US07841684B2
There is provided an ink pressure regulator for regulating a hydrostatic pressure of ink supplied to an inkjet printhead. The regulator comprises: an ink chamber having an ink outlet for fluid communication with the printhead via an ink line; an air inlet; a regulator channel having a first end communicating with the air inlet and a second end communicating with a headspace of the chamber, the second end defining a bubble outlet; and a wetting system for maintaining at least some liquid in the regulator channel, thereby ensuring that air entering the headspace first passes through the liquid. The wetting system comprises a first wetting chamber connected to the first end, a second wetting chamber connected to the second end, and a liquid-retaining structure positioned in the second wetting chamber. The regulator channel, the first wetting chamber, the second wetting chamber and the liquid-retaining structure are all in fluid communication with each other. The regulator channel is dimensioned to control a Laplace pressure of air bubbles drawn from the bubble outlet as result of supplying ink to the printhead, thereby regulating a hydrostatic pressure of the ink.
US07841679B2
The invention achieves efficient use of generation circuits of drive signals COM. The invention provides a liquid ejection method that includes: causing a certain drive signal generation unit to generate a first drive signal and a second drive signal; causing another drive signal generation unit to generate a first drive signal and a second drive signal; supplying the first drive signal generated by the certain drive signal generation unit and the second drive signal generated by the other drive signal generation unit to a certain head unit, the certain head unit being one of a plurality of head units arranged in an intersecting direction that intersects a transport direction of a medium; and ejecting liquid from the certain head unit in accordance with the first drive signal and the second drive signal.
US07841671B2
To enhance a brake feel of a motorcycle adopting a combined brake system. In a braking device for adjusting hydraulic pressure supplied to a brake caliper at a rear wheel according to hydraulic pressure at a front wheel produced by a brake operation at the front wheel of a motorcycle, a pattern for adjusting a brake caliper pressure at the rear wheel is different between a case when a temporal increasing rate of master cylinder pressure at the front wheel is equal to or exceeds a predetermined value and a case when the temporal increasing rate is below the predetermined value. Further, to provide a braking device for a motorcycle wherein a variation of a vertical load of a rear wheel when a brake is applied at a front wheel is inhibited.
US07841669B2
A wheel balancing weight has a body for providing mass and a clip attached to the body to securely grip a flange of a wheel. The clip defines a compartment within which is received the flange, and includes a hump projecting toward and into the defined compartment to contact a generally radially inward surface of the received flange such that the received flange contacts the clip at relatively smooth medial contact points on the hump. The weight may be formed as a unitary member from a sheet of steel and have a unitary sheet steel body and sheet steel clip.
US07841664B2
According to the present invention, a control system for a chair is provided. The control system is comprised of first and second resilient blocks, first and second stabilizing members and first and second rockers. The first stabilizing member has first and second ends and defines a first horizontal axis. The first end of the first stabilizing member extends into the first resilient block and the second end of the first stabilizing member extends into the second resilient block. The second stabilizing member is coupled to the first stabilizing member by a connector. The second stabilizing member has first and second ends and defines a second horizontal axis disposed in parallel to the first horizontal axis. The first end of the second stabilizing member is operably coupled to the first rocker, and the second end of the second stabilizing member is operably coupled to the second rocker.
US07841662B2
A support assembly having a first support region with adjustable degree of support and a second support region with adjustable degree of support for use in a seat structure is provided. The support assembly comprises a support member for incorporation into a seat frame, a first adjustment arrangement for adjusting the degree of support in the first support region, and a second adjustment arrangement for adjusting the degree of support in the second support region. The support assembly further comprises an actuator coupled to the first adjustment arrangement and to the second adjustment arrangement), the actuator being configured to simultaneously act on the first adjustment arrangement and on the second adjustment arrangement in opposite directions.
US07841655B2
A technology is provided effective for suppressing a load received by an airbag housed in a motor vehicle seat with an airbag module having a construction in which the airbag is developed and expanded from a down side to an upside of a seat cushion against movement of a motor vehicle occupant toward a front side of a motor vehicle, which is in a condition seated in the motor vehicle seat when in occurrence of an accident. In one form, the motor vehicle seat according to the present invention is constructed to house an airbag module in a housing portion provided in a seat pan, and to be provided with an airbag cover that intercepts a housing opening of the housing portion and that covers a housing opening side of the airbag.
US07841654B1
A universal exercise bicycle seat adapter device for use with an after market bicycle seat and an exercise bicycle is provided. The bicycle seat has a tightenable mounting bracket and the exercise bicycle has a mounting plate secured to a seat post with the mounting plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein. The adapter device comprises a base plate and a stem extending from the base plate and receivable and releasably securable within the mounting bracket. A plurality of slots are formed in the base plate with at least one of the slots alignable with at least one of the apertures formed in the mounting plate. A fastening mechanism is insertable through the aligned apertures and slots for releasably securing the base plate to the mounting bracket.
US07841647B2
A baffle assembly for engaging a panel and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. A baffle assembly may include at least two baffles, each having a rigid carrier and an expandable material, which are linked by a connecting member which allows each baffle to pivot about the connecting member. The baffles may each include an attachment member configured to engage a first aperture and a second aperture, respectively, in a panel. A method of manufacturing a carrier for engaging a panel may include forming at least two baffles, and forming a connecting member between the baffles that allows the baffles to pivot about the connecting member.
US07841640B2
A rest for a vehicle for supporting the feet and/or legs of a passenger comprising a housing (2) having an electrically powered pivotal lid (3) and defining a storage. The lid may be pivoted between an open position in which access to the storage is permitted and support provided for the feet and/or calves of the passenger and a closed position. The rest is mounted for movement in a passenger footwell on a pair of rails and a motorised pinion (11) runs on a rack (10) to move the rest up and down the rails (9). The arrangement provides a comfortable adjustable leg/foot support which is especially beneficial on long journeys. At same time accessible and convenient extra storage is provided.
US07841628B2
A rectangular parallelepipedal joint for use in fluid control apparatus comprises in its entirety two divided members which are a grooved connecting member having a groove in its center and provided in portions thereof on respective opposite sides of the groove with bolt holes each having a stepped portion for receiving therein a joint attaching bolt without permitting the head thereof to project from the joint and with female screw portions for respective male screw members to be screwed in for attaching an apparatus component; and a flat rectangular parallelepipedal communication member fitting in the groove of the connecting member and provided only with a U-shaped communication channel. The connecting member is made of stainless steel, while the communication member is made of polyamide 6. A positioning protrusion is formed on a bottom face defining the groove of the connecting member and is fitted in a positioning recessed portion formed in the bottom surface of the communication member.
US07841626B2
Binding element in the form of a U-shaped profile (2) made of a heat-conducting material, which. U-shaped profile (2) consists of a back wall (3) and two standing side walls (4), such that a space (5) is enclosed whereby, in the above-mentioned space (5), on the above-mentioned back wall (3) is provided a layer of glue (6) which melts under the influence of heat, and whereby on at least one of the above-mentioned side walls (4) is provided an end leaf (8), characterized in that in the above-mentioned space (5), at least on the side wall (4) onto which the above-mentioned end leaf (8) is provided, is also provided a layer of glue (7) which melts under the influence of heat.
US07841623B2
An airbag device includes: a bag body; a linkage member whose an end portion is provided with a latch stopper hole; and a retention device that has a retention member capable of penetrating the latch stopper hole, and that retains the linkage member while the latch stopper hole is penetrated by the retention member, and that discontinues retention of the linkage member as the retention member comes out of the latch stopper hole. The retention member is provided with a slope surface that transforms into a force acts in a direction from a site relatively near to a base end of the retention member to the distal end of the retention member.
US07841615B2
A swing arm assembly becomes a balancing mechanism for a foldable telescope golf cart. The swing arm assembly adjusts the inclined angle of the golf beg on the golf cart, and thus adjusts the location of the center of gravity of the cart. The golf cart is maintained in a balanced state when the center of gravity falls upon the centerline of the cart wheels. The golf cart and swing arm assembly can be converted from compact size to full size, or vice versa, by a single action.
US07841614B2
A safety binding device for retaining a boot on a gliding board including: a module for detecting the forces to which the boot is subjected, the detection module generating an analog signal proportional to the forces; a decision module integrating a mechanism to convert the analog signal into digital information, and a mechanism to process the digital information according to a release-controlling algorithm depending upon the time and parameters determined by the user's characteristics and/or snow conditions and/or type of sports practice, the processing mechanism generating a control signal; and further including a mechanical actuation module controlled by the control signal and allowing the boot to be released.
US07841613B1
A pedals forward seat post having serrated circular ends and a mid-section offsetting the ends allowing for a bicycle seat to be placed lower or closer to the ground so that the bicyclist may place both feet simultaneously on the ground while seated and at the same time maintaining the best seated bicycling leg distance between the seat and the pedals for seated bicycling.
US07841608B2
A pneumatic proportioning system for heavy-duty vehicle air springs includes an air supply, a height control valve and a solenoid valve in fluid communication with one another and with the air springs of at least one axle/suspension systems of a heavy-duty vehicle. A proportioning means is in fluid communication with the air supply, with the height control valve, with the solenoid valve, with the air springs and with atmosphere and operates to proportion loads between the air springs of the axle/suspension systems when the solenoid valve is activated during operation of the heavy-duty vehicle.
US07841605B1
A steering centering device for vehicles to import straight line stability without excess induced resistance during use. The device includes a pair of spring urged roller bearing assemblies connected to the vehicle steering assembly for select movement along respective contoured cam travel surfaces. Resistance is imparted to the centering assembly as the roller bearings move from a rest (centered notch position) by steering input. A trim adjustment is provided to adjustably reposition the roller bearings rest position and a pressure damper is alternately positioned between the roller bearings to increase turning resistance.
US07841603B2
A hand truck (20) for transporting a load is disclosed. The hand truck (20) comprises a sub-frame (22) with a foot portion (47) extending therefrom so that the sub-frame is able to support the load, a main frame (21) engaged with the sub-frame (22) such that the sub-frame (22) is able to be extended and retracted with respect to a lower end (32) of the main frame (21), at least one wheel (62, 63) secured relative to the main frame (21) so that the truck 20 is able to be wheeled about, a motor (70), a controller (74) coupled to the motor (70) for enabling a user to control the operation of the motor (70), and a flexible linkage (77) coupling the motor (70), main frame (21) and sub-frame (22) together such that the motor (70) is operable to move the linkage (77) to thereby extend or retract the sub-frame (22).
US07841602B2
The present invention relates to an active, divided stabilizer for of motor vehicle having an installed electric pivot motor for roll regulation, which comprises at least one actuating drive made of electric motor and pivot motor transmission and a housing, at least one housing part being connected to an associated stabilizer part for torque transmission. The present invention is distinguished in that the housing part has an axially oriented, central recess, into which the stabilizer part extends essentially up to its end, and the connection for torque transmission between the housing part and the associated stabilizer part is located there.
US07841599B2
The invention provides a home-use crane game machine that gives a player a strained sensation of operation similar to playing a game apparatus disposed in the amusement arcade or the like and that young children can play easily. The home-use crane game machine comprises a base part having a first button, a second button and a main board having a control device, a housing part, a crane part having a catcher having a bottom part formed in the shape of teeth and a standing wall plate vertically protruding on the side of the bottom part and a crane main body for controlling the movement of the catcher in X axis direction, Y axis direction and Z axis direction, and a roof, wherein the control device moves the catcher in X axis direction, Y axis direction and Z axis direction.
US07841594B2
An apparatus is provided for altering the spatial orientation and/or direction of sheet material. The apparatus includes an input deck for receiving sheet material along an input feed path, an output deck for forwarding sheet material along an output feed path, and an orbit nip roller assembly disposed adjacent to and aligned with the input and output decks. The orbit nip roller assembly includes a primary and secondary roller defining a roller nip which lies substantially parallel to the input and output feed paths. The secondary roller is adapted to be bi-directionally displaced in an arc about the periphery of the primary roller such that the roller nip orbits the primary roller from a first radial position to a second radial position. In the first radial position, the roller nip is adapted to accept sheet material from the input deck at a substantially right angle relative to the input feed path and, in the second radial position, the roller nip is adapted to dispense sheet material to the output deck at a substantially right angle relative to the output feed path.
