US07976920B2
The present invention relates to a flexible unbonded pipe comprising an inner liner capable of forming a barrier against outflow of a fluid which is conveyed through the pipe, and one or more armouring layers on the outer side of the inner line. The flexible unbonded pipe comprises at least one polymer layer and one film layer, said polymer layer being bonded to said film layer. The film layer may preferably be a metal film layer, such as aluminum film, stainless steel film or duplex film. The polymer layer may preferably be cross-linked polyethylene. The interfacial bonding between the polymer layer and the film layer should preferably be sufficiently strong to prevent creation of gas pockets between the layers when subjected to an increased pressure of aggressive fluids (hydrogen, sulphides, methane and carbon dioxide) on the film side of the pipe. Thereby, it is possible to protect armour layer(s) from aggressive fluids.
US07976914B2
A resin film has a photoelastic coefficient of from 0 to 30×10−8 cm2/N; and Re satisfying the following formulae (1) to (4): 20 nm
US07976907B2
This invention relates to a process for the functionalization of a transparent or translucent substrate by formation of a layer, characterized in that it comprises the stages consisting in evaporating over the substrate at least one type of organic or organometallic functionalization molecule, simultaneously with the formation, by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition, of an inorganic glass matrix forming part of the layer; a substrate made according to this process; a device for the implementation of this process; and the applications of this substrate.
US07976890B2
An herb liquid is sprayed into peeled garlic, after which the garlic is subjected to a predetermined processing. The herb liquid is produced from at least one type of herb selected from each of the following groups A, B, C, and D: Group A: sweet basil; bush basil; lemon basil; licorice basil; cinnamon basil; dark opal and catmint, Group B: spearmint; apple mint; peppermint; catmint; orange mint; curry mint; north mint; ginger mint; bergamot mint; pennyroyal; summer savory and winter savory, Group C: parsley; sage; red sage; clary sage; and pineapple sage, and Group D: fennel; Florence fennel; true fennel and dill.
US07976883B2
The invention relates to a method for delivering a flavored and/or nutritionally enhanced non-carbonated beverage on premise. The method comprises a step of providing at least one packaged source of a liquid premix base comprising at least one microbiologically, physically, enzymatically and/or chemically sensitive beverage component which is not solely carbohydrate, a water activity lowering component. The liquid premix based is formulated with a water activity and/or solid content effective to render it shelf stable at room temperature. The method comprises a step of separately providing a plurality of flowable additive packaged sources adapted to tailor the flavor, aroma, body and/or nutritional value of the beverage. The method comprises a step in which liquid premix base is mixed to hot or cold non-carbonated water to provide a beverage base which is dispensed to the cup and wherein at least one additive is delivered and mixed with the beverage base into the cup.
US07976881B2
Combinations of vasoactive substances which act at venous or arterial level with phosphodiesterase inhibitors including phosphodiesterase V, in particular: visnadin or esculoside; at least one compound selected from icarin or derivatives thereof or extracts containing it, Gingko biloba dimeric flavones either in the free form or complexed with phospholipids, amentoflavone; at least one compound selected from escin, escin beta-sitosterol complexed with phospholipids, sericoside, sericoside complexed with phospholipids or Centella asiatica extract in the free form or complexed with phospholipids. The formulations are useful in reducing parmiculopathy and problems associated with venous insufficiency of the lower limbs.
US07976877B2
The use of i) finely divided knotwood, or ii) an extract, obtained by extracting knotwood with a polar solvent and recovering the extract, as an antioxidative agent. A fraction of the extract may also be used as an antioxidative agent.
US07976874B2
A calcium phosphate cement suitable for use in dental and bone prosthesis is disclosed, which include calcium phosphate particles having a diameter of 0.05 to 100 microns, wherein said calcium phosphate particles on their surfaces have whiskers or fine crystals having a width ranging from 1 to 100 nm and a length ranging from 1 to 1000 nm.
US07976870B2
Controlled release oral dosage forms are provided for the continuous, sustained administration of a pharmacologically active agent to the upper gastrointestinal tract of a patient in whom the fed mode as been induced. The majority of the agent is delivered, on an extended release basis, to the stomach, duodenum and upper regions of the small intestine, with drug delivery in the lower gastrointestinal tract and colon substantially restricted. The dosage form comprises a matrix of a biocompatible, hydrophilic, erodible polymer with an active agent incorporated therein, wherein the polymer is one that both swells in the presence of water and gradually erodes over a time period of hours, with swelling and erosion commencing upon contact with gastric fluid, and drug release rate primarily controlled by erosion rate.
US07976869B2
The present invention relates to a novel galenic formulation of fenofibrate for oral administration and to the process for its preparation. According to the invention, the formulation is a tablet obtained by compressing a mixture comprising: a) granules containing: 1 to 5% of a surfactant; micronized fenofibrate; and at least one solid excipient selected from starch, cellulose and derivatives thereof, with the exception of C12 disaccharides, said granules being obtained by granulating the mixture with the aid of an aqueous solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone; b) crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone; and c) optionally flow aids or lubricants, the amount of fenofibrate being greater than 50% by weight, expressed relative to the weight of the tablet.
US07976855B2
This invention relates to modified high surface area materials, such as nanoparticles that are coated with metal ions, and articles treated with the modified high surface area materials. The modified nanoparticles have active sites that bind various gases and/or odorous compounds, thereby removing these compounds from a medium such as air or water. Metal ions are adsorbed onto the surface of the nanoparticle and bound strongly to the surface. By selection of the metal ion, specific gaseous compounds and/or odorous compounds can be targeted and removed efficiently and effectively from both aqueous phase and from the air. The modified nanoparticles are applied to nonwoven webs to provide odor removing articles for industrial and consumer use in refrigerators and trash containers.
US07976848B2
Synthetic DNA molecules encoding the HPV58 L1 protein are provided. Specifically, the present invention provides polynucleotides encoding HPV58 L1 protein, wherein said polynucleotides are codon-optimized for high level expression in a yeast cell. The synthetic molecules may be used to produce HPV58 virus-like particles (VLPs), and to produce vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the HPV58 VLPs. The vaccines of the present invention provide effective immunoprophylaxis against papillomavirus infection through neutralizing antibody and cell-mediated immunity and are also useful for treatment of existing HPV infections.
US07976847B2
The present invention provides methods of treating heart failure and improving renal function, and/or preventing the advancement of heart failure into advanced stages, and methods of counteracting ischemia due to a myocardial infarction by providing improved methods of administering a therapeutically effective amount CGRP as a controlled release formulation. The therapies can be administered on an outpatient or inpatient basis and can further be used as maintenance therapies.
US07976846B2
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising a stress protein complex and related molecules encoding or cells presenting such a complex are provided. The stress protein complex comprises an hsp110 or grp170 polypeptide complexed with an immunogenic polypeptide. The immunogenic polypeptide of the stress protein complex can be associated with a cancer or an infectious disease. The pharmaceutical compositions of the invention can be administered to a subject, thereby providing methods for inhibiting M. tuberculosis-infection, for inhibiting tumor growth, for inhibiting the development of a cancer, and for the treatment or prevention of infectious disease. The invention further provides a method for producing T cells directed against a tumor cell or a M. tuberculosis-infected cell, wherein a T cell is contacted with an APC that is modified to present an hsp110 or grp170 polypeptide and an immunogenic polypeptide associated with a tumor or with the M. tuberculosis-infected cell. Included in the invention are T cells produced by this method and a pharmaceutical composition comprising such T cells. The T cells can be contacted with a M. tuberculosis-infected cell in a method for killing a M. tuberculosis-infected cell, or with a tumor cell in a method for killing a tumor cell.
US07976835B2
Compositions and methods of preventing or treating a breast cancer are disclosed. The composition and method can utilize an endothelin B agonist and a chemotherapeutic agent as active ingredients to treat a solid tumor in mammals, including humans. Alternatively, the composition and method can utilize an endothelin B antagonist and an optional angiogenesis inhibitor to treat a solid tumor in mammals, including humans.
US07976818B2
A method for continuously recovering titanium tetrachloride TiCl4 from a waste liquid comprising TiCl4 and by-products, wherein said waste liquid is subjected, as a flowing liquid film, to an evaporation step for a residence time of less than 15 minutes at a temperature higher than 90° C.
US07976810B2
In a method for preparing cerium carbonate powder by mixing a cerium precursor solution with a carbonate precursor solution and carrying out a precipitation reaction, wherein cerium carbonate is controlled to have an orthorhombic crystal structure, a hexagonal crystal structure or an orthorhombic/hexagonal mixed crystal structure, by using at least one type of organic solvent comprising at least two hydroxyl groups (OH) in molecular formula as a solvent for either or both the cerium precursor solution and the carbonate precursor solution, and varying a number of carbons or hydroxyl groups (OH) included in the molecular formula of the organic solvent. The method can easily and inexpensively obtain cerium carbonate powder with a desired crystal structure without the danger by high-temperature high-pressure and the need for an expensive system in hydrothermal synthesis.
US07976809B2
A method and an equipment for reducing sulphur dioxide emissions of a marine engine, wherein flue gases are scrubbed with a scrubbing solution in a scrubber. Fresh water with added sulphur removal reagent is used as the scrubbing solution.
US07976807B2
Hexachlorodisilane is decomposed into hydrochloric acid, silicon dioxide and water by introducing hexachlorodisilane-containing flue gas into a reaction region without moistening the flue gas and by supplying oxygen-containing gas that also contains a small amount of moisture to the reaction region maintained at a temperature at which hexachlorodisilane decomposes.
US07976806B2
A granular material having a high strength and a large BET specific surface area composed of porous particles comprising calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide wherein the calcium oxide is contained in an amount of 30 to 80 weight % based on a total amount of the calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide and the porous particles have a BET specific surface area of 40 m2/g or more, or composed of porous particles comprising calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, and magnesium hydroxide wherein a ratio of an amount of magnesium to a total of an amount of calcium and an amount of magnesium is in the range of 0.05 to 0.80, a total hydroxide content in the whole particles is in the range of 1 to 20 weight % and the porous particles have a BET specific surface area of 50 m2/g or more.
US07976805B2
A process for the catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in a gas stream (29) in the presence of H2 is provided. The process comprises contacting the gas stream with a catalyst system (38) comprising zirconia-silica washcoat particles (41), a pre-sulfated zirconia binder (44), and a catalyst combination (40) comprising palladium and at least one of rhodium, ruthenium, or a mixture of ruthenium and rhodium.
US07976804B2
A catalyst for the decomposition of N2O under the conditions of the Ostwald process, comprising a carrier and a coating made of rhodium, rhodium/palladium or rhodium oxide applied thereto, ensures to yield NO with a particularly low content of laughing gas as the first process product.
US07976803B2
The present invention is based on the realization that the carbon dioxide component of industrial gas streams also containing steam can be processed so to utilize either as latent and/or sensible heat the heat available from the steam component to assist in separating carbon dioxide from the remainder of the gas stream. For example, flue gases produced by power stations burning brown coal, black coal or natural gas inherently contain a useful amount of energy that can be harnessed according to the present invention. According to particular preferred forms of the invention, nitrogen and sulphur constituent such as SOx and NOx, H2S and other nitrogen containing compounds may also be removed from the gas stream through direct contact with the absorbing medium and used to produce by-products such as fertilizer material.
US07976786B2
A device for generating gas by placing a liquid reactant in contact with a solid element, including: a liquid reactant tank, a reaction chamber configured to contain the solid element, an injector configured to inject the liquid reactant onto the solid element, and an outlet port configured to collect the gas generated in the reaction chamber, wherein the tank and the reaction chamber are separated in a sealed manner by a mobile wall, the mobile wall including an outlet port for collecting the gas generated in the reaction chamber, and wherein the injector passes through the mobile wall and configured to move into the solid element.
US07976779B2
A microfluidic system with on-chip pumping which can be used for liquid chromatography and also electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and which provides improved efficiency, better integration with sensors, improved portability, reduced power consumption, and reduced cost. The system can include (A) a main chip comprising: a substrate having a front face and a back face; a chromatography column on the front face of said substrate, wherein said column has an inlet and an outlet; an electrospray ionization (ESI) nozzle on the front face of said substrate, wherein said nozzle has an inlet and an outlet, and wherein the inlet of the nozzle is microfluidically coupled to the outlet of the column; one or more pump systems on the front face of said substrate comprising a pump chamber, one or more electrodes, and an outlet microfluidically coupled to the inlet of said column; and (B) a reservoir chip comprising a front surface and a back surface, wherein the reservoir chip has one or more cavities in the back surface which when disposed next to the front surface of the main chip extends the volume of the pump chamber of one of the pump system. Microfabrication can be used to prepare the chips, which can be assembled with a cover and inserted into a testing jig for electronic control and mass spectral analysis. Peptide separations are demonstrated which compete with present commercial systems.
US07976777B2
A method, a sensor device (204), and a package storage system (200), are used to monitor the inside of a storage volume in a package container (202) containing at least one product and/or object (201). The sensor device is inside of the storage volume in the package container (202) and senses the presence of at least one of a sanitizing agent comprising ozone (316) and ultraviolet radiation energy inside of the storage volume. The sensor device (204) wirelessly transmits the sensed information from inside the at least one storage volume to a wireless receiver (222) outside of the storage volume to provide the sensed information to a processor (220) that monitors the presence of the at least one of the sanitizing agent comprising ozone (316) and ultraviolet radiation energy inside of the storage volume in the package container (202). The sensor device (204) can communicate using an RF ID device communication protocol.
US07976775B2
Disclosed is a binary aluminum alloy powder sintered material which comprises aluminum and iron, which has a completely crystalline microstructure comprising an aluminum matrix and an α-Al phase and at least any one phase of an Al6Fe phase or an Al13Fe4 phase mixed in the aluminum matrix as nanocrystalline phases, and which has an extremely high strength and a well-balanced high ductility, though being free from any rare earth element.
US07976770B1
Diagnostic methods and systems are used to determine operating condition and performance of a cooling element in a metallurgical reactor during operation of the reactor. A system can include sensing means, processing means and display means. The sensing means is located in or approximate the cooling element for sensing operating conditions of the cooling element. The processing means is in communication with the sensing means for receiving data corresponding to the sensed operating conditions and for processing the data to determine a relative condition indicator of the cooling element. The display means is in communication with the processing means and displays the relative condition indicator to a user of the diagnostic system. The display means can display a first, second or third state representative of the relative health indicator.
US07976764B2
A method for the introduction of at least one locally limited weakening into a decorative composite, in particular for use in an automotive vehicle, by way of a plurality of laser beams, is disclosed. The decorative composite includes at least one decorative substrate, at least one decorative material and at least one upholstered layer arranged between the decorative substrate and the decorative material. The weakening is formed after the joining of the decorative composite as a sequence of first blind holes or perforations, which penetrate the decorative substrate completely, and unweakened webs between these blind holes or perforations. At least one second blind hole, which does not penetrate the decorative substrate, is introduced into at least one web. The first blind holes or perforations are formed in at least two operations, wherein in a first operation, a preliminary weakening which does not penetrate the decorative substrate completely is introduced into the decorative substrate and, in at least one further operation, at least one subsequent weakening of the decorative composition is introduced through the region of the preliminary weakening. Each subsequent weakening has a smaller cross-sectional area perpendicular to the depth of the decorative composite than the preliminary weakening. A trim element for an automotive vehicle, including a decorative composite produced according to the method is also disclosed.
US07976761B2
A process for producing a patterned structure comprises imprinting a first pattern by pressing a stamper having a projection-depression configuration on the surface against an imprint-work layer, and imprinting a second pattern by displacing relatively the stamper from the position of the first pattern to another position on the imprint-work layer and then pressing the stamper against the imprint-work layer.
US07976754B2
Process for manufacturing a plastic hollow body, device and equipment for the implementation thereof
Process for manufacturing a plastic hollow body, the process comprising the following steps: a) a tubular stream of molten plastic is extruded; b) this stream is taken up by means of a tensioning device; c) a transverse cut is made in this stream so as to create a parison having one free edge that is not taken up by the tensioning device; d) the parison is moved relative to the tensioning device so that the free edge of the parison is also taken up by the tensioning device; and e) at least one longitudinal cut is made in the parison over its entire length. Equipment suitable for implementing this process.
US07976753B2
A piece of corrugated pipe cut from a longer length of pipe is provided with a pipe coupling part by subjecting one or more of the corrugation crests on the pipe to heat and pressure. This reshapes the one or more corrugations to form a seal receiving recessed spigot on the piece of pipe.
US07976745B2
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a composite polymeric material containing nanometric inorganic inclusions comprising the steps of: mixing a polymer with a thermolytic precursor to provide a homogeneous dispersion of said at least one precursor and of said at least one polymer; subjecting said homogeneous dispersion to heating to provide a molten polymer and thermolytic fission of the precursor, generating the inclusions dispersed in the molten polymer.
US07976743B2
The present invention provides gas-containing liposomes. In particular, the present invention provide methods of generating gas-containing liposomes where the gas is introduced under pressure, as well as gas-containing liposomes which contain a large volume of gas (e.g., 10 ul of gas per 5 mg of gas-containing liposomes). In certain embodiments, the gas-containing liposomes contain nitric oxide gas. In some embodiments, such nitric oxide containing liposomes are used to treat a medical condition that is treatable by nitric oxide gas (e.g., intimal hyperplasia).
US07976740B2
Embodiments related to the fabrication of a light guide are provided. One disclosed embodiment comprises extruding a thermoplastic polymer through a die to form an extrusion, machining the extrusion to one or more fixed dimensions, and maintaining a face of the extrusion in contact with a heated mold surface to soften or melt the face of the extrusion while applying pressure to the extrusion.
US07976737B2
The present invention relates to solution type silver organo-sol ink for forming electrically conductive patterns. The present invention provides silver organo-sol ink of solution type for forming electrically conductive pattern comprising effective amount of silver aromatic carboxylate and a reactive organic solvents, which can form chelate or complex with silver, are, for example, organic solvents having keton, mercapto, carboxyl, aniline or sulfurous functional group, substituted or unsubstituted. By the present invention, silver organo-sol ink of solution type basically having higher content of silver is obtained. The solution type ink of the present invention can be used for forming conductive patterns in flat panel display such as plasma display panel(PDP) to reduce the numbers of steps for pattern forming drastically.
US07976736B2
Process for preparing A silver-containing, disperse, water-containing formulation useful for producing electrically conductive and/or optically reflective coatings, which comprises (i) reacting a silver salt solution with a solution containing hydroxide ions, wherein at least one of said solutions comprises a polymeric dispersant, to produce an Ag2O sol, (ii) reacting the Ag2O sol obtained from step i) with a reduction agent, and (iii) purifying the solution obtained from step ii).
US07976721B2
To provide a safe, nontoxic, and high-performance mixed refrigerant for hot water supply/heating system which is prepared by mixing dimethyl ether with carbon dioxide and which does not deplete the ozone layer, has a low global warming potential, and permits low-pressure operation.A refrigerant composition for hot water supply/heating comprising 1 to 10% by mole of dimethyl ether and 99 to 90% by mole of carbon dioxide on the basis of the total number of moles of dimethyl ether and carbon dioxide.
US07976720B2
The present invention provides a composite magnetic sheet having a high magnetic permeability, to be produced easily at a low cost. The composite magnetic sheet includes magnetic substance powders and polytetrafluoroethylene powders.
US07976713B2
Treating wastewater by receiving wastewater having a reduced concentration of waste solids into a secondary containment space and allowing the waste solids to distribute into a lower horizontal sludge layer, an upper horizontal scum layer, and a relatively clear horizontal layer of liquid therebetween; flowing the liquid from the relatively clear layer through at least one filter element enclosed in a housing the top of which is submerged below the wastewater level of the secondary containment space; and thereafter flowing the filtered effluent out of the housing. In some embodiments, the filtered effluent may be discharged from the secondary containment space using an effluent pump configured with a conventional flow inducer or, alternatively, using an effluent pump sealably configured with a shortened flow inducer thereby allowing discharge of the filtered effluent to a wastewater level below that of the pump's intake.
US07976711B2
A method and device for blood treatments that use fluids such as dialysate and replacement fluid for renal replacement therapy. In an embodiment, fluid is passed either by pump or passively by gravity feed, through a microporous sterilization filter from a fluid source to a replacement fluid container. The latter forms a batch that may be used during treatment. The advantage of forming the batch before treatment is that the rate of filtering needn't match the rate of consumption during treatment. As a result, the sterilization filter can have a small capacity. In another embodiment, a filter is placed immediately prior to the point at which the sterile fluid is consumed by the treatment process. The latter may be used in combination with the former embodiment as a last-chance guarantee of sterility and/or that the fluid is free of air bubbles. It may also be used as the primary means of sterile-filtration.
US07976707B2
In treating organic-containing wastewater by a biological treatment in a stage prior to a advanced treatment such as membrane separation or the like, the amount of the biological metabolites produced in the biological treatment step is reduced to reduce the amount of the organic substances flowing into the advanced treatment step in a latter stage, thereby making the advanced treatment stable and efficient and efficiently recovering treated water of high quality. Water anaerobically biologically treated in an anaerobic reaction tank 11 including an acid production tank 11A and a UASB reaction tank 11B is subjected to a coagulation treatment and then to solid-liquid separation in a No. 1 sedimentation tank 14. The resultant separated water is aerobically biologically treated water is subjected to a coagulation treatment and then to solid-liquid separation in a No. 2 sedimentation tank 24. Then, the resultant water is subjected to a membrane separation treatment in a RO membrane separator 40 as advanced treatment means. By performing anaerobic biological treatment, aerobic biological treatment, and solid-liquid separation prior to the advanced treatment means, organic substances can be sufficiently removed, and treatment by the advanced treatment means can be made stable and efficient.
US07976705B2
This invention relates to filtration assemblies and methods of installing filtration units in filtration assemblies. Filtration assemblies may include first and second end pieces, at least one filtration unit between the first and second end pieces, and at least one alignment rod arrangement. The alignment rod arrangement may extend between the end pieces and align the filtration units and the end pieces.
US07976704B2
A filtration device is provided with a filter tank, filter media unit, and magnet. The filter media unit includes a filter media accommodation case and a large number of magnetic granular filter media. The magnet is movable between first and second positions. In the first position, a magnetic field is applied to the magnetic granular filter media, so that the magnetic granular filter media magnetically attract one another. In the second position, magnetic attraction between the magnetic granular filter media is canceled. The filter media accommodation case includes a nonmagnetic mesh member of a nonmagnetic material and magnetism intensification plate of a magnetic material. When the magnet is in the first position, the magnetic granular filter media and nonmagnetic mesh member are located between the magnetism intensification plate and the magnet.
US07976701B2
To provide a drain trap which makes it possible to easily clean the interior of a main body and accurately seal a junction between storage space and discharge space partitioned by a partition. The drain trap includes the main body which has a tubular shape with a closed end and includes inner space communicated with a receiving unit and a discharge unit; a lid; and the partition which partitions the inner space of the main body into the storage space and discharge space, in which the partition can be inserted into the inner space, sealing units are installed on the partition and a side wall of the main body to bring part of the partition into intimate contact with part of the side all by exerting a vertical force component under a vertical pressing force, and the partition is equipped with a valve disc which floats up to allow liquid to flow from the storage space to the discharge space when the liquid in the storage space reaches or exceeds a set amount as well as with a valve seat which catches and supports the valve disc.
US07976691B2
A microfluidic device and method is disclosed having one or more membranes for the control of electrolysis. In one embodiment, a microfluidic device is disclosed that includes body with first channel and second channels separated by a gel layer. A first electrode positioned in the first channel and a second electrode positioned in the second channel wherein a potential applied to the first and second electrodes passes electrons from the first channel to the second channel through the gel layer. In another embodiment, a microfluidic device includes a body having a surface with a channel separating two first reservoirs. One or more membranes are positioned on the surface covering a portion of the channel and a blank is positioned covering the channel and the one or more membranes. A second reservoir through the blank is in contact with the membrane, each second reservoir in communication with the channel via the membrane. A first electrode is positioned in the first reservoir and a second electrode is positioned in the second reservoir wherein a potential applied to the first and second electrodes passes electrons from the first channel to the second channel through the membranes.
US07976687B2
Provided is a roll unit to be dipped in a surface treatment liquid of a copper foil, wherein a bearing box for housing a roil shaft is configured from two bearing boxes that are divisible, one of the bearing boxes is configured from a roll-side bearing box arranged on a roll main body-side and the other bearing box is configured from a shaft end-side bearing box arranged on the shaft end-side of the roll, a shaft sleeve covering an outer periphery of the roll shaft is provided in the roll-side bearing box and an oil seal is provided along an outer periphery of the shaft sleeve, and a bearing for rotatably supporting the shaft is disposed in the shaft end-side bearing box. Specifically, the present invention provides a roll unit to be used in electrochemical surface treatments such as roughening treatment, rust prevention treatment, and oxidized surface treatment (blackening treatment) to be continuously performed on a surface of a rolled copper foil or an electrolytic copper foil, and which is capable of inhibiting the abrasion and corrosion of the roll shaft of such roll unit by controlling the corrosion caused by the infiltration of the treatment liquid, and which enables the simple replacement of the bearing box, bearing, and other components.
US07976686B2
An electrolyzer cell is disclosed which includes a cathode to reduce an oxygen-containing molecule, such as H2O, CO2, or a combination thereof, to produce an oxygen ion and a fuel molecule, such as H2, CO, or a combination thereof. An electrolyte is coupled to the cathode to transport the oxygen ion to an anode. The anode is coupled to the electrolyte to receive the oxygen ion and produce oxygen gas therewith. In one embodiment, the anode may be fabricated to include an electron-conducting phase having a perovskite crystalline structure or structure similar thereto. This perovskite may have a chemical formula of substantially (Pr(1-x)Lax)(z-y)A′yBO(3-∂), wherein 0≦x≦0.5, 0≦y≦0.5, and 0.8≦z≦1.1. In another embodiment, the cathode includes an electron-conducting phase that contains nickel oxide intermixed with magnesium oxide.
US07976685B2
Pot tending module (7) for a series of electrolytic cells for production by igneous electrolysis, including a chassis (8) that can be fixed to a trolley (6) moving along a travelling crane (4) and provided with a set of tools, particularly including at least one anode handling device (11), which is also provided with at least two display means (41 and 42) capable of taking views and transmitting them in the form of electromagnetic signals, typically two video cameras, the display means disposed at a distance from each other and from the working area, to be able to aim at the working area (23) of the anode handling device(s) along two non-parallel directions (D1) and (D2), forming an angle preferably close to 90°. This pot tending module may also include a third camera (43) that presents an overview of the tools and working areas for these tools, and a fourth camera (44) fixed onto the base of the anode grab actuators.
US07976684B2
An ultrasound system is disclosed that includes a tub, a reaction chamber, an ultrasound probe positioned within the reaction chamber, and a cooling jacket surrounding the tub for exchanging heat with the tub.
US07976669B2
A pressure-sensitive adhesive and retardation layer-attached polarizing plate (4) comprises a retardation layer-attached polarizing plate (3) comprising a polarizing plate (2) that comprises an iodine-based polarizer (1) and a transparent protective film laminated on both sides of the polarizer and a method for manufacturing the pressure-sensitive adhesive and retardation layer attached polarizing plate (4).
US07976665B2
One embodiment of the invention includes a method of joining two substrates with multilayer thermo-reversible dry adhesives and separating the two bonded substrates by completely thermally reversing the adhesion via heating.
US07976654B1
High explosives suitable for filling very small volume loading holes in micro-electric initiators for micro-electro-mechanical mechanisms, used as safe and arm devices, are prepared from slurries of crystalline energetic materials including organic liquid and applied using various methods. These methods include swipe loading, pressure loading and syringe loading. The organic liquid serves as a volatile mobile phase in the slurry so as to partially dissolve the energetic material so that, upon evaporation of the mobile phase, the energetic material precipitates and adheres to the loading hole.
US07976633B2
A film forming device includes a mask member that is made of silicon and has first openings of predetermined patterns; a magnetic member that is made of a magnetic material and has a second opening, and that is aligned with the mask member so that the first openings are arranged in the second opening in plan view of the second opening; and a substrate holding member that generates magnetic force between the magnetic member and itself in order to adhere the mask member and a substrate to each other. The mask member and the substrate are interposed between the magnetic member and the substrate holding member in this order from the magnetic member.
US07976631B2
A method and apparatus that may be utilized for chemical vapor deposition and/or hydride vapor phase epitaxial (HVPE) deposition are provided. In one embodiment, a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process is used to deposit a Group III-nitride film on a plurality of substrates. A Group III precursor, such as trimethyl gallium, trimethyl aluminum or trimethyl indium and a nitrogen-containing precursor, such as ammonia, are delivered to a plurality of straight channels which isolate the precursor gases. The precursor gases are injected into mixing channels where the gases are mixed before entering a processing volume containing the substrates. Heat exchanging channels are provided for temperature control of the mixing channels to prevent undesirable condensation and reaction of the precursors.
US07976630B2
A high-quality, large-area seed crystal for ammonothermal GaN growth and method for fabricating. The seed crystal comprises double-side GaN growth on a large-area substrate. The seed crystal is of relatively low defect density and has flat surfaces free of bowing. The seed crystal is useful for producing large-volume, high-quality bulk GaN crystals by ammonothermal growth methods for eventual wafering into large-area GaN substrates for device fabrication.
US07976621B2
A power plant may include a combustion apparatus (11) producing an exhaust gas (12), an absorber (20) receiving the exhaust gas (12), the absorber (20) including a desiccant and producing a first stream of desiccant solution containing water and a first concentration of desiccant, and an apparatus (29, 70, 94) for dehydrating the first stream of desiccant solution while maintaining the water in a liquid phase. The apparatus (29, 70, 94) may include a heat exchanger (71, 110), a crystallizing heat exchanger (74, 96), a separator (78, 98) and a flash tank (112) for dehydrating the desiccant solution while maintaining water in a liquid phase and subsequently recovering water from the solution.
US07976620B2
A hydrogen storage system for storing hydrogen gas at elevated pressures and cryogenic temperatures is disclosed. The hydrogen gas is fed to a storage container which contains a physisorption type material and a volatile liquid container for liquid nitrogen. Cryogenic conditions are maintained within the storage container during the periods of storage and the periods where the hydrogen gas is removed from the storage system.
US07976614B2
The invention relates to a method for cleaning the filters of a vacuum cleaner. A dirt collecting container of the vacuum cleaner has a suction inlet and is in flow connection with at least one suction unit via at least one filter and at least one suction extraction line. At least one external air inlet is provided which opens into the suction extraction line downstream of the filter and can be closed by a closing valve. The closing valve has a movable valve body which is acted upon by a closing spring with a closing force. In order to clean the filter, the closing valve is opened and the side of the filter that is oriented away from the dirt collecting container is impinged upon by external air. The valve body is acted upon, irrespective of its position, by the closing force of the closing spring and, in a position at a distance from the valve seat, additionally acted upon by a repulsion force of a resilient stop element.
US07976610B2
A direct smelting process for producing molten metal from a metalliferous feed material in a direct smelting vessel is disclosed. The process includes using a stream of off-gas from the vessel as a fuel gas in (i) stoves for generating a hot blast of air or oxygen-enriched air for the process and (ii) a waste heat recovery apparatus for generating steam for the process. The process also includes controlling pressure in the vessel by controlling pressure in the off-gas stream while the process is producing molten metal.
