US08348797B2
A transmission includes two blocking valves that control fluid pressure to a plurality of clutches. The blocking valves are characterized by a plurality of states that result in at least three transmission operating conditions. Each of the three operating conditions is characterized by fluid pressure being unavailable to a respective one of the plurality of clutches.
US08348796B2
A transmission is configured to transfer power between an input member, first and second torque machines and an output member and includes a transmission case, a differential gear set, first and second torque transfer clutches, a first torque machine rotatably operatively couplable to a first element of the differential gear set when the second torque transfer clutch is in an applied state, and a second torque machine rotatably operatively coupled to a second element of the differential gear set. The differential gear set is configured to transfer torque between the first torque machine and the output member in a first continuously variable mode when the first torque transfer clutch is in the applied state, and to transfer torque between the first and second torque machines and the output member in a second continuously variable mode when the second torque transfer clutch is in the applied state.
US08348785B2
Disclosed is a golf club head having a striking plate made of a high-strength aluminum alloy including at most 0.06 wt % of Si, at most 0.1 wt % of Fe, 2 to 2.5 wt % of Cu, 1.5 to 2.5 wt % of Mg, 5 to 9.5 wt % of Zn, at most 0.05 wt % of Mn, 0.1 to 0.2 wt % of Zr, at most 0.05 wt % of Cr, at most 0.05 wt % of Ti, 0.01 to 0.1 wt % of Sc, and balance Al, wherein the weight ratio of Zn over Mg is from about 3.2 to about 4.4.
US08348780B2
A golf club head in which a top surface of the body includes an actual top surface visible profile region and a varied top surface visible profile region is provided. The varied top surface visible profile region may provide a visual impression of a varied profile of the body distinct from an actual profile of the body. The visual impression is oriented in a manner that allows the golfer to address the ball at the heel region of the golf club. The perimeter of the top surface visible profile region may be complementary in shape to the perimeter of the top surface of the body and the varied top surface visible profile region and the actual top surface visible profile region may be distinct in shape, size, color, and/or finish etc. An associated golf club and a method for fitting a golf club are also provided.
US08348777B2
A sport landing cushion may comprise an airbag comprising first and second inflatable compartments or first and second airbags, wherein the first compartment (airbag) is thicker than the second compartment (airbag) and provides a base, and wherein the second compartment (airbag) provides a landing surface and is for inflation to a higher pressure for use than is the first compartment (airbag). A container therefor may comprise an enclosure for a rolled deflated airbag and having an opening through which a deflated airbag may pass, a winch, and an air supply for inflating the airbag.
US08348765B1
A player-matching mechanic selects users for an online asynchronous game where players specify moves at different times. Values from instances of the game are used to determine characteristics of the users including at least one of gameplay characteristics or chat characteristics. Users can be chosen for instances of the game by comparing values corresponding to these characteristics.
US08348763B2
A method for implementing a Live Dealer game is disclosed. A live feed of game-play at a gaming table is sent to a remote player. During play, a server receives an indication of a rank and suit of a dealt card. If the card has not yet been revealed at the gaming table, the server will delay transmitting to the remote player data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card. Upon receipt of a status signal indicating that the card has been revealed at the gaming table, the server will transmit the data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card to the remote player, thereby substantially synchronizing transmitting the data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card to the remote player with revealing the card at the gaming table.
US08348761B2
In a game played by a plurality of game machines through teamwork, an evaluation is performed according to the correlation among operation information obtained through communications with each of the game machines. A plurality of game machines communicate with one another to establish timing synchronization. After the game, input timings at which buttons are operated during the game are collected and then evaluated so as to determine an absolute and relative timing coincidence in a predetermined period (unison part). A predetermined number of points are added to its game score based on the evaluation.
US08348760B2
Methods and systems for providing input to an interactive program are presented. An interactive system includes a display for displaying an interactive program and a controller device. The position and motion of the controller device are determined based on perspective distortion of the display in captured images of the display taken at the controller. In an interactive region, various interactive zones are defined, each of which have an associated specified function for an action of the controller device. When the controller device is determined to be within one of the interactive zones, the functionality of the action of the controller device is set to the specified function associated with that interactive zone.
US08348759B2
An embedded additional user interface is equipped with a touch screen and audio device to operate as a user interface (UI) terminal to provide a gaming machine with the capability of executing applications from one or more web servers, and local applications executing in the gaming machine, simultaneously. The UI comprises a touch controlled web-browser rendering information from the local gaming machine, and interconnected web servers, providing the user with game data, local player session data, and back-end casino management data in a single interface.
US08348745B2
Certain example embodiments relate to a gaming system which includes a symbol selector which is arranged to select a plurality of symbols from an available set of symbols. The set of symbols may include one or more predetermined symbols. The predetermined symbols form a predetermined symbol arrangement, such as a pattern or word. When a predetermined symbol is selected it is placed in a symbol store. When the predetermined symbol arrangement is completed, by selection of all of the predetermined symbols, then a prize may be won.
US08348737B2
A method for conducting an online contest involving “fantasy” type sporting games through the use of bracketing rules such that a player can employ decision-making via strategic moves as well as by mathematical equation. The method integrates hundreds of thousands of fantasy players into a unitary online contest where each fantasy player seeks to advance through various brackets in order to win prizes derived from the mass amount of entry fees.
US08348732B2
The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus and a method for controlling an environment in a location. In one aspect, an apparatus for controlling an environmental condition in a location is provided. The apparatus includes a flow control device, wherein the flow control device is connectable to an environmental control unit via a conduit. The flow control device comprising a flow restriction member configured to selectively control an airflow into the location and a controller member configured to autonomously actuate the flow restriction member based upon the environmental condition in the location. In another aspect, a method for controlling an environmental condition in a first location and a second location is provided. In a further aspect, a system for controlling an environmental condition in a first location and a second location is provided. In yet a further aspect, a method for controlling an environmental condition in a location is provided.
US08348699B2
An electrical connector includes a connector main body made of an insulating material for attaching an end portion of a pair of single wires untwisted at an end portion of a twisted pair cable; and a shell member to hold the untwisted portion. The shell member includes a base portion made of a conductive material to dispose the connector main body at the front end side and the untwisted portion at the basal end side; a cable holding portion made of a conductive material to hold the single wires at the untwisted portion for positioning the single wires parallel to each other and close or contact to each other; and a cover portion provided on the base portion to have at least the untwisted portion and the cable holding portion between the cover portion and base portion.
US08348696B2
An electrical connector comprises a housing and one or more light pipes. The housing includes oppositely disposed first and second end portions and is configured for electrically and mechanically connecting a circuit board adjacent a status indicator. Light pipes can be supported adjacent to the respective first and second end portions and may be disposed proximate to the status indicators. Each light pipe includes an elongated main body configured to optically couple with the status indicator and to guide light emitted from the status indicator, a supporting member disposed on the main body and configured to engage the first end portion and a clip member disposed on the main body and configured to engage the first end of the housing, the supporting member and the clip member helping support and secure the main body.
US08348694B2
Provided is an electronic device into which a card having a connection terminal is inserted. The electronic device includes a circuit board; a card connector which is mounted at a circumference of the circuit board and includes a signal terminal; and a card guiding unit which guides the card during insertion of the card to couple the connection terminal and the signal terminal.
US08348684B2
The present disclosure provides a portable electronic device having a concealed jack socket. In accordance with one example embodiment, the portable electronic device comprises: a housing including a main body and a hatch movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position; a jack socket received within the housing, the jack socket defining a cavity for receiving a jack plug; wherein the hatch is pivotably connected to the main body to move from the fully closed position to the fully open position in response to insertion of the jack plug, wherein the jack socket is hidden in the fully closed position and exposed in the fully open position.
US08348681B2
A cable assembly includes a housing having a mating end and a cable end and receives a cable through the cable end. The housing has a mounting block proximate to the cable end. A ferrule is configured to be terminated to the cable. The ferrule has an inner bushing and an outer bushing, with the inner and outer bushings cooperating to capture a cable braid of the cable therebetween. The ferrule is retained within the mounting block such that the ferrule is housed interior of the housing.
US08348678B2
Cable assemblies and connector systems that include magnetic elements are disclosed. The cable assemblies may include first and second cables. A first plurality of magnetic elements may be arranged around the first cable proximate a first end, while a second plurality of magnetic elements may be arranged around the second cable proximate a second end. Magnetic forces between respective ones of the first and second pluralities of magnetic elements may tend to retain the respective first and second ends of the first and second cables proximate one another. The connector systems may include mating retainers, each of which may include a plurality of magnetic elements. Magnetic forces between respective ones of the pluralities of magnetic elements may tend to retain the mating retainers proximate one another. In some examples, the mating retainers may include guiding elements, which may be configured to orient the mating retainers.
US08348670B2
A method for the computer-assisted learning of orthography, the method includes executing the following steps by a data processing system: retrieving (11) a main set of words from a data storage; retrieving (12) an error data set associated with said main set of words from the data storage; repeatedly executing the following steps: selecting (13) a word to prompt the user with, by computing, for each word from the error data set, a statistic measure related to the probability of an error occurring in the word, and selecting the word which has the maximum value of the statistic measure; prompting (14) the user with the word; accepting (15) a user input specifying a sequence of symbols; comparing (16) the user input with the word; updating (17, 18) and storing the error data set.
US08348664B2
A dental apparatus for use with a connecting member coupled to a jaw in a patient's mouth. The apparatus includes an orthodontic device and a connecting device carried by the orthodontic device. The connecting device includes a receptacle adapted to partially receive the connecting member and a blocking member. The blocking member is moveable relative to the receptacle between an opened position in which the connecting member may be disengaged from the receptacle and a closed position in which the connecting member is captured within the receptacle for pivotally engaging the orthodontic device with the connecting member. The orthodontic device may further include a biasing member selectively activated to provide a spring-biased force to the jaw. A method of using the dental apparatus includes moving the blocking member to capture/release the connecting member in the receptacle and activating/deactivating the biasing member to operate the apparatus in a different mode.
US08348663B2
A dental device (10) for temporarily filling a toothless gap (50) following extraction of a tooth. The dental device is arranged so as to be located in a space between two adjacent teeth (30, 40) bordering, on each opposed side, the toothless gap. The dental device comprises a central block (11) and two arms (12, 13) located on opposite sides of the central block (11). The two arms (12, 13) are extendible between a retracted position and an extended position. Each arm carries, at a free end thereof, at least one support (14, 15) adapted for resting respectively on a surface of the adjacent teeth when the arms are in the extended position. The central block includes an adjusting mechanism (19) for moving the two arms into the extended position, and a lock (20, 21, 22) locks the adjusting mechanism when the arms are in the extended position.
US08348661B2
A check valve (36, 136) for a screw (24) is provided. The check valve (36, 136) includes a retainer tip (54, 154), operable to be attached to a distal end of a screw shaft (52, 152), the retainer tip (54, 154) defining at least one melt channel (30). A first ring (60) is coaxially mounted to and rotationally-coupled with the retainer tip (54, 154). A second ring (66) is coaxially and slidably mounted to the retainer tip (54, 154), and is operable to rotate relative to the retainer tip (54, 154). The second ring (66) is operable to reversibly move between an open position which permits melt to flow through the check valve (36, 136) and a closed position which prevents backflow of the melt.
US08348656B1
System for practicing a method of making a low cost, light weight impact deflecting material, comprising directionally aligned single walled carbon nanotubes in an epoxy resin composition, that is near impervious to bullets fired at close range at all angles of incidence, that does not deteriorate upon abrasion or when exposed to wide ranges of temperature and humidity, and that when used to construct a protective shield for a body armor vest protects the wearer from blunt trauma effects.
US08348655B2
An optical molding apparatus molds an optically molded product by stacking cured layers. Each cured layer is formed by emitting light according to cross-sectional-shape data of the optically molded product onto a surface of photo-curable resin. The optical molding apparatus includes an exposing unit and an exposure control unit. The exposing unit performs exposure on the photo-curable resin for each of small work areas that are defined by dividing an overall work area, which is where an optical molding operation is performed, into a plurality of areas. The exposure control unit controls an exposure condition of the exposing unit for each of the small work areas and allows the exposure to be performed collectively on multiple layers' worth of the photo-curable resin in a predetermined one of the small work areas.
US08348652B2
An apparatus for manufacturing nonwoven fabric including a spinning nozzle, a fiber extension device, a receiver device and a sprinkler is provided. The spinning nozzle is filled with a spinning solution and has a plurality of spinners, where each of the spinners includes a spinning port and a main gas port surrounding the spinning port. The fiber extension device is disposed under the spinning nozzle and includes at least one secondary gas supply device. The secondary gas supply device has an arc gas distribution portion, such that the direction of gas ejected from the secondary gas supply device is the same as the direction of gas ejected from the main gas port. The receiver device is disposed under the fiber extension device. The sprinkler is disposed above the fiber extension device or the receiver device.
US08348631B2
The invention relates to a lubricant or hydraulic pump for delivering oil or the like having a housing which is formed from two housing shells which are of at least substantially similar or identical construction. An inlet is provided on or in the housing. Furthermore, a rotatably mounted drive element, which is configured, in particular, as a swash plate, and at least one pump element which interacts with the drive element to deliver oil or the like are arranged in the housing.
US08348618B2
A tiered structural assembly for wind turbine blades that reduces stress on the airfoil profile is shown. The wind turbine blades and rotor assemblies for capturing the wind resources show significant improvements in both cost of manufacture and site assembly compared to three-bladed horizontal axis turbines. A simple, easily manufactured blade pivoting mechanism is shown to improve the performance of vertical axis turbines. A related improvement for varying blade pitch along the axis of horizontal axis turbine blades allows for production using continuous mass-production methods rather than the labor and cost intensive current practice of molding the blades. The blade assemblies are scalable and suited to areas with moderate wind resources.
US08348617B2
Method for the emergency braking of a wind power plant, in which at least one rotor blade of the wind power plant is adjusted into its feathering position, wherein a first phase, in which the at least one rotor blade is adjusted with a first speed, and a second phase, in which the at least one rotor blade is adjusted as of a predetermined first blade pitch angle with a second speed, which is increased until a maximum speed is reached and/or until a second determined blade pitch angle is reached.
US08348614B2
An airfoil suitable for use in a gas turbine engine having at least one feed passage at least in part defined along a feed axis which is at least perpendicular to a cavity axis to reduce dirt ingestion into a trailing edge passage.
US08348607B2
A heat dissipating device includes a heat dissipating element and a bracket. The bracket includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion. The first fixing portion is to fix the heating dissipating element. The second fixing portion is movably mounted to the first fixing portion. The second fixing portion is configured to fix the bracket to another apparatus to adjust a distance between the heat dissipating element and the apparatus.
US08348606B2
An enhanced pump assembly includes an impeller and volute casing designed to provide high operating pressures (“P”) and flow rates (“Q”) with low energy usage. The impeller has a central shaft carrying radially projecting curved primary vanes, and each primary vane also has a twist in the radial direction. Secondary impeller vanes define triangular connecting fillet-like wall segments connecting each primary vane to the impeller shaft. The casing of the pump has a slight spiral deviation so that the pump chamber's radial sidewall flares away from the swept area of the impeller's vanes to define a fluid outlet that contributes to higher P-Q performance, especially when pumping colder fluids.
US08348603B2
A gas turbine inner flow path cover piece for a gas turbine a first turbine wheel and a second turbine wheel is provided is provided. The gas turbine inner flow path cover piece can include a main body having an first surface and a second surface, side pieces disposed on the first surface of the main body and mating pairs disposed on the second surface of the main body.
US08348599B2
A rotor wheel is provided and includes a body having first and second opposing faces and portions recessed from a plane of the first face to define therein an annular groove and a plurality of tributary grooves, the annular groove being receptive of fluid from an external source and formed to direct the fluid to flow along an annular flow path, and the plurality of tributary grooves being receptive of the fluid from the annular groove and respectively formed to direct the fluid to flow sequentially along radial and axial tributary flow paths while preventing inter-tributary groove fluid communication.
US08348596B2
A fan assembly for creating an air current includes an air outlet mounted on a stand. The stand includes a base and a body tiltable relative to the base. The fan assembly has a center of gravity located so that when the base is located on a substantially horizontal support surface, the projection of the center of gravity on the support surface is within the footprint of the base when the body is in a fully tilted position.
US08348595B2
A turbocharger oil discharge assembly (301, 501, 701, 901) can have a thrust collar (324, 524, 724, 924) with a first radially outwardly extending wall and a second radially outwardly extending wall to define a first annular channel. The first radially outwardly extending wall can have an annular flange that at least in part defines a second annular channel. The assembly can also have a thrust bearing (340, 540, 740, 940) having a radially inner end received in the first annular channel, and an insert (400, 600, 800, 1000). An oil collection chamber (440, 640, 840, 1040) can be defined at least in part by a drainage channel of the insert (400, 600, 800, 1000), the annular flange of the thrust collar (324, 524, 724, 924) and the thrust bearing (340, 540, 740, 940). Pressurized oil discharged from an oil release interface can be directed towards a radially outer region of the oil collection chamber (440, 640, 840, 1040) and can be collected in the oil collection chamber (440, 640, 840, 1040) for subsequent exhaust.
US08348588B2
An article transport facility includes an article transporting mobile body configured to move along a path and having an article holder; an article support for storing an article, the article support is configured to be moved between an article transfer position and an article storage position; a lock device provided on the article support to be switchable between a locking state for locking the article support in the article storage position, and an unlocking position for releasing the locking state; and an operating device provided on the mobile body for moving the article support and switching the lock device.
US08348585B2
A system for unloading and loading load-containing units, such as containers or movable boxes, presenting lift blocks from and onto railway trucks arranged to move on a main track along a longitudinal travel axis. The system including at least two pairs of lifting members separated at least in space above the main track, and able to flank the load-containing unit on opposite sides about the main track and to translate it vertically by achieving a grip on lift blocks.
US08348561B1
A motorcycle restraining device for securing a motorcycle to a trailer or other transport device is provided. The restraining device includes first and second brackets permanently attached to opposite sides of a motorcycle. A connecting rod is inserted through the brackets when the motorcycle is to be loaded onto the transport device. The motorcycle with the rod then approaches first and second receiving members, which constitutes an anchor, and the rod is secured to the receiving members. As the receiving members are adjustable and the design of the brackets adjustable as well, the motorcycle restraining device of the present invention may be used with generally any make and model of motorcycle. In addition, the brackets are permanently attached such that they do not create any problems or prevent ride ability of the motorcycle.
US08348558B2
The invention relates to a cutting insert having an essentially parallelepiped-shaped basic body with two larger spaced-apart longitudinal surfaces (10,11) which are connected to one another by two smaller transverse surfaces (12, 13) and two smaller longitudinal surfaces (14) designed as rake faces, wherein the smaller longitudinal surfaces (14) form with the adjacent surfaces a respective, encircling, closed cutting line which forms the cutting edges and rounded-off cutting corners, and the larger longitudinal surface (10, 11) merges on both sides via respective rounded-off edges into the smaller transverse surface (12, 13), and one of the rounded-off cutting corners is designed so as to project relative to a basic shape which is determined by the cutting lines, on both sides, of the larger longitudinal surfaces (10, 11) with the smaller longitudinal surfaces (14).
US08348549B2
Method and apparatus for a low floating boom curtain constructed of absorptive material made for use in waters polluted by oil, fuel, diesel fuel, chemicals such as dispersants or other petroleum based contaminants or the like wherein the boom curtain is comprised of an upper and a lower portion wherein the upper portion is the buoyant portion and the lower portion is a skirt portion, wherein the skirt portion has a weighted portion on the bottom of the skirt portion so that together they form an absorptive boom curtain for removing oil from oil containing waters. The upper portion, which provides the main flotation for the device, has an internal float/foam member which provides sufficient flotation and which foam member is wrapped in a single or double layer of absorptive material and wherein the entire device is made of and or covered by absorptive material. The boom curtain has a strap running longitudinally along it for interconnecting the individual curtain units wherein the strap may also have attachment rings and interconnecting rings for connecting individual units of the device so as to form a longer string of boom. The weighted portion may be weighted by any suitable material, however, it is believed that sand will be the weight of choice since it is also readily available.
US08348527B2
A camera holder and activation device enables a user to take pictures from vantage points spaced from the user's head. A frame defines a camera support position and an attachment device removably mounts the camera to the frame at the camera support position. An extension member such as a monopole is connected to the frame, whereby the frame may be so spaced from a user that the user cannot directly view a contemplated picture via a picture-framing element of the camera. A shifter member is movably mounted to the frame and is provided with a projection extending towards the camera support position so that motion of the shifter member brings the projection into contact with a shutter button of the camera mounted to the frame at the support position.
US08348522B2
A component system and method is described that is made of components for transmitting, routing and receiving “in-air” optical signals for placement on printed wiring boards (PWBs). The transmitters are components including a light source attached to a transparent substrate and aligned to a coupling lens. The transparent substrate can contain circuitry for controlling the light source, or the circuitry could be attached to the transparent substrate. The receivers include a light detector attached to a transparent substrate with circuitry for converting optical signals to electrical circuitry (integrated onto the transparent substrate or separately attached). The routing components include a lens for coupling light into an optical waveguide, an optical waveguide and, optionally, a second lens for coupling light from the optical waveguide. The component system allows in-air optical communication between PWBs, without requiring traditional connections and harnesses between the PWBs, thus increasing their reliability and throughput.
US08348511B2
The bag for receiving refuse may include a bag body, the bag body including an inside surface, an outside surface, and a rim defining a mouth. The bag may also include a first strip of material disposed on the inside surface of the bag body proximate the rim. The strip may include an inside surface, an outside surface that faces the inside surface of the body, a top edge, and a bottom edge. The bag may also include a front wall, a back wall, and a hem, the hem including a drawstring. The strip may include a printed design. The design could be letters, numbers, pictures, writing, or any other design. When the bag is inserted into a trash receptacle such that the rim of the bag is folded over the rim of the receptacle, the printed design is visible from outside the receptacle.
US08348510B2
A soft sided insulated container assembly has a first insulated container portion and a second insulated container portion. The second insulated container portion can be collapsed to a flat position, and secured in place. Either of the container portions may have a liner. The liner in the first container portion may be a substantially rigid liner. The assembly may have a lifting member. In one example the second portion may be hingedly mounted to the first portion, and the lifting member may be mounted such that when the assembly is lifted, the hinge is in an up-and-down orientation. In another embodiment, the lifting member may be eccentrically mounted, such that the assembly may possibly sit more comfortably against a carrier's hip. The first container portion may have an auxiliary opening or door, and that door may be more easily opened than the main access of the first insulated container portion.
US08348501B2
A sensor for detecting icing conditions in an airstream includes a flow housing mounted on an aircraft and in which one or more probes are mounted. At least one of the probes subjected to impingement of the airstream and liquid moisture droplets in such airstream. The heat removal, or cooling effect on the probe in the airstream carrying liquid droplets is determined. A temperature signal indicating the airstream temperature is combined with signals from the at least one probe for determining whether or not icing conditions are present.
US08348496B2
Mainspring for a mechanism driven by a motor spring, especially for a timepiece, formed from a ribbon of metallic glass material. This ribbon is monolithic and has a thickness of greater than 50 μm.
US08348493B2
The invention relates to an electronic manager for bread dough mixers and to an operating method. The invention consists of an integral module (15) comprising a PLC (2) which, by means of relays (3, 4 and 5), controls a low-speed contact (8), a high-speed contact (9) and an electrovalve (10, 10′) in order to operate a mixer (14). In addition, the PLC (2) controls a temperature sensor (6), a flowmeter (7, 7′) and a visual and audible indicator (13). The corresponding method comprises a parameter definition step, a start confirmation step, an oxygenation step, a liquid metering step, a mixing step and a return-to-rest step.
US08348491B2
A light guide plate includes a body having a bottom surface and a light output surface opposite to the bottom surface. A scattering structure is formed on the bottom surface. The scattering structure includes a number of scattering dots located in the form of a number of concentric shapes around the center. The scattering dots adjacent to the center are arranged in a plurality of concentric circles. The scattering dots adjacent to the edge are arranged in a number of concentric quadrilaterals having a shape substantially corresponding to a shape of the light guide plate. A backlight module using the light guide plate is also provided.
US08348489B2
The present invention introduces a new class of thin doubly collimating light distributing engines for use in a variety of general lighting applications, especially those benefiting from thinness. Output illumination from these slim-profile illumination systems whether square, rectangular or circular in physical aperture shape is directional, square, rectangular or circular in beam cross-section, and spatially uniform and sharply cutoff outside the system's adjustable far-field angular cone. Field coverage extends from +/−5- to +/−60-degrees and more in each meridian, including all asymmetric combinations in between, both by internal design, by addition of angle spreading film sheets, and angular tilts. Engine brightness is held to safe levels by expanding the size of the engine's output-aperture without sacrifice in the directionality of illumination. One form of the present invention has a single input light emitter, a square output aperture and the capacity to supply hundreds of lumens per engine. A second multi-segment form of the invention deploys one light emitter in each engine segment, so that total output lumens is determined by the number of segments. Both types of thin light distributing engines provide input light collimated in one meridian and a light distributing element that maintains input collimation while collimating output light in the un-collimated orthogonal meridian, in such a manner that the system's far-field output light is collimated in both its orthogonal output meridians. The present invention also includes especially structured optical films that process the engine's doubly collimated output illumination so as to increase its angular extent one or both output meridians without changing beam shape or uniformity.
US08348485B2
A headlamp for a motor vehicle, this headlamp comprising at least one optical module capable of emitting a plurality of light beams, including a low beam and at least one additional light beam. The optical module is equipped with a cover plate which can be moved between at least two positions, this movable cover plate being configured along a shaft mounted so as to rotate in the optical module and driven in rotation at least by a motor. The shaft comprises at least one first cut-off member configured as a double-edged cover plate providing an oblique cut-off for emission of the low beam, and at least one second cut-off member configured as a wall of substantially constant height, angularly offset relative to the first cut-off member and providing at least one substantially vertical cut-off line for emission of a high beam.
US08348484B2
A vehicle exterior lamp includes an optical structure defining a plurality of geometric indicia, and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for emitting light. Light emitted by the LEDs is directed towards the optical structure, to interact with the optical structure, and exit the exterior lamp.
US08348482B1
A pendant light assembly having a decorative globe with an internal light chamber, formed integrally of blown glass. The chamber is formed by reheating a portion of the blown glass globe and applying a partial vacuum to draw the glass inwardly. A secondary layer of glass inside the light chamber differs from the glass of the main globe in transparency, translucency and/or color; for example, the outer globe may be clear and the inner light chamber may be translucent to diffuse the light from the light source therein. The globe is suspended by a lighting assembly on the end of an electrical cord that is mounted to the lip of the opening into the internal light chamber. The connector assembly includes a clip mounted to the lighting element, having a plurality of flexible lobes that can be depressed to pass through the opening, and a cap threadingly mounted to the lighting element that can be tightened down to clamp the edges of the clip beneath the lip of the opening. The light chamber may have a substantially spherical shape, with the lip around the opening being formed by the edge of the wall of the main globe.
US08348478B2
A light module includes a light engine that has an LED package having power terminals. A base ring assembly holds the light engine. The base ring assembly has a base ring configured to be mounted to a supporting structure. The base ring has a securing feature. The base ring assembly has a contact holder that holds power contacts. The power contacts are spring biased against the power terminals to create a separable power connection with the power terminals. A top cover assembly is coupled to the base ring. The top cover assembly has a collar surrounding the base ring. The top cover assembly has a securing feature that engages the securing feature of the base ring to couple the collar to the base ring. The collar has a cavity and the optical component is received in the cavity. The optical component is positioned to receive light from the LED package and the optical component is configured to emit the light generated by the LED package.
US08348445B2
A direct-type backlight unit includes: an arrangement surface on which a plurality of light sources are arranged; and a plurality of reflecting surfaces that are formed at a plurality of ends of the arrangement surface and reflect light emitted from the plurality of light source. Light emitted from the light sources and light reflected from the plurality of reflecting surfaces irradiate to a radiation area surrounded by the plurality of reflecting surfaces. The plurality of reflecting surfaces are inclined at an angle that is smaller than 90 degrees with respect to an extension surface of the arrangement surface that extends toward the outside of the reflecting surface. The plurality of reflecting surfaces include reflecting surfaces having a large inclination angle and reflecting surfaces having an inclination angle that is smaller than the large inclination angle. The light sources that are arranged along the reflecting surfaces having the large inclination angle are closer to the edge of the radiation area than the other light sources that are arranged along the reflecting surfaces having the small inclination angle, in a plan view of the radiation area.
US08348442B2
A flash apparatus and related systems and methods of use are disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a housing having a generally concave reflector, and a light source disposed within the reflector. A handle can be engaged with the housing and/or the light source to facilitate manual positioning and repositioning of the light source relative to a photographic apparatus remote from the housing and/or an object to be photographed. A synchronization device is in communication with the light source and the photographic apparatus for causing the light source to emit a flash of light when the photographic device is actuated. A modifier can also be engaged with the reflector for modifying the emitted flash of light. In a portable system, various interchangeable reflectors, modifiers, and light sources can be provided. Power sources for the light sources and a stand engageable with the handle can also be included.
US08348435B2
There is provided a light source unit comprising an excitation light shining device for emitting excitation light, a luminescent plate having a luminescent light emitting area on a base material and adapted to emit a luminescent light of a predetermined wavelength band by excitation light from the excitation shining device, two types of light source devices for emitting light of wavelength bands different from that of the light from the luminescent plate, a light guiding optical system for guiding the light from the luminescent plate and the rays from the light sources to a predetermined plane, and a light source control device for controlling the emission from the excitation light shining device and the light sources, wherein a synthetic light or a single-color light are emitted by controlling the emissions from the excitation light shining device and the light sources by the light source control device.
US08348434B2
A projection display device having a projection device projecting an image on a surface, and a position detection function of detecting an object's position between the surface and the projection device, includes: a light source emitting light beams toward the object; a light detector detecting the light beams reflected by the object; and a position detector detecting the object's position in an imaginary plane based on the light detector's result, wherein the light source emits, as the light beams, first through third light beams having first through third intensity distributions, the second intensity distribution having a highest intensity at a position failing to overlap a highest intensity of the first intensity distribution, and the third intensity distribution having a highest intensity portion at a position failing to overlap a straight line connecting the highest intensity portions of the first and second intensity distributions.
US08348428B2
A method and apparatus are provided for characterizing square wave jerks in the eye movements of a person, which may provide a powerful tool in the differential diagnosis of oculomotor and neurological disease. The method includes the steps of a) providing a sequence of saccades, b) identifying pairs of consecutive saccades of the sequence, c) determining whether each saccade of each identified pair is opposite the direction of the other saccade and, if not, then discarding the pair, d) determining whether a magnitude of each saccade of each identified pair is comparable and, if not, then discarding the pair, e) determining whether the pair of saccades of each identified pair are temporally related by a predetermined time period and, if not, then discarding the pair and f) collecting any remaining pairs of saccades as square wave jerks.
US08348426B2
An optical image measurement device is configured to form a tomographic image at each of a plurality of cross sections of a measurement object, and the optical image measurement device comprises: an image processor configured to execute an arithmetic operation based on a tomographic image at one cross section of the plurality of cross sections and another tomographic image at each of one or more cross sections other than the one cross section, thereby forming a new tomographic image at the one cross section.
US08348417B2
A rolled medium accommodation device includes a rolled medium accommodation unit which swings around a first shaft, a lever member which swings around a second shaft in conjunction with swinging of the rolled medium accommodation unit, a shaft member capable of moving in a direction intersecting an axial direction of the second shaft, and urging unit configured to apply rotational torque around the second shaft to the lever member. Due to the rotational torque, the rolled medium accommodation unit is subjected to force whereby the rolled medium accommodation unit is swung in a direction opposite that of gravity around the first shaft from a low position to a high position higher than the low position, and the shaft member moves so that the distance between a center of the shaft member and a center of the second shaft is greater in the high position than in the low position.
US08348416B2
A printing apparatus includes a printing medium support unit supporting a printing medium supplied to a print execution area and guiding the transported printing medium. The printing medium support unit includes a support portion supporting the printing medium and defining a predetermined gap between a print head and the support portion. A suction hole disposed in a width direction of the printing medium adsorbs and supports the printing medium on the support portion by applying a suction force to the printing medium. A first recess portion with an ink discharge port is disposed at a position corresponding to a position at an edge of the printing medium of a size which is supposed to be used and receives ink possibly discarded upon executing marginless printing. A first communication passage applies some of the suction force to the first recess portion in a passage independent from the ink discharge port.
US08348413B2
An ink jet recording apparatus is provided. The ink jet recording apparatus includes a supporting member for supporting a recording medium, an ink head comprising a nozzle surface disposed opposite the recording medium during a print operation, an ultraviolet light irradiation device coupled to the ink head in a freely movable manner, an ink head aiding system comprising a plurality of elements including at least a wiper for wiping the nozzle surface of the ink head or a cap for covering the nozzle surface of the ink head, and at least a portion of the irradiation section of the ultraviolet light irradiation device is located in front of at least one of the elements of the ink head aiding system.
US08348410B2
An ink set for inkjet recording including an ink composition including a dispersion of a pigment dispersed by a water-insoluble polymer which is formed by copolymerizing a monomer mixture containing a styrenic macromer, as well as self-dispersing polymer particles, a water-soluble organic solvent, and water; and a reactive liquid which forms an aggregate when contacted with the ink composition; and an image recording method using the ink set, are provided.
US08348404B2
An airflow system for a solid-ink melter tank is disclosed, which prevents clogging of drop tube supplying solid ink to the solid-ink melter tank. An inlet may provide airflow as well as solid ink to the melter tank and an outlet maintained at a temperature higher than temperature of the inlet, promotes a convective air current. The inlet may be coaxial with the drop tube or is present as a separate opening in the solid-ink melter tank. The outlet can be taller, externally insulated, and fabricated with a thermally conductive material as compared to the inlet. The heated outlet promotes expulsion of hot air from the solid-ink melter tank and prevents heating of drop tube, which leads to drop tube clogging by partially melting the solid ink.
US08348402B2
A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a control method for a fluid supply device can desirably supply a fluid while maintaining good throughput, and can reduce device size and cost with a simple construction. The inkjet printer has an expansion mechanism that enables an ink refill operation in which a movable member expands an ink chamber by moving a piston that moves in contact with a regulator panel disposed to the main device side and supplies ink from an ink cartridge, a comparison means that determines whether or not the amount of ink left in the ink cartridge is less than a specified value, and a CPU that sets a long time mode in which the ink refill operation time is long when the amount of ink left in the ink cartridge is less than the specified value.
US08348401B2
A turning operation of a head set lever is completed, and a printing head can be detached from a carriage part. By the above-described turning operation of the head set lever, a supply port insertion and extraction part connected via a link slides, a needle pipe of the supply port insertion and extraction part is brought into a state of being the farthest from the printing head, and a needle insertion and extraction lever is brought into a state in which it moves under a case wall. Thereby, an operator cannot turn only the needle insertion and extraction lever when the head set lever is in an opened state. In this manner, when the head set lever is in the opened state, the operation of the needle insertion and extraction lever, which is used for connection of the supply port insertion and extraction part to ink supply port, is restricted.
US08348398B2
There is provided a droplet ejection device comprising: a droplet ejecting head comprising a droplet ejecting surface on which an ejecting aperture from which droplets are ejected and a collecting hole for collecting adherent liquid adhered to the droplet ejecting face are formed; and a collecting unit that causes the liquid to overflow to the droplet ejecting face through the collecting hole and collects the overflowed liquid through the collecting hole together with the adherent liquid.
US08348397B2
A fluid height backpressure system includes a printhead, a fluid supply tank, a backpressure device, and an air removal device. The backpressure device responsible for supplying system backpressure includes at least one tower disposed in an upright position and having a plurality of walls defining first and second chambers for respectively communicating with the ink supply tank and a fluid supply reservoir of the printhead. The air removal device provides additional back pressure in the second chamber, allows backpressure in the system to be maintained even with an empty fluid supply tank, and also supply of ink to the fluid supply reservoir of the printhead substantially without air bubbles being introduced therein. Also, ink sensors are utilized for sensing out-of-ink/ink-low conditions and also to help establish and continue the operation of the backpressure device.
US08348395B2
A piezoelectric element, comprising electrodes and a piezoelectric body formed between the electrodes. The piezoelectric body consists of a perovskite oxide including bismuth, lantern, iron and manganese. The molar ratio of the sum of the bismuth and the lantern to the sum of the iron and the manganese is 0.87 or more and 0.94 or less. The molor ratio of the bismuth to the lantern is 3.57 or more and 4.82 or less.
US08348393B2
A print head (20, 220) includes a diaphragm (26) opposite a fluid chamber (21) having a side opening, a first end and a second end. The print head (20, 220) further includes a support (30, 32, 300, 302, 310, 312, 320, 322) extending from a floor (52) of the fluid chamber (21) to the diaphragm (26).
US08348387B2
The pagewidth inkjet printer provides for simultaneous printing across a horizontal portion of a sheet of paper, as opposed to horizontal scanning of a conventional inkjet printer. The pagewidth inkjet printer includes a platen for incrementally translating a page of paper and a controller for selectively driving rotation of the platen. A housing is mounted adjacent to the platen and is fixed with respect thereto. A plurality of print heads are mounted within the housing. Each print head has a plurality of nozzles for selectively ejecting ink, and each nozzle is adapted for ejecting a distinct color of ink. The plurality of nozzles of each print head are aligned in a direction parallel to a direction of translation of the page of paper. The plurality of print heads are arrayed and aligned linearly along a direction orthogonal to the direction of translation of the page of paper.
US08348385B2
A printhead die that includes first and second slots through the die for feeding a same liquid, the slots offset from each other along two axes. The die has a first nozzle package adjacent one side of the first slot and extending toward the second slot along the minor axis. The die includes a second nozzle package adjacent an opposite side of the second slot and extending toward the first slot along the minor axis. The first and second nozzle packages each have a slanted corner profile.
US08348384B2
There is provided a small-sized and inexpensive rotational adjustment apparatus for a linearly moveable inkjet coating head 6 without providing a rotary mechanism which is separate from and independent of a linear movement mechanism. The apparatus is capable of performing a rotational adjustment, about a rotary axis in a Z-axis direction, of the inkjet coating head in which the Z-axis direction is orthogonal to an X-axis direction which is a direction of movement of the coating head. The apparatus has: first and second moveable bodies, two in total, which are linearly moved by separate driving sources in the X-axis direction; and a converting mechanism which converts the inkjet coating head into a linear movement in the X-axis direction when the first and second moveable bodies synchronously move in the X-axis direction, and into a rotary movement, about the rotary axis of the inkjet coating head, when both the first and the second moveable bodies make a relative movement in the X-axis direction.
US08348383B2
A printing device includes a carriage control part that reciprocates a carriage, a print control part that confirms an origin point of the carriage by a position detecting part, a carriage moving time calculation part that calculates a first moving time (B) and a second moving time (C), and a line feed time calculation part that calculates a third time (A). The first moving time is a period during which the carriage moves from a carriage position to the position detection part after print completion, and the second moving time is a period during which the carriage moves from the position detection part to a next print starting position. The third time (A) is a period during which the recording medium is carried from the print completion to the next print position. The position control part executes an origin point confirmation operation of the carriage when (B+C
US08348375B2
One of the two flow passages branches from one of two ink cartridges to one of the two discharging portions and one of the two individual discharging portions. The other flow passage branches from the other ink cartridge to the other discharging portion and the other individual discharging portion. A ratio of frequency of use of each of the discharging portions, Ra, and frequency of use of each of the individual discharging portions, Rb, satisfies Ra:Rb=1:½.
US08348374B2
When ink is ejected from any one of a plurality of pressure chambers, an electric field pulse, which corresponds to an electric field pulse to be applied to a partition wall of the pressure chamber which is to eject the ink, and has at least one square wave, which is in a direction opposite to that of the electric field pulse and has a pulse width corresponding to the electric field pulse, is applied to a partition wall adjacent to the partition wall of the pressure chamber which is to eject the ink.
US08348371B2
Customized articles of footwear are produced by providing options and graphics that are selected by a customer when submitting a custom order at a retail facility. The graphics are selected from a catalog while the options, such as a shoe model or a shoe size, are selected at an order interface rendered at a computing device. The computing device processes the order by uploading printing instructions associated with the customer-selected graphic or by converting specifications of the order into the printing instructions. The printing instructions are passed to a printer that is configured to move inkjet nozzles in a pattern and, concurrently, control a timed release of coloring agent from the inkjet nozzles based on the printing instructions. Releasing the coloring agent over the article of footwear physically applies a design thereto, which substantially resembles the customer-selected graphic. An oven typically cures the design via infrared heat over a timeframe.
US08348369B2
An image forming method includes discharging a droplet of a recording fluid via nozzles of a recording head onto a print medium; performing a main scan in which the print medium is scanned in a main scan direction; performing a sub-scan in which the print medium is scanned in a sub-scan direction; determining an overlap region in an image region that is formed by a single main scan; and performing an overlap control by forming an image in the overlap region through a plurality of main scans while the print medium is moved in the sub-scan direction by a feed amount L, wherein L=(n−x)d−md, where n is a number of the nozzles in the recording head; x is a number of the nozzles in the overlap region; d is a nozzle pitch; and m is a feed correcting coefficient (0
US08348364B2
A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a method of cleaning a printing device are disclosed. A fluid supply device includes a main tank, a fluid chamber, a fluid-discharging head, a movable carriage, an expansion mechanism that expands the fluid chamber to draw fluid from the main tank, a suction mechanism, a remaining fluid detection unit, a comparison unit that compares the remaining fluid volume in the main tank with a specified value, and a setting unit that sets a cleaning mode. The expansion mechanism is actuated via a movement of the movable carriage. The setting unit sets a first cleaning mode in which a first amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle or a second cleaning mode in which a second amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle that is less than the first amount. The cleaning mode is selected in response to the amount of fluid remaining in the main tank.
US08348360B2
A support can provide information and display objects. The compartment of the support is hinged to switch between a flat folded condition and an unfolded and open functional condition to receive an object. It comprises a retractable wall (115) for holding the compartment in its unfolded and open condition and an elastic element (127) for biasing the holding wall in an unretracted holding position. The flattening of the compartment is done by retracting the holding wall against the action of an elastic element. The pivoting holding retracting wall (115) is a shoring wall between a floor face (105) and a ceiling face (103) with which they form a force descending rod.
US08348354B2
A vehicle braking system including an input piston and a pressure piston that are moveably supported within a cylinder. The input piston is allowed to depress the pressure piston and is connected to the a brake pedal. Pressure chambers to the front and to the rear of the input piston are communicated through a communication passage such that the control hydraulic pressure in accordance with the operation amount to the brake pedal is applied to the second pressure chamber via first and second linear valves. The control hydraulic pressure in accordance with the operation amount to the brake pedal that has been transmitted to the pressure piston through the input piston is regulated by a pressure regulating valve so as to be applied to the second pressure chamber. The braking hydraulic pressure may be output from the pressure chambers, respectively.
US08348352B2
A brake control system includes a master cylinder to produce a master cylinder pressure, a brake booster to assist the master cylinder, a first control unit to control the booster, a hydraulic modulator to supply a wheel cylinder pressure to a wheel cylinder, and a second control unit to control the hydraulic modulator. The hydraulic modulator includes a pressure source, such as a pump, to increase the wheel cylinder pressure. The first and second control units are connected together by a communication line. The brake control system may further include a boost condition transmitting section to transmit, through the communicating line, a condition of a boost system formed by the brake booster and the first control unit.
US08348346B2
A vehicle seat spring assembly having an engagement post connected to one of a seat and a seat back. A coil spring includes an internal end and an external end. The external end is operably connected with the engagement post. An arcuate engagement bracket is connected to the other of the seat and the seat back. The engagement bracket includes an elongate slot adapted to operably engage the internal end of the coil spring. The internal end moves between a compression position in contact with a first end of the elongate slot corresponding to a first predetermined position of the seat back relative to the seat. A tension position is in contact with a second end of the elongate slot corresponding to a second predetermined position of the seat back relative to the seat.
US08348345B2
A fitting system (9) is provided for a vehicle seat (1), especially motor vehicle seat, which defines a pivot axis (A) of backrest and has a fitting lower part (11) and an associated fitting upper part (12) on both sides of the vehicle seat. Each fitting upper part (12) is pivotable relative to the associated fitting lower part (11) about the pivot axis (A) of the backrest. The system has, on one side of the vehicle seat, a lock (15) and an opposing element (16), which lock the fitting system (9) in a use position by cooperating. A prestressed latch (17), which cooperates with another opposing element (16), especially receives it, in the use position, is provided on the side of the vehicle seat that is located opposite the lock (15).
US08348340B2
A seat structure has a main body and a seating surface element attached to the main body extending in a longitudinal direction. A back element is connected to a rear end of the seating surface element and is reclinable and extends in a vertical direction. The back element includes a back plate and a pair of back rods respectively positioned on both lateral sides of said back plate. An upper end flap is connected to an upper end of the back plate in a forward tiltable manner. A displacement member is supported on the back rods and is vertically displaceable. A first connection element connects the displacement member and upper end flap to tilt the upper end flap forward according to displacement of the displacement member.
US08348335B2
A passenger car configured as a convertible, with an underbody, which has a middle tunnel, and with a cockpit carrier, on which a steering column carrying a steering handwheel is mounted. Driving comfort can be increased if the cockpit carrier is attached solely to the middle tunnel fixedly in three directions perpendicular to one another.
US08348331B2
A structural attachment system for a cargo management system is fully integrated into the cargo bed side walls of a pick-up truck so that the only feature that is different than a standard pick-up is an array of holes along the top of the cargo bed side walls. The cargo management system also includes a wide range of different pick-up truck cargo bed mounted accessories that incorporate structural hooks that are adapted to be retained and released by the structural attachment system. Additionally, the structural attachment system provides a single point, simple method of retention and release via an actuation handle at the rear most point of the pick-up truck cargo bed. The configuration of the structural attachment system allows significant structural retention forces to be transferred from the accessories into the pick-up truck cargo bed side walls via the structural hooks.
US08348328B2
A folding tonneau cover including a first substantially rigid panel having a laterally-extending front edge at least partially defined by an elongate edge rail, and a second substantially rigid panel having a laterally-extending rear edge at least partially defined by an elongate edge rail, the first and second panels having opposed exterior and interior sides. The first and second panels substantially lie in a plane when the cover is unfolded, the first and second panel exterior sides generally facing in a direction away from a first side of the plane when the cover is unfolded, the first and second panel exterior sides adjacently superposed when the cover is folded. The cover includes a hinge assembly having substantially rigid first and second portions pivotally connected together along a first pivot axis located on the one side of the plane, the hinge first portion affixed to the first panel edge rail, the hinge second portion affixed to the second panel edge rail. A seal is affixed to at least one of the first and second panel edge rails. When the cover is unfolded the seal extends from one of the first panel front edge and the second panel rear edge toward the other and is entirely disposed on the same side of the first pivot axis as is the plane.
US08348321B2
A vehicle body structure for fitting a pillar garnish and a fender panel is provided which surely prevents a space formed in the surface of a vehicle body from being viewed as black. The vehicle body structure includes a resin-made pillar garnish on a front surface side of a pillar of a vehicle body, a steel-made fender panel having an end on an end of the pillar garnish, and a seal member sealing a space between respective ends of the pillar garnish and the fender panel. The pillar garnish has an extending portion which extends in a direction from the end of the pillar garnish to the end of the fender panel. The fender panel has a flange which extends in a direction from the end of the fender panel to the end of the pillar garnish. The seal member is mounted on the extending portion and the flange.
US08348315B2
A cat litter scoop has a handle part and a scoop part. The handle part includes a releasable locking mechanism and a button for releasing the locking mechanism. The scoop part is connected to the handle part via the releasable locking mechanism. When the scoop part is soiled, such as after scooping cat litter, a user presses the button to release the locking mechanism and jettison the scoop part and the user has no contact with the cat litter and no contact with the soiled scoop part. Preferably, the scoop part is biodegradable and may include paper pulp.
US08348311B2
A lever mechanism for holding an escape hatch onto a vehicle surface covering an opening in the vehicle surface, for enabling emergency escape through the escape hatch. The lever mechanism includes a base portion, a handle portion and a clamp portion, with the handle portion and clamp portion linked so that by pushing on the handle portion, and so placing the lever mechanism in its engaged state, the clamp portion is pushed against the vehicle surface, drawing the escape hatch against the vehicle surface. By pulling on the handle portion of the lever mechanism, and so placing the lever mechanism in its disengaged state, the clamp is pulled up and away from the vehicle surface and clear of the opening in the vehicle surface, thus allowing the escape hatch to be pushed out away from the vehicle surface, thereby enabling emergency egress.
US08348307B2
A seatbelt device having a first energy absorbing member with two axial direction end portions attached respectively to a spindle and a lock member and which absorbs energy by undergoing twisting deformation when a load of at least a predetermined value acts on the spindle while the lock member is locked during an emergency. A second energy absorbing member is fixed to the spindle at one end portion and extends through a bend route provided in the lock member. The second energy absorbing member absorbs energy by being pulled through the bend route so as to undergo plastic deformation when the spindle rotates as a result of twisting of the first energy absorbing member. A deformation portion is interposed between a turned back portion of the second energy absorbing member and the spindle. With this constitution, unstable load variation can be suppressed in an initial stage of an operation, and as a result, a stable tension can be applied to a webbing such that an occupant can be protected effectively and safely.
US08348297B2
An automatically adjustable fifth wheel assembly for a vehicle and trailer combination that adjusts the position of the trailer relative to the vehicle is disclosed.
US08348290B2
A structural component for a rear frame structure of a motor vehicle is provided with a mounting zone suitably designed for the mounting of a rear axle, more preferably of the twist-beam axle type, a first support zone suitably designed for supporting a suspension spring of the rear axle, a second support zone suitably designed for supporting a shock absorber of the rear axle, and at least one fastening zone suitably designed for fastening the structural component to the rear frame structure. In addition, it extends to an assembly consisting of a rear axle with structural components fastened thereto, a rear frame structure of a motor vehicle with such structural components, and a motor vehicle equipped accordingly.
US08348289B2
With a rack-and-pinion mechanism, an impact force is absorbed and reduction in assembling performance is suppressed. An annular fitting groove (51) that extends in the circumferential direction of a rack guide (41) is formed in an outer peripheral face (41a) of the rack guide (41), and an O-ring (52) is fitted in the fitting groove (51) in a state in which the axial movement of the O-ring (52) is restricted. A communication groove (61) that provides communication between an internal space (55), defined by the fitting groove (51) and the O-ring (52), and the outside of the rack guide (41) is formed in the rack guide (41).
US08348281B2
A stern tube sealing assembly and a seal ring thereof has a key part having an inverted V-shape, a front step part on the front side, and a back step part on the back side thereof. The seal ring width in a propulsion-shaft axis direction becomes thinner in the transition area from the key part toward a heel part. The inner diameter of the key part at the back step part is greater than that of the key part at the front step part. The ring has a lip part having a V-shaped lip tip protruding inwardly in the radial direction and a spring groove having a semicircular cross-section. The center of the spring groove is nearer to the inboard side than the lip tip, by an offset in the axis direction, the offset being within approximately 10% of the orthogonal projection length of the width of the lip back.
US08348277B2
A conventional roulette wheel modified to include a set of roulette numbers depicted on an inner rotatable unit which like another set of roulette numbers depicted on an outer rotatable ring serve to identify a ball compartment such that a ball compartment into which the roulette ball ultimately lands is identified by two roulette numbers increasing the number of wager options for players including a high-paying bonus wager. Various systems for ensuring alignment of the outer and/or inner sets of roulette numbers with the ball compartments are disclosed.
US08348269B2
An image scanning device includes a scanning specifying unit, at least two document detecting units, a supply timing adjusting unit, and a document supplying unit. The scanning specifying unit specifies one of at least two scanning methods each having a different transportation interval between documents. The document detecting units are at least two in number and arranged to detect a document at different positions on a transportation route. The supply timing adjusting unit is arranged to measure a transportation distance of the document after detection by the document detecting units and to generate a supply signal. The document supplying unit is arranged to supply a document from a paper feed tray based on the supply signal. The supply timing adjusting unit is arranged to generate the supply signal based on a result of detection by the document detecting unit that corresponds to the specified scanning method.
US08348259B2
An apparatus, method and system for a feeding a sheet in a document reproduction machine. A feedbox is contained within a document reproduction machine. Within the feedbox, an elevator moves at least one sheet to the upper portion of the feedbox, to a stack height finger, for feeding the sheet into a feed device. At least one sensor, located at the upper portion of the feedbox, detects the location of the sheet. The location information is sent from the sensor to a data processing device. The data processing device sends information to an actuating device. The actuating device may cause one or more plungers to move through apertures in the elevator. The plungers will result in a substantially flat sheet. The sheet is then fed into the feed device.
US08348256B1
A printer includes multiple gear trains, each gear train to pick paper. The printer also includes a print media sensor to detect the presence of print media along a paper path, a user input control, and control logic coupled to the print media sensor and the user input control. Based upon receiving multiple signals from the user input control to resume printing, each such signal following an indication from the print media sensor that paper has not been picked, the control logic to cause a change-over to occur from one gear train to another gear train.
US08348246B2
A system for distributing a fluid via a packing disposed in a container, the packing configured to have the fluid trickle from a top to a bottom thereof, includes at least one distributor member including a pressure conduit having at least one nozzle configured to discharge the fluid therethrough and a distributor channel adjoining the distributor member. A width of the distributor channel does not substantially exceed a diameter of the distributor member. The distributor channel defines at least one outlet slot disposed at a lower end of the distributor channel. The at least one outlet slot has a specified width and is configured to discharge the fluid from the distributor channel to the packing via a guide member. The distributor channel is configured to receive the fluid discharged from the at least one nozzle so as to provide a specified level of the fluid in the distributor channel. The distributor channel forms a ventable chamber above the specified fluid level. The ventable chamber is configured to maintain a pressure corresponding to a pressure in the container in which the packing is disposed.
US08348245B2
An impregnator for mixing a nonaerated or only slightly aerated liquid (F) with gas (G), in particular for mixing a noneffervescent or only slightly effervescent beer precursor product, or a beer precursor product containing CO2, with CO2, includes a mixing cell, in particular tubular, which except for an incoming liquid inlet, an incoming gas inlet, and an outlet, is partitioned off from the surrounding, and at least one Impregnator body is disposed in the mixing cell in such a way that the flow through the mixing cell of the liquid (F) and gas (G) must necessarily take place through the impregnator body. Disposed in the mixing cell is at least one impregnator body, which includes a porous solid body, namely of a foam material, a sponge, a follow fiber module, or a sintered material.
US08348243B2
A home soda machine includes a cylinder of gas suitable for carbonation, an attachment mechanism to attach a bottle of water, a valve opening mechanism to open a gas release valve on the gas cylinder and introduce the gas to the bottle of water, a gas release sensor to sense at least events indicating the opening and closing of the gas release valve, and an indirect gas meter to at least determine an amount of the gas released from the cylinder based at least on a cumulative length of time the gas release valve was open as per data received from the gas release sensor.
US08348241B2
A mounting adapter for mounting a jack to a trailer coupler and/or a trailer frame is described. The mounting adapter may permit the jack to mount to the trailer coupler while retaining both vertical and axial adjustability. The mounting adapter may include a flange and a collar. The flange may include an opening for receiving the jack and at least one mounting aperture for attachment with the trailer frame. The collar may extend outward from the flange and have at least one aperture for attachment with the jack. The collar may also include a rib located for engagement with a slot on the jack. The trailer coupler and frame may include apertures alignable to the mounting apertures, whereby the mounting apertures may permit orientation of the jack to be forward, left, right or rear facing. The mounting adapter may also be vertically adjustable to the jack.
US08348234B2
A vacuum valve including a valve opening, a valve seat surrounding the valve opening, and a valve plate. During closing starting from the open position, the valve plate is moved over a main section of the closing path in a main closing direction parallel to the valve plate and the plane of the sealing surface, and then over a final section running at an angle to the sealing surface plane for guiding the valve plate onto the valve seat. A guide element on the wall that guides the valve plate over the end section of the closing path interacts with a guide element on the valve plate. The valve plate is guided over the final section of the closing path by guide surfaces that are angled relative to the sealing surface, and at least one guide surface is arranged on a guide element of the valve plate or the wall.
US08348217B2
Provided are a vibration isolating table (1) with damping mechanism having initial rigidity so that a vibration isolation subject is not swayed under a state in which no vibrations act, and configured to function in a case where vibrations act so that the vibration isolation subject can be protected, and a vibration isolating table unit (15) using the vibration isolating table (1). The vibration isolating table includes a fixed plate (2); a guiding member (42) provided so as to be freely movable in an X direction relative to the fixed plate (2); a movable plate (3) provided so as to be freely movable relative to the guiding member (42) in a Y direction orthogonal to the X direction; an X-directional circulation belt (6) configured to circulate in accordance with X-directional movement of the guiding member (42) relative to the fixed plate (2); a Y-directional circulation belt (9) configured to circulate in accordance with Y-directional movement of the movable plate (3) relative to the guiding member (42); and rotary dampers (7, 10) respectively provided to the fixed plate (2) and the movable plate (3), and respectively including rotationally driven members (70, 100) around which the X-directional circulation belt (6) and the Y-directional circulation belt (9) are respectively looped, the rotary dampers (7, 10) being configured to respectively impart resistance to rotational motion of the rotationally driven members (70, 100).
US08348209B2
A universal bracket for fastening different panel elements and/or additional devices in aircraft, comprises a base plate for fastening to a substructure, a support plate connected to the base plate and a plurality of spring clips received in the support plate to provide a releasable and vibration-damping connection to the panel elements. The base plate has at least one bore screen for fastening at least one device carrier for fastening at least one additional device, in particular emergency lighting, an emergency exit sign or the like, in different positions, wherein the fastening of the device carriers is provided with a fastening device such as fastening rivets, screws or the like.
US08348208B1
The vehicle window support apparatus provides for a user to hold a vehicle window in a desired position, relative to up and down, without the typical vehicle window support mechanisms. The apparatus does not need tools or hard installation into the vehicle. Instead, suction cups hold the window. The apparatus lower vertical member and horizontal member position the apparatus within the existing window channel of a given vehicle. The slanted member enables the upper vertical member to be proximal to the window itself, whereby the suction cups are then temporarily and removably affixed to the window, holding the window as desired by a user. Upon termination of use, the apparatus suction cups are easily removed from the window and the lower vertical member removed from the window channel.
US08348205B2
An expandable armrest of a wheel chair includes a fixed part having a first pivotal portion which includes a first pivotal hole. A movable part is pivotably connected to the first pivotal portion of the fixed part by its second pivotal portion. A first transverse hole and a second transverse hole are defined in the second pivotal portion. A slide member is slidably inserted into the slots of the second pivotal portion and has an inclined hole in which an engaging member is engaged. The engaging member has a first end and a second end. A trace that the engaging member moves in the inclined hole constantly intersects a trace that the first end moves in the first transverse hole and a trace that the second end moves in the second transverse hole, such that the movable part is positioned by controlling the movement of the slide member.
US08348204B2
A waterproof cable guide device for a railway vehicle comprises an elastic member having a plurality of through-holes penetrating in a forward and backward direction and screw insertion holes penetrating in the forward and backward direction, the plurality of electric cables being inserted into the plurality of holes, respectively, the elastic member being divided in positions of the through-holes or having slits extending from an outer peripheral surface of the elastic member to the through-holes, respectively; a press casing surrounding a front surface and an outer peripheral surface of the elastic member so as not to cover the through-holes and provided with screw insertion holes communicating with the screw insertion holes of the elastic member; and screws inserted into the screw insertion holes, in a direction from forward, and tightened with respect to the cable guide; the screws being inserted into the screw insertion holes in the direction from forward and tightened with respect to the cable guide in a state where the electric cables are inserted into the through-holes, respectively, to cause the elastic member to be compressed by the press casing to closely contact peripheral surfaces of the electric cables.
US08348193B2
For retrieval of a hovering aircraft, a cable, bar, or similar fixture is suspended in an approximately horizontal orientation across the retrieval area between two well-separated supports. The aircraft slowly flies into this fixture, which then slides along the aircraft in a direction approximately parallel with the aircraft's thrust line. This leads to the aircraft becoming fastened to the fixture by an interceptor or aircraft capturer, which in alternative embodiments are respectively on the aircraft or the fixture or both. Thrust is then reduced, and the aircraft comes to rest hanging from the fixture for subsequent removal. Retrieval is thus accomplished with simple and economical apparatus, light and unobtrusive elements on the aircraft, low risk of damage, and only moderate piloting accuracy.
US08348192B2
A crash attenuation system for an aircraft, the system having an airbag carried by the aircraft and inflatable generally adjacent an exterior of the aircraft. The airbag has at least one vent for releasing gas from the interior of the airbag. A gas source is in fluid communication with the interior of the airbag for inflating the airbag with gas generated provided by the first gas source. A vent valve is provided for controlling a flow of gas through each vent, each vent valve being selectively configurable between an open state, in which gas can pass through the associated vent from the interior of the airbag, any number of intermediate states, in which the vent is partially open, and a closed state, in which gas is retained within the interior of the airbag.
US08348188B2
A mixing system for a fluid tank is described, the system having a drive motor, an impeller, a shroud enclosing the impeller and a cutter mounted on the shroud to cut solids. The shroud is open at inlet and discharge ends for drawing in and discharging fluid from the tank. A recess is provided on the internal surface of the shroud, wherein the cutter is adjustably positioned within the recess. The cutter is detachable from the recess to allow replacement. In use, homogeneity is maintained in a slurry contained within the tank by submerging the impeller such that the cutter cooperates with the impeller to cut solids within the slurry, drawing tank contents into the impeller at the inlet, cutting material between the cutter and blade, and then discharging the material.
US08348186B2
The invention provides an electrically-driven kitchen machine including a food mixer or a food processor. The machine has a support platform for supporting a receptacle for foodstuffs to be mixed or otherwise processed. The machine has an electric motor used to drive mixing or processing tools disposed in the receptacle; and a heater for heating the foodstuffs in the receptacle. In order to ensure that the temperature of the foodstuffs is accurately determined, the base of the receptacle consists of multiple layers, including a first metallic material, such as aluminum, having a relatively high thermal conductivity, sandwiched between outer and inner skins of a second metallic material of lower thermal conductivity than the first metallic material. The machine is also provided with first and second probes, each protruding through the receptacle-supporting platform and urged upwardly to contact the inner skin and the first metallic material respectively. The second metallic material typically comprises stainless steel, and the heater typically comprises an induction heater, in which case the probes are constructed so as to resist absorption of heat from the energy field generated by the heater.
US08348184B2
A waterless method of processing coal to remove impurities therefrom includes drying a batch of coal to remove moisture therefrom, pulverizing the coal into individual coal particles to liberate impurity particles from the coal and without substantially reducing the size of the impurity particles, and separating the impurity particles and pulverized coal particles into respective product streams via air classification. The dryer includes a plurality of rotating paddles, and an air stream forces the coal through the plurality of rotating paddles to pulverize the coal into individual particles and liberate the impurities.
US08348178B2
Spraying installation (1) on a chassis (2) of a truck (3), comprising a spraying nozzle (4) at the free end of a telescopic arm (5) attached to the chassis (2) via elevation means, characterized by the telescopic arm (5) being supported in a first position (A) oriented along the length of the truck (3) and above the top of the truck, wherein the telescopic arm (5) is stowed in a horizontal transport position, and supported in at least one other, active position (B, C), whereby the telescopic arm stays in a horizontal position during the movement between said positions (A and B, C) in a space confined between the vertical planes of the two sides of the truck.
US08348175B2
There is provided an apparatus for preventing and removing fog at an airport runway. The apparatus includes: a water tank 10 buried in a ground around a runway; a water tank temperature sensor 20 for sensing a water temperature in the water tank; a heater 30 provided inside the water tank, for heating water contained in the water tank; a cooling device 40 provided inside the water tank, for cooling water contained in the water tank; the sprinklers 50 installed at opposite sides along the runway and over the ground around the runway, and supplied with the water from the water tank to spray water towards the atmosphere over and around the runway; and a controller 60 controlling, on the basis of the water temperature of the water tank measured using the temperature sensor, operation of the sprinklers, the heater, and the cooling device, according to an externally inputted operational signal.
US08348170B2
A simple and universal technique for fabricating different antenna structures, in particular a multilayer antenna structure, on a substrate is disclosed. Before the antenna is actually fabricated or placed on the substrate, connecting surfaces for connecting an antenna conductor and/or a chip or a chip module as well as through-platings extending through the antenna substrate are prepared between the connecting surfaces.
US08348167B2
There is provided in one embodiment an indicia reading apparatus having an image sensor array. The indicia reading apparatus can have a first operator selectable configuration and a second operator selectable configuration.
US08348163B2
An antenna device includes a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate, arranged in parallel with the first conductive plate, which has at least one slot formed thereon, a power feeding element located between the first and second conductive plates to feed power to the first conductive plate, and a shutter configured to be movable to close/open the slot of the second conductive plate.
US08348161B2
An improved structure of three-dimensional (3D) spectacles is provided, including a spectacle frame on which an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip is mounted. The 3D spectacles are specifically for use in a 3D auditorium or 3D theater and are composed of a frame, lenses, and temples. The RFID chip is combined with the spectacle frame by being embedded in the frame or attached to a surface of the frame. With the RFID chip so mounted, a theater worker may use a reader to identify if a specific pair of 3D spectacles has already been sanitized. Also, the 3D spectacles can help in entrance and exit management, ticketing management, distribution of souvenirs, and toilet guiding service. In file-out, a reader may be used to confirm the returning of 3D spectacles. In this way, the theater service quality can be significantly improved.
US08348153B2
The present invention provides a method for providing long term storage of customized transaction card images, comprising the steps of approving or rejecting a selected customized image, marking the customized image as approved or rejected, packaging the customized image into an image file for a transaction card issuer, sending the image file to the transaction card issuer via a secure transfer process, and sending the image file to long term storage.
US08348148B2
A metering infrastructure having smart devices that utilize smart cards. An infrastructure having a plurality of smart devices is disclosed wherein each smart device is adapted to be controlled by a removable smart card, and wherein each removable smart card includes a computational platform capable of storing and executing program code and a set of application programs capable of being executed on the computational platform, wherein each of the set of application programs is implemented to control an aspect of an associated smart device into which the removable smart card is inserted.
US08348145B2
Methods and systems are disclosed that include retrieving codes that are usable by a remote control device to remotely control a function of the electronic device. The methods and systems may also include transmitting the codes to the remote control device via a remote control device interface controllable by a processor of the electronic device.
US08348137B1
Connections can be made to microwires comprising a conductor of a lower melting point metal (e.g., indium 290) in a sheath of higher melting point polymer (e.g., PETG) by placing a small diameter spring, slightly larger in inside diameter than the outer diameter of the microwire, and of a readily solderable material over the distal end of the microwire. The conductor of the microwire is then soldered to the distal end of the spring in any of several ways that result in a solid member at the distal end of the microwire. The flexible spring provides a flexible support for the microwire, so that as the microwire flexes in use, the spring provides a strain relief; that is, the proximal portion of the spring flexes along with the microwire, so that the microwire bends over some distance rather than at a single point.
US08348132B2
Disclosed herein is a mask frame apparatus capable of forming a bump having a micro-pitch without performing the manufacturing and the operation controlling of a separate head apparatus and preventing the reduction of a mounting speed of solder balls due to the repetition of an operation of separately recovering the solder balls after they are mounted on a mask. A mask frame apparatus for mounting solder balls includes: an outer circumferential mask frame configured to supply solder balls and having a hollow type duct shape; and an inner mask duct having a duct shape and positioned over the inside of a circumference of the outer circumferential mask frame so as to be in communication with the outer circumferential mask frame, and including a plurality of mask openings formed in a duct shape bottom surface so that the solder balls introduced through the hollow type outer circumferential mask frame are mounted on a substrate by the flow of air.
US08348116B2
The nail gun contains a gun body and an adjustment device. The gun body has a base containing a top opening. The adjustment device is mounted on the base, and contains a sliding member and a positioning member. The sliding member contains two opposing elongated wing pieces extended along the two lateral sides of the base, respectively. Each wing piece has a through slot, and each slot has a number of positioning notches along a top side of the slot. The positioning member contains a positioning element and an elastic element. The positioning element is housed in the base and is exposed out of the top opening. The positioning element also contains at least a positioning bar extended out of the base into a slot to engage the positioning notches. The elastic element has its two ends connected to the positioning element and the base.
US08348106B2
A fluid dispensing device includes a pressurizing device coupled between a fluid bottle and a discharge tube for forcing the fluid to flow through the discharge tube without gravity, the pressurizing device includes a container having an inclined inner peripheral surface, and a piston slidably received in the container and having an outer peripheral portion for selectively engaging with the inclined inner peripheral surface of the container in order to pump the fluid into the discharge tube when the piston is moved toward the discharge tube with a coil, and for being selectively disengaged from the inner peripheral surface of the container when the piston is moved away from the discharge tube.
US08348102B2
A fluid product dispensing device has a reservoir containing fluid and dispenser head with a dispensing orifice. The reservoir moves relative to the dispenser head to cause dispensation. The reservoir is moved by a lateral actuator that pivots in relation to the dispenser head which in turn pivots an actuator link that is located in the middle of the lateral actuator which in turn is in contact with the reservoir itself. As the lateral actuator moves, the actuator link pivots and moves the reservoir closer to the dispensing head, which causes dispensation as desired by the user.
US08348095B2
A dose counter for a fluid dispenser device, said counter including a first rotary counter element (410) forming a units wheel, and a second rotary counter element (420) forming a tens wheel, said first counter element (410) co-operating with an actuator member (430) that is adapted to cause said first counter element (410) to turn each time said actuator member (430) is actuated, said first rotary counter element (410) including means (418, 419) that are adapted to cause said second counter element (420) to turn on every tenth actuation of said actuator member (430), said actuator member (430) including an opening that is mounted in rotary manner on said pivot pin (461), a substantially rigid and substantially rectilinear tab (431) extending radially from said opening, said tab (431) co-operating with the first counter element (410) on each actuation, said tab (431) being extended on the other side of said pivot pin by a substantially rigid and substantially rectilinear portion, that is itself connected to an elastically-deformable portion (434) of shape that is curved and that passes, at least in part, around the pivot pin (461).
US08348093B2
A dispensing kit for medicine bottlecaps that includes a first bottlecap with a first preprogrammed timer programmed for a first time interval, a second bottlecap with a second preprogrammed timer programmed for a second time interval and a dispensing device for independently dispensing the first and second bottlecaps.
US08348084B2
A container includes a first bowl suspended by a dual-axis gimbal within—and out of contact with—a second bowl. The first bowl includes a first opening and the second bowl includes a second opening. The first opening overlies the second opening to permit access to an interior storage space of the first bowl from an exterior of the container when the first and second bowls are in respective upright orientations. The first bowl may be rotated 180 degrees in every rotational direction relative to the second bowl. A lid is removably attachable to the second bowl and that inhibits rotational movement of the first bowl. A handle circumferentially extends entirely around the second bowl and defines an opening for a finger or thumb for gripping and holding of the container when the lid is attached.
US08348078B2
A leak proof/resistant drinking lid (10) is provided for use with beverage container. The lid (10) includes a manually actuated valve stem (16) mounted to a housing (14), a drinking port (18) extending through the housing (14), a drinking valve head (20) carried on the stem (16), a pressure relief port (22) extending through the drinking valve head (20), and a pressure relief valve head (24) mounted to the stem 16. The pressure relief valve head (24) is releasably mounted to the stem (16) by a connector (26). A resilient member (28) is sandwiched between the stem (16) and the drinking valve head (20) to transmit an actuating force from the stem (16) to the drinking valve head (20) and to allow the stem (16) and the pressure relief valve head (24) to translate relative to the drinking valve head (20).
US08348076B2
A collapsible container includes a main frame and at least one pivotable side wall that is pivotable between a collapsed position and an opened position. The pivotable side wall is provided with a spring lock insert secured therein and biased toward a lock position in which a lock portion of the spring lock insert extends beyond an end edge of the pivotable side wall. The main frame includes a latch opening that receives the spring lock insert when the pivotable side wall is in the opened position.
US08348064B2
A multi-cyclone sediment filter having a sediment bowl with a hemispherical bottom and a sump for collecting sediment, a cylindrical cyclone housing disposed above and sealingly connected to the sediment bowl, a removable and replaceable cyclone cartridge inserted into the cyclone housing, a diffuser plate sealingly connected to the cyclone cartridge and cyclone housing, a fluid inlet for introducing fluid into the cyclone housing, and a fluid outlet for discharging fluid from the cyclone housing. The cyclone cartridge inserted in the cyclone housing includes a plurality of vertically disposed inverted cone-shaped fluid cyclones, each having a small opening at a lower end and larger opening at an upper end. The cartridge has a plurality of fluid flow paths that direct fluid to the cyclones where a vortex is induced in the moving fluid. As sediment is removed from the fluid in each cyclone, it is separated out and delivered down into the sediment bowl sump, while fluid is directed upwardly and out to the fluid outlet.
US08348056B2
A pharmaceutical waste disposal assembly (1810) for disposing of sharps and one or more of fluid pharmaceutical waste and solid pharmaceutical waste includes a receiver assembly (1851) having a sharps receiver (1815), a waste receiver (1812), and a receiver retainer (1816). The sharps receiver (1815) receives sharps. The sharps receiver (1815) includes a sharps receiver body (1823) that defines a sharps region (1827C). The waste receiver (1812) receives one of fluid pharmaceutical waste and solid pharmaceutical waste. The waste receiver (1812) includes a waste receiver body (1819) that defines a waste region (1827A) that is independent of the sharps region (1827C). The receiver retainer (1816) receives the sharps receiver (1815) and the waste receiver (1812). The sharps receiver body (1823) and the waste receiver body (1819) are positioned substantially adjacent to one another within the receiver retainer (1816). The sharps receiver (1815) and the waste receiver (1812) are integrally formed as a unitary structure. Additionally, the sharps receiver (1815) and the waste receiver (1812) can be inserted into and/or removed from the receiver retainer (1816) together as an integrated unit.
US08348053B2
An adjacent article package for holding a consumer product and a promotional product includes a combining sleeve formed from a blank. The first container can be a pack of cigarettes and the second container can be a small package containing promotional products such as smokeless tobacco products. The adjacent article package can be sized to be compatible with cigarette cartons, cigarette display racks, tax-stamping equipment and the like.
US08348051B2
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to nested beverage containers and methods thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to improved beverage containers having interlocking features with adjacent containers, allowing for ease of transportation and lower cost of packaging. In one embodiment, a nestable beverage container comprises a top portion comprising an opening into a voluminous body, a sealing means, and a connection means positioned beneath the sealing means, a bottom portion comprising a receiving means shaped to conform to the connection means of an adjacently nested container, and the voluminous body being defined by the top portion, the bottom portion and a side wall, wherein the opening into the voluminous body is the only means for accessing contents of the nestable beverage container.
US08348049B2
A conveyor system for transporting cylindrical objects is disclosed including an endless conveyor arranged in a transport path, a drive for feeding the endless conveyor, guide rails for restricting lateral movement of cylindrical objects transported on the endless conveyor, an elevation transport section adapted to transport the cylindrical objects from a first height to a second height and including the endless conveyor having a base surface extending along the transport path, the endless conveyor including vertical protrusions extending outwardly from the base surface of the endless conveyor and including a front wall with an inclined portion sloping towards the base surface, such that a cylindrical object transported on the elevation transport section can rest on the inclined portion under a contact force directed towards the base surface by gravity.
US08348034B2
A cauterizing system having a cauterizer tool for performing cauterization procedures, a cauterizer cord for carrying power to the cauterizer tool, a plug and a power cord for carrying power from the plug to the cauterizer cord, and a housing in which is mounted a mechanism for retracting and extending the cauterizer cord and the power cord.
US08348027B2
The flow of hydraulic fluid induced by sliding movement of a piston in a cylinder is controlled by a pilot-type main valve and a pilot valve, which is a pressure control valve, thereby generating damping force. By thrust from a solenoid actuator, the valve-opening pressure of the pilot valve is controlled, and the pressure in a pilot chamber is also controlled to control the valve-opening pressure of the main valve. When there is a failure, a valve body of the pilot valve is retracted to abut against a fail-safe disk by spring force of a valve spring. Thus, damping force is generated by the fail-safe disk at the downstream side of the pilot valve, and the valve-opening pressure of the main valve is also controlled by the fail-safe disk to obtain an appropriate damping force.
US08348025B2
The present invention is a shim or shim assembly that clips onto a brake caliper piston. It is generally a rimmed round (disc or annular) shape to cap the edges of the caliper piston and includes surface features for lubrication, and improved fitting. Reduced noise from frictional fretting is provided along with protection of piston's outer rim. Reduced thermal transfer into the piston is also provided.
US08348024B2
A motor-driven disk brake system is capable of preventing a pressing member from moving beyond a predetermined position at a time of stopping a motor. When a command for system termination is issued, motor current is reduced intermittently, which correspondingly reduces a motor displacement gradually such that a return force is spent gradually on a return displacement of a motor and a piston, thereby preventing a rotational speed of a rotor from increasing. A large accelerated backward movement of the motor and the piston beyond a predetermined position due to inertia is thereby prevented, because the return force does not act all at once during the return displacement of the motor and the piston. Accordingly, the piston is stopped near a standby position of non-braking state before system termination. As a result, a next activation of the motor-driven disk brake system can be conducted promptly.
US08348019B2
In an elevator element for driving or reversing an elevator suspension device in an elevator system, that interacts with an elevator suspension device, the arithmetic mean of the roughness value of the contact surface measured in the circumferential direction of the elevator element, and the mean roughness value of the contact surface measured in the axial direction of the elevator element, are different. The arithmetic mean roughness value of the contact surface measured in the circumferential direction of the elevator element is less than 1 micrometer.
US08348015B2
An access ladder includes a plurality of sections connected together to telescope between an extended position and a retracted position that has an increasing reactive force to counterbalance the weight of the sections as they extend. A method for accessing a room with a ladder connected to a ceiling including the steps of moving the ladder to a fully extended position subject to an increasingly active force to counterbalance the weight of the ladder as it extends. There is the step of retracting the ladder into a retracted position in the ceiling.
US08348013B2
An exhaust device of an internal combustion engine for reducing exhaust sound and for suppressing the occurrence of a torque valley. A sound-deadening and pressure-dissipating device connected to the downstream end of an exhaust pipe includes a spherical member having an opening portion opening toward a downstream edge of the exhaust pipe. Exhaust gas from the exhaust pipe is reflected by an inner spherical surface of the spherical member to reduce exhaust pressure in the spherical member and then is discharged from the opening portion.
US08348008B2
In an electric power steering system, a motor drive controller that has an inverter circuit board and a control circuit board housed in a control case is provided so as to overlap a control case fixation surface formed at an end portion of a gear housing in the axial direction of a steering shaft, so that it is possible to reduce the projection in the axial direction of a motor as compared to the conventional one. In addition, a metallic board is used for the inverter circuit board and the inverter circuit board is fixed to the control case fixation surface so as to be in surface contact therewith, so that it is possible to efficiently dissipate the heat generated on the inverter circuit board into the gear housing and a fixation support plate.
US08348003B2
There is provided an occupant detection correction system including: a load detection section that detects load imparted to a vehicle seat and outputs a load signal representing the load; an occupant detection section that detects an occupant based on the load signal and is capable of resetting the load signal to a reference point based on a predetermined reset instruction; a tilt angle detection section that detects a predetermined tilt angle of a seatback; and a permitting section that permits execution of resetting the load signal to the reference point by the occupant detection section when the predetermined tilt angle is detected by the tilt angle detection section.
US08347988B2
A down-hole hammer comprising a drill bit (10) and a drive collar (11) with an interconnection therebetween for causing rotation of the drill bit upon rotation of the drive collar. The drill bit (10) comprises a drill bit head (13) and a shank (19), the drill bit head (13) defining a cutting face (15) and having a circumferential shoulder section (17) adjacent the cutting face (15). The shank (19) extends from the shoulder section (17) in the direction away from the cutting face (15). The interconnection between the drill bit (10) and the drive collar (11) comprises a spline assembly including at least one spline (43) on the shoulder section (17) for mating engagement with at least one counterpart spline (63) on the drive collar (11) to provide a drive coupling therebetween while also allowing the drill bit (10) to slide axially within the drive collar (11) to perform a percussive action.
US08347982B2
A system compensates for heave induced pressure fluctuations on a floating rig when a drill string or tubular is lifted off bottom and suspended on the rig, such as when tubular connections are made during MPD, tripping, or when a kick is circulated out during conventional drilling. In one embodiment, a liquid and a gas interface moves along a flow line between a riser and a gas accumulator as the tubular moves up and down. In another embodiment, a pressure relief valve or adjustable choke allows the movement of fluid from the riser when the tubular moves down, and a pump with a pressure regulator moves fluid to the riser when the tubular moves up. In other embodiments, a piston connected with the rig or the riser telescoping joint moves in a fluid container thereby communicating fluid either into or out of the riser annulus.
US08347980B2
A hydraulic aggregate comprises a container, a reservoir for hydraulic oil, and a pump driven by a motor arranged in the reservoir. The motor is a pneumatic motor. An electric control unit for controlling a main valve is mounted on the container. The main valve causes a reversal of the stroke direction of the hydraulic connections. The division into pneumatics and low power electronics leads to an explosion-proof embodiment of low weight and little technical complexity.
US08347972B2
An improved multi-bolt and nut torque wrench for installing and removing bolts or nuts from flanged joints or the like which includes a plurality of torque stations having a plurality of high torque wrenches for engaging the heads of the bolts or nuts during a high torque phase of removal or installation; a plurality of low-torque motors operatively engaged with the wrenches for rotating the bolts or nuts during the low torque phase of removal or installation; a source of hydraulic fluid for driving the low-torque motors during the low-torque phase, and driving the high-torque wrenches during the high torque phase; and a mechanism for switching between the two phases depending on the torque needed.
US08347969B2
Pressure relief devices comprise a chamber having a piston disposed therein. One side of the piston defines a hydrostatic chamber in fluid communication with an outside environment, such as an isolated wellbore annulus, through a port. The other side of the piston defines a sealed or isolated chamber. The pressure relief device permits changes in pressure in the isolated wellbore annulus to be distributed into the chambers so as to either reduce the pressure within the isolated wellbore annulus or increase the pressure within the wellbore annulus, both of which lessen the likelihood that the change in pressure within the isolated wellbore annulus will damage wellbore components disposed therein.
US08347966B2
A system in some embodiments includes a system, having a seal assembly, including an inner energizing ring, an outer energizing ring, a load ring disposed between the inner energizing ring and the outer energizing ring, a sealing element, and a lock ring. Further other embodiments provide a method of sealing, including rotating an inner energizing ring in a direction to move the inner energizing ring in a first axial direction to seat a seal, rotating an outer energizing ring in the direction to wedgingly engage and set a lock ring in a radial direction, and rotating a load ring in the direction to move the load ring in a second axial direction to set the lock ring.
US08347962B2
A shaped charge assembly for use in a perforating gun that further comprises a charge carrier, and gun housing. The charge carrier substantially encapsulates the closed portion of the shaped charge and extends from the outer periphery of the shaped charge to the inner diameter of the associated gun housing. Encapsulating the shaped charge substantially reduces the introduction of debris into the wellbore resulting from detonation of the perforating gun shaped charges. The charge carrier can include a multiplicity of shaped charges therein.
US08347961B2
A method of servicing a wellbore in a subterranean formation, comprising preparing a cement composition comprising water and a cementitious material, wherein the cementitious material further comprises blast furnace slag, vitrified shale, calcium sulfate hemi-hydrate or combinations thereof, and placing the cement composition in the wellbore. A cement composition comprising water and a cementitious material, wherein the cementitious material further comprises blast furnace slag, vitrified shale, calcium sulfate hemi-hydrate or combinations thereof. A cement composition comprising water and a cementitious material, wherein the cementitious material further comprises blast furnace slag.
US08347955B1
Method and apparatus for a plunger lift mechanism with a main channel disposed between a first and second valve. The first valve is closed by engaging a sealing member to a first seat at a proximal end of the main channel and the second valve consequently closes to with a sealing member engaging a second seat at a distal end of the main channel. An amount of pressure accumulates on a first side of the plunger lift to overcome a pressure on a second side of the plunger lift to force the plunger lift to traverse a well bore and evacuate any fluids present above the plunger lift.
US08347954B2
An intermittent lift plunger includes at least one seal mandrel, a bottom sub and an upper valve assembly. The valve assembly is closed by a well bottom stop which inserts into the lift plunger and opened by a lubricator stop at the top of the well. The seal mandrel includes a sleeve seal formed from an elastomeric rubber or plastic, which inflates to engage the well bore surface when the valve is closed and a pressure differential exists.
US08347951B2
A heat dissipation device includes a canister filled with a phase-changeable working fluid, a housing hermetically fixed to a top of the canister and communicating with the canister, a fan located above a top of the housing and an impeller comprising a driving member received in the housing, an annular magnet accommodated in the hub and an axle coaxially connecting the driving member and the annular magnet together. The fan includes a plurality of windings fixed on an inner side thereof. When the working fluid is heated and vaporized to move through the driving member, the driving member is driven by the vaporized working fluid to rotate, whereby the annular magnet rotates within the windings to cause the windings to generate a current.
US08347949B2
An exemplary embodiment provides a method of eliminating a shrinkage cavity in a metal ingot cast by direct chill casting. The method involves casting an upright ingot having an upper surface at an intended height. Upon completion of the casting, the lower tip of the spout is maintained below the molten metal near the center of the upper surface. The metal flow through the spout is terminated and a partial shrinkage cavity is allowed to form as metal of the ingot shrinks and contracts. Before the partial cavity exposes the lower tip of the spout, the cavity is preferably over-filled with molten metal, while avoiding spillage of molten metal, and then the flow of metal through the spout is terminated. These steps are repeated until no further contraction of the metal causes any part of the upper surface to contract below the intended ingot height.
US08347946B2
The present invention provides a flaskless molding machine that can use a matching plate of different thicknesses. The flaskless molding machine has two molding flasks that have a matching plate sandwiched between them, the two molding flasks being positioned in a way such that one of opening ends of the molding flasks is opposed to each other and each of the other opening ends of the molding flasks is engaged with a squeezing board, and a pair of spaces is formed, into which spaces molding sand is filled by air through each of the openings for introducing the molding sand, disposed on a wall of each of the two molding flasks that are opposed to each other, the flaskless molding machine thus constituted being able to mold two molds by squeezing the molding sand with the squeezing boards.
US08347945B1
A method of molding a platform opening includes the steps of providing a main body core and a platform core, with the main body core having a portion that forms a portion of the platform. The platform core has at least one side portion that will form a side opening. Molten metal is directed around the cores within a mold and solidifies. The cores are removed, leaving cavities where the cores were within the molten metal, and includes an opening in a side face formed by the side portion of the platform body core. Lost core components are also disclosed and claimed.
US08347939B2
A corrosion resistant intruder screen has a frame including elongate frame members (3) with a mesh (4) clamped to frame members (3). The frame members (3) each have a first holding channel (50) formed therein and a clamping portion (6) spaced from the first holding channel (50). Clamping members (7) co-act with fastening means (8) to clamp the mesh (4) between the clamping members (7) and the clamping portions (6) with leveraged clamping action. The screen includes covers (54) which are configured to be clipped to the frame members (3) and which each have a second holding channel (60) formed therein. The screen further includes a sealing assembly comprising first sealing members (51) and second sealing members (61). The first sealing members (51) are supported by the first holding channel (50) in the frame members (3) and positioned against one side of the mesh (4) and the second sealing members (61) are supported by the second holding channel (60) in the covers (54) and positioned on another side of the mesh (4).
US08347938B2
According to the invention, a multilayer or insulating window pane (1) having at least two rigid panes (1P) and a spacer frame (1S) which connects these panes so as to form a tightly sealed intermediate space between the panes, and also an electrical component (3; for example motor, valve) which is arranged in the intermediate space between the panes, and also an associated electrical connection device is equipped with a detection device (4) for operating data of the component (3), which detection device cannot be manipulated from the outside but can be at least indirectly read off or read out. As a result, switch-on processes or times, maximum current consumption or operating temperature or the like, for example, can be detected and checked for servicing and/or monitoring purposes by reading out the operating data.
US08347931B2
An attaching device and a method of fabricating an organic light emitting device using the same are disclosed. The attaching device includes a process chamber, first and second substrate supporters, a substrate detachable part, and an open-close valve. The first and second substrate supporters are positioned inside the process chamber, load and fix substrates. The substrate detachable part is positioned inside the second substrate supporter, and moves up and down to allow the second substrate supporter to instantaneously receive a physical pressure. The open-close valve is positioned on a portion of the process chamber, and opens and closes the process chamber to control a pressure inside the process chamber.
US08347922B2
A method and apparatus for the recovery of vapors associated with propane fueling. The fuel vapor recovery system can be implemented with typical retail propane fueling facilities. The recovery method may include capturing vapors vented during the filling of a portable propane tank into a recovery tank, and transferring some of these recovered vapors into a second tank to be filled.
US08347915B2
A method of exhausting a gas in a chamber of a load-lock system having a first valve defining an opening for supplying a gas and a second valve defining an opening for conveyance of an article. The method includes a gas supplying step for supplying a gas heated by a heater into the chamber through the first valve, while the first valve and the second valve are kept open, a conveying step for conveying the article into the chamber while the second valve is kept open, and an exhausting step to be carried out after the gas supplying step and the conveying step are executed and the first and second valves are closed, to exhaust the gas inside the chamber while the first valve and the second valve are kept closed.
US08347914B2
System for filling a tank comprising a pipe head and a fill pipe extending between the pipe head and the tank. The pipe head comprises a chamber with an inlet opening that connects to the atmosphere and an outlet opening that connects to the fill pipe and a stopper being movable between open and closed positions to open or close the access to the fill pipe, the head inlet and outlet openings being sized and arranged to allow introduction of a filling nozzle into the fill pipe through the pipe head when the stopper is in its open position. The fill pipe comprises or is preceded by a local restriction designed so that the cross section of the passage for the nozzle is substantially reduced to the outer diameter of the nozzle. A degassing connection links the fill pipe and the pipe head outside of its outlet opening.
US08347910B2
A water refilling plug for automatically filling battery cells has a cylindrical plug housing that includes a connector fitting for water delivery into a housing, as well as a valve, actuated by a float, having an annular valve body and a conical valve seat. The valve is arranged between an inflow channel and an outflow channel leading into the battery cell. In accordance with the invention, swirl-generating deflection channels are arranged between the annular inflow channel and the conical valve seat in a pattern distributed over a circumference in the plug.
US08347907B2
An electrical connection device for a gas control valve. In one embodiment the device has a first electrical insulation member with an aperture extending between top and bottom surfaces and a second electrical insulation member having a top face and a bottom face and situated in the aperture of the first electrical insulation member so that the top face resides in the aperture and the bottom face resides outside the aperture. A joint member connects the first and second electrical insulation members. The device also includes first and second electrical terminals that are electrically insulated from one another and wherein each extends from the second electrical insulation member through the joint member to a location outside the first electrical insulation member. The first electrical terminal has a first inner terminal situated on the first face of the second electrical insulation member, a first outer terminal that projects out radially from the first insulation member, and a first intermediate segment that extends between the first inner terminal and the first outer terminal. The second electrical terminal has a second inner terminal situated on the second face of the second electrical insulation member, a second outer terminal that projects out radially from the first insulation member, and a second intermediate segment that extends between the second inner terminal and the second outer terminal.
US08347903B2
A colander/bowl set includes a bowl having at least one indicator; and a colander comprising a plurality of holes, the colander being insertable into the bowl and removably attachable to the bowl. The at least one indicator is a calibrated guide positioned at a height of a maximum amount of water which the colander/bowl set holds, accounting for displacement of water by the colander and by a particular kind of food.
US08347901B2
The present invention provides a substrate cleaning method capable of removing particles from the entire surface of a substrate to be processed at a high removing efficiency. In the substrate cleaning method according to the present invention, a substrate to be processed W is immersed in a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank 12. Then, ultrasonic waves are generated in the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank 12, so that the substrate to be processed W is subjected to an ultrasonic cleaning process. While the substrate to be processed is being cleaned, a dissolved gas concentration of a gas dissolved in the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank is changed.
US08347897B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for hot and cold processing (1), the apparatus comprising: a heat pump (74) configured to pump heat from a first part of the heat pump to a second part of the heat pump, thereby cooling the first part of the heat pump for cold processing (73); a first heat sink (72) arranged to be in thermal contact with the second part of the heat pump such that heat may be transferred from the second part of the heat pump to the first heat sink and thereby cool the second part of the heat pump.
US08347890B2
An automated tissue retention system generally comprises an oral appliance retractably coupled to a covering which is secured to an anterior portion of the tongue. Once placed within a subject's mouth, the appliance may be maintained in a closed configuration while the subject's mouth remains closed. However, as the subject sleeps and the tongue becomes hypotonic, the subject's mouth typically opens during a sleep disordered event. The appliance may be actuated by the separation between the mandible and maxilla to have greater tension and thus retract or pull anteriorly the covering adhered to the tongue. As the covering pulls the tongue anteriorly or maintains a position of the tongue, the base of the tongue may be inhibited or prevented from collapsing posteriorly against the phryngeal tissue walls and thereby allow the subject to breathe normally.
US08347886B2
A patient interface that reliably and comfortably seals a user's face by providing an oral-nasal mask that includes an integrated nasal interface. The patient interface includes a seal member having an oral cushion portion configured to surround the user's mouth and a nasal interface portion that provides an interface with the user's nose. The seal member, including the oral cushion portion and the nasal interface portion, is a unitary member. Finally, the nasal interface portion remains below the bridge of the nose.
US08347885B2
A nasal filter includes a main body, a cover, and a filtering medium. The main body has a hollow cylinder, a boss connected to a spherical member, a flange, and a plurality of internal guide vanes. The hollow cylinder has a front and a rear opening. A first threaded portion is formed on the outer surface at the front end portion of the hollow cylinder. A thru hole is formed on the cover and aligns correspondingly to the front opening of the hollow cylinder. A second threaded portion is formed on the inner surface of the cover for mating to the first threaded portion on the hollow cylinder. The filtering medium is held in between the cover and the hollow cylinder and covers the thru hole. A filter pad is further included to provide additional functions. Accordingly, the nasal filter offers air purification and doe not cover the mouth.
US08347880B2
A flexible pneumostoma management device maintains the patency of a pneumostoma while controlling the flow of material through the pneumostoma. The pneumostoma management device includes a pneumostoma vent having a tube which enters the pneumostoma to allow gases to escape the lung, a flange and a filter/valve to control flow of materials through the tube. The flange is a thin flexible patch which conforms and attaches to the chest of the patient. The flange secures the tube in position in the pneumostoma. The device has features to control secretions from the pneumostoma. The secretion management features include, ridges, pores, absorbent materials, and combinations thereof.
US08347870B1
By mounting a bow stabilizer equipped with a mounting base member for mounting the stabilizer to an archery bow and an adjustable stabilizing block gradationally adjustable along the mounting base member in a transverse relationship to a major axis of the archery bow, a highly effective archery bow stabilizer is provided. The stabilizer is equipped with a stop for maintaining the adjustable stabilizer block at the desired stabilizing position. Mounts for mounting weighted stabilizing rods to the adjustable stabilizing block and at an off-set angular position upon the mounting base member coupled with an attached adjustable wrist sling for anchoring archer's wrist and bow to the bow stabilizer provides a unique and highly effective archery bow stabilizer.
US08347869B2
Quiet, lightweight, well-balanced, forgiving, and accurate compound archery bows which have significantly reduced vibration and bow jump. The limbs and cams of these bows can be removed and replaced without a bow press, and the limbs of the bows are functional (active) over essentially their entire length and allow one to obtain equivalent performance from a more compact and lighter bow. The bow limbs may be leverage locked in articulated limb pockets. The limb butts extend forward well beyond the front of the riser. This eliminates limb length and limb angle as major factors in determining brace height, allowing one to choose a riser style and limb length which optimize arrow speed and bow stabilization. Novel adjustment mechanisms allow one to easily adjust the poundage or poundage and brace height of the bow. Vibration isolation systems may be employed to isolate the bow riser from the limb pockets. Bows with translating pockets, bows with stationery pockets and articulated risers, asymmetric bow limbs, and solid bow limbs with double belly cuts are also disclosed.
US08347868B2
The present invention provides for a collapsible locking slingshot having a quick-release interchangeable band replacement safety system. The present invention also includes a self-centering, open-pocket slingshot pouch and a unique dual-tapered band. The slingshot collapses into a lockable case, improving the slingshot's safety, and enhancing the protection and longevity of the slingshot's components. The slingshot incorporates a unique shoot-over design in which the arms generally are parallel to the shooter's arm during operation.
US08347866B2
An engine control system includes a saturation determination module, an adjustment factor generation module, and a fuel control module. The saturation determination module determines when a first exhaust gas oxygen (EGO) sensor is saturated, wherein the first EGO sensor is located upstream from a catalyst. The adjustment factor generation module generates an adjustment factor for an integral gain of a fuel control module when the first EGO sensor is saturated. The fuel control module adjusts a fuel command for an engine based on differences between expected and measured amounts of oxygen in exhaust gas produced by the engine, a proportional gain, the integral gain, and the integral gain adjustment factor.
US08347865B2
A system for processing PCV gases is disclosed. In one example, the system includes an oil passage solely linking an oil separator to an engine crankcase. The system can provide an oil column that provides for continuous oil return from the oil separator to the engine crankcase even during conditions of higher levels of engine vacuum.
US08347852B2
Methods are provided for controlling an engine in response to a pre-ignition event. A pre-ignition threshold and a pre-ignition mitigating action are adjusted based on a rate of change of cylinder aircharge. As a result, pre-ignition events occurring during transient engine operating conditions are detected and addressed different from pre-ignition events occurring during steady-state engine operating conditions.
US08347850B2
An internal-combustion engine can be operated in a homogeneous charge compression ignition mode at least under certain operating conditions. The combustion mixture present in the combustion chamber reaches auto-ignition conditions and ignites itself. The internal-combustion engine includes a triggering unit for triggering the auto-ignition during the homogeneous charge compression ignition mode before the auto-ignition conditions have been reached. The triggering unit is constructed as a corona ignition system and can be operated for triggering the auto-ignition during the homogeneous charge compression ignition mode, particularly by generating a non-thermal plasma.
US08347848B2
An engine having a rotor including at least one slot and at least one combustion chamber used to form a cavity is provided. The engine also includes at least one vane rollably disposed in the slot, and a block for receiving the rotor, and having a first quadrant including an inlet port, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant having an outlet port. The vane moves through the first quadrant, drawing air into the block and the cavity. The vane then moves through the second quadrant, compressing the air. The vane then moves through the third quadrant, combusting the air, and forcing the rotor to rotate. The vane then moves through the fourth quadrant, forcing the air out of the outlet port.
US08347847B2
The invention relates to heat engines and more specifically to positive displacement internal combustion engines, and is particularly concerned with oscillating engines i.e. engines, in which piston executes oscillating motion. The invention provides the optimal, “canonical” form for the two stroke oscillating engine of unique strenght and compactness.
US08347843B1
A piston for internal combustion engines, having a series of conical openings at the center of each skirt section, each conical opening being horizontally located one to another and each conical opening in one skirt section aligned to another conical opening at the opposite skirt section. Each conical opening is also aligned to an oil drain hole at the oil groove located at the crown of the piston and having the external diameter larger that its internal diameter. Once installed, said conical openings forms an internal storing unit, wherein the oil or lubricant is stored and distributed constantly after being squirted out from the rod bearing to the piston, allowing the formation of a continuous lubricant film, without reducing the strength of the piston structure.
US08347835B2
A cam bearing cap may include a first bearing cap region, a pump mounting region, an oil inlet, and an oil outlet. The first bearing cap region may extend over and secure a first camshaft to an engine assembly. The pump mounting region may extend from the first bearing cap region and may have a secondary oil pump mounted thereto. The oil inlet may extend through the pump mounting region and may provide communication between the secondary oil pump and an oil supply. The oil outlet may extend through the pump mounting region and may provide communication between the secondary oil pump and a hydraulically actuated engine component.
US08347833B2
The present invention provides a cross-cycle internal combustion engine that can conduct a combustion cycle called as the cross-cycle with diesel ignition means. The diesel type cross-cycle operation consists of seven processes, which are the intake-process, the cold-compression process, the injection process, the cold-expansion process, the exhaust process, the hot-compression process, and the diesel-ignition process.
US08347832B2
A fuel supply and combustion chamber system for a portable power tool, such as, for example, a fastener-driving tool, wherein the fuel supply and combustion chamber system can utilize liquid or gaseous fuels. The fuel supply and combustion chamber system can comprise multiple combustion chambers for achieving predetermined combustion and power output characteristics. In addition, the fuel supply and combustion chamber system can utilize portioning valve structures for providing predetermined amounts of either a gaseous or liquid fuel into the portable power tool combustion chamber.
US08347831B2
A control valve for a fluid flow circuit comprises a body that has a fluid inlet and at least two fluid outlets (20, 22, 24) and that defines an axisymmetric housing for a modulating member capable of rotating about an axis of rotation (XX) and adopting different angular positions to control the distribution of the fluid through the outlets. The body comprises a side wall (16) into which the fluid outlets open. The side wall (16) and/or the modulating member comprises sunken areas (EV) and non-sunken areas (CR), the sunken areas (EV) serving to reduce the surface area of the modulating member (26) in contact with the side wall (16).
US08347817B1
Methods and apparatus are provided for feeding a pet in a manner that engages the pet and provides stimulation and exercise. Exemplary apparatus for dispensing animal food include a food hopper for containing animal food operatively connected to a food handler that launches a portion or ration of the animal food away from the unit in response to detecting a triggering action of the animal.
US08347814B2
An apparatus includes a workpiece support, a source that is spaced from the workpiece support and can emit a plume of coating material toward the workpiece support, and plume adjusting structure that, between the source and workpiece support, can influence a plume of material flowing from the source. A different aspect involves a method that includes emitting from a source a plume of coating material that flows toward a workpiece support, and adjusting, between the source and the workpiece support, a plume of material flowing from the source.
US08347809B2
A slot nozzle assembly for extruding a foamable melted material in a wide band including a plurality of foamable melted material passages, lateral distribution flow routes communicating with the plurality of foamable melted material passages, a restriction member disposed inside the lateral distribution flow routes, a slot for discharging foamable melted material, and a converging portion which communicates with the lateral distribution flow routes and the slot, and whose cross-section area gradually becomes smaller toward the slot.
US08347800B1
Methods of tufting a pattern in a backing material using a plurality of different yarns A, B, . . . n that are threaded in the needles of a needle bar in a non-repeating sequence or pattern of yarn sets across the width of the needle bar.
US08347796B2
A furniture system, method of assembling furniture for a work space, and a fastening apparatus for interconnecting furniture components include one or more fastening devices. Each fastening device includes a body that has a channel sized and configured to receive a first rail. Each fastening device also includes at least one of a connector assembly and an opening formed in the body for attaching the fastening device to at least one other furniture component. The connector assembly and the opening in the body are sized and configured so that the other furniture components are positioned such that at least one of their height and length extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length of the first rail, such as a direction that is mostly perpendicular to the length of the first rail. Other embodiments of the fastening device may include variations in configurations to the connector assembly or body.
US08347795B2
A table may be sized and configured to nest with one or more adjacent tables to reduce a height of the table in a nested configuration. The table may include a table top constructed from molded plastic and the table top may include a receiving portion sized and configured to receive an engaging portion of a frame of an adjacent table in the nested configuration. The table may also include a metal frame connected to the table top and the frame may include an engaging portion sized and configured to be disposed in a receiving portion of an adjacent table in the nested configuration. If desired, an outer surface of the engaging portion may be visible and exposed in the recess in the lip.
US08347794B2
An industrial platform for material handling, such as a plastic pallet, is constructed of three scuffed thermoplastic sheets, including exterior intumescent polymeric surfaces for resisting the spread of combustion flames and insulating the interior surfaces from the high temperature of fire. The pallet is reinforced with optional rigidifying structures without article modification. Pallet members are joined with snap together features providing an assembled article. The pallet includes handles for ergonomic manipulation by workers and is readily adapted to receive a number of unitization accessories for enhancing material handling operations.
US08347779B2
In cylinder chambers 14 and 15 of a housing 10 constituting an actuator main body 13, racks 17 and 18, to both end portions of which piston portions 17a and 18a are provided, are reciprocably incorporated. A pinion 25 meshing with the racks 17 and 18 is provided on a rotary shaft 24 rotatably mounted to the housing 10. An inner ring 32 is incorporated inside an outer ring 41 fixed to the housing 10, and the inner ring 32 is attached to the rotary shaft 24 and rotates and drives a swung member. Rollers 43 serving as rolling elements are incorporated between an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 41 and an outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 32, and the rotary shaft 24 and the inner ring 32 are rotatably supported by the outer ring 41 via the rollers 43.
US08347777B2
In weapon shot is fired during counterrecoil. The counterrecoil energy damps the recoil energy. During recoil, the breech block is unlocked, the spent cartridge case is ejected from the barrel by the residual pressure of the powder gases and is directed by a deflector into a hole in the gun carriage. When recoiling into the aftmost position, the barrel approaches the projectile and locks it by means of the breech block. Meanwhile, the next cartridge is taken from a magazine. In the event of misfire, the barrel, continuing to counterrecoil, actuates an extractor for removing the defective projectile. A recoil imitator returns the barrel to the aftmost position, where it is loaded with a projectile in a manner similar to the post-firing recoil. The technical result is ability to load the weapon automatically before firing or to reload the weapon automatically in the event of misfire.
US08347776B2
A gun mount for mounting a weapon to a vehicle includes a weapon mount plate defining a planar surface. First and second side plates are oriented at an angle to the weapon mount plate planar surface. Front and rear plates are perpendicular to the weapon mount plate and the first and second side plates supporting the weapon mount plate and fixed to the first and second side plates. A male tab extends from both the first and second side plates. A female slot is created in individual ones of both the front and rear plates. The female slot is aligned to slidably receive the male tab with a male tab freely extending portion extending beyond the female slot. A tab weld joint created at the freely extending portion of the male tab fixes the first and second side plates to the front and rear plates.
US08347768B2
A screw driver for a screw having a drive socket having an axially extending shaft with a bifurcated tip, the tip having a cross-sectional profile for insertion into a cross-sectional profile of the screw socket. The shaft has a tapered section adjacent the bifurcated tip. A bushing is mounted on an outer surface of the shaft for axial movement therealong. The bushing has inwardly extending protrusions for engaging the tapered section on the shaft upon movement in the axial direction along the shaft in a direction. away from the tip. This allows the selective capture or release of the screw by the shaft tip by axial movement of the bushing away from and towards the shaft distal tip.
US08347766B2
An automatic screw tightening apparatus has a screw discharging unit for transferring a screw to a transfer tube, an engaging unit for engaging the head part of the screw transferred from the transfer tube with a front end of a driver, and an openable and closable sealing cover for preventing air from leaking and which is opened and exposes the screw for tightening.
US08347752B2
An actuating device for transmitting shift commands to an automatic gearbox of a motor vehicle. The actuating device comprises a selector lever which is movable in a selector lane between an automatic shift lane and a sequential shift lane, a shift carriage for transmitting the shift commands to a gearbox transmission element, a separating device for separating the force transmission between the selector lever and the shift carriage, and a locking device for blocking the selector lever in at least one selector lever position. The locking device is set up to block the shift carriage. The shift carriage can be blocked not only in the shift-lock positions but also in the position of the shift carriage which corresponds to the selector lane position of the selector lever.
US08347733B2
The present invention pertains to a flow conditioner for displacing and mixing fluid flow to minimize the effects of thermal gradients on the accuracy of a transit time ultrasonic flowmeter and defines an envelope in a cross sectional direction in a pipe having a first ramp adapted to be disposed in the pipe and extending from the outside of the envelope inward toward the center of the pipe in a downstream direction with respect to the fluid flow and forming an angle between 0° and 90° relative to the pipe's inner surface. The conditioner has a second ramp adapted to be disposed in the pipe and in juxtaposition with the first ramp, the second ramp extending from the outside of the envelope inward toward the center of the pipe in an upstream direction with respect to the fluid flow and forming an angle between 0° and 90° relative to the pipe's inner surface. An apparatus for determining fluid flow in a pipe having ultrasonic transducer sites. A method for determining fluid flow in a pipe. A method for affecting fluid flow in a pipe.
US08347730B2
A substantially flexible implant holder for holding a substantially tubular implant structure during fatigue testing of the implant structure, the implant holder having a substantially elongate cavity for occupation by the tubular implant structure and a cavity-surrounding part which extends from at least a first longitudinal end of the cavity to at least a second longitudinal end of the cavity, the cavity-surrounding part having a stiffness which gradually changes from a relatively high stiffness adjacent each of the longitudinal ends of the cavity to a relatively low stiffness adjacent a middle portion which is situated between the two longitudinal ends of the cavity.
US08347728B2
An integrated circuit 2 is formed of multiple wafer layers 4, 6, 8, 10 arranged in a stack and connected with through silicon vias 12. Mechanical strain sensors 26, 28, 30, 32 in the form of ring oscillators are provided proximal to the through silicon vias 12 and detect mechanical strain associated with the through silicon via 12. The measured mechanical strain may be used to dynamically adjust operating parameters of the integrated circuit either as a whole or in regions where the mechanical strain is detected. The operating parameters adjusted can include clock frequency, operating voltage and heat generation.
US08347721B2
A micromechanical acceleration sensor includes a substrate with a substrate surface arranged in one plane, a first counter-electrode arranged on the substrate surface, a second counter-electrode arranged on the substrate surface, and a rocking mass arranged above the first counter-electrode and the second counter-electrode. The rocking mass is in this case connected to the substrate via a torsion spring which permits tilting of the rocking mass about an axis of rotation. Further provided are a first compensation counter-electrode arranged on the substrate surface and a second compensation counter-electrode arranged on the substrate surface. In addition, a first compensation electrode is arranged above the first compensation counter-electrode and a second compensation electrode is arranged above the second compensation counter-electrode.
US08347716B2
An integrated microelectromechanical structure is provided with a driving mass, anchored to a substrate via elastic anchorage elements and designed to be actuated in a plane with a driving movement; and a first sensing mass and a second sensing mass, suspended within, and coupled to, the driving mass via respective elastic supporting elements so as to be fixed with respect thereto in said driving movement and to perform a respective detection movement in response to an angular velocity. In particular, the first and the second sensing masses are connected together via elastic coupling elements, configured to couple their modes of vibration.
US08347712B2
A balancing machine for rotating bodies, particularly for wheels of motor vehicles and the like, including a rotating shaft supported by a supporting element which is connected rigidly to the frame of the balancing machine, at least one first measurement transducer and one second measurement transducer being coupled elastically, along perpendicular planes, to an extension of the supporting element, an actuation motor being connected to the rotating shaft by means of a belt, the actuation motor being connected on an extension of the supporting element, and the extension connecting the rotating shaft to the measurement transducers.
US08347711B2
A full-tensor, gravity gradient measuring system is disclosed that is based on atom interferometry. Each axis in the three-axis measuring system is served by a different gravity gradiometer, where each gradiometer comprises three pairs of atom interferometric (AI) accelerometers. The accelerometers in each pair are mounted on opposite sides of the gradiometer's rotation axis from each other. The three AI accelerometer pairs are step-rotated, instead of being continuously rotated, thereby providing enhanced signal-to-noise performance. The three gradiometers in the overall measuring system are mounted orthogonally with respect to one another on a local-level platform, in order to achieve a full-tensor measuring system. The measuring system can be step-rotated as an overall unit around an axis perpendicular to a local level reference. The multiple levels of stepped rotation, as enabled by the atom interferometry being utilized, yields improved results with lower costs than what is achievable with some prior-art techniques.
US08347709B2
The invention relates to a measurement apparatus for detecting the mass flow of harvested crops which are conveyed by means of a conveyor. The measurement apparatus comprises a first measuring device for weighing the conveyor together with the conveyed harvested crops, a second measuring device for determining the volume of the harvested crops conveyed by the conveyor, and a computer device for determining the mass density of the harvested crops.
US08347708B2
A multiple piston type fluid meter is disclosed having a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod that are integral with their respective pistons. A multiple fluid meter assembly comprising at least two fluid meters, and a fuel dispensing unit comprising a fluid meter or multiple fluid meters are also disclosed.
US08347705B2
The invention includes a light assembly which is configured to magnetically mount on a steel belted tire and a method of inspecting the inside of the tire using the light assembly.
US08347702B2
A testing machine tests the durability of backer pads on the track shoe assembly and the surface of the road wheel. The test machine utilizes two eccentric drives to move a section of a road wheel to simulate actual vehicle conditions. A positioning system positions the track shoe assembly with respect to the road wheel to adjust the loading between the two components.
US08347700B2
An association unit is designed to determine cylinder-individual lambda signals on the basis of a lambda probe signal and to determine lambda deviation signals for the respective cylinders based on the lambda signals in relation to an averaged lambda signal. Furthermore, an observer has a sensor model of the lambda probe that is arranged in a feedback branch. The lambda deviation signals are fed to the input side and observer output quantities in relation to the respective cylinder are representative of the injection characteristics deviations from predetermined injection characteristics. A parameter detection unit impresses a predetermined interference pattern from cylinder-individual mixture deviations. It further changes at least one sensor model parameter as a detection parameter in response to the respectively predetermined interference pattern for as long as the observer output quantities represent the portion of the interference pattern associated with the cylinders thereof in a predetermined manner.
US08347694B2
An LNG sampling system is provided which includes a sampling probe. The sampling probe includes a backflow prevention check valve positioned within the probe adjacent the inlet end. The probe is inserted into a source of LNG to extract samples of LNG by providing a pressure differential between the probe piping system and the pressure of the LNG within the source. In the event the pressure in the piping system increases above a predetermined amount, the check valve will close preventing backflow of LNG from the sampling system back into the source.
US08347687B2
An apparatus for performing dissolved gas analysis on electrical insulating oil. The apparatus is connectable to a first oil source and a second oil source and has a respective sample cell for each source, an analysis cell and a gas analyser. Each sample cell is selectably connectable to said analysis cell to allow fluid communication therebetween, while the other sample cell is isolated from the analysis chamber. The apparatus allows dissolved gas analysis to be performed on samples from more than one source while minimizing the effects of cross-contamination between samples.
US08347675B2
A method and apparatus for extending an existing simplex or multiplex lock-and-key system that includes a family of first keys each having a first profile and of a corresponding plurality of first locks each operable by a first key and each having a first keyway configured for accepting the first key profile. Second keys of a new family are defined with a core section corresponding to the first key profile and a narrowed projection extending from the bottom of the core section. Corresponding second locks have a second keyway profile defined as the compliment of the second key profile, thus including a complimentary core section and a foot recess extending from the bottom of the second keyway core section. The second locks accept a second key positioned at the second keyway baseline to normally lift the lock pin stacks and operate the second lock. The second locks also accept the first keys but the first keys cannot enter the narrowed foot recess of the second keyway and are accordingly elevated in the second keyway above the keyway baseline, and are therefore unable to normally lift the lock pin stacks to operate the second lock.
US08347673B2
A code lock is revealed. The code lock includes a housing, a return base, a plurality of locking seats, a fixed seat, a moveable seat, a code seat, a plurality of code members and a housing base arranged sequentially from top to bottom. A press button corresponding to each locking seat is disposed on the housing and each locking seat has at least one tooth that locks with a hook of the return base when the press button is pressed to push the locking seat. A stopping block is arranged at the bottom of each locking seat while the code member is set with a code post correspondingly. Moreover, the moveable seat includes a code area and a non-code area for mounting the code member and the code seat has a plurality of C-shaped holes corresponding to the code members. Thereby a simple-structured and easy-operated code lock is formed.
US08347670B2
One embodiment of a lockable utility box lid (20) for a utility box enclosure (10) comprises a box lid (12) having at least one upper tool aperture (22) and at least one clamping mechanism (30) coupled to the underside of the box lid (10). The clamping mechanism (30) includes at least one lower tool aperture (38) of a lock plate (32) oppositely corresponding to the upper tool aperture (22) of the box lid (12). The lock plate (32) may be coupled to a plurality of side plates (40). The clamping mechanism (30) may also include a pivot arm (60) coupled with a jaw plate (72). A pivot tab (34) of the lock plate (32) may be inserted through a pivot tab aperture (76) of the pivot arm (60) thereby creating a fulcrum point. A back plate (50) inserted into a plurality of back plate apertures (52) of the side plates (40) and a threaded plate (64) inserted into a plurality threaded plate apertures (68) of the pivot arm (60) may be aligned to receive a bolt (80). A bolt head (82) of the bolt (80) may be aligned beneath the lower tool aperture (38). A handled tool (92) may be inserted first through the upper tool aperture (22) and again through the lower tool aperture (38) where it may insert into a bolt head cavity (84) of the bolt head (82) wherein a rotation of the handled tool (92) will produce a transitional movement of the at least one clamping mechanism (30) between an engaged and disengaged position.
US08347667B2
A locking paddle handle assembly for closures has a housing with a paddle handle pivotally mounted therein, a latch which latches and unlatches the closure upon rotation of the paddle handle, and a exterior key lock with a movable member that shifts between locked and unlocked positions. A latch lock selectively engages the latch, such that when the movable key lock member is in the locked position, the latch is retained in the latched position, wherein the closure cannot be opened. A deadbolt lock selectively engages the closure frame in the locked position to positively retain the closure closed. Both the latch lock and the deadbolt lock are operably connected with the movable key lock member, such that movement of the latter between the latched and unlatched positions contemporaneously shifts both the latch lock and the deadbolt lock between the locked and unlocked positions.
US08347666B2
The invention relates to a locking device adapted for locking a shutter element (13) adapted to slide along a railing (11), which locking device (3) comprises at least one locking bolt (5) movable between a first state, in which the locking bolt is adapted to engage with a locking member (9) in the shutter element to lock the shutter element against movement, and a second state, in which the locking bolt is adapted to avoid engagement with the locking member and to allow movement of the shutter element. The invention also relates to a locking arrangement adapted to be connected with and allow locking of a shutter element (13) arranged to slide along a railing (11), which locking arrangement (7) comprises at least one locking member (9) shaped to allow a locking bolt (5) to, in a first state, engage with and lock the locking member, and thus the shutter element, against movement. The invention also relates to a locking system.
US08347660B2
A padlock is provided that may include a lock body and a hoop which is movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the lock body. The lock body may include an inner housing, an outer housing and a latching mechanism for latching the hoop in the closed position. The inner housing may include a first insertion part and a second insertion part which may receive the latching mechanism to form a pre-installable module. The pre-installable module may be inserted between first and second shells of the outer housing in shape matched manner to place the padlock in a fully assembled condition.
US08347656B2
An apparatus includes: an introducer to introduce a glass optical fiber that has passed a pulling mechanism pulling, to draw the glass optical fiber, one end of an optical fiber preform that has been fused by heating; a shredder including a casing connected to the introducer and a shredding mechanism to shred the glass optical fiber introduced by the introducer in the casing into glass optical-fiber pieces; a pipe connected to the casing of the shredder and to carry the glass optical-fiber pieces; and a suction unit connected to the pipe and to suction the glass optical-fiber pieces via the pipe.
US08347649B1
A door seal arrangement and method for sealing between a door and a door frame on food processing equipment are provided. The door seal is inflatable to create a seal between the door and the door frame and deflatable to release the seal between the door and the door frame. An air supply applies positive air pressure to the door seal to inflate the door seal. A vacuum applies a negative air pressure to the door seal to deflate the door seal.
US08347644B2
An air conditioning system includes a first circulation module and a second circulation module. Two circulation modules are joined by a heat exchanger. The first circulation is a modular refrigeration system includes a compressor, expansion device, and heat exchangers. The second circulation module includes a main liquid refrigerant tank, a number of distributed liquid refrigerant tanks, liquid pumps and a plurality of indoor units which includes a heat exchange device and a vapor propelling device. The heat exchange device is connected to the main liquid tank. The vapor propelling device propels the working fluid in a saturated vapor state to the first heat exchanger, thus forming a working fluid loop. It can be switched between the heating and cooling modes.
US08347642B2
A controller for a vehicle includes an in-passenger-compartment temperature sensor which detects the temperature of the air supplied to an evaporator by actuating a blower fan, an outside air temperature sensor, an evaporator temperature sensor which detects the temperature of the evaporator, and an engine stop duration determiner which determines an engine stop duration on the basis of the temperature detected by the evaporator temperature sensor immediately before an engine stops and the temperatures detected by the outside air temperature sensor and the in-passenger-compartment temperature sensor. An engine control unit continues the operation of the blower fan after a stop condition holds and the engine is stopped, and then restarts the engine and actuates a compressor when the engine stop duration has elapsed.
US08347639B2
A tempering treatment method whereby the temperature of meat, which involves a carcass prepared by slaughtering cattle or poultry and sterilizing and washing, is lowered as close to the ice storage temperature as possible to prevent a temperature rise caused by the actions of enzymes contained within the meat before transporting the meat to a refrigerated storage, which comprises surface-freezing the meat by blowing a cold air stream at about −20 to about −40° C. to the meat before conducting the tempering treatment, thus allowing the generation of freezing latent heat in the subcutaneous part owing to the surface-freezing (freezing the subcutaneous tissue), and then rapidly lowering the core temperature inside the meat due to the latent heat released at the melting of the freezing latent heat to thereby conduct the tempering treatment at a temperature of 0 to +15° C.
US08347628B2
This invention relates to a Compressed Air Turbine-Generator, or CAT-G that will enable the ability to manage energy gathered from ecologically friendly sources, such as solar and wind power. Compressed Air Energy Storage, (C.A.E.S.), is a promising mode of clean energy storage. A major challenge facing this technology is the need to efficiently convert the compressed air energy into electricity. Conventionally, high-pressure air is used only to improve the efficiency of a conventional jet powered turbine generator. The focus herein is on a new technology that efficiently converts the energy stored in compressed air directly into electrical power without producing greenhouse byproduct gases or other pollutants. This new capability will add important flexibility to the optimization of ecologically friendly energy systems.
US08347624B2
Various systems and methods are described for controlling an engine with a turbocharger in a vehicle. One example method comprises, under selected operating conditions, generating an oxidant rich component from engine intake air, storing the oxidant rich component of the intake air, and, under subsequent cold start conditions, injecting an amount of the stored oxidant rich component to the engine.
US08347623B2
A cup seal 21 includes a base portion 21a disposed on a cylinder bore opening portion side of a seal groove, an inner circumferential lip portion 21b extended from an inner circumferential side of the base portion toward a cylinder bore bottom portion and having an inner circumferential surface slidably abutting against an outer circumferential surface of a piston (plunger), and an outer circumferential lip portion 21c extended from an outer circumferential side of the base portion toward the cylinder bore bottom portion and having an outer circumferential surface abutting against a seal groove bottom surface. An abutment surface 21f having a protruded end protruded toward the cylinder bore opening portion and abutting against a surface on the cylinder bore opening portion side is provided on a base end surface 21e of the base portion, and a contact pressure adjustment surface 21g which is brought into non-contact with an inner circumferential side of the opening-side-surface in a non-operational state is provided at a position closer to the inner circumference than the abutment surface.
US08347621B2
The present invention provides a method of controlling a fluid working machine (12) having a plurality of working cylinders (14) having pistons (16) therein and arranged to drive a shaft (18), in which said cylinders are supplied with pressurized working fluid via a manifold (24), the contents of which may be 5 purged by a de-pressurizer taking one of a number for forms such as to allow re-activation of said machine (10).
US08347619B2
A system and method of controlling torque of plural variable displacement hydraulic pumps in construction equipment are provided, which can control torque of the variable displacement hydraulic pumps so that the total amount of torque of the hydraulic pumps does not exceed the preset amount of torque by presetting the torque so that the engine does not stop even at maximum load of the hydraulic pumps or by presetting the speed of the engine or the used torque of the hydraulic pumps in consideration of the fuel economy or working speed. The system includes an engine, at least two variable displacement hydraulic pumps, hydraulic actuators, control levers generating manipulation signals, control lever sensing means detecting the manipulation amounts of the control levers, hydraulic pump pressure sensing means detecting load pressures of the hydraulic pumps, maximum torque setting means setting the total torque inputted to the hydraulic pumps, desired flow rate computing means computing flow rates of the hydraulic pumps, expected torque computing means computing expected torque values of the hydraulic pumps, torque distributing means distributing torque values of the hydraulic pumps, limited flow rate computing means computing the flow rates of the hydraulic pumps, and output means outputting control signals to regulators.
US08347608B2
A degree of dispersion of a reducing agent added to an exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust gas purification apparatus is controlled. Before addition fuel is added, a valve opening Vd of a flow area changing valve is changed to generate pulsation of the exhaust gas, so that addition valve vicinity exhaust gas pressure Pg varies periodically. Addition timing TMad is controlled to synchronize with extremum arrival timing TMe. High or low dispersion type addition control adds fuel at timing (CP) when the addition valve vicinity exhaust gas pressure Pg becomes a maximum value Pgmax, at timing (TP) when at a minimum value Pgmin, or at both timings (CP, TP).
US08347600B2
At least one main air compressor makes a compressed ambient gas flow. The compressed ambient gas flow is delivered to both master and slave turbine combustors at a pressure that is greater than or substantially equal to an output pressure delivered to each turbine combustor from each turbine compressor as at least a first portion of a recirculated gas flow. A fuel stream is delivered to each turbine combustor, and combustible mixtures are formed and burned, forming the recirculated gas flows. A master and slave turbine power are produced, and each is substantially equal to at least a power required to rotate each turbine compressor. At least a portion of the recirculated gas flow is recirculated through recirculation loops. At least a second portion of the recirculated gas flow bypasses the combustors or an excess portion of each recirculated gas flow is vented or both.
US08347598B2
A method for assembling a combined cycle power generation system includes coupling a gas turbine in flow communication with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The method also includes coupling a steam turbine in flow communication with the HRSG via at least one steam conduit. The method further includes coupling at least one heating element to a portion of the at least one steam conduit. The method also includes operatively coupling at least one controller to the at least one heating element. The method further includes programming the at least one controller to vary a rate of temperature change in the portion of the at least one steam conduit.
US08347595B1
A system for removing particles from an air stream includes a housing having an air stream inlet at a first end thereof and an air steam exhaust at a second end thereof. The housing defines a flow path between the air stream inlet and the air stream exhaust. At least one liquid introduction jet disposed between the air stream inlet and the air stream exhaust injects liquid droplets into the air stream. A scrubber disposed between the at least one liquid introduction jets and the air stream exhaust for removes smaller particles from the air stream.
US08347594B1
A draper platform (100) has a knife drive (250) for driving a knife assembly (140) that is supported on and between two adjacent support arms (246) that pivot with respect to each other and with respect to the frame (102, 104, 106) of the draper platform (100) to which the two adjacent support arms (246A, 246B) are pivotally connected. two resilient mounts couple opposing sides fo he sub-frame to the two adjacent support arms.
US08347592B2
An apparatus for constructing sandbags has a movable, floatable platform, and a length of casing disposed in a roll and supported on the platform. The casing has two longitudinal edges and can be unrolled from the roll. There is a hopper for receiving and dispensing a quantity of sand on top of the casing as the casing is unrolled from the roll. The hopper is supported by a crane mounted on the platform, and positioned above the length of casing. There is a device for bringing the longitudinal edges of the casing together after the sand has been deposited, and a stitching machine for stitching the edges of the casing together to form a tube of casing filled with sand. The stitching machine is mounted on the crane above the device for bringing the edges of the casing together. There is a conveyor for conveying the tube away from the stitching machine and off of the platform.
US08347577B2
An eco-friendly wall panel system may comprise a plurality of panels, horizontal joints and panel clips which are all fabricated from the same sheet of material. For example, the panels may initially be fabricated from the phenolic sheets. After the maximum quantity of panels has been fabricated from any one sheet, the remaining portion of the phenolic sheet may be used to fabricate the horizontal runners and the panel clips which may be smaller than the panels. As such, as much of the phenolic sheet is being used to fabricate the system. Hence, the process and the product are both eco-friendly.
US08347568B2
A building panel mounting system comprising a rail attachment strap, a rail, a rail attachment profile and a building panel. The rail attachment strap is connectable to a support structure, extends along a longitudinal axis and includes one or more rail support brackets. The rail is connected to the rail support bracket and extends in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The rail attachment profile has an engagement formation removably connected to the rail. The building panel is connected to the rail attachment profile.
US08347567B2
A water barrier trim has a base, a top flange, and an overhang section. The base has at least one ridge extending away from the base in a first direction and a projection extending in the first direction. The top flange section is positionable adjacent to the base. The overhang section is positionable adjacent to the base and defines a drip cap. The at least one ridge is sized and configured to rest on a top of a trim board. The projection is sized and configured to fit into a slot defined in the top of the trim board to provide an interference connection.
US08347553B2
An arrangement comprises a housing, in particular of a cooling and/or freezing device, a door which is articulated to the housing so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis of a hinge, and at least one drive device for pivoting the door relative to the housing, with the drive device comprising a drive unit by means of which a moment is exertable on the door relative to the hinge axis via at least one force transmission means.
US08347549B2
The present application discloses a device for attracting and capturing flying insects, and a method for attracting and capturing flying insects. The device and method use at least one electrically-powered airflow generator and an electrically-powered heater.
US08347546B2
A telescopic outrigger for use with fishing vessels. The outrigger of the instant invention has multiple tubes that are circular in shape and each include a means for securing to an adjoining tube and locking in a position relative thereto. The circular shape allowing for ease of sealing the connecting components from the elements. An internal locking mechanism for positive interlocking of adjoining tubes can be accessed externally for ease of servicing. The extension of the adjoining tubes by the locking mechanism allows for movement of the outrigger pole from a stowage position to a deployment position and vice versa.
US08347541B1
A power supply system for a firearm including a plurality of leads disposed in a rail for providing power to an electric firearm accessory attached thereto and an electric firearm accessory including connectors for electrically connecting to leads disposed in a rail on which the accessory is mounted.
US08347530B2
A tooth assembly including an adapter and a tooth. The adapter has a nose portion with a first predetermined configuration. The tooth is assembled onto the adapter nose portion by relative longitudinal movement. The tooth defines a blind cavity having a second predetermined configuration and opening to a rear of the tooth. The second predetermined configuration defined by the tooth cavity is greater than the first predetermined configuration defined by the adapter nose portion such that a space is provided between the adapter nose portion and the blind cavity when the adapter and tooth are arranged in operable combination relative to each other. A securement member releasably maintains the tooth and the adapter nose portion in operable combination relative to each other. The securement member fills the space defined between the tooth cavity and the adapter nose portion to resist longitudinal movement between the tooth and the adapter nose portion. A related method for releasably coupling a tooth to an adapter is also disclosed.
US08347527B2
A shoe sole and a shoe comprising such a shoe sole are described, with the shoe sole being equipped with integrated anti-slipping elements which are adjustable between an inactive position and an active position by means of a central actuation unit. This arrangement is characterized in that the anti-slipping elements, which in particular have the form of spikes, are respectively supported in individual functional units and are axially adjustable between their active and inactive positions through rotation by the central actuation unit via at least one flexible drive element.
US08347523B2
A clothing dryer including a rotating drum, a shelf installed inside the rotating drum, and a support member, which is rotatably installed at a rear end of the shelf such that the shelf is supported by a rear surface of the rotating drum. The rear end of the shelf is installed on a rear surface of the rotating drum through the support member, so that the shelf is more stably installed inside the rotating drum.
US08347517B2
The invention relates to a measuring device of flexible material for the determination of parameters for the production of dental prostheses which combines different functions, including protractor, spacing template, ruler and an option of utilizing a compass-formed modulus shear measuring module to facilitate shearing.
US08347511B2
A concave tapered food product includes a cross section and a second end having a shape defined by a generally concave arc and a generally convex arc. The concave tapered food product has a first side and a second side shaped by a longitudinal cut along the foodstuff. A cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form the concave tapered food product includes a housing member. The cutter assembly also includes a curvilinear blade including a cutting edge for cutting the foodstuff, the cutting edge defining an arc along a first portion of the curvilinear blade and a foot positioned at an end of the curvilinear blade for supporting the curvilinear blade. The foot is configured for being received and secured in the housing member. The housing member is configured for at least partially enclosing the curvilinear blade.
US08347509B2
A tool system is presented. The tool system includes a tool body sized and dimensioned to fit comfortably in a human hand, and includes a plurality of interchangeable tool cartridges. Some of the tool cartridges include a tool bit cover capable of remaining in a closed, locked position sheathing a tool bit. Once installed, the tool bit cover can be unlocked via actuation of a trigger disposed on the body of the tool or on the cartridge. Preferably, the tool bit cover unsheathes the underlying tool bit due to pressure or force of a work surface.
US08347495B2
End segments of cables are stripped of their individual shielding coverings so as to form unit shielding pigtails extending from a terminal portion of the strand from which shielding has not been removed and around which a conductive packing strip has been wound so as to reach a predetermined diameter. The pigtails are folded back and distributed uniformly around the circumference of the terminal portion of the strand in the successive turns of the packing strips. The packing strip is clamped by an annular reinforcing spring blade, and then the assembly is surrounded within two half-shells that are coupled to each other and connected to the connector.
US08347493B2
A method of manufacturing a wiring board with a built-in electronic component including providing a first base material having a support body and a first metal foil detachably adhered on the support body, forming a connection terminal for mounting an electronic component on the first metal foil of the first base material by an additive method, mounting an electronic component to the connection terminal such that the electronic component is electrically connected to the connection terminal and mounted on the first base material, covering the electronic component with an insulative material structure having a hollow portion such that the electronic component is accommodated in the hollow portion of the insulative material structure after the mounting and detaching the support body from the first metal foil such that a substrate having the first base material and the insulative material structure is formed.
US08347485B2
A procedure for centrifugally casting a shorted structure around induction motor rotors is described. The method is commonly applied to a plurality of rotors disposed and arranged for rotational balance and supported on a suitable support, or optionally, on a plurality of supports arranged in layered fashion about a common rotational axis. The method comprises forming a wax representation of the shorted structure around a lamination stack; mounting a plurality of such lamination stacks in a mounting fixture and-attaching a suitable gating and runner system; forming an investment by coating the structure with refractory followed by melting out the wax; casting molten metal into the investment while it is rotating and aligning the mold to allow the centrifugal force generated to promote mold filling; and, continuing to rotate the investment until solidification is substantially complete.
US08347484B2
A rotary actuator includes an outer enclosure having an inner diameter surrounding a hollow interior. A stack of stator laminations, each having a stator diameter greater than the inner diameter of the outer enclosure when in an unflexed state, are also included in the rotary actuator. Each of the stator laminations is configured to flex into a shape so as to be positionable within the outer enclosure and substantially conform to the inner diameter. The stator lamination thus forms a line-to-line fit with at least a portion of the outer enclosure to form an interface having a desirable reluctance.
US08347481B1
This invention provides an improved protective mat that includes a magnet at each end for temporally securing the mat to a pipe so that the mat remains in position during a welding process. The mat is flexible so as to conform to the curvature of the pipe and may be placed in any position preferable on the surface of the pipe. The positioned and secured mat prevents spatter from coming into contact with the external surface of the pipe lying under the positioned protective mat. The mat is preferably heat and fire resistant up to temperatures of about 1500° F. and may be a silicone-coated fiberglass mat. When the mat is not in use, the mat may be folded and the magnets may be used to secure the ends of the mat to one another.
US08347471B2
Snap ring pliers include first and second pivotal levers wherein the first lever has a first jaw and a first handle and the second lever has a second jaw and a second handle; a biasing member interconnecting the handles; and a ratchet mechanism comprising a curved ratchet rack having one end secured to an end of the second handle and the other end proximate an end of the first handle; a sliding member secured to the end of the first handle and comprising a projection at one end, and a channel with the other end of the ratchet rack moveably disposed therein; a lock member having one end pivotably secured to the projection and comprising a protrusion at the other end; and a pawl member on the lock member and having one end secured onto the projection, the pawl member comprising a lock hole with the protrusion locked therein.
US08347470B2
Portable robot for carrying out the drilling process in the assembly of aeronautical components which are secured on a support known as a stand. The robot comprises a displaceable platform in order to permit it to be located close to the stand, and an arm, which supports a frame comprising a beam intended to support a drilling head that can be displaced in the three axes.
US08347469B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a crystal oscillator piece in which the generation of leakage vibration is suppressed, and a method for manufacturing such a crystal oscillator piece. More specifically, a method for manufacturing a crystal oscillator piece according to the present invention includes the steps of forming a first etching mask on an upper surface of a crystal wafer and a second etching mask on a lower surface of the crystal wafer, and forming a vibrating tine by immersing the crystal wafer in an etching solution thereby dissolving crystal portions not covered with the first and second etching masks, wherein the second etching mask is designed to have a first protruding portion protruding from a position corresponding to a first edge of the first etching mask, the first protruding portion being chosen to have such a length that a first residue is formed in a predetermined shape on a first side face, irrespective of a positional displacement between the first and second etching masks, and wherein the first and second etching masks are designed so that a second residue formed on a second side face is adjusted so as to ensure that one of two principal axes passing through a centroid and dynamically perpendicular to each other in a cross section taken perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the vibrating tine is oriented substantially parallel to the upper or lower surface of the crystal wafer.
US08347467B2
A casket arrangement includes a casket body, a first lid portion, and a second lid portion. The casket body is in the form of an open top box with a bottom, side walls or panels, and end walls or panels. The second lid portion includes a tab configured to fit under a top panel of the first lid portion.
US08347465B2
A clip comprises a grommet and a pin, and the grommet has a flange and leg pieces. The flange has a pair of right and left flange bodies, bridges for joining the flange bodies, and an opening portion formed at the center portion thereof. Peripheral walls of the opening portion are formed by the respective end faces of the flange bodies and the bridges, and the right and left peripheral walls formed by the end faces of the flange bodies and the front and rear peripheral walls formed by the end faces of the bridges are offset in a thickness direction, thereby establishing a positional relationship in which the right and left peripheral walls and the front and rear peripheral walls do not intersect to each other.
US08347455B2
A hand-held cleaning appliance includes a suction conduit, an airflow generator for generating an airflow along the suction conduit, a separating apparatus in communication with the suction conduit for separating dirt and dust from the airflow, a power source for supplying power to the airflow generator and a handgrip enabling a user to maneuver the hand-held cleaning appliance. The handgrip has a first end and a second end. The airflow generator is arranged directly adjacent the first end of the handgrip and the power source is arranged adjacent the second end of the handgrip. By providing a hand-held vacuum cleaner with such an arrangement, the hand-held vacuum cleaner is easier and more comfortable to manipulate in use.
US08347453B2
A vacuum cleaner including a nozzle, an air conduit including a projecting tube, a suction source positioned to provide a flow of dirty air, a bag docking assembly, and a filter bag coupled to the bag carrier. The bag docking assembly includes a main body mounted to the air conduit. A bag carrier is configured to engage the main body and configured to move between a first position and a second position. A lever is coupled to the main body and the bag carrier and the lever is configured to move the bag carrier between the first position and the second position. The bag docking assembly is configured such that when the bag carrier is in the first position, the filter bag is not engaged with the projecting tube and when the bag carrier is in the second position, the filter bag is engaged with the projecting tube.
US08347450B2
A wiper blade includes a lever member, a rubber blade, and a movable cover member. The lever member includes a main lever and a yoke lever. The yoke lever includes a plurality of grip portions, by which the rubber blade is gripped. The rubber blade includes a following end projecting outward from the one of the grip portions that is located at a longitudinally outer side of the lever member. The movable cover member includes a holding portion and a basal portion. The holding portion holds the following end. The basal portion is pivotally coupled to the yoke lever so that the movable cover member pivots relative to the yoke lever when the following end bends and deforms in a direction orthogonal to the wiping surface.
US08347445B2
The present invention relates to a remote controlled robot for cleaning inner walls of a duct, more specifically, to a remote controlled robot comprising: a cart movable in the duct by remote control; at least one first link pivotally connected to the cart, which is relatively rotatable to the cart; a first driving unit to drive the first link to relatively rotate to the cart; at least one second link pivotally connected to the first link, which is relatively rotatable to the first link; a second driving unit to drive the second link to relatively rotate to the first link; and a cleaning means installed at the second link for separating dusts from the inner walls of the duct, thereby enabling to clean the upper inner-walls and the bottom inner-wall of the duct simultaneously, and to continuously proceed with the cleaning in case of the height change of the duct to reduce cleaning time thereof.
US08347437B2
A washing machine and a control method thereof are disclosed. The control method includes supplying water into a tub, washing an object to be washed via rotation of a drum, rinsing the washed object, and dehydrating the washed object to remove moisture from the object. In the water supply step, steam is ejected simultaneously with the supply of water, to regulate the interior temperature of the drum.
US08347430B2
A mattress protector having a top portion and a bottom portion configured to fasten together over the mattress and/or a mattress and box spring includes sides and ends extending from each of the top portion and the bottom portion. A fastener is also included on each of the top and bottom portions. The fastener includes a fastener assembly to seal the mattress against bed bugs and dust mites. When the top and bottom portions are placed around the mattress, and the fastener is secured, the entire mattress is surrounded by the mattress protector and protected from penetration by bed bugs and dust mites.
US08347424B2
A floor drain includes a head having a top surface, a leveling member, and a frame having a top surface and a bottom surface. The bottom surface of the frame is positioned adjacent the top surface of the head. The leveling member is positioned between the head and the bottom surface of the frame and is displaceable relative to the head in a first direction. A method of leveling a floor drain with a floor surface is also disclosed.
US08347421B2
An impact reduction device including a pad having a first layer and a second layer. At least one of the first and second layers defines at least one impression. The impact reduction device is arranged and configured to at least partially collapse upon application of a force and to regain its shape after removal of the force.
US08347415B2
A garment for sport activities prevailingly made of substantially inextensible materials comprises additional flaps (140) of extensible elastic materials supplementing the conventional stretchable inserts (130). When the wearer of the garment is of anormal anatomic typology, the supplementary flaps (140) are concealed inside the garment but are adapted to be freely exposed on the garment outer surface by a manual actuation of zippers (135) in case of a different anatomic typology. Each additional flap (140) is attached at a first lateral side (136) to an insert (130) and at the opposite lateral side (137) to a zone of the garment which is made of substantially inextensible materials. Thus, the garment fits adequately and comfortably to the wearer's body also in correspondence of parts of the body which can be of various shapes and/or dimensions.
US08347413B2
An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
US08353056B2
An apparatus and method for detecting program plagiarism through memory access log analysis is provided. A data extractor extracts an access log of an original program and an access log of a target program to be compared with the original program from a memory accessed by the programs. A common string detector enumerates values, which are obtained from the access logs extracted from the original program and the target program, into strings and detects a common string that commonly exists in the strings. A discontinuity calculator calculates a discontinuity value that indicates a distance between the strings by using an array of the detected common strings. A plagiarism determining unit determines that the target program is plagiarized if the calculated discontinuity value is less than a predetermined reference value.
US08353054B2
A method for protection of a chip card from unauthorized use includes: inputting a first identification into a chip card terminal, producing a cipher of at least one first communication parameter using a first symmetric key derived from the first identification, a protected first communication channel being definable between the chip card terminal and the chip card, using the communication parameter, transmitting the cipher via a predefined communication channel from the chip card terminal to the chip card, attempting to decrypt the cipher using a second symmetric key by means of the chip card, the result of decryption only being the first communication parameter if the first symmetric key is identical to the second symmetric key so that the protected first communication channel can only be defined between the chip card terminal and the chip card if the first identification is correct.
US08353052B2
A method may include sending personal network connection information from a mobile device to a guest device; sending authentication credentials from the mobile device to the guest device; receiving the authentication credentials in the personal network from the guest device; authenticating the guest device based on the authentication credentials; and granting access to the guest device to content stored in the personal network for a guest session.
US08353044B1
A computer-implemented method for remediation of a computing device attempting to access a network. The method may include detecting that the computing device is attempting to access the network. The method may also include determining that the computing device does not comply with a network-access-control policy of the network. The method may include using a virtualization layer to bring the computing device into compliance with the network-access-control policy. The method may include permitting the computing device to access the network after the computing device is brought into compliance with the network-access-control policy. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08353036B2
A system and method for protecting cross-domain interaction of a web application on an unmodified browser. The system includes: a security framework, which is created by a browser. The security framework further includes: a component creator for creating components from a plurality of sources; and supervision module for supervising and controlling scripts/codes executed during the creation of components and invocation and interaction operations performed by various components after the creation of components.
US08353031B1
Security from malicious attack is provided for a user environment running in a virtualized environment by a virtual security appliance (VSA) running outside of the user environment, but on the same computer system as the user environment. For example, a VSA running in a virtual machine can provide security for a user environment running in a second virtual machine. The separation of the VSA from the user environment enhances the robustness of the VSA against malicious attacks seeking to disable/bypass the protections of the VSA, while avoiding the costs and complexities of a physical security appliance.
US08353030B2
A method is disclosed that enables mitigating at least some of the problems caused by a packet attack. When a first Internet Protocol (IP)-capable device is subjected to a packet attack, it indicates periodically to a second IP-capable device that certain communications with the first device are to be suspended. The periodic transmitting of the indication is performed at a slower rate than the keep-alive mechanism that is normally used to detect loss of connectivity. When the second device receives the transmitted indication, it refrains from transmitting keep-alive messages to the first device for a predetermined interval. Meanwhile, the first device also refrains from transmitting keep-alive messages to the second device for a similar interval. In transmitting the suspend indication, the illustrative embodiment seeks to prevent pairs of communicating devices that are experiencing packet attacks from continuing their operation under the erroneous assumption that each device is unavailable.
US08353029B2
Various embodiments provide protection against web resources associated with one or more undesirable activities. In at least some embodiments, a method detects and responds to a user-initiated activity on a computing device. Responding can include, by way of example and not limitation, checking locally, on the computing device, whether a web resource that is associated with the user-initiated activity has been identified as being associated with a safe site. If the web resource is not associated with a safe site, the user will be notified and given the option to check remotely, away from the computing device, whether the web resource is identified as being at least possibly associated with one or more undesirable activities.
US08353026B2
A credential caching system includes receiving a set of authentication credentials, storing the set of authentication credentials in a credential cache memory, wherein the credential cache memory is coupled with a management controller, and supplying the set of authentication credentials for automatic authentication during a reset or reboot. In the event of a security breach, the credential caching system clears the set of authentication credentials from the credential cache memory so that the set of authentication credentials may no longer be used for a reset or reboot.
US08353022B1
A bilateral data transfer system comprising a first node, a second node, a first one-way link for unidirectional transfer of first data from the first node to the second node, and a second one-way link for unidirectional transfer of second data from the second node to the first node, wherein the unidirectional transfer of the first data across the first one-way link and the unidirectional transfer of the second data across the second one-way link are independently administered by the bilateral data transfer system. Under such bilateral data transfer system, each of the one-way data links may be subject to separately administered security restrictions and data filtering processes. Hence, it enables secure bilateral communications across different network security domains.
US08353015B2
A token or other storage device uses Internet identities to set file access attribute rights. Subsequently, requests to access a file can be controlled by confirming the Internet identity of the requester by either validating the request with a known public key or retrieving the public key from an Internet identity provider. Files may be stored encrypted and may be re-encrypted with the public key associated with Internet identity making the request.
US08353009B2
An apparatus for enabling provision of context access with property or interface obfuscation may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least receiving, from an application, a request for access to property information corresponding to a provider node in which the access is provided via a delivery context client interface based context model, determining access rights associated with the application based on a classification of the application, enabling masking of a portion of information associated with the access rights in response to the classification of the application defining a corresponding subclass restriction, and enabling access to the property via the context model based on the access rights associated with the application and subject to the masking. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided.
US08353008B2
A device, system, and method are directed towards facilitating a registration of a user for a network service. In one embodiment, a server receives, from a user at a client device, user information including at least one text block. The server analyzes the text block to determine an authenticity value of the user information. The analysis may be based on the length of a lexicon of the text block, the size of a word such as the longest word in the text block, or the number of clauses in the text block. The analysis may be further based on expected values determined by such values in authentic text blocks of a similar nature. Based on the authenticity value, the system may allow the user to access the network service, disallow access to the network, allow conditional access, queue the registration application for further review, or take other actions.
US08352995B2
A cable television diagnostic method for a cable television network sends a polling message to a plurality of television set top boxes from a cable television headend; wherein the polling message instructs the cable television set top boxes to obtain at least one operational parameter of each of the television set top boxes; receiving a plurality of response messages from the cable television set top boxes, each containing the at least one operational parameter; determining that one of the operational parameters is outside of a specified range of values; and aggregating the operational parameters of the plurality of set top boxes to determine if the same operational parameter is outside the range of specified values for more than the one of the television set top boxes.
US08352991B2
A Video Server (VS 100) encodes a video stream according to the values of parameters and transmits the video stream over a Network to a Video Client (VC 200) that decodes the received video stream for presentation to a user. As the video stream is being received, (VC 200 continually gathers data regarding at least the condition of Network sends this data to (VS 100). (VS 100) modifies the values of the parameters based on the data received from (VC 200), which in turn modifies the encoding of the video stream.
US08352990B2
A system that delivers live broadcast media to consumer devices, including a system for enabling devices without native capabilities such as internal bulk storage and stream processing, to have command and control of live broadcast streams, has been provided. This is achieved through intercepting and converting the normal service provider channel mapping data to a new channel map which points to a software system that delivers command and control of live broadcast media, and implementation of a software system which can receive a channel change protocol, establish a command and control session with the device, convert the channel map protocol to the original format, tune in, receive, convert and process the live stream so that it can be delivered to the requesting device and in turn be controlled by user interaction with that device or the software system. A corresponding method is also provided.
US08352987B2
A method for a scheduled-recording of a program and an image display apparatus using the same are provided. The method for a scheduled-recording of a program includes displaying a search menu for searching other programs related to a program being displayed, and scheduling the recording of at least one program from among programs searched according to search options selected from the search menu. Therefore, a scheduled-recording may be readily set without searching for each program separately from an electronic program guide screen, and thus, greater convenience is provided to the user.
US08352986B2
A picture display system having two display devices and a base device for supplying picture signals to one of the display devices and capable of having bidirectional communication with the other display device is disclosed. The picture display system (1) is made up by a mobile display device (100), a base device (200) and a large format display device (300). The base device (200) sends picture signals to the display device (100) and to the large format display device (300). On a display image surface of the mobile display device (100), there is provided a touch panel for detecting the contact position contacted by a user for displaying a remote-control panel RP accepting an operating input from the user on the display image surface. An operating signal conforming to a display item of the remote-control panel RP, displayed at a contact position, detected by the touch panel, is generated and transmitted by wireless communication to the base device (200). This base device (200) selects the picture signals, supplied from the external inputting devices (400), as a supply source of picture signals, responsive to an operating signal, to transmit the so selected picture signals to the large format display device (300).
US08352981B1
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving at a television processing device an airing schedule for a specified advertisement. The airing schedule includes data specifying past airings of the specified advertisement, a local frequency at which the specified advertisement is to be shown, and a schedule of airings of replaceable advertisements. The device determines, from viewing log data, whether the local frequency for the specified advertisement has been achieved. If the local frequency has not been achieved, the specified advertisement is aired in place of a replaceable advertisement when the television processing device is tuned to a channel of a scheduled airing of the replaceable advertisement at a time of the scheduled airing, and the local frequency of the specified advertisement is incremented. Otherwise, the replaceable advertisement is presented.
US08352973B2
According to the slot-in type disk apparatus, the discharge slider 106 is constituted by a main discharge slider 106 and a sub-discharge slider 106, first load means 106C and second load means 106X, 106Y are given to the main discharge slider 106 and the sub-discharge slider 106, when a load in a direction in which the disk is pushed in is applied to the discharge lever 100 when the disk is discharged, a load caused by the second load means 106X, 106Y is applied to the main discharge slider 106 and the sub-discharge slider 106, and load caused by the first load means 106C is after the load caused by the second load means 106X, 106Y is released.
US08352970B2
Disclosed in one example is a method for interfacing with multiple social networks. The method includes receiving a call from a social networking service agnostic social networking application for one of a plurality of social networking functions in a first format, translating the call in the first format to a call in a second format, the second format being one of a plurality of heterogeneous social networking service application programming interface formats, and passing the call in the second format to a first social networking service by utilizing a first social networking service application programming interface.
US08352965B2
A circuit device capable of automatic transmission interface selection and associated method are provided. The circuit device includes a first interface port, a second interface port, a first interface driver module, a second interface driver module, and a buffer module. A first interface driver module receives a first interrupt packet, converts the first interrupt packet into a first command packet, and stores the first command packet into the buffer module. A second interface driver module receives a second interrupt packet, converts the second interrupt packet into a second command packet, and stores the second command package into the buffer module. The format of the first interrupt packet is different from that of the second interrupt packet, while the first and the second command packets comply with a common format.
US08352943B2
The invention relates to a method for preventing industrial automation system from avalanche, in which the industrial automation system comprising a storage unit for storing time stream data to be processed and a CPU for processing the time stream data in the storage unit, the method comprises the following items: 1) establishing a data processing task priority level; 2) scheduling the data processing task of the CPU; 3) using method of the storage unit. Under a given CPU processing ability, the time stream data to be processed is set with different priority levels, the CPU firstly processes the to-be-processed data processing task with the highest priority level and then processes those with the next priority level. And the storage unit is also set with the corresponding sub-storage units with different priority levels in accordance with the priority levels of the to-be-processed data processing task. The to-be-processed data processing task with higher priority level can be stored or cover those with lower priority level. Therefore, it can effectively ensure that the automation system deals with unexpected number of tasks without causing the crash of the system under a given CPU processing ability.
US08352939B1
A system, method and computer program product are provided for performing a security or maintenance operation in association with virtual disk data accessed independent of a virtual machine. In use, data stored on a virtual disk is accessed at least in part independent of a virtual machine. Further, a security or maintenance operation is performed in association with the accessed data.
US08352921B2
A computer-implemented error detection mechanism for detecting programming errors in a computer program. The computer-implemented error detection method described herein can make use of a Function Behavior Knowledge Base (FBKB) to approximate how a virtual function changes state of the program execution for all methods that can be called at each specific invocation point. The FBKB is used to select what implementation of a virtual function should be called in order to give rise to a programming defect. By dropping implementations that do not lead to a programming defect, the set of possible object runtime types is reduced. If this set is empty by the end of the analysis, then a defect is not possible, otherwise the set of object runtime types will contain types that may cause a defect.
US08352918B2
A method and a system for verifying properties of a computer program is provided, pertaining to the validity of properties at program points by means of at least one forward analyser and one backward analyser. For each property, in an issuing phase an analyser issues to a centralizer module an assumption on the validity of the property at a point of the program, the centralizer module storing the assumption in a database with an attribute indicating the original analyser and a status indicating that the assumption needs to be verified; in a phase of verifying the assumption, stored in the database, a test analyser is selected to analyse the assumption in cooperation with the other analysers, the centralizer module determining analysers able to cooperate. The verification phase is iterated until all assumptions stored in the base have been analysed by at least one test analyser, a verified assumption being marked as valid.
US08352917B2
Tools and techniques are provided to allow partners of analytics providers and others who use web-beacons to submit web-beacon plug-ins for scrutiny, and for the plug-in to either be refused or else to be certified for use in a core JavaScript file or similar component. Analytics providers and others may also write web-beacon plug-ins. Certified plug-ins are executed in response to page loads, visitor clicks, and other visitor and programmatic actions at a website that has been tagged by the analytics provider's web-beacon, without requiring re-tagging of the website with a separate web-beacon for the partner. This allows the partner to obtain analytics data by piggybacking on the analytics provider, without re-tagging, and without compromising the availability and accuracy of the analytics data already being gathered. To be certified, web-beacon plug-ins must satisfy specific criteria as to their size, behavior, namespace, and the like.
US08352912B2
A computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a computer useable medium having a computer readable program. The computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to generate a topology role in a topology role tier that is included in a topology pattern. Further, the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to create a component in a component tier that is defined in the topology pattern such that the component corresponds to the topology role. In addition, the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to map the topology role to a deployment target.
US08352909B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with business process diagram (BPD) component analysis are described. One example method includes accessing a BPD having a BPD component for which a mapping to a business process execution language (BPEL) component is to be automatically produced by a computer. The example method may also include detecting a join gateway in the BPD. The example method may also include manipulating the mapping to identify that resolution of the join gateway is to be determined by gateway resolution upon determining that the join gateway is not going to receive a loop back edge.
US08352901B2
A method and system for generation of low-slew indices for circuit characterization are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for automatically generating a subset of sampling points from a set of load and slew points for circuit characterization includes iteratively obtaining sampling points such that error between an actual value and an interpolated intermediate value is below or equal to a threshold error value. The subset of sampling points is then formed from the iteratively obtained sampling points.
US08352890B2
An approach is provided for converting a polygon described as an ordered list of perimeter points into a set of connected quadrilaterals suitable for use in an advanced integrated circuit router. Edges are constructed between the points of the polygon. Then, one or more edges are selected as starting locations. Pairs of edges or portions of pairs of edges are matched to form sequences of quadrilaterals. Methods are provided to determine when edges should be split or skipped to ensure that all quadrilaterals are convex or meet other criteria. Other methods are provided to determine when the matching process should be terminated and restarted at another location. Finally, the sequences of quadrilaterals are joined together to form a data structure suitable for use within an integrated circuit router.
US08352889B2
A beam dose computing method includes dividing a surface area of a target object into include first, second and third regions of different sizes, the third regions being less in size than the first and second regions, determining first corrected doses of a charged particle beam for correcting fogging effects in the first regions, determining corrected size values for correcting pattern line width deviations occurring due to loading effects in the second regions to create a map of base doses of the beam in respective of said second regions and to prepare a map of proximity effect correction coefficients in respective of said second regions, using the maps to determine second corrected doses of the beam for proximity effect correction in the third regions, and using the first and second corrected doses to determine an actual beam dose at each position on the surface of said object.
US08352888B2
Methods and systems for providing processing parameters in a secure format are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for providing semiconductor fabrication processing parameters to a design facility is disclosed. The method comprises providing a set of processing parameters of a fabrication facility; creating a model from the set of processing parameters; converting the model into a corresponding set of kernels; converting the set of kernels into a corresponding set of matrices; and communicating the set of matrices to the design facility. In another aspect, a method for providing semiconductor fabrication processing parameters is disclosed. The method comprises providing a set of processing parameters of a fabrication facility; creating a processing model from the set of processing parameters; encrypting the processing model into a format for use with a plurality of EDA tools; and communicating the encrypted processing model format to a design facility.
US08352887B2
Roughly described, a design rule data set is developed offline from the design rules of a target fabrication process. A design rule checking method involves traversing the corners of shapes in a layout region, and for each corner, populating a layout topology database with values that depend on respective corner locations. After the layout topology database is populated, the values are compared to values in the design rule data set to detect any design rule violations. Violations can be reported in real time, while the user is manually editing the layout. Preferably corner traversal is performed using scan lines oriented perpendicularly to edge orientations, and scanning in the direction of the edge orientations. Scans stop only at corner positions and populate the layout topology database with what information can be gleaned based on the current scan line. The different scans need not reach each corner simultaneously.
US08352885B2
A three-dimensional mask model of the invention provides a more realistic approximation of the three-dimensional effects of a photolithography mask with sub-wavelength features than a thin-mask model. In one embodiment, the three-dimensional mask model includes a set of filtering kernels in the spatial domain that are configured to be convolved with thin-mask transmission functions to produce a near-field image. In another embodiment, the three-dimensional mask model includes a set of correction factors in the frequency domain that are configured to be multiplied by the Fourier transform of thin-mask transmission functions to produce a near-field image.
US08352878B2
Selections from a long list of elements on a Graphical User Interface (GUI) are presented. When a context window is presented for the selections, different cues are provided in the context window to provide feedback regarding the selections that are not in the current view, and to also facilitate rapid navigation to those selections on the GUI. Interaction with the GUI widgets within the context window, and interaction with the context window itself, facilitates the navigation toward the other selections that are not in the current view. Interaction with the GUI widgets also facilitates the preview of the selections that are not in the current view, thus making it easier to determine what has been selected without having to navigate to the view that contains those selections.
US08352872B2
A user maintains notification setting information having temporal periods capable of controlling, at least in part, the dissemination of information describing the on-line presence of the user within an instant messaging system or the geographic location of one or more mobile communications devices used by the user. The user may use multiple identities to communicate within the instant messaging system and/or with the mobile communications device or devices. The user can maintain sets of temporal periods for each of the multiple identities. Only one identity may be used at a specific time to communicate to a specific other identity, but the multiple identities of the user may be linked such that on-line presence and/or geographic location associated with one of the identities is disseminated based on the temporal periods set for one or more of the multiple identities.
US08352871B2
A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code, includes detecting one of an absence of a virtual universe (VU) occurrence in a VU within a predetermined time period, a special event in the VU and a change of real world status from a previous real world status. Additionally, the method includes determining a VU asset of a VU resident relevant to the VU occurrence, the special event or the previous real world status. Further, the method includes performing an automated asset reduction of the VU asset based on the determining.
US08352869B2
Systems and methods for multi-directional visual browsing on an electronic device are described. In example embodiments, a primary result and a peripheral result associated with a user of a device are determined. A display layout based on attributes associated with the primary result and the peripheral result is generated. The display layout is then rendered and displayed on the device.
US08352860B2
The present invention provides an image processing device and an image processing method, which prevent printing mishaps from occurring in printed matter when a user performs a printing process without knowing a compressed image is included on a page layout. When a compressed image is detected, a warning is generated to request selection of the next process. For this reason, when interruption of printing is designated, the printing process may be interrupted. The use of a warning color or application of an outline may be designated, and a drawing setting may also be performed according to the designation. An output of a warning page is designated, and a setting may also be performed such that a print output is obtained by either extracting the compressed image or by deleting the compressed image.
US08352857B2
Reference identification and resolution identifies reference text fragments in a document and associates referenced object text fragments in the document with the identified reference text fragments. Reference profiles are abstracted from the document. Each reference profile specifies at least a reference number and an object type identifier. A reference profile is paired with an object text fragment of the document containing the reference number of the reference profile. The pairing is repeated to associate reference profiles with object text fragments. A reference text fragment of the document satisfying one of the reference profiles is associated with the object text fragment paired with the satisfied reference profile. The associating is repeated to associate reference text fragments of the document with object text fragments.
US08352853B2
A method is provided for encoding device independent multi-modal content including an arrangement comprising one or more of a plurality of tokens, where each token corresponds to a standard predefined effect. The method includes defining a token for one or more standard predefined effects, wherein the token is adapted for being mapped to one or more effect producing elements in a target device. One or more tokens are then composed for playback together as an arrangement.
US08352852B2
Some embodiments of a system and a method to allow users to review prior and future versions of a website have been presented. In one embodiment, a processing module running on a web portal server tracks changes to a website hosted on the web portal server by recording the changes in a content repository of the web portal server. A graphical user interface (GUI) module running on the web portal server may generate user interface control to allow a user to review, depending on rights granted to the user, prior versions of the website and future versions of the website, which may be constructed using the changes tracked.
US08352840B2
The invention relates to improving the performance of sequence-based soft-output decoders using event cleanup processing, wherein combinations of potential error events are evaluated using an error detection code (EDC) to select events that produce a modified set of decisions that has no EDC detectable errors. The event cleanup method and associated event cleanup decoder enable to significantly improve the error rate performance of sequence-based decoders and/or significantly improve decoding efficiency compared to other known error cleanup methods.
US08352838B2
A cipher processing device includes: a MAC loss detecting/estimating section which estimates the radio bearer of the lost protocol data unit and a data amount of the lost protocol data unit out of protocol data units produced by division according to the logical channel information included in a packet combining data unit received by a base station of a mobile communication system; an RLC loss detecting/estimating section which detects occurrence of loss in the protocol data units when the protocol data units are put together into a service data unit, and estimates a lost amount of the protocol data units when the protocol data units are put together into the service data unit according to the estimated data amount; and a correction section which corrects a frame number of the service data unit based on the estimated data amount estimated by the detecting/estimating section.
US08352818B2
A method for generating a test pattern set for detecting small delay defects of an IC is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes: (1) generating a traditional delay fault pattern, (2) fault grading the traditional delay fault pattern for small delay defect coverage, (3) reporting faults detected by the fault grading and delay information associated with the detected faults, (4) determining which of the detected faults are timing-aware target faults employing the delay information and (5) generating timing-aware delay fault patterns for the timing-aware target faults.
US08352817B2
A method for testing a memory and a control device having means for a memory test. A destination address of the memory is selected in the process, dependent addresses of the memory are determined from the destination address, and user data at the destination address and the dependent addresses are backed up. Furthermore, the destination address and the dependent addresses are described by test patterns, via which a signature is formed. The backed-up user data of the destination address and the dependent addresses are then restored. Finally, the determined signature is compared with the known setpoint value. In the event of a deviation between the signature and the setpoint value, suitable protective mechanisms are initiated.
US08352815B2
The application discloses a circuit comprising at least one flip flop, said flip flop comprising: a master latch and a slave latch; a data signal input and a scan signal input arranged in parallel to each other and each input comprising a tristateable device; and a scan enable signal input, a functional clock signal input and a scan clock signal input; wherein: in response to a first predetermined value of said scan enable signal indicating a functional mode of operation, said scan input tristateable device is operable to isolate said scan input from said master latch, and said master latch is operable in response to said functional clock to receive data from said data input and to output data to said slave latch and said slave latch is operable in response to said functional clock to receive data from said master latch and to output data at said data output; and in response to a second predetermined value of said scan enable signal indicating a scan mode of operation said data input tristateable device is operable to isolate said data input from said master latch, and said master latch is operable in response to said scan clock to receive data from said scan input and said slave latch is operable in response to said functional clock to receive data from said master latch and to output data at said scan output.
US08352813B2
A method is for testing a non-volatile memory. A base data pattern is defined for a first pageset of the non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory has a plurality of pages which comprise words. The base pattern is arranged so that each bitpair of a plurality of bitpairs that includes one of a group consisting of even bitpairs and odd bitpairs formed from all of the words exhibits all possible bitpair transitions during sequential accesses of the pages of the plurality of pages. The base pattern is stored in the first pageset. The pages of the plurality of pages of the first pageset are accessed sequentially.
US08352808B2
A data storage device receives write data and includes a controller configured to determine a characteristic of the write data and provide a first control signal in response to the determined characteristic, a randomizer configured to selectively randomize or not randomize the write data in response to the first control signal to thereby generate randomized write data, and a data storage unit configured to store the randomized write data.
US08352805B2
Systems and methods are provided for detecting and correcting address errors in a memory system. In the memory system, a memory device generates an error-detection code based on an address transmitted via an address bus and transmits the error-detection code to a memory controller. The memory controller transmits an error indication to the memory device in response to the error-detection code. The error indication causes the memory device to remove the received address and prevent a memory operation.
US08352802B2
A diagnostic system for computers, including a connector interface for connecting the diagnostic system to a PC, a storage medium for storing executable instructions that boot the PC when the diagnostic system is connected to the connector interface, for storing diagnostic testing program code that scans and tests the PC, and for storing a phone number for a remote online help-desk facility, a modem for communicating wirelessly with the online help-desk facility when the PC is not fully operational, and for enabling the remote online help-desk facility to remotely run the diagnostic testing program code on the PC and view the results, an audio subsystem for enabling voice communication between a user and a representative at the remote online help-desk facility, and a processor for controlling the storage medium, the modem and the audio subsystem. A method is also described and claimed.
US08352801B2
A method includes instantiating a cloned network that includes a second set of virtual service nodes. The second set of virtual service nodes includes at least one cloned virtual service node that is a clone of a corresponding virtual service node in a first set of virtual service nodes. The at least one cloned virtual service node has access to a history of events that occurred at the corresponding virtual service node in the first set of virtual service nodes. The method includes initiating an interactive debugging session that includes step by step processing of the events of the history of events.
US08352794B2
Clock signal control circuitry is disclosed along with a method for switching a clock between modes and a computer program product. The clock signal control circuitry is for receiving a clock signal from a clock signal generator and for outputting said clock signal to synchronous circuitry that is to be clocked by said clock signal. It comprises: an input for receiving mode switching signals indicating said synchronous circuitry is to switch between modes, said mode switching signals comprising a clock gating request signal indicating said synchronous circuitry is to enter a sleep mode during which said circuitry is not clocked and a wake up request signal indicating said synchronous circuitry is to enter an operational mode during which said circuitry is clocked; and is responsive to said clock gating request signal to gate said clock signal such that no clock signal is output to said synchronous circuitry and being responsive to said wake up request signal to output said clock signal to said synchronous circuitry. The clock signal control circuitry further comprises: a data store for storing a delay value; and delay circuitry for delaying switching of said clock signal between modes in response to at least one of said mode switching signals, said delay circuitry delaying said switching by an amount dependent upon said stored delay value.
US08352793B2
The same testing equipment can be used to test devices operating under different protocols. Where the testing protocol is slower than the native serial protocol of the high-speed serial link connecting the device processor to the component to be tested, the link may be adapted to carry the lower speed testing protocol. This may be accomplished by adding low-speed buffers to the circuits of the serial link, or the serial link may have a native low-speed protocol in addition to its high-speed protocol connections may be made to the pathways for the native low-speed protocol, or the testing protocol may be impressed on top of native low-speed protocol. Where the driver of the device being tested has limited number of pins, the test mode can be controlled by applying power to different power supply input pins.
US08352787B2
A plant control system includes a process computer (1) managing a plant, a PLC (2) interposed between the process computer (1) and equipment (3) of the plant, and a general-purpose PC (7) executing arithmetic processing based on arithmetic data received from the PLC (2) and transmitting arithmetic result data thereof to the PLC (2). The functions are divided such that sequential control logic is executed by the PLC (2) and complicated arithmetic processing is executed by the general-purpose PC (7), and the arithmetic result data outputted from the general-purpose PC (7) always passes through the PLC (2) so that consistency of the arithmetic result data is checked in the PLC (2). This makes it possible to apply a general-purpose personal computer (general-purpose PC) to the plant control system so as to divide the functions between the programmable logic controller (PLC) and the general-purpose PC and to compensate the reliability of the general-purpose PC in an industrial application, for example, in terms of punctuality.
US08352782B2
A message is generated by a computer operating on a dispersed data storage network indicating the inaccessibility of a plurality of data slices. A rebuilder application operates on the dispersed data storage grid and rebuilds inaccessible data slices, including those identified by the message.
US08352772B2
A memory system includes a memory controller that issues command signals and a reference-clock signal to a memory device. The edge rate of the reference-clock signal is lower than the bit rate of the command signals, so the memory device multiplies the reference clock signal to develop a command-recovery clock signal with which to sample the incoming command signals. The memory controller issues the command signals as a series of multi-bit command words aligned with edges of the reference-clock signal so that the memory device can use edges of the reference clock signal for command-word alignment.
US08352763B2
Provided is technology for enabling power saving control that allows a change of control content according to a user selection in a power control system that saves power consumed by an information processing apparatus. The power control system of the present invention include an image processing apparatus 102 as an example of the information processing apparatus and a power consumption management apparatus 106 that manages the amount of power consumption of the image processing apparatus 102. The image processing apparatus 102, in power saving control based on a control mode according to the amount of power consumption, if execution of a job instructed by a user is restricted depending on a power saving setting received from the power consumption management apparatus 106, changes control content of the control mode to content that has been determined as a substitution for the control content for allowing the job to be executed.
US08352761B2
A method for controlling a power state of a host device, the method comprising operating a processor of a power control module integral to the host to perform operations comprising determining a current power state of the host from a plurality of possible states, receiving a remote request to alter the power state of the host device, and on the basis of the request, altering the power state of the host device from the current state to one other of the plurality of states of the host.
US08352751B2
According to one embodiment, an encryption program operation management system includes an encryption key table creation module which creates encryption keys and creates an encryption key table including encrypted versions of the encryption keys and items of plaintext index information for recognizing the encryption keys, and an installation package creation module which creates an installation package including an encryption program, the encryption key table, and an installation program for installing the encryption program into a computer. The installation program causes the computer to carry out an operation of selecting one of the encrypted versions of encryption keys and an operation of creating and storing encryption key information including the selected one of the encrypted versions of encryption key and one of the items of plaintext index information associated with the selected one of the encrypted versions of encryption keys.
US08352746B2
A method, program and system for processing data is disclosed. The method, program and system comprising the steps of: (a) receiving (e.g., during an enrollment process) a first biometric data and a first personal key, (b) processing the first biometric data and the first personal key through an irreversible cryptographic algorithm, sometimes after: (i) generating one or more variants from the first biometric data, (ii) processing the first personal key through a reversible cryptographic algorithm, and (iii) adding salt to the first biometric data or first personal key, (c) receiving (e.g., during an authentication process) a second biometric data and a second personal key, (d) processing the second biometric data and the second personal key through the irreversible cryptographic algorithm, (e) comparing the second processed data to the first processed data, and (f) generating a signal pertaining to the comparison of the second processed data to the first processed data, such as: (i) a confirmation reflecting authentication when the second processed data matches the first processed data (sometimes allowing access to a facility or system) or (ii) a denial reflecting no confirmation when the second processed data does not match the first processed data.
US08352745B2
A method and system for authenticating a user to access a computer system. The method comprises communicating security information to the computer system, and providing the computer system with an implicit input. The method further comprises determining whether the security information and implicit input match corresponding information associated with the user. The method further comprises granting the user access to the computer system in the event of a satisfactory match. When authenticating the user, the method and system consider the possibility of the user being legitimate but subject to duress or force by a computer hacker.
US08352743B2
At user registration, a client device obtains a signature for a user ID, a password, and a public key by using a private key, and sends user information that includes the signature and the above-described information items to a service providing apparatus. The service providing apparatus verifies the signature by using the public key and stores the user information by which the password and the public key are associated with each other. When a request for a service is made, the client device allows authentication processing by sending to the service providing apparatus an authentication response that includes the user ID together with password authentication information, a signature for a challenge sent from the service providing apparatus, or a signature for the password and the challenge, irrespective of whether the authentication method for the service is password authentication, public key authentication, or public-key-and-password combination authentication.
US08352739B2
A two-factor authenticated key exchange method. A subscriber station transmits a value generated by using an identifier and an authentication server's public key to the authentication server through an access point. The authentication server uses the value to detect the subscriber's password, a key stored in a token, and the authentication server's secret key, generate a random number. The subscriber station uses the random number, password, and the key to transmit an encrypted value and the subscriber's authenticator to the authentication server. The authentication server establishes a second value generated by using the password, key, and random number to be a decrypted key to decrypt the encrypted value, authenticate the subscriber's authenticator, and transmits the authentication server's authenticator to the subscriber station. The subscriber station authenticates the authentication server's authenticator by using the key and password.
US08352738B2
Phishing attacks succeed by exploiting a user's inability to distinguish legitimate websites from spoofed websites. Most prior work focuses on assisting the user in making this distinction; however, users must make the right security decision every time. Unfortunately, humans are ill-suited for performing the security checks necessary for secure site identification, and a single mistake may result in a total compromise of the user's online account. Fundamentally, users should be authenticated using information that they cannot readily reveal to malicious parties. Placing less reliance on the user during the authentication process enhances security and eliminates many forms of fraud. We disclose using a trusted device to perform mutual authentication that eliminates reliance on perfect user behavior, thwarts Man-in-the-Middle attacks after setup, and protects a user's account even in the presence of keyloggers and most forms of spyware.
US08352737B2
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for authentication of fragments using hash trees
An apparatus for authentication of fragments using hash trees may include a processor. The processor may be configured to provide one or more data fragments and a hash tree representing the one or more fragments, send at least one first fragment accompanied by any nodes of the hash tree necessary to authenticate the one or more first sent fragments, and send one or more subsequent fragments accompanied by only some, but not all, of the nodes of the hash tree necessary to authenticate the one or more subsequent fragments with the other nodes that are not sent but are necessary for authentication having been previously sent in conjunction with a prior fragment.
US08352728B2
A method for using a network appliance to efficiently buffer and encrypt data for transmission includes: receiving, by an appliance via a connection, two or more SSL records comprising encrypted messages; decrypting the two or more messages; buffering, by the appliance, the two ore more decrypted messages; determining, by the appliance, that a transmittal condition has been satisfied; encrypting, by the appliance in response to the determination, the first decrypted message and a portion of the second decrypted message to produce a third SSL record; and transmitting, by the appliance via a second connection, the third record. Corresponding systems are also described.
US08352726B2
A system and method comprises receiving a write request from a client to store data at first and second non-sequential locations of a storage medium. The data of the write request is recognized as not being a predefined data pattern, and a first encryption method is applied to the data of the write request before it is stored at the first and second non-sequential locations of the storage medium. Further, a second different encryption method is applied to content of an area between the first and second non-sequential locations, where the content of the area is recognized as being the predefined pattern.
US08352722B2
A platform may comprise a management controller (MC) and a BIOS that may store SMBIOS information that may comprise metadata. SMBIOS information may be stored in the SMBIOS structure table. SMBIOS information may be transferred to the MC and may be communicated from the MC to an entity external to the platform. The BIOS may be inaccessible to the external entity. The MC may communicate with the external entity when the platform is powered ON or OFF. SMBIOS information may be transferred between the BIOS and the MC via a communication link. The MC and/or the BIOS may determine whether SMBIOS information from the MC is up-to-date. SMBIOS information may be copied from the BIOS to the MC if not up-to-date. SMBIOS information may be transferred via SMBIOS messages based on structure type, instance ID and/or handle.
US08352720B2
In a computer system in which a server has, in addition to a disk used for booting, an operation transfer destination disk that has the same content as the boot disk, a method for changing the disk used by the server or another server in the computer system for booting to the operation transfer destination disk is realized by changing the content of the operation transfer destination disk to enable the OS and applications installed in the operation transfer destination disk to be booted from the destination disk and by changing the setting of a boot program of the server to enable booting from the operation transfer destination disk.
US08352719B2
A computing device boot-up method begins by a processing module detecting a boot-up of the computing device. The method continues with the processing module addressing a distributed basic input/output system (BIOS) memory to retrieve a plurality of error coded BIOS data slices. The method continues with the processing module reconstructing BIOS data from the plurality of error coded BIOS data slices using an error coding dispersal function. The method continues with the computing device booting up in accordance with the BIOS data.
US08352711B2
The coordination and execution of chores in a multiprocessing environment. The coordination of chores is accomplished utilizing a compiler generated correlation that relates blocks of code that execute chores and blocks of code in which the chore can be realized. By tracking the execution of the program and using the compiler-generated correlation, chores can be identified for the currently executing code.
US08352707B2
A method and a storage system are provided for implementing host logical address to physical memory address mapping for persistent storage media including flash memory. Numerical compositions at multiple levels of granularity are used to store the logical address to physical memory address mappings. A plurality of groupings, each grouping including a fixed number of blocks is encoded using recursive composition, eliminating the need to store separate lengths.
US08352700B2
A memory management apparatus includes: a memory space including a memory area serving as a heap area and a non-heap-area memory area; and memory management unit which add a header for an object to a memory area other than heap-area to treat the non-heap-area memory area as a mock object in order to treat a plurality of heap areas divided by the non-heap-area memory area as a single continuous heap area.
US08352697B2
A method of storing a file in a memory. An explicit command is issued to a file system to store the file in accordance with a desired performance characteristic of the file such as enhanced write performance, enhanced read performance or enhanced latency performance. The file system stores the file in the memory in accordance with the desired performance characteristic. Preferably the desired performance characteristic is achieved by storing the file in a physically contiguous portion of the memory or in a logically contiguous portion of the memory. After the explicit command has been issued for each of a plurality of files, the files may be stored concurrently.
US08352696B2
A memory device that has two operating modes. In the first mode the data strobe is source synchronous and is driven by the memory device when data is being transmitted. In the second mode the data strobe is not driven by the memory device. In this mode the data strobe signal is used as a free running clock to sample write data. The capture of read data by the controller is timed by a controller with a calibrated internal timing reference from the system clock.
US08352694B2
Provided is a method of controlling memory access. In a system including a first layer element executed in a privileged mode having a first priority of permission to access the entire region of a memory and second and third layer elements executed in an unprivileged mode having a second priority of permission to access a partial region of the memory, the method of controlling memory access determines whether the memory is accessible for each page that is an address space unit, based on which mode a layer element currently accessing the memory is executed in between the privileged mode and the unprivileged mode; and determines whether the memory is accessible based on which one of the first, second and third layer elements corresponds to a domain currently being attempted to be accessed from among a plurality of domains of the memory. Accordingly, a memory domain allocated to a guest operating system kernel is effectively protected from an application executed in the unprivileged mode in which the guest operating system kernel is executed.
US08352683B2
A method and system to reduce the power consumption of a memory device. In one embodiment of the invention, the memory device is a N-way set-associative level one (L1) cache memory and there is logic coupled with the data cache memory to facilitate access to only part of the N-ways of the N-way set-associative L1 cache memory in response to a load instruction or a store instruction. By reducing the number of ways to access the N-way set-associative L1 cache memory for each load or store request, the power requirements of the N-way set-associative L1 cache memory is reduced in one embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment of the invention, when a prediction is made that the accesses to cache memory only requires the data arrays of the N-way set-associative L1 cache memory, the access to the fill buffers are deactivated or disabled.
US08352682B2
Efficient techniques are described for enforcing order of memory accesses. A memory access request is received from a device which is not configured to generate memory barrier commands. A surrogate barrier is generated in response to the memory access request. A memory access request may be a read request. In the case of a memory write request, the surrogate barrier is generated before the write request is processed. The surrogate barrier may also be generated in response to a memory read request conditional on a preceding write request to the same address as the read request. Coherency is enforced within a hierarchical memory system as if a memory barrier command was received from the device which does not produce memory barrier commands.
US08352668B2
A USB printer sharing switch device with automatic switching capabilities is provided for multiple computers to share a USB printer. The sharing switch device transfers USB data between the computers and the printer without changing the data format. The automatic switching function is performed by hardware and firmware of the sharing switch device in cooperation with driver software on the computers. In one implementation, the sharing switch device includes multiple USB device controllers corresponding to the multiple computers, and employs multiple switches and a USB hub so that each computer is connected to its corresponding controller and the computer that is currently connected to the printer can communicate with its controller while printing. The current computer transmits a spooling finished command to its controller when spooling is finished. After receiving the spooling finished command, the sharing switch device automatically switches the printer to another computer.
US08352667B2
Upstream network interfaces (2-1-2-N) and downstream network interfaces (5-1-5-M) have an upstream PCI-PCI bridge function and a downstream PCI-PCI bridge function, respectively. These network interfaces (2-1-2-N, 5-1-5-M) and a network (3) are incorporated in a system as a single multi-root PCI express switch. The network (3) tunnels TLPs (Transaction Layer Packets) between the upstream network interfaces (2-1-2-N) and the downstream network interfaces (5-1-5-M) or between the downstream network interfaces (5-1-5-M). This enables to distribute and connect a plurality of computers and a plurality of I/Os on a large scale without changing software, root complexes, and I/Os.
US08352659B1
Approaches for communicating data from a source device to a target device. In one approach, a communicated data value is segmented into a plurality of data chunks at the source device. A sequence of interrupt transactions is transmitted from the source device to a system bus. The transmitting of each interrupt transaction in the sequence includes transmitting a target identifier on an address bus of the system bus, and the target identifier of each interrupt transaction in the sequence includes a respective one of the data chunks. The sequence of interrupt transactions from the system bus is received at the target device. The communicated data value is reassembled at the target device from the data chunks in the target identifier of the interrupt transactions in the sequence.
US08352655B2
A packet communication device autonomously selects an appropriate operation mode according to a connection environment to an external device before a service of the device is started. When the device is connected to the external buses, connection interface units notify an external device discrimination unit of connection of the device. The external device discrimination unit issues a polling packet to the connected device, discriminates the connected external device on the basis of the response packet, and notifies an operation mode switching unit. The operation mode switching unit selects an operation mode conforming to a connection environment of the packet communication device to the external device and switches the operation mode of the device to the mode. The selection of the operation modes is completed before the entire device or a portion of the device which is influenced by the selection of the operation mode starts a service to the external device to which the packet communication device is connected.
US08352652B2
Methods and systems for communicating information through a USB device with A/D converters are presented. Active components which provide analog signals to the A/D converters are switched off to cause spikes in the analog signals/channels. The spikes are digitized by the A/D converters and sent to the host through a USB interface. The active components are switched on and off in a pattern corresponding to a message, such that the host can determine the message from the resulting spikes. If multiple active components and A/D converters are used, then multiple ‘bits’ can be transmitted simultaneously using the different channels.
US08352646B2
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for direct access to cache memory. Embodiments include receiving, by a direct access manager that is coupled to a cache controller for a cache memory, a region scope zero command describing a region scope zero operation to be performed on the cache memory; in response to receiving the region scope zero command, generating a direct memory access region scope zero command, the direct memory access region scope zero command having an operation code and an identification of the physical addresses of the cache memory on which the operation is to be performed; sending the direct memory access region scope zero command to the cache controller for the cache memory; and performing, by the cache controller, the direct memory access region scope zero operation in dependence upon the operation code and the identification of the physical addresses of the cache memory.
US08352630B2
Dynamic classification and grouping of network traffic for service application across multiple nodes
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for applying service based on classification and grouping of traffic flows. The method includes receiving a traffic flow, and matching the traffic flow to classification groups. The matching includes determining a first event associated with the traffic flow, comparing attributes of the first event with entry criteria of the classification groups, and assigning the first event to one or more classification groups where the first event meets the entry criteria of the one or more classification groups. The method includes identifying one or more service definitions for the traffic flow based on the classification groups assigned to the traffic flow, reconciling the one or more service definitions for the traffic flow, and providing a service to the traffic flow based on the reconciled service definitions.
US08352628B2
A method is for transferring data from a source target to a destination target in a network. The method includes sending at least one request packet for the destination target, with the request packet containing information relating to a first address where data are located and a second address where data are to be stored. Moreover, at least one transaction request is sent to the source target, with the read request being elaborated from information contained in the request packet. The source target transfers the data located at the first address to the second address.
US08352627B1
An approach is provided for downloading data over a network that uses automatic bandwidth detection. According to the approach, a first version of data to be requested is selected from a plurality of available versions of the data. The first version may be selected based upon a default selection or based upon prior determined connection speeds. A client requests the first version of the data from a server and the client begins receiving the first version of the data. A determination of at least an approximate connection speed is made based upon at least a portion of the first version of the data received at the client. A determination is then made, based upon the determined connection speed, whether a different version of the data should be requested. If so, then the client requests a different version of the data from the server.
US08352621B2
A computer implemented method, system, and/or computer program product selects a target computer to execute a job. For each computer in a system, a statistical mean of last job duration values is computed from historical records for all computers that have executed the job. Multiple pools of computers are selected based on a statistical mean of last job duration values. A ratio for each pool from the multiple pools is computed. This ratio is a ratio of the quantity of current executions of the job in a particular pool compared to a total of current job executions of the job in all of the multiple pools of computers. A particular pool of computers, which has a computed ratio that is closest to a preselected ratio, is selected. A target computer is selected from the particular pool of computers to execute a next iteration of the job.
US08352620B2
Displaying a network topology map may include creating a database representing objects in a network; requesting a topology map of a certain type to represent at least a portion of the network; determining from the database a set of objects corresponding to the type of the requested map; determining parameters associated with the map type; and, while the cardinality of the set is above a threshold: presenting at least one of the parameters on a display, enabling a user to specify a value or group of values for the parameter, and reducing the cardinality of the set by removing objects not matching the value or group of values specified for the parameter.
US08352612B2
A registration request message for affiliation with a service provider using an Internet video link (IVL) communication feature hosted by an Internet video link (IVL) server is received from an IVL device by the IVL server, where the IVL communication feature utilizes an IVL communication module to provide a communication interface with the service provider. The IVL device is registered with the IVL communication feature. A registration response message is sent to the IVL device acknowledging the affiliation with the service provider using the IVL communication feature. IVL communication feature messages are processed between the registered IVL device and the service provider. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08352610B2
Systems, methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture are disclosed for tracking, propagation and matching of messages pertaining to the interest in and availability of services across autonomous service domains. In one embodiment of the invention, a system of distributed, federated service domains in a service-oriented environment is provided wherein each service domain comprises: a plurality of locally provided services; a plurality of service requesters; and a service registry comprising descriptions of: one or more locally provided services; and one or more requested services, each of the requested services being one of: a fulfilled reference to a foreign service; and an unfulfilled reference to a foreign service.
US08352603B2
A method performed in a network element coupled between a subscriber end station and an AAA server for avoiding AAA processing by at least temporarily suppressing AAA access-request messages for a rejected subscriber end station. The network element receives subscriber session-request messages from the subscriber end station. Subscriber session-request messages include information for verifying an identity that the network element transmits to the AAA server as AAA access-request messages. The network element receives AAA access-response messages corresponding to the AAA access-request messages. Responsive to an AAA access-response message, the network element determines that additional AAA access-request messages should be, at least temporarily, suppressed with regards to the subscriber end station. Responsive to determining, the network element suppresses any additional AAA access-request messages from being transmitted to the AAA server. The suppression of AAA access-request messages conserves execution resources in the network element and the AAA server.
US08352599B1
A method and computer program for managing client task information across a network with multiple users. The method and computer program is designed to be flexible by providing a standard set of tools for account managers while allowing customization of those tools. The method and computer program includes creating one or more classes associated to a client, creating one or more programs associated to a client's promotion, setting lists of tasks to be completed for a promotion, alerting users when a task is not completed by a given time, creating and storing template documents for a promotion, creating directories of file storage units, uploading electronic documents to the file storage units; inputting contact information into a class or program; providing levels of access to the client task information based on the user.
US08352595B2
A management apparatus has a control unit for realizing a management function through a comprehensive process of characteristic information of a storage apparatus, a connecting apparatus and a computer. The management apparatus also has an interface for receiving characteristic information from the storage apparatus, connecting apparatus and computer, depending on the standard protocol among the management apparatus, storage apparatus, connecting apparatus and computer. Moreover, an integrated management apparatus is also provided for integrated management based on the result of realization of a plurality of management functions. This integrated management apparatus includes an interface for receiving the result of realization of the management function from the management apparatus, depending on the standard protocol between the management apparatus and integrated management apparatus.
US08352593B2
According to the present invention, there is provided a SAN management system to provide autonomic management of a storage system using an action-centric approach. The SAN management system includes a policy specification logic block to maintain a policy specification associated with the managed system. In addition, the SAN management system includes a reasoning logic block to provide for the determining of action rules using a combination of logic and information obtained from the policy specification. Also, the SAN management system includes a learning logic block to couple the policy specification logic block with the reasoning logic block to improve an understanding of a managed system. The learning is continuous and provides for autonomic evolvement of the system in which reliance on manual input from a user is lessened.
US08352592B2
In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises one or more processors and a computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform generating relationship information based on relationships between one or more events that are generated by one or more managed systems. The computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions which, when executed, cause sending the relationship information to the managed systems, wherein the relationship information allows the managed systems to determine whether reporting of the events, by the managed systems, should be suppressed; and receiving, from one or more managed systems, a report about an event when reporting of the event cannot be suppressed.
US08352585B2
This document describes a directed graph model using a peer-to-peer overlay structure and a gossip-based protocol to maintain the distributed membership. A protocol suite for peers to join the live streaming session, form the P2P streaming overlay, and exchange video packets with others has also been presented. The different capabilities of the heterogeneous peers are well depicted using an adaptive out-degree mechanism. The performance of the whole system is maintained by a contribution-aware mechanism, which ensures that the peers with large contribution will get more chance to be served than those with small or no contribution.
US08352583B2
A method and apparatus for managing bookmark information of a media server through a network based on the UPnP AV standard is disclosed. If a request for bookmarking a content item is made, a bookmark item is created and the created bookmark item is linked to the content item by adding the ID of the created bookmark item to the property information of the content item and recording the ID of the content item to be bookmarked in the created bookmark item.
US08352578B2
A data-transmitting method for wireless sensor network includes: constructing a wireless sensor network having a plurality of nodes for information sensing and a sink for quest raising and data collecting; clustering the nodes to form a plurality of groups, with one of the nodes in each group being identified as a kernel; identifying one of all the nodes as a summit dissemination node and the kernels in all the groups as first level dissemination nodes; and transmitting data between the quest-raising sink and one of the first level dissemination nodes or summit dissemination node to collect information sensed by a source that is one of the nodes.
US08352577B2
A target system is dynamically configured to boot from a network connection upon power-up. A portable data loader connected to the target system may receive communications from the target system that a connection has been established. In response, a copy of a target-specific software data loader (SWDL) application may be transmitted from the portable data loader to the target system. The copy of the SWDL application may be stored in volatile memory on the target system and may be executed to support at least one maintenance operation. A user may invoke a maintenance operation by entering a command into the portable data loader. By isolating the data loader application from the operational software stored on the target system, the disclosed methods and apparatus may allow for reduced development and software certification costs for implementing maintenance operations on an embedded system.
US08352576B2
A server system stores media library associated with a user. The media library includes at least one media file. The server system determines whether the media file is stored on a second computing device that is able to send the media file to the first computing device across a local network connecting the first computing device and the second computing device. If the determination indicates that the media file is stored on a second computing device that is able to send the stored media file to the first computing device across a local network connecting the first computing device and the second computing device, the server system sends causes the second computing device to send the media file to the first computing device across the local network such that the first computing device is able to output the media file to the user.
US08352561B1
Techniques are described for providing reminders for electronic communications. For instance, response patterns of a user are determined by communication type based on monitoring past response behavior of the user and the response pattern data is stored for the user by communication type. After storing the response pattern data for the user by communication type, a particular communication that is for the user and that is initiated by a first sender is received. A type of the particular communication is determined and response pattern data associated with the determined type of the particular communication is accessed. A response reminder time for the particular communication is set based on the accessed response pattern data associated with the determined type of the particular communication.
US08352559B1
Method and apparatus for managing temporary e-mail addresses is described. All e-mail sent to a temporary e-mail address is initially forwarded to an actual e-mail address. In some examples, the temporary e-mail address is automatically deactivated in response to an event such that no e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is forwarded to the actual e-mail address. A notification e-mail is sent to the actual e-mail address, the notification e-mail indicating that the temporary e-mail address has been deactivated and including one or more uniform resource locators (URLs) configured to manage the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address.
US08352555B2
The embodiments provide systems and methods which allow users to schedule routine online presence information to let outside world see the users appear to be “online” or “offline” at a particular day and time. An exemplary system of scheduling and displaying an online presence of a user of an instant messaging (IM) application is provided. The system includes an online presence scheduler for entering the time zone of the user and for scheduling an online schedule for the user to appear online. The online schedule includes a start time, an end time, and a routine of the user. The system also includes a presence management server (PMS). PMS determines the online presence of the user based on a login time of the user to the IM application, the online schedule for the user, and an identification of the user. The PMS prepares an online presence information to reflect the determined online presence of the user for display. The time zone and online schedule of the user entered into the online presence scheduler and the identification of the user are stored in the PMS.
US08352547B1
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for recording and replaying a web browsing session. A presenter client presents a web browsing session to an attendee client via a network. The web browsing session is viewed at the attendee client and recorded by the presenter client. A control server that is connected to the presenter client and the attendee client via the network enables the presenter client to control the web browsing session at the attendee client, and a playback client that is connected to the control server via the network requests playback of the recorded web browsing session from the control server. The recorded web browsing session is then replayed at the playback client.
US08352546B1
A computer-implemented method is provided for notifying a user having an association with a plurality of computing devices. A notification service is configured to receive notifications intended for the user and forward the notifications to one or more of the computing devices associated with the user. The notification service may determine a present location of the user and select a computing device to send the notification in accordance with the present location of the user. The notification service may also identify one of the computing devices that is currently being interacted with by the user from amongst the computing devices associated with the user and send the notification to the identified computing device.
US08352541B2
A system and method of providing data to a mashup application may involve receiving a request from a mashup application and supplying first data to the mashup application in response to the request. Mashup information can be received from the mashup application, wherein the mashup information indicates an inclusion of the first data with second data in the execution of the mashup application. The mashup information may be stored and analyzed to identify relationships between previously unrelated data.
US08352540B2
Systems, methods, and computer products for communicating between a client and server by identifying and separating file data streams within a file are provided. The method comprises indicating the type of file data stream to be transmitted and transmitting the indicated file data stream. The transmitted file data stream is compared with a stored data stream. A non-redundant file data stream is stored based upon the outcome of the comparison. The transmitted file data stream and stored data stream may be compared according to a deduplication table based on data stream profiles.
US08352539B2
A technology that makes a program line-up related to contents distributed to a user side, depending on various conditions, preferences, and communication environments of the user side that views and listens to the content is disclosed. According to the technology, an on-board device (content receiving and reproducing device) 1 receives, from a service server 5, potential content list information of contents that can be distributed from a content server 7. The on-board device 1 sorts appropriate content from among the contents in the potential content list information and decide on a reproducing order of the contents, based on conditions of the user side, such as user preferences and vehicle conditions, conditions related to an environment on the user side, such as the communication environment, and conditions related to the contents, such as the genre of the content. The on-board device 1 creates program table information (timetable) and transmits the program table information to the content server. As a result, reception and reproduction of the contents from the content server can be performed in adherence to the program table information.
US08352538B2
A system for exchanging transaction messages between different computer systems includes a data processor for monitoring transaction messages. The data processor has a transaction processor for assigning identifiers to both inbound transaction messages from source executable applications and outbound transaction messages for communication to destination executable applications, to individually identify transaction messages. The data processor has a repository of map information associating inbound and outbound transaction messages using the assigned identifiers and a user interface for providing data representing at least one display image and including data identifying an inbound or outbound transaction message and a corresponding outbound or inbound transaction message, in response to a user command.
US08352537B2
An apparatus comprising a plurality of entities associated with a network element (NE), wherein the entities are associated with each other in a hierarchical architecture, wherein each entity is assigned an Access Identifiers (AID), and wherein each AID comprises a prefix that indicates a type for the corresponding entity and a numerical field that indicates the association between the corresponding entities and the remaining entities. Also disclosed is an apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising assigning an AID to each of a plurality of NE entities having a hierarchical relationship, wherein the AID comprises a prefix comprising no more than about five characters and a numerical string consisting essentially of numbers, and managing the NE entities using the AIDs.
US08352534B2
An integer division circuit with allowable error is described, what a signal processing apparatus includes a pointer, a first left shifter, a second left shifter, a subtractor, a multiplier, and a right shifter. The pointer searches for a most significant non-zero bit of a divisor and outputs a most significant byte value. The first left shifter performs a shift operation according to the most significant byte value, so as to generate a first exponential coefficient. The second left shifter performs a shift operation according to the most significant byte value, so as to generate a second exponential coefficient. The subtractor calculates a multiplier factor according to the divisor, the first exponential coefficient, and the second exponential coefficient and outputs the multiplier factor to the multiplier. The multiplier multiplies an input value with the multiplier factor and outputs a result to the right shifter. The right shifter outputs a calculation result.
US08352529B2
REDC (A*B) is calculated for the values A and B by using a Montgomery's algorithm REDC. The part related to the A*B is performed by the three-input two-output product-sum calculation circuit. One digit ai of the value A, one digit bj of the value B and a carry value c1 are input to the product-sum calculation circuit, and ai*bj+c1 is calculated thereat. The higher-order digit of the r-adic two-digit of the calculation result is used as the carry value c1, and the lower digit is used for a later calculation. Further, one digit ni of a modulo N for the REDC, a predetermined value m and a carry value c2 are input into the product-sum calculation circuit, and n*ni+c2 is calculated thereat. The higher-order digit is used as the carry value c2, and the lower digit is used for a later calculation.
US08352502B2
A method for storing data, comprises representing the data as a tree structure, calculating a structure ID for the tree structure, the structure ID being a representation of the tree structure and independent of node names and node values of the tree structure, and storing a mapping of the structure ID to the tree structure.
US08352501B2
A method begins by a processing module obtaining a directory file and determining a new snapshot identifier (ID) for the directory file. The method continues with the processing module identifying a version of a filename to associate with the new snapshot ID and updating the directory file by associating the snapshot ID to the version of the filename to produce an updated directory file. The method continues with the processing module dispersed storage error encoding the updated directory file to produce a set of encoded updated directory file slices and sending the set of encoded updated directory file slices to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory for storage.
US08352500B2
An embodiment is a technique to perform centralized multimedia access. A playlist is created in a single document, the playlist including a plurality of items. Each of the items specifies an access parameter to a multimedia file and a play parameter. The playlist is stored in a central location. The multimedia file as pointed to by the playlist is retrieved or accessed in the central location using the access parameter to play the multimedia file according to the play parameter.A storage element contains a pointer to point to a playlist in a single document. The playlist includes a plurality of items. Each of the items specifies an access parameter to a multimedia file and a play parameter. A compiler compiles the playlist to determine the access parameter, the play parameter, and a plug-in associated with the multimedia file. The plug-in plays the multimedia file according to the play parameter.
US08352499B2
Ads are scored using, at least, user information and information associated with a user request, such as a search query or a document request. The scores may be used in determining whether to serve ads, how to serve ads, to order ads, to filter ads, etc. Items of user information, request-associated information, and/or ad information can be weighted based on previous uses of such information in the serving of ads and the performance of those served ads.
US08352486B1
The different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus that comprises a number of data storage units, a data extraction tool, a data warehouse, and a data processing system. The data extraction tool is configured to extract data from the number of data storage units. The data warehouse has a number of data files comprising the data extracted from the number of data storage units. The data processing system is configured to process selected data for a number of selected systems from the number of data files.
US08352480B2
An apparatus for converting geographical geometrical content of a geographical database to map tiles may include a processor and a memory storing executable computer code that cause the apparatus to at least perform operations including modifying a geographical database based in part on adding items of data arranged in fields based on analyzing values corresponding to geometry information. The geometry information is associated with records of the geographical database. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to determine a set of tiles at a predetermined zoom level including geographical information of respective records and may update the records to include data associated with minimum and maximum x and y values of the tiles. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to determine minimum and maximum x and y values that define a rectangular block(s) of map tiles. Corresponding computer program products and methods are also provided.
US08352473B2
Methods and systems for automatically synthesizing product information from multiple data sources into an on-line catalog are disclosed, and in particular, for automatically synthesizing the product information based on attribute-value pairs. Information for a product may be obtained, via entity extraction, feed ingestion, and other mechanisms, from a plurality of structured and unstructured data sources having different taxonomies and schemas. Product information may additionally or alternatively be obtained or derived based on popularity data. The product information may be cleansed, segmented and normalized. The product information may be clustered so closest products, attribute names and attribute values are associated. A representative value for an attribute name may be determined, and the on-line catalog may be updated so that entries are comprehensive, meaningful and useful to a catalog user. Updates from at least 500 million different data sources may be scheduled to occur as frequently as several times daily.
US08352468B2
At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a method to identify top hits in search result based on learned user preferences. In one embodiment, a user search query for records is received from a user. The user search query may contain an alphanumerical string. Records in a multifunctional device are searched to find those that match the alphanumerical string. Based on records previously selected by the user, records in the search result are ranked to identify one or more top hits for the user.
US08352455B2
The invention described herein can be implemented in numerous ways, including as a process; an apparatus; a system; a composition of matter; a computer program; a product embodied on a computer readable storage medium, e.g., RAM, ROM, and other hardware storage devices; and/or a processor, such as a processor configured to execute instructions stored on and/or provided by a memory coupled to the processor. In this specification, these implementations, or any other form that the invention may take, may be referred to as techniques. In general, the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered within the scope of the invention. Unless stated otherwise, a component such as a processor or a memory described as being configured to perform a task may be implemented as a general component that is temporarily configured to perform the task at a given time or a specific component that is manufactured to perform the task. As used herein, the term ‘processor’ refers to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores configured to process data, such as computer program instructions.
US08352451B2
Methods and apparatus to classify text communications are disclosed. An example method includes determining a first conditional probability of a first feature occurring in a text given that the text belongs to a classification mode, wherein the first feature is included in the text, determining a second conditional probability of a second feature occurring in a text given that the text belongs to the classification mode, wherein the second feature is included in the text, determining a probability of the classification mode occurring, multiplying the first conditional probability, the second conditional probability and the probability of the classification mode to determine a product, and storing the product in a tangible memory as a score that the message belongs to the first classification mode.
US08352447B2
In deduplicating data including objects, the system obtains information of the location of the objects and uses the information in calculating the hash value. The hash value calculation program divides data from the boundary location to chunks to match the boundary location of the objects subject to deduplication and the hash value is calculated from each chunk.
US08352439B1
A method for processing a write instruction for writing data to a database stored on a logical device includes obtaining first and second addresses that specify the location of the data in respective first and second address spaces. A third address corresponding to an expected location of the data record in the first address space is then calculated. On the basis of a comparison between the first address and the third address, a determination is made as to whether to execute the write instruction.
US08352435B1
In a synchronous remote mirroring system, as a host computer writes data to primary storage in a primary data storage system, remote copy data is transferred from the primary data storage system to a secondary storage system in which secondary storage is maintained as a remote mirror of the primary storage. The primary data storage system performs data reduction upon the remote copy data prior to transmitting the remote copy data in a reduced to the secondary data storage system. The secondary data storage system returns an acknowledgement of receipt of the remote copy data upon receipt of the remote copy data in the reduced form, and later reverses the data reduction upon the remote copy data in the reduced form to produce data written to the secondary storage to maintain the secondary storage as the remote mirror of the primary storage.
US08352424B2
A system and method for generating replication requests for objects in a distributed storage system is provided. Replication requests for objects in a distributed storage system are generated based at least in part on replication policies for the objects and a current state of the distributed storage system, wherein a respective replication request for a respective object instructs a respective instance of the distributed storage system to replicate the respective object so as to at least partially satisfy a replication policy for the respective object, wherein a respective replication policy includes criteria specifying at least storage device types on which replicas of object are to be stored. At least a subset of the replication requests is then distributed to the respective instances of the distributed storage system for execution.
US08352420B2
Systems or methods may utilize one or more mote-related content logs. By way of example, but not limitation, a system using one or more processing components may be configured (i) to accept input defining a mote-appropriate network search and (ii) to search at least one mote content log of at least one federated log in response to the accepted input, with the at least one federated log stored by a memory, wherein the search may include searching a time series of at least two mote logs that correspond to at least a first mote and a second mote for the accepted input. In certain example implementations, a time series may include at least a portion of at least one mote content log of at least one federated log, or a first mote may correspond to a first physical location and a second mote may correspond to a second physical location.
US08352407B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for decision making under uncertainty. A causality framework is provided to define relationships between an alternative (Ai) of a set of alternatives and at least one performance indicator of a set of performance indicators. A k-concurrent lottery (Li) associated with the alternative (Ai) is conducted, the alternative (Ai) having consequences over k ones of the set of performance indicators. The k-concurrent lottery (Li) is homogenized over the set of performance indicators if the k ones is less than a number of the set of performance indicators. An expected utility of the k-concurrent lottery (Li) for each one of the set of alternatives is computed. One alternative is selected from the set of alternatives, the selection occurring in accordance with a selection criteria based on the expected utility.
US08352397B2
The inference of a dependency graph that represents a graph of solves that leads from input model parameter(s) to output model parameters using analytics. In one embodiment, the dependency graph is part of visually driven analytics in which the output model parameter(s) are used to formulate data-drive scenes. As the identity of the input and/or output model parameter(s) change, or as the analytics themselves change, the dependency graph may also change. This might trigger a resolve of the analytics. In one embodiment, the intermediate parameters involved in the dependency graph may be viewed and evaluated by the user.
US08352395B1
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for training an attentional cascade. An attentional cascade is an ordered sequence of detector functions, where the detector functions are functions that examine a target image and return a positive result if the target image resembles an object of interest and a negative result if the target image does not resemble the object of interest. A positive result from one detector function leads to consideration of the target image by the next detector function, and a negative result from any detector function leads to rejection of the target image. The techniques include training each detector function in the attentional cascade in sequence starting with the first detector function. Training a detector function includes selecting a counter-example set. Selecting a counter-example set includes selecting only images that are at least a minimum difference from an example set.
US08352389B1
A multiple output relaxation (MOR) machine learning model. In one example embodiment, a method for employing an MOR machine learning model to predict multiple interdependent output components of a multiple output dependency (MOD) output decision may include training a classifier for each of multiple interdependent output components of an MOD output decision to predict the component based on an input and based on all of the other components. The method may also include initializing each possible value for each of the components to a predetermined output value. The method may further include running relaxation iterations on each of the classifiers to update the output value of each possible value for each of the components until a relaxation state reaches an equilibrium or a maximum number of relaxation iterations is reached. The method may also include retrieving an optimal component from each of the classifiers.
US08352387B2
A system for adapting a legacy system to a new environment includes a method of learning the behavior of a legacy system and a method for replacing a legacy system.Learning the behavior of a legacy system includes gathering information with respect to inputs, outputs, and internal function of the legacy system; defining from the gathered information a set of behavioral rules describing the legacy system; and testing the rules by applying known inputs to the legacy system and verifying that the legacy system responds as predicted by the rules.Replacing a legacy system includes monitoring legacy system responses to legacy system inputs; defining a set of rules describing behavior of the legacy system based on the responses to the inputs; comparing actual legacy system responses to responses predicted by the set of rules; and using the set of rules to create a replacement system that mimics the legacy system.
US08352383B2
The present invention provides systems, methods, and computer program products for altering delivery of a piece by altering either the delivery address, mode of processing, and/or the mode of delivery. The invention provide an indicia associated with the piece of mail including instructions that are at least one of a different delivery address, mode of processing, or a mode of delivery than that originally designated for the piece of mail. During mail sorting and processing, the indicia associated with the piece of mail are analyzed. Either the delivery address, mode of processing, and/or mode of delivery currently associated with the piece of mail are altered to conform with the delivery address, mode of processing, and/or mode of delivery indicated by the indicia. In some embodiments, the indicia is altered by on a business parameter, such as a monetary value associated with the contents of the piece of mail.
US08352376B2
System and method for authorizing transactions, such as payments or money transfers. A transaction authorization mechanism may be provided through which a transaction initiated via a first communications channel may be authorized through a second, separate communications channel or mechanism. A source entity may initiate a transaction to a target entity via a first communications channel to a transaction authorization service. The transaction authorization service may confirm the transaction with the source entity via a second communications channel. Various embodiments may use different communications channels, for example conventional telephone systems, mobile/cellular phone systems, and text messaging systems as the first or second communications channels. After the transaction has been authorized via the second communications channel, the transaction authorization service and/or the source entity may contact the target entity to inform the target entity of the transaction. The target entity may then complete the transaction.
US08352369B2
A system and method is disclosed for verifying a commercial transaction between a card-holder, a merchant, and a credit card company. The card-holder makes a purchase with the merchant using a full credit card number. The merchant submits a transaction approval request for approval with the credit card company. The credit card company executes conventional credit approval of the transaction approval request, as well as verifies the transaction approval request with the card-holder. An approval is sent to the merchant only after the transaction approval request is both conventionally approved by the credit card company and verified by the card-holder. The card-holder, or the credit card company, may initiate verification of the transaction approval request. The transaction approval request can also be automatically verified if one or many pre-verification criteria is/are satisfied by data contained in the transaction approval request. The pre-verification criteria can be initially determined and/or modified by the card-holder.
US08352368B2
A method and system for making a payment is disclosed. In the method, a Payor can specify an account from which to withdraw funds for the payment and specify an activation code necessary to activate the payment. The payment can be sent to a Payee in the form of a pre-paid transaction account. The account will not be activated unless the Payee provides the activation code. Funds can be withdrawn from the account specified by the Payor either in full at the time the payment is made or are withdrawn as the Payee uses the transaction account to access the funds.
US08352367B2
A system and method of payment of an end-user account with a service provider includes a computer system that makes payments to service providers on behalf of end-users and that is operable to exchange information with a terminal at the point of sale or a web-enabled computer system operated by the end-user and with the computer system of the service provider. In one embodiment, the computer system of an intermediary receives and fulfills a request to make a payment on an end user's account with a service provider. In another preferred embodiment, a payment router together with an issuing/sponsoring bank and a processor, as implemented by their computer systems, facilitate payment transactions in which the router transacts at least thousands of payments for at least hundreds of payors with at least dozens of payees using at least one open system card association network, preferably in a day.
US08352365B1
A method and system for electronic bill presentment and payment using a third party intermediary is described. A third party provides an electronic post office that uses a virtual address directory to provide a level of abstraction in an EBPP data stream using the ACH network so that EBPP participants do not require the information that is typically required to process such transactions. By using the virtual address directory, neither the biller, nor the bank, nor the intermediary have all the consumer data used in the transaction. Accordingly, privacy is enhanced and any risk that privacy will be compromised is reduced.
US08352362B2
A transaction and payment and processing system securely conducts transactions over the public telephone network. The transactions may be between and among entities of any type such as individuals, merchants, utilities, banks, etc. Nothing more than access to a telephone is required after initial registration of a user.
US08352358B2
A method for assigning a value to a debt is disclosed. The method includes entering, into a digital computer, bankruptcy data associated with a bankruptcy proceeding after a debtor has filed for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy data may include priority claim data associated with priority claims, non-precedence claim data associated with non-precedence claims, and bankruptcy plan data. After the bankruptcy data are obtained, the digital computer determines a present value associated with at least one non-precedence claim in the non-precedence claims.
US08352352B2
A system of using an interactive device such as an e-mail pager to obtain information from a publicly available source, such as the Internet. The e-mail pager may send information in its native format to a service that acts as an intermediary. That service takes the information and uses it to assemble a request to the actual information source, such as a Web page being accessed. If a web page is being accessed, the request is in HTML, and may include personal logon information. The response from the web page is also in HTML, and this information is received by the service, and salient information is taken from the HTML file. The information is reformatted, e.g. according to a template, into the e-mail pager″s native format, and sent to the pager. Another embodiment describes opening multiple pages, and assembling their content into a single web page.
US08352350B1
Financial data associated with one or more “contributing consumers” is obtained. The financial data is then aggregated, analyzed, and/or categorized, according to one or more events and one or more criteria/parameters associated with the financial transaction data and/or the contributing consumer. The aggregated and/or categorized data is then stored. A “user consumer” then initiates a request for predictive event cost data associated with one or more specified events and the aggregated and/or categorized data representing the event related changes in the financial data is searched based. Results data representing the changes in the financial data for one or more similarly situated contributing consumers associated the specified event is then obtained and presented to the user consumer.
US08352349B2
A method, article of manufacture, and computer program product are presented for generating a glide path for a target date fund comprising a growth asset and a reserve asset, where the glide path is a distribution of the growth and reserve assets over an interval. The method includes identifying an acceptable risk level for the target date fund determining, using the identified acceptable risk level, an inflection interval and calculating the percentages of the target date fund comprising the growth asset and the reserve asset at the inflection date. Finally, the method includes determining the glide path for the target date fund, where at the end of the interval the reserve asset comprises one hundred percent of the target date fund.
US08352337B2
A system for automatically replacing loaner parts within a loaner system to prevent loaner system callback. In response to selecting a loaner system within loaner inventory data, it is determined whether the selected loaner system is required to be returned based on a target return date for the selected loaner system. In response to determining that the selected loaner system is not required to be returned, a notification is automatically generated and sent to a customer to return expiring loaner parts within the selected loaner system based on loaner part rules. A part replacement order is automatically generated for replacement loaner parts for each of the expiring loaner parts. Then, the replacement loaner parts are automatically shipped to the customer to replace the expiring loaner parts to prevent callback of the selected loaner system.
US08352334B2
What is disclosed is a novel apparatus and method for effectuating the ordering of supplies via a wireless handset device. In one embodiment, the handset is pre-loaded with a plurality of folders each representing a multifunction device. A user navigates the hierarchy of folders and selects a folder. The user then selects at least one graphical widget contained therein representing a particular supply commodity available for order from a supplier. In response to a user selection thereof, a part number identified by the selected graphical widget and a supplier profile are retrieved from memory. The profile contains the ordering method and contact information. An order message is prepared according to the ordering method prescribed by the profile and is sent to the supplier to place an order for that supply commodity. The process repeats until no more supplies are to be ordered. Additional features, enhancements, and embodiments have been provided.
US08352333B2
A method and system for automatically generating a self-updating naturally-reading narrative product summary including assertions about a selected product. In one embodiment, the system and method includes evaluating an existing narrative product summary, comparing an existing attribute name, attribute value, attribute unit, and assertion model, respectively, to a current attribute name, attribute value, attribute unit, and assertion model to determine if one of the comparisons shows a change. The system and method further determines a new attribute associated with the selected product, selects an alternative product, retrieves a new assertion model with assertions that describe the selected product and identify an alternative product in a natural manner. The system and method then generates a naturally-reading narrative product summary by combining the new attribute with the new retrieved assertion model, and by combining the selected alternative product with another retrieved assertion model to recommend the selected alternative product in the narrative.
US08352331B2
A system, method, and computer program product discover relationships among items and recommend items based on the discovered relationships. The recommendations provided by the present invention are based on user profiles that take into account actual preferences of users, without requiring users to complete questionnaires. An improved binomial log likelihood ratio analysis technique is applied, to reduce adverse effects of overstatement of coincidence and predominance of best sellers. The invention may be used, for example, to generate track lists for a personalized radio station.
US08352325B2
A method, system and computer program product for conducting an online auction of a plurality of heterogeneous items between a plurality of selling and potential purchasing parties. The method includes the steps of accepting an offer in respect of an item, accepting one or more subsequent offers that is/are preferable to a previously accepted offer, and rejecting the previously accepted offer. While the offer/s is/are binding on a party making the offer, acceptance of the offer/s is/are not binding on a party accepting the offer. Classes of “seller strategies”, for offering items to potential purchasing parties, and “buyer strategies”, to decide which offers to accept, are also disclosed. As a result of the interaction of the buyer and seller strategies, the auction mechanism converges to an allocation of items to buyers at particular prices and assists in discovering a free and fair competitive equilibrium price. The auction is performed using terminals connected via a communications network and software-based agents hosted on the terminals, wherein the software-based agents act on behalf of the participating parties.
US08352321B2
Computer program products, devices, and methods for generating in-text embedded advertising are described. Embedded advertising is “hidden” or embedded into a message by matching an advertisement to the message and identifying a place in the message to insert the advertisement. For textual messages, statistical analysis of individual sentences is performed to determine where it would be most natural to insert an advertisement. Statistical rules of grammar derived from a language model may be used choose a natural and grammatical place in the sentence for inserting the advertisement. Insertion of the advertisement creates a modified sentence without degrading a meaning of the original sentence, yet also includes the advertisement as a part of a new sentence.
US08352315B2
Systems, apparatus, and methods are provided for efficiently authorizing a transaction initiated by a consumer. An authorization can be generated before the consumer actually initiates the transaction. For example, a future transaction can be predicted, and an authorization can be generated for the predicted transaction. In this manner, the authorization can be ready and quickly used when the consumer does initiate the transaction. Previous transactions made by the consumer can be used to predict when the future transaction is likely. In various examples, the authorization can be sent to a specific merchant or to the consumer for use when the consumer initiates the predicted transaction, or saved by an authorization server for use in response to an authorization request from the merchant.
US08352310B1
A method and system for monitoring enterprise system performance in which a datastore receives and stores performance metric data from different enterprise systems and provides the performance metric data to a web-based browser interface for presentation to a user as one or more linked web pages. In a preferred embodiment, the linked web pages are accessible on an enterprise intranet.
US08352303B2
The invention relates to a method for integrating services in a calendar application via the meeting request functionality of calendar programs comprising: initiating one or multiple services, wherein the initiation may involve the transmission of calendar event information from the calendar application to the service, the service requests being sent as meeting request e-mails to one or more service e-mail addresses, each service e-mail address representing a service, receiving the update requests generated by the one or multiple services, the update requests being meeting request response e-mails or one or multiple second meeting request e-mails processing the received update requests, and updating the calendar application.
US08352301B1
A sales notification system and related methods. Implementations include receiving a selection of a target industry identifier and a selection of a product identifier, where each product identifier is associated with a particular product and product category. The method includes generating a list of client accounts associated with the target industry identifier and product identifier where each client account is associated with a particular account segment, generating a list of potential sales representatives by retrieving all sales representatives associated with each client account, and generating a list of eligible sales representatives for each client account where each eligible sales representative is the potential sales representative who is permitted to sell the product associated with the product indicators within the product category and within the account segment associated with each client account. The method may also include using the server to generate a sales notification for each eligible sales representative.
US08352296B2
Presence information within a meeting room is detected and published to users for managing room availability and real time status. Various means such as motion detectors, card readers, log-in mechanisms associated with in-room computers, and the like, are used to detect presence information. Different status indicators are assigned to each room and published through a communication application or hosted service providing useful and real time information to users.
US08352292B2
The present invention is a method for calculating a current monetary value of a personal injury claim wherein computers are utilized to store, process, manipulate and analyze information collected from finalized personal injury claims including data representative of the cause of the personal injury, the type of injury sustained, the location where the injury occurred, the amounts paid for medical services and the amounts claimed for medical services to calculate an average settlement multiple which, when multiplied by the current amount claimed as medical damages, yields a current average settlement value.
US08352280B2
An audio encoder adapted to encode a multi-channel audio signal. The encoder comprises an encoder combination module (ECM) for generating a dominant signal part and a residual signal part being a combined representation of first and second audio signals, the dominant and residual signal parts being obtained by applying a mathematical procedure to the first and second audio signals. The mathematical procedure involves a spatial parameter comprising a description of spatial properties of the first and second audio signals. Embodiments include a plurality of interconnected encoder combination module, so that e.g. six independent 5.1 format audio signals can be encoded to a single or two dominant signal parts and a number of parameter sets and residual signal parts.
US08352275B2
One embodiment of the invention is a method for simulating a cross cultural communication dynamic between participants. The simulation includes the steps of distributing unique subsets of the information set to the participants, assigning the participants to a first communication group that represents people for whom a lingua franca is a first language and to a second communication group that represents people for whom the lingua franca is a second language, providing a communication platform that facilitates communication between the participants of the simulation to assemble the unique subsets of the information set, and selectively disadvantaging the communication through the communication platform between a subset of participants.
US08352269B2
Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices. Further disclosed are techniques and systems for processing indicia in a document to determine a portion of words and associating a particular a voice model with the portion of words based on the indicia. During a readback process, an audible output corresponding to the words in the portion of words is generated using the voice model associated with the portion of words.
US08352264B2
A method for facilitating the updating of a language model includes receiving, at a client device, via a microphone, an audio message corresponding to speech of a user; communicating the audio message to a first remote server; receiving, that the client device, a result, transcribed at the first remote server using an automatic speech recognition system (“ASR”), from the audio message; receiving, at the client device from the user, an affirmation of the result; storing, at the client device, the result in association with an identifier corresponding to the audio message; and communicating, to a second remote server, the stored result together with the identifier.
US08352258B2
An encoding device includes: a frequency region converter which converts an inputted audio signal into a frequency region; a band selector which selects a quantization object band from a plurality of sub bands obtained by dividing the frequency region; and a shape quantizer which quantizes the shape of the frequency region parameter of the quantization object band. When a prediction encoding presence/absence determiner determines that the number of common sub bands between the quantization object band and the quantization object band selected in the past is not smaller than a predetermined value, a gain quantizer performs prediction encoding on the gain of the frequency region parameter of the quantization object band. When the number of common sub bands is smaller than the predetermined value, the gain quantizer non-predictively encodes the gain of the frequency region parameter of the quantization object band.
US08352254B2
A fixed code book (FCB) search device simplifies an error minimizing process and reduces a calculation amount so as to prevent deterioration of a coding performance. The FCB search device includes a pulse shape convolution inverse filter having an inverse feature of a pulse diffusion filter and supplied with an ideal residual signal; a pulse candidate preparatory selector that pre-selects a plurality of pulse candidates from the ideal residual signal to which the inverse filter is applied; and a pulse candidate final selector that finally selects one pulse from the selected candidates. Using this configuration, a search is made for an algebra code book to which the pulse diffusion is applied.
US08352251B2
An audio signal processing circuit is provided which comprises an ADC which samples an audio signal at a predetermined sampling frequency, a high-band compensation processor which compensates a signal sampled by the ADC to a frequency band which is higher than a signal band sampled by the sampling frequency, and an encoding unit which encodes a signal processed by the high-band compensation processor.
US08352249B2
An encoding device improves the sound quality of a stereo signal while maintaining a low bit rate. The encoding device includes: an LP inverse filter which LP-inverse-filters a left signal L(n) by using an inverse quantization linear prediction coefficient AdM(z) of a monaural signal; a T/F conversion unit which converts the left sound source signal Le(n) from a temporal region to a frequency region; an inverse quantizer which inverse-quantizes encoded information Mqe; spectrum division units which divide a high-frequency component of the sound source signal Mde(f) and the left signal Le(f) into a plurality of bands; and scale factor calculation units which calculate scale factors ai and ssi by using a monaural sound source signal Mdeh,i(f), a left sound source signal Leh,i(f), Mdeh,i(f), and right sound source signal Reh,i(f) of each divided band.
US08352246B1
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for adjusting language models. In one aspect, a method includes accessing audio data. Information that indicates a first context is accessed, the first context being associated with the audio data. At least one term is accessed. Information that indicates a second context is accessed, the second context being associated with the term. A similarity score is determined that indicates a degree of similarity between the second context and the first context. A language model is adjusted based on the accessed term and the determined similarity score to generate an adjusted language model. Speech recognition is performed on the audio data using the adjusted language model to select one or more candidate transcriptions for a portion of the audio data.
US08352244B2
Systems and methods for active learning of statistical machine translation systems through dynamic creation and updating of parallel corpus. The systems and methods provided create accurate parallel corpus entries from a test set of sentences, words, phrases, etc. by calculating confidence scores for particular translations. Translations with high confidence scores are added directly to the corpus and the translations with low confidence scores are presented to human translations for corrections.
US08352242B2
A system and method are disclosed for communicating in a programmable core. The programmable core is within a single integrated circuit and is divided into multiple independent sub-cores. The sub-cores are coupled together using a multiplexer based network. In another aspect, the multiplexer-based network includes multiplexers associated with some of the sub-cores for sending data and demultiplexers associated with other sub-cores for receiving data. In yet another aspect, a clock is included in the multiplexer-based network for synchronizing communication between the multiplexers and demultiplexers.
US08352239B2
An interface device for an emulator is disclosed. The interface device includes a connection unit, a transmission unit, and an interface unit. The connection unit receives data, to be used to emulate a logic, from a host computer, and transmits result data, output from the logic, to the host computer. The transmission unit receives the data from the connection unit and stores (writes) the data in the first area of a register array. If the result data is stored in the second area of the register array, the transmission unit reads the result data and transmits the result data to the connection unit. The interface unit includes at least one register array, outputs a clock, set using the data stored in the first area, to the logic, and stores the result data, output from the logic, in the second area.
US08352238B2
A method for integration of a GPS emulator in a simulation environment includes operating a computer adapted for using a simulation timer and configured to receive a signal of x_PPS type. For each pulse detected on the x_PPS signal, a counter is updated with a number of detected pulses and a value of the simulation timer is stored. A given simulation time moment is evaluated according to the detected and counted number of pulses, a current value of the simulation timer, and the stored value of the simulation timer. A related device and computer readable medium are also disclosed.
US08352236B2
The invention relates to the fault tree analysis system for a nuclear power plant with advanced boiling water reactor. The full digital instrument control system uses six different modes to simulate the transmission of the digital signals and the analog signals from the detection units. It is to develop the fault tree for various signal transmission modes to support the nuclear power plant in probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and meet requirements for simulated signal detection, transmission, logic operation and equipment actuation. Thus, the digital instrument control flow process can fit into PRA model and properly reflect its importance in risk assessment.
US08352234B2
A computerized system comprising: a processor; a first interface configured to obtain a constraint; a second interface configured to obtain a first model, wherein the first model is configured to be utilized in model checking, and the first model, when constrained by the constraint, comprises at least one finite path; and a finite path removal module implemented in the processor and configured to generate a second model equivalent to the first model obtained by said second interface, wherein the second model excludes a portion of the at least one finite path, and the second model is configured to be utilized in model checking.
US08352233B2
An electromagnetic field simulation apparatus disclosed herein replaces a predetermined region in printed circuit board CAD data to be subjected to electromagnetic field simulation with measurement data measured by a near-field measurement device and generates new printed circuit board CAD data. Subsequently, regarding a measurement data portion in the new printed circuit board CAD data generated by the data generating unit, the electromagnetic field simulation apparatus generates analysis model data by setting, as a wave source, an electric field or a magnetic field measured by the near-field measurement device. Then, the electromagnetic field simulation apparatus executes electromagnetic field simulation with respect to the analysis model data having a set wave source.
US08352232B2
Disclosed are apparatus, methods and software that implement a partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) method having global basis functions on cylindrical coordinates to determine wide-band resistance, inductance, capacitance, and conductance from a large number of three-dimensional interconnections in order to provide for the electrical design of system-in-package (SIP) modules, and the like. The apparatus, methods and software use a modal equivalent network from mixed potential integral equation with cylindrical conduction and accumulation mode basis functions, which reduces the matrix size for large three-dimensional interconnection problems. Combined with these modal basis functions, the mixed potential integral equations describe arbitrary skin and proximity effects, and allow determination of partial impedance and admittance values. Additional enhancement schemes further reduces the cost for computing the partial inductances. Therefore, the apparatus, methods and software can be used to construct accurate models of a large number of three-dimensional interconnection structures, including more than 100 bonding wires used for stacking integrated circuit chips, through-silicon via interconnections, and the like.
US08352228B2
A method for predicting petroleum production is provided. An exemplary embodiment of The computer-implemented comprises computing a first approximation of an amount of generated petroleum that is retained with a complex organic product using a Threshold and a Maximum Retention value. The exemplary method also comprises revising the first approximation by approximating a process of chemical fractionation using at least one partition factor to create a revised approximation and predicting petroleum production based on the revised approximation.
US08352225B2
A process for simulating and assembling flexible parts includes creating an ideal path between first and second planes and placing a virtual rigid envelope around the ideal path, and possibly tubular extensions beyond the path. A virtual flexible part is marked with reference features and pulled through the virtual rigid envelope, such that the path of the virtual flexible part is constrained but may rotate. Removing the virtual rigid envelope allows the virtual flexible part to relax, causing it to move to its lowest energy state. Zero-twist end conditions on the virtual flexible part are marked, corresponding to the intersection of the reference features with the planes. Identification marks are placed on a real flexible part, corresponding to the reference strips on the virtual flexible part. The real flexible part may then be assembled by aligning zero-twist marks on mating features to the identification marks on the real flexible part.
US08352223B1
The different advantageous embodiments provide a system for network communication testing comprising a communication effects server, a number of radio emulators, a number of radios, and a wireless link simulator. The communication effects computer is configured to provide a number of communication network effects. The number of radio emulators have a number of Ethernet signal-in-space emulators configured to output a number of Ethernet packets to the communication effects server. The number of radios is configured to transmit and receive messages over a radio frequency. The wireless link simulator is configured to provide simulated distance between the number of radios using real-time changes in a simulation running on a number of platforms.
US08352215B2
Systems and methods are provided for performing an estimation using an iteratively reweighted least squares technique on a scenario defined by a design matrix, a response variable vector, and a parameter to be estimated. A system and method can be configured to include a root data processor, where a least squares estimate is calculated by the root data processor during each of a plurality of processing iterations. A plurality of node data processors can also be configured to: update values of a weight matrix according to a current state of the least squares estimate, determine a first intermediate value based on the design matrix and the weight matrix, determine a second intermediate value based on the design and weight matrices and the response variable vector. The root data processor calculates an updated least squares estimate based on the intermediate values.
US08352214B2
A belt weighing system, including a belt passing over a weigh frame able to measure the weight of conveyed material, and at least one memory to store a zero image for the belt. At least one processor able to determine differences between a measured belt weight and a stored zero image for corresponding points or sections of the belt, and to determine if the differences are constant for different sections of the belt. A condition for an empty belt state can be detected where the instantaneous difference between the stored zero image and the measured belt weight for corresponding belt points or sections is equal to an average difference for different belt points or sections.
US08352206B2
The invention describes a method that is used to determine the linearization curve of a sensor for specific gas components by combining this sensor with an ultrasonic molar mass sensor. The described method uses the fact that the molar mass sensor exhibits a completely linear response when two gas compositions of differing molar mass values are mixed. Using this feature a non linear-response of a sensor for specific gas components can be determined and a linearization curve can be computed.
US08352199B2
An airflow-sensing computer cursor generator includes a microprocessor and plural air flow rate sensors. The plural air flow rate sensors are used for sensing airflow rates resulted from a moving action of an inductor in plural directions, thereby generating respective air flow rate signals corresponding to the plural directions. The microprocessor is used for judging a moving direction and a displacement value of the inductor according to the air flow rate signals, thereby generating a computer cursor signal.
US08352190B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for interpolating seismic data. The method includes collecting seismic data of two or more types over a field (401), determining an approximation to one of the types of the seismic data (402), and performing a wave-field transformation on the approximation to form a transformed approximation (405), wherein the transformed approximation corresponds to another of the collected types of seismic data. The method may also include setting the transformed approximation to match the measured seismic data of the corresponding types at matching locations (408), performing a wave-field transformation on the transformed approximation to form an output approximation (412), and using the output approximation to obtain a data representation of a geological layer (416).
US08352189B2
A method for generating a high-resolution surface topology map of a surface using surface profiling data combined with data collected from a surveying instrument. The system and method involve collecting a plurality of survey sample points and collecting a plurality of profile sample points of the surface. The profile sample points are then correlated with the survey sample points in the Z direction. Once the correlation is performed, the correlated profile sample points are merged or “filled-in” between the survey sample points. The high-resolution surface topology map is generated from the merging of the survey and profile sample points. In various embodiments, the survey data may be generated using an inertial profiler, an inclinometer based walking device, or a rolling-reference type profile device.
US08352172B2
Provided are systems and methods for tracking resources at a site and initiating audio and video communication with tracked resources using multiple input and output modalities. The systems include a location tracking system, including a positioning engine and a presentation engine, an environmental tracking system, location and environmental sensors, either permanently installed or temporarily deployed, and portable devices such as mobile phones or personal digital assistants carried by the tracked resources and users. The methods include tracking such resources at a site, displaying their locations on a portable device using a visual map display, and providing the ability to initiate bidirectional audio and video communications with one of more of the tracked resources.
US08352168B2
The present invention relates to a system and method for minimizing or preventing runway incursion at airports by utilizing data packets of information transmitted over the voice communication channel used by pilots at the airport. The data packets of information contain the latitudinal and longitudinal position of the aircraft provided by an on board GPS receiver and a unique identifier for the aircraft, such as the tail number, which is then received by other aircraft on the same ground frequency, and the tower, and displayed on a geo-referenced map display of the airport provided to the pilots and the tower ground controller. The information may be updated by polling the various aircraft In this manner, information received from all active aircraft within an airport can be displayed on an electronic map of the airport which can be viewable by the pilots on the ground as well as the ground controller.
US08352166B2
Systems and methods of operating an engine, the engine including an injector configured to directly inject fuel into an engine cylinder. One example method comprises, during an engine cold start, performing compression direct fuel injection, and retarding a timing of the compression injection as a fuel alcohol content of the fuel increases.
US08352163B2
A method for operating an engine is disclosed. In one example, the method adjusts a torque limit of the engine in response to an amount of EGR in an engine cylinder. The approach may reduce the possibility of pre-ignition for boosted engines.
US08352161B2
An exhaust valve early-closure control brings about blowback of exhaust gas into an intake system. However, if the exhaust valve early-closure control is executed, for example, during a first idle operation immediately following the startup of the engine, or the like, the amount of blowback exhaust gas becomes excessively large. Therefore, when the post-startup increase amount has decreased to or below a lower-limit criterion value, the ECU prohibits the exhaust valve early-closure control, and changes the control to a usual valve timing control. As a result, during a period during which the combustion state has a stability margin and the amount of emission of HCs and the like is large, the exhaust emission quality can be bettered by the exhaust valve early-closure control. Besides, when the post-startup increase amount has decreased, the combustion state can be stabilized by prohibiting the exhaust valve early-closure control.
US08352157B2
In an internal combustion engine, a variable compression ratio mechanism able to change a mechanical compression ratio and a variable valve timing mechanism able to control the closing timing of an intake valve are provided. The mechanical compression ratio is held at a maximum mechanical compression ratio at the engine low load operation side and gradually made to decrease as the engine load increases at the engine high load operation side. The actual compression ratio is held nearly constant at the engine high load operation side and is made to decrease as the engine load decreases at the engine low load operation side.
US08352152B2
An apparatus for providing an antisurge operating mode for a turbocharged engine may include a processor. The processor may be configured to receive indications of engine operating parameters and engine accelerator pedal position, determine whether the received indications correspond to antisurge mode activation conditions, and, in response to a determination that the received indications correspond to antisurge mode activation conditions, initiate control of selected engine components by directing the selected engine components to operate based on stored engine operating parameters recorded a predetermined time prior to the determination.
US08352144B2
In a method for controlling an electromechanical parking brake system (EPB) of a vehicle, wherein the electromechanical parking brake system (EPB) comprises at least one actuating element (BE), at least one brake mechanism unit (BME), and at least one control device (SG), in order to statically brake the vehicle, the actuating element (BE) is actuated and, depending thereon, the at least one brake mechanism unit (BME) is applied with a predetermined application speed (AV) controlled by a control and evaluation routine (SAR) run in the control device (SG). The vehicle speed (V) prevailing when the at least one actuating element (BE) is actuated is advantageously determined and the application speed (AV) of the brake mechanism unit (BME) is selected depending on the determined vehicle speed.
US08352143B2
A vehicle includes a control system that is used to control a vehicle system. The control system determines a roll condition in response to a yaw rate sensor and a pitch rate sensor without having to use a roll rate sensor. A relative roll angle, relative pitch angle, global roll angle, and global pitch angle may also be determined. A safety system may be controlled in response to the roll condition, roll angle, or the pitch angles individually or in combination.
US08352136B2
A vehicle control system for an engine-powered vehicle equipped with an engine and an automatic transmission with a clutch. When a given engine stop requirement is met during running of the engine, the system stops the engine automatically. When a given engine restart requirement is met after stop of the engine, the system restarts the engine and enters a clutch control mode to bring the clutch in the automatic transmission into a slippable state in which the clutch is permitted to slip based on the speed of the vehicle, thereby absorbing the acceleration shock which usually occurs upon engagement of the clutch to transmit engine torque to wheels of the vehicle when the engine is restarted, and the speed of the vehicle is relatively low.
US08352133B2
A system and method for upshift delay for fuel cut acquisition is disclosed. Decel lockup control may be activated if a lift foot upshift is prevented after sudden pedal release. Fuel economy may be increased by cutting fuel to the engine when decel lockup control is engaged. When the throttle is reapplied, the regular shift map resumes control and performs an upshift if necessary.
US08352128B2
A system and method for using a gantry crane to efficiently and safely transport loads such as containers and ship hatch covers from one location to another along a known path while avoiding collisions between the loads and obstructing objects which may be situated in the known path. A transceiver emitting laser beams may be used to establish both the position of the spreader and its load and the profile of the known path. Continuous comparisons are made by computer between the location of a dynamic digital protective envelope constructed around the crane spreader and its load, if any, and a digital representation of the profile of the known path to be traveled by the spreader and its load, if any. In the event, the comparison indicates intersection of the protective envelope and the path profile, a speed limit is imposed on the motor controlling the movement in the X axis of the trolley or in the Z axis of the spreader, as required to prevent a collision.
US08352122B2
An engine control apparatus that effectively suppresses a rise in rotation number of an engine in a jump of a vehicle. An engine control apparatus includes an acceleration detecting device for detecting an acceleration component of gravity acceleration in a perpendicular direction of the vehicle body based on a signal inputted from an acceleration sensor, and a control circuit for judging whether the vehicle has jumped or not based on the acceleration component to be detected. The control circuit suppresses a rise in rotation number of the engine when the vehicle is judged to have jumped.
US08352120B2
A system and method for stability control of a vehicle using GPS data. The system and method can receive GPS data and optionally vehicle operating data or signals and define one of a brake-based stability control subsystem and a torque management-based stability control subsystem as the dominant stability control system. Based on the stability control subsystem defined as the dominant stability control system, the system and method provide stability control for the vehicle. The system and method also defines the dominant stability control system based on weather data.
US08352119B2
A vehicle gradient estimating device includes: a vehicle speed sensor which detects a traveling speed of a subject vehicle; an acceleration calculating unit which calculates an acceleration of the subject vehicle on the basis of the traveling speed; an engine load deceleration calculating unit which calculates a deceleration due to an engine load of the subject vehicle; an acceleration correcting unit which corrects the acceleration by using the deceleration; a brake fluid pressure detecting unit which detects a brake fluid pressure of the subject vehicle; and a first gradient estimating unit which estimates a gradient of a road being traveled of the subject vehicle, wherein the first gradient estimating unit estimates the gradient on the basis of a ratio between the brake fluid pressure and the acceleration corrected by the acceleration correcting unit.
US08352106B2
In a method for operating a power-branching hybrid drive having at least one first and one second electric machine coupled via a transmission, as well as having an internal combustion engine which outputs a torque MVM, the electric machines and the internal combustion engine acting together, having their drives connected, the first electric machine is rotation speed-regulated, the second electric machine is torque-controlled, and the internal combustion engine is operated in a rotation speed-regulated manner.
US08352081B2
The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. In an embodiment, the network includes a demand unit and a subnet controller. The demand unit is coupled to a data bus and configured to provide a primary service having a maximum service capacity. The subnet controller is configured to send a demand message to the demand unit via the data bus instructing the demand unit to provide a portion of the maximum.
US08352074B2
A path planning apparatus and method of a robot, in which a path, along which the robot accesses an object to grasp the object, is planned. The path planning method includes judging whether or not a robot hand of a robot collides with an obstacle when the robot hand moves along one access path candidate selected from plural access path candidates along which the robot hand accesses an object to grasp the object, calculating an access score of the selected access path candidate when the robot hand does not collide with the obstacle, and determining an access path plan using the access score of the selected access path candidate.
US08352072B2
The invention is a system that is integrated with an existing robotic system in order to extend its observation, surveillance, and navigational capabilities. The system comprises: a sensor module comprising imaging and other types of sensors that is attached to the robotic device of the robotic system and a system control station comprising a communication link to the robot control station of the existing robotic system. Both the system control station and the sensor module comprise processing units that are configured to work in complete harmony. These processing units are each supplied with software that enables using information supplied by the sensors and other components in the sensor module to provide the robotic systems with many advanced capabilities that could not be achieves prior to attachment of the sensor module to the robot.
US08352066B2
A machine tool with a main positioning device for positioning a main support element in a translational linear direction within a main region of displacement is provided. A main machining device and an accessory machining device are arranged on the main support element. The machining devices have pivoting devices for pivoting the machining heads in a rotatory basic pivoting direction. Every accessory pivoting device is connected to the main support element via a respective supplementary accessory positioning device for positioning the respective accessory machining head in the translational linear direction relative to the main support element within a respective supplementary accessory region of displacement.
US08352065B2
A method for generating a trimming setpoint for an ophthalmic lens for it to be mounted in a surround of a spectacle frame, includes: a) acquiring the shape of a first longitudinal profile of the surround, b) constructing, on a two-dimensional projection of the first longitudinal profile, at least two predetermined geometrical figures, by adjusting their dimensions to those of the two-dimensional projection, c) calculating differences between the two-dimensional projection of the first longitudinal profile and each of the predetermined geometrical figures, d) from the target geometrical figures, each of which has an associated trimming parameter, selecting the target geometrical figure that is closest to the first longitudinal profile according to the differences, e) calculating the trimming setpoint according to the shape of the first longitudinal profile and the trimming parameter associated with the selected target geometrical figure.
US08352062B2
A method for fabricating a integrated circuit with improved performance is disclosed. The method comprises providing a substrate; performing a plurality of processes to form a gate stack over the substrate, wherein the gate stack comprises a gate layer; measuring a grain size of the gate layer after at least one of the plurality of processes; determining whether the measured grain size is within a target range; and modifying a recipe of at least one of the plurality of processes if the measured grain size of the gate layer is not within the target range.
US08352057B2
A method for feedback-based optimization of a measurement data life cycle in joining processes during production, comprising the following steps: 1) analysing and simulating production on the basis of assumptions, in particular on the basis of production data, in order to prepare an initial production strategy and/or inspection strategy, 2) preparing and/or adapting a production and/or inspection order, 3) checking the production and/or inspection order for consistency, 4) exporting and storing the production and/or inspection order, 5) aligning and/or joining a component made of at least two sub-assemblies in an assembly zone, 6) analysing and simulating production on the basis of actual measurement results and feedback of an optimized production and/or inspection order into method step 2), and 7) at least one repetition of method steps 2) to 6). The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method.
US08352045B2
The disclosure relates to a device for stimulating living tissue, comprising an array of stimulating microelectrodes that are placed in a defined configuration side by side and able to be selected by applying an electrical signal for stimulation by one of the microelectrodes. According to the disclosure, an additional conducting surface for application against the living tissue, is provided in the vicinity of a defined plurality of sections for local application of microelectrodes, connecting structures being provided for electrical connection between the zones, and the additional conducting surface being also connected to a lead and being formed so as to ensure local stimulation via a microelectrode.
US08352043B2
An implantable medical device is capable of delivering the therapeutic output to the patient. A controller, programmable by a medical professional, is operatively coupled to the implantable medical device to, in part, program the therapeutic output to be delivered to the patient. The controller has an interface allowing the medical professional to select an amount of the therapeutic output to be delivered to the patient in at least one of the series of discrete timer intervals. However, the therapeutic output deliver to the patient is dependant upon the clock time to which the infusion device. In certain situations the infusion device clock time may have inaccuracies that grow over time. The clock time can be reset by the infusion programmer but a method must be in place to determine and account for resetting the infusion device clock time that controls when the therapy will be delivered.
US08352029B2
A method for implementing a neural stimulation therapy mode in an implantable medical device (IMD) comprising the acts of mapping respective device states, defined by one or more timer states that include at least one neural event timer or one or more indications of one or more sensed physiologic events, to associated device actions in a stored neural table, storing an event represented as a device status word and a time stamp in a queue in response to an action input, and comparing one or more current timer states or one or more indications of one or more sensed physiologic events to a device state contained in the neural table and, if found to match, causing performance of one or more associated device actions, wherein the device actions include one or more of a neural stimulation energy delivery or a change in one or more timer states.
US08352028B2
An implantable medical device system, including an implantable medical device and an associated implant tool. The device has a hermetic housing containing a power source and electronic circuitry. One or more tines are mounted to the housing movable from a first position extending away from the housing to a second position adjacent the housing. The device is provided with a rotational fixation mechanism. The Implant tool includes an elongated sheath sized to receive the device and provided with internal grooves sized to engage with the tines when the tines are located in their second position. The implant tool may further include a push tool located with the sheath and movable within the sheath to advance the device distally out of the sheath. The sheath may be provided with a closed distal end openable by passage of the device therethrough.
US08352022B2
Optical methods, devices, and systems for noninvasively detecting transient surface displacements in a neuron are disclosed. Methods, devices, and systems provided may employ a phase-sensitive optical low coherence reflectometer. In addition, surface displacements due to action potential propagation in neural tissues may be detected in some embodiments using back-reflected light. According to some embodiments, exogenous chemicals or reflect ion coatings are not required. Transient neural surface displacement of less then 1 nm in amplitude and 1 ms in duration may be detected and may be generally coincident with action potential arrival to the optical measurement site. The systems and methods may be used for noninvasive detection of various neuropathies such as retinal neuropathies. They may also be useful in detecting the effects of various pharmacological agents.
US08352020B2
The inventive method for processing an RR series comprises a plurality of (RR) samples representing time intervals (dti) between two successive heart beats or the inverse (1/dti) of said time intervals consists in selecting (N) (RRi) samples in a main time window having a predetermined length (n), in cutting said main window into (m) subwindows (Fj), in calculating an intermediate parameter (A1) for each subwindow (Fj) on the basis of the (RRi) samples contained in the subwindow (Fj) and in calculating a final parameter as a function of the intermediate parameters (Aj). The invention is used for analysing a cardiac rhythm variability, in particular for assessing a patient's pain or stress.
US08352017B2
A bone density meter including a light emission unit which emits light toward a surface of a user's body. A light reception unit receives the light emitted from the light emission unit toward the body surface and propagated in a portion of the body that includes bone. A bone density computation unit determines the bone density based on the amount of light received by the light reception unit. The light emission unit emits light toward the body surface at a portion having a thin subcutis, and the light reception unit receives the light propagated in the body through the portion at which the subcutis is thin.
US08352016B2
The invention refers to a method for carrying out data collection on electrodes placed on a body for subsequent processing of an electrical impedance tomography image of a corresponding part of said body. In order to improve the resolution of electrical impedance tomography systems without noticeably affecting the signal-to-noise ratio, the method according to the invention comprises the steps of placing the electrodes on a peripheral line around the body, applying a current pattern from a current source to at least one pair of electrodes, and measuring differential potentials between pairs of electrodes, wherein at least one intermediate electrode lies in between each pair of electrodes for measuring the differential potentials and the differential potentials of one current pattern for the subsequent image processing refer to at least three different pairs of electrodes with no electrode used more than twice for each current pattern.
US08352015B2
A method and apparatus are provided for determining and tracking location of a metallic object in a living body, and then directing a second modality such as ultrasound waves to the determined location. The metal detector may be a radar detector adapted to operate on a living body. The adaption may include disposing a transfer material having electromagnetic properties similar to the body between the radar detector and the living body, ECG gating the radar detector, and/or employing an optimal estimator with a model of expected stent movement in a living body. Applications include determination of extent of in-stent restenosis, performing therapeutic thrombolysis, or determining operational features of a metallic implant.
US08352004B2
In an embodiment, a sensor may be adapted to provide information related to its position on a patient's tissue. postioned adjacenta sensor may be provided with tissue contact sensors which may relay a signal related to the proper placement of the sensor relative to the tissue of a patient. Such a sensor may be useful for providing information to a clinician regarding the location of the sensor in relation to the skin of a patient in order to provide improved measurements.
US08351990B2
The use of a digital camera in communication with a mobile device to determine the intensity of ambient light conditions is described herein. In one example, the digital camera receives light energy representing ambient light. The intensity of the ambient light is determined and, based upon a comparison of that intensity to a setpoint, the mobile device is reconfigured. In another example, a mobile device is described that uses a digital camera to measure ambient light conditions. The mobile device can be configured in various ways based upon a determination of the intensity and/or wavelengths of the ambient light.
US08351976B2
A method for modifying a signal transmitted from a mobile communication device comprising by perturbing a transmit diversity parameter from its nominal value by modulating the parameter with respect to the nominal value in a first direction for a first feedback interval and then in a second direction for a second feedback interval, receiving a feedback signal including feedback information relating to the perturbed signal as received at a feedback device, and based at least on the feedback information, adjusting the nominal value of the transmit diversity parameter by increasing, decreasing, or preserving the nominal value.
US08351975B2
A method for setting a power control level (600) in a wireless communication system. The method includes the steps of obtaining (620) transmission information from a wireless subscriber unit, and modifying a power control level and/or a communication channel format (660) in response to said transmission information. Preferably, the transmission information is re-transmission requests from a wireless subscriber unit, which are transmitted frequently. In this manner, rapid adjustment of power control can be attained utilizing an optimal selection of the available communication channel format, followed by a fine-tuning power control operation.
US08351970B2
The invention relates to a method and system for extending a known push to talk service in such a way that novel application capabilities are obtained. According to said invention, the use of said push to talk techniques is carried out by adding a functionality making it possible to transmit other forms of data besides speech.
US08351967B2
A wireless communication method and system using virtual MIMO (“V-MIMO”) are provided. Post processing signal to interference and noise ratios (“SINR”) for a plurality of signals corresponding to a plurality of mobile terminals arranged as a V-MIMO group are estimated. The one of the plurality of mobile terminals having the highest post processing SINR is selected. Wireless communication for the selected mobile terminal is scheduled. The signal corresponding to the selected mobile terminal is cancelled. Post processing signal to interference and noise ratios (“SINR”) for the signals corresponding to the remaining mobile terminals is re-estimated. The one of the remaining mobile terminals having the highest post processing SINR is selected. Wireless communication for the selected remaining mobile terminal is scheduled.
US08351961B2
A system for detecting and locating illicit cellular telephone use within a facility includes an array of radio frequency (RF) receivers, each receiver being placed in a predetermined location in the facility, and a central server, the receivers being in electrical communication with the central server. The server commands a group or groups of receivers to tune to a frequency of interest and to perform detailed sample rate measurements of the RF signal level received at the receivers. The array of receivers is organized into a plurality of measurement areas covering widely separated areas of the facility or different buildings of the facility, and the plurality of receivers of a measurement area is organized into a plurality of measurement groups covering areas of approximately uniform RF propagation conditions. Each receiver scans a frequency band of interest non-synchronously and independently of the other receivers in the array. Also, each receiver is preferably a direct-conversion receiver.
US08351960B2
In a mobile telecommunications network including a micro base station, a method of controlling the micro base station includes: determining one or more registered users of the micro base station; determining a location of the one or more registered users; and causing the micro base station to transition between a first operational mode and a second operational mode depending upon the location of at least one of the one or more registered users.
US08351957B2
An overload control device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes a load measuring unit configured to measure the load of a radio network controller, wherein the network controller is in data communication with a plurality of base stations and an overload determining unit configured to determine whether an overload has occurred in the network controller based, at least in part, on the comparison of the measured load and a predetermined load. The device may further include a call connection controller configured to limit a new call connection setting of at least one base station which has a total transmission output greater than an allowed transmission output. The total transmission output indicates a power output of the base station for transmitting at least one call during a predetermined period. The allowed transmission output may vary according to the determined overload.
US08351956B2
A method for redirecting communication requests made by user equipment (6,8) to an access point (2) in a cellular communication system is disclosed. The access point (2) has a shorter communication range than a macrocell in the system. The method comprises the steps of; sending a communication request from user equipment to the access point (2); determining whether the access point (2) has reached a maximum capacity; sending a communication rejection signal to the user equipment (6,8) if the access point (2) has reached maximum capacity; and redirecting the communication request into the macrocell in which the access point (2) is positioned wherein the macrocell and femtocell operate at the same frequency.