US07841587B2
A fragrance disperser in one form includes a single fan that passes air over a wicked single or double fragrance. A second form has the fan reversible to provide two different airstreams that evaporate respective different fragrances one after the other. Where two fragrances are provided, the evaporation may be by respective electrical heaters. A fragrance source may be formed by two sheets joined together to form two chambers each receiving a respective wick and having respective exposed wick portions. The source may incorporate a source of electrical power. An alternative source has a reservoir for fragrance and a wick located in an air passage forming part of the source so that an air flow is guided through the passage past the wick to evaporate fragrance. Where two fragrances are provided, the fragrance sources may be located side-by-side and matching fragrances may have, for example, matching indicia on the sources so that the match can be easily determined visually.
US07841586B1
A humidification apparatus comprising a reservoir having at least one side wall defining an opening, water within the reservoir bounded by the at least one side, and a membrane activation assembly installed over the opening. The membrane activation assembly comprises a microporous membrane layer covering the opening of the reservoir and a temporary peel-away activation layer covering the membrane layer. A method of using the humidification apparatus comprises the steps of grasping a pull-tab formed on the activation layer, peeling the activation layer away from the underlying membrane layer, and inserting within an enclosed space the reservoir containing water bounded at its opening by the activated membrane layer. A method of manufacturing the humidification apparatus comprises numerous laminating and die-cutting steps to form a completed membrane activation assembly that is then installed on the reservoir.
US07841584B2
An improved venturi apparatus for facilitating the mixture of fluid substances. The apparatus preferably comprises a first funnel section operative to receive a fluid and channel the same through a first cylindrical section or passageway. The first cylindrical section is fluidly connected to an intermediate passageway having a diameter larger than the first cylindrical section. At least one sidearm passageway is fluidly connected to the intermediate passageway into which at least one second fluid is introduced. The at least one sidearm passageway is preferably configured to fluidly interconnect with the intermediate passageway at approximately the medial portion of the intermediate passageway. Fluidly connected to the intermediate passageway is a second cylindrical section that is operative to direct the flow of the intermixed fluids to a second exit funnel section. The improved venturi apparatus is exceptionally efficient at drawing in a second fluid and effective in facilitating the mixture of two or more gasses, liquids or combinations thereof.
US07841580B2
The invention is directed to apparatus and methods for reducing recoil during uncoupling of pressurized couplers. The apparatus includes a male: a female component; and a check valve fluidly disposed between a proximal end and a distal end within one of the male component or female component. When the component including the check valve is pressurized, the check valve assumes a normally closed state. Upon coupling of the male component with the female component, the check valve is caused to open through the interaction of a probe linked to the check valve which contacts a portion of the opposing coupler, thereby opening the check valve and permitting pressurized fluid flow between the two components. At least one radially directed port fluidly couples the interface between the male and female couplers with the environment, which may be formed in one or both couplers.
US07841578B2
In a vacuum valve composed of a main valve portion that opens and closes a vale seat in a flow path connecting two ports by a valve member, and an operating portion that performs an opening and closing operation for the valve member, the housing of the main valve portion is assembled by joining the two port members with a cylindrically shaped housing main body formed by a squeezing process for a plate material made of metal, or a ring-shaped material made of the metal. In an end portion of the housing, a flange-shaped attaching portion that is bent inward is formed. The operating portion is attached onto the attaching portion via a ring-shaped supporting seat member. A sealing member is sandwiched between a ring-shaped supporting plate and the attaching portion. Both ends of a bellows are respectively connected to the supporting plate and the valve member.
US07841576B2
An overhead hanger unit for concrete forms, with a first hanger form having a first portion engagable with a first curb form and a second portion extending from the first portion, and a second hanger form having a first portion engagable with a second curb form and a second portion extending from the first portion. A pin may be carried on the second portion of the first hanger form and a slot may be formed in the second portion of the second hanger form, wherein the second portion of the second hanger form may be aligned with the second portion of the first hanger form and the pin engaged with the slot. A coupling device may be engagable with the pin to secure the first hanger form to the second hanger form at a selected position such that a distance from the first curb form to the second curb form may be adjusted by an amount substantially equal to a length of the slot. A pivot connection may be provided between the first portion of the second hanger form and the second portion of the second hanger form, such that the first portion may be rotated at an angle relative to the second portion.
US07841569B2
A keyboard support mechanism containing a novel articulating arm mechanism for permitting vertical movement of the keyboard shelf. The articulating arm mechanism has six major components: (1) a mounting bracket, (2) a mounting bracket support in combination with a swivel bracket, (3) a shelf bracket, (4) an upper arm, (5) at least one side arm, and (6) at least one stopping means. The upper arm links the shelf bracket and the mounting bracket; the side arm and the stopping means cooperate to keep the shelf bracket (and hence the keyboard shelf) at a constant angle relative to the ground.
US07841563B2
An air data system and method for a ducted fan air-vehicle is described. The air data system includes a plurality of air pressure sensors placed around a lip of an air duct of the ducted fan air-vehicle. The air data system calculates the speed and direction of airflow surrounding the ducted fan air-vehicle based on pressure data measured across the lip of the air duct. Additionally, the air data system may estimate forces generated by airflow surrounding the air-vehicle.
US07841558B2
Improvements to paper web material dispensers, particularly two roll tissue dispensers. A dispenser according to the invention is able to prevent access to a second or reserve roll of tissue until a first or dispensing roll is entirely or substantially depleted. As a result, the tissue of the first roll must be used up, or substantially used up, before tissue from the second roll can be used, thereby avoiding tissue waste. The dispenser of the invention can be used with reduced core tissue rolls, where each roll has first and second core sections that are spaced apart from each other to form a gap between facing ends thereof so that the total length of the core sections is less than the width of the tissue wound onto the core sections. The dispenser of the invention thus encourages the use of reduced core tissue rolls, which results in a reduction of waste resulting from used tissue cores.
US07841557B2
A roll of material is unloaded from a roll changer of a web-processing machine. The roll changer includes a first arm having a first axle journal and a second arm having a second axle journal. The roll of material is rotatably supported between these two spaced axle journals. The first arm is moved axially outwardly until the first end of the roll is stripped off the first axle journal. The second arm is then also moved axially outwardly until the roll of material is stripped off the second axle journal.
US07841553B2
A fishing line spool support, line guide mechanism, and kit incorporating the same enables users thereof to transfer line from a spool assembly to a reel assembly. The spool support comprises a spool-bearing portion and opposed rails extending in parallel relation to one another away from the spool-bearing portion. A line guide mechanism rides along the rails and comprises spool interfacing structures borne by a carriage member of the mechanism for interfacing with the opposed rims of a spool as borne by the spool support. Together the carriage member and interface units provide line-guiding stop structure for preventing or minimizing line migration during line transfer.
US07841546B2
The invention relates to a fluid distributing apparatus for a windscreen or head lamp washer system of a vehicle, including a body (102, 202, 302) for fluid distribution, a holding apparatus (110, 210, 310) for attaching said fluid distributing apparatus to the vehicle and at least one connecting tubing (104, 206, 208, 308) for connecting a fluid line, said body (102, 202, 302) being retained for pivotal movement with respect to said holding apparatus (110, 210, 310), an adjusting apparatus being attached to said body (102, 202) or to said connecting tubing (308) for pivotal movement of said body (102, 202, 302) with respect to said holding apparatus (110, 210, 310) and for retaining said body (102, 202, 302) in the desired position with respect to said holding apparatus (110, 210, 310), said adjusting apparatus being configured to be a set screw (112, 212, 312), a tubular retaining fixture (132, 332) having an internal thread being attached to said body (102, 202) or to said connecting tubing (308), said set screw (112, 212, 312) being adapted to be screwed in such a manner into said retaining fixture that one free end of said set screw (112, 212, 312) protrudes from said retaining fixture (132, 332).
US07841525B1
In a digital ticketing system, tickets are created in groups. All the digital tickets in a group share a common signature value, but each ticket in the group has a unique seed value, which may be a random number. The common signature value is derived from hashing all the seed values in the group and then digitally signing a combination of the hash values. In one example, the hash values are concatenated and encrypted with a private key to generate the common signature value. The system may be implemented and tickets exchanged using mobile devices, such as mobile telephones.
US07841522B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for measuring purchase items. An identification module identifies a purchase item conforming to a specified characteristic. A communication module directs the customer to place the purchase item in an auxiliary receptacle in response to the purchase item conforming to the specified characteristic. A measurement module measures the parameter for the purchase item when placed in the auxiliary receptacle. In one embodiment, a verification module verifies that the measured parameter is substantially equivalent to an expected parameter for the purchase item. In a certain embodiment a notification module communicates a security notification in the response to the measured parameter not being substantially equivalent to the expected parameter.
US07841521B2
Methods and devices are provided for making, storing and retrieving electronic representations of payment documents such as payment tickets used for gaming machines. Some implementations sort currency and non-currency payment documents. According to some embodiments, electronic representations are made only of non-currency payment documents. After an electronic representation of a non-currency payment document is made, the payment document is preferably voided. Voided payment documents may be stored in a non-secure storage area, may be automatically disposed of, or may simply be ejected. Some implementations provide devices and methods for resolving payment disputes by reference to stored electronic representations of payment documents. Other embodiments read information from a payment document and make an electronic representation of the payment document without retaining the payment document. Voiding information is transmitted to, e.g., a host device and/or a gaming machine in order to prevent re-use of a payment document.
US07841517B2
Mechanisms for visual identification of a user in a gaming environment. For example, a digital image is used to identify a user, whether the user is on-line or off-line. This digital image is easily verifiable as an appropriate and non-offensive image because it May come form a controlled digital image source (or set of sources). The digital image is also revocable in a variety of gaming environment contexts by a gaming authority. Lastly, the digital image is changeable depending on the context of the gaming environment, in one aspect, being configured to be visible to the entire gaming environment in one form, and being visible to a subset of the gaming environment in another form.
US07841514B2
A price associated with a menu item is determined automatically based at least in part on revenue management information. A menu display is updated on an electronic display device such as a digital menu board to include the automatically-determined price.
US07841512B2
A container comprises a knockdown carton made from a flat blank of corrugated material, and a knockdown lid. The carton comprises a center panel, foldable end panels, foldable side panels, and foldable corner panels. A pair of diametrically opposed corner panels are folded inwardly into contact with opposed end panels. The end panels comprise rectangular cutout holes surrounding foldable flaps. The lid has a central panel that is divided from integral end panels and integral side panels. A lid side panel extending vertically downwardly is coupled to the carton. Lid end panels have elliptical orifices that register with carton cutout regions and adjoining slots that align with handle anchor orifices. An alternative lid has flaps comprising major and minor segments separated by a diagonal fold line. The minor segment has an apex that releasably biases the flap in engagement with the end panel, yieldably locking the lid.
US07841511B2
A carton has an auto bottom that securely closes the bottom of the carton. A reinforcing blank may be provided in the interior of the carton.
US07841510B2
A method for fine positioning a component through the use of fusible elements having two or more melting points so as to establish intermediate displacements between totally melted fusible elements and unmelted fusible elements. Because of the use of non-eutectic fusible materials, fine adjustments in the displacement may be achieved.
US07841505B2
A wire clamp includes a pair of clamp arms at a predetermined distance from each other to define an interval therebetween for a bonding wire, a clamp body coupled to the clamp arms, the clamp body configured to adjust the predetermined distance between the clamp arms with respect to a process to be performed, a clamping section in each clamp arm, the clamping section having concave portions facing the interval between the clamp arms, the concave portions being configured to contact the bonding wire when the clamp arms are brought close together, and at least one abrasion prevention member in each clamping section, the abrasion prevention members being configured to prevent abrasion during contact with the bonding wire.
US07841504B2
An assembly for positioning a structural assembly for friction stir welding, and a system and method for friction stir welding the structural assembly are provided. The assembly includes a substrate defining a recessed pattern therein, and at least one structural member positioned within the recessed pattern to at least partially secure the structural member therein. The structural member is positioned adjacent to the substrate and within the recessed pattern such that the substrate and structural member are formed of materials capable of being friction stir welded together.