US07976609B2
A method for manufacturing metal nanorods includes: a step of adding a reducing agent to a metallic salt solution; a step of radiating light into the metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent; and a step of leaving the light-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods. Metal nanorods can be also grown by forming a mixed solution by fractionating the above light-radiated metallic salt solution and mixing the fractionated metallic salt solution into a non-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent, or mixing a non-radiated metallic salt solution and the reducing agent into the above light-radiated metallic salt solution; and leaving the mixed solution stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods.
US07976608B2
In a solder paste which is a mixture of a flux and low melting point metal particles, low melting point metal fine particles manufactured by a conventional method or apparatus therefor include particles having widely varying particle diameters. Accordingly, the solder paste could not completely fill the minute holes in a mask for application to minute solder portions by printing, or mask removability was poor. According to the present invention, a mixture of a heat resistant continuous phase liquid and coarse metal particles in molten state is passed through a porous membrane to form the coarse low melting point metal particles into fine particles with a predetermined diameter. An apparatus according to the present invention comprise a porous membrane between a heating and dispersing mechanism and a cooling mechanism, and a pressure vessel connected to the heating and dispersing mechanism for applying a high pressure to the heating and dispersing mechanism.
US07976607B2
The present invention relates to a WC—Co cemented carbide alloy. By adding an extremely small amount of Ti, V, Zr, Ta or Nb or a combination of these, a grain refined cemented carbide structure with less abnormal WC-grains has been obtained.
US07976604B2
Disclosed is a filter housing having two abutting filter housing portions with a filter element sized and configured to be installed the housing. At least one quick release retention clip is pivotally secured to the filter housing and operable between an engaged and a disengaged position. In the engaged position the retention clip retentively closes the housing. In the disengaged position the retention clip is operable to apply a separating force urge the filter housing portions to separate and release the filter element.
US07976603B2
The invention concerns a filter housing (1), in particular of an air filter for motor vehicles, that extends axially along a longitudinal axis (2) and comprises two detachably connected housing parts (3, 4). A locking connection (5) acting in the direction of the longitudinal axis (2) is provided between the two housing parts (3, 4), wherein the locking connection (5) in at least one rotational direction (6) of the first housing part (3) about the longitudinal axis (2) relative to the second housing part (4) can be brought into a position in which the housing parts (3, 4) are detachable in the axial direction.
US07976600B1
A device for detection, collection, containment, neutralization, and elimination of aerosolized contaminants has a lid that fully covers an edge of a toilet bowl for containment of exiting aerosolized contaminants. The lid including a main lid section and a single piece lid cap, with the single piece lid cap having a housing for accommodating an article. The single piece lid cap having a first vent located normal to a natural vertical upward move of the aerosolized contaminants, and a second vent at a back end of the single piece lid cap, oriented substantially parallel to the vertical upward movement of the aerosolized contaminants. The aerosolized contaminants are detected, collected, contained, neutralized, and eliminated by the article within the housing, allowing only uncontaminated air out of the second vent through a natural upward movement of the aerosolized contaminants.
US07976598B2
Disclosed is multi-flow filter cartridge assembly that includes an elongated housing that has axially opposed proximal and distal ends and defines an interior cavity and first, second and third flow paths which extend from the proximal end of the housing to the distal end. The cartridge assembly also includes first, second and third filter elements. The first filter element is disposed within the interior cavity of the housing and conditions fluid that traverses the first flow path from a first inlet port to a first outlet port. The second filter element is disposed within the interior cavity of the housing and conditions fluid that traverses the second flow path from a second inlet port to a second outlet port. Lastly, the third filter element is also disposed within the interior cavity of the housing and conditions fluid that traverses the third flow path from a third inlet port to a third outlet port. The first flow path is isolated from the second and third flow paths and the second flow path is isolated from the third flow path.
US07976588B2
A storage battery is provided in which an expand grid is improved with respect to the widths of grid wires 1b, the sectional areas of nodes 1e, and the shapes of meshes 1c, whereby the productivity of the expand grid can be enhanced and the life performance can be improved. As means for attaining the object, a storage battery in which an expand grid is used as a battery plate, the expand grid being a grid member which is formed by expanding a side portion of a collector frame portion 1a of a metal sheet 1 to connect a large number of grid wires 1b to one another in a net-like shape, is configured so that widths of grid wires 1b of a row which is directly connected to the collector frame portion 1a of the expand grid, and a lateral end row are larger than widths of grid wires 1b of at least one of intermediate rows.
US07976586B2
The invention relates to an aqueous dye solution comprising a) 5 to 30% by weight of an anionic or cationic direct dye, b) 0.1 to 10% by weight of 1-phenoxy-2-propanol, c) 0 to 20% by weight of an inorganic or an organic acid, d) 0 to 20% by weight of further additives and e) water to complete to 100%, a process for the preparation of the solution and the use thereof for dyeing paper.
US07976575B2
A stent graft delivery arrangement for a stent graft (50) has a proximal end to be deployed into a patient in use and a distal end to remain outside the patient. The stent graft (50) is a tubular body of a biocompatible graft material with a plurality of self expanding stents (54). The stent graft is releasably retained onto the delivery device (132) towards the proximal end thereof. A curve forming arrangement (56) on the stent graft is arranged to curve a portion of the stent graft towards its proximal end. A pulling arrangement (58) extends along the delivery device. The pulling arrangement releasably engages the curve forming arrangement such that pulling on the pulling arrangement causes the a curve forming arrangement on the stent graft to form a curve in a portion of the stent graft towards the proximal end. The pulling arrangement can be subsequently released leaving the curve forming apparatus in place on the stent graft and the portion of the stent graft towards the proximal end thereof being laterally curved. The curve forming arrangement can comprise a suture thread. A gripping arrangement engages the suture thread between the second position and the third position to prevent re-extension of the suture thread after retraction thereof. The gripping arrangement can be a slip knot (107).
US07976571B2
A device and method is described for photodynamic therapy (PDT) to treat hyperproliferative tissue growth in an underskin area within a few centimeters of the skin surface that is not accessible by conventional topical irradiation. The device comprises a plate having an array of openings with hollow micro-needles mounted therein that extend to a specified length on each side. Optical fibers are individually threaded through the micro-needles from the side opposite the treatment area and may be kept together as a bundle for attachment to a laser radiation source. The optical fibers have output ends made to provide a uniform radiation pattern to the underlying tissue. A photosensitizer is administered either systemically or locally and allowed a sufficient time to diffuse into the area of treatment. The laser of selected wavelength is coupled to the fiber bundle which then directs the radiation through the optical fibers to the treatment site.
US07976569B2
Instruments and methods include a guide instrument mountable to at least one anchor extension to guide the positioning of an anchor in a bony segment. The guide instrument facilitates aligning the anchor with one or more other anchors already engaged to the bony segment. The anchors can then be engaged with a connecting element extending therebetween. The guide instrument facilitates multi-level fixation of bony segments with bone anchors and one or more connecting elements in a minimally invasive surgical approach.
US07976568B2
The present invention relates generally to a device of and a method for correcting spinal deformities, such as scoliosis and kyphosis. The invention employs the superelasticity or pseudoelasticity, such as found in a nickel-titanium alloy, to provide a continuous, predictable, and controllable correction force and to achieve a gradual and full correction. The correction force can be exerted on the deformed spine either at the time of the spine surgery or after the surgery or both, to afford a full or substantially full correction. The continuous and controllable correction force of the present invention is safer than an instantaneous and large correction force applied only at the time of surgery. Additionally, the continuous and controllable correction force is capable of gradually and fully correcting the spinal deformities without any post-operative manipulation of the correction device or re-operation.
US07976567B2
A connector apparatus for use in orthopedic procedures includes a base portion and an extending leg portion that forms a channel. Part of the base portion can be placed atop or adjacent implanted fixation members (e.g. bone screws), and a locking member can be inserted through the base and into the fixation member to anchor the connector to the fixation member. A rod can be inserted into the channel and fixed to the connector by a set screw. The apparatus is useful in connecting a rod to a fixation member, particularly in situations in which a rod is already connected to the fixation member, as by a previous implantation procedure, for example.
US07976559B2
A surgical probe includes an articulated digit located at a distal end of a positioning shaft having a longitudinal axis. An actuator is located at a proximal end of the positioning shaft that is operatively connected to the articulated digit so as to move it between a continuous range of positions from an extended position to a substantially curved position while maintaining a kinesthetic relationship between a surgeon's finger engaging the actuator and the articulated digit. Preferably, the surgeons finger position and shape directly correspond to the position and shape of the articulated digit. A method is provided for probing, dissecting, and retracting anatomical structures.
US07976556B2
A system for anastomosing a first tubular structure to a second tubular structure having an opening formed therein comprises a support device having a plurality of arms forming spaces therebetween. The support device is adapted to support the first tubular structure within an opening in the second tubular structure to facilitate anastomosing the tubular structures together. The arms can be configured to urge the first tubular structure against the portion of the second tubular structure surrounding the opening to form a seal therebetween. According to one embodiment, a plurality of discrete fasteners are provided to pass through the support device spaces and the first and second tubular structures.
US07976542B1
A method and apparatus for application of an electrical signal to neural and other target tissue in the living body.
US07976538B2
A method of treating fibroadenomas with optimized freezing periods at a single freezing temperature and minimal thawing time between freezing periods, and a system for accomplishing the method.
US07976536B2
A catheter introduces electrodes in a vein for a minimally invasive treatment of venous insufficiency by the application of energy to cause selective heating of the vein. The catheter is positioned within the vein to be treated, and the electrodes on the catheter are moved toward one side of the vein. RF energy is applied in a directional manner from the electrodes at the working end of the catheter to cause localized heating and corresponding shrinkage of the adjacent venous tissue, which may include commissures, leaflets and ostia. Fluoroscopy or ultrasound may be used to detect shrinkage of the vein. After treating one section of the vein, the catheter can be repositioned to place the electrodes to treat different sections of the vein until all desired venous valves are repaired and rendered functionally competent.
US07976534B2
Implantable medical devices include a sensor module capable of detecting an indicator of infection in proximity to the device. The sensor module is activated following a detection of an event associated with the device, such as, for example, refill of an implantable infusion device or implantation. The sensor module is deactivated two or more hours following activation. Methods include detecting a first event associated with an implanted medical device; activating a sensor module of the implanted medical device at or after the detection of the first event; deactivating the sensor module two hours or more after the sensor module is activated; and determining whether information regarding the indicator of infection is indicative of an infection.
US07976533B2
An apparatus for removing body fluids from a body cavity by suction, such as a thorax, gastric or any other human body cavity or a wound, comprises means (9) to increase the pressure difference between a pressure in a drainage lumen (3) and a pressure in the atmosphere when an auxiliary lumen (5) is open. The apparatus enables removal of clots or other plugs of the catheter and drainage tube in an efficient and not patient disturbing way.
US07976504B1
A needle catheter with an axially elongating and contracting needle and methods of using for delivering therapeutic materials to the heart are disclosed.
US07976495B2
A feeding tube and method for introducing a feeding tube within the gastrointestinal tract of a patient, whereby the feeding tube is introduced by using a variation of the Ponsky “pull” method of feeding tube placement. The feeding tube comprises an elongate shaft having a distal end and proximal end. The feeding tube also comprises a coupling structure for coupling the feeding tube to a pull wire, the coupling structure be proximal of the distal end of the feeding tube shaft. The feeding tube further comprises a guiding structure for aligning the pull wire with the distal end of the shaft. The feeding tube is introduced within the patient by attaching the previously placed pull wire to the coupling and guiding structures of the feeding tube, and then pulling the pull wire so as to pull the feeding tube into and through the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.
US07976491B2
The invention includes an actuator for actuating a device for inserting a medicament within a body cavity of a mammal, the actuator including a handle case having a proximal portion for gripping and a distal portion including means for attaching the actuator to a cartridge for containing medicament, and means for creating a proximal to distal linear motion with respect to the handle case, wherein the cartridge includes a retractable chamber for containing the medicament disposed therein, a substantially stationary member and means for retracting the retractable chamber about the substantially stationary member while maintaining the substantially stationary member in a substantially stationary position.
US07976481B2
A vaginal probe includes a metal detection sensor for detecting the presence of ferrous-laden endometriotic tissues. The probe is electrically connected to external electronic circuitry for interpreting the readings taken by the sensor and for providing a qualitative or quantitative measurement of the amount of endometriotic tissues present. The probe is inserted in either the vagina or peritoneal cavity of a patient to detect the location and the relative amounts of iron or ferrous-laden tissues in the pelvic area of the patient. Using the probe and monitoring the readings over time as part of pelvic exams assists in determining the early onset or progression of endometriosis and/or the response to one or more therapies being provided to the patient to treat the disease.
US07976476B2
A method of penetrating tissue is provided. The method uses a lancet driver to advance a lancet into the tissue; advancing the lancet at a first desired velocity in a first layer of tissue; advancing the lancet at a second desired velocity in a second layer of tissue; and advancing the lancet at a third desired velocity in a third layer of tissue. In one embodiment, the method may including using a processor having logic for controlling velocity of the lancet in each layer of tissue.
US07976464B2
A device for retracting tissue provides access to a spinal location within a patient. The device includes an elongate body and a passage. The elongate body has a proximal portion and a distal portion. The elongate body defines a length between the proximal and distal portions along a longitudinal axis such that the distal portion can be positioned inside the patient adjacent the spinal location while the proximal portion is accessible. A transverse cross-section of the elongate body in the proximal portion has a first dimension that is longer than a second dimension. The first dimension is perpendicular to the second dimension. The passage extends through the elongate body between the proximal and distal portions. The elongate body is configured such that the proximal portion may be tilted with respect to the distal portion in a first direction generally aligned with the first dimension and in a second direction generally aligned with the second dimension.
US07976463B2
Methods and devices retract tissue for minimally invasive surgery in a patient. A retractor includes a working channel formed by a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions are movable relative to one another from a first configuration for insertion that minimizes trauma to skin and tissue to an enlarged configuration after insertion to further retract skin and tissue in a minimally invasive manner. An optional intermediate retractor assembly is positionable between the first and second retractor portions to provide further tissue retraction capabilities.
US07976460B2
A catheter system is provided that permits easy cannulation and radiological examination of the biliary and pancreatic ducts during an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatograhy (ERCP) procedure. The system of biliary catheters provides for a method of gaining access to the biliary tree, particularly when the contralateral wall or septum of the biliary tree interferes with access to the biliary tree. This anatomical interference is remedied using a pulling biliary catheter that withdraws the papilla of Vater away from the contralateral wall or septum by pulling proximally upon a chute expanded within the papilla of Vater. The enlarged opening then permits additional medical devices to be advanced through the pulling biliary catheter into the desired duct requiring the ERCP procedure.
US07976457B2
An adapter is provided for holding a rear tip extender onto the cylinder of a penile prosthesis or onto another rear tip extender.
US07976442B2
An exercise apparatus for exercising multiple body parts includes a frame and a front user bearer assembly which is angularly and height adjustable relative to the frame. The front bearer assembly is mounted to a guide for guiding upward and downward movement of the front bearer assembly. A compensator to ensure that the front assembly travels in a substantially vertical plane during exercise includes a number of support elements, which are pivotally mounted.
US07976439B2
An exercise device for simulation of the action familiar to “tire flipping” is provided, having a base frame with a rail, a carriage including a pair of supports and a guide arm coupled to the base frame and the carriage. The guide arm allows guided rotational displacement of the carriage relative to the base frame with the carriage also being supported by at least one support received by the rail of the base frame at all time. One or more weight horns may be used to add additional mass to the carriage. A brake may be used to control the downward movement of the carriage after the carriage is actuated over vertical by a user or a lift that is “missed” causing the carriage to be safely lowered to a starting position.
US07976423B2
A differential assembly for a vehicle includes a differential casing rotatable about an axis. The differential casing defines a cavity. A pair of side gears is disposed within the differential casing cavity. First and second pairs of pinion gears are rotatably positioned in the cavity in driving engagement with the side gears. A thrust block has circumferentially spaced apart recesses. Rotation of the thrust block is restricted by the first and second pairs of pinion gears being in communication with the recesses. A spring biases the thrust block into engagement with one of the side gears.
US07976422B2
A differential assembly includes a retainer for a cross pin having a bore aligned with a bore formed in a differential housing. The cross pin retainer is positionable at partially-inserted and fully-inserted positions within the cross pin and differential bores. At a first rotational orientation, the cross pin retainer is positionable in its partially-inserted position to temporarily retain the cross pin within the differential housing. At a second rotational orientation, the cross pin retainer is positionable in its fully-inserted position to retain the cross pin within the differential housing. Features of the cross pin retainer cooperate with surfaces formed in the differential housing to allow the cross pin retainer to be fixedly positioned and secured within the differential housing.
US07976421B2
A differential gear 1 for a vehicle comprises a differential case 2 having a pair of holes 9R, 9L for drive shafts, a pair of pinion gears 3, 4 supported by pinion gear supporters 10, 11 and a pair of side gears 5R, 5L engaging with the pinion gears 3, 4. A pair of thrust washers 6R, 6L is interposed between the backs of the side gears 5R, 5L and the inner peripheries of the holes 9R, 9L without radial movement.
US07976409B2
The present invention provides a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, an inner cover layer and an outer cover layer. The core is made of a material obtained by molding under applied heat a rubber composition containing (a) a base rubber containing polybutadiene having a stress relaxation time (T80) of 3.5 or less, (b) an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a metal salt thereof, and (c) an organic peroxide. The inner cover layer has a Shore D hardness of from 50 to 80, the outer cover layer has a Shore D hardness of from 35 to 60 which is lower than the Shore D hardness of the inner cover layer, and the inner cover layer is formed primarily of a specific, highly neutralized resin mixture. The golf ball as a whole has an excellent rebound, a good, soft feel on impact, and an outstanding spin performance, and is capable of achieving an increased distance.
US07976406B2
The present invention is directed to a golf club head with an improved striking surface. The grooves are machined into the strike surface with tight tolerances. The grooves have sharp edges, radiused ends, and a draft angle between about 2° and 12°. The striking face is machined such that it has a uniform texture with a roughness of more than 40 Ra. The face may be selectively textured to enhance certain shots that the golfer may perform. This may include providing a plurality of distinct sets of texturing to accommodate a plurality of different shots. The grooves may contain a plurality of portions, including a radiused or angled portion, a portion having substantially parallel walls, a portion having a v-shape, and a curved portion. The grooves may also be characterized by various dimensions, including draft angle, inclusive side wall angle, width, depth, cross-sectional area, spacing, and pitch ratio.
US07976403B2
Disclosed herein are muscle-back iron golf clubs that have improved mass qualities to provide higher rotational moments of inertia and lower center of gravity while retaining the workability of muscle-back irons and the size, shape and dimensions preferred by tour players and low handicap players.
US07976399B1
A golf club alignment system, including: (a) a golf club shaft; (b) a golf club head connected to the golf club shaft, the golf club head including: (i) a hosel received onto an end of the golf club shaft; (ii) a ball-hitting face extending from the hosel; and (iii) an alignment system on the hosel, wherein the alignment system comprises a longitudinally extending marker positioned in a plane passing through a center axis of the golf club, and wherein the longitudinally extending marker terminates in an arrow point at the upper end of the hosel.
US07976397B2
A rotary game table includes a combination game table, two side support members, and at least one cross member. The combination game table includes a pool table surface formed on one side and an air powered hockey table surface formed on the opposite side. The at least one cross member is terminated on each end by a single side support member. The combination game table is pivotally retained by a side support member on each end thereof. To pivotally constrain the combination game table, at least one locking pin device is used; in a second embodiment at least two pivotal support arms; and in a fourth embodiment a pair of support latches. A third embodiment includes at least one side support member configured to retain a plurality of game accessories. A gaming table may be substituted for the air hockey table.
US07976395B2
A portable puppet theater, stage or playhouse comprises hanging wall structure for hanging the puppet theater or playhouse from a door or other vertical surface, enclosure structure for suspending from the hanging wall structure, the enclosure structure being shaped to form an enclosure, and shaping means associated with the enclosure structure for extending the enclosure structure away from a door or other vertical surface. The shaping structure within the enclosure structure may be disposed to be pivotable between a first position extending the enclosure structure away from the door or other vertical surface, and a second position maintaining the enclosure structure substantially flush against the door or other vertical surface.A method of using a portable puppet theater or playhouse, comprises hanging the puppet theater or playhouse on a surface of a door so that an enclosure member in the puppet theater or playhouse is disposed in a first position extending outward from the surface of the door to provide an enclosure between the surface of the door and the enclosure member, and pivoting the enclosure member towards the surface of the door so that the enclosure member is flush with the surface of the door in a second position.
US07976393B2
A gaming machine cabinet has a cabinet door is pivotaliy connected thereto and movable between a closed and open positions. A cabinet door button panel includes a panel support surface opposite the door's inner side, a capture structure at a first boundary of a button panel opening, and a blocking structure at a button panel second boundary opposite the first boundary. A button panel base has a first edge received in a button panel frame capture structure, and second edge received on the panel support surface. A locking flange with a locking projection extends from the button panel base lower side, the locking projection moveable between extended and retracted positions. With the button panel base in an operating position, a locking projection may he placed in the extended position to contact the blocking structure and thereby retain the button panel base in the operating position.
US07976392B2
An advantageous set of external interfaces for home video game platform provide modularity and expandability while maintaining and preserving the proprietary nature of the platform. A disk drive interface provides flexible communications with an internal disk drive. Various serial bus interfaces provide expandability and interconnectability with a variety of internal and external devices including, for example, flash memory, broadband adapters, modems, and various other devices. A 4-port game controller interface provides serial interconnectability with handheld game controllers and various other input/output device. Power supply, digital and analog audio/video connections, and parallel memory expansion connections are also provided.
US07976390B2
By awarding bonuses during predetermined bonus periods, gaming establishments can exercise greater control over bonus wins and, in doing so, can create player excitement and increase play during historically off-peak times, realizing greater revenue for the casino. The time based bonus begins when a maximum time for the bonus period is selected and divided into time increments, with each time increment having its own weight. A winning increment is randomly selected and a bonus is awarded when the time increment has been reached.
US07976388B2
An oral care gaming system and methods are provided for promoting and rewarding proper oral care techniques and behaviors and for controlling an electronic and/or video game. The system and methods enable a user to play an electronic and/or video game while performing certain oral care activities. The efficacy of a user's oral care techniques enables the user to improve their game play and to achieve the goals of the game. The system includes an oral care tool configured as a game enabler/controller and a base unit configured as an electronic gaming apparatus. Using the oral care tool, a user performs oral care and interacts with an electronic and/or video game the base unit implements and runs. The base unit includes a video display that displays video outputs of an electronic and/or video game. The oral care tool is actuated to enable an electronic and/or video game, and includes sensors for detecting characteristics of a user's oral care techniques and behaviors that serve as inputs to an electronic and/or video game.
US07976382B2
A casino gaming apparatus may include a display unit capable of generating video images, a value input device, a user input device and a controller operatively coupled to the display unit. The controller may comprise a processor and a memory and may be programmed to allow a person to make a wager, to cause a video image to be generated on the display unit, to cause a bonus image to be generated on the display unit for a time period in response to a trigger event, to award a bonus in response to the person making an input via the user input device in response to generation of the bonus image on the display unit, and to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of the game.
US07976370B2
The invention relates to a method for carrying out a game of the type comprising the steps of noting written information on a writing surface with the aid of a writing means. The writing surface is provided with a position-coding pattern and the writing means is a combined writing and reading unit, which continually reads its movement across the writing surface. The information is converted into digital signals and is sent via a communication system to a recipient which returns feedback on the received information. Examples of games that can be performed by means of such a method are pools, lotto, betting and various other games comprising the use of pen and paper to be carried out.
US07976361B2
A polishing apparatus is suitable for use in polishing a periphery of a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus includes a holding section configured to hold a workpiece and a polishing head configured to bring a polishing tape into contact with the workpiece. The polishing apparatus also includes a supply reel configured to supply the polishing tape to the polishing head, a rewind reel configured to rewind the polishing tape that has contacted the workpiece, and a swinging mechanism configured to cause the polishing head to perform a swinging motion with its pivot at a predetermined point.
US07976352B2
An audio connector includes: a body; a terminal plug fixed in position to the body and having a guide plate penetrating the body for supporting and being electrically connected to the conductive ends of a multi-core wire; a wire collecting member disposed inside the body, wherein the wire collecting member and the guide plate collectively define a receiving space for receiving and collecting the conductive ends of the multi-core wire; and a pressing member disposed inside the wire collecting member for pressing the conductive ends of the multi-core wire in conjunction with the guide plate and the wire collecting member, wherein a maximum width of the receiving space is smaller than or equal to that of the pressing surface of the pressing member.
US07976348B2
Compensation schemes for a modular jack are provided according to the present disclosure. The compensation schemes advantageously include a first coupling of compensating crosstalk between a first pair of conductors and a second pair of conductors and a second coupling of compensating crosstalk between only a first conductor of the first pair of conductors and only a first conductor of the second pair of conductors, wherein the first and second couplings of compensating crosstalk are of opposite polarities. In exemplary embodiments, the first coupling of compensating crosstalk may be provided by a circuit board, such as a flexible circuit board including a plurality of interconnection elements, e.g., capacitors, for providing the first coupling of compensating crosstalk. Alternatively, the first coupling of compensating crosstalk may be provided by a plurality of plug interface contacts associated with the first and second pairs of conductors. Similarly, the second coupling of compensating crosstalk may be provided either by a circuit board associated with the first and second pairs of conductors or by a plurality of rear wire connection terminals associated with the first and second pairs of conductors.
US07976343B2
A lamp-connection socket for a lamp for a display device, and a backlight unit and LCD device using the same are disclosed. The lamp-connection socket includes a body that includes a lamp receiving portion that supports an end portion of a lamp; a first terminal that extends from within the body to the outside of the body to receive a potential for driving the lamp; a balance device arranged within the body and electrically connected to the first terminal; and a clip arranged in the body that releasably clamps a lamp electrode at the end of the lamp, the clip electrically connected to the balance device.
US07976341B2
The invention relates to a screened connector comprising a cable, which has at least one conductor and a screen braid, a contact support, which is provided with at least one contact element which holds a stripped end of the at least one conductor of the cable, and screening for the at least one conductor, the screening having a fastening region to which the screen braid of the cable is fastened, the screen braid being fastened to the outside of the screening.
US07976337B1
A method and system for coupling to a palmtop computer that supports both mobile computing and desktop use. A palmtop computer docking system is disclosed that includes a cable assembly and a base. The cable assembly includes a palmtop computer connection mechanism that is connected to a USB connector and that is connected to a power connection mechanism via an electrical cable. Power is provided via the power connection mechanism. The cable assembly is adapted to engage the base so as to produce a fully functional docking cradle. In operation, once the cable assembly is engaged with the base, the USB connector is then coupled to the desired computing device (typically either a portable computer or a full-size computer). The resulting docking cradle facilitates desktop use such as, for example, communication with a full size computer. The cable assembly can be removed from the base and can be used independently of the base for mobile computing.
US07976333B2
A laminar electrical connector is provided that is formed from multiple superimposed strips of conductive material that form a stack having at least two ends. A second conductive material is used to join adjacent superimposed strips. The resultant connector has ends that are adapted to engage electrical terminals and provide an electrical communication therebetween. The resultant connector lacks a sheath on the ends or a grommet extending through the stack. Such a sheath or grommet limits the operative lifetime of the resulting connector and also creates current focusing that diminishes overall connector efficiency. A connector having a continuous layer of the second conductive material joining adjacent strips along the entire interface between the adjacent strips is also provided and improves connector performance in ways that are especially beneficial to applications associated with an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.
US07976332B2
A connector comprising a first connector provided with a first projection and a second projection on an outer surface thereof; and a frame including a wall portion defining an opening, the wall portion provided with a first guide running in a direction and a second guide on an inner surface thereof, wherein the first connector is inserted into the frame through the opening along the direction while the first projection is guided by the first guide and the second projection is guided by the second guide, and at least a part of a distance between the first guide and the second guide shortens along the direction.
US07976324B2
A device, method and computer program product for effecting vibrations in a device. In accordance with one example embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for effecting vibrations in a mobile electronic device having a first body and a second body movably mounted together, a drive motor for moving one body relative to the other body between a closed position and an open position in a first mode of operation, a controller for controlling the drive motor, and a biasing mechanism for applying a biasing force biasing the first and second bodies in the closed position when the first and second bodies are in the closed position and for applying a biasing force biasing the first and second bodies in the open position when the first and second bodies are in the open position, the method including: in a second mode of operation, driving the motor to repeatedly move one of the first body and the second body relative to the other of first body and the second body and against the biasing mechanism to cause the mobile electronic device to vibrate.
US07976322B2
A lever fitting type connector includes a male connector, a lever which is rotatably attached to the male connector, and a female connector which has a fitting space into which the male connector is inserted. The lever has a fulcrum protrusion provided on one end portion of the lever. An inner wall forming the fitting space of the female connector has a guiding groove portion and a receiving groove portion for receiving the fulcrum protrusion. The guiding groove portion extends in a fitting direction of the male connector with respect to the female connector from an upper end portion of the inner wall toward the inside of the fitting space. The receiving groove portion which is communicated with the guiding groove portion and extends in a direction intersecting the fitting direction from one end of the guiding groove portion which is away from the upper portion of the inner wall. The fulcrum protrusion is positioned to the inside of the receiving groove portion at a time when an unrotatable state of the lever is released.
US07976319B2
An electrical connector includes a housing having a mating end and a board end. The housing has a plurality of contact cavities extending along a longitudinal axis between the mating and board ends. A plurality of contacts are received within the contact cavities. The contacts have a mating end and a mounting end, and the contacts have a flexible tail at the mounting end. The tail has a first portion extending along the longitudinal axis and a second portion angled with respect to the first portion with the second portion having a board mounting surface configured to mount to a circuit board. The tail includes a slot open along the board mounting surface.
US07976317B2
Power connector modules are provided that can be plug connectors, receptacle connectors, or a system of plug and receptacle connector modules and optionally other modules, that mate together. Each connector has an uncoupled contact feature. The uncoupled contacts have exposed surfaces to dissipate heat resulting from Joule effects. The uncoupled contacts for the plug connector converge to form a blade structure at one side. The uncoupled contacts for the receptacle connector form a receiving section that engages the blade structure of the plug connector when the plug connector and receptacle connector are used together.
US07976316B2
An electrical connector for connecting a circuit board includes a plurality of blades; a plurality of terminals disposed on each of the blades and extending in parallel to each other; and a holding member for holding the blades next to each other to be situated on a same plane. Further, each of the blades includes a base member, and the terminals are integrated with the base member.
US07976309B1
According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for simulating damage inside a chamber in response to receiving a detection signal from one or more sensors outside the chamber. The method includes receiving the detection signal from the one or more sensors located outside the chamber in response to the one or more sensors detecting a simulated hit to outside the chamber. In response, emitting light from one or more light sources to simulate damage inside the chamber.
US07976305B2
A cigarette lighter includes a reservoir for storing fuel and a head formed on the reservoir. Moreover, the cigarette lighter includes a valve for releasing the fuel from the reservoir, a nozzle put in the head for spraying the fuel from the valve, an ignition device for igniting the fuel sprayed from the nozzle, a cover for covering the head and an alarm for providing only one round of a message every time the cover is lifted.
US07976304B2
The present invention relates to a method for mixing at least two separate fluid flows (2, 3), in particular for a burner of a power plant.To improve the mixing, a plurality of swirl flows (7, 8), which are annular and concentric with respect to a longitudinal center line (6), are generated from the fluid flows (2, 3), in such a manner that radially adjacent swirl flows (7, 8) have opposite directions of rotation.
