US07922977B2
A method and apparatus for converting a hydrocarbon and oxygen containing gas feed stream to a product stream, such as syngas, including catalytically partially oxidizing the hydrocarbon feed stream over a catalyst bed. The catalyst bed has a downstream zone which is less resistant to flow than the upstream zone.
US07922973B2
A combined unit of a humidity indicator and a desiccant pack is provided in which the humidity indicator (I) has one end portion bonded to one end portion of the desiccant pack (D) and can pivot around between a standby position (Ia) in which the indicator (I) overlaps one face of the desiccant pack (D) and an in-use position (Ib) in which it overhangs outside from one end edge (De) of the desiccant pack (D)), with the pivot center in the bonding portion or the vicinity thereof. This enables the humidity indicator to overlap the desiccant pack in the standby position when it is in an unused state, and after being enclosed within a packaging bag the humidity indicator and the desiccant pack can be kept as far away from each other as possible within the packaging bag, thus enabling detection of the humidity of the interior of the bag to be carried out precisely and appropriately.
US07922971B2
Analyte monitoring devices and methods therefore are provided. The devices integrate various functions of analyte monitoring, e.g., sample acquisition and testing.
US07922970B2
The present disclosure generally relates to methods for disinfecting surfaces. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods for destroying prion molecules using a combination of ultrasonic energy and enzyme treatment that is effective to denature and degrade prion proteins.
US07922965B2
A method of making a transparent ceramic including the steps of providing nano-ceramic powders in a processed or unprocessed form, mixing the powders with de-ionized water, the step of mixing the powders with de-ionized water producing a slurry, sonifing the slurry to completely wet the powder and suspend the powder in the de-ionized water, separating very fine particles from the slurry, molding the slurry, and curing the slurry to produce the transparent ceramic.
US07922964B2
The invention relates to a method for producing ceramic hollow fibers from nanoscale particles and to hollow fibers produced in such a manner. The inventive method is characterized in that the ceramic material has a solids content of >25% by volume, preferably >30% by volume and is processed by means of extrusion and spinning. The hollow fiber is sintered according to conventional sintering methods. A hollow fiber produced in this manner is used for metal, polymer and ceramic matrix reinforcements, for artificial organs, for microsystems technology components, for fiber optical waveguides, for ceramic membranes, for solid electrolyte in fuel cells (SOFC), for tissue engineering and for producing extremely light ceramic parts, such as heat shields or brake systems, that are subjected to temperature stresses. The inventive ceramic batch can also be processed by means of silk screening whereby resulting in the production of filigree structures over the ceramic silk screening.
US07922952B2
In the simultaneous molding and decorating method for forming an image onto the surface of a resin molding simultaneously with resin molding by holding a decoration sheet on which the image is rotary printed in a die, such a decoration sheet as having a predetermined pattern for every revolution of the cylinder of a printing machine wherein the image is formed in the longitudinal direction at a constant interval is used. By holding the decoration sheet longer than one revolution but shorter than two revolutions of that in the die and performing resin molding, the image is formed onto the surface of a long molding exceeding the outer circumference of the cylinder.
US07922950B2
A building element may be formed from a first cementitious mixture and a second cementitious mixture containing a photocatalytic cementitious mixture. The first cementitious mixture and the photocatalytic cementitious mixture may be co-formed into a shaped uncured two layer monolith having a base layer of the first cementitious mixture and a top layer of the photocatalytic cementitious mixture. The shaped uncured two layer monolith is then cured. The resulting building element may be algae-resistant.
US07922945B2
Arrangement for manufacturing a web-shaped packaging laminate, comprising an extruder arranged so as to extrude a film of polymer material down into a nip between a cooling roll and a counter-roll, and also means of introducing at least one other layer of the packaging laminate into the said nip for joining the film together with the layer. According to the invention, the arrangement comprises an arrangement for covering the cooling roll with a surface layer of a water-based composition comprising a dry matter content. The invention also relates to the method for manufacturing the web-shaped packaging laminate, in which the composition is transferred as a thin layer to the film of polymer material in the nip, while the film of polymer material is still hot.
US07922943B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for producing substantially endless fine threads from polymer solutions, especially spinning material for lyocell, wherein the spinning material is spun from at least one spinning hole or a spinning slot. The spun thread or film is drawn by high-speed accelerated gas flows using a Laval nozzle whose narrowest cross-section is located beneath the point where the spinning material exists. The threads are arranged on a strip in the form of a non-woven or are taken up in the form of a yarn and are subsequently separated in spinning baths by means of solvents.
US07922941B2
A photochromic plastic object which is composed of a transparent polymeric synthetic resin material, into or onto which at least one substantially mesoporous inorganic host structure is introduced or applied containing one or more embedded organic photochromic dye molecules so as to form a photochromic nanocomposite material. In contrast to prior techniques of adding or applying the photochromic organic dyes to the monomer mixture or prepolymer of a transparent synthetic resin material in a molecular form, in the photochromic plastic article of the present invention color is generated by using the photochromic nanocomposite particles or photochromic nanocomposite structures.
US07922939B2
Stabilized silver particles comprise particles comprising silver, a short-chain capping agent adsorbed on the particles, and a long-chain capping agent adsorbed on the particles. The short-chain capping agent is a first anionic polyelectrolyte having a molecular weight (Mw) of at most 10,000, and the long-chain capping agent is a second anionic polyelectrolyte having a molecular weight (Mw) of at least 25,000. The stabilized silver particles have a solid loading of metallic silver of at least 50 wt %.
US07922936B2
A particulate luminescent composition is disclosed that, when excited by electromagnetic radiation at a first frequency, emits electromagnetic radiation at a second frequency equal to or within 1500 cm−1 of the first frequency. The luminescent composition comprises substantially spherical particles having a weight average particle size of less than about 10 μm and a particle size distribution such that at least about 90 weight percent of the particles are not larger than twice the average particle size.
US07922931B1
A low-melting point, heat transfer fluid comprising a mixture of LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3, NaNO2 and KNO2 salts where the Li, Na and K cations are present in amounts of about 20-33.5 mol % Li, about 18.6-40 mol % Na, and about 40-50.3 mol % K and where the nitrate and nitrite anions are present in amounts of about 36-50 mol % NO3, and about 50-62.5 mol % NO2. These compositions can have liquidus temperatures between 70° C. and 80° C. for some compositions.
US07922929B2
The present invention relates a method of making a coated cellulosic textile, whereby a silk peptide is polymerized with a building block to develop a silk peptide/building block nanoparticle, said nanoparticle then being used to coat the textile. The resultant textile exhibits a high level of wrinkle recovery angle and/or tear strength, all without the use of N-methylol compounds, including ureas and formaldehydes.
US07922900B2
A system for treating feedwater to remove contaminants therefrom, the system comprising at least one high shear mixing device comprising at least one generator comprising a rotor and a stator separated by a shear gap, wherein the shear gap is the minimum distance between the rotor and the stator, and wherein the high shear mixing device is capable of producing a tip speed of the rotor of greater than 22.9 m/s (4,500 ft/min) and a pump configured for delivering feedwater and treatment gas selected from oxygen, air, and chlorine to the high shear mixing device.
US07922897B2
A fluidized bed reactor for removing phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater has a column comprising a number of sections. The diameter of the column changes stepwise between the sections. A flow velocity in excess of 100 cm/min is maintained in a lowermost one of the sections and lower flow velocities are maintained in subsequent sections. A struvite supersaturation ratio is controlled in part by recycling wastewater from an outlet of the column. Struvite pellets are removed periodically from the bottom of the column.
US07922896B2
A method for reducing furnace fouling in a delayed coking process comprising (a) supplying at least one feed to a delayed coking unit comprised of coker furnace, at least two coke drums and a coker fractionator, (b) increasing the aromaticity of the feed to produce a modified stream by combining with the feed upstream of the coker furnace at least one added stream selected from the group consisting of an aromatic gas oil, a hydrotreated aromatic gas oil and combinations thereof, (c) introducing the modified feed stream into the coker furnace, d) heating the modified feed stream to a coking temperature in the coker furnace to produce a heated modified stream, and e) transferring the heated modified stream from the coker furnace to a coke drum.
US07922893B2
A system and method for enhancing the recovery of heavy oil in an oil extraction environment by feeding nutrients to a preferred microbial species (bacteria and/or fungi). A method is described that includes the steps of: sampling and identifying microbial species that reside in the oil extraction environment; collecting fluid property data from the oil extraction environment; collecting nutrient data from the oil extraction environment; identifying a preferred microbial species from the oil extraction environment that can transform the heavy oil into a lighter oil; identifying a nutrient from the oil extraction environment that promotes a proliferation of the preferred microbial species; and introducing the nutrient into the oil extraction environment.
US07922892B2
A method for improving the lubricating properties of a distillate base oil characterized by a pour point of 0 degrees C. or less and a boiling range having the 10 percent point falling between about 625 degrees F. and about 790 degrees F. and the 90 percent point falling between about 725 degrees F. and about 950 degrees F., the method comprises blending with said distillate base oil a sufficient amount of a pour point depressing base oil blending component to reduce the pour point of the resulting base oil blend at least 3 degrees C. below the pour point of the distillate base oil, wherein the pour point depressing base oil blending component is an isomerized Fischer-Tropsch derived bottoms product having a pour point that is at least 3 degrees C. higher than the pour point of the distillate base oil.
US07922883B2
A biosensor strip having a low profile for reducing the volume of liquid sample needed to perform an assay. In one embodiment, the biosensor strip includes an electrode support; an electrode arrangement on the electrode support; a cover; a sample chamber; and an incompressible element placed between the cover and the electrode support, the incompressible element providing an opening in at least one side or in the distal end of the sample chamber to provide at least one vent in the sample chamber. In another embodiment, the biosensor strip has an electrode support; an electrode arrangement on the electrode support; a cover; and a sample chamber, the cover having a plurality of openings formed therein, at least one of the openings in register with the sample chamber. The invention further includes methods for preparing such a biosensor strips in a continuous manner.
US07922881B2
A sputtering plasma reactors for plasma vapor deposition (PVD) having an improved interface between a PVD target, a ceramic ring and a PVD chamber wall. The reactor includes a PVD chamber wall and a PVD target, wherein the target in conjunction with the PVD chamber wall form a vacuum chamber and wherein at least the portion of the target facing the vacuum chamber is composed of material to be sputtered. The reactor also includes an insulating ceramic ring positioned between the target and the PVD chamber wall. A first O-ring is provided to establish a vacuum seal between the target and the insulating ring and a second O-ring is provided to establish a vacuum seal between the insulating ring and the PVD chamber wall. At least one spacer is positioned between the target and insulating ring to maintain a gap G between the insulating ring and the target. The spacer is made of a suitable low coefficient of friction material and inhibits black marking, scratching or the like that may otherwise occur along the interface between the ceramic ring and the target.
US07922878B2
A system for hydrogen gas generation is provided according to the present invention which includes a hydrogen gas electrode assembly including a first anode in electrical communication with a first cathode; a microbial fuel cell electrode assembly including a second anode in electrical communication with a second cathode, the microbial fuel cell electrode assembly in electrical communication with the hydrogen gas electrode assembly for enhancing an electrical potential between the first anode and the first cathode. A single chamber housing contains the hydrogen gas electrode assembly at least partially in the interior space of the housing.
US07922877B2
A method of plating a plurality of semiconductor devices includes: applying an electrical power source to an anode terminal and a cathode terminal; placing the plurality of semiconductor devices on a non-conductive platform in a plating solution; moving conductive parts across surfaces of the semiconductor devices to be plated, wherein the conductive parts electrically connect the surfaces of the semiconductor devices to the cathode; and wherein plating particles connected to the anode terminal move to and plate the surfaces of the semiconductor devices.
US07922874B2
A multi-effect evaporator, having an upstream and a downstream end, adapted for distillation of water. It comprises a plurality of effects serially connected and arranged into groups. Each group has a common parallel water feed inlet adapted to supply all effects in the group with feed water. The evaporator further includes a main feed water line in fluid communication with the most upstream group. An array of heaters is disposed along the line, adapted for heating the feed water before its entry into the effects of the latter group. Each effect comprises means for forwarding the second outlet vapor into one of the heaters for heating the feed water. Each group comprises a pump adapted to extract the concentrate from the effects of the group and pump it into the common parallel water feed of an adjacent downstream group.
US07922856B2
An apparatus for supplying one or more strands of a relatively wide tape to a high-speed graphite tape laminating machine may include a tape supply reel and a backing paper take-up reel rotatably mounted on the machine, a dancer roller mounted on the machine for lateral movement thereon, and a mechanism for actively controlling the rotation of the tape supply and backing paper take-up reels and the lateral movement of the dancer roller relative to the support frame such that the respective tensions in the tapes are maintained substantially constant during both an on-the-fly tape add operation and an on-the-fly tape cut operation of the laminating machine.
US07922854B2
The presently described technology provides a low cost multilayer elastomeric film containing at least one layer of styrene block copolymer and at least one elastomer layer substantially free of styrene block copolymer such that the resultant film has a low permanent set substantially equal to or less than a film comprised of styrene block copolymer only. The elastomeric film may be used in elasticized features of various articles, such as disposable absorbent articles. Methods for producing the low cost elastomeric film having a low permanent set are also described.
US07922851B2
A closure tab is provided and includes a first substrate. A second substrate is adhesively attached to the first substrate. The second substrate has mechanical closure material formed thereon. A compression bond pattern is applied to the first substrate and the second substrate. The compression bond pattern includes at least one outwardly extending protrusion. The compression bond pattern may include, for example, circular bond points, stripes, or a decorative element. A method is also provided wherein the second substrate is compressed onto the first substrate by a patterned roller. The second substrate may be compressed onto the first substrate by a plurality of pins spaced in alternating offset rows.
US07922850B2
A process is provided for making a fastening element for absorbent sanitary products having first and second parts that are symmetrical with respect to an intermediate plane, each part including a base branch connectable to the first part, and a distal branch connectable to the second part. The base branch and the distal branch are connected together according to a general book-like configuration. A dorsal part of the book-like configuration for connection between the base and the distal branches is set at a distance from said intermediate plane, the base branch connects the two parts to form a single body, each of which can connect mutually facing edges of the end parts of an absorbent sanitary product and to ensure the fastening of the flaps set on the sides. The fastening element can enable releasing and refastening the product and/or adjusting the fit of the product to the wearer's body.
US07922847B2
Disclosed are novel light polarizing articles comprising a substrate, a light polarizing layer, an inorganic intermediate layer between the polarizing layer and the substrate, an optional inorganic sub-layer between the substrate and the inorganic intermediate layer, and a protective layer over the light polarizing layer, and method of making the same. Due to the presence of the inorganic intermediate layer and the optional sub-layer, adhesion of the polarizing layer is improved substantially. The light polarizing article has improved chemical, mechanical and thermal resistance. The light polarizing article can be used, for example, as ophthalmic products and in display devices.
US07922844B2
An adhesive tape masking article that can be used to mask both a door hinge or a corner includes a thin flexible sheet of material having opposed first and second major surfaces, first and second side edges, first and second end edges, and arcuate corners extending between at least one of the first and second side edges and the first and second end edges, and adhesive on at least a portion of at least one of the first and second major surfaces, thereby defining an adhesive surface for adhering the sheet to a surface to be masked. The sheet includes a frangible connection that allows the sheet to be separated into two masking articles, each of which can be used to mask corners.
US07922843B2
A strip-shaped polarizing film has a protective film strip conformably adhered to one surface thereof and a releasable liner conformably adhered to the other surface thereof and delivered from a film delivering station 1. After an appearance inspection, a lamination of the protective film strip and the polarizing film strip F is half-cut using a laser unit 11 to form an array of laminations each consisting of a protective film and a polarizing film F, with the releasable liner being left intact. Then, the polarizing films F are fed to a peeling mechanism 4. The peeling mechanism 4 feeds a forwardmost one the polarizing films F to a laminating mechanism 5 while peeling off the releasable liner therefrom by a knife-edged member. The forwardmost polarizing film F is laminated to a liquid-crystal panel W conveyed to the laminating mechanism by a panel transport apparatus 18 in synchronization of the feeding of the forwardmost polarizing film F.
US07922842B2
An automatic device for perimetric sealing of an insulating glazing unit composed of at least two glass panes and at least one spacer frame supported and movable in a slightly inclined position with respect to the vertical on a conveyor. A sealing head movable with relative motion with respect to the glazing unit has at least one sealing nozzle suitable to deliver a sealant flow. In order to maintain the correct mutual position of said at least one sealing nozzle with respect to the cavities of the glazing unit to be sealed and to allow the spacing of the nozzle therefrom, a sensor is provided transversely to the plane of the insulating glazing unit that detects the distance from the glass pane. An actuation mechanism is further provided for the relative motion between the sealing head and nozzle and the glazing unit.
US07922840B2
A method for producing hot-rolled strip from austenitic stainless steels. In a first step, a cast product is subjected to a rolling operation in a rolling mill with a finishing train, and, in a second step, a heat treatment is carried out to prevent susceptibility to corrosion, especially intergranular corrosion due to chromium carbide precipitation. To establish the final rolling temperature (Twe), a run-in temperature (Tein) of the cast product into the finishing train of the rolling mill that is above 1,150° C., and preferably above 1,200° C., is established by a multistage heating process, especially a two-stage heating process, which comprises a preheating stage and an intensive heating stage, and the heat treatment is carried out by directly utilizing the rolling heat.
US07922839B2
A method of assembly and manufacture of a brake rotor, comprising providing a brake rotor mold. The method also includes pouring brake rotor material into the brake rotor mold. Then the method includes rotating the brake rotor mold during hardening of the brake rotor material thereby forming a brake rotor. The method further includes removing an interior portion of the hardened brake rotor material of the brake rotor with a water jet cutting device. The water jet device shapes the brake rotor to a desired shape. The brake rotor is then heat and cryogenically treated.
US07922835B2
A high strength steel sheet excellent in formability which has a chemical composition in mass %: C: 0.03 to 0.20%, Si: 0.005 to 0.3%, Mn: 1.0 to 3.1%, P: 0.001 to 0.06%, S: 0.001 to 0.01%, N: 0.0005 to 0.01%, Al: 0.2 to 1.2%, Mo≦0.5%, and the balance: Fe and inevitable impurities, with the proviso that the values of mass % for Si and Al satisfy the following formula (1): (0.0012×[objective value of TS]−0.29−[Si])/2.45
US07922829B2
A cleaning system and method remove localized caked or dewatered solids from flat-plate membranes in a sewage treatment plant. The caked sludge on the membranes is removed by intense coherent water sprays directed into the spaces between cartridges of a cassette, without removing the cartridges from the cassette. The sprays can be delivered from the top and/or bottom of the cassette, or the side panels of a cassette can be removed for spraying from at least one side, preferably both sides, using a mechanical device with movable spray bars and motor-driven advancing of the spray bars. In one preferred form of the system the apparatus includes horizontal cutting jets followed by angled cutting jets that further break up and wash away the loosened sludge. Jet diameter, velocity and pressure are controlled so as not to damage the membranes or cartridges but to achieve efficient cleaning.
US07922826B2
A substrate treating apparatus includes a treating unit for treating substrates, a piping for supplying a treating liquid to the treating unit, a heater mounted on the piping, an electronic thermal unit mounted on the piping in series with the heater, a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the treating liquid, and a controller for controlling the heater and the electronic thermal unit. The controller sets a first temperature control mode for performing a room temperature control using the electronic thermal unit when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is below a predetermined boundary temperature between room temperature and high temperature, and for performing a high temperature control with the heater when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is above the predetermined boundary temperature between room temperature and high temperature. The controller sets a second temperature control mode for performing a heating control using the heater and the electronic thermal unit to heat the treating liquid when a difference between the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and a target temperature at least corresponds to a first specified value set beforehand. Further, the controller sets the first temperature control mode when, after the second temperature control mode is set, the difference between the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and the target temperature becomes less than a second specified value set beforehand.
US07922824B2
An oxidizing aqueous cleaning composition and process for cleaning post-plasma etch residue and/or hardmask material from a microelectronic device having said residue thereon. The oxidizing aqueous cleaning composition includes at least one oxidizing agent, at least one oxidizing agent stabilizer comprising an amine species selected from the group consisting of primary amines, secondary amines, tertiary amines and amine-N-oxides, optionally at least one co-solvent, optionally at least one metal-chelating agent, optionally at least one buffering species, and water. The composition achieves highly efficacious cleaning of the residue material from the microelectronic device while simultaneously not damaging the interlevel dielectric and metal interconnect material also present thereon.
US07922819B2
Reduction in a space of a manufacturing line, improvement of efficiency, improvement of utilization efficiency of materials, additionally, reduction in the manufacturing cost is realized by applying a means for describing a wiring pattern or a resist pattern directly on a substrate, a means for locally performing a vapor phase process such as film formation or etching under atmospheric pressure or adjacent to atmospheric pressure.
US07922814B2
In the production process of the present invention for high purity polycrystal silicon, using a vertical reactor having a silicon chloride gas-feeding nozzle and a reducing agent gas-feeding nozzle which are disposed at an upper part and a waste gas discharge pipe, a silicon chloride gas and a reducing agent gas are fed into the reactor to form polycrystal silicon at a tip part of the silicon chloride gas-feeding nozzle by the reaction of the silicon chloride gas with the reducing agent gas, and the polycrystal silicon is allowed to grow from the tip part of the silicon chloride gas-feeding nozzle toward a lower part thereof.
US07922811B2
Compositions and methods for increasing grinding efficiency of cement, cement clinker, raw materials for cement, and other inorganic particles. Use of biomass-derived polyols such as diols, triols, or mixtures thereof, optionally with a conventional grinding aid, cement quality improver, and/or hexavalent chromium reducer, are believed to provide less risk of sludging when compared to glycerides obtained from fossil fuel sources.
US07922810B2
The invention relates generally to a cement or gypsum composition having improved properties, which is prepared by incorporating an enzyme into a cement material such as a cement, mortar, or concrete, or into a gypsum product. The invention also relates to methods of manufacturing improved cement compositions and gypsum products, methods of improving the compressive strength of cement compositions and gypsum products, and methods of reducing the cost of such compositions by enabling the use of less expensive aggregates in the manufacturing process. More specifically, the invention relates to a cement composition or a gypsum composition, optionally including at least one aggregate and optionally including at least one pozzolan, comprising a cement material or gypsum optionally including aggregate(s) and pozzolan(s) having blended therein an enzyme.
US07922809B1
Provided herein are compositions and methods including hydraulic cement, supplementary cementitious material, and/or self-cementing material. Methods for making the compositions and using the compositions are provided.
US07922796B2
A carbon nanotube filter. The filter including a filter housing; and chemically active carbon nanotubes within the filter housing, the chemically active carbon nanotubes comprising a chemically active layer formed on carbon nanotubes or comprising chemically reactive groups on sidewalls of the carbon nanotubes; and media containing the chemically active carbon nanotubes.
US07922795B2
A nanoscale membrane exposed on opposite sides thereof and having an average thickness of less than about 100 nm, and a lateral length to thickness aspect ratio that is more than 10,000 to 1 is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making such membranes, and use thereof in a number of devices including fuel cells, sensor devices, electrospray devices, and supports for examining a sample under electron microscopy.
US07922794B2
A vacuum cleaner cyclone separator having a cyclone chamber with an air inlet and an air outlet. The cyclone chamber directs an airflow into a cyclonic pattern to remove a first amount of debris from the airflow. A filter shroud is located within the cyclone chamber and separates the air inlet from the air outlet. The filter shroud includes an air-pervious filter surface adapted to allow the airflow to pass from the air inlet to the air outlet and remove a second amount of debris from the airflow. One or more protrusions are associated with the filter surface, and configured and dimensioned to direct at least a portion of the airflow passing generally parallel to the filter surface away from the filter surface before passing through the filter surface. A dirt collection assembly having a cyclone separator and a method for using a cyclone separator are also disclosed.
US07922789B1
A portable gas fractionalization apparatus that provides oxygen rich air to patients is provided. The apparatus is compact, lightweight, and low-noise. The components are assembled in a housing that is divided into two compartments. One compartment is maintained at a lower temperature than the other compartment. The lower temperature compartment is configured for mounting components that can be damaged by heat. The higher temperature compartment is configured for mounting heat generating components. An air stream is directed to flow from an ambient air inlet to an air outlet constantly so that there is always a fresh source of cooling air. The apparatus utilizes a PSA unit to produce an oxygen enriched product. The PSA unit incorporates a novel compressor system which includes the use of free piston linear compressors so as to reduce power consumption, noise and vibration reduction.
US07922788B2
The present invention is directed to flotation of refractory gold sulfide ores in which the ore is ground, floated, the tailings reground, and refloated to produce gold-bearing concentrates.
US07922787B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to novel methods for the solution-based production of silver nanowires by adaptation of the polyol process. Some embodiments of the present invention can be practiced at lower temperature and/or at higher concentration than previously described methods. In some embodiments reactants are added in solid form rather than in solution. In some embodiments, an acid compound is added to the reaction.
US07922786B2
With this invention, in a nanoparticle production method, wherein nanoparticles are produced by irradiating a laser light irradiation portion 2a of a to-be-treated liquid 8 with a laser light, in which suspended particles are suspended, to pulverize the suspended particles in laser light irradiation portion 2a, laser light irradiation portion 2a of to-be-treated liquid 8 is cooled. In this case, by the cooling of to-be-treated liquid 8, the respective suspended particles are cooled in their entireties. When the portion 2a of this to-be-treated liquid 8 is irradiated with the laser light, the laser light is absorbed at the surfaces of the suspended particles at portion 2a. Since to-be-treated liquid 8 is cooled during this process, significant temperature differences arise between the interiors and surfaces of the suspended particles and between the surfaces of the suspended particles and the to-be-treated liquid at laser light irradiation portion 2a, and highly efficient nanoparticulation is realized.
US07922782B2
A high efficiency gasification process for converting carbonaceous solids to methane and apparatus for its practice are described. The process includes reacting steam and carbonaceous solids comprising ash in the presence of alkali metal catalyst in a gasification reactor to produce combustible gases and char particles comprising ash and alkali metal catalyst constituents, treating a stream of such char particles in an alkali metal catalyst recovery system to recover the catalyst constituents as alkali metal compounds, and recycling such recovered compounds. Within the alkali metal catalyst recovery system the process includes quenching the stream of char particles with water whereby such particles are cooled and fractured, dissolving soluble alkali metal catalyst constituents from the fractured solids to form a first alkali metal catalyst solution and washed solids, optionally reacting the washed solids in alkaline solution to form a second alkali metal catalyst solution, upgrading said first and optional second alkali solution to recover the alkali metal catalyst constituents as said alkali metal compounds.
US07922780B2
To provide a method and an apparatus for reforming a hydrocarbon with a prolonged life of an oxygen-permeable membrane and a high recovery rate.The oxygen-permeable membrane absorbs the free energy change, ΔG, of a partial oxidation reforming reaction and then converts it into work for oxygen isolation and Joule heat, Q. Here, as seen in Table 1 and FIG. 1, ΔG of the partial oxidation reforming reaction is approximately ten times larger than ΔH, and further increases as the temperature increases. The generated Joule heat, Q, has to be removed at a high efficiency, and this removal process is achieved by returning a portion of the Joule heat to the system as the entropy change, TΔS, of the partial oxidation reaction itself and by steam reforming using the total energy change, ΔH.
US07922778B2
A sublimation donor has a first fabric enhancer that sublimates from the donor above a first temperature. That is followed by a second fabric enhancer that sublimates from the donor above a second temperature. Both the first and second temperatures are above 260° F. and the second temperature is at least 10° F. higher than the first temperature. Upon sublimation under a single pass processing unit, first and second catalysts trigger the first and second fabric enhancers to sublimate at the first and second temperatures, respectively.
US07922771B2
Knee prostheses featuring components that more faithfully replicate the structure and function of the human knee joint in order to provide, among other benefits: greater flexion of the knee in a more natural way by promoting or at least accommodating internal tibial rotation in a controlled way, replication of the natural screw home mechanism, and controlled articulation of the tibia and femur respective to each other in a more natural way. Surfaces can be specially shaped using iterative automated techniques that allow testing and iterative design taking into account a manageable set of major forces acting on the knee during normal functioning, together with information that is known about natural knee joint kinetics and kinematics.
US07922769B2
A glenoid implant assembly is provided. The assembly includes a first component for attachment to the glenoid fossa of a scapula. The component defines an assembly face of the component. The assembly also includes a second component removably secured to the first component. The second component includes an assembly face of the second component. The assembly face of the second component is in close approximation to the assembly face of the first component. The second component is attachable to the first component in a direction generally normal to the assembly faces.
US07922761B2
A vascular prosthesis having a tubular structure is provided. The tubular structure is fabricated from at least two layers wherein at least one layer includes a thrombogenic agent.
US07922756B2
A stent with strut bands and connectors, wherein the strut bands have long and short struts with a junction positioned between the short struts. Each junction defines a reservoir, wherein the reservoirs of a strut band are substantially circumferentially aligned. The connectors each have arms, wherein each arm includes an opposing U-shaped link. The opposing links have a shared portion disposed between a peak on one strut band and a longitudinally adjacent trough of an adjacent strut band.
US07922743B2
The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments, structures and methods for enhancing the properties of tissue to be repaired or joined. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a surgical stapling apparatus is provided including a wound treatment material dispersion system for delivering wound treatment material to a target surgical site. The dispersion system includes an aperture formed in the anvil assembly oriented to dispense wound treatment material in an outward direction; and a source of wound treatment material in fluid communication with the aperture of the anvil assembly.
US07922737B1
A surgical instrument includes a cutting member with an implement for cutting tissue, and a drive coupled to the cutting member to simultaneously rotate and translate the cutting member in response to a force applied to the drive. A method of cutting tissue includes positioning an outer member such that tissue is located within the outer member, engaging the tissue with an inner member, and simultaneously rotating and translating the inner member to cut the tissue. A tangential cutting force is applied to the tissue with the inner member to mechanically cut the tissue. The inner member is mechanically driven to undergo simultaneous rotation and translation.
US07922736B2
A blade holder 16 includes a bottom surface 18 for attachment to a blade 30. A top surface 20 interfaces with a drive-pin 32 of a microkeratome 38. A drive slot 22 is formed in the top surface 20 for engagement with the drive-pin 32 for allowing oscillation of the blade holder 16. A plurality of steps 24 are formed in the top surface 20, and rise from the drive slot 22 toward at least one side 26 of the blade holder 16.
US07922735B2
The invention relates to a device for cutting the cornea of an eye to correct the refractive power thereof, having a frame that comprises a fixation ring, which may be drawn onto the eye, as well as a receptacle, which may be coaxially displaced relative to the fixation ring and which serves to accommodate an applanator for deforming the cornea within the fixation ring, and a holding device, which is guided on the frame in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis with regard to the fixation ring and which serves to hold a blade, which passes through the frame via a peripheral recess and which is mounted in front of the applanator, being radially displaceable relative to the fixation ring as well as movable around an axis perpendicular to the guiding plane, for the purpose of cutting a pocket through a merely tunnel-like entry into the corneal tissue. In order to obtain advantageous cutting conditions, it is suggested to have the blade pass through the frame recess with clearance, and to have the holding device support a vibrator for setting the blade in oscillatory motion in the cutting plane.
US07922734B2
Compression plate apparatus enables vessels to be joined together in various anastomosis configurations. The compression plates are guided to each other in a parallel orientation by guides. The compression plate apparatus may be utilized with an intraluminally directed anvil apparatus or an externally positioned anvil apparatus. One of the compression plates assists in the eversion of the anastomosis fenestra contour. One of the compression plates enables a graft vessel to be pre-everted so that the anastomosis fenestra contours are everted. The apparatus provides a structure that enables the vessels to be joined without being penetrated.