US07841491B2
The present invention relates to a closing system for a container, having a neck of the container and a closing body. The body wall includes at least one flexible tongue and at least one relatively stiff protrusion that, when the tongue is seated in the seating portion, arranges circumferentially sided to a circumferential stopping projection of the neck. In an imminent interference configuration, reached by relative rotation between the neck and the closing body, the protrusion interferes with the circumferential stopping projection for making an obstacle to the further rotation in the same direction of rotation, while the tongue is free from interferences with further obstacles to rotation.
US07841479B2
A system for storing cylindrical containers includes multiple container guides positioned parallel to each other. In one embodiment, each container guide includes upper and lower track rails including left and right bearing surfaces and a track separator. The track rails guide containers placed on either side of the rails from a receiving area on the upper track to a dispensing area on the lower track. The lower track may include a concave depression proximate to the dispensing area that retains a first container at a lower relative position, thus enabling the first container to act as a stopping mechanism to subsequent containers placed in the system. The system may also include a frame that receives and supports the container guides and thereby provides one or more storage shelves capable of storing containers such as cans on a first-in first-out basis in a compact manner.
US07841476B2
A screening module retaining member 10 includes a body member 12 defining a passage 16. A retaining element 14 is displaceably arranged in the passage 16. The retaining element 14 is displaceable between a first, non-retaining position in which the retaining member is accessible from a first end of the body member 12 and a second, retaining position in which the retaining element 14 is received within the passage 16 and acts on at least a part 20 of the body member 12 for retaining the body member 12 in position relative to a component of a screen deck. A locating arrangement 22 is associated with the first end of the body member 12 for locating a screening module relative to the screen deck and for inhibiting lateral movement of the screening module relative to the body member 12.
US07841473B2
An electronic device storage/carrying case is adapted for storing and supporting an electronic device, and includes a case body, a first supporting component, and a second supporting component. The case body defines a storage space for storing the electronic device, and includes a front wall formed with an opening. The first supporting component is pivoted to the case body and is pivotable upwardly relative to the case body to a propping position for supporting the electronic device, and downwardly relative to the case body to a storing position, where the first supporting component is stored in the case body. The second supporting component is connected movably to the case body and is movable between a carrying position, where the second supporting component extends outwardly of the case body via the opening in the front wall, and a supporting position, where the second supporting component is disposed in the storage space.
US07841461B2
A roller transport conveyor and method provides a device for conveying items along a plurality of rollers, in which the device may be set up and operated and serviced by manually raising and lowering one or more contact members that transmit force from a spring to urge a drive belt into contact with an underside of the rollers. The contact member is adjustable by raising and lowering the contact member to expand and contract the spring, or by raising and lowering a base on which the spring is supported, so that the drive belt may be engaged with and disengaged from the rollers. A gravity take-up includes a mass suspended from a cable that is routed to a pulley having the drive belt reeved thereon. The cable is wound upon a winch that compensates for belt stretch, or for belts of various lengths.
US07841454B2
Carriers for flat objects such as sheet music are described which supplement the capacity of musical instrument cases having at least one handle. An adjustable hanger strap or straps are provided so that the carrier can be used on cases having different sizes, shapes and thicknesses. The case handle fits through one of a plurality of elongated slots on the hangar strap of the carrier with the carrier positioned against the case. The particular slot used depends on the shape and size of the case. The carrier has one or more compartments for storing articles placed therein, with the carrier draping over one of the sides while being transported about as a single unit by virtue of the case carry handle. Loops engaging the strap are also provided to provide stability.
US07841446B2
A hearing protection device and method of use intended for a human ear. A plug member caps or enters ear canal, and may be shaped to conform to the external auditory meatus. The plug member may be part of a replacement assembly. The device is biased at least in part by a pressure pad to provide some force against the plug member. An optional handle may be provided to assist with temporarily pulling the plug member away from the ear canal or providing adjustment. An optional bow member clips about the pinna. The device may be adapted for use as an ear phone.
US07841438B2
A vehicle may have an engine that provides power for locomotion; a plurality of ground engaging wheels; a clutch assembly connected to the engine and connected to at least one of the ground engaging wheels; and a turbocharger assembly connected to the engine and connected to the clutch assembly. The turbocharger assembly is operated to engage the clutch assembly to connect, for locomotion, the engine to the ground engaging wheel.
US07841431B2
A method for managing thermal loads within an electric vehicle using an efficient thermal management system (100) that utilizes a single heat exchanger (133) is provided. A refrigeration subsystem (103) cools the heat exchanger (133). A first coolant loop (139) in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (133) is used to cool the energy storage system (137). A second coolant loop (151) corresponding to the HVAC subsystem (107) is also in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (133). Preferably a third coolant loop (109) corresponding to the drive motor cooling subsystem (101) is coupleable to the HVAC coolant loop (151), thus providing an efficient means of providing heat to the HVAC subsystem (107).
US07841428B2
Methods of manufacturing polycrystalline diamond are disclosed. More particularly, a mixture including diamond and fullerenes may be provided. Further, the mixture may be exposed to a high pressure, high temperature sintering process. In addition, a volume of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a substrate may be formed by providing a mixture including diamond and fullerenes and exposing the mixture to a high pressure, high temperature sintering process. A drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation is disclosed. Further, polycrystalline diamond compacts are disclosed including polycrystalline diamond bonded to a substrate, wherein the polycrystalline diamond includes less than about 1% by weight or is substantially free of non-fullerenes, non-diamond carbon. Polycrystalline diamond exhibiting an increased diamond volume fraction due to the presence of fullerenes during manufacture relative to polycrystalline diamond formed without fullerenes is disclosed.
US07841418B2
A sidewall fire protection sprinkler including a deflector having a central portion curved about a transverse axis from an output direction of the sprinkler. End portions extend along the transverse axis outwardly from the central portion. The end portions have an upper part and a lower part separated by a gap. Planar portions extend in the output direction from a top edge of the end portions.
US07841416B2
Presented is a subsurface safety valve in which the flapper mount, hard seat and spring housing have been integrated into a single assembly. To accommodate a “soft seat insert,” a special retainer soft seat ring and soft seat seal are provided. The soft seat seal fits over a conical protruding surface (hard seat) that surrounds the main bore of the safety valve on the bottom side of the spring housing. The retainer ring fits over the soft seat seal and holds it in place against the conical surface. Notches along the perimeter of an upper flanged end of the soft seat seal prevent gases, such as nitrogen, from becoming trapped behind the seal and potentially damaging it during a rapid decompression event. A gap between the upper flanged end of the soft seat seal and the lower spring housing allow the seal to move up and down the conical protruding surface as the flapper opens and closes, reducing compression of the seal and the risk of a compression set due to repeated opening and closing of the flapper.
US07841414B1
Well bore servicing equipment is provided. The well bore servicing equipment comprises a first manipulator to grip a well bore work string, to raise the work string, and to lower the work string. The well bore servicing equipment further comprises a controller to receive a work string trajectory input and to automatically control the first manipulator to raise and lower the work string substantially in conformance with the work string trajectory input.
US07841410B2
An improved method and apparatus for dropping a ball, plug or dart during oil and gas well operations (e.g., cementing operations) employs a specially configured valving member with curved and flat portions that alternatively direct fluid flow through a bore or opening in the valving member via an inner channel or around the periphery of the valving member in an outer channel. In one embodiment, the ball(s), dart(s) or plug(s) are contained in a sliding sleeve that shifts position responsive to valve rotation.
US07841409B2
A sand control screen assembly (40) is operably positionable within a wellbore (64). The sand control screen assembly (40) includes a base pipe (42) having at least one opening (46) in a sidewall portion thereof. A filter medium (48) is disposed exteriorly of at least a first circumferential portion of the base pipe (42). The filter medium (48) is in fluid communication with the at least one opening (46). A swellable material layer (56) is disposed exteriorly of a second circumferential portion of the base pipe (42) such that in response to contact with an activating fluid, radial expansion of the swellable material layer (56) causes the filter medium (48) to contact the wellbore (64).
US07841399B2
A flow adapter includes an adapter body which defines a central axial flow bore and one or more lateral flow openings for fluid communication between the central flow bore and a production tubing flowbore surrounding the adapter. The central axial flow bore of the flow adapter provides a flow restriction which creates a pressure drop across the flow adapter. The flow restriction may be in the form of a conically tapered flowbore wherein the downstream end of the flowbore has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the upstream end of the flowbore.
US07841397B2
A tool for use in the treatment of a formation penetrated by a well bore. The tool comprises a tubular core having at least one opening therein for the discharge of pressurized fluid from within the core, first and second axially spaced apart seals disposed on the core for seals between the core and the well bore, the opening in the core being located between the first and second seals, and a third seal disposed downhole relative to the first and second seals for sealing between the tool and the well bore, the third seal protecting the first and second seals from pressure in the well bore below the tool.
US07841384B2
A casing (1) is dedicated to housing a heat exchanger (3) in a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning installation, for example of a motor vehicle. The heat exchanger (3) comprises an air inlet face (12), an air outlet face (13), a rear end face (15), a front end face (14), and at least one side face (16, 17) capped with a radiator tank (4, 5). The casing (1) comprises side walls (18, 19) defining at least one housing to receive at least one part of the radiator tank (4, 5). Furthermore, each side wall (18, 19), defining a housing, comprises first (21, 22) and/or second (23, 24) primary parts intended to be respectively placed opposite radiator tank side faces, substantially parallel to the inlet face (12) and/or outlet face (13), and each radiator tank (4, 5) comprises on its side faces first (25, 26) and second (27, 28) secondary protruding parts, the first and/or second primary parts and the corresponding first and/or second secondary parts being respectively shaped so as to define together a duct (29, 30; 31, 32) constraining an air flow to change direction at least three times, so that the circulation of the air flow is limited in the whole of the duct (29, 30; 31, 32).
US07841378B2
A system, apparatus and method for shielding an area from wind is shown. The system, apparatus and method comprise at least one or a plurality of windscreens that yield to a wind to facilitate or reducing or eliminating stresses or forces on a fence to which the at least one or a plurality of windscreens are attached.
US07841377B2
The invention concerns a device comprising a screen (2) presenting flexible side edges (4) having an overthickness (4′), this screen (2) being equipped with one cable or with several juxtaposed cables (21), incompressible in their lengthwise direction, extending parallel to the side edges (4) of the screen so as to enable the application of a thrust force on these side edges (4) in their longitudinal direction to move the screen to its closed position, this cable or cables (21) being located in the neutral surface (24) of said edges (4) formed on bending of the latter and being fixed with respect to the screen (2) in an unremovable way; the overthickness comprises a flexible strip (8) made of an elastic material, wherein the cable or cables (21) are incorporated, as well as two notched belts (9, 10) being located the one with respect to the other on each of both sides of the curtain (2).
US07841374B2
An auxiliary storage accessory for use with shoulder bags releasably attaches to the attachment points of the shoulder strap on the shoulder bag with elastic straps in order to be usable with a variety of shoulder bags. The storage accessory is typically an auxiliary bag. The storage accessory is removable and can include a storage compartment and/or item holders such as pockets, straps, clips, hooks, loops, and combinations thereof.
US07841364B2
A pipe plug comprised of two, pivotally connected plugging heads, each plugging head having a sealing element, which work in combination to double block and bleed a pipe. The first sealing element prevents flow of product in the pipe and the second sealing element captures any leakage past the first sealing element and forces that leakage out through a fitting. A stabilization pad, connected to a flange on a nosepiece of each plugging head, prevents deformation of the sealing elements. A spring-loaded pivot arm connected to the second plugging head allows the yoke that connects the two plugging heads to rotate freely. An outward-facing raised taper projection on the pivot arm, along with a guide wheel connected to the first plugging head, prevent the yokes and plugging heads from becoming entrapped during their installation in or removal from the pipe.
US07841357B2
A coupling device includes a main body defining a fluid flow passage, and a valve member moveable between an unconnected state and a connected state. The coupling device also includes a magnet coupled to the valve member, and a sensor coupled to the main body, the sensor being configured to sense a change in a magnetic flux of the magnet as the valve member moves between the unconnected state and the connected state to determine a connection state of the coupling device.
US07841351B1
A machine for cleaning coils in HVAC installations including particularly the coils located in outdoor HVAC units and coils located in interior ductwork the machine comprising a shell housing enclosing cleaning fluids, an electrical system for line power or battery operation, and a fluid control system for selecting cleaning fluid and the pressure and volume of fluid applied in cleaning coils.
US07841348B2
Provided is a disk-type mascara brush, used to makeup eyelash with mascara solution applied thereto, having a brush portion which is formed whole at the end of the wand and in a such a shape that disks are piled consecutively in zigzag In a disk-type mascara brush where the brush portion is formed in such a shape that disks are piled at the end of the wand 2, the mascara brush has a brush portion which is formed whole and in such a shape that disk-type plate-tooth are piled consecutively in zigzag so that two axis of the plate-tooth are located in both sides around the axis of the wand.
US07841341B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, an accessory for an aerosol inhalation system includes a main conduit body having an outlet end for placement close to a mouth of a patient, and first and second leg conduits that are in fluid communication with the main conduit body. The accessory further includes a holding chamber having a first compartment and a second compartment separated from the first compartment, with the first compartment being sealingly and fluidly coupled to the one port associated with the first leg conduit and the second compartment is sealingly and fluidly coupled to a port associated with the second leg conduit. An arrangement of valves is provided for directing fluid along prescribed flow paths depending on whether the patient inhales or exhales.
US07841334B1
A cover particularly adapted to extend over outdoor recreational fire pits when not in use includes a circular perforated center plate. Attached to an outer edge of this center plate is an angle-shaped rim having a downward extending vertical flange. Then, attached to a bottom side of the center plate is a centering ring. For use, a pair of spaced apart handles attached to a top side of the center plate may be used to remove the cover so that a fire may be built in the pit and then used to replaced the cover after pit use. In this latter case, the cover is positioned over the pit so that the centering ring extends into the pit next to a vertical sidewall of the pit. Any inadvertent cover movement is inhibited by an interference fit between the cover ring and the pit sidewall.
US07841333B2
A cooking stove in which heat exchange between combustion gas and the bottom surface of a cooking container is sufficiently conducted and heat exchange efficiency is improved is provided. On a top plate, a plate that supports a cooking container is arranged concentrically with the burner head of the burner viewed from above. This plate is disc-shaped where an opening which is larger than the burner head is defined at the center. Moreover, eight protrusions having an angular cross section where slopes become gentler as they extend toward the outer circumferential side are spirally arranged around the opening viewed from above, and these protrusions are formed by press forming.
US07841330B2
A paintball gun includes an air valve and a body portion, in which the body portion includes a paintball hole, a communicator, a piston, an axle sleeve and a bolt. By the pneumatic control of the air valve, the piston is pushed between the first and second positions, and the movement of the bolt is, therefore, controlled between the third and fourth positions, so as to selectively turn the effusion passage open or closed to control the pneumatic air to flow out of the projection passage and projection hole to project the paintball.
US07841321B2
In a canister and a method of manufacturing a canister, in order to restrain a temperature rise of an adsorptive material owing to adsorption of an evaporated fuel (gasoline vapor) or to restrain a temperature drop of the adsorptive material during purging of the adsorbed gasoline vapor and to increase adsorbing and purging amounts, or in order to improve adsorbing and purging performances of the evaporated fuel, there is disposed a thermal storage material constituted of a phase change substance which absorbs and discharges latent heat in response to a temperature change or a thermal storage material microcapsule constituted by confining the thermal storage material in a microcapsule in a state in which the material or the microcapsule is not brought into direct contact with the evaporated fuel, and especially in the vicinity of the adsorptive material in a heat-conduction state, so that the temperature change is restrained by the thermal storage material in response to the temperature rise or drop of the adsorptive material to prevent deterioration of the adsorbing performance of an activated carbon due to the temperature rise and deterioration of the purging performance of the activated carbon due to the temperature drop.
US07841320B2
An actuator unit has a tube spring (32), a piezoelectric actuator (31), that is inserted into the tube spring (32), a first cap (33), that is connected to the tube spring (32) at a first free end of the tube spring (32) and which is adjoined by the piezoelectric actuator (31), a tube-shaped body 38, that is connected to the tube spring (32) by joining and is arranged in the area of a second free end (35) of the tube spring (32), and a device for pretensioning, that is supported by the tube-shaped body (38) and pretensions the piezoelectric actuator (31). The actuator unit is simple and cheap to manufacture.
US07841318B2
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, includes: a crankshaft; a crank angle detection unit that outputs a crank signal; a generator that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the crankshaft, and that outputs alternating voltage signals with one-phase; and a control unit, to which the alternating voltage signals are input, that ascertains ignition timings based on the crank signals, performs ignition control so as to spark the internal combustion engine at the ignition timings, determines a polarity of the alternating voltage signal each time the crank signal is detected, ascertains a polarity cycle of the alternating voltage signals based on the determination result of the polarity, and determines that a failure has occurred in the generator when the polarity cycles do not continuously coincide multiple times with the polarity cycles at the time of forward rotation of the crankshaft.
US07841314B2
To improve soundproof performance on an air intake side of a cooling structure of a construction machine without enlarging an air intake chamber. An air intake chamber is provided on the air intake side of a heat exchanger in an engine room, and a first air intake port is formed in a top face of the air intake chamber. In the air intake chamber, a duct independently formed as a shield member is disposed so as to partition the air intake chamber into two chambers, and also such that the core surface of the heat exchanger is enclosed airtightly from the surrounding atmosphere. A second air intake port is formed in the duct; thereby, the air intake chamber is constituted in a doubled duct structure, and air sucked from the first air intake port is guided through an air intake passage to the core surface of the heat exchanger, the air intake passage being bent so as to be roughly L-shaped.
US07841303B2
An extendible lead with an integrated excrement collector, with the lead including a casing with a collection drum. The excrement collector includes a tubular body having telescopic sections and having a flexible wire inside. One end of the wire is disposed in an opening of the tubular body and forms a lasso. A second end of the wire extends through the tubular body and out of the other end of the body and is connected to a handle.
US07841302B2
An electronic fence system capable of guiding animals under training to return to a predetermined restricted area. The electronic fence generates electric shocks as the animals attempt to leave the predetermined restricted area and restrains the electrical shock when the animals return to the predetermined restricted area. The electronic fence includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter transmits RF signals having a plurality of control signals such that different shock levels are generated responsive to the location of the animals within the predetermined restricted area. The receiver sets a shock wave level, selectively controls the generation of the electric shock and a high-frequency beep, automatically restrains the generation of the electric shock when an escaped animal returns to the predetermined restricted area, and generates an audible alarm and turns lamps on and off to indicate the location of the animal when it escapes from the predefined restricted area.
US07841299B2
A foot bath for animal hoof use is continuously or intermittently replenished with treatment solution while in service. This technique maintains a consistent concentration of treatment chemical, dilutes organic matter deposited in the foot bath and effects removal of fibrous material while maintaining the foot bath in continual service for efficacious treatment.
US07841294B2
A food glazing system for automatically applying a glaze to an edible object. An inclined heatable surface is disposed in the path of sugar dispensed from a sugar dispenser and is positioned to heat the sugar enroute to an edible object to be glazed.
US07841293B2
A display instrument (1), in particular, for a motor vehicle, has a housing (2) retaining a cover disc (3) and a connector element (10), connecting the housing (2) and the cover disc (3) which engages in a housing recess (11), arranged on the housing (2). A secure connection of housing (2) and cover disc (3) for the display instrument (1) may be achieved, whereby the connector element (10) is arranged in the housing recess (11) and a disc recess (12), corresponding to the housing recess (11) on the cover disc (3), under tension. In the method for production of the display instrument (1), the connector element (10) is introduced under tension into the housing recess (11) and the disc recess (12) such as to connect the housing (2) and the cover disc (3) together. The method for disassembly of the display instrument (1) is based on pressing the connector element (10) out of the housing recess (11) and/or the disc recess (12).
US07841290B1
In one general aspect, a shaftless external propulsion system as described herein provides a sleeve configured to be externally mounted over a hull of a marine vehicle. In addition, the shaftless propulsion system provides a rotor and a first stator mounted on the sleeve. The rotor includes a rotor hub that cooperates with a rotor bearing to enable the rotor to rotate about the sleeve, the rotor further comprising rotor blades attached to the rotor hub. The rotor and the first stator are disposed between a collar located at a first end of the sleeve and a collar hub located at an opposite end of the sleeve.
US07841281B2
A pallet for the movement of goods includes several individual parts connected to one another, including a loading part, which comprises a loading surface and a reinforcement section. The goods to be transported are placed on the loading surface of the loading part, and the reinforcement section is positioned below the loading part, along with a frame section, comprising a frame center section and a frame floor section. The pallet may be formed from a fire retardant material and may include a transponder for locating the pallet.
US07841266B2
Embodiments of a power miter saw comprises a saw base having a fence for positioning a work piece, a table rotatably connected to the saw base, a miter arm assembly for angularly positioning the table, a saw blade and motor assembly pivotally connected to the table having a normally elevated rest position and being configured to lower a saw blade toward the table, a handle connected to the saw blade and motor assembly for lowering the saw blade into cutting position, an activation switch adjacent the handle and positioned to be engaged by an operator, a proximity sensor disposed on the saw blade and motor assembly for detecting the presence of objects within a zone of detection associated with the table, and electrical circuitry connected to the proximity sensor configured to generate an electrical detection signal in response to the proximity sensor detecting the presence of an object.
US07841256B2
A miniaturized articulated manipulator 20 has a first arm member 31A internally provided with two driving motors 33 and 34, and a second arm member 30B not provided with any devices corresponding to the driving motors 33 and 34 and capable of being miniaturized. The driving motors 33 and 34 can be disposed in common areas 135 at least partially overlapping each other with respect to a direction parallel to the axis of the first arm member 30A and can be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the axis. Thus the first arm member 30A can be formed in a small axial size. Thus the first arm 30A and the second arm 30B can be miniaturized and hence the articulated manipulator 20 can be formed in a short overall length.
US07841253B2
The device comprises four shift forks, each slidable among a first engagement position, a second engagement position and an intermediate neutral position between the two engagement positions, and an operating unit comprising four double-acting hydraulic actuators identical to each other and arranged to control each the displacement of a respective shift fork among the two engagement positions and the neutral position. The operating unit further comprises a support plate having holes for fixing to the gear case, and an actuator block accommodating the hydraulic actuators. The support plate and the actuator block are integrated to form a single body. In the assembled condition of the operating unit on the gear case, the actuator block is disposed on the side of the support plate facing towards the inside of the gear case.
US07841249B2
A system for facilitating the mapping of a partially or fully occluded (hidden) pipeline containing a gas, a liquid, or a liquid-gas mixture. The system includes a sensor device having an internal sphere with a generally smooth outer surface and an internal orientation stabilizer. Within the internal sphere are contained a tri-axial inertial sensor, a time keeping device, a data processing device, a data recording device, and a power source. The internal sphere is centered and held within an external sphere having an inside diameter that is incrementally larger than the outside diameter of the internal sphere. The external sphere has a generally smooth unobstructed inner surface and fully encloses the internal sphere. A quantity of fluid fills the spatial gap between the outside surface of the inside sphere and the inside surface of the external sphere in a manner that permits omni-directional free rotational movement of the internal sphere within the external sphere. The use of the sensor involves the process of downloading data that has been stored within the data recording device of the internal sphere after it has traveled its path through the pipeline to be mapped.
US07841241B2
A SAW based pressure sensor having a base 2a with an aperture 3 formed therein and a substrate 4 mounted on the base so as to completely overlie the aperture. The substrate 4 is adhered to base 2a so as to form a fluid tight seal around the periphery of the aperture 3. A first SAW resonator 5 is mounted on the substrate 4 wholly within the region overlying the aperture 3, with two further SAW resonators 6, 7 being mounted on the substrate wholly within a region which is stiffened by adhesion to the underlying base 2a , such that the two further SAW resonators 6, 7 are completely decoupled from the strain field arising in the substrate due to deflections thereof.