US07976299B2
Provided are a bisected mold for tire molding that enables manufacturing of high-performance tires and that at a mold clamping, avoids a tire from being pinched to thereby attain a yield enhancement; and a process for manufacturing a tire. Inside a container bisected into upper and lower parts in the state of mold opening, there are disposed a mold for tire molding and, along upper and lower side plates, an unvulcanized tire. After performing vulcanization molding of the unvulcanized tire while changing from this state to a state of mold clamping of sectors and segments split into a plurality of pieces in a circumferential direction of the unvulcanized tire through a driving device and a slide unit means, only the sectors are subjected to mold opening by use of a driving means while maintaining the state of mold clamping of the mold for tire molding and the segments by the driving device and the slide unit means, and subsequently taking the vulcanization-molded tire.
US07976297B2
An intended purpose of this invention is to realize a gear pump suitable for delivery of high-pressure and high-viscosity fluids by using helical gears meshing with each other. For this purpose, the gear pump includes introduction paths for introducing the fluid from a discharge side toward shaft end sides of gear shafts to apply shaft ends of the gear shafts with fluid pressures counterbalancing axial thrusts produced by the helical gears.
US07976294B2
A scroll fluid machine has a stationary scroll having a stationary scroll lap and an orbiting scroll having an orbiting scroll lap that orbits relative to the stationary scroll lap. The orbiting scroll lap engages with the stationary scroll lap to form a closed compression chamber. An intermediate ring is positioned to surround the orbiting scroll lap. A plurality of first plate springs connect the intermediate ring and the orbiting scroll, while supporting the intermediate ring to enable the intermediate ring to move in a first direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of the machine. A plurality of second plate springs connect the intermediate ring and the stationary scroll, while supporting the intermediate ring to enable the intermediate ring to move in a second direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the machine as well as orthogonal to the first direction.
US07976293B2
A centrifugal fan includes an impeller having a plurality of blades around a predetermined central axis, a motor that rotatably drives the impeller, a control circuit that controls the rotation of the motor, and a casing that houses the impeller, the motor, and at least a portion of the control circuit. A plurality of electronic components of the control circuit are disposed in an electronic component mounting portion provided between a circumferential wall of the casing and a virtually extending plane of an opening end surface of an exhaust port along a direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis. In the centrifugal fan, the electronic components are disposed radially outside an air passage, and thus the centrifugal fan can be reduced in its axial size, so that downsizing of the fan can be achieved.
US07976291B2
A cooling fan includes an outer housing. A motor support is fixed to the outer housing and a motor is mounted to the motor support. A hub is coupled to the motor and, with the motor support, forms a motor enclosure that substantially surrounds the motor. Multiple blades extend radially from the hub and are arranged so as to generate a flow of air around the motor enclosure when the blades are rotated. The cooling fan also includes a motor cooler including a flow path through the motor enclosure, wherein the flow path has a first opening and a second opening, wherein the second opening is disposed within an area of lowered downstream pressure so as to develop a differential pressure between the first and second openings and generate a flow of air through the motor enclosure as the motor operates.
US07976281B2
A rotor blade assembly includes a shank, an airfoil that is formed integrally with the shank, and a removable platform coupled between said shank and said airfoil via a friction fit. A method of assembling a gas turbine engine rotor blade assembly that includes a removable platform, and a gas turbine engine rotor assembly including the removable platform are also described herein.
US07976271B2
A rotary blood pump includes a casing defining a pumping chamber. The pumping chamber has a blood inlet and a tangential blood outlet. One or more motor stators are provided outside of the pumping chamber. A rotatable impeller is within the pumping chamber and is adapted to cause blood entering the pumping chamber to move to the blood outlet. The impeller has one or more magnetic regions. The impeller is radially constrained in rotation by magnetic coupling to one or more motor stators and is axially constrained in rotation by one or more hydrodynamic thrust bearing surfaces on the impeller.
US07976264B1
The truck bed apparatus is provided as replacement or original equipment. An access below the platform selectively houses the individually rollingly removable ramps. Bi-directional hinges which fasten each ramp second section to each first section are lockable, giving the ramps infinite incline and decline capabilities. Bi-directional lockable hinges affix each third section to each second section for the same reason. Varied lengths of the hinged legs also provide selective angle and support for each ramp. The second and third sections can be pivotally fitted within the width of the first section and subsection, thereby providing a collapsed ramp height less than would otherwise be provided, which provides for the platform to be only marginally higher than a standard truck bed platform would otherwise be. The ramps can be collapsed and housed within the access, then removed and extended to a far greater length than the platform of the bed.
US07976257B2
A profile rail has a face and is formed with a longitudinally extending channel open at the face and with longitudinally extending stabilizing formations on the face flanking the channel. The channel has confronting ribbed flanks. A stabilizing element has a face engageable with the face of the rail and formed with a pair of stabilizing formations fittable with the stabilizing formations of the rail and with a throughgoing hole between the respective stabilizing formations and aligned with the channel when the element stabilizing formations are fitted with the rail stabilizing formations. A screw fittable through the hole has a screwthread engageable with the flanks of the channel so that the screw can clamp the element to the face of the rail.
US07976251B2
An indexable insert has a rake face on which a first ridge (2) and a second ridge (3) are provided. The first ridge (2) protrudes from a boss surface (1) towards a nose, and the second ridge (3) extends continuously from the first ridge (2) to a slope (8) connected to a cutting-edge land (7) of a linear cutting edge (6). The second ridge (3) has a height lower than that of the first ridge (2) and is convex-curved towards a bisecting line (CL) of an apex angle of the nose in plan view, thereby achieving both enhanced chip processability and reduction of load received when raking a chip.
US07976245B2
A mooring (10) for connecting an ocean energy capturing device (51) to a seabed (16) is disclosed. The mooring (10) comprises a base (12) adapted for connection to the ocean energy capturing device (51). A plurality of anchor bolts (18) are each connected at a first end to the base (12) and have a second end adapted to be embedded in the seabed (16) for attaching the base (12) to the seabed (16). A method of securing the ocean energy capturing device (51) to the seabed (16) is also disclosed. The method involves passing a tensile transmission line (46) through a guide opening (44) in the base (12) and drawing the tensile transmission line (46) through the guide opening (44) to drag the ocean energy capturing device (51) toward the base (51).
US07976233B2
A winding apparatus for use in a copier, a printer, and other devices for ejecting a printed sheet in a rolled form of a cylinder without having a core includes a gripping mechanism for gripping the leading end of a sheet when the sheet is rolled into cylindrical form. The gripping mechanism is disposed on a cylindrical member provided to each of both ends of the sheet in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet and moving with the conveyance of the sheet. The on and off states of gripping to the leading end of the sheet can be controlled. The gripping mechanism is turned to the off state, and the cylindrical member is retracted from the sheet.
US07976226B2
Disclosed are various embodiments of an optical wavelength division demultiplexer or multiplexer sub-assembly configured to receive or transmit optical signals conveyed thereto or therefrom by a fiber optic cable. Selected portions of external surfaces of the sub-assembly are coated with an electrically conductive paint, polymer or adhesive to provide an EMI, EMP or ESD shield. Typically, the sub-assembly comprises an integrally molded plastic optical block and a separate integrally molded coupling module with a ferrule and fiber optic cable receptacle. In one embodiment, selected external surfaces of the optical block and coupling module are coated with a coating having a predetermined electrical conductivity to provide a desired degree of EMI, EMP or ESD shielding.
US07976213B2
In an air mixing arrangement wherein a primary fluid is introduced through an opening in a wall to be mixed with a secondary fluid flowing along the wall surface, the opening is airfoil shaped with its leading edge being orientated at an attack angle with respect to the secondary fluid flow stream to enhance penetration and dispersion of the primary fluid stream into the secondary fluid stream. The airfoil shaped opening is selectively positioned such that its angle of attack provides the desired lift to optimize the mixing of the two streams for the particular application. Embodiments of the arrangement can comprise a collar around the openings, multiple openings that comprise a larger opening and a smaller opening positioned downstream, pairs of openings and associated collars symmetric relationship, and nozzles on the inner side of the wall.
US07976210B2
The backlight system is provided with: a plurality of LED-substrates (12) equipped with a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (21), a circuit that supplies driving current to the plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (21), and metallic film islands that conduct heat generated by the plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (21); a backlight frame (11) that loads the plurality of LED-substrates (12); and bolts (17) that fix the plurality of LED-substrates (12) on the backlight frame (11) and that conduct heat through the metallic film islands to the backlight frame (11).
US07976209B2
The planar lighting device includes, in addition to light sources, a light exit plane, a pair of light entrance planes formed on a pair of sides of the light exit plane, and a rear plane composed of a pair of inclined planes formed on a side opposite from the light exit plane such that the light guide plate grows thicker with an increasing distance from the light entrance planes toward the center. The light guide plate contains light scattering particles satisfying Npi>Np, where Npi is the particle density in a region of space within a given range of the light guide plate and Np the density in the other region of space. The planar lighting device with minimized brightness unevenness liable to develop near the light entrance planes when the light exit plane has great dimensions.
US07976207B2
Provided are a backlight assembly and a display device having the same. The backlight assembly includes a light source unit which generates light; and a light guide plate which comprises an incident light surface through which the light from the light source unit enters the light guide plate, an upper surface joined to the incident light surface and that includes a prism pattern, and a lower surface opposing the upper surface and formed with a plurality of concave portions. A diffusing pattern is formed on one of the upper surface and the lower surface.
US07976202B2
Techniques for light emitting diode (LED) lighting with heat spreading in illumination gaps. Inexpensive structural aluminum may be suitably employed to form a passive heat spreading mount for plural LEDs whose illumination collectively combines to provide the light needed by a particular lighting fixture, such as a pendant chandelier, by way of example, by angling fins of the passive heat spreading mount to correspond to illumination gaps of the LEDs.
US07976197B2
The invention provides a LED illuminating equipment with high power and high heat-dissipating efficiency. The LED illuminating equipment of the invention includes a plurality of diode light-emitting apparatuses. Particularly, the heat generated by the diode light-emitting apparatuses in operation is conducted to a heat-dissipating plate device and the heat-dissipating fins. Besides, the heat is uniformly distributed over the heat-dissipating plate device and further dissipated by the heat-dissipating plate device and the heat-dissipating fins extending thereon.
US07976190B2
A custom assembly light-emitting module using plugs and jacks for obtaining vertical electrical connections, includes a light-emitting unit, a lens unit, a plug unit and a jack unit. The lens unit is detachably combined with the light-emitting unit. The plug unit is disposed beside one side of the lens unit and electrically connected with the light-emitting unit. The jack unit is disposed on a bottom side of the plug unit and electrically connected with the plug unit. In addition, the light-emitting unit has two first retaining structures being formed on two opposite lateral sides thereof, the lens unit has a hollow transparent structure and a lens integratedly with the hollow transparent structure, two second retaining structures are disposed in the hollow transparent structure, and the light-emitting unit is detachably disposed in the hollow transparent structure.
US07976185B2
A light emitting diode (LED) lamp tube includes a lamp device including a circuit board, and a plurality of LEDs mounted on the circuit board. The circuit board is disposed in a tubular enclosure such that an inner peripheral surface of the enclosure is divided into a non-illuminated portion and a light-receiving portion. The tubular enclosure has a plurality of tapered protrusions extending from the light-receiving portion toward the LEDs. Each of the tapered protrusions converges from the light-receiving portion toward the LEDs. Each of the tapered protrusions further has a maximum width at an outer end thereof, which increases gradually from a middle portion of the light-receiving portion toward junctions of the light-receiving portion and the non-illuminated portion.
US07976181B2
An illuminator comprises an elongate body; and engagement means for engaging a display cabinet shelf at a front edge. Light emitting diodes are mounted on inner surfaces of the body for product illumination. The diodes are mounted for mutually divergent and at least partially inwardly-directed fields of illumination. The diodes include a top set of diodes arranged for illumination above a shelf and a bottom set of diodes for illumination below a shelf. The illuminator may further comprise a light guide for direction of light from behind the diodes to an outer surface of the body, and the diodes being mounted on a transparent substrate. The body may comprise a label holder for supporting a label across an outer surface of the body.
US07976178B2
A stocking is illuminated with flashing lights in response to movement by a wearer and is protected against water damage.
US07976174B2
In a method for projecting at least one optical projection onto at least one projection surface a monitoring zone that contains and/or surrounds a first projection surface is scanned with the aid of a working laser beam, which is not hazardous for the human eye, by the positioning the working laser beam on various scanning positions located in the monitoring zone, and a measured signal for light from the working laser beam that is reflected from the scanning positions is acquired. The measured signal is compared with the reference signal. Depending on the result of this comparison, the optical projection is projected onto the first projection surface by means of a projection laser beam, which has a greater radiant power than the working laser beam. With the aid of the working laser beam, a second optical projection is projected onto a second projection surface that is located outside of the monitoring zone.
US07976168B2
Disclosed are a system and method for microprojection that uses multiple imagers to produce a high resolution output image. Each of a set of imagers produces a portion of the final image. Relay lenses then tile the individual image portions together into a combined image. Because the height of the individual imagers is smaller than the height of a monolithic imager, they can fit into a very thin device. The combined image has a resolution equal to the sum of the resolutions of the individual imagers. The individual images are tiled together within the microprojector itself rather than on a projection screen. This allows the tiling to be adjusted once at the factory and set forever. In some embodiments, the light created for use by the microprojector is split by a polarizing beamsplitter. Each resultant polarized beam is then sent to an imager. Another polarizing beamsplitter combines the individual images.
US07976167B2
A light engine has a light source front surface that emits non-collimated light. A collection lens collects the non-collimated light and provides incompletely collimated light. A collimating lens receives the incompletely collimated light and provides a collimated image. A non-orthogonal polarizing filter receives the collimated image and passes a polarized portion of the collimated image as a direct component of the polarized light engine image. The non-orthogonal polarizing filter reflects a recycled image back to the front surface. The non-orthogonal shape of the polarizing filter is selected according to the pattern of light on the light source front surface.
US07976163B2
A system measures a corneal topography of an eye. The system includes a group of first light sources arranged around a central axis, the group being separated from the axis by a radial distance defining an aperture in the group; a plurality of second light sources; a detector array; and an optical system adapted to provide light from the second light sources through the aperture to a cornea of an eye, and to provide images of the first light sources and images of the second light sources from the cornea, through the aperture, to the detector array. The optical system includes an optical element having a focal length, f. The second light sources are disposed to be in an optical path approximately one focal length, f, away from the optical element.
US07976159B2
Continuous Adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles are provided with lenses with continuously changeable optical densities, so that viewing of 2D movies is optimized for visualization in natural 3D. Method and means are disclosed for the continuous Adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles to perform two independent optimizations to achieve optimized 3Deeps visual effects on 2D movies. First they compute the optical density setting of the lenses for optimal viewing of 2D movies as 3D. Then they continuously render the lenses of the spectacles to these optical densities optimized for characteristics of the electro-optical material from which the lenses of the spectacles are fabricated. The invention works for both 3DTV and 3D Cinema theater viewing.
US07976154B2
The invention pertains to the protection of spectacles arms and relates to a protection member for a spectacles arm comprising an elongated tubular envelope (54) sealed against chemical agents, having an open end and having an essentially flat shape in the plane of a hook-shaped spectacles arms. The envelope (54) includes, at a location corresponding to the position of the bend of a hook-shaped spectacles arm, a device (62) preferably for folding about a transverses axis and for reducing at said location the distance between the inner edge of the bend of the spectacles arm and the edge of the member provided on the side of the bend interior. Application in hairdressing facilities.
US07976149B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink set that has a wide color reproduction range, has high saturation, produces a glossy recorded image with no pronounced granularity caused by dot expression, greatly suppresses granularity caused by dot expression particularly when applied to a medium having a coating layer, and allows a recorded image with outstanding coloration to be obtained when applied to plain paper. The present invention provides an ink set comprising at least yellow ink (Y), magenta ink (M), cyan ink (C), and red ink (R), wherein the L* values in the Lab colorimetric system specified by CIE for aqueous solutions of each ink diluted 1000 times are within the following ranges. (Y): at least 89 and no more than 94, (M): at least 76 and no more than 93, (C): at least 74 and no more than 87, (R): at least 55 and no more than 74.
US07976138B2
The present invention pertains to a data-providing component securing mechanism for a printing apparatus reservoir. According to embodiments of the present invention, a securing mechanism is provided with an image-formation-material reservoir. The securing mechanism includes a drawer-style support feature having two guiding regions that interact with sides of the data-providing component when it is inserted therein. Upon complete or substantially complete insertion of the data-providing component into the drawer-style support feature, a retention feature is engaged at an opening end of the drawer-style support feature in order to retain the data-providing component in its engaged position. Consequently, the data-providing component can be secured without the use of external bonding agents, and can be removed from the drawer-style support feature intact, thereby allowing such data-providing component to be reused.
US07976136B2
To prevent an adhesive from flowing into nozzles, there is provided a head chip includes: a plate having a plurality of grooves; a cover plate having an introduction aperture; a nozzle plate fixed to an end surface of the plate, and has nozzles formed at the same intervals; and escape holes formed between the nozzle plate and the plate, each have a contour which surrounds a periphery of each of the nozzles with the contour being spaced apart from a contour of each of the nozzles by at least a given distance, accumulate the adhesive remaining at a time of fixing the nozzle plate therein, and allow the nozzles and the grooves to communicate with each other. The nozzles and the escape holes are so arranged as to be displaced from adjacent nozzles and adjacent escape holes by a given distance in a vertical direction of the nozzle plate.
US07976115B2
A method for determining the pulse width for driving printhead nozzles in a thermal inkjet printer. The printhead is preheated to a desired temperature during a maintenance mode. The printhead nozzle heaters are successively driven in respective heating intervals, where each successive heating interval is characterized by shorter drive pulse width pulses occurring at a higher pulse frequency. The printhead temperature data received during each heating interval is processed to determine a respective temperature slope. The temperature slopes are compared to a desired threshold temperature slope, and when a match is found, the pulse width associated with the matched temperature slope is used to drive the nozzle heaters during subsequent printer operations to print characters on a print medium.
US07976109B2
A hybrid brake apparatus for a vehicle includes a front hydraulically actuated brake circuit, a rear electrically actuated brake circuit, and a controller. The front hydraulically actuated brake circuit includes a master cylinder for providing pressurized fluid to the front brake circuit in response to an input applied to the master cylinder for applying a frictional front braking force. The rear electrically actuated brake circuit is controllable in response to the input for providing a frictional rear braking force. The rear brake circuit is controlled in accordance with a first predetermined relationship between the input and rear braking force during normal operation of the front brake circuit. If the controller detects a degradation of front braking force, the rear brake circuit is controlled in accordance with a second predetermined relationship between the input and the rear braking force, to thereby compensate for the degradation of front braking force.
US07976107B2
A wheel rim with a circumferential area on a inner surface of the wheel rim. The circumferential area coinciding with the intersection of the inner surface with the lateral balance plane of the wheel rim, the circumferential area being visibly distinguishable from the rest of the inner surface and where the circumferential area is made visibly distinguishable from the rest of the inner surface during the manufacturing of the wheel rim.
US07976104B2
A seat includes a seat main body; first and second adjustable portions, each of which is provided on the seat main body and is placed in an adjustable state by operating force; an operating member which is displaced in a predetermined range; a first operating force transmitting portion for transmitting the operating force of the operating member to the first adjustable portion when the operating member is displaced in a first range; a second operating force transmitting portion for transmitting the operating force of the operating member to the second adjustable portion when the operating member is displaced in a second range; and an operation reaction force avoiding portion for keeping the first adjustable portion in the state that it is in when the operating member is displaced in the first range, when the operating member is displaced in the second range, by the input operating force.
US07976099B2
A tray liner of flexible construction relies on the rigid airline or railroad car seat tray underneath it to create a horizontal clean and sanitary surface useful for supporting food and drink utensils. While it is especially useful for handling food items for toddlers or small children during travel, the tray liner may also be used on a high chair in a restaurant. It may also be used by older children to provide a play area for toys with multiple parts that may easily fall off a tray. Adult use by the general public or by handicapped people also offers a more secure dining platform with spill protection during travel. It has soft semi-rigid edges which function to keep objects or fluids from falling off the supporting tray. It has a sturdy outer covering with an impervious interior surface which is impermeable to liquids and waterproof.
US07976098B2
A pillar reinforcement of a center pillar comprises an upper part and a lower part with a boundary line of these parts being positioned below the middle level of the pillar reinforcement. The upper and lower parts respectively include side wall portions which extend along a vehicle side face and pairs of vertical wall portions which extend inwardly from front and rear end portions of the side wall portions. The pair of vertical wall portions of the lower part is slant relative to the vehicle width direction so that the distance between the vertical wall portions becomes wider toward the inward direction, and a slant angle of the pair of vertical wall portions of the lower part is greater than that of the vertical portions of the upper part.
US07976090B2
A fire truck equipped with a moveable side mounted fire truck hose bed, including: a fire truck chassis; a fire hose bed mounted onto a side of the fire truck chassis; and a mechanism for moving the hose bed between a lowered deployed position and an upper storage position.
US07976089B2
A tailgate topper for a pickup truck tailgate has a transverse horizontally extending cross-bar supported by a pair of vertically movable support members which allow positioning of the cross-bar at a desired height above the tailgate. A plurality of upwardly biased popup blocks are disposed below said cross-bar within the tailgate so exert pressure upwardly against cargo extending between the cross-bar and the popup block.
US07976082B2
A bumper-stay structure for a vehicle, provided between a bumper back beam and a side member, for absorbing collision impact, may include a buffer member fixed to a front end of the side member and having a first impact absorbing member slidably absorbing the collision impact while the collision impact is applied to the bumper back beam, a support member, a front end of which is coupled to the bumper back beam and a rear end of which is telescopically mounted to a front end of the buffer member, wherein the rear end of the support member is pressingly coupled by the first impact absorbing member to the buffer member so that the first impact absorbing member maintains pressing contact with the support member while the collision impact is applied to the bumper back beam.
US07976078B2
A device (10) for the detachable connection of structural parts (80, 84) in an aircraft, comprising a clamping lever arrangement (12) associated with a first structural part (80) and a clamping pin (14) associated with a second structural part (84), wherein the clamping lever arrangement (12) comprises an eccentric shaft (20) rotatably mounted about a rotation axis (A) on the first structural part (80), a clamping lever (16) mounted eccentrically and swivellably with respect to the eccentric shaft (20) and a driving bushing (18) rotatably mounted relative to the eccentric shaft (20) about the rotation axis (A) and coupled in a geared manner to the clamping lever (16), wherein the clamping lever arrangement (12) can furthermore be displaced between a release position, a readiness position and a locking position.
US07976077B2
An integrated sash lock and tilt latch assembly is mounted in a sash window having a top rail, a base, and two stiles connected together at their extremities. The integrated assembly contains a sash lock mechanism, a tilt latch mechanism, and a connector. The sash lock mechanism includes an actuator movable to adjust the assembly among a locked position, an unlocked position, and a tiltable position, and a rotor coupled to the actuator. The tilt latch mechanism includes a tilt latch housing supported by the top rail and a latch bolt slidably supported by the tilt latch housing and moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. At least a portion of the tilt latch housing has a generally circular cross-section. The connector has a first end of operably coupled to the latch bolt and a second end operably coupled to the sash lock mechanism.
US07976075B2
A crown-type probe seal for a female hydraulic coupling member has one or more circumferential, spring-energized seals. One particular preferred seal comprises a closely-wound helical spring which imparts an inwardly-directed radial force to the crown seal. In certain embodiments, the helical spring is substantially encased in a polymer jacket. In yet other embodiments, a liner is interposed between the outer surface of the helical spring and the polymer jacket. An optional, axial extension on at least one end of the crown seal provides a bore liner for a female hydraulic coupling member in which the crown seal is installed.
US07976073B2
A coupling device for hydraulically and mechanically coupling a fuel injector to a combustion engine fuel rail has a fuel injector cup with a central longitudinal axis. The fuel injector cup is hydraulically coupled to the rail and engages an injector fuel inlet portion. A first ring element coupled to the cup prevents movement relative to the cup in a central axis direction. The first ring element has a first screw thread. A second ring element is coupled to the injector preventing movement of the second ring element relative to the injector in a central axis direction. The second ring element has a second screw thread in engagement with the first screw thread retaining the fuel injector in the fuel injector cup in central axis direction. One of the ring elements is designed to be rotatable around the central longitudinal axis relative to the injector and/or the cup.
US07976068B2
A compound security feature is formed by printing latent images together with visually integrated settings using an invisible ink. Even if illuminated by a wavelength capable of rendering the inks visible, the latent images remain visually indistinguishable from their visually integrated settings. However, the latent images and visually integrated settings differ in one or more less obvious ways so that the latent images can be distinguished by using a visual aid.
US07976059B2
An air bag device includes a retainer to which an inflator and a folded air bag are attached. The retainer is fixed to a steering wheel armature and has a plurality of hooks formed in a side wall portion thereof. A module cover covers the air bag and each hook of the plurality of hooks is engaged with an opening of a leg piece portion projected from a rear side. The module cover can be vertically moved with respect to the retainer. A horn plate has a plurality of contacts attached along a circumferential edge of the module cover and moved integrally with the module cover at a horn operating time. A contact plate is attached to the retainer. A horn spring is arranged between the horn plate and the retainer. The contact plate includes a clip portion fastened to the retainer and a leaf spring portion abutting against one of the contacts of the horn plate at the horn operating time.
US07976053B2
Disclosed is a trailer hitch system that is configured to rotate to a stowing position and an operating position. When in the operational position, a coupler arm of the trailer is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the trailer so that the coupler arm contributes to the length of the trailer. When in the stowing position, the coupler arm of the trailer is bent at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the trailer so that the coupling arm does not contribute to the overall length of the trailer.
US07976041B2
A front bicycle mudguard is detachably coupled with a clamping assembly. The mudguard has a main body, and a head portion is defined on an end of the main body, with a fixed end provided on an extremity of the head portion. The clamping assembly includes one first clamping device and two second clamping devices. The first clamping device includes a tightening member and a clamping member. The tightening member is inserted into an orifice of a front fork of the bicycle, with an end of the clamping member engaged with the tightening member. Another end of the clamping member is detachably installed to the fixed end. Each second clamping device includes a belt adapted to quickly attach to/detach from the front fork.
US07976035B2
A foldable scooter includes a footboard, a steering column and a connecting member in between. The connecting member includes a stopper for engaging the connecting member with the notches disposed at a front portion of the footboard in the open condition. The connecting member also includes a rotatable locking member having a first biasing device for biasing the locking member against the connecting member in the open and folded conditions, an actuating end, a first locking end and a second locking end rotatable to a first and second locked position correspondingly for locking the connecting member to the footboard in the open and folded conditions. The locking member can be easily and conveniently released from the first and second locked positions by pressing the actuating end.
US07976028B2
By improving a metal gasket having a corrugated portion which is advantageous in sealing property, a non-asbestos gasket in which the sealing property is further improved is provided. A non-asbestos gasket has a three-layer structured sealing portion S configured by: a core layer 1A which is made of a plate of a metal, and which is formed into a concentric circle-like corrugated shape; and surface layers 2, 3 which are made of expanded graphite, and which are stacked on the front and back faces of the core layer, respectively. In an outer circumferential end of the sealing portion S, the core layer 1A is protruded from the front and back surface layers 2, 3 toward an outer diameter side. In an inner circumferential end of the sealing portion S, the front and back surface layers 2, 3 are protruded from the core layer 1A toward an inner diameter side, thereby covering the core layer 1A.
US07976020B2
There is provided a recording apparatus capable of bringing a delivery tray to an open state automatically when a sheet material is conveyed without the need for a solenoid to open the delivery tray, and preventing the delivery tray from opening inadvertently except during recording. The recording apparatus includes a delay mechanism having plural ring members rotatable with some delay in sync with a delivery roller, and a control mechanism having plural link members, and plural elastic members. Plural cam portions rotatable together with the plural ring members, and a phase control unit for controlling the phases of the plural cam portions are provided in the delay mechanism. One link member of the control mechanism is connected to a delivery tray. When the phases of the plural cam portions match, the delivery tray is opened through the control mechanism by a drive of the delivery roller.
US07976016B2
A medium transferring mechanism that includes a medium inserting portion into which a sheet medium is inserted, the medium inserting portion defined by a bottom face and by a first side face and a second side face which extend from the bottom face and are opposed to each other; wherein a first guide face extending toward the first side face is formed at a forward end portion of the second side face; a second guide face extending from the second side face so as to gradually get close to a medium transferring path towards a medium transferring direction is formed above the first guide face; and a third guide face inclined downward from a lower edge of the second guide face toward an upper edge of the first guide face, is formed between the first guide face and the second guide face.
US07975997B2
A supporting pin which can cancel thermal expansion of a mounting table (hot plate) includes an upper supporting pin and a lower supporting pin, wherein the upper supporting pin and the lower supporting pin are independent of each other, the upper supporting pin is retained by the penetrating hole of the mounting table, and the lower supporting pin is attached to an elevator mechanism. Since the lower end of the upper supporting pin and the upper end of the lower supporting pin are in contact with each other, the operation of the supporting pin can be normally performed even when thermal expansion of the hot plate occurs.
US07975987B2
A lifting reel with a four-line wire structure includes a fixed body fixed to a ceiling of a structure, first and second drums installed to the body at a predetermined interval and rotated by a driving motor, wires respectively connected to the first and second drums, and first, second, third and fourth guide rollers arranged on a top of a lifting body at regular intervals and suspended on the wires to form a four-line wire. A wire-twisting prevention device is installed between an end of the wire connected to the first drum and an end of the wire connected to the second drum so as to connect both wires with each other. The wire-twisting prevention device includes bearings installed to the ends of the wires to be rotatable, respectively. The bearings prevent the wires from being twisted while the wires are wound around or unwound from the drums.
US07975983B2
A split gate is movably mounted within a valve body along a valve axis between valve seats. The split gate has gates, each extending between one of the valve seats and the other gate. In an open position, gate holes register with a fluid aperture and the valve seats to permit fluid flow. In the closed position, the holes do not register with the fluid aperture to prevent fluid flow. The split gate valve also has a gate guide located in the body for moving the gates with respect to the valve seats along the fluid axis. The gate guide forces the pair of gates apart along the fluid axis and into contact with the valve seats in both the open and closed positions. The gates have axial play along the fluid axis when the split gate is between the open and closed positions.
US07975982B2
In an electromagnetic valve, a stator assembly includes an electrically energizable coil and a thin-walled core which receives and reciprocally supports an armature. The thin-walled core has a closed end and an open end, the open end being in fluid communication with a fluid flow passage within a valve member. The valve member reciprocates with the armature to control flow rate in the flow passage. A flange integral with the thin-walled core extends about the open end. A washer receives the thin-walled core and abuts the flange. The flange and the washer are received in a recess in the valve body and are permanently and sealingly fixed therein by a swaged joint in the valve body.
US07975976B2
A recessed in-wall interface box assembly that is relatively easy to install in a finished wall, including accommodations for video and electrical wiring in the box, having an attractive appearance, and that is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
US07975974B2
An adjustable lamp holder has a mounting structure arrayed about a longitudinal axis. A pair of hollow pivot pillars extends from the mounting structure parallel to the longitudinal axis and a receptacle is positioned on the mounting structure parallel to the longitudinal axis and substantially opposite the pivot pillars. A body with a body axis coaxial with the longitudinal axis has a pair of pivots formed thereon for engaging the pivot pillars. A projection is formed on the body substantially opposite the pivots and an angle adjuster, having a proximal end and a distal end, has the proximal end positioned in the projection and the distal end positioned in the receptacle. Movement of the angle adjuster tips the angle of the lamp.
US07975973B1
A camera tree mount apparatus includes a boring member that includes a coupler, a central body attached to the coupler and a drill head is attached the central body opposite of the coupler. The drill head is threaded and has a pointed free end to threadably bore the drill head into a tree trunk. The coupler has an outer end positioned distal to the central body. A shaft has a pair of threaded shaft ends one of which is attached to the coupler. A mounting panel has a peripheral edge having a threaded aperture therein. One of the shaft ends is extended into the threaded aperture and threadably coupled to the mounting panel. The mounting panel has at least one hole extending therethrough. A camera is mountable on the mounting panel after the drill head is extended into a tree to couple the camera to the tree.
US07975962B2
A passenger accommodation assembly for a transportation vehicle, comprising a plurality of accommodation units placed along an aisle with each accommodation unit being convertible between an upright seat position and a reclined position. A first accommodation unit of the assembly is elevated relative to a second unit whereby the legs of a passenger reclining in the second unit can extend under a seat portion of the first unit and the backrest of the passenger in the first unit can extend over the legs of the passenger in the second unit. Other embodiments of the invention comprise multiple accommodation units and combinations of accommodation unit assemblies.
US07975960B2
An apparatus for driving a taxiing aircraft is disclosed, comprising, in an aircraft, two self-propelled nosewheels, each having an electric motor; equipment for flight; dual-function controlling means for controlling said equipment for flight and said nosewheels, said dual-function controlling means being disposed in the cockpit of said aircraft; sensing means; and switching means, —wherein said switching means are operable to switch the function of said dual-function controlling means between controlling said equipment for flight and controlling said nosewheels. Said dual function controlling means may control speed and/or steering of the aircraft. Second controlling means may be provided, and may be disposed externally to the aircraft.
US07975948B2
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for processing system foodstuff are shown and described. Food processing systems can hold and prepare food for consumption. The disclosed embodiments can be quickly and conveniently used to dry, grind, mill, dispense, or otherwise process foodstuff.
US07975947B2
A food chopper has a two-part housing, with an upper housing section and a lower housing section, with a receiving chamber in which the goods to be cut can be positioned. At least one knife element is arranged to move axially within the housing with at least one knife edge moved into the receiving chamber. The housing is closed at its lower housing section with a receiving chamber. The knife element is connected to an inertia mass element.
US07975935B2
A paint system includes at least one modular paint delivery system module, each module having a shipping container configured for transport via a transport infrastructure, and at least one paint delivery system preassembled into an operational paint circulation unit and configured to be shipped and operated within the shipping container. A method for deploying a system includes building at least one modular paint delivery system module at a building site, each module having a shipping container configured for transport via a transport infrastructure, and at least one paint delivery system preassembled into an operational paint circulation unit and configured to be shipped to and operated within the shipping container at an installation site, transporting the module to the installation site location from the building site via the transport infrastructure, and connecting at least one resource connection and at least one distribution piping to the module at the installation site location.
US07975930B1
System and methods are described for irreversibly destroying optical signatures that utilize optical signature defining material, for example discrete objects or fluids, disposed in optical signature chambers to create individual optical signatures that together form an optical signature for the system. By irreversibly destroying the individual optical signatures, unauthorized replication of the system optical signature is prevented ensuring the security of the optical signature and any technology relying upon or tied to the optical signature.
US07975929B1
A system and method for creating a unique optical signature that use an unstructured, random arrangement of objects, such as optical beads. Disturbance of the arrangement of the objects irreversibly changes the unique optical signature that is created, effectively preventing replication of the unique optical signature if the arrangement of the objects is disturbed. The disturbance and resulting destruction of the optical signature can occur without the application or presence of electrical power.
US07975927B1
An electronic transaction card such as a gift card includes a card member having a front surface and a rear surface. Sandwiched between the front and rear surfaces is a microprocessor that is activated by a solar cell array positioned on the front surface of the card. The microprocessor is in communication with a multi-digit display and a text message display on the front surface of the card member. Whenever the card member is exposed to ambient light, the recipient's name, a prerecorded message and the remaining available balance of the card as previously recorded on the microprocessor automatically appear on the respective displays.
US07975926B2
Although a product having such the IC chip has been diffused, information on the product may be capable of being perceived, abstracted, falsified, or the like by a third person with his external device during distribution of the product or after purchase of the product. Further, privacy may be seriously infringed. Paper money, various products, and the like are disclosed according to the present invention with an integrated circuit device having a switching memory for controlling reading and writing of information (lock/unlock of information) in order to protect the information recorded and stored in the integrated circuit such as an IC chip installed to the product or the like.
US07975925B2
A cartridge reader device includes an RFID unit that reads cartridge memory (CM) data from an RFID tag of a data cartridge, a bar code unit that reads a bar code of the data cartridge, and a housing that encloses the RFID unit and the bar code unit. The housing defines a first receiving area configured to accept the data cartridge when the data cartridge is enclosed in a case, which enables the bar code unit to read the bar code data from the bar code of the data cartridge when the data cartridge is enclosed in the case, and a second receiving area configured to accept the data cartridge when the data cartridge is not enclosed in the case, which enables the bar code unit to read the bar code data from the bar code of the data cartridge when the data cartridge is not enclosed in the case.
US07975922B2
The present invention relates to management of information relating to medical fluids, containers therefor, and medical fluid administration devices for administering such medical fluids to patients. Data tags (e.g., RFID tags) are generally associated with containers of the invention and may be electromagnetically read from and/or written to using an electromagnetic device, for example, that may be associated with a medical fluid administration device of the invention.
US07975921B2
An inductive coupling reader includes a passive interface circuit for modulating the impedance of an antenna circuit and extracting from the antenna circuit a data signal and a RF clock signal, and circuitry for coupling the reader to a removable security module. The reader includes an emulation circuit for opening a RF transmission channel with another reader, a non-removable electrical link linking the emulation circuit to the passive interface circuit, by which the data signal and the RF clock signal are supplied to the emulation circuit, and a data bus clocked by a bus clock signal having a frequency inferior to the frequency of the RF clock signal, for linking the emulation circuit to the removable security module. The reader has low electrical consumption.
US07975920B2
A method for reading a sheet or a paper ballot enclosed in a ballot envelope comprises decoding a machine readable envelope identifier from each ballot envelope, displaying at least the decoded envelope identifier and a signature from each ballot envelope for determining from the envelope identifier, the signature, or both, whether a valid sheet or ballot is presented. If the sheet or ballot is valid, then the sheet or ballot is removed from its envelope and the selections marked on the sheet or ballot may then be determined and processed.
US07975916B2
The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture or arrangement that can limit access to sensitive information by means of encryption. In particular, data obtained from a payment instrument at, e.g., a Point-Of-Sale (POS) location can be encrypted at an early stage such that a POS (or another) application does not have access to the data in an unencrypted form and/or does not have access to a means for decrypting the data. For example, a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) arrangement can be employed such that a back-end payment processor can define encryption algorithms, associate itself with a public key, and maintain a private key for decryption. The public key can be delivered to the POS location and employed for data encryption, and, moreover, the PKI can be regulated by the more trusted parties.
US07975914B2
The present invention is directed to an apparatus, system and method for storing passport information on a reusable immigration customs visa card for use as valid identification and proof of authorized entry within a country's borders. The immigration customs visa card is configured for being accessed by a passport card application program executable on a computer, where the card is configured for receiving a selection of passport information from a passport holder's passport via a passport reader or computer, when issued by an authorized institution. Once the immigration customs visa card has been issued, the card may be used as valid proof of authorized entry into the issuing country's borders.
US07975909B2
Disclosed are an automatic transaction machine and method of rejecting a paper medium in the automatic transaction machine. The automatic transaction machine includes a medium storage portion; a first medium transfer module transferring a paper medium in a sheet unit from the medium storage portion; a temporary stack portion provided adjacent to an outlet of the first medium transfer module, stacking the paper medium, and having a vertically movable supporter; a second medium transfer module for transferring, to a medium outlet, the paper medium transmitted from the supporter having been upwardly moved; and a rejection portion positioned below the supporter, and including a rejection inlet vertically movable together with the supporter.
US07975903B2
An envelope that allows a mailer to partly seal an envelop such that the primary content is sealed within the envelope while still allowing a third party to insert secondary material into the envelope is provided. An envelope includes a first sheet and a second sheet that forms a first pouch between the second sheet and the first sheet. The first pouch has a top opening and a side opening. The envelope also includes a third sheet that forms a second pouch between the third sheet and the second sheet. The second pouch has a top opening. The envelope also has a first flap for closing both the top opening of the first pouch and the top opening of the second pouch. The envelope also includes a second flap for closing the side opening of the first pouch.
US07975902B2
A method is provided for connecting components particularly in the field of aerospace wherein a first component is connected to a second component, comprising the following steps: arranging at least one nano- or microstructured material between the first and the second component, initiating an exothermic reaction of the nano- or microstructured material for connecting both components with each other.
US07975901B2
A bonding apparatus including a chamber for maintaining an inert gas atmosphere; a first plasma torch for performing a surface treatment on pads and electrodes, the first plasma torch being attached in the chamber, to apply gas plasma to a substrate and a semiconductor chip that is placed inside the chamber; a second plasma torch for performing a surface treatment on an initial ball and/or wire at a tip end of a capillary that is positioned inside the chamber, the second plasma torch being attached in the chamber, to apply gas plasma to the initial ball and/or wire; and a bonding unit for bonding the surface-treated initial ball and/or wire to the surface-treated pads and electrodes in the chamber, thereby cleaning of the surface of the electrodes and pads as well as the wire can be effectively performed.
US07975900B2
An ignition source system for an exothermic reaction mold device for welding conductors. The system includes a crucible in a block with an open top so that the crucible receives an exothermic weld material. The conductors to be welded exothermically are placed in the weld cavity of the mold. A lid covers the open top wherein the lid has an opening therethrough. An electronic thermal igniter assembly has an ignition component receivable through the opening in the lid so that the exothermic weld material may be ignited by the electronic thermal igniter assembly. The igniter plug rests on top of the lid and the ignition body is retained in a recess within the igniter plug.
US07975895B2
A surgical stapling device having an approximation mechanism for treating hollow tissue organs is provided. The stapling device includes a handle, a body portion extending distally from the handle, a distal head portion at a distal end of the body portion, and an approximation mechanism. The head portion includes an anvil assembly having an anvil head and an anvil shaft. The approximation mechanism includes a rotatable approximation knob, a first member, and a second member. The rotatable approximation knob is operably connected to the first member to effect movement the first member over a first distance. The second member is rotatably coupled to a proximal end of the anvil shaft of the anvil assembly to operably connect the anvil shaft to the first member such that movement of the first member over the first distance effects movement of the anvil shaft in relation to the first member over a second distance.
US07975889B2
A disposable ampoule opener, in combination with ampoule, is disclosed, which may include a first housing section having a substantially convex outer surface and a substantially concave inner surface shaped to receive at least a portion of the ampoule and a second housing section having a substantially convex outer surface shaped to receive at least a portion of the ampoule, wherein the ampoule has a lower liquid portion capable of containing liquid and an upper tip portion that is narrower in diameter than the lower liquid portion, the ampoule further having a neck portion disposed between the lower liquid portion and the upper tip portion, and wherein the second housing section is coupled to the first housing section, and which may also include ribs along one of the inner concave surfaces and ridges alone one of the outer convex surfaces.
US07975858B2
A product display shelf comprising a bottom surface, a rear surface and at least one compliant member is disclosed. The bottom surface is configured to support at least one product thereon. The rear surface extends upwardly from the bottom surface. The at least one compliant member is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the rear surface and is configured to substantially prevent the product supported by the bottom surface from movement relative to the bottom surface upon movement of the product display shelf.
US07975856B2
An accessory tray for a pressure washer. The accessory tray of some embodiments has an accessory supporting portion for supporting and/or storing accessories of the pressure washer. The accessory supporting portion has a concave surface, which allows the accessories to be supported substantially normal to the ground regardless of the relative angle between the accessory tray and the ground. Some embodiments also have a flexible cantilevered member positioned above a portion of the accessory tray to trap an accessory against the accessory tray. Some embodiments can have a hose hook that supports and stores a hose of the pressure washer. The hose hook has a concave shape to allow the hose to be supported substantially normal to the ground.
US07975853B2
The invention relates to the high speed non-destructive sorting of small food items for softness. The food item is conveyed on a series of belts designed to accurately drop the food item onto a flexible surface at an oblique angle. Accelerometers mounted under the flexible surface generate impact waveforms, which are computer analysed to both detect the item landing position and enable comparison with an operator-selected softness threshold level. Within a few milliseconds of the food item contacting the flexible surface it continues to drop past a rejection point. If determined by analysis to be soft, it is ejected to a waste conveyor.
US07975846B2
A sharps holding device according to the present invention may include a body providing a housing having a contact surface and at least one needle securement aperture. A needle securement aperture may be configured to allow insertion of at least a portion of a needle or other sharp into the housing. The device may also have one or more needle cushions positioned adjacent to the contact surface. A needle cushion may be configured such that a needle or other sharp inserted through a securement aperture can be inserted into the needle cushion. A lid may be included in the device and configured to secure the one or more needle cushions within the body of the housing. One or more needle cushions may be cooperatively engaged by the contact surface of the body and the lid, and one of the needle cushions may be located between the lid and the contact surface.
US07975845B2
A sturdy container to store, transport and securely maintain a measuring device, for example, a spirit level or electronic equivalents thereof. The container comprises an elongated conduit constructed from for example, an organic polymeric material (PVC), carbon fiber, fiberglass or metal. The elongated conduit includes an interior cavity dimensioned to fully encompass one or more measuring device(s) to be securely maintained therein. A head cap assembly is generally provided at a first longitudinal end of the elongated conduit, the head cap including an aperture in communication with the interior cavity, and the aperture dimensioned to receive at least one of the measuring devices therethrough. A door is provided on the head cap and is dimensioned to lateral span the aperture when disposed in a closed position. A lockable latch is provided to maintain the door in the closed position. An end cap is provided on a second longitudinal end of the elongated conduit. A counterforce element may be disposed within the elongated conduit in proximity to or incorporated into the end cap. The counterforce element is aligned to generate a longitudinal counterforce on the measuring devices when an end of the measuring device(s) compressively engages the counterforce element.
US07975840B2
A flat wire conveyor belt system includes a plurality of spaced tractive rods and a plurality of rows of pickets transversely disposed with respect to a direction of travel and interconnecting the plurality of spaced tractive rods, each of the rows of pickets including a plurality of first links and a plurality of second links, the plurality of first links have a first spacing and the plurality of second links have a second spacing, the first spacing being less than the second spacing. The system further includes a sprocket, wherein the plurality of first links are configured to engage the sprocket teeth thereof.
US07975837B2
A conveyor (10) includes an elongate tray (12) for supporting goods thereon, and a powered drive (16) to move goods along the tray. In one embodiment, a gate (24) is supported on this tray for closing an opening in the tray or for opening to allow goods to drop through the tray opening. The gate has a first magnet (34) supported thereon. A gate drive (22) moves the gate between the open and closed positions, and has a second magnet (32) which cooperates with the first magnet such that the magnets separate if the gate encounters an obstruction when closing.
US07975835B2
Scrap metal pieces are conveyed from a mechanical press by a shaker conveyor having horizontal and parallel spaced elongated trays supported for reciprocating linear movement above a compact drive unit attached to and supported by the press. The drive unit includes an electric motor having a shaft connected to rotate an elliptical input gear on an eccentric axis and in continuous mesh with an elliptical output gear eccentrically connected to an output shaft. A rocker arm and link assembly is eccentrically connected to the output shaft and oscillates in response to rotation of the output shaft. The assembly is pivotally connected to a support carriage for the trays for reciprocating the trays with rapid acceleration and rapid deceleration at one end of the linear stroke of the carriage and trays. The elliptical input and output gears are identical in size and have the same odd number of teeth.
US07975832B2
A transfer assembly for transferring glass articles from a supporting surface onto an unloading conveyor, wherein a pickup member, for engaging the articles for transfer, is hinged to one end of a first powered actuating rod, and is connected to one end of a second powered actuating rod movable independently of the first powered actuating rod to adjust the angular position of the pickup member about a movable hinge axis as the pickup member rotates between a pickup position and a release position in which the articles are released onto the unloading conveyor.
US07975831B2
A conveying apparatus is capable of changing the forward motion direction (V1) of sheet articles (10) by means of a first rotating diverting member (4) situated above a lower active run (2h) of a second conveyor (2). The second conveyor is disposed at an angle (H1) with respect to the first conveyor (1) and the first rotating diverting member (4) is shaped like a cam with an active portion (4h) for moving the sheet article to the second conveyor without changing orientation of the sheet article. A third conveyor (3) can be added, at an angle (H2) with respect to the second conveyor, with a second rotating diverting member (5) for moving the sheet articles from the second conveyor to the third conveyor (3) without changing orientation of the sheet articles.
US07975827B2
A method for processing portable objects and a machine for processing portable objects including a device (1) for transferring portable objects (C), incorporating an integrated circuit and processing means consisting of at least two processing lifts (2, 2′) separated by a space of a size of a portable object (C), translatory moved perpendicularly to the plane of the main surface of the portable objects (C) and sequentially on a guiding support (25) by driving and positioning means, each lift (2, 2′) being formed with a parallelepipedal plate (22) provided with at least two processing devices, both lifts having determined different roles. The method consists of successively placing each portable object to be processed in contact with a processing station of the first lift and of the second lift.
US07975824B1
A system and method for changing a flow direction of dry bulk material which comprises constructing a steel clad ceramic elbow or pipe or planar flip gate and placing the same in a location where a flow direction change is desired and where abrasion will occur. The inside of the pipe has a steel surface, as does the exterior of the pipe. The ceramic material is disposed in the gap between the steel exterior and interior. The interior steel pipe wears away in portions but the remaining non-worn away portion still provides valuable support for the uncovered ceramic portions.
US07975822B2
Three external tooth wet friction materials are each composed of an external tooth plate and a lining adhered to one surface thereof along an entire circumference. Three internal tooth wet friction materials are each composed of an internal tooth plate and a lining adhered to one surface thereof along an entire circumference. Then, the three external tooth wet friction materials and the three internal tooth wet friction materials are disposed side by side so as to constitute a multi-plate frictional engagement apparatus. A thickness of the internal tooth plate is made thinner in view of its good heat discharge capability, and the thickness of the external tooth plate is made thicker by that much.
US07975821B2
A decoupler assembly is provided for allowing an alternator to be rotatably driven by a serpentine belt in an engine of an automotive vehicle and for allowing the speed of the belt to oscillate relative to the alternator. A hub is fixedly carried by a drive shaft from the alternator for rotation therewith. A pulley is rotatably journaled to the hub by a ball bearing assembly. A bare, helical clutch spring is operatively coupled between the hub and pulley for transferring rotational movement from the pulley to the hub during acceleration of the pulley relative to the hub by the serpentine belt and for allowing the hub to overrun the pulley during deceleration of the pulley relative to the hub. A torque limiter, preferably a spring or sleeve, is wrapped about the torsion spring limiting outward expansion of the torsion spring and isolating the torsion spring from torques above a predetermined limit.
US07975819B2
A bushing-type roller overrunning dutch comprising an inner and/or outer ring (4), clamping ramps (2) adapted to the needles or rollers (5), a cage (6), pressure springs (7) for the needles or rollers (5), a bushing (1) with integrally formed clamping ramps (2), and a solid inner or outer ring (4) in or on which the bushing (1) is fixed.
US07975812B2
A wheel hub includes a hub flange that extends about the wheel hub. The hub flange includes a removed section that is aligned with a camshaft assembly. An insert is used to fill the removed section. The insert is selectively removable from the hub flange to provide access to the removed section such that the camshaft assembly can be removed from a brake assembly via the removed section without having to remove the wheel hub from an axle assembly.
US07975802B2
An intake air sound generation device 40 for an internal combustion engine 2, comprises an introduction tube 41 which is connected to an intake passage 30 of the internal combustion engine 2 to introduce an intake pulse of an intake system, a vibrating body 50 which has a vibration surface 52 that is vibrated by the intake pulse and an accordion portion 53 that promotes vibration of the vibration surface 52, and is provided to cover one end of the introduction tube 41, and a resonance tube 42 which is connected to the introduction tube 41 via the vibrating body 50 and increases a sound pressure in a predetermined frequency band of an intake air sound generated by the vibration of the vibration surface 52. Thus, the sound pressure of the intake air sound at the predetermined frequency can be increased, and the durability of the vibrating body 50 can be improved.
US07975794B2
A suspension system for a tracked vehicle providing a wide range of performance characteristics via a user-adjustable overload spring assembly which engages a rear suspension element. An optimum spring force can depend on the both operator characteristics and local operating conditions. A user is afforded the ability to adjust a rear suspension system to provide desired ride characteristics. A suspension system including a movable stop to define a mechanical relation between a rear suspension arm and a front suspension arm is also disclosed.
US07975793B1
A foot pod for use with the operator cab of a construction vehicle is designed to pivot separately from the operator cab. The operator cab may be pivoted toward the rear of the construction vehicle and the foot pod may be pivoted toward the front of the construction vehicle. Pivoting the foot pod toward the front of the vehicle permits ground access to the foot pod and any controls carried thereby. Separately pivoting the foot pod forward is particularly advantageous for cleaning the foot pod or servicing any controls carried by the foot pod. Isolation mounts may be used to dampen vibrations from the chassis to the foot pod and the operator cab.
US07975792B2
A straddle-type vehicle provided with a transmission air intake passage for sending air into a transmission case housing a continuously variable transmission prevents an increase in vehicle width and prevents sand or the like from entering the air intake passage by covering the front side of the air intake passage. The transmission air intake passage extends upward from the transmission case on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of a main frame. A rearward cover covers the main frame and extends outward in the vehicle width direction to cover the rear side of the transmission air intake passage. A forward cover is curved forward from an edge outside in the vehicle width direction of a right leg shield part constructing the rearward cover and covers the transmission air intake passage from a front side.
US07975791B2
A hybrid vehicle drive control system has a first clutch interposed between an engine and a motor/generator, a transmission including several gear position clutches arranged between the motor/generator and a drive wheel, and a controller. The controller selectively starts the engine using torque from the first clutch during a drive mode change from an electric drive mode to a hybrid drive mode. When an engine start command and a gear shifting operation occur during a drive mode change, the controller selects the gear position clutch that is a common engaged clutch from among the engaged gear position clutches constituting the vehicle running gears occurring from immediately before starting the engine until immediately after starting the engine as a second clutch to be controlled. Then, the controller executes a slip control of the second clutch when the first clutch is being connected to start the engine during the drive mode change.
US07975788B2
Water contained in exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell stack 22 is separated by a gas-liquid separator 48 and is accumulated in a recovery tank 54. The procedure of the invention sets a release amount of water and selects one or multiple positions for water release, based on the driving conditions including the vehicle speed and the acceleration, the turning state, activation or non-activation of skid reduction control, the distance from any object detected by clearance sonars 94a through 94d, a distance from a subsequent vehicle measured by an extremely high frequency radar 92, and the presence of raindrops detected by a raindrop detection sensor, and releases the water accumulated in the recovery tank 54 from water outlets at the selected one or multiple positions among water outlets 58a through 58f at multiple different locations. This arrangement ensures adequate release of the water produced by the fuel cell stack 22 to the atmosphere.
US07975785B2
Diamond-impregnated cutting tools including fibers and drilling systems incorporating such tools are described. The cutting tools contain a diamond-impregnated cutting portion that contains fibers made from carbon, glass, ceramic, polymer, and the like. The fibers may be used to both control the tensile strength and the erosion rate of the matrix to optimize the cutting performance of the tools. Additionally, the fibers may also weaken the structure and allow higher modulus binders to be used for the cutting tools at a lower cost, allowing the amount of fibers to be tailored to retain the diamonds in the cutting portion for the desired amount. As the cutting portion erodes, the fibers may also increase the lubricity at the face of the cutting portion. Using the fibers allows the cutting tools to last longer and make them safer and more economical because they need to be replaced less often.
US07975779B2
An apparatus for retaining a roller cone on a bearing pin of a drill bit body that includes a drill bit body; a bearing pin coupled to the drill bit body; a retention member coupled to the bearing pin; a roller cone coupled to the retention member; and a torque transfer member coupled to the retention member and the roller cone adapted to selectively transfer torque between the retention member and the roller cone.
US07975775B2
An apparatus assists in clearing furrows in a plowed field. A plurality of furrow assist members line up with a plurality of plowshares on a furrow roller which is towed around a field. The furrow roller may have one or more cylindrical rollers that may include extension rollers that are foldable for storage. Plowshares are moveably attached to rigid beams and positioned to engage the ground and dig irrigation furrows. The cylindrical rollers smooth and compact seed beds in a uniform manner. Furrow assist members, in accordance with embodiments, are selectively deployed and positioned to be substantially in line with the plowshares to clear and distribute any soil or other materials that may be in the furrows following the passage of the cylindrical rollers.
US07975770B2
The disclosure is drawn to methods of drilling wells utilizing blow out prevention components of differing pressure ratings. In the initial drilling phase, a lower pressure rated blow out prevention component is used. In a subsequent drilling phase where a reservoir of a natural resource is penetrated, a higher pressure rated blow out prevention component is used.
US07975765B2
An enclosed circulation tool for a well including a tubular body having a top end, a bottom end and an interior cavity. A progressive cavity pump positioned at the bottom end of the body, the pump having a rotor mounted within a stator. The rotor has an upper end and a lower end, with the upper end extending into the interior cavity. A drive is coupled to and adapted to rotate the rotor in order to draw sand into the interior cavity. A first fluid passage is provided along which fluids from pumped from surface pass to fluidize solids within the interior cavity. A second fluid passage is provided along which fluidized solids from within the interior cavity pass to surface.
US07975761B2
Methods and devices with biasing force for sealing a well. Such a device is a blowout preventer has a body including a cavity having first and second recesses, a ram block configured to move inside the cavity, a top seat provided in the first recess and configured to seal the well when the ram block is closed, a wear plate provided in the second recess and configured to contact the ram block when the ram block moves inside the cavity over the wear plate, and a biasing element provided inside the cavity and configured to apply a biasing force on at least one of the top seat, the ram block or the wear plate to increase the sealing of the well.
US07975757B2
A HVAC and RESS thermal management system and a method of operation for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, a power plant and a battery pack is disclosed. The system comprises a RESS coolant circuit and a power plant coolant circuit. The RESS coolant circuit directs a coolant through the battery pack and includes a pump, a coolant heating branch has a coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, and a coolant routing valve that will selectively direct the coolant through the coolant heating branch. The power plant coolant circuit includes a heater core branch having a HVAC pump, a coolant heater, a heater core located in a HVAC module to provide heat to the passenger compartment, and the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, with the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger providing heat transfer between the coolant in the coolant heating branch and the coolant in the heater core branch.
US07975749B2
A set of dies are composed in order to remove excess metal from a casting with a press. A method of removing the excess metal from the casting includes the steps of attaching a cutter to one of the stationary die side or the movable die side; setting a work on the other side; and punching excess metal of the work into a recess shape by one punching motion of the movable die with a plurality of blades from the first blade, which is smaller, to the final blade, which is larger and protruded, when the excess metal of the work is removed by a punching motion of the movable die conducted on the stationary die. A cutter includes a row of blades in which a plurality of blades are arranged step-wise having a change in the form from the first blade, which is smaller than the final shape of the excess metal to be punched, to the final blade, the shape of which is the same as the final shape. The row of blades from the first blade to the final blade are arranged so that the first small blade can be used ahead of other blades and the other blades can be used in the order of punching motions.
US07975748B2
A suspension system for a window covering that eliminates the use of pull cords is provided. The suspension system includes a control module having a winding drum and a spring disposed about an axle. A friction member or reaction member is also provided to offset difference in the force exerted by the spring on a suspension cord versus the weight of the window covering member.
US07975747B2
A Roman shade includes a top box and a shade including a first layer and a second layer is connected to the top box. The first layer includes multiple pocket portions formed thereon and the pocket portions each are defined by folding a part upward to define a passage which extends transversely through the first layer. Multiple first holes and second holes are defined through the first layer. The pocket portion is located between the first and second holes. The second layer is located on a first side of the first layer and two control ropes each have a top end connected to the top box and a lower end of each control rope extends through the first hole from the first side of the first layer and passes over a second side of the first layer and then extends through the second hole in sequence.
US07975746B2
A container or array of containers that is are sealed with a peelable seal is transported via a conveyor along a processing path toward a desealing station at which an adhesive surface having a width substantially the same as or greater than the width of the seal is pressed against the upper surface of the peelable seal. A collection rod applies a downward pressure on the adhesive surface, pressing it against the seal and keeping the container or container array in position on the conveyor as the plate moves with the conveyor. As the leading edge of the seal passes the collection rod, the adhesive surface is rolled upward, away from the plane of the seal, pulling up on the leading edge of the seal to separate it from the container or container array while the container or container array is held down by the roller. The removed seal is then discarded.
US07975742B2
A tire (2) according to the present invention includes a tread (4), a pair of beads (8), and a carcass (10) having a radial structure. The carcass (10) has a first ply (32) and a second ply (34). The first ply (32) has a first cord. The first cord is formed by twisting three yarns. The yarn is constituted by an aramid fiber. A fineness of the yarn is equal to or higher than 800 dtex and is equal to or lower than 1100 dtex. The second ply (34) has a second cord. The second cord is formed by twisting three yarns. The yarn is constituted by the aramid fiber. A fineness of the yarn is equal to or higher than 800 dtex and is equal to or lower than 1100 dtex.
US07975737B2
The present invention is directed to a mechanism and method for providing above the table securing/unsecuring of a router motor housing. The mechanism of the present invention employs a mechanical connection included on a pivot member to couple with a wrench device extended through the tabletop. The mechanism permits a user to adjust or release the motor housing without having to reach under the table surface.
US07975732B2
A device (1) for holding sacks open, with a frame (2), wherein the frame (2) forms the opening (5) of the device (1) for holding sacks open, and the opening (5) can be closed by means of a cover element (3), which is mounted in a pivotable manner on the frame (2), the frame (2) having at least one guide element (2a), by means of which the cover element (3) can be moved from a first position into a second position, wherein the cover element (3) in the first position can be pivoted and optionally closes or exposes the opening (5) of the frame (2), and in the second position the cover element (3) serves as a ramp over the side web (2j) of the frame (2), lying on the ground, and is held on the frame (2) in a manner secure against rotation.
US07975721B2
An apparatus includes a first valve having an inlet capable of being in fluid communication with a first fluid source, an outlet capable of being in fluid communication with the inlet, and two unidirectional valves. The first valve is capable of being in a first mode in which the inlet is in fluid communication with the outlet through a first flow path, and a second mode in which the inlet is in fluid communication with the outlet through a second flow path isolated from the first flow path. The two unidirectional valves are along the second flow path.
US07975719B2
A hose connection (51) includes mounting structure (32) and suction structure (46) having an axis (B). The suction structure is mounted to the mounting structure such that the suction structure can rotate with respect to the mounting structure about the axis. The hose connection includes a hose (26′) coupled to the suction structure.
US07975713B2
An assembly for maintaining flow between an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit. The assembly may include a first plate having an inlet notch sized to engage the inlet conduit and an outlet notch sized to engage the outlet conduit, and a second plate having an inlet notch sized to engage the inlet conduit and an outlet notch sized to engage the outlet conduit. The assembly may also include a bag connectable to the first and second plates and having at least one glove port. The assembly may also include a collar configured to connect the bag to the first and second plates at a perimeter formed by the first and second plates when positioned in engagement with the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit.
US07975712B2
A hunting blind is comprised of a frame and a fabric shell supported by and releasably attached to the frame. The frame is comprised of a pair of A-frame structures of similar configuration and each includes telescopic members forming legs and a cross-member that spans between the legs. Coupling assemblies pivotally attach the legs to the cross-member so that the legs can be selectively folded against or extended from the cross-member.
US07975711B2
A portable accessory device includes a housing having a mounting slot, an accessory unit supported in the housing, and two adjustable retainers for adjusting the size of the mounting slot for a shaft of a shading device. Each of the adjustable retainer includes a retention arm, having a pusher surface facing towards the mounting slot, slidably mounted at the housing, wherein the pusher surfaces of the retention arms are facing with each other and are arranged for biasing against an outer surface of the shaft of the shading device until the shaft thereof being fitted at the mounting slot so as to substantially mount the housing at the shaft of the shading device. Therefore, the portable accessory device is adapted to detachably mount at the shading device to provide an additional function via the accessory unit for users to have high quality shading device.
US07975707B1
This invention is dental floss or dental tape whose cross-sectional size can be adjusted after it is inserted into the proximal space. This is accomplished by making floss or tape with two or more members, wherein longitudinally pulling a subset of those members relative to the other members increases the cross-sectional size of the floss or tape. The size of the floss can be optimally adjusted to match the size of the interproximal space and clean the space most efficiently.
US07975703B2
Methods and apparatus for delivering precise amounts of fluid under pressure into cardiac tissue for the purpose of facilitating ablation of the tissue along a desired lesion line. One method injects fluid under pressure through a discharge orifice in a needle-less injection device. The injected fluid can be a cytotoxic fluid and/or a highly conductive fluid injected in conjunction with radio frequency ablation to create an ablative virtual electrode. The injected fluid can provide deeper and narrower conduction paths and resulting lesions. Radio frequency ablation can be performed at the same time as the fluid injection, using the injection device as an electrode, or subsequent to the fluid injection, using a separate device. In some methods, the injected fluid is a protective fluid, injected to protect tissue adjacent to the desired lesion line. Fluid delivery can be endocardial, epicardial, and epicardial on a beating heart. The present methods find one use in performing maze procedures to treat atrial fibrillation.
US07975681B2
A reloading system for dispensing spherical projectiles is disclosed. The reloading system has a removable cartridge that removes from a base unit attached to a spherical projectile device. Upon insertion of the cartridge, a sliding gate on the removable cartridge permits direct feed of the projectiles to the projectile device. An ejection mechanism releases the cartridge for insertion of another cartridge.
US07975679B2
A other-type fuel contamination determination apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas sensor. The exhaust gas sensor is configured for obtaining one of (a) an air-fuel ratio and (b) a combustion state for the internal combustion engine based on exhaust gas. The other-type fuel contamination determination apparatus determines whether other-type fuel contaminates fuel that is supplied to the internal combustion engine based on an output by the exhaust gas sensor.
US07975675B2
A hybrid vehicle is optionally driven by an electrical machine which can be supplied with power from a galvanic cell or which, during a generating operation, supplies the galvanic cell with power, and by an internal-combustion engine which can be supplied with a combustible liquid from a tank. An activated carbon canister is assigned to the tank for collecting vapors of the combustible liquid, the activated carbon canister being connectible, as required, with the intake system of the internal-combustion engine for carrying out a scavenging, wherein the activated carbon canister is positioned in the area of the galvanic cell.
US07975670B2
An ECU executes a program including: detecting the engine speed NE and the current KL (S1010, S1020) when the ISC learning control is started (“YES” in S1000); changing the ignition efficiency so that the NE and the output torque are kept unchanged even when the throttle valve opening amount changes (S1030); calculating the target torque by multiplying the ISC target torque by the ignition efficiency (S1040); calculating the target KL based on the target torque, the NE and the MBT (S1050); calculating the throttle valve opening amount based on the target KL (S1060); calculating the target ignition timing based on the NE, the current KL and the target torque (S1070); and controlling an engine using the calculated throttle valve opening amount, ignition timing and fuel injection amount (S1080).
US07975664B2
The valve drive has a cam follower (10) which is arranged between a cam (3) of a camshaft (4) and the gas exchange valve (5) and is mounted on a support element (8). Support element (8) is stationary in cylinder head (2), with a rigid installation height (feature YP), for the adjustment of the valve play (21) with respect to the cam (3) and/or the gas exchange valve (5). A module (6) which has the cam, follower (10) and the support element (8), defines total installation dimension of the module (6).
US07975662B2
An internal combustion engine is equipped with a variable valve controlling system, in which the single actuator is disposed in a cylinder head on one side where one ends of the rocker-arm shafts are disposed, while enabling the single actuator to activate the rocker arms irrespective of the arrangement of the rocker-arm shafts. In the internal combustion engine, a hydraulic cylinder of a hydraulic actuator is disposed so as to transverse a timing chamber. Operation elements extend respectively from sidewalls of a plunger in the hydraulic cylinder, and activate respective rocker-arm shafts. In a motorcycle on which the engine is mounted, a frame member of a vehicle frame is disposed outside the hydraulic actuator.
US07975651B2
The present invention provides a method of sequestering carbon dioxide in aqueous environments. In a first step, an area is assessed to determine whether the area is capable of supporting the addition of organisms of higher trophic level (OHTL). Next, OHTL are added to the area in order to produce enough rapidly sinking and refractory particulate matter (PM) to sequester carbon dioxide above the level of carbon dioxide sequestration that exists before the addition of OHTL. Preferably, the PM produced by the OHTL sinks at rates significantly greater than and/or is significantly less biodegradable than that produced by other components of the biological carbon pump. Finally, this increase in the level of carbon dioxide sequestration is quantified. The method of the present invention may also include the step of reporting the quantified increase in the level of carbon dioxide sequestration.
US07975649B2
A livestock waterer for use in frigid climates includes a lid which floats on the surface of the water in each basin of the waterer. The lid is hollow with a convex upper surface and with baffle walls depending from the underside of the lid. The baffle walls interrupt wave action on the surface of the water created by depression of the lid into the water when an animal presses down on the lid to gain access to the water. The floor of each basin is provided with an integrally formed mounting post to support a heater within the basin. The baffles walls prevent exhaustion of water within the basin thereby preserving submersion of the heater at all times.
US07975628B2
The combustion system for implementing the process has a combustion grate, hoppers below the combustion grate for supplying primary combustion gas through the grate and nozzles that lead into the furnace above the combustion grate to supply secondary combustion gas. At least one extraction duct for flue gas is provided at the rear end of the furnace above the combustion grate. This duct is connected to the suction side of a fan. The pressure side is connected to nozzles arranged in the upper area of the flue gas pass. The nozzle height allows the flue gases a residence time of at least 1 second after secondary gas is supplied.
US07975624B2
A multi-purpose table including a channel that either forms a portion of, or is attached to, a horizontal support structure of the work surface of the table. The channel includes at least one trough for managing cables and cords associated with electrical and communication outlet modules. The electrical and communication outlet modules may be installed within the channel with the outlets accessible to a user of the table when the work surface is positioned in each of a horizontal use position and a vertical storage position. In one embodiment, individual outlet modules are installed within the channel by a snap-fit engagement. In another embodiment, the outlet modules are provided as part of a harness or bus assembly that is slidably installed and retained within the channel.
US07975610B2
The invention relates to a printing unit (16; 17) comprising several printing groups (03; 04; 21; 22; 28; 29; 31; 32), each of which is provided with at least one plate cylinder (07) and at least one transfer cylinder (06) that is arranged so as to cooperate directly with the plate cylinder (07). The printing unit (16; 17), which is embodied as a nine-cylinder satellite printing unit (16; 17), is equipped with four plate cylinders (07) and a counterpressure cylinder (18) that is configured as a satellite cylinder (18). At least one inking roller of an inking group (09) is disposed so as to cooperate directly with the plate cylinder (07). One respective plate replacing mechanism (11; 11a; 11b), which encompasses a front section facing the associated plate cylinder (07), is assigned to at least two plate cylinders (07) that are placed next to each other in a horizontal direction.
US07975608B2
Device and a method for feeding a material web to a printing unit of a web-fed rotary printing press
A device is usable for feeding a material web to a press unit of a web-fed rotary press having a reel carrier which carries a material reel and which is mounted next to the machine line. At least one deflection rod is arranged in the web transport path between the reel carrier and the press unit. The deflection rod is angled at 45° with respect to the transport direction of the web which wraps onto it. In at least a wraparound angular region of the material web, the deflection rod has outlet openings which are configured as micro-openings for the passage of a pressurized fluid. The mean diameter of these micro openings is, at most 500 μm. When the material web is moving about the deflection rod, the micro openings are provided with pressurized fluid on a length which is greater than the width of the region which is covered by the material web which wraps around it.
US07975606B2
An auxiliary device for harvesting pasture prevents clogging at a roll baler to increase speed of harvesting pasture and decrease occurrence of troubles and enhance density of roll package. The auxiliary device for harvesting pasture includes tires having a predetermined width and weight as a rolling body, a holding portion to rotatably hold the tires, and an attaching portion to attach the holding portion to the front of a tractor which tows a roll baler. In the constitution of the auxiliary device for harvesting pasture, the attaching portion is attached to the front portion of the tractor and a line of collected grass is subject to rolling pressure by rolling of tires in accordance with movement of the tractor. Instead of the tires, a cylindrical body or a columnar body, or either one which is made in the form of metal cylindrical body or columnar body can be mounted.
US07975604B2
A dough proofing cabinet includes a chamber having one or more air ducts with a plurality of air duct openings distributed both vertically and horizontally thereon, and an outlet opening in an upper part of the chamber. Operation of a blower causes air flow from the chamber, through the outlet opening, past the heating element to the air duct or ducts and out through the air duct openings. In one example, the chamber includes air ducts extending downward on opposite side of the chamber.
US07975603B1
A food processing system includes sweep belt transfer of food product from a conveyor to a food processor such as a cooker or chiller. The conveyor may include upstream conveyance around a turn having a moving fence. The system may include an upstream conveyor to conveyor transfer from a widening gap upper conveyor to a lower conveyor.
US07975601B2
An engine cylinder liner is provided. The engine cylinder liner includes a first liner end, a second liner end, and an inner surface extending between the first liner end and the second liner end. The engine cylinder liner also includes a first outer surface between the first liner end and a first outer surface end portion, and a second outer surface between the second liner end and a second outer surface end portion. The second outer surface end portion is closer to the first liner end, than the first outer surface end portion is to the first liner end. The engine cylinder liner further includes an inclined shoulder surface portion between the first and second outer surface end portions.
US07975599B2
A regulating device for a hydrostatic piston engine is provided. The regulating device (30) has an electronic control unit (17) for generating adjusting signals. An adjusting position of the hydrostatic piston engine scanned by a feedback element (36, 61) is detected by a sensor element (42) of the electronic control unit (17) without contact.
US07975593B2
Embodiments of an inductive power transfer method are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a method of transferring data and power to a plurality of guided projectiles located in launcher tubes on a helicopter is described herein. In some embodiments, power and data are inductively transferred across the launcher windings to the projectile windings to configure the control systems of the guided projectiles to provide a lock-on-before-launch capability.
US07975577B2
The invention relates to a self-opening hand tool (1) with two tool halves (2, 3) that cross over each other at a joint (4), in particular in the form of a pair of pliers, scissors or the like, with one half of the tool (2, 3) forming a jaw (5) on one side of the joint (4) and a handle (6) on the other side of the joint (4), with a spring element (8) of elastically deformable rubber or plastic material also associated with a handle (6), which has an opening (9) through which the handle (6) passes, and that can be moved into at least one operating position at will by turning it from a non-operating position, in which operating position the spring element (8) contacts the opposite handle (6) depending on the spread angle of the handle (6) and the generation of the appropriate restoring force. To further improve the initially described hand tool for more advantageous use, it is recommended that the handle (6) be contained in a handle case and that the spring element (8) be supported by a form fit to maintain the operating position or the non-operating position.
US07975572B2
A gripping apparatus and a method apparatus for making up and breaking out tubular connections. In one embodiment, the gripping apparatus comprises an outer gear, a plurality of rollers coupled to the outer gear, an inner ring, a passive jaw, and a pair of active jaws pivotably coupled to the inner ring. The active jaws include camming surfaces for positioning, securing, actuating, and retracting the active jaws upon rotation of the outer gear. The gripping apparatus may further include a control switch operable to maintain the gripping apparatus in a make up mode or a break out mode regardless of rotation of the outer gear.
US07975568B2
A robotic arm assembly is provided comprising a driving mechanism including a rotor which is rotatable relative to a stator. The rotor is coaxially rotatable about a columnar shaft having a substantially hollow central longitudinal axis. A first arm having proximal and distal pivotal ends is rigidly mounted on the rotor such that the first arm is drivable to rotate by the driving mechanism. A proximal pivotal end of a second arm having proximal and distal pivotal ends is pivotally connected to the proximal pivotal end of the first arm. A first timing pulley is mounted coaxially onto the columnar shaft, and a second timing pulley which is spaced from the first pulley is drivable to rotate together with rotation of the first arm. A timing belt connects the first and second timing pulleys and is operative to rotate the second arm relative to the first arm as the first arm is driven to rotate by the driving mechanism, such that the distal pivotal ends of the first and second arms are configured to always lie along a substantially straight line.
US07975567B2
A device for controlling a gearbox, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising fixed permanent magnets, mounted on a gearbox casing and cooperating by magnetic attraction or repulsion with a mobile permanent magnet mounted on a transmitter member driving into rotation or translation a shaft for selecting and/or changing gears, in order to define stable gear selecting or changing positions.
US07975563B2
A servo position/stress detection control system has a servomotor, a servo driver and a controller. The servo driver has a control unit, an absolute angle reading unit and a register. The control unit selectively drives or stops the servomotor and converts torque value of the servomotor to a force value. The absolute angle reading unit reads an absolute angle value of rotation in response to a spindle of the servomotor. The controller respectively converts the absolute angle value and the force value to a linear displacement and a load stress value with a calculating program, establishes a load line in response to different force values and corresponding linear displacements wherein the load line provides corresponding correction basis for the servo driver to automatically detect height variances caused by reacting force and accordingly adjust working status of the servomotor.
US07975551B2
A piezoelectric vibrator including a pair of first piezoelectric elements having the same rectangular parallelepiped shape and polarized in opposite directions; and a pair of second piezoelectric elements, having the same rectangular parallelepiped shape and respectively attached to a face of the first piezoelectric element, and polarized in the same direction. In the piezoelectric vibrator the first piezoelectric elements are longer than the second piezoelectric elements, and the first piezoelectric elements vibrate in a longitudinal direction and the second piezoelectric elements vibrate in a bending direction when electrical signals are inputted.
US07975543B2
A method for isometric exercise safely reduces resting blood pressure and increases overall cardiovascular health. The method utilizes an apparatus that provides resistance to force and maximizes user/patient comfort. The handle or grip of the apparatus may be squeezed with a force less than the maximum squeeze force of the user, thereby restricting blood flow through contracting muscles and safely increasing blood pressure during exercise. Resting blood pressure is reduced through use of the method. The restricted blood flow reduces localized necrosis due to obstruction of blood supply. The method includes measuring and recording the maximum squeeze force of a user, calculating a fractional force using the duration of exercise or a desired fractional force percentage, and inducing the user to apply the fractional force, a lesser fractional force or no force for a time.
US07975538B2
An aging device of a catalytic converter of a vehicle simulates wear-and-tear of a catalytic converter under conditions that simulate to those of a real vehicle by injecting an oil additive or an engine oil mixture containing phosphor (P), zinc (Zn), and etc., into an engine.
US07975523B2
A split ring alignment ring for holding a punch has a split ring by which the alignment ring can be tightened onto the punch shaft. The alignment ring has a pair of radially aligned cut outs, on its inner circumference and are on its out circumference. A pin on the tool shaft engages the inner cut out to fix the tool against rotational movement relative to the ring. A second pin projects axially from the top of a punch point of the tool to engage the outer cut out, also to prevent rotational movement relative to the ring.
US07975519B1
A wind turbine installation comprises anchor bolts having a sheath or sleeve which extends above the cement foundation and the overlying grout layer. If desired, the sleeve may partially extend inside the base flange of the wind turbine tower. The sleeve may be manufactured from polypropylene, polyethylene or other materials having satisfactory mechanical properties, primarily that the material be capable of withstanding sufficient plastic deformation to cause the material to conform to the shape of the threads of the anchor bolts without the material failing. This swaging operation results in a crimped end which forms an interference fit with the threads of the anchor bolt thereby preventing or limiting the intrusion of water or other liquids into the bolt-sleeve annulus during the installation of the turbine foundation.
US07975517B2
A multistage lock apparatus has a base, a disk holder, two selecting devices, two disk sets and at least one interfering element. The base has a mounting panel and a central tube. The disk holder is connected to the base and has a mounting beam, two extending beams, a middle beam, a connecting beam and two mounting spaces. The selecting devices are rotatably connected to the base. The disk sets are respectively mounted on the selecting devices in the mounting specs of the disk holder and each disk set has a driving disk and at least one driven disk. The at least one interfering element is mounted securely on the disk holder and each of the at least one interfering element has a mounting tab and two elastic panels.
US07975511B2
A machine for producing a knitted product by at least partly using untwisted fiber material (4) includes at least one stitch forming system, on which stitch-forming elements (3) can be brought into a fibre pick-up position. A thread guide (27) is associated with the stitch-forming system and has a passage (30) for the fibre material (4). A drafting assembly (9) is associated with the stitch-forming system for attenuation of the fibre material and a spinning device (15), which is arranged between the drafting assembly (9) and the thread guide (27) and contains at least one spinning element (16) working with a blast air flow and a transport tube (17) connected thereto. The transport tube (17) contains an outlet end (17d) for the fibre material opening into the thread guide (27). The outlet end (17d) has an inner cross-section (D2), which is exactly the same size as or smaller than an inner cross-section (D1) at an outlet end of the passage (30). The intensity of the blast air flow is selected such that this is sufficient at least to securely transport the fibre material (4) as far as the stitch forming elements (3) without further auxiliary means.
US07975506B2
A coaxial economizer for use in a chiller system comprising an inner housing and an outer housing having a common longitudinal axis. The outer housing has an inlet for receiving a fluid from a upstream compressor stage of a multistage compressor and an outlet for conveying a fluid to a downstream compressor stage of a multistage compressor. A flow chamber forms a fluid flow path about the inner housing. A flash chamber is coterminous with the flow chamber and flashes fluid in a liquid state to a gas state. A flow passage between said flash chamber and the flow chamber for conveying a flashed gas from the flash chamber to the flow chamber; wherein the flashed gas conveyed from the flash chamber and the fluid received from the inlet of the outer housing mix along the fluid flow path toward the outlet of the outer housing.
US07975503B2
A refrigerator includes a main body which forms an external appearance and has a storage chamber to be opened at a front side, and an ice making device which is disposed in the storage chamber to make ice. The ice making device includes an ice making tray which has ice making grooves for making ice, an ejector which rotates and separates the ice made in the ice making grooves, blocking members which are disposed at an upper portion of one side of the ice making grooves to prevent the ice separated from the ice making grooves through the other side of the ice making grooves from returning to the ice making grooves, and a guide member which is disposed above the other side of the ice making tray to guide the ice separated from the other side of the ice making grooves by the ejector toward the blocking members.
US07975502B2
In a heat pump apparatus of the invention, a refrigerant is circulated through a compressor 31, a radiator 32, a first throttle apparatus 33, a heat exchanger 34, a second throttle apparatus 35 and an evaporator 36 in this order. The heat exchanger 34 can be utilized as both a radiator and an evaporator by operating the first throttle apparatus 33 and the second throttle apparatus 35. Therefore, even if the outside air temperature is high, discharge pressure and suction pressure of the compressor do not rise, the heat pump apparatus can be operated in a stable refrigeration cycle, and energy can be saved.
US07975501B2
An auxiliary air conditioning system (7) for a motor vehicle (1), comprising a first heat exchanger (17) adapted to be installed inside a passenger compartment (4) of the motor vehicle and an external unit (43) comprising an auxiliary engine (8), an auxiliary compressor (12) driven by the auxiliary engine (8) and a second exchanger (17). The system comprises a switching valve (20) for selectively setting a first refrigerating cycle operating mode in which the first heat exchanger (17) serves as an evaporator and the second heat exchanger (14) serves as a condenser, and a second heat pump operating mode, in which the first heat exchanger (17) serves as a condenser and the fluid of the second heat exchanger (14) is cut off and the operative fluid is allowed to flow through a heating device (30) to receive thermal power independently from the outside environment temperature.
US07975498B2
An intelligent controller (68), adapted for regulating operation of either a refrigeration system or an air conditioning system (20), receives an output electrical signal produced by a pressure sensor (72, 74, 76, 78) included in the system (20). Responsive to the received electrical signal, the intelligent controller (68) energizes operation of a motor (24) that drives a compressor (22) included in the system (20). The programmable electronic circuit (68) performs a calibration operation in which the circuit (68) measures the output electrical signal received from the pressure sensor (72, 74, 76, 78) and stores as an offset the value so measured. The programmable electronic circuit (68) subsequently applies the stored offset for adjusting a value of the output electrical signal received from the pressure sensor (72, 74, 76, 78) during normal operation of the system (20).
US07975494B2
A user interface for a control system for an air conditioning apparatus includes a visual display and keys for scrolling menu items and entering commands to the control system. The interface is mounted in the apparatus cabinet and on a rotatable bracket to orient the interface for ease of reading the display and actuating the respective keys.
US07975487B2
A combustor liner assembly includes a liner assembly, including a hot dome, a hot wall, and an impingement shield. The liner assembly further includes a convector assembly. The combustor liner assembly further includes an impingement dome assembly, including a ring-shaped portion defining a plurality of apertures configured to receive a plurality of fuel injectors, and a face. The ring-shaped portion and the face define an annular passage, and the face defines a plurality of apertures and a plurality of orifices. The convector assembly and the impingement dome assembly are operably coupled to one another, and the plurality of orifices of the face are configured such that the hot dome is exposed to air flowing in the annular passage of the impingement dome assembly. The combustor liner assembly is configured to provide flow communication between the annular passage of the impingement dome assembly and the plurality of fuel injectors.
US07975485B2
The present invention is a High Efficient Integrated Heat Engine, or HEIHE for short. HEIHE is a reciprocal combustion engine integrated with both compound cycle and combined cycle. HEIHE comprises twin compound cylinder structure, with the first cylinder being the primary combustion and/or expansion cylinder; the second cylinder being the secondary combustion and/or expansion cylinder. Power strokes driven by expansions of different working fluids such as air-fuel combustion products, steam and compressed air, are integrated into one engine block. Twin cylinder structure provides compound expansions of three (3) different fluids as to recover the energies that would be lost with the exhaust fluids or during braking. All of these make HEIHE work around six (6) periods with twelve (12) operation strokes. Among six (6) working periods involved, four (4) periods contain four (4) different power strokes but only one of the power strokes consumes the fuel. Thus the fuel conversion efficiency could be greatly increased, or even be doubled comparing with the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE).
US07975475B2
A universal control scheme for mobile hydraulic equipment has switches to activate and/or control any number of different tools or accessories that may be used to configure the equipment. Additionally, a single controller command may be reassigned from one set to another set of hydraulic line pairs. Furthermore, at different times, two separate controller commands may be used to control the same hydraulic line pair. The subject invention is also directed to a method for achieving the same.
US07975452B2
A cellular building block including a middle beam and two legs. The cellular building block having the first leg coupled to the middle beam such that the leg is perpendicular to the middle beam and a second leg coupled to the middle beam such that the leg is perpendicular to the middle beam and spaced apart from the first leg, the first leg and the second leg having an inside edge and an outside edge. Having at least one barb located on the inside edge of the first leg and on the inside edge of the second leg and further configured to lock into a recess. The cellular building blocks connect in a two dimensional or three dimensional pattern and a produce a structured material that holds itself together and exhibits beneficial characteristics.
US07975451B2
The invention relates to panels (1, 2) that can be interlinked without using glue. In the interlinked state of the panels, a cord (3) runs along the upper side of and between the panels. Said cord widens downwards and rests on the upper side of a spring (5) that forms the coupling element of a panel. The widening is preferably asymmetric. The inventive panels especially allow to provide a wall covering or a ceiling covering in an especially simple manner. The cord consists of a compressible material and prevents water from entering the gap between the panels. The design also compensates for effects related to expansion and shrinkage.
US07975446B2
A floor system includes a pair of joist rim assemblies each having a web defining a first surface. The web also includes a mounting portion defining a second surface offset from the first surface. The joist rim may also include a prong defining a slot along with the web. A joist connector bracket is received within the slot and is connectable to the mounting portion of the web. A joist extends between the pair of joist rim assemblies and is connected to the joist connector bracket of each joist rim assembly.
US07975428B2
Described herein is an indoor greenhouse that includes a rack unit, an outer layer that surrounds the rack unit and defines a greenhouse interior, at least one light surrounded by a light enclosure, a cooling system, and a ventilation system all disposed in the greenhouse interior. The ventilation system includes a fan, a filter and at least one duct that cooperate to exhaust air out of the exhaust vent opening. The rack unit includes a top, a bottom, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. The outer layer includes a top, a bottom, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween that correspond to the similar portions of the rack unit. The outer layer also has intake and exhaust vent and light cooling openings defined therein. The cooling system includes at least one duct that cooperates with the light enclosure to define an air path between the intake and exhaust light cooling openings.
US07975427B2
A method and system for disinfecting and disinfesting a commodity, such as a perishable agricultural commodity, by treatment with an environment of low oxygen/high ballast gas with cycled pressure changes that overwhelm and damage the respiratory system of the insect without damaging the host commodity. The system and method may also include the introduction of disinfectants, antiseptics and other toxic chemicals or the exposure to radio frequencies with intense electric fields that may increase the metabolic activity of the pest or decrease the fitness of the pest within the low oxygen environment. Treatments according to the methods can also increase the shelf life of agricultural commodities by eradicating or delaying the growth of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other microbial pests.
US07975426B2
A fishing rod holder with automatic pull that operates unattended and automatically pulls when a force of predetermined magnitude is applied to the line. The holder includes a housing where an assembly for removably holding a fishing rod is pivotally mounted and movable between two extreme positions. The housing includes a stopper member cooperatively mounted outwardly to coact with the locking mechanism. A spring assembly biases the holder assembly towards the rearmost extreme position and a locking assembly for releasably holding the rod holder keeps the latter at the foremost extreme position. A trigger sensing the tension of the fishing line is automatically actuated by exceeding a predetermined tension magnitude causing it to pivot and transmit a rotational movement to an elongated member. The other end of the elongated member includes a spring biased retractable chamfered pin. The pin has a slanted termination and a flat termination. The slanted termination cammingly coacts with the stopper on the outside of the housing to overcome the spring biasing the pin. An anchorage assembly mounted to the housing permits the mounting of the device to a fixed object.
US07975417B2
An improved action for a bolt action rifle. The action includes a receiver containing a bolt; the bolt having two to three locking lugs surrounding a bolt face; and a threaded insert that joins the rifle barrel to the receiver. The insert also includes a series of locking lugs that mate with the locking lugs on the bolt. The position of the insert lugs relative to the barrel will position the bolt face relative to the barrel's chamber when the bolt is closed. Thus, the insert and barrel can properly set the rifle's headspace. The insert and receiver are preferably each provided with a locking lug, that serve to align the axes of the insert and receiver. The threads of the insert and the barrel are co-axial which serves to align the axes of the insert and barrel. Thus, assembled, the receiver, insert and barrel will be substantially co-axial.
US07975413B1
Signage member can be installed for display in sign support member mounted on a wall. Multiple sign support members can be abutted with one or more fastener(s). Such fastener(s) can have a tall nut and tall screw about one end and a threaded hole and short screw about another. One or more signage member(s) may be stored behind the displayed signage member.
US07975409B2
A snow plow assembly with a longitudinally extending plow body has a blade mounting structure that supports a longitudinally extending plow blade. The blade mounting structure has a series of hinges that receive a longitudinally extending pivot rod to couple the plow body to the snow blade and set of springs to bias the snow plow blade into an operative position and to resiliently restore the snow plow blade to the operative position after encountering an obstacle. The hinge portions fixed to the snow plow body each have a receiving slot to slidingly receive a hinge key and the hinge keys define a bearing surface for abutting one end of the coil spring. A locating notch is provided in the hinge keys to limit relative movement between a hinge key an associated hinge portion. A hinge lock to capture the pivot rod is also provided.
US07975400B2
A device for determining the conductance of laundry in a drier. The device comprises at least two electrodes (2) and means for dissipating heat from at least one part of at least one of said electrodes (2). The invention further relates to a drier comprising at least one area (5) for receiving laundry and at least two electrodes (2) for measuring the conductance of the laundry, at least one of the electrodes (2) at least partly bordering said receiving area (5). Means for cooling at least one part of at least one of the electrodes (2) are also provided inside the drier. Also disclosed is a method for preventing the formation of layers on electrodes (2) used for measuring conductance in a drier.
US07975392B1
Tools and methods for subsurface operations. Circuit arrangements providing a damping effect against undesired vibration effects on inertial data signals derived from inertial sensors disposed in a downhole tool.
US07975387B2
To provide a hair cutting device permitting the user to really know the remaining hair length without having to do trial cuts, a hair cutting device (1) with hair length indicator means (4) is proposed, wherein the hair length indicator means (4) comprises a fixed delimiter (5) and at least one movable delimiter (6) being movable with respect to the fixed delimiter (5), such that the hair length is indicated by the distance (D) between the fixed (5) and the at least one movable delimiter (6). Preferably, the hair length indicator means (4) comprises more than one movable delimiter (6, 7), all movable delimiters (6, 7) being movable in circumferential direction and functionally couplable with a comb unit (19, 20) such that a change between movable delimiters (6, 7) is caused by attachment of the comb unit (19, 20) to the hair cutting device (1).
US07975385B2
A hair-cutting apparatus (1) includes a cutting arrangement (9) for cutting hair. There is provided an arrangement that prevents cut hair from flying off the hair-cutting apparatus and that includes a boundary wall (22). The boundary wall (22) extends close to the cutting arrangement (9) and includes a stationary portion (34) and a movable portion (35), the movable portion (35) being intended and arranged to cooperate with hair to be cut.
US07975381B2
A camshaft system includes a number of cam lobes locked upon a cylindrical shaft. Bearings configured with one-piece bores and are engaged with the cylindrical shaft. The bearings are captured upon the shaft by the locked-on cam lobes.
US07975372B2
An apparatus for producing electrical wiring constituted by at least one wire inserted in a corresponding receptacle of a connector provided with at least one corresponding electrical terminal, that comprises: a region for loading wires in corresponding preset seats, selected among a plurality of seats formed on a holder comb; a device for moving the holder comb from the loading region to a region for the insertion of the wires in preset receptacles of one or more preset connectors; a device for the guided translational motion of the ends of the wires within the preset receptacles of the preset connectors; and a programmable electronic device adapted to match, in the insertion region, a preset seat of the holder comb with a preset receptacle of a preset connector.
US07975366B2
A process to reduce the bevel angle in a mold used to form a write head is disclosed. First, tantalum is used instead of alumina for the yoke area. Then both the tantalum and the alumina areas are simultaneously subjected to reactive ion etching, leading to sloping sidewalls in the alumina area (write pole) while providing near vertical sidewalls in the tantalum (yoke) area. Consequently, the neck height is the same at the cavity floor as it is at the cavity top.
US07975362B2
The invention relates to a processing device for covers (20), wherein processing stations are embodied as individual processing stations (47) provided with, respectively, one tool for one cover. Several of said stations work in parallel for the simultaneous processing of several covers. If need be, stations can also be used wherein several tools form groups which are functionally separate from each other. As a result, the processing precision and production speed of the objects can be increased.
US07975357B1
Preferably, a motorcycle valve spring removal tool includes a motorcycle engine operatively mounted and secured to a frame of a motorcycle, and a valve spring compression tool secured to the motorcycle engine for use in removing a valve spring of the motorcycle engine while the cylinder head remains torqued to the cylinder, and the motorcycle engine remains mounted and secured within the motorcycle frame. In a preferred embodiment, the valve spring compression tool includes a base plate supporting a stud reception member that provides a threaded stud attachment aperture, in which a corresponding threaded stud is secured. Also included in the preferred embodiment is a compression plate interacting with the threaded stud and a force transfer component, preferably a threaded nut, also interacting with the stud to impart a compression force on the valve spring to achieve a predetermined level of compression of the valve spring.
US07975355B2
A device includes pivoting elements enabling the drilling axis (A6) of the drilling tool (35) to be pivoted (PIV) about the axis of orientation, and elements for adjusting the angular position of the drilling tool (35) about the axis of orientation. It also includes first mobility members enabling relative mobility of the drilling tool (35) in relation to the lens to be drilled (L), or vice-versa, according to a first degree of mobility (ESC) which is distinct from the pivoting of the drilling axis of the drilling tool (35) about the axis of orientation. The elements for adjustment are configured so as to control the pivoting of the drilling axis (A6) of the drilling tool (35) about the axis of orientation, in favor of the first degree of relative mobility of the drilling tool (35) in relation to the lens (L) that is to be drilled.
US07975353B2
A device for needling a nonwoven web includes several needle looms arranged in series, each with at least one needle bar, a pair of infeed rollers, and a pair of outfeed rollers. The needle looms can move along a guide in the transport direction of the nonwoven web and can be locked in place at any desired distance from each other.
US07975343B2
A toothbrush includes a head and a plurality of tooth cleaning elements for enhanced cleaning of the teeth. The tooth cleaning elements include cleaning elements that define a loop arrangement for better retention of the dentifrice, a central cleaning element disposed within the loop, two opposing arcuate cleaning elements disposed on opposite sides of the loop, peripheral cleaning element with a stepped and tapered construction, elongate distal cleaning elements, and proximal cleaning elements.
US07975340B2
Separate covers for protruding portions of discs of automatic swimming pool cleaners are addressed. The covers may be placed onto protrusions, such as fins, and removed from the fins as needed. Version of the covers are made of material more rigid and having lower coefficient of friction than the fins to discourage lateral bending of the fins and decrease frictional contact of the fins with pool surfaces.
US07975337B2
A person-support apparatus comprises a frame, a container, a gas permeable cover, a rigid diffuser, a fluidizable medium, and a cushion. The container is supported on a frame and includes a base and a plurality of sides coupled to the base. The base cooperates with the sides to define an opening opposite the base. The gas permeable cover is removably coupled to the container and covers the opening to define a chamber. The rigid diffuser is positioned within the chamber proximate the base. The fluidizable medium is positioned between the rigid diffuser and the gas permeable cover. The cushion is coupled to the diffuser and positioned between the gas permeable cover and the rigid diffuser. The cushion is configured to provide cushioning support between a person supported on the gas permeable cover and the rigid diffuser.
US07975328B2
An upward discharge waste device for a shower tray, comprises a hollow housing having a waste water inlet, a waste water outlet and a flow-channel for waste water between the waste water inlet and the waste water outlet; and a mounting element for mounting the waste device over a waste outlet of the shower tray. The flow-channel has a non-uniform transverse cross-sectional shape along the longitudinal extent from the waste water inlet and towards the waste water outlet, but has a uniform or substantially uniform transverse cross-sectional area along the longitudinal extent. A shower tray having the waste device is also provided.
US07975327B2
A submersible table and seat assembly suitable for use in a swimming pool. The submersible assembly includes a base, a table, and seats. The base has a hollow interior capable of being filled with a flowable material in an amount sufficient to enable the submersible assembly to rest on the bottom of the swimming pool. The table and the seats are supported on the base and adjustably connected to the base to enable the table and seats to be raised and lowered relative to the base, so that the table and the seats are adjustable to accommodate varying depths of the swimming pool. Fluid passages are present within the base and/or the seats, jets are fluidically coupled to the fluid passages, and a conduit is connected to the fluid passages for flowing a pressurized fluid through the jets.
US07975326B1
A disposable liner for a child's potty chair includes a generally flexible sheet material, a pouch portion formed near the center of the sheet material to extend downwardly into the opening of the potty chair, an absorbent material disposed in the pouch, a plurality of outwardly extending portions extending laterally from the sheet material, and an adhesive material disposed on an underside surface of the outwardly extending portions to adhere the disposable liner to the seat portion of the potty chair. A pull string may be disposed around the pouch, such that the pull string may be pulled after the disposable liner is used to close the pouch portion.
US07975323B2
A filter for preventing hair from becoming clogged in a drain which comprises a flat annular strainer and a magnetic rim on the periphery of said flat annular strainer.
US07975322B1
The present invention is directed to a foot pedal toilet flush device, which comprises a first bar member, a second bar member, a set of hinge members, and a bias system to allow a person to flush a toilet using a foot pedal connected to the toilet's flushing system.
US07979911B2
A first computer process has code including at least one triggering device, and a digital license corresponding to the first process sets forth terms and conditions for operating same. A second computer process proxy-executes code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process on behalf of same. The second process includes a license evaluator for evaluating the license to determining that the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in such license. A third computer process includes the code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process and an address of the triggering device in the first process. Thus, the first process is dependent on and cannot be operated without the second process and the third process.
US07979898B2
Methods and systems for providing real-time reporting of software usage includes an agent running on a local computer. The agent identifies new processes started on the computer and checks the new process against a restricted list. If the new process is on the restricted list, the agent automatically performs one or more restriction actions associated with the executable name of the process. The restricted list is contained in a configuration file stored on the local computer. A master configuration file for the local computer is stored on a server and replaces the configuration file when the configuration file is outdated. An authorized administrator may edit the master configuration file by adding or removing executable and DLL names from the restricted list and by adding or removing restriction actions associated with the executable and DLL names on the restricted list.
US07979894B2
Systems and methods for authenticating an applicant. In one implementation, the applicant indicates to an acquirer an existing account for which the applicant wishes to be authenticated. The acquirer sends a message over an electronic funds transfer (EFT) network to an issuer of the account requesting a set of questions to ask the applicant. The issuer replies with a set of questions. The acquirer asks the applicant the questions, and forwards the applicant's answers to the issuer. The issuer compares the answers with known information relating to the account and decides, based on the comparison, whether the applicant is authenticated. The issuer then communicates its decision to the acquirer. Preferably, the messages and their associated replies are added to the set of messages handled by the EFT network, so that authentication may be handled in a standardized way without proliferating applicants' secret information.
US07979877B2
Disclosed is a process for an advertising bidding system in which advertisers can bid on advertising time slots or enhanced ads that can be inserted in either prerecorded or live television programming. A high degree of flexibility is provided by allowing embedded ads to be purchased and displayed in a very short time period. This allows TV broadcasters to increase revenues and allows advertisers to have more flexibility in advertising. Objects can be inserted in the display video broadcast using enhancements such as by using mark-up language overlay pages or by video combination techniques. The effect of these ads can be evaluated for advertising campaigns.
US07979876B2
In the case when password data (PW1) added to a TV broadcasting signal and password data (PW2) transmitted from an Internet connection section (2) have a predetermined correlation with each other, the display section (3) is allowed to display the corresponding contents normally. Therefore, accounting processes are imposed on the transmission of the password data (PW2) so that a normal displaying operation is charged in an indirect manner for each of the contents.
US07979869B2
A method for installing a device driver for a device in a guest domain, that includes obtaining a first device driver for the device by a hypervisor, installing, by the hypervisor, the first device driver into memory allocated to the guest domain, and notifying an operating system in the guest domain of the first device driver after installing the device driver, wherein the operating system communicates with the device using the first device driver.
US07979868B2
Techniques for intercommunication amongst device drivers are described herein. In one embodiment, an application programming interface (API) is provided by a kernel of an operating system (OS) running within a data processing system. The API is accessible by device drivers associated with multiple devices installed in the system. In response to a request from a first instance of a driver via the API, information indicating whether another instance of the same driver is currently started is returned via the API. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07979866B2
Methods, systems, and products are provided for monitoring messages in a distributed data processing system. Embodiments typically include putting a message containing a monitoring token on a queue on a server; receiving a call to get the message from the queue on the server; determining, with an API exit running on the server, whether the call to get the message is made by a process running on a remote client or by a process running on the server; and if the call to get the message is made by a process running on the server, removing the monitoring token from the message with the API exit. Many embodiments also include removing the monitoring token from the message with a channel exit running on the remote client, if the call to get the message is made by a process on the remote client.
US07979844B2
This invention teaches a way of implementing formally verified massively parallel programs, which run efficiently in distributed and shared-memory multi-core chips. It allows programs to be developed from an initial abstract statement of interactions among parallel software components, called cells, and progressively refine them to their final implementation. At each stage of refinement a formal description of patterns of events in computations is derived automatically from implementations. This formal description is used for two purposes: One is to prove correctness, timings, progress, mutual exclusion, and freedom from deadlocks/livelocks, etc. The second is to automatically incorporate into each application a Self-Monitoring System (SMS) that constantly monitors the application in parallel, with no interference with its timings, to identify and report errors in performance, pending errors, and patterns of critical behavior. This invention also teaches a way of organizing shared-memory for multi-processors that minimizes memory interference, protects data and increases execution efficiency.
US07979836B2
A semiconductor structure for a dynamic random access memory cell, the structure including: a fin of a fin-type field effect transistor (FinFET) device formed over and spaced apart from a conductive region of a substrate; a storage capacitor connected to a first end of the fin; and a back-gate at a first lateral side of the fin and in electrical contact with the conductive region.
US07979833B2
Debugging a simulation of a circuit core uses a pattern recorder, a pattern player and a pattern checker to record input stimuli provided to a first core, record output generated by the first core due to the input stimuli, provide the recorded input stimuli to a second core, and determine whether output generated by the second core due to the recorded input stimuli matches the recorded output generated by the first core due to the input stimuli.
US07979831B1
Circuit placement for increasing circuit packing density for an integrated circuit is described. A design is synthesized and mapped. Components of the design are placed to provide a first placed design. A congestion density map is generated for the first placed design. A congestion region in the congestion density map is identified and targeted for determining if the first placed design has a control set conflict. A first circuit object associated with the control set conflict is selected and either re-placed or re-synthesized to at least diminish the control set conflict.
US07979824B2
A computer implemented method, apparatus and program product provide automated processes for determining the most cost-effective use of airgaps in a microchip. The performance gains realized by using airgaps for a given net or layer may be calculated. These improvements may be paired to a monetary cost associated with implementing the applicable airgaps at that net/layer. The paired benefit and cost of the airgap scenario may be compared to other possible airgap uses at other layers/nets to determine which airgaps provide the best improvement for the lowest cost.
US07979823B2
Disclosed is a computer implemented method for determining a voltage reference error in a PCB design comprising receiving information about said PCB design, identifying a signal associated with said design, receiving one or more user defined voltage references for said signal, and comparing the user defined voltage reference to the voltages of the power planes adjacent to said signal.
US07979818B1
Approaches for validating a design for a packet processing circuit. A method inputs a high-level language specification of a first format of an input packet. From the input specification, a plurality of high-level input packets having the first format are generated, with each field of each input packet having a value consistent with the packet specification. The packet processing circuit is simulated using a first model with input of the high-level input packets, and a first plurality of high-level output packets are output. The high-level input packets are translated into low-level input packets. The packet processing circuit is simulated using a second model with input of the low-level input packets, and a plurality of low-level output packets are output and translated into a second plurality of high-level output packets. The first and second pluralities of high-level output packets are compared to corresponding expected output packets, and comparison results stored.
US07979814B1
Model evaluation and circuit simulation/verification is performed in a graphical processing unit (GPU). A multitude of first texture data corresponding to size parameters of devices are stored. A multitude of second texture data corresponding to instance parameters of the devices are stored. A multitude of third texture data corresponding to models of the devices are stored. A multitude of fourth texture data corresponding to terminal voltages received by the device are stored. A multitude of links linking each device instance to an associated device model, size parameters and instance parameters are stored. A quad having a size defined by the multitude of links is drawn by the quad in the GPU. Each thread in the quad is assigned to a different one of the multitude of links. The computations are carried out in each thread using the linked data to perform the model evaluation.
US07979812B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that adjusts assist features in a layout to prevent assist features from printing. During operation, the system receives a layout. The system then identifies an assist-feature (AF)-printing hotspot in the layout, wherein the AF-printing hotspot includes a set of assist features and one or more target patterns in proximity to the set of assist features. At least one assist feature in the set of assist features is expected to print during a lithography process. Next, the system modifies the AF-printing hotspot by: (1) modifying the set of assist features; and (2) performing optical-proximity-correction (OPC) on the one or more target patterns. The system then performs a lithography simulation on the modified AF-printing hotspot to determine if: (1) a through-process-window associated with the modified AF-printing hotspot is acceptable; and (2) no assist feature in the modified set of assist features is expected to print. If so, the system replaces the AF-printing hotspot with the modified AF-printing hotspot.
US07979810B2
A method and mobile terminal for selecting a menu are disclosed. The present invention includes arranging at least two of a plurality of displayed menus in a preset manner and executing menus corresponding to a selected terminal input key. By arranging a plurality of activated menu icons in a plurality of directions, selection of a specific icon from a plurality of displayed menu icons by selecting one of the plurality of the directions using navigations keys is facilitated and the speed of selecting a terminal menu is considerably enhanced.
US07979805B2
A processing device may include a display screen and one or more buttons located near the display screen. Pressing one of the one or more buttons may cause the processing device to perform a first function and pressing and holding the one of the one or more buttons may cause the processing device to perform a second function. When the one of the one or more buttons is pressed, the processing device may provide a first feedback describing the first function. When the one of the one or more buttons is pressed and held for at least a predetermined amount of time, the processing device may provide a second feedback describing the second function. In some implementations, a time indicator may be displayed indicating an amount of passing time until the one of the one or more buttons is pressed and held for the predetermined amount of time.
US07979803B2
The embodiments described above utilize and leverage RSS to enable a user to interact more easily with different types of data, or data from different sources that are available over the web. In accordance with at least some embodiments, a hostable and/or customizable control is provided and gives the user the ability to interact with RSS feeds to store and further manipulate collections of items from different RSS feeds.
US07979788B2
A document processing apparatus has an attachment unit and a storage. The attachment unit attaches a comment to an electronic document as additional information. The comment relates to a modification of the electronic document. The storage associates the comment with modified place information and stores them. The modified place information indicates a modified place of the electronic document, when the electronic document is modified based on the comment.
US07979787B2
A method and apparatus for receiving document images including portions linked to one or more electronic addresses. The linked portion of the document is identified using a predetermined visual attribute, such as bold-face text, or delimiters to mark the portion. The document image is then transmitted using, e.g., existing apparatus for transmitting images, such as a facsimile machine. An electronic address associated with the identified portion of the document is also transmitted using existing techniques, such as by touch-tone telephone. The address may be a voice telephone number, facsimile telephone number, World Wide Web address, or any other address with which communication can be established. At the receiving end, both the document image and electronic address are received. Pattern matching is performed on the document image to identify the portion with the predetermined attribute as a linked portion. The received electronic address is then correlated with the linked portion. When the document image is displayed on, e.g., a computer screen, the linked portion is visually identified so that the recipient can access the electronic address by, e.g., clicking on the portion using a mouse. Communication may then be initiated by the recipient with the entity associated with the electronic address.
US07979786B1
The present invention provides techniques for generating a printable representation of multimedia information that can be printed on a paper medium to provide a paper-based interface for the multimedia information. According to the teachings of the present invention, the paper document generated by printing the printable representation on a paper medium also provides an interface for accessing or retrieving multimedia information in electronic form. The paper document may thus be used as an indexing and retrieval tool for retrieving multimedia information.
US07979785B1
A user interface (e.g., a browser window) includes a display area for displaying an image (e.g., a book page image). The image can be rescaled based on the dimensions of the display area, one or more attributes of the image and other factors. In some implementations, a sequence of images are searched for a table of contents. If a table of contents does not exist, one is created by searching the images for white space and/or other attributes that can be used to determined entries in the table of contents. The entries in the table of contents can be hypertext links.
US07979784B2
Method and system for enhancing transmission reliability of video information over wireless channels
A method and system for enhancing transmission reliability of video information over a wireless channel is provided. The video information includes pixels, each having a plurality of components and each component including video information bits that are placed in sub-packets within a packet. Error detection information is determined for one or more sub-packets, and placed in the packet. Then the packet is transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver a wireless channel, wherein the receiver uses the error detection information per sub-packet to check for transmission errors and request retransmission of erroneous video information bits based on their perceptual importance.
US07979771B2
A method for encoding a block of data to allow it to be stored or transmitted correctly in the face of accidental or deliberate modifications, the method including constructing a number n greater than one of original components, each of which is derived from the block and each of which is smaller than the block, and combining original components to construct a number m greater than one of new components, wherein each of the new components is smaller than the sum of the sizes of the original components combined to produce it, wherein the block can be reconstructed from any set of n different components selected from the original components and new components, and wherein a set of n different components selected from the original components and new components contains more redundant information about the block than the set of n original components.
US07979764B2
A method for testing integrated circuits is provided. The method provides for incorporating compression and decompression logic into each sub-component of an integrated circuit, developing test modes that target different sub-components of the integrated circuit, selecting one of the test modes, applying a test pattern to one or more sub-components of the integrated circuit targeted by the one test mode, comparing a response from application of the test pattern to a known good response, and diagnosing the response to determine which part of the one or more sub-components targeted by the one test mode failed when the response does not match the known good response.
US07979759B2
A memory hub device with test logic is configured to communicate with memory devices via multiple hub device ports, and is also configured to communicate on one or more busses in an upstream and downstream direction. The test logic includes a built-in self test apparatus providing logic to simultaneously and independently test the memory devices interfaced to one or more of the hub device ports using read and write data patterns. The test logic also includes configuration registers to hold fault and diagnostic information, and to initiate one or more tests. The memory hub device can further include command collision detection logic, a trace array, buffer transmit mode logic, trigger logic, clock adjustment logic, transparent mode logic, and a configured command sequencer, as well as additional features.
US07979753B2
A digital data recording/reproducing method includes the steps of: interleaving data on a PI code for each PI code of a 208-row ECC block; and converting a short burst error into random errors by dispersing errors on the PI codes. Moreover, the digital data recording/reproducing method increases correction capability against several bytes to several tens bytes of errors generated at random without changing burst error correction length by performing this processing for respective PI codes by using interleave rules that are different as much as possible from one another.
US07979751B2
One process of a processing environment maintains state on behalf of another process of the processing environment, and uses that state to determine if a problem exists with the another process. The one process is a non-volatile process, while the another process is a volatile process.
US07979744B2
Provided are a fault model and rule based fault management apparatus and method for a home network. The fault management apparatus includes: a plurality of fault generation unit formed in a multilevel structure and generating fault notification when a fault is generated; a plurality of fault communication unit for transferring fault notification from one of the fault generation unit; a fault agent unit for transferring each fault notification from a plurality of the fault communication unit; and a fault diagnosis and process unit for receiving the fault notification from the fault agent unit, diagnosing a corresponding fault, and processing the corresponding fault using a fault model, a fault decision rule, and a fault process rule.
US07979743B2
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for determining the correctness of similar job plan segments in a stream processing application. In one embodiment, a job manager may be configured to identify similar job plan segments based on data formats, functionality, and surrounding processing elements. The job manager plan may be further configured to determine whether the similar segments provide inconsistent results, and if so, to determine which of the inconsistent similar segments is invalid. The job manager may identify an invalid processing element included in the invalid segment. The job manager may also perform corrective actions to address the invalid processing element.
US07979738B2
The present invention discloses a virtual tape library (VTL) backup system, and a method of hard disk drive (HDD) power control in VTL devices. In the VTL backup system, a disk control module (DCM) is added to the VTL device and an agent module is added to the backup server. When a backup or disaster recovery (DR) operation is triggered, the agent module in the backup server can inform the disk control module (DCM) in the VTL device to trigger the VTL device to power on all the HDDs before the operation starts, and to power off all the HDDs after the operation ends. Power saving in the VTL device is achieved through power control over the HDDs.
US07979731B2
A time authentication device identifies clocks that show a time falling within the predetermined permissible range as compared with a time shown by the time authentication device. In a time authentication device embodied as a distribution device, a time-relation information storage unit stores a playback-device-time measured by a clock unit of a playback device, and also stores a distribution-device-time measured by a clock unit when the playback-device-time is acquired. The time authentication unit acquires from the playback device a target time measured by the clock unit, and also acquires an authentication time measured by the clock unit when the target time is received. The time authentication unit then calculates a first difference, a second difference, an authentication difference. If the authentication difference is smaller than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the time authentication unit judges that the clock unit of the playback device is valid.
US07979725B2
A computer measures a processor load and configures itself so that a lesser amount of speculative execution is enabled when the processor is lightly loaded than is enabled when the processor is heavily loaded.
US07979720B2
A computing system includes data encryption in the data path between a data source and data storage devices. The data encryption may utilize a key which is derived at least in part from an identification code stored in a non-volatile memory. The key may also be derived at least in part from user input to the computer.
US07979715B2
A replaceable print cartridge includes a container and a memory coupled to the container. The memory is configured to limit use of printing material that is to be contained in the container.
US07979710B2
A technique for film marking includes coding a print identifier into a binary-coded bit-complement serial number; identifying particular frames that will be used to convey the bits of the binary-coded bit-complement serial number and marking these bit frames in accordance with the particular bit values of the binary-coded bit-complement serial number. The presence of a predefined mark on a bit frame is representative of a binary digit having a value of one, while the absence of the predefined mark on a bit frame is representative of a binary digit having a value of zero.
US07979708B2
A digital rights management is provided. In the digital rights management method and contents service method, a user terminal of the digital contents encodes the digital contents based on specific information of the terminal. When using the digital contents encoded based on the identification of the terminal, the digital contents are decoded using the identification of the corresponding terminal. A billing is performed with respect to the use of the digital contents encoded or decoded based on the identification of the terminal.
US07979702B2
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a decommission command from a management console, determining that the decommission command is authentic, and disabling the manageability functions of a management subsystem on a managed device.
US07979700B2
Various embodiments include an apparatus and a method to secure protected digital document content from tampering by their user, such as unauthenticated use or use violating a policy of the digital document. The digital document file can be transferred from a network node such as a web site server to a digital appliance, such as a computer, in encrypted form. The digital document file can be resident already on a device, and/or be transferred into a device that is connected to the digital appliance. The device (hereafter a DRM device) can internally store the digital document or part of the document. The DRM device may decrypt the digital document when requested to do so. The device may further format the content for usage, for example, convert text into its graphic bitmap representation. Device formatting can include sending plain text data to the digital appliance. The device may further process degradation to the resulted file, for example, reduce the resolution of the graphic representation. The digital appliance uploads the result of the processing or sections of the result of the processing for user access via the digital appliance.
US07979699B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for providing processing capacity on demand. According to the embodiments, a processor package has a plurality of processing elements. One or more of the processing elements may be made active in response to increased demand for processing capacity based on modifiable authorization information.
US07979686B1
A multiplexed hierarchical array of interrupt controllers is configured to enable low latency task switching of a processor. The hierarchical array comprises a plurality of interrupt controllers coupled to a root interrupt controller. For each task that the processor is configured to execute, a corresponding interrupt controller is provided. To switch the processor to a task, the corresponding interrupt controller signals the root interrupt controller which, in turn, sends an interrupt and a Task Identifier to the processor. The root interrupt controller also cooperates with an access multiplexer/demultiplexer to select the corresponding interrupt controller for communication with the processor. By providing interrupt controller selection as well as task identification, the hierarchical array offloads arbitration and context switching overhead from the processor. That is, in response to the interrupt, the processor switches to the identified task and may access a memory address space dedicated to the task.
US07979678B2
A system and method for performing register renaming of source registers in a processor having a variable advance instruction window for storing a group of instructions to be executed by the processor, wherein a new instruction is added to the variable advance instruction window when a location becomes available. A tag is assigned to each instruction in the variable advance instruction window. The tag of each instruction to leave the window is assigned to the next new instruction to be added to it. The results of instructions executed by the processor are stored in a temp buffer according to their corresponding tags to avoid output and anti-dependencies. The temp buffer therefore permits the processor to execute instructions out of order and in parallel. Data dependency checks for input dependencies are performed only for each new instruction added to the variable advance instruction window and register renaming is performed to avoid input dependencies.
US07979674B2
Executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine, the SIMD machine including a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the network comprising synchronous data communications links among the compute nodes, including establishing one or more SIMD partitions, booting one or more SIMD partitions in MIMD mode; establishing a MIMD partition; executing by launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on two or more of the compute nodes of the MIMD partition; and re-executing a launcher program by an operating system on a compute node in the MIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program.
US07979664B2
Provided are a method, system and article of manufacture for return processing in storage pools. A plurality of physical volumes are allocated to a first storage pool. A determination is made whether the first storage pool has more than a threshold number of empty physical volumes. If the first storage pool has more than the threshold number of empty physical volumes, then at least one empty physical volume is returned to a second storage pool.
US07979662B2
In one aspect, a system for indexing transactions over a plurality of communication lines is described. In various embodiments, the system includes a host controller and a plurality of storage devices in communication with one another. Each of the storage devices is configured to store data. The communication lines facilitate communications between the host controller and the plurality of storage devices. A selected one of the storage devices is configured to function as a transaction indexer to monitor the communication lines and index and store selected transaction information associated with operations that occur over the communication lines. While the host controller may be arranged to configure the transaction indexer, the transaction monitoring, indexing and storing are performed substantially automatically by the transaction indexer without requiring further instructions from the host controller.
US07979661B2
Methods, systems, and media to enhance memory overflow management by identifying a memory overflow condition associated with execution of a task and adjusting memory allocation for the task to attenuate the memory overflow condition are disclosed. In particular, embodiments reduce the impact of repetitious memory overflow conditions caused by a specific task by increasing the memory allocation for that task. The memory overflow may also be reported to a technical service provider to help the technical service provider identify and fix the code that is responsible for the memory overflow. Many embodiments monitor an extent of the overflow and determine an allocation correction term based upon the extent of the overflow. In some situations, application of a correction term to increase the memory allocation for the task may advantageously eliminate the cause of the memory overflow condition. In further situations, the impact of the memory overflow condition is attenuated.
US07979653B2
The present invention provides a portable file-copying apparatus which includes a first connecting unit, a second connecting unit, and a control unit. The first connecting unit can receive a first portable storage media which includes an original file. The second connecting unit can receive a second portable storage media. Furthermore, the control unit is connected to the first connecting unit, the second connecting unit, and a memory. The control unit is applied for storing the original file in the memory, and copying the file to the second portable storage media in accordance with a control signal.
US07979646B2
A memory controller to provide memory access services in an adaptive computing engine is provided. The controller comprises: a network interface configured to receive a memory request from a programmable network; and a memory interface configured to access a memory to fulfill the memory request from the programmable network, wherein the memory interface receives and provides data for the memory request to the network interface, the network interface configured to send data to and receive data from the programmable network.
US07979638B2
A system configured to receive a first request for a first datum, query the cache metadata to determine whether the first datum is present in the main memory or the asymmetric cache device (ACD), retrieve the first datum from the main memory when the first datum is present in the main memory, retrieve the first datum from the ACD when the first datum is present in the ACD and not present in the main memory, store a copy of the first datum in the main memory when the first datum is present in the ACD and not present in the main memory, update the cache metadata to indicate that the copy of the first datum is stored in the main memory when the first datum is present in the ACD and not present in the main memory, and retrieve the first datum from the disk when the first datum is not present in the ACD and is not present in the main memory.
US07979631B2
A method of prefetching data in a hard disk drive includes searching for a logic block address (LBA) of data requested by an external apparatus in a history of a non-volatile cache of the hard disk drive, and if the LBA of the data is stored in the history, storing data recorded in a LBA stored after the LBA of the data requested by the external apparatus from among LBAs stored in the history in a buffer of the hard disk drive.
US07979626B2
A transaction log for flash recovery includes a chained sequence of blocks specifying the operations that have been performed, such as a write to a sector or an erase to a block. Checkpoints are performed writing the entire flash state to flash. Once a checkpoint is performed, all of the log entries prior to the checkpoint are deleted and the log processing on recovery begins with the latest checkpoint. If the system is able to safely shutdown, then a checkpoint may be performed before the driver unloads, and on initialization, the entire persisted flash state may be loaded into the flash memory with a minimal amount of flash scanning. If a power failure occurs during system operation, then on the next boot-up, only the sectors or blocks specified in the log entries after the latest checkpoint have to be scanned, rather than all the sectors on the part.
US07979619B2
Methods, systems, apparatuses and program products are disclosed for managing interrupt services in hypervisor and hypervisor-related environments in Message Signaled Interrupts are emulated as other type(s) of interrupt.According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of executing a program includes receiving a MSI (message signaled interrupt). Responsively, a virtual interrupt is generated and an ISR (interrupt service routine) is invoked that handles a line-based virtual interrupt transaction. A surrogate or virtual peripheral device status may also be provided and may be associated with the virtual interrupt. A single device interrupt event may, in certain circumstances, be serviced both as a line-based interrupt and also as an MSI, or as either responsive to run-time context.Embodiments of the present invention enable superior tradeoffs in regards to the interrupt sharing to a greater and more flexible extent than with previous implementations. Moreover, it makes possible interrupt sharing using an ISR that was not expressly designed for interrupt sharing.
US07979613B2
A method for operating a storage system, including storing data redundantly in the system and measuring respective queue lengths of input/output requests to operational elements of the system. The queue lengths are compared to an average queue length to determine respective performances of the operational elements of the storage system. In response to the average queue lengths and a permitted deviation from the average an under-performing operational element among the operational elements is identified. An indication of the under-performing operational element is provided to host interfaces in the storage system. One of the host interfaces receives requests for specified items of the data directed to the under-performing element, and in response to the indication, some of the requests are diverted from the under-performing operational element to one or more other operational elements of the storage system that are configured to provide the specified items of the data.
US07979611B2
A multi-protocol serial interface (MPSI) apparatus can include a controller circuit that is configured to receive information about a type of MPSI utilized for data transfer and that is configured to control a format of the data transfer and input/output timing associated with the data transfer. A data generation and processing circuit is coupled to the controller circuit and is configured to extract information from a buffer memory to generate data for the data transfer according to the format based on the information and is configured to generate the data in a packet format or a bit format based on the information.
US07979610B2
Apparatus, methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for remotely controlling the connection between a host computer and a multitude of connected devices. One apparatus described herein includes a multiplexer that has a host port for connection to a host computer, device ports for connection to the devices, and control lines. The multiplexer is operative to connect a device port to the host port based upon the status of the control lines. The apparatus further includes a controller connected to the multiplexer. The controller has an input interface and is operative to receive control data on the input interface that identifies a device port on the apparatus that should be connected to the host port. In response to receiving such control data, the controller is operative to place signals on the control lines that cause the multiplexer to connect the identified device port to the host port. The device port that is connected to the host port can be remotely selected by transmitting the appropriate data to the input interface of the controller.
US07979608B2
Multiple symbol sequences that have been transmitted in parallel using the same transmit clock over a serial point to point link are received. Each symbol sequence includes an instance of a first, non-data symbol. The multiple symbol sequences are buffered and the number of times an instance of a second, non-data symbol that occurs in one of the symbol sequences is changed. A first deskew process is performed, followed by a second deskew process. The first deskew process aligns an instance of the first non-data symbol in every one of the buffered symbol sequences. The second deskew process equalizes the number of instances of the second non-data symbol that follow an instance of the first non-data symbol in every one of the symbol sequences. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07979607B2
An apparatus and method of operating a cascadable, instant-fall-through First In, First Out (FIFO) buffer is provided. The method comprises receiving a first data element at an input of a FIFO buffer which includes a plurality of buffer slices including an output buffer slice wherein each of the plurality of buffer slices comprise a data register and a control bit register. A buffer slice is identified which is indicated for storing a data element based on a control bit register for the buffer slice and a control bit register of an adjacent buffer slice on an output side. When data is read from an output buffer slice the FIFO buffer, all data in other buffer slices are shifted down one slice closer to the output side of the FIFO buffer.
US07979601B2
An embedded controller capable of providing direct memory access (DMA) to memory for a host. The controller may include a processor, a memory medium, and an interface coupled to the memory medium. The interface may be configured to couple to a host and receive a DMA request. The DMA request may include a request to read data from a memory location in the memory medium or a request to write data to a memory location in the memory medium. The DMA request may include a relative memory address. The interface may be configured to translate the relative memory address into a first address of the memory medium. Accordingly, the interface may perform operations according to the DMA request using the first address of the memory medium. The processor may be configured to operate according to data stored in the memory medium.
US07979595B2
An external apparatus function extension application system in a host computer is provided. The host computer sets a property value of an external apparatus into firmware that controls the external apparatus connected to the host computer and that is downloaded from the host computer to the external apparatus, and the external apparatus function extension application system includes a unit configured to register a sequence process for setting the property value as a hook function that is called when a predetermined object is generated.
US07979593B2
A library is reset as needed in a manner non-disruptive to a host system providing a host command to a drive interfacing with the host system on behalf of the library during a reset of the library. To this end, the drive confirms a receipt of a host command to the host system on behalf of the library in response to the drive receiving the host command from the host system, and the library commands the drive to transmit the host command to the library subsequent to a reset of the library based on the drive receiving the host command from the host system during the reset of the library.
US07979587B1
A physical layer of a device is connected to a plurality of twisted pairs of wire. The physical layer includes an autonegotiation controller that initially advertises a plurality of operating speeds associated with the device and receives a request for the device to operate at a first operating speed. A cable detector determines whether the physical layer is connected to a sufficient number of twisted pair wires to support the first operating speed. A speed adjuster alters the plurality of operating speeds advertised by the autonegotiation controller in response to the physical layer not being connected to a sufficient number of twisted pair wires to support the first operating speed. The speed adjuster alters the plurality of operating speeds advertised by the autonegotiation controller by masking one of the plurality of operating speeds corresponding to the first operating speed.
US07979586B2
An information processor (1) comprises: a history packet transmitter (11) for transmitting a history packet; a request packet transmitter (12) for transmitting a request packet requesting transmission of a return packet; a packet transmission controller (13) for controlling transmission of a request packet by using a binary search method; a return packet receiver (14) for receiving a return packet transmitted from a server (3); and a port keeping time detector (15) for detecting the port keeping time of a communication processor (2) based on reception of a return packet by the return packet receiver (14). The server (3) includes: a request packet receiver (31) for receiving a request packet; and a return packet transmitter (32) for transmitting a return packet to a port of the communication processor (2) where a history packet passed when the request packet receiver (31) received a request packet. This configuration provides an information processing system for detecting the port keeping time of the communication processor.
US07979580B2
A content delivery and global traffic management network system provides a plurality of caching servers connected to a network. The caching servers host customer content that can be cached and stored, and respond to requests for Web content from clients. If the requested content does not exist in memory or on disk, it generates a request to an origin site to obtain the content. A DNS Server load balances network requests among customer Web servers and directs client requests for hosted customer content to the appropriate caching server. The customer pays a service that provides the content delivery and global traffic management network system a fee for usage of the content delivery and global traffic management network system.
US07979561B2
Provided is a method and system for transmitting information. The method includes determining stream length information for at least one data stream to be transmitted and associating the stream length information with a system parameter message. The system parameter message including the associated stream length information is transmitted separately from the data stream. This process facilitates de-multiplexing of individual streams and the processing of stream data even if one or more individual streams are received in error.
US07979531B2
Methods and systems for network management data collection have been provided. Underutilized computers in the network are allocated as a Network Management Data Collection Client (NMDCC) to collect network management data. The NMDCC receives program files from the network management server. The received program files are downloaded by the NMDCC in a compressed manner via a web service. The downloaded program files are executed for collecting the Network Management Data (NMD). The collected NMD is updated back on the network management server. The downloaded program files are discarded when the NMDCC is not collecting the network management data.
US07979527B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing electronic subscriptions are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes monitoring, at an electronic subscription client, receipt of one or more subscription messages associated with an electronic subscription. Interaction with the electronic subscription client by a client may be monitored to determine a viewing frequency of the one or more received subscription messages. Further, a prompt with a control configured for unsubscribing the user from receiving a future subscription message associated with the electronic subscription may be presented based on the determined viewing frequency.
US07979524B2
A relationship visualization system provides a user interface by which a user may select from among entities, elements, and sub-elements as an initial point in a desired relationship for display. The system designates the selected entities, elements, and sub-elements originating endpoints for the desired relationship. The system displays the relationship between entities, elements, and sub-elements to facilitate visualization and management of the information technology system. The relationship comprises a data path. The display of the relationship comprises a graphical view and a tabular view.
US07979521B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for communicating event data in a network, including: receiving the event data in a first device, the event data including a native IP address associated with a source of the event data; translating a native protocol of the event data into XML, a resulting XML message including the event data and an identifier associated with the first device; transmitting the XML message from a first location to a second location; determining a new IP address based on the native IP address and the identifier; and including the new IP address in the XML message.
US07979517B1
A system and method for utilizing virtual ports associated with a physical port in a Fiber Channel adapter for use in a clustered storage system is disclosed. A plurality of virtual ports are created and associated with a physical port on a storage system. One of the virtual ports is utilized as a standby port to be used to assume the identity of a port associated with a failed storage system in the cluster. In the event of a failover operation, the standby port is activated and assumes the identity of the failed storage systems port. Data access requests previously directed to the failed storage system are received by the activated virtual port and processed by the surviving storage system.
US07979507B2
According to some embodiments, it may be determined, at a first processing element of a device with a plurality of processing elements, that first data is to be transmitted in association with a first network connection. A first entry associated with the first data may then be stored into a first of a plurality of transmit queues. It may subsequently be determined, at a second processing element of the device, that second data is to be transmitted in association with the first network connection. A second entry associated with the second data may then be stored into a second of the plurality of transmit queues.
US07979495B2
A method for automatically removing a user from an e-mail thread is provided. An e-mail client receives a reply e-mail message. Responsive to a determination that the reply e-mail message is a message to opt-out of an e-mail thread, the e-mail address of a sender of the reply e-mail message is associated with the e-mail thread to form a listed e-mail address. The listed e-mail address is stored. When a new e-mail message is generated that is part of the e-mail thread, the listed e-mail address is automatically excluded from a list of recipients of the new e-mail.
US07979489B2
A method, system and program for notifying users when messaging sessions are recorded are provided. In response to receiving a request to record a messaging session, a requested selection of multiple message entries associated with the messaging session are recorded. Then, multiple users participating in the messaging session are notified of the recording of the requested selection of the multiple message entries from the messaging session. In particular, the output of the messaging session is adjusted for each of the multiple users to distinguish a selection from among the multiple message entries being recorded.
US07979487B2
A microphone device is provided which comprises a main microphone (MM), at least one control microphone (CM) and a digital signal processing unit (DSP) coupled to the main microphone (MM) and the at least one control microphone (CM). The digital signal processing unit (DSP) receives the output of the main microphone (MM) and the output of the at least one control microphone (CM). Based on the output signals, the digital signal processing unit (DSP) is adapted to perform a noise suppression of pop noise in the output signal of the main microphone (MM).
US07979485B2
A circuit for a fast Fourier transform (FFT) operation is provided. The FFT operation circuit includes a plurality of butterfly operation units connected in series. Each of the plurality of butterfly operation units reads a signal in the order in which the plurality of butterfly operation units perform complex multiplication, addition, and subtraction, performs complex multiplication of each sequentially read signal by a complex coefficient corresponding to an FFT length and the stage number of the butterfly operation unit, and performs complex addition and subtraction with the complex multiplied signal. In this way, without disposing a plurality of operation circuits corresponding to a radix, FFT operations corresponding to a plurality of FFT lengths can be performed.
US07979483B1
A multiplexed digital proportional-integral-derivative filter receives error signal samples and operates in different states during sub-cycles of a single system cycle. A single multiplier and a single adder within the filter calculate at least portions of a proportional control signal, an integral control signal and a derivative control signal for one error signal sample during successive sub-cycles. The calculated control signal portions are aggregated to produce a filtered error signal for the respective error signal sample. The original resolution at lower cost, or increased resolution at the original cost, are achieved, as well as full programmability of loop gain with only negligible increase in loop latency.
US07979477B2
Updating a graphical database object in a database via a placeholder control is provided. After a database recordset schema or schema is updated, a determination is made as to whether anew field is to be added to the graphical database object in response to the recordset schema or schema change. If a new field is to be added, the new field is automatically added to the graphical database object. The new field may be positioned to a place in the graphical database object as directed by a user or editor of the database object. The graphical database object may be displayed with the new field as positioned based on the recordset schema or schema change.
US07979475B2
A method, apparatus, and system for configuring, designing, and/or implementing database tables is detailed that provides a framework into which a remainder of database tables are developed. Also detailed is a method to develop this framework of database tables. This so developed framework provides a platform for integrating data from multiple databases. A method is also provided for maintaining and managing master data as a single source of reference data to multiple databases that are based upon this framework.
US07979470B2
A data manipulation method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system, a multiple data manipulation (MDM) list comprising data objects. The computing system includes a memory unit that comprises data. A data object of the data objects is reviewed. The computing system determines that a new item attribute for the data object comprises a value of null. The computing system determines that an original item attribute for the data object comprises a value of not null. The computing system generates and transmits to DELETE request command to the memory unit. The computing system deletes in response to the delete request command, a first portion of the data.
US07979459B2
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to matching product information to products. In aspects, a product matching component receives product information. The product matching component normalizes the product information and obtains keywords from the product information. By querying a database of recognized products, the keywords are used to obtain a list of products that potentially match the product information. A confidence level is assigned to each of the potential matches in the list. A match may be returned for the highest matched product or for a selectable number of products whose confidence level(s) exceed a selectable threshold.
US07979455B2
RDF store database designs and efficient techniques for converting SPARQL queries to SQL queries are described that provide faster triplet access, and which can reduce the computational overhead and cost associated with storing large volumes of RDF metadata. In various embodiments RDF data can be stored in de-normalized tables tailored to provide efficient query and storage performance. The provided query conversion techniques provide reliable and efficient query performance.
US07979443B2
In accordance with a method of encoding meta-data associated with tree-structured data, a first set of elements of a plurality of elements in the tree-structured is associated explicitly with explicit meta-data levels, and a second set of elements of the plurality of elements is associated by inheritance with explicit meta-data levels of closest ancestor elements of the first set of elements. The plurality of elements is packed into a plurality of leaf nodes of an index structure. The plurality of leaf nodes is merged into a plurality of non-leaf nodes until a root non-leaf node is generated. The plurality of non-leaf nodes of the index structure is associated with indicators representing ranges of the explicit meta-data levels in the packed first set of elements, such that explicit meta-data level ranges of descendant non-leaf nodes are subsets of explicit meta-data level ranges of ancestor non-leaf nodes.
US07979442B2
Automatic meta-data sharing of existing media method and apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a server device includes analyzing a media data of a client device to determine a meta-data identifier associated with the media data and automatically populating a new mark-up language file using an existing media-collection data associated with certain items of the media data. The meta-data identifier may be generated by a client application that is agnostic of a type of media player application compatible with the media data. The new mark-up language file may include an arrangement of the existing media-collection data of the certain items associated with the media data of the client device. A compatibility rating may be determined between the users based on the similar attributes between the arrangement and the other arrangements and enabling each user of the server device to view mark-up language files of the other users.
US07979440B2
Techniques are provided for processing a query using an index. It is determined whether a number of consecutive keys that evaluate to a false-positive when applying a screening predicate in the query exceeds a false-positive predefined value. One or more keys in the index are skipped in response to determining that the number of consecutive keys exceeds the false-positive predefined value.
US07979431B2
A query enhancer module providing a unique method to modify user submitted queries within a web-based, multi-tier enterprise solution. The user submitted query specifies data to be retrieved from a database. Without any user interaction the query enhancer module rewrites the query to specify a subset of the data specified in the user submitted query. This rewritten query is then executed against the database to retrieve the subset of the data. Generally, the subset set of the data comprises the amount of data that can be displayed on a single web page.
US07979429B2
To analyze a data set having one-to-many relation, the number of simultaneous occurrences of data in which two data elements are coexistent is obtained for all combinations of two data elements. A dependence ratio of one data element upon the other data element is calculated from the numbers of simultaneous occurrences. The data elements are grouped based upon the numbers of occurrences of individual data elements and the dependence ratios compared with the predetermined thresholds. Based on the number of occurrences of individual data elements and the dependence ratios, subordinate relations of data elements within the same group are specified and displayed to a user in the form of a tree or balloon figure.
US07979421B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, for executing a query on a subset of data, for example, to facilitate a fast search with a very large result set. In one general aspect, a method of executing a query includes receiving a query for execution on data in the data repository; generating an estimate of a number of results of the query; defining a subset of data in the data repository; determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data; executing the query on the subset of the data to generate a partial set of results if the query is to be executed on the subset of the data, otherwise executing the query on the data repository to generate a complete set of results; and providing query results.
US07979416B1
A data storage system is disclosed. A flag is maintained in metadata pointing to a block of data. A first value of the flag indicates that the block of data is stored in a user accessible file. A second value of the flag indicates that the block of data is stored in a protected file. The flag pointing to the requested data block is checked upon receipt of a data access request. When the flag has the first value the data access request is permitted. When the flag has the second value, an access control list is checked, and if the requesting client is listed in the access control list permitting the data access request, and if the requesting client is not listed in the access control list denying the data access request.
US07979415B2
A system, media, and method for selecting future queries are provided. The selected future queries are used to transmit appropriate online advertising to a user that issues queries to a search engine. The search engine is coupled to a prediction component that predicts what subject the user is going to be interested in and when the user will be interested in the subject. The prediction component returns a future query using statistical language models representing a query history of the user and aggregate query histories for a community of users.
US07979413B2
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method and system are disclosed for constructing an embedded signature in order to facilitate post-facto detection of leakage of sensitive data. The leakage detection mechanism involves: 1) identifying at least one set of words in an electronic document containing sensitive data, the set of words having a low frequency of occurrence in a first collection of electronic documents; and, 2) transmitting a query to search a second collection of electronic documents for any electronic document that contains the set of words having a low frequency of occurrence. This leakage detection mechanism has at least the following advantages: a) it is tamper-resistant; b) it avoids the need to add a watermark to the sensitive data, c) it can be used to locate the sensitive data even if the leakage occurred before the embedded signature was ever identified; and, d) it can be used to detect an embedded signature regardless of whether the data is being presented statically or dynamically.
US07979406B2
Compressing transaction data is provided. A current transaction data point is received. A determination is made as to whether the current transaction data point is a first transaction data point or a subsequent transaction data point of a set of transaction data points for a current variable length aggregation record. A further determination is made as to whether the subsequent transaction data point is within a predetermined tolerance of a predicted transaction data point in response to the current transaction data point being the subsequent transaction data point. The subsequent transaction data point is compressed into the current variable length aggregation record in response to the subsequent transaction data point falling within the predetermined tolerance of the predicted transaction data point.
US07979405B2
Method for automatically associating data with a document based on a prescribed type of the document
A system and method is provided to automatically associate type-specific information with a document of a prescribed type. The type information includes instance-specific type information that can be instantiated to each document of the prescribed type. The type information also includes generic type information that is automatically applied to all documents of the prescribed type. Such generic type information includes policies that govern, for example, the life span of the documents or who can access the documents. Instance-specific type information can be demoted to and promoted from a document of the prescribed type. Generic type information can only be demoted to a document of the prescribed type. Type information may be demoted into a document only when the document is requested.
US07979399B2
A database spread over multiple nodes allows each node to store a journal recording changes made to the database and also allows a journaling component to manage the memory space available for journaling. Two threshold size values may be specified for the journal. The first threshold value specifies a journal size at which to being pruning the journal on a given node. A journal pruning algorithm may be used to identify journal entries that may be removed. For example, once a given transaction completes (i.e., commits) the journal entries related to that transaction may be pruned from the journal. The second threshold value specifies the maximum size of the journal. After reaching this size, journal entries may be written to disk instead of the in-memory journal.
US07979398B2
Techniques provide a file plan including a plurality of containers, wherein each container is capable of providing management information for record information objects assigned to the container, wherein the record information objects represent documents, wherein one of the containers points to a physical record. An electronic record associated with the physical record is stored. The physical record is automatically associated with the electronic record by updating the file plan.
US07979389B2
The present invention relates to a method for performing integrated storage operations on an information store. The present invention comprises identifying a plurality disparate types of storage operations stored in a policy option table. A first storage operation is performed according to a first set of storage criteria stored in the policy option table and a second operation, disparate from the first storage operation, is performed according to a second set of storage criteria stored in the policy option table.
US07979388B2
A method of and system for deriving hierarchical structure from a set of digital objects is presented. The set of digital objects, such as digital images for example, may include a plurality of digital objects each associated with a data tag (such as a date, location, and/or text description, for example) that is part of a flat property set that does not encode the hierarchical relationships of the data objects. The set of digital objects may be filtered by a query and a query engine. Each data tag of each digital object may be compared on the basis of a relationship, such as mathematical equality, proximity in value, and/or similarity of text strings, for example. A hierarchical data structure may be established that includes a parent data segment and a child data segment, each labeled with a related data tag and populated with one or more related digital objects. The hierarchical data structure may be represented by a tree or by nested folders.
US07979385B2
A method for consuming data includes determining a scope of summarization for a data set in response to receiving a request from a summarization program, obtaining a lock on the data within the scope of summarization and consuming the data from the summarization program within the scope of data summarization. The summarization program includes methods configured to obtain concurrent locks on different portions of the data set. The consumption of the data may be governed by specific rules.
US07979370B1
A system for information searching includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes a first plurality of neurons each associated with a word and with a first set of dynamic connections to at least some of the first plurality of neurons. The second layer include a second plurality of neurons each associated with a document and with a second set of dynamic connections to at least some of the first plurality of neurons. The first set of dynamic connections and the second set of dynamic connections can be configured such that a query of at least one neuron of the first plurality of neurons excites at least one neuron of the second plurality of neurons. The excited at least one neuron of the second plurality of neurons can be contextually related to the queried at least one neuron of the first plurality of neurons.
US07979367B2
A system and method for support vector machine plus (SVM+) computations include selecting a set of indexes for a target function to create a quadratic function depending on a number of variables, and reducing the number of variables to two in the quadratic function using linear constraints. An extreme point is computed for the quadratic function in closed form. A two-dimensional set is defined where the indexes determine whether a data point is in the two-dimensional set or not. A determination is made of whether the extreme point belongs to the two-dimensional set. If the extreme point belongs to the two-dimensional set, the extreme point defines a maximum and defines a new set of parameters for a next iteration. Otherwise, the quadratic function is restricted on at least one boundary of the two-dimensional set to create a one-dimensional quadratic function. The steps are repeated until the maximum is determined.
US07979363B1
A system and method for estimating the a priori probability of a class-of-interest in an input-data-set and a system and method for evaluating the performance of the adaptive Bayes classifier in classifying unlabeled samples from an input-put-data-set. The adaptive Bayes classifier provides a capability to classify data into two classes, a class-of-interest or a class-other, with minimum classification error in an environment where a priori knowledge, through training samples or otherwise, is only available for a single class, the class-of-interest. This invention provides a method and system for estimating the a priori probability of the class-of-interest in the data set to be classified and evaluating adaptive Bayes classifier performance in classifying data into two classes, a class-of-interest and a class-other, using only labeled training samples, or otherwise, from the class-of-interest and unlabeled samples from the data set to be classified.
US07979354B2
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a utilization permit key may be pre-defined to permit at least one of displaying, editing, storing, copying, and/or transferring of digital data.
US07979350B1
A method for managing wireless account information. A list of applications is presented via a web interface on a computing device. The applications are operable to run on a wireless handheld device and a plurality of billing options are presented. In response to receiving a selection of an application, a wireless account is updated via a link between a web account and a wireless account according to the selected application, such that the selected application is available when a wireless account is accessed via a wireless handheld device.
US07979335B2
The disclosed computer-implemented investment management process particularly in the field of high yield corporate bond financial market consists of five distinct process phases. In a first phase, the financial market under evaluation is researched in order to obtain all the market business information necessary for the following market evaluation phases. The next three phases, as marked by the dotted line, are all part of the central evaluation process that will be described in more detail hereinafter. The first evaluation phase is a filtering phase where the market business information obtained from the previous research phase are filtered in order to separate useful information from non-useful information. In a following phase, the filtered business information at first is input to a subscoring process and thereafter to a scoring process. Finally, the obtained evaluation results (scores) are presented to a user in form of a recommendation displayed on a monitor or printed in paper format.
US07979334B2
A system and method for determining the buying power of an investment portfolio are disclosed which involve providing a set of compliance rules for an investment portfolio, receiving a request to analyze a proposed transaction, and calculating a transaction limit for the proposed transaction based upon the set of compliance rules.
US07979328B1
A method and system for interactive invoice inquiry. In one method embodiment, the present invention receives an invoice. The present invention then stores the invoice in a network-accessible database. Next, the present invention authorizes a requester access to the invoice stored in the network-accessible database. The present invention further authorizes a supplier access to the invoice stored in the network-accessible database. In so doing, the present invention simplifies the resolution of a payment issue for the invoice stored in the network-accessible database.
US07979324B2
Records, including data for a virtual catalog, may be received from a number of sources. Each of the received records may be validated and a determination may be made as to whether one or more previously-received records matches the received record. When two or more records are determined to be matching records, a composite object may be created and information from the two or more records may be included in the composite object. If the matching records include conflicting information, then previously-defined rules may be applied to determine which items of the conflicting information have precedence over other items of the conflicting information. A virtual catalog may be created from the received records and the created composite object based on customized attributes.
US07979301B1
A heuristically developable Internet based taxonomy of data objects presented in multimedia format on web pages replaces inefficient and awkward text boxes traditionally used to submit queries to search engines. The taxonomy is supported by a selection-oriented knowledge base (SOKB) that provides on a server a navigatable network structure configured to selectively construct queries, wherein users communicate with a server via a web browser. The construction of a query is based upon knowledge captured by the SOKB as a result of a sequence of selection steps executed by the user in connection with the navigation of the network structure, whereby at each selection step a choice of classes of data objects is presented to the user. The web pages display a “THAT'S IT” button for the user to recognize the data object the user has in mind and an emergency “HELP” button for immediate assistance from a live agent.
US07979298B2
Risk in business management is analyzed based on a probabilistic network approach which quantifies the impact of operational risk on financial metrics such as Value-at-Risk (VAR) and/or Potential Losses (PL). This approach provides further capability to determine the optimal placement of one or more countermeasures within a system to minimize the impact of operational risks.
US07979295B2
User interaction with a computer system is supported by maintaining, in a computer system, a model comprising several concepts having properties associated therewith and any relationships existing between the several concepts. A current state of the several concepts, properties and relationships reflects a real-world situation that involves a user of the computer system. An output is made to the user that identifies at least a subset of several predefined goals, the model indicating the subset as being possible to accomplish based on the current state. At least a first action of several predefined actions in the computer system is performed, the model associating the several predefined actions with accomplishing respective ones of the several predefined goals. The first action is identified as associated with accomplishing a first goal that the user selects from the subset. The current state is updated based on performing at least the first action.
US07979293B2
Disclosed is a system and method for managing operations of a system. The method includes partitioning the system into a plurality of subsystems. The method further includes, for each subsystem, creating an agent to associate with the subsystem, providing to the agent one or more goals for the subsystem, and providing to the agent an overall objective function for the system. The method also includes using an optimization algorithm involving the agents to manage system operation based on the goals and the overall objective function. The system includes an agent module for providing a set of agents associated with the subsystems, a throughput target module for providing a throughput target for each agent, an objective module for providing, for each agent, a common production throughput objective, and a sampled fictitious play module for providing instructions of a sampled fictitious play algorithm.
US07979291B2
Systems and methods are described for processing queue data and for providing queue messaging over a network. An illustrative queuing system includes a first queue configured to hold resource requests from a plurality of users, and program code stored in computer readable memory configured to determine or estimate whether a resource requested by a first resource request submitted by a first requester will be available when the first resource request will be serviced, and to transmit a message over a network to the first requester indicating that the requested resource will not be available when the queued request is serviced if it is estimated or determined that the requested resource will not be available when the first request is serviced.
US07979289B2
A computerized medical care system provides validation of a diagnosis of a medical condition and requested medical services for treating the medical condition. The medial care system invokes multiple filters to determine the appropriateness of the diagnosis and medical service. Real time feedback is provided based on the determination. If the medical care cannot be validated, the feedback includes the reasons for the failure to validate, and any supporting materials for the lack of validation. The feedback may also prompt the requesting entity to provide additional information to help support the medical provider's position as to why the requested medical care is appropriate.
US07979282B2
Provided are an audio encoding method and apparatus and an audio decoding method and apparatus in which audio signals can be encoded or decoded so that sound images can be localized at any desired position for each object audio signal. The audio decoding method includes extracting a downmix signal and object-based side information from an input audio signal; generating rendering information based on input control data; and generating spatial information based on the rendering information and the object-based side information.
US07979277B2
A speech recognition circuit comprising a circuit for providing state identifiers which identify states corresponding to nodes or groups of adjacent nodes in a lexical tree, and for providing scores corresponding to said state identifiers, the lexical tree comprising a model of words; a memory structure for receiving and storing state identifiers identified by a node identifier identifying a node or group of adjacent nodes, said memory structure being adapted to allow lookup to identify particular state identifiers, reading of the scores corresponding to the state identifiers, and writing back of the scores to the memory structure after modification of the scores; an accumulator for receiving score updates corresponding to particular state identifiers from a score update generating circuit which generates the score updates using audio input, for receiving scores from the memory structure, and for modifying said scores by adding said score updates to said scores; and a selector circuit for selecting at least one node or group of adjacent nodes of the lexical tree according to said scores.
US07979276B2
Voices are prevented from being recognized with poor accuracy when a speaker is not close to a sound pickup device. A speech recognition apparatus (10) includes a sound pickup device (16) picking up sounds, a photographing device (18) photographing images of a speaker making voices into the sound pickup device (16), a voice recognition function unit (132) recognizing voices on the basis of the picked-up voices, and a recognition/learning determination unit (142) restricting the voice recognition function unit (132) from recognizing voices when the photographed images do not contain speaker images showing at least part of the speaker.
US07979272B2
The present invention provides a frame erasure concealment device and method that is based on reestimating gain parameters for a code excited linear prediction (CELP) coder. During operation, when a frame in a stream of received data is detected as being erased, the coding parameters, especially an adaptive codebook gain gp and a fixed codebook gain gc, of the erased and subsequent frames can be reestimated by a gain matching procedure. By using this technique with the IS-641 speech coder, it has been found that the present invention improves the speech quality under various channel conditions, compared with a conventional extrapolation-based concealment algorithm.
US07979257B2
The invention provides an apparatus and methods for performing process simulation and structural analysis using a hybrid model. For example, a method of the invention automatically defines a hybrid solution domain by dividing a representation of a plastic component or mold cavity into two portions—a portion in which a simplified analysis may be conducted, and a portion in which a more complex analysis is required. The method may use as input any form of CAD data that describes the surface of a component or mold. Furthermore, the invention provides methods for simulating fluid flow within a mold cavity by automatically creating a hybrid solution domain, automatically discretizing the domain, and solving for the distribution of process variables within the solution domain.
US07979254B2
A simulation control section 210 of an NC machining simulation apparatus 10 computes a movement path of a mechanical element when performing simulation. A ring buffer 270 memorizes the movement path of the mechanical element. In response to a replay instruction, the simulation control section 210 reads the movement path from the ring buffer 270. The simulation control section 210 then displays the mechanical element on a display device 190 as a solid model based on the movement path for replaying the simulation.
US07979250B2
A method is provided for facilitating installation of one or more electronics racks within a data center. The method includes: placing a plurality of thermal simulators in the data center in a data center layout to establish a thermally simulated data center, each thermal simulator simulating at least one of airflow intake or heated airflow exhaust of a respective electronics rack of a plurality of electronics racks to be installed in the data center; monitoring temperature within the thermally simulated data center at multiple locations, and verifying the data center layout if measured temperatures are within respective acceptable temperature ranges for the data center when containing the plurality of electronics racks; and establishing the plurality of electronics racks within the data center using the verified data center layout, the establishing including at least one of reconfiguring or replacing each thermal simulator with a respective electronics rack.
US07979243B1
In a graphical modeling environment supporting a model having at least two different analysis frameworks operating therein, a system and corresponding method of processing the graphical model modify the model to group model portions together for processing in the same analysis framework. Model parts are identified and associated with the analysis framework in which they operate. Model parts are then grouped based on their association with their analysis framework to form model portions that operate in one of the different analysis frameworks. In instances where topological separation of model portions operating in the same analysis framework occurs, the system and method reconfigure intervening model portions to be amenable with operation in the analysis framework of the surrounding model portions to improve processing efficiency.
US07979239B2
A system and method for monitoring and managing electrical power transmission and distribution networks through use of a deterministic, non-iterative method using an holomorphic embedding and algebraic approximants for determining the real-time load flow in a power generating system having an electrical grid. Such method may be employed for real-time or off-line applications for electric power systems reliability assessment, and is capable of determining whether or not a physical solution to the load flow problem exists, or if the system is in a state of voltage collapse.
US07979222B2
A method of forecasting loads on a distribution network is disclosed. The method employs load profiles in combination with short-term load estimations to forecast expected loads on a distribution network. The predicted loads may then be used by power restoration controllers when performing back-feed capacity checks.
US07979221B2
An electric power meter is disclosed which includes an analog to digital converter for converting sensed voltage and/or current signals to digital signals corresponding thereto. The meter further comprises storage for storing the digital signals. The meter further comprises a processor for performing power calculations upon the digital signals, and converting the calculations and the digital signals into at least one network protocol. The meter further comprises a network interface for interfacing with an external network. A system for modifying the functionality of the electric power meter is also disclosed.
US07979219B2
The invention provides a method for testing a transmission medium used in a full-duplex communication system comprising an endpoint that comprises a transmitting end (TX) and a receiving end (RX); the method comprises the steps of: first, transmitting a transmitted signal which comprises a test signal sequence with a high auto-correlation characteristic; then, receiving a received signal, and performing a correlation operation on the test signal and the received signal; finally, according to the result of the correlation operation, determining the impedance matching condition of the transmission medium.
US07979215B2
Methods of evaluating candidate CGH probe nucleic acid sequences are provided. Aspects of the methods include providing a candidate CGH probe nucleic acid sequence for a target sequence of a copy number variation (CNV) of a genome. A proximity score is then determined for the candidate CGH probe nucleic acid sequence and employed to evaluate the sequence. Aspects of the invention further include computer programming and systems that include the same which are configured to evaluate candidate CGH probe nucleic acid sequences using a proximity score.
US07979210B2
Method for processing seismic data to correct for errors caused by variation in water conditions. In one implementation, the method may include (a) applying a dip correction to a plurality of observed water bottom reflection times using a model water velocity and an estimate of geologic dip; (b) applying a normal moveout (NMO) correction to the dip corrected observed water bottom reflection times using the model water velocity; (c) applying a common mid point (“CMP”) bin centering correction to the NMO corrected, dip corrected observed water bottom reflection times using the model water velocity and the estimate of geologic dip; (d) solving for Δsi, which is an estimate of the difference in slowness between the observed water bottom reflection times and the water bottom reflection times that would have been observed had the water velocity been the same as the model water velocity; (e) solving for an estimate of observed water velocity based on sobs,i=sm+Δsi, where sobs,i is an estimate of observed slowness and sm is defined as the model slowness; (f) layer replacing the observed water bottom reflection times using the estimate of the observed water velocity and the model water velocity; and (g) repeating steps (a) to (f) using the layer replaced observed water bottom reflection times until the changes in the estimate of observed water velocity approach zero.
US07979199B2
A method to generate a clearance request to deviate from a flight plan comprising receiving input from at least one flight-plan-relevant source, determining a revised flight route based on the received input, and generating a preconfigured clearance request message to deviate from the flight plan for a user based on the determining. The method further comprises prompting the user for one of approval and rejection of the clearance request to deviate from the flight plan. The preconfigured clearance request message is downlinked when an approval of the clearance request to deviate from the flight plan is received from the user.
US07979195B2
A valve control system for an internal combustion engine includes a valve actuation system that actuates each of an intake valve and an exhaust valve between N open lift modes where N is an integer greater than one. A control module defines a switching window having a start time based on intake valve timing and an end time based on exhaust valve timing. The control module enables transitioning of at least one of the intake and exhaust valves between the N open lift modes based on the switching window.
US07979185B2
A method for determining a motor vehicle mass which is implemented in conjunction with shifting an automated shift transmission from a current gear to a desired gear. In determining the mass, a value force and movement parameters are determined partly before or after the shift operation and partly during it. For the more rapid and accurate determination of mass, the drive-wheel-related traction force of the drive engine before and after the shift F_zug_vor, F_zug_nach, the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle before and after the shift, a_zug_vor, a_zug_nach, and the acceleration a_roll determined in the traction-force-free phase during the shift are determined, and from these and in accordance with the equation m=F_zug/(a_zug−a_roll), a first mass value m_vor=F_zug_vor/(a_zug_vor−a_roll) is calculated for the beginning of the shift and a second mass value m_nach=F_zug_nach/(a_zug_nach−a_roll) is calculated for the end of the shift.
US07979184B2
An automatic transmission controller system and method are disclosed. In particular, disclosed is a system and method for controlling solenoid pressure control valves associated with an automatic transmission. The automatic transmission controller system comprises a controller which is configured to receive one or more electrical signal inputs for attributing each solenoid pressure control valve with one of a set of I-P calibration curves.
US07979179B2
An apparatus and method for a pitch state estimator is provided. The pitch state estimator generates a pitch state signal for establishing the orientation used in the control of a ground-traversing vehicle. The vehicle has a support for supporting a load which is preferably a human passenger. In one embodiment, the pitch state estimator includes a pitch sensor connected to the vehicle producing a pitch signal representing an estimate of a pitch angle of the vehicle. The pitch angle is associated with a coordinate system referenced to gravity. The pitch state estimator also includes at least one inertial reference sensor connected to the vehicle producing an inertial orientation signal with respect to the vehicle. Further included is a state estimator module for receiving the pitch signal and the inertial orientation signal and calculating a pitch state signal from the inertial orientation signal and the pitch signal sensor. The pitch state signal is provided to a control loop of the vehicle for dynamically maintaining stability of the vehicle.
US07979178B2
A diagnostic tool and method are provided wherein the diagnostic tool includes a wireless communication circuit to retrieve diagnostic software from a remote computing device. When operated, the scan tool can determine if the loaded diagnostic software is appropriate for the vehicle under test. If not, the diagnostic tool can retrieve the appropriate diagnostic software from the remote computing device. The retrieved or second diagnostic software is then operated to reprogram the diagnostic tool to remove the previously loaded software and allow a user to service a vehicle.
US07979177B2
A configurable vehicle computer is enabled based on identification information associated with a driver. Updates to the configurable vehicle computer are stored at a remote location. The updates are downloaded upon an authorized vehicle start-up.
US07979176B2
A control module of a vehicle comprises a drive diagnostic module and a power determination module. The drive diagnostic module determines a slip power of a belt based on engine speed, motor speed, and motor torque. The power determination module determines an accumulated power of the belt based on the slip power, the motor speed, and the motor torque. The control module diagnoses a condition of the belt based on the accumulated power.
US07979175B2
Systems and methods for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle. Autonomous control is achieved by using actuators that interact with input devices in the vehicle. The actuators (e.g., linkages) manipulate the input devices (e.g., articulation controls and drive controls, such as a throttle, brake, tie rods, steering gear, throttle lever, or accelerator) to direct the operation of the vehicle. Although operating autonomously, manual operation of the vehicle is possible following the detection of events that suggest manual control is desired. Subsequent autonomous control may be permitted, permitted after a prescribed delay, or prevented.
US07979173B2
Method and system for enabling semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicle travel includes providing a vehicle travel management system which monitors the location of vehicles in a travel lane and the location of the travel lane, creating dedicated travel lanes for vehicles equipped with the vehicle travel management system, and managing travel of vehicles in the dedicated travel lanes to maximize travel speed of the vehicles and minimize collisions between the vehicles. The travel management may entail establishing and maintaining communications between the vehicles with the movement of the vehicles being coordinated to enable a minimal distance between adjacent vehicles in the dedicated travel lanes. Entry into the dedicated travel lanes is optimally restricted only to vehicles equipped with the vehicle travel management system.
US07979166B2
The invention relates to a generation facility management system using natural energy, and an object of the invention is to promote introduction of a generation facility by giving a consideration for generated and consumed power.The generation facility management system is characterized in including a generation facility using natural energy and a management server for managing power information on the generation facility, wherein the generation facility includes: an energy obtaining section for obtaining natural energy; a power generating section for generating power from the obtained natural energy; an information control section for creating generated power information on the power generated by the power generating section; and a communication section for transmitting the power information to the management server, and the management server includes an information management section for determining a consideration for the power information transmitted from the generation facility by using predetermined consideration information.
US07979164B2
A system for controlling one or more components of a climate control system is provided that includes one or more controllers in connection with low voltage power lines for powering the one or more controllers. The controllers are further capable of transmitting one or more communication signals via the low voltage waveform. The system includes a thermostat controller, at least one system controller for a heating or cooling system, and a controller for a circulating air blower. The thermostat controller, system controller and circulating air blower controller are connected to each other only through each controller's individual connection to the hot and common low voltage power transmission lines. Each controller is capable of transmitting one or more signals that are superimposed onto the low-frequency low-voltage waveform and include information identifying a destination controller that the signals are intended for.
US07979157B2
A dynamically configurable robotic system and method for performing surgical operations using a plurality of robotic arms remotely controlled by at least one operator console. The system comprises a track system configured for mounting to a patient support table, such that the track system provides a stable operating platform for the robotic arms and for facilitating placement of a proximal end of each of the arms at a selected position about a periphery of the patient support table. the system and method also have a plurality of base stations for operatively coupling each of the robotic arms to the track system, such that each of the base stations include a housing, a first connector for coupling the housing to the track system, the first connector configured for facilitating movement of the housing along the track system while coupled thereto, and a second connector for coupling the housing to the proximal end of at least one of the robotic arms, the second connector configured for providing at least one of power supply, control signalling, and data communication with respect to the coupled robotic arm. The system and method also have a control unit for coupling to at least two of the base stations and configured for dynamically connecting operative remote control between the coupled base stations and a first operator console of the at least one operator console.
US07979155B2
Aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods for improving a sort plan. According to one embodiment, several groups are formed where each group contains articles having an identifier of a hierarchical structure. In certain embodiments, the identifier may include a geographical indication, such as a postal or ZIP code. Further aspects relate to systems and methods for conducting sort plan optimization where at least some prior data is known or otherwise obtainable. In one embodiment, data relating to the quantity of groups within the sort plan, the quantity of articles associated with each identifier, and/or the quantity of articles within each group may be estimated or known. In certain embodiments, such data may be utilized to assign articles to specific bins, including any available bin, and then optimize the sort plan by selecting at least one bin for improvement.
US07979150B2
A method of manufacturing biodegradable/bioresorbable tissue augmentation/reconstruction devices by defining material density distributions at selected time points during a material degradation lifecycle. These different density distributions are then superposed using general linear and/or nonlinear functions that could include both time and degraded base stiffness weighting factors. The material density distribution may be created using topology optimization, image-based design or computed aided design methods to create a degradable device that retains sufficient physical properties (ie modulus, strength, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity) through the material degradation lifecycle process. Thus, any bulk degrading material can be designed using this process for any tissue augmentation/reconstruction application.
US07979149B2
A method of playing audio data by a portable device is disclosed. The method starts with an optical sensor of the portable device sensing a tag on a surface. The tag encodes an identity of the surface and a location of the tag on the surface. Audio data is recorded by an audio system of the portable device. A processor of the portable device determines the identity of the surface and the location of the tag sensed by the optical sensing device on the surface. The portable device communicates the audio data, the identity of the surface and the location of the tag to a computer system where the audio data is associated with the identity of the surface and the location of the tag. Upon subsequent sensing of the tag by the optical sensor, the portable device communicates the identity of the surface and the location of the tag to the computer system, where the audio data associated with the identity of the surface and the location of the tag is retrieved and communicated to the portable device. The audio data retrieved by the portable device is then played back by the portable device.
US07979144B2
According to one embodiment, a pattern forming system includes a patterning tool, a multi-axis robot, and a simulation tool that are coupled to a pattern forming tool that is executed on a suitable computing system. The pattern forming tool receives a contour measurement from the patterning tool and transmits the measured contour to the simulation tool to model the electrical characteristics of a conductive pattern or a dielectric pattern on the measured contour. Upon receipt of the modeled characteristics, the pattern forming system may adjust one or more dimensions of the pattern according to the model, and subsequently create, using the patterning tool, the corrected pattern on the surface.
US07979136B2
A medical data system including a plurality of receivers configured to wirelessly receive medical data via a signal.
US07979131B2
In some embodiments, a paddle lead is implanted within a patient such that the electrodes are positioned within the cervical or thoracic spinal levels. An electrode combination on a first row of electrodes can be determined that is effective for a first pain location with minimal effects on other regions of the body. The first pain location can be addressed by stimulating a first dorsal column fiber due to the relatively fine electrical field resolution achievable by the multiple columns. Then, another electrode combination on a second row of electrodes can be determined for a second pain location with minimal effects on other regions. The second pain location could be addressed by stimulating a second dorsal column fiber. After the determination of the appropriate electrodes for stimulation, the patient's IPG can be programmed to deliver pulses using the first and second rows according to the determined electrode combinations.
US07979113B2
Methods and systems involve classifying the cardiac response to pacing using a multi-channel approach. Multiple cardiac response signals are sensed via multiple sense channels. Each sense channel comprises a distinct combination of electrodes and sensing circuitry. The cardiac response to the pacing pulse is classified based on the morphology of the cardiac response signals. Classifying the cardiac response involves discriminating between capture, fusion, non-capture, and non-capture with intrinsic activity.
US07979111B2
A wireless electrocardiogram (ECG) system is disclosed. The wireless ECG provides for recording potentials on the surface of a body. The wireless ECG includes a plurality of electrodes suitable for attachment to the surface of the body, a voltage measuring circuit for detecting a voltage between a reference voltage level and electrodes, an error detecting circuit, and a transmitting circuit for transmitting the detected voltage signal to a receiver. The disclosed system is robust in that it provides the capability of continuous monitoring of a subject while correcting for defects in an electrode, contact, presence of excessive noise or other developments in addition to providing the customary alarms in the event of disruptions.
US07979109B2
The present invention is directed toward an acoustic, piezoelectric, electric, electro-mechanical or pneumatically driven surface drum driver, in mechanical engagement with a biopsy or acupuncture needle device and a method for its use for diagnosis of small e.g. 100 microns, tumors via the production of magnetic resonance elastographic images (MRE), without artifact production, in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. In a second embodiment, the invention is directed toward an acoustically, pneumatically, piezoelectrically, electrically and/or electro-mechanically driven acupuncture needle, useful for simulating manual single-needle acupuncture treatments via a non-manually manipulated acupuncture needle; and further to a device and process for determination, using twin pneumatically driven surface drivers, of organ stiffness, e.g. brain stiffness, which can be quantified so as to be useful in elucidating and quantifying brain cognitive state, e.g. normal, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's dementia (AD).
US07979096B1
A system for conserving energy in a multi-node network (110) includes nodes (205) configured to organize themselves into tiers (305, 310, 315). The nodes (205) are further configured to produce a transmit/receive schedule at a first tier (310) in the network (110) and control the powering-on and powering-off of transmitters and receivers in nodes (205) in a tier adjacent (315) to the first tier (310) according to the transmit/receive schedule.
US07979095B2
This invention pertains to methods and apparatus for data communications from vehicles, to obtain emergency, concierge and other services, using a voice channel of a digital wireless telecommunications network. Signaling is described for commencing data sessions after establishing a voice channel call. The call may be initiated from the vehicle automatically, and the call taker location may be unattended. Signaling methods are selected for traversing both newer and legacy vocoders for ubiquitous operation.
US07979090B2
A method and a system is disclosed for improving transmission of timing advance messages to a mobile station, in a network employing adaptive antenna systems. In a typical embodiment each TA-message is dedicated to one mobile and sent in the adaptive antenna beam that covers the area where the desired mobile is located.
US07979089B2
A wireless data communication card configured in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention includes a low profile antenna arrangement that does not protrude from the housing of the computing device when the wireless data communication card is inserted into the housing. The low profile design is achieved without compromising the radio frequency (“RF”) characteristics and performance of the wireless data communication card by tuning the antenna arrangement to account for conductive ground structure located within the housing of the computing device. In accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention, the wireless data communication card is compliant with IEEE Standard 802.11(b) and compliant with PCMCIA specifications.
US07979086B1
A multi-mode mobile station is able to wirelessly communicate with a wireless wide area network (WWAN) and with a wireless local area network (WLAN). The WLAN includes a “virtual” visitor location register (VVLR) for storing information about multi-mode mobile stations being served by the WLAN. The VVLR communicates with a home location register (HLR) in the WWAN in order to facilitate roaming between the WWAN and WLAN by the multi-mode mobile station.
US07979075B2
Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) tables are tailored to one or more cells of interest. Tailoring CQI tables to individual cells permits devices such as radio base stations to more reliably and accurately allocate radio resources to those cells since channel conditions vary from cell to cell. According to one embodiment, a table of CQI values is composed by analyzing information indicating channel quality in a cell of interest and generating at least one table of CQI values tailored to the cell of interest based on the information analyzed. The tailored CQI table may be deployed to another device for use in reporting channel quality information. The device may report channel quality by accessing the tailored CQI and identifying the range of CQI values that includes a channel quality estimate derived by the device. The device generates a channel quality information message based on the identified range of CQI values.
US07979059B2
A Fourth generation (4G) Wireless videoconferencing system which employs Quality of Service (QOS) features of a fourth generation wireless network to configure bandwidth on a per call basis. Selection of a videoconferencing terminating subscriber on a video subscriber table in the originating terminal causes the call to be routed directly via the Fourth Generation network to the terminating subscriber terminal and the sending of a class of service to the terminating subscriber terminal embedded in an “alternate caller ID”. The class of service tells the terminating terminal to configure terminating terminal for videoconferencing.
US07979049B2
A method and apparatus for controlling the power consumption of a receiver based on current operating conditions is described herein. A receiver according to the present invention applies a received signal to a variable filter. The received signal includes a desired in-band signal. Depending on the current operating conditions, the received signal may further include one or more unwanted out-of-band blocking signals. A filter controller controls one or more operating parameters of the variable filter to maintain the power ratio at the filter output of the power of the blocking signal(s) to the in-band signal at or below a desired level. In so doing, the present invention controls the receiver power consumption while still providing the desired receiver performance.
US07979040B2
Disclosed herein is a method for adjusting the tuning frequency of a tuning circuit, which is implemented as a parallel circuit of a coil and series circuits Ai each including a capacitor Ci and a switch device Qi (i=one to n, where n denotes an integer at least equal to two), by varying the tuning frequency through control to turn on and off the switch devices Qi in accordance with control data bi, the method for adjusting the tuning frequency of a tuning circuit including the steps of: finding control data bi for a desired tuning frequency from control data bi for a tuning frequency equal to a first frequency and control data bi for a tuning frequency equal to a second frequency; and applying the control data bi found for the desired tuning frequency to the switch devices Qi.
US07979039B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a pre-driver to receive data of a first clock phase and to pre-drive the data, a driver coupled to the pre-driver to drive the data onto a link operable to be coupled to a receiver, and an offset driver to drive an offset value associated with the first clock phase onto the link with the data. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07979025B2
A method and apparatus for handover in a wireless communication device between wireless domains is described. In one example, a signal employing a short-range wireless protocol is detected at the wireless communication device. For example, the short-range wireless protocol may be a near-field communication (NFC) protocol, a radio frequency identification (RFID) protocol, an optical protocol, a BLUETOOTH protocol, and the like known in the art. A handover is requested from the first wireless domain to the second wireless domain in response to the detected signal. In one example, the signal may be broadcast by an access control system to a building and may be configured to control access to the building. In this manner, precise delineation of the handover boundary between wireless domains is provided.
US07979024B2
Methods of transmitting communications signals from a satellite to a wireless terminal include determining a location of the wireless terminal, selecting a plurality of antenna feed elements at the satellite in response to the determined location of the wireless terminal, block coding a plurality of symbols into a number of transmit streams equal to the number of selected antenna feed elements, and transmitting the transmit streams over the selected plurality of antenna feed elements. Block coding the plurality of symbols may include space-code, space-time and/or space-frequency encoding the plurality of symbols. Related satellites, satellite gateways and satellite communications systems are also disclosed.
US07979022B2
Disclosed are a method and system for generating switching a timing signal for separating a transmitting and receiving signal in a RF repeater of a mobile telecommunication network by using a TDD scheme and an OFDM modulation scheme, which transmits a part of a RF signal extracted from a coupler of a RF repeater to a switching timing signal generating circuit when a RF signal transmitted from an Access Point (hereinafter, referred to as “AP”) is transmitted to a RF repeater, locates a frame start position of a RF signal by correlating a reference signal generated in a switching timing signal generating circuit and a RF signal extracted from a coupler, and is capable of transmitting a RF signal by distinguishing between a downlink signal and a uplink signal by using a switching timing signal in a switch when calculating a starting point of a downlink signal and a uplink signal which is included in an RF signal by using an AP's frame standard on the basis of a frame starting location, and transmitting to a RF repeater's switch generating a switching timing signal by using it.
US07979020B2
An image forming apparatus which forms an image electrophotographically, comprises an image transfer unit which transfers a toner image to a recording medium, a fixing unit comprising a heat roller and a pressure roller, a conveying direction change unit which changes a conveying direction of the recording medium discharged from the fixing unit upwardly, a discharge roller which discharges the recording medium, of which conveying direction has been changed by the conveying direction change unit, to a discharge part, and a curl removing roller which is provided on a conveying extending between the conveying direction change unit and the discharge roller and bends the recording medium in an opposite direction from a bend direction imparted to the recording medium at the heat roller.
US07979014B2
An apparatus and method to condition the fuser surface of a fusing or transfusing apparatus for a toner based printing system is described. The apparatus and method integrate the functions of cleaning paper debris and residual toner from the fuser (or transfuse) surface on one hand and the application of a release agent such as silicone oil on the other hand using a single release agent impregnated web. The inventive device includes a release agent application roller and a cleaning roller where the outer surfaces and are selected in preferred embodiments for their respective wetting properties with respect to the release agent used. The fuser surface conditioning device increases the useful life for a fusing or transfusing roll or belt even when low amounts of release agent are applied to the fusing surface such that the amount of release agent that is transferred to the print media is in the range of 0.5 to 5 mg/A4 sheet.
US07979005B2
An electrically conductive pattern forming apparatus has process disposition which reduces contamination of a pattern or inside of the apparatus due to backflow and leakage of a liquid material such as a developing agent or a cleaning liquid. A developing device and a cleaning device in the electrically conductive pattern forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method are disposed in a lower region about the center of a photoreceptor, a solvent removing process is disposed in a region in which the photoreceptor rotates upward, and a transfer liquid applying process and an electrostatic transfer process are disposed above the center of the photoreceptor and in a region in which the photoreceptor rotates downward.
US07978995B2
An image forming apparatus having a process correction mode wherein when a temperature of a fixing device in an image formation system in a power-on state is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the image forming apparatus increases the fixing temperature to the predetermined value. The apparatus sets the process correction mode based on power-on information output from a first detector which detects presence of the power-on state for the fixing device and fixing temperature information output from a second detector which detects a fixing temperature in the fixing device, and sets a priority level for performing a correction processing of the color misregistration to be lower than a correction processing comprising an image density adjustment.
US07978983B2
A self-timed clock circuit and method of generating a self-timed clock circuit. The circuit includes means for charging a circuit node in response to an external reset signal; means for discharging the circuit node in response to a trigger signal generated by a photodiode; means for generating a first signal indicating a logic level of the circuit node; means for generating and delaying a second signal indicating the logic state of the circuit node; means for combining the first and second signals to generate a recharge signal; and means for recharging the circuit node in response to the recharge signal.
US07978981B2
A low cost, high speed, short haul, optic interconnect and data link which employs an array of vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays through which several optical signals are simultaneously transmitted through collimating optics that generate multiple, multiple-wavelength optical signals. Each combined optical signal is transmitted to a receiver array comprising a plurality of optical filters and photodetector arrangements that have a number of sections, each having an optical filter to pass a specific optical wavelength, and a mating photodetector element to convert the specific optical signal to an electrical signal. The signals may be coupled between the transmitter array and the receiver array through free space or through optical fibers.
US07978969B2
A camera module (22) that is advantageous in increasing the endurance and impact resistance is provided. The camera module (22) includes a barrel unit (66), a lens holding unit (68), springs (70), an image pickup element (29), and a driving unit (72). The barrel unit (66) includes a front barrel (78) and a rear barrel (80). The driving unit (72) moves the lens holding unit (68) along an optical axis of an imaging optical system (34), and includes magnets (74) and coils (76). The two magnets (74) are disposed on the lens holding unit (68) at positions having the optical axis therebetween and extend parallel to a single imaginary plane which passes through the optical axis. The coils (76) are respectively disposed on the barrel unit (66) at two positions where the coils (76) face the magnets (74).
US07978963B2
The present invention provides a thermal processing apparatus that conducts a thermal process such as an annealing process at a temperature of 400° C. or more to an object to be processed. The apparatus is provided with a processing vessel (4) having a transmitting window (8) in a top part thereof. A table (10) is disposed in the vessel, that supports thereon the object (W) opposed to the transmitting window. A plurality of heating lamps (42A, 42B) are disposed above the processing vessel, that heat the object by irradiating heat rays to the object through the transmitting window. A thermoelectric converter (24) is disposed on the table and configured to at least cool the object. When a temperature of the object is increased, the object is mainly heated by the heat rays from the heating lamps. When the temperature of the object is decreased, the object is forcibly cooled by means of the thermoelectric converter.
US07978951B2
A bulkhead adapter plate that mounts to a face panel of a cable management panel, and a method of making the bulkhead adapter plate. The plate including angled adapter mounting openings formed by performing a minimum number of bending operations.
US07978942B2
A system and method for compensating for non-uniform illumination from a light guide for a display in an electronics device is provided. The system comprises: a memory device storing a data representing a first compensation pattern for generation on the display to block light from a first portion of the light guide relative to light from a second portion of the light guide; a first module to incorporate the stored representation into an image to be displayed on the display; and a second module to generate the image with the stored representation for display on the display. In the system, when the first module generates the first compensation pattern on the display, the first compensation pattern aligns with the first and second portions to reduce an intensity of light from a light source passing through the first compensation pattern from the first portion relative to an intensity of light passing through the first compensation pattern from the second portion from the light source.
US07978941B2
The new single mode circuit (SMC) architecture is invented for photonic integrated circuits (PIC). This architecture allows using multimode waveguides or structures to construct a single mode operated PIC. The multimode sections used in such SMC based PIC possess strong lateral confinement so that the PIC can have high circuit density and high optical performance at the same time. A parallel mode converter structure is also invented here. Based on this parallel mode converter, a low loss optical splitter can be constructed for high index contrast waveguide system.
US07978936B1
Indicating an object is disclosed. Indicating an object includes receiving an indication associated with selecting an image and providing a second indication that a set of one or more objects correspond to the image, wherein the objects have been detected from the image. Indicating an image is disclosed. Indicating an image includes receiving an indication associated with selecting an object, wherein the object has been detected from an image and displaying the image such that a correspondence between the selected object and the image is conveyed.
US07978930B2
A wide-field image input device that joins a series of partial images obtained by continuously imaging an imaging object by an imaging device while the imaging device is manually scanned by a user, thereby generating a wide-field image, includes: a camera position/posture estimation unit for receiving a partial image series and calculating a change state of three-dimensional position and posture of the imaging device as time-series camera position/posture information; a deformation parameter estimation unit for calculating a geometrical deformation parameter between adjacent partial images from the camera position/posture information; an image joining unit for joining the partial images by using the geometrical deformation parameter so as to generate a wide-field image; and a camera scan error detection unit for detecting motion of the imaging device according to the camera position/posture information and outputting a camera scan error detection signal when an error is detected.
US07978929B2
Disclosed are a device and a method for displaying a private image on a public display device. Image sequence pattern is generated for the private image and the corresponding masking image. The masking image is made from the dynamic inverse image of the private image, based on the refresh rate of the display device and the image sequence pattern. The masking image can screen the private image more effectively. The private image and the masking image is displayed on the display device according to the image sequence pattern.
US07978922B2
Images that are contained within documents are compressed to reduce the file size of the document. The compression may occur such that compression steps occur to the image automatically. The compression steps performed are determined based on the information available about the images in a document. The information is used to determine whether or not the image should be compressed as well as what compression method is used.
US07978918B2
An improved method for cropping a main subject from a digital image is disclosed. A skin color map and face map are independently computed and then blended to produce a revised map. A region map is computed by segmenting the digital image into a plurality of regions. A main subject importance map is calculated from the revised map and the region map. The digital image is cropped based on the main subject map.
US07978917B2
In an intelligent video surveillance system, video processing software performs a number of operations on video data received from a camera, including foreground extraction, shadow removal and object tracking. The foreground extraction stage classifies each pixel of a received frame as representing either foreground or background. Since shadow regions can be wrongly classified as foreground, a two-branch shadow removal operation is employed, comprising weak shadow removal (32) and strong shadow removal (33). The purpose of weak shadow removal (32) is to remove only the most severe shadows in each frame. Conversely, the purpose of strong shadow removal (33) is to remove substantially every shadow present in each frame. By comparing the overlap of foreground regions in the two resulting images, it is possible to identify foreground regions that have fragmented due to strong shadow removal, and thereafter classify them as representing a common foreground object. Foreground objects are better defined in terms of their shape and subsequent processing stages will not treat fragmented regions as representing separate objects.
US07978915B2
An edge enhancer for enhancing edges within a video image, forms an edge enhancement signal of odd harmonics of a sinusoid representative of the edge content in an incoming signal. The edge enhancement signal may be added to a version of the incoming signal, thereby sharpening the edge in the incoming signal. This allows edges to be enhanced, increasing the image's rise-time without adding overshoot. Sharper edges are thus produced in much the same way as a square wave may be formed of odd harmonics of a sinusoid.
US07978913B2
A method of image segmentation using graph-theory techniques, in which pixels of an image are represented by the vertices of a graph. A minimum spanning tree is generated and edges of the tree are successively removed according to a morphological property to leave a spanning forest, trees of which correspond to segments of the image. Selection of edges for removal may depend on an energy function of a tree and on the energy function of trees created by removal of that edge.
US07978910B2
A method and apparatus for adaptively filtering an input image are provided. The method includes dividing an input image into a plurality of color domains according to a distribution of colors in the input image, respectively calculating a plurality of filter coefficients for the color domains, and adaptively filtering the color domains using the respective filter coefficients. The apparatus includes a domain classification unit which divides an input image into a plurality of color domains according to a distribution of colors in the input image, a filter coefficient calculation unit which respectively calculates a plurality of filter coefficients for the color domains, and a filtering unit which respectively filters the color domains using the filter coefficients. Accordingly, it is possible to enhance picture quality by addressing the problem of limited texture representation capabilities of existing filtering methods and apparatuses especially for memory color domains.
US07978900B2
The present invention relates to automated document processing and more particularly, to methods and systems for document image capture and processing using mobile devices. In accordance with various embodiments, methods and systems for document image capture on a mobile communication device are provided such that the image is optimized and enhanced for data extraction from the document as depicted. These methods and systems may comprise capturing an image of a document using a mobile communication device; submitting the image to a server; and processing the image to create a bi-tonal image of the document for data extraction. Additionally, these methods and systems may comprise capturing a first image of a document using the mobile communication device; automatically detecting the document within the image; geometrically correcting the image; binarizing the image; correcting the orientation of the image; correcting the size of the image; and outputting the resulting image of the document.
US07978895B2
The present invention is intended to improve the quality of a three-dimensional display image, an MPR display image, or an MIP display image presented by an X-ray CT system that performs a conventional (axial) scan, a cine scan, or a helical scan. The X-ray CT system includes an image reconstruction unit or an image display unit. The image reconstruction unit or image display unit measures deviations of tomographic images in an x direction that is a horizontal direction and deviations thereof in a y direction that is a vertical direction according to the continuity in a z direction of an object that exhibits high CT numbers and that is visualized as a reference in the tomographic images; such as, a cradle, a head holder, the surface of a subject's body, or a bone. The image reconstruction unit or image display unit then compensates the deviations.