US07922733B2
A device for end-to-side anastomosis of body ducts comprising a coupling (2) which can be positioned on a side wall (3a) of a first duct (3) and connectable to a second duct (4) in order to create a fluid communication between the first (3) and second duct (4), and means of restraint (5) to firmly and preferably removably attach the coupling (2) to said first duct (3). The device (1) also comprises at least one membrane (6) removably positioned between the coupling (2) and side wall (3a) of the first duct (3) to prevent or allow the fluid communication between the first (3) and the second duct (4).
US07922730B2
In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, an implantation tool includes an elongate inner shaft having first and second ends. The tool also includes a first post coupled to the elongate inner shaft proximate the first end of the elongate inner shaft. The first post is configured to engage with a component to couple the component with the elongate inner shaft. The tool further includes a hollow outer shaft defining a longitudinal axial bore within which the elongate inner shaft is disposed. The hollow outer shaft is able to slide along the elongate inner shaft from a first longitudinal position to a second longitudinal position. The hollow outer shaft includes a first locking arm. Moving the hollow outer shaft from the first longitudinal position to the second longitudinal position moves the locking arm closer to the first post.
US07922729B2
Instruments for inserting and expanding interbody spinal implants having an expandable height are disclosed. The Instruments are provided for engaging expanders of the implants to increase the heights thereof. The instruments include an implant holder and an expander driver. The implant holder has a longitudinal axis, a passage along the longitudinal axis, and a distal end with an implant engagement area adapted to cooperatively engage the implant. The expander driver has a shaft adapted to pass through the passage of the implant holder, and a distal end adapted to engage the expander of the expandable implant.
US07922718B2
An open electrosurgical forceps for sealing tissue includes a pair of first and second shaft members each having a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. The jaw members are movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to a subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. Each of the jaw members includes an electrically conductive sealing plate for communicating electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween. At least one of the jaw members includes a cutting slot defined along a length thereof which is dimensioned to reciprocate a cutting instrument therealong for cutting tissue disposed between jaw members. An actuator advances the cutting instrument from a first position wherein the cutting instrument is disposed proximal to tissue held between the jaw members to at least one subsequent position wherein the cutting instrument is disposed distal to tissue held between the jaw members.
US07922715B2
A device for treating a tissue region is supplied with a separate usage key card. The usage key card comprises a storage medium, which is formatted to contain an identification code unique to the usage key card. The usage key card is adapted to be read by a remote reader, to download the identification code for processing by a controller for the device. Processing of the identification code by the controller either enables or disables operation of the device according to prescribed criteria. A viewable image is generated on a display screen that changes in response to processing of the identification code.
US07922713B2
An electrosurgical apparatus for cutting and/or coagulating living tissue, a method of forming the electrosurgical apparatus, and a method of using the electrosurgical apparatus. The cutting and/or coagulating living tissue is performed with one or two heated loops of resistance wire accompanied by sufficient electrical current across the living tissue to enable said cutting and/or coagulating to be performed. The electrosurgical apparatus may include: a glow blade having one or two glow loops of resistance wire; a radio frequency (RF) generator; and one or two voltage supplies configured to operate concurrently, while the one or two glow loops are heated to said glow, to supply both sufficient RF power and associated electrical current across the living tissue for cutting and/or coagulating the living tissue by the one or two glow loops. A first output of the RF generator is electrically coupled to the one or two glow loops.
US07922701B2
The present invention provides catheter cleaning devices that are effective at reducing microbial contamination of a catheter port entry. For example, the invention provides a catheter, a catheter cleaning device and a catheter cleaning injection port cap, each of which reduces potential microbial contamination at a catheter port entry.
US07922695B2
A drug delivery pump drive which uses a linear piezoelectric motor to advance a syringe piston to deliver a liquid drug and a method thereof are disclosed. The pump drive, provided in a drug delivery pump, provides silent operation and very low energy consumption compared to electric motor-based drives. The small size of the motor helps also to reduce overall size of the pump drive and the resulting drug deliver pump.
US07922690B2
An apparatus and method for introducing material into an injection site of a patient is disclosed. The device includes a cannula and a carrier. The cannula is inserted into an injection site of a patient. The carrier is connected to an injector containing a volume of material. Material may be pre-loaded into the carrier so that the material is delivered to a distal end of the carrier from the injector and the carrier is thus pre-loaded with material. A portion of the distal end of the pre-loaded carrier is inserted into the cannula and material is delivered to an injection site.
US07922689B2
A device (1) is designed for locating a region which is situated in a body (10). The device has a fluid-filled reservoir (30) which is closed off in a sealed manner by a displaceable plunger (32) and is connected to a hollow puncture needle (20). To measure the pressure prevailing in the fluid, the device has a pressure gauge (40). A signal converter (50) is used to convert a continuous pressure-measurement signal provided by the pressure gauge (40) into a form which is suitable for further processing. A synthesizer (60) is designed to process the converted pressure-measurement signal into a continuous sound signal which is representative of the pressure. If, during a displacement of the puncture needle (20), a needle point (21) reaches the anatomical cavity (15), the result is a readily perceptible change in the sound signal. The device records the pressure-measurement signal over the course of time.
US07922681B2
Protective device against frictional irritation due to wearing thong-type sandals and other footwear
A device is provided which gives protection from frictional injury to the web space between toes due to the wearing of thong-type sandals or other similar footwear. The device is comprised of a flat, flexible, medically inert, and preferably transparent plastic material which is can be configured in a variety of shapes and which has a plantar base portion which fits under the toes and on the bottom of the foot, stabilizing the device from moving, a web spacer portion which fits between the toes and provides protection from frictional injury, and a dorsal flap portion which anchors the device to the top side of the foot.
US07922672B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a skin testing-device system. The system includes a tray, a well holder that snaps into the tray and that holds a plurality of rows of test-solution wells, and a well holder-assembly lid that snaps into the tray over the well holder. The well-holder may include see-through windows such that a test-solution level is visible for substantially each of the test-solution wells from one or more single viewpoints, which may be elevated, and offset, from the well holder. The well holder-assembly lid may include areas that prevent skin-test devices in the test-solution wells from being dislodged from the test-solution wells while the well holder-assembly lid is snapped into the tray. Embodiments of the invention are directed to a clamshell-package system for holding skin-test devices. The system includes a clamshell package having generally crescent-shaped receptacles in an offset pattern and a clamshell-package lid.
US07922670B2
A system for quantifying and mapping visual salience to a visual stimulus, including a processor, software for receiving data indicative of a group of individual's ocular responses to a visual stimulus, software for determining a distribution of visual resources at each of at least two times for each of at least a portion of the individuals. The system further including software for determining and quantifying a group distribution of visual resources at each of the at least two times and software for generating a display of the group's distribution of visual resources to the visual stimulus.
US07922668B2
An aerobic spa system comprising a water source providing water, an ozone source providing ozone, an ozone introduction mechanism adapted to introduce at least some of the ozone into the water, an ozone saturation mechanism adapted to cause at least some of the ozone to be dissolved into the water, a substantially enclosed chamber receiving water containing dissolved ozone; and a user at least partially disposed inside the chamber who comes into contact with the water containing dissolved ozone.
US07922665B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for analyzing pulse data. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a signal containing data representing a plurality of pulses, the signal generated in response to detecting light scattered from blood perfused tissue. Further, one embodiment includes performing a pulse identification or qualification algorithm on at least a portion of the data, the pulse identification or qualification algorithm comprising at least one constant, and modifying the at least one constant based on results obtained from performing the pulse identification or qualification algorithm, wherein the results indicate that a designated number of rejected pulses has been reached.
US07922661B2
The inventive probe comprises a tubular body (1, 2) that accommodates a transducer (11), which emits a focused incident ultrasonic wave toward structures to be examined and which receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by these structures. This transducer (11) is coupled to actuating means (4), comprises a piezoelectric assembly (15) capable of focusing the emitted beams and, adjacent to this assembly, comprises a spherical layer (20) made of a material that ensures a good transmission of the ultrasonic waves.
US07922650B2
The present invention is directed to features and aspects of an in-vivo visualization system that comprises a catheter having an access port leading to an interior lumen through which an image transmission member is routed, and an endoscope having an access port leading to an interior lumen through which the catheter is routed. The catheter and endoscope are connected by an endoscope attachment device such that a handle of the catheter is mounted distal of the endoscope access port and the catheter access port is distal to the mounted position.
US07922637B2
The present invention provides a conductive roller which has excellent resilience in response to deformation and exhibits small variation in electrical resistance. The conductive roller has a metallic core, a conductive elastic layer formed on the outer surface of the core to which layer conductivity has been imparted by carbon black, and a surface-treated layer formed through impregnating a surface of the conductive elastic layer with a surface-treatment liquid, wherein the difference ΔHs (Hs1−Hs2) between micro-hardness Hs1 of a surface of the conductive roller and micro-hardness Hs2 of the conductive elastic layer after removal of the surface-treated layer, the hardness being determined by means of a micro-hardness tester, is 5% or less of the micro-hardness Hs2.
US07922630B1
A multi station exercise gym includes a pair of bicep curl pivot assemblies pivotally attached to a user support assembly. Each bicep curl pivot assembly includes a pivotally attached support pad assembly. The user support assembly, bicep curl pivot assemblies, and support pad assemblies can be adjusted to multiple positions to support a user's arms during multiple variations of bicep curl exercise. The bicep curl pivot assemblies can also be adjusted into respective storage positions to prevent interference when performing unsupported bicep curl exercises or other exercise movements on the multi station exercise gym. The bicep curl pivot assemblies can also be pivotally attached to a free standing exercise bench.
US07922628B2
An assembly structured to facilitate the practice of various martial art techniques by an individual such as kicks, punches and other physically delivered blows associated with various forms of the martial arts. At least one elongated stanchion is operatively supported by a base, preferably having a stabilizing assembly, in a substantially vertical, upright position. The stanchion comprises a plurality of support assemblies extending outwardly therefrom and being adjustable at various heights along the length thereof. Each or a predetermined number of the support assemblies include a mounting structure secured to an outer end thereof at a predetermined orientation. Each of the mounting structures is dimensioned, disposed and configured to have a striking target, such as a Thai pad, or like structure disposed in an exposed, accessible location to facilitate the delivery, by the individual, of different types of martial art blows.
US07922624B1
Exercise platforms are adapted for aiding a user in performing aerobic exercises, such as step aerobics, as well as resistance and weight exercises. The embodiments of the present invention include a deformable surface, and detachable weight modules that allow a user to perform weight exercises using the weight of the device. Further, the exercise platforms of the present invention are stackable to allow for cooperative use of multiple platforms at once to perform a variety of different exercises. In some embodiments of the present invention, a platform is packaged with at least two sets of weight modules having different weights, and at least one resistance device.
US07922617B2
The present invention relates to a control device for a vehicular drive system which properly controls a shift in a transmission portion upon receipt of a shift demand to the transmission portion for precluding a given element of the differential portion 11 from high rotation. For a shift demand to an automatic transmission (20), the transmission portion shift limiting means (86) determines a permissible range in terms of a speed ratio of an automatic transmission (20) in consideration of a rotational speed of a given element of a differential portion (11) for thereby limiting a shifting of the automatic transmission portion (20) based on the permissible range. Thus, when the shift demand to the automatic transmission (20) is present, the given element of the differential portion (11) can be avoided from high rotation. This enables the suppression of the high ration of, for instance, first and second electric motors (M1), (M2) and a first planetary gear (P1) or the like, improving durability of the first and second electric motors (M1), (M2) and the first planetary gear (P1) or the like.
US07922614B2
The invention proposes a chain for a machine drive, transport of material in a machine or the like, and also a packaging machine comprising one such chain, this chain being better than known link chains at meeting requirements in respect of hygiene conditions during operation and cleaning. This is achieved according to the invention in that flexible chain links (4) are provided between rigid chain links (2), the flexible chain links (4) being fixed to the rigid chain links (2).
US07922600B1
An adjustable weight system for golf clubs improves a golfer's swing and feel as the club strikes the ball. The weight system includes a golf club having a shaft attached thereto which includes an internal channel for receiving cylindrical weights. The golf club head attached to the shaft includes a weight port which is in communication with the shaft channel and is closed, preferably with a threaded fastener. The method of use includes removing the fastener and inserting the desired weights to enhance the golfer's swing.
US07922598B1
A golfer alignment system for efficiently assisting a golfer in aligning their golf club and body properly while hitting a golf ball. The golfer alignment system generally includes a first alignment member comprised of an elongated configuration, a second alignment member comprised of an elongated configuration, wherein the second alignment member is substantially parallel to the first alignment member and at least one diagonal member attached between the first alignment member and the second alignment member. The diagonal member is attached in an oblique configuration with respect to the first alignment member and the second alignment member.
US07922597B2
A golf putter generally has a nearly flat sole surface, multiple or decorative sight lines used to align the putter with the target, or target line. This new design has an extremely rounded sole surface from heel to toe and from the ball striking face to the rear of the putter head. This works extremely well when putting through taller fringe grasses off the green. The well rounded heel and toe and leading angular surface contribute to stabilizing the orientation of the ball striking face when putting from extremely sloped side hill lies in the taller fringe grasses. It has a single brightly colored sight line from the ball striking face to the rear of the putter head to eliminate a majority of visual clutter. This focuses the golfers eyes completely on the sight line, target line, and center of the golf ball.
US07922581B2
The present disclosure relates to a distribution system for providing cash or other items of value to a user at the location of the gaming system and a method for using the distribution system. The disclosure relates to a distribution system for use with an entertainment station. The distribution system includes a remote control unit accessible from the entertainment station and operably coupled to a base processor. The remote control unit is adapted to receive user account information and a requested transaction type from a group consisting of deposit, transfer, and withdrawal. The remote control unit is also adapted to provide a signal to the base processor, and the base processor is adapted to receive the signal from the remote control unit and to process the requested transaction type based on the account information. The base processor is adapted to distribute cash or cash equivalent to a user.
US07922575B2
A video slot game is described that increases a multiplier associated with each active pay line of the game independently of the multipliers associated with other pay lines of the game. Each line multiplier acts to multiply the winnings based on that particular line only. A multiplier for a particular line may be incremented for a current spin based on a wager outcome on that line in an immediately previous spin. A line multiplier may continue to increase as long as the player continues to win on that line. The increased line multiplier may have the side effect of acting as an incentive for a player to keep playing the game of chance, so as not to leave an unused line multiplier for another player. According to one variation, if the player does not win on a particular line, then the multiplier associated with that particular line may revert to a default level.
US07922574B2
When the number of bets is determined and a game is started, reels start spinning. After a lapse of a predetermined time, fifteen symbols are repositioned in symbol display regions. By dragging and dropping a repositioned symbol to a crater of a volcano, a performance character, an animation effect to represent a volcanic eruption of the volcano and a sound effect corresponding to a volcanic eruption sound of the volcano are outputted. In case the symbol is dragged and dropped to the outside of a display, a warning sign is indicated as well as a warning sound is outputted.
US07922568B1
A device to assist in the field dressing of game animals, comprising two (2) tube portions which telescopingly slide inside of each another and mechanically secured at a desired length, is herein disclosed. The device may be used on different sized animals via a spring-loaded button and a plurality of button receiving holes. Each end of the device comprises a toothed portion which enables the device to better grip a carcass which is to be field dressed. Spiked end caps are also provided for increased anchoring of the device to the carcass. The device is preferably made of light-weight aluminum or similar materials and is provided with a belt mounted holster to allow the user to carry the device in the field. Such features allow the user to clean the animal carcass out while protecting the meat from spoilage by helping to aerate the meat for faster glazing.
US07922567B2
A separator apparatus that separates meat from bone in two distinct separation stages includes a rotary cam pump in series with a deboning screw assembly. In the first separation stage, substantially bone-free meat is separated from bone as the meat-bone mixture passes through the rotary cam pump, and expelled from the separator apparatus. The rotary cam pump then drives the remaining meat bone mixture into the deboning screw assembly, where a second separation stage occurs in which additional substantially bone-free meat is separated from bone as the meat-bone mixture passes through the deboning screw assembly, and is also expelled from the separator apparatus. The remaining bone residue is expelled from a bone residue outlet on the separator apparatus. The meat separated during the first stage can have a different coarseness than that separated during the second stage, and each can be expelled and collected at a different location.
US07922563B2
A hard-faced cutting blade and hard-facing method is provided. A hard-facing material is applied to a cutting edge of a cutting blade such that a heat-affected transition zone may be created between the base metal and the hard-facing material. The heat-affected transition zone may create a sufficient bond to help resist delamination and flaking of the hard-facing material from the base metal.
US07922559B2
Compositions and methods for managing bee colonies to prevent a variety of diseases, infestations and generally improve the health and productivity of the colony are provided. Such diseases may arise from a variety of sources, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa and parasites that infest the colony and the hive. Representative diseases preventable or treatable by this compositions and methods disclosed herein include, but are not limited to Foulbrood, Chalkbrood, and Nosema. Examples of infestations treatable and preventable by the compositions and methods disclosed include acarids or mites and insects such as hive beetles and the like. The compositions of the present invention include neutral or acidic solutions of an aromatic sulfonic acid, aqueous salt solutions, and wood sealants. Methods disclosed herein include applying the aqueous compositions to an interior surface of a bee-hive, suspending hive frames by novel corrosion resistant brackets that minimize the absorption of moisture within the hive body and provide bees access to more of the hive's interior for policing, cleaning and housekeeping purposes. The novel brackets and honey produced by bees administered one or more compositions of this invention are also disclosed.
US07922558B2
An electronic cake includes an inner base, an outer base, a driving device, a bottom shell, a rotatable platform, a number of candle-like lamps, a controlling device and a power source. The outer base is loosely sleeved on the inner base forming a predetermined guiding groove there-between. The bottom shell is rotatably received in the inner base by the driving device. The rotatable platform is attached on the bottom shell. The candle-like lamps are slidably attached on the rotatable platform. Each candle-like lamp has a supporting leg extending out from a side wall of the rotatable platform and received in the predetermined guiding groove. The controlling device is positioned in the rotatable platform. The power source is electrically connected to the driving device and the candle-like lamps via the controlling device for supply driving electric power to the driving device and the candle-like lamps.
US07922557B2
A handheld toy for simulating a fight sequence has an audio circuit for recording and playing simulated fighting sounds. A body section is provided. The body section has a hollow interior section for housing the audio circuit. The body section has a first side which is rounded to allow the first side to fit comfortably in a palm of a user. A second side of the body section has a plurality of ridges. The ridges form finger grips to allow a hand of the user to hold the handheld toy. The body section has a movable cover to replace components of the audio circuit. A plurality of buttons is coupled to the audio circuit. Each of the plurality of buttons activates a different simulated fighting sound of the audio circuit. The user presses different buttons while performing a simulated fight sequence.
US07922556B2
What is disclosed is a versatile interlocking crossbar device and system for coupling modular components of toy assemblages, educational models, hobby constructions, component attachments, or the like together using one or more connectors, configured with a set of male connector parts and a set of female connector parts, configured to enable the selective attachment of such parts. The disclosed system is exemplified in this application as a toy vehicle and a ball and demonstrates how the parts and interlocking crossbar device interrelate to one another in a plurality of ways to create varying embodiments. The unique interrelationships spoken of are, for the most part, capable of creation because similar sized openings and recesses are indexed within each body member such that the pieces and interlocking crossbar conform thereto.
US07922546B1
A grounding clamp for securing a grounding cable to a tray having a number of spaced apart longitudinal and transverse members includes a body portion having a bottom portion and inner and outer end portions projecting from the bottom portion. The inner end portion includes at least two finger-like members projecting from the bottom portion for engaging at least one transverse member between the finger-like members. A portion of the body portion includes a cavity defined by the bottom portion, the inner end portion, and the outer end portion for receiving at least one longitudinal member therein. The cavity further receives the grounding cable. The outer end portion includes a threaded opening therethrough. The grounding claim further includes a threaded bolt that is received in the threaded opening in the outer end portion for securing the grounding cable to the at least one longitudinal member.
US07922543B1
An audio jack connector includes a dielectric housing defining an inserting hole, a movable member, a rotation member, two first switch terminals and two-second switch terminals. The movable member is movably received in the dielectric housing. The rotation member is rotatably received in the dielectric housing. Elastic protrusions protrude from one end of the rotation member. Recessed portions form between every two protrusions. Ends of two first and second switch terminals respectively include a prong, and opposite ends are received in the recessed portion. A plug connector is inserted into the inserting hole, and pushes the movable member to move. The rotation member is driven to rotate to drive the ends of the two first switch terminals and the two second switch terminals to move from the recessed portion to the protrusion, causing the prongs to stay contact with the plug connector.
US07922539B2
A floating connector is provides that enables impedance matching in the entire contact without hindrance of the movement of a movable housing. The floating connector having a contact, a movable housing, a fixed housing, and an impedance adjusting member. The contact includes a contact portion to be mated with a mating contact, a board connecting portion to be connected to a circuit board, and a flexible coupling portion that is flexible and that couples the contact portion and the board connecting portion. The impedance adjusting member is arranged and receives the flexible coupling portion, which is formed in such a way to include a first curved portion, a second curved portion, and a linear coupling portion. The second curved portion bends in a reversed direction from a direction that the first curved portion bends, while the linear coupling portion connects the first curved portion and the second curved portion.
US07922532B2
A cable connector (100) for soldering at a predetermined position with a cable (4) including a number of first wires (41) each having a conductor (412). The cable connector includes an insulative housing (1), a number of contact terminals (2) mounted in the insulative housing, and a pair of shielding shells (3) assembled to the insulative housing. Each contact terminal has a contact portion (21) and a tail portion (22). Each shielding shell is formed with a grounding portion (35) extending toward the tail portion of one of the contact terminals. The grounding portion, the tail portion of one of the contact terminals arrive at the predetermined position and are soldered with the conductor of an associated first wire at the predetermined position.
US07922528B2
A connector, and a connector system that implements the connector, that exhibits a value of characteristic impedance that is responsive to a tuning insulator. In one embodiment, the connector includes a connector body that defines a longitudinal axis, and a conductor that is disposed in the connector body so that it is aligned coaxially with the longitudinal axis. The connector also includes a tuning insulator that has a pre-determined effect so that, when the insulator is positioned on a portion of the conductor, the value of characteristic impedance of the connector changes from a first value to a second value.
US07922521B1
A DIN rail terminal block essentially includes a plastic main body, a resilient plate, and a terminal. The resilient plate and the terminal are coupled together by multiple fastening structures and are simultaneously secured in position to the plastic main body, wherein the multiple fastening structures prevent the resilient plate and the terminal from shifting leftward, rightward, upward, or downward with respect to each other. With the terminal configured for ground connection, and the resilient plate configured for pressing tightly against a DIN rail, the terminal block is stably positioned, provides good electrical connection, and allows easy operation.
US07922513B2
An electrical connector includes a base having a number of passageways and a compartment in one end thereof. A cover is mounted to the base. The cover has a plurality of through holes corresponding to the passageways and a driving compartment corresponding to the compartment. The driving compartment has one single-step stopper. One recess is positioned adjacent the stopper and receives a stiffener therein for supporting the stopper. A cam is disposed in the driving compartment and the compartment to drive the cover moving relative to the base along a front-to-back direction.
US07922509B2
A surface mount header is shown which may be mounted to a surface of a printed circuit board, where pins project away from the board. Alternatively, the surface mount header may be connected to a surface of a printed circuit board with the pins projecting downwardly through an opening in the board. Insulative sleeves surround the pins in order to protect the pins from contact with conductive paths within the board.
US07922507B2
A card connector, comprising: an insulative housing having a base, first and second sidewalls extending upwardly from two opposite sides of the base, a card receiving space defined by the base and the first and second sidewalls; a plurality of contacts held within the housing, the contacts having contact sections extending beyond the base; a pair of detecting switches including a stable switch and a movable switch both around a region located backwardly of the first sidewall; and a flange-like plane portion on said first sidewall and essentially vertical to said first sidewall, a front guiding entrance defined by said flange-like plane portion, the first sidewall, the second sidewall and the base.
US07922504B2
A lever-type connector capable of securely and efficiently carrying out a secondary latch onto a contact by a retainer and release of the secondary latch is provided. The lever-type connector includes an inner housing, an outer housing, a retainer, a slider, a lever and a first and second retainer operation passageway. The inner housing includes a contact receiving passageway for receiving a contact, which is latched by a retainer inserted into the inner housing. The inner housing is inserted into and received by the outer housing. The slider is movable within the outer housing and having a cam groove into which a cam pin provided on the mating connector is inserted. The lever is attached to the outer housing and moves the slider by rotation of the lever. The first retainer operation passageway is positioned on a side surface of the outer housing, while the second retainer operation passageway is located on the slider. The first retainer operation passageway is in communication with the second retainer operation passageway when the slider is set to a mated position.
US07922502B1
An electronic device with a hidden I/O interface module is disclosed. The electronic device includes a container and a surface with an opening, container and the opening communicate with each other. The container includes a first position and a second position. The electronic device also includes an I/O connection unit, a pivot module and a cover. The I/O connection unit is disposed at the container, electrically connected to the electronic device and includes a connecting surface. The pivot module is connected to the I/O connection unit. The cover is connected to the pivot module. When the cover is shut, it covers the container and makes the I/O connection unit located at the first position. When the cover is open, it drives the pivot module to drive the I/O connection unit to move to the second position to make the connecting surface of the I/O connection unit aligned with the surface.
US07922491B2
In one embodiment, an explosive device (IED) simulator usable with a laser detector is provided, the IED simulator comprising a laser transmitter and a first switch. The laser transmitter is capable of directing a laser signal to the laser detector, the laser signal comprising information readable by the laser detector, wherein the laser signal is designed to simulate at least a first type of explosion of an IED. The first switch is operably coupled to the laser transmitter, the first switch permitting a user to trigger the laser signal from the laser transmitter. The first type of explosion that is simulated can comprise at least one type selected from the group consisting of an indoor IED explosion, an outdoor IED explosion, a long range IED explosion, an IED explosion of 2 m to 5 m away from a target, an IED explosion of up to 600 m from a target, and an IED explosion having a predetermined kill pattern. Advantageously, the laser transmitter is constructed and arranged to generate a laser signal encoded with a MILES code.
US07922486B2
A capsule for storage, mixing, and dispensing of dental material, including an indicator for indicating proper activation of the capsule. The indicator may indicate that a minimum required displacement of an applicator member or of an activator member, or both, has occurred.
US07922484B2
To provide a rotary hearth furnace which has a simple furnace structure in which the furnace is not damaged even if the furnace is operated for a long term while presenting general equations capable of adequately determining a thermal expansion margin in the rotary hearth furnace.
US07922480B2
The invention provides a combustion apparatus which can inhibit an NOx generation even in the case of promoting a mixing between a high-temperature combustion gas and an air so as to intend to reduce an unburned combustible. In a combustion apparatus provided with a burner burning a fuel within a furnace in a theoretical air ratio or less, and an air port supplying a combustion air for a shortfall in the burner, a supply apparatus for supplying a nitrogen oxide generation inhibiting gas is provided in a mixing region between the both or near the mixing region. Further, the invention provides a wind box which can inhibit an NOx generation even in the case of promoting a mixing between a high-temperature combustion gas and an air so as to intend to reduce an unburned combustible. In a wind box having an air port arranged in a back flow side of the burner and supplying a combustion air for a shortfall in the burner, a supply apparatus for supplying a nitrogen oxide generation inhibiting gas is provided in a mixing region between the both or near the mixing region.
US07922479B2
An injection molding hot runner system of modular construction adapted for rapid removal and replacement during required maintenance. The system includes at least one hot runner module adapted for mounting at a support surface. The hot runner module includes one or more injection nozzles adapted for fluid communication with a supply of molten material and an arrangement of acceptance openings adapted to engage mounting projection elements extending away from the support surface.
US07922477B2
The invention concerns a rotating machine such as a carrousel comprising a rotating frame driven in rotation about an axis of rotation, several working stations supported by the rotating frame, a fluid supplying rotating column, coaxial to the axis of rotation of the rotating frame. The invention is characterized in that it comprises a column element (50, 250) provided with two assemblies (52, 252, 53) mobile in rotation relative to each other, about said axis of rotation, a first assembly (52, 252) including an axial tubular body (80, 280) provided with at least two tiers of radial through holes (81-86, 281-286), the axial conduits of the first assembly (52, 252) extending over different lengths in the space delimited by said tubular body (80, 280), each conduit (65a, 70-73, 75) emerging perpendicularly to one specific tier of radial through holes (81-86, 281-286), the column element (50, 250) thereby defining a rotating connection dispensing at least two fluids towards the working stations of the machine, and in that a sleeve C is interposed between said tubular body (80, 280) of the second assembly (53) and said first assembly (52, 252).
US07922464B2
A magnetic drive pump includes a pump chamber including an inlet port and an outlet port, a partition wall separating the pump chamber from an exterior, a rotational shaft provided at a side of the pump chamber relative to the partition wall, an impeller rotatably supported by a first end of the rotational shaft, an inductor integrally fixed to the impeller to rotate, a magnetic member positioned radially outside of the partition wall and facing the inductor, the magnetic member rotatably supported, a rotation drive device fixed to the magnetic means and actuating the magnetic member to rotate, and a drive device moving at least one of the magnetic member and the inductor in an axial direction of the rotational shaft.
US07922463B2
Disclosed herein is a linear compressor wherein a compression unit, including a cylinder and a linear motor, is supported by a frame mounted in a hermetic container. The frame is die cast using diamagnetic zinc having a high forming accuracy, thereby preventing an electromagnetic force of the linear motor from being leaked therethrough, and enabling a reduction in the number of machining times thereof after die casting.
US07922459B2
A pressure-generating device includes an axle hub having a rotary shaft portion supported rotatably in a nonrotatable cylindrical support portion via bearings; a piston attached to the rotary shaft portion in a unitarily rotatable manner and so as to perform a pumping action, and, in cooperation with the rotary shaft portion, forming a pump chamber therebetween; a cam member and cam followers for converting a rotary motion of the axle hub in relation to the cylindrical support member to the pumping action of the piston; a suction path formed in the axle hub and enabling introduction of air into the pump chamber; and a discharge path formed in the axle hub and enabling discharge of air from the pump chamber.
US07922454B1
A blade segment of a rotor blade assembly formed from two or more blade segments is disclosed. The blade segment may generally include a body shell and a shear web extending longitudinally within the body shell. The shear web may be disposed between opposed spar caps. The blade segment may also include an attachment member and a spar member. The attachment member may be at least partially disposed within the body shell. The spar member may generally extend outwardly from the spar caps along an inner surface of the body shell and may be configured to support the attachment member within the body shell.
US07922453B2
Process for preparing turbine blades or vanes for a subsequent treatment, for example the application of a coating and/or a material-removing operation, wherein the turbine blade or vane has an airfoil, which is delimited at at least one end by an endplate with peripheral surfaces, wherein at least one of the peripheral surfaces is at least partially covered prior to the treatment of the turbine blade or vane. In the process a covering strip is fitted onto at least one peripheral surface to form a plug connection.
US07922451B1
A turbine blade for use in an industrial gas turbine engine, the blade having a squealer pocket with a plurality of discrete curved cooling channels to cool the blade tip and to reduce the hot gas flow leakage across the tip. The curved cooling channels include a side wall cooling channel, a tip rail crown cooling channel and an inner tip rail wall cooling channel all discharging cooling air from a cooling supply channel within the airfoil. Both the pressure side and suction side tip rails include this arrangement of cooling channels.
US07922450B2
A wind turbine blade comprises a main blade body and trailing edge section movably connected to the main blade body, and an actuator structure internally within the blade. The actuator interconnects the trailing edge section and the main blade body, and it comprises a stack of a plurality of piezoelectric elements, so that the stack of piezoelectric elements is capable of operating as a linear actuator. The actuator structure is arranged such that it is capable of causing the trailing edge section to move or deform relative to the main blade body in response to aerodynamic loads on the blade. The actuator structure is controllable by a control system applying a voltage to the stack of piezoelectric elements in response to, e.g., detected wind or load characteristics.
US07922449B2
A method of operating a wind turbine having rotor with at least one blade, includes sensing an icing hazard for the blade; and moving the at least one blade into a position to reduce the icing hazard.
US07922448B2
A wind turbine includes a first vibration sensor for producing a first vibration signal; a second vibration sensor, displaced from the first vibration sensor, for producing a second vibration signal; and a processor for comparing the first vibration signal to the second vibration signal and controlling the wind turbine in response to the comparison.
US07922441B2
A system for sensing at least one physical characteristic associated with an engine including a turbine having a plurality of blades turning inside a casing, the system including: a pressure sensor coupled substantially adjacent to the casing and including at least one output; a port in the turbine casing for communicating a pressure indicative of a clearance between the blades and casing to the pressure sensor; a cooling cavity substantially surrounding the pressure sensor; and, an inlet for receiving fluid from the engine and feeding the fluid to the cooling cavity to cool the pressure sensor; wherein, the pressure sensor output is indicative of the clearance between the blades and casing.
US07922437B1
Disclosed is a system and method for dispensing products provided initially in a package. The system includes a frame and an opening tool. The frame has longitudinally opposed front and rear end sections and includes an upper support deck extending at least partially between the front and rear end sections and below which a product display area is provided. The opening tool is associated with the frame and is arranged to open the package when the package is moved longitudinally on the upper support deck and relative to the opening tool thereby allowing the products to be at least partially dispensed from the package into the product display area.
US07922435B2
A sheet collecting device includes a tray on which sheets are placed, a sheet discharging roller for transferring sheets to the tray, an abutment regulating device for regulating a leading end and a trailing end of the sheets on the stacking tray in a conveying direction, and an aligning device for aligning the sheets relative to the abutment regulating device. The stacking tray includes a tray base supported by an apparatus frame and a plate member disposed on the tray base for placing and supporting at least some of the sheets. The plate member is supported on a top surface of the tray base so as to be movable toward an abutment regulating member. A biasing device is provided between the plate member and the tray base to bias the plate member toward the abutment regulating member.
US07922420B2
A barrier includes a housing having a front wall and an opposing back wall each extending between opposing sidewalls. The housing also includes a floor and an interior surface bounding a chamber, the chamber communicating externally through an inlet opening. A first inset projects into the chamber from the front wall so as to form a recessed pocket on the front wall. A second inset projects into the chamber from the back wall so as to form a recessed pocket on the back wall. The first inset and the second inset are connected together within the chamber so that the chamber encircles the connection.
US07922418B2
A mounting assembly comprising mating inner and outer components (36, 38) mounted together using a tolerance (20) is disclosed. The tolerance ring (20) has radially extending projections (28) that are configured to cause the tolerance ring (20) to operate into the plastic phase of its compression force/retention force characteristic. This can be achieved by using softer projections than those found in conventional tolerance rings. The force required to mount the tolerance ring and a range of retention forces exhibited by it for a given variance in sizes of mating components is thereby stabilized.
US07922417B2
An interlocking structural element is disclosed for the construction of cabinets and enclosures, including modular cabinets and enclosures. Four equal lengths of the interlocking structural element can be used in conjunction with simple flat rectangular panels to fabricate a single enclosure. Additional lengths may be used to fabricate an enclosure with multiple compartments. The interlocking structural element may be fabricated by extruding metal or other material such as plastic. The element incorporates slots for easy mounting of shelves, printed circuit boards or other objects within the enclosure.
US07922413B2
A connection element for attaching components such as trim parts to a structure of an aircraft, includes a retainer on the component, on which retainer an insertion pin is held so as to be adjustable to a limited extent in at least a Z-translational direction in relation to a component surface and mates a receiver coupled to the structure. The receiver has a recess contoured for receiving a trunnion portion of the insertion pin, providing a snap connection between the receiver and the insertion pin. The receiver on the structure includes a support flange, which is capable of coupling with a retainer mounted on the structure such that, the receiver rests flat against the retainer on the structure, and is adjustably held and attachable in a XY-plane that is arranged substantially perpendicularly in relation to the Z-translational direction.
US07922412B2
To provide a fluid feeder of an applicator having a structure that allows a fluid to flow into a tubular member and be positively pressurized at the time of an ejecting operation, which can readily eject the fluid even if the fluid becomes unlikely to flow out and which allows the user to readily use over a long period of time even if a high-viscosity fluid is used. In the fluid feeder of an applicator, at the time of the closed state, the periphery of a base of a rod-like part comes into hermetic contact with the inner peripheral surface of a fore part of a tubular member. When the thrust against pressing end is weakened after an open state and then the fluid is pressurized before returning to the closed state, the plunger-like part is inserted into the cylinder surface so as to pressurize the fluid held in the space between the inner surface of tubular member and the outer surface on the front side of a step of a valve member, whereby the fluid is flowed out from an ejection opening that is in a state where the periphery of base of valve member is released from the inner peripheral surface of fore part of tubular member.
US07922404B2
A diaphragm unit includes: a pair of straight-moving diaphragm blades and a pair of swing diaphragm blades overlapping with each other in an optical axis direction of an optical system and forming a diaphragm opening centered on the optical axis by moving in directions in which the diaphragm blades get close to and apart from the optical axis along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; a receiving member receiving the pair of straight-moving diaphragm blades and the pair of swing diaphragm blades; and a diaphragm driving mechanism adjusting the size of the diaphragm opening by moving the diaphragm blades. The receiving member has a pair of side surfaces facing each other in the optical axis direction. One and the other of the straight-moving diaphragm blades and one and the other of the swing diaphragm blades are disposed on one and the other of the side surfaces, respectively.
US07922403B2
A blade driving apparatus for cameras includes a base plate having an aperture section for a photographing optical path; a partition plate having an aperture section for the photographing optical path so that a blade chamber is interposed between the base plate and the partition plate; a cover frame having an actuator chamber between the partition plate and the cover frame; a permanent magnet rotor rotatably mounted on the cover frame so that an output pin is introduced into the blade chamber; a yoke in which tops of two legs constructed as magnetic pole sections are opposite to the peripheral surface of the rotor in the actuator chamber and one of the two legs is fitted into a bobbin around which a coil is wound; and at least one blade rotatably mounted to a shank for at least one blade which is set upright on the cover frame and is introduced into the blade chamber, and introduced into, and removed from, the exposure aperture by the output pin.
US07922402B2
A camera holder (3) is provided for fixing a camera (11) or a camcorder to an optical observation device. The holder (3) has a variable-length sleeve (13) with a first end configured to receive the camera objective and a second end configured to secure the sleeve (13) relative to the optical observation device. The holder (3) also has an adjusting device (19) fixed to the sleeve (13). The adjusting device (19) has a pin for connection with a stand mating thread of a camera (11) and is configured to compensate for an offset between the stand mating thread and the camera objective. The adjusting device (19) enables the camera (11) to be positioned with respect to the sleeve and the optical observation device.
US07922401B2
A camera rig with a center-of-gravity correction system, which includes an adjustable shoulder platform, a camera platform connected to the shoulder platform, and an abdominal support system connected to the camera platform. The camera platform is vertically, horizontally, and pivotably movable relative to the shoulder platform, and includes a mechanism for providing center-of-gravity correction for a camera mounted thereon. The abdominal support system is horizontally and vertically adjustable relative to the camera platform.
US07922394B2
In a propeller shaft for a motor vehicle, an outer periphery of an outer end of an annular support member is formed as an expanded poison.
US07922381B2
In a two-way backlight assembly and a two-way LCD apparatus, the two-way backlight assembly provides light emitted from one light source to a first direction where a main LCD panel is placed and to a second direction where a sub LCD panel is placed. Also, a sub mold part for receiving the sub LCD panel comprises a black-colored material so as to prevent reflection of the light. Accordingly, thickness and power consumption of the backlight assembly may be reduced and display quality may be also improved by preventing leakage of the light at ends of the sub LCD panel.
US07922379B2
A backlight module including a back cover, a reflector, a lamp supporter, and a number of lamps is provided. The back cover includes a number of holes, an inner face, and an outer face. The reflector is disposed on the inner face and has a number of openings. The openings expose parts of the holes. The lamp supporter has a base substrate and a number of carriers that are connected to the base substrate. The base substrate is assembled to the outer face of the back cover, and the carriers penetrate the holes of the back cover and the openings of the reflector. The lamps are disposed in the carriers, such that the lamps and the base substrate are located at two opposite sides of the back cover.
US07922374B2
The present invention provides various lamp assembly configurations for motorized vehicles. In one embodiment, the lamp assembly includes a light source, such as a light emitting diode (LED) module, that is operable to generate light. The light source is attached to the vehicle structure, located on the interior of the vehicle adjacent to the aperture. A light guide is operatively connected to the light source. The light guide is configured to transmit light generated by the light source to preselected locations along the exterior of the vehicle structure, and diffuse the light. The light guide is attached to the vehicle structure, located on the exterior of the vehicle adjacent to the aperture in opposing relation to the light source. The cross-sectional area of the aperture formed through the vehicle structure is less than the cross-sectional areas of the LED module body and the light emitting segment of the light guide.
US07922368B2
A liquid crystal display device may include a backlight unit for providing light for the display. A backlight unit may include light modules. The light modules include colored LEDs surrounded by a first lens for refracting the light from the LEDs. A second lens surrounds the first lens for further refraction of the light to improve brightness and the uniformity of the light.
US07922362B2
A circuit board assembly and a backlight module comprising the circuit board assembly are provided. The circuit board assembly has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and further comprises at least one laminate, a first conductive wiring structure and a coating. The first conductive wiring structure is formed on the first surface. The coating is formed on the coating area of the second surface, wherein the coating can conduct heat and provide electric insulation. Thus, the circuit board assembly is adapted to outwardly conduct heat from the laminate through the second surface and to promote the heat dissipation efficiency of the circuit board assembly.
US07922357B2
Disclosed are an external light-shielding layer for a display filter preventing occurrence of ghosting using a difference between refractive indexes of a base substrate and an external light-shielding part, and a display filter and display apparatus including the external light-shielding layer. The external light-shielding layer for the display filter comprises a base substrate made of a transparent resin; and at least one external light-shielding part arranged on a surface of the base substrate and filled with an external light-absorption material, wherein ny of a refractive index of the base substrate is less than or equal to nx of a refractive index of the external light-shielding part.
US07922354B2
A high performance, high efficiency solid state electronic lighting device, having a sealed fixture body for use outdoors or in environments requiring IP rated sealed fixtures, uses light emitting diodes for producing light from AC current that operates on an as needed basis dependent upon occupancy, ambient light levels and facility load requirements. The high performance, high efficiency solid state electronic lighting device can also be used to replace the internal workings and reflective surfaces of a standard fluorescent fixture, a high-intensity-discharge (HID) lamp, or other arc-based lamps using light emitting diodes for producing light from AC current that operates on an as needed basis dependent upon occupancy, ambient light levels and facility load requirements.
US07922353B2
In light of the foregoing background, exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide an improved apparatus, method and system for providing multi-mode illumination. Specifically, exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a lighting apparatus capable of multiple modes of illumination (e.g., infrared illumination mode, visible light illumination mode, spot-light mode, flood-light mode, blended spot and flood light modes, etc.) and battery powered operation. The lighting apparatus further includes a fuel gage module capable of communicating an expected battery life based on a current operating mode of the lighting apparatus and a current state of charge of the battery. Lighting devices structured in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention may be light-weight and portable to improve ease of transport and deployment. Such lighting devices may also include a stable and yet retractable mounting device. In this regard, such lighting devices may be transported to remote locations and for providing a reliable light source.
US07922350B1
A plurality of actuators allow an operator to control the status of an illuminator. Rotation of one of the actuators either prevents the illuminator from illuminating, allows an operator to selectively illuminate a person or area of interest with a second actuator, or maintains illumination without maintaining an applied force.
US07922346B2
An object of the preset invention is to provide a medical lighting apparatus capable of illuminating an affected part with proper illuminance while assuring a work space for an operator near the affected part. A medical lighting apparatus for irradiating an affected part with light includes: a light source (a light emitting element); a light condenser (a collimate lens and a condenser lens) for condensing light emitted from the light source; an image forming unit (an image lens) for forming an image on the affected part from the light condensed by the light condenser; and an aperture portion provided between the light condenser and the image forming unit and regulating passage of the light condensed by the light condenser.
US07922341B2
In a projection optical system for use in an image projection apparatus illuminating an image display panel forming an image in accordance with a modulating signal with illumination light from a light source, the projection optical system includes first and second optical systems arranged along an optical path defining an upstream-downstream direction in the order described from upstream to downstream on the downstream side of the image display panel. The first optical system includes at least one dioptric system and has positive power. The second optical system includes at least one reflecting surface having power and has positive power. The image formed by the image display panel is formed as an intermediate image in the optical path, and the intermediate image is magnified and projected.
US07922327B2
A digital camera that combines the functions of the retinal camera and/or corneal camera into one, single, small, easy to use instrument includes features such as image and laser spot stabilization, an LED light source, stereo corneal imaging, polarizing reflection reduction, visual function testing, and so on.
US07922325B2
An optical article includes: an optical substrate, and a functional layer that is light-transmissive and is laminated to the surface of the optical substrate, the period Pk (nm−1) of reflectance of the functional layer in the k-space being not more than 3.66×10−5.
US07922324B2
The synthetic resin lens has a function to generate heat by selectively absorbing infrared rays with wavelengths of 780 to 3000 nm. The synthetic resin lens includes an infrared absorber. Selective absorption of infrared rays allows the synthetic resin lens itself to generate heat and thus the lens of the present invention has the same function as being electrically heated to prevent fogging.
US07922314B2
One method of ink formulation may include providing a shipping material in a reservoir of a printing mechanism, placing a concentrated ink in communication with the reservoir, and mixing the shipping material and the concentrated ink together to create a print-ready ink.
US07922313B2
An inkjet printhead is provided. The printhead comprises a plurality of nozzle assemblies; a nozzle plate covering the plurality of nozzle assemblies; an ink supply system for supplying ink to the plurality of nozzle assemblies, the ink supply system comprising at least one conduit wall defined by part of the nozzle plate; and at least one pressure-dampening structure positioned in the part of the nozzle plate. The pressure-dampening structures dampen ink pressure fluctuations in the ink supply system.
US07922312B2
In one embodiment an ink pen for an inkjet printer includes: an ink filter chamber; a pressure regulator chamber downstream from the ink filter chamber along a path of ink flow through the pen; a pressure regulator in the pressure regulator chamber; a filter in the ink filter chamber; an inlet to the ink filter chamber upstream from the filter along the ink flow path; and an outlet from the ink filter chamber to the pressure regulator chamber downstream from the filter along the ink flow path such that ink flowing from the inlet to the outlet passes through the filter. In another embodiment a method implemented in an ink delivery system for an inkjet ink pen includes: chambering ink in the pen; filtering the chambered ink; and then regulating the pressure of filtered ink.
US07922299B2
An ink jet print head comprises a print head matrix having nozzles for drop∥ formation and release opening onto a print side surface of said matrix and individual local micro-reservoirs, each associated with the local nozzles. The reservoirs open onto an ink supply surface of the matrix and are supplied with ink by capillary action from wiping or spraying of ink regularly refreshed onto the ink supply surface. The design allows for a print head that substantially covers the area of the print media and thus permits stationary printing. Printing is rapid and the ink supply arrangement allows for reliable ink supply at atmospheric pressure.
US07922297B2
A silicon chip has a plurality of ink jetting structures. Each ink jetting structure of the plurality of ink jetting structures includes a heater stack having an electrical heater element. A power transistor is electrically connected to the electrical heater element. A planarization layer is interposed between the power transistor and the heater stack. The planarization layer has a planar base surface on which the heater stack is formed.
US07922296B2
Provided is a method of operating a nozzle chamber. The nozzle chamber has a wafer defining a chamber with an ink ejection port and ink supply channel along with a plurality of radially positioned actuators about the port. Each actuator has an internal serpentine core arranged in signal communication with a CMOS layer on the wafer. The method includes the steps of supplying the chamber with ink via the ink supply channel, and passing current through the serpentine cores for a predetermined period of time. The current produces thermal expansion of the actuators into the chamber to increase a chamber ink pressure to eject ink from the ejection port.
US07922295B2
An ink jet apparatus electrifies ink in a nozzle, and ejects the ink from an ink ejecting hole onto a printing medium by a first electric field generated between the nozzle and the printing medium. The apparatus includes an ink catching device including an ink catching portion adjacent to the nozzle that catches an ejected substance. Between the nozzle and the ink catching portion, the apparatus applies a voltage for generating a second electric field which (i) causes an ejected substance, formed from the ink or the ink whose viscosity is changed, to be ejected from the nozzle, and (ii) causes the ink catching portion to attract the ejected substance. The apparatus, utilizes an electrostatic force to eject fluid, removes a clogging of an ejection head at any position, realizes less initial ejection fluctuation and improves the reliability of ejection.
US07922291B2
An ink jet head, includes: an actuator including a plurality of terminals; a wiring material including a base made of a flexible resin film on which a plurality of lands are arranged in arrays corresponding to the plurality of terminals, the wiring material of which one end is superimposed on a surface of the actuator, and which is extended in a direction parallel to the surface of the actuator; and a drive circuit for driving the actuator, wherein: the wiring material includes a small width portion, of which a width in a direction, perpendicular to an extended direction is smaller than that of the one end superimposed on the actuator, arranged on an extended portion; and the drive circuit is mounted on the extended portion; and wiring patterns are formed on the wiring material, for connecting the drive circuit and the plurality of lands.
US07922267B2
A worksurface storage system includes a frame, a tray, an actuator, and a cover. The tray and actuator are connected to the frame such that operation of the actuator translates the actuator and the tray relative to the frame. The cover is pivotably connected to the frame such that translation of the tray rotates the cover between an open and a closed position relative to the worksurface. The storage system is constructed to engage the worksurface such that devices supported by the tray are selectively extended and retracted relative to the worksurface. An opening formed in the worksurface accommodates passage of the devices and the cover, which is rotationally connected to the frame and which covers the opening formed in the worksurface when the devices are not in use. The storage system provides for multi-functional use of the worksurface.
US07922261B2
The invention relates to a cast wheel having a wheel rim base, a rear edge region, and a front edge region, wherein the front edge region is coupled to the rear edge region via the wheel rim base. The cast wheel includes at least one reduced-material portion structured and arranged in the rear edge region and a circumferential bead arranged in a rearward portion of the rear edge region, wherein at least a part of the reduced-material portion is located in a region of the circumferential bead and is structured and arranged to widen radially inward from a radially outwardly located vertex region towards a leveling-off end.
US07922260B2
A wheel assembly includes a wheel rim and a wheel disk that attaches to the wheel rim. The wheel rim includes an inner region for receiving a wheel hub and defines a rotational axis. The wheel disk includes a section for attachment to the wheel hub and an attachment flange for securing the wheel disk and the wheel rim together. The attachment flange includes a first side corresponding to the inner region and a second side corresponding to the wheel rim, where the attachment flange extends from the section in a direction that is transverse to the rotational axis.
US07922250B2
Hinge mechanism comprising first and second frames connected together by an adjustment device comprising a first set of gear teeth integral with the first frame and a first mobile toothed element engaging with the first set of gear teeth A second toothed element, mounted mobile on the second frame, engages with an additional set of gear teeth integral with the first frame.
US07922241B2
A sunshade for a vehicle having a first guide and a second guide spaced from the first guide. The sunshade has a pair of edges and includes a substrate layer and an aesthetic layer fixed to the substrate layer to present a show surface. Slide portions are disposed along each of the edges and are adapted to move within the first and second guides as the sunshade moves between an open position and a closed position. The slide portions define a generally corrugated configuration to provide a force that must be overcome to move the sunshade between the open position and the closed position.
US07922238B2
A vehicle having a driving cab and specialized frame extending rearward from the driving cab and a rear module body which can be easily exchanged on the specialized frame. The specialized frame has two rails, each with an incline, and the rear module body has two open bottom frame channels, which conform to the rails and the inclines. When lowered onto the specialized frame, interaction between the specialized frame and frame channels creates a forward push resulting in a tight fit of the rear module body to the rear of the driving cab. Sliding lock jack assemblies fasten the rear module body to the specialized frame and deploy to unfasten and then lift the rear module body free of the specialized frame. The slide lock jack assemblies conceal in compartments while fastening and rotate 90 degrees to lift.
US07922236B2
A method of operating a volume-filling structure, comprising sensing an impact event and expanding the volume-filling structure from a non-expanded state to an expanded state upon the sensed impact event. The volume-filling structure comprises an open celled material, a first end cap connected to one end of the open celled material and a second end cap connected to a second end of the open celled material. The volume-filling structure further includes an activation mechanism regulating expansion of the open celled material from the non-expanded state to expanded state in response to an activation signal, and the activation mechanism includes an actuator interfaced with the end caps. Embodiments may include triggering a pneumatic device to force the second end cap from the first end cap. Additionally, embodiments may include triggering a mechanical event to force the second end cap from the first end cap.
US07922234B2
A rear lid closes a rear compartment of a passenger vehicle. The rear lid, when fitted, is attached to the vehicle and is composed of an inner part and an outer part. The rear lid contains a spoiler device which can be displaced between an inoperative position and an operative position and interacts with an adjustment device. In order to simplify producibility of the rear lid, the inner part is formed by an assembly carrier which forms the supporting structure of the rear lid and to which at least the adjustment device of the spoiler device is fastened. The outer part is formed by the spoiler device and a panel device.
US07922231B2
A fuel door locking system for a fuel door and hinge arm combination in which the fuel door is slidably interfaced on the hinge arm. The fuel door has a pin aperture. An abutment of the hinge arm is disposed adjacent said pin aperture. A locking pin is adapted for being inserted into the pin aperture with an interfering relationship with respect thereto which impedes the locking pin from being removed from the pin aperture. When the fuel door is slidably interfaced on the hinge arm and the locking pin is inserted into the pin aperture, then the abutment interferingly abuts the locking pin to prevent the fuel door from being slid off from the hinge arm.
US07922230B2
A foldable vehicle seat assembly includes a pivotable seat back that is can be positioned into an upright position and a folded position. The pivotable seat back may optional also be able to be positioned in one or more additional positions thereby allowing a reclining or forward positioning of the seat back. The seat bottom cushion subassembly is positioned over the seat bottom reinforcement member. The pivotable seat bottom reinforcement member provides structural support to a forward section of seat bottom cushion subassembly when this section is raised during seat repositioning.
US07922226B2
A gripping device for gripping a printed product including a rotatable first gripper arm having a first gripper pad and a pivot, a rotatable second gripper arm having a second gripper pad and a pivot, a first link connecting the first gripper arm and second gripper arm and a second link having a spring connected to the first link. A method is also provided.
US07922220B2
A safety mechanism for a gate having first and second ends, a first fulcrum point intermediate the first and second ends and a first rotational axis proximate the second end, the safety mechanism including a first force resisting means intermediate the first fulcrum point and the first rotational axis, wherein a force applied to the first end is transmitted toward the first rotational axis via the first fulcrum point and the first force resisting means prevents transmission of the force to the first rotational axis. The present invention also comprises a safety mechanism for a gate having first and second ends, a locking means and a first rotational axis proximate said second end, wherein a force applied to the first end is transmitted toward the first rotational axis via the locking means, the safety mechanism including a first force resisting means intermediate the first rotational axis and the force, wherein the first force resisting means prevents transmission of the force to the first rotational axis.
US07922219B2
A connecting clip for connecting two members to each other at apertures through the two members. The connecting clip includes a first section connected to a second section by a living hinge. The first section includes a general ring shaped portion forming a hole, a first stationary projection extending away from the general ring shaped portion at a rear side of the general ring shaped portion, and a movably second projection connected to the general ring shaped portion by another living hinge. The second projection is movable to a deployed position extending out of the hole with an end of the second projection extending in a direction different from the first projection. The second section includes a pushing portion adapted to push against the second projection when the second section is moved from an open position to a closed position to thereby move the second projection to the deployed position.
US07922210B1
A multi-layer label with variable data and method for its manufacture. First indicia is printed on a first label face ply of a multi-ply label material in registration with an eventual location of at least one of a plurality of multi-layer labels. The first indicia may be variable between at least two of the plurality of multi-layer labels. A second label material is removably adhered to the multi-ply first label material, thereby covering the first indicia. Second indicia is printed on the face of the second label material.
US07922209B1
An article bears an HVS-perceivable security pattern based on metamerism. The metamerism causes the security pattern to be perceived differently when viewed under two different light sources.
US07922208B2
An envelope used in voting by mail includes a signature area on which the signature is affixed and a concealing portion structured to cover the signature area thereby concealing the signature. The concealing portion includes a concealing layer that is preferably positioned on top of a protective layer. The protective layer is positioned between the signature area and the concealing layer when the concealing portion covers the signature area. The concealing layer is formed from a material that is normally opaque but becomes at least partially transparent when one or more chemicals are applied to the concealing layer. The protective layer protects the signature from the one or more chemicals since the protective layer is impermeable to the one or more chemicals.
US07922203B2
Provided is a steering column system capable of firmly holding a jacket during a normal condition and securing a larger movement stroke for the jacket when an excessive impact force is applied. To this end, when a clamp bolt (72) is fastened, sliding contact portions (70a) are pressed to abutment parts (43), respectively. Thus, a jacket (3) is firmly clamped to and held by a mount bracket (6). When a force in excess of a predetermined value is applied to the jacket (3) in its axial direction, shear portions (74b) break, and thereby a restraint imposed on a movement range by restraint portions (74a) is lifted. This contracts the jacket (3).
US07922201B2
The invention relates to a swivelable roll bar, in particular for construction vehicles, with two vertical carriers, each of which has a pair of spars, whereby in each, one spar is connected swivelably through a link joint with the another spar, and the link joint comprises a lock and a stop. The stop consists of a joint stiffener, which is built as an extension of one spar and partially grips about the end of the other. In addition to that, the lock has a continuously adjustable final control element, with which the joint stiffener can be braced against the other spar. With the grip about the other spar, the flexural strength of the link joint of the swivelable roll bar is increased. Further, the bracing of the joint stiffener against the other spar eliminates the play in the link joint. The joint stiffener is preferably built as a U-shaped tubular segment that is attached to the latter as an extension of the spar.
US07922193B2
An airbag comprises a bag which is bent in the shape of an arrow ′<′ in a deployed state, and a connection member which is arranged on a side of the bag, facing a vehicle body, and connects the upper and lower ends of the bag with each other. A longitudinal intermediate portion of the bag projects toward a vehicle occupant. A space is defined between the projecting intermediate portion and the connection member. The head of the vehicle occupant initially comes into contact with the intermediate portion and then presses the bag toward the vehicle body. Upper and lower parts of the bag which extend upward and downward from the intermediate portion cooperate with the connection member to define a triangular space.
US07922190B2
In one form, an airbag is provided with a first bag as a bag formed by joining base fabrics which includes a gas inlet for supplying pressure fluid fed from an inflator inward and a discharge passage for discharging the pressure fluid supplied inward to an outside, a second bag as a bag formed by joining base fabrics which includes an intake passage for introducing the pressure fluid discharged from the discharge passage of the first bag inward, and a passage joint member for joining the discharge passage of the first bag and the intake passage of the second bag while maintaining each cross section shape of the passages.
US07922184B2
Steering mechanism for orienting the steered wheels (1a-d) of a short vehicle with respect to the chassis, comprising one first vertical axis (2) per steered wheel, allowing each steered wheel (1a-d) to pivot with respect to said chassis and a first link (5a-d) allowing a torque to be applied to each steered wheel to make it pivot around said first vertical axis.The inner end of the link is able to slide along a straight rail (11a-d) which in turn is rotatably mounted with respect to the chassis 60. A second link (6a-d) not parallel to the wheels forces the first link (5a-d) to slide in a defined manner along a rail (11a-d). This makes possible the differentiated orientation of the left and right wheels.Advantage: very small turning radius. Particularly applicable to electric chairs for the disabled.
US07922172B2
A bottom surface of a stacking and accommodating portion is structured such as to be sloped to be lower in accordance with moving away from a paper carry-in side, and a push plate is controlled so as to be moved in a direction moving close to a carry-in port of the paper by detecting a stack paper width determined on the basis of a product of a stacked number count information of the papers and a thickness information per one paper, and the papers are accommodated.
US07922162B2
A sheet processing apparatus staples a bundle of sheets, folds the sheets into two to make a book, and presses the folded sheets.A stitch bookbinding unit moves a press unit having press rollers and, a press holder, and the like constituting a creasing unit along the fold of a bundle of sheets subjected to the folding process by the press rollers and so as to reliably nip-press the fold by the nip between the moving press rollers and for pressing it. The press holder performs intermittent movement in which it is stopped during movement.
US07922157B2
A stopper for a cylindrical elastic mount includes a concave portion which is formed at each of a plurality of locations on a circumference of a cylindrical portion of a stopper fitting, the concave portion being concaved in a radially inward direction to partially enlarge a width of an outward flange so as to provide a large width portion on an enlarged width portion of the outward flange of a first rubber portion. The stopper further includes a plurality of second rubber portions each of which is fixedly disposed only between adjacent concave portions in a circumferential direction of a bottom portion and protruding higher than the first rubber portion. The first and each of the plurality of the second rubber portions are separated by a groove-shaped gap that is provided so as to continuously extend around each of the plurality of second rubber portions.
US07922155B2
A control method for boiler outlet temperatures includes predictive control of SH and RH desuperheater systems. The control method also includes control and optimization of steam generation conditions, for a boiler system, such as burner tilt and intensity, flue-gas recirculation, boiler fouling, and other conditions for the boiler. The control method assures a proportional-valve control action in the desuperheater system, that affects the boiler system.
US07922152B2
A valve element opening/closing device may include a main body formed with a space, an inflow pipe and an outflow pipe which are connected to the main body, a valve element for opening and closing a flow passage, and a drive part for driving the valve element to open and close the flow passage. The valve element may be arranged on an inflow pipe side with respect an opening of the main body to which the inflow pipe is connected. The valve element is preferably arranged within the inflow pipe.
US07922146B2
A method of forming an optical element forming metal mold to form an optical element, having steps of: laminating a heat insulation layer 13 on a surface of the base member 11 where the optical element is formed; laminating an intermediate metal layer 14 on a surface of the heat insulation layer 13 by thermal spraying; laminating a surface forming layer 15, on which a surface shape to be transferred to the optical element is formed, on the intermediate metal layer 14; wherein the intermediate metal layer 14 is laminated in a way that parts of the heat insulation layer 13 are exposed substantially evenly from the intermediate layer 14.
US07922143B2
The present invention improves the shape of a protruding part of a locking member which allows a lower stationary rail and an upper moving rail of a seat moving track assembly to be coupled with each other, thereby enabling a stable movement with a further simplified configuration component.
US07922135B2
A fastener assembly securely fastens a decorative panel in spaced relation to a support backing. The fastener assembly includes a base member adapted to be operatively mounted to the decorative panel, a carrier member, and a fastening medium supported by the carrier member and adapted to operatively interconnect the carrier member to the support backing. At least one biasing member is adapted to operatively support the carrier member and provide swiveling articulation of the carrier member relative to the base member. At least one leg extends from the base member and is adapted to operatively engage the carrier member so as to attach the carrier member to the base member in articulating fashion.
US07922134B2
Generally large objects including ergonomic gaming stools are provided with a supporting assembly including an easy rolling support base to enable them to be moved easily along a generally unidirectional line of movement. An easy rolling support base for the supporting assembly includes a shaped disc member to the underside of which are affixed a plurality of freely mounted roller members in predetermined angular spaced relationship. The freely mounted roller members are so mounted that the rollers are in alignment with each other and rotate in the same direction. A roller members connecting plate is provided to facilitate mounting the roller members in predetermined angular position before they are mounted into assembled position on the easy rolling support base and to facilitate repair of a roller member that may fail. The roller members are formed of materials to support the load and shaped to oppose other than unidirectional movement.