US07841235B2
The invention relates to a superconducting level measuring apparatus for liquid hydrogen in liquid hydrogen vessels, in particular vehicular tanks, a superconductor (1) based on magnesium diboride MgB2 being arranged vertically or inclinedly to the vertical in a liquid hydrogen vessel (5), and a controllable heat source (2) being arranged on the upper region of the superconductor (1), the superconductor (1) being electrically contacted with a controllable current source (3) as well as a voltage measuring apparatus (4) and the level being measured by measuring a voltage. The MgB2 material is preferably employed as a filament wire. Continuous level measurements of high spatial and temporal resolution can be implemented in uncomplicated fashion. The level measuring apparatus and the method are also suitable for level measurement of liquid neon.
US07841233B2
A system for simulating the ground effect for testing vehicles or their simulacra in wind tunnels includes a resting surface for the vehicle incorporating a moving belt for simulation of the ground, extending between the wheels of the vehicle, at least from one end to the other of the vehicle, as well as two auxiliary moving belts set immediately adjacent to the two sides of the front portion of the main moving belt, for simulating the ground in areas in front of the front wheels of the vehicle.
US07841231B2
A steering angle sensing apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus and method sense the steering angle of a steering shaft by using a rotated bit value difference corresponding to the rotated angles of magnets, which are respectively coupled on an axis of one of a plurality of sub gears, when the sub gears with respectively different gear ratios rotate with a shaft gear that rotates together with the steering shaft.
US07841229B2
Apparatus and method for use in testing the fluid tightness of closed vessels or fluid systems, such as found in the pressurized cooling system of an internal combustion engine and the fluid transmission of an automobile. The apparatus is configured to detect and/or quantify fluid leakage from a fluid system that is under pressure, when in use, such as through imperfections in the housing or sealing structure of the fluid system whereby to warn the provider of such fluid system that a leakage condition exists.
US07841228B2
In one aspect there is disclosed a method of detecting a hydrogen leak in a fuel cell system that includes the steps of a) providing a hydrogen sensor, b) determining sensor characteristics, c) measuring a hydrogen concentration, d) determining if a hydrogen leak is occurring, and e) performing an action based on the determination of step d). The step of determining the sensor characteristics may include determining an upper detection limit of the hydrogen sensor, as well as determining a minimum time period at the upper detection limit before saturation of the sensor.
US07841217B2
A washing machine wherein a cold water valve is opened during a hot fill operation is described. In one embodiment, the washing machine comprises a cabinet, a tub and basket mounted within the cabinet, and an agitation element mounted within the basket. The machine also includes a cold water valve for controlling flow of cold water to the tub, and a hot water valve for controlling flow of hot water to the tub. A control coupled to the cold water valve controls opening and closing of the cold water valve during the hot fill operation.
US07841206B2
A refrigerator having a main body includes a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber provided for storing foods. A cool air-generating device provided in the body generates cool air and a cool air-supplying device including at least one opening for discharging the cool air, is used to circulate the cool air through the freezing chamber, the refrigerating chamber, and the cool air-generating device. A separator provided adjacent to the opening acts to uniformly diffuse the cool air in the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber. The separator acts to separate two flows that are then brought back together. The collision and mixing of the two flows create a turbulent flow of air that is directed into the refrigerating and freezing chambers.
US07841205B2
A multi cylinder compressor/expansion engine having a centrally mounted drive shaft. A cylinder barrel is mounted on the drive shaft and both the cylinder barrel and the drive shaft rotate about a common axis. There is a plurality of cylinders in the cylinder barrel with pistons disposed in each of the cylinders. Some of the cylinders are compression cylinders and some of the cylinders are expansion cylinders. The compression cylinders discharge a fluid at a first high pressure from the engine. The expansion cylinders receive fluid at a second pressure which provides energy to the engine thereby reducing the energy required for the engine to rotate the drive shaft.
US07841199B2
A data center cooling solution providing techniques for using baffles, doors and roof sections to prevent warm air from being entrained into a cold aisle in a data center, wherein the data center generally contains an air cooling system and a raised floor structure. The raised floor structure is configured to deliver cool air into the data center through a plurality of grates and perforated tiles in the floor. Electronic equipment racks are disposed around the grates and perforated tiles, such that the front faces of the equipment racks face the grates and perforated tiles. A collection of baffles, doors or roof sections inhibit the mixing of the cool air delivered by the air cooling system and the warm air exhausted by the electronic equipment.
US07841185B2
Disparities between optimum engine thrust for aircraft operation and power necessary to drive an ancillary machine such an electrical power generator can cause problems within a turbine engine. Clearly, it is necessary to continue developing sufficient electrical power for control and other systems within an aircraft despite aircraft thrust requirements. Previously, some compressed air flow has been bypassed in order to maintain compressor stability, but unfortunately such bypass systems within turbine engines can have a thrust recovery regime such that there is excess thrust in comparison with that actually necessary. In accordance with the present invention, a proportion of the compressed air flow is bled directly through a bleed path to an exhaust nozzle 104 of an engine such that the compressor core can continue to provide work to drive an ancillary machine whilst engine thrust is limited to that actually required, achieving a significant saving in terms of fuel consumption and wear and tear upon brakes, etc under low power operation.
US07841178B2
A master cylinder comprising a large diameter pressurizing chamber and a small diameter hydraulic chamber, a control valve device in which a control valve body releases a hydraulic pressure in the large diameter pressurizing chamber to a reservoir side such that the hydraulic pressure in the large diameter pressurizing chamber is gradually reduced in accordance with a rise in a hydraulic pressure in the small hydraulic chamber, and a check valve device comprising a check valve chamber communicating with an relief passage, which releases a hydraulic pressure in the large diameter pressurizing chamber to the reservoir via the control valve device, and with a small diameter hydraulic chamber, respectively, and a check valve body accommodated in the check valve chamber for permitting flow of a brake fluid from the relief passage to the small hydraulic chamber, and for preventing flow of the brake fluid in a reverse direction.
US07841177B1
An apparatus for producing electricity from moving water, such as ocean waves, by converting the wave motion to electricity, the apparatus including a platform, structural tubes, a piston and a float base, where the electricity producing devices may be located on the platform and may be protected from the elements. The wave movement, up and down, between crest and trough causes movement of the piston, and the movement may be used to generate electricity when the piston is coupled with one or more electrical generating devices, such as a generator.
US07841176B1
A transaxle including a hydrostatic transmission mounted in a transmission housing and having a pair of hydraulic pumps and hydraulic motors operatively connected together. First and second axle housings are mounted on opposite ends of the transmission housing, with output axles mounted in the axle housings, where each output axle is connected to its respective hydraulic motor through a gear train in the axle housing. A brake is provided on each axle housing to directly engage one of the gears in the gear train to provide a braking force for the output axles.
US07841169B2
A regeneration controller for preventing a large amount of particulate matter from being suddenly burned without increasing the frequency a heating process is performed. The regeneration controller includes an ECU(70) for heating an exhaust purification apparatus to eliminate the particulate matter accumulated in the exhaust purification apparatus when an estimated accumulation amount is greater than a reference accumulation amount. The ECU(70) obtains the estimated accumulation amount by estimating the amount of particulate matter accumulated in the exhaust purification apparatus. Furthermore, the ECU (70) changes modes for heating an exhaust purification apparatus when the regeneration controller is heated and an estimated accumulation amount is within a mode change range.
US07841168B2
The aim of the invention is to estimate a temperature jump (ΔT) of a catalytic converter of an internal combustion engine in the event of a change in the composition of the exhaust gas. To this end, a quantity of a reactand (SI) stored in the catalytic converter is monitored (2-7), and the heating (ΔT) of the catalytic converter resulting from the reaction heat released during the reaction of the stored reactand is assumed (13, 14, 16, 17) as the temperature jump (ΔT).
US07841165B2
A method for assembling a gas turbine engine includes coupling a low-pressure turbine to a core turbine engine, coupling a counter-rotating fan assembly including a forward fan assembly and an axially aft fan assembly to the low-pressure turbine such that the forward fan assembly rotates in a first direction and the aft fan assembly rotates in an opposite second direction, and coupling a booster compressor directly to the low-pressure turbine such that the booster compressor rotates in the first direction.
US07841161B2
The present invention relates to a machine, a system, and textiles resulting from an industrially produced yarn, created through the incorporation of a linear false twisting device and two lappets positioned to affect a yarn during drafting. The invention results in a yarn having a low twist multiplier. The textiles products created from the produced yarn exhibit a soft feel without requiring the use of chemical treatments.
US07841160B2
Shaker with adjustable stiffness for harvesting machines, especially grape harvesters, includes two berry detaching assemblies, facing each other. Each assembly includes a plurality of vertically spaced out flexible shakers, having the general shape of a hairpin and two branches connected through a curved portion. The end of one of these branches, the activation branch, connects to an actuation system while the end of the other branches connects to a fixed support. The activation branch is equipped with a mechanism to modify the degree of stiffness or flexibility of the branches over at least a portion of length, and thereby, to adjust the degree of stiffness or flexibility of the shaker assembly.
US07841159B2
An embodiment of an overall approximately rectangular rotary mower blade, affixed to a powered support shaft, where the support shaft rotates the blade tines on a rotational plane parallel to the vegetation to be cut, where the blade employs aerodynamic tines preceding the main cutting edge. Features of the aerodynamic tines improve cutting, mulching, and safety of mower operation.
US07841155B2
A tool (4) is part of a bag forming machine (1) for deforming a plain web of wrapping material (33) into a tube for producing bags containing goods. The tool (4) includes a filling pipe (3) and a forming shoulder (2) including a movable first part (7), a movable second part (8), a stationary third part (13) and a channel (18) housing the filling pipe (3). The filling pipe (3) and the channel (18) form a passage gap (27) allowing for passage of the wrapping material (33). The first and second parts (7, 8) are pivotable with respect to one another such that they can be moved into a closed position and into an opened position while approximately moving in a radial direction (29 with respect to the surface of the filling pipe (3) and perpendicular to the tubular wrapping material (33) to prevent clamping or squeezing of the wrapping material (33).
US07841153B1
A combination of an enclosure and a treated foam design and a method of manufacturing a treated foam design and combining the foam design with an enclosure consisting of a pool cage having vertical and horizontal aluminum tubing sections. After the enclosure (cage) is measured, the measurements are entered into an auto cad program and the cad file is entered into a computer controlled contour cutter. The colonnade pieces are then painted. The columns, cornices and trim contain depressions to fit around and conceal the tubing sections or tent poles. The aesthetically formed foam columns, cornices and trim are attached to the enclosure structure with a construction adhesive.
US07841139B2
An uninsulated section comprising a first section element and a second section element is described; the first section element comprises a first cavity for housing a portion of a first heat-insulating body and a second cavity for housing a portion of a second heat-insulating body; the second section element comprises a third cavity for housing another portion of the first heat-insulating body and a fourth cavity for housing another portion of the second heat-insulating body. The uninsulated section also comprises a partition connecting the first section element and the second section element. Advantageously, the partition may be situated between the first and the second cavity and between the third and the fourth cavity.
US07841125B2
A system for ice fishing has a base with a support surface, an arm extending up from the support surface and an upper end of the arm pivotally connected at a pivot point to a fishing pole support. The fishing pole support has a grip support back end having a fishing line brace rearward of the pivot point and pole support front end forward of the pivot point so that a fishing line passing from the pole support front end over the fishing line brace passes in a downward direction. When tension is applied to the downward fishing line, pivoting pressure is provided to the grip support back end at the line brace, elevating the pole support front end by rotation of the fishing pole support.
US07841124B2
A rod holder having a multidirectional mounting feature. The rod holder includes a tube sized to receive a fishing rod. A multi-directional mounting feature is attached to the tube. The multi-directional mounting feature includes a plate defining at least two intersecting mounting channels. A cap is configured to mate with the plate in at least two positions, thereby allowing the rod holder to be multi-directionally mounted.
US07841121B1
A take-down rifle is described that can be separated into two halves to allow the rifle to be transported, cleaned, etc. easier. The takedown rifle includes a takedown mechanism that is used to couple the two halves of the rifle together. The takedown mechanism may move between a first position where the takedown mechanism holds the two halves together and a second position where the two halves are released. In one embodiment, the takedown mechanism may include a securing member that is selectively moved into and out of a recess in the barrel to hold and release the two halves. The securing member may be moved into and out of the recess with a lever, threaded fastener, or the like.
US07841120B2
A handgrip apparatus for firearm includes a hollow housing defining a handgrip surface and forming an enclosure. A fastener is connected to the housing for removably attaching the handgrip apparatus to a fore-end portion of a firearm. A retractable leg assembly is movable between a retracted position and an extended position and includes a pair of pivoting legs usable as a bipod support when the leg assembly is in the extended position. In one aspect, one or more switches for controlling operation of one or more electronic devices are coupled to the handgrip apparatus. One or more connectors are electrically coupled to the one or switches and are adapted to be electrically coupled to one or more electronic devices. In another aspect, a handgrip apparatus having a pivoting attachment between the fastener and the housing positions is provided. In another aspect, a handgrip apparatus includes integrated conductors in the fastener.
US07841116B2
Disclosed is a system for decorating architectural columns. The system includes opposing dowels that are contained within cylindrical housings. Banner-type decorations extend between the cylindrical housings. The cylindrical housings also include upper and lower access openings. Strap assemblies are also included that extend around the dowels via the access openings. The banner-type decorations are secured to the face of an architectural column by securing the upper and lower strap assemblies.
US07841115B2
A mounting system for displaying planar articles (13) comprising a plate (10) of a magnetic material, a plurality of fingers (12) projecting from the plate (10), the fingers (12) having co-planar support surfaces, and magnets (14) that can be placed in register with the support surfaces so that corners of the planar articles (13) are sandwiched between the magnets (14) and the support surfaces of the fingers (12).
US07841093B1
An under-the-cabinet household opening appliance including an electric can opener, a jar opener mounted on the bottom wall of the can opener housing, and a sheath for a scissors on the back of the housing. A scissors holder in the sheath releasably retains a scissors within the sheath. A bottle opener and a hone are also mounted on the appliance housing.
US07841091B2
A bladeset for a hair clipper includes at least one stationary blade having a plurality of stationary blade teeth, and at least one moving blade having a plurality of moving blade teeth and being configured for laterally reciprocating relative to the at least one stationary blade for cutting hair therebetween, the moving blade having a set of long teeth configured for cutting hair across a width of said moving blade, and a set of short teeth configured for cutting hair across said moving blade width when a clipper feed rate exceeds a given speed.
US07841090B2
The present invention is directed to an electric shaver having a shaver housing, and a shaving head housing that is connected to the shaver housing for pivotal movement between two end positions. The shaving head housing carries at least two shaving assemblies, of which at least one shaving assembly is retractable into the housing to a first, retracted position, and elastically biased toward a second, extended position, such that extension of the at least one shaving assembly is a function of contact pressure applied by a user. Actuating elements carried by the shaving head housing control a maximum degree of extension of the at least one shaving assembly as a function of a pivot angle between the shaver housing and the shaving head housing.
US07841089B2
A snowmobile ski with a pair of outboard keels and laterally projecting, upwardly slanting, lateral wings attached proximate the outboard keels is disclosed. A ski of this structure has improved flotation and resistance to side slippage in turns.
US07841082B2
The present invention is an apparatus that includes a chamber rotor with a chamber and an extension rotor with an extension. The rotors are housed in a rotor case. A pressure cavity is at least transiently formed by the extension rotor and the chamber rotor. The present invention also includes a compressor that includes a chamber rotor with a chamber and an extension rotor with an extension where the extension is adapted to be received in the chamber when the rotors are synchronously rotated. The compressor also includes a power input shaft attached to the extension rotor and a gear assembly attached to the rotors that is adapted to insure the synchronous rotation of the rotors. A rotor case houses the rotors and has an intake port and an exhaust port. The present invention also includes an engine that is similar to the compressor and includes a spark plug. Methods of compressing, pumping and generating electricity and mechanical power are also part of the present invention.
US07841075B2
Provided herein are devices comprising a printed wiring board that comprise, singulated capacitors fabricated from known good, thin-film, fired-on-foil capacitors. Provided are methods of incorporating the singulated capacitors into the build-up layers of a printed wiring board to minimize impedance. The singulated capacitors have a pitch that allows each power and ground terminal of an IC to be directly connected to a power and ground electrode, respectively, of its own singulated capacitor. Using a feedstock of known good, fired-on-foil capacitors allows for improved PWB yield.
US07841063B2
In a method for the production of a corrugated tube from a flat metal sheet, two half shells are formed each extending in a longitudinal direction, and the half shells are provided with corrugations oriented transversely to their longitudinal direction. The two half shells are either disposed in a single sheet metal part longitudinally next to one another or are separate parts. In the case of their formation with two half shells disposed in a common sheet metal part next to one another, the preformed sheet metal part in the region between the two half shells is folded or curved about an axis parallel to the longitudinal directions of the half shells, wherein free longitudinal edges of the half shells are brought into mutual contact and are connected with one another. In the case of the formation of the half shells in the form of separate parts, the two half shells are placed against one another with their longitudinal edges and the longitudinal edges are connected with one another. At least one of the two longitudinal edges, coming into mutual contact, of the subshells is provided with a row of cutouts spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the subshells. Through the connection of sections of this longitudinal edge, located between the cutouts, together with the other longitudinal edge in the connection region of the two longitudinal edges, a row of openings through the casing of the corrugated tube is formed, which openings are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the corrugated tube.
US07841058B2
Exemplary embodiments generally relate to a method and device for assembling a plurality of different roof-covering membranes, herein known as fitments. The particular fitment is preferably designed for the particular roof on which it is to be used. The roof measurements may be provided to a factory which may create a unitary membrane from separate pieces which may be hot air bonded together. A single machine may be utilized to quickly, and repeatably assemble a plurality of different fitments.
US07841057B2
A panel for a mattress including first and second fabric layers joined together along their edges and a padding material between said fabrics. The padding material includes at least a layer of resilient foam provided with through-holes. The foam layer is quilted between the first and second fabric layers. A method of manufacturing the panel includes forming a resilient foam body provided with recesses, horizontally cutting a plurality of single layers in the body in the recesses portion to result in at least one layer with through-holes, sandwiching at least one of the single layers provided with through-holes in each panel between the first and second fabric layers.
US07841049B2
A hinge assembly includes a first swinging member, a second swinging member that has a barrel at one end, a pivot pin inserted through the barrel to pivotally secure the second swinging member to a proximal end of the first swinging member, a guide member, which has a first end inserted through an oblique guide slot on the barrel and pivotally coupled to the pivot pin and a second end provided with a transversely extending screw hole, and an adjustment screw transversely inserted through the proximal end of the first swinging member and threaded into the screw hole of the guide member for allowing rotation by a user to bias the second swinging member relative to the first swinging member.
US07841044B1
A riding debris mover for moving debris on a surface from a first location to a second location comprises a frame coupled to a riding platform adapted to support a user, and a plurality of wheels coupled to the frame comprising at least two opposing traction wheels for driving the riding blower. A power source is coupled to the frame and is operatively coupled with at least the two traction wheels, whereby the traction wheels are rotated independently and the riding blower is propelled. A blower assembly has an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, the blower assembly being supported by the frame and operatively coupled with the power source, whereby the blower assembly generates a stream of air from the air outlet opening. A deflector assembly is associated with the blower assembly and comprises at least one movable deflector, whereby the at least one movable deflector can be independently moved between an open position, a closed position, and a position intermediate the open position and closed position, to control the air flow and air flow velocity of the stream of air generated by the blower assembly.
US07841043B2
A latch assembly for a wet/dry vacuum cleaner wherein the vacuum has a fan collector cover disposed between the filter cage and water tank of the vacuum cleaner and the drum lid of the vacuum housing the internal vacuum operating components. The filter cage is assembled to the drum lid or power head without tooling or screws while fixing the fan collector cover in place between the filter cage and drum lid. The power head housing is also attached to the bottom cover without screws or other fasteners.
US07841037B2
In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides a golf club cleaning device that includes a cleaning portion including an upper and lower cleaning surfaces; a flag portion disposed at a top end of the cleaning portion, the flag portion including a gripping means; and a spike portion disposed at a bottom end of the cleaning portion substantially opposite the top end of the cleaning portion, the spike portion including a support means for supporting the device in an upright manner when depressed into the ground. By grasping the flag portion, the spike portion is selectively disposed in the ground at a predetermined location associated with a golf course, practice range, or the like, thereby allowing a player to clean a golf club by selectively running the front face and/or rear face of the golf club horizontally and/or vertically across the one or more cleaning surfaces/materials of the cleaning portion. Advantageously, the flag portion may incorporate an advertising logo and/or informational text.
US07841034B1
Disclosed is a vehicle drawn device for cleaning a fence line. The fence cleaner includes a movable main frame with an attached rotating vertical tube broom which tube broom bristles come into contact with the fence line to remove dead and dried out vegetation which has become affixed to the fence line. The tube broom is capable of being tilted for better access to a fence line. Once the vegetation is removed from the fence line by the tube broom, the tube broom rotates the dead and dried out vegetation to a rotating clean off assembly. The clean off assembly extends parallel to the tube broom and contains a plurality of protruding teeth. The protruding teeth remove the dead and dried out vegetation from the rotating tube broom and force the vegetation into a chopper drum. A rotating horizontal feed accelerator continuously pushes the vegetation into the drum to avoid a buildup of vegetation. Upon entering the drum, a plurality of chopping blades cut the dead and dried out vegetation into small sections. Once chopped, the vegetation sections drop to ground level and are ultimately tilled into the ground.
US07841019B2
Protective knee pads are comprised of a first shell member which fits over the patella and knee joint and a second member which is attached to the lower thigh and pivotally engaged with the knee pad shell so that they may articulate one with respect to the other while providing additional support and protection for the user of the knee pad. An additional shin pad may also be attached to the lower end of the shell which covers the knee.
US07841018B2
A baseball catcher's equipment includes a baseball catcher's uniform sized to be worn by a child, a chest guard, and a shin guard. The baseball catcher's uniform includes a baseball catcher's uniform shirt and a baseball catcher's uniform pants. The baseball catcher's uniform, the chest guard, and the shin guard include corresponding hook-and-loop fastener pads configured to removably secure the chest guard and the shin guard to the baseball catcher's uniform.
US07845015B2
Protected content distribution is accomplished by a first entity generating a set of asymmetric key pairs, creating a plurality of sets of private keys by selecting a combination of private keys from the set of asymmetric key pairs for each created set, and distributing the sets of private keys to playback devices. A second entity produces protected content including encrypted content and a public key media key block, encrypts a symmetric content key with each public key in the set of asymmetric key pairs to form the public key media key block and encrypts a content title with the symmetric content key to form the encrypted content. A playback device stores one set of private keys, receives the protected content, and decrypts and plays the content title stored in the protected content when a selected one of the set of private keys stored by the playback device successfully decrypts the encrypted symmetric content key stored in the public key media key block of the received protected content.
US07845014B2
A method and apparatus is provided for providing digital content to a client. The method begins by receiving a request from the client to receive digital content. The client is authorized to receive the digital content and the DRM implementation employed by the client is determined. The digital content is then provided to the client in conformance with the DRM implementation employed by the client.
US07845011B2
A transfer source gives a challenge key, own public key, an ID for identifying the target data, and an encryption key type to a transfer destination that is authenticated by a certificate. In accordance with the given key type, the transfer destination generates a first session key (and a second session key), encrypts the first session key and own public key (or second session key) with the transfer source's public key, encrypts the resulting encrypted data with the challenge key, and transmits the data encrypted with the challenge key to the transfer source. The transfer source encrypts the target data with the second session key (or the transfer destination's public key) that is derived from the received data, encrypts the resulting encrypted data with the first session key, and transmits the data encrypted with the first session key to the transfer destination. The transfer destination decrypts the received data with the first session key, and decrypts the resulting decrypted data with the second session key (or the own public key) to acquire the license.
US07845008B2
A method is provided for detecting viruses. According to the method, data is stored in a journal area of memory before changes embodied in the data are written to virtual memory. At least a first portion of the data in the journal area of memory is scanned for viruses. In some embodiments, a second portion of data that immediately precedes and/or immediately follows data to which the first portion of the data pertains is scanned for viruses. Preferably, the virtual memory includes a persistent storage device. Also provided is a system that includes a processor, a memory that includes virtual memory and a journal storage area, and a virus scanner controlled by the processor. The virus scanner scans the journal storage area for viruses.
US07845005B2
A computer random access memory is divided into first and second partitions. Each partition has its own operating system (OS). The first partition has a conventional OS and is designated for non-Internet use. The second partition is designated for secure Internet access, and has an OS specific for Internet usage. Software in the second partition cannot write or copy files in the second partition. The size of the second partition is fixed and unchangeable while said second partition is open. Each software application in the second partition is allocated a memory region that cannot be changed, thereby preventing memory overflow attacks. A secure memory is designated for temporary storage of software used in the second partition. Cyclic redundancy check (CRC) values are calculated for all files in the secure memory. To detect unauthorized file changes, CRC values are calculated for all files used in the second partition, and checked against values stored in the secure memory. The second partition can write only to a secure memory using a security arrangement such as password protection or a download memory separate from the first partition to allow files stored in the download memory to be examined by scanning and testing from the first partition prior to being stored elsewhere in the computer.
US07845002B1
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for defining rights applicable to a digital object. A set of initial rights and a set of modifying rights are received for the digital object. At least one of the set of initial rights and the set of modifying rights specifies one or more conditions on rights in the respective set of rights. A new set of rights is defined for the digital object based on the set of initial rights and the set of modifying rights. The new set of rights specifies one or more new conditions on rights in the new set of rights. The new conditions are defined based on one or more of the conditions in the set of initial rights and/or the set of modifying rights.
US07844998B2
A software application and corresponding architecture to implement the application that dynamically updates the access control list and keeps track of the distribution routes of a document in a repository where the document is built and accessed through usage of a common email system. The access control list and distribution routes are built by tracking recipients of the email message linked to the document. Some recipients can be disabled by the originator from forwarding the referenced databases within the emailed document, while others may designate further transmissions to selected persons or groups.
US07844997B2
A system to prevent unauthorized access to a protected device includes a test access port operable to mate with a test access connector, a security key port operable to mate with a security key and a security device in electrical communication with the test access port and the security key port. The protected device is in electrical communication with the test access port when the security device is enabled based on the security key. The test equipment is authorized for access to the protected device when the security device is enabled.
US07844990B2
An information including all program names from a recording start time to a recording end time of a broadcast signal, the recording start time and the recording end time is extracted from an electronic program guide information in a broadcast signal, based on a recording information associated with the broadcast signal recorded in a recording section. An OSD image generating section generates an image of the information for all the programs extracted and outputs the image to a monitor unit 4.
US07844987B2
A navigation interface display system generates a navigation element that organizes television programming data in an easy-to-use manner. The navigation element employs a hierarchical display protocol for a plurality of selection items that represent the various television programs, channels, and/or networks. The hierarchical display scheme displays a limited number of active selection items at a first magnification level and additional active selection items at a second magnification level. In addition, the selection items are displayed on distinctive areas or features of the navigation element, where such features represent different content genres or categories. Subcategories can also be displayed in a hierarchical manner, thus providing additional information related to the content as the magnification level of the navigation element changes.
US07844986B2
A method and apparatus is provided for receiving and/or reproducing a digital signal, capable of efficiently recording a compressed, packeted digital signal and inhibiting a copy thereof. An input packet signal is added with a time stamp indicating a relative time of an arrival of the packet, and the packet signals of digital information with the added time stamps are recorded at reduced intervals therebetween. In reproducing, a packet interval adjusting circuit restores the original packet intervals in accordance with the time stamps, and then a time stamp change circuit changes at least one bit of the time stamp and thereafter outputs the digital information.
US07844985B2
A novel multiple channel architecture is designed to allow targeted advertising directed to television terminals connected to an operations center or a cable headend. Advertisements are displayed during commercial breaks in the television programs. Such advertisements may be broadcast on the same channel as the television program. In addition, feeder channels may carry alternate advertising that may be better suited for certain viewing audiences. The operations center or the cable headend generate a group assignment plan that assigns the television terminals to groups, based on factors such as area of dominant influence, household income and other demographic data, and programs watched data gathered by the television terminals. A switching plan is then generated that instructs the television terminals to remain with the program channel or to switch to one of the alternate feeder channels during the program breaks. The television terminals record which channels were viewed during the program breaks, and report this information to the cable headends and the operations center. The reported information is used to generate billing for commercial advertisers, and to analyze viewer watching habits. The invention uses upstream data reception hardware, databases and processing hardware and software to accomplish these functions.
US07844983B2
A power transmission member is provided with which it is possible to lessen the impact force produced when the head of a disk device hits part of a base member or the like. The power transmission member is a power transmission member of a mechanism for moving a head, used for recording on or reproducing from a disk, relative to a base member in a disk device, comprising a fixed component for attaching to a head, a power transmission component for receiving drive from a motor serving as a drive source, a linking component for linking the fixed component and the power transmission component, and a contacting component. The contacting component is fixed to the power transmission component, and comes into contact with part of the base member, or part of a member fixed to the base member, at least one end of the movement range of the head. The contacting component is also linked to the fixed component via the linking component in a state in which elastic deformation is possible only when an impact or the like creates an excessive force in the movement direction of the head.
US07844982B2
The present invention provides an optical pick-up device and an optical recording/reproducing apparatus both of which can realize (i) a stable component accuracy, (ii) improvement in productivity, and (iii) low cost, without damaging an optical disk. The optical pick-up device that reproduces/records information from/onto an optical information storage medium by means of a laser beam, includes: a housing, which is a cabinet covering inner components of the optical pick-up device, having an opening section at least on a surface that faces the optical information storage medium when the optical information storage medium is set in place; and a protective cover that protects the opening section of the housing, wherein the protective cover is integrally formed with the housing.
US07844974B2
An operating system directed to using special properties of a common inter-process communications mechanism (IPC), namely UNIX domain socket-pairs or stream-pipes alternatively as a storage medium for file-descriptors of UNIX processes. When a file-descriptor is written into a socket-pair, and closed in the UNIX process, the file remains open, but occupies no space in the process' file-table. The file-descriptor may later be read out of the socket-pair to reestablish it in the file-table, and access it. This property is implemented in an IPC mechanism of UNIX operating system whereby a process such as a dispatcher may manage more connections and processes than its file-table size allow. This provides scalability improvements of the UNIX operating system.
US07844962B2
A code patching device is provided for use with a processor having a read-only memory which stores instruction code and a further memory for storing patch code. A plurality of patch address registers each store an address, in the read-only memory, at which a patch is to be performed. A comparator compares the address of the read-only memory that is being accessed by the processor with the addresses stored in the registers. A control unit selects between code from the read-only memory or patch code from the further memory depending on the comparison. The code patching device can replace, on-the-fly, erroneous lines of code from the read-only memory by corrected ones. During an initialization process the patch code is loaded into the further memory and the registers are loaded with the addresses which require patching.
US07844959B2
A general purpose high-performance distributed execution engine for coarse-grained data-parallel applications is proposed that allows developers to easily create large-scale distributed applications without requiring them to master concurrency techniques beyond being able to draw a graph of the data-dependencies of their algorithms. Based on the graph, a job manager intelligently distributes the work load so that the resources of the execution engine are used efficiently. During runtime, the job manager (or other entity) can automatically modify the graph to improve efficiency. The modifications are based on runtime information, topology of the distributed execution engine, and/or the distributed application represented by the graph.
US07844956B2
An application-specific client for object-oriented processing of markup includes a model object and a plurality of element objects. The model object is configured to respond to client requests including construct-element, accept-root-element, and accept-root-text. The element objects are configured to respond to client requests including accept-attribute, accept-element, and accept-text. Responses to requests contain application-specific processing as necessary. A driver generates client requests in response to processing of XML markup. An RSS client processes markup describing syndicated web content to HTML markup.
US07844953B2
A program, an apparatus and a method verify a program that efficiently verifies a concurrent/parallel program, allowing interactively debugging the current/parallel program. The program causes a computer to execute a detection step that detects the function that has been altered and the function that uses a shared variable influenced by the alteration out of the program to be verified before and after the alteration and also detects the part that is influenced by the alteration, the control structure part and the other parts, a model generation step that generates a model on the basis of the outcome of the detection in the detection step and a verification step that verifies the program to be verified after the alteration by comparing the model of the program to be verified before the alteration and the model of the program to be verified after the alteration.
US07844948B2
Maintaining Multiple Valid Concurrent Serialized Object Versions Techniques are disclosed for concurrently maintaining serialized objects that were created from more than one version of a class definition. According to preferred embodiments, a component maps and enforces multiple valid stream-unique version identifiers (“SUIDs”) for a collection of class definitions (such as the classes of a software product that is undergoing change from one version to another). This component programmatically detects when an object's SUID value does not match the code attempting to deserialize the object, and then programmatically determines whether the object is compatible with the code even though the SUID values do not match. Preferably, this determination is made by consulting a stored mapping, in which the SUIDs of compatible versions have been recorded.
US07844938B2
A solution for performing a data correction on a hierarchical integrated circuit layout is provided. A method includes: receiving a CD compensation map for the long range critical dimension variation prior to the data correction; grouping compensation amounts of the CD compensation into multiple compensation ranges; generating multiple target layers corresponding to the multiple compensation ranges; super-imposing a region of the CD compensation map having a compensation amount falling into a compensation range over a respective target layer to generate a target shape; performing the data correction on the layout to generate a data corrected layout; performing the data correction on the target shape separately to generate a data corrected target shape; and combining the data corrected layout and the data corrected target shape based on the CD compensation map.
US07844934B2
According to the present invention, a method for designing a semiconductor integrated circuit layout comprises the steps of: arranging basic logic cells which are circuit patterns corresponding to logic components of a semiconductor integrated circuit; arranging wiring between the basic logic cells; searching for a blank area in which none of the basic logic cells is arranged; extracting a rectangular region from the blank area; if the rectangular region is larger than a specified size, arranging fill cells in the rectangular region according to a predetermined rule and grouping the fill cells into pseudo-hierarchical cells according to a predetermined rule to form a hierarchy; arranging fill cells in the remaining blank areas; and performing optical proximity effect correction on the semiconductor integrated circuit pattern.
US07844931B2
A method and program for designing an electronic circuit, especially a clock tree and a sub-clock tree, within a set of sinks with given target arrival time windows, preferably on an integrated circuit. The clock tree and the sub-clock tree are preferably connected through one or multiple fixed circuits which must not be altered, cloned or removed. Several alternative implementations of the at least one logic structure are built and for each of the several alternative implementations data is stored. A set of configurations is built, each configuration comprising a combination of the one or several alternative implementations and each configuration satisfying the target arrival time windows at the complete set of sinks. A configuration is selected according to an evaluation of the data, preferably latency data, for constructing the configuration. No manual interaction is needed and a configuration with minimum latencies is provided.
US07844930B2
Methods and apparatuses to design a circuit. In one embodiment, the method includes determining a first multiplexing ratio by a computer. The method, in one embodiment, further includes determining, according to the first multiplexing ratio, a first partition solution of the circuit and a first trace assignment solution for nets crossing partition boundaries of the first partition solution of the circuit. In one embodiment, the first trace assignment solution time multiplexes signals for a first plurality of nets crossing partition boundaries of the first partition solution according to the first multiplexing ratio, the first trace assignment solution satisfying a trace constraint, the first partition solution satisfying an area constraint when circuitry for time multiplexing signals for the first plurality of nets is considered.
US07844925B2
A method for electronic circuit power plane design includes analyzing direct current (DC) properties of a power plane of an electronic circuit. The method includes analyzing power net inductance (PNI) properties of the power plane and identifying victim areas of the power plane having predetermined current density properties based on the DC properties and the PNI properties of the power plane. The method further includes replacing the identified victim areas with ground (GND) shapes to form a modified power plane.
US07844920B2
A system for playing audio content, visual content, or audio-visual content includes a base panel that incorporates loudspeakers, amplifiers, a display/control surface, charging circuitry for any objects placed upon the display surface, and capacitive sensors to display and control the user interface. Also included are one or more portable units having housings in the shape of aesthetically-pleasing structures. These portable units include data storage components (such as hard disk drives, optical drives, flash memories, etc.) for storing the content to be played, and incorporate electronics within but have no visible controls. As the portable units are placed at any location on the display surface, a GUI automatically appears under and around the units, indicating content, controls, etc. Commands can be entered on the GUI for controlling the transfer of the content from or to the portable units and for controlling the playing of the content by the base panel.
US07844910B2
A linking information making device including a service list acquisition unit which acquires a service list expressing services which execute predetermined processing of document data; an interface information acquisition unit which individually acquires pieces of interface information from service processing devices respectively providing the services expressed in the service list which has been acquired by the service list acquisition unit; and a linking information making unit which makes linking information to link services provided by the respective service processing devices, based on the interface information which has been acquired by the interface information acquisition unit.
US07844905B2
A system and a method for information display that is well adapted to marketing in the current, rapidly changing digital transmission communications setting is described. The invention provides a viewer interface that can be embodied in an inexpensive portable information storage media, such as a compact disc, a mini-compact disc, a business card cut CD, a flash memory card, a DVD, or other such portable information storage devices. When the viewer interface is used with a communications link, such as an interne connection, the interface establishes a connection to an interface management program located on a remote computer. The interface management system enables the user who provided the portable information storage media for the viewer to control the content of the information displayed to the viewer, and change that content without modifying or storing any information on the viewer's display device or changing the content of the viewer interface.
US07844901B1
Methods and apparatus provide for a self-enclosed timeline trimmer to create a circular timeline placed over a video that graphically represents the entire duration of a video. Specifically, the self-enclosed timeline trimmer receives a video. The self-enclosed timeline trimmer generates a self-enclosed timeline to represent a duration of the video incremented according to a first unit of time. The self-enclosed timeline is layered over at least a portion of the video. The self-enclosed timeline trimmer represents a start of the video on the self-enclosed timeline and an end of the video on the self-enclosed timeline. The self-enclosed timeline trimmer displays the duration of the video in its entirety by connecting the start and the end of the video on the self-enclosed timeline. Further, the self-enclosed timeline trimmer is well suited for video editing on mobile computer devices, wireless computer devices, and for portable computer devices.
US07844900B2
A process for dividing an electronic screen, such as a television or computer screen, into discrete, independently operating sub-screens includes the step of electronically linking the screen to a screen operating system. This operating system is capable of selectively dividing the screen into two or more sub-screens which support audio or visual data in an active mode simultaneously and independently. This is performed through the use of a plurality of data access lines which provide data simultaneously to the two or more sub-screens such that the data can be simultaneously accessed and manipulated in more than one sub-screen such that each sub-screen actively supports data generated from a dedicated software program. Such invention may be implemented in customized encoded hardware or a combination of hardware and software.
US07844899B2
A citation system parses, error checks, corrects, and transforms citations between citation systems. The system may determine the available citation systems, such as The Bluebook, The Chicago Manual of Style, or other citation systems available for selection. The system also determines a selected citation system from among the multiple citation systems. For example, the system may determine that a writer has selected The Bluebook citation system from among those available to the system. The system also determines an applicable rule set for the selected citation system, and applies to rule set to an input citation to obtain an output citation component.
US07844893B2
A document editing device has a editing unit and a supplementary information editing unit. The editing unit edits a manuscript element of a document. The supplementary information editing unit edits the supplementary information of the document based on a result of editing the manuscript element by the editing unit. The document is a electronic document read by a reading device.
US07844892B2
The invention provides improved mechanisms for the construction and rendering of graphical results sets for business intelligence reports derived from large volumes of data. This is achieved by various means including, determining the amount of useful data that can be rendered within the available display space while still being legible, determining the most effective way of displaying that data within the display space, and providing for limited control of the format and quantity of data displayed.
US07844883B2
A regenerative relay method includes the steps of: i) calculating an error rate of a transmission path between the first half apparatus and a main apparatus; ii) calculating an error rate of a transmission path between the main apparatus and the latter apparatus; iii) adding the error rates; iv) selecting the error correction code and data before the error is corrected in the main apparatus so as to be supplied to the latter apparatus if the added error rates are lower than a designated error correction threshold; and v) selecting data after the error is corrected in the main apparatus and the other error correction code generated from the data so as to be supplied to the latter apparatus if the added error rates are higher than the designated error correction threshold.
US07844877B2
Data bits to be encoded are split into a plurality of subgroups. Each subgroup is encoded separately to generate a corresponding codeword. Selected subsets are removed from the corresponding codewords, leaving behind shortened codewords, and are many-to-one transformed to condensed bits. The final codeword is a combination of the shortened codewords and the condensed bits. A representation of the final codeword is decoded by being partitioned to a selected subset and a plurality of remaining subsets. Each remaining subset is decoded separately. If one of the decodings fails, the remaining subset whose decoding failed is decoded at least in part according to the selected subset. If the encoding and decoding are systematic then the selected subsets are of parity bits.
US07844873B2
A fault location estimation system includes single-fault-assumed diagnostic unit nodes; error-observation node basis candidate classification unit; inclusion fault candidate group selection unit; inter-pattern overlapping unit; and multiple-fault simulation checking unit.
US07844870B2
A method and system for automated testing of a system such as a billing module in a telecommunication system is disclosed. In a first embodiment, test APIs, scenarios and configuration information are embedded into the module itself in a way such that, when testing is desired, tests may be conducted without any need for a dedicated test environment. Tests can be run from within the module itself, thereby eliminating the risk, expense and time required to use external testing systems and data to test the module. In another embodiment, operational data such as live operational orders are wrapped in test headers and are used as input data for testing purposes within the billing module. In this embodiment, test APIs may be embedded into all modules of an operational support system so that complete system end-to-end testing is possible without the use of dedicated external test equipment and processes.
US07844869B2
A method and circuit implement testing of a circuit path including a memory array and logic including Logic Built in Self Test (LBIST) diagnostics, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. Testing of the circuit path includes initializing the memory array in the circuit path with an initialization pattern, switching to Logic Built in Self Test (LBIST) mode and providing a read only mode for the memory array, and running Logic Built in Self Test (LBIST) testing of the circuit path.
US07844865B2
Disclosed is a bus module that can be connected to a bus system and comprises means for outputting safety-relevant signals in the form of repeated unambiguous code sequences. The bus module further comprises a first and second arithmetic unit with means for executing software programs. A code generator program of the first arithmetic unit generates a first partial code sequence of the code sequence while a code generator program of the second arithmetic unit generates the remaining portion of the code sequence as a second partial code sequence. Advantageously, a proper code sequence is output at the output of the bus module only when both arithmetic units function properly. A deviation in the code sequence that is output can then be detected by a monitor or actuator.
US07844856B1
Method and apparatus to provide bottleneck processing in a continuous data protection system having journaling. In an exemplary embodiment, system parameter information is collected and analyzed to output bottleneck information.
US07844848B1
A method of transmitting encoded computer display images between computers over a nondeterministic network is disclosed. During a display session in which images are transmitted from a host to a client, the client requests sections of encoded image updates at a predetermined time in advance of when the requested at least one section is to be transmitted by the display controller. When the requested section is received, a time value is compared to a display controller timing value and, if the difference between the compared times is outside of an acceptable range, the client adjusts a predetermined time at which time the client requests image sections from the host.
US07844843B2
A power saving clock-gating method and a power saving clock-gating circuit for implementing power savings in High Speed Serializer-deserializer (HSS) cores, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. The power saving clock-gating circuit includes a clock gate signal used to initiate the starting and stopping of the C2 clocks. The clock gate signal is applied to a first latch of plurality of current-mode logic latches in a clock gate aligner block, which provides clock gate aligned signal to synchronously start a C2 clock generator. A power savings logic circuit generates a power down signal to turn off the plurality of current-mode latches and predefined clock buffers after the C2 clocks have been started, and then responsive to a changed state of the clock gate signal to turn on the predefined clock buffers and the plurality of current-mode logic latches to begin another synchronous start operation.
US07844823B2
An interactive system for managing access via a communications network by one or more Device-Users and Database-Users with regard to at least one secured Location and an entry control Device assignable for use in gaining access to the Location by the one or more Device-Users. The system comprises a searchable database configured to store information on at least one of the secured Location, the one or more Device-Users, the one or more Database-Users, or the entry control Device, and Software stored on a readable medium and configured to search the database and report one or more conflicts concerning the information.
US07844819B2
Since there is a possibility that an application downloaded to a terminal performs an invalid operation, an operation of the downloaded application is very much restricted, and the application can not use local resources of the terminal. With the use of information for authenticating the application, which is held in a tamper resistant region of an authentication module, authentication for the application downloaded to a download section of the terminal is performed to confirm its source or whether or not it has been tampered with. Only an authenticated application is permitted to use the local resources of the terminal or the authentication module, so that an invalid application is prevented from using the local resources. Furthermore, there is no need to make the terminal have the tamper resistant region, manufacturing costs of the terminal can be held at a low level.
US07844813B2
A system, process and method for data encryption and transmission are disclosed. By adopting the paradigm of a pre-paid self addressed express envelope end-users will interact with this invention in much the same way they interact with traditional delivery systems. They simply provide the content, and delivery takes place without any further user intervention. The encryption is a “software appliance”. This software already knows the identity of the sender and the receiver and the encryption key that is to be used; all it needs from the user is the information which is to be securely transported.
US07844807B2
In at least one embodiment, a processor includes at least one execution unit and instruction sequencing logic that fetches instructions for execution by the execution unit. The instruction sequencing logic includes branch logic that outputs predicted branch target addresses for use as instruction fetch addresses. The branch logic includes a branch target address cache (BTAC) having at least one direct entry providing storage for a direct branch target address prediction associating a first instruction fetch address with a branch target address to be used as a second instruction fetch address immediately after the first instruction fetch address and at least one indirect entry providing storage for an indirect branch target address prediction associating a third instruction fetch address with a branch target address to be used as a fourth instruction fetch address subsequent to both the third instruction fetch address and an intervening fifth instruction fetch address.
US07844796B2
A data processing device comprising a multidimensional array of coarse grained logic elements processing data and operating at a first clock rate and communicating with one another and/or other elements via busses and/or communication lines operated at a second clock rate is disclosed, wherein the first clock rate is higher than the second and wherein the coarse grained logic elements comprise storage means for storing data needed to be processed.
US07844793B2
In a computer system having an operating system and a compressed main memory defining a physical memory and a real memory characterized as an amount of main memory as seen by a processor, and including a compressed memory hardware controller device for controlling processor access to the compressed main memory, there is provided a system and method for managing real memory usage comprising: a compressed memory device driver for receiving real memory usage information from the compressed memory hardware controller, the information including a characterization of the real memory usage state: and, a compression management subsystem for monitoring the memory usage and initiating memory allocation and memory recovery in accordance with the memory usage state, the subsystem including mechanism for adjusting memory usage thresholds for controlling memory state changes. Such a system and method is implemented in software operating such that control of the real memory usage in the computer system is transparent to the operating system.
US07844782B2
A data processing system with memory access comprising an operating system for supporting processes, such that the process are associated with one or more resources and the operating system being arranged to police the accessing by processes of resources so as to inhibit a process from accessing resources with which it is not associated. Part of this system is an interface for interfacing between each process and the operating system and a memory for storing state information for at least one process. The interface may be arranged to analyze instructions from the processes to the operating system, and upon detecting an instruction to re-initialize a process cause state information corresponding to that pre-existing state information to be stored in the memory as state information for the re-initialized process and to be associated with the resource.
US07844777B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a host controller having a cache memory to store entries each including, at least, a command header (CH) portