US07976365B1
A crustacean preparation utensil kit for cracking the shell of and opening a crustacean body which includes an multi-rod opening device encompassing a shaft with spring-loaded rods on a front end which are released into a crustacean body upon activation of an internal rod release mechanism by pushing a push button as well as a reinforced spring-loaded shell-cracking device having operationally communicating teeth on an inside edge of each of a top portion and a bottom portion and a contoured thumb rest member atop the top portion and a contoured grip member disposed on the bottom portion allowing the user to have a firm grip on the shell-cracking device while pressing the top and bottom portions together.
US07976363B2
The invention is based on a dust container of a portable power tool for receiving machining residues of a portable power tool (2), comprising a container (8) predetermining a receiving volume (14). It is proposed that the container (8) have a variation means (12) for varying the size of the receiving volume (14).
US07976362B2
A substrate polishing apparatus includes a substrate holding mechanism having a head for holding a substrate to be polished, and a polishing mechanism including a polishing table with a polishing pad mounted thereon. The substrate held by the head is pressed against the polishing pad on the polishing table to polish the substrate by relative movement of the substrate and the polishing pad. The substrate polishing apparatus also includes a substrate transfer mechanism for delivering the substrate to be polished to the head and receiving the polished substrate. The substrate transfer mechanism includes a substrate to-be-polished receiver for receiving the substrate to be polished, and a polished substrate receiver for receiving the substrate which has been polished.
US07976360B2
An invention is provided for creating smoothed, heat-treated glass fragments. The invention includes placing a plurality of heat-treated glass fragments into a tumbling or vibrating apparatus. Each heat-treated glass fragment is formed from glass that has been heated to a temperature of at least 1000° Fahrenheit and rapidly cooled to a temperature below 700° Fahrenheit. The plurality of glass fragments are then tumbled or vibrated for a predetermined period of time such that surfaces of the heat-treated glass fragments are smoother than prior to tumbling. The glass fragments are thereafter removed from the tumbling apparatus, resulting in smoothed, heat-treated glass fragments that are suitable for direct handling without hand protection.
US07976358B2
A polishing apparatus polishes wafers at a high yield rate even if roll-off exists. The polishing apparatus polishes a wafer by applying a pressure between a polishing member (polishing pad) and the wafer held by a holding member (top ring) and moving the polishing member relative to the wafer. The polishing apparatus includes a top ring for holding the wafer, a pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting a supporting pressure with which the wafer is supported on a supporting surface by a retainer ring, and a control unit for controlling the pressure adjusting mechanism to bring the supporting pressure to a desired pressure based on a roll off quantity of the wafer. The top ring comprises an air bag for pressing the wafer against the polishing pad, a retainer ring which surrounds the wafer, and an air bag for pressing the retainer ring.
US07976357B1
A bra saver device made for underwire and non-underwire bras to provide protection to the wearer from sudden exposure to underwires and to provide comfort between the wearer of a bra from friction caused by movement of a bra during normal use. The present invention easily attaches to the edge of a bra by opening the clip to the present invention and placing it over the bra where ever an underwire has become exposed and then closing the clip to securely attach the present invention to a bra. The present invention can also be attached to any section of the bra at the edge along the bra at the top or the bottom, front or back where the wearer of the bra experiences discomfort.
US07976344B2
A connector includes a housing with a set of broad-side coupled terminals configured to engage a pair of signal traces on a first panel and a second panel and transfer signals between the signal traces on the first and second panels. The connector may be slid onto the edges and then fastened to one or both of the panels with a locking feature. Multiple signal pairs may be included in the connector and may be electrically separated. The design of the connector helps facilitate high-speed data communication per signal pair with a return loss performance that does not exceed at predetermined level. Certain configurations of the connector may be used for co-planar configurations. Certain configurations of the connector may couple together panels of different thicknesses.
US07976342B2
A high density rectangular electrical interconnect is disclosed that includes a plug having a plurality of plug contacts mated to a receptacle having a plurality of spring contacts preloaded with an opening force to reduce mating force. The plurality of plug contacts may be a plurality of pin contacts, printed circuit board traces, or flexible film contacts. The plug and receptacle may include shields and/or shielding material that form a continuous shield around the mated plug and spring contacts.
US07976330B2
A securely latched power connector assembly includes a male connector and a female connector connected with a first leading wire and a second leading wire, respectively. A first conductive terminal of the male connector has a first buckle portion for retaining a core of the first leading wire. A second conductive terminal of the female connector has a second buckle portion for retaining a core of the second leading wire. When the connectors are combined, a hollow plug of the male connector is inserted into a hollow socket of the female connector, and the first coupling structures of the male connector and the second coupling structures of the female connector are firmly coupled, while the second pin of the second conductive terminal being inserted into the hollow plug to contact with the first pin of the first conductive terminal, thereby achieving electrical connection.
US07976325B2
A socket adapted for electrically connecting a semiconductor package to a printed circuit board, includes a main body defining a number of contact passageways and a plurality of contacts received in the contact passageways of the main body. Each contact has a base portion, a first contacting portion and a second contacting portion upwardly extending from the base portion, and a spring arm bent from a bottom edge of the base portion. The spring arm extends substantially in a horizontal direction and is bent downwardly at a free end thereof to form a tail. The spring arm can deform to provide an elastic force for the tail to press against the printed circuit board.
US07976321B2
The electrical connector has a dielectric housing, a plurality of signal terminals which are arranged in the housing, at least one ground terminal with a first contact section and a first spring arm section, the first contact section having a first contact and a second contact being mechanically coupled.
US07976315B2
Described herein is a receptacle for coaxial connector whose outer shape is made small and short in height while ensuring reliability. The receptacle for coaxial connector includes an outer conductor having a tubular portion, a central conductor having a contact portion extending in an axis direction in an internal space of the tubular portion, and an insulator holding the outer conductor and the central conductor in an insulating state. A region of the central conductor other than a central-conductor drawing portion thereof has outwardly projected portions in planar view of the central conductor.
US07976314B2
An adapter of the present invention is used to connect between a lead terminal of an electronic component and a contact of a connecting device. The adapter includes a first connecting part, adapted for electrical and mechanical connection to the lead terminal; a second connecting part, disposed at a spaced relation to the first connecting part in a length direction of the electronic component and connectable to the contact electrically and mechanically; and an elastically deforming part, provided between the first and second connecting parts and elastically deformable in accordance with thermal expansion deformation or thermal contraction deformation in the length direction of the electronic component.
US07976311B2
A method, system, and computer program for managing proficiency information about a degree holder. An active degree in a degree field is issued to a degree holder. The active degree includes a certification that the degree holder has completed at least one degree process, a strength value associated with the certification indicating a proficiency in the degree field, and a strength evaluator configured to adjust the strength value such that the strength value reflects the degree holder's proficiency in the degree field over time.
US07976306B2
The subject invention provides devices and methods for heating pipes, tubing or similar equipment. More specifically, the subject invention pertains to devices and methods for heating pipes, tubing or similar equipment to melt-out blockages, such as for example, bitumen blockages.
US07976302B2
A device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer wise solidification of a building material at positions in the respective layers that correspond to the object is provided. The device comprises a machine frame (2, 3, 4, 5); a door (73) that is mounted at the machine frame and is swiveling between an open position and a closed position; a container (25) that can be removed from the device; and a support device (26) that is vertically movable in the container and has an upper side, which forms a building platform (78) on which the three-dimensional object is generated layer wise. A mounting (74) for the container (25) is provided at the door (73) and an attachment (75) is provided at the container (25), which attachment can be brought into an engagement with the mounting (74), so that the container (25) can be moved into the device (1) by closing the door (73) and/or can be moved out of the device by opening the door (73).
US07976300B2
A pelleting machine has a die table having at least one die plate, dies associated with the die plate and a feed device for feeding a material to be pressed into the die plates. The feed device includes a feed shoe arranged substantially parallel to a surface of the die table and has at least one feed opening which is arranged or can be arranged in the region of the die plates. The pelleting machine includes a sealing device disposed between the feed shoe and the die table. The sealing device has at least one sealing element forming the contour of the feed opening, wherein a force acting in the direction of the die table is applied to the sealing element.
US07976292B2
An inner-rotor-type heat dissipating fan includes a fan housing, a seal casing, an inner-rotor-type motor, an impeller and a circuit board. The fan housing includes an outer frame portion and a motor casing. The seal casing is a hollow housing made of magnetically conductive material. One end of the seal casing forms a connecting portion coupling to the motor casing. The inner-rotor-type motor is mounted inside the seal casing. The impeller is coupled to the inner-rotor-type motor and outside the seal casing. The circuit board is electrically connected to the stator. By this configuration, rotation stability of the impeller is enhanced by the inner-rotor-type motor, airflow generated by rotation of the impeller is effectively concentrated and guided by the fan housing, and a sealing effect for avoiding magnetic flux leakage is provided by the seal casing. Consequently, heat dissipating efficiency is enhanced.
US07976283B2
A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine is disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade assembly further includes a noise reducer configured on a surface of the rotor blade. The noise reducer includes a plurality of reinforcing members and a plurality of noise reduction features. Each of the plurality of reinforcing members extends outwardly with respect to the rotor blade. Each of the plurality of noise reduction features is connected to one of the plurality of reinforcing members and defines a width. Each of the plurality of reinforcing members causes the connected noise reduction feature to have a variable stiffness throughout at least a portion of the width of the connected noise reduction feature.
US07976280B2
A turbine bucket including a bucket airfoil having a hollow tip shroud, the hollow tip shroud having a hollow core having a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I, in inches, wherein the shape of the core is defined by the cloud of points listed which are distributed around each surface of the shroud, and the complete hollow portion of the tip shroud could be constructed by defining smooth sheet surfaces through the listed points.
US07976278B1
A turbine blade with a leading edge cooling circuit formed from a series of impingement cavities spaced along the leading edge and separated from the serpentine flow cooling circuit in the remaining sections of the airfoil in order to provide for a low cooling flow along the leading edge. The multiple impingement cavities are separated by a slanted rib on the bottom of the cavity, and each slanted rib includes an impingement hole directed to discharge impinging cooling air to the backside wall of the leading edge. Cooling air flows through the series of impingement cavities and into the last impingement cavity formed at the blade tip. The cooling air then is discharged through tip exit cooling holes. The blade with the multiple impingement cavities formed along the leading edge region can be cast using the prior art casting techniques.
US07976269B2
A Mixer/Ejector Wind Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind/water turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an inlet; a ring of stator vanes; a ring of rotating blades (i.e., an impeller) in line with the stator vanes; and a mixer/ejector pump to increase the flow volume through the turbine while rapidly mixing the low energy turbine exit flow with high energy bypass wind flow. The MEWT can produce three or more time the power of its un-shrouded counterparts for the same frontal area, and can increase the productivity of wind farms by a factor of two or more. The same MEWT is safer and quieter providing improved wind turbine options for populated areas.
US07976268B2
A Mixer/Ejector Wind Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an inlet; a ring of stator vanes; a ring of rotating blades (i.e., an impeller) in line with the stator vanes; and a mixer/ejector pump to increase the flow volume through the turbine while rapidly mixing the low energy turbine exit flow with high energy bypass wind flow. The MEWT can produce three or more time the power of its un-shrouded counterparts for the same frontal area, and can increase the productivity of wind farms by a factor of two or more. The same MEWT is safer and quieter providing improved wind turbine options for populated areas.
US07976267B2
A helical turbine with a circular member attached to one end for redirecting axially flowing fluid into perpendicularly flowing fluid. A fluid diverter for redirecting substantially perpendicular flowing fluid into axially flowing fluid. A hollow circular member attached to an opposite end of the turbine allowing substantially axial flowing fluid into one end of turbine. A drive shaft of at least one generator is in continuous contact with the peripheral edge of the solid or hollow circular member producing faster rpm. A turbine assembly mounted on a rooftop utilizing accelerated wind. Fluid diverters increasing fluid flow into the helical turbine's receding blades. A fluid diverter preventing fluid from hitting turbine's oncoming blades. A tail section for maintaining optimal direction into oncoming fluid. Two counter rotating turbines where the attached circular member's edges are in continuous contact. Multiple turbine body assemblies, using different combinations of disclosed elements, produce multiple preferred embodiments.
US07976258B2
There is provided a screw treated by a chemical conversion coating of trivalent chromium having a torque characteristic approximately equivalent to a screw of a hexavalent chromate treatment. For the purpose, on a surface of a bolt, a zinc plating layer is formed by a zinc plating treatment. On the layer, a chemical conversion coating of trivalent chromium is also formed by a treatment of chemical conversion coatings of trivalent chromium. The coating is formed to be thin and soft so that the zinc-based plating layer can be exposed on the surface due to rubbing off of the chemical conversion coating of trivalent chromium at a contact portion to a fastened member of the bolt by tightening the bolt.
US07976252B2
A pocket hole jig tool system includes a base on which a workpiece is supported. A drill guide support is slidably mounted to the base. Drill guide bushings are movably mounted relative to the drill guide support for clampingly engaging the workpiece and for guiding a drill for engaging the workpiece. A stop collar assembly is adjustably mounted relative to the drill guide bushings to automatically ensure a proper pocket hole location and depth for the workpiece inserted in the tool system.
US07976248B2
The disclosure is directed to methods of making and using a water treatment composition for improved water infiltration during irrigation of agriculture. These methods include combining additives with an aqueous fluid to create a treated irrigation water, wherein the additives comprise a preselected amount of a surfactant and a preselected amount of a displacement ion. The improved infiltration is obtained through a constant, or substantially constant, application of the treated irrigation water to the soil during the irrigation.
US07976247B1
A self contained dual pressure cylinder for use in tensioner assemblies for oil and natural gas floating vessels. The self contained dual pressure cylinder can have a high pressure outer barrel surrounding a high pressure inner barrel, forming a high pressure gas channel, a low pressure outer barrel surrounding a low pressure inner barrel, forming a low pressure fluid channel. A high pressure gas port connected to a high pressure gas reservoir, a low pressure fluid port connected to a low pressure gas reservoir, a low pressure fluid compression area connected to the low pressure fluid port, a hollow rod slidingly engaged each inner barrel, a dual pressure capture plate with moveable rod seals and moveable rod wear, a piston a low pressure elastomeric seal, a low pressure/high pressure separator, and a high pressure elastomeric seal.
US07976242B2
The present disclosure relates to a drill head having a drill head main body including a front end portion and a back end portion. The back end portion is configured to be connected to a drill rod. A steering shell is mounted over the front end portion. A drive shaft extends through the back end portion and the front end portion of the drill head main body. The drive shaft has a front end adapted for connection to a cutting unit and the drive shaft is rotatably supported within a bearing at the front end portion of the drill head main body. A steering shell driving arrangement is incorporated into the front end portion of the drill head main body for generating relative radial movement between the steering shell and the drill head main body.
US07976239B2
In one aspect of the present invention, the present invention is a system for removing aggregate from a paved surface. The system includes a motorized vehicle with a degradation drum that is connected to the underside of the vehicle. The degradation drum is enclosed by a milling chamber. The milling chamber is defined by having a plurality of plates, including a moldboard positioned rearward of the milling drum. The moldboard comprises an end that is disposed opposite the underside. The end comprises a section that is proximate the milling drum.
US07976237B2
A metal sheet includes a surface and a tubular extension projecting from the surface of the sheet. The tubular extension includes a first part and a second part that define a through-hole. The second part extends from the surface to the first part. A cross-sectional shape of the second part is hexagonal. A diameter of the hole in the first part is constant. A diameter of a circle inscribed in the second part increases from the first part to the surface. A screw can be screwed into the first part.
US07976229B2
A lens barrier device includes: a plurality of barrier blades disposed in an oscillatible manner in front of an imaging lens positioned in closest proximity to a subject side in an imaging optical system; and an oscillating mechanism that allows the plurality of barrier blades to oscillate so as to form a fully closed state in which an optical path of the imaging optical system is fully closed and a fully opened state in which the optical path is fully opened by the barrier blades. The oscillating mechanism includes a drive ring that is provided in an inversely rotatable manner within a predetermined angular range about an optical axis of the imaging optical system and allows the plurality of barrier blades to oscillate back and forth to form the fully closed state and the fully opened state by rotating forward and backward.
US07976225B2
The present invention includes an optical transceiver having a fiber module with an optical data input and an electrical data output. The fiber module further includes a signal detect output that indicates the receipt of valid optical data. A physical layer device having a receive input is coupled to the electrical data output through a switch that is controlled by the signal detect output. The switch passes electrical data from the electrical data output of the fiber module to the receive input when the signal detect output indicates the receipt of valid optical data, and does not pass the electrical data when the signal detect output indicates invalid optical data. By using this configuration, the signal detects pins of the physical layer device are eliminated. In another embodiment, the switch is not utilized, and the electrical data output of the transceiver is ac-coupled to the differential receive input of the physical layer device. In this embodiment, the transceiver does not output electrical data when the optical data signal is invalid. Therefore, electrical data is identified at the receive input by the detection of a voltage variation on the differential receive input.
US07976222B2
A drivetrain for use with a power unit. The drivetrain may have a driving member, a driven member, and a sleeve disposed between the driving member and the driven member. The drivetrain may further have a first oil film bearing disposed between the sleeve and one of the driving member and the driven member.
US07976217B2
A screening device and a method are described herein which can automatically handle and measure (interrogate) a plurality of sensor carriers (i.e., multiwell plates, microplates) with multi-dimensionally arranged, temperature-compensated or temperature-compensatable optical sensors, while maintaining a substantially constant temperature gradient for a relatively long period of time around the optical sensors where temperature compensation has been performed on the sensor carriers.
US07976215B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for measuring thermal diffusivity using the flash method. The apparatus includes: a laser generator 60 for generating a flash beam 30; a measurement sample 10 having graphite layers 20 formed on front and rear surfaces thereof, through which the flash beam 30 passes; an infrared sensor 70 disposed at the rear of the measurement sample 10 for measuring a temperature and time at the rear surface of the measurement sample 10 from heat 40 dissipated from the measurement sample 10; and operation means 80 for performing an operation based on an output signal of the infrared sensor 70.
US07976212B2
A cavitation system in which a source gas, e.g., a reactant, is loaded into the cavitation medium prior to cavitation is provided. The cavitation system includes a cavitation chamber with suitable cavitation drivers and a cavitation medium reservoir, the chamber and reservoir being flexibly coupled together via a pair of conduits. The conduits can be fabricated from a plastic or, as is preferred for higher temperature liquids, a metal. Typically metal conduits are formed into a coil, thus providing the desired flexibility. Flexibility is required in order to allow the relative positions of the cavitation chamber and the cavitation medium reservoir to be varied. The system is configured such that the cavitation fluid will flow out of the cavitation chamber, through the lower coupling conduit and into the cavitation medium reservoir when the chamber is positioned higher than the reservoir, and flow out of the cavitation medium reservoir, through the lower coupling conduit and into the cavitation chamber when the reservoir is positioned higher than the chamber. As a consequence of this configuration, cavitation fluid can be readily exchanged between the cavitation chamber and the cavitation medium reservoir, thereby aiding the degassing process as well as providing a means of replenishing reactant-depleted cavitation medium.
US07976211B2
The present invention is a light bulb featuring a removable LED light source. The preferred source being a lighting source with a three dimensional lead frame as disclosed in the parent applications to this application. Control circuitry is included to convert electrical power into power usable by the LEDs.
US07976205B2
A light-emitting module is specified, comprising at least two light sources disposed on a common carrier. At least one of said light sources includes at least two LED chips. Each light source of the module is followed downstream by an optic body of an optical element, and the optic bodies are suitable for guiding electromagnetic radiation to a light exit surface of the optical element. An optical projection apparatus comprising such a light-emitting module is also specified.
US07976196B2
A method of forming a LED-based light for replacing a conventional fluorescent bulb in a fluorescent light fixture includes shaping an elongate sheet of highly thermally conductive material to fashion a heat sink. Shaping the heat sink allows fashioning the heat sink to define cover and end cap attachment structures, surfaces for mounting LEDs at various angles, and a high surface area to width ratio for dissipating heat.
US07976193B2
A pliable combined support for decorative lighting comprises a receiver light mount having a light retaining notch and an insert light mount having a light retaining notch. The receiver light mounting bracket assembly is provided with an elongated channel with a tangential extrusion with holes for mounting to a surface or structure and gripping points for receiving lights. The insert light mounting bracket has an elongated insert with a tangential extrusion with holes for mounting to a surface or structure and gripping points for receiving lights. The receiver and insert mounting brackets may be coupled for a rotational frictional attachment whereby the lighting may be displayed in a fixed position along a building, structure, or surface. The receiver and insert mounting brackets can also provide a storage method that will allow lights to be stacked or boxed without tangling. The receiver and insert brackets are interchangeable so that either can be attached to a building or used for decorative light support and storage.
US07976192B2
A lighting system and a method for providing a lighting pattern are disclosed, wherein the lighting system and method minimize non-uniform color and intensity in the lighting pattern, offers unique styling features, and provides design flexibility for the LED package and associated heatsinking devices. The lighting system including a light source, a first light bending device disposed adjacent the light source and adapted to receive light rays emitted from the light source and direct the light rays in a first desired lighting pattern, and a second light bending device disposed around the first light bending device, wherein the optical device is adapted to receive the directed light rays from the first light bending device and direct the light rays in a second desired lighting pattern.
US07976189B2
A skylight LED lighting system is described. The system utilizes LED lights attached to or near a skylight in order to provide a user with the ability to increase the amount of light being directed into an area. The system can utilize a LED controller to allow the user to control the light output intensity. The LED controller provides a smooth range of changing brightness levels. The system can utilize one or more solar cells and batteries to power the LED lights. The system can be controlled via a radio frequency remote control. Additionally, the system can utilize a flexible, skylight-shaped installation housing that can be inserted into the skylight under compression. When the compression is released, the ring expands to press against the inside of the skylight and holds the skylight LED lighting system in place.
US07976187B2
Light emitting device multi-chip lighting fixtures are disclosed. According to one aspect, a lighting fixture is provided, the lighting fixture having a plurality of light-emitting devices operable for emitting light onto a light diffuser. Where each of the light-emitting devices produces light having a non-uniform luminous intensity, each of the light-emitting devices is positioned with respect to one another to illuminate the surface of the light diffuser with an aggregate light having a substantially uniform luminous intensity. In this way, the light cast by the lighting fixture appears to have a substantially uniform luminous intensity.
US07976184B2
An illumination system includes an illumination source such as an array of LED's over which is provided a diffuser. The illumination source provides light which, because of light refraction, radiates generally uniformly from edge to edge of the diffuser. The diffuser may be a planar flat piece of may include a hollow, cup like structure formed by a frame with a cover. The illumination system may be scaled up to provide multiple such illumination devices side by side to provide a greater area or strength of illumination. Multiple systems may utilize multiple diffusers or a single diffuser covering multiple illumination sources. The illumination source may be mounted to a backplate or heatsink which is larger than the illumination source to facilitate the addition of further electronic circuitry and or mounting capabilities.
US07976180B1
A solar powered rechargeable street light, which can be networked to a system. The modular and tamper resistant street light and system can be used with individual street lights or a network of street lights. The system can be powered from a central controller, which can detect tampering by individuals or harsh weather conditions.
US07976166B2
An optical system for image projection is disclosed which is capable of improving contrast while suppressing reduction of light amount. The optical system includes a converging optical system, and a polarization beam splitting surface transmitting an incoming light flux having a first polarization direction from the converging optical system, to introduce it to the image-forming element and causing light having a second polarization direction, of an outgoing light flux from the image-forming element, to proceed to a projection optical system. In a first cross-section parallel to a normal to the polarization beam splitting surface, the converging optical system has a configuration causing an incident angle on the splitting surface of a light ray passing through a barycenter of intensity distribution of the outgoing light flux to be larger than an incident angle thereon of a light ray passing through a barycenter of intensity distribution of the incoming light flux.
US07976158B2
An ophthalmic eyeglass (1) is adapted for correcting both the foveal vision and the peripheral vision of a wearer. An image portion formed in the foveal zone of the wearer's retina is thus sharp, at the same time as another image portion is also sharp, which is formed on the retina away from the foveal zone, by light rays that are oblique to the line of sight of the wearer. To this purpose, the eyeglass comprises a central zone (10) and first (21) and second (22) regions that alternate in a peripheral zone (20) of said eyeglass. First parameters of the eyeglass in the central zone and in the first regions are adapted so as to correct the foveal vision of the wearer and second parameters of the eyeglass in the second regions are adapted for correcting the peripheral vision of said wearer.
US07976151B2
The recording sheet/ink sheet integral cassette includes a recording sheet containing portion constituted of a substantially rectangular frame member which has a first aperture for sheet feeding, pressurization and recording sheet loading, and a second aperture for feeding the recording sheet to a surface opposed to the first aperture, an ink sheet containing portion for containing an ink sheet to be fed, and an ink sheet winding portion for winding up the ink sheet fed from the ink sheet containing portion. The ink sheet winding portion is positioned along a side of the substantially rectangular shape, the second aperture is positioned on a side opposed to the side, and the ink sheet containing portion is provided along the second aperture, and a third aperture for feeding and driving the recording sheet is provided in an intermediate portion between the ink sheet containing portion and the ink sheet winding portion.
US07976148B2
To provide an active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition exhibiting excellent curing performance by including a water-soluble polymerizable substance with high reactivity and a water-soluble polymerization initiator having high initiation efficiency; and an inkjet recording method, ink cartridge, recording unit, and inkjet recording apparatus all using the active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition. The active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition includes at least water; a polymerizable substance which undergoes radical polymerization by active energy rays; and a polymerization initiator which generates radicals by active energy rays, in which the polymerizable substance is a water-soluble compound having 2 to 6 (meth)acrylic groups; and the polymerization initiator is a water-soluble acylphosphine oxide compound.
US07976146B2
An ink jet recording ink tank includes: an ink retention member, which to hold ink exerts a negative pressure through capillary force; and ink, which is retained in the ink retention member, for which a dynamic surface tension in a lifetime of 50 msec, obtained by a maximum bubble pressure method, is higher than an interfacial tension of the ink retention member, a dynamic surface tension in a lifetime of 5000 msec is lower than the interfacial tension of the ink retention member, and a difference between the dynamic surface tension in the lifetime of 50 msec and the dynamic surface tension in the lifetime of 5000 msec is equal to or greater than 8 mN/m.
US07976131B2
A printhead integrated circuit includes inkjet nozzle assemblies disposed on a substrate. Each nozzle assembly includes a nozzle chamber having a nozzle aperture and an actuator associated with the nozzle chamber. The actuator ejects an ink droplet from the nozzle aperture when a resistive element of the actuator is heated by an electrical current. The resistive element of the actuator is spaced apart from the substrate.
US07976129B2
A nozzle structure for an inkjet printer printhead includes an ink ejection port; a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink ejection port and an ink supply channel of the inkjet printer printhead; and a cantilevered thermal actuator terminating in a free end over the ink supply channel. The thermal actuator includes a serpentine heater layer connected to a CMOS drive circuitry layer of the printhead. The thermal actuator is adapted to reciprocate towards and away from the ink ejection port in response to signals from the drive circuitry layer.
US07976121B2
A waste liquid collector is detachably mounted on a device including a discharge unit discharging a waste liquid and stores the waste liquid discharged from the discharge unit when the waste liquid collector is mounted on the device. The waste liquid collector includes: a waste liquid absorbing member which absorbs the waste liquid; and an opening through which the discharge unit is inserted or extracted mounting or detaching the waste liquid collector on or from the device in a state where the waste liquid absorbing member is received inside an inner space. The waste liquid absorbing member is provided with a contact portion which, when the discharge unit is inserted into the opening, comes in contact with the discharge unit so that the discharge unit is interposed therebetween in a direction perpendicular to insertion and extraction directions of the discharge unit.
US07976120B2
An image forming apparatus including a printing ink tank to contain a printing ink, a nozzle unit having a nozzle part to eject the printing ink and to move between a printing section and a cleaning section, a cleaning ink tank to contain a cleaning ink to clean the nozzle part, and a control part to control supply of the printing ink to the nozzle part when the nozzle unit is positioned in the printing section and to control supply of the cleaning ink to the nozzle part when the nozzle unit is positioned in the cleaning section. The Image forming apparatus may further include a cleaning ink collecting unit which collects the cleaning ink discharged from the nozzle part and returns the collected cleaning ink to the cleaning ink tank.
US07976114B1
A printer operable to print on a multi-layer print media includes a non-impact printhead, an impact printhead, and a controller operable to control the non-impact printhead to produce an image on a first layer of the print media and to control the impact printhead to produce a corresponding image on a second layer of the print media.
US07976101B2
An airplane seating apparatus includes a lifejacket container arranged, at least in open and closed states, exclusively on a side of a front boundary area that faces the seating apparatus. The front boundary area is formed by an area which runs through a seat front side perpendicularly to a seat mounting surface.
US07976097B2
A cowl structure including a cowl box having a partition panel joined to both rear and bottom walls thereof inside the cowl box. The partition panel constitutes, together with the rear and bottom walls, a hollow member portion extending in a vehicle width direction. An outside air introducing port is provided in the cowl box, for introducing outside air into the cowl box outside of the member portion. A communication port is provided in the partition panel, for allowing the inside and outside of the member portion to communicate with each other inside the cowl box. An air supplying port is provided in the rear wall at a location spaced upward from the bottom wall, for allowing the inside of the member portion and a vehicle compartment to communicate with each other. The communication port and the air supplying port overlap each other in the vehicle width direction.
US07976094B2
A locator pin aligns a glass panel during installation on a vehicle. The locator pin includes a base for affixing to the glass panel in a predetermined position prior to transporting it from a site where the glass panel is formed. A pin body has an elongated portion with a proximal end and a distal end defining a longitudinal axis. A hinge pivotally attaches the pin body to the base at the proximal end so that the pin body pivots between a shipping position wherein the longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to a surface of the glass panel and an alignment position wherein the longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the glass panel. The folding pin allows glass panels to be stacked closer together in shipping racks when they are transported from the glass fabrication facility to a place of installation.
US07976092B2
A vehicle safety seat may comprise, among other things, a vehicle seat having a seat base configured to be mounted to a support surface of a motor vehicle, and a roll sensor mounted to the seat base. The vehicle seat may be a suspension seat. The vehicle seat may have other sensors, event detection systems or the like mounted thereto. The vehicle seat may include a number of vehicle/occupant safety mechanisms integral therewith.
US07976086B2
A safety locking device for a lifting hook comprising a lifting part and a hook part having a first and a second shank arranged in the same plane, the first shank being attached to the lifting part. The safety-locking device is pivotably attached to either of the shanks or the lifting part and comprises a spring means formed integrally with the safety locking device, one end of which is attached to the safety locking device diametrically opposed its fastening point to either shank or the lifting part and the other end is arranged to bear on the opposite shank or the lifting part, to which the safety locking device is pivotably attached to automatically bring the safety locking device to bear on the lifting part or the opposite shank so as to prevent unhooking of a hoisting cable or similar means introduced into the hook part.
US07976084B2
A light weight lifting tool (10) for lowering and retrieving subsea equipment to and from the sea bed is disclosed. The equipment includes an upper coupling part in the form of a connector spool piece (15) having at least one circumferential ring groove (16) for use in making engagement with the lifting tool (10). The lifting tool (10) includes a housing (1) designed to enclose and receive the connector spool piece (15). The lifting tool (10) further includes a number of latch segments (8) having at least one radially inwards directed projection (8′) designed for engagement with the at least one ring groove (16), and an activating device (6) arranged to bring the latch segments (8) in and out of engagement with the at least one ring groove (16) by operation of the activating device (6).
US07976083B2
An animal waste disposal system, comprising a collection bag having an open end and a closed bottom. A waste removal tool is attached to the closed bottom of the collection bag. The waste removal tool including opposing jaws, with each jaw terminating in a blade portion. The opposing jaws are movable from an open position where the opposing jaws are separated from one another to a closed position where the blade portion of one opposing jaw is in close proximity to the blade portion the other opposing jaw.
US07976080B1
A doorstop has a foot coupled to a lower end of a handle. The handle of the doorstop has a length that allows a user to insert the foot under a lower edge of a door and to remove the foot from under the lower edge without requiring the user to bend over. The handle is removable from the foot for easy storage and travel. The doorstop foot may include a button for attachment to a clip thereby enabling a user to carry the doorstop on a belt. The coupling between the foot and handle is releasably securable and may be mechanical or magnetic. The handle may also telescope between a contracted position and an extended position.
US07976071B2
A fluid connector assembly 10 for a fuel pipe of a motor vehicle comprises a plug 12 and a housing 11. The housing 11 has an end opening 23 and the plug 12 has a free end 26 for insertion through the end opening 23. The housing 11 also includes a seal housing portion 16 for receiving the free end 26 of the plug 12 and a coupling portion 17. The plug 12 includes first and second annular ribs 27, 28 spaced apart from each other and offset from the free end 26. The annular ribs 27, 28 are arranged to successively be held by a pair of grips 24 located inside the coupling portion when the plug 12 is inserted into the housing 11 in such a way that when the first annular rib 27 is retained by the grips 24 the plug 12 is sealed by seal means 18 in the seal housing portion 16 and when the second annular rib 28 is retained by the grips 24 the first annular rib 27 is housed between the coupling portion 17 and the seal housing portion 16.
US07976070B2
A moisture proof electrical connector assembly for securing an electrical metal tube or conduit to a connector body having opposed end portions and having a bore extending therethrough wherein an end portion includes a first linear length sized and shaped to receive a metal tube or conduit and a second linear length having a diverging inner surface provided with an intermediate shoulder for delineating the first length form the second linear length, and a complementary sealing gland for rendering the entire assembly moisture proof.
US07976067B2
Hydrogen leaking from a hydrogen cylinder has a lower specific gravity than air, thus rises in a cylinder housing space, and reaches a ventilating opening constituted by a group of slits formed in an upper surface of a roof cover. At this time, the ventilating opening is formed in a position above the hydrogen cylinder, and thus the leaking hydrogen can reach the ventilating opening in a short distance as compared with the case where the ventilating opening is formed in a position apart from the position above the hydrogen cylinder. The ventilating openings are provided in a plurality of locations, and thus the leaking hydrogen reaches the closest ventilating opening. The hydrogen gas reaches the ventilating opening, passes upward therethrough and flows outside.
US07976066B2
A seat belt pretensioner may include a cylinder, a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder, a gas generator installed to rear end portion of the cylinder and configured to supply a propellant gas to the piston for moving the piston in a forward direction, a first direction conversion unit disposed between the gas generator and the piston and connected to the cylinder, and a coupling member for coupling a seat belt and the piston, wherein a portion of the coupling member is engaged with the first direction conversion unit so as to change a movement direction of the coupling member while the piston moves in the forward direction, and a reward movement restriction member configured to restrict a rearward movement of the piston while the piston moves in the forward direction by the propellant gas of the gas generator.
US07976056B2
A fastener clip includes a body having an opening extending therethrough, and a rigid retaining pin inserted through the opening, the rigid retaining pin having a first end secured within the body and a second end disposed outside the body, the retaining pin configured to limit the movement of a vehicle trim piece with respect to the vehicle chassis when an airbag is deployed. The fastener clip also includes a plurality of molding gates formed at an intersection between the body and the rigid retaining pin, the rigid retaining pin being subsequently movable with respect to the body after the molding gates are broken. The fastener clip further includes a pair of flexible retention legs adapted to secure the fastener clip to a vehicle chassis and a pair of flexible retention legs adapted to secure the trim piece to a vehicle chassis.
US07976049B2
An assembly and positioning mechanism for wheelchair and auxiliary operating lever. The assembly and positioning mechanism has a swinging angular adjustment seat and a liftable pivoting seat of operating lever. The angular adjustment seat has an assembly side of locating rack and an assembly side of pivoting seat. The assembly side of locating rack is pivoted onto the locating rack via an adjuster, and the angular adjustment seat can swing rotarily. The pivoting seat of operating lever consists of a connecting side and a mating side of operating lever. The pivoting seat of operating lever can move vertically via a limiting portion. The mating side of operating lever is fitted with a limiting rabbet and a guide opening extended in an outward-dipping state. The mechanism can swing and also shift vertically, making it possible to control the guide opening of the mating side of operating lever for outward-dipping extension.
US07976044B2
A shock absorber is provided having an exterior that looks like a two-piece structure formed with an outer tube and a separate bracket without using the separate bracket. Also provided is a straddle type vehicle having a shock absorber and a manufacturing method for the shock absorber. The shock absorber comprises a cylindrical outer tube, wherein the outer tube includes a first cylindrical part, and a second cylindrical part having an outer surface roughness greater than the outer surface roughness of the first part. The first part and the second part are adjacent each other in a longitudinal direction of the outer tube, and the second part has an equipment attaching section adapted for attaching a piece of equipment.
US07976040B2
A system and process for controlling vehicle loading on a multi-axle vehicle and improving maneuverability is disclosed. The system includes a reservoir of pressurized air and associated leveling valve that uses a relay valve to improve refill times when the vehicle returns from a dump mode operation to normal operation. The process reduces pressure in one or more of the axles when maneuvering the vehicle at predetermined slow speeds and maintaining that first predetermined pressure while the other axle(s) is at a greater pressure than the first axle. By preventing complete exhaustion of pressure from the suspension system, restoring air pressure is attained more quickly. Also, use of a relay valve enables higher flow rates to improve the refill time of the pneumatic suspension system after the dump operation.
US07976038B2
A duplex trailing arm chassis support system has two longitudinal trailing arm members disposed on respective sides of the vehicle chassis and a structurally connecting cross member joining the two trailing arms to couple the movement of the two respective arms. Resilient cushioning members extend between each of the trailing arms and the underside of the vehicle chassis or between the connecting member and the vehicle chassis to provide resilient support to the vehicle chassis. Each trailing arm carries a wheel axle having wheels on both ends of the axle, each of the wheel axles being pivotally mounted to its respective trailing arm for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of the trailing arm, allowing the axles to rock from side to side.
US07976037B2
Front vehicle body structure (10) includes a front sub frame (16) disposed under and fixedly connected to left and right side frames (11, 12), and a steering gear box (18) is mounted on the front sub frame to extend transversely along the width of the vehicle body. The body structure also has support portions (44, 45, 46) provided in left-right symmetrical arrangement on the front sub frame, and the steering gear box is mounted on the support portions via respective bushes.
US07976036B2
A steering knuckle for adapting a unit bearing front axle of a vehicle using original equipment manufacturer (OEM) spindle and wheel hub assembly parts to replace the unit-bearing wheel assembly, wherein the steering knuckle comprises a first side of the steering knuckle that is configured to receive one or more components of the OEM spindle and wheel hub assembly. The steering knuckle includes a boring for receiving a spindle hub on an OEM spindle, and one or more apertures circumferentially spaced around the boring and for alignment with holes on a spindle flange of the OEM spindle. Studs are inserted through the apertures of the steering knuckle for securing the OEM spindle to the steering knuckle. A second side of the steering knuckle is configured to be affixed in pivoting relationship to an axle housing of the vehicle wherein the axle housing is originally manufactured to be linked to a unit-bearing steering knuckle.
US07976029B2
A trailer having a frame movable between a raised position, suitable for towing of the airplane on a roadway, and a lowered position, allowing the airplane wheels to be in contact with a common surface with the trailer wheels when the trailer is under the airplane. A hitch assembly, suitable for towing the trailer in a closed position with the frame in the raised position, is coupled to the front of the frame. The open position allows the airplane to be loaded/unloaded on land from the front of the frame when the frame is in the lowered position. The airplane may be loaded/unloaded from the rear of the frame when the airplane trailer is placed in water. Also, a method of loading the airplane onto the trailer from the rear in water and unloading the airplane from the front on land.
US07976027B2
Sealing member seals a through-hole formed in a panel that defines first and second compartments of a vehicle, and it has a tubular section and stopper portions. The intercompartment sealing member is fit onto a receiving member provided in the first compartment. Lip section, extending from the tubular section toward the panel in a spread-out form, is bendable (reversible) with respect to the panel. The lip section has operating convexities provided on its panel-facing surface. Manipulation of the operating convexities can invert the lip section, initially bent away from the panel, to contact the panel. The stopper portions function to limit a bent amount through which the lip section can be bent away from the panel (in the reverse direction).
US07976017B2
A sheet-supply apparatus, including a sheet accommodating portion which includes a support portion that supports, on a support surface thereof, a plurality of cut sheets such that the cut sheets are stacked on each other; a sheet-supply roller which is adapted to supply the cut sheets accommodated in the sheet accommodating portion, one by one in a sheet-supply direction; a main side guide which is slidably movable on the support portion in a widthwise direction of the sheet accommodating portion perpendicular to the sheet-supply direction and which guides a side edge of each of the cut sheets accommodated in the sheet accommodating portion, the side edge being parallel to the sheet-supply direction; and a sub-side guide which is located inside of the main side guide in the widthwise direction and which is pivotable about a pivot axis between a standing position and a lying position based on the widthwise sliding movement of the main side guide.
US07976015B2
Provided is a feed device including: a loading unit in which a plurality of sheet members is loaded in a stacked state; a delivery member which performs a feed operation in a state in which a contact surface thereof is in contact with an uppermost sheet member of the sheet members loaded on the loading unit and delivers the sheet member in a feed direction using friction force with the uppermost sheet member as the feeding force; a gate member which is configured to move in a direction to and from the contact surface of the delivery member and has an inclined surface with which a front end of the sheet member delivered by the delivery member collides with; and a gate energizing member which energizes the gate member in a direction approaching to the contact surface of the delivery member.
US07976013B1
In paper feeder apparatus, the combination comprising first means including a support for a paper stack and transfer elements for successively transferring paper sheets from the top of the stack upwardly and laterally to a delivered position, and optical control means to determine the level of an upper paper or papers in the stack to control the vertical positioning of papers on the stack, to enable said upwardly and laterally sheet delivering as the stack height diminishes, and a controller for cyclically controlling said transfer elements to integrate cyclic upward and lateral movement of successive sheets transferring from the stack.
US07975994B2
A displacement element includes a first piston, a second piston, a cylindrical housing filled with a fluid under pressure, a piston rod, and a spring. Each of the pistons is adapted to the respective internal diameter of its section and divides the respective section into two pressure chambers. The first piston is arranged at one end of the piston rod, and both pistons each include means for damping the movement of the piston rod respectively in one direction. The second piston is arranged on the side of the first piston facing away from the piston rod and is capable of displacement by means of the first piston in a direction facing away from the open end. The spring is arranged on the side of the second piston facing away from the first piston, and supported by the second piston and the housing.
US07975992B2
A fuel feeder includes a fuel reserve body reserving a fuel, a fuel feed section feeding the fuel in the fuel reserve body to electric equipment, and a control section controlling the fuel feed section, wherein the control section obtains equipment information from by the electric equipment and operates the fuel feed section to feed the fuel after the control section has performed authentication of the electric equipment.
US07975991B2
Disclosed is a gas-liquid contact system. The system includes a vessel arranged approximately perpendicular to the ground in a longitudinal direction, a static fluid mixer in the vessel having a passage tube and a spiral blade provided in the passage tube, a gas supplier supplying gas having foreign substances to the static fluid mixer from a lower end of the vessel, a gas discharger discharging the gas passed through the static fluid mixer from an upper end of the vessel, a first liquid supplier supplying liquid to the static fluid mixer, and a liquid discharger discharging the liquid supplied from the first liquid supplier outside of the vessel. In the system, the gas supplier includes a gas generator generating gas, a pipe connecting the gas generator with the vessel, a blowing device provided in the pipe, and a second liquid supplier supplying liquid to the pipe between the gas generator and the blowing device.
US07975978B2
A releasable mounting apparatus for securely retaining of a cylindrical tank in an inverted vertical position adjacent to a seat back assembly of an emergency vehicle including a foot plate and a top clamping assembly between which a tank receiving zone is defined for receiving and holding of a cylindrical tank in the inverted position. The top clamping assembly can include a three part positioning apparatus including a rear positioning device and an upper centering guide as well as a top clamping member. Preferably the top clamping member is movable between a lower clamping position and an upper retaining position for facilitating securing and releasing of a cylindrical tank relative to the receiving zone thereof.
US07975975B2
An image display device includes a body for displaying an image, a position adjusting device at a rear of the body for adjusting a height, a left/right angle, and a forward/backward slope of the body, a base, a support having an upper end rotatably coupled to the position adjusting device and a lower end rotatably coupled to the base, and a seating recess in an upper surface of the base for folding and placing the support therein, thereby permitting adjustment of the height, the left/right angle, and the forward/backward slope of the body.
US07975959B2
A method for transferring airplanes and an unmanned airplane transfer system. The airplane transferring system includes: receiving a transfer signal responsive of a movement of an airplane control component; and transferring an airplane, by an unmanned airplane transfer system, in response to the transfer signal.
US07975952B2
A winding station for winding textile yarn onto empty tubes is disclosed. The winding station includes a winding mechanism (1) with two flanges (2) for gripping the ends of the tube (8). Each flange is mounted on a pivoted winding arm (6). These arms position the empty tube (8) in contact with a driving roller (14) so that the longitudinal axis of the empty tube (8) is above the longitudinal axis of the driving roller (14). A stationary, linear magazine (4) with a filling end (5) and a feeding end (7) is included. The filling end (5) and the feeding end (7) of the magazine (4) are inclined at angle, alpha, of less than or equal to 45°, to the driving roller (14). A lifting mechanism (11) includes a pivoted arm (9) terminating in a tube carrier (10). The tube carrier (10) is configured to bring an empty tube from the feeding end (7) of the magazine (4) to a space between the flanges (2) by an arc movement of the arm (9). A winding assembly and method are also disclosed.
US07975949B2
A hammer assembly for attachment to a rotor of a rotary material crusher. The hammer assembly has an adaptor, having a base portion and a hammer mounting portion, with the base portion being attachable to the rotor at the periphery portion and a hammer, having at least one impact portion, for crushing material, and a mounting portion for engagement with the hammer mounting portion of the adaptor. The hammer mounting portion of the adaptor includes bearing surfaces facing a direction of impact when crushing material, and the mounting portion of the hammer includes bearing surfaces for mating with the bearing surfaces of the hammer mounting portion of the adaptor. The hammer assembly further includes a retainer rod, and at least one retainer pin. The hammer is attached to the adaptor and the retainer rod passes through apertures of the adaptor and apertures of each retainer pin in the direction of the longitudinal axes of the hammer and the adaptor. The size of the retainer rod, the size of the apertures of the adaptor and the size of the aperture of each retainer pin are selected such that the hammer is free to move to enable the bearing surfaces of the hammer to bear on the bearing surfaces of the adaptor and transfer impact forces when impact forces from crushing material are applied, with the retainer rod being free from any of the impact forces.
US07975943B1
An apparatus for grinding pills having a chamber with an abrasive floor and a plurality of blades which will grind pills against the floor. The blades can be electrically or mechanically operated. The floor has a portion open to a lower chamber and which allows the powder to fall into the lower chamber for retrieval. In addition, an implement having a brush on one end and a spoon on the other is included to help remove the powder from the chambers.
US07975931B2
System (10) for remotely controlling and monitoring a food refrigerator (1), and its content, of the type intended to be given in rental or in free loan from a manufacturer to a vendor of cold products, comprising a control unit (2) for checking and storing a plurality of functioning parameters of the food refrigerator (1), an RFID reader (3) intended to read data stored in a plurality of RFID tags attached to the cold products, a communication unit (4) for interconnecting an external device, the RFID reader (3) comprising means for retrieving data from said RFID tags when the cold products are still stocked inside the food refrigerator (1) and the communication unit (4) localization means for transmitting information to the external device about a geographical localization of the food refrigerator (1). System (10) according to claim 1 wherein said means produce a radio frequency signal at predetermined time intervals for activating said RFID tags. The data stored in said RFID tag comprises a unique identification number. The communication unit (4) is a GSM/GPRS unit. The external devices might be a second food refrigerator, residing in a same local area network (LAN). The external device is a remote server (5) located outside the local area network (LAN) equipped with a management information system.
US07975919B2
A method of enabling a voter to vote by mail by using a secret vote code (SVC) that includes translating the SVC into a one-time code (OTC) valid only for the election, storing the OTC, and mailing to the voter a ballot, a return envelope, and a mechanism for enabling the SVC to be translated into a translated format. Further, the method includes receiving the return envelope from the voter that includes a completed ballot, the voter's signature, and the translated format, determining whether the signature obtained from the envelope matches a stored signature for the voter, obtaining a second one-time code based on the translated format and determining whether the second one-time code matches the stored one-time code. The ballot is counted only if it is determined that: (i) the signatures match, and (ii) the second one-time code matches the stored one-time code.
US07975917B2
A method includes electronically identifying a first item that a customer intends to purchase while the customer is shopping and electronically providing content to the customer in response to the identifying to entice the customer to purchase a second, different item.
US07975915B2
The invention concerns a USB-key type electronic device (73) comprising an electronic circuit mounted on a support (60), a gripping element showing a graphic print and/or customization (p), a protective case (70) arranged at the element so as to cause the graphic print and/or customization to be visible through the case. The invention is characterized in that the graphic print and/or customization is produced on the support (60) bearing the electronic circuit, and in that the case covers directly said support (60). The invention also concerns a method including the following steps: producing an electronic circuit support in the form of a printed smart card with contacts in conformity with the USB standard, producing a graphic customization on a support surface, protecting said graphic customization with a transparent protective shell.
US07975913B2
This invention is related to a discernment card which is resistant to bending and high heat, and capable of preventing unauthorized copying of recorded identity information leakage of personal information and deletion of identity information, and to a discernment card business system for preventing unauthorized use of identity information. The discernment card (1) comprises a card main body (10) integrally formed by a high strength alloy and at least one identity information recording portion (20) comprising specific identity information inscribed on the card main body, wherein plural cells (30) are inscribed at predetermined positions of identity information recording portion of the card main body and specific identity information of the identity information recording portion is specified by one or more of inscribed depth, inscribed width and inscribed shape of the cells. The discernment card can be used in the discernment card business system to accomplish a transaction such as an Automated-Teller-Machine (ATM) or a social security-related transaction.
US07975907B2
An information processing terminal is disclosed that is allowed to carry out contactless data transmission or reception with a reading or writing device by use of a magnetic field. The information processing terminal includes a data transmitter or receiver, a signal processor, and a load modulator. The data transmitter or receiver is configured to generate an induced voltage from a magnetic field generated from the reading or writing device at the time of data reception, and send a transmission signal to the read/write reading or writing device at the time of data transmission. The signal processor is configured to generate a response signal based on the induced voltage. The load modulator controls a variable resistance based on the induced voltage and carries out load modulation relating to the transmission signal based on the response signal and the variable resistance.
US07975899B2
A work clamp and a wire bonding apparatus that can sufficiently restrain oxidation of a bonding area even while reducing an amount of antioxidant gas that is used are provided. The work clamp includes an interior hollow portion 10 providing an atmosphere of the antioxidant gas, a lower opening portion 11a provided below the interior hollow portion, for containing the bonding area in the interior hollow portion, an upper opening portion 11 provided above the interior hollow portion, for exposing the bonding area, a cavity 13 covering the interior hollow portion and having an area larger than an opening area of the upper opening portion, gas introduction ports 14a, 14b provided at the cavity, for introducing the antioxidant gas into the cavity, and holes 21 connected to below the cavity, for blowing the antioxidant gas introduced from the gas introduction port to a portion other than the bonding area of the work.
US07975894B2
Embodiments include a surgical device and a method. An embodiment of the surgical instrument includes at least one grasping jaw, the at least one grasping jaw being adapted to deliver surgical fasteners by a force generated from a force generator mechanism that is contained within the at least one grasping jaw or is in a proximity to the at least one grasping jaw. Another embodiment includes at least one grasping jaw, at least one actuation mechanism adapted to deliver surgical fasteners, the actuation mechanism being located in a proximity to or contained within the at least one grasping jaw, the surgical fasteners containing at least one shape-transforming material, at least one sensor, at least one chemical tissue sealant and at least one cutter. A method includes: grasping a body tissue with at least one grasping jaw, adjusting a configuration of the grasping in response to a signal or a datum or an image, and releasing a surgical staple or fastener in response to the signal, datum or image.
US07975882B2
A dispenser of a product in powder from, composed of: a case delimiting a housing; a reservoir removably installed in the housing, the reservoir being adapted to contain the product in powder form and having a dispensing orifice; and a device for obturating the dispensing orifice. The device has a blocking member in the form of a shutter mounted to the reservoir for movement between a position for closing the dispensing orifice and a position for opening the dispensing orifice. The housing, the reservoir and the device are constructed to enable the reservoir to be installed in the housing by a vertical linear movement and to cause automatic movement of the shutter from the position for closing to the position for opening in response to the vertical linear movement of the reservoir into the housing.
US07975878B2
A fuel dispensing unit for refueling vehicles includes a first nozzle holder for holding a first fuel dispensing nozzle, and a second nozzle holder for holding a second fuel dispensing nozzle. Both nozzle holders are arranged on a common side of the fuel dispensing unit. The first nozzle holder is configured to project, in a direction away from the side of the fuel dispensing unit, at least a part of the first fuel dispensing nozzle in relation to a corresponding part of the second fuel dispensing nozzle.
US07975874B2
A cooking vessel bracket and handle provides a first handle portion and a second handle portion each having opposing end portions, parallel spaced apart sides and a back defining a channel between the ends. First handle has handle flanges at first end portion and locking seat at second end portion. Second end portion of first handle and first end portion of second handle are pivotally interconnected for first handle to optionally fold into channel of second handle. Spring biased locking pin within channel of first handle protrudes from first handle between the handle flanges for releasable engagement with pot bracket carried by vessel and operatively communicates with a thumb slide for axial movement in channel. Spring biased handle lock in second handle channel releasably engages with locking seat of first handle to secure the first handle and second handle in extended end to end alignment for use.
US07975870B2
A ring seal includes a body portion and a tail portion extending from the body portion. The body portion has, when viewed in cross-section and in an uncompressed state, an axially outboard surface and an axially inboard surface. The outboard surface defines a first sealing lobe, and the inboard surface defines a second sealing lobe that shares an axial centerline with the first sealing lobe.
US07975865B2
Embodiments provide a cargo basket including a frame, the frame including a base, the base including a pair of elongated first and second lower side members, the base including a pair of elongated first and second lower end members, the frame including a floor supported by the base, the frame including four corner posts extending from the base at respective of the four base corners, the frame including an elongated primary side wall supported by the base, the frame including a spaced pair of first and second end walls supported by the base, the frame including a spaced pair of first and second terminal side walls supported by the base, an access portal defined between the pair of terminal side posts, and a pair of gates supported for pivotal movement relative to respective of the terminal side posts.
US07975852B2
Centrifugal device (1) of the rotating bowl type for supplying preforms (2b), which are horizontally-laid and aligned, from preforms (2a) received in bulk, comprising a rotating transport ring (3) delimited by a lateral guide (12) and a central rotary disc (6) in the same direction as the ring and with an axis (8) inclined relative to that of the ring; a mobile member (15) mounted on the lateral guide occupies, as a result of the actuating means (18), an operational position in which the preforms (2c) are forced to leave the ring; detection means (19) upstream of the mobile member detect an undesirable preform (2c) on the ring and control actuating means for bringing the mobile member into its operational position for the ejection of the undesirable preform.
US07975841B2
A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet and a plurality of container receiving apertures formed in the flexible sheet wherein the plurality of container receiving apertures are formed in a staggered array wherein each row within the array includes a different number, offset and/or geometry of container receiving apertures from each adjacent row.
US07975839B1
The present invention is related to interlockers or beadings that are attached to the outer edges of conveyor belts. Interlockers and/or beadings or portions thereof are reinforced with aramid fibers to improve their durability.
US07975836B2
A horizontal conveyor for transporting bulk materials, in particular of containers for food, has at least one conveyor belt encompassing at least one assembly surface for the material to be conveyed. There is at least one sliding part, which is moveably guided parallel to the conveying direction thereof, be arranged below the assembly surface of the conveyor belt. At least one drive is assigned to the sliding part for its positively driven motion. There is at least one height-adjustable actuator for the material to be conveyed, arranged on the sliding part. The actuator is capable of being brought into an entrainment position, that projects into the plane of the assembly surface by means of a lifting device. A discontinuous conveyance of materials is possible in a simple manner with this horizontal conveyor.
US07975826B2
A stacker is composed of a bottom plate, a containing section for storing a plurality of cards by stacking it on the bottom plate and a guiding section for guiding each card entering into the containing section. The guiding section is composed of a sidewall for restricting movement of an entering card when entering into the stacker in a first moving direction and a slanted section for slanting the card against the first moving direction. The slanted card moves in a second moving direction intersecting with the first moving direction at approximately a right angle by the gravitational force.
US07975811B2
A rail clamp comprises a frame and a pair of levers. Each of the levers has a brake pad at a first end thereof, a cam follower at second end thereof, and is mounted to the frame by a pivot disposed between said first and second ends. A cam is disposed between the levers and a spring biases the cam in a first direction. A clamp release actuator is operable to displace the cam in a second direction. The second direction is opposite to the first direction. A pair of variably sloped cam surfaces are disposed on opposite sides of the cam. Each of the variably sloped cam surfaces is in contact with the cam follower of a corresponding one of the levers, and each of the variably sloped cam surfaces has a slope which varies to counteract variations in a spring force of the spring as the cam is displaced, thereby maintaining a constant clamping force.
US07975805B2
A system for lubricating a lubrication target located within a refrigerated atmosphere. The system includes a lubricant source, a pressurized air source, and at least one pneumatically-activated pump in connection with the lubricant and air sources. The pump output is connected to a conduit that terminates at a spray nozzle for delivering the lubricant to the target in a controlled fashion. Pressurized air may be used to better control the lubricant delivery. The temperature of the lubricant and air flowing through the conduits is regulated so that the fluids will flow predictably at very cold temperatures.
US07975787B2
An attachment system to fasten a power system to a frame of a loader is discussed. The frame has a proximal end, a distal end, and first and second opposing sides. The power system has an engine, and an arrangement of one or more hydraulic pumps attached to the engine. The attachment system has first and second connection points positioned in close proximity to a center of gravity of the power system relative to the direction between the proximal and distal ends of the loader. The attachment system also has a third connection point positioned distally from the first and second connection points, wherein the positions of the first, second and third connection points connect the power system to the frame to allow most of the weight of the power system to be loaded onto the first and second connection points.
US07975784B2
A drill bit assembly for fluid-operated percussion drill tools. The assembly comprises a percussion bit (1) having a head portion (3) formed with an axially extending stub shank (32). A drive bush (2) is releasably connectable to the bit head portion (3). Axially extending splines (35) on the drive bush (2) are slideably engageable with complementary splines (36) formed on a drive chuck (4) whereby rotational drive from the chuck (4) may be transmitted to the drive bush (2). The assembly further comprises engagement means on the chuck (4) adapted for connecting the chuck (4) to a drive means (5) of the fluid-operated percussion drill tool.
US07975781B2
A kelly driver has a top ring and a plurality of split bushings. The a top ring has a top surface, a bottom surface, a drive lug extending from the bottom surface, and a central passage extending through the top and bottom surfaces. The drive lug has a notch within an end face thereof. A first one of the split bushings has a drive lug extending outwardly from a side surface thereof. Adjacent pairs of the split bushings have end portions thereof pivotably connected to each other through a respective hinge structure. Each hinge structure includes a respective connection pin about which adjacent pair of the split bushings are pivotably connected. An upper surface of each one of the split bushings is engaged with the bottom surface of the top ring with the drive lug of the first one of the split bushings positioned within the drive lug of the top ring.
US07975780B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods for controlling downhole motors and drilling systems incorporating such systems and methods. One aspect of the invention provides a downhole drilling system including: a downhole motor, a transmission coupled to the downhole motor, and a drill bit coupled to the transmission. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of drilling a borehole in a subsurface formation including the steps of: providing a drill string including a downhole motor, a transmission coupled to the downhole motor, and a drill bit coupled to the transmission; and rotating the drill string while flowing a fluid through the drill string to the downhole motor, thereby powering the downhole motor, thereby rotating the transmission and the drill bit.
US07975772B2
A method of coupling a first control line to a second control line is provided comprising the steps of prepping the first and second control lines to respectively produce a first end and a second end. Prepping may comprise inserting a plug assembly into at least one of the first or second ends prior to facing the end containing the plug assembly. The method may further include butt-welding the first end to the second end to form a splice and providing a protective assembly to cover the splice. The plug assembly may comprise a plug member, a seal, and an end piece to couple the seal to the plug member, in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the plug assembly may comprise a plug member and a seal coupled to the plug member.
US07975769B2
The invention relates to a hydrocarbon exploration system, comprising a first vessel (1) having a turret (3) around which the vessel can weathervane, the turret being moored to the sea bed (4), and a second vessel (7) connected with at least one riser (12) to a subsea well (5), the first vessel (1) being connected to the second vessel via a fluid transfer duct (20) comprising a first end section (23) attached to the turret of the first vessel (1), a substantially horizontal mid section (24), and a second end section (22) attached at or near the second vessel (7), the second vessel (7) weighing between 2,000 and 15,000 ton its base being attached to the sea bed via taut tendons (9), the weight exerted by the fluid transfer duct (20) on the second vessel being below 1,000 ton, a power generator being situated on the first vessel (1), power being transferred from the power generator via an electrical swivel on the first vessel.
US07975767B2
Apparatus for controlling a downhole device such as a choke, the apparatus comprising a housing, a mandrel connected to the downhole device and moveable within the housing to move the device between different positions, and a detent mechanism to selectively lock the mandrel in one of the positions within the housing. The first and second positions are typically defined by physical stops on the apparatus such as shoulders, or dogs and grooves etc, and are typically placed at set positions that define the different configurations of the device. Thus, the movement of the downhole device is governed by the detent mechanism, rather than by variable factors such as pressure changes.
US07975763B2
A process for utilizing microwaves to heat H2O within a subterranean region wherein the heated H2O contacts heavy oil in the subterranean region to lower the viscosity of the heavy oil and improve production of the heavy oil.
US07975759B2
Temperature control method, temperature control apparatus and high/low temperature processing system
A temperature control apparatus that controls a temperature of a target object by a heat exchange between a temperature control liquid and the target object. The apparatus includes a pressurizing unit that pressurizes the temperature control liquid to increase a boiling point thereof; a heating unit that increases a temperature of the temperature control liquid to become higher than or equal to a boiling point of the temperature control liquid observed at a normal pressure; and a heat exchanging unit that exchanges heat between the target object and the temperature control liquid whose temperature has been increased to become higher than or equal to the boiling point of the temperature control liquid observed at the normal pressure.
US07975758B2
The present invention relates to a condenser tubes cleaning system for alleviating the common disadvantage of the prior arts includes a flow diverter, a first branch pipe, a second branch pipe, a three-way valve, a first one-way valve, a bypass pipe, a ball barrel, a liquid supply pipe, a cleaning ball supply pipe, a cleaning ball return pipe, a liquid return pipe, a second one-way valve, a normally open two-way valve, and a ball trap. Thus, the flow diverter is provided with the three-way valve, and the ball trap is provided with the normally open two-way valve, so that the flow diverter and the ball trap have a bypass function that the prior arts do not have, to maintain the constant flow rate in the main supply pipe and the main return pipe without increasing the electrical power load of the main circulating pump.
US07975755B2
A method of producing thin cast strip by continuous casting having a two-piece side dam assembly. The side dam assembly includes a side dam having an upper portion positioned adjacent to a lower portion. The upper and lower side dam portions each have opposite outer surfaces, one surface capable of contacting molten metal and the opposite outer surface having at least one fastening portion capable of attaching the side dam portions to a corresponding side dam holder, in order to hold the side dam portions in place during casting without exposed portions of the side dam holders extending substantially beyond the opposite outer surfaces toward the outer surfaces capable of contacting molten metal, and without the side dam holders preventing the upper side dam portion from being properly positioned adjacent to the lower side dam portion.
US07975753B2
Method for controlling a flow of molten steel in a mould by applying at least one magnetic field to the molten steel in a continuous slab casting machine. Controlling a molten steel flow velocity on a molten steel bath surface to a predetermined molten steel flow velocity by applying a static magnetic field to impart a stabilizing and braking force to a discharge flow from an immersion nozzle when the molten steel flow velocity on the meniscus is higher than a mould powder entrainment critical flow velocity. Controlling the molten steel flow velocity on the meniscus to a range of from an inclusion adherence critical flow velocity or more to a mould powder entrainment critical flow velocity or less by applying a shifting magnetic field to increase the molten steel flow when the molten steel flow velocity on the meniscus is lower than the inclusion-adherence critical flow velocity.
US07975741B2
A sidewall rubber disposed outside of a carcass layer, reinforcing a portion between beads, in a widthwise direction of the tire is configured from a wide rubber ribbon having a width of 20 to 100 mm wound spirally along a circumferential direction of the tire outward of the tire such that the rubber ribbon is deviated radially outward of the tire.
US07975740B2
To reduce road noise in running by disposing a noise damper made of a spongy material in a cavity of a tire, a tire and rim assembly is provided. The tire and rim assembly 1 including a rim 2, a pneumatic tire 3 attached to the rim 2, and a noise damper 4 made of a spongy material which is disposed in a tire cavity “i” surrounded by the rim 2 and the pneumatic tire 3 and extends in the tire circumferential direction, wherein the noise damper 4 has a volume of 0.4 to 20% of the whole volume of the tire cavity “i” and is fixed to an inner surface 2i or 3i of the tire or rim, the noise damper 4 has a height of 30 mm or less from the inner surface, and the spongy material of the noise damper 4 has a hardness of 10 to 250 N, a tensile strength of 70 kPa or more and a specific gravity of 0.014 to 0.052.
US07975734B2
A lighted funnel, particularly a lighted funnel used to fill the fuel reservoir of an automobile, comprises (a) a funnel, (b) a handle, and (c) a means of automatically illuminating the funnel, such as a micro switch that is closed by the gravitational force on a weight. When the funnel is oriented in the upright position, the illumination means automatically lights the funnel and indicates to the user that the funnel is in a substantially level position. When the funnel is oriented in the downward position, the illumination means is automatically switched off.
US07975729B2
An in-structure air delivery system comprises a control panel and a plurality of air delivery lines. The control panel is located at a first location in the structure and has an air supply inlet. Each air delivery line extends from the control panel to a different location in the structure. Valves are configured to selectively control the flow of air through each of the air delivery lines. In a method of use, a high pressure air supply such as a portable compressor is connected to the inlet of the system. Air is selectively delivered to one or more of the delivery lines. A control unit is connected to the outlet of the delivery line. Air is supplied to the control unit. The control unit is used to regulate the flow of air to a component of breathing equipment, such as to a firefighter's breathing equipment air cylinder to be re-filled.
US07975728B2
A composite strip 10 windable to form a helical pipe for transporting fluid is disclosed. The composite strip comprises: an elongate plastic strip 11 having a base portion 12, the base portion 12 having an upper side defining an outer face 15; and at least one lengthwise extending composite rib portion 20 upstanding from the outer face 15 of the base portion 12. The rib portion 20 has a distal end 23 remote from the base portion 12. The composite rib portion comprises: an elongate inboard reinforcing member 30 disposed within or adjacent to the base portion 12; an elongate outboard reinforcing 40 member disposed within the distal end 20 of the rib portion 20 parallel to the inboard reinforcing member 30; and an elongate intermediate plastic web 23 portion extending between the inboard and outboard reinforcing members 30, 40. When wound into a helical pipe, the composite rib portion 20 reinforces the pipe against radial crushing loads.
US07975722B2
A positive pressure one way medical valve contains an inlet (10), outlet (11), an internal flow path between the inlet and the outlet and a plunger (12) movable between a retraced sealing position, where backflow is reduced or prevented and an extended open position, where fluid can flow from the inlet to the outlet. The plunger is moved from the retraced to the extended position by insertion of a tip onto the inlet (10). A variable volume chamber (23) is defined partially by an elastomeric member (14) that is stretched, when plunger is in the extended position and reduced, when the plunger is in the retraced position so to increase or decrease the volume of the chamber respectively. A valve (50), which is movable between open and closed positions by the presence or absence of fluid passing through the inlet, immediately seals the flow pathway before the plunger is retraced.
US07975720B2
A ball valve cartridge is disclosed. It is especially well suited for freezeless hydrant applications and any other application where it is positioned remotely from a handle or other actuating element. The cartridge contains a ball valve element and an internal stem with a key for rotating the ball valve element between open and closed positions. The stem has rotational stop elements that limit rotational movement of the stem and the ball valve element. In a yard hydrant application, a drain valve can be added to regulate the opening and closing of the drain hole. It has an operational range of a quarter turn or ninety degrees.
US07975716B1
A puck retaining recess in a plunger of a solenoid valve is formed with a puck retaining lip that is fixed or unified with the plunger. The puck is then radially compressed to fit through a central opening of the retainer lip, and once the puck is pushed past the retainer lip, it is allowed to radially expand within the recess where the puck is retained between a bottom of the recess and the retainer lip. This eliminates many problems that previously occurred with separable retainer lips pressed into position to hold a puck after its insertion into a plunger recess.
US07975697B2
Systems and methods of visibly marking a reproductive tract, e.g., at least one ostium of the Fallopian tubes accessed transvaginally and transcervically, to indicate delivery of an occlusion device into the corresponding at least one Fallopian tube to effect contraception are disclosed. Marking is effected by delivery of a dye that stains the ostium and/or extension of the marking member from the delivered occlusion device into view in the uterine cavity or ostium. A catheter (or catheters) preferably introduced through a hysteroscope that illuminates and provides visualization of the uterine cavity and the ostia of the Fallopian tubes is employed to insert each contracted, stent-like, occluding device into each Fallopian tube and to mechanically expand or release to self-expand the occluding device.
US07975695B2
An improved Guedel Oral Airway for providing an air passage to a patients trachea. The oral airway includes a tubular member which is generally elliptical in cross section and having a straight section and a curved section with the tubular member having a curved lower wall member extending from the center of the bottom wall portion of the tubular member outwardly and away from the tubular member. The cross-section of the lower wall member is generally an inverted V-shape in cross-section with the side edges thereof being positioned outwardly of the end wall portions of the tubular member.
US07975693B2
In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, an adjustable gas delivery system is provided. The system may include a face mask, an arm apparatus, and a gasket. The face mask may be configured to deliver gas to a subject, and may include a flexible cushion portion configured to interface with the subject's face and a rigid base portion configured to support the cushion portion, the rigid base portion including a gas inlet. The arm apparatus may be configured to deliver gas to the face mask. The arm apparatus may include a gas outlet having a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the gas inlet of the base portion of the face mask. The gasket may couple the gas outlet of the arm apparatus with the gas inlet of the face mask. The gasket may be flexible such that the orientation of the face mask relative to the arm apparatus is adjustable.
US07975688B1
A medical device, such as a respiratory treatment device, includes a passive acoustic noise reduction system in the form of a vibration reducing blower assembly isolation mount. The device includes a housing, a blower assembly mounted therein, a patient circuit coupled to the blower assembly, and a noise reducing blower assembly isolation mount. The mount includes a first vibration damping member adjacent one side of the blower assembly spacing the blower assembly from a mounting surface upon which the blower assembly is supported. A securing member positions and holds the blower assembly onto the mounting surface, and a second vibration damping member adjacent an opposite side of the blower assembly spaces the blower assembly from the securing member. The vibration damping members are injection molded thermoplastic elastomeric members.
US07975684B2
A barbecue stove has a cover, a pan, a connecting bracket and a fastener. The cover is alternatively opened or closed relative to the pan and has an edge. The pan has a sidewall and an edge. The connecting bracket is mounted on the sidewall of the pan. The fastener is mounted pivotally on the connecting bracket and has a clip. By operating the fastener, the edges of the cover and the pan are stably held together in a closed state by the clip of the fastener.
US07975682B2
A duplex control structure of toy gun includes a main body (3), a control portion (1), a transmission portion (2), and a motor (4). The main body (3) further consists of a left and right main bodies (3a), (3b), a barrel (31), two motor's positioning plates (32a) and (32b), a multiplicity of supporting shaft rods (33), (34), a left and right handle portions (35a), (35b), check plates (36a), (36b), and two sliding ways (37a), (37b). The control portion (1) further consists of a trigger (11), a control rod (12), a propping up plate (13), a brake (14), a slider rod (15), a positioning plate (25), a pull knob (17), and a power switch (18). The transmission portion (2) consists of a gun machine socket (21), a piston (22), springs (23), (24), a positioning plate (25), a check piece (26), a clip piece (27), a small transmission gear (28), and a large transmission gear (29). The motor (4) is connected to a DC power supply. By making use of the pull knob (17) to drive the propping up plate to press against or separate from the corresponding control rod (12) in accommodating the action of the positioning plate (25) of the control portion (1), the invention is capable of achieving the objective of duplex driving functions of a manually and electrically shooting toy gun.
US07975672B2
An internal combustion engine includes a controllable throttle and controllable engine valves and is selectively operative in one of a plurality of combustion modes. An engine control method includes monitoring engine operation, determining a desired air flow, estimating a cylinder air charge, and estimating an intake air partial pressure. The throttle control device and engine valves are controlled based upon the intake air partial pressure and the cylinder air charge to achieve the desired air flow.
US07975671B2
An engine speed control device includes an engine speed control lever that generates an engine speed instruction and a device for delivering the indicative information on the actual engine speed. An actuator applies a mechanical force on the lever according to the difference between the instruction and the indicative information on the actual engine speed.
US07975668B2
A control system for an engine comprises an air per cylinder (APC) generating module that generates measured and desired APC values. A combustion transition module selectively transitions the engine from spark ignition (SI) combustion to homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion and from HCCI combustion to SI combustion. A spark control module selectively retards spark during the transitions based on a ratio of the measured APC value and the desired APC value. Alternately, spark retard can be based on measured and desired engine torque representing values (ETRVs).
US07975661B2
A system and method for fuel tuned variable valve timing is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder being further associated with at least two exhaust valves. A first exhaust valve operates according to a first valve lift curve that is tuned for combustion of gasoline. A second exhaust valve operates according to at least two different valve lift curves that are tuned for E85 fuel. The second lift curve is associated with high engine speeds and the modified second lift curve is associated with low engine speeds.
US07975659B2
A fuel injection system for a two-stroke internal combustion engine (1), elastically housed internally of a chamber, comprises a carburetor (30) to which are associated an induction port (9) for an air/fuel mixture and a fuel supply conduit (10) intercepted by means for metering housed in a recess (16) communicating with a second aperture (15) located above the induction port (9), which is in turn connected by an accumulation conduit (12) to a first aperture (14) located below the induction port (9), the apertures (14, 15) being alternatively opened by the piston skirt (3); the accumulation conduit is entirely afforded in the cylinder body.
US07975657B2
The present invention relates to a portable heat transfer apparatus designed to supply heat to an external heat load, such as a space-heating unit or a heating garment, in a manner to be usable in outdoor and other environments where it is difficult to receive a supply of electricity or fuel gas, and allows a ratio of LPG and air to be controlled so as to perform combustion in desirable conditions.The portable heat transfer apparatus of the present invention is adapted to ignite a mixture supplied from a fuel-gas supply unit and a fuel gas-air air-fuel unit having air-fuel ratio adjustment mechanism, using a piezoelectric ignition unit, so as to induce a flame burning in a combustion chamber of a burner, and drive a heat-drive pump disposed relative to burner while interposing a heat-collecting container therebetween, by heat generated from the flame burning, so as to transfer heat to an external heat load, while controlling the air-fuel ratio adjustment mechanism by using a spring-type timer adapted to be moved by a control lever, or by activating the air-fuel ratio adjusting temperature sensor installed in the heat-collecting container.
US07975652B2
A blower system for livestock may include a housing. An air inlet may be located on the housing. One or more motors may be located in the housing. One or more fans may be coupled to at least one of the motors. The fans may be located in the housing. The fans may draw air in through the air inlet and expel air out through an air outlet located on the housing. A hollow plate may be coupled to the air outlet. The hollow plate may include a plurality of holes to allow air to exit the plate at a variety of angles and at pressures sufficient to create a whirlpool effect in a volume of water. The blower system may be portable.
US07975640B1
A method and apparatus for retaining accessories to a vehicle.
US07975632B2
The invention is directed to an apparatus, method and system for a seed planter. The seed planter has a planting, dispensing and metering assembly operatively attached to a mobile supporting structure. The metering assembly has separated seed pre-staging and/or staging positions for staging pre-specified counts of seed separated from other counts in the batch and maintaining separation of the pre-specified counts of seed from other counts in the batch for planting. Alternatively, the metering assembly has separated seed staging positions for staging a batch of seed in singulated form for planting.
US07975631B2
The invention relates to a combine agricultural machine (1) comprising a planting device (3), in particular a potato planting device, provided with at least one storage container (10), an extraction device associated thereto, a setting plow (7) and an downstream mounted end damming device (4). A loosening tool (2) for preparing a seedbed is arranged upstream of the planting device (3) in a travelling direction and one or several wheels (18) for disintegrating soil and supporting the machine are mounted upstream of said loosening tool (2) in said travelling direction. The invention also relates to a method for mechanically planting seeds comprising a stage for preparing the seedbed, a sowing stage and a final damming stage which are simultaneously carried out by means of tools mounted on the agricultural machine (1). At the beginning, the wheels (18) of the machine pass along the soil to be processed for homogeneously disintegrating and breaking it, afterwards the seedbed is prepared by the loosening tool (2) wherein the seeds or seedstock are distributed and the end damming is carried out.
US07975617B2
A routing device, including a sliding device, a rotating shaft, a pair of route rails, a pair of rams, and a pillow, wherein the route rail is disposed in the front of a railway track, the route rails are disposed on the rams, the rotating shaft is disposed at one end of the ram in the vicinity of the railway track, and connected to the pillow, the sliding device is disposed between the ram and the pillow, and the ram operates to laterally slide on the pillow. The invention features simple structure and low investigation cost, occupies small space, is not only applicable for route of normal road and rail vehicles, but also for that of long multi-axis vehicles composed of tractors and trailers, or vehicle trains, and thus enabling the road and rail vehicles to be widely used and saving power.
US07975612B2
A method of dynamically- and continuously-variable rate asynchronous data transfer, such as for use in an electronic blasting system, may employ a device that transmits data including synchronization bits and bits conveying other information, and a device that ascertains the rate of transmission of the synchronization bits and receives the bits conveying the other information at the ascertained rate of transmission.
US07975609B2
A printing unit is provided including a frame and at least a first printing group having a first plate cylinder and a first blanket cylinder which is intended to co-operate with a pressing cylinder. The printing group further includes a mechanism by means of which the first blanket cylinder can be moved between at least one throw-on position, in which it is pressed against the first plate cylinder and against the pressing cylinder, and a throw-off position, in which it is spaced apart from the first plate cylinder and the pressing cylinder. The support mechanism includes at least one main connection rod which can be moved relative to the frame and which carries the blanket cylinder. The main connection rod can be moved in rotation relative to the frame about the centre axis of the first plate cylinder.
US07975605B2
A food processing device, e.g. a salad spinner, has a housing with a lid, a basket supported in the housing for rotation, and a drive mechanism supported by the lid for rotating the basket to spin water from salad in the housing. The drive mechanism has a crank handle and a drive transmission system coupling the handle to the basket to transmit a rotational driving force from the handle to rotate the basket. The drive transmission system has a first rotary gear arranged to receive the rotational driving force from the handle and a second rotary gear in driving engagement with the first gear for receiving the rotational driving force from the first gear to rotate the basket. The first and second gears have corresponding serial formations, e.g., recesses and protrusions, of respective circular cross-sections that are inter-engageable, one in the other, for transmission of the driving force.
US07975589B2
A scribing wheel for a brittle material includes a circumferential ridgeline in which two truncated cones have connected bottoms so as to share a rotational axis. Alternating notches and protrusions are formed along the circumference ridgeline. The protrusion are portions of the ridgeline remaining after the ridgeline is notched. The length of the notches is less than that of the protrusions so that a catch on the surface is improved while lowering the high penetrability.
US07975583B2
A method and apparatus are provided for automatically trimming a plurality of printed products in a trimming apparatus having at least one trimming station including at least one blade positioned on a moveable yoke. The plurality of printed products are supplied successively through a feeding conveyor to the trimming station. Each of the plurality of printed products is transported within the trimming station via a trimming transport device to a predetermined position for trimming. The phase position of the feeding conveyor is adjusted relative to the moveable yoke for each of the plurality of printed products according to the format width of the printed product extending in a conveying direction.
US07975582B1
A device for cutting flat strips of desired width from relatively elongate material is described. Methods of using the strip cutting device are also described. Embodiments of the strip cutting device are adapted to readily cleave a leg from L-shaped material to produce flat strips. Some embodiments are adapted to precisely and accurately cleave flat strips of material to produce narrower flat strips.
US07975580B2
A method for the operation of a panel placement system for punching presses wherein a feed slide is moved between the punching die of the punching press and a transfer position located in front of the punching press. A first connection mechanism of the feed slide, in the transfer position, seizes a panel in the rear area to advance it stepwise through the punching press in response to the cycle of said punching press, wherein the panel is gripped exclusively from above in a rear edge area which is located between the rear edge and the surfaces to be punched out.
US07975575B2
A rotary wrench includes a handle having a clamping portion with two arms. Each arm includes a holding portion having a hole. At least one of the holding portions includes a positioning section. Two axles are respectively formed on two sides of a head and rotatably engaged in the holes. At least one of the sides of the head includes a positioning portion releasably engagable with the positioning section so that the head is rotatable relative to the handle about an axis and positionable relative to the axis in one of a plurality of angular positions surrounding the axis. An adjusting member is mounted to the arms and operable to adjust the spacing between the arms to move the arms between a clamping position clamping the head and a releasing position not clamping the head.
US07975571B2
An output shaft of a rotating electrical machine and a drive device input shaft are disposed at different shaft center positions. A first gear meshing with a second gear provided on the output shaft of the rotating electrical machine for reducing rotation and transmitting the reduced rotation to a transmission input shaft is provided coaxially with the drive device input shaft, and at least a part of the clutch is disposed at an inner-diameter-side position so as to overlap a gear portion of the first gear in an axial direction.
US07975570B2
An operation lever structure wherein an operation lever is pulled toward a left handle to cause a link to swing-move to thereby operate an operation cable. The operation lever structure is configured so that each of inside and outside rollers are provided to an opposite end of the link. Inside and outside guide holes for movably supporting the inside and outside rollers are formed in each of a pair of inside and outside side walls. A discharge opening is formed in a bottom part of the operation lever for discharging a foreign matter that has entered the operation lever.
US07975569B2
A telescopable steering spindle arrangement is provided that includes, but is not limited to a steering spindle near the steering wheel, an intermediate spindle mounted rotationally fixedly and telescopably therein. The steering spindle near the steering wheel and the intermediate spindle are connected axially frictionally to one another, as well as a steering spindle near the steering gear. The intermediate spindle is mounted rotationally fixedly and telescopably in the steering spindle near the steering gear, and the intermediate spindle and the steering spindle near the steering gear are connected axially positively to one another.
US07975562B2
A belt force measuring device with a measuring spring, the displacement thereof being a measurement for the belt force, and with a transmitter, being assigned to the measuring spring, and with a sensor element, being also assigned to the measuring spring, wherein the displacement of measuring spring, effects a change of position of the sensor element in relation to the transmitter. The change of position is detected by the sensor element as measurement for the belt force and the belt force measuring device further has a first connecting element, connecting the measuring spring with a belt lock or a first belt section and a second connecting element, connecting the measuring spring, with a motor vehicle body or with a component of the motor vehicle body or a second belt section. To provide a belt force measuring device, being produced simply and cost effectively, the measuring spring, the first connecting element and the second connecting element are designated as a single-piece component.
US07975561B1
A torque sensing arrangement has a set of strain sensors, such as strain gauges, mounted to an adapter that can be mounted to a chain ring of the crank set of a bicycle wheel. The adapter may have an annular body that can be used to retrofit the original crank set of a bicycle to have torque sensing components without having to replace the chain rings or the crank arm of the crank set. Together with angular velocity measurements, the measurements of the strain sensors may be used to calculate the amount of work or power exerted by the cyclist to propel the bicycle.
US07975557B2
A multiple testing system has plural testing units which are disposed independently, and a single information processing device. The testing unit has a frame, a loading mechanism supported at the frame and applying a desired load quantity on a test body, and a detector detecting a load quantity applied on the test body. By multitasking control and with respect to the testing units, the information processing device carries out: feedback control processing for, on the basis of a detected load quantity, controlling the loading mechanism such that the detected load quantity becomes a predetermined target value; control processing at an abnormal situation when at least one of an abnormality of the test body, an abnormality of the testing unit, or an abnormality of a power source of the loading mechanism, is detected; and interface processing with an operator.
US07975550B2
There is provided a micromachined sensor for measuring a vibration, based on silicone micromachining technology, in which a conductor having elasticity is connected to masses moving due to a force generated by the vibration and the vibration is measured by using induced electromotive force generated due to the conductor moving in a magnetic field.
US07975539B2
A method and a device for reducing vibrations during the shutdown or startup of an engine, in particular an internal combustion engine, in which the vibration behavior of the engine is determined at least during shutdown and/or startup, a control signal is applied to at least one engine mounting whose damping properties are settable via the control signal, and the control signal is calculated in such a way that a vibration behavior of the engine materializes according to a setpoint vibration behavior in which vibrations are introduced, for example into a passenger compartment, at a level which lies below a predefined threshold value.
US07975535B2
Disclosed is both an apparatus and method for quantifying an injection event of a fuel injector, including both multiple pulse and single pulse injection events. Typically, the fuel injector is a common rail injector. The apparatus includes a pressure chamber for isolating a portion of the injection pressure for reducing pressure waves and reflections which can create “noise” in the detection of an injection pressure. The invention further includes determining the precise start and end times of injection using cavitation created by the injection event by determining the intensity of light within a spray chamber.
US07975515B2
A locking device is adapted for receipt within the main cavity of an underground enclosure. The locking device includes a container having a main body and a container top which define an interior compartment for holding the items of the underground enclosure. The main body is adapted to be assembled in the main cavity of the underground enclosure and is sized to be retained within the underground enclosure. The container top has a selective open position to allow access to the interior compartment of the main body and a selective closed locked position to deter access thereto. An arm assembly coupled to the container top is moveable between an extended engaged position to retain the container top on the container and a collapsed disengaged position to allow release of the container top from the container. A disengaged unlocked shield slidably engages into the container top and may be locked into an engaged locked position to retain the container top in the selective closed locked position and overlie a release mechanism for the arm assembly.
US07975513B2
A turning device for tubular knitted articles, particularly for sewing or looping stations for the automated closing of tubular articles at an axial end thereof comprising a lower portion and an upper portion, which are arranged respectively below and above an intermediate region at which elements are or can be positioned for supporting the tubular article to be turned, which hangs at one of its axial ends and is arranged substantially vertically, a tubular body, which can be inserted from the bottom upwardly, with its upper axial end, through the axial end of the article that hangs from the supporting elements, so as to evert the article onto the outer lateral surface of the tubular body, extracting it progressively from the upper axial end of the tubular body. Auxiliary sliding elements are provided, which can move on command with respect to the tubular body, parallel to the axis of the tubular body, and can engage and disengage cyclically the article everted onto the outer lateral surface of the tubular body in order to produce its sliding toward the lower axial end of the tubular body.
US07975499B2
A cooling system for an aircraft has a refrigerant system to cool a second fluid for a use associated with an aircraft. A valve is operable to route the second fluid to be cooled by the refrigerant under a first set of conditions, and to route the second fluid to be cooled by ambient air from outside of the aircraft under a second set of conditions.
US07975493B2
Systems and methods for controlling a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) in an optical transceiver. A TEC system includes a processor that interacts with a power supply and a TEC controller to prevent inrush current. The power supply is switched by the processor and turned on only at a particular time. The power supply has a relatively large time constant such that it ramps slowly to its full value. In the meantime, the processor and TEC controller cause the temperature to ramp to a target value by repeatedly incrementing or decrementing a target value over time and by controlling when the maximum available voltage can be applied to the TEC.
US07975489B2
According to one aspect, a method of detecting catalyst module overheating in a catalytic combustion system is provided. In one example, the method includes detecting one or more signals from at least one probe adapted to obtain values associated with at least one of the outlet gas temperature of a catalyst module and the outlet face temperature of the catalyst module included in a catalytic combustor. The one or more signals are compared with a preselected value associated with catalyst overheating. The detected temperature may be detected over time to determine a rate of change in the temperature. The temperature may be detected with a UV sensor directed to the catalyst outlet face.
US07975486B2
The invention relates to a burner for premix-type combustion having a cavity which has at least one tangential air inlet slot for the supply of a combustion air flow, a device for the injection of fuel into the cavity which is provided in the region of a burner axis, and a device for the injection of premix fuel into the air inlet slots which is provided centrally in the inflow region of the combustion air flow. The device for the injection of premix fuel into the air inlet slots has at least one fuel supply, the fuel outlet openings of which are arranged in such a way that the premix fuel is introduced into the combustion air flow on both sides of the at least one fuel supply related to a cross-sectional plane at right angles to the burner axis.
US07975482B2
Disclosed are a method and a device for utilizing supercritical subsurface steam as combined supercritical thermal and hydraulic power stations at an efficiency of 50 percent, using molten bath superdeep drilling technology, a hydrofrac process, and the special properties of the supercritical subsurface steam, such as the drastic increase in the thermal capacity, reduced viscosity, and inorganic solubility. The multifunctional use of said technologies and physical properties of supercritical subsurface steam in the inventive method allows a supercritical subsurface boiler to be tapped rapidly and at a low cost at a great depth while making it possible to produce electricity, power, process steam, and heat almost anywhere at one tenth of the cost of conventional fuel technologies and comparable expenses. The supercritical process steam obtained from a closed forced subsurface-nature circuit is used in supercritical power stations featuring state-of-the-art steam turbine technology while the remaining pressure in the subsurface fluid is used for directly generating power and/or electricity after dissipating heat via hydraulic turbines.
US07975474B2
A hydraulic system including a pump for feeding hydraulic fluid from an inlet side to an outlet side. A pressure accumulator is disposed at the outlet side, and between the pump and the pressure accumulator a hydraulic control valve is disposed, which has at least two valve positions. The outlet side of the pump is connected to the pressure accumulator in a second valve position, and is separated from the pressure accumulator in a first valve position. The outlet side of the pump is connected to the inlet side through the control valve in the first valve position.
US07975469B2
A control system that controls regeneration of a particulate filter is provided. The system generally includes a propagation module that estimates a propagation status of combustion of particulate matter in the particulate filter. A regeneration module controls current to the particulate filter to re-initiate regeneration based on the propagation status.
US07975461B2
A harvesting apparatus for row crops that includes a self-propelled carrier unit and a harvesting device. The carrier unit is a motor-driven vehicle. The harvesting device consists of an upper frame in sliding engagement with a pair of vertical members coupled to a cutting platform, lifting means for raising and lowering the cutting platform, and means for positioning the cutting platform along the length of the upper frame. The cutting platform includes a base having opposing ends, each end having a pair of base guides that define a longitudinal passage, a cutter blade assembly having a blade with a cutting edge, which cutting edge is in communication with the longitudinal passage such that when the blade is in use, and when a tobacco plant passes along the longitudinal passage the blade will cut the plant by a slicing operation. The frame further includes front and rear wheel assemblies, and a shield that is attached to each of the vertical members.
US07975457B2
The present invention concerns a machine and a method for converting a web of preformed pouches to dunnage units. In one exemplary embodiment the machine includes a drive, a blower, and a sealing mechanism. The drive is arranged to move the web of preformed pouches along a path of travel through the machine. The blower is positioned with respect to the path of travel, to inflate the preformed pouches. The sealing mechanism includes a heating element support and a heating element. The heating element support includes a sealing side and a belt preheating side. The heating element is disposed around at least a portion of the heating side and at least a portion of the belt preheating side. The drive includes a belt that is disposed around the heating element. The sealing mechanism is positioned with respect to the path of travel, to provide seals to the pouches to form inflated dunnage units. The heating element support is configured to maintain the heating element in contact with the heating element support preheating side.
US07975455B1
A packaging method for gloves that provides nonbinding dispensing of individual gloves. The method includes providing a durable and re-sealable container and a plurality of ambidextrous gloves constructed of rubber, placing a plurality of tightly packed gloves in a fluffing machine, air fluffing and tumbling the plurality of gloves for a period of time, loading a measured amount of gloves in the container, applying a cover to the container, and providing a seal around the juncture of the cover and the container.
US07975449B2
An article, system and method for flattening a three dimensional depression within a substrate floor. A straight edge is applied in a progressive X and Y grid fashion across the depression, with varying levels of shims defining contact locations, thereby establishing a floor template identifying common depths of depression at overlapping perimeter defined boundaries. One or more thermo-polymer sheets is resized to define an outer perimeter matching that of a perimeter boundary. A subset thickness of the sheet is incised around its outer perimeter to establish a feathering effect upon the sheet prior to it overlaying the boundary perimeter and prior to sizing and application of additional overlapping sheets up to an outermost boundary corresponding to a shallowest depression.
US07975441B2
A portable air conditioner support arrangement for supporting a portable air conditioner in a window frame assembly. The support arrangement comprises an elongated flange-engaging rail having a first end and a second end, with a channel engaging tab arranged on the first end and the second end of the rail. Each of the tabs are arranged to mate with a channel on the sides of the window frame assembly. The rail has an elongated face to engage a flange on the upper front edge of the air conditioner and maintain the air conditioner free of support by a window sash of the window frame assembly.
US07975438B2
A joining device (8) for hybrid wind turbine towers (5) intended for the fixation of a metal portion (6) of a wind turbine tower (5) to a concrete portion (7) of said wind turbine (1) which comprises a metal body (9) having a generally tubular configuration that is suitable to be fixed to the metal portion (6) of the tower (5) which in use is adjacent to the concrete portion (7), and suitable for being at least partially embedded into said concrete portion (7), said metal body (9) being provided with a number of anchoring openings (11) adapted such that the material of the concrete portion (7) passes therethrough. A hybrid wind turbine tower (5) comprises such a joining device (8) provided between one metal portion (6) and one concrete portion (7).
US07975437B2
A playground roof system having the capability of being attached to different diameter support members is provided. The frame of the roof structure is roto-molded such that two different sized openings are provided at each corner of the frame, each opening in the same area, such that the roof is interchangeable in different playground systems. The roof system further includes openings formed in the frame such that a fastener can be threaded therein fastening the frame and support members together.
US07975434B2
A window regulator that resists backdrive forces directly at the lift plate and rail, rather than by the drive assembly. A locking shoe mounted within the lift plate and selectively frictionally engages the rail while the drive assembly is at rest. Thus, any backdrive forces are transmitted from the window glass to the lift plate, and then directly to the rail, avoiding the drive assembly. A release fork that is coupled to the drive cable automatically disengages the locking shoe when the drive assembly is activated, and engages the locking shoe when the drive assembly disengages.
US07975431B2
A barrier that is pressurized after being assembled from multiple pieces. The barrier include a first end frame, a second end frame, and a gate engaged between the end frames. The first and second end frames are engaged at their lower members such that the first end frame and second end frame are not integral and not one-piece with each other, and such that the first and second end frames still provide for a pressurized barrier, that is a barrier that is resiliently mounted between two locations so as to be self-supporting between two locations even if spaced from the floor. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first end frame, second end frame, and gate have generally the same length so as to minimize the storage area needed to store the barrier prior to assembly.
US07975430B2
An expandable hydroponic growing system comprising a multiple of upper bases, lower bases and bars connecting the bases in a fashion that the upper bases (and lower bases) can be conveniently pulled together or pushed farther apart.
US07975425B1
Measures for controlling nuisance-carp populations include a harvest apparatus for harvesting not sub-surface fish but fish that leap out of the water proximate the harvest apparatus. Detectors detect when subsurface fish are within proximity of the effective range of the harvest apparatus and, when such are detected, a stimulus is applied which causes target fish like nuisance carp but not desirable fish to leap out of the water. When that happens, the harvest apparatus takes its toll on the leaping fish, harmlessly to the desirable fish which do not leap, and instead might flee from the stimulus by diving deeper.
US07975421B2
A remote controlled decoy is provided. The remote control decoy operates using two propellers secured to a hull and remotely controlled by a radio frequency transmitter. A shell resembling a particular waterfowl is releasably coupled to a hull which serves as a watertight compartment for the receiver and the electronics associated with the propulsion of the decoy. The decoy may also be provided with strobe lights to draw attention to the decoy from passing waterfowl.
US07975416B2
A marketing sign is constructed of a sheet material. The sheet material includes a free portion, a base portion and a connecting portion that couples the base portion to the free portion. The base portion includes an engaging piece and a support piece. The engaging piece is coupled to the support piece at a base bend line and configured to engage with a portion of a product display structure having a price holder. The connecting portion is defined between a first connecting bend line spaced apart from a second connecting bend line by a first distance. The first connecting bend line is adjacent the support piece of the base portion and the second connecting bend line is adjacent the free portion. The first distance substantially corresponds with a top edge thickness of the price holder.
US07975411B2
A card may include a generally planar panel and a plurality of opposing retaining members disposed on the panel. The plurality of opposing retaining members may be arranged to retain a substantially rectangular transaction card having a first longitudinal axis in a first orientation with respect to the panel and to retain a substantially rectangular paper gift having a second longitudinal axis in a second orientation with respect to the panel, so that the orientation of the first longitudinal axis is substantially transverse to the second orientation of the second longitudinal axis. The paper gift may be, for example, paper monetary currency, a paper bank check, or a paper gift certificate. The transaction card may be, for example, a debit card, a credit card, a gift card, a prepaid phone card, a card containing a merchandise credit usable at a retail establishment.
US07975410B2
A control system for use with an excavation machine is disclosed. The control system may have a boom member, a linear actuator connected to pivot the boom member in a first direction, a rotary actuator connected to swing the boom member in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and an operator input device configured to generate a command signal indicative of a desired movement of the boom member. The control system may also have a tilt sensor configured to detect an inclination of the excavation machine, and a controller in communication with the rotary actuator, the operator input device, and the tilt sensor. The controller may be configured to receive a swing end stop for the boom member, to control the rotary actuator to move the boom member based on the command signal, and to modify the command signal to inhibit movement of the boom member past the swing end stop based on the detected inclination of the excavation machine.
US07975406B2
A shoe for driving a car according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a heel part 5 on a foot sole 4 and an inclined face 5B increasing gradually toward a rear side in a side view. This inclined face 5B comprises a first face part 5a which is formed outside in a width direction and is capable of coming in contact with a car floor when depressing an accelerator pedal and a second face part 5b unlike the face condition of the above-mentioned first face part, which is formed inside in a width direction and is capable of coming in contact with a car floor when depressing a brake pedal.
US07975405B1
A shoe is described having a removeable heel, removeable platform, and in some embodiments one or more removeable straps. The shoes of the present invention provide for flexibility in design with the same sole by allowing for replacement of one type of heel with another and in some shoes replacement of the strap or straps by alternate styles or colors of straps. The replaceability or modularity of the heel and straps allows for compact storage as well, which is desirable during travel. The removeabitlity of the platform enables the shoe to adjust to different heights. Additionally, some embodiments have one or more hinges formed in the sole to allow the shoe to collapse to an even smaller size for storage or travel.
US07975404B2
The present invention relates to a process and composition for stiffening materials for use in the manufacturing of footwear using a combination of stiffeners and adhesives.
US07975403B2
Footwear is provided having a tongue pivotally coupled to the footwear upper. The tongue may be constructed to pivotally move relative to the upper between a first position and a second position. At least one resilient member may be coupled to the tongue for urging the tongue in either the first position or the second position. The tongue may be a spring-loaded tongue such that when the tongue is positioned in an intermediate position between the first and second position, the tongue will spring towards either the first position or the second position.
US07975402B2
The present invention includes a nozzle insert for use in a drying machine of the type used in paper web drying. The nozzle insert of the present invention includes at least one intake having a central portion, wherein a pair of center vanes is disposed for directing airflow. The central portion is bounded by at least one turning vane adapted for directing airflow in a lateral direction. For each turning vane, there is at least one straightening vane adapted for curtailing swirling of the airflow. The vanes are oriented at optimal angles for directing the flow of the nozzle in a lateral direction, while permitting some air to penetrate the central portion through a series of ports. The intakes are bounded by a series of insulated bulkheads, which serve to direct airflow and contain heat-loss through thermal emission.
US07975399B2
A method and apparatus of displaying an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG). In one embodiment, an EPG is constructed of a three dimensional virtual mesh, in which independent objects representing television programs are situated. The virtual mesh is displayed perpendicularly, so that the hardware requirements of the set top box (STB) may be reduced. A user can navigate the mesh to find television programs that they wish to view. A user can designate the types of television programs that they prefer, and these programs will be displayed more prominently. In addition, the mesh is constructed of at least two planes. The first plane is flat, while all other planes are hyperbolic to correct for a viewer's line of sight.
US07975395B2
A hand-held level and plumb tool that includes a homogeneous, L-shaped body, a first level indicating device, and a second level indicating device. The L-shaped body has first and second legs arranged at a 90° angle. The first leg defines an interior side, an exterior side, a central panel extending between the sides, and a length in extension of the first leg from the second leg to a free end. A slot is formed through a thickness of the central panel and extends along at least a majority of the length. The first level indicating device is assembled to the central panel of the first leg at a location spaced from the slot. The second level indicating device is assembled to the second leg. One or both of the legs can include measurement-related indicia selected in accordance with staircase construction standard dimensions.
US07975394B2
The invention is directed to a tilt sensor comprising at least one body movable along a predefined path and an optoelectronic unit for determining the position of said body, said tilt sensor being surface-mountable. The invention is further directed to a tilt sensor assembly.
US07975390B2
A method and apparatus for determining the critical foot and shoe-last dimensions and variables is provided. The apparatus includes a surface for a foot to stand on, a mechanism to determine the axis passing through heel centerline, a mechanism to determine the foot or shoe last width measurement, a mechanism to determine the axis passing through center of the foot (or last) width, a mechanism to determine the mid-foot height and a mechanism to determine heel width. Based on the above mentioned mechanisms, the apparatus can determine the required dimensions and the curvature of a person's foot, called the flare angle, and as well as the curvature of a shoe-last so that footwear fitting can be improved.
US07975389B2
A razor handle made of a rigid core and a layer of compressible elastomeric material. The razor handle includes a head portion, located at the front end of the razor handle, and includes a bearing structure for connection to a razor head. The razor handle also includes a body portion having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, an upper front gripping area that includes a plurality of spaced projections protruding from the upper surface, and a lower front gripping area located opposite the upper front gripping area. The razor handle also includes a plurality of spaced projections protruding from the lower surface. The upper front gripping area is centered on a point located at a distance of at least 3 cm from a front end of the head portion.
US07975383B2
A hydroforming process forms a hydroformed automotive component as a multiple cell member having an integral internal rib separating the cells and reinforcing the hydroformed component to increase the strength of a hydroformed component with a given size and shape. The tubular blank can be manufactured through a roll-forming process or by welding two structural tubular members, to form a tubular blank that has multiple cells with an internal rib separating the cells. The hydroforming process injects fluid under pressure into each of the cells to expand the tubular blank into the shape defined by the die holding the blank. The internal web separating the cells of the blank becomes an integral internal reinforcement spanning the component to enhance the strength, rigidity and stiffness of the component. Providing differential pressure on the multiple cells can stretch and twist the internal rib for positioning internally as desired.
US07975382B2
A method for filling a muffler with a fibrous material is disclosed. The muffler includes partitions which form a first chamber and second chamber, and a first muffler pipe having an outlet end. A filling aperture at one end of the second muffler pipe is positioned in the first muffler chamber. The second muffler pipe has a filling sleeve therein, the filling sleeve having a filling discharge opening that coordinates with the filling aperture of the second muffler pipe. The first muffler chamber is filled with fibrous material by applying a vacuum source to the first muffler pipe, which draws the fibrous material through the filling aperture. The filling aperture of the second muffler pipe is then positioned into the second muffler chamber, and the second muffler chamber is filled in the same manner as the first muffler chamber. The filling sleeve is then removed from the second muffler pipe.
US07975380B2
Provided is a probe card and method of fabricating the same. This method comprises forming soldering bumpers electrically connected to conductive patterns on a substrate, forming probes connected to the conductive patterns and supported by the soldering bumpers, and then melting the soldering bumpers to fixing the probes to the substrate. Forming the soldering bumpers includes a step of forming the soldering bumpers in the same pattern and size by means of a photolithography process.
US07975375B2
A method for producing a portable electronic object having contact pads arranged on a plane with a thickness which differs from the thickness of a standard smartcard. The object is electrically connected to data transfer station connectors, by delivering a data transfer station having an electric probe connector and submitting the object to the data transfer station in such a way that the contact pads thereof are accessible to the electric probes in a direction perpendicular to the plane. Objects obtainable include UBS keys or PCMCIA cards or readers.
US07975370B2
Stator designs have wide-mouth slots between adjacent poles. Wire coils with high slot fill conductivity are formed around the poles. In some designs, the wire coils are wave wound around the poles. Thick bar conductors can be used for making the wire coils. The wire coils may be inserted using nozzle dispensers or transferred from a pre-form mandrel. In other designs, the wire coils are pre-formed on transferable pockets that are then mounted on the poles. Optional pole extensions or shoes can be attached to the stator poles after the wire coils are formed around the poles.
US07975368B2
A structure of wireless receiver includes a metallic casing, a positioning base, a receiving module, and a housing. The metallic casing has a circumferential wall defining an accommodating space therein, and two opposite ends thereof formed with an insertion hole and a through hole in communication with the accommodating space. The positioning base has a mounting trough, and is disposed in the accommodating space of the metallic casing. The positioning base has two side ends being fixed to the circumferential wall. The mounting trough is in communication with the accommodating space and the through hole. The receiving module is disposed in the mounting trough of the positioning base via the through hole of the metallic casing. The housing is assembled to the through hole of the metallic casing, and the through hole is sealed by the housing to block the receiving module.
US07975364B2
A method for producing a tuning-fork type crystal vibrating piece relates to a crystal tuning fork comprising a basal portion, a first vibrating arm, and a second vibrating arm, wherein both arms extend from the basal portion. The method for producing a crystal tuning fork comprises a step of forming a first metallic film into a shape including the contours of the basal portion, the first vibrating arm and second vibrating arm on a first surface of a quartz wafer; a step of forming a second metallic film on the second surface opposite to the first surface of the quartz wafer into a shape covering at least a root area near the basal portion between the first vibrating arm and the second vibrating arm, and a step of wet-etching the quartz substrate in etching solution after forming the first and second metallic films.
US07975363B2
A probe includes a substrate and a tetragonal structure disposed on the substrate that has four end points. Three of the end points are disposed adjacent to the substrate. A fourth of the end points extends outwardly and substantially normal to the substrate. In a method of making a probe tip, a plurality of tetrapods are grown and at least one of the tetrapods is placed on a substrate at a selected location. The tetrapod is affixed to the substrate at the selected location.
US07975351B2
A door handle for opening a door of a refrigerator or a freezer compartment is fixable to the door in a manner pivotable by a pivot support and movable between an open position and a closed position as well having a restoration device for the automatic restoration of the handle from the open position into the closed position. A movement damper is provided for damping the restoration force of the handle from the open position into closed position and/or opening movement of the handle from the closed position into open position.
US07975346B2
An oral care implement is provided having a handle and a head having a base structure. A pair of fixed pods extend from a first face of the base structure of the head and a movable pod is supported by and between the pair of fixed pods above the first face of the base structure by at least one suspension member. The movable pod comprises cleaning elements, thereby facilitating a greater degree of cleaning action during an oral care session.
US07975336B1
A pillow is provided that includes a center section; a first bolster; and a second bolster. The first bolster is attached to the center section on a first lateral side and the second bolster is attached to the center section on a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side, and at least one of the first and the second bolsters has a first cross sectional area at a bottom of the bolster and a second cross sectional area at a top of the bolster greater than the first cross sectional area.
US07975335B2
A patient-support apparatus includes a mattress assembly supported on a frame, the mattress assembly including a coverlet configured to provide low-airloss therapy to a patient supported on the patient-support apparatus. The patient-support apparatus is articulable to a number of positions and includes a control network which is responsive to movement of portions of the frame to alter operational parameters of the frame and mattress assembly.
US07975330B2
One embodiment of a topper for a bed includes a liner assembly 40 having a top liner 42, a bottom liner 44 and a slip liner 70 underneath the bottom liner. The slip liner is of relatively lower friction than the top liner. An apron 62, with openings 76 therein, extends from the perimeter of the liners. Another embodiment includes a liner assembly having a top liner, a bottom liner and a slip liner underneath the bottom liner. The slip liner is of relatively lower friction than the top liner. Bridge straps 98, or 98′ having a working length of at least the width of a host mattress minus the arm length of a fifth percentile female extend from the liner assembly.
US07975325B2
A portable restroom is designed to provide features which enhance the comfort and appeal to users. These features include a rigid and stable structure, including a rigid floor structure, thus providing a sense of security to the user. Further, flushing and fresh water capabilities are achieved by using a dual tank structure made capable by the base design itself. This dual tank structure is achieved utilizing a unique siphoning pump to provide appropriate functionality.
US07979916B2
Aspects of the invention are directed to piezoresponse force analysis of a material. A stimulus signal including a first frequency component is applied to a contact point on the material such that the stimulus signal actuates a portion of the material to experience a motion as a result of a piezoelectric effect. A resonant device is coupled to the contact point such that the resonant device experiences a resonant motion at the first frequency component in response to the motion of the material, the resonant motion having a greater displacement than a displacement of the motion of the material, and is substantially unaffected by mechanical properties of the material at the contact point. The resonant motion of the resonant device is detected and processed to produce a measurement representing the piezoresponse of the material at the contact point.
US07979908B2
A method and system of verifying and authenticating the accuracy of public or private background reports. These reports contain information about consumers, such as aggregated data about criminal history, security clearance qualifications, security access authorization, credit, insurance and medical claims, and other public and private information wherein applicants, employees, individuals, credit reporting agencies, background screening entities, and consumers self-authenticate the accuracy of the records. The consumer report and a self-authentication questionnaire is delivered to the consumer by hand, email, facsimile, securely online, mail, overnight express, courier, or other delivery means, which is returned by similar methods with the completed questionnaire.
US07979906B2
A method and system for multifaceted scanning, the method having the steps of receiving a data source; processing the data source for a plurality of scanning aspects, the processing step utilizing rules and policies for the plurality of scanning aspects to provide transformed, modified or adapted content; and outputting the transformed, modified or adapted content.
US07979905B2
In order to provide a storage system, virus infection spreading prevention method, and virus removal support method capable of performing an operation to prevent spreading of a virus infection and an operation to remove a virus straightforward, at an operation host, a virus check is executed for volumes, infection state information is sent to a management host according to detection results when a virus infection is detected, and at a management host, predetermined processing is executed in order to put the state of the path with the volume infected with a virus offline based on the infected state information. Further, at the operation host, a virus check is executed for the volumes, and when a virus infection is detected, infection state information is sent to the management host according to the results of the detection. At the management host, the range of influence of the virus infection is specified, the state after removal of the virus from the necessary volumes existing within the range of influence is predicted, and results of the prediction are displayed on a screen.
US07979903B2
A system and method that provides for using source IP addresses and MAC addresses in a network to provide security against attempts by users of the network to use false source IP addresses in data packets. The system and method provide for analyzing MAC addresses and source IP addresses at the datalink (layer 2) level, and to use the information derived from such analysis to block access through a port where a host device is using a false, or spoofed, source IP address in transmitted data packets.
US07979901B2
The invention provides a system and method for controlling the number of Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) security associations per Internet Key Exchange (IKE) security association for a single user. The limit on the number of security association (SA) tunnels per key management protocol SA may be stored in a server. A user equipment sends a request, to the server, to set up a new SA. The server, upon receiving the request, checks whether the limit on the number of SA tunnels per key management protocol has been reached. The request is accepted when the limit has not yet been reached.
US07979897B2
Provided are a system and article of manufacture for bidirectional data transfer. In certain embodiments a link layer login is sent from a first port to a second port. Subsequently, an application layer login is sent from the first port to the second port to establish a first data path, wherein the first data path is from the first port to the second port. Subsequently, another application layer login is sent from the second port to the first port to establish a second data path, wherein the second data path is from the second port to the first port. In certain other embodiments, a first data path is established from a first port to a second port. A determination is made at the first port, whether the second port has a second data path established from the second port to the first port. An application layer logout is sent from the first port to the second port, in response to determining that the second port has the second data path established from the second port to the first port. The first data path is terminated from the first port to the second port in response to receiving the application layer logout at the second port.
US07979890B2
An architecture for handling per subscriber application and bearer authorization in a network environment is provided that includes an application element operable to indicate that signaling responses have been authorized at a per-subscriber application level, whereby an end user has previously established an IP session and requested an application service.
US07979884B1
Methods and apparatus are provided for allowing an operating system to automatically configure and operate multiple types of the same component. According to various embodiments, characteristic information associated with a particular component, such as a tuner, can be written to a nonvolatile memory. An operating system can be configured to read characteristic information from the nonvolatile memory associated with the component. In one example, the characteristic information includes power characteristics associated with the component. By providing characteristic information in a nonvolatile memory, a single version of an operating system can configure and operate many different versions and types of the same component.
US07979883B2
A digital broadcasting system and data processing method are disclosed, which are highly resistant to channel changes and noise. The present invention includes receiving a broadcast signal having mobile service data and main service data multiplexed with each other from at least one parade, demodulating the broadcast signal, acquiring program table information describing at least one service included in at least one ensemble from the demodulated broadcast signal and decoding the mobile service data associated with a first service using a program table information transport unit in the acquired program table information.
US07979882B2
A method for providing a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) service to a terminal communicable with different communication networks. The DMB service method includes receiving a broadcasting program over a DMB network; receiving the broadcasting program over a Wireless Broadband (WiBro) network upon failure to receive the broadcasting program signal from the DMB network; and upon receipt of the broadcasting program signal back from the DMB network, interrupting the broadcasting program received from the WiBro network and receiving the broadcasting program over the DMB network.
US07979881B1
A token schema is provided for identifying a broadcast audio and/or visual program to facilitate recording of the identified program. The token schema includes program criteria for identifying a corresponding audio/or visual program, which is sufficient to enable a recording system that receives the token to record the identified program based on the token. A token also represents an audio and/or visual program in a form that may be sent to one or more recipients, such as part of an email message or by other data transport mechanisms.
US07979879B2
A video contents display system has a contents information display section that allows pieces of contents information on a plurality of recorded video contents to be displayed along a time axis on a screen, and a video contents display section that displays the plurality of video contents at a specified time on the time axis as motion pictures or still images.
US07979875B2
An optical disk having a recording layer on a substrate, a bonding layer which is made of an ultraviolet cured resin bonding the recording layer, a transparent layer which is bonded to the bonding layer, and an overcoating layer which is formed on the transparent sheet and is made of the ultraviolet cured resin further has a mixed layer which is formed by mixing the ultraviolet cured resins of the bonding layer and the overcoating layer. Consequently, the bonding layer, the overcoating layer, and the mixed layer are integrally cured, so that the substrate is entirely covered with the ultraviolet cured resin having transparency, which allows a light transmitting layer A to be protected with sufficient strength.
US07979870B1
Method and system for locating objects in a computing grid. Requests for one or more objects are received from a client or other requesting entity. A persistent object locator is distributed across the grid and searches the grid for a reference to or handle on the requested object. The persistent object locator includes an internal object locator element (IOL) that resides locally, e.g., on the client, and an external object locator element (EOL) that resides on one or more other servers that are external relative to the client. The EOL is initiated if the IOL cannot locate the requested object locally. The EOL searches the grid for the requested object and if the object is available, delivers the reference to or handle on the requested object to the requesting entity. Objects can also be registered to the POL for future use. References to objects can also be deleted from the POL in the event of a communication failure or if a server or process terminates as expected.
US07979867B2
Systems and methods for managing a device in a distributed file system are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises instantiating a physical device object, in response to a file system driver detecting a device remotely connected to a computing system via a distributed network. An operating system running on the computing device loads a disk function driver for managing access to the device. A plug and play manager of the operating system enumerates the device. The disk function driver instantiates and registers a functional device object with a mount manager of the operating system. A file system instantiates a volume device object for a logical drive volume mapped to the device and the mount manager mounts the volume device object on the functional device object.
US07979865B2
A computer-readable medium bearing computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a computer, carry out a method for handling a request for an operating system service is presented. The method comprises receiving a request for execution of an operating system service. The corresponding operating system service is then identified. A unique service identifier that corresponds to the requested operating system service is obtained. A service thread is generated, the thread being associated with an executing process. Storage associated with the service thread is initialized with the unique service identifier. Thereafter, the execution of the service thread is initiated.
US07979854B1
The invention relates to upgrading software or firmware in a network. The invention simplify the process of upgrading the software or firmware by using a drag and drop mechanism. Accordingly, with the help of a user-friendly GUI, a user initiates the process of upgrading by dragging and dropping a software icon onto a device icon. The software icon may represent the software to be used for upgrading and the device icon may represent a network device including the software or firmware that is to be upgraded. A set of checks is performed during the process of upgrading. The set of checks includes checking the compatibility of the software used for upgrading with the network device.
US07979853B2
Compiler device optimizes a program by changing an order of executing instructions. The device includes: a replaceability determination unit which determines whether a first instruction included in a first instruction sequence and a second instruction included in a second instruction sequence executed after the first instruction sequence can be replaced with a common processing instruction group including a common processing instruction for processing at least respective parts of processings by the first and second instructions together; a common processing instruction group generation unit which generates a common processing instruction group in the first instruction sequence, in place of the first instruction, when the replaceability determination unit determines the first and second instructions to be replaceable; and an instruction insertion unit which inserts the second instruction into a third instruction sequence that is an instruction sequence other than the first instruction sequence and is executed before the second instruction sequence.
US07979851B2
A system and program product for facilitating computing-environment control of a resource to be accessed by existing program code is provided which includes transparently replacing an uncontrolled resource referenced by existing program code with a resource controlled by a computing environment. The protocol also includes transparently interposing at least one resource management service of the computing environment between the existing program code and the resource controlled by the computing environment, wherein the at least one resource management service provides computing-environment control of the resource to be accessed by the existing program code. The replacing of the uncontrolled resource prevents the existing program code from directly accessing the resource.
US07979845B2
A system and method provide for determining optimal input combinations useable in testing program code that includes user interface intensive workflows. Various embodiments provides for determining an input set corresponding to the target program code, determining mutually exclusive feature groups corresponding to the input set and determining a set of optimal input combinations corresponding to the feature groups. A more specific embodiment provides for determining the set of optimal input combinations in accordance with a linked or unlinked gear approach.
US07979840B2
Techniques are provided for service-oriented (SOA) process decomposition and service modeling. In one aspect of the invention, the techniques include identifying meta-data entities, attributes of the meta-data entities and relationships between stereotypes of the meta-data model, managing the meta-data model for creating, modifying and removing modeling artifacts, and creating modeling templates from the meta-data model to facilitate addressing at least one need of industry-specific applications. In another aspect the invention, the techniques include packaging the method for SOA process decomposition and service modeling, facilitating lifecycle management of modeling assets, and facilitating maintenance of the modeling assets.
US07979837B1
Methods for analyzing circuit distortion based on contributions from separate circuit elements are presented. Local approximations that do not require high-order derivatives of device models are developed near an operating point for calculating distortion summaries including compression summaries and second-order intermodulation (IM2) distortion summaries.
US07979835B1
A method of estimating resource requirements for a circuit design is disclosed. The method comprises identifying intermediate circuit modules of a netlist associated with the circuit design; accessing a library of resource requirements for intermediate circuit modules of netlists for circuit designs; selecting intermediate circuit modules of the library according to predetermined parameters for the circuit design; and generating an estimate of resource requirements for the circuit design based upon resource requirements of the selected intermediate circuit modules.
US07979826B1
Computer-readable storage media comprising data streams having mixed mode data correction capability
Methods of providing error correction in configuration bitstreams for programmable logic devices (PLDs). While any error correction method can be used, in one embodiment a Hamming code is applied to instructions in the configuration bitstream, while a product code is applied to configuration data. Thus, the higher overhead required for a Hamming code applies to only a few words in the bitstream. The instructions are corrected on receipt of the word that includes the Hamming code, so the instructions are executed correctly even if a transmission error has occurred. However, configuration data can be stored in the configuration memory without correction. With a product code, the exact location of an erroneous bit is not known until the end of the transmission, when a parity word is received. At this time, the PLD can go back and correct erroneous bits in the configuration data prior to enabling the newly loaded design.
US07979809B2
The use of gestures to organize displayed objects on an interactive display. The gesture is used to move the displayed object to the edge of the interactive display so that the displayed object is only partially displayed after being moved. The size of the displayed object may be reduced and/or the displayed object may be rotated such that an identified portion of the displayed object remains in the display after moving. A gesture may also be used to move multiple displayed objects to the edge of the display.
US07979808B2
This disclosure describes, generally, tools for navigation of tree structures. For example, a software application comprising a user interface for allowing a user to navigate a tree structure is described. The user interface comprises a graphical element including the tree structure. The tree structure comprises multiple nodes which represent a hierarchical view of data within the structure. One of the nodes is set as the active node. The computer software application also includes a storage element to store a list of previous active nodes. The graphical element is in conjunction with a first navigational element configured to step backward through the list of previous active nodes, and to set the stepped to node as the active node. The graphical element is further in conjunction with a second navigational element configured to step forward through the list of previous active nodes, and to set the stepped to node as the active node.
US07979804B1
An editing environment is disclosed having both a design and code views, each with its own undo/redo stacks. The editing environment includes logic to form an object that encapsulates the edits and changes made during a code view editing session. The object is associated or pointed to an element in the design view undo/redo stack. When the editing environment receives an undo/redo command in which a code view edit block is to be undone, the design view takes the specific object, which is then translated back into the proper format for code view execution. The code view then executes the undo/redo entries and returns any remaining code view edits that were not undone or redone, to the design view to place back into a code view edit block in either of the design view undo/redo stacks, along with the new related object.
US07979799B2
A computer connectable image display apparatus for presentation is provided. The image display apparatus has a candidate information obtaining unit, a selection screen display unit, a presentation execution instruction unit, and a drawing screen display unit. The candidate information obtaining unit obtains selection candidate information generated by the computer relating selection candidates for a presentation subject file. The selection screen display unit generates and displays a selection screen for selecting the presentation subject file based on the selection candidate information. The presentation execution instruction unit makes the computer to execute the selected presentation subject file by sending selection results with the selection screen. The drawing screen display unit captures and displays a computer drawing screen drawn by the computer. The image display apparatus displays the selection screen without displaying the computer drawing screen when a connection with the computer is established, and displays the computer drawing screen when drawing by the computer executing the selected presentation subject file is started.
US07979794B2
A mixed translation of content is created in one document based on a new use of the lang’ attribute on standard HTML tags. The HTML 4.0 specification defines the ‘lang’ attribute as being used for an element's attribute value and content. Browsers use this information to assist in proper rendering of content associated with treatment of ligatures, hyphenations and quotations. Search engines and other applications may use this field for spell checking or creating indices. The implication of this common usage is that the content is in the language indicated by the ‘lang’ attribute and language specific rules for its rendering apply.
US07979793B2
The template creation system enables a graphical selection of one or more fields from within a database system. The template creation system identifies a source format of the received fields that can be exported from the database system. The template creation system identifies a target format readable by a document editing system. For example, the document editing system may be a word processing application that stores files in an application-specific format. The template creation system creates one or more template rules based on the identified source and target formats for converting the data from the source format to the target format. The template rules may then be stored in an XSLT style sheet.
US07979778B2
The ability to accurately and efficiently calculate and report communication errors is becoming more important than ever in today's communications environment. More specifically calculating and reporting CRC anomalies in a consistent manner across a plurality of communications connections in a network is crucial to accurate error reporting. Through a normalization technique applied to a CRC computation period (e.g., the PERp value), accurate error identification and reporting for each individual connection can be achieved.
US07979776B2
An error correction block having an extended format compatible with a standardized format of a conventional error correction block, a method and apparatus for generating the error correction block, and a method of correcting an error using the error correction block. The method of generating an error correction block includes adding extra parity information for error correction to input data which is of a smaller size than main data of a standardized reference format, thereby generating an extra error correction block which is the same size as the main data, and generating an error correction block complying with the reference format using the extra error correction block as the main data.
US07979773B2
A system and method are provided for efficiently initializing a redundant array of independent disks (RAID). The method monitors host write operations and uses that information to select the optimal method to perform a parity reconstruction operation. The bins to which data access write operations have not occurred can be initialized using a zeroing process. In one aspect, the method identifies drives in the RAID array capable of receiving a ‘WriteRepeatedly’ command and leverages that capability to eliminate the need for the RAID disk array controller to provide initialization data for all disk array initialization transfers. This reduces the RAID array controller processor and I/O bandwidth required to initialize the array and further reduces the time to initialize a RAID array. In a different aspect, a method is provided for efficiently selecting a host write process for optimal data redundancy and performance in a RAID array.
US07979768B2
A receiver sends hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) feedback for a current packet and at least one previous packet, whereby an error is detected based on the H-ARQ feedback. The receiver sends H-ARQ feedback with an identification of the packet or a sequence number of a packet that the receiver expects to receive next. The receiver stores a packet in a memory before combining the packet with a previously received packet, and decodes the stored packet after failing to decode a combined packet to avoid a corruption error. The receiver may set a timer when sending a NACK. If the receiver fails to receive a packet until expiration of the timer, the receiver initiates a process for recovering the packet. Each H-ARQ feedback may be associated with other attributes. Some H-ARQ processes may operate in an asynchronous mode while others in a synchronous mode in the same direction.
US07979766B2
An aspect of the present invention reduces the additional number of signal lines of a bus for control signals by using a set of signal lines to transfer data bits in some durations and to transfer control signals in some other durations. In one embodiment, the same signal lines are used to transfer data in a data transfer phase, and for bus arbitration in a bus arbitration phase. As a result, the total number of signal lines of a bus (bus width) is reduced. According to another aspect of the present invention, an arbitrator block allocates the bus to one of the requesting modules according to an assigned priority and least recently used (LRU) policy.
US07979765B2
Provided are a generation device and the like for generating a test vector which can reduce capture power efficiently. The generation device 100 generates a test vector for a logic circuit by assigning logic values to each of a plurality of unspecified bits (X-bits) included in a test cube. The generation device 100 includes a selection unit 101 for selecting, among the plurality of X-bits, a target X-bit, which is a target of assigning a logic value, a capture transition metric calculation unit 103 for calculating capture transition metric caused by a test cube including an X-bit, and a logic value assignment unit 105 for assigning, to the selected target X-bit, a logic value which causes the smaller capture transition metric, by applying the capture transition metric calculation means to a first test cube obtained by assigning a logic value 0 to the selected target X-bit and to a second test cube obtained by assigning a logic value 1 to the selected target X-bit, and by comparing a capture transition metric caused by a first test cube and a capture transition metric caused by a second test cube.
US07979763B2
Scan testing and scan compression are key to realizing cost reduction and shipped quality. New defect types in ever more complex designs require increased compression. However, increased density of unknown (X) values reduces effective compression. A scan compression method can achieve very high compression and full coverage for any density of unknown values. The described techniques can be fully integrated in the design-for-test (DFT) and automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) flows. Results from using these techniques on industrial designs demonstrate consistent and predictable advantages over other methods.
US07979756B2
An apparatus, system and method for a go/no go tester that uses various data patterns to assure that equipments, systems and networks using data links, receivers and transmitters are working within the range of predetermined requirements of standards, specifications and protocols. The apparatus, system and methods can be used in at least one of SAS/SATA and Fiber Channel systems based on integrated circuit devices used within the apparatus of the invention.
US07979755B2
The present invention is directed to repair a defective bit included in a memory in a semiconductor integrated circuit device for a display controller. The semiconductor integrated circuit device has a display memory capable of storing display data in a storage area, and a repair circuit capable of repairing a defect by replacing an area including a defect in the display memory with a spare storage area provided on the outside of a regular storage area for storing the display data. The device further includes a selector circuit provided on a transmission path of output data from the display memory and selectively replacing output data from the regular storage area with output data from the spare storage area in accordance with a control signal from the repair circuit. By selectively replacing the output data from the regular storage area with output data from the spare storage area in accordance with a control signal from the repair circuit, a defective bit is repaired.
US07979748B2
A plurality of heap dump requests associated with an operating virtual machine (VM) program is received from a VM profiler interface module at a heap dump request processing module. In response to receipt of each heap dump request at the heap dump request processing module, a dynamic modifiable library identified within a dynamic modifiable configuration file is loaded into a memory, where the dynamic modifiable library comprises instructions associated with processing a current heap dump request. The instructions associated with processing the current heap dump request are executed. The dynamic modifiable library is unloaded from the memory. A plurality of heap dump files and a plurality of object movement event files generated by execution of the instructions are analyzed. A memory leak associated with the operating VM program is automatically identified based upon the analyzed plurality of heap dump files and the plurality of object movement event files.
US07979741B2
A storage system maintains a journal and a snapshot of one or more data volumes. Two journal entry types are maintained, an AFTER journal entry and a BEFORE journal entry. Two modes of data recovery are provided: “fast” recovery and “undo-able” recovery. A combination of both recovery modes allows the user to quickly recover a targeted data state.
US07979736B2
A memory block having a plurality of parameter data including parameter data to be updated is read to a working area from a nonvolatile memory and, whether the plurality of parameter data is correct or not is checked on a basis of error detection data. When an error is detected, temporary updating data are generated in a working area by updating the parameter data to be updated to a specified parameter data and by updating data except the parameter data to be updated to an unspecified data that have no meaning, and then the temporary updating data are written into the nonvolatile memory.
US07979733B2
A health check monitoring process embedded in a client system provides automation of monitoring processes of system and application components and creates and pushes incidents and/or administration tasks to a user or user interface if a critical situation or event, such as a monitored status of a component exceeds a predetermined threshold value or state, is detected. The creation of an incident includes automatically collecting context data associated with the event, generating a incident report associated with the collected diagnostic data and generating an incident service request based on the incident report. The context data may include technical and application information that is usually required to resolve the incident. The user interface includes various views depicting different levels of information related to the service request, such as an incident work list, details of a particular incident and details of the context data associated with an incident.
US07979729B2
A performance measure (e.g., processor speed) for computing components such as servers is optimized by creating models of power consumption versus the performance measure for each server, adding the power models to derive an overall power model, and calculating an optimum set point for the performance measure which corresponds to a power limit on the servers using the overall power model. The set point is then used to set power budgets for the servers based on their power models, and the servers maintain power levels no greater than their respective power budgets. The server power models are preferably created in real time by monitoring power consumption and the performance measure to derive sets of data points for the servers, and performing regression on the sets of data points to yield power models for the servers. Multiple server power models may be created for different program applications.
US07979728B2
A system which enables battery powered devices such as notebook computers to efficiently charge smaller mobile devices such as music players, cell phones and PDAs using the power signals provided over their data connections is made more efficient by ensuring that the power to the small mobile device is not interrupted should the notebook computer otherwise go into a standby or low-power state. The presence of the small mobile device is known and any power-down capabilities of the notebook computer are limited, at least for the period where the small mobile device is being recharged. This detection can be done at any of the levels of software present in the notebook computer. This charging and not powering down can be further optimized by determining the particular device and its charging requirements or by having the device provide feedback as to its charge state.
US07979724B2
An integrated circuit (IC) chip containing a plurality of voltage islands containing corresponding functional blocks that can be selectively fenced, i.e., powered down, while saving the states of the corresponding inputs, and unfenced in order to manage power consumption of the chip. Each fencable functional block includes a power switch and state-saving circuitry for saving the state of the inputs to that functional block. A power modulation unit (PMU) generates fencing signals that control the power switches and state-saving circuitries so as to selectively fence the corresponding functional blocks. The PMU generates the fencing signals as a function of one or more operating arguments.
US07979723B2
A motion sensor arrangement is presented for dispenser capable point-of-purchase devices. The invention includes one or more motion sensors and a power management circuit facilitating activation of visual and motion display elements and/or a dispensing mechanism. Motion sensors are attached to a shelf-mountable display unit and capable of determining the presence of a person within the vicinity of the device. Power management circuit communicates with the motion sensors and display elements, examples including light emitting diodes and motorized drive devices. The power management circuit activates one or more display elements to communicate queues to a person within visual range of the point-of-purchase device. The dispensing mechanism ejects a coupon or product information sheet when a person is sensed within the vicinity of the point-of-purchase device. The power management circuit causes display elements and dispensing mechanism to operate in different power modes based at least in part on the determination of the presence of a person by one or more motion sensors.
US07979719B2
A storage means which can be accessed by an authentication apparatus stores content data, a first digest table including primary digest values corresponding to a plurality of data portions constituting the content data, a second digest table including secondary digest values corresponding to a plurality of data portions of the first digest table, and a digital signature generated from the second digest table. In a first reading step, the second digest table and the digital signature are read out from the storage means into a memory of the authentication apparatus. In a first authentication step, the authenticity of the content data is verified using the digital signature read out into the memory and the second digest table read out into the memory.
US07979716B2
In an embodiment, a secure module is provided that provides access keys to an unsecured system. In an embodiment, the secure module may generate passcodes and supply the passcodes to the unsecured system. In an embodiment, the access keys are sent to the unsecured system after receiving the passcode from the unsecured system. In an embodiment, after authenticating the passcode, the secure module does not store the passcode in its memory. In an embodiment, the unsecured module requires the access key to execute a set of instructions or another entity. In an embodiment, the unsecured system does not store access keys. In an embodiment, the unsecured system erases the access key once the unsecured system no longer requires the access key. In an embodiment, the unsecured system receives a new passcode to replace the stored passcode after using the stored passcode. Each of these embodiments may be used separately.
US07979714B2
Authentication and access control device (104) includes a first security key sub-system (110, 112, 114, 116, 118). The first security key sub-system is responsive to an input signal for providing a first key code required for permitting a user access to a controlled resource. The device advantageously also includes a second security key sub-system (110, 112, 114, 116, 118) for providing a second key code different from the first key code. The second key code is useful for authenticating the user or facilitating secure use of a particular controlled resource (102).
US07979706B1
The subject invention relates to a system and methodology facilitating automated manufacturing processes in a regulated industrial controller environment, wherein operator commands are tied to one or more signature requirements before the requested commands take effect in a batch system. In one aspect, a system is provided for signature processing in an industrial control environment. The system includes a queuing component to hold a pending request for an action. A signature component then determines when an electronic signature is completed for the action, wherein a batch processor executes the action from the queuing component after the electronic signature is completed. A policy component can be provided to define one or more conditions for completing the electronic signature.
US07979705B2
The present invention relates to a method and system for comfortably operating chipcard applications in a chipcard application system. It is proposed to define at least one trusted terminal device (12) in a trusted environment for a Chipcard (10) in use with which the card holder verification (CHV) dialogue is suppressed and the CHV operation is performed in the system hidden from the user. Either, the trusted terminal ID is stored on the chip of the chipcard, or, the Chipcard ID (22) is stored on a trusted terminal together with the PIN (Personal Identification Number) of the card holder. Such an association can help to suppress the CHV dialogue in a trusted environment.
US07979695B2
A program generating device connected with at least one first device and at least one second device on a network comprises an authority information acquiring system that acquires authority information representing a process that the at least one second device is authorized to utilize among processes that can be executed by the at least one first device, an electronic certificate generating system that generates an electronic certificate that causes the at least one first device to certify the at least one second device, an application program selecting system that selects an application program for causing the at least one first device to execute the process that the at least one second device is authorized to utilize based on the authority information, and an installation program generating system that generates an installation program for installing the generated electronic certificate and the selected application program into the at least one second device.
US07979691B2
A network is protected from e-mail viruses through the use of a sacrificial server. Any executable program or other suspicious parts of incoming e-mail messages are forwarded to a sacrificial server, where they are converted to non-executable format such as Adobe Acrobat PDF and sent to the recipient. The sacrificial server is then checked for virus activity. After the execution is completed, the sacrificial server is rebooted.
US07979687B2
A quick start method for starting up a system easily and quickly is disclosed. A memory control unit reads the start-up data prestored in a storage unit, using auxiliary power supplied from an auxiliary power supply unit. Also, the memory control unit writes the read start-up data into RAM. As well, the memory control unit reads and outputs the start-up data written in RAM when the main power is turned on.
US07979681B2
In a particular embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes identifying a first block of bits within a result to be written to a destination register by an execution unit. The result includes a plurality of bits having the first block of bits and a second block of bits. The first block of bits has a value of zero. The method further includes providing an encoded bit value representing the first block of bits to a control register and selectively writing the second block of bits, but not the first block of bits, to the destination register. The destination register is sized to receive the first and second blocks of bits.
US07979671B2
A method, system and program are disclosed for accelerating data storage in a cache appliance that transparently monitors NFS and CIFS traffic between clients and NAS subsystems and caches files in a cache memory by using a dual hash technique to rapidly store and/or retrieve connection state information for cached connections in a plurality of index tables that are indexed by hashing network protocol address information with a pair of irreducible CRC hash algorithms to obtain an index to the memory location of the connection state information.
US07979667B2
Systems and/or methods that facilitate a search of a memory component(s) to locate a desired logical block address (LBA) associated with a memory location in a memory component are presented. Searches to locate a desired LBA(s) in a memory component(s) associated with a processor component are offloaded and controlled by the memory component(s). A search component searches pages in the memory array to facilitate locating a page of data associated with an LBA stored in the memory component. The search component can retrieve a portion of a page of data in a block in the memory component to facilitate determining whether the page contains an LBA associated with a command based in part on command information. The search component can search pages in the memory component until a desired page is located or a predetermined number of searches is performed without locating the desired page.
US07979665B1
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing a software layer that provides a Content Addressable Storage (CAS) capability in a computer system in which the content units are ultimately stored on a block I/O storage system. An application program may issue access requests to content units referring to them via a content address, and the software layer can convert such access requests to block I/O commands to be processed by the block I/O storage system. Thus, a CAS capability can be provided despite the absence of a storage system that provides such a capability natively.
US07979663B2
A physical extent assurance unit manages correspondence of a logical disk accessed from a host computer with physical extents. A data pattern generation response unit generates a predetermined data pattern, and returns this data pattern in response to a data request from the host computer. A pattern matching unit checks the data pattern of a storage area every access to storage media or periodically. When the entire area of the assured physical extent defines the predetermined data pattern, the pattern matching unit deleted the logical disk allocation of the assured physical extent.
US07979659B2
Memory management by garbage collection involves a memory area that is allocated in a computer. Data is created in the memory area in accordance with a program executed by a processor of the computer, and it is checked whether or not data necessary to execute the program exists in the memory area to be released, in response to an explicit instruction to release the memory area. As a result of the check, if data necessary to execute the program does not exist in the memory area, the memory area is released. As a result of the check, if data necessary to execute the program exists in the memory area, the data is moved to a memory area different from the memory area to be released.
US07979656B2
A method, system, and apparatus of minimizing configuration of changes in a fabric-based data protection solution. In one embodiment, a method includes configuring a switch such that a write request to a primary storage device is transferred through a virtual initiator in the switch to the primary storage device and to a secondary storage device, and configuring the switch such that a read request from the secondary initiator of a data in the primary storage device appears as though the read request is coming from a physical initiator rather than the secondary initiator (e.g., such that system protocol may be bypassed because the switch intercepts a response having the data from the primary storage device through a virtual target which uses the virtual initiator of the switch to communicate the data to the secondary initiator rather than the physical initiator).
US07979654B2
A system for synchronizing a secondary volume with a primary volume in a continuous data protection system includes scanning means for scanning a region of the primary volume; comparing means for comparing the scanned region with a corresponding region of the secondary volume; storing means for storing an identification of the scanned region in a compare delta map when the comparing means returns a discrepancy between the scanned region and the corresponding region; copying means for copying data from the primary volume to the secondary volume, using the compare delta map as a guide to locate the data to copy; and revising means for revising the compare delta map by removing any changes made to the primary volume during a scan interval, which is a period of time required to scan the primary volume.
US07979650B2
A method for enhancing computer data backup is disclosed. The method includes storing identifications and corresponding functionalities for a plurality of storage devices in a database. A storage device that is in data communication with a computer that is to be backed up is selected. An identification of the storage device selected for use in the backup is determined. If functionalities for the selected storage device are contained in the database, then at least one of the functionalities for the selected storage device is used to enhance a data backup to the selected storage device if functionalities for the selected storage device are stored in the database. If functionalities for the selected storage device are not contained in the database, then the selected storage device can be queried in an attempt to match it to one of the storage devices contained in the database, so that functionalities for the storage device contained within the database can be used to enhance data backup.
US07979648B2
Methods and apparatus provide for a Dynamic Interleaver to modify the interleaving distribution spanning physical memory modules. Specifically, dynamic interleaving provides the ability to increase the number of interleaved physical memory modules when a current interleaved group of memory locations is experiencing heavy use. By increasing the number of interleaved memory locations, a system can make optimal use of memory by allowing more parallel accesses to physical memory during the period of heavy utilization. However, if the current interleaved group of memory locations experience low use, the Dynamic Interleaver can choose to interleave across fewer physical memory modules and apply power management techniques to those memory locations that are no longer being accessed. Prior to “re-interleaving” interleaved memory locations, the Dynamic Interleaver migrates data out of the current interleaved memory locations. After re-interleaving, the Dynamic Interleaver maps the data back into the re-interleaved memory locations.
US07979645B2
A memory mapping unit requests allocation of a remote memory to memory mapping units of other processor nodes via a second communication unit, and requests creation of a mapping connection to a memory-mapping managing unit of a first processor node via the second communication unit. The memory-mapping managing unit creates the mapping connection between a processor node and other processor nodes according to a connection creation request from the memory mapping unit, and then transmits a memory mapping instruction for instructing execution of a memory mapping to the memory mapping unit via a first communication unit of the first processor node.
US07979644B2
A multiprocessor system comprises a plurality of system controllers, each of which performs a snoop processing regarding a cache device in its charge. The system controllers adjust the number of steps of a snoop pipeline for the snoop processing according to communication time with the other system controllers. The number-of-steps adjustment absorbs the difference of the communication time in the results of the snoop for each scale of the multiprocessor system. When a retrial is determined by an address conflict or the like in the snoop processing, each of the system controllers resubmits the access to be retried to the snoop pipeline after waiting until no other access which may cause an address conflict precedes. The resubmission timing prevents infinite repetition of the retrial of the snoop processing in the system controllers.
US07979639B2
Optimizing cache-resident area where cache residence control in units of LUs is employed to a storage apparatus that virtualizes the capacity by acquiring only a cache area of a size that is the same as the physical capacity assigned to the LU. An LU is a logical space resident in cache memory is configured by a set of pages acquired by dividing a pool volume as a physical space created by using a plurality of storage devices in a predetermined size. When the LU to be resident in the cache memory is created, a capacity corresponding to the size of the LU is not initially acquired in the cache memory, a cache capacity that is the same as the physical capacity allocated to a new page is acquired in the cache memory each time when the page is newly allocated, and the new page is resident in the cache memory.
US07979637B2
A memory transfer routine detection unit detects a combination of instructions indicating a data transfer process in a data cache by checking instruction codes and operand codes of a sequence of instructions stored in an instruction buffer. A combination of instructions representing a data transfer process in a data cache detected by the memory transfer routine detection unit are allocated to a memory transfer unit for execution.
US07979636B2
A method of controlling a semiconductor memory card system including a host device incorporating a semiconductor memory card and communicating information with a user of the host device to warn the imminent end of the life of the memory card in the system is provided. According to one aspect, there is provided a method of controlling a semiconductor memory card, the method comprising creating end-of-life index data of the semiconductor memory card, reading the end-of-life index data in response to a command from a host device to the semiconductor memory card, creating an end-of-life warning status of the semiconductor memory card from the end-of-life index data based on a life control limit value, and sending a response containing the end-of-life warning status to the host device as a response to the command through the same communication line as that for the command.
US07979634B2
An allocation apparatus of the present invention provides the mechanism that another logical volume of temporary number is automatically made in the storage system shared with plural servers, when it is recognized that the targeted logical volume is doubly allocated. By the present invention, the data destruction can be prevented by making the target server accessing another logical volume allocated automatically when the double allocation is detected. And the processing of a temporary allocation is continued until the alert message to the effect that the logical volume required from the target server is overlapped in the logical storage area is transmitted to the operator, the allocated another logical volume is approved by the operator, and the cancellation of overlapping allocation is confirmed.
US07979630B2
Receiving a request for canceling setting, a control circuit erases data stored in a corresponding block, changes a value of a protection flag, and cancels protection setting. When an overall protection is set for any block, the control circuit prohibits access to all blocks, except when it is an operation mode for activating a memory program contained in the microcomputer. Further, control circuit permits an access to a block M only when partial protection is set, CPU is in the mode for activating a memory program contained in the microcomputer and the access is for reading an instruction code in accordance with an instruction fetch.
US07979629B2
A serial peripheral interface memory module using address cache comprises a flash memory array for storing data, a serial/parallel convertor for receiving serial signals and generating a control command, an address and data, an address register, an address accumulator for accumulating the address in the address register and storing the accumulated address back to the address register, and a flash memory controller for controlling the access to the flash memory array. When the control command is a standard command, the serial/parallel controller first stores the address following the control command into the address register and then the flash memory controller accesses data according to the address in the address register. When the control command is a specific command, the flash memory controller directly accesses data according to the address in the address register without waiting for an address update.
US07979618B2
An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image processors which process an image to be formed on a printing medium corresponding to a plurality of colors, a processor which executes an interrupt routine with respect to the plurality of image processors, and a controller which generates an interrupt signal and transmits the interrupt signal to the processor if at least two of the plurality of image processors generate interrupt requests so that the processor executes the interrupt routine.
US07979605B2
A latency control circuit includes a FIFO controller and a register unit. The FIFO controller may generate an increase signal according to an external command, and generate a decrease signal according to an internal command. The FIFO controller may also enable a depth point signal responsive to the increase signal and the decrease signal. The register unit may include n registers. The value n (rounded off) may be obtained by dividing a larger value of a maximum number of additive latencies and a maximum number of write latencies by a column cycle delay time (tCCD). The registers may store an address received with the external command responsive to the increase signal and a clock signal, and may shift either the address or a previous address to a neighboring register. The latency control circuit transmits an address stored in a register as a column address corresponding to the enabled depth point signal.
US07979598B1
A method may include detecting an event, determining whether the event correlates to a hard disk access, requesting a wake-ahead of a hard disk drive if it is determined that the event correlates to a hard disk access, weighing a performance improvement of the hard disk drive if the wake ahead request is granted against a life of the hard disk drive if the wake ahead request is not granted, and waking ahead the hard disk drive if the performance improvement outweighs the life of the hard disk drive.
US07979584B1
Selecting a segment boundary within block b is disclosed. A first anchor location j|j+1 is identified wherein a value of f(b[j−A+1 . . . j+B]) satisfies a constraint and wherein A and B are non-negative integers. A segment boundary location k|k+1 is determined wherein k is greater than minimum distance from j.
US07979583B2
An information processing apparatus includes a server function configured to provide one or more services to a client apparatus via a communication network. The information processing apparatus includes a service ID generation unit configured to generate service IDs for each of the services and to associate the service IDs with the services for identifying the services, a service ID transmission unit configured to transmit the service ID to at least one of the client apparatus and a discovery proxy server connected to the communication network via the communication network, and a service connection unit configured to connect a service to be specified by the service ID included a service connection inquiry with one of the client apparatus and the discovery proxy server that is an inquiry origin when the service connection inquiry has been made from the one of the client apparatus and the discovery proxy server.
US07979582B2
A communication device includes: an address administration unit that manages data link layer addresses; and an ARP processing unit that processes an ARP protocol. The ARP processing unit includes an ARP receiving unit, an ARP transmitting unit, a duplication detecting unit, a duplication notification generating unit and an update GARP generating unit. The update GARP generating unit transmits a GARP and thereby updates the ARP tables of the communication devices on the same network, in order to solve a problem in which communication is interrupted.
US07979572B1
A data storage system having protocol controller for converting packets between PCIE format used by a storage processor and Rapid IO format used by a packet switching network. The controller includes a PCIE end point for transferring atomic operation (DSA) requests, a data pipe section having a plurality of data pipes for passing user data; and a message engine section for passing messages among the plurality of storage processors. An acceleration path controller bypasses a DSA buffer in the absence of congestion on the network. Packets fed to the PCIE end point include an address portion having code indicating an atomic operation. An encoder converts the code from a PCIE format into the same atomic operation in SRIO format. Each one of a plurality of CPUs is adapted to perform a second DSA request during execution of a first DSA request.
US07979567B2
A method for sharing subscriptions to the content of a resource list includes creating a first subscription to the content of the resource list upon receipt of a first subscription request for the presence state of the list from a first user; receiving a second presence subscription request for the resource list from a second user; sending a one-time request with the identity of the second subscribing user to an XCAP server; receiving an authorization response related to the one-time request; and creating a super user subscription to the content of the resource list, the super user subscription used to provide presence state information about the list members to the first user and the second user.
US07979566B2
Bookmarking of tokens in a set of streaming tokens, each representing an instantiation instruction or instantiation context. A navigator receives a set of streaming tokens, and provides the tokens to the instantiation manager. However, if the navigator receives an instruction to bookmark a particular token, the navigator buffers the set of streaming instructions at least beginning at the bookmarked token (and possible even earlier if there were prior bookmarks). The navigator replays the set of streaming tokens beginning at a bookmark in response to an instruction from an instantiation manager. The instantiation manager receives the set of streaming tokens. If the instantiation manager is not presently capable of handling the instruction of a particular token, the instantiation manager instructs the navigator to bookmark the particular token. When the instantiation manager later receives a token that permits the instantiation manager to return to the bookmark, the instantiation manager returns to the bookmark to replay the instantiation instructions beginning at the bookmark.
US07979553B2
An electronic device connected to a network at a first network address set by AutoIP or the like detects the existence of an address server such as a DHCP server on such network. If the address server is detected, then it is determined whether or not the electronic device is transferring data to another device. If it is determined that the electronic device is transferring data, the device changes the first network address to a second network address acquired from the address server after the transfer of the data is finished.
US07979550B2
In one embodiment, the systems and methods determine an initial bandwidth at a client device; allocate an allocated bandwidth to the client device between a first server and a second server; monitor the allocated bandwidth; and adjust the allocated bandwidth based on a target bandwidth from the first server to the client.
US07979548B2
A method and system are disclosed for logically partitioning resources of a single channel adapter for use in a system area network. Each resource includes a partition identifier register within which is stored a partition identifier. A first one of the resources is assigned to a first partition by storing a first partition identifier in the partition identifier register within the first one of the resources. A second one of the resources is assigned to a second partition by storing a second partition identifier in the partition identifier register within the second one of the resources. Partitioning of the resources is enforced by permitting access to the first resource by only the first partition and permitting access to the second resource by only the second partition by checking the partition identifiers of each resource.
US07979544B2
Taking a size and demographic composition of a target population; identifying a group of participants; determining demographic information for each member of the group; receiving clickstream data that connotes Internet activity of individual members of the group; producing an estimate of the target population's Internet activity by scaling the data for each member of the group to the relative size and demographic composition of the target population and the group by applying a weight to the clickstream data in view of the demographic information; and refining the estimate of the population's Internet activity by applying a weight to a subset of the data from the group of participants, wherein the bias adjustment is at least one of a domain-specific, page-specific, segment-specific, and user-specific adjustment.
US07979543B2
A method for categorizing network traffic content includes determining a first characterization of the network traffic content determining a first probability of accuracy associated with the first characterization, and categorizing the network traffic content based at least in part on the first characterization and the first probability of accuracy. A method for use in a process to categorize network traffic content includes obtaining a plurality of data, each of the plurality of data representing a probability of accuracy of a characterization of network traffic content, and associating each of the plurality of data with a technique for characterizing network traffic content. A method for categorizing network traffic content includes determining a characterization of the network traffic content, determining a weight value associated with the characterization, and categorizing network traffic content based at least in part on the characterization of the network traffic content and the weight value.
US07979533B2
A system, method and computer program product for auditing a message in a message stream are disclosed. Messages in a message stream are captured including at least one message in an extensible markup language (XML) format. Each message in the XML format is then extracted from the captured messages and has a timestamp applied thereto. Each timestamped message in the XML format is then stored in a memory.
US07979526B2
A system and method are provided for establishing network connections. Initially, an attempt to establish a connection on a network is identified. A portion of memory is then allocated for storing data associated with the connection.
US07979523B2
In one embodiment, a network device determines one or more conditions for invoking one or more real applications to the network device for a session. This determination may be made at the initiation of the session, such as when a SIP INVITE message is received. The one or more conditions allow real applications to be invoked when a future event satisfies the condition. When it is determined that a condition is satisfied, a real application associated with the condition is then invoked. Accordingly, conditions may be set for real applications that may be tested against future events that have not yet occurred. This allows deferred invocation of real applications. Accordingly, if real applications are not needed for a session, then they are not invoked. But, when a real application is needed, it can be invoked.
US07979522B2
A system and method for detecting and monitoring confidential and DICOM image traffic on a computing device in a PACS network, protecting patient confidentiality by preventing the simultaneous display of confidential images and patient identification information when measuring and displaying the image data. The system detects and measures the transfer of confidential images and stores and displays information included in only the non-confidential headers of the images. The system monitors and warns (such as via email and/or pagers) PACS administrators of system slowdowns as a result of the data gathered.
US07979516B2
A system and method of non-interactive communication with wireless networks for a mobile wireless device such as a telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop, or other device configured for performing data transfers with an unreliable network, and the playing back of multimedia received over said network. The invention allows a user to send and receive email, web and other data updates in physical areas and locations of limited signal coverage without the user periodically activating the device for updating data. Furthermore, the invention allows non-interactive receipt of multimedia content for viewing when a network communication outage arises. In one embodiment a second (or subsequent) multimedia stream is received and stored in a data repository for playback when an outage arises. The programming of the device is configured to retrieve the content within the second multimedia stream in response to device programming, user set parameters, learned behaviors and/or non-user based selections.
US07979505B2
A contents reproduction system comprises: a server apparatus for storing contents obtained from external and a client apparatus by which the contents stored in the server apparatus is reproducible, wherein the server apparatus includes: a list preparing section for preparing a list of the contents stored in a contents storage section; and a list transmitting section for transmitting the contents list prepared by the list preparing section to the client apparatus, and the client apparatus includes: a list comparing section for comparing a first list stored in a list storage section and a second list newly obtained by a list obtaining section; an additional contents presentation section for presenting newly added content by a recognizable form based on a comparison result obtained by the list comparing section; a contents reproduction section for reproducing the content presented by the additional contents presentation section based on a control signal indicating reproduction.
US07979502B2
An apparatus and a method for providing remote supervisory override of a lockout at a workstation is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first workstation an override response module which is configured to receive an override request message. The override response module provides an override response message that includes an indicator of an action authorized by the user of the apparatus.
US07979501B1
Informational items are displayed in a scrollable area of a message display. The informational items may be any number of type of items (e.g., RSS feeds, new items, images, application tips, and so on). A user is provided the ability to scroll forward and backward through the informational items. A user may choose the informational item (e.g., by clicking) and more detailed information about the informational item is presented to the user. Depending on the display view of the message application (e.g., InBox, conversation), different informational item types will have different probabilities of display. A user may customize the types of informational items to be displayed.
US07979497B2
A method and system for message delivery in a messaging network are provided for enabling scaling. A messaging network includes a group of a plurality of queue managers, each of which includes means for carrying out a method comprising: receiving a message at a queue manager, removing at least some of the original message data to form a link message, adding a reference to the link message referring to the queue manager, sending the link message to a link message queue, and putting the original message to a local queue on the first queue manager. A link message queue may provided on each of the queue managers in the group, or single link message queue may be provided on one queue manager and accessible by the other queue managers in the group.
US07979492B2
Various embodiments of a method, system and computer program product provide e-mail from a user with a primary e-mail address. A temporary e-mail address is generated. The temporary e-mail address is associated with a time decay attribute and the primary e-mail address. The e-mail is sent using the temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address.
US07979488B2
A system for process control comprises a server digital data processor and a client digital data processor that are coupled by a network, such as the Internet or an Intranet. The server digital data processor, which is additionally coupled to a control/sensing device and any associated interface equipment (collectively, referred to as “process control apparatus”), includes a command processor that transfers information between the network and the process control apparatus. The client digital data processor includes an information client (e.g., a so-called Internet web browser) capable of requesting and receiving an applet from the server digital data processor. The information client, further, defines a hardware-independent and operating system-independent virtual machine environment within the client digital data processor. The client digital data processor executes, within that virtual machine environment, an applet for configuring the client digital data processor as a “process controller” that establishes communications over the network with the command processor and that monitors and/or controls the process control apparatus via those communications.
US07979481B2
Provided is a random number generating circuit having a simple circuit structure, for generating a physical random number based on a noise. The random number generating circuit includes a reference voltage section, an inverting amplifier section having a threshold voltage equal to a reference voltage level, and a semiconductor switch provided between an output terminal of the reference voltage section and an input terminal of the inverting amplifier section. A thermal noise produced from the reference voltage section is held by the semiconductor switch and a capacitor and amplified by the inverting amplifier section to generate the physical random number.
US07979478B2
A data storage or management method is provided which allows both a content object-based access and a file-based access. A first request for storing a content object in accordance with the processing of an application program executed in a host is sent to an object archive control functionality executed in the host, an intermediate server, or a storage apparatus. The object archive control functionality generates an object identifier corresponding to the content object received in response to the first request, a directory name corresponding to the object identifier, and a plurality of file names corresponding to a plurality of fields contained in the content object. The storage apparatus stores a directory having the directory name and the plurality of files having the plurality of file names in accordance with the second request.
US07979473B2
An association rule is extracted by processing a database partitioned into record units in which the same attribute is missing, from a database including missing values. The association rule is extracted from the database including the missing by means for partitioning a database so that a database including a missing analysis object becomes record blocks in which the same attribute is missing, and means for estimating an upper threshold of a support value in the entire database from local support counts in partitioned databases and thereby limiting records for which the support count is counted.
US07979457B1
A method and apparatus are provided for a dynamic information connection search engine. User actions may be detected on at least one client system. In response, a determination may be made whether the user is searching for supported information. When the user is searching for supported information, information may be extracted electronically from, for example, third party websites, direct supplier connections, and/or intermediate databases. Potential suppliers may be automatically selected in response to the detected user search. Queries may be formulated from the user search and transferred to one or more selected suppliers over a network coupling (e.g., the Internet and/or an intranet). The queries may include one or more requests for information. One or more responses may be received from the suppliers, and the responses may be used to generate a result list for the user. The result list may include information and/or query status information. Further, an electronic link may be provided to a website of one or more of the supplies from which the information was derived.
US07979453B2
A method/algorithm allows database queries to be saved and an efficient mechanism that matches records whenever they are added or modified to all of the saved queries and returns the list of those queries that match a given record as soon as the record is added or modified. If used in an online search portal example (e.g. a job search site), this invention would allow the searcher to submit and save his search criteria once and the application would return the listings that match the search criteria at that point in time and will also automatically match any new listings that get added after the query gets saved and if a match occurs would notify the user of the listing as soon as the listing is added. This matching on new listings to the saved search will happen continuously until the search is removed. According to an aspect of the invention, by matching a record that is added or changed to the database to all saved queries, it provides convenience to the users and it also reduces the computational cost to achieve the same result relative to other existing techniques to address the same scenario.
US07979441B2
A data management system or “DMS” provides data services to data sources associated with a set of application host servers. The data management system typically comprises one or more regions, with each region having one or more clusters. A given cluster has one or more nodes that share storage. When providing continuous data protection and data distribution, the DMS nodes create distributed object storage to provide the necessary real-time data management services. The objects created by the DMS nodes are so-called active objects. The distributed object store can be built above raw storage devices, a traditional file system, a special purpose file system, a clustered file system, a database, and so on. According to the present invention, the DMS active object store provides an indexing service to the active objects. In an illustrative embodiment, any object property that has a given attribute is indexed and, as a result, the attribute becomes searchable. The DMS provides hierarchical distributed indexing using index trees to facilitate searching in a highly efficient manner.
US07979434B2
A system and method for retrieving and storing digital documents with physical file storage systems are provided. The disclosed system and methods allow a user to retrieve digital documents from a conventional file storage system and to seamlessly categorize and store the digital documents within the conventional file storage system. The system and method provide for receiving an identifier associated with the physical file folder; and accessing the digital documents of the physical file folder using the received identifier. The system and method further provide for storing digital content in a file folder over a network including uploading and storing the digital content; entering an identification code associated with at least one file folder; and assigning digital content to the at least one selected file folder.
US07979433B2
A method and apparatus for implementing a corporate directory and service center is described. The method includes and the apparatus performs querying for common characteristics, displaying information in a varied manner of displays and switching between the manners of displaying, maintaining data integrity and changing data, and defining types of data with forms of display or treatments for handling the data. The method may be embodied in various media as instructions which a machine may execute to perform the method.
US07979414B2
One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for processing a search request message received over a network includes computing a threshold value in accordance with the search request message and returning at least one search result to a user in response to the search request message, if a rank of the at least one search result at least meets the threshold value.
US07979412B2
A method, apparatus and program product is provided for querying an object database. In response to performing a first query, a first set of query results is generated from an object database. Metadata associated with and describing the first set of query results is generated. The first query results and the associated metadata are mapped to a results entity. A second set of query results is generated by querying the results entity using query terms from the metadata in response to performing a second query.
US07979407B2
Systems and methods for publishing information to a plurality of software applications are provided. The methods may comprise identifying a plurality of records based on a last sequential identification code in a high watermark table of a persistent store. The plurality of records may be generated subsequent to a previous record corresponding to the last sequential identification code. A plurality of corresponding messages each corresponding to a record of the plurality of records may be prepared. Each of those messages may then be transmit to at least one software application and may include a most recent message corresponding to a most recent record. In the high water mark table of the persistent store, an updated last sequential identification code may be stored as a pointer for subsequent reference. The updated last sequential identification code may correspond to the most recent message transmitted in the plurality of corresponding messages.
US07979401B2
Tokens corresponding to data units written to a rewritable file system are stored, where an ordering relationship is maintained among the tokens, where the ordering relationship is such that a first token corresponding to a first data unit is of a lesser numerical value in comparison to a second token corresponding to a second data unit, and where the first data unit is written at an earlier point in time in comparison to the second data unit. The rewritable file system is reverted to an indicated point in time based on the ordering relationship that is maintained among the stored tokens.
US07979376B2
A method and system for adding processes to print production workflows utilizing asset metadata and automated reasoning system is disclosed. The asset metadata can be extracted from the resources associated with a print product description such as PDF files and image and artwork files. The asset metadata can be processed through an automated reasoning system in order to infer additional metadata. The inferred metadata can be utilized to add and parameterize a process node in order to build a more effective and useful process network. The reasoning system can be a rule based reasoning system and/or ontology based reasoning system.
US07979375B2
The invention includes a tradeoff module having a range of values, a criteria behavior module that analyzes attributes including values of the criteria for a set of alternatives, generating a set of scores reflecting the desirability of the attributes using logic diagrams, and a scoring and ranking module that utilizes assigned values from the tradeoff module and the set of scores from the criteria behavior module to generate a ranked list of alternatives. The invention is used to facilitate a reverse auction, where suppliers submit bids to a purchaser desiring specific goods or services. The invention discloses a system for generating a ranked list of alternatives, including means for generating a homogeneous matrix of scores based on a heterogeneous matrix of attributes and alternatives, means for receiving a tradeoff value, and means for generating a ranked list of alternatives based on the homogeneous matrix of scores and the tradeoff value.
US07979371B2
Computer resources in a computer network can be predictively monitored where those resources are conventionally monitored using a monitoring rule. For predictive monitoring, the current values of the parameters of the monitoring rule are tracked at regular intervals. The current values are used in an “inverted” or predictive form of the conventional monitoring rule to derive a predictive value that is indicative of the imminence of a defined event. The monitoring system may be instructed to report a predictive value that exceeds a predetermined percentage of the final value at which the resource event will be deemed to have occurred. The earlier report increases the chances the network manager will have sufficient time to take appropriate preemptive action to prevent actual occurrence of the event.
US07979364B2
A learning control apparatus for an autonomous agent including a functional module having a function of multiple inputs and multiple outputs, the function receiving at least one variable and outputting at least one value, includes an estimating unit for estimating a causal relationship of at least one variable, a grouping unit for grouping at least one variable into a variable group in accordance with the estimated causal relationship, a determining for determining a behavior variable corresponding to each of the variable groups, and a layering unit for layering, in accordance with the variable group and the behavior variable, the function corresponding to each variable group, the function receiving the variable grouped into the variable group and outputting the behavior variable.
US07979360B2
The result of a first calculation may be determined by one of two alternative calculations. Each of the alternative calculations has an error associated therewith (due to factors such as measurement imprecision, rounding, etc.), and these errors propagate to the first calculation. However, there may also be error in the first calculation due to uncertainty about which of the alternative calculations applies. Such error can be taken into account based on the respective probabilities that the first and second calculations will apply, as well as the difference in the results produced by the two calculations.
US07979351B1
The present subject matter relates to reloadable or non-reloadable prepaid transaction card activation systems. More specifically, the system provides a platform for activation of prepaid or stored value transaction cards and capture of customer demographic information, and verification of that information, after the customer has obtained or has been issued a prepaid transaction card. The data capture is performed at activation rather than at point of sale.
US07979347B1
The present invention contemplates a risk management system for facilitating an e-commerce transaction wherein the participants to the transaction engage in commerce using different currencies. An automated sales risk management system facilitates a transaction by providing a price of a transaction which incorporates aggregated costs related to the transaction into a price made available to the participants. A currency risk management system can receive an amount relating to a deliverable involved in a transaction and determines an aggregated cost of the transaction. Aggregated cost can include a cost of credit, a cost for exchange of currency, a cost of insurance, processing fees, or other associated costs. Insurance can be monitored and a determination can be made regarding whether a participant has adequate insurance to cover a proposed transaction. The present invention also provides for risk associated with online transactions to be categorized and transferred.
US07979340B2
Electronic commerce over a computer network is facilitated by a computer system that forms a community of computers that enable the users to buy and sell items in an online marketplace. To list the item on an online marketplace website, for example, the selling user posts an item with a seller marketplace item management website by completing an online-item marketplace item creation form. The form requires input related to the item, such as a description, sale price or minimum bid, shipping instructions, and the like, and an image file or image file location illustrating the marketplace item. The seller marketplace item management server provides a marketplace administrator server the marketplace item data including original image file or image file location. The server contains a random image size generator that generates at least two additional images of the marketplace item for display in a seller marketplace item web page to advertise the marketplace item.
US07979339B2
A system for processing trading orders comprises an optimizer module operable to receive a first trading order and a second trading order. The optimizer module is further operable to receive market data associated with at least one market center. The optimizer module is further operable to determine whether to transmit the second trading order to the at least one market center prior to transmitting the first trading order to the at least one market center, the determination based at least in part on the market data.
US07979331B2
Verifying whether a software package designed to calculate EFC (Expected Family Contribution) is implemented in compliance with a specification provided by the US Federal Government for a specific year. In one embodiment, a set of sample ISIRs (Institutional Student Information Records) provided by the US Federal Government is received, with each sample ISIR containing the details of a student and a corresponding expected set of EFC values pre-calculated based on the specification for that specific year. The digital processing system then sends the details of the student contained in a sample ISIR to the software package and in response, receives the corresponding values of the EFC calculated by the software package based on the details of the student. The calculated values of the EFC and the expected values of the EFC are then compared to determine if the software package is implemented in compliance with the specification.
US07979329B2
A method and system for generating bill payment schedule utilizes a composite pricing module to generate payment schedule over a predetermined period of time. In one aspect, a fraction of each pricing model attributing to the composite pricing model is determined. A charge fee associated with said each pricing model based on said fraction and said total price to charge is determined. Price to charge during each time unit of the time period is allocated, based on budget over the time period, discount rate, target profit margin and risk affordance. Bill schedule is generated using the allocated price.
US07979326B2
Even in the case of a material producing company that uses common main starting materials and has in-house organizations corresponding to manufacturing processes, appropriate profit-and-loss management by each commercial product type can be realized. A solving method includes: a profit-and-loss storing step of linking at least product type information and profit information to each other by each order of products with order record to be stored in an order record profit-and-loss database; an information search step of accepting specific information on the virtual inter-organ organization and search condition information at least including product type condition, and reading from the order record profit-and-loss database, at least product type information and profit information on an order matching the search condition information and on an order belonging to the virtual inter-organ organization matching the specific information on the virtual inter-organ organization; a profit information aggregating step of sorting the product type information by each product type of a product type classification scale indicated in the product type condition and aggregating profit information corresponding to respective product information sorted by each product type; and a profit-and-loss management information presentation step of presenting the aggregated profit information by each product type as the profit-and-loss management information.
US07979323B2
The present disclosure includes a method for providing pricing information. In some implementations, a method for providing pricing information includes receiving, from a first subscriber, a request for pricing information of one or more retailers. The request is associated with a unit provided by a retailer different from the one or more retailers. Pricing information associated with the unit is identified based on mapping information. The pricing information is provided by the one or more retailers. The mapping information maps the unit to one or more units sold by the one or more retailers.
US07979315B2
Displaying information about a physical object. Input is received at an interactive surface. The input includes a first physical object being placed on the interactive surface. The first physical object is detected. This includes detecting identifying information about the first physical object. Information is displayed about the first physical object on the interactive surface.
US07979312B2
A system and method for facilitating transactions in a distribution network. An analysis tool may be accessed through a computer network by consumers, producers and/or distribution intermediaries. In response to an inquiry, the analysis tool may present a solution sets may to a consumer, producer, and/or distribution intermediary for optimizing interaction with the network, e.g. minimizing cost or maximizing revenue in business transactions over the network.
US07979310B2
A method is provided for electronically ordering items. The method includes receiving consolidation information at a server computer. The consolidation information includes at least one consolidation criterion for determining how to consolidate purchase requests. The method further includes receiving a plurality of requests to purchase one or more items at the server computer and evaluating the requests, using the consolidation criterion. A purchase order, containing the items meeting the consolidation criteria, is transmitted from the server computer to a supplier a purchase order containing the items meeting the consolidation criterion.
US07979309B1
A method and system for automating the management of an inventory of consumer items at a consumer location uses a programmed device that accepts input data and executes control logic for automating inventory management. At least one shopping list is received, a shopping list trend is established, and a smart list is generated with the control logic, in accordance with the shopping list trend, such that the smart list predictive of a next shopping list.
US07979307B2
A descriptive-profile mercantile method, for use at a juncture in a data-communications topology having associated therewith a maintained databank of partial profiles, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: from a user, receiving a transaction having therein a first partial profile; using the first partial profile, searching a databank having a plurality of second partial profiles, wherein is included in said databank at least one null profile so that said searching will always yield at least one proximate second partial profile to the first partial profile; and between the user and the databank, contracting: (I) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile, and substantially thereafter said databank incorporating the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one second partial profile; or (II) for the user to own or represent a right to a second mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate second partial profile, and substantially thereafter the databank transmitting to the user the second mutually agreed portion of the second profile. The present invention operates best on a brokerage representation model; and thereby provides a means for making viable the economic commerce in information attributes.
US07979299B1
The invention provides methods and apparatus for optimizing markdown scheduling that group multiple retail sites into bins (or buckets) for purposes of scheduling markdown pricing on an item (or group of related items) sold by those sites. The groupings can be based, for example, on a metric that is a function of the current inventory of the item (or items) and its expected sales at each site. A markdown schedule is generated for the combined grouping of stores in each bucket, rather than for the individual stores that make up that bucket, thereby speeding price optimization determination. A report of those schedules can be used, for example, by pricing managers or other personnel to set prices at the sites. Alternatively, or in an addition, the schedules can be used in conjunction with an inventory control system to set prices for the items and/or on RFID or other electronic shelf displays.
US07979297B1
A computerized workflow analysis tool, which allows a user to navigate through many levels of increasingly detailed order-related information. The order tracking and reporting tool of the preferred embodiments further allow a user to create customized, ad-hoc reports. In addition, the preferred embodiments allows a user to search information obtained from a plurality of databases by selected parameters, and to download the results obtained for further mathematical manipulation, graphing or trend analysis.
US07979290B2
A computer-implemented method for profiling medical claims to assist health care managers in determining the cost-efficiency and service quality of health care providers. The method allows an objective means for measuring and quantifying health care services. An episode treatment group (ETG) is a patient classification unit, which defines groups that are clinically homogenous (similar cause of illness and treatment) and statistically stable. The ETG grouper methodology uses service or segment-level claim data as input data and assigns each service to the appropriate episode. The program identifies concurrent and recurrent episodes, flags records, creates new groupings, shifts groupings for changed conditions, selects the most recent claims, resets windows, makes a determination if the provider is an independent lab and continues to collect information until an absence of treatment is detected.
US07979287B2
The console selects one radiographing order information item from the radiographing order information list stored in the storing section. A step is taken to determine whether or not the one selected radiographing order information item has a predetermined relationship with the other radiographing order information, and the permission of additional selection is granted only to the radiographing order information having a predetermined relationship.
US07979286B2
A patient-interactive health care management system provides means for healthcare services rendered by a physician to a patient to be confirmed by the patient immediately after the healthcare services are rendered. The patient is provided the ability to verify the accuracy of an invoice for the rendered services/goods and provide an assessment of the rendered services/goods. In an example embodiment, the patient provides this information via an information station located at the healthcare facility in which the healthcare services/goods are rendered. The information gathered from the patient is provided to the party responsible for paying for the rendered healthcare services/goods. In an example embodiment, the paying party compares the patient provided information with the invoice received from the healthcare provider to assess the accuracy of the invoice.
US07979283B2
The present invention is directed to a system and method which allows a prospective insured to make an informed decision on healthcare insurance or a specific health care management decision by using a current medical profile to assist in their selection. Based on past medical care, as obtained from payor data, a number of different plans, each having different providers, different deductibles, different maximums, different reimbursement policies, etc., a person can make an informed decision. When a family has different payors for different family members, a proper blend of payors can be more easily selected since the payors (or a single payor) has a medical profile of each family member and also has information on providers in the network, prescription policies, deductibles, maximums, etc.
US07979280B2
An input linguistic description is converted into a speech waveform by deriving at least one target unit sequence corresponding to the linguistic description, selecting from a waveform unit database for the target unit sequences a plurality of alternative unit sequences approximating the target unit sequences, concatenating the alternative unit sequences to alternative speech waveforms and presenting the alternative speech waveforms to an operating person and enabling the choice of one of the presented alternative speech waveforms. There are no iterative cycles of manual modification and automatic selection, which enables a fast way of working. The operator does not need knowledge of units, targets, and costs, but chooses from a set of given alternatives. The fine-tuning of TTS prompts therefore becomes accessible to non-experts.
US07979268B2
A string matching method, system, and a computer-readable medium storing instructions for determining and obtaining a representative string for a plurality of strings that are written in various manners but share the same meaning. The string matching method includes: converting the input string into one or more second-language strings with reference to a language mapping table, which stores a plurality of pieces of mapping information for mapping a first-language string to a second-language string, and generating a conversion list; searching a representative list database, which storing a plurality of records each with a representative string and a corresponding second-language representative string, for records including the same second-language representative strings as the respective second-language strings in the conversion list and generating a candidate list; and determining a representative string from the candidate list to be an output representative string. Therefore, the string matching can provide string-based multimedia data classification scenarios.
US07979267B2
A natural language tool is provided for specifying a subset of data. The data may be dynamic and have elements which are inter-related. The inter-related data is specified using a natural language expression. The natural language tool enables a user to construct a natural language expression using embedded fields. A user may configure, add and remove fields within the expression. A natural language expression contains at least two configurable fields. The fields of an expression have a tiered relationship. When a higher tiered field is changed, one or more lower tiered fields may be changed in response to the higher field change.
US07979260B1
The operating system agnostic PXE network booting environment is simulated, such that the VMs boot “virtually” from a network boot image, which is actually provided by the hypervisor. More specifically, the network traffic of VMs is filtered, and PXE requests are detected. Responsive to a detected PXE request, the hypervisor simulates the PXE server, and returns an invalid IP address to the VM for PXE communication. This invalid IP address is configured for only internal communication on a virtual network. The hypervisor intercepts PXE related communication sent by the VM to the invalid address, and returns expected PXE responses to the VM, including a boot image. This allows the hypervisor to provide, inspect and/or modify the boot time environment of VMs.
US07979249B2
A fabric model generation program, apparatus and method generate a napped fabric model that reproduces the realistic structure of each napped part. A placement portion (130) calculates an initial shape of three-dimensional napped models of the napped parts based on a degree of defiberation, minimum radius and height information, and places the napped models having the calculated initial shape on the base texture model. A flexure energy calculation portion (141) calculates a flexure energy representing the energy of the napped models attempting to flex, on the basis of a yarn stiffness coefficient. A repulsion energy calculation portion (142) calculates repulsion energy between the napped models attempting to repel each other, on the basis of a repulsion coefficient. A final shape calculation portion (143) calculates the final shape of the napped models so that a sum energy obtained by adding the flexure energy and the repulsion energy becomes minimum.
US07979248B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to event driven simulation and provide a method, data processing system and computer program product for mapping a process model for use in a generic simulation engine. In an embodiment of the invention, a generic model simulation method can include mapping a specifically formatted process representation into a generic process model, and providing the generic process model to a simulation engine. The method further can include executing a simulation on the generic process model in lieu of executing the simulation on the specifically formatted process representation.
US07979244B2
A method identifying apertures of ear impressions is disclosed. A plurality of contour lines associated with an ear impression are determined and a difference value between a value of a characteristic, such as the diameter, of each contour line and that characteristic of an adjacent contour line is determined. The aperture is identified as being that contour line having the greatest difference value. The contour lines are determined by identifying where a plane intersects the surface of the graphical representations. In another embodiment, the contour lines are assigned a weight. A contour index is then calculated for each contour line as a function of the difference value and these weights. According to this embodiment, the aperture is identified as being a contour line that is adjacent to that contour line having the greatest contour index.
US07979238B2
A method for checking an alternative system test, the method includes: determining a relationship between (i) utilization of resources during an execution of a group of programs by a first system when operating in a non-testing mode and (ii) utilization of resources during an executive of an alternative system test by the alternative system; wherein the alternative system test comprises at least on program of the group of programs.
US07979237B2
A method for predicting failures in crystalline microstructures is described. Fracture stress distribution data obtained from test samples prepared according to the same manufacturing process as a contemplated device is used to characterize the strength of surfaces in a numerical stress analysis of the device. The reliability is then calculated for surface nodes on the device. The product of all such reliabilities yields the overall reliability (or 1—the overall failure probability) of the device.
US07979236B2
A method for analyzing tolerances for features for an object. A framework may be created from the plurality of features for the object. The framework may be fitted to a plurality of manufactured features for the object based on the plurality of features to form a fit framework. A remaining clearance may be identified between each of a plurality of manufactured sizes associated with the plurality of features and each of plurality of virtual conditions for the plurality of features to form a plurality of remaining clearances. A plurality of remaining clearance geometric shapes may be formed from the plurality of remaining clearances. The plurality of remaining clearance features may be positioned around a single true position. A common region may be identified from between the plurality of remaining clearances. A minimum remaining float may be identified from the common region. A resulting pattern transformation may be determined.
US07979234B2
A scheme to facilitate deterministic thermal management by having either device connected via a link to generate a thermal management request based on one device's thermal capability and the present conditions. The request is transmitted over the link to the other device with a specific sleep period. Consequently, the receiving device responds with an acknowledgement within a pre-configured or pre-agreed response time.
US07979230B2
Descriptions are provided for implementing flowmeter zero checking techniques. In operating a flowmeter, it may be the case that, even if previously calibrated, the flowmeter will produce erroneous measurements, that is, the flowmeter will indicate a non-zero flow during a period of zero flow. Therefore, zero checking features are provided that allow for fast and accurate determinations of the zero-flow values, for use in adjusting later measurements. The zero-checking features include a button attached to an exterior of a flowmeter, so that it is easily accessible to an operator of the flowmeter. The button, in conjunction with an internal zero checking system, allows for a display of a zero value in response to a request from the operator of the flowmeter.
US07979220B2
A system and method for monitoring the power damping compliance of a power generation unit comprises a measurement unit that is configured to be coupled to a power generation unit to identify the voltage, current, and frequency values associated with power output therefrom. A processing system maintaining a model-based filter processes the voltage, current, and, frequency values to estimate the total amount of damping provided by the power generation unit. The estimated total damping is compared to prior historical values maintained in a database using various statistical techniques to determine if a power system stabilizer (PSS) provided by the power generation unit is being operated in a manner complying with predetermined guidelines.
US07979205B2
The present invention provides a novel apparatus and method for mapping of urban regions. An apparatus includes the remote sensing equipment that is connected to a computer processor. The remote sensing equipment gathers imaging data about an urban region. The computer processor interprets the imaging data to generate a map of the urban region comprising representations that identify a first set of indicia representing physiographic characteristics, a second set of indicia representing different types of built forms, and a third set of indicia representing patterns of human activity associated with both the physiographic characteristics and the built forms. The map can also include a fourth set of indicia representing an intensity level that at least one of the other types of indicia occurs.
US07979204B2
Tour guide contents stored in a tour guide apparatus carried by a user at a tour destination are provided with points of interest information and map data. This information includes latitude and longitude information for the site of each point of interest, and information on the providers of the information and the categories of information. The latitude and longitude information is provided for each site in relation to map data. By matching these pieces of latitude and longitude information to the map data, points of interest information can be laid out on the map and displayed. This makes it possible to select interesting site information to be displayed on the map based on the information provider, for example, points of interest information provided by provider A for restaurants and another set of information provided by provider B for hotels.
US07979203B2
A method for operating a navigation device including a processor, a signal receiver for receiving position signals, a road network database that also contains position data on tunnels (tunnel attributes), a position finding unit that determines the current position of the vehicle, a display unit and a display control for controlling the adjustments of the display unit, particularly for regulating the brightness and/or a color scheme of the display unit. The display control is able to change the adjustment of the display unit while driving through a tunnel (tunnel mode). The method can include determining the vehicle position with consideration of the received position signals and automatically activating the tunnel mode of the display unit by means of the display control immediately or with a certain time delay if the determined vehicle position features a tunnel attribute and the received position signals fall short of a predetermined signal quality.
US07979200B2
Systems and methods that coordinate assignments of aircraft operating within a controlled airspace to ground radios are provided. In one embodiment, such a system includes an air traffic control (ATC) facility (12), a plurality of ground radios (16A-16C), and a network manager (20) communicatively coupled to the air traffic control facility (12) and the ground radios (16A-16C). The air traffic control facility is responsible for controlling aircraft (14A-14I) operating within the airspace (10) and providing ATC information to the network manager (20). The ground radios (16A-16C) are operable to provide communications between the air traffic control facility (12) and the aircraft (14A-14I). The network manager (20) is operable to assign each aircraft (14A-14I) to one of the ground radios (16A-16C) based on network management considerations using the ATC information.
US07979197B2
Airport ground traffic management methods, program products and systems provided for a plurality of tags or tag readers distributed throughout an airport each spaced greater than a tag reader scanning distance. A traveling apparatus brings a tag proximate to a tag reader and a traffic manager in communication with the tag reader receives tag data and determines an apparatus location characteristic and formats the characteristic into a presentation provided to an apparatus operator or an airport ground traffic controller. Campus regions are identified in response to an airport campus function characteristic, and an apparatus location is plotted within a region on a graphic representation. In response to location, speed, historic data, data from other read tag and the location of another apparatus, a determined course of action is determined including entering a movement directive into an auto-pilot component.
US07979196B2
A power system including an exhaust producing engine, an exhaust system and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system is provided. The EGR system may include an EGR flowpath and an air intake system. The EGR system may also include an EGR valve configured to regulate the flow of exhaust gases through the EGR flowpath. The power system may also include a monitoring system configured to monitor operating parameters of at least two components of the EGR system. The power system may also include a controller configured to determine, based on the monitored operating parameters, a maximum flowrate value for each of the components. Each of the maximum flowrate values may represent the maximum EGR flowrate for that component. The controller may be configured to control the EGR valve, based on the maximum flowrate values, to result in an EGR flowrate no greater than the lowest of the maximum flowrate values.
US07979192B2
Methods and systems for aircraft engine trend monitoring include periodically recording the outputs of engine-condition sensors and analyzing the results to examine piston-engine performance trends and predict the need for engine maintenance. Various analyses can be performed, separately or in parallel, including comparing the current parameter values with values recorded for that parameter in previous instances of similar operating conditions; comparing parameter values to predetermined nominal ranges; and detecting parameter values that exhibit trends over time that if followed would result in out-of-bound readings. Sensed parameter values can also be used to detect when recommended engine operating conditions are being exceeded. By using the results of the analyses to inform engine maintenance scheduling and provide alerts to the pilot and maintenance staff regarding recommended engine performance trends and/or operating condition exceedances, the methods and systems contribute to enhancing the level of safety that can be achieved despite significant maintenance-budget reductions.
US07979181B2
A method and machine with an automated digging cycle is provided. The method includes moving an implement system of the machine through a work cycle, including interacting with a material. The method further includes sensing values associated with a bucket velocity parameter, such as bucket tip velocity, during interacting with the material, and controlling the velocity parameter via commands which control a sequence of bucket orientations whereby an implement system of the machine interacts with the material, responsive to the sensed values. The machine includes an electronic controller configured via a control algorithm to execute the automated digging cycle. A velocity based control system for an excavating machine includes an electronic controller configured to receive velocity signals from at least one sensor, determine a bucket tip velocity, and output control commands to move a bucket of the excavating machine through a material via a sequence of bucket orientations that is based on the determined bucket tip velocity.
US07979171B2
A method of controlling a vehicle including a permanent magnet (PM) synchronous motor is provided. The motor is controlled based on direct-axis (d-axis) and quadrature-axis (q-axis) current commands. The method includes estimating permanent magnet flux linkage based on q-axis voltage and electrical angular speed, and estimating permanent magnet temperature based on permanent magnet flux linkage and the temperature coefficient of the permanent magnet. The vehicle is controlled based on the estimated permanent magnet temperature.
US07979168B2
In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving a powered device (PD) detection signal at a PD from a powered network and applying the PD detection signal to an external resistor to provide a detection signature to the powered network. Further, the method includes receiving a PD classification mark signal at the PD, applying the received PD classification mark signal to the external resistor, and selectively activating a classification mark current path in parallel with the external resistor to produce a classification mark signature.
US07979167B2
A system, a method, and an article of manufacture for controlling operation of an electrical power generation system are provided. The electrical power generation system has a plurality of electrical generators electrically coupled to an electrical grid. The method includes obtaining a first output parameter value associated with the electrical power generation system. The method further includes determining an error value indicative of a difference between the first output parameter value and a desired output parameter value. The method further includes determining a first gain value based on at least one of the first output parameter value and a time-varying operational parameter of the electrical power generation system. The method further includes determining a first power value based on the error value and the first gain value. The method further includes determining a second gain value based on at least one of the first output parameter value, the time-varying operational parameter, and a reference value. The method further includes determining a second power value based on the error value and the second gain value. The method further includes generating a desired power command for the electrical power generation system based on the first and second power values.
US07979163B2
A controller equipped with a controller interface configured to accept one or more input parameters is disclosed, including methods for programming such devices. An illustrative controller interface may include a number of knobs, slides, buttons, or other input means for setting various set-points within the controller that can be used to control one or more HVAC system components of a building or structure. The input parameters may correspond directly to physical parameters of the building or structure being regulated, allowing the user to program the controller without having an extensive knowledge of HVAC systems or their operation.
US07979147B1
An apparatus for replicating an engine and/or exhaust sound of a predetermined vehicle includes files stored in computer-readable form in a memory library of the engine and/or exhaust sound of the predetermined vehicle. A microcomputer operated controller receives engine data such as the RPM of the engine of the personal vehicle and continually selects which files to obtain and use. The controller adjusts the sound pattern to optimally correspond in a preferred way with the RPM of the engine of the personal vehicle and the controller provides an output signal that is amplified and fed to a speaker for audio playback of a replicated sound of the engine and/or exhaust sound of the predetermined vehicle in the personal vehicle. A speaker disposed outside the vehicle includes a conical or cylindrical shape. A diagnostic capability is also disclosed. Connection to an OBD II connector provides the desired engine data.
US07979142B2
An implantable lead includes a distal portion carrying a tissue stimulating electrode, at least a portion of its outer surface being adapted to stimulate cardiac tissue, wherein the electrode is covered by a pliable, electrically conductive sheath. The sheath is made of an electrically conductive material that does not rely on porosity for electrical charge transfer. The sheath is constructed and arranged to minimize or eliminate tissue ingrowth while passing sufficient electrical energy to stimulate the tissue.
US07979128B2
A device and method is provided for controlling breathing of a subject by electrically stimulating tissue associated with the diaphragm or phrenic nerve of the subject.
US07979124B2
A method and device provide for determining capture in multiple chambers of a patient's heart using an electrode inserted into a coronary vein of the patient's heart. The coronary vein electrode is positioned adjacent to multiple heart chambers and is responsive to cardiac signals originating in the multiple chambers. The coronary vein electrode may be coupled to a single sense amplifier to detect the cardiac signals. Pace pulses may be applied to multiple heart chambers simultaneously or according to a phased timing sequence. Cardiac signals responsive to the pace pulses sensed using the coronary vein electrode may be used to verify capture in the multiple chambers of the heart.
US07979121B2
An electromagnetic device and method of operation thereof are disclosed. The electromagnetic device contains an electromagnetic field generator, a microcurrent generator and a photonic accumulator. The electromagnetic field generator generates broadband electromagnetic fields to substantially envelope a subject placed in proximity thereto. The subject is placed in contact with microcurrent electrodes so as to permit a broadband microcurrent to flow through the subject or along the surface of the subject. A photonic accumulator is positioned proximate the subject to receive biophotons emitted therefrom and to activate the biophotons with a light source.
US07979110B1
The currently claimed invention is for a method of placement of certain medical devices, and in particular, to the placement of electrodes in the field biopotential or electrophysiological monitoring. More particularly, it provides a new method for marking the skin of a subject where medical electrodes are to be placed including the placement of an electrode harness containing these electrodes. The method for accurate placement of electrodes of the currently claimed invention provides a quick, efficient method of electrode placement and replacement. This method further allows homecare providers or even the patient themself to accurately place and replace electrodes for home health care or outpatient monitoring.
US07979105B2
In some preferred embodiments, without limitation, the present invention comprises an implantable, intracranial neural interface node which is an integrated and minimally invasive platform system and supports cross-modal neural interfaces to the cerebrum and other associated structures in the central nervous system. The neural interfaces comprise electrical and chemical interfaces for neural recording, electrical stimulation, chemical delivery, chemical sensing, chemical sampling, cell delivery, genetic material delivery and/or other functions of interest.
US07979101B2
It is possible to improve the negative resistance characteristic that can be expected when an SNS (superconductor-normal conductor-superconductor) structure is used as a structure unit for series connection. On the top of a first superconducting electrode, a second superconducting electrode is superimposed so as to sandwich an insulation film between the first and second superconducting electrodes, with parts of cross sections of the second superconducting electrode and insulation film placed on the top. A normal superconducting line electrically connects the first and second superconducting electrodes passing along the cross section of the insulation film, thereby constituting a structure unit having a single weak link. A plurality of such structure units connected in series are prepared. At the both ends of the series the first or second superconducting electrode is an element connected to a leading line. The structure units are arranged so that the cross sections of the insulation films along which the normal conducting line passes are arranged in the sale direction.
US07979100B2
A sliding mechanism for a cellular phone includes a low-profile base provided on one surface with a central recess and a pair of parallel elongated sliding slots located at two lateral sides of the recess; a supporting bracket slidably connected to the surface of the base with the recess; and a plurality of flat elastic members each having a first and a second telescopic element respectively pivotally connected to the base and the supporting bracket. The base is enclosed in a plastic material through insert molding to have a slim body that enables a reduced overall thickness of the cellular phone. And, the flat elastic members allow the supporting bracket to smoothly slide relative to the base in a balanced manner.
US07979098B1
A wireless network (100) includes a communications node (120) configured to periodically generate and transmit at least one reception definition. Each reception definition indicates a time and manner in which the node will operate to receive information messages.
US07979093B2
A portable terminal and a method for displaying a preference item in the portable terminal that provides a distinguishing view of the preferential item(s). The method includes: displaying, upon receipt of a request to display an item list, the item list; checking, while searching the item list, whether a preference is set for an item to be displayed; and applying, if a preference is set for an item to be displayed, an event to the preference item and displaying the preference item. Applying an event to the preference item and displaying the preference item may include: determining the event that is set for the preference item, and applying the event to the preference item and displaying the preference item.
US07979083B2
A wireless device may include two or more wireless interfaces capable of transmitting and/or receiving signals over separate wireless networks. To reduce the likelihood of interference, a processing unit may determine whether to permit a transmission under one wireless network when a reception under another wireless network is already in progress.
US07979077B2
It is an object to provide a sequence allocating method that, while maintaining the number of Zadoff-Chu sequences to compose a sequence group, is configured to make it possible to reduce correlations between different sequential groups. This method comprises the steps of setting a standard sequence with a standard sequence length (Nb) and a standard sequence number (rb) in a step (ST101), setting a threshold value (Xth(m)) in accordance with an RB number (m) in a step (ST103), setting a sequence length (N) corresponding to RB number (m) in a step (ST104), judging whether |r/N−rb/Nb|=Xth(m) is satisfied in a step (ST106), including a plurality of Zadoff-Chu sequences with a sequence number (r) and a sequence length (N) in a sequence group (rb) in a step (ST107) if the judgment is positive, and allocating the sequence group (rb) to the same cell in a step (ST112).
US07979071B2
A disclosed user apparatus includes a random access channel generating unit configured to generate a random access channel; a control channel generating unit configured to generate a control channel in accordance with scheduling information received from a base station; and an uplink transmission signal generating unit configure to generate an uplink transmission signal including the random access channel or the control channel. Further, the purpose ID indicating at least whether there is a user ID uniquely allocated by the base station is included in the random access channel or the control channel.
US07979064B2
Methods and apparatus for determining and maintaining user presence information include capturing user presence data with an application presence server. The application presence server can be configured to update user presence data as a user initiates or exits an application. Applications associated with user presence data are configured to query an application proxy client concerning user presence data of a selected user and, based on a returned user status, deliver, discard, or redirect a message intended for the user. User presence data is stored in a user presence repository and can be provided via Internet-based or other connections to applications executed on external networks. User activity status can be used to select or update user presence data. In some examples, an application server of an external network is configured to receive user presence data from the presence server.
US07979058B2
A system and method are provided for transmitting data that has not been explicitly requested in a mobile radio system which includes an application computer, a transmission network, and a mobile radio receiver. The mobile radio receiver indicates to the transmission network how much storage space is available in the mobile radio receiver for storing data.
US07979057B2
Methods and systems for processing negotiable economic credits through, or at the request of, a hand held device in association with a third-party provider communicative with the hand held device and/or a point of sale. At least one negotiable economic credit can be transferred from a third-party provider communicative with the hand held device to the hand held device and/or point of sale. The negotiable economic credit can be stored within a memory of the hand held device and/or point of sale for retrieval and processing at a point of sale associated with a retail establishment and/or by a hand held device. The negotiable economic credit can be associated with a security module for protecting the privacy of the negotiable economic credit. A user profile can be compiled for utilization during the retrieval of the negotiable economic credit.
US07979054B2
A system and method for providing secure authentication for website access or other secure transaction. In one embodiment, when a user accesses a website, the web server identifies the user, and sends an authentication request to the user's mobile device. The mobile device receives the authentication requests and sends back authentication key to the web server. Upon verifying the authentication key, the web server grants the access to the user.
US07979048B2
Image rejection factors are calibrated for a receiver circuit (106) during an initialization period. The image rejection factors are stored in a quasi non-volatile memory (124) associated with the receiver circuit (106). The quasi non-volatile memory (124) is powered from a first source (VDD A) during a first receiver mode and from a second source (VIO) during a second receiver mode.
US07979035B2
A wireless communication device has a docking cavity, a short-range transceiver, and a long-range transceiver for long-range wireless communication with a wireless network. A wireless communication module includes a speaker and a microphone, and a short-range transceiver for short-range wireless communication with the device's short-range transceiver. The module is configured to operate in first and second modes. In the first mode, the module is separated from the communication device. In the second mode, the module is mounted in the cavity. In both modes, communication between a user and the network is conducted through the module's microphone and speaker, both short-range transceivers and the long-range transceiver.
US07979033B2
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a package substrate, a die, and a plurality of antenna structures. The die includes a radio frequency (RF) transceiver and a control module, wherein the RF transceiver processes inbound and outbound RF signals. The control module enables the RF transceiver to receive the inbound RF signal from one or more of the plurality of antenna structures in a frequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz and enables the RF transceiver to provide the outbound RF signal to one or more of the plurality of antennas structures for transmission in a frequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz.
US07979032B2
Methods, systems and apparatus for estimating statistical properties of noise in modulated data carrier signals represented by modulated data symbols are disclosed. The method comprises generating an instantaneous estimate of the statistical property of noise from the received modulated data symbols on a sample by sample basis and applying a compensation function to the instantaneous estimate. The method further comprises averaging an output of the compensation function to determine the estimated statistical property of noise.
US07979026B2
A system and method for using a single antenna for active and passive radio functions. A wireless communication device includes a passive component that can be read using an antenna when the wireless communication device is in a low power sleep mode. When it is determined that a higher capacity is needed, the wireless communication device activates an active component. Activation of the active component includes a switching of a connection of the antenna from the passive component to the active component.
US07979021B2
An image forming apparatus, a sheet discharging device and method of controlling the sheet discharging device are disclosed. They require no instructions from users and no recording materials for initial setting of a staple when the users exchange a staple cartridge.
US07979016B2
An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member that bears a latent electrostatic image on the surface thereof, a charging device that uniformly charges the surface of the image bearing member, an irradiation device that irradiates the surface of the image bearing member to form the latent electrostatic image thereon, a development device that develops the latent electrostatic image on the surface of the image bearing member with toner to form a toner image thereon, a transfer device that transfers the toner image to a transfer body, a cleaning device including a cleaning blade that removes residual toner remaining on the surface of the image bearing member with the cleaning blade, a protective agent application device that applies a protective agent containing zinc stearate and zinc palmitate to the surface of the image bearing member, wherein the ratio of the zinc stearate and the zinc palmitate is from 66:34 to 40:60 by weight.
US07979015B2
In a heat fixing member which is a seamless type cylindrical heat fixing member having an elastic layer, the elastic layer is mixed with carbon fibers, and the elastic layer has a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/(m·K) or more in the thickness direction thereof. A heat fixing member is provided which is more improved in the thermal conductivity in the thickness direction, can efficiently supply heat to the heating object (recording medium) at the time of high-speed printing, can give fixed images having a high glossiness in virtue of the elastic layer, which has secured a sufficient flexibility. A high-performance heat fixing assembly is also provided which can conduct sufficient heat to toner images even if the dwell time is shortened.
US07979012B2
Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a charging unit; a latent image forming unit; a developing unit; a transferring unit; and a control unit that performs an image forming process by controlling the latent image carrier, the charging unit, the latent image forming unit, the developing unit and the transferring unit, wherein, during execution of the image forming process, the latent image carrier circulates by passing through the charging position, the developing position and the transferring position in a state in which at least one of toner, which is charged with a polarity opposite to the regular charging polarity, and external additive agent, which is separated from the toner and charged with a polarity opposite to the regular charging polarity, is distributed and adhered to the surface of the latent image carrier.
US07979007B2
A developing device includes a developing vessel for storing a developer, a first conveying passage, a second conveying passage, a first conveying member, a second conveying member and a developing roller for supplying toner to a photoreceptor drum. The first conveying member has a first rotary shaft and a first conveying blade formed on the periphery of the first rotary shaft. The first conveying blade has a large-diametric ring-shaped helical blade and a small-diametric helical blade, forming a double-helical structure. Alternatively, the first conveying blade is formed of helical blades being different in phase; each helical blade is formed so that the radius varies on a cycle of the rotational angle of 180 degrees.
US07979004B2
The electrophotographic belt of the present invention is characterized that, in the electrophotographic belt composed of the thermoplastic resin composition containing thermoplastic resin, with respect to a flake-shaped portion having an arc length of 5% of the inner peripheral length of the electrophotographic belt, when the thickness of the flake-shaped portion is measured at intervals of 1 mm in the peripheral direction, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the measured value is 2% or more and 20% or less of an arithmetic average value.
US07979000B2
A turnable transfer unit, including a transfer member forming a transfer nip while contacting an image bearer installed in an image forming apparatus; and a pressurizer pressurizing the transfer member to the image bearer, wherein the turnable transfer unit further includes a turnable lever member, including an engaging part engaging with a positioning part of the image forming apparatus; and a contact part contacting an opening and closing body openable and closable in the image forming apparatus, wherein the lever member turns in conjunction with a closing operation of the opening and closing body to position the transfer unit in the image forming apparatus.
US07978996B2
An image forming apparatus receives a command from a controller for issuing commands representative of a plurality of kinds of instruction, and executes an image formation according to the command. The image forming apparatus includes a necessity judgment unit, which judges a necessity of an adjustment of an image formation condition based on a state of an inside of the apparatus, and a control unit, which transmits to the controller a request for executing the adjustment of the image formation condition based on a judgment of the necessity judgment unit, and factor information according to a factor of the request for executing the adjustment of the image formation condition. The controller performs an issue control of an execution command for instructing an execution of the adjustment of the image formation condition based on the request for executing the adjustment of the image formation condition and a kind of the factor information transmitted from the control unit.
US07978986B2
Image forming apparatus and method for monitoring the degree of consumption of consumable components
Upon generation of an image forming request, a control unit sets a request flag in a nonvolatile rewritable memory. A toner consumption monitoring unit calculates amount of toner consumption during a process of image formation based on the image forming request and the request flag. Upon completion of the process of image formation, the control unit deletes the request flag from the memory unit. Thus, it becomes possible to determine whether the amount of toner consumption is correctly updated based on the request flag and accurately monitor the amount of toner consumption.
US07978978B2
Systems and methods for encoding information in the topology of superpositions of helical modes of light, and retrieving information from each of the superposed modes individually or in parallel. These methods can be applied to beams of light that already carry information through other channels, such as amplitude modulation or wavelength dispersive multiplexing, enabling such beams to be multiplexed and subsequently demultiplexed. The systems and methods of the present invention increase the number of data channels carried by a factor of the number of superposed helical modes.
US07978977B2
The present invention is directed towards monitoring and adjusting a power level of reverse subcarrier signals at an input of an optical node as opposed to at an input of a CMTS blade. Advantageously, reverse subcarrier signals are digitally transmitted throughout the optical link thereby avoiding the use of attenuators in the optical link. Therefore, any attenuation of the power level of the reverse subcarrier signals is caused by an RF feeder portion of the communications system. The CMTS blade then detects the power level of the reverse subcarrier signal that is equivalent to the power level at the input of an optical node and sends a control signal to CPE adjusting the transmitter power level without affecting the optical node dynamic range.
US07978972B2
The optical line terminal has a PON transceiver including an error correction code decoder. The error correction decoder includes: a shortening compensation parameter table; and a syndrome calculator for calculating a syndrome by referring to the shortening compensation parameter table, or an error search part for calculating an error position or an error value by referring to the shortening compensation parameter table. Also the optical network terminal has a PON transceiver including an error correction code decoder. The error code decoder includes: a shortening compensation parameter table; and a syndrome calculator for calculating a syndrome by referring to the shortening compensation parameter table, or an error search part for calculating an error position or an error value by referring to the shortening compensation parameter table.
US07978971B1
A collapsible softbox for use with a photographic flash. The softbox includes a collapsible body made of connected, moveable first and second side panels. The body includes a distal opening and a proximal opening. The softbox also includes a front panel which is detachably engageable to the distal end of the body.
US07978958B2
A picture and audio recording apparatus that manages record positions of contents by using a management table, saves only one contents among overlapping contents recorded on a recording medium and erases other overlapping contents; stores information about which one of saved contents is the same as the erased contents in a management table; and looks up the management table for reproducing the same contents that are recorded when reproduction of the erased contents is instructed.
US07978957B2
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus that controls reproduction of a plurality of recorded contents recorded when distributed from a predetermined one of a plurality of distribution sources to each of which a predetermined channel is allocated, including reproduction control means for controlling so that, where reproduction starting absolute time indicative of reproduction starting time is designated by a user and besides a reproduction object channel is designated by the user, that one of the recorded contents of the reproduction object channel whose reproduction starting absolute time is included in a recording time zone is reproduced from a position thereof corresponding to the reproduction starting absolute time.
US07978953B2
A method is provided for visual inspection of an array of interferometric modulators in various driven states. This method may include driving multiple columns or rows of interferometric modulators via a single test pad or test lead, such as test pad, and then observing the array for discrepancies between the expected optical output and the actual optical output of the array. This method may particularly include, for example, driving a set of non-adjacent rows or columns to a state different from the intervening rows or columns and then observing the optical output of the array.
US07978952B2
Apparatus and methods are provided for controlling a light emission from an end of an optical fiber by utilizing a cover that blocks the light emission at the fiber end, a detector situated between the fiber end and the cover that detects the blocked emission, and a signaling device, such as an LED, associated with the detector that illuminates in response to the detection of the blocked emission. The apparatus and methods may further provide for the filtering out of light from the emission that is not used for communications. The apparatus and methods may also provide for the attenuation of the power of the emission before the emission reaches the detector.
US07978944B2
A laser light cable includes an optical fiber and a wire cladding that surrounds the optical fiber and is electrically conductive in the longitudinal direction of the laser light cable. The wire cladding includes a continuous layer of axially-adjacent wires formed from a wire item wrapped around the optical fiber. Axially-adjacent wires of the wire cladding abut in a light-proof manner.
US07978927B2
The invention discloses an image processing apparatus for adjusting lightness of an input image. The image processing apparatus includes a first processing module, a second processing module, a third processing module, and a fourth processing module. The first processing module is used for generating a lightness histogram with reference to the input image and determining a maximum lightness and an average lightness according to the lightness histogram. The second processing module is used for determining a first gain and a second gain according to the maximum lightness and a look-up table. The third processing module is used for selecting a lightness adjusting curve according to the average lightness. The fourth processing module is used for generating an output lightness corresponding to the input image.
US07978925B1
Some embodiments allow a video editor to remove unwanted camera motion from a sequence of video images (e.g., video frames). Some embodiments are implemented in a video editing application. Some of these embodiments distinguish unwanted camera motion from the intended underlying motion of a camera (e.g., panning and zooming) and/or motion of objects within the video sequence.
US07978923B2
A sequence of n coefficients is compressed by determining a cost-determined sequence of n coefficient indices represented by a cost-determined sequence of (run, index derivative) pairs under a given quantization table and run-index derivative coding distribution, wherein each sequence of (run, index derivative) pairs defines a corresponding sequence of coefficient indices such that (i) each index in the corresponding sequence of coefficient indices is a digital number, (ii) the corresponding sequence of coefficient indices includes a plurality of values including a special value, and (iii) each (run, index derivative) pair defines a run value representing a number of consecutive indices of the special value, and an index-based value derived from a value of the index following the number of consecutive indices of the special value. This involves (a) using the given quantization table and run-index derivative coding distribution to formulate a cost function for a plurality of possible sequences of (run, index derivative) pairs; (b) applying the cost function to each possible sequence in the plurality of possible sequences of (run, index derivative) pairs to determine an associated cost; and, (c) selecting the cost-determined sequence of (run, index derivative) pairs from the plurality of possible sequences of (run, index derivative) pairs based on the associated cost of each of the plurality of possible sequences of (run, index derivative) pairs; and encoding the corresponding selected cost-determined sequence of (run, index derivative) pairs using entropy coding based on a run-index derivative coding distribution.
US07978914B2
The invention relates to an image processing system for omnidirectional reading of optical patterns, for example of one-dimensional and two-dimensional codes.One object is to provide an image processing system which ensures high resolution with rapid processing at the same time in order, in particular, to allow processing in video real time and to provide reliable identification of the image information, in particular reliable and low-error edge detection, segmentation and object association.According to the invention, this is achieved by the use of a plurality of convolvers, which operate in parallel and/or using the time-division multiplexing method, for convolution of the digital image data, of a neighborhood processor (90) for reading and linking contour points (22), and/or of a statistical processor for reading a segment list.
US07978911B2
Provided is a method of classifying colors of a color based image code. The colors of each cell forming the color based image code are classified by sampling a predetermined number of pixels from each cell and then applying a max channel based clustering method, a white balance based color clustering method, a single-linkage algorithm based color classification method, a K-means algorithm based color classification method, or the like. Accordingly, the colors of an image code can be accurately recognized despite of a color distortion due to characteristics of a camera, a printing medium, etc.
US07978908B2
A color signal interpolation system and method, which performs a green sample interpolation on a signal with a cross color sample. The method includes: (A) providing neighboring color samples on an interpolation sample; (B) computing a luminance respectively of the interpolation sample and the neighboring color samples; (C) computing an edge value of the interpolation sample based on the luminance computed; (D) determining if the edge value is smaller than a predetermined threshold; (E) computing an average of the neighboring color samples that have the same color with the interpolation sample when the edge value is smaller than the predetermined threshold, and using the average as a first color output of the interpolation sample.
US07978897B2
A computer-aided image diagnostic processing apparatus includes a storage unit which stores a medical image representing the inside of a subject, a unit which specifies an anatomical abnormality candidate region included in the medical image, and a generation unit which generates a display image representing the abnormality candidate region and its peripheral region to be discriminable from each other based on the medical image.
US07978896B2
A data correction apparatus includes a sensitivity correction unit and an SNR distribution correcting unit. The sensitivity correction unit produces first processed data by performing sensitivity correction to first objective data obtained based on correction objective data using ununiform sensitivity distribution of a sensor for acquiring the correction objective data. The SNR distribution correcting unit produces pieces of component data each subjected to corresponding weighting depending on an SNR distribution and corresponding filtering having a mutually different intensity using second objective data obtained based on the correction objective data to produce second processed data by compounding the pieces of the component data.
US07978890B2
An extraction unit extracts observation information and site information of a sample associated with the observation information from at least information on an image scanning report including an image scanning result of a medical image of the sample obtained by inspection. A display control unit controls a display unit to display a schema imitating the shape of the sample and at least the observation information extracted corresponding to a position of the site in the schema.
US07978884B1
A fingerprint sensor interface that connects to a standard camera interface and minimizes input and output signals to reduce sensor die area and cost. The sensor can connect to a standard camera interface of a cellular telephone baseband processor or other device intended to receive signals from a camera. Input and output pad are arranged on a single edge of the die. Circuitry between the pads and the sensor active array creates clearance from the array to the bond wires connected to the pads.
US07978881B2
An occupant information detection system for detecting information related to a vehicle occupant on a vehicle seat includes an image detecting section facing a vehicle seat area taking a three-dimensional image, an information extraction processing section extracting information related to a three-dimensional surface profile of a detected object on a vehicle seat based on the three-dimensional image, a conversion processing section converting the extracted information into numerical coordinates of a predetermined coordinate system, and a computation processing section deriving a computed value by subtracting an average of first and second coordinate components from a third coordinate component. The system also includes a determination processing section determining the concave-convex shape of a line segment formed by the arbitrary points and the middle point based on the computed value.
US07978877B2
A method for embedding a watermark into digital data, when the watermark is to be embedded in a digital image, independently changes real number components and imaginary number components of each of coefficient values of a complex watermark coefficient matrix using key, from the watermark to be embedded in the digital image, a step for performing a discrete Fourier inverse transform on the sequence matrix of the changed watermark and generating a watermark pattern; and a step for adding like tiling the water mark pattern to the original image, and generating an embedded image.Further more, a watermark detection method for detecting a watermark from a digital data, a step for separating a block from an arbitrary position on the detected object image, a step for performing a discrete Fourier transform on the block and obtaining a sequence matrix, a step for generating position information for a component that is to be detected and that is specified by the key, a step for detecting a position marker sequence by calculating a phase difference of a sequence by an amount of parallel displacement, for each item of the position information, and extracting offset information which is the amount of parallel displacement when there is agreement between a start point of an embedded watermark and a start point of the block cut from the detected object image, and a step for detecting the embedded watermark cut from the detected object image.
US07978874B2
Digital watermarking provides a chain of custody for video in movie studios. Several novel improvements in workflow processes for digital watermarking provide chains of custody. In a first implementation, a digital watermark payload includes an embedder ID and time stamp. The embedder ID is associated with a controlling PC user log, including, e.g., the user log being linked to a biometric of the user. In a second implementation, a video player is forced to run a video digital watermark embedder based upon a rights command, where an ID embedded in a watermark payload is determined solely by the embedder. A third implementation encrypts a conglomerate of watermarked segments of video so that a rendering device can decrypt the segments in a manner to produce different results in each usage dependent upon the key. A fourth implementation embeds digital watermarks in DVD disk images during delivery to a duplication house.
US07978868B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus for processing sound includes a means (401) for analyzing a sound signal into a number of frequency bands and a means (403) for applying variable gain to each frequency band independently. Gain in applied under control of a number of gain comparator means (409) each of which generates a number of statistical distribution estimates in respect of each signal and compares those estimates to predetermined hearing response parameters stored in memory (411). The numerous gain compensated frequency bands are then combined (415) in order to generate a single sound signal. The apparatus may be implemented in dedicated hardware embodiment or by software running on a microprocessor.
US07978861B2
A method for continuously monitoring noise exposure level of a person via measuring sound level within an ear canal of the person using a sound measurement means linked to a sound level recording device external to the ear canal, wherein the sound measurement means may be shielded from the environment by a hearing protective device, and wherein the cable does not interfere with the ability of the hearing protective device to reduce noise exposure level in the ear canal. Also provided are a system comprising a sound measurement means mounted within an ear canal of the person, an external sound level recording means and a linking cable. Further provided is a system for providing continuous noise exposure monitoring level of a person, and for providing radio communication in a noisy environment, said system comprising the above sound monitoring system linked to a radio signal transmission means, and is switchable between said sound level recording means in a recording mode and said radio signal transmission means in a communication mode.
US07978860B2
A playback apparatus includes a forming section which, on the basis of an audio signal to be played back, forms audio signals on a plurality of channels for emitting sounds from a pair of sound sources, and a signal processing section which, on each of the audio signals formed by the forming section, performs signal processing for forming a targeted sound field. The signal processing section inclines a sound pressure distribution so that, for each sound source, sound pressure levels of sounds emitted from the sound source to a listening position increase in inverse proportion to angles formed between emitting directions of the sounds emitted from the sound source to the listening position and a straight line connecting the pair of sound sources.
US07978858B2
A network communication system has terminal devices belonging to a group, the terminal devices generating, if there is a leaving terminal device leaving from the group, an updated group encryption key corresponding to a new group encryption key, from a deletion key corresponding to the leaving terminal device and a group encryption key, and, after the leaving terminal device leaves the group, communicating by using the updated group encryption key; and a group management server generating the updated group encryption key corresponding to the new group encryption key from the deletion key corresponding to the leaving terminal device and the group encryption key, and, after the leaving terminal device leaves the group, communicating by using the updated group encryption key.
US07978856B2
Methods of managing a key cache are provided. One method may include determining whether a given key has previously been loaded to a trusted platform module (TPM), loading the given key to the TPM and generating a key cache object corresponding to the given key if the determining step determines the given key has not previously been loaded to the TPM and restoring the given key to the TPM based on the key cache object corresponding to the given key if the given key has previously been loaded. Another method may include extracting a key from a TPM if the TPM does not have sufficient memory to load a new key, the extracted key corresponding to a least frequently used key cache object within the TPM. Another method may include restoring a key to a TPM, the restored key having been previously loaded to and extracted from the TPM.
US07978853B2
Techniques for protecting information in an audio file are provided. The techniques include obtaining an audio file, detecting information beating one or more segments in a speech signal, wherein the information comprises information sought for protection, encrypting the information sought for protection by scrambling the one or more segments using a scrambling filter, and selectively decrypting an amount of the encrypted information, wherein the amount of the encrypted information to be decrypted depends on user access privilege, and wherein selectively decrypting the amount of the encrypted information protects said amount of the encrypted information. Techniques are also provided for protecting information in an audio file.
US07978851B2
A stream encryption device generates a first pseudo random number sequence from key information, generates a second pseudo random number sequence according to clock control performed according to the first pseudo random number sequence, and subjects it to a nonlinear function calculation, thereby generating a key stream. The stream encryption device performs XOR operation with a plain text so as to create an encrypted text. The stream encryption device performs an encryption process in units of words by using a clock controller. It includes: a first pseudo random number generation means to generate a first pseudo random number sequence from key information; a second pseudo random number generation means to generate a second pseudo random number sequence based on clock control performed according to the first pseudo random number sequence; and, a keystream generation means to generate a keystream by applying a nonlinear function calculation to the second pseudo random number sequence.
US07978848B2
Systems and methods provide a content encryption schema for integrating digital rights management (DRM) in a multicast/broadcast encryption system. In one implementation, an exemplary integrated key schema provides content encryption keys that can be employed by a multicast or broadcast process, while providing DRM protection of recorded multicast content via a single DRM decryption secret. The integrated key schema provides high security and allows encrypted multicast content to be saved directly to local files. A license server can efficiently manage and generate DRM keys to be delivered to clients because only a single key needs to be delivered per license to a client. The integrated key schema can be applied together with conventional broadcast or multicast encryption techniques.
US07978847B1
A system and method is disclosed for multimedia encryption. Within the system of the present invention, a data compression module receives and compresses a media signal into a compressed data stream. A data acquisition module receives and selects a set of data from the compressed data stream. And, a hashing module receives and hashes the set of data into a keyword. The method of the present invention includes the steps of compressing a media signal into a compressed data stream; selecting a set of data from the compressed data stream; and hashing the set of data into a keyword.
US07978842B2
A method, system, apparatus and machine-readable medium for managing bandwidth in a communication network via a Turbo Button Service (TBS) are provided. The communication network includes a Regional/Access Network (RAN). The bandwidth management includes varying the bandwidth according to the usage requirement. The method comprises invoking a request for the TBS. The invocation of the request results in a change in a default bandwidth associated with a user's access connection.
US07978835B2
An automated IVR apparatus for notifying entities of customer-specific information. An automated IVR application that enables subscribers to check the status of their DSL line and to report problems in real time. A “Service Restoration Callback” application enables a service provider to automatically contact a customer via telephone when service is restored after an outage. The customer can configure parameters concerning the received callback. An outage detection module checks all available systems for the status of a customer's service on a real-time, customer-by-customer, call-for-call basis.
US07978832B2
In a communicating apparatus which makes speech and image communication, a proper communication path is selected by a simple construction of a low cost, thereby enabling data communication of a high-speed and high reliability to be performed. If a telephone number of an opponent station corresponds to an VoIP network, a communicating apparatus obtains an IP address of the opponent station from an SIP proxy server and sends and receives communication data on an IP network to/from the opponent station by a file sending/receiving protocol such as FTP, HTTP, or the like. If the telephone number of an opponent station does not correspond to the VoIP, image data is facsimile-modulated, a digital encoding method (64 kbps PCM encoding) suitable for a facsimile modulating method is selected, and an analog facsimile signal obtained by the facsimile modulation is digitally encoded and sent to the opponent station through a media gateway for executing analog/digital signal conversion between the IP network and a public line network.
US07978831B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for defending against telephone-based robotic attacks. An interactive voice response method is disclosed, comprising the steps of obtaining a script to present to a caller, the script including at least one menu option having at least one personal code; generating a random number for the personal code; and presenting the at least one menu option with the generated random number to the caller. The step of generating a random number for the personal code is optionally responsive to receipt of the call. The method is optionally performed only if one or more predefined criteria defining an attack are satisfied. The disclosed IVR system can optionally monitor the caller response to determine whether the caller enters the generated random number.
US07978829B2
A voice file retrieval method comprising the steps of: inputting a word; determining if voicing of the word is needed or not; obtaining a storage home address of a voice file corresponding to the word from a voice field of the word if the voice of the word is needed; and retrieving the voice file from the storage home address. By providing a voice field of the word, the storage home address of the voice file can be directly obtained. Hence, the retrieval speed can be increased, and the time to wait for an articulation of the word can be shortened.
US07978816B2
A control apparatus for controlling a multi radiation generating apparatus having a plurality of radiation generating devices which irradiate a two-dimensional sensor with radiation sets the intensity of radiation with which the plurality of radiation generating devices irradiate the two-dimensional sensor based on information about a part or physique of a patient, which is input by an input device.
US07978815B2
This invention relates to a compact density measuring instrument for measuring density of fluids in a volume in a container, especially in a fluid flow in a pipe, the instrument comprising a radiation source in the gamma range positioned on one side of the fluid and a detector positioned on the opposite side of the fluids for receiving said radiation, and the fluid being contained in the container, wherein the source is positioned in a source housing, said source housing being at least partially fitted into a corresponding recess in the container wall, said source housing comprises a source holder containing the gamma source positioned in the holder axis and comprising a coaxial opening from the source through one end of the holder, said one end adapted to be aimed toward the fluid.
US07978814B2
A system and process for classifying a piece of material of unknown composition at high speeds, where the system connected to a power supply. The piece is irradiated with first x-rays from an x-ray source, causing the piece to fluoresce x-rays. The fluoresced x-rays are detected with an x-ray detector, and the piece of material is classified from the detected fluoresced x-rays. Detecting and classifying may be cumulatively performed in less than one second. An x-ray fluorescence spectrum of the piece of material may be determined from the detected fluoresced x-rays, and the detection of the fluoresced x-rays may be conditioned such that accurate determination of the x-ray fluorescence spectrum is not significantly compromised, slowed or complicated by extraneous x-rays. The piece of material may be classified by recognizing the spectral pattern of the determined x-ray fluorescence spectrum. The piece of material may be flattened prior to irradiation and detection. The x-ray source may irradiate the first x-rays at a high intensity, and the x-ray source may be an x-ray tube.
US07978811B2
In a radiographic apparatus of this invention, when obtaining a long image in a longitudinal direction, an image composing unit combines a plurality of radiographic images in the longitudinal direction based on detected radiation, and a setting unit sets a length of a radiographic image to be composed in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, with the setting unit setting the length of the radiographic image to be composed in the longitudinal direction, the length can be set without requiring an expansion or reduction of the radiographic image of a site of concern. The site of concern is constantly maintained on the same scale to reduce the chance of inducing errors.
US07978807B2
A nuclear reactor includes a reflector and a flow path. The reflector reflects neutrons, contains graphite and a moderator having a smaller moderating power than the graphite, and is sectioned into plural parts along a direction of flow of fuel pebbles. The flow path is surrounded by the reflector, and the fuel pebbles flow through the flow path and undergo nuclear reaction to generate power. Volume ratio of the graphite to the moderator having a smaller moderating power than the graphite in each part of the reflector is determined based on a power distribution in the reactor core in the direction of flow of the fuel pebbles.
US07978799B2
A complex signal in which one of two signals that have been generated from a single real signal and that have phases that are shifted 90° with respect to each other is a real part and the other signal is an imaginary part is applied as input to an input terminal. A filter unit generates an output signal that is a complex signal by means of a convolution operation of the input signal, and a filter coefficient that is a real signal and supplies this output signal to an output terminal. A coefficient control unit made up from a common unit and separate units updates the filter coefficients such that the value of the envelope of the output signal approaches a target signal.
US07978796B2
Methods of recovering symbols and corresponding communication receivers including dual receivers configured to perform the method, where the method comprises: sampling a received signal that includes interference to provide received samples; determining a plurality of high power symbols and determining alternate symbols for a portion of the plurality of high power symbols based on the received samples and based on known training symbols; and deriving a sequence of recovered symbols corresponding to the received samples based on the received samples and augmented training symbols, the augmented training symbols comprising the known training symbols augmented by the plurality of high power symbols with one or more alternate symbols replacing a corresponding one or more high power symbols.
US07978792B2
A reproducing apparatus for reproducing channel data from a recording medium using the ITR includes a reading unit reading an information signal recorded on the recording medium; a phase interpolator interpolating a phase of the information signal read on the basis of a phase error signal sent as a feedback; a first waveform equalizer equalizing a waveform of the phase-interpolated information signal while keeping the phase of the information signal fixed; a phase-error-signal generator generating the phase error signal to be sent as a feedback to the phase interpolator on the basis of the information signal whose waveform has been equalized by the first waveform equalizer; a second waveform equalizer equalizing the waveform of the phase-interpolated information signal without limiting a phase change; and a decoder generating the channel data by decoding the information signal whose waveform has been equalized by the second waveform equalizer.
US07978791B2
A method includes generating a plurality of noise-averaged channel estimates using noisy channel estimates. At least some of the noise-averaged channel estimates are generated using different averaging lengths. The method also includes selecting one of the averaging lengths based on the plurality of noise-averaged channel estimates. The step of selecting one of the averaging lengths may include subtracting the noise-averaged channel estimates from the noisy channel estimates to produce a plurality of noise-averaged differences and determining powers of the noise-averaged differences. The step of selecting one of the averaging lengths may also include determining total error powers associated with the different averaging lengths using the powers of the noise-averaged differences and selecting the averaging length corresponding to a lowest total error power.
US07978790B2
The invention relates to a method and a circuit for carrier control in a quadrature demodulator, wherein a complex-value input signal (I, Q) is supplied to a mixer (1) to perform mixing with a mixing frequency (fm) to create a mixed signal (Ir, Qr), the mixed signal (Ir, Qr) is supplied to a processing section (s) to generate a processed signal (Ie, Qe), the processed signal (Ie, Qe) is supplied to phase measurement device (3) in order to measure a phase (φm) of the processed signal (Ie, Qe) and the measured phase (φm) is supplied to a phase controller (4) in order to control the mixing frequency (fm); wherein an idle time (z−d) is created at least during the processing in the processing section (2). To enable a fast switching-on transition, the mixing frequency (fm) is summed or integrated to create a mixing phase (φc), the mixing phase (φc) is used for the mixing operation, as well as fed back to the phase control (4, 23), and an error created by the feedback is compensated for with a time-delayed second feedback of the mixing phase (φc).
US07978779B2
A MIMO OFDM system for TICM includes a tone-level interleaver at the transmitter using a block of NT symbols as its basic unit. This results in different decoding architectures at the receiver. The main advantage of TICM is to merge soft-bit demapping into the Viterbi algorithm. Taking advantage of the trellis structure inherent in the Viterbi algorithm, TICM can have lower computational complexity and potentially better performance than BICM with the LSD detector and the vector demapper. Although the tone-level interleaving may not have spatial diversity gain, the performance is not affected in 802.11n environments.
US07978776B2
Channel estimation device and related method of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system
A channel estimation device for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system and related method. The transmitting end transmits error detection signal of subcarrier, and the channel estimation is decided by whether the received signal at the receiving end is correct. Furthermore, in order to reduce the calculation complexity of the channel estimation, least square estimation is performed first, then MMSE estimation is performed to obtain more precise channel estimation, and singular value decomposition is utilized to reduce the calculation complexity of MMSE. The above-mentioned channel estimation method can obtain a better system efficiency in fast time variant channel.
US07978774B2
Internet, wireless and wired multimode systems. Processing, modulating, transmitting and receiving internet provided and location finder signals. Cross-correlator, transmit baseband filter and modulator for cross-correlating, filtering and modulating in-phase and quadrature-phase signal, and providing modulated signal to a transmitter. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Wi-Fi, spread spectrum, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), time division multiplexed (TDM), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and Global Mobile System (GSM) processors and baseband filters for providing OFDM, OFDMA, TDM, TDMA, Bluetooth, spread spectrum CDMA and GSM system signals to transmitter and diversity receiver. Diversity receiver systems. Demodulator for demodulating, filtering and processing diversity system received signal. Receive baseband filter is intentionally mismatched to the transmit baseband filter. Receiver and demodulator baseband filter provides received baseband mis-match filtered cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature-phase signal.
US07978766B2
A method of encoding moving pictures using a plurality of quantization matrices. The method involves selecting one of the plurality of quantization matrices in consideration of an at least one characteristics of an input image; transforming the input image; and quantizing the transformed input image using the selected quantization matr ix.
US07978765B2
Macroblock types of macroblocks of a video picture are encoded by adaptively employing codewords of codeword tables, based at least in part on one or more macroblock type related characteristics of one or more neighboring macroblocks of interest. The codewords may be variable in length. The one or more macroblock type characteristics may include a most common macroblock type characteristic of the neighboring macroblocks of interest. The adaptive employment of the codeword tables may be further based on a picture type of the picture of which the macroblocks are members. Decoding may be performed in an inverse manner.
US07978762B2
A transcoder device includes means for receiving encoding information transmitted from a motion-picture encoding and transmitting device and decoding information transmitted from a motion-picture receiving and decoding device, referring to the encoding information and the decoding information to determine whether the syntax in a video packet transmitted from the motion-picture encoding and transmitting device is transcoded, and outputting transcoding control information, and means for transcoding an encoded bitstream that is input in the syntax level on the basis of the transcoding control information and transmitting the transcoded encoded bitstream to the motion-picture receiving and decoding device.
US07978754B2
A communication channel is operated by storing a calibrated parameter value in nonvolatile memory during manufacturing, testing, or during a first operation of the device. Upon starting operation of the communication channel in the field, the calibrated parameter value is obtained from the nonvolatile memory, and used in applying an operating parameter of the communication channel. After applying the operating parameter, communication is initiated on a communication channel. The operating parameter can be adjusted to account for drift immediately after starting up, or periodically. The process of starting operation in the field includes power up events after a power management operation. In embodiments where one component includes memory, steps can be taken prior to a power management operation using the communication channel, such as transferring calibration patterns to be used in calibration procedures.
US07978753B2
A multicarrier transceiver is provided with a sleep mode in which it idles with reduced power consumption when it is not needed to transmit or receive data. The full transmission and reception capabilities of the transceiver are quickly restored when needed, without requiring the full (and time-consuming) initialization commonly needed to restore such transceivers to operation after inactivity.
US07978752B2
In a wireless communication system, a method and apparatus switches operating modes of a receiver receiving data and operating in a first mode. The method comprises determining whether a criteria is met to switch the operating mode of the receiver. The operating mode of the receiver is switched from the first mode to a second mode if the criteria is met.
US07978749B2
A direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) transmitter (12) is configured to form “N” multiple excess-bandwidth channels (44) in an allocated bandwidth (54), where N is an integer. Each excess-bandwidth channel (44) includes a lower rolloff band (40), a minimum-bandwidth channel (38), and an upper rolloff band (42). The N excess-bandwidth channels (44) are placed in the allocated bandwidth (54) so that two of the rolloff bands (40, 42) reside within allocated bandwidth 54 and outside all of minimum-bandwidth channels 38 and so that N−2 of the rolloff bands (40, 42) predominately reside within adjacent minimum-bandwidth channels (38). The excess-bandwidth channels (44) substantially conform to EV-DO standards, and four of the excess-bandwidth channels (44) are supported for each 5 MHz of allocated bandwidth (54).
US07978747B1
A method of transmitting a spread spectrum signal in a single communication session between a transmitter and a receiver, stores a series of N unique waveform designs and a hopping sequence in a transmitter memory. A signal is transmitted to a receiver according to the hopping sequence using the plurality of N unique waveform designs. Preferably, each waveform design is characterized by a unique composite spreading code that is formed by at least some of a plurality of constituent code segments. Alternatively or additionally, the waveform designs may differ by any one or more of code length, symbol or chip timing or phase, frame or burst structure, chip offset, modulation, error control coding, encryption scheme, or scrambling code. A transmitter and receiver are also disclosed, as is the concept of appending chips between symbols to expand the universe of unique spreading codes without incurring an increase in processing gain.
US07978741B2
The invention provides an optical transmitter that prevents the high frequency components in the driving signal from leaking to the external power supply in a wider frequency range. The transmitter provides a shun driving configuration with a switching transistor connected in parallel to the laser diode and a load transistor connected in serial to the parallel circuit of the switching transistor and the laser diode. The load transistor operates in the common base configuration, or the common gate configuration, by which the input impedance viewed from the laser diode becomes large, while, the output impedance viewed from the external power source becomes small. Thus, the high frequency components in the driving signal applied to the switching transistor can be suppresses to appear in the external power source.
US07978739B2
In a surface emitting laser element, on an inclined substrate, a resonator structural body including an active layer, and a lower semiconductor DBR and an upper semiconductor DBR sandwiching the resonator structural body are stacked. A shape of a current passing-through region in an oxide confinement structure of the upper semiconductor DBR is symmetrical to an axis passing through a center of the current passing-through region parallel to an X axis and symmetrical to an axis passing through the center of the current passing-through region parallel to a Y axis, and a thickness of an oxidized layer surrounding the current passing-through region is greater in the +Y direction than in the +X and −X directions. An opening width of a light outputting section in the X axis direction is smaller than another opening width of the light outputting section in the Y axis direction.
US07978737B2
A laser device includes a cavity and a control portion. The cavity has an optical amplifier, a wavelength selectable portion having a changeable transmission wavelength range, and a mirror. The control portion controls the wavelength selectable portion so that the transmission wavelength range of the wavelength selectable portion is changed to a given range. The control portion controls the wavelength selectable portion so that the cavity outputs a desirable lasing wavelength light and optical intensity of the desirable lasing wavelength light is a given value, after controlling the wavelength selectable portion so that the cavity outputs the desirable lasing wavelength light.
US07978735B2
A novel single chip tuner integrated circuit (IC) for multiple video reception in a cable modem. The tuner circuit is well suited for use in cable modem systems adapted to implement the DOCSIS 3.0 specification which specifies multiple simultaneous video channel reception. The single-chip tuner integrated circuit comprises a plurality of tuner sub-circuits wherein each tuner sub-circuit is operative to generate a single output channel, determined in accordance with a tune commend input. The tune command input is used to generate a frequency reference signal that is input to a corresponding tuner sub-circuit. The frequency reference signal for a tuner sub-circuit is mixed with an input RF receive signal from the CATV input to the cable modem to generate a baseband channel. The baseband channel is subsequently filtered, amplified and input to the PHY circuit wherein undergoes analog to digital conversion (ADC) before being input to a baseband processor.
US07978734B2
A system and method of transmitting a stream of data are provided. A stream of data to be transmitted is identified. The stream of data is divided into a plurality of data segments for transmission on a corresponding plurality of transmission channels. The plurality of segments are transmitted on the corresponding plurality of transmission channels, wherein each segment is transmitted at substantially the same time as the other segments and for substantially the same duration of time.
US07978732B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for deciding a transmission format using a variable frame length and a decoding method using the same. The apparatus for deciding the transmission format using the variable frame length includes: a frame synchronization acquiring unit for acquiring a frame synchronization of a received transmission frame; a correlation analyzing unit for performing a correlation analysis with respect to the transmission frame whose synchronization is acquired, considering frame lengths of respective frame structures; and a transmission frame structure deciding unit for deciding the structure of the received transmission frame using the analyzed correlation. Accordingly, a physical layer signaling code (PLSC) demodulation and decoding performance can be enhanced by determining the structure of the transmitted frame without carrying out a PLSC decoding in such a state that a frequency synchronization is not acquired.
US07978731B2
A system for consolidating TCP ports. In response to initiating a connection to a hidden port via a network, a TCP in TCP packet is created. Then, the TCP in TCP packet is sent to the hidden port via the network via a network visible port.
US07978727B2
An apparatus for decreasing the hardware load from L2 switch MAC address learning for Ethernet-Over-SONET technology that uses VLAN, simplifying frame transmission between Ethernet and SONET, and improving the reliability of each device is disclosed. An Ethernet frame and SONET frame convertible interface part establishes a register that holds an Ethernet frame specific VLANID and SONET frame specific STS path ID in opposition, and a multiplexing part that multiplexes an Ethernet frame having a specific VLANID corresponding to a specific STS path ID that is held by a register among an input plurality of Ethernet frame VLAN ID's.
US07978725B2
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to facilitating load balancing and bandwidth allocation in wireless mesh networks. Generally, according to one implementation of the present invention, routing nodes implement a contention-based media access mechanism and self-allocate bandwidth within a wireless mesh network by dynamically modifying one or more contention-based transmission control parameters. The routing nodes determine a hop count and adjust one or more contention parameters based at least in part on the hop count.
US07978713B2
A network is realized having GMPLS and IP/MPLS mixed, in which an IP/MPLS node can be operated as is without replacing the IP/MPLS node with a node having a GMPLS function, even if the GMPLS and IP/MPLS are mixed. To match with the protocol of the IP/MPLS node outside of a GMPLS cloud, the GMPLS+IP/MPLS node (edge) establishes a PSC-LSP between GMPLS+IP/MPLS nodes (edge), uses the PSC-LSP as an IP/MPLS link from the viewpoint of the IP/MPLS node, and operates signaling of an MPLS-LSP establishment requested from the IP/MPLS.
US07978710B2
Systems and techniques are disclosed relating to wireless communications. The systems and techniques involve wireless communications wherein a process, module or communications terminal schedules communications. The scheduling function may include scheduling an inter-piconet transmission between first transmitting and receiving terminals including scheduling a power level for the inter-piconet transmission that satisfies a target quality parameter at the first receiving terminal. The scheduling function may also include scheduling an intra-piconet transmission between second transmitting and receiving terminals, including scheduling a power level for the intra-piconet transmission that satisfies a target quality parameter at the second receiving terminal. The intra-piconet transmission may be scheduled simultaneous with the inter-piconet transmission.
US07978700B2
A header analyzer unit generates attribute information regarding headers of a data unit. The header analyzer unit includes a programmable memory unit having a content addressable memory (CAM) with an input to receive a first portion of the data unit and a second portion of the data unit. The programmable memory unit also includes a memory separate from the CAM and coupled to an output of the CAM. The CAM stores indications of locations within the memory separate from the CAM, and the memory separate from the CAM programmably stores header attribute information regarding a plurality of different types of headers for data units having different formats.
US07978688B2
An apparatus is provided for enabling communication between telephony devices. The apparatus includes a queue operable to receive incoming media packets from the telephony devices, and a payload segmenter coupled to the queue and operable to divide an incoming payload section of each incoming packet into one or more data segments. The apparatus also includes a mixer coupled to the payload segmenter and operable to mix the data segments from the telephony devices to create an aggregate data segment. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a reassembly buffer coupled to the mixer and operable to construct an outgoing payload section for one or more telephony devices by linking successively generated aggregate data segments.
US07978682B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for optimizing the communication of data packets in a data network. Network devices, such as routers, in the data network may be optimized to automatically calculate current latency values for a network path in real-time or near real-time and intelligently forward data packets based on the calculated values. The network devices may further optimally forward prioritized data traffic over network paths selected based on the calculated latency values.
US07978679B2
The present invention relates to communicating control information in a mobile communication system, by which new control information can be transmitted more quickly. The present invention comprises transmitting a first data block comprising control information for transmitting first data when no resources for the transmission of the first data are available, receiving second data from an upper layer to be transmitted, wherein the second data has a higher priority than the first data, and transmitting a second data block comprising updated control information for transmitting the first and second data when no resources for the transmission of the first and second data are available.
US07978678B2
The present invention relates to communicating control information in a mobile communication system, by which new control information can be transmitted more quickly. The present invention comprises transmitting a first data block comprising control information for transmitting first data when no resources for the transmission of the first data are available, receiving second data from an upper layer to be transmitted, wherein the second data has a higher priority than the first data, and transmitting a second data block comprising updated control information for transmitting the first and second data when no resources for the transmission of the first and second data are available.
US07978670B2
A method and apparatus to facilitate managing communications with at least one wireless node (102, 103) having an outbound payload memory in a severely resource-constrained wireless network (100) can provide for a coordinator node (101) for that network providing (201) information regarding remaining capacity of those outbound payload memories and then automatically using (202) that information in integral combination with a bandwidth allocation management process to control allocation of at least one wireless communication resource by which the wireless nodes can transmit items contained in the outbound payload memory.
US07978659B2
A wireless communication device and a method of operating an antenna training process to discover first and second communication paths between at least two stations, to rank according to a quality criterion transmitting and receiving modes of an antenna, to report best transmitting mode and best receiving mode for transmitting and receiving signals over said first and second communication paths and to establish a communication link on a selected communication path based on the quality of the transmitting mode and said receiving mode.
US07978658B2
In a wireless communication system using a reference channel used for error rate measurement and associated with a plurality of transport channels multiplexed on a coded composite transport channel (CCTrCH), a method is employed for reselection of the reference channel from favorable candidate transport channels. A channel is initially selected from the plurality of multiplexed channels as the reference channel. Channels are monitored based on quantitative data content criteria to determine whether an ON or OFF state exists. A different channel is selected from the plurality of multiplexed channels as the reselected RTrCH when a better candidate transport channel in the ON state becomes available, or when the monitored RTrCH reflects an OFF state.
US07978655B2
Systems and methods are described for secure and seamless roaming between internal and external networks. Double and triple tunnels may be used to connect a mobile node to a correspondent host. A mobile node may include the ability to connect to two networks simultaneously to enable seamless roaming between networks.
US07978653B2
A data transfer apparatus includes a data transmitting portion, a destination point recording portion, an arrival time calculating portion, a required transfer rate calculating portion, and an occupied transfer rate calculating portion. The data transmitting portion transmits the pieces of untransmitted data to the respective mobile terminals through the communication line in accordance with the respective occupied data transfer rates calculated by the occupied transfer rate calculating portion.
US07978648B2
Method and apparatus for data access for a mobile terminal comprising a module for determining whether first and second modes of wireless network coverage is available, a module for selecting the first mode if available, a module for attempting access via the second mode on failure to establish access via the first mode and a module for monitoring availability of the first mode. Even when a connection is established via the second mode, availability of the first mode is monitored and access attempted, when second mode connection is idle.
US07978642B2
An air interface information unit including a measurement setup unit for implementing measurement setup procedures and configuration; a measurement reception and storing unit for storing actual, predicted and default air interface values and corresponding timestamps; a measurement processing unit for filtering, verifying, processing and combining air interface values; and a measurement output unit for providing air interface values to RRM functions upon request and triggering RRM functions when an air interface value exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US07978638B2
A method of transmitting network information in a broadband wireless access system is disclosed, in which a base station transmits mobile IP information received from a HA or FA to a mobile station in an idle mode. The present invention includes the steps of receiving a request for entering an idle mode from a mobile station, transmitting information of an admission for entering the idle mode to the mobile station, receiving the network information from a mobility agent, and transmitting a paging message including the network information.
US07978628B2
A system and method of determining bandwidth thresholds dynamically. Frames per second are measured at an interface. An effective throughput is measured at the interface. An average packet size is determined for a plurality of frames received at the interface. The average packet size being determined in response to the measured frames per second and the measured effective throughput. A threshold is determined for the effective throughput in response to the determined average packet size. A determination is made whether the effective throughput at the interface exceeds the threshold for the interface. A throughput rate communicated to the interface is adjusted in response to determining the effective throughput at the interface exceeds the threshold.
US07978625B2
An apparatus and a method for selectively retransmitting data according to a channel state in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes determining retransmission information of a receiver from feedback information received from the receiver, determining a retransmission scheme for the receiver using the retransmission information of the receiver, and performing a retransmission process with the receiver according to the determined retransmission scheme. In a good channel state, the data is retransmitted using the retransmission scheme to thereby enhance the reliability of the data delivery and the reception performance. In a bad channel state, the data is not retransmitted to thereby reduce a waste of resources in the data retransmission.
US07978624B2
The present invention discloses a method for suppressing cross-slot interference in a time-slotted CDMA system. The method includes: determining, by a base station, positions of cross slots according to configuration information of local cell and configuration information of co-frequency adjacent cells, and performing multi-cell channel estimation on the cross slots to obtain channel estimation results; determining, by the base station, code channel configuration information of the co-frequency adjacent cells, grouping the determined code channels and determining the code channels of the co-frequency adjacent cells involved in a joint detection; and performing, by the base station, the joint detection according to the multi-cell information estimation results and the determined code channels of the base stations involved in the joint detection to obtain detection data. With the present invention, interference from a base station transmitting downlink signals in cross slots to a base station receiving uplink signals in the corresponding slot may be reduced, and the system capacity and the stability may be improved.
US07978623B1
Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system and method for providing channel feedback information (CFI) from a user equipment device to a base station. CFI is transmitted from the user equipment device on first and second communication channels. The user equipment device is operable to measure the channel rank of a downlink channel and to select a preferred channel rank that is used to configure the CFI that is transmitted to the base station. The base station is operable to use the preferred channel rank to interpret the CFI transmitted by the user end device.
US07978614B2
Techniques that assist in processing of failure detection protocol (FDP) packets. Techniques are provided that assist a CPU of a network device in processing incoming FDP packets. In one embodiment, a module is provided in a network device for detecting and flagging the non-receipt of FDP packets by the network device for one or more FDP sessions. In this manner, the task of detecting non-receipt of FDP packets is offloaded from the CPU of the network device. This enables the network device to support newer FDPs with shorter periodic interval requirements.
US07978611B2
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture to determine an administrative cost for a network path are disclosed. An example method is used to select a plurality of network segments and a plurality of network switches to determine a network path between first and second network nodes. A transmission medium length associated with the plurality of network segments and the plurality of network switches is then determined, where the administrative cost for the network path is determined based on the transmission medium length.
US07978609B2
A packet scheduler is configured to perform quality of service (QoS) scheduling on a per-data unit basis. A downstream processing engine is operatively connected to the packet scheduler for receiving forwarded packets. A feedback path is operatively connected between the downstream processing engine and the packet scheduler for transmitting a net data unit change value reflecting a change in packet size between an output of the packet scheduler and an output of the downstream processing engine.
US07978606B2
A system and method for policing one or more flows of a data stream of packets associated with differing transmission protocols. The current capacity level for each flow is determined, as is the packet protocol associated with each packet. A packet parameter in the packet that is indicative of the bandwidth consumption of the packet is identified. The packet parameter is converted to a predetermined format if the packet is not associated with a predetermined packet protocol. A common bandwidth capacity test is performed to determine whether the packet is conforming or non-conforming, and is a function of the packet parameter and the current bandwidth capacity level.
US07978605B2
Methods and apparatus for controlling the rules of engagement between a telecommunication carrier and a customer whose network is managed by the telecommunication carrier are provided. A computer system interviews a customer by determining a set of specific questions tailored to the customer's needs, the set of specific questions based on previously stored customer information. Answers to the asked questions are stored as an entry in a master user profile. The master user profile defines the rules of engagement of how the telecommunication carrier shall operate on behalf of the customer on each subsequent transaction without the need of the customer's direct involvement on each element of the transaction. The entry has an associated event and a corresponding action to perform in response to the occurrence of the associated event. Upon receipt of an event occurrence, the corresponding action which includes interoperating with existing telecommunication carrier systems is performed.
US07978594B2
In one embodiment, a method for supporting recovery from failure of a link in a network of nodes interconnected by links. An intermediate node between an ingress point and an egress point of the network is selected to minimize the sum of (i) a capacity constraint between the ingress point and the intermediate node and (ii) a capacity constraint between the intermediate node and the egress point. The selection identifies two path structures, each comprising a primary path and one or more link backup detours protecting each link on the primary path, with a first path structure between the ingress point and the intermediate node, and a second path structure between the intermediate node and the egress point. To maximize network throughput, packets are routed in two phases, first to the intermediate node via the first path structure in predetermined proportions, and then from the intermediate node to the final destination via the second path structure.
US07978592B2
Disclosed are multiple embodiments of method and apparatus to facilitate Multiple Users Reusing One Timeslot (MUROS) operation in wireless communications. A pair of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) may be multiplexed onto a timeslot using a same pulse format. A WTRU may communicate on a network using MUROS technology both on the downlink (DL) and the uplink (UL), and may use a first pulse format on the DL and a second different pulse format on the UL. Pulse format support information to facilitate MUROS operation may be communicated between a network and a WTRU. The support information may be communicated in Radio Resource Control (RRC) messages. A network may allow for concurrent operation of WTRUs using different types of MUROS technology. For example, a network may include WTRUs using MUROS based on orthogonal sub-channels (OSC) while other WTRUs use MUROS based on an interference-canceling technology such as Downlink Advanced Receiver Performance (DARP) Phase I or Phase II.
US07978589B1
A write analysis system is described for an optical drive, where the optical drive includes an optical storage medium. The write analysis system includes a filter that receives a reflected signal that is based on a reflection of a diffracted laser beam. The reflection of the diffracted laser beam includes a reflection of a first write signal. The filter generates a filtered signal by filtering the first write signal from the diffracted laser beam. The system also includes a read-back module that receives the filtered signal and that compares the filtered signal to a second write signal that was written to the optical storage medium prior to the first write signal.
US07978586B2
An optical pickup device includes a diffraction grating 12 for separating a light beam emitted from a semiconductor laser element into at least three light beams. The diffraction grating 12 is divided into three regions by a straight line extending in a direction parallel to a tangent line of a track of an optical information recording medium. A second region 12B is divided into a first sub-block 13 and a second sub-block 14 by a straight line extending in a direction parallel to a radius direction of the optical information recording medium. The first sub-block 13 has a phase difference of approximately 180 degrees from the second sub-block 14. The first region 12A has a phase difference of approximately 90 degrees from the first sub-block 13 and has a phase difference of approximately 180 degrees from the third region 12C.
US07978584B2
There is provided a method and device for reading, writing, or both, data from or to a pattern recognition type optical memory having a light transmittable substrate. Patterns can be formed in the pattern recognition type optical memory from light images representing the data. An optical memory reading device comprises a light source, an image detecting unit for detecting images corresponding to the patterns and generating image signals converted by an optical/electric converter into electric signals. An optical memory writing device comprises a light source, an electric/optical converter for receiving an electric signal corresponding to the data and converting the electric signal into an image signal, and an image generation unit for receiving the light emitted from the light source and the image signal and generating light images corresponding to the image signal, wherein the images are configured to form the patterns on the light transmittable substrate.
US07978583B2
Improved techniques for forming a reflective layer of an optical disc are provided. One improvement includes forming the reflective layer over an information layer of the disc by utilizing a metallizer and a masking device having an angled lip configured to align to an outer edge of the information layer. The masking device allows the applied reflective layer to extend to the outer diameter edge of the information layer, and shields plasma generated by the metallizer from reaching internal components of the metallizer. The masking device may include a pusher having a spring mechanism attached to an inner masking portion of the masking device. When the disc and the pusher are brought into relative contact with each other by application of a first force to at least one of the masking device and the disc towards the other, the pusher is spring-loaded and is pushed up into a recess of the inner masking portion, and when the first force is removed, the spring-loaded force of the pusher pushes the disc away from the masking device.
US07978581B2
A multi-layered high-density recording medium and an optical power adjusting method for use with the same. Control information is pre-recorded in a specific area of at least a specific recording layer among the multiple recording layers, wherein the control information and includes each reference power information for respective recording layers. The method includes: (a) reading control information from a specific area of the recording medium, wherein the control information includes each reference power information for respective recording layers and is pre-recorded in the specific area of at least a specific recording layer among the multi recording layers; (b) adjusting a power value to be used for at least one of a recording operation and a reproducing operation at a target recording layer, by referring to the read control information; and (c) performing at least one of the recording and reproducing operations based on the adjusted power value.