US07922130B2
A support device is provided herein and includes a pliable support structure. The support device further includes a plate structure for use with the pliable support structure. The plate structure is disposed on the support structure. A coupling member is associated with the plate structure allowing for other members to be coupled to the support device. Elevating assemblies are optionally further included to elevate elongate structure supported by the support device.
US07922128B2
A one-piece easily manufactured and economical unitary product that both facilitates the routing of cable and the storage of extra lengths of cable is provided in one embodiment by a cable management apparatus including a flange mate-able with an opening and a cable management structure connected to the flange. In various exemplary non-limiting embodiments, the innovation provides multimedia furniture that includes structure for supporting an entertainment device, at least one outwardly facing rear section, wherein the at least one outwardly facing rear section includes an opening through which a cable is receivable and a cable management apparatus disposed on the outwardly facing rear section, the cable management apparatus includes a flange mate-able with the opening and a cable management structure connected to the flange.
US07922121B2
An ice protection system for a vehicle is disclosed which includes a plurality of de-ice power distribution units positioned proximate to a leading edge surface of the vehicle that is susceptible to ice accretion, at least two anti-ice power distribution units located within the vehicle, spaced from the de-ice power distribution units, and a point of power regulation located within the vehicle, spaced from the power distribution units, from which power is fed to the power distribution units through independent feeder wire bundles so as to distribute line current across the system in a manner that optimizes wire weight.
US07922108B2
A method for industrial production of especially fine powders and mineral powders, where the material to be ground is mixed to a gas-solid matter suspension, which through acceleration nozzles (12) is led at least to two counter jets, which meet in grinding chamber (13) for further grinding of the powders. The ground gas-solid matter suspension is led in its turn by means of working gas at least to two intermediate containers (2a);(2b) in the grinding circulation, in which containers the gas is removed from the mixture and into intermediate container (2) a certain quantity of solid matter is collected, which quantity is returned to be ground and led to the other container (2) and the said quantity is circulated through the grinding process among intermediate containers (2a);(2b) until in some container the quality is established sufficient for removal off the process.
US07922103B2
The present invention relates to a decorative waterfall apparatus and more particularly to a decorative waterfall having a decorative image on a backboard which can be rapidly changed by removing the removable mounted backboard and changing a polymer film having a decorative image thereon extending thereover.
US07922100B2
A ground wire adaptor for operatively connecting a low-voltage control unit (e.g. a thermostat) requiring a three-wire connection to a three-wire system-under-control (e.g. a HVAC system) using a two-wire conductor. A ground terminal and an output control signal of the control unit are interconnected such that the output control signal, in the form of a half-wave rectified signal, is superimposed on the ground. The ground wire adaptor detects the half-wave rectified signal superimposed on the ground connection and generates a control output signal to be provided to the system-under-control responsive to the presence of the half-wave rectified signal (i.e. the control signal from the control unit). In another aspect of the invention the ground wire adaptor can be used to connect an ‘N’ function control unit to an ‘N’ function system-under-control using a two-wire conductor.
US07922096B2
The invention relates to: A support (15) for a cartridge (10) provided with one or more electronically readable information carrying areas (121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127). The invention further relates to the use of a composite material for a support. The object of the present invention is to provide means, which are capable of securely transferring information with an increased density from a cartridge to an electronic circuit, and which are flexible and may be customized to a variety of physical designs. The problem is solved in that the support (15) for the cartridge (10) is at least partially constituted by one or more electrically connecting supports (151), each comprising a number of closely spaced mutually electrically insulated conductors (1511) embedded in an electrically insulating material (1512, 155) that stretches from one of the supporting surfaces of the cartridge to a contact area (163) for receiving and transferring the information, when said cartridge (10) is positioned in said support (15). This has the advantage of providing a flexible solution, allowing a large information density on a cartridge to be safely transferred to an electronic circuit. The invention may be used e.g. in connection with replaceable medication cartridges for medication delivery devices and with other cartridges from which an item of information is to be electronically transferred.
US07922089B2
A hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system including a hand-supportable housing having an imaging window, and an area-type image formation and detection subsystem having image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and upon an object within the FOV, and forming and detecting 2D digital images of the object on an area-type image detection array. The system includes an object presence detection subsystem for automatically detecting an object within the FOV, and generating a first trigger event indicative of automatic object detection within the FOV. The system also includes an object targeting illumination subsystem for generating and projecting a visible targeting illumination beam within the FOV, in response to the generation of the first trigger event signal. A manual trigger switch is integrated with the hand-supportable housing, for generating a second trigger event, indicating that a code symbol on the detected object is aligned with the visible targeting illumination beam and is ready for illumination and imaging. Also, the system includes an LED-based illumination subsystem, responsive to the second triggering event, for generating and projecting a field of illumination through the imaging window and within the FOV so that light transmitted through the imaging window and reflected/scattered off the object and detected by the area-type image detection array within the hand-supportable housing.
US07922085B2
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for monitoring the transfer of cargo, such as a shipping container, to and from a transporter, such as a truck. Identification codes are provided on the cargo and the transporter to aid in the identification of the cargo and the transporter. One or more identification code receiving devices, such as a camera, may be associated with a cargo moving apparatus, such as a crane, and configured to automatically capture the transporter identification code and the cargo identification code as the cargo is being transferred to or from the transporter. The transporter identification code and the cargo identification code can be associated with each other along with other information about the transfer in order to monitor the transfer. In this regard, identification information may be communicated to a shipping terminal's operating system to provide real-time information about one or more transfers occurring within a shipping terminal.
US07922077B2
A payment instrument in the form of a cell phone is loaded with account information and activated as a payment instrument by reading account information from a nearby RFID device, and entering a user PIN or password. In one embodiment, the account information is read from an RFID tag provided to the user, and the password is entered on the phone keypad. In a second embodiment, the account information is read from an RFID device at an ATM or kiosk after the user inserts a card into a card reader at the ATM or kiosk and enters the password at the ATM or kiosk keypad.
US07922068B2
This invention relates to a thermite welding process for joining sections of a railway line in situ, the process including the preliminary step of mounting a suitable welding mould about the aligned sections of railway line to be welded together and sealing the mould to prevent run out; mounting a vibration means on the railway line at a suitable distance from the mould and operating it at a suitable frequency; heating the sections of railway line to a desired temperature; igniting an ignitor means and allowing it to drop into the mould to react with molten steel in the mould and fill a weld area about and between the sections of railway line in the mould; and when solidified, to vibrate the railway line for a further period of time until stress relieving of the cast weld area has occurred.
US07922055B2
The housing is intended to receive a source introduced by means of its head and pushed into a position ensuring good transmission of energy. The housing includes a mechanism for converting a transverse movement towards the interior of the housing imparted by a pusher element of the mechanism accessible from the exterior of the housing into an orthogonal movement for ejection of the source.
US07922052B2
A carrying strap arrangement for use in supporting stretchers in land vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft. A carrying strap is attached to a vehicle ceiling and floor by fittings disposed at ends of the carrying strap. At least one support strap is disposed on the carrying strap and is formed into a strap loop to accommodate the carrying handle of the stretcher. The support strap is guided in a sliding manner through a pass-through fitting to form the strap loop. An end of the support strap is secured to the pass-through fitting such that under load the support strap is drawn through the fitting and the strap loop is constricted. A spring element is disposed in the strap loop and expands the strap loop when it is not loaded.
US07922047B2
In a combination of an intimate apparel hanger and an indicator for displaying garment-related information, the indicator is mounted to a lower neck region of the hanger where the hanger hook intersects the hanger body. The hanger has a flange, having a sloped surface and an undersurface. The indicator has a resilient tab disposed in a wall of the indicator body. The resilient tab is outwardly displaced by the sloped surface to expand the top opening of the indicator to allow the indicator to pass over the flange. The undersurface of the flange retains the indicator at the lower neck region after the indicator passes over the flange.
US07922036B2
The present invention relates to a container for dispensing vertically configured wipes, which provides improved sequential dispensing of the contained wipes while permitting enhanced accessibility to the wipes within the container.
US07922030B2
The present invention is a lid for a beverage container comprising; a top wall having a generally circular periphery, an annular side wall depending from the top wall about its circular periphery, a drinking opening in the top wall adjacent to the circular periphery, an enclosed fluid channel provided in the top wall the channel comprising a fluid path which prevents the direct flow of the beverage from the container through the drinking opening wherein the beverage moving along the fluid path does not rise above the level of the beverage in the container, and an annular mounting portion at the bottom of the side wall for sealingly engaging the lip of the beverage container the lid enabling mobility of the beverage container without spillage of the beverage.
US07922029B1
A cylindrical receptacle has an open space accessible from above, and an optional cover. An outer shell, an inner liner, and a pair of oppositely moving doors that slide about the circumference define the receptacle. The vertically extending side wall has an opening circumscribing substantially one half of the circumference formed in the side wall. The pair of doors are operative in a first position to fully enclose the opening and are operative in a second position to provide full access to the opening. Various alternative embodiments incorporate vertical reinforcing supports adjacent the opening, gussets circumscribing the opening for reinforcing the opening, a reinforcing spacer adjacent the receptacle top, a discontinuous spacer adjacent the receptacle bottom, a floor adjacent the base and sloped towards the opening, a feature locking the outer shell and inner liner together, and a taper so the receptacle may be stacked together with like receptacles.
US07922027B2
Food serving pans made from a heat conductive materials include a gasket protecting a flange to protect fingers from heat or cold, improve gripping ability, seal against countertops of food serving tables, and protect paint or nonstick coating from chipping off the flange. The food serving pan is made from aluminum or other highly heat conductive material. The gasket comprises silicone, other elastomer, or other heat resistant and insulating material. The gasket includes a circumferential sealing ridge and finger gripping recess. A food serving system includes one or more food pans and food serving table. The food serving pans help maintain food at a desired temperature by efficiently transferring heat or cold from the serving table while sealing the interface between the flange and the countertop of the serving table. The interface between the gasket and flange prevents buildup of food or debris, maintaining cleanliness during repeated use and cleaning cycles.
US07922024B2
A receptacle having a lid or door can be provided with a damper configured to slow the movement of the lid or door from the open position to its closed position. As such, the lid closes in a more aesthetically pleasing manner, for example, closing slowly enough so that it does not create an excessively loud noise when it closes. Additionally, the damper can be mounted to the base of the receptacle, thereby more securely mounting the damper within the receptacle. Additionally, the damper can be arranged to allow a liner within the receptacle to be held in an elevated position for simplifying a process of inserting or removing a trash bag into the liner.
US07922021B2
A closure for a container comprises a base and a top cover. The base comprises a flange trap, a seal lock, and an opening. The top cover comprises a seal boss, a seal lock, a flange boss, and a top surface. The flange trap and flange boss secure the closure to a container when the closure is in a closed position. The seal locks are positioned to engage one another when the closure is in the closed position. The seal boss extends into the container when the closure is in the closed position to help prevent sauce or other liquid from leaking out of the container. A method for using a closure for a container and a container combination provides a closure and a container and arranges the closure so that the container is within the opening of the closure.
US07922003B2
A magnetic claiming system for a shale shaker including at least one screen having at least two side ends extending between a first side and a second side and at least one attachment surface, at least one mating surface of a shale shaker configured to receive at least one screen, wherein the shale shaker has a first end and a second end, and at least on magnet disposed between the at least one screen and the shale shaker, wherein the at least one magnet is configured to magnetically couple the at least one screen to the shale shaker is disclosed. A method for replacing a screen in a shale shaker including activating at least one decoupling apparatus, wherein a magnetic clamping system includes the at least one decoupling apparatus, removing at least one screen from the shale shaker, deactivating the at least one coupling apparatus, and installing at least one screen into the shale shaker is also disclosed.
US07922000B2
A thin plate container includes: a tray stack for holding and housing semiconductor wafers in spaces between a plurality of stacked, removable loading trays; and an external container for housing the tray stack. At opposite ends of each of the loading trays, a pair of grips for engagement by a processing arm of an external apparatus is provided. The external container includes: a container body; a lid; a sealing material provided between the lid and the container body to seal the inside; a pair of tray stack supporters for supporting the tray stack; and tray stack retainers for holding and supporting the tray stack housed in the container body from above and below.
US07921990B2
A tote for a conveyor system may include an upper part and a lower part. The upper part may define an upper, article-supporting surface. The article-supporting surface may be adapted to receive and support articles while the articles are conveyed in or on the tote. The lower part may define a lower, substantially plane bearing surface that extends over an area substantially equal to the article-supporting surface. The upper and lower parts may be transparent to X-rays. The upper and lower parts may be made from fire-retardant material. A plurality of support points and areas may be provided between the upper part and the lower part in order to transfer forces between the article-supporting surface and the bearing surface.
US07921964B2
To reduce or eliminate the startle response in aquatic life, embodiments of the present invention alter the sound produced by a diver's exhaled bubbles by adjusting up or down the frequency of the sound produced by the bubbles.
US07921963B2
An intake system for an internal combustion engine has an intake silencer 30 provided with an expansion chamber 33, and a connecting pipe 40 having an inlet 46 through which air from the expansion chamber flows, and an outlet 47 through which air flows toward combustion chambers. The connecting pipe 40 is made of an elastic material having rubber elasticity, and has a connecting part 41 connected to the intake silencer 30, an inner tubular part 42 extending from the connecting part 41 into the expansion chamber 33 and having the inlet 46, and an outer tubular part 43 connecting to a throttle device 50. The wall 42w of the inner tubular part 42 is provided with a communication opening 44 for connecting the expansion chamber 33 and the air passage 45 to make the expansion chamber 33 serve also as a resonance chamber. The outer tubular part 43 of the connecting pipe 40 is shorter than the inner tubular part 42 of the same. The intake silencer is compact and has a combined effect of expansion silencing and resonance silencing.
US07921951B2
Two side members are provided so as to be in side portions of a vehicle. Each side member is provided with a kick-up portion curved upward. A cross member is provided so as to interconnect side surfaces of forward portions of the kick-up portions of the two side members. A forward portion of a battery pack is fixed to an upper surface of the cross member via forward brackets welded to the forward portion of the battery pack. A rearward portion of the battery pack is fixed to upper surfaces of rearward portions of the kick-up portions of the two side members via a bridge provided so as to interconnect the two side members.
US07921947B2
A saddle riding type fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell that generates power by a chemical reaction between a fuel gas and a reactive gas with radiators that cool cooling water of the fuel cell. The radiators are adjacently arranged in right and left sides of the fuel cell in a vehicle width direction. Each outer end surface of the radiators, outside in a vehicle width direction, is positioned closer to the front side of a vehicle body than each inner end surface inside in the vehicle width direction. Thus, each plane portion, which receives an air flow, is inclined to the inner side of the vehicle body, and air courses, which allow an air flow to be passed to the rear side of the vehicle body, are each formed between the inner end surface of each of the radiators and each side surface of the fuel cell.
US07921946B2
A system is provided for cooling an energy storage system of a hybrid electric vehicle. The energy storage system includes at least one energy storage device, including a maximum temperature storage device with a maximum temperature and a minimum temperature storage device with a minimum temperature. The system includes a cooling fluid duct in flow communication with an inlet and the at least one energy storage device, and a blower positioned within the cooling fluid duct to draw cooling fluid into the inlet and through the cooling fluid duct. The system further includes a controller coupled with the at least one energy storage device to increase the temperature of the at least one energy storage device having a temperature below the maximum temperature reduced by at least a predetermined threshold. The cooling fluid duct and blower are coupled to form a common cooling system for the at least one energy storage system.
US07921944B2
As one example, a vehicle propulsion system is provided. The system includes: an with an intake air compressor and an exhaust gas turbine. Further, a control is provided to operate the compressor at a different speed than the turbine, at least under an operating condition, and to adjust an amount of opening overlap between engine valves in response to a rotational speed of the compressor.
US07921938B2
A system having a number of land units [100, 4000, 5000] is disclosed which operates to efficiently find and create boreholes [5] to one or more underground targets [1]. Each of the land units [100, 4000, 5000] may be remotely controlled from a central command unit [6000]. The land unit also may be self-controlled, or partially controlled by the central command unit [6000]. The system [10] is reconfigurable to reallocate tasks to functional land units [100, 4000, 5000] which were originally allocated to land units which have been destroyed and are now non-functional.
US07921922B2
A formation saver sub or pump out sub incorporating an anti-surge feature. The sub includes a body, a mandrel, a piston (or an annulus fluid pressure chamber and a tubular pressure chamber), a sleeve, a spring, a releasable seat, and a plug. The plug and seat are released from the sub when one or more dogs releasably positioning the seat in the mandrel bore disengages from the seat due to a bleed off of fluid pressure in the well bore.
US07921915B2
One or more valves can be run into a string to land near associated ports in the string for injection or/and production service. When multiple valves are installed they can be initially configured to balance flow into or from a zone. The position of each valve can be altered without removal from the string preferably by a wireline shifting tool. One or more valves can also be removed and replaced when worn preferably using a wireline run tool. The valves can come with an integral sand control feature to facilitate production. Sensors to monitor well conditions and to transmit data to the surface can also be incorporated into the valve module.
US07921909B2
A method includes identifying application parameter(s) including a subterranean formation temperature, determining a breaker particle size in response to the application parameter(s), providing a treatment fluid including a carrier fluid and a granular breaker sized according to the breaker particle size, and treating the subterranean formation with the treatment fluid. The granular breaker is a metallic peroxide which may be an alkaline peroxide and/or zinc peroxide. The application parameter(s) may further include a flowback wait time, a composition of the metallic peroxide, a gel loading of the carrier fluid, and a permeability of the subterranean formation. The breaker particle size may include a breaker large particle size that is not greater than 25% larger than a breaker small particle size. At least 90% of the breaker particles may be sized between the breaker small particle size and the breaker large particle size.
US07921908B2
A downhole pumping system includes a submersible pump assembly having a pump and a motor, and an inlet apparatus operably coupled to the submersible pump assembly. The inlet apparatus includes a tubular housing for connection to an intake of the pump, the housing having an axis and defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart apertures, a plurality of valve members, each valve member positioned within a corresponding aperture, and a plurality of spring members coupled to the housing, each spring member coupled to a corresponding valve member. At least a portion of one or more of the spring members and the valve members extend above the outer surfaces of the housing.
US07921907B2
A system and process for extracting hydrocarbons from a subterranean body of oil shale within an oil shale deposit located beneath an overburden. The system comprises an energy delivery subsystem to heat the body of oil shale and a hydrocarbon gathering subsystem for gathering hydrocarbons retorted from the body of oil shale. The energy delivery subsystem comprises at least one energy delivery well drilled from the surface of the earth through the overburden to a depth proximate a bottom of the body of oil shale, the energy delivery well extending generally downward from a surface location above a proximal end of the body of oil shale to be retorted and continuing proximate the bottom of the body of oil shale. The energy delivery well may extend into the body of oil shale at an angle.
US07921903B2
A heat exchange system for electronic devices, preferably data processing devices which include high-performance processors or have a high processor density, includes essentially a primary cooling circuit and a secondary cooling circuit both being thermally associated to the one or more processor units. The secondary cooling circuit is configured as a completely closed system, the coolant in the secondary cooling circuit being driven exclusively by mechanical or inductive coupling with the flow drive of the primary cooling circuit.
US07921896B2
A device that dispenses tape structures comprising multiple lengths of overlapping tape. Rolls of tape are attached to the device in a manner that allows the device to unroll lengths of tape into at least one guide and pressing mechanism. In the event that multiple lengths of tape pass through or against the guide and pressing mechanism the lengths of tape overlap and combine into a tape structure comprising multiple lengths of overlapping tape. In a preferred embodiment of the device, the dispensed tape structure comprises adhesive on its opposing surfaces. After creating the tape structure, a blade cuts the tape structure and allows the device to dispense a portion of the tape structure. In addition, the device combines a length of paper with the tape structure by overlapping the length of paper and the tape structure.
US07921893B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed for joining of composites with thermoplastic surfaces. The process includes the location of the said components within a load bearing frame, and bringing the thermoplastic surfaces to be joined into contact. Pressure application devices, in the form of fluid filled bladders, are also located within the frame, and are located such that pressure is applied evenly to said thermoplastic surfaces. Where components have a high level of curve or twist, form blocks that have the approximate shape of the component surface are located between the frame and bladders. Pressure and heat are applied to the joint area, and heat removed while the joint area is maintained under some pressure. A feature of the present invention is the option of using opposing pressure application devices, reducing the need for substantial tooling in order to maintain component location accuracy. A distinct advantage of this invention is the flexibility to join curved or twisted components, or complete the welding of closed assemblies such as wing boxes.
US07921892B2
The invention relates to a machine for the manufacture of a web of corrugated board which is conveyed in a working direction and comprises at least one smooth liner and at least one corrugated medium that has corrugation tips and corrugation troughs, the corrugated medium being applied by adhesion to the at least one liner at least in the vicinity of the corrugation troughs, wherein a quality assessment device for assessment of the quality of the adhesive bond between the at least one liner and the at least one corrugated medium is provided, which comprises at least one ultrasonic transmitter that is disposed on one side of the web of corrugated board and at least one ultrasonic receiver that is disposed on the opposite side of the web of corrugated board and is allocated to the at least one ultrasonic transmitter; and a control anti evaluation unit which, in a manner for data transmission, is connected to the at least one ultrasonic receiver for evaluation of the signal of the ultrasonic receiver.
US07921890B2
A credit card case mainly has a case body and two self-restoring parts disposed within the case body. The case body is formed with an inlet disposed at one end thereof and has two nicks disposed respectively at the upper and lower ends of the inlet. Each of the two self-restoring parts has a locking point disposed at the end thereof that is near the inlet. By means of such a structure, the credit card can push the locking points toward the side ends of the inlet after being placed into the case body till it is fully contained in the containing space within the case body, and the self-restoring parts can be restored elastically and thus lock the edges of the credit card with the locking points.
US07921889B2
A power tool comprises a base unit and a motor unit. The base unit includes a handle and a first electrical connector. The motor unit includes an electric motor and a second electrical connector. The motor unit is configured to be releasably connected to the base unit. An electrical connection is established between the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector when the motor unit is properly connected to the base unit. A sensor is configured to determine whether the motor unit is properly connected to the base unit.
US07921886B2
A filling valve apparatus for filling a container with a fluid. The apparatus includes a body portion and a stem. A sleeve is disposed over the stem and is removable from the stem and the body portion when the filling valve apparatus is serviced. A seal is mounted to the bottom of the sleeve. At least one component is movably connected to the sleeve and remains connected to the sleeve when the sleeve is removed from the stem and the body portion during the servicing of the filling valve apparatus. Similarly, a valve assembly, having a housing and a movable plunger is removable from the body portion. At least one member is mechanically connected to one of the housing and plunger for creating a unitary valve assembly that remains intact when the valve assembly is removed from the body portion during servicing of the filling valve apparatus.
US07921884B2
An injection-molded load line connection spillage container for catching and retaining liquid spilled when liquids are pumped between storage tanks and tankers provides an injection-molded reservoir and an injection-molded cover attached to the reservoir by hinges. Reinforcing ribs molded into the reservoir provide strength and ruggedness without the need for reinforcing steel collars and saddles. Gussets molded into the reservoir hinge brackets ensure repeated stresses produced by energetic opening of the cover does not result in failure of the hinge brackets. An optional load line mounting assembly permits secure mounting of the load line container directly onto the load line. An optional cleanout assembly provides a valved suction line for removing retained spillage, and an optional sampling assembly provides a valved sample line for sampling the liquid being transferred.
US07921882B2
The feed line for a hydraulic system, in particular of a motor vehicle, is formed, at least over part of its longitudinal extent, by a dimensionally variable body. The wall of the dimensionally variable body is elastically deformable, at least in regions, so that, when the flow passes through the dimensionally variable body, the cross section of the dimensionally variable body can be varied as a function of the pressure of the hydraulic medium.
US07921879B2
A pilot valve (3) is designed as a directional control valve in which a control slide (20) is movably disposed in a longitudinal bore (22) of the valve body (21) so as to control the flow of hydraulic oil between two working connecting bores (A, B), a pump connecting bore (P), and a reservoir connecting bore (T). A check valve (32) which is biased with the aid of a bias spring (33) is disposed within the control slide (20). The check valve (32) is connected to an auxiliary control groove (28) via a first transversal bore (29) while being connected to the B-reservoir groove (23) via a second transversal bore (31). The check valve (32) is to be opened from working connecting bore B while the auxiliary control groove (28) is arranged between the B control groove (24) and the B reservoir groove (23) and is delimited on both sides by means of sealing cylindrical areas (35, 36).
US07921870B2
A clutch mechanism for a slurry valve, wherein the slurry valve has a valve seat for seating a valve closure member carried on a valve stem, a drive member threadably engaged with the valve stem, the drive member being rotatable relative to the valve stem to axially move the valve stem and closure member relative to the valve seat to open and close the slurry valve, and a driving means for rotating the drive member, the clutch mechanism comprising: a clutch body having an internally threaded bore for threadably receiving the valve stem; and clamping means actuable with the clutch body for clamping the clutch body to the driving means so as to lock the valve stem and drive member together and allow them to rotate in unison to grind scale from the valve seat and valve closure member when they are positioned against each other.
US07921863B2
A self-supporting, high-profile, insect net enclosure made of a fabric membrane that defines an interior rectangular space having two side walls, two end walls, a floor and ceiling with advanced insect protection properties, enhanced comfort, accessibility, ventilation, and lightweight storage characteristics, includes two resiliently flexible segmented poles having two angles each that separate three straight pole sections into one horizontal section and two vertical sections.The enclosure maintains a stable shape as the fabric membrane is pushed out by the poles contained within the interior rectangular space that are biased in place by the fabric membrane when the pole ends are positioned in opposite lower inside corners, with the vertical pole sections crossing diagonally, and the horizontal pole sections parallel to each other along top of side walls.The enclosure has a zipper door opening, and includes a fabric pouch that reverses to store the enclosure with poles for transportation.
US07921860B1
A combined jazzy stick carrying case assembly includes a plurality of top pockets located about a top section of a carrying case and situated exterior of an outermost surface of the carrying case. A plurality of bottom pockets are located about a bottom section of the carrying case and situated exterior of the outermost surface of the carrying case. In this manner, a first one of the top pockets is isolated from a corresponding first one of the bottom pockets such that the corresponding first bottom pocket has a top opening overlapping about a closed bottom end of the first top pocket. Conversely, a second one of the top pockets is in fluid communication with a corresponding second one of the bottom pockets such that a corresponding second bottom pocket has a top opening in continuous communication with an open bottom end of the second top pocket.
US07921858B2
An apparatus for transporting an object from one workstation to another, where the object or workstations may be contaminated with unwanted dirt or dust particles. A movable transfer arm connected to a control unit has an end effector including an array of nano-scale projections, where each projection provides one or more distal contact ends. The density of the contact ends is such as to grip a surface of the object with an intermolecular force sufficient to hold the object for movement in accordance with a control unit program. In accordance with a control unit program, after moving the gripped object to the workstation, the end effector is manipulated to release the gripped object, and before, during or after transport of the object, bring the arm's end effector into contact with a cleaning surface.
US07921853B2
A system and method for phototherapy, including skin tanning, lupus phototherapy, teeth whitening, hair growth and psoriasis phototherapies are provided. The system (1) includes a chamber adapted for at least one type of phototherapy and at least one UV LED, at least one nanostructure UV light emitting device or a combination of UV LEDs and nanostructure light emitting devices.
US07921842B2
Disclosed is a water-cooled barbecue system with a cooling fluid circulation system which avoids meat from sticking to a grill and from burning. The water-cooled barbecue system comprises: a body, the upper portion thereof being open to provide heat from the supplied fuel, a receiving space being defined by the body; a grill with a frame, the frame having a first communicating hole and a second communicating hole to introduce and/or discharge fluid, a fluid circulation tube communicating between the first communicating hole and the second communicating hole being provided inside of the frame; and a cooling device connected with the fluid circulation tube through the first communicating hole and the second communicating hole, and cooling fluid which circulates inside of the fluid circulation tube. The water-cooled barbecue system, which has the body at the upper portion thereof and the cooling device inside thereof, can further a housing, which can be moved and assembled.
US07921840B2
An apparatus for launching projectiles may incorporate a hermetically sealed launch tube, projectile or projectiles within the launch tube with their payload inside or connected via meaning of socket to projectile from outside. The space between the outer surface of the projectile inside the launch tube and the inner surface of the launch tube is filled with compressed gas and hermetically sealed with a fast removable lid. If outside payload is used, then it will be attached to inside projectile via a socket where inside projectile is located inside the launch tube and outside payload connected to the protruded via fast acting valve, portion of projectile and connected to it via the socket. Projectile may incorporate another meaning of control via controllable surfaces or propulsion or constant acting engines. The exhaust gas would be in addition to use for projectile stabilization or additional propulsion, by incorporation a exhaust gas organizers.
US07921835B2
A wireless projectile loader system is provided. The system includes at least one sensor for detecting a firing operation of a compressed gas gun and sending a signal to a wireless transmitter. The system further includes a wireless transmitter in communication with the at least one sensor, the wireless transmitter adapted to send a wireless signal in response to the sensor detecting a firing operation. The system further includes at least one wireless receiver for receiving the wireless signal in communication with a motor of a projectile loader and adapted to operate the motor in response to the signal transmitted by the transmitter.
US07921827B2
To provide an accumulator fuel injection device, so as to stabilize the operation of a pressure control valve for controlling a fuel pressure in an accumulator. The accumulator fuel injection device includes a pressure control valve 6 for controlling the fuel pressure in the accumulator by moving an armature 13 in an armature chamber 22 and by adjusting escaped volumes of the fuels from the accumulator 2 due to a valving element 11 formed integral with the armature 13 in a control chamber 21 introducing the fuels in the accumulator 2. A means for attenuating the pressure transmitted from the accumulator 2 to the valve seat 10 is provided in the valve seat 10 disposed between the control chamber 21 and the accumulator 2 of the pressure control valve 6.
US07921825B2
A heat engine including at least one engine block that rotatably receives a crankshaft and a cartridge fixed to the engine block and that rotatably receives a pair of parallel balance shafts, namely a primary shaft and a secondary shaft, which are rotated by the crankshaft. A ring gear is rotationally connected to the crankshaft, permanently meshing with a first pinion borne by one end of the primary balance shaft. In addition, a second pinion, borne by the end of the primary balance shaft, meshes with a pinion borne by one end of the secondary balance shaft. Transverse holes extend through the ends of the primary and secondary balance shafts and are configured to be aligned with one another, before the cartridge is mounted to the engine block, to receive a pin.
US07921819B2
An actuating system for a gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine is described which comprises two cams (12,14) associated with the valve (10), a summation linkage (22,24,30,32) for lifting the valve in dependence upon the sum of the instantaneous lifts of the two cams (12,14). A de-activating mechanism 34 is provided for selectively decoupling the summation linkage from one (12) of the two cams.
US07921814B1
A method of producing an enriched, natural collagen pet chew by means of vacuum sealing impregnation technology to add nutrients, flavoring, and/or anti-microbial agents to a natural, but demineralized, canine bone chew. A pet mastication article is soaked in acetic acid to reveal a flexible, chewable collagen structure. After the collagen structure is soaked and rinsed, nutrients and other agents are infused into the porous structure of the bone by means of vacuum impregnation.
US07921810B2
A method and apparatus for detecting a target substance in a monitored environment involves, in a training phase, training at least one animal capable of detecting the target substance to execute a particular avoidance action, immediately upon detecting said target substance, in order to avoid particular aversive stimulus; and in an operational phase, exposing the trained animal to a specimen (e.g., air) from the monitored environment or object, and sensing when the animal has executed the particular avoidance action.
US07921805B2
A liquid injector is used to vaporize and inject a silicon precursor into a process chamber to form silicon-containing layers during a semiconductor fabrication process. The injector is connected to a source of silicon precursor, which preferably comprises liquid trisilane in a mixture with one or more dopant precursors. The mixture is metered as a liquid and delivered to the injector, where it is then vaporized and injected into the process chamber.
US07921799B2
A pattern forming apparatus comprises a surface treatment system and an ink jet system 14, where a solvent is sprayed from a solvent spray nozzle of the surface treatment system to surface of a glass substrate where a bus line pattern groove is formed. The ink is discharged from an ink discharge nozzle of the ink jet system into the groove of bus line pattern on a glass substrate, and a bus line pattern is formed.
US07921798B2
The oxygen detecting device (10) of the present invention includes an oxygen detector sheet having a sheet carrier (13) having a porous inorganic material filled therein which has been impregnated with an oxygen detecting fluid, and a film (11) having a predetermined oxygen transmittance for covering and sealing the sheet carrier (13). Since the sheet having the porous inorganic material filled therein is adopted, the oxygen detecting device has an excellent light resistance, leading to clear recognition of coloration for a long period of time. Because of excellent light resistance, the device keeps excellent property even after long exposure to a fluorescent lamp in a display case for displaying foods. Thus the device is suitable for checking quality of commercial products.
US07921797B2
A retractable bimini top movable between stowed and deployed orientations includes a frame including a first bow and a second bow movable relative to the first bow. The retractable bimini top further includes a cover positioned over at least a portion of each of the first and second bows and a first elastic cord having a first end coupled to the first bow and a second end coupled to the second bow such that the first elastic cord is under tension at least when the retractable bimini top is in the deployed orientation. The first elastic cord has an allowable percent elongation of at least 200 percent.
US07921792B2
An apparatus is disclosed especially configured and adapted for mooring a floating dock to an inboard mooring pile—a pile positioned within and extending through the top deck of a floating dock—. The apparatus minimizes damage to both dock and mooring piles caused by changes in tide, waves, wake and other water disturbances while, simultaneously, adding stability to the floating dock—especially in regarding to listing—. The apparatus is comprised of a cylindrical sleeve which is coaxially applied to a mooring pile, a dock mounted mooring bracket comprised of a base plate which connects to the sleeve mounted upon the pile via at least one “U” shaped arm. The arm, in turn, extends, and is mounted upon a vertical planar portion of the base plate and is disposed in a parallel relation to the top surface of the floating dock. An inner, semi-circular portion of the “U” shaped arm engages selected and parallel circumferential grooves formed in the outer surface of the sleeve. The base plate, in turn, is affixed to a structurally sound portion of the floating dock adjacent to a pile aperture through which the mooring pile extends. In certain alternate preferred embodiments, an elongated rod is utilized to firmly engage a selected circumferential groove of the columnar sleeve. In such embodiments, the elongated rod is mounted to the floating via a mounting means at both termini of the elongated rod. Embodiments utilizing elongated rods for engagement of the columnar sleeve utilize at least two such rods and engage the columnar sleeve on opposite sides thereof.
US07921789B2
A carpet that can be installed onto a flooring surface without the requirement for registration between adjacent broadloom carpet pieces. The carpet comprises a design member that comprises a plurality of pattern members that are colorized and that define a void area, which has a substantially uniform color and pile height.
US07921785B1
Furniture with a foldable support is provided. The furniture includes a top plate constituting an upper surface of the furniture, a support hinged to support the top plate, a folding part including first and second folding parts hinged to fold the support, and a resilient part for resiliently supporting the second folding part in an unfolding direction. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a volume of the furniture by folding the support into a lower space of the top plate during storage, and improve an unfolding support force of the support by installing the resilient part for applying a resilient force to the folding part upon unfolding of the support.
US07921784B2
A pallet for use with a fork lift includes a top deck, a mid-top member and a base. The top deck has a plurality of ribs extending downwardly and a plurality of column-receiving recesses formed on the underside thereof. The base includes a plurality of columns projecting substantially vertically and received within the recesses of the top deck. Snap-tabs secure the columns to the deck. A generally planar mid-top member is secured to the plurality of ribs on the deck and has a plurality of openings into which are received the plurality of columns. The mid-top member is sandwiched between the ribs of the top deck and shoulders formed on the outer periphery of the columns.
US07921777B2
The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for the production of radially perforated, cylindrical propellant tubes (1, 23, 31). The invention is based on the underlying idea that the respective propellant tube (1, 23, 31) must be fixed and centred between its own open ends and thereafter to be perforated in stages in a large number of consecutive perforation operations by means of one or more pins (13) capable of displacement in a pin die (10) relative to the propellant tube towards and at least through the major proportion of the cylindrical wall of the propellant tube. Also included in the invention is the requirement for the displacement, between each perforation operation, of the propellant tube and the pin die (10) used for the preparation operation in such a way relative to one another that the propellant tube, after a complete perforation operation, shall be covered in its entirely by perforations (32, 33, 35, 36), which lie at a predetermined e-dimension distance from one another.
US07921770B2
A can press system includes a base with a side wall, an open top and a bottom. A lid is movably connected with the base. A press, with an upper surface and a lower surface, is connected in spaced apart relation with the lid. The lower surface of the lid is smaller in diameter than the upper surface and the lower surface is connected with the upper surface by an edge such that the edge angles upward and outward from the lower surface to the upper surface.
US07921769B2
A bowl and basket assembly (100, 200) is disclosed as including a perforated basket (104, 204) and a bowl (102, 202) for receiving said basket, the basket including a top body part (104a, 204a), a middle body part (104b, 204b) and a third body part (104c, 204c) connected with each other via a number of links (126, 205), in which the body parts are movable relative to one another between an expanded configuration in which the top body part (104a, 204a) sits on the middle body part (104b, 204b), and a collapsed configuration in which the middle body part (104b, 204b) is within the top body part (104a, 204a), and the third body part (104c, 204c) is within the middle body part (104b, 204b).
US07921767B2
A flexible automatic broiler and method of use for variable batch cooking for particular use in quick serve and fast food service restaurants. The automatic cooking devices include a conveyorized cooking surface for alignment and discharge of food products, an altering/pulsating infrared energy radiation heat sources, and a control system. The arrangement and method facilitate a combination of batch preparation and made-to-order assembly of fast-food sandwiches.
US07921763B2
The invention relates to a brake control system for motor vehicles comprising a brake pedal (1), a brake booster (4), a brake master cylinder (5). The system of the invention further comprises a simulator (3) pneumatically coupled to the piston (42) of the brake booster (4). This simulator (3) receives at least one brake command from the brake pedal (1) and in return establishes a pressure difference between the front chamber (40) and the rear chamber (41) of the booster so as to cause the piston (42) to move.
US07921744B2
Rolling screw (1) comprising a first threaded male member (6), a second threaded member (3), means (5) that permit said second threaded member (3) to rotate freely in relation to the housing (2), as well as means (7) that permit to maintain fixed and constant the position of the axis of said first threaded member (6) in relation to the housing (2). Means of synchronization are also foreseen for the relative rotation between said first member (6) and said second member (3). Said screw is characterized in that at least one of the two threaded members presents a threading conformation such to permit the transmission of the rotation motion to another element without relative tangential sliding action.
US07921743B2
A ball circulating member constructed in an external face of a nut is provided with ball scooping sections for scooping up balls rolling on between ball screw grooves of a screw shaft and the nut, along a line tangent to a center orbital circle of the balls. The path length of a ball scooping path section formed in the ball scooping sections is set to be ½ or greater of the diameter of the ball.
US07921740B2
The present invention provides a fluid sampling device comprising a port insert, a plurality of flexible conduits, and a plurality of sample containers. The port insert comprises a body having a plurality of shafts therethrough and a rotatably displaceable member for individually opening and closing any of said shafts to enable the flow of fluid therethrough. Flexible conduits (e.g., flexible tubing) are equal in number to the shafts, with each flexible conduit connected to or otherwise in fluid communication with an individual shaft. Similarly, sample containers (e.g., flexible bags) are equal in number to the conduits, with each sample container connected to an individual conduit opposite the connection to the shaft. A specific configuration for the port insert, as well as kit containing sterilized components of the fluid sampling device, are also described.
US07921739B2
A method for in situ sampling and monitoring of a fluid flowing in a flow path, whereby the fluid is to be directed to a chamber a first valve may provide a connection between an inlet to the chamber and the flow path and a second valve may provide a connection between an outlet from the chamber and the flow path, comprising the following steps: a) opening the first valve and the second valve to let the incoming fluid flow through the inlet to the chamber and from the chamber through the outlet into the continuation of the fluid path, thereby allowing fluid to circulate through the chamber for a certain time, b) trapping the fluid in the chamber by closing the second valve and thereafter closing the first valve, c) opening a valve 9 for reducing pressure, to obtain a pressure in the chamber suitable for monitoring the fluid, d) opening an access valve 11 and leading the fluid trapped in the chamber into a monitor system wherein the fluid is analyzed, and thereby providing the data representing the fluid characteristics, e) providing exit for the fluid analyzed through a further fluid path possibly to a low pressure section of the system.
US07921736B2
The invention relates to a magneto-inductive flow measuring device (1), including: A measuring tube (2), through which a medium (11) flows essentially in a direction of a measuring tube axis (16); a magnet arrangement (6, 7), which produces a magnetic field (H) passing through the measuring tube (2) and extending essentially perpendicularly to the measuring tube axis (16); a first measuring electrode (3) and a second measuring electrode (4); wherein the measuring electrodes (3, 4) are positioned in the measuring tube (2) on a connecting line, which is directed essentially perpendicularly to the measuring tube axis (16) and to the magnetic field (H); and an evaluation/control unit (12), which ascertains, on the basis of a measurement voltage tapped on the measuring electrodes (3, 4), the volume- and/or mass-flow of the medium (11) through the measuring tube (2).In order to increase the measuring accuracy of the multi-parameter flow measuring device (1), the first measuring electrode (3) is made of a first material (A) and the second measuring electrode (4) is made of a second material (C) different from the first material (A); the control/evaluation unit (12) ascertains the direct voltage portion (UD) of the voltages (U3, U4) tapped on the two measuring electrodes (3, 4) relative to a reference potential (ΦR), and makes available, on the basis of the direct voltage portion (UD), medium-specific information.
US07921716B2
A method and system for measuring energy expenditure of individuals by measuring force from a plurality of foot-borne force sensitive resistors and calculating incline from a foot-borne tri-axial accelerometer.
US07921705B2
An engine coolant temperature estimation system comprises a coolant temperature estimation module and a coolant monitoring module. The coolant estimation module estimates an engine coolant temperature based on at least one of a mass air flow, a vehicle speed, and an ambient temperature. The coolant monitoring module selectively operates an engine based on the estimated engine coolant temperature.
US07921704B2
Alcohol concentration level of flex fuel is estimated based upon in-cylinder ionization signals. The in-cylinder ionization signals are integrated and the rotational completion point of a chosen percentage of the integration total is identified as the integration location for the operating conditions under observation. The calculated integration location correlates with alcohol concentration level of flex fuel, and the integration calculations provide a basis for a virtual flex fuel sensor that provides calculated estimates of alcohol concentration rather than direct sensing using an expensive physical flex fuel sensor.
US07921695B2
For measuring the filling level of a measuring medium, including detecting multiple medium layers and interfaces between them, a multi-sensor probe can be dipped into the measuring medium and longitudinally segmented into a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a sensor for measuring a predetermined physical parameter of the surrounding medium. To provide an accurate, reliable and robust measurement of multiple medium layers a measurement model is defined for modeling signals of the sensors as a function of positions of a number of interfaces between the medium layers and the physical parameters of the medium layers. Prior distributions of the number of the interfaces, the positions of the interfaces and the physical parameters of the medium layers are defined. Based on the measurement model and the prior distributions a joint posterior distribution of the number of the interfaces and the positions of the interfaces is determined. The joint posterior distribution of the number of the interfaces and the positions of the interfaces is evaluated based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods.
US07921690B2
A method of calibrating positions within a materials handling system, wherein the materials handling system includes multiple stations for carrying out tasks and a carrier that is movable between the multiple stations, includes the steps of: providing calibration points at a plurality of the multiple stations; moving the carrier to at least some of the calibration points; contacting the calibration points; recording the locations of the calibration points; and determining locations of key components of the stations based on the locations of the calibration points. In some embodiments, the method includes contacting the calibration points with a calibration tool, which may include: a cylindrical body; a groove in the cylindrical body sized and configured to receive jaws from the carrier; and a cylindrical upper flange positioned on an upper end of the cylindrical body. In this configuration, the tool can be gripped by the carrier and employed to perform a variety of calibration functions.
US07921682B1
A padlock includes a lock body, a lock shackle having two ends respectively inserted into a respective shackle hole in the lock body, two actuation members, two latches, a lock cylinder having a core inserted in between the actuation members and rotatable with a predetermined key to drive the actuation members in moving the latches to lock the lock shackle, and an alarm control device affixed to the lock body for causing a buzzer to buzz upon a vibration.
US07921680B2
A process and an apparatus for treating large articles to impart color or performance enhancing additives to the article in which a treatment system which includes: (i) a coloring solution and/or a solution containing at least one performance enhancing additive, (ii) water, and (iii) a solvent such as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and diethylene glycol is applied to the article. The apparatus is made up of (a) a spray enclosure sized to contain the article(s) to be treated; (b) dispensing means, such as nozzles, which are configured to dispense sequentially, hot solution (i), hot solution (ii) and hot water (iii) directly onto the article surface(s); (c) means for securing and transporting the article to be treated into and out of the spray enclosure (such as a trolley system); and at least three closed vessels capable of delivering enough hot saturated coloring and/or performance enhancing solution, hot dye-free rinse solution and deionized water, respectively, with sufficient pressure to form small droplets from the spray nozzles, to thoroughly cover and rinse articles contained in the enclosure.
US07921679B2
Disclosed is the washing/drying machine having a pedestal, including: a washing/drying machine main body performing a washing or drying operation of laundry; and a pedestal for mounting the main body thereon, wherein a base having legs is coupled at a lower end of the main body, and a supporter having coupling ribs for fixing the base to the pedestal is mounted at an upper surface of the pedestal, thereby preventing a damage to the surface of the pedestal or the washing/drying machine and facilitating mounting/dismounting the supporter or the pedestal.
US07921671B2
A refrigerant flow divider is made up of an inlet pipe 12 through which refrigerant Xin flows in, a main body 11 of which the inside is a cavity, and a plurality of branching pipes 13 through which refrigerant Xout flows out. When the length of the above described main body 11 of the flow divider is L mm and the inner diameter of the above described main body 11 of the flow divider is D2 mm, the relationship 2≦L/D2≦8 holds, and thus, a flow divider can be gained, where discrepancy (variation) in the flow rate ratio in the respective paths for the flow discharged from the outlet of the flow divider and entering the heat exchanger is small and pressure loss is small when there is a change of approximately ±10° in the installation angle, a change in the dryness of the refrigerant at the inlet (0.2 to 0.4) or a change in the flow rate of the refrigerant (50% to 100%).
US07921663B2
A heat sink (1), has heat pipes (3) which are disposed in a high temperature section (A) of a base plate (2) on which a heating element (4) is disposed so that the heat pipes (3) extend from the high temperature section (A) to low temperature sections (B) in different directions.
US07921661B2
A refrigerant cycle is provided with a multi-port compressor or compressor stages connected in series, and multiple condensers. A single evaporator communicates with the plurality of condensers. At least one of the plurality of condensers receives fully compressed refrigerant while the other condensers receive refrigerant at intermediate pressure. A control can optionally direct refrigerant to the condensers to achieve desired system heat rejection characteristics and operating conditions. One or multiple reheat coils may be associated with the evaporator and are arranged either in series or in parallel to provide a desired dehumidification function and reheat stages. One or several of the intermediate pressure condensers may be utilized for the reheat function as well.
US07921653B2
A combustor for a turbine including a combustor liner; a first flow sleeve surrounding the combustor liner with a first flow annulus therebetween, the first flow sleeve having at least one cooling aperture formed about a circumference thereof for directing compressor discharge air as cooling air into the first flow annulus; a casing surrounding first flow sleeve with a second flow annulus therebetween, the first flow sleeve having at least one air extraction opening formed about a circumference thereof for directing compressor discharge air from the first flow annulus as extraction air into the second flow annulus; and an extraction port operatively coupled to the casing for extracting the extraction air from the second flow annulus.
US07921648B2
An exhaust gas turbocharger internal combustion engine is disclosed including at least one cylinder in a fuel-air mixture is pre-compressed by a compressor and compressed and burned. Exhaust gas is evacuated from the cylinder and released in a turbine, wherein part of the evacuated exhaust gas is recirculated before being released in the turbine, via a high-pressure recirculation system including an exhaust gas cooling device including at least two cooling circuits guided through heat exchanging blocks successively connected in the flow direction of the exhaust gas. The heat exchanging block arranged furthest downstream in the flow direction of the exhaust gas is vertically arranged such that exhaust gas passes through the block parallel to the working line, wherein a condensate collection and/or evacuation device is provided on the lower end of the block.
US07921644B2
A power transmission for a thermal elastic wire including a frame for supporting a pair of anchor posts which stretch said wire there between. One of the posts being pivoted in the frame and having an extension arm projecting therefrom towards the other post. A spring biased rotator drum is rotatably supported in the frame proximate to the end of the extension arm. A flexible connection interconnects the periphery of the rotator drum with the end of the extension arm of the pivoted anchor post. A power takeoff connection on the rotator drum is provided for the attachment of a connecting link there to whereby as the thermal elastic wire changes phase, a smooth power stroke can be extracted from the transition at the power takeoff connection and stored in a spring.
US07921642B2
A pressure selector valve (13) is provided between a hydraulic motor (1) and a directional control valve (5) to connect one of the main conduits (4A), (4B) on a high pressure side to a high pressure conduit (14) while connecting the other of the main conduits on a low pressure side to a low pressure conduit (15). As an inertial body approaches a stop position, a spool valve (16) is switched to an open position (e), bringing a branch passage (14A) of the high pressure conduit (14) into communication with the low pressure conduit. When the pressure difference between the main conduits becomes small, the pressure selector valve is automatically returned to a neutral position to cut off communication between the main conduits, suppressing a reversing movement of the hydraulic motor so that an inertial body can be brought to a stop smoothly.
US07921632B2
A device for protection against icing for aircraft engines including at least one sensor, sensitive to an amount of accumulated ice, arranged in the air intake of an aircraft engine, a system for measuring the amount and comparing the amount to be predetermined threshold and a triggering system for launching a response to the detection of the crossing of the predetermined threshold, the response may be an alarm, an increase in the engine power delayed by the engine control system or the return of hot air upstream of the engine.
US07921626B2
Apparatus for controlling the speed of a combine harvester (10) includes one or more sensors (48) each generating one or more signals that correspond during use of the combine harvester to variables of a harvesting process. The apparatus further includes a processor and one or more control devices operatively connected in a feedback arrangement including two loops. In a first loop, a first signal (28) corresponding to the ground speed of the combine harvester (10) is fed back as an input to a first control device (42) that is capable of adjusting the ground speed relative to a set value. In a second loop, the first signal (28) is fed together with a second signal (34) indicative of the flow rate of crop through the combine harvester to a second control device (32) that generates as a third signal (31) the set value, the third signal being input to the first control device (42).
US07921621B2
A beam-like structural component (1) made up of individual parts, comprising a flange (2) and two webs (3, 4) is characterized in that a flange (2) is provided with one web (3, 4) each on its two longitudinal sides, wherein each web is attached to a longitudinal sidewall of the flange (2) preferably by means of an adhesive material, and that the end regions (7) of the webs (3, 4), which end regions are facing away from the flange (2), are planarly interconnected with the surfaces (8, 9) facing each other preferably by means of an adhesive material, wherein the webs (3, 4), in their cross-sections, have in each case the shape of a “stretched S”.
US07921619B2
A method for insulating and ventilating a space between rafters for supporting a roof includes, an elongated insulation mat having an integral baffle, at least one channel on a roof facing side of the baffle for passage of ventilating air, and at least one vapor permeable membrane covering at least a portion of the insulation mat facing the channel, wherein each vapor permeable membrane transmits water vapor emanating from the insulation mat.
US07921618B2
A modular flooring system that includes a plurality of interlocking floor panels arrangeable into a variety of configurations. In one embodiment, each interlocking floor panel includes tongues and grooves that allow adjacent ones of the panels to connect with one another by the mating of tongues and grooves. A locking mechanism can be provided to one or more of the floor panels for locking the connected panels together. In other embodiments, the modular flooring system includes either integrally formed conduit chases or separately formed conduit chases, or a combination of both.
US07921585B2
A simulator for providing a user with a simulated burning log display providing moving patterns of light which simulate a flickering flame image. The flame image is generated by rotating a shaft with a helically wound light array such that the lights reflect off a mirror with flame shaped reflecting areas onto a partially transparent screen to give the impression to a viewer of flickering flames appearing on a front side of the screen and behind a non-burning pile of logs. The logs have flame colored light transmissive regions which are illuminated by an array of ember LED's under the control of circuitry which generates apparently randomly varying illumination levels, to thereby create a glowing ember effect.
US07921569B2
A tool assembly is disclosed that provides reciprocating motion to a tip of the assembly. The tool assembly has a drive assembly, a shaft assembly and a retraction mechanism contained within a housing. The tip of the shaft assembly protrudes from the housing during a portion of the stroke of the drive mechanism and upon disengagement of a motor of the drive assembly, the tip of the shaft assembly is recessed within the housing of the tool assembly.
US07921566B2
A hair trimmer includes a main body, a cutter block and a comb attachment. The cutter block has a stationary blade and a movable blade, both of which are comb-shaped and are slidably in contact with each other. In addition, the cutter block is protrudingly installed at one end of the main body. The comb attachment has a plurality of comb tooth-shaped sections and covers the cutter block. The comb tooth-shaped sections are provided with cut-off hair deflectors to prevent hairs cut by the cutter block from outwardly scattering away from the comb attachment. Furthermore, cut-off hair deflectors located between two neighboring comb tooth-shaped sections are disposed at relatively inner and outer positions.
US07921559B2
A number of flat tubes, flat tube heat exchangers, and methods of manufacturing both are described and illustrated. The flat tubes can be constructed of one, two, or more pieces of sheet material. A profiled insert integral with the flat tube or constructed from another sheet of material can be used to define multiple flow channels through the flat tube. The flat tubes can be constructed of relatively thin material, and can be reinforced with folds of the flat tube material and/or of an insert in areas subject to higher pressure and thermal stresses. Also, the relatively thin flat tube material can have a corrosion layer enabling the material to resist failure due to corrosion. Heat exchangers having such flat tubes connected to collection tubes are also disclosed, as are manners in which such tubes can be provided with fins.
US07921558B2
A heat exchanger assembly includes an outlet header extending along an outlet axis to define an outlet cavity and an inlet header defining an inlet cavity. A plurality of refrigerant tubes extends from the inlet header through the outlet header and into the outlet cavity. A collector conduit having a generally semi-circular conduit cross-section defining an arced surface and a chord surface interconnected with rounded ends is disposed in the outlet header and includes a conduit body portion and at least one conduit end portion interconnected by a conduit transition portion with the conduit body portion being offset from the conduit end portion. The conduit body portion is engaged to an interior surface of the outlet header to space the conduit body portion from the refrigerant tubes and the conduit end portion is coaxial with the outlet header axis to provide a central outlet for the refrigerant vapor.
US07921553B2
A method of making a customized wireless communication device (100) is disclosed. It can include the steps of: inputting (110) customer requirements; generating (120) a checklist of customer requirements; providing (130) an extruded housing with an opening defining a pocket configured to receive electrical components; and removing (140) material from the extruded housing to form an industrial design having at least one receptacle integral to the extruded housing to receive an antenna module and display module. The method is adapted to allow a designer to customize the look and feel of an electronic device, such as wireless communication device. This method is attractive to a customer.
US07921544B2
A thin-film magnetic head structure has a configuration adapted to manufacture a thin-film magnetic head configured such that a main magnetic pole layer including a magnetic pole end part on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium, a write shield layer opposing the magnetic pole end part so as to form a recording gap layer on the medium-opposing surface side, and a thin-film coil wound about the write shield layer or main magnetic pole layer are laminated. The main magnetic pole layer has an end face joint structure where respective end faces of the magnetic pole end part and a yoke magnetic pole part having a size greater than that of the magnetic pole end part are joined to each other, and a surface with a flat structure on a side closer to the thin-film coil.
US07921542B2
Certain example embodiments relate to a manufacturing method for a disk drive unit. At least one head gimbal assembly having first terminal pads is provided. A controlling circuit for controlling the at least one head gimbal assembly is provided, with the controlling circuit having second terminal pads to connect with the first terminal pads. The at least one head gimbal assembly is disposed in a motor base. The controlling circuit is disposed in the motor base. The at least one head gimbal assembly and the controlling circuit are tightened to the motor base such that the first and second terminal pads are face-to-face and have an electrical touch contact therebetween.
US07921532B2
A tool for installing a retainer ring onto the lower portion of a loosely inserted drain fitting for engaging a mounting flange thereto includes a generally resilient cup structure provided with a plurality of axially aligned and resiliently cantilevered peripherally adjacent strips within which the retaining ring is received in a compressed engagement seated on a helical interior shoulder. A threaded rod extends through a centering plug received in the drain fitting and then through the cup interior to axially advance the axially aligned ring carried by the strips.
US07921530B2
A fastener installation tool including an anvil member having a swage cavity, a collet having a pull section with a fastener engagement end and a plurality of teeth, and an anvil member. The plurality of teeth includes a first tooth with a first inner diameter, and each of the remainder of teeth includes a second inner diameter, the first inner diameter being greater than the second inner diameter. The collet has a protrusion extending the length of the pull section to increase the contact area with the anvil member. The anvil member includes a swage cavity with an entrance section, a swage land located adjacent to the entrance section, and an inner bore located adjacent to the swage land.
US07921528B2
A coffin having a curved bottom surface and a removable cover that accommodates bodies of differing lengths having, within an enclosure, a support platform that adjusts to different angles so as to accommodate bodies of different sizes.
US07921516B2
A hinge assembly has two tracks, a main bracket, at least one connecting bracket, at least one sliding hinge and at least one tilting hinge. The main bracket is mounted slidably between the tracks. The connecting bracket is mounted securely on the main bracket. The sliding hinge corresponds to and selectively holds the connecting bracket. The tilting hinge is connecting to the main bracket. With the related movement between the connecting bracket and the sliding hinge, the connecting bracket is selectively held or moved. Therefore, a moving bracket of a frame for an electronic device being attached to the tilting hinge is selectively pushed and held in a body of the frame or received in the body.
US07921514B2
Hinge assembly for vehicle doors that comprises two hinge bodies articulately connected, the articulated connection consisting of at least two articulating formations spaced apart along the axis of rotation of the hinge assembly, each of which consists of a male element situated on a hinge body that can be coupled by moving it in the direction of the axis of rotation of the hinge onto a complementary female element that is situated on the other hinge body, the hinge assembly also comprising a safety element disposed so as to rotate around an axis that is solidly joined to one of the hinge bodies and that can move between at least a release position, wherein it is possible to decouple the male and female elements, and a second position wherein it is inserted between the two aforementioned articulating formations and prevents said male and female elements from becoming decoupled.
US07921509B2
A suction brush for use in a vacuum cleaner and a method of adjusting the height thereof. The suction brush includes a brush casing having a suction opening to draw in air and a main air passage through which the air drawn in through the suction opening flows, a detecting unit disposed to the brush casing to detect a kind of a surface to be cleaned, a lifting unit to move a bottom surface of the brush casing close to and away from the surface to be cleaned, and a driving unit operated in response to a signal generated from the detecting unit and moving the lifting unit using air pressure generated by the air flowing through the main air passage.
US07921504B1
A windshield wiper includes a primary frame member and secondary frame members coupled to the primary frame member. The primary frame member is in the form of an inverted U-shape and includes end portions in which mounting holes are formed. Each secondary frame member has symmetrically arranged wall plates and a positioning section formed between and slightly projecting beyond the wall plates. Each wall plate forms open-ended slots that are symmetrically arranged. A boss is formed on an inside surface of each wall plate between the open-ended slots. The primary frame member has side plates that are fit over the positioning section of the secondary frame member to have the wall plates of the secondary frame member covering and clamping the vertical side walls of the primary frame member. The bosses are fit into the mounting holes of the primary frame member.
US07921498B2
A connection assembly configured to secure a mop head to an elongate member is provided. In one embodiment, a connector may include an insert having a plurality of tabs with an inner portion and an outward extending outer portion that extends radially outward from and traverse to an elongate member when the insert is properly mounted to the elongate member. The connector may include an inner member comprising a plurality of depressions configured to engage the inner portion of the plurality of tabs of the insert. A collar having an inner wall may also be utilized, wherein at least a portion of the inner wall is of a generally circular cross-section configured to engage the outward extending outer portion of the plurality of tabs. Connection assemblies may further comprise a wringer cup configured to be mounted on the elongate member.
US07921497B2
A floor scrubbing apparatus that is particularly well suited to scrubbing carpet materials is disclosed. The floor scrubbing apparatus is manually operated and includes a drive roller coupled to a scrub roller. In one embodiment, the drive roller is coupled to the scrub roller using a gear arrangement that causes the scrub roller to rotate faster than the drive roller. If desired, the apparatus can include a cleaning fluid dispensing system. For instance, the apparatus can include one or more nozzles that dispense a cleaning fluid onto a carpet material as the material is being cleaned.
US07921494B2
An internal unit of a washing machine or spin-dryer normally includes a washing container, which has a laundry drum mounted in the container such that it can rotate, and an electric motor for driving the laundry drum via a reduction gear, a transmission, or direct drive. The internal unit is suspended in a machine housing such that it can vibrate and constitutes an overall system which can vibrate in a damped manner and which is subject to unbalance-dependent resonance phenomena in specific regions of the rotational speed of the laundry drum. The causes of these resonance phenomena are vibratory movements due to momentary unbalances in the load in the laundry drum. To reduce these unbalance-dependent resonance phenomena, the internal unit is provided with a vibration sensor which is rigidly or substantially rigidly coupled to the internal unit
US07921492B2
A method of controlling a laundry treatment machine is provided in which a siphon phenomenon may be detected before performing a requested laundry treatment operation by performing an intermittent water supply operation and detecting a variation, if any, in a water level in a tub of a washing machine. Such a method may prevent was water form being discharged due to a siphon phenomenon, prevent the waste of wash water, and minimize the amount of time taken to discharge wash water and perform a washing operation. Such a method may also prevent the waste of detergent by using a water supply valve for a pre-washing operation to detect the siphon phenomenon. Such a method may also prevent a water supply failure from being mistaken as a siphon phenomenon by keeping a water supply valve open for a predefined amount of time and then detecting a variation, if any, in the water level in the tub.
US07921489B2
A system for supporting patient care equipment alongside a patient support is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of arms supported by a support structure. The arms may be pivoted to either side of the patient support. The arms may be stored in a console. At least one of the arms may carry service conduits that provide medical air, oxygen, vacuum, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, or electricity.
US07921487B2
A tension mechanism for use with existing conventional bed platforms in the well known Murphy bed system in which the bed platform may be connected to the tension mechanism when the tension is at a low level by only a single installer, and the tension thereafter increased in infinite increments to any desired level by a remotely operated tool.
US07921480B2
An optical system includes one or several passive optical detectors sensitive to ambient (room) light for controlling, for example, the operation of automatic faucets or automatic bathroom flushers. The passive optical sensors provide signals to flow controllers, including control electronics and flow valves and require only very small amounts of electrical power for sensing users of bathroom facilities, and thus enable battery operation for many years. To control the operation of automatic faucets or automatic bathroom flushers based on ambient light, the controller executes novel algorithms.
US07921468B2
Protective eyeglasses provide hearing protection from elevated noise levels. The protective eyeglasses have safety lenses for protection of each of the eyes. Support members extend from the lenses of the eyeglasses to the ears, and have earplugs or protectors thereon which are inserted into the ears. The side support members are spring biased towards each other so that the side members provide pressure to hold the plugs in the ears of the wearer. Ear plugs are mounted so as to swivel relative to the side support members. The side support members are telescoping and are adjustable in length.
US07926115B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided an information recording and reproducing apparatus which records information in a recording medium and reproduces information recorded in the recording medium, the information recording and reproducing apparatus includes a recording section which records in the recording medium an first encrypted encryption key aggregate where at least one encryption key for encrypting each of a plurality of pieces of information has been encrypted and registered and information encrypted using the encryption key, a necessity determining section which determines on the basis of conditions decided according to the type of the recording medium whether to record the first encrypted encryption key aggregate into the recording medium, wherein the recording section records in the recording medium the first encrypted encryption key aggregate determined to have to be recorded.
US07926113B1
Systems and methods to manage multiple vulnerability scanners distributed across one or more networks using a distributed security management system, herein called a Lightning Console. By distributing multiple scanners across a network, the work load of each scanner may be reduced to significantly reduce the impact on the network routing and switching infrastructure. In addition, scanners may be placed directly behind firewalls for more thorough scanning. Further, scanners may be placed closer to their scanned networks. By placing vulnerability scanners closer, the actual scanning traffic does not cross the core network switch and routing fabric, thereby avoiding potential network outages due to scanning activity. In addition, the closer distance of the scanners to the scanned targets speeds scan times by reducing the distance that the packets must traverse.
US07926108B2
In one embodiment, a transparent relay receives diverted e-mail communications between an e-mail client and an e-mail server. The transparent relay may be configured to examine the e-mail communications for network security policy violations. E-mail communications that do not violate a network security policy may be relayed to their intended destination. Policy actions, such as discarding or redirection, may be performed on those that violate one or more network security policies. The transparent relay may include a pair of communications interfaces running in promiscuous mode, one for downstream communications and another for upstream communications. The transparent relay may decompose a network communication protocol to look network security policy violations.
US07926106B1
Upon detection of a rootkit, a host computer system is rebooted. The boot process is interrupted. Access to a media, e.g., a volume or disk, containing the rootkit is gained and the media is directly accessed. The rootkit is disabled, e.g., renamed or deleted, and the host computer system is rebooted a second time. If the rootkit has not been previously removed, e.g., only renamed, the rootkit is removed, e.g., using a conventional antivirus application. Thus, upon detection of a rootkit, the rootkit is removed without a clean boot.
US07926100B2
A method for preventing unauthorized connection in a network system mainly includes adding an authentication key in the LLDP (link layer discovery protocol) transmitted in accordance with the 802.1ab communication protocol so as to proceed with security mechanism under the structure of 802.1ab communication protocol. The method for preventing unauthorized connection includes receiving a LLDP packet satisfying the 802.1ab communication protocol transmitted from a second network device by a first network device in a network system; analyzing the LLDP packet and checking whether the LLDP packet contains a legitimate authentication key; and if the authentication key does not exist or is illegitimate, then block all packets transmitted from the second network device so as to prevent the unauthorized second network device from using the network transmission service provided by the first network device.
US07926093B2
The present invention discloses a system and method for configuration of access rights to sensitive information handled by a sensitive Web-Service. In a case of requested configuration changes initiated by the client system the Web-Server system provides a configuration data file to the client system preferably using a SOAP-communication protocol. The changes of the configuration data file are exclusively performed offline at the client side and the updated configuration data file is signed with authentication information and sent as a part of a SOAP-request to the Web-Server system. The Web-Server system provides a filter component for identifying and discarding non-SOAP requests as well as an access control manager for providing authentication examination for incoming SOAP-requests. After successful passing these components the SOAP-request is used for updating the existing configuration data file.
US07926090B2
Systems and methods for creating and operating separate secure networks over a non-secure network are described herein. Some illustrative embodiments include a system that includes a router with one or more ports and control logic coupled to the one or more ports (the control logic capable of establishing a plurality of secure data paths with at least one other router across a network), and a plurality of external storage devices (each storage device separate from the router but capable of being detachably coupled to a port of the one or more ports, and each external storage device comprising configuration data defining one or more secure data paths of the plurality of secure data paths). Configuration data stored in a first external storage device of the plurality of external storage devices is different from configuration data stored in a second external storage device of the plurality of external storage devices.
US07926087B1
Described herein is a centralized access request authorization system comprising an authorization module, one or more server systems, and a collection of one or more storage systems connected through a network. An application executing on a server system receives an access request for accessing the storage system collection and sends an authorization request to the authorization module for authorizing the access request. The application may be configured to only send the access request to the storage system collection if it first receives an authorization of the access request from the authorization module. Since the application is configured to do such, the storage system performs the access request without performing any authorization verification on the access request. The authorization module may receive authorization requests from a plurality of applications (executing on a plurality of server systems) and determine received authorization requests using a single repository of access permission information.
US07926085B2
A system and method for providing an interactive, visual complement to one or more audio programs. In one aspect, the system comprises an audio subsystem for generating an audio signal corresponding to a sound recording. The system also comprises a video subsystem for generating a video image specification based, at least in part, on the sound recording. In one aspect, the audio signal and video image specification are transmitted to an audio/video signal transmission system. The transmission system receives the video image specification and generates a video signal that conforms to the video image specification. The video signal and the audio signal are transmitted to at least one consumer receiver. In this way, the system provides a visual complement to an audio program.
US07926080B2
A video-on-demand system encodes multiple video streams from media content, such that the video streams have staggered intra-frame intervals. When a client device requests a video stream, the video-on-demand system selects one of the multiple video streams based on the position of the intra-frames, and transmits the selected video stream to the client device.
US07926074B2
A broadcast data receiver system is provided and a method of operating the system. The system includes a first broadcast data receiver (BDR) (2) located at a first location, typically in a premises. The BDR (2) receives video, audio and/or auxiliary digital data broadcast from a remote location via cable, satellite or terrestrial means. The BDR processes the data and displays the processed data on a display screen (10) and/or audio data via speakers connected thereto. At least a second broadcast data receiver (8) is provided at least a second location typically in the same premises. One of the first and second BDRs (2, 8) is made functional by a signal received from the other of the first and second BDRs, via a telecommunications line (4) provided in the premises and connecting the first and at least second BDRs together, thereby ensuring that both BDRs are connected before operation of the two BDRs can be achieved.
US07926070B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for performing requested commands for model-based applications. Embodiments of the invention permit efficient implementation of operations for model-based applications. Since drivers that are to implement an operation request data for implementing the operation, embodiments significantly reduce the likelihood of superfluous data being exchanged between an executive service and drivers. Further, if an operation is interrupted before implementation is complete, the operation can be resumed without having to re-perform already completed portions of the operation. Additionally, a user can be regularly updated on the progress of their commands.
US07926067B2
Certain aspects of a method and system for protocol offload in paravirtualized systems may be disclosed. Exemplary aspects of the method may include preposting of application buffers to a front-end driver rather than to a NIC in a paravirtualized system. The NIC may be enabled to place the received offloaded data packets into a received data buffer corresponding to a particular GOS. A back-end driver may be enabled to acknowledge the placed offloaded data packets. The back-end driver may be enabled to forward the received data buffer corresponding to the particular GOS to the front-end driver. The front-end driver may be enabled to copy offloaded data packets from a received data buffer corresponding to a particular guest operating system (GOS) to the preposted application buffers.
US07926062B2
A multi-streaming processor has a plurality of streams for streaming one or more instruction threads, a set of functional resources for processing instructions from streams, and interrupt handler logic. The logic detects and maps interrupts and exceptions to one or more specific streams. In some embodiments, one interrupt or exception may be mapped to two or more streams, and in others two or more interrupts or exceptions may be mapped to one stream. Mapping may be static and determined at processor design, programmable, with data stored and amendable, or conditional and dynamic, the interrupt logic executing an algorithm sensitive to variables to determine the mapping. Interrupts may be external interrupts generated by devices external to the processor software (internal) interrupts generated by active streams, or conditional, based on variables. After interrupts are acknowledged, streams to which interrupts or exceptions are mapped are vectored to appropriate service routines. In a synchronous method, no vectoring occurs until all streams to which an interrupt is mapped acknowledge the interrupt.
US07926058B2
The present invention is directed to a parallel processing infrastructure, which enables the robust design of task scheduler(s) and communication primitive(s). This is achieved, in one embodiment of the present invention, by decomposing the general problem of exploiting parallelism into three parts. First, an infrastructure is provided to track resources. Second, a method is offered by which to expose the tracking of the aforementioned resources to task scheduler(s) and communication primitive(s). Third, a method is established by which task scheduler(s) in turn may enable and/or disable communication primitive(s). In this manner, an improved parallel processing infrastructure is provided.
US07926054B2
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for instantiating a virtual machine on a computer by way of a physical peripheral device is provided. A virtual machine image may be composed on a portable memory device, such as a USB-flash memory device. Insertion of the physical device in a peripheral terminal is detected by a host function or module, and the physical device is evaluated to determine whether a virtual machine is defined thereby. In the event that the physical device includes a virtual machine image, the host reads the virtual machine image from the physical device and allocates a virtual machine per the read virtual machine image.
US07926053B1
A system installs an application by identifying a file set indicating files accessed during operation of the application. The system identifies a set of available storage areas that are accessible to a computerized device, and that are capable of storing files in the file set. The system identifies a performance metric associated with each of the storage areas in the set of available storage areas, and positions files from the file set into at least one storage area of the set of available storage areas. The files are positioned based on the performance metrics associated with the one storage area.
US07926051B2
The methods, systems, data structures and computer program products for deploying software components are provided, including deploying components in an enterprise environment. Dependency relationships among components to be deployed arc determined. Those components which are not dependent upon any other component may be installed first and substantially in parallel. Components which are dependent only upon the first installed components are next installed, substantially in parallel. Installation thus progresses until all components have been installed. By installing in parallel those components having a similar level of dependency, rather than installing all components sequentially, the deployment is more efficient and requires less time to complete.
US07926048B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide for minimizing the number of procedure frame unwinding operations to be performed when restoring the program control flow information. A first data structure may be constructed to contain procedure linkage information along with references to the conventional memory area where each procedure linkage information element (procedure return address or a procedure frame pointer) was originally found. The first data structure may be initialized upon the initial request for program control flow information. Upon each subsequent request, the contents of the conventional memory area as referenced by the first data structure may be compared with the corresponding elements of the first data structure. As a result of said comparison, changed and unchanged regions within the conventional memory area may be determined. Then, procedure frame unwinding operations may be performed for the changed regions.
US07926046B2
This invention describes a compilation method of extracting and implementing an accelerator control program from an application source code in a processor based system. The application source code comprises arrays and loops. The input application source code is sequential, with loop, branch and call control structures, while the generated output of this invention has parallel execution semantics. The compilation method comprises the step of performing loop nest analysis, transformations and backend processes. The step of loop nest analysis consists of dependence analysis and pointer analysis. Dependence analysis determines the conflicts between the various references to arrays in the loop, and pointer analysis determines if two pointer references in a loop are in conflict. Transformations convert the loops from their original sequential execution semantics to parallel execution semantics. The back-end process determines the parameters and memory map of the accelerator and the hardware dependent software.
US07926039B2
An improved method for automatically improving the precision of an extrapolation operator used, for example, in software program verification in connection with the static analysis and model checking of the software programs which rely on fix-point computation. In particular, a new extrapolation-with-care-set operator, together with a method for gradually increasing the precision of this operation by tightening the care set.
US07926033B2
A method and apparatus for configuring an element management system server (an EMS server) to support new network element service application versions without upgrading the EMS server software is provided. The EMS stores base version data that describes the data model of a first version of a service application installed on a network element. When a second version of the service application is available, incremental version data describing changes to the data model from the first version to the second version is obtained and stored. In response to receiving a client request involving a service application on a particular network element, the EMS may apply incremental version data, associated with the version of the service application installed on the particular network element, to the base version data to form merged version data that describes the data model of the version of the service application installed on the particular network element.
US07926023B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for: monitoring processor tasks and associated processor loads therefor that are allocated to be performed by respective sub-processing units associated with a main processing unit; detecting whether a processing error has occurred in a given one of the sub-processing units; re-allocating all of the processor tasks of the given sub-processing unit to one or more participating sub-processing units, including other sub-processing units associated with the main processing unit, based on the processor loads of the processor tasks of the given sub-processing unit and the processor loads of the participating sub-processing units; and at least one of: (i) shutting down, and (ii) re-booting the given sub-processing unit.
US07926018B2
A system that generates a layout for a transistor is presented. During operation, the system receives a transistor library which includes operating characteristics of fabricated transistors correlated to transistor gate shapes. The system also receives one or more desired operating characteristics for the transistor. Next, the system determines a transistor gate shape for the transistor based on the transistor library so that a fabricated transistor with the transistor gate shape substantially achieves the one or more desired operating characteristics. The system then generates the layout for the transistor which includes the transistor gate shape.
US07926002B2
After layout design data has been modified using an OPC process, a repair flow is initiated. This repair flow includes analyzing the modified data to identify any remaining or new potential print errors in the layout data. Regions then are formed around the identified potential print errors, and a subsequent OPC process is performed only on the data within these regions using a different set of process parameters from the process parameters employed by the initial OPC process. This repair flow is iteratively repeated, where a different set of process parameter values for the subsequent OPC process is used during each iteration.
US07926000B2
An integrated circuit system that includes: providing a first mask including a first feature; exposing the first mask to a radiation source to form an image of the first feature on a photoresist material that is larger than a structure to be formed, the photoresist material being formed over a substrate that includes the integrated circuit system; providing a second mask including a second feature; aligning the second mask over the image of the first mask to form an overlap region; and exposing the second mask to the radiation source to form an image of the second feature on the photoresist material that is larger than the structure to be formed.
US07925995B2
Described are methods that utilize a geographic location technology (e.g., GPS) to determine user location data, and existing network-based websites (e.g., Internet websites) for searching and accessing data related to the location data such that the user context can be developed and stored. A location component is provided that determines location data of a wireless communications device of a user. A context component is provided that accesses context data based on the location data to define a context in which the device is located. Activities, goals, and overall context of a user can be inferred through statistical fusion of multiple sources of evidence. The context data is presented to the user via the wireless device such that the user can make decisions as to where to go, for example. User preferences can be accessed and applied to filter context data according to what the user desires to see and access.
US07925992B2
A method and system to provide selection of entries in input fields, such as email client, includes pre-processing a list of potential addresses before the list is shown to a user by eliminating less important or invalid entries, and then displaying a list of entries for selection to the user in a format which highlights the most probable address to support selection of a “right” address.
US07925967B2
A method and system for improving the quality of original metadata associated with media on a computer network, such as multimedia and streaming media, includes analyzing each field of the URL of the multimedia and streaming media. Each field is analyzed to identify new metadata associated with that field. Identified new metadata is added to the original metadata. In another embodiment, the fields in the URL are reorganized in reverse order and metadata associated with a prefix of fields of the reorganized URL is added to the original metadata. In yet another embodiment, the contents of the field next to the prefix of fields is used to improve the quality of the original metadata.
US07925957B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining from a data block in a buffer a number of first operands in a first portion of the buffer and a number of second operands in a second portion of the buffer. Based on these numbers, a cyclic redundancy checksum (CRC) operation may be iteratively performed on the first and second operands to obtain a checksum result. The first and second operands are of a different length, and the checksum operation may be executed using processor instructions corresponding to the different lengths. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07925956B2
A method and apparatus for selecting interleaver sizes for turbo codes is provided herein. During operation information block of size K is received. An interleaver size K′ is determined that is related to K″, where K″ from a set of sizes; wherein the set of sizes comprise K″=ap×f, pmin≦p≦pmax; fmin≦f≦fmax, wherein a is an integer and f is a continuous integer between fmin and fmax, p takes integer values between pmin and pmax, a>1, pmax>pmin, pmin>1. The information block of size K is padded into an input block of size K′ using filler bits, if needed. Encoding is performed using the original input block and the interleaved input block to obtain a codeword block using a turbo encoder. The codeword block is transmitted through the channel.
US07925951B2
The peripheral circuitry (350, 360, ESD, BH) of an integrated circuit die on a wafer is tested without physically contacting the bond pads of the die.
US07925942B2
An architecture for testing a plurality of circuits on an integrated circuit is described. The architecture includes a TAP Linking Module located between test pins on the integrated circuit and 1149.1 Test Access Ports (TAP) of the plurality of circuits to be tested. The TAP Linking Module operates in response to 1149.1 scan operations from a tester connected to the test pins to selectively switch between 1149.1 TAPs to enable test access between the tester and plurality of circuits. The TAP Linking Module's 1149.1 TAP switching operation is based upon augmenting 1149.1 instruction patterns to affix an additional bit or bits of information which is used by the TAP Linking Module for performing the TAP switching operation.
US07925937B2
An integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of logic circuits. The integrated circuit further includes a scan chain including a plurality of scan elements coupled in series, wherein the scan chain is configured to load stimulus data to be applied to the logic circuits for testing. The scan chain is further configured to capture data subsequent to applying the stimulus data. The integrated circuit also includes an embedded memory having a read port, wherein the read port is coupled to one or more of the plurality of logic circuits via a read path. The embedded memory includes a virtual entry having a plurality of scan-controllable storage elements. During testing, the virtual entry is operable to apply transition data to the read path in order to cause logic state transitions in the one or more logic circuits in the read path.
US07925936B1
A method for storing data in a memory, which includes a plurality of analog memory cells, includes defining programming levels that represent respective combinations of at least first and second bits and are represented by respective nominal storage values. The data is stored by mapping the data to storage values selected from among the nominal storage values and writing the storage values to the memory cells. A condition is defined over two or more bit-specific error rates applicable respectively to at least the first and second bits. The bit-specific error rates include a first bit-specific error rate computed over the data stored by the first bits and a second bit-specific error rate computed, separately from the first bit-specific error rate, over the data stored by the second bits. The nominal storage values are set based on the bit-specific error rates so as to meet the condition.
US07925934B2
An information providing device including: a registration information memory means for memorizing registration information from a database management system; a request information receiving means for receiving request information for screen information transmitted from a terminal device upon an instruction from a user; an expiration date lapse judgment means for judging whether or not an expiration date setup for the registration information elapses when request information is received; a registration information acquisition / update means for acquiring the registration information when the expiration date elapses; an acquisition error detection means; a screen information generation means for generating the screen information when the registration information is acquired through the program interface; a screen information transmission means; and an appropriateness judgment information generation means for generating appropriateness judgment information used for judging whether or not the screen information is appropriately generated on the basis of detection result of the acquisition error.
US07925931B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for handling errors in data servers. Generally, embodiments of the invention enable a data packet that is marked as erroneous to be handled so that it is not committed to permanent storage. One or more components are configured to recognize a poisoned data indicator, and to respond to the indicator by taking programmed actions to delete the data, to stop the data from being transmitted, to notify upstream components, and to purge related data from downstream components.
US07925930B2
A storage control system of the present invention can carry out settings for a storage device using redundantly configured access channels. A controller of the storage control system can access a storage device using a plurality of access channels of system A and system B. Respective I/F control units each comprise a plurality of normally open-type switches. The switches of system A and the switches of system B are respectively wired-OR connected. A disk control unit outputs a control signal to an I/F control unit on the basis of a setting table. When a failure occurs in an I/F control unit of system A, the output signals of the respective switches transfer to a high-impedance state. Therefore, a storage device can be set by outputting, from an I/F control unit of system B, a signal corresponding to a desired operational mode and identification information.
US07925927B2
A fault tolerant system is simulated to determine the occurrence of data loss in the fault tolerant system. A list of erasure patterns corresponding to an erasure code implemented across the devices in the system is provided and a device event is simulated. The list of erasure patterns is updated based on the device event, and the occurrence of data loss is determined based on the updated list.
US07925925B2
According to some embodiments, delta checkpoints are provided for a non-volatile memory indirection table to facilitate a recovery process after a power loss event.
US07925919B2
A disk management method for managing a disk management device for writing and reading data to and from a disk drive in which a recording medium is managed in a first control unit. The disk management method includes an error checking operation for checking an error on the recording medium in the first control unit, an error correction operation for correcting the error detected in the error, an error correcting operation for correcting the error detected in the error checking operation after converting data including the error to the second control unit, a data loss registration operation for registering a region in which data are lost due to an inconsistency between the first control unit and second control unit in a data loss region table, and a data loss recovery operation for recovering the loss of data with reference to the data loss region table.
US07925916B2
A failsafe recovery capability for a Coordinated Timing Network. The recovery capability facilitates recovery when communication is lost between two servers of the coordinated timing network. The capability includes checking another system's status in order to determine what action is to be taken. The status includes the stratum level of the servers and a version number indicating the code level of the servers.
US07925913B1
Clock data recovery (CDR) circuitry of a high-speed serial interface on a programmable integrated circuit device toggles, during the electrical idle period of the receiver of the interface, between its “lock-to-reference” (“LTR”) state and its normal “lock-to-data” (“LTD”) state. Whenever during this toggling mode the CDR circuitry toggles to the LTD state, it remains in that state for a predetermined interval and then returns to the LTR state, unless, while it is in the LTD state, it receives a signal from elsewhere in the receiver that data have been received and byte synchronization has occurred. The predetermined toggling interval preferably is long enough to obtain an LTR lock to minimize frequency drift, but short enough to avoid unnecessary delay in detection of the synchronization signal. Preferably, this interval is programmable by the user within limits determined by the characterization of the programmable device. Unreliable analog signal detection is thereby avoided.
US07925908B2
A method for controlling a slotted mode of several systems using one sleep controller enhanced a hybrid sleep controller that performs sleep/wake-up interface of system protocol stacks (PSs) in a hybrid terminal including at least two system PSs used for different communication networks of a mobile communication system. The method includes determining whether there is a shared hardware-waiting system according to a sleep request from a system PS; if there is no shared hardware-waiting system, turning off a clock of the sleep controller and power of shared hardware to enable operation in a real sleep mode; and if there is a shared hardware-waiting system, sending an active command to a corresponding system and simultaneously driving a sleep timer until a time that other systems wake up, to enable operation in a virtual sleep mode.
US07925896B2
Apparatus and method to scramble data prior to placing it on a bus or in memory uses embedded hardware keys for encryption/decryption. The hardware keys may be used in addition to software encryption. Different hardware keys may be used to process most significant bits and least significant bits of a data word. Different hardware keys may be used to process messages from/to different channels. The hardware key may be comprise a series of fixed logic cells.
US07925894B2
System and method for delivering versatile security, digital rights management, and privacy services
A method for providing enhanced security features in a storage device involves partitioning a storage media in the storage device into a hidden partition and a storage partition in the storage media. A base class is written to the hidden partition. A security provider base class is instantiated from the base class. The security provider base class is adapted to control access to the storage media.
US07925887B2
Authenticating an identity of a user claiming to be a genuine-user includes receiving from the user biometric data pertaining to a plurality of biometric parameters. The received biometric data are compared with corresponding authentic biometric data which have previously been obtained from the genuine-user. The user's identity is authenticated if the received biometric data meet qualification criteria when compared with the corresponding authentic biometric data.
US07925879B2
An information processing unit is an unit which has an information division recording function in which a file is divided and stored. The information processing unit includes a first storage section for storing a first partial file of a file divided, a second storage section for storing a second partial file, a state detection section for checking an operating state of the information processing unit and detecting that the operating state has changed in a specific manner, and a control section for performing a lock processing in accordance with the state detected to the second partial file stored on the second storage section when the state detected by the state detection section is determined as a risky state in which unauthorized access can be performed.
US07925878B2
A system and method for creating a trusted network capable of facilitating secure transactions via an open network using batch credentials, such as batch PKI certificates, is presented. A certificate is bound to a group, or batch, or devices. This certificate is referenced by an activation authority upon processing a request for service by a device. Information regarding the device batch certificate is maintained in a permanent, or escrow, database. A user identity is bound to a device, as a device key is used to sign a user key created on the device in the presence of the user, and a copy of the device key is later used to decrypt the signed user key upon its transmission and receipt.
US07925877B2
A method, system and apparatus for executing a boot loader for an embedded system including a system-on-chip (SOC) processor coupled to a memory including first boot loader code for implementing a first boot loader stored in a first sector and second boot loader code for implementing a second boot loader stored in a second sector determines which of the first boot loader code and second boot loader code is younger; if the second boot loader code is determined to be younger than the first boot loader code, a swapping operation is performed so that the second boot loader code is associated with the first sector and the first boot loader code is associated with a different sector, and the boot loader code associated with the first sector is executed.
US07925875B2
Methods, systems, and architectures for multiplatform booting from a portable module with nonvolatile memory. Preferably the portable module carries the correct binaries for booting multiple system architectures, together with a table from which the host, at power-up, can calculate the correct offset to load the appropriate binary.
US07925873B2
A system that controls one or more operating parameters in a computer system is presented. Until specified values for one or more operating parameters are achieved, the system performs the following operations. The system operates the computer system using a specified load profile. The system then determines whether the specified load profile produces the specified values for the one or more operating parameters. If the specified load profile does not produce the specified values for the one or more operating parameters, the system adjusts the specified load profile, which involves using a pulse-width modulation technique to adjust a duty cycle between a first workload and a second workload.
US07925865B2
In the described embodiments, a method for prefetching data and/or instructions may include generating control flow information for each retired branch instruction. A correlation table may be maintained based on the generated control flow information and cache miss addresses for each retired instruction that incurs one or more cache misses. Each correlation table entry may correspond to an index, and may contain a tag and a correlation list. The correlation list may consist of a specified number of cache miss addresses that most frequently follow the cache miss address for the index. A prefetch operation may be performed for each cache miss based on the contents of the correlation table entry corresponding to the index. The index may generated using a combination of bits of a given cache miss address and one or more bits of the program control flow information for the given cache miss address.
US07925863B2
Multiple hardware accelerators can be used to efficiently perform processes that would otherwise be performed by general purpose hardware running software. The software overhead and bus bandwidth associated with running multiple hardware acceleration processes can be reduced by chaining multiple independent hardware acceleration operations within a circuit card assembly. Multiple independent hardware accelerators can be configured on a single circuit card assembly that is coupled to a computing device. The computing device can generate a playlist of hardware acceleration operations identifying hardware accelerators and associated accelerator options. A task management unit on the circuit card assembly receives the playlist and schedules the hardware acceleration operations such that multiple acceleration operations may be successively chained together without intervening data exchanges with the computing device.
US07925856B1
A method and apparatus for maintaining an amount of reserve space using virtual placeholders. In one embodiment, a method of using placeholders for log files to maintain an amount of reserve storage space comprises determining a first required log file, wherein the first required log file is to be used to recover a database volume, generating at least one placeholder for representing at least one required log file in a log volume and storing the first required log file and the at least one placeholder in a portion of the log volume, wherein the at least one placeholder is used to control a size of the portion of the log volume.
US07925852B2
Upon receiving a primary/secondary switching command from a secondary host system, a secondary storage control device interrogates a primary storage control device as to whether or not yet to be transferred data that has not been remote copied from the primary storage control device to the secondary storage control device is present. In the event that yet to be transferred data is present, the secondary storage control device receives yet to be transferred data from the primary storage control device and updates a secondary volume. The primary storage control device then manages positions of updates to the primary volume due to host accesses to the primary volume occurring at the time of the secondary storage control device receiving the primary/secondary switching command onwards using a differential bitmap table.
US07925849B2
A bus arbiter receives requests of initiators, and internally includes a page hit/miss determining unit with permissible determining function, a bank open/close determining unit with permissible determining function, and an LRU unit with permissible determining function. Regarding the priority of the request arbitration on the requests, the bank priority on the SDRAM is determined in the order of page hit, bank open, and LRU. Furthermore, each determining unit internally includes a permissible time determining unit, and processes, at top priority, the request of the initiator which the corresponding permissible time is below the count threshold value in the priority processing of the determining unit.
US07925848B2
A method for initializing a control device of a memory, the control device executing commands for accessing the memory transmitted to the memory by a control signal, the method comprising steps of detecting the switching on of the memory and of at least partially initializing the control device following the switching on of the memory. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises steps of detecting a specific event in the control signal, and of at least partially initializing the control device following the detection of the specific event.
US07925847B2
A storage system controller (302) includes a plurality of media controllers (301), a local microprocessor (306), and a host interface logic (310), operably coupled by a multi-drop bus. The multi-drop bus includes a control bus (324), a payload data bus (320), a real-time ready-status (data ready) signaling bus (322) and a general microprocessor bus (330). Each media controller has a storage media (311) operably coupled thereto. Each media controller includes a parameter storage (404), a media interface circuit (406), a control data state machine (408), a command sequencer state machine (410), a media-side multi-mode transfer state machine (412), a dual-port memory (402), a memory controller (420), and a host-side transfer state machine (430). The host interface logic and the media controllers are implemented in one or more Field Programmable Gate Arrays. The storage system architecture allows the microprocessor to simultaneously broadcast a command to the media controllers, which have a capability to substantially simultaneously begin exchanging data with the storage media in response to the command. The storage system has provision for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, method 0, operation.
US07925846B2
A processor of a management computer acquires the free disk space amount of a disk pool, acquires the invalid disk space amount from a plurality of host computers, determines a host computer to which the instruction for the physical disk space collection is issued on the basis of the invalid disk space amount, and judges that the free disk space amount is smaller than a predetermined threshold value before transmitting a GC control request to the determined host computer; another processor generates and transmits invalid disk space position information indicating the position of the invalid disk space in a virtual volume in cases where a host investigation request is received; and the other processor collects the physical disk space of a physical disk allocated to the storage disk space of the virtual volume in the disk pool.
US07925840B2
The present invention provides a data processing apparatus and method for managing snoop operations. The data processing apparatus has a plurality of processing units for performing data processing operations requiring access to data in shared memory, with at least two of the processing units having a cache associated therewith for storing a subset of the data for access by that processing unit. A snoop-based cache coherency protocol is employed to ensure data accessed by each processing unit is up-to-date, and when an access request is issued the cache coherency protocol is referenced in order to determine whether a snoop process is required. Snoop control storage is provided which defines a plurality of snoop schemes, each snoop scheme defining a series of snoop phases to be performed to implement the snoop process, and each snoop phase requiring a snoop operation to be performed on either a single cache or multiple caches. When a snoop process is required, a snoop unit is used to reference the snoop control storage in order to identify, having regard to one or more properties of the access request, the snoop scheme to be employed to perform the snoop process. Such an approach provides a great deal of flexibility with regards to how snoop processes are implemented, in particular allowing different snoop schemes to be used dependent on the properties of the access request in question.
US07925839B1
A processor may operate in one of a plurality of operating states. In a Normal operating state, the processor is not involved with a memory transaction. Upon receipt of a transaction instruction to access a memory location, the processor transitions to a Transaction operating state. In the Transaction operating state, the processor performs changes to a cache line and data associated with the memory location. While in the Transaction operating state, any changes to the data and the cache line is not visible to other processors in the computing system. These changes become visible upon the processor entering a Commit operating state in response to receipt of a commit instruction. After changes become visible, the processor returns to the Normal operating state. If an abort event occurs prior to receipt of the commit instruction, the processor transitions to an Abort operating state where any changes to the data and cache line are discarded.
US07925836B2
A data processing system is provided with a general purpose programmable processor and an accelerator processor. Coherency control circuitry manages data coherence between data items which may be stored within a cache memory and/or a further memory. Memory access requests from the accelerator processor are received by a memory request switching circuitry which is responsive to a signal from the accelerator processor to direct the memory access request either via coherency control circuit or directly to the further memory.
US07925825B2
A memory system is provided that implements an asynchronous boundary in a memory module. The memory system comprises a memory hub device integrated in a memory module. The memory system also comprises a set of memory devices coupled to the memory hub device. The memory hub device comprises a command queue that receives a memory access command from an external memory controller via a memory channel at a first operating frequency. The memory system further comprises a memory hub controller integrated in the memory hub device. The memory hub controller reads the memory access command from the command queue at a second operating frequency. By receiving the memory access command at the first operating frequency and reading the memory access command at the second operating frequency an asynchronous boundary is implemented within the memory hub device of the memory module.
US07925821B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device and method of managing the same are provided. The nonvolatile semiconductor storage device includes a nonvolatile memory configured to be electrically rewritable; and a controller configured to control an access area of the nonvolatile memory on the basis of information associated with management of the nonvolatile memory. The controller partitions an area of the nonvolatile memory for management and numbers management information for managing data for each area and a map of the management information in an integrated manner to write the numbered management information and map to the nonvolatile memory, thereby determining whether the management information and the map are normal on the basis of the numbering.
US07925819B2
A non-volatile memory storage system including a connecting interface, a non-volatile memory, a buffer memory, a microcontroller, and a virtual host module is provided. The connecting interface is used for connecting to a host. The non-volatile memory is used for storing user data, wherein the non-volatile memory further stores an expansion read only memory (ROM) image to be read by the host. The buffer memory is used for temporarily storing the expansion ROM image. The microcontroller controls the operation between the connecting interface, the buffer memory, and the non-volatile memory. The virtual host module provides an activation code in the expansion ROM image to the host through the microcontroller. Thereby, both the size and the fabrication cost of the non-volatile memory storage system can be effectively reduced.
US07925812B2
A card-type peripheral device having a plurality of specifications of external interfaces includes a connector configured to connect the card-type peripheral device to a connectable device connectable to the card-type peripheral device, the connector including a dedicated terminal in which an interface to be used is set; an electronic component configured to be accessed via the set interface; a plurality of interface function units each configured to control an interface compliant with one of the plurality of specifications; and a communication function unit configured to perform communication with the electronic component using one of the interface function units having a specification corresponding to a setting of the dedicated terminal.
US07925811B2
A modular system comprises a head module having at least one connection for an external bus signal on an external bus, at least one pneumatic supply connection, an electric supply connection and having a serial bus interface for an internal serial bus, an electric supply interface, a multipole interface and a pneumatic supply interface which are each led to the outside on the same side. The modular system further comprises at least one functional module having an internal serial bus line, electric supply lines, electric multipole lines and pneumatic supply lines which are each passed through from one side to the opposite side and which are each connected to a corresponding interface of the head module. The head module here converts serial bus signals into multipole signals and outputs these signals at the multipole interface. The functional module selectively branches at least one of the multipole lines and, with a signal carried thereon, executes a pneumatic or an electric or both a pneumatic and an electric function.
US07925810B2
A data storage system has a first storage unit and a second storage unit for storing the same data received from a plurality of higher-level devices. The first storage unit transmits sequence information representative of a sequence for storing the data received from the higher-level devices, to said second storage unit.
US07925802B2
A multi-computer system has many processors that share peripherals. The peripherals are virtualized by hardware without software drivers. Remote peripherals appear to the operating system to be located on the local processor's own peripheral bus. A processor, DRAM, and north bridge connect to a south bridge interconnect fabric chip that has a virtual Ethernet controller and a virtual generic peripheral that act as virtual endpoints for the local processor's peripheral bus. Requests received by the virtual endpoints are encapsulated in interconnect packets and sent over an interconnect fabric to a device manager that accesses remote peripherals on a shared remote peripheral bus so that data can be returned. Ethernet Network Interface Cards (NIC), hard disks, consoles, and BIOS are remote peripherals that can be virtualized. Processors can boot entirely from the remote BIOS without additional drivers or a local BIOS. Peripheral costs are reduced by sharing remote peripherals.
US07925800B2
The present invention discloses a method of editing a multi-media playing schedule for a digital photo frame, a system and a computer readable storage medium thereof, which are characterized in that users can edit a multi-media playing schedule on the data processing apparatus when the digital photo frame is electrically connected to the data processing apparatus, and after editing of the multi-media playing schedule is finished, the multi-media playing schedule is transmitted to the digital photo frame and stored in the digital photo frame. Therefore, the problem of being unable to edit complicated multi-media playing schedules due to simple operation interface of digital photo frames can be solved.
US07925794B2
Provided are methods, systems and devices for localizing data existing on a distributed network which comprises receiving an instruction within a programmable logic device (“PLD”) for controlling a network peripheral from a client computing system, the PLD being in communication with the network peripheral via a modem and also in communication with the computing device via a generic interface and receiving a task request from the computing device via the generic interface to be accomplished according to the instruction. The methods, systems and devices further provide for augmenting the task request with an additional instruction provided by a meta-behavior interface.
US07925787B2
The present invention relates to an arrangement, in a communications network, for allocating addresses to users or clients connecting to the network. It comprises at least one address holding means holding a plurality of addresses and allocating control means for, from said address holding means, allocating addresses to the users or clients, and for detecting when an address is released or when a user or a client allocated an address disconnects. It further comprises, for each pool of addresses, delay means for allowing control of the minimum time period to lapse before an address having been allocated to a user is reused, i.e. again allocated to a user, such that a minimum time period before reuse of each address can be guaranteed.
US07925785B2
Dynamically upsizing and/or downsizing a network farm in response to network demand. An application message router routes messages to the network farm. When the network farm approaches or is anticipated to be approaching capacity, a group of one or more servers may be added to the network farm. When the added server(s) are capable of participating in the network farm, the application message router is triggered to route also to the added servers. When the network farm has excess capacity, a group of one or more servers may be dropped from the network farm. This may be accomplished by triggering the application message router to no longer route messages to the removed servers. The removed servers may be either immediately or gracefully removed from service.
US07925781B1
A method of video distribution within a peer-to-peer network. Once the video has initially been downloaded from a server, various fragments of it reside on various peers of the network. At the location of each fragment, the peer which stores it preferably also carries pointers to preceding-fragment, following-fragment, and same-fragment locations. This provides a list-driven capability so that, once a user has attached to any fragment of the program, the user can then transition according to the previous-fragment and following-fragment pointers to play, fast-forward, or rewind the program.
US07925778B1
A method and apparatus for providing multicast messages across a data communication network, the method comprising receiving a multicast message and adding to the multicast message a vector stack including at least one address of a router to which the multicast message is to be sent. The multicast message and the vector stack are then forwarded. At the first router indicated by the vector stack, the next address to which the multicast message is to be sent is read. This is repeated as necessary until the multicast message is received by the final address in the vector stack. The multicast message is then routed to the address indicated in the original multicast message.
US07925775B2
Systems and methods are described for controlling congestion, such as within the transport control protocol (TCP) based on bandwidth estimation techniques which provide explicit indications of back-to-back packet traffic. In response to registered back-to-back traffic, receiver-side bandwidth estimation techniques are exploited to enhance the congestion control behavior of TCP based networks. By way of example, a sender marks packets in the header or by changing segment size within a packet to indicate whether the packet is being sent back-to-back. A receiver utilizes the explicit back-to-back information, optionally in conjunction with other back-to-back packet estimation techniques, when estimating available bandwidth and setting congestion parameters. In addition a mechanism for controlling the length of packet trains is described which is based on modulating the transmission of delayed acknowledgements, such as sending acknowledgements upon receipt of a selected number of packets.
US07925774B2
The present disclosure relates to playback of video/audio streaming media data to provide a substantially glitch-free experience. The system adapts the media stream to the user connection in order to choose the most desirable stream to avoid glitches. For example, in the case where there is interference (e.g., a microwave being used near a wireless device), the quality of the media stream is lowered. In one embodiment, an index file is used to make logical decisions about which media stream to choose in order to minimize glitches. The index file can take different forms, but, generally, includes characteristics about the available media streams. Example characteristics include the bit rates of the media streams and quality information about the media streams.
US07925765B2
Communication software to aid portable computers monitor, and correct problems accessing a network through a wireless access point. The software controls the exchange of information with other portable computers in the vicinity of the wireless access point. The information exchanged may be used to diagnose problems at the wireless layer, the network layer, the transport layer or the application layer. The information exchanged may provide information about the configuration of computers that successfully or unsuccessfully communicate through the wireless access point. A portable computer receiving this configuration information may compare it to similar information about its own configuration to diagnose problems. Such software may be of particular benefit for portable computers experiencing difficulty connecting to a network at a wireless hot spot.
US07925759B2
System for decentralized storage and rapid retrieval of medical data among geographically separate locations, connected by data paths of limited bandwidth, which optimizes transmission therebetween. Medical data is separated into bulk content and metadata. Metadata is transmitted to all locations. Bulk content is copied to selected locations based on desired duplication, available storage, distance, transmission cost, data path bandwidth or utilization, likelihood of retrieval calculated from the metadata, requests to use or prior usage of content or information from a system that manages the content. Transmission rate is limited and bulk content is queued for transmission based on priority calculated from metadata, from requests to use content or information from a system that manages the content. Optimal locations for bulk content are recalculated based on requests to use content, new patient appointments, data path or equipment failures. Copies are made or deleted. Distributed lists of locations for content are updated.
US07925747B2
A monitoring system is provided that allows owners of monitoring accounts to share web monitoring data collected under the direction of the monitoring account. Account owners are able to interact with the monitoring system to identify recipient accounts for shared web monitoring data and apply permissions at a granular level so that portions of monitored data can be shared with varying permission levels. Grouping can also be employed by an account owner to facilitate efficient sharing of monitoring data to many recipient accounts. The monitoring system also provides analysis utilities that can be used by a recipient account to aggregate shared with owned data and generate related reports as desired.
US07925746B1
A refrigerated server rack that may be used in a server room to cool computing equipment. The refrigerated server rack may contain a cooling unit or include a cooling inlet to receive chilled air to cool the computing equipment within the server rack. The self contained server rack has a modular design such that it may be easily integrated into mounting point within a data center. As the requirements of the data center change, server racks may be added or removed to provide scalability. As the racks are added or removed, a monitoring application discovers the server racks and equipment contained therein. The server rack and equipment may then be configured to operate within the data center computing infrastructure. Because only the interior of the self-contained server rack is cooled to maintain a proper operating environment for the computing equipment, there is no need to cool entirety of the data center.
US07925745B2
The present invention has: a data deriving section 610 that derives from an information processing apparatus having a management function for the client-server system state data representative of an apparatus state of the information processing apparatus, when the data deriving section receives a notification of occurrence of a breakdown by the information processing apparatus; a breakdown classification section 620 that classifies breakdown associated with the notification into a breakdown type corresponding to a seriousness of breakdown, of two or more breakdown types that are mutually different in seriousness of breakdown; and a data storage section 630 that stores the state data derived from the data deriving section 610 in a storage area corresponding to the breakdown type classified by the breakdown classification section, of two or more storage areas associated with said two or more breakdown types, respectively.
US07925739B2
A system and method for policy-based advertising. According to an embodiment, an advertisement server receives a request for advertising content from a user computer over a network, the advertising content associated with an advertising policy specifying one or more usage conditions to be met by a user of the user computer in connection with the advertising content in order for the user to qualify for a promotional consideration, provides to the user computer over the network, in response to the request for the advertising content, the advertising content and one or more constraints to be enforced by a content player on the user computer in accordance with the advertising policy, receives from the user computer metering data reflecting usage of the advertising content on the user computer, and determines whether the one or more advertising policy usage conditions have been met based on the received metering data.
US07925733B2
Embodiments of the inventive subject matter use a radix-like counting technique to generate unique object identifiers (OIDs) for managed objects in accordance with a network management protocol. A limit value is utilized to ensure prefix uniqueness for an allocated object identifier. For a level in a managed objects tree with a maximum value of MAX, a suffix MAX-2 will be allocated for a unique object identifier and a suffix MAX-1 will be extended to allow allocation of unique object identifiers with MAX-1 in the prefix, while the suffix MAX-2 will not occur in a prefix for a unique object identifier. Embodiments of the inventive subject matter allow for generation of unique object identifiers in constant bound time O(1). Additionally, the number of OIDs generated is not limited by the maximum value of an integer 232−1.
US07925730B1
A method and system for sensor network localization including communicating with a plurality of directly neighboring sensor nodes to determine a patch in a sensor network, localizing the patch, generating a system of equations from computed local coordinates of the patch, incorporating global coordinates of a plurality of sensor nodes into the system of equations, and solving the equations using a distributed equation solver is described. The described methods and systems have utility in the arts of military, radio, police, fire, rescue, business, travel, and other diverse applications.
US07925714B2
A remote-operated unit of a user terminal apparatus remote-operated through network from a remote terminal apparatus of a support staff sends image information of a changed portion to the remote terminal apparatus to display a business screen in an interlocked manner when a change is detected in the business screen displayed by a business processing unit with an image-information transmission unit. When an operation-information reception unit receives remote operation information of a mouse or keyboard from the remote terminal apparatus, a remote-operation prohibited region management unit refers to a remote-operation prohibited region table and prohibits remote operation if the remote operation information is within the operation prohibited region.
US07925708B2
The disclosure describes systems and methods delivering communications associated with delivery conditions in which the occurrence of the delivery condition is determined by monitoring information received from a plurality of sources via multiple communication channels. The message delivery systems allow messages to be delivered to any “Who, What, When, Where” from any “Who, What, When, Where” upon the detection of an occurrence of one or more “Who, What, When, Where” delivery conditions. A message (which may be any data object including text-based messages, audio-based message such as voicemail or other audio such as music or video-based prerecorded messages) is delivered in accordance with delivery conditions based on any available data, including topical, spatial, temporal, and/or social data. Furthermore, because the systems coordinate delivery of messages via multiple communication channels and through multiple devices, the communication channel for delivery of a message may be dynamically determined based on the delivery conditions.
US07925706B2
A method for handling electronic messages comprising: determining if a stored email addressed to a user includes an identifier; determining by an email server if an email addressed to a user includes an identifier; determining if the identifier is valid upon determining the email includes the identifier; and filtering the email upon determining either the email does not include the identifier or the identifier is not valid.
US07925705B2
A terminal device, which is to be connected to the network together with other terminal devices and a host device to operate the terminal device, includes an output device that outputs perceptually recognized information, a self-pattern storing system that stores information on an expression pattern for the terminal device, a configuring system that configures the information into the self-pattern storing system, an output executing system that makes the output device output the expression pattern, based upon the written information, an obtaining system that obtains information on expression patterns for the other terminal devices, and a setting system that defines an expression pattern different from any of the expression patterns for the other terminal devices as the expression pattern for the terminal device, based upon the obtained information, and sets information on the defined expression pattern as the information to be written.
US07925704B2
A computer implemented method comprising receiving a list of one or more contact points from a sender and comparing the list of one or more contact points to a satellite server's do-not-contact list. Any contact point on the list of one or more contact points that appears on the satellite server's do-not-contact list is reported to the sender. The satellite server's do-not-contact list is generated from a do-not-contact list distributed by a master server. A registrant registers with the master server to provide a registrant contact point to be on the do-not-contact list to be distributed by the master server. The contact points in the registry may be organized in a hierarchy with preferences at one or more levels.
US07925702B2
A novel real time Internet communication system is disclosed. It is a novel way for users to collaborate on the fly, and without having to own or download any programs that then stay resident on the user's computer. Users collaborate in an online environment where they communicate through chat room type dialogue, while at the same time, one or more users designated as leaders guide the other participants' browsers to selected sites on a distributed network or the Internet. It is marketed under a novel business system that makes highly productive software available to businesses and end users, but which is not purchased by customers or end users, has no conventional distribution system, and never requires update, installation or rollout by the customer or end user.
US07925698B2
Some embodiments provide a system for synchronizing participant copies of presentation data during a collaboration session. A presenter/server controlling the session sends synchronization commands when a change in state of the presentation data occurs. The synchronization commands can be received by a mobile communication device and then forwarded to the participant computer system where it is used to synchronize the copy of the presentation data with the presenter/server.
US07925687B2
A saturating count counts received event signals up to a first predetermined number. An overflow counter counts overflows up to a second predetermined number. The counter indicates overflow when the overflow count is non-zero and saturates and stops counting at a maximum count when the overflow count reaches the second predetermined number. The counter can be read via a register read operation. The sum of the sum of the first predetermined number of bits and the second predetermined number of bits being an integral multiple of 8 bits.
US07925679B2
Disclosed is a technique for result set management. One or more result sets are stored. Each result set was generated by executing a query. When at least one of a number of result sets that may be stored and a number of bucket tables that may hold result sets is modified, it is determined whether any of the one or more result sets are to be removed. When it is determined that one or more of the result sets are to be removed, those result sets are removed.
US07925676B2
A fact repository stores objects. Each object includes a collection of facts, where a fact comprises an attribute and a value. A set of objects from the fact repository are designated for analysis. The presentation engine presents the facts of the objects in a user interface (UI) having a table. Through manipulation of the UI, an end-user can add or remove facts from the table, and sort the table based on the values of particular facts. The presentation engine also presents the facts of the objects in a UI having a graph. Through manipulation of the UI, the end-user can add or remove facts from the graph, and can sort the facts shown in the graph based on values that are shown, or not shown, in the graph. The presentation engine can further present the facts of the objects in UIs including maps and timelines.
US07925665B2
The processing of a query that is submitted to a central controlling server where the central controlling server sources data from one or more backend databases and where such data is referenced by subqueries associated with the query is disclosed.
US07925662B2
Methods, systems, apparatus and computer-readable media are disclosed for generating extract files. A first example method is disclosed for generating an extract file. The method includes receiving a data request and analyzing the data request to identify at least one record of at least one file containing data associated with the data request. The method also includes extracting the identified records and formatting the identified records according to a comma separated value format. The method further includes outputting an extract file containing the formatted records. Other methods, apparatus, systems and computer readable media are disclosed for generating extract files.
US07925656B2
Markup language node level hash join operations for evaluating a query language query are performed. The markup language node level hash join mechanism, i.e. the “XHashJoin” operator, is a multi-way join operator that uses two hash tables, BUILD and PROBE, to intersect document nodes from multiple index scans and to buffer intermediate query results. The BUILD hash table stores document nodes matching the predicates of a query, and buffers document nodes satisfying extraction nodes, of each portion of the query up to a current portion of the query being evaluated. The BUILD hash table and the PROBE hash table are switched at each portion of the query being evaluated. Query results are generated by linking document nodes buffered in the BUILD hash table based on the semantics of each extraction node.
US07925649B2
A method, system, and graphical user interface for alerting a computer user to new results for a prior search are disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a graphical user interface on a computer that includes a plurality of links recommended by a search engine for a computer user. The plurality of links are determined by the search engine by: producing search results by rerunning a plurality of search queries that have been performed previously for the computer user; and evaluating the produced search results to select search results that meet predefined search result selection criteria. At least one of the criteria is based on Internet usage data for the user.
US07925636B2
A repository has a database containing a number of artifacts storing data and a system device model defining various entities, including the artifacts and properties used in the artifacts. To update a system device model in database an extension package is passed to the repository. Update software identifies differences introduced by the extension package that are only permitted if the data in the artifacts is compatible and updates the database if and only if the data and extension package are compatible.
US07925632B2
In one embodiment, a method for providing a transient data facility for database applications includes creating a definition of transient data that corresponds to a unit of work to be performed by an application, and mapping the definition of transient data to a temporary storage table. The method further includes storing the transient data in the temporary storage table while the application performs the unit of work spanning one or more user sessions, and deleting the transient data after the application completes the unit of work.
US07925627B1
The present invention is a system and method for reconciling results returned from a multi-protocol scan of a NAS system. Certain NAS systems use different protocols. Some may use the NFS protocol, whereas others may use the CIFS protocol. A scan of the NAS may therefore produce two data object names for a single data object. When a storage virtualization system is tasked with acting as an intermediary between the client and the NAS, these two data object names will cause errors during data migration, synchronization or redirection. The present invention is a method for using the results of a multi-protocol scan of the NAS in order to reconcile data object names that may present differently depending on the protocol applied.
US07925626B2
A composite storage server employs a plurality of distributed storage sites including a mount site, a source copy site and one or more copy target sites for executing a storage of volume data within the composite storage server. In operation, an immediate copy target site receives a communication of a source copy complete message from the mount site, the source copy complete message being indicative of the source copy site having a complete copy of the volume data. Based on the source copy complete message, the immediate copy target site pulls the volume data from a peer distributed storage site having a complete copy of the volume data (e.g., the source copy site, the mount site or another copy target site).
US07925623B2
Embodiments of this invention provide primary magnetic disk data storage capacity to clients while at the same time making sure that client data is replicated locally and at an offsite location to protect from all forms of data loss.
US07925616B2
A reporting system that incorporates a context sensitive prompt object in a report definition to enable questions to be answered automatically by the reporting system (e.g., decision support system, business intelligence and OLAP) at report execution time. The context sensitive prompt object is an object separate from the report such that the context sensitive prompt object may be used by a plurality of different reports. The answer is defined at least in part by a contextual feature of the report execution.
US07925613B2
An action efficiency support apparatus includes a detection unit, a storage unit, a calculation unit and a judgment unit. The detection unit detects an activity to acquire activity information. The storage unit stores the activity information. The calculation unit calculates a probability pattern as to presence or absence of the activity in a predetermined period or a probability pattern a frequency of the activity in the predetermined period, based on the activity information. The judgment unit judges an effect of personal action based on the calculated probability pattern.
US07925611B1
The present invention relates to systems and methods that facilitates rendering of data in an industrial automation environment. According to an aspect of the invention, a device analyzer can determine properties associated with a plurality of devices intended for delivery of data. An HMI generator can format the data respectively in accordance with the determined properties of the devices and deliver the formatted data to the respective devices.
US07925606B1
A monitoring system is provided. The monitoring system comprises a first storage queue containing rules ready for processing, an event storage containing events, and a plurality of first processor threads configured to execute any one of the rules contained in the first storage queue based on the contents of the event storage. The system also comprises a rules processor configured to receive a plurality of events from a plurality of monitored locations, to add the event to the event storage, to remove a first rule from the first storage queue, to provide the first rule to one of the first processor threads for executing, to receive a first result from the one of the first processor threads, and to send a first notification based on the first result.
US07925602B2
Described is a technology by which a maximum entropy model used for classification is trained with a significantly lesser amount of training data than is normally used in training other maximum entropy models, yet provides similar accuracy to the others. The maximum entropy model is initially parameterized with parameter values determined from weights obtained by training a vector space model or an n-gram model. The weights may be scaled into the initial parameter values by determining a scaling factor. Gaussian mean values may also be determined, and used for regularization in training the maximum entropy model. Scaling may also be applied to the Gaussian mean values. After initial parameterization, training comprises using training data to iteratively adjust the initial parameters into adjusted parameters until convergence is determined.
US07925591B2
A retailer facilitates issuance of a digital license from a licensor to a customer for a corresponding piece of digital content. The retailer receives payment for the license from the customer, where the payment is to be shared with the licensor in a pre-determined manner. The retailer also receives customer-based information from the customer. The retailer then composes an actual license request including the obtained customer-based information, and including retailer-based information identifying the retailer to the licensor and acknowledging to the licensor that the retailer owes a portion of the received payment to the licensor. Thereafter, the retailer forwards the actual license request to the licensor. The licensor notes based on the retailer-based information in the actual license request that the retailer identified thereby owes the licensor at least a portion of the forwarded payment. If an individual sends a license request directly to the licensor and thus fails to forward payment for the license to a retailer, the actual license request as composed by the individual fails to include the retailer-based information. Accordingly, the licensor refuses to issue a license as requested based on the lack of retailer-based information.
US07925587B2
A method is used in a system that includes a financial service provider coordinating accounts issued by an issuer to cardholders requesting credit from merchants. The method can be performed by a merchant sending a transmission to its acquirer including a request for a transaction against one account to which the merchant receives a denial or prior to receiving such a denial. The merchant then requests information from the financial service provider who responds by sending the requested information, upon which the merchant determines whether to extend the credit. When the method is performed by a financial service provider, in response to the denial received by one merchant or prior to such denial, the financial service provider receives a transmission from the merchant including a request for information about the account. In response, the financial service provider sends the merchant the requested information.
US07925586B2
A method and system for escrow service for web-based transactions, such as multi-currency web-based transactions, is web-accessible and accepts registrations from exchanges and/or portal partners. The completion of registration and transactions is allowed to entitled users who access the system via the web. The system maintains an internal banking engine to act as a deal manager, messaging service and accounts sub-ledger and escrows funds entrusted to it. The transaction process is composed of a number of transaction statuses, and reporting of those statuses to users is accomplished online and via web query. The system provides local currency/multi-currency capability and supports several methods of payment, such as credit cards, authorized Automated Clearing House (ACH) or equivalent direct debit/credit and wire transfer payments, and all funds movements are electronic. The system supports transaction level detail through its banking engine accounts; funds movements from its currency accounts, and escrows funds to currency based escrow accounts. Buyers completing goods/services inspections after delivery initiate settlements.
US07925580B2
In the present invention, a system and method is provided for making insurance policies and products, consumer goods, property taxes, household obligations and credit card debt more affordable by paying for such items, (collectively known as goods and services) through residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit and any other residential liens, by amending the interest rates or the balances due or a combination of both the interest rate and the balance due on such mortgages. The interest rates and/or balances charged on the aforementioned secured loans will be increased sufficiently to collect enough money each month to pay participating homeowners' monthly payments for their homeowner's insurance or other debts and products they chose to include within their mortgages. Because interest paid on most mortgages is tax deductible, this invention has the potential to offer a significant financial benefit.
US07925579B1
A method of managing pipeline risk comprises processing a plurality of mortgage loan applications and managing pipeline risk based on status information for the mortgage loan applications. The processing is performed by a computer-implemented workflow engine responsive to user inputs. The processing includes prompting a user to perform tasks that need to be performed in connection with the mortgage loan applications and maintaining status information relating to status of the tasks that need to be performed. The pipeline risk is managed based on the status information for the mortgage loan applications maintained by the workflow engine.
US07925578B1
Systems and methods relate to generating a unified determination based on a subdetermination, and in particular, generating a unified score based on respective scores. For example, the invention provides a method for generating a unified determination based on subdeterminations, the method including generating a first subdetermination based on first criteria; generating a second subdetermination based on second criteria; and generating a unified determination based on the first subdetermination and the second subdetermination. The generation of the unified determination includes (a) assigning, using iterative processing, an assigned weighting respectively to the first determination and second determination; (b) determining if the assigned weighting satisfies at least one constraint; (c) comparing the assigned weighting to an optimized weighting, which was previously determined, to determine if the assigned weighting is improved over the optimized weighting; and (d) if the assigned weighting is improved, then assigning the assigned weighting to be the optimized weighting.
US07925575B2
A graphical interface and method are provided for selectively displaying market information corresponding to a plurality of tradeable objects. According to one example method, a scanning feature is provided in relation to a number of tradeable object indicators. Upon detecting a predefined movement of a user input device in relation to the plurality of indicators, a graphical interface dynamically displays market information corresponding to the tradeable objects as a predefined movement of the user input device is detected in relation to the tradeable object indicators.
US07925572B2
Methods and investment instruments for investing in real estate are described wherein a portfolio of investment real estate is divided into a plurality of tenant-in-common deeds of predetermined denominations, and which are subject to a master agreement and master lease to form “deedshares.” Holders of the deedshares receive a guaranteed income stream from the master lease and yearly depreciation, without having to maintain or manage the real estate. The holders of deedshares are subject, under the master agreement, to a mechanism that enables the master tenant to purchase, or arrange for the purchase of the deedshares at fair market value (or some other calculable value) at the end of a specified term. Because the deedshares qualify as interests in investment real estate, they are eligible for tax-deferred treatment under §1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.
US07925570B2
A method, executed in a computer system, for opening an electronic market for trading of a security is described. The method includes receiving by the computer system eligible orders and quotes for the security traded in the electronic market and disseminating an order imbalance indicator indicative of predicted trading characteristics of the security at the open of trading. The method also includes determining by the computer system a price or prices at which the maximum shares would be executed and determining which price would minimize any imbalance of eligible orders and executing at least some of the eligible orders at the determined opening price.
US07925561B2
In one aspect, the invention comprises acquiring background data regarding securities positions and regarding real-time pricing data; performing calculations regarding intermediate measures of performance of the securities; receiving configuration data for a portfolio of securities and one or more data requests, at least one of the data requests comprising a request for a value at risk report regarding the portfolio; and providing a value at risk report based on a Parkinson's volatility estimation. In another aspect, the invention comprises displaying a tree structure display in a first portion of a graphical user interface display; in response to a user selecting an item from the tree structure display, displaying a corresponding listing in a tabular display in a second portion of the graphical user interface display; and in response to the user selecting a listing in the tabular display, displaying a corresponding item in the tree structure display.
US07925555B2
A method and apparatus containing a single master system of record that provides a record of all paper and electronic transactions during a predetermined period of time, that provides capability for directing the retrieval of images stored in multiple and distributed owned and un-owned archives, and that provides a link to all assisting transaction informational data and images, e.g. e-signature, pictures, and handwriting is provided.
US07925550B2
A system and a method enable supply chain solutions for regulated industries. The embodiments facilitate regulatory and tax compliance management integrated with smart inventory and e-warehouse management solutions. The embodiments are applicable to heavily regulated industries such as, for example, beverages, food, oil, pharmachemicals, and chemicals.
US07925544B2
A universal shopping cart is provided that obtains and orders products and services from different merchants located on the Internet. The consumer completes all of their shopping on the shopping site and is not directed to another merchant's site to complete an order. The universal shopping cart provides a monitoring service that allows the consumer to monitor a product for specified criteria. The order injection system places orders for products contained within the universal shopping cart from affiliated and non-affiliated merchants. Specific ordering details required from merchants external to the shopping site are hidden from the consumer. For external merchant sites that require a consumer account before allowing the product to be purchased, the shopping site creates a new consumer account without intervention from the consumer. Once the products are ordered, the consumer may keep track of the ordered products from the shopping site.
US07925543B2
An Internet wire-mesh merchandising system comprises a webserver for generating a web presence. Potential customers are allowed to log-on to a website operated by a retailer, distributor, and manufacturer. An HTML product page includes navigation buttons that link to other HTML product pages. Each page further includes JPG or GIF type pictures that allow the shopper to see a particular product corresponding to a presently displayed HTML product page. A group of alternate-view buttons link to other pictures of the same product that show variations or different perspectives. A set of four navigation buttons permit the shopper to hyperlink to HTML product pages. Once the link is taken, a graphic is presented. The list of hyperlinks includes only those HTML product pages that represent available combinations. A “price” and an “order” hypertext allow the shopper to see the product price for the selected item and to order it electronically.
US07925536B2
Non video data regarding a point of sale (POS) transaction is received. POS primitives are generated based on the received non video POS data. Video data regarding a corresponding POS transaction is received. Video primitives are generated based on the received video data. An exceptional transaction is inferred based on a corresponding exceptional transaction rule and at least one of the generated POS primitives or video primitives.
US07925535B2
A system and method for securing a Radio Frequency (RF) transaction using a RF identification device (RFID) transaction device is provided. The method includes a RFID transaction device including a random number generator for generating a random number. The random number may be used by an account issuer to verify the validity of a RFID transaction device or RFID reader communicating on the RF transaction network. The authorizing agent may receive the random number and compare the random number to a device validating code.
US07925528B2
Estimating and scheduling additional calendar time in preparation for electronically called meetings
Method, apparatus, and computer program products for estimating, scheduling, and tracking preparatory work associated with electronic meeting invitations. When a meeting invitation is received and tentatively accepted, preparation time for associated work is estimated programmatically from characteristics of documents associated with the meeting invitation. A floating block of time is created, subject to the constraint that it must be completed before the meeting convenes, and added to the user's electronic calendar.
US07925526B2
A production unit for which a schedule of tasks is to be accomplished is prepared and stored in a central management device. The unit includes individual electronic devices, control stations, and a network linking the individual electronic devices and the control stations to the central management device. Each individual electronic device includes a device to input the tasks accomplished and problems encountered and further includes a transmission device for information input. The central management device compares data received with the schedule of tasks, generates a warning signal when the comparison detects a gap or discrepancy between the data received and the schedule of tasks, and transmits the warning signal to the individual electronic devices and control stations. The individual electronic devices and the control stations include a device to display the warning signal.
US07925521B2
A system for managing remote doctor medical request workflow may include a workflow module that optimizes assignments of medical requests to remote doctors based on parameterized doctor and scheduling information and may further include a forecasting module that predicts the hospital credentials, state licenses or doctors needed to fulfill a projected volume of future medical requests. In one embodiment, radiologists are parameterized and then matched with requests for radiological readings based on information extracted from DICOM image headers and merged with associated information contained in a medical work order. In this embodiment, the radiologists are parameterized based on their locations, schedules, hospital credentials, state licensing, compensation metrics, and performance metrics and incoming requests for review of CT scans and the like are filtered based on the parameterized radiologist information to identify one or more radiologists who are to fulfill the medical request.
US07925519B2
The current invention is directed to methods for reducing the cost of healthcare by improving the standard of care and by encouraging healthy behavior. Additionally, the methods of the current invention are designed to help improve clinical and economic outcomes through the principles of empowerment and accountability. The methods of the current invention provide financial incentives to both the patient and the medical practitioner in an interactive, web-based incentive system that creates appropriate and powerful checks and balances that motivate medical practitioners and patients to participate and to be adherent to beneficial performance standards. The methods of the current invention achieves the objectives of improved healthiness and better and more affordable healthcare by aligning the interests of medical providers, patients/consumers, and healthcare purchasers/payers in a win-win-win proposition. In the invention, purchasers/payers achieve lower healthcare consumption and costs by compensating medical providers and patients to declare compliance to beneficial performance standards on an intermediary's Internet application, and then having both parties confirm each other's compliance. The methods of the current invention incorporates evidence-based medicine treatment guidelines and content and other performance standards, and dispenses information therapy and other similar types of content through an Internet application or by other means to improve the standard of healthcare treatment and promote healthy behavior, which leads to better clinical outcomes and a reduction in the overall cost of healthcare.
US07925511B2
There is provided a system and method for secure voice identification in a medical device. More specifically, in one embodiment, there is provided a method comprising receiving an audio signal, identifying one or more frequency components of the received audio signal, determining a permission level associated with the one or more frequency components, determining a medical device command associated with the one or more frequency components, wherein the medical device command has a permission level, and executing the medical device command if the permission level of the medical device command is at or below the permission level associated with the one or more frequency components.
US07925506B2
The invention provides a system and method for improving speech recognition. A computer software system is provided for implementing the system and method. A user of the computer software system may speak to the system directly and the system may respond, in spoken language, with an appropriate response. Grammar rules may be generated automatically from sample utterances when implementing the system for a particular application. Dynamic grammar rules may also be generated during interaction between the user and the system. In addition to arranging searching order of grammar files based on a predetermined hierarchy, a dynamically generated searching order based on history of contexts of a single conversation may be provided for further improved speech recognition. Dialogue between the system and the user of the system may be recorded and extracted for use by a speech recognition engine to refine or create language models so that accuracy of speech recognition relevant to a particular knowledge area may be improved.
US07925502B2
Pitch is tracked for individual samples, which are taken much more frequently than an analysis frame. Speech is identified based on the tracked pitch and the speech components of the signal are removed with a time-varying filter, leaving only an estimate of a time-varying speech signal. This estimate is then used to generate a time-varying noise model which, in turn, can be used to enhance speech related systems.
US07925500B2
In a pitch conversion method and device which can reduce data throughput while suppressing a degradation of sound quality due to a pitch conversion as much as possible, an input signal pitch pattern per predetermined processing unit and a target pitch pattern are inputted, and a degradation degree indicating how a waveform of the input signal degrades upon pitch conversion from the input signal pitch pattern to the target pitch pattern is calculated. Alternatively, a degradation degree corresponding to a voice state and a phonemic type of the input signal is extracted from a database in which all of combinations of voice states and phonemic types estimated are associated with the degradation degrees to be recorded. Then, a pitch converter which performs a pitch conversion with small data throughput and a pitch converter which performs a pitch conversion with large data throughput are switched over depending on the degradation degree.
US07925498B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that identifies a synonym with N-gram agreement for a query phrase. During operation, the system receives a candidate synonym for the query phrase. Then, for each term in the query phrase, the system determines whether the term is a lexical synonym of a corresponding term in the candidate synonym or the term shares meaning with the corresponding term in the candidate synonym. If this is true for all terms in the query phrase, the system identifies the candidate synonym as an N-gram agreement synonym for the query phrase. The system then uses this identified N-gram agreement synonym to improve synonym mappings for query terms and/or query phrases.
US07925497B2
An information service apparatus provides information described in a language suitable for a user. The information service apparatus has an operation panel on which operation information on the information service apparatus is displayed: It is judged whether or not information can be provided in a language designated by discrimination information contained in a request from a terminal. When it is determined that the information in the language designated by the discrimination information cannot be provided, an operation panel language used for displaying the operation information on the operation panel is set as the language used for providing the information.
US07925491B2
Method and framework for identifying optimal allocations of computing resources in a complex, distributed data processing environment. A plurality of server models are established, with each server model including one or more server nodes and each server node having an associated set of capacity attributes. Similarly, a plurality of service models are established, each service model including one or more service nodes and each service node having an associated set of demand attributes. The server models are defined with a layered relationship as are the service models. A node that is part of a model in one layer corresponds to a model in the next-lower layer. The invention generates optimized mappings of service nodes that are described in user-selected service models to server nodes that are described in user-selected server models, as a function of the associated sets of demand and capacity attributes.
US07925485B2
A structure and method comprises a data structure representing a characteristic of an object in the virtual interactive environment. The device further comprises a client simulator to perform a first simulation of the characteristic of the object in the virtual interactive environment and a server simulator to perform a second simulation of the characteristic of the object in the virtual interactive environment. The device further comprises a synchronizer to synchronize the first and the second simulations.
US07925480B2
A simulation system [200] models and optimizes parameters for a pulsed liquid slug boring system employing an energetic fluid [7]. The simulation system [200] employs a fluid flow energy unit [251], an exhaust and retention energy unit [253] and a comminuting energy unit [255] to calculate energies of the system. Total energy unit [257] combines these energies. Fluid flow energy unit 251 receives fluid volume and calculates the fluid flow energy. Exhaust and retention energy unit 253 receives input from the exhaust energy volume unit [243] and mission duration unit [211] to determine the exhaust and retention energy. Comminuting energy unit 255 receives hole depth and hole diameter and specific energy of rock to determine the require comminuting energy. The simulation system [200] operates to determine optimum values of design parameters by searching for the minimum energy solution.
US07925478B2
A method for automatically designing a buffer packing size and a computer accessible storage media to store program thereof are provided. First, a buffer thickness of a buffer material is calculated, and a buffer area for a surface of the object receiving an impact is calculated according to a weight of an object and a static stress of the buffer material. Next, a suitable buffer packing size is automatically calculated according to the buffer thickness and the buffer area.
US07925476B2
A method is described for combining models of a plurality of theory solvers in order to produce a model which may be satisfiable by each of the plurality of theory solvers. A model is accessed for a first theory solver which is satisfiable in the first theory solver. It is determined that one or more equalities are implied by the model and it is determined if the equalities are compatible with a second solver. The model is updated in accordance any equalities determined not to be compatible with the second solver. A method is also described for mutation of models using freedom intervals. A freedom interval is determined for a variable within a model and the model is updates by choosing a value for the variable which lies within the freedom interval.
US07925471B2
Brings the response time of a Web server and the like closer to a targeted value. A controller controlling the average response time elapsed between reception by information processing apparatus of a processing request and response of information processing apparatus to the processing request. The controller including: a section for obtaining a response time goal which is a target value of the average response time; a section for calculating a predicted response time which is a predicted value of the average response time at the time point when a predetermined reference period has elapsed from setting an operation mode in the information processing apparatus, the operation mode being any of a plurality of operation modes which provide different throughputs; and a section for setting the operation mode in the information processing apparatus if predicted response time calculated by the predicted response time calculating section is less than goal.
US07925469B2
A Sensor Web formed of a number of different sensor pods. Each of the sensor pods include a clock which is synchronized with a master clock so that all of the sensor pods in the Web have a synchronized clock. The synchronization is carried out by first using a coarse synchronization which takes less power, and subsequently carrying out a fine synchronization to make a fine sync of all the pods on the Web. After the synchronization, the pods ping their neighbors to determine which pods are listening and responded, and then only listen during time slots corresponding to those pods which respond.
US07925467B2
An orientation calculation apparatus obtains data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an image pickup device, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device. Firstly, the orientation calculation apparatus calculates an orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor. Secondly, the orientation is corrected in accordance with acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor. Further, the orientation is corrected in accordance with an image of a predetermined subject to be taken by the image pickup device.
US07925463B2
Aspects of a method and system for compensating temperature readings from a temperature sensing crystal integrated circuit are provided. In this regard, a temperature indication and calibration voltages from a temperature sensing crystal integrated circuit (TSCIC) may be digitized and the digital signals may be utilized to calculate a compensated temperature indication. Data derived from a memory integrated within the TSCIC may be retrieved based on the compensated temperature indication. The retrieved data may be utilized to control operation of one or more circuits. The compensated temperature indication may be calculated by removing a gain error and/or offset error from the digitized temperature indication. The compensated temperature indication may be utilized as an index for a data table. The compensated temperature indication may be a normalized compensated temperature indication. The calibration voltages may include a minimum voltage and/or a maximum voltage that the TSCIC is operable to output.
US07925454B1
A process for determining a remaining useful life for a turbine airfoil that suffers from erosion or corrosion damage in order to reuse a component that still has acceptable remaining life. The process includes the steps of removing the damaged component, scanning the damaged component with an optical scanner such as a white light scanner to produce a 3D solid model of the damaged component, scanning a new component to produce a 3D solid model of the undamaged component, comparing the two 3D solid models to determine the amount of damage on the damaged component, determining the length of time the damaged component was used and the temperature at which it was exposed, and analyzing the 3D solid model of the damaged component to determine how much longer the part can be used before the component will suffer critical damage or the engine will suffer unacceptable performance.
US07925448B2
A method of determining kinetic parameters for a reversible molecular interaction between a ligand immobilized to a solid support surface and a binding partner to the ligand in solution, comprises sequentially, without intermediate regeneration or renewal of the immobilized ligand, flowing a plurality of fluid volumes containing different known concentrations of the binding partner over the solid support surface, monitoring the momentary amount of binding partner bound to the solid support surface related to time and solution concentration of binding partner and collecting the binding data, and determining the kinetic parameters by globally fitting a predetermined kinetic model for the interaction between the binding partner and the immobilized ligand to the collected binding data, which model allows for mass transport limitation at the solid support surface. An analytical system for carrying out the method, a computer program, a computer program product and a computer system for performing the method are also disclosed.
US07925447B2
The exemplary embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for calculating a probability. An input is received, wherein the input comprises a PQ tree. The leaf nodes of the PQ tree are counted to form a number of leaf nodes. A factorial value of the number of leaf nodes is calculated to form a denominator. A hash value of a frontier of all permutations of the PQ tree is calculated to form a numerator. A ratio of the numerator to the denominator is determined to form a result. The result is displayed to a user.
US07925445B2
A read-write assay system includes providing an assay device; and writing assay device information to the assay device for subsequent reading of the assay device information from the assay device; or performing an assay with the assay device and subsequent writing of the assay related information to the assay device or reading of assay related information from the assay device.
US07925443B2
Method for conducting an efficient and interpretable controlled-source electromagnetic reconnaissance survey for buried hydrocarbons. While a part of the survey area is being set up for measurement and data are being acquired, data from a nearby part of the survey area, surveyed just previously, are being rapidly processed and analyzed. If the analysis shows resistive anomalies of interest in a portion of a survey area, a fine-grid survey is quickly designed for that portion, and that survey is conducted next before moving source and receivers to a more distant part of the survey area.
US07925438B2
A navigation system displays a route guidance list on a monitor screen in an intuitive and organized manner so that a user can easily understand information regarding the maneuvering locations and actions associated with the route to the destination. The route guidance list is structured in a layered manner so that the information regarding the maneuvering actions at the locations closer to the current user position will be prioritized. For example, in the route guidance list, the information regarding the immediate maneuvering location and action is more detailed, enlarged, and highlighted than the others. The navigation system displays the route guidance list in which the information regarding the maneuvering locations and actions will be dynamically changed in response to the changes of the current location of the user.
US07925434B2
An image-related information displaying system includes: a host system having a three-dimensional land feature/place name information database and a delivery service subscriber list database; and multiple mobile terminal devices, each of which receives land feature/place name information from the host system and is connected to a base station via respective radio channels The base station is connected to a network, such as a wired public telephone circuit network, and the host system is connected thereto. Individual mobile terminal devices and the host system are bilaterally connected via the radio channels and the network which both reach to the base station. The base station corresponds to a base station managed by a cellular phone service provider when cellular phones are used as radio transmitter-receiver means. The host system includes the three-dimensional land feature/place name information database and the delivery service subscriber list database. Data on three-dimensional coordinates of representative points which represent land features, for example, throughout Japan, and the corresponding name and information are registered in the three-dimensional land feature/place name information database in the host system. The host system includes a retrieval processor unit for performing a process of retrieving land feature information from the three-dimensional land feature/place name information database in response to a request for the land feature information from one of the mobile terminal devices, and a transmitter-receiver unit for transmitting and receiving data between the host system and each of the mobile terminal devices.
US07925424B2
A method and computer program using airport surveillance data to define common paths taken by vehicles on the airport surface is presented. Position data points for a group of vehicles create separate paths for each of the vehicles in the group. A matrix is created including areas measured between the path of each vehicle in the group and each of the remaining vehicles in the group. A column-wise average for each of the columns in the matrix is calculated, the column having a lowest mean average of all of the columns is determined, and a vector A(J) including the areas and vehicle identifications is created from that column. A difference vector δA(J) is created having the difference between successive entries in the vector A(J), and subgroups with the group are recursively identified using the values in the difference vector.
US07925420B2
Methods and devices for determining and putting in fuel into an internal combustion engine on the basis of an air-fuel ratio in proximity to the stechiometric value, based on the use of the ion current released by a device, positioned on each cylinder of said engine. This ion current is acquired by a Control Unit equipped by means, preferably electronic ones, which implement the invention, repeated continually for each engine cycle and for each cylinder, characterized in that the method develops over various phases.
US07925415B2
In automatic steering control, when both a traveling lane and a preceding vehicle are detected, a target position on a first vehicle traveling path based on traveling lane information and a target position on a second vehicle traveling path based on preceding vehicle information are set as a first target position and a second target position, respectively. When the second target position is set farther than the first target position, the correction amount of the distance between the first target position and the second vehicle traveling path is set in accordance with the distance difference in the front-rear direction between the first and second target positions, and a third target position is set by correcting the first target position by the correction amount so as to become closer to the second vehicle traveling path. The steering control amount is calculated on the basis of the third target position.
US07925414B2
A method and device for influencing the longitudinal velocity of a motor vehicle, in which a setpoint minimum distance and/or a setpoint maximum velocity is presettable by the driver, the driver being able to influence the vehicle velocity via the accelerator pedal and/or brake pedal, and in which the distance from a vehicle traveling ahead is measured by a distance-measuring sensor and, if the setpoint minimum distance is undershot and/or the setpoint maximum velocity is exceeded by the vehicle velocity, the vehicle velocity is limited so that the setpoint minimum distance is not undershot and/or the setpoint maximum velocity is not exceeded. This function is provided, in particular, in connection with an adaptive distance and cruise control system, the driver being able to activate either the adaptive distance and cruise control system or the limiting function.
US07925410B2
A method is provided for efficiently decelerating a vehicle having a braking circuit for braking a set of brake actuators. A flow of pressurized brake fluid is generated within the braking circuit. Normal force parameters exerted on each wheel of the braking circuit are determined. At least one respective brake actuator is isolated from receiving pressurized brake fluid for increasing the flow of pressurized brake fluid to a non-isolated wheel of the brake circuit in response to the normal force parameters.
US07925406B2
A first input torque value estimated when it is determined that an inertia phase has started is stored as an input torque value. Then, the input torque value is updated to a value determined based on the first input torque value and a second input torque value estimated when it is determined that the accelerator pedal has been operated by at least a predetermined amount. When the second input torque value is smaller than the first input torque value, the stored input torque value is updated to a value that is equal to or greater than the first input torque value. When the second input torque value is equal to or greater than the first input torque value, the stored input torque value is updated to the second input torque value.
US07925400B2
The present invention provides an active mounting apparatus for adjusting an input shaft of a rear axle to make an output shaft of a transmission and the input shaft of the rear axle in a straight line. The apparatus includes a mounting bracket, a rotatable support member, a hydraulic cylinder, a hydro supply unit, a suspension geometry measuring sensor, and a control unit. The rotatable support members are rotatably mounted on mounting bracket. The hydraulic cylinder controlled by the control unit activates a clockwise or counterclockwise position angle of rotatable support member. Therefore, even though the rear axle is moved upward or downward due to the change in load during the driving of a vehicle, an output shaft of a transmission and an input shaft of the rear axle are always aligned with each other on one straight line so as to minimize vibration, noise, and the loss of power.
US07925397B2
A vehicle state tracker tracks the state of a vehicle during a diagnostic test sequence to eliminate redundant steps between diagnostic procedures. The vehicle state tracker maintains a list of preconditions required for each diagnostic procedure, reads a current vehicle state from a memory register and verifies the current setting of the vehicle state corresponding to a specific precondition. If the precondition is required and the current setting is not valid, the state tracker further formats a test preparation step corresponding to the precondition for display to instruct a vehicle technician to satisfy the precondition. Otherwise, if the precondition is not required and the corresponding setting is valid, the state tracker formats an instruction to reverse the corresponding vehicle condition. The state tracker additionally receives feedback indicating when a precondition has been satisfied or the corresponding vehicle condition has been reversed, and updates the vehicle state in memory.
US07925393B2
A method and apparatus that generates a 4D flight plan that takes in account weather, metrological data, and safety of flight information for 360 degree horizontal layer at all relevant altitudes and times is disclosed. The method may include receiving a flight plan request from a user, the flight plan including user preferences, receiving meteorological information and safety-of-flight information based on the user's origin, destination and preferences, generating a 4D flight plan based on the meteorological information, safety-of-flight information, and user preferences, and outputting the 4D flight plan for the user.
US07925391B2
A system for providing remote display of an enhanced image comprises at least one image source and a processing element. The processing element is capable of receiving data from the image source, creating an enhanced image with the received data, and transmitting the enhanced image via a wireless link to a display device capable of displaying the enhanced image. The processing element may create the enhanced image by stitching image data from at least two image sources having different fields of view, fusing image data from at least two image sources having different image modalities, or combining image data from at least one image source with synthetic image data. The processing element may be further capable of modifying at least one transmission characteristic based on a bandwidth of the wireless link. The transmission characteristic may be selected from the group comprising field of view, frame rate, resolution, and compression.
US07925390B2
An outer dust collecting filter covers a casing an intake port and an outer fan flows air from an external environment into the casing via the outer dust collecting filter. A clean chamber has an intake port within the casing, an inner dust collecting filter for covering the intake port, and an inner fan for flowing the air within the casing. A control unit controls fan rotating speeds so that a measured pressure within the casing becomes higher at a set value than a measured pressure in the external environment, and a measured pressure within the clean chamber becomes higher at a set value than the measured pressure within the casing.
US07925386B2
The disclosure relates to a control device for a pneumatically operated actuator in the field of process automation, in particular for continuous control of material flows in the industrial environment. The control device has a communications interface for receiving an electrical setpoint value, and an output for the output of a pneumatic fluid, whose pressure is varied as a function of a control deviation. The received electrical setpoint value is suitable as a process parameter. The control device is connected via a communications channel to an actual-value encoder, which is designed to output an electrical signal corresponding to the actual value of the same process parameter.
US07925377B2
Embodiments generally provide an apparatus and method for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system (e.g., a cluster tool) that has an increased system throughput, increased system reliability, substrates processed in the cluster tool have a more repeatable wafer history, and also the cluster tool has a smaller system footprint. In one embodiment of the cluster tool, grouping substrates together, and transferring and processing the substrates in groups of two or more, improves system throughput, and reduces the number of moves a robot has to make to transfer a batch of substrates between the processing chambers, thus reducing wear on the robot and increasing system reliability. Embodiments also provide for a method and apparatus that are used to increase the reliability of the substrate transfer process to reduce system down time.
US07925375B2
A machine for storing objects includes a compartment system with a plurality of compartments and having at least one closure mechanism which can be moved relative to a central, predefined access orifice in the machine housing to permit or prevent access to a specific, individual compartment or to a specific group of adjacent compartments. A driving force of the drive system for the closure mechanism is dimensioned or can be set and/or a drive train or a motion transmitting path between the drive system and closure mechanism has a force or torque limiting device such that maximum force or torque transmitting values acting on the closure mechanism are fixed or can be set so that automatic movements of the closure mechanism can not cause serious injuries to a user, and in addition the closure mechanism can be manually held open or pushed open in spite of the active drive system. The closure mechanism or drive system co-operates with at least one stop mechanism which can be activated and/or deactivated in a controlled manner or positioned in a controlled manner, which is designed mechanically to restrict a maximum permissible opening width of the closure mechanism). This results in an increased degree of personal safety and at the same time protects access to the storage machine.
US07925371B2
An eyeglass lens processing system for processing an eyeglass lens includes: a data inputting device that inputs a left and right target lens shape data and a layout data; a cup attaching device that attaches a lens fixing cup used for processing the eyeglass lens, the cup including an IC tag capable of rewriting data, the cup attaching device including a left/right information inputting unit that inputs which of left and right eyeglass lenses the attached eyeglass lens is, and a writing device that writes processing information including the left/right identifying information to the IC tag; and an eyeglass lens processing device that holds the eyeglass lens and processes the lens, the eyeglass lens processing device including a reading device that reads the information stored to the IC tag and a setting unit that sets the processing information based on the read left/right identifying information.
US07925367B2
The invention proposes a system that interrupts a processing associated with an ADC having low priority when an ADC processing cannot catch up with ADR by an ADC alone that is not under execution but uses an ADC for an ADR having high priority. To preferentially execute ADR/ADC having high priority, the invention employs an algorithm for serially selecting ADR/ADC in the order of higher processing capacity (in the order of greater numerical values in the expression by a DPH unit) from among ADR/ADCs that have the lowest priority, no matter whether the ADR/DC is now under execution or not.
US07925363B2
Upon detection of an error such as a malfunction occurring at a drive mechanism, a sensor transmits an error signal to a control section. The control section selects character information about details of the error corresponding to the error signal and an image representing the drive mechanism where the error occurs and a position of the sensor in the drive mechanism, and reads out the character information and the image from a storage part. Then, the control section allows a liquid crystal display device to display error information in which a first image of character information is combined with a second image of an error occurrence site in the drive mechanism. Then, error correction is sequentially performed in accordance with details of an error displayed as an uppermost layer on a screen.
US07925354B2
A method and apparatus for improving visual acuity when providing a visual image from a “high” resolution input device to a “low” resolution output device. The described invention is of particular use when the output device is an array of electrodes as part of a retinal prosthesis used to restore vision to a visually-impaired patient. In that various limitations may, within the foreseeable future, limit the density of such an electrode array (and thus the resolution of the output image), the present invention teaches techniques to assign processed pixel subsets of a higher resolution image to a single electrode. By varying the pixel subsets, e.g., by jittering, and/or altering the processing criteria, the perceived visual acuity may be further improved. Alternatively and additionally, such processing may be further extended to drive neighboring electrodes in combination to thus stimulate virtual electrode sites and thus further enhance visual acuity.
US07925351B2
Apparatus is provided, including an ingestible capsule, one or more electrodes coupled to the capsule, and a control unit configured to maintain the capsule in a vicinity of a designated site of a subject by driving at least a subset of the electrodes to apply a current that induces reverse intestinal peristalsis in the subject. Other embodiments are also described.
US07925339B2
The invention comprises an apparatus and a method for externally assessing and monitoring placement of an endo-tracheal tube for ventilation of patients based on thoracic impedance measurement.
US07925335B2
An apparatus for determining cardiac performance in the patient involving a conductance catheter (12) for measuring conductance and blood volume in a heart chamber of the patient. The apparatus includes a processor (14) for determining instantaneous volume of the ventricle by applying a non-linear relationship between the measured conductance and the volume of blood in the heart chamber to identify mechanical strength of the chamber. The processor (14) is in communication with the conductance catheter (12).
US07925324B2
A method for defining an antetorsion angle γ of a femur is provided. The antetorsion angle γ is defined by two angles α′ and β that can be determined by means of two images of the femur, wherein the equation tan γ=tan α′/(cos β·cos θ) can be used to calculate the antetorsion angle γ.
US07925321B2
Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. During initial calibration, the analyte sensor data is evaluated over a period of time to determine stability of the sensor. The sensor may be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. The calibration may be updated after evaluating the calibration set for best calibration based on inclusion criteria with newly received reference analyte data. Fail-safe mechanisms are provided based on clinical acceptability of reference and analyte data and quality of sensor calibration. Algorithms provide for optimized prospective and retrospective analysis of estimated blood analyte data from an analyte sensor.
US07925316B2
The mobile terminal apparatus of the present invention includes a housing having an opening section in which an accommodated object is fitted; a lid covering the opening section, the lid having a protrusion which surrounds the opening section and shields the accommodated object from water, on a surface facing the accommodated object; and a cover covering the lid, the cover being attached to the housing to press the lid onto the housing. When the cover is attached to the housing, the protrusion of the lid surrounds the opening section and is pressed onto the housing by the cover, so that the accommodated object can be reliably shielded from water.
US07925314B2
A foldable electronic device including a first frame, a second frame, a first connecting rod, and a second connecting rod is provided. The first connecting rod has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are respectively pivoted on one side of the first frame and the second frame. The second connecting rod has a third end and a fourth end, wherein the third end and the fourth end are respectively pivoted on the other side of the first frame and the second frame. The first connecting rod is suitable for rotating along a first axle, and the second connecting rod is suitable for rotating along a second axle, wherein the first axle is not coaxial with the second axle.
US07925312B2
According to an aspect of an embodiment, a mobile terminal device includes a lower casing, an upper casing, and an intermediate casing, an intermediate casing connected to the lower casing by a hinge structure which enables the intermediate casing to rotate about an axis, the intermediate casing supporting a back surface of the upper casing by a front surface of the intermediate casing, wherein the upper casing has a first groove formed in a vertical direction with respect to the rotation axis on a surface facing the intermediate casing, the intermediate casing has a first portion protruding from a surface facing the upper casing and fitting the groove of the upper casing, and the upper casing is rotatable with respect to the intermediate casing for the portion being guided by the groove.
US07925303B2
Improved methods and apparatuses are provided to address a potential “hidden beam problem” in wireless communication systems employing smart antennas. The improved methods and apparatuses utilize complementary beamforming (CBF) techniques, such as, for example, Subspace Complementary Beamforming (SCBF), Complementary Superposition Beamforming (CSBF) and/or Single Beam Complementary Beamforming (SBCBF) techniques.
US07925292B2
Signals of different cells in a cellular wireless communications system are observed during associated intervals to predict a signal behavior in future. A target cell is selected by observing over time signal characteristics of potential target cells. Thereafter a target cell is selected by using the observed characteristics to predict which potential target cell will in future satisfy certain criteria.
US07925288B2
A remote control-based data sharing system and method for handheld terminals over a communication network are provided. The data sharing system includes a master terminal that transmits a control assignment request and displays a screen image received in response to the control assignment request; a slave terminal that selectively assigns a control to the master terminal in response to the control assignment request and operates in accordance with a control signal received from the master terminal; and a network that establishes wireless communication channels with the master and slave terminals for exchanging signals between the master and slave terminals.
US07925285B2
According to the present invention, Bluetooth master device offset information is determined and distributed among the master devices within a Bluetooth network. The system either provides an offset to each master device or determines master device offsets and distributes this information to master devices within the system to allow or efficient hand-offs of a slave between master devices.
US07925282B2
A method for storing short message service (SMS) messages in a mobile communication terminal includes determining that a storing region corresponding to a Class of a new SMS message is full by detecting a transferable SMS message in the pertinent storing region, transferring the detected SMS message to another storing region, and storing the new SMS message in the pertinent storing region.
US07925280B2
Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating paging of an access terminal. A detector detects delivery at the access terminal of a paging message. The paging message includes a group of identities that are ordered. The ordering is determinative of an extra identity bit conveyed with the paging message.
US07925278B2
A method and system for locating a Wireless electronic device (200) in a wireless communication network (100) is provided. The method includes sending a ranging code (504) by the wireless electronic device to a predefined number of base stations. The method further includes replicating (506) the ranging-code by the predefined number of base stations, for calculating the pseudoranges. Moreover, the method includes locating (508) the wireless electronic device, based on calculations of distance, using a ranging-response message sent by the predefined number of base stations to the wireless electronic device.
US07925277B2
The invention provides a positioning system of positioning a wireless communication apparatus. The positioning system transmits and receives positioning signals which have different frequency bands and generates corresponding positioning values according to the positioning signals. The positioning system then judges and selects positioning values which have less error from the generated positioning values, and calculates an average value of the selected positioning values. Therefore, positioning of the wireless communication apparatus will be more precise. Furthermore, if the positioning system is implemented in a radio-wave-based wireless communication environment, the N positioning signals can be polarized in a linear polarization way, a left-handed circular polarization way or a right-handed circular polarization way, so as to reduce the environmental impact to enhance precision of the positioning.
US07925272B2
The present invention relates to the field of location databases containing position related information, and specifically to a method of providing quick and accurate response to users requesting location dependant data from such database. This speed-up in response is done by storing information that is related to most probable path for travelling users on top of database stack and therefore is easy to find and sent to requesting users.
US07925269B2
A method and system for establishing a channel in a wireless video area network, is provided. Establishing a channel involves scanning available high-rate and low-rate channels, selecting a channel from the available channels with minimal interference with other networks, determining if the selected channel remains available for a listening period, and if the selected channel remains available, then starting communication on the selected channel. The selected channel is a high-rate channel and a corresponding low-rate channel.
US07925266B1
The coverage radii for a number of wireless transmission stations is calculated based on one or both of a link budget analysis and a propagation model. At least one coverage gap may then be identified within a given coverage area of a communications network, and locations selected for new wireless transmission stations based on a location selection criteria. The previously-identified coverage gap information is updated to take into account the wireless coverage to be provided by the new wireless transmission station, after which additional passes of the coverage area may be performed to identify locations for additional new wireless transmission station based on both the location selection criteria and on the updated coverage gap.
US07925262B2
A mobile station performs location registration to one of exchanges managing a location registration area where the mobile station is located, in a mobile communication system in which a plurality of exchanges manage one location registration area and a radio network controller is connected to the plurality of exchanges. The mobile station includes a communication controller configured to stop transmission of signals to the radio network controller, when an identifier of an exchange notified by an access restriction signal from the radio network controller matches an identifier of an exchange which has performed the location registration of the mobile station.
US07925259B2
A system, method, and arrangement for controlling access to a wireless communication network. When a User Equipment (UE) is denied access to the network through a first access point, the UE stores the Location Area Identity (LAI) utilized at the first access point on a list of forbidden LAIs in the UE. If the LAI stored by the UE is utilized at another access point where the UE is allowed access, the LAI at the other access point is dynamically changed to a second LAI that is not on the UE's list of forbidden LAIs. An access point database stores a table defining which UEs are allowed to utilize each access point. The database also stores a list of rejected LAIs for each UE. A radio network controller accesses the database to determine an allowed LAI, and changes the LAI at the other access points where the UE is allowed access.
