have a first electro-hydraulic valve associated with the first cylinder and configured to selectively regulate a flow of pressurized fluid to the first cylinder independently of the second cylinder, and a second electro-hydraulic valve associated with the second cylinder and configured to selectively regulate a flow of pressurized fluid to the second cylinder independently of the first cylinder.
US08893816B2

A folding implement frame having seven sections in a use position and nine sections when folded. The frame design allows a frame having a width of greater than 27 meters to be folded into a transport position having a width of less than eight meters and a height of less than six meters. The hydraulic system transfers weight to the center frame section during folding and unfolding to enhance stability. The hydraulic system uses accumulators to minimize the amount of oil reduction in the tractor reservoir resulting from extension of the hydraulic cylinders of the implement. Implement raise and lower cycle times are minimized by a helper cylinder to lift the frame main section when the entire implement weight is on the main section and allowing a smaller cylinder to lift the frame main section in the use position for shorter cycle times to raise and lower the implement.
US08893811B2

A system for servicing a subterranean formation comprising a wellbore completion string comprising a first master activatable stimulation assembly, a first slave activatable stimulation assembly, wherein the first slave activatable stimulation assembly activates responsive to activation of the first master stimulation assembly; a second master activatable stimulation assembly, and a second slave activatable stimulation assembly, wherein the second slave activatable stimulation assembly activates responsive to activation of the second master stimulation assembly.
US08893808B1

A self-centering tool for use in a wellbore includes a centering mechanism, a biasing mechanism, and a release mechanism. The centering mechanism includes at least one arm that is configured to move from a first position to a second position. The arm urges a centerline of the tool towards a centerline of the wellbore when in its second position. A biasing mechanism is coupled to the centering mechanism and urges the arm from its first position to its second position. The release mechanism is electro-mechanically actuated. In its locked position, the release mechanism prevents the arm from moving towards its second position, while in its released position the arm is able to move towards its second position. The release mechanism is a split-spool type mechanism. A control system that includes one or more sensors controls the operation of the release mechanism.
US08893798B2

A housing can be mounted adjacent an isolation valve and after a fixed number of on and off pressure cycles allow a spring to push an actuator to operate the valve to an open position. The actuator, can be reset with a tool run into the module to move the actuator back against a power spring and hold that spring force until the pressure cycling begins again. The preferred application is for a formation isolation ball valve but other valves, such as sliding sleeves, or other types of downhole tools can be actuated with the module that permits a retrofit of a hydraulic operation to a heretofore purely mechanically actuated tool. The actuation force to initially open is boosted by a secondary potential energy source that is unlocked to give an initial boost force to the indexing spring that is part of a j-slot actuation mechanism.
US08893791B2

A cut-and-pull spear is configured to obtain multiple grips in a tubular to be cut in tension. A lock feature holds the set position of the slips and seal. The lock can be defeated with an axial force that retracts a spring-loaded dog, and the lock can be reset to the run-in position, with the slips and seal retracted, so that the assembly can be repositioned in the same trip for another cut. A cam surface prevents setting the slips and seal until the spear is relocated to the next desired cut location or removed from the wellbore. The lock can be defeated with picking up or with a pressuring up on a dropped ball for an emergency release. A surface signal of the release is provided by a stack of disc springs that have to be compressed to release the lock.
US08893790B2

Biomimetic adhesive compositions can be used in various aspects of subterranean treatment operations. Methods for treating a subterranean formation can comprise: providing an adhesive composition that comprises a first polymer comprising a plurality of monomers that comprise a phenolic moiety, a biopolymer that is crosslinkable with the first polymer, a crosslinking agent, and an oxidizing agent; introducing the adhesive composition into a subterranean formation; and forming a coacervate-bound surface in the subterranean formation by crosslinking the first polymer.
US08893789B2

A shunt tube assembly comprises a shunt tube and a jumper tube comprising a first end. The shunt tube comprises a non-round cross section, and the first end of the jumper tube is coupled to the shunt tube at a coupling. The first end of the jumper tube comprises a substantially round cross section at the coupling.
US08893786B2

Methods of actuating a well tool can include releasing chemical energy from at least one portion of a reactive material, thermally expanding a substance in response to the released chemical energy, and applying pressure to a piston as a result of thermally expanding the substance, thereby actuating the well tool, with these steps being repeated for each of multiple actuations of the well tool. A well tool actuator can include a substance contained in a chamber, one or more portions of a reactive material from which chemical energy is released, and a piston to which pressure is applied due to thermal expansion of the substance in response to each release of chemical energy. A well tool actuator which can be actuated multiple times may include multiple portions of a gas generating reactive material, and a piston to which pressure is applied due to generation of the gas.
US08893780B2

A downhole apparatus and assembly for use in a well bore and associated method are disclosed. The downhole apparatus includes a mandrel, a first slip, and a second slip, both slips being disposed on the mandrel. The slips are configured to grippingly engaging the well bore when in a set position. A packer cup is also disposed on the mandrel. The packer cup is provided for sealing an annulus between the mandrel and the well bore. The packer cup is slidable relative to the mandrel, and can be controlled to slide along the mandrel in order to move the slip to the set position. The downhole assembly includes a downhole tool and a setting apparatus. The setting apparatus can be used to lower the downhole apparatus to a desired setting depth and then to release the downhole apparatus.
US08893774B2

A multi-component tubular coupling is provided for wellhead assemblies. In one embodiment, the multi-component tubular coupling may include a first tubular member, a landing ring, and a second tubular member. The second tubular member may include internal threads, lock screws, or any combination thereof to couple to a wellhead component. In another embodiment, the multi-component tubular coupling may only include the first tubular member and the landing ring. In such an embodiment, a wellhead component may be secured to the coupling via lock screws.
US08893772B2

A modular pipe gripping assembly has a universal actuator assembly having a control fluid swivel. An external pipe gripping assembly can be attached to the actuator assembly for gripping the external surface of a section of pipe. Alternatively, the external pipe gripping assembly can be quickly and easily removed and replaced with an internal pipe gripping assembly for gripping the internal surface of a section of pipe. Control fluid pressure is trapped within the actuator assembly, but relieved from a fluid swivel, permitting high speed rotation of the modular pipe gripping assembly and preserving swivel seal life.
US08893762B2

A horizontally expandable, portable wall partition is incrementally expandable between a closed position and an open position. The portable wall partition consists of a number of upright panel members that are sidewardly adjacent and vertically parallel to one another. These panel members are interconnected by connectors that allow the panels to slide past one another from the closed position to the expanded position. The partition may also have non-sliding end members that provide stability to the partition. The partition may also have nested panels.
US08893759B2

A system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device, comprising a panel turning mechanism that has: a long side-supporting part for supporting the liquid crystal panel by coming into contact with an end face along at least one long side of the liquid crystal panel; and a short side-supporting part for supporting the liquid crystal panel by coming into contact with an end face along at least one short side of the liquid crystal panel and is configured to turn over the liquid crystal panel about an axis not parallel to any of the long and short sides of the liquid crystal panel in such a manner that the positional relationship between the long and short sides is reversed while both the long and short sides are supported.
US08893753B2

The substrate storage pod includes a pod case for housing a substrate, and an opening, a lid member which closes and seals the opening, a buffer space which is defined in the lid member, an air-supply port for supplying a replacement gas into the buffer space; and multiple holes which are arranged so as to establish communication between the buffer space and an inner plate of the lid member in a state of being fit-inserted to the opening of the pod case, for sending out the replacement gas into the hollow inner space, the replacement gas having been supplied into the buffer space, the inner plate facing the hollow inner space of the pod case. With this, pressure variation of the replacement gas in supply pipes is blocked, and hence replacement-gas flow in a stable laminar state free from disturbance can be obtained.
US08893748B2

A pipeline apparatus for liquid cryogen includes a first assembly consisting of a first pipe having a first exterior surface and a first passageway for liquid cryogen, and a longitudinal member extending along a portion of the first exterior surface of the first pipe; a second pipe having a second passageway sized and shaped to receive the first assembly therein, the second pipe coacting with the longitudinal member to provide a pair of channels in the second passageway; and a third pipe having a third passageway sized and shaped to receive the second pipe therein, the third pipe spaced apart from the second pipe.
US08893745B2

A pressure relief valve 1 having small dimensions and generating a high flow rate comprises an annular channel 15 between the pressure medium inlet 7 and the pressure medium outlet 8, the channel acting on a sealing cone 17 made of a special plastic material at the upper end of the closing unit 17 in case of pressure peaks such that the same is lifted out of the sealing seat 12 against the force of the valve spring 6. An embodiment is also possible in which the corresponding sealing rings 76, 80 must be passed over. The inner bore 9 of the pressure relief valve 1 has a stepped wall 21, so that a differential pressure relieving the valve spring 6 is generated.
US08893736B2

A foldaway umbrella (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 510) moveable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, said umbrella comprising: k) a central spine (12, 112, 212, 312, 312, 412, 512); l) an upper crown (24, 124, 224, 324, 424, 524) moveable with respect to the central spine; m) a lower crown (38, 138, 238, 338, 438, 538) fixed with respect to the central spine; n) a collapsible canopy framework (16, 116, 216, 316, 416, 516) connected to the upper crown and the lower crown; and o) a main canopy (18, 118, 218, 318, 418, 518) covering the collapsible canopy framework said main canopy (18, 118, 218, 318, 418, 518) covering the collapsible canopy framework said main canopy having an inside face closest to the collapsible canopy framework and an outside face crown from a position remote of the lower crown to a position close to the lower crown results in the collapsible canopy framework, and thus the main canopy, to move from the open configuration to the closed configuration wherein the main canopy is folded inside out such that only the inside face of the main canopy is exposed and vice versa.
US08893729B2

A palette assembly of one or more vertically arranged substantially flat palettes with a central aperture for cutting and/or coloring hair. Layers of hair are spread across the surface of the palette for cutting and/or coloring in a desired pattern, whereby hair color can be applied onto strands of hair in a desired specific pattern, or the hair may be cut according to a desired specific pattern, each of which can be easily replicated. Markings on the surface of the palette indicate the location of a cut or a particular shade of color, to create a particular hairstyle or color.
US08893724B2

The invention relates to heat not burn products comprising an encapsulated aerosol generating agent, the encapsulation having the effect of controlling the release of the agent during use of the heat not burn product. The encapsulation will control the timing of the release of the aerosol generating agent during the use of the heat not burn product, to allow greater control of the puff yield. In the case of some aerosol generating agents, the encapsulation may also increase the stability of the agent and/or prevent its migration within the product.
US08893720B2

An inhalation device which entrains air to modify a source gas, such as pure oxygen, down to different selected levels of lower gas concentrations, with a high total gas flow being achieved for inhalation. The inhalation device allows eating and suctioning without interference while maintaining a constant uninterrupted gas supply at high volumes. The inhalation device is adapted for disposal adjacent to the nose and mouth of a person, and includes a nose hood connected to a chamber. The chamber has a central portion defining a longitudinal axis orientated perpendicular to the nose hood and also defining an opening aligned with and facing the nose in a configuration such that gas is inhalable from the central portion to the nose without the gas directly impacting the breathing orifices of a patient wearing the device.
US08893714B2

A boiler for a solar receiver includes a first receiver panel having a plurality of substantially parallel boiler tubes fluidly connecting an inlet header of the panel to an outlet header of the panel. A second receiver panel has a plurality of substantially parallel boiler tubes fluidly connecting an inlet header of the panel to an outlet header of the panel. The boiler tubes of the second receiver panel are substantially parallel to the boiler tubes of the first receiver panel. The first and second receiver panels are separated by a gap. A panel expansion joint is connected to the first and second receiver panels across the gap, wherein the panel expansion joint is configured and adapted to allow for lengthwise thermal expansion and contraction of the receiver panels along the boiler tubes, and to allow for lateral thermal expansion and contraction of the receiver panels toward and away from one another, while blocking solar radiation through the gap.
US08893708B2

The present invention relates to a portable boiler for a hot mat, which comprises: a water reservoir, one side of which has an inlet pipe for introducing water circulating through the hot mat, and which stores the water; a heat transfer unit in which the water discharged from the water reservoir flows along a flow channel pipe to be heat exchanged, wherein the water is discharged to the hot mat via an outlet pipe formed at one side thereof; a heating unit which burns the fuel gas fed from a fuel tank to heat the water in the heat transfer unit; and a housing which forms the outer appearance of the boiler.
US08893705B2

A speed cooking oven is disclosed comprising a cooking cavity, thermal heating source, air movement and directing means, air delivery means, and a vent assembly. Hot gas is circulated to and from the oven cavity via air delivery means such that turbulently mixed glancing, conflicting and colliding gas flow patterns mix at and about the surfaces of the food product. The turbulently mixed gas flows are spatially averaged over the surface area of the food product producing high heat transfer, thereby optimizing speed cooking of the food product.
US08893704B2

A grill having a bottom section and a middle section for expanding the diameter of the bottom section and at least one insert for separating the opening formed by the bottom section to allow smoking or an open fire. Different cooking surfaces are thereby a grill, a flat frying surface, an open area for receiving and holding a reservoir of water, such as a pot, and an open area for receiving a wok. There is also a hearth section for enclosing at least a portion of the exterior of the bottom section. It also envisions a smoker or ash guard expandable to fit either diameter to protect the cook and provide a surface for placing items attached to the stand apart from the heat source.
US08893702B2

A method of ductile mode machining a component of a plasma processing apparatus wherein the component is made of nonmetallic hard and brittle material wherein the method comprises single point turning the component with a diamond cutting tool causing a portion of the nonmetallic hard and brittle material to undergo a high pressure phase transformation to form a ductile phase portion of the hard and brittle material during chip formation wherein a turned surface is formed from a phase changed material and the turned surface is a grooved textured surface of phase changed material.
US08893701B1

Bow stabilizer and video camera mount system is a dual-functioning bow stabilizer and camera-mounting unit to help reduce the noise and vibration produced when a bow is shot, to provide forward weight to help balance the bow when the hunter draws it back, and to record images when aiming the bow. Bow stabilizer and video camera mount system can also be used for both right- and left-handed bows by moving the external mounting platform to the desired side of the bow. Hunters can also use this device to position the video camera to the same side as the bow sights, making it easier to see the viewfinder of the camera than when using other devices. The unit includes a bow stabilizer rod, a dampening cover, and a horizontally rotatable camera mount.
US08893697B2

A blow gun assembly allows the rapid continuous firing of multiple soft, cylindrical projectiles using a single breath. The assembly includes at least one soft cylindrical projectile with a height generally equal to or slightly greater than its diameter, and a centrally-located breech in fluid communication with a mouthpiece, a vertical magazine, and a barrel. Projectiles loaded into the magazine enter a breech chamber by gravity. Upon receiving a charge of air through the mouthpiece, the projectiles travel successively through the breech chamber and out through the barrel in rapid fashion. Sizing of the magazine, breech chamber, and barrel, relative to the projectile, causes the projectiles to flow through the blow gun in continuous succession without jamming, with projectiles being rotated within the breech chamber to properly align with the barrel.
US08893691B2

A fuel control system for controlling the purging of alternate fuel in an internal combustion engine at shutdown includes: at least one valve device configured to deliver a fuel supply to the engine; a first fuel source configured to provide a primary fuel to the valve device; a second fuel source configured to provide an alternate fuel to the valve device; and a controller connected to the valve device and adapted to be connected to an ignition system. The controller is configured to control the valve device responsive to a status of one of the engine and the ignition system.
US08893665B2

An engine system for determining an alcohol concentration in fuel is disclosed. In one example, engine throttle position, fuel pulse width, and air-fuel ratio form a basis for determining alcohol concentration of a fuel combusted in an engine. The system and its related method may improve engine operation in conjunction with detecting an alcohol concentration of a fuel.
US08893664B2

An animal excrement collection device comprising a collection bag with a front panel defining a first opening, a sheath formed in the front panel and located proximate to the perimeter of the first opening, first and second lock pins removeably attached to the excrement collection bag, a filament located within the sheath and comprising a first end connected to the first lock pin and a second end connected to the second lock pin, a first string with a first end removeably connected to the first lock pin and a second end in communication with the front panel, a second string with a first end removeably connected to the second lock pin and a second end in communication with the front panel, wherein a user closes the opening and disengages the from the animal by pulling on the first and second lock pins.
US08893663B2

A hind-end support system for dogs with hind-end disabilities. The system comprises a handle strap, an under belly support, a back strap, and a left leg strap and a right leg strap. The handle strap is utilized to pull the lower abdomen and the hind legs of the dog upward so the hind-end of the dog can be lifted up and/or carried forward by the owner. The lower abdomen of the dog is supported by the under belly support, whereas the left hind leg and the right hind leg of the dog are strapped and supported by the left leg and the right leg straps, respectively. The back strap is utilized to connect the handle strap to the under belly support and the leg straps. Lengths of the straps are all made adjustable via attachment means such as buckling mechanisms, D-rings, swivel lobster clasps and tri-glide slides.
US08893661B2

A portable pet bed apparatus is provided that can be selectively side mountable to a bed assembly. The pet bed apparatus includes a carrier device that defines a bedding space thereof sized and dimensioned to accommodate a domestic pet therein. The pet bed apparatus further includes a mounting assembly having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion that lies closely adjacent to the bed assembly, and a connector assembly on the side of the carrier device for detachably connecting the carrier device to the vertical portion of the mounting assembly. The carrier device can be removed from the mounting assembly, which enables independent functionality as a pet carrier.
US08893658B2

A method and system that controls pet access to various different locations and/or objects. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides an automated system whereby pets wearing an ID tag are allowed access to various locations and/or objects, such as food contained within a feeder dish for example, while a sensor system, responding to the presence of other animals or people, causes the device to close preventing unauthorized access thereto. The feeder further includes one or more sensors using ultrasonic, infrared technology or both in combination for the identification of both tagged and non-tagged animals or children. Further embodiments employ the system to control access to litter boxes, pet toys, pet watering systems, pet gate access, pet containment systems or pet doors.
US08893657B1

A wall-mounted, recessed pet feeding system includes a base that can be installed in a wall stud cavity at a predetermined height above a floor. The pet feeding system further includes a pair of pet bowls which interlock into the base to prevent spilling while also enabling easy removal for cleaning and filling.
US08893647B2

A tip section of a discharge nozzle 31 is shaped like a wedge, and projections 310 which further protrude are formed at the tip of the wedge. Lower surfaces 310b of the projections 310 define a substrate-facing-surface which is brought into proximity to the substrate, and discharge outlet bearing surfaces 310c, which gradually retract back from the substrate W, are formed as if to rise from the edges of the lower surfaces 310b. At adjacent positions within the discharge outlet bearing surface 310c which are adjacent to the substrate-facing-surface 310b, discharge outlets 311 for discharging an application liquid are opened. Areas around the discharge outlets 311 and a wall around a fluid feeding path 312 are integrated with each other.
US08893646B2

A liquid application apparatus applies a liquid to an objective region. The apparatus includes a trap having an opening from which the liquid linearly appears, a feeder to feed the liquid to the trap, and an operation unit to position the trap on the objective region and bring the linearly appeared liquid at the trap into contact with the objective region, thereby linearly applying the liquid to the objective region. The apparatus is capable of linearly applying the liquid in a uniform thickness to the objective region.
US08893639B1

A drive unit has an engine, an operatively connected driveshaft, a transmission, and a propeller shaft connected to a rotor outside a gear case. A plate, extending above the rotor, is adapted to slidingly receive along a joint axis, an accessory having an accessory joint element which is one of a channel and a protrusion. Extending parallel to the joint axis along a plate joint surface, which is one of a first surface facing away from the rotor and a second surface facing toward the rotor, is a plate joint element, which is the other of the channel and the protrusion, adapted to slidingly interlock with the accessory joint element to thereby prevent displacement thereof in a first direction parallel to the plate joint surface and perpendicular to the joint axis, and in a second direction normal to the plate joint surface. An accessory attachment method is also disclosed.
US08893637B2

The present invention relates to an underwater floating device (1) characterized in that it comprises: an insert (4) comprising a thermoplastic material and a hollow tube (7), a foam (5) of a thermoplastic material, at least partly covering the insert (4), an outer skin (6) comprising a thermoplastic material formed by injection molding over the foam and configured for being in contact with water during use.
US08893636B2

An apparatus for gripping a chain including a body which allows passage of the chain is disclosed. The body has first and second chain gripping devices, both adapted to grip the chain to restrict or prevent movement of the chain relative to the body. These first and second gripping devices are arranged in the body in respective first and second angular orientations which are offset with respect to one another, whereby the first and second chain gripping devices are adapted to grip respective links of the chain having different angular orientations. An associated method is also described.
US08893629B2

An agricultural implement system that includes a control system configured to receive a first signal to initiate seeding operations, to transition a ground engaging tool toward a working position at a first time after receiving the first signal, and to activate a product delivery system at a second time, different from the first time, after receiving the first signal.
US08893628B2

An ergonomic workstation (100) includes a plurality of lifting columns (106) that support a work surface assembly (120) including a lower support structure (121) that supports an upper work surface (131) suspended over the lower support structure and is configured to be movable between a retracted position and an extended position. A bifurcated dashboard assembly (123) includes a back portion (124) fixed to the support and a front portion fixed to the upper work surface. A monitor support structure (140) is fixed to the support structure, and includes a second lifting column (146) with a curved horizontal support (144) configured to support a plurality of monitors (90). The vertical position of the monitors is adjustable, but the horizontal position is fixed. The user focal length is adjustable by slidably adjusting the upper work surface.
US08893623B2

A multi-track multi-vehicle coaster simulates a popular theme of a competition, struggle or conflict taken from history or fiction. The vehicles interact with each other and with the ride scenery in many different ways and vehicle velocity is altered at different points in the ride using multiple motors and brakes. An interactive queue is provided and allows people in the queue to interact with people on the ride. Energy recycling and computer ride control are also disclosed.
US08893620B2

A print section patterns a coating layer to form a pattern layer on a carrier and then transfers the pattern layer to a substrate. A controller obtains a first carrier thickness by measuring the thickness of the carrier carrying the coating layer and adjusts a gap between the carrier carrying the coating layer and the printing plate based on the first carrier thickness immediately before the coating layer is patterned. The controller also obtains a second carrier thickness by measuring the thickness of the carrier carrying the pattern layer and adjusts a gap between the carrier carrying the pattern layer and the substrate based on the second carrier thickness immediately before the pattern layer is transferred.
US08893615B2

Systems and methods for aligning preprinted images on a roll of substrate to the moving components of a web press are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes determining the speed of the moving components of the press, determining the speed of the web of preprinted images and adjusting the speed of the web of preprinted image to match the speed of the web. In particular embodiments, a press which produces rolls of preprinted material can be modified to change the equivalent cutoff length of the press. In further embodiments, a method of pasting new rolls of material to expiring rolls of material is accomplished by modulating the drive speed of the new roll of material to match the expiring roll of material while at the same time aligning the images on the new roll with the expiring roll.
US08893602B2

A mandoline slicer 10 for slicing a food product, the slicer 10 comprising a frame 12 having opposed sidewalls 14,16, a first support plate 18 and a second support plate 20 positioned between the opposed sidewalls 14,16, a slicing member 22 having a slicing edge 58 positioned between the first and said second support plates 28,20, and a slice thickness adjustment mechanism 26 having a lever 80 movable between a first position and a second position and configured to vary a vertical distance between the slicing edge 58 of said slicing member 22 and an edge 42 of said first support plate 16.
US08893600B2

A dust protection method for a glass substrate cutter includes the following steps: (1) providing a cutter and a glass-substrate-to-be-cut, wherein the cutter includes a cutter body, a cutting blade, a cover plate assembly, and suction tubes, the cover plate assembly forming a first slit corresponding to the cutting blade: (2) positioning and fixing the glass-substrate-to-be-cut on the cutter body and closing the cover plate to form a second slit between the glass-substrate-to-be-cut and the cover plate; (3) introducing a pressurized gas flow into the second slit at edges of the glass-substrate-to-be-cut and activating the suction tubes to draw in the gas; and (4) controlling the cutting blade to proceed with a cutting operation along the first slit to complete the processing of the glass substrate.
US08893595B2

A chuck device includes front and rear collets, a driving ring, and a driving sleeve. The driving ring and the driving sleeve can be driven hydraulically to move toward or away from each other. When the driving ring and the driving sleeve are moved hydraulically away from each other, each of the front and rear collets is moved to a release position, when the driving ring and the driving sleeve are moved hydraulically toward each other, each of the front and rear collets is moved to a clamping position.
US08893590B2

A ratchet wrench adjustable in clamping size is provided with a body, a ratchet wheel, an adjustment member, two engaging members and a spring. The body includes a head portion, a handle and a switch member. The two engaging members are oppositely located on the ratchet wheel and the adjustment member and each include an engaging portion, a neck portion connected to the engaging portion and located in the ratchet wheel, and an upper portion connected to the neck portion and located in the adjustment cavity of the adjustment member. By such arrangements, rotating the rotating portion of the adjustment member adjusts relative positions of the upper portions of the two engaging members in the adjustment cavity of the adjustment member, and makes the neck portions of the engaging members to move along the guide slot so as to change a distance between the two engaging portions.
US08893585B2

This tool, which is in particular a hammer, comprises a gripping handle, a striking head, and an intermediate shaft extending the handle and supporting the head, whereas the handle comprises a tube in which the shaft partially extends, this tube and this shaft being made from a rigid material presenting a first hardness.This shaft has a radial area bearing against the tube, with interposition of a link part, for absorbing vibrations, made from flexible material presenting a second hardness that is much lower than the first hardness, and a free terminal area, not covered by the link part, radially separated from the walls of the tube so as to be able to vibrate freely in an internal volume of the tube.
US08893577B2

An umbilical member arrangement unit of a robot arm section for avoiding interference between the umbilical member and external equipment has a first fixing member attached to a nonrotating part and adapted to nonslidably fix the umbilical member, and a second fixing member attached to a rotating part so as to integrally rotate with the rotating part and adapted to nonslidably fix the umbilical member. When the rotating part is positioned at a center position of a rotational motion range thereof about the longitudinal axis, the first and second fixing members direct the umbilical member along first and second tangential lines, respectively, the two tangential lines being generally perpendicular to each other, and, the fixing members are positioned in the same region in relation to two regions defined by a boundary plane parallel to the second tangential line, on which the longitudinal axis lies.
US08893571B2

A transmission shift assembly for a vehicle and a method of monitoring the same includes a transmission having a shift position member movable between a plurality of gear positions. A linkage is coupled to an actuator and movable between a plurality of positions in response to movement of the actuator. A cable having first and second ends is coupled to the linkage and the shift position member respectively for transferring movement from the actuator to the shift position member. A plurality of sensors are spaced from each other and disposed about the first end of the cable such that movement of the cable relative to said linkage causes the sensors to monitor movement of the shift position member between the gear positions for achieving a proper position of the shift position member in one of the gear positions.
US08893560B2

The present invention provides an acoustic flow meter assembly (2) for pipes or open channels, said assembly including a frame (24) with a predetermined geometry. The frame has at least one user accessible port (36-42) with the at least one user accessible port (36-42) adapted to receive an interchangeable cartridge (44) which contains at least one acoustic transducer (46) to measure fluid velocity through said frame (24).
US08893554B2

A temperature-compensated pressure sensor system includes a pressure sensing element, a temperature sensing device, and a temperature compensation network. The pressure sensing element provides a first voltage output representative of a sensed pressure value. The temperature sensing device provides a second voltage output representative of a sensed temperature value. The temperature compensation network is connected to receive the first voltage output provided by the pressure sensing element and the second voltage output provided by the temperature sensing device. The temperature compensation network provides a temperature compensated voltage representative of sensed pressure, wherein the second voltage output passively biases the temperature compensation network.
US08893553B2

The present disclosure provides for systems and methods for fabricating measuring devices, e.g., a pressure gauge, thermometer or the like. More particularly, the present disclosure provides for systems and methods for fabricating measuring device assemblies having zero/span adjustable linkage movements (e.g., zero/span adjustable four-bar linkage movements). In general, the present disclosure provides for measuring device assemblies having zero/span adjustable linkage movements, wherein the zero/span adjustable linkage movements do not adversely affect linearity of the measuring device assemblies, and wherein the measuring device assemblies are rugged and able to withstand certain extreme shock and/or vibration conditions.
US08893552B2

A vibration table having an upper surface defining a plane and on which test products are mounted by bolts that engage spaced internally threaded openings in the upper surface. The vibration table has mounted vibrators for generating vibrations in x-, y- and z-axes lying in the plane of the upper surface. Variation in the magnitude of the vibrations generated in the x-, y- and z-axes over the surface of the table are minimized by providing an upper surface that is circular in the plane of the upper surface.
US08893547B2

In one aspect, the disclosure provides an apparatus for use downhole that includes at least one acoustic sensor. In one aspect, the acoustic sensor includes a chamber and an active element comprised of a quantum tunneling composite in the chamber. In another aspect, the acoustic sensor may further include a pair of conductive layers on a pair of sides of the active element. The chamber is filled with an electrically non-conductive fluid. The active element may be placed in the chamber in a manner that causes the active element to be responsive to acoustic waves along a selected direction or in a manner that enables the active element to be non-directional.
US08893544B2

The oscillating velocity of an oscillating body in a fluid to be measured is positively fed back, so as to activate an actuator. The oscillating state of the oscillating body is monitored while making a velocity feedback gain increase. The velocity feedback gain when the oscillating body has oscillated is obtained as an oscillation limit gain at the oscillation limit, and this oscillation limit gain is used as a viscosity equivalent value representing viscosity of the measured fluid.
US08893536B2

A rekeyable lock cylinder comprises a cylinder body, a plug assembly disposed within the cylinder body and an operation error preventing unit. The cylinder body has a plurality of upper pin holes and an accommodating hole. The plug assembly comprises a plug body, a plurality of assembled rack components and a position block disposed within the plug body. The plug body has an outside wall, a keyhole, a plurality of lower pin holes and a first hole in communication with the outside wall and the keyhole. The assembled rack components are disposed at each of the lower pin holes of the plug body respectively. The operation error preventing unit comprises a first movable member disposed at the accommodating hole of the cylinder body and a second movable member disposed at the first hole of the plug body, and the first movable member may contact against the second movable member.
US08893532B2

A laundry drum for a laundry treatment machine that is rotatable about an axis, wherein the laundry drum includes a drum jacket made of metal sheet, and wherein the drum jacket has throughflow holes and linear elevations that are distributed in a peripheral direction and that extend transversely to a periphery line. The linear elevations rise at a distance from one another in a straight or curved line from cylindrical regions of the laundry drum. Agitators are disposed on an inner periphery of the drum jacket and the throughflow holes are disposed in the cylindrical regions.
US08893531B2

A washing machine including a detergent feeding device to feed detergent. The detergent feeding device includes a detergent housing having an open front side, a detergent receiving case installed to the detergent housing to move through the open front side of the detergent housing, and a water supply guide unit placed on the detergent housing to guide water into the detergent receiving case inserted into the detergent housing. The detergent receiving case includes at least one support roller supported in a rolling manner on a lower surface of the water supply guide unit, and an auxiliary support member located forward of the support roller to be supported in contact with a bottom surface of the detergent housing as the detergent receiving case is withdrawn. The support roller and the auxiliary support member may prevent vertical movement of the detergent receiving case during withdrawal or insertion of the detergent receiving case.
US08893529B1

An apparatus for closing a toe end of a tubular hosiery body includes a stitching device having a main body, a fixed reed, a movable reed pivoted to the fixed reed, and a main drive assembly for driving the movable reed to rotate relative to the fixed reed between juxtaposed and stacked positions. A rotary control unit includes a support frame supporting the main body, a rotary disc attached to the main body, a plurality of detent members disposed around the rotary disc, and a plurality of control drive members respectively driving the detent members. The control drive members consecutively operate to consecutively actuate the respective detent members such that the rotary disc together with the stitching device consecutively produces a limited amount of rotation in an intermittent manner.
US08893525B2

An apparatus for manufacturing tempered glass. A transportation unit transports a glass substrate that is intended to be tempered. An ionizer ionizes alkali oxides in the glass substrate by radiating energy onto the glass substrate. A dielectric heating unit increases the temperature of the inner portion of the glass substrate in which the alkali oxides are ionized by the ionizer.
US08893523B2

A method for operating a refrigerator having a driving assembly and an ice storage bin. The driving assembly is releasably engageable with the ice storage bin. The driving assembly has a motor fork. The ice storage bin supports an axle, to which a coupler is secured. The method includes engaging the motor fork with the coupler secured, rotating the motor fork in a first direction based on a user's input, and rotating the motor fork in a second direction opposite to the first direction for a predetermined time or by a predetermined angle at the end of the user's input.
US08893521B2

The present invention relates to a multi-cooling module for a vehicle, and more particularly to a multi-cooling module adapted to simultaneously cool an engine, electric parts, and a condenser through one or more heat pipes. In the multi-cooling module for a vehicle, one or more heat pipes are mounted to pass through two or more refrigerant passage pipes which go through with the same cooling system core unit.
US08893518B2

A coolant mixture, method and apparatus for accelerated cooling of product, especially foodstuffs, is disclosed. A further aspect of this invention is the optimizing and controlling of the cooling process and the cooling medium without the need for pressurization. It further relates to a method of effectively increasing the flexibility and maximizing of cooling capacity and its storage without inducing a change of physical state within the coolant nor incurring high energy costs. Finally it relates to effectively eliminating any corrosive properties of the cooling medium.
US08893517B2

A vehicle air handling system includes an air conditioner having an inlet selectively opening to a source of fresh air or recirculated air from within the passenger compartment. A controller switches the source of inlet air to recirculated air under certain conditions in order to optimize system efficiency and component life.
US08893510B2

An air injection system for use in a gas turbine engine includes at least one outlet port through which air is extracted from the engine only during less than full load operation, at least one rotor cooling pipe, which is used to inject the air extracted from the outlet port(s) into a rotor chamber, a piping system that provides fluid communication between the one outlet port(s) and the rotor cooling pipe(s), a blower system for extracting air from the engine through the outlet port(s) and for conveying the extracted air through the piping system and the rotor cooling pipe(s) into the rotor chamber, and a valve system. The valve system is closed during full load engine operation to prevent air from passing through the piping system, and open during less than full load engine operation to allow air to pass through the piping system.
US08893500B2

A dual fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes a central cavity extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, and a first fuel discharge outlet configured to direct a first fuel into the central cavity at the first end. The fuel injector may also include a first air discharge opening circumferentially disposed about the first fuel discharge outlet and configured to direct a first quantity of air into the central cavity, and a second air discharge opening circumferentially disposed about the central cavity and configured to discharge a second quantity of air into the central cavity downstream of the first air discharge outlet. The fuel injector may further include a second fuel discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the central cavity and configured to discharge a second fuel therethrough. The second fuel may be different from the first fuel.
US08893499B2

An expander-generator is disclosed having an expansion device and a generator disposed within a hermetically-sealed housing. The expansion device may be overhung and supported on or otherwise rotate a hollow expansion rotor having a thrust balance seal being arranged at least partially within a chamber defined in the expansion rotor. Partially-expanded working fluid is extracted from an intermediate expansion stage and a first portion of the extracted working fluid is used cool the generator and accompanying radial bearings. A second portion of the extracted working fluid may be introduced into the chamber defined within the expander rotor via a conduit defined in the thrust balance seal chamber. The second portion of extracted working fluid minimizes unequal axial thrust loads on the expander rotor due to the overhung arrangement.
US08893495B2

A waste heat recovery (WHR) system operates in a reverse mode, permitting using the WHR system to transfer heat to the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine. In another configuration, a WHR system may operate in two modes. The first mode removes heat from exhaust gas of an engine to perform useful work. The second mode transfers heat to the exhaust gas. The benefit of this flexible system is that a WHR system is adaptable to rapidly heat exhaust gas at startup and during other conditions where the temperature of the exhaust gas is less than a predetermined operating range. Because of the ability to rapidly warm engine exhaust gas, an exhaust gas receiving system, such as an EGR or an aftertreatment system, may function to reduce the emissions of the engine more quickly. Because this system is reversible, it retains the capability of a conventional WHR system.
US08893494B2

An internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders, an air intake line and an exhaust line collecting exhaust gas. The engine also includes an EGR line for rerouting a part of the exhaust gas from the exhaust line towards the air intake line and at least a first turbocharger comprising a first turbine driven by the exhaust gas flowing towards the atmosphere, linked to a first compressor located on the air intake line. The engine further includes a variable geometry EGR turbine located on the EGR line, driven by the EGR gas flowing in the EGR line. Thus, thanks to the pressure reduction occurring in the turbine, the EGR gas temperature is lowered, and less cooling power from the engine cooling system is required to cool down the EGR.
US08893487B2

A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.
US08893485B2

An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes a joining section extending from a downstream end portion of a second flow passage section to a first flow passage section. The joining section has a communication port formed proximate a valve shaft for directing an exhaust gas from the second flow passage section into a housing section. A valve includes a first valve body supported by the valve shaft for closing a downstream end portion of the first flow passage section, and a second valve body extending from the first valve body for closing the communication port. The first valve body and the second valve body are disposed circumferentially of the valve shaft. The second valve body has an arc-shape having a center provided by the valve shaft.
US08893480B2

[Problem] To provide a reducing agent supply apparatus that can quickly melt urea aqueous solution solidified in a reducing agent injection valve to allow early start of the injection control of urea aqueous solution, a method for controlling the reducing agent supply apparatus, and an exhaust gas purification apparatus.[Means for Resolution] A reducing agent supply apparatus, including: a storage tank for storing liquid reducing agent; a pump for pumping the reducing agent; a reducing agent injection valve for injecting the reducing agent pumped by the pump in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine; and a reducing agent passage connecting the pump to the reducing agent injection valve, wherein, when the internal combustion engine stops, a purge process of collecting the reducing agent in the reducing agent passage into the storage tank is performed, and wherein, on part of the reducing agent passage, a siphon function portion is provided for, even when, at the start of the internal combustion engine, the reducing agent injection valve is in injection failure due to solidification of the reducing agent in the reducing agent injection valve, causing some of the reducing agent to reach the reducing agent injection valve after the start of the pump to cause the solidified reducing agent to melt.
US08893477B2

The present invention provides an exhaust emission purifying apparatus having a liquid level measuring device in which, when a liquid level (measured liquid level) measured by a liquid level indicator of a sensor is equal to or than a measurable lower limit, the measured liquid level is output. On the other hand, when the measured liquid level is less than the measurable lower limit, the liquid level estimated based on a consumption of a liquid reducing agent or its precursor in a reducing agent tank and a tank cross-sectional area is output. The liquid level of the liquid reducing agent or its precursor is estimated in a range in which the liquid level may not be accurately measured due to the presence of a concentration meter, whereby the liquid level can be measured over a wide range.
US08893475B2

A method includes determining whether selective catalytic reduction (SCR) test conditions are present, and in response to the SCR test conditions being present, operating an SCR aftertreatment system at a number of reduced ammonia to NOx ratio (ANR) operating points. The method further includes determining a deNOx efficiency value corresponding to each of the ANR operating points. The method further includes determining a reductant correction value in response to the deNOx efficiency values corresponding to each of the ANR operating points, and providing a reductant injection command in response to the reductant correction value.
US08893469B2

An assembly includes a gas turbine engine, a compartment wall, and a gutter system. The gas turbine engine has a spool connected to a fan shaft via a gear system. The compartment wall is positioned radially outward from the gear system. The gutter system is positioned radially outward from the gear system for capturing lubricating liquid slung from the gear system and positioned radially inward of the compartment wall. The gutter system includes a gutter and a flow passage fluidically connected to the gutter. The flow passage has a plurality of holes that allow the lubricating liquid to pass through the flow passage into a space between the flow passage and the compartment wall.
US08893466B2

A fuel flow system for a gas turbine includes a first pump, a main fuel flow path and a second pump. The first pump is connected to an actuator and a metering valve. The main fuel flow path is formed between the first pump and the metering valve. The second pump is connected to the main fuel flow path and supplements the fuel flow from the first pump under certain conditions. The second pump and first pump are in parallel.
US08893458B2

An apparatus and method for packaging wire fence clips first collects and aligns fence clips into a series of batches that each incorporate a selected quantity of clips. Each batch of clips is fed through a packaging station where first and second flexible adhesive substrates are affixed to opposite sides of the batch, and successive batches are separated to form compact and easy to carry bundles of the selected quantity of clips. A label applicator supplies adhesive labels to one of the flexible substrates.
US08893454B2

A packaging machine is disclosed for packing cartons with beverage cans in two overlying layers. The packaging machine has a selector flight, a can flight, and a carton flight, all synchronously movable. A single infeed assembly directs first groups of cans into selector bays on the selector flight, sweeps them into adjacent can bays, and directs second groups of cans into the same selector bays, all on the same level. The selector flight and the second groups of cans then ramps up to an elevated level, from where the second groups of cans are swept into the adjacent can bays atop the first groups of cans. The thus staged cans are pushed into open cartons on the carton flight.
US08893450B2

The invention discloses devices and methods for using building blocks for construction that does not require mortar, internal columns or additional internal or external finishing. A building block includes joining elements for attaching blocks from top to bottom as well as from side to side. Additionally, blocks have internal and external finishes that are complete. The block includes a removable face for allowing access to space for infrastructural elements like wires and pipes. Thus, after construction of a structure, there is no additional need to paint, hang wallpaper or otherwise treat the outer and inner walls of the final structure.
US08893448B2

An expansion joint system for bridging an expansion joint gap between two spaced-apart underlying stair structures. The expansion joint system includes a movable plate that is connected to a fixed plate through a hinge. The hinge connection permits the movable plate to move in response to thermal movements and seismic events that causes the width of the expansion joint to open to a greater width or close to a smaller width. Following the seismic or thermal event, the hinge connection automatically returns the movable plate to its original position.
US08893447B1

An improved mechanically secured block building system generally for concrete masonry structures comprising a masonry block unit with a height and width essentially one-half the length of the unit, with multiple cavities through the block and with a recessed channel; an anchor bar with a plurality of threaded and non-threaded apertures in a special configuration to match the cavities in the block unit and able to lay in the recessed channel of the block; and a fastener wherein the mechanical secured block building system can be assembled in unique ways due to a cube effect of the masonry block to construct multiple width walls, grade beams, and horizontal decks. An alternative embodiment includes the preferred mechanical secured block building system further comprised of (d) a footer block and (e) a footer plate.
US08893429B2

The present disclosure includes a manufactured seed comprising a seed shell and a restraint disposed within the seed shell. The seed shell is a structure having an open end and a closed end. A primary end seal is disposed on the open end of the seed shell. A secondary end seal is arranged on the primary end seal, the secondary end seal being coated, at least partially, with a paraffin oil.
US08893425B2

A wild turkey decoy apparatus including a plurality of guide track segments that are operable to be connected in series end-to-end and adjustably supported above a ground surface to provide a generally smooth and level vertical track guide surface. The guide track carries a base member that is driven by a rugged sprocket gear system for variable speed motion in a forward and reverse direction as controlled by a transmitter from a remote location. The base serves to support a decoy that is fitted with a plurality of internal servo motors that can be selectively operated from a remote location to duplicate the natural movement of decoy parts of a wild turkey.
US08893424B2

Disclosed is a telescopic sight mount with adjustable forward tilt. The mount comprises a basic body and an attachment and the basic body and the attachment, by virtue of an arrangement of a clamping screw at an angle greater than a self-locking of a material pairing and less than 90°, have a positive connection. Also disclosed is a telescopic sight mount with adjustable forward tilt wherein the mount comprises a basic body and an attachment and the basic body and the attachment comprise a tapered joint.
US08893412B2

A system for documenting the growth progression of an infant including an indicator that identifies a date associated with the infant or an age of the infant, and an object, unchangeable in size, comprising an element for removably attaching the indicator to the object.
US08893411B2

An ironing board (1) having a board member (3) connected to a support structure (5). The ironing board (1) also has a base (7) for supporting the ironing board (1) on a surface and adjustment means (9) which permits the position of the support structure (5) relative to the base (7) to be adjusted to enable the height of the board member (3) to be adjusted relative to the surface. The base (7) may have a first leg (42) formed by a pair of substantially parallel elongate tubes (40) and a second leg (46) formed by a single elongate member (46) which is pivotally connected to the adjustment means (9). The board member (3) may be made from two sections (11, 13) that are pivotally connected to one another to permit the board member (3) to be folded.
US08893400B2

The invention relates to a hair dryer including a tapered plastic shell between a rear end and a front end through which flows out the air set into motion and heated by the hair dryer, this plastic shell defining at least one air inlet and an air outlet and being intended to accommodate at least one motor and one fan, the shaft of which is borne by an attached internal structure in the central portion of the fuselage. According to the invention, the plastic shell is conformed in order to receive the air between the air inlet and the internal structure bearing the fan, on a longer acoustic path as compared with the length of the acoustic path between the rear end and the internal structure bearing the fan.
US08893396B2

A laser alignment device for use with rigid tubing of varying diameters, such as electrical conduit or plumbing piping. An embodiment of the laser alignment device includes a slide mechanism with a number of measurement indicator markings on at least one face. The slide mechanism allows the laser position to be adjusted depending on the diameter of the tubing. The primary function of the alignment device is to produce a laser beam at or near the dead-center of the tubing as it is being installed. This allows the installer to quickly ensure that existing or new sections of tubing are installed correctly and in-line. A plurality of mirror attachments may be used to alter the direction of the laser beam for turns or bends in the run of the length of tubing.
US08893395B2

A pipe alignment tool includes a main body, a laser source, and a laser calibrator. The main body has a threaded external surface on a proximal end and a cylindrical bore at a distal end. The cylindrical bore has a central axis. The laser source has a proximal end that is removably received in the cylindrical bore. The laser source is configured to discharge a laser beam through a distal end of the laser source along a laser axis. The laser calibrator is configured to adjust the orientation of the laser source relative to the central axis to coaxially align the laser axis with the central axis.
US08893386B2

A method for backing the inside teeth (2) of a sliding sleeve (3) produced by way of powder metallurgy for a manual transmission is described where the backings (1) of the teeth (4) forming the front-side pitches (9) are formed with the aid of a rolling tool (5) by back rolling accompanied by plastic deformation of material from the backing region. In order to prevent burr formation, it is proposed that the front-side tooth sections (8) delimited by the backings (1) are simultaneously calibrated whilst forming and/or calibrating the relevant pitches (9) with the aid of the rolling tool (5) for forming the backings (1).
US08893385B2

A method of making a liquid supply member includes preparing a transparent member including a first surface having a first opening portion and an absorption member including a second surface having a second opening portion, making the transparent member and the absorption member contact each other at a contact portion so that the first opening portion and the second opening portion overlap each other with respect to an intersecting direction that intersects the first surface and the second surface, and forming a first supply path by welding the transparent member and the absorption member to each other by irradiating the contact portion with a laser beam, the first supply path including the first opening portion and the second opening portion and being a path through which liquid flows in the intersecting direction, wherein a space is formed between the contact portion and the first supply path and between the first surface and the second surface.
US08893384B2

A heat pipe manufacturing method includes the steps of preparing a pipe and a wick structure; placing the wick structure in the pipe, vacuuming the pipe, and filling a working fluid in the pipe; and sealing the pipe. By manufacturing a heat pipe with this method, the risk of damaging the wick structure in the pipe during bending or pressing the pipe can be avoided to thereby ensure increased good yield. Further, with this method, the pipe can be pressed to form a thin heat pipe to thereby provide increased flexibility in production.
US08893381B2

A method of repairing a seal wire groove is disclosed, the groove forming an annular structure having an outer surface and an inner surface and defining an original profile when new, comprising the steps of: removing a less-than-annular portion of the original profile of the groove to remove damaged portions of at least one of the inner and outer surfaces thereby forming a void; adding new material to the void; and shaping the new material to form a new profile of the groove.
US08893377B2

When bump electrodes 26 of a semiconductor light-emitting element 2 and electrode portions 21 of a mounting board 3 are joined to each other, power is supplied to the electrode portions 21 of the mounting board 3 to allow the semiconductor light-emitting element 2 to emit light, the optical properties of the semiconductor light-emitting element 2 having emitted light are detected, and the detected value of optical properties is processed to obtain the joining state of the bump electrodes 26 of the semiconductor light-emitting element 2 and the electrode portions 21 of the mounting board 3, so that the completion of joining is determined. Thus, the semiconductor light-emitting element can be satisfactorily joined to the electrode portions on the mounting board via the metal electrodes formed on the semiconductor light-emitting element.
US08893372B2

A tool assembly for a rotary hammer is provided. The tool assembly includes an adapter and a drive socket removably mounted on the adapter. The adapter has a first end portion configured to be held by a chuck of the rotary hammer and a second end portion that includes a socket square drive fitting on which the drive socket is removably mounted. The socket drive fitting can have any suitable size. For example, the socket drive fitting can be a ¼ inch, a ⅜ inch, a ½ inch, or a ¾ inch square drive fitting.
US08893366B1

Tools for removing connectors from ports in a network device, and related systems and methods. The tool is elongate with at least one prong at a distal end. The tool includes a very slight width relative to either its length or width, such that it can be inserted into a space adjacent a connector disposed in a port, such as between closely spaced adjacent connectors. The at least one prong is received in an anchor point, such as an opening, in the network device. Pivoting the tool applies a compressive force to a latch of the connector, disengaging the latch from its respective catch on the port, after which it can be removed by pulling it out of the port.
US08893364B2

A method for setting a wheel hub assembly having a spacer therein, mounted on an axle, shaft or spindle or includes a cap a shaft is disclosed. The method is used on a wheel hub assembly having a spacer and bearings therein mounted on the axle, shaft or spindle. A retaining nut on the wheel hub assembly is tightened to the manufacture's specified torque for a particular wheel hub assembly for securing said assembly together. The wheel hub of the hub assembly is rotated when the nut is torqued to set the bearings. The retaining nut is loosened after rotating and the endplay within the wheel hub assembly is measured using an endplay measuring tool. The torque on the retaining nut is then adjusted to obtain a desired endplay measurement for the wheel hub assembly. The resultant torque on the nut at the desired endplay measurement is different from the manufacturer specified torque for the wheel hub assembly.
US08893359B2

A yarn sluice for sealing a pressurized yarn treating chamber in which a traveling yarn is thermally treated, comprises yarn guide elements in the region of a yarn inlet and outlet openings of the treating chamber forming a yarn guide channel sealed by the traveling yarn during operation. At least one of the guide elements is positionable for adaptation to the mean thickness of the traveling yarn in various predetermined positions. Means is provided for temporary adaptation of the yarn guide channel to yarn defects. At least one of the guide elements (26, 27) is steplessly adjustably mounted for adaption to the mean thickness of the traveling yarn (14). A sealing element (28), which can be placed on the first and the second yarn guide element (26, 27), extends along the yarn guide channel (25), for closing it and for reacting resiliently to defects in the traveling yarn (14).
US08893358B2

A needle puncher includes a needle and a grip member. The needle has a tip and a head spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the needle. The needle also has a held portion disposed between the tip and the head The grip member is configured to hold the needle in a manner such that the tip of the needle is exposed from the grip member. The grip member includes a holding portion and a grip portion. The holding portion holds the held portion of the needle, and the grip portion is gripped by a user of the needle puncher. The holding portion and the grip portion include front ends, respectively. The front end of the holding portion is closer to the head of the needle than the front end of the grip portion is.
US08893356B2

The object is to provide a slider for fastener fittable to a fastener included in a sealed reclosable bag after the bag is broken and opened, and also easy to fit to as well as remove from a fastener of another bag. The slider includes to first slider member (2) provided with a projection (2A) for disengaging a male engageable member from a female engageable member both included in a fastener (F) and a second slider member (3) provided with a narrowed portion (3C) for fitting the male and female engageable members to each other. The projection (2A) of the first slider member (2) is adapted to be inserted forcibly from outside between the male and female engageable members in an engaged state, and the narrowed portion (3C) in the second slider member (3) is adapted to engage the male and female engageable members with each other. Two protrusions (2E) each provided with a boss (2I) are provided on the first slider member (2) in a manner extending toward the second slider member (3). A hole (3F) is provided in the second slider member (3), into which the protrusions (2E) are fitted in a manner extending out of the hole (3F). Bosses (3L) are provided in the hole (3F), by which the bosses (2I) on the protrusions (2E) are caught.
US08893349B1

The invention provides an apparatus to hold one or more windshield wipers stationary against a vehicle window. The apparatus comprises a window placement module comprising a vacuum cup that has a vacuum zone and an attachment means that is located at a point on the cup other than within the vacuum zone. The attachment means is linked to a first point of each of one or more arms; a second point of each arm is linked to a clamping module optionally in a rotatable way. When in use the clamping module constrains movement of a windshield wiper.
US08893341B2

Disclosed are a washing machine and a method of controlling spin-drying of the washing machine. The method changes the acceleration gradient of the drum passing a resonance point, i.e., the resonance point passing gradient of the drum, when the imbalance of the laundry due to the excessive vibration of the tub is sensed when passing a resonance point region (generally within 100 RPM, approximately 50˜80 RPM, after the entry into the spin-drying cycle) in the spin-drying cycle. Thus the position of the balancer is changed according to the imbalance of the laundry.
US08893339B2

A method may include presenting a user interface on a display of a remote control to label a first air chamber of a plurality of air chambers; receiving a label from a user for the first air chamber; presenting a prompt to the user on the display to enter a pressure setting for the first air chamber, the prompt including the label received from the user; receiving a pressure setting for the first air chamber from the user; and transmitting a control signal to instruct the first air chamber to adjust pressure to the pressure setting.
US08893338B2

A cushion or mattress comprising a base and a plurality of linearly aligned individual air cells across the base. Groups of individual air cells can be interconnected and in fluid cooperation with an inflation source, such as a pump. In one aspect of the invention, the inflation of adjacent cells is staggered, for example, in a checkerboard-like inflation pattern that helps diffuse load over a wider area.
US08893335B1

The present invention is a cover bedding set assembly, having first and second sidewall cover assemblies. The first sidewall cover assembly has at least one first channel housing a first band assembly and the second sidewall cover assembly has at least one second channel housing a second band assembly. A footboard cover assembly has at least one third channel housing a third band assembly, and a headboard cover assembly has at least one fourth channel housing a fourth band assembly. The first and second sidewall cover assemblies, the footboard cover assembly, and the headboard cover assembly transform into predetermined shapes to disguise a bed assembly when assembled, whereby the at least one first, second, third, and fourth channels define a shape of the first, second, third, and fourth band assemblies housed within.
US08893331B2

A multipurpose, ergonomic, adjustable head, neck, and face pillow for use in sleeping and resting positions, both supine and upright. The pillow includes a contoured pillowcase that is used to adjust for pillow firmness. The pillowcase has a hook-and-loop closure that is used to adjust the pillow's firmness and thickness. The contoured pillowcase can be made of materials including cotton, satin, water resistant fabric, etc. The pillow insert is generally rectangular in shape with a U-shaped offset cutout along one side that can be rotated to accommodate a variety of sleeping and resting positions. The pillow insert can be filled with an array of soft loose fill including polyester fill, down, down alternative, wool, etc.
US08893330B2

A foldable stretcher for transporting an object. The stretcher comprising: a plurality of substantially plane members pivotally connected with each other in series by means of hinges there between; handles pivotally connected to outermost of the plane members; and, at least two pluralities of props. The stretcher further comprises at least two pairs of sufficiently stiff wires. Each pair of the wires arranged along a corresponding long side of the stretcher; each the wire is mechanically connected to the stretcher at least two connection points; the handles adapted for actuating a tautening of at least one of the wires of each pair of wires by fixation of the handles when the stretcher is in the unfolded position.
US08893324B2

Transfer pads for horizontal and/or vertical translocation are provided. The transfer pads include the fewest possible number of components required to provide a plenum chamber, the operative features of which are controlled at least by the provision of one or more interior sheets having specific characteristics with respect to position, perforation and attachment.
US08893320B2

The present invention is a display apparatus for affixation to a shower or bath water supply piping or incorporated within a shower, or bath or faucet head that has an authorization means for activating water flow. In a second embodiment, the present invention comprises a dispensing apparatus that has authorization means for activating and/or deactivating water flow. The display and dispensing apparatuses include a power generation, a microprocessor, water flow sensors, timing circuits and a display means and optional wireless communication technology and optional temperature sensors. The display means can be an analog or digital display or combination of display means. The authorization means can comprise a key pad located as soft keys on the display apparatus, a remote key pad, an identification or electronic card means, a bar code or RFTD means, or a biometric means.
US08893317B2

A toilet training device includes a seat defining a cavity shaped to accommodate a child, with an aperture the seat, and a base on which the seat can be mounted. The base defines a pair of receptacles of unequal size. The seat has a peripheral rim for mounting the seat on the base or on the rim of a toilet, and a central seat member which extends below the rim. The aperture is formed near the base of the seat member and has a teardrop shape which accommodates both male and female children. The seat includes a backrest at a first end thereof, the backrest being shaped to support a child using the device. The backrest defines a predetermined angle relative to the vertical to hold the child's body in a correct position for use of the device. The seat can be used in conjunction with the base in first and second “potty” configurations, and can be located on the rim of a toilet bowl in a third configuration of the device.
US08893315B2

A method of operating a toilet freshener includes the step of flushing water flow through a toilet bowl within a flushing water period [t1-t2], in which t1 represents the start of flush water flow and t2 the end of flush water flow. A sensor unit detects triggering of a flush water stream through the toilet bowl within the flushing water period [t1-t2] at a time ts. A sensor signal, which represents triggering of the flush water stream, is sent to a control unit. The sensor signal is converted, using the control unit, into a control signal for the release element, in response thereto, to release preparation from the container into the interior of the toilet bowl, release of the preparation from the container taking place with a time delay Δt after detection of the flush stream by the sensor unit and continuing for a first preparation release period Δt1.
US08898804B2

Disclosed is a system and method for selectively sharing information among users of a computer application. Specific utility in healthcare applications is disclosed, but the scope of the invention is not limited to healthcare applications. The method involves selecting specific users, with whom information will be shared, a method for selecting such users' restrictions on the information that can be accessed by such users. Also disclosed is a system and method through which certain users can transmit communications on behalf of other users.
US08898803B1

A disclosed system, method and computer readable storage medium includes downloading digital media content from a kiosk to a flash media or other secured portable memory or drive. User service information is also downloaded from the kiosk to the flash media that identifies a streaming service from which the user may also receive content. When the flash media is connected to a playback device, if the device is not connected to a network, the content is played back from the flash media. If the playback device is connected to a network, the streaming service is accessed using the user service information, and the streaming service streams the content to the playback device. In one implementation, the streamed content is of a higher quality (e.g., a high definition version) of the content that was downloaded to the flash media from the kiosk.
US08898801B2

The invention relates to a method of protecting a file containing a plurality of rights descriptions Di (i=1 . . . N), each right Di defining use by a terminal of at least one resource and/or digital content among a plurality of resources and/or digital contents RCj (j=1 . . . M), each description of a given right Di comprising particularly, an identifier of said right Di, an identifier of each resource and/or content RCj, the use of which is defined by said right Di, conditions for use of said resources and/or said contents by the terminal. This method includes the following steps: on reception of the rights descriptions file Di by a terminal, storing said descriptions in the terminal, and, for each resource and/or content RCj, generating a data structure (Id_RCj, Id_Di), comprising the identifier of said resource and/or said content and the identifier of each right defining a use of said content RCj, transferring each (Id_RCj, Id_Di) structure generated into a secure memory area.
US08898795B2

Method for communicating data in a computer network involves dynamically modifying at a first location in the computer network a plurality of true values. The true values correctly represent the plurality of identify parameters. These true values are transformed to false values, which incorrectly represent the identity parameters. Subsequently, the identity parameters are modified at a second location to transform the false values back to the true values. The position of the first and/or second locations varies dynamically as part of this process. A bridge transforms identity parameter values when communicating outside the network. Dynamic modification of the identity parameters occurs in accordance with a mission plan that can be modified without interrupting communication of data in the network.
US08898794B1

One embodiment of a computer-implemented data structure synchronization mechanism comprises an interface for accessing a data structure and storing ownership data in a shared memory location. The method further comprises denying write operations if the thread attempting the write operation is not designated as the owner thread by said ownership data. The method further comprises denying requests to modify the ownership data if the thread making the request is not designated as the owner thread by said ownership data. The method further comprises effecting a write fence in the context of the thread making the request to modify ownership data prior to modifying the ownership data. Other embodiments are described.
US08898783B2

A wireless access point and a method may be provided for detecting a malicious device in a network. The wireless access point may include a controller, a search unit, a message generation unit, and a determination unit. The controller may be configured to initiate a malicious device detection mode regularly at predefined intervals. The search unit may be configured to detect candidate devices broadcasting a signal with the first SSID from neighbor devices in an associated network. The message generation unit may be configured to generate a test message in the malicious device detection mode and transmit the test message to the candidate devices. The determination unit may be configured to determine a corresponding device in the candidate device as a malicious device when a test response message is not received from the corresponding device in response to the test message.
US08898781B2

The present invention relates to a communications system having at least one communications means by means of which the communications system can be connected to at least one further processing unit and/or to a further communications system, having at least one first memory means, having at least one second memory means and having at least one security apparatus, wherein identical information is stored on the first and second memory means and wherein damage to the communications system can be determined with reference to a comparison of this information by means of the security apparatus. The present invention furthermore relates to a security apparatus and to a method of determining damage to a communications system.
US08898778B2

By way of example, a system, method, and computer program product are provided for identifying vulnerabilities associated with data loaded in memory. In operation, a subset of data that is loaded in memory is identified, including for example by name and version number. The subset of data is compared to a known minimal version known to be good. Furthermore, there is a reaction based on the comparison, such as reporting a vulnerability.
US08898773B2

A software installation package for a domain name server (DNS) comprises a hardened operating system, a domain name server software, a management interface. To detect and block attack attempts (2-1), the software installation package also comprises an attack detection logic (ADS) for analyzing (2-2, 2-3) IP packets based on a set of attack detection rules. A response logic reacts (2-4) to detected attack attempts.
US08898762B2

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for increasing the security of electronic payment transactions, such as eCommerce transactions conducted over the Internet. A transaction approval or authorization mechanism uses an out of band process to provide authentication or identification data that has previously been registered by a user and associated with the user's payment device or account. The out of band authentication data may be provided in response to a message sent to a user's mobile phone, where the message is generated in response to entering the user's phone number into a form that is provided when the user engages in an electronic payment transaction using a desktop computer. The data may include a digital signature and associated digital certificate that is used to authenticate the user.
US08898761B2

Systems and methods are provided for real-time automated generating and validating configuration files for provisioning computing devices. For example, method for provisioning a computing device includes receiving a user request to configure a computing device to access a service, generating a device configuration file to enable access to the service, validating the configuration file before deploying the configuration file to the computing device by testing configuration settings of the configuration file against the service for which the configuration file is generated to access, and deploying the configuration file to the computing device when the configuration file is deemed valid.
US08898757B2

An example embodiment of the present invention provides processes relating to the authentication, by an authentication server, of a supplicant/user for access to a network. In one particular implementation, an authentication server receives a request for access from a supplicant, which request is forwarded to the authentication server by an authenticator that controls a port to the network. The authentication server scores various authentication methods, based on configured preferences, currently cached credentials, and the availability of a networked credential store as measured by a link-state monitor. The authentication server then negotiates an agreed authentication method with the supplicant, using a preferred order resulting from the scores. The authentication server receives forwarded credentials for the agreed authentication method from the supplicant and instructs the authenticator to give the supplicant access to the port, if the authentication server can verify the credentials against a credential store or a credential cache.
US08898754B2

A method and computer program product for enabling authentication of an OpenID user when a requested identity provider is unavailable. A relying party receives a login request from the OpenID user, where the login request includes a username. The relying party reads a list of trusted identity providers that are associated with the received username and selects one of those identity providers. The relying party generating an OpenID identifier using an identification (e.g., Uniform Resource Locator) of the selected identity provider and the username. The relying party transmits an authentication request (request to authenticate the OpenID user) to the selected identity provider using the formed OpenID identifier. If the selected identity provider is unavailable, then the relying party selects another identity provider from the list of identity providers that are associated with the received username and repeats the above process.
US08898748B2

In various embodiments, a control client is configured to determine whether or not the most current configuration profile has been installed within a corresponding mobile device. In particular embodiments, the client is configured to store its own copy of a configuration profile and to compare its copy with the most current configuration profile generated by a device management system as well as to the configuration profile currently installed and applied by a configuration manager within the mobile device. Each configuration profile includes an embedded verification token that facilitates this process. Furthermore, the client may be configured to inform the device management system as to whether or not the current configuration profile has been installed. The device management system may govern enterprise access by the mobile device based on whether or not the current configuration profile has been installed.
US08898741B2

Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive, from a node associated with a console owner, an authenticated access request for access to a network portal. Additional activities may include accessing a branding file associated with the console owner, and responsive to the receiving, generating a branded version of a graphical user interface having one or more background colors, a display structure, and a set of uncolored icons. The background color(s) and the icons may be selected based on information stored in the branding file. The branded version may be published to grant access to the network portal, displaying the uncolored icons in front of the background color(s) so that the background color(s) are visible through transparent portions of the uncolored icons. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08898736B2

A system to establish a trustworthiness of an autonomous agent is provided. The system includes a plurality of computing devices disposed in signal communication with one another via a network, at least one of the plurality of the computing devices being configured to serve as a host server for an autonomous agent trustworthiness establishing (AATE) application. The AATE application is configured to define a micro-theory of trust elements, apply trust building patterns to the autonomous agent, provide a visualization of autonomous agent skill claims and constraints via the network and provide a recommendation tracking system for sharing and tracking a reputation of the autonomous agent during testing and deployment via the network.
US08898735B2

A method of generating and authenticating a content name in content-centric networking (CCN) and a network apparatus are provided. A content name generation method includes generating authentication information using a secret key shared by network apparatuses that belong to a domain in content-centric networking (CCN); and generating a content name that includes the authentication information.
US08898734B2

A security policy database identifies the intended security policies within a network, a traffic generator provides test traffic that is configured to test each defined security policy, and a simulator simulates the propagation of this traffic on a model of the network. The model of the network includes the configuration data associated with each device, and thus, if devices are properly configured to enforce the intended security policies, the success/failure of the simulated test traffic will conform to the intended permit/deny policy of each connection. Differences between the simulated message propagation and the intended security policies are reported to the user, and diagnostic tools are provided to facilitate identification of the device configuration data that accounts for the observed difference. Additionally, if a network's current security policy is unknown, test traffic is generated to reveal the actual policy in effect, to construct a baseline intended security policy.
US08898733B2

A system and method for automatically determining if a computer user is a human or an automated script. Human interactive proofs (HIPs) are currently used to deter automated registration for web services by automated computer scripts. Unfortunately, while every endeavor is made to obscure the HIPs from such automated processes, the presentation of current HIPs leaves systems very much open to malicious attack from automated computer scripts and processes such as optical character readers (OCR). Those HIPs that have proven more successful in foiling malicious attacks have proved difficult for humans to decipher. The system and method of the invention in one embodiment provides a Pseudo-Isochromatic challenge or puzzle or any other visual illusion generated on the basis of Pseudo-Isochromatic imagery (PICPVI), to be employed within a challenge generator, the invention is created in such a way as to make it extremely difficult for an automated process to read, decipher or otherwise interpret the PICPVI but relatively easy for the human end user to successfully complete. In one embodiment the end user issues a request to a service provider for access to services, the service provider requests HIP by generating a PICPVI. The PICPVI is generated for the user and the response can be provided as the whole or part of the access to service request, making it extremely difficult for an automated process to access services unlawfully or maliciously.
US08898729B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for security algorithm selection processing, a network entity, and a communication system. The method includes: receiving a service request message sent by user equipment; and according to a security protection requirement of the service request message, selecting a security algorithm from a security algorithm list supported by both the user equipment and a network entity, where security algorithm lists supported by the user equipment and/or the network entity are set separately based on different security protection requirements, or security algorithm lists supported by the user equipment and the network entity are used for indicating security capability of the user equipment and the network entity respectively.
US08898728B2

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for using a distributed object cache to propagate and activate changes to security information across nodes of a cluster. Embodiments of the present invention can be implemented, for example, in a security product that enforces security policies, i.e., access control, etc., on resources such as web content provided by a set of servers of nodes of a computing grid and provide ways to handle data synchronization between the servers or nodes of the grid. This synchronization can be performed using a distributed object cache that provides replicated and distributed object caching services. For example, Oracle Coherence is one such distributed object cache that is built on top of a reliable, highly scalable peer-to-peer clustering protocol. However, embodiment of the present invention are not limited to use with Coherence but rather are equally applicable to other distributed object caches.
US08898723B2

A method consistent with certain implementations involves receiving a triggerable declarative object (TDO) at a digital television receiver device that carries out a programmed script upon execution; the programmed script including a parameter discovery function that determines an operational parameter of the television receiver device and further includes a programmed function; initiating the execution of the TDO in order to initiate execution of the script on a processor of the television receiver device; running the script on the processor of the television receiver device in order to discover the operational parameter and in order to carry out the programmed function; and where the programmed function is conditional upon the discovered operational parameter of the television receiver. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08898722B2

Systems and methods for navigating hypermedia using multiple coordinated input/output device sets. Disclosed systems and methods allow a user and/or an author to control what resources are presented on which device sets (whether they are integrated or not), and provide for coordinating browsing activities to enable such a user interface to be employed across multiple independent systems. Disclosed systems and methods also support new and enriched aspects and applications of hypermedia browsing and related business activities.
US08898718B2

Systems and methods for managing video delivery to mobile device clients. Videos are assimilated for transmission to clients, a playout lead is estimated for each video and the videos are transmitted to the clients.
US08898716B2

The present disclosure discloses a digital communication between the embedded cable modem (eCM) and embedded set-top box (eSTB) via a shared memory. The communication is carried out by packet transfer mechanism as per the protocol without adding any extra header overhead. The communication link is established between the eSTB and eCM mainly in layer 2 and partly in layer 1 according to an implementation of the OSI model. Further, eSTB is used as an eSAFE device coupled to eCM where the eCM and eSTB are considered to be placed on two SoCs with a separate CPU to each SoC (System-On-Chip) with a shared memory (via high speed data bus protocol). DMA (Direct Memory Access) engines are used to accelerate data transfer and to reduce load. DMA of only eCM, SoC is used to minimize hardware resources.
US08898713B1

Techniques for providing personalized presentations of aggregated content items are described herein. These techniques may aggregate individual content items from multiple sources, filter the content items based on the preferences of a user, and create an ordered presentation of the content items. A different presentation may be available to the user at different times, for example, a new presentation may be available each day. The new presentation may include more recent or more relevant content items than previous presentations of content items. Each presentation may combine the multiple individual content items together in such a way that each individual content item appears to the user as part of a single content item. User interaction with the aggregation of content items may be analyzed and that analysis may be used to modify subsequent selection and ordering of content items in future presentations.
US08898706B2

An apparatus, method and data structure for generating at least one table in a broadcast environment, are provided. The apparatus includes a generator to generate an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT). The ETT has program guide information for an n-hour span and has a transmission interval. The ETT has a transmission interval and program description information according to the EIT. The transmission interval of the EIT is shorter than the transmission interval of the ETT.
US08898705B2

Systems and methods are provided for modifying metadata associated with content that is improperly formatted. In one configuration a metadata pre-processor receives metadata from a remote source, determines whether the received metadata is properly formatted, and, if it is not, modifies the metadata based on information received from a second remote source. In one configuration the modified metadata is then used to identify information associated with the content.
US08898699B2

A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.
US08898696B2

According to one exemplary embodiment of an advertisement allocating system, an image object marking and response element receives a TV program signal and then marks at least one object appearing in the TV program during a current time slot; a user element tallies all the users interested in the object, and collects all the feedback information from all the users on the TV program; based on an allowable advertisement set for the current time slot, an advertisement auto-matching element computes the correlation between each specific object and each advertisement of the allowable advertisement set, computes a score for each advertisement of the allowable advertisement set, and extracts an advertisement candidate group for broadcasting.
US08898695B2

Embodiments relate to a method, apparatus and program product for processing messages. The messaging system includes a plurality of information processing devices communicating via a network and an output status determining unit for verifying a first information processing device is connected to a video output device. It also includes a message processing unit configured to provide a message on a first or a second information processing device. The message is provided in a certain manner based on information provided by the output status determining unit.
US08898690B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media server and parsing engine, 3rd party mobile aggregator, client servers, and a plurality of communication devices that are each associated with a user and a user profile. The media server can provide one or more of the plurality of communication devices with access to media content, with the access being provided at a time selected by the user. At least one of the one or more of the plurality of communication devices can transmit a critique of the media content. The media server can award points to the user based on performing the critique, and can transmit the critique and user information from the user profile to the client server. The media server can provide the at least one of the one or more of the plurality of communication devices with access to at least one of services or goods to be purchased with the points. The media server can redeem the points based on a purchase of the at least one of the services or goods using the points. Other embodiments such as the obtaining of end user preferences of content in a natural environment are disclosed.
US08898688B2

The invention provides systems and methods to identify local market media content utilizing a disturbed system and to determine what additional content is relevant in a self-aware, automatic way. A central location stores identification information and related content so in the future it is available if and when another user watches the same content. Therefore, the next time local market media content is played, it can be identified and additional related content can be quickly (e.g. in real time) made available.
US08898685B2

A cartridge drive apparatus includes a holder, a lock plate, and a drive unit. The holder is configured to hold a cartridge inserted therein. The lock plate is attached with respect to the holder to be movable in one of an insertion direction and a discharge direction of the cartridge and includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the cartridge. The drive unit is configured to drive the holder and the lock plate in one of the insertion direction and the discharge direction of the cartridge.
US08898681B1

Request data is identified that describes a request of a second program by a first program intercepted by a first exit in the first program. Response data is identified that describes a response by the second program to the request as intercepted by a second exit in the first program. A virtual service configured to model operation of the second program is instantiated based on the request data and response data. In another aspect, a request by the first program to the second program is intercepted by the first exit and the request is redirected to the virtual service. A response is received as generated by the virtual service and the response is returned to the first program using the second exit.
US08898674B2

According to one aspect of the present disclosure a system and computer program product for managing memory access is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of memory controllers each configured to maintain memory databus utilization by a corresponding processor at or below a threshold to maintain memory databus utilization of the system at or below a system threshold. The system also includes a service processor configured to receive memory databus utilization data from the memory controllers and programmed to, in response to determining that memory databus utilization for at least one of the processors is below its threshold, reallocate at least a portion of unused databus utilization from the at least one processor to at least one of the other processors.
US08898671B2

Provide is a processor that can maintain a dependency relationship between a plurality of instructions and one read instruction. The processor comprises: a setting unit configured to set, when an instruction that exists at a location ensuring that writing into a memory area has been completed is executed, usage information indicating whether writing into the memory area has been completed such that the usage information indicates that writing into a memory area during execution of one thread has been completed; and a control unit configured to (i) perform execution of a read instruction to read data stored in the memory area when the usage information indicates that writing into the memory area during execution of the one thread has been completed, and (ii) suppress execution of the read instruction when the usage information indicates that writing into the memory area during execution of the one thread has not been completed.
US08898668B1

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for redeploying a baseline VM (BVM) to one or more child VMs (CVMs) by merely cloning virtual drives of the BVM, instead of the entirety of the parent BVM. A temporary directory is created in a datastore that has the target CVMs that are targeted for virtual drive replacement (e.g., are to be “re-baselined”). One or more replacement virtual drives (RVDs) are created in the temporary directory, where the RVDs comprise a clone of a virtual drive of the source BVM. The one or more RVDs are moved from the temporary directory to a directory of the target CVMs, replacing existing virtual drives of the target CVMs so that the target CVMs are thus re-baselined to the state of the parent BVM.
US08898665B2

A method for accessing a memory space allocated to a virtual machine, the method includes: receiving a request from the virtual machine to generate, for another virtual machine, a memory credential associated with a certain memory space allocated to the virtual machine; generating, in response to the request, a cryptographically signed credential; sending the cryptographically signed credential to the other virtual machine; receiving from the other virtual machine an access request to access at least one memory entry within the certain memory space; and accessing the at least one memory entry, if the access request complies with the memory credential.
US08898663B2

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for making storage information available to virtual machines in virtual environments. A method includes sending a request, via an electronic system, for a plurality of storage attributes to a virtual storage access module. The virtual storage access module may facilitate access to storage for a virtual machine via a virtual access path. The method further includes receiving the plurality of storage attributes from the virtual storage access module and storing the plurality of storage attributes. In one embodiment, storing is operable to store the plurality of storage attributes such that they are available for use in storage management tasks.
US08898650B2

A data processing apparatus that generates an object code from a source code, includes a unit that sets, for an access to a property of an object included in the source code, an offset of a one-dimensional array that stores a value in correspondence with a property in an offset table of hidden type data provided to correspond to the object, and accesses the property via the offset table.
US08898648B2

A profiling tool identifies a code region with a false sharing potential. A static analysis tool classifies variables and arrays in the identified code region. A mapping detection library correlates memory access instructions in the identified code region with variables and arrays in the identified code region while a processor is running the identified code region. The mapping detection library identifies one or more instructions at risk, in the identified code region, which are subject to an analysis by a false sharing detection library. A false sharing detection library performs a run-time analysis of the one or more instructions at risk while the processor is re-running the identified code region. The false sharing detection library determines, based on the performed run-time analysis, whether two different portions of the cache memory line are accessed by the generated binary code.
US08898644B2

The invention efficiently provides user code information for kernel level tracing approaches. It applies an advanced variation of stack walking called multi-mode stack walking to the entire system level and generates the unified trace where the user code and kernel events are integrated. The invention uses runtime stack information and internal kernel data structures. Therefore, source code for user level code and libraries are not required for inspection. The invention introduces the mechanism to narrow down the monitoring focus to specific application software and improve monitoring performance.
US08898639B2

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for automated test case generation and scheduling. These mechanisms and methods for automated test case generation and scheduling can provide an automated manner of generating test cases and scheduling tests associated with such test cases. The ability to provide this automation can improve efficiency in a testing environment.
US08898634B2

Described herein are systems, methods and apparatuses that can provide a holistic, bottom-up approach to facilitate the design of objects (e.g., modular objects that can facilitate industrial automation applications). The design approach includes selection of an object from a library of a plurality of objects; filtration of functionalities of the object based on a workflow of an application; and display of the object for customization of the object for the application with the filtered functionalities masked.
US08898629B2

Systems and methods for developing, customizing, and deploying mobile device applications are provided through a mobile application development and deployment platform. Preferably, these systems and methods are implemented in an Internet based environment that allows non-technical users to build sophisticated, highly-customizable cross-platform mobile applications. The platform allows users to select, input, create, customize, and combine various content, design characteristics, and application components, such as modules, some of which make use of features and functionality associated with various mobile devices and mobile operating systems. In certain embodiments, the platform allows users to compile the mobile application for various mobile operating systems and generates a configuration file for the mobile application that can be distributed to end users for execution on various mobile devices. When the mobile application is installed on, or executed by the mobile device, the configuration file may enable the retrieval of various data associated with the mobile application.
US08898625B2

Optimized storage of function variables in compiled code is disclosed. It is determined that a variable of a first function is required to be available for use by a second function subsequent to return of the first function. Machine code is generated to escape the variable from a storage location in a stack memory to a storage location in a heap memory, prior to the variable being removed from the stack memory, in connection with return of the first function.
US08898623B2

Techniques, apparatuses, and systems for application design and application data flow analysis. Techniques, apparatuses, and systems can include providing a design interface to create an application with different user groups and access rights, the design interface operable to specify an action to include to a page of the application, where the action, when invoked, modifies the application state; receiving an action specification that describes an access rights modification that results from an invocation of the action during an execution of the application, where the access rights modification indicates an enabling or disabling of one or more access rights of a user; and generating application specification queries and commands to enforce access rights based on the access rights modification.
US08898615B2

A receiving unit receives specification of two parts to be connected by wirings and the number of wirings connecting the two parts. A generating unit generates a schematic route connecting the two parts on a substrate with a width in accordance with the number of wirings received by the receiving unit. A derivation unit derives the number of arrangeable wirings by checking interference whether the schematic route generated by the generating unit is capable of being arranged on the substrate.
US08898613B2

A microcomputer provided on a rectangular semiconductor board has memory interface circuits. The memory interface circuits are separately disposed in such positions as to extend along the peripheries of the semiconductor board on both sides from one corner as a reference position. In this case, limitations to size reduction imposed on the semiconductor board can be reduced compared with a semiconductor board having memory interface circuits only on one side. Respective partial circuits on each of the separated memory interface circuits have equal data units associated with data and data strobe signals. Thus, the microcomputer has simplified line design on a mother board and on a module board.
US08898612B1

An electronic design automation (EDA) tool for inserting dummy tiles between interconnect lines of an integrated circuit design includes a memory for storing the integrated circuit design and a processor in communication with the memory. The processor identifies those interconnect lines that are at different voltage levels, have a length greater than a predefined threshold length and a spacing less than a predefined threshold spacing, and inserts blockage areas between such interconnect lines. The processor skips the blockage areas and adds dummy tiles only between those interconnect lines that do not meet predetermined criteria.
US08898610B1

Techniques for organizing a cell library permit a large number of cells. To improve design accuracy using cell libraries, very large cell libraries are needed. However, optimization tools are not able to use very large cell libraries directly, since their results suffer. Very large cell libraries are organized into sublibraries that are adapted to be processed by optimization tools. This allows improvement in the design quality of integrated circuits, while allowing the designs to be processed by optimization tools.
US08898609B1

A method for performing routing for a logic design includes utilizing signal transition time as a criteria for selecting resources to provide interconnection between the components of the logic design.
US08898608B1

A method includes (a) generating timing information of an integrated circuit (IC) floorplan by a processing unit, (b) displaying on a display device a representation of the IC floorplan according to the timing information, (c) receiving user input via an input device, the user input associated with an IC macro of the IC floorplan, (d) updating the timing information associated with the IC macro to generated updated timing information according to the user input, and (e) altering display of the representation according to the updated timing information.
US08898606B1

A process and apparatus are provided for automated pattern-based semiconductor design layout correction. Embodiments include: determining a portion of a layout of an IC design, the portion comprising a first pattern of a plurality of routes connecting a plurality of design connections; determining one or more sets of the plurality of design connections based on the plurality of routes; and determining, by a processor, a second pattern of a plurality of routes connecting the plurality of design connections within the portion based on the one or more sets.
US08898605B2

An on-chip tunable transmission line (t-line), methods of manufacture and design structures are provided. The structure includes a tunable transmission line (t-line) with fixed characteristic impedance comprising functionally-differentiated switches used for inductance and capacitance, respectively.
US08898604B1

A processor-implemented method for selective Q-gating flip-flops in a plurality of flip-flops contained in a design is provided. The method may include determining a maximum width, a maximum depth, and a maximum congestion value in the design and determining a relative width, a relative depth, and a relative congestion value for each of the plurality of flip-flops in the design. The method may further include determining grade values for each of the plurality of flip-flops in the design based on a ratio between the relative width, the relative depth and the relative congestion value, and the maximum width, the maximum depth, and the maximum congestion value, respectively and determining an overall summed value for each of the plurality of flip-flops. Then the method may sort the plurality of flip-flops based on the overall summed value for the plurality of flip-flops according to magnitude.
US08898602B2

Multiple signal lines in a circuit net the vertex of which is a maximum observation point having a maximum diagnosis difficulty index among a plurality of diagnosis difficulty indexes of all the observation points that are used for observing signal lines in the circuit, each of the plurality of diagnosis difficulty indexes of the observation points representing the difficulty in fault diagnosis at the corresponding observation point are selected as first insersion candidates. A second insertion candidate onto which the test point is to be inserted is selected from the first insertion candidates, considering effects of inserting the test point onto the respective first insertion candidates. Thereby, insertion of a test point reduces dispersion of the diagnosis difficulty indexes of all the observation points.
US08898601B2

According to one embodiment, a logic circuit design method of an embodiment includes generating logical data corresponding to register transfer level description, based on design data containing the register transfer level description, and generating constraint conditions designating circuit data which satisfies a predetermined condition among plural gate level circuit data logically equivalent to the logical data, based on the design data, and generating gate level circuit data based on the logical data under the constraint conditions.
US08898599B2

Described herein is a method for a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic imaging apparatus, the lithographic process having a plurality of design variables, the method comprising: calculating a gradient of each of a plurality of evaluation points or patterns of the lithographic process, with respect to at least one of the design variables; and selecting a subset of evaluation points from the plurality of evaluation points or patterns based on the gradient.
US08898590B2

Provided are an information input device, an on-screen arrangement method thereof, and a computer-executable program capable of preventing deterioration of operability even when an input disable region is set on a touch panel. An information input device capable of inputting information by an indicator touching a touch panel formed on a display screen includes an input disable region setting controller that sets an input disable region on a part of the touch panel and a display controller that rearranges an object being displayed on the display screen to avoid the set input disable region.
US08898589B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for flattening a subset of configuration UI panels in a hierarchy of UI panels. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for flattening a subset of configuration UI panels in a hierarchy of UI panels has been provided. The method includes executing a query against an index of artifacts for which configuration parameter values are receivable in a corresponding panel disposed within a hierarchy of panels of an application. The method additionally includes receiving a result set of artifacts from the index for the query and identifying panels in the hierarchy corresponding to artifacts in the result set. Finally, the method includes displaying a single window in the application with an arrangement of the identified panels. Of note, the method also can include receiving configuration parameter values for the artifacts of the result set through the identified panels in the single window and applying the received configuration parameter values for the artifacts of the result set.
US08898582B2

Systems and methods for configuring a UI display layout for displaying record fields in a multi-tenant on-demand database service. A data record is initially displayed on a first portion of a user interface display, and an identification of a set of one or more fields of the data record is received, e.g., from a user. A selection of a display configuration for the set of identified fields is also received, e.g., from a user. The display configuration may include one or more columns, each column having one or more rows, wherein the display configuration identifies, for each of the set of fields, in which column and row the field is to be displayed. Data for the set of fields based on the selected display configuration is then displayed on a second portion of the user interface display which may include a collapsible display panel.
US08898576B2

An exemplary method comprises maintaining product data in a computer-readable data store, the product data including a data entry comprising a question and an answer about a product, setting a lifetime date for the data entry, publishing the question and the answer about the product for access by at least one user, and, in response to the lifetime date being reached, automatically hiding the question and the answer about the product from access by the at least one user and designating the data entry for a lifetime review. In certain embodiments, the method further comprises providing, for display, data representative of a graphical user interface configured to facilitate the lifetime review of the data entry by a user, receiving data representative of a renewal of the data entry, and updating the lifetime date for the data entry based on the data representative of the renewal of the data entry.
US08898575B2

Techniques are described herein for indicating unavailability of an uploaded video file that is being bitrate encoded. For instance, upon a determination that the uploaded video file is being bitrate encoded, a graphical user interface may be provided that includes an interface element indicating that the uploaded video file is unavailable for processing except for the bitrate encoding. The interface element may be an icon, a textual message, or any other suitable interface element that is capable of indicating that the uploaded video file that is being bitrate encoded is unavailable. When the bitrate encoding is completed, the interface element may be automatically updated to indicate that the uploaded video file is available for processing.
US08898570B2

A job administration apparatus carries out administration of job data based on an execution request for a predetermined job with respect to document data, and includes a display request receiving part to receive a display request for the job data, and a job data providing part to acquire the job data depending on the display request and to display the job data after a conversion by converting at least a portion of information of the job data into a non-recognizable format that is non-recognizable by a user.
US08898567B2

An approach is provided for creating a virtual workspace among devices based, at least in part, on location information. The virtual workspace corresponds to an application or a service common to the devices. Monitoring of the movement of one or more of the devices causes manipulation of the virtual workspace, the application, the service, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the movement. Example applications and services include media editing, media playback, image processing, social networking, and social control functionality.
US08898564B2

A method of generating haptic effects on a device includes detecting the presence of an object near an input area of the device and generating a haptic effect on the device in response to the presence detection.
US08898558B2

Methods and computer readable mediums storing computer executable programs for managing multimodal annotations of an image are disclosed. A first communication channel is established between a first machine and a mobile device. A first hierarchical data structure generated by the mobile device is received at the first machine. The first hierarchical data structure includes an image annotated with at least one multimodal annotation. A representation of the first hierarchical data structure is rendered at the first machine. At least one multimodal annotation modification associated with the image is received at the first machine. The at least one multimodal annotation modification is incorporated into the first hierarchical data structure thereby generating a second hierarchical data structure.
US08898556B2

A print configuration engine implemented in software residing on and executable from a digital medium, the print engine integrated with a graphics user interface (GUI) for creating and editing photo-based projects over a data network, the print engine including a communications link to a compatible print server and printer connected to the data network, a print queue for queuing printing tasks, and an image tiling module. The print engine automatically senses if the pixel size of an image is greater than a pre-defined image size threshold for high resolution printing and if so tiles the image and saves the individual image tiles to memory for later reconstitution.
US08898552B2

A communication system includes: a decoding-probability module for calculating a decoding likelihood with a control unit for characterizing an alternative hypothesis regarding an arriving communication; a null-probability module, coupled to the decoding-probability module, for calculating a null likelihood for characterizing a null hypothesis regarding the arriving communication; a weight-calculation module, coupled to the decoding-probability module, for generating a decision weight corresponding to the decoding likelihood, the null likelihood, or a combination thereof; a reliability calculation module, coupled to the decoding-probability module, for calculating a decoding reliability with the decision weight, the decoding likelihood, and the null likelihood, the decoding reliability corresponding to a decoded-result; and a decoding module, coupled to the reliability calculation module, for decoding the arriving communication with a decoding parameter based on the decoding reliability for communicating with a device.
US08898551B1

In an arrangement of the disclosed systems, devices, and methods, a matrix representation of a block code comprising m bit-planes is obtained, a generator matrix corresponding to each of the m bit-planes from the matrix representation is extracted, a transformed generator matrix and a transformed data symbol vector for the first bit-plane of the block code are determined, a reverse-mapped transformed generator matrix for each of the second bit-plane through the mth bit-plane of the block code are determined, and instructions for the encoder architecture based on the transformed generator matrix for the first bit-plane and the reverse-mapped transformed generator matrix for each of the second bit-plane through the mth bit-plane of the block code are generated.
US08898544B2

This disclosure includes a method for correcting errors on a DRAM having an ECC which includes writing data to a DRAM row, reading data from the DRAM row, detecting errors in the data that cannot be corrected by the DRAM's ECC, determining erasure information for the row, evaluating the errors using the erasure information, and correcting the errors in the data.
US08898543B2

Disclosed are program and read methods for a nonvolatile memory system, including determining to program first data in which one of fast and normal modes; providing the first data with an error code generated by a multi-bit ECC engine, in the fast mode, and generating second data; programming the second data in a cell array by a program voltage having a second start level higher than a first start level; and reading the second data from the cell array, the second data being output after processed by the multi-bit ECC engine that detects and corrects an error from the second data.
US08898541B2

A storage controller includes an error correcting code managing portion, an address managing portion and an error correcting portion. The error correcting code managing portion manages a correspondence relationship between predetermined plural pieces of unit data, and a second error code corresponding to the plural pieces of unit data every entry when plural pieces of unit data and a second error correcting code are stored in a storage portion. The address managing portion manages a correspondence relationship between logical addresses and the entries in the error correcting code managing portion. The error correcting portion acquires the entry in the error correction managing portion corresponding to the logical address as an object of read from the address managing portion, and carries out error correction based on the plural pieces of unit data managed in the entry concerned, and the second error correcting code.
US08898534B2

A data transfer method having a data retransmission function, in which a sending side saves data that was sent in memory, a receiving side uses a transmission confirmation signal to request the sending side to retransmit the data when the data was not properly received, then monitors the elapsed time, and when the data is not retransmitted after the elapsed time has exceeded a set time, uses a transmission confirmation signal again to request that the data be retransmitted, and where in response to that transmission confirmation signal, the sending side retransmits the saved data to the receiving side.
US08898533B2

Embodiments described herein provide an apparatus for transmitting data in an xDSL. In one example, the apparatus can include a transmitter configured to transmit data over the xDSL system in the form of data transmission units (DTUs), the transmitter having a physical media specific-transmission convergence (PMS-TC) communication sublayer and a retransmission unit that is implemented in the PMS-TC sublayer, the retransmission unit including a retransmission buffer configured to store transmitted DTUs and to index the transmitted DTUs using retransmit containers, each retransmit container being defined as a time slot corresponding to a respective sent DTU. A retransmit request specifies a DTU by a corresponding retransmit container and wherein the retransmission unit is configured to retransmit the specified DTU in response to the retransmit request.
US08898532B2

Embodiments of block acknowledgements request apparatus, systems, and methods are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. An aggregated block of a plurality of data frames is received from an originator transmission, with each data frame including a medium access control (MAC) header. An acknowledgement policy that is solicited by the originator is identified in a quality of service field in at least one of the MAC headers of the received transmission. A single block acknowledgement is transmitted to the originator acknowledging receipt of one or more of the plurality of data frames in the aggregated block of data frames.
US08898530B1

A method of performing a dynamic built-in self-test (BIST). The method includes performing a first test of a circuit on a semiconductor chip. The first test includes a first switch factor. The circuit during the first test is monitored with one or more sensors. A first sensor value of one or more sensors monitoring the circuit is determined. It is also determined whether the first sensor value is within a range of a programmable constant. A second switch factor is determined in response to determining that the first sensor value outside the range of the programmable constant.
US08898523B2

A test controller interprets declarative test instructions into imperative test tasks and runs the tests using the imperative test tasks. Declarative test instructions indicate what tests are to be run and the imperative test tasks indicate how these tests are to be run. In addition, the imperative test tasks further indicate a control flow of the running of the tests.
US08898521B2

An image reproduction apparatus including a power control unit detecting whether an error has occurred in supplying power to the image reproduction apparatus; and a booting control unit selectively cold-booting the image reproduction apparatus based on the detection of whether the error with supplying the power has occurred.
US08898513B2

A method begins by a processing module identifying a plurality of dispersed storage networks (DSNs) for storing copies of dispersed storage encoded data based on global data retrieval accesses of the copies of the dispersed storage encoded data. The method continues with the processing module determining a set of error coding dispersal storage parameters for at least one of the plurality of DSNs based on local data retrieval accesses allocated to the at least one of the plurality of DSNs. The method continues with the processing module encoding data in accordance with the set of error coding dispersal storage parameters to produce a copy of the copies of the dispersed storage encoded data and outputting the copy of the copies of the dispersed storage encoded data to the at least one of the plurality of DSNs.
US08898512B2

A storage system includes plural storage devices, a controller configured to transmit an access request for controlling an access to at least one of the storage devices, a switching part configured to receive the access request from the controller to select the one of the storage devices based on the access request received from the controller, and a proxy response part configured to transmit, if the selected storage device has failed, a response to the access request instead of the failed storage device responding.
US08898498B2

A method for optimizing the parameter setting of at least one energy supply parameter of a field device power supply module. The field device power supply module is, in such case, connected exclusively to one field device. The connected field device is supplied with electrical energy by the field device power supply module. In the method, the system composed of field device and field device power supply module is operated and a parameter setting of at least one energy supply parameter varied. In such case, the operation of the field device is monitored. Parameter settings are ascertained, in the case of which a relatively low energy consumption of the field device and simultaneously a safe operation of the field device can be realized in the relevant operational phase.
US08898491B2

A Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC) includes a pulse width modulator and driver circuit (PWMDC), a processor, and high-side and low-side driver circuitry. The PWMDC, along with components external to the PMIC, forms a switching power supply. A small linear regulator powers the PWMDC from power received via a terminal. The power supply supplies power to other on-chip circuitry, including the driver circuitry and processor. The PWMDC starts an on pulse (of a power supply switching cycle) in response to a clock signal. In a first mode, the PWMDC stops the on pulse based on a signal received from a terminal via an analog feedback signal path. In a second mode, the PWMDC stops the on pulse based on a signal received via a digital feedback signal path. In one example, the digital feedback signal path extends from a terminal, through an ADC, processor, and DAC, to an error node.
US08898490B2

The information processing apparatus generates and notifies, in the first power state, a prohibition condition for prohibiting the information processing apparatus from returning to the first power state even if an interface unit has received data from an external apparatus in the second power state and the received data matches a return condition for causing the information processing apparatus to return from the second power state to the first power state. When data is received from the external apparatus in the second power state, if the received data matches the prohibition condition, the interface unit does not transmit a return command to the power control unit, and if the received data does not match the prohibition condition, the interface unit transmits the return command to the power control unit.
US08898479B2

Apparatuses, systems, computer programs and methods for implementing a genomics-based security solution are discussed herein. In an encryption process, plaintext may be converted to DNAtext and DNAtext may be converted to a ciphergene. The ciphergene may then be converted into a pre-transcriptional complex. The pre-transcriptional complex, in turn, may then be converted into a cipherprotein. The decryption process operates in the reverse of the encryption process to obtain plaintext.
US08898476B1

This invention provides a novel method, system, and apparatus allowing an authorized user access to controlled assets when a passcode method malfunctions, such as when a user forgets a password, a token malfunction, or a biometric mismatch. The invention allows temporary access to an access control system without knowing the password and without sending the user the password or a new random password. The user is able to set a new password without knowing the previous password. Furthermore, stored encrypted data is preserved and made accessible once again via the new passcode. This invention works for many authentication methods such as restoring access when a password, token, access card, or biometric sample is used.
US08898474B2

A method of operating an access point (AP) configured to support multiple pre-shared keys at a given time to authenticate its associated client devices. Each client device associated with the AP is provisioned with a key. To authenticate the client device that attempts to connect to the AP, the AP determines which pre-shared key (PSK) of the multiple supported pre-shared keys (PSKs), if any, matches information including the key received from the client device. When the information matches, the client device is allowed to connect to the AP. Provisioning the AP with multiple PSKs allows selectively disconnecting associated client devices from the AP. The AP may be configured to support PSKs of different lifetime and complexity. Removing a PSK of the multiple PSKs supported by the AP and disconnecting a client device that uses this PSK does not disconnect other client devices using different keys to access the AP.
US08898472B2

A mechanism and method for managing credentials on an electronic device configured with an iOS based operating system. The iOS based device includes a “keychain” configured in device memory. According to an embodiment, the electronic device comprises an application configured to generate a public certificate object in the keychain and a password object in the keychain. The public certificate object is configured to store a public certificate, and the password object is configured to store a private key. The password object further includes a label or thumbprint for associating the private key with the corresponding public certificate. According to an embodiment, the application stores the private key in an encrypted container in the password object to provide an additional layer of security. The application is configured to unlock the encrypted container utilizing a password provided the user. According to a further aspect, the user password is not stored in memory on the device. According to an embodiment, the private key is generated and provided by a credential management system operatively coupled to the electronic device for digitally signing an email message.
US08898458B2

A method includes receiving at a first computer a new certificate which is to replace an old certificate associated with the first computer and associating by the first computer the new certificate with the first computer. In response to the first computer associating the new certificate with the first computer, the first computer accesses an email address book of the first computer having information identifying a second computer as having received the old certificate to determine from the information that the second computer is to associate the new certificate in place of the old certificate with the first computer. In turn, the first computer transmits the new certificate to the second computer for the second computer to associate the new certificate with the first computer.
US08898457B2

A method and system for automatically generating a certificate operation request is described.
US08898451B2

A method for efficiently decrypting asymmetric SSL pre-master keys is divided into a key agent component that runs in user mode, and an SSL driver running in kernel mode. The key agent can take advantage of multiple threads for decoding keys in a multi-processor environment, while the SSL driver handles the task of symmetric decryption of the SSL encrypted data stream. The method is of advantage in applications such as firewalls with deep packet inspection in which all encrypted data traffic passing through the firewall must be decrypted for inspection.
US08898450B2

Device authentication is implemented at the application layer of a computer communication model to add a factor to user authentication without requiring any action by the user. User space applications, such as web browsers, e-mail readers, and such, can remain completely unaffected. Instead, the additional authentication factor is provided at the application layer, typically in an operating system, where protocols such as HTTP(s), FTP(s), POP, SMTP, SNMP and DNS are implemented. Authentication is performed by a challenge/response transaction and the client device's digital fingerprint is compared to a whitelist of digital fingerprints of authorized client devices.
US08898449B2

A system, related methods and computer readable memory device for delivering a presentation are provided. In one example, a method includes establishing a wireless network access point that creates a closed wireless network. An encrypted communication session is established via the closed wireless network with a plurality of client computing devices that each comprise a display. Each of the client computing devices is communicatively coupled to a virtual network server on the host computing device. Frame buffer data is retrieved from a storage subsystem of the host computing device. The frame buffer data is sent to each of the client computing devices to modify the display of the devices.
US08898447B2

A method for separating a dividable computer device into multiple sub-computers may include receiving, by the dividable computer device, a command to separate a sub-computer from the dividable computer device. The method may also include detecting by the dividable computer device separation of the sub-computer and reconfiguring the dividable computer device for operation without the separated sub-computer in response to each sub-computer being separated.
US08898446B2

A power over Ethernet extender arranged to detect if power is received over 2 pairs of wires or over 4 pairs of wires. If power is received over 4 pairs of wires, power is output over only 2 pairs of wires. Preferably, the power signature of the received power is further detected. If the incoming power over a first 2 pairs of wires supports in excess of 13 watts of power consumption, and power is received over 4 pairs, then the output power supports in excess of 13 watts of power consumption; and if the incoming power over a first 2 pairs of wires supports in excess of 13 watts of power consumption, and power is not received over 4 pairs, then the output power does not support in excess of 13 watts of power consumption.
US08898445B2

A system and method of enabling a function within a module configured to be used with an information handling system is disclosed. In one form, the method of enabling functions includes detecting whether to install a custom install routine within a module configured to enable access to a hash function, and accessing a lock bit configured to lock access to the hash function. The method can further include detecting whether to set the lock bit to lock access to the hash function.
US08898440B2

A request control device, request control method, and a multiprocessor cooperation architecture. The request control device is connected to a request storage module and includes a comparing means and an identifier means. The comparing means is configured to determine if an incoming first queue unit corresponds to the same message with a queue unit that has existed in the request storage module. The identifier setting means is configured to set a save identifier of the queue unit that has existed in the request storage module to indicate not to save a state associated with the message if the first queue unit corresponds to the same message with the queue unit that has existed in the request storage module. According to the technical solution of the invention, the access to the memory caused by saving/loading the states is reduced and thereby increases the processing speed of the processor.
US08898436B2

A register file, in a processor, includes a first plurality of registers of a first size, n-bits. A decoder uses a mapping that divides the register file into a second plurality M of registers having a second size. Each of the registers having the second size is assigned a different name in a continuous name space. Each register of the second size includes a plurality N of registers of the first size, n-bits. Each register in the plurality N of registers is assigned the same name as the register of the second size that includes that plurality. State information is maintained in the register file for each n-bit register. The dependence of an instruction on other instructions is detected through the continuous name space. The state information allows the processor to determine when the information in any portion, or all, of a register is valid.
US08898426B2

Embodiments relate to target buffer address region tracking. An aspect includes receiving a restart address, and comparing, by a processing circuit, the restart address to a first stored address and to a second stored address. The processing circuit determines which of the first and second stored addresses is identified as a same range and a different range to form a predicted target address range defining an address region associated with an entry in the target buffer. Based on determining that the restart address matches the first stored address, the first stored address is identified as the same range and the second stored address is identified as the different range. Based on determining that the restart address matches the second stored address, the first stored address is identified as the different range and the second stored address is identified as the same range.
US08898425B1

Memory management units (MMUs) are disclosed. In one aspect, an MMU may have a first interface to a component. The first interface may receive one of a read of updated data from, and a write of updated data to, a virtual memory address. The virtual memory address may initially correspond to a first physical memory location in an only one time programmable (OTP) non-volatile memory (NVM). The MMU may have a remapping unit to remap a correspondence of the virtual memory address from the first physical memory location to a spare physical memory location. The MMU may also have a second interface to the OTP.NVM. The second interface may allow the updated data to be read from or written to the spare physical memory location of the OTP NVM. Methods performed by the MMUs, and methods and articles useful for manufacturing MMUs, are also disclosed.
US08898423B1

A data storage system is disclosed that utilizes a high performance caching architecture. In one embodiment, the caching architecture utilizes a cache table, such as a lookup table, for referencing or storing host data units that are cached or are candidates for being cached in the solid-state memory. Further, the caching architecture maintains a segment control list that specifies associations between particular cache table entries and particular data segments. Such separation of activities related to the implementation of a caching policy from activities related to storing cached data and candidate data provides robustness and scalability while improving performance.
US08898417B1

Described herein are methods for accessing a block-based storage device having a memory-mapped interface and a block interface. In one embodiment, an apparatus (e.g., block-based storage device) includes a storage array to store data and a memory-mapped interface that is coupled to the storage array. The memory-mapped interface includes memory-mapped memory space. The memory-mapped interface receives direct access requests from a host to directly access memory-mapped files. The apparatus also includes a block interface that is coupled to the storage array. The block interface receives block requests from a storage driver to access the storage array.
US08898413B2

A method includes making in a real storage, a copy of a first page content stored in a first page data structure by creating a second page content in a second data structure, the second page content pointing to actual data pointed to by the first page content, storing the second page content in the second data structure, marking the first page content in the first page data structure with a page protection bit, wherein the page protection bit prevents a modification of the virtual page, in response to an attempt to modify the virtual page, copying the virtual page in the event the first page content in the first page data structure is marked with the page protection bit, storing the copied virtual page in a second virtual storage, and altering the second page content in the second data structure to point to the stored virtual page.
US08898412B2

A computer system is provided, the computer system having a processor and a system memory coupled to the processor. The computer system also includes a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) in communication with the processor. The BIOS selectively scrubs the system memory during a shutdown process of the computer system.
US08898410B1

A method includes determining which of a plurality of blocks of data in a data storage device having a plurality of memory devices to copy during garbage collection using a cost function based on a number of free pages and a number of replicated pages in each of the blocks, where the replicated pages include replicated data that is a copy of data stored in another storage device and determining not to copy one or more of the blocks of data during garbage collection based on the cost function.
US08898405B2

A method for static wear leveling in non-violate storage device is disclosed. Use the method to balance all blocks' erasure counts to avoid most blocks having smaller erasure count and several blocks having larger erasure count to shorten the life time of the device.
US08898401B2

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that allow for improved speculation success in execute ahead microprocessors. In some embodiments, the method may include speculatively executing a first thread of a program code while a second thread of the program code is executing, determining if a load request is serviceable from a cache line within a cache, and in the event that the load request is serviceable from the cache line, associating a first indicator bit with the cache line. The method also may include determining whether the cache line associated with the first indicator bit has been evicted, and in the event that the cache line is evicted, allowing speculative execution of the first thread to continue.
US08898394B2

A storage apparatus for controlling a storage unit includes a cache memory for temporarily storing data to be stored in the storage unit, and a processor for executing a process including receiving unit data which is divided from data to be migrated, calculating first checksum data from the received unit data, storing the unit data and the first checksum data to the cache memory, reading out the stored unit data and the first checksum data from the cache memory, calculating second checksum data from the read out unit data, storing the unit data to the storage unit, and determining whether data migration has been performed properly by comparing the first checksum data to the second checksum data.
US08898388B1

In one embodiment, non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) caching and logging delivers low latency acknowledgements of input/output (I/O) requests, such as write requests, while avoiding loss of data. Write data may be stored in a portion of an NVRAM configured as, e.g., a persistent write-back cache, while parameters of the request may be stored in another portion of the NVRAM configured as one or more logs, e.g., NVLogs. The write data may be organized into separate variable length blocks or extents and “written back” out-of-order from the write back cache to storage devices, such as solid state drives (SSDs). The write data may be preserved in the write-back cache until each extent is safely and successfully stored on SSD (i.e., in the event of power loss), or operations associated with the write request are sufficiently logged on NVLog.
US08898386B2

A volume group power control system and a corresponding method are disclosed. The system is to organize a plurality of drive systems into a plurality of logical volume groups and to store group data identifying each of the plurality of logical volume groups. Each of the logical volume groups includes a plurality of the drive systems. The array controller includes a power management component to monitor activity of each of the plurality of drive systems in each of the plurality of logical volume groups and to deactivate the plurality of drive systems associated with a given one of the plurality of logical volume groups in response to the power management component determining that the plurality of drive systems associated with the given one of the plurality of logical volume groups is substantially inactive.
US08898385B2

Methods and structure for load balancing of background tasks between storage controllers are provided. An exemplary active storage controller comprises a front-end interface that receives host Input/Output (I/O) requests directed to a logical volume, a back-end interface that couples with one or more of storage devices provisioning the logical volume, and a control unit. The control unit processes the host I/O requests directed to the logical volume, identifies a background processing task distinct from the host I/O requests and related to the logical volume, and assigns the background processing task to a passive storage controller for processing.
US08898376B2

Methods, storage controllers, and systems for grouping data stored on an array of solid-state storage elements are described. One method includes sequentially writing user data to an append point at a head of a log stored in an array of solid-state storage elements. The user data is stored in a plurality of logical erase blocks of the array. The method further includes selecting partially invalidated logical erase blocks of the array based on a characteristic for the partially invalidated logical erase blocks and arranging valid portions of the selected partially invalidated logical erase blocks into groups based on the characteristic. The method further includes writing the groups of valid portions to the log.
US08898371B2

Described embodiments provide a media controller for a storage device having sectors, the sectors organized into blocks and superblocks. The media controller stores, on the storage device, logical-to-physical address translation data in N summary pages, where N corresponds to the number of superblocks of the storage device. A buffer layer module of the media controller initializes a summary page cache in a buffer. The summary page cache has space for M summary page entries, where M is less than or equal to N. For operations that access a summary page, the media controller searches the summary page cache for the summary page. If the summary page is stored in the summary page cache, the buffer layer module retrieves the summary page from the summary page cache. Otherwise, the buffer layer module retrieves the summary page from the storage device and stores the retrieved summary page to the summary page cache.
US08898368B2

A memory module may include a plurality of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips, each of which may have one or more data input/output (D/Q) terminals. The memory module may include data redriving/retiming circuits connected to the D/Q terminals of the plurality of DRAM chips. The data redriving/retiming circuits may provide isolation between a system memory bus and the D/Q terminals of the DRAM chips.
US08898357B1

A method system and program product to enable a storage device, comprising a storage device meta data device, to communicate with a host comprising a host meta data device, the method comprising inserting meta data into an I/O stream communicated between a host and a storage device and removing meta data inserted into an I/O stream communicated between a host and a storage device, wherein the meta data contains communications between the storage device and the host.
US08898354B2

Devices and methods for generating timing signals at a rate that matches a rate of remotely generated timing signals are provided. In some embodiments, a host generates timing signals in accordance with a USB specification, such as keep-alives, start-of-frame packets, or ITPs. An upstream facing port transmits the timing signals over a network to a downstream facing port. The downstream facing port generates and transmits timing signals to a USB device at a predetermined rate, and alters the predetermined rate based on an analysis of the rate at which timing signals are received from the upstream facing port.
US08898349B1

Certain aspects direct to data transfer between a baseboard management controller (BMC) and a host computer. When the BMC is connected to the host computer via a universal serial bus (USB) interface, the BMC sends USB descriptors to the host computer such that the host computer recognizes the BMC as a specific human interface device (HID) device based on the USB descriptors. To transfer data to the host computer, the BMC converts the data to an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) message, and generates a USB HID report containing the IPMI message as the report data. The BMC then sends the USB HID report to the host computer through the USB interface. When the BMC receives a USB HID report from the host computer, the BMC retrieves the report data, which is an IPMI message, from the USB HID report, and process the IPMI message to obtain the data.
US08898338B1

Methods and systems are disclosed for providing live media streaming over a communication network. Timing data of a received live media stream is mapped to time values from a system clock. Offset time values are assigned to a plurality of clients requesting live media content. The time values and the offset time values are used for transmission of the media stream.
US08898337B2

Exemplary methods, computer systems, and computer program products for processing a previously compressed data stream in a computer environment are provided. In one embodiment, the computer environment is configured for separating a previously compressed data stream into an input data block including a header input block having a previously compressed header. Sequences of bits are included with the input data block. Compression scheme information is derived from the previously compressed header. The input data block is accessed and recompressed following the header input block in the previously compressed data stream one at a time using block-image synchronization information. Access to the block-image synchronization information is initialized by the compression scheme information to generate an output data block. The block-image synchronization information is used to provide decompression information to facilitate decompression of the results of the output data block.
US08898335B2

An apparatus for calculating a plurality of end-to-end paths communicably connecting two terminal nodes in a communication network divided into a plurality of areas. The apparatus selects, among the plurality of areas, a first sequence of passage areas to be traversed by a first end-to-end path, and selects, among the first sequence of passage areas, multi-path passing areas each defined as an area to be traversed by two or more end-to-end paths.The apparatus further calculates two or more intra-area paths for each of the multi-path passage areas, and determines the first end-to-end path by selecting a first intra-area path among the calculated intra-area paths for each of the multi-path passing areas so that the first end-to-end path includes the selected first intra-area paths as a segment thereof and traverses the first sequence of passage areas.
US08898334B2

The invention discloses a system for network deployment and a method for mapping and data forwarding thereof. The system for network deployment comprises Distributed Hash Table (DHT) servers and DHT border servers, wherein at least one DHT border server and one DHT server are connected to form a server ring which constitutes a distributed mapping database used for storing a mapping relationship between Endpoint Identifiers (EIDs) and Routing Locators (RLOCs), and the server rings are connected with each other through the DHT border servers, wherein the DHT border server is configured to notify the EID prefix information in a present server ring to other server rings and monitor the DHT messages of the distributed mapping database. By the present invention, the network deployment and cross-domain data forwarding based on the DHT are achieved.
US08898328B2

A method of receiving and processing a broadcast signal including a Non-Real Time (NRT) service and a broadcast receiver are disclosed herein. A method of processing a Non-Real Time (NRT) service in a broadcast receiver, the method comprises receiving and processing a signaling information table including access information of the NRT service, receiving data of the NRT service based on the signaling information table in non-real time and storing the received data of the NRT service in a storage medium, extracting service information including service type of the NRT service and detail information of the NRT service from the signaling information table, and controlling processes of the NRT service based on the extracted service information.
US08898326B2

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for allowing legacy applications to interact with new networks. According to one embodiment, a method for supporting interactions and services between a legacy network and a next generation network can comprise receiving at a service layer component a communication in a communication session from a first communication network. The communication can be in a first protocol. The communication can be translated from the first protocol to a second protocol with the service layer component based on the state of the communication session. The first protocol can be different from the second protocol.
US08898325B2

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computer-based simulations and synthetic environment generation, and more particularly, to a system, a computer-readable medium, a method and an apparatus for generating synthetic environments in a distributed architecture to, among other things, introduce dynamic content. In some embodiments, computer readable medium facilitates transactions in massively multiplayer online games. The computer readable medium can include executable instructions for execution by one or more processors to receive data to perform a transaction between participants associated with the synthetic environment. The executable instructions also can be configured to transact an exchange of a first subset of game data for the first participant and a second subset of the game data for a second participant. The exchange of subsets of the game data between the first participant and the second participant can occur in the common process.
US08898323B2

Aspects describe selection of a mobility protocol after a mobile device has been authenticated with a network. Selection of mobility protocol after authentication can mitigate the amount of time needed to implement the mobility protocol. The mobility protocols include a simple IP protocol, a proxy mobile IP protocol, and a client mobile IP protocol. Implementation of simple IP protocol and proxy mobile IP protocol are performed in a similar manner from the perspective of a mobile device. If IPCP negotiation is successful, proxy mobile IP protocol or simple IP protocol can be selected. If IPCP negotiation is not successful, client mobile IP protocol can be selected.
US08898319B2

A system and method are provided for managing bundles of applications and services over a network between a server system and client computers. Related applications and services are bundled together in one package so that a user is able to quickly and easily configure a computer to perform a specified task. By combining both the applications and the services in one bundle, users no longer have to search the Internet for necessary components. Furthermore, additional features that allow portability of the bundled applications and services in addition to diagnostic monitoring are included.
US08898310B2

Enhanced content consumption is provided by establishing a pairing between two computing devices, wherein at least one of the two computing devices provides a primary consumption experience of a digital content item, so that a secondary consumption experience can be provided via operation of at least one of the two computing devices. The method further comprises presenting, using at least one of the two computing devices, the digital content item for consumption by a user. The method further comprises performing one or more supplemental consumption functions with the other of the two computing devices.
US08898308B2

Methods, systems, and computer-readable mediums configure electronic messaging applications to communicate with a server storing messages to and/or from an electronic messaging account of a user. A method involves receiving an electronic message address and a password of the user as inputs, deriving server connection settings based on the electronic message address, and applying the server connection settings to the electronic messaging account. Another method involves receiving an electronic message address of the user and discovering the server connection settings for the electronic messaging account on a server having a designated protocol name as a server prefix name to assist in locating the server and having the server connection settings. The method also involves retrieving the server connection settings from a file provided by the server in response to locating the server having the designated name and applying the server connection settings to the electronic messaging account.
US08898307B2

A computer implemented method of workload scheduling under two different types of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), namely soft and hard SLA which employ both a deadline- and cost-aware scheduler called iCBS-DH. The scheduler is evaluated against deadline and cost performance of various scheduling policies under a large range of SLA cost function and deadline types.
US08898303B2

Various arrangements for controlling access to a set of media items accessible via multiple channels are presented. An indication of a media item may be stored. Multiple sets of rules may be received, including a first and second set of rules. Requests for access to the media item may be received from a first and second application. The first request may be determined to be is associated with a first channel, wherein the first channel is associated with the first set of rules. Access to the media item may be provide in accordance with the first set of rules. The second request may be determined to be associated with a second channel. Access to the media item may be provided in accordance with the second set of rules.
US08898299B2

Administering incident pools including creating a pool of incidents, the pool having a predetermined initial period of time; assigning each received incident to the pool; assigning, by the incident analyzer, to each incident a predetermined minimum time for inclusion in a pool; extending for one or more of the incidents the predetermined initial period of time of the pool by a particular period of time assigned to the incident; determining whether conditions have been met to close the pool; and if conditions have been met to close the pool determining for each incident in the pool whether the incident has been in the pool for its predetermined minimum time for inclusion in a pool; and if the incident has not been in the pool for its predetermined minimum time, evicting the incident from the closed pool and including the incident in a next pool.
US08898298B2

The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for monitoring processes. A computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a process-observer-enabled server, a communication from a non-process-observer-enabled server; translating at least event information in the communication from a non-process-observer-compatible format to a process-observer-compatible format; adding an event in the process-observer-compatible format to a process observer queue for subsequent processing by a process observer with other events. In a process observer, the events are processed from the process observer queue, application events are correlated with the defined a workflow/process model, and process instances are created in a process log.
US08898294B2

The state of an apparatus is reported to a remote computer using an embedded device in the apparatus. The embedded device detects the state, generates a message that reports the state using a self-describing computer language, and sends the message to the remote computer. The remote computer receives the message and extracts the state of the embedded device from the message.
US08898285B2

This disclosure is directed to techniques for providing version control functionality for web services of one or more service oriented architecture (SOA) systems. According to these techniques, a version control service (VCS) may receive an indication of a version update for a first web service. In response to the received request, the VCS determines whether the version update, if executed within the SOA system, will cause a change in operation of a second web service. If the version update will cause a change, VCS provides an indication of the determined change to a user.
US08898283B2

Recommending network object information to a user includes, for each of a plurality of network objects, a respective plurality of behavior frequencies by the user is determined; a network object among the plurality of network objects that is of interest to the user is identified, the identification being based at least in part on the respective plurality of behavior frequencies that corresponds to each of the plurality of network objects; and additional information relating to the identified network object is provided to the user.
US08898281B2

An information distribution system includes a visit determination unit (42), a distribution range evaluation unit (43), and a distribution range change unit (44). The visit determination unit (42) determines whether a user of a mobile terminal (2) to which evaluation information has been distributed has visited a facility in the evaluation information, and upon determining affirmatively, calculates a visit distance indicating the distance between the location of the mobile terminal indicated by distribution time terminal location information and the location of the facility in the evaluation information. The distribution range evaluation unit (43) determines whether the distribution range is effective based on the visit distance. The distribution range change unit (44) updates distribution range information so that the distribution range is enlarged if the distribution range is effective, and updates the distribution range information so that the distribution range is reduced if the distribution range is not effective.
US08898276B1

A method for redirecting a computing device from a first network to a second network is described. A plurality of network ports is monitored. A communication from a computing device is detected at one of the network ports. Information is sent to a first server and a second server regarding the identity of the computing device. A command is sent to the first server to send a request to the computing device to renew the connection with the second server. The computing device is redirected to a second network from a first network.
US08898273B2

An adverse event reporting system and related methods are provided. Aspects relate to a associating a unique identifier of a device with resolution information configured to be automatically transmitted in response to an adverse event with the device. A consumer experiencing an adverse event with a remote device may use a communications device, such as a mobile phone, to capture and/or transmit the unique identifier, which may be located on or by the device. In one embodiment, capturing or deciphering the identifier causes the communications device to be directed to a virtual address for reporting the adverse event. The unique identifier may be used to automatically transmit resolution information to a second communications device that is not associated with the consumer. The second communications device may be associated with a vendor responsible for operation of the implicated device. The resolution information may comprise the identity and/or location of the device.
US08898260B2

Disclosed herein is a method and system for utilizing a digital data capture device in conjunction with a Bluetooth (BT) enabled mobile device for publishing data and multimedia content on one or more websites automatically or with minimal user intervention. A client application is provided on the BT enabled mobile device. In the absence of inbuilt BT capability, a BT communication device is provided on the digital data capture device. The BT communication device is paired with the BT enabled mobile device to establish a connection. The client application detects capture of data and multimedia content on the digital data capture device and initiates transfer of the captured data, multimedia content, and associated files. The digital data capture device transfers the captured data, multimedia content, and the associated files to the client application. The client application automatically publishes the transferred data and multimedia content on one or more websites.
US08898235B2

This provides a method as well as a client apparatus and server apparatus which will support sending and receiving a disposition notification to session based messaging clients after the message session has terminated.
US08898229B2

A contact management system is described having a first database containing proprietary information and a second database containing public information. Where appropriate, the publicly available information is displayed with the proprietary information to give the user more information about a contact. The multiple relationships provided by the public database allow the user to use both the proprietary and public data to find a relationship with a potential client.
US08898228B2

Methods and systems for creating and retrieving scalable media files using a chunking model. A plurality of network abstraction layer (NAL) units representing a scalable media presentation are grouped into a plurality of video chunks wherein each chunk represents only the NAL units of one layer and a specific time period. The plurality of video chunks are then stored in one or more scalable media files along with indexing information which provides information for retrieving the NAL units from each video chunk. In this manner, a client can request only the video chunks (and thus NAL units) that it needs or wants to achieve a specific bandwidth.
US08898219B2

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a communication system that provides various automated operations, including searches of public and private resources for third party information, performance of operations to assist a user in response to keyword identification in an audio, text or video stream, and speed dial updates based on calling frequencies to various telephone numbers.
US08898218B2

Generic Distributed Processing Unit (DPU) for Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) provides a Machine to Machine (M2M) interface that is fast, flexible, redundant and scalable. It allows the handling of unlikely edge cases that Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) cannot. It also allows the processing of excessive amounts of ancillary data that are not processed easily with an HMI arrangement. In the digital ecosystem, any like DPU can back up any other, making the system exceedingly robust.
US08898216B2

A data acquisition and processing system and method includes one or more distributed and expandable data acquisition nodes for processing large amounts of data. Each data acquisition node includes a core group of primary boards electronically connected together via a vertical bus capable of providing intra-node communication between the primary boards. A secondary board horizontally connected in association with the primary board via a horizontal bus provides inter-node communication or instrumentation interfaces to sensors or other application specific instruments. A master control unit associated with a graphical user interface communicates with the data acquisition nodes via a communication protocol to permit high speed exchange of information and to display information reported from the acquisition system. A storage controller associated with a node controller controls storage of data associated with the data acquisition nodes on a database in a remote location.
US08898212B2

A data reordering system for determining addresses associated with a vector of transformed data and corresponding method of reordering transformed data, where the data reordering system includes: a first transform function coupled to a data vector and operable to provide the vector of transformed data; a reordering function, including a plurality of counters, that is operable to determine a plurality of offset addresses, with a, respective, offset address for each element in the vector of transformed data; and an adder operable to add a base address that corresponds to the first address to the each, respective, offset address to provide a sequence of addresses suitable for accessing the vector of transformed data to provide a re-sequenced vector of transformed data.
US08898210B2

For determining a minimum/maximum of a plurality of binary values a bit position in the plurality of binary values is determined subsequent to which all bit values are the same. From the plurality of binary values those binary values are selected the bit values of which at the bit position determined in the preceding step and all subsequent positions, if any, has a predetermined value. The preceding steps are then repeated until only one binary value remains which is provided as the minimum or maximum.
US08898203B2

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to database driven collaborative applications and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for generating a separable query design object and database schema through visual view editing. In one embodiment, an application generation method can be provided. The method can include creating a form for a collaborative application, placing a data source user interface control within the form and binding at least one field of a database query result set to the data source user interface control. Finally, the method can include storing a database query for the result set separately from the form.
US08898196B2

The invention includes a system, apparatus, and method for storing media content within a service provider network. The system includes multi-service servers associated with access points adapted to allow end-user devices to access the service provider network. Each multi-service server includes a common storage partition adapted for storing media content and a plurality of end-user storage partitions adapted for maintaining associations to media content. The system includes media servers that communicate with the multi-service servers for providing media content to the multi-service servers. In response to a request for media content received from one of a plurality of end-user devices, the requested media content stored in the common storage partition is associated with a selected one of the end-user storage partitions associated with the end-user. The request for media content is received in response to end-user directed advertisements received at any of the plurality of end-user devices.
US08898192B2

A rules engine assigns a set of appropriateness rules to a particular data collection. The set of appropriateness rules describes an optimum usage for the particular data collection based on a source of the particular data collection and a type of activity that is deemed best suited to utilize the particular data collection. The set of appropriateness rules also requires that a data collection requester's role matches a data collection provider's role. In response to determining that a requesting computer is implementing an activity that matches the set of appropriateness rules, a rules engine directs a database controller to transmit the particular data collection to the requesting computer.
US08898187B2

Content that is received by an application is delivered to a default location that may be dynamically updated. This default location for content may be updated without interfering with the functionality of a process or application that interacts with the default location. An API allows processes to request the current location of default location and then send and access content at the default location. A user interface allows a user to change the default location within a file system. The default location may be local to a computing device or remote from the computing device.
US08898185B2

Surveillance systems are used in general to monitor buildings, public places, traffic and the like. These systems conventionally comprise a plurality of surveillance cameras producing a large amount of video data. The video data is viewed on-line or recorded and searched through off-line. Especially in the latter case there is a strong need to improve the search speed due to the large amount of the video data. A trajectory data retrieval system 1 for retrieving trajectory data of moving objects in a plurality of image sequences is proposed, the trajectory data retrieval system 1 comprising a database 4 realized for storing a set of common routes based on the trajectories of the moving objects, whereby each subset of the set of common routes is generated by a plurality of trajectories and whereby each subset is linked with the trajectory data of its generating trajectories and/or parts thereof and/or of trajectories overlapping at least in part with the subset, querying means 7 realized to formulate a trajectory-based query and retrieval means 8 realized to retrieve trajectory data linked to a matching subset of the set of common routes matching with the trajectory-based query.
US08898182B2

Methods and arrangements for providing interactive query suggestions. A partial user query phrase is received, the partial query phrase comprising a final word element. A vocabulary is accessed and, from the vocabulary, at least one possible completion of the final word element is ascertained. A phrase index is accessed and, from the phrase index, at least two phrases corresponding to completions of the partial user query phrase with the at least one possible completion of the final word element are ascertained. A probability score is assigned to each of the at least two phrases, and the at least two phrases are ranked based on probability.
US08898173B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for calculating a location relevance score for search results is disclosed. In one aspect, a location relevance score is calculated for each search result based on three distances to a physical address associated with the search result. The first distance is measured from a polygon approximating the boundary of a specified region of interest. The second distance is measured from a combined area associated with the associated zip codes of the specified region of interest. The third distance is measured from a central location determined according to criteria independent of geometry of the specified region of interest. The search results are ranked according to their associated location relevance scores.
US08898162B2

Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing customized content over a network are provided. The method includes associating content with at least one of a domain name, group, and geography for an entity, the content relating to at least one of the domain name, group, and geography. For each entity, the method also includes storing results of the association in a database record that is mapped to a domain name. In response to receiving a request to access a resource by the entity, the method further includes obtaining a domain name of the entity utilizing address information provided in the request, searching a database for the domain name of the entity, retrieving the database record corresponding to the domain name, generating a resource that includes the content, and providing the entity with the resource.
US08898160B2

A content management system provides a profiling mechanism that automatically tags changes made to elements in a document with applicability metadata, and uses the applicability metadata when processing a request to the repository by a user to filter the query results according to a profile for the user. A profiling mapping policy defines roles for users of the content management system. When content is requested from the repository, the profiling mechanism inserts one or more additional request parameters based on the profile of the user. The results that match both the original request and the additional request parameter(s) are returned to the user. When the user views the results, additional filtering may occur to filter individual elements from the user that do match the user's profile.
US08898159B2

A method, system and computer program product for generating answers to questions. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving an input query, decomposing the input query into a plurality of different subqueries, and conducting a search in one or more data sources to identify at least one candidate answer to each of the subqueries. A ranking function is applied to each of the candidate answers to determine a ranking for each of these candidate answers; and for each of the subqueries, one of the candidate answers to the subquery is selected based on this ranking. A logical synthesis component is applied to synthesize a candidate answer for the input query from the selected the candidate answers to the subqueries. In one embodiment, the procedure applied by the logical synthesis component to synthesize the candidate answer for the input query is determined from the input query.
US08898158B2

A system and method for providing an enhanced facility plan includes receiving an asset list, electronic documents relating to one or more assets and an input image file for providing a visual representation of a facility plan including assets in the facility. The image file is scanned to automatically identify one or more asset tags having a corresponding asset tag entry in the asset list and for each identified asset tag, a position on the facility plan associated with the asset tag. A modified visual representation of the facility plan is provided as the enhanced facility plan, the modified visual representation including one or more added objects, each object having a relationship with an identified asset tag and having a location determined by the position associated with the related asset tag, wherein each object is selectable by a user to enable access to one or more of the electronic documents. The method may provide a convenient way of handing over information after construction of a facility.
US08898154B2

A method, process, and associated systems for ranking elements of an answer set retrieved by a conceptual search engine in response to a set of queried concepts submitted as a conceptual query. A processor of a computer system orders by relevance the semantic schemas that make up the retrieved answer set by first identifying a weight of each concept in a retrieved schema as a function of relationships among the concepts in that schema, then by identifying a semantic value of each queried concept in the retrieved schema as a function of the weights, and finally by identifying a semantic value of the query in the schema as a function of the semantic values of all queried concepts. The relative relevance of each schema may then be identified as a function of the semantic value of the query in that schema.
US08898149B2

A computer system maintains a biological data structure having molecular feature data. The system receives data elements indicating biological molecular features and knowledge elements that represent biological concepts. The system individually associates unique identifiers with the elements. For individual elements, the system maintains an internal element set of the other unique identifiers for the other elements that are directly associated with that one individual element. For the individual elements, the system maintains an external element set of the other unique identifiers for the other elements that have that one individual element in their own internal element sets. Although not required, the computer system may process a query indicating a search scope and a molecular feature for an individual biological entity, and responsively process the molecular feature and the elements based on the search scope to induce a knowledge sub-graph for the individual biological entity.
US08898147B2

There are provided systems and methods to respond to a request for data. The system receives a request to search for the data based on a criterion and to populate data objects with the data. The request is further used to identify columns that determine data sources to query. The system performs a search of a logical table based on the criterion to identify a plurality of rows in the logical table. The system further generates a first plurality of tuples based on the plurality of rows to identify a first plurality of physical tables that are mapped to the logical table. The first plurality of tuples includes a first tuple and a second tuple. The system further queries the data sources for the data to generate results by using the first plurality of tuples. The queries of the data sources are partially successful.
US08898145B2

A variety of query optimization techniques are described herein. A first query optimization technique, referred to herein as non-empty transformation, may be applied to queries that specify one or more measures, a dimensional context within which the measure(s) are to be evaluated, and a filter condition specifying that rows with only empty measure values be excluded from a result set. The non-empty transformation technique enables such queries to be rewritten into another format that can be executed more efficiently than the original queries. A second query optimization technique described herein involves restructuring an operator tree representation of a query so as to avoid unnecessary duplicated evaluation of extension columns. A third query optimization technique described herein automatically selects a minimum number of join columns having the lowest cardinality for implementing a join between two tables.
US08898144B2

Processing messages. Messages are processed based on a characteristic derived from information in messages, metadata about messages, or other information external to messages. Values for one or more pieces of information are received. At least one of the values for one or more pieces of information is associated with a first message. Queries are received. The queries specify one or more of the pieces of information. At least a portion of the plurality of values for the one or more pieces of information is processed in conjunction with the one or more queries to create one or more normalized characteristics for the first message. The one or more normalized characteristics for the first message are in a same format irrespective of the format of the pieces of information. The first message, and/or other messages, is processed based on at least one of the one or more normalized characteristics.
US08898141B1

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method for information management. In one embodiment, the method includes providing an organizational directory comprising hierarchical information regarding an organization and receiving relationship data including an association of a first person to a second person. The method also includes querying the organizational directory and the relationship data to identify a third person, wherein the third person is a member of the organization and identifying the third person comprises determining a path including the third person in an association network.
US08898130B1

At least one listing is retrieved based on a search query, the query including at least one parameter associated with an element of a hierarchical index A determination of a normalized click-through rate for each of the at least one listings is made, the normalized click-through rate for a listing being based on a click-through rate for the listing that is adjusted according to one or more positions in which the listing has been displayed in each of a plurality of sets of search results. A determination is made of a position for the at least one listing in a set of search results based at least in part on an aggregation of the aggregate normalized click-through rates associated with at least one level of a hierarchical index.
US08898126B1

A method, computer program product and apparatus for providing a scheduling mechanism for inserting/updating data items in a database including obtaining each of the at least one keys included within a selected data item, determining whether each of the at least one keys is suitable for processing and storing each of the at least one keys in a first queue when each of the keys is available for processing, otherwise storing the keys in a second queue.
US08898123B2

A technique is provided for configuring an interface device. The interface device includes a plurality of device elements, such as objects configured in accordance with object-oriented programming concepts. A query from a general purpose viewer is received by the interface device, such as originating from a configuration station where the general purpose viewer is operative. The query is interpreted by server-side scripting executed in the interface device to identify the device elements and to display visual representations of the device elements in a design-time environment. The design-time environment and the visual representations are then transmitted to a configuration station. The device elements, their properties and functionalities may be altered by means of the design-time environment and the server-side scripting to create interface screens, alter device elements and their properties and functions, and so forth.
US08898122B1

A method for processing a query for a versioned structured document includes providing vNodes representing objects of at least one version of a structured document. Each vNode includes versioning information associated with a version(s) of the structured document. A vIndex including vIndex keys is also provided. Each vIndex key is associated with a vNode and includes index information based on the versioning information of the associated vNode. A query for a version(s) of the structured document is received. The query includes a vFunction having an argument(s) relating to versioning information associated with versions of the structured document. In response to receiving the query, the vIndex is scanned to identify a first vIndex key that satisfies the query, which is used to determine a first vNode associated with the first vIndex key. The first vNode is then used to identify a version(s) of the structured document that satisfies the query.
US08898121B2

Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for merging entries in a deduplication index. An index has chunk signatures calculated from chunks of data in the data objects in the storage, wherein each index entry includes at least one of the chunk signatures and a reference to the chunk of data from which the signature was calculated. Entries in the index are selected to merge and a merge operation is performed on the chunk signatures in the selected entries to generate a merged signature. An entry is added to the index including the merged signature and a reference to the chunks in the storage referenced in the merged selected entries. The index of the signatures is used in deduplication operations when adding data objects to the storage.
US08898119B2

A storage server is coupled to a storage device that stores blocks of data, and generates a fingerprint for each data block stored on the storage device. The storage server creates a fingerprints datastore that is divided into a primary datastore and a secondary datastore. The primary datastore comprises a single entry for each unique fingerprint and the secondary datastore comprises an entry having an identical fingerprint as an entry in the primary datastore. The storage server merges entries in a changelog with the entries in the primary datastore to identify duplicate data blocks in the storage device and frees the identified duplicate data blocks in the storage device. The storage server stores the entries that correspond to the freed data blocks to a third datastore and overwrites the primary datastore with the entries from the merged data that correspond to the unique fingerprints to create an updated primary datastore.
US08898118B2

A system includes a processor executing code to compress a first page of data stored in memory and calculate an effectiveness of the compression on the first page. The processor further, in response to the calculated compression effectiveness being at least equal to a pre-determined/pre-established compression effectiveness threshold: identifies second pages of data from memory that have similarities in content with the first page; and sequentially performs subsequent compressions of second pages from among the plurality of second pages in an order that is based on a relative ranking of the plurality of second pages. The ranking of the second pages is according to a calculated differential parameter associated with each of the second pages, which indicates a level of similarity that exists between the first page and a corresponding second page. Higher ranked second pages are compressed ahead of lower rank second pages, yielding greater compression efficiency.
US08898114B1

Multitier deduplication can reduce the amount of bandwidth and storage resources used during deduplication. In certain embodiments, the system can determine if a data block is stored in a first archive data storage. If so, the system can skip the data block. If not, the system can determine if the data block is stored or identified in a second archive data storage. In various implementations, the first archive data storage can be local to the system and the second archive data storage can be a global archive that may be remote from the system. The system can create a map of a plurality of backups stored at the first archive enabling the system to quickly check multiple archives. The multitier data deduplication can filter out inactive data blocks during or before performing the deduplication process.
US08898111B2

Techniques are described for identifying conflicts between a prospective temporal key and an index of temporal keys, the index sorted based on a time value associated with each of the temporal keys. Embodiments determine whether a first temporal key within the index of temporal keys conflicts with the prospective temporal key. Here, the keys within the index may be sorted based upon a respective time value associated with each of the keys. Upon determining that the first temporal key conflicts with the prospective temporal key, the prospective temporal key is designated as conflicting with at least one existing temporal key in the index of temporal keys.
US08898104B2

A system maps data within a data source to a target data model, and comprises a computer system including at least one processor. The system determines an identifier for each data object of the data source based on the data within that data object, wherein the identifier indicates for that data object a corresponding concept within a domain ontological representation of a data model of the data source. The determined identifiers for the data objects of the data source are compared to the target data model to determine mappings between the data objects of the data source and the target data model. Data objects from the data source are extracted for the target data model in accordance with the mappings. Present invention embodiments further include a method and computer program product for mapping data within a data source to a target data model.
US08898102B2

Techniques are described for determining an optimal resolution for a grid to be used in solving inverse problems. Reference physical fields may be computed based on model data for the computational grid at a starting resolution. Cells in the computational grid may be split in a plurality of iterations to provide finer resolution. The model data may be perturbed by introducing different physical property values to the cells. The physical fields may be calculated based on the perturbed model data. A comparison may be made between the reference physical fields and the calculated physical fields based on the perturbed model data for the purpose of determining whether cell splitting should continue.
US08898101B2

Embodiments of the present invention can comprise systems and methods for managing filesystems and can provide a programmable filesystem with active rules and policies, an n-tier network filesystem, stack mounting, a union filesystem with write-through semantics, a filesystem middleware with selective delegation, a filesystem with a statistical warehouse and/or other management functionality.
US08898097B2

A reconfigurable neural network circuit is provided. The reconfigurable neural network circuit comprises an electronic synapse array including multiple synapses interconnecting a plurality of digital electronic neurons. Each neuron comprises an integrator that integrates input spikes and generates a signal when the integrated inputs exceed a threshold. The circuit further comprises a control module for reconfiguring the synapse array. The control module comprises a global final state machine that controls timing for operation of the circuit, and a priority encoder that allows spiking neurons to sequentially access the synapse array.
US08898094B2

Disclosed is method of matching a character class to a symbol of an input stream. A character class, or a plurality of character classes, is defined into an accessible format which when accessed is compared to a symbol in an input stream. The format may be stored in an NFA array cell or it may be broadcast to the cell array with an input symbol for comparison.
US08898064B1

A computing device configured to request a password from a user, capture audio after issuing the request, and determine a number of alternative candidate passwords most likely represented by the audio. After identifying the number of candidate passwords, the computing device may submit these candidate passwords, one at a time, to an entity until the entity grants the device access to an account associated with the user or until the device has submitted each candidate password. The account may comprise a network account (e.g., a wired or wireless network account), an online account (e.g., an email account, an account an online merchant, etc.), or the like.
US08898063B1

A system and method for extracting data values from a conversation to complete an electronic trade ticket over a communications network. The system comprises a plurality of client devices and a processor based server. A digital switchboard routes an incoming call from a first user to a second user to the server over the communications network. The telephone numbers of the users are verified against the stored telephone numbers in a database. A sample representing a predetermined period of the recorded conversation are utilized to identify the users. The conversation between the users are transcribed onto an electronic text file and processed to extract terms to populate data fields of an electronic trade ticket.
US08898061B2

A particular method includes receiving, at a representational state transfer endpoint device, a first user input related to a first speech to text conversion performed by a speech to text transcription service. The method also includes receiving, at the representational state transfer endpoint device, a second user input related to a second speech to text conversion performed by the speech to text transcription service. The method includes processing of the first user input and the second user input at the representational state transfer endpoint device to generate speech to text adjustment information.
US08898049B2

A method of generating system level power information for an embedded application configured to execute on a multi-core system-on-chip (SoC), which includes configuring a simulation model of hardware of the SoC that executes the embedded application; loading one or more software components of the embedded application into the simulation model of the SoC hardware; executing the one or more software components of the embedded application on the simulation model, and extracting state information about both the software components of the embedded application and hardware components of the SoC; determining, from the hardware state information, per-cycle energy values for the hardware components of the SoC; and creating a power profile from the software state information by accumulating the per-cycle energy values and assigning the per-cycle energy values to corresponding software components.
US08898041B2

The system for determining the activity of a person lying down has at least one motion sensor (CM) having at least one measurement axis, which is provided with a fastener (MF) for firmly connecting the motion sensor (CM) to a user. The system includes a filter (FILT) for selecting, for at least one measurement axis of the motion sensor (CM), a high-frequency signal (HF) and a low-frequency signal (BF); a first calculation unit (CALC1) for calculating a first variable (x(n)) representing a temporal variation of the low-frequency signal (BF); a second calculation means (CALC2) for calculating a second variable (y(n)) comprising the Euclidean norm, along at least one measurement axis, of the high-frequency signal (HF); and an analysis unit (AN) that determines an activity of prone user as a function of time using a hidden Markov model having N states corresponding to N activities respectively. The analysis unit (AN) also combines conjoint probability density functions of the first and second variables, said probability density functions being defined for each state of the model in question; and probabilities of transitions between two successive states.
US08898040B2

Methods and systems for estimating differential or difference equations that can govern a nonlinear, time-varying and parameter-varying dynamic process or system. The methods and systems for estimating the equations may be based upon estimations of observed outputs and, when desired, input data for the equations. The methods and systems can be utilized with any system or process that may be capable of being described with nonlinear, time-varying and parameter-varying difference equations and can used for automated extraction of the difference equations in describing detailed system or method behavior for use in system control, fault detection, state estimation and prediction and adaptation of the same to changes in a system or method.
US08898034B2

Automatically identifying a geographic direction (e.g., a heading relative to true north) is disclosed. Responsive to a correction trigger event, geographic position data that identifies a geographic position of the device can be obtained. A magnetic declination based on the geographic position data can be obtained. A magnetic heading of the device can be obtained. A geographic direction based on the magnetic heading and the magnetic declination can be identified without user intervention.
US08898031B2

The invention relates to a method for visualizing and/or quantifying structures, in particular structures within an object and/or subject, preferably within the human body. The method according to the invention is in particular characterized by the automatic or semiautomatic calculation of a decomposition of the structure into components as well as by at least one of the following steps: (i) the optionally sole visualization of one or more of these components, in particular in case of a superimposed representation of the structure for two or more points in time, and/or (ii) the representation of different components in different colours/shades/patterns, and/or (iii) the calculation of quantitative parameters describing the structure and/or its components, separately for the individual components, and/or (iv) the calculation of parameters measuring the interrelationship between specific components.
US08898029B1

An integrated circuit is presented. The integrated circuit includes a selection circuit that selects a reference voltage and an output voltage associated with a number of adjustable voltage regulators connected to the selection circuit. The integrated circuit also has an analog to digital converter, which converts the selected output voltage and the reference voltage to a digital representation. An analog state machine of the integrated circuit receives the digital representation from the analog to digital converter and compares the selected output voltage with the reference voltage.
US08898026B2

A light performance monitoring device and optionally integrated controller includes a monitor module that directly monitors energy usage of at least one energy load to generate at least one measurement of energy usage; a storage module stores a series of baseline values of energy usage of the energy load, a comparator module compares energy measurements made at predetermined intervals with the baseline values, and a notification module notifies a designated recipient that there is a deviation from the baseline values consistent with a burned out or non-operational light fixture, including but not limited to light bulbs or ballast devices. A control module optionally integrated with the light performance monitoring device can be operatively coupled to the monitor module to control energy usage by the at least one energy load via a data link in a predetermined manner that is based on the at least one measurement of energy usage.
US08898010B2

In one embodiment, a mobile device or a network device is configured to identify when a transit vehicle deviates from a transit path. The mobile device is configured to perform a positioning technique to generate data indicative of the location of a mobile device. Based on the location of the mobile device, a path is identified. The path is associated with an estimated path width based on the classification of the path and/or the accuracy of the positioning technique. A target route is calculated using the estimated path width. As the transit vehicle travels, the target route is compared to the location of the mobile device. If the mobile device and or transit vehicle deviates from the target route, a message is generated. The message may indicate that the transit vehicle is being re-routed and/or recommends the computation of a new path.
US08898006B2

A navigation apparatus includes a positioning unit configured to measure a current position, a route guidance screen generation unit configured to generate a route guidance screen used for route guidance for a retrieved route from the current position to a destination and display the route guidance screen on a display unit, and a guidance image generation unit configured to, in a case where a remaining distance between the current position and the destination is a predetermined value or less while route guidance is performed using the route guidance screen, generate a guidance image in which a display subject representing the destination is highlighted such that the display subject is more prominently displayed than a vicinity of the display subject and display the guidance image on the display unit.
US08898004B2

The invention relates to a method for distinguishing between LOCATION_REPORT messages to avoid ambiguities. Therefore, a value of an information element of request type is returned by a radio network controller, depending on an intended receiver of the location information. A control node receiving the information element value analyses said value and determines the receiver depending on the result of said analysis.
US08897999B2

A section setting method calculates information relating to an attainable actual fuel efficiency under a vehicle operation performed in consideration of fuel efficiency. To that end, the section setting method collects fuel-efficiency information that is information relating to the fuel efficiency required for a movement from a start point to a destination point of the vehicle, which is obtained under a plurality of kinds of vehicle operations, along with positional information of the vehicle at each time. The section setting method compares change pattern parts of the collected fuel-efficiency information with each other, thereby sequentially connecting the change pattern parts of the fuel-efficiency information from the start point to the destination point. The section setting method sets, as a section used to calculate the actual fuel efficiency, a section obtained by sectioning at points corresponding to the connection points of the change pattern parts connected.
US08897996B2

A method is provided for diagnosing a clogging of an injector in an internal combustion engine equipped with a fuel rail and with a plurality of fuel injectors hydraulically connected to the fuel rail. The method includes, but is not limited to determining a value of a pressure drop in the fuel rail due to a quantity of fuel injected by a tested injector, and diagnosing the clogging of the tested injector if the determined pressure drop value is lower than a threshold value of this pressure drop.
US08897993B2

A detection system for front-mounted mid-PTO driven implements includes a sensor positioned adjacent a shaft connected between a mid-PTO driveshaft and a front mounted-implement. A controller may be electrically connected to the sensor, to a fuel pump solenoid, and to a reverse sense switch that indicates to the controller if a reverse pedal is actuated. When the controller receives a signal indicating the reverse pedal is actuated, the controller does not shut off the fuel pump solenoid if the controller also receives pulse signals from the sensor within a specified frequency range based on a desired PTO speed, but shuts off the fuel pump solenoid if the controller does not receive pulse signals from the sensor or receives pulse signals from the sensor outside the specified frequency range.
US08897984B2

The object of the present invention is to provide a braking force generator capable of preventing a braking force from varying, even if an ON signal of an IG switch is not transmitted. The braking force generator includes a hydraulic pressure generation unit that becomes in an operation state according to an ON state of the IG switch of a vehicle or an opening and closing operation of an opening and closing member of the vehicle and generates a braking force according to an electrical signal based on an operation amount of a driver, and a conditional stop unit that puts the hydraulic pressure generation unit in an operation stop state if an OFF state of the IG switch continues for a predetermined time after the hydraulic pressure generation unit becomes in the operation state according to the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing member.
US08897981B2

Method for determining an adjustment parameter in a hydraulic actuator arrangement for a motor vehicle drivetrain. The actuator arrangement has a pump and a hydraulic cylinder. A pressure port of the pump is connected to a port of the hydraulic cylinder. The adjustment parameter is a function of the volume of the fluid that must be delivered by the pump in order to realize a predetermined operating point of the actuator arrangement. The operating point is defined by a value pair of an operating point rotational speed value of the pump and an operating point control value of the pump. The method has the steps: regulating the pump to the operating point rotational speed value such that the pump delivers a fluid volume flow rate corresponding to the operating point rotational speed value; and integrating the fluid volume flow rate over the time until a termination operating state of the actuator arrangement, in which the control value of the pump is less than or equal to the operating point control value.
US08897978B2

A method and system provides a Neutral Hold mode in a vehicle having a shift-by-wire transmission with a return to park feature. The Neutral Hold mode is entered upon detecting when the transmission control mechanism has been used a first time to select Neutral when a driver's door is open or has been used a second time to select Neutral. When in Neutral Hold mode, the transmission will stay in Neutral and not shift to Park upon detecting that a driver has exited the vehicle.
US08897975B2

A method for controlling a powertrain system includes monitoring an operator torque request, selecting a candidate powertrain system operating point, and determining a preferred engine torque range, a preferred torque machine torque range, and a preferred energy storage device output power range. The method further includes determining an engine torque, a torque machine torque, and an energy storage device output power based upon the operator torque request and the candidate powertrain system operating point. Power costs for operating the powertrain at the candidate powertrain system operating point are determined based on the determined engine torque, the determined torque machine torque, and the determined energy storage device output power range. Penalty costs are determined relative to the preferred engine torque range, the preferred torque machine torque range, and the preferred energy storage device output power range for operating the powertrain at the candidate powertrain system operating point. And, an operating cost for operating the powertrain at the candidate powertrain system operating point is determined based on the power costs and the penalty costs.
US08897964B2

A motor control device has characteristic information that indicates a correlation between a rotation speed and a current of a motor. The motor control device sets a rotation speed characteristic value that is a reference value of the rotation speed of the motor and a current characteristic value that is a reference value of the current of the motor on the basis of the characteristic information. The motor control device calculates an estimated rotation speed on the basis of a measured value of a voltage that is applied to the motor, a measured value of the current, the current characteristic value, a voltage characteristic value, the rotation speed characteristic value and a counter-electromotive force constant.
US08897960B2

A driving assistance control apparatus includes an own-vehicle position acquiring unit that acquires the position of an own vehicle; a curve information acquiring unit that acquires curve information on a driving course; a continuous curves detecting unit that detects a first curve ahead of the own vehicle and a second curve that exists at a far side of the own vehicle with respect to the first curve and that is continuous to the first curve, based on the acquired position of the own vehicle and the acquired curve information; and a curve alert control unit that controls a curve alerting unit that alerts the presence of the second curve before an entrance of the second curve. The curve alert control unit sets the alert timing of the second curve in accordance with the curve information about the first curve.
US08897950B2

A single input having multiple functions is provided. The single input having multiple functions may be used on off-board tools. In accordance with one embodiment, an off-board tool having a read/scroll actuator is provided. The read/scroll actuator, upon being actuated, performs either a read function or a scroll function. Another embodiment of an off-board tool having a display and capable of receiving information is provided. The off-board tool includes a contextual actuator having a first and a second mode. Actuation of the actuator in the first mode effectuates retrieval of information. Actuation of the actuator in the second mode effectuates display of at least a portion of the retrieved information. In accordance with another embodiment, an off-board device is provided. The off-board tool includes a display, read logic, scroll logic and a read/scroll actuator. Another embodiment of an off-board tool includes a display, a read means, a scroll means and a read/scroll means.
US08897949B1

A method and apparatus for reworking a component on a vehicle. An inconsistency on the component is identified. The component is reworked to remove the inconsistency. Component rework information is stored on an automated identification technology tag attached to the vehicle. The component rework information comprises information describing the reworking of the component to remove the inconsistency.
US08897946B2

A control method of a hybrid vehicle that includes engages a second clutch and in response outputs a torque through an output shaft that is connected to the second carrier via torque supplied from an engine and a first and second motor-generators. Accordingly, the speed of the engine is controlled via the first motor-generator, and a torque of an output shaft is control via the second motor-generator. Accordingly, the second motor-generator is used to control an operating point of the engine so that a base motor torque is effectively set.
US08897941B2

A motor operation control system and method for controlling first and second electric motors of an electrically variable transmission. The system and method determine a minimum battery power associated with a torque of the second electric motor, set the torque of the second electric motor based on the determined minimum battery power, and set a torque of the first electric motor based on the determined minimum battery power.
US08897930B2

This application describes the software invented to control an electric motor system. The electric motor system is mounted on one or more aircraft main wheels or nose wheels to drive an aircraft independently on the ground without aircraft engines or tow vehicles. The software uses closed-loop control together with several other control laws to operate the drive motor or motors. Knowledge of the current operating state of the drive motor, together with knowledge of the commands given to taxi forward, taxi in reverse, or brake in reverse, is used to configure the motors to optimal operating parameters. The software architecture is described along with the pilot interface and many details of software implementation.
US08897925B2

A heat dissipation control system comprises a sensing unit, an artificial neural network computing unit, and two heat dissipation units. The artificial neural network computing unit performs computation for controlling based on a plurality of electronic-device temperatures sent out by the sensing unit. The computation for controlling performs a back propagation algorithm on an objective function which is defined a as the square of an error function. Accordingly, cooling effects suitable for the heat dissipation units are generated in order to achieve an optimum heat dissipation effect.
US08897914B2

An automated warehouse is attachable and detachable to a processing equipment without requiring an operation to change wiring of a first controller when attaching and detaching the automated warehouse. The automated warehouse is attachable and detachable in front of the apparatus including a first loading port and a first controller, the automated warehouse including a second loading port to transfer an article between a transfer vehicle and a second controller. A communication terminal disposed within a range allowing communication with the transfer vehicle for an article, and a communication apparatus connected with the communication terminal are provided. The communication apparatus includes a switch that switches a connection destination of the first controller between the second controller and the communication terminal.
US08897909B2

An embroidery data generation apparatus that generates embroidery data based on image data of an image that is an aggregate of pixels includes a thread color number setting portion that sets a number of use thread colors as a set number, a representable color identifying portion that identifies available thread colors and at least one intermediate color as representable colors, a first usage frequency calculating portion that calculates first usage frequencies of the representable colors, each of the first usage frequencies being a usage frequency of each of the representable colors in the image that is color-reduced using, as representative colors, the representable colors, and a use thread color determining portion that, based on the first usage frequencies, determines, as the use thread colors, available thread colors of the set number, from among the available thread colors.
US08897905B2

A system and method for regulating media volume is disclosed. The system comprises a prediction engine and a regulation module. The prediction engine collects sensor data and scene category data. The scene category data includes data describing an environment in which the media volume is regulated. The prediction engine predicts a workload for a user based at least in part on the scene category data and the sensor data and generates a predicted workload value for the predicted workload. The regulation module adjusts the media volume based at least in part on the predicted workload value.
US08897903B2

Various embodiments facilitate location-aware distributed competitions. In one embodiment, a system facilitates a distributed sporting event that includes multiple players traveling over courses that are remote from one another. The system includes a manager that receives state information, such as location information, from client devices used by each of the players. The manager then transmits location information for each of the players to the client devices, which are each configured to present a graphical representation, such as a map annotated with the locations of each of the players. The manager asserts a course to each of the players, by providing specific instructions to travel along a particular path. The client devices provide the players with the appearance of competing over the same course, even though they are all actually competing over courses remote from one another.
US08897902B2

Methods for recognizing a virtual tooth surface, defining a virtual tooth coordinate system, and simulating a collision between virtual teeth are provided. Methods include receiving input data specifying a point on the rendered surface model associated with a tooth, deriving a perimeter on the surface model of the tooth, and analyzing the surface model along a plurality of paths outwardly extending from points on the perimeter. Methods also include receiving point input data, receiving axis input data that defines first and second axes associated with the virtual tooth, computing a substantially normal vector for a portion of the tooth surface surrounding the point, and computing a coordinate system. Methods also include receiving permissible movement input data directed to permissible movement of a first virtual tooth, bringing the first virtual tooth into contact with a second virtual tooth, and displaying data resulting from the simulation.
US08897897B2

A companion remote control system is usable with smart devices for controlling a plurality of controlled components. An overall control system includes: a companion remote configured for remote communication, and providing command options for a user desiring to interact with a controlled component; a software application configured for running on smart devices, which typically includes a graphical interface for the user to select desired controlled component from plurality of controlled components; and a control processor capable of communicating with companion remote, smart device and controlled components. The control processor is programmed to correlate user commands received from companion remote to appropriate instructions for a specific controlled component selection received from smart device. The control processor instructing the controlled component based on those commands, thereby allowing user to interact with selected controlled component using companion remote as if it was dedicated to that controlled component.
US08897889B2

A lead includes a lead body with a distal end and a proximal end. A plurality of terminals are disposed at the proximal end of the lead body. A plurality of electrodes are disposed at the distal end of the lead body. Each electrode includes an electrode body and at least one anchoring member. The at least one anchoring member couples to the electrode body and extends into the lead body and beneath the electrode body to anchor the electrode to the lead body. A plurality of conductive wires electrically couple the plurality of electrodes to the plurality of terminals.
US08897887B2

A band stop filter is provided for a lead wire of an active medical device (AMD). The band stop filter includes a capacitor in parallel with an inductor. The parallel capacitor and inductor are placed in series with the lead wire of the AMD, wherein values of capacitance and inductance are selected such that the band stop filter is resonant at a selected frequency. The Q of the inductor may be relatively maximized and the Q of the capacitor may be relatively minimized to reduce the overall Q of the band stop filter to attenuate current flow through the lead wire along a range of selected frequencies. In a preferred form, the band stop filter is integrated into a TIP and/or RING electrode for an active implantable medical device.
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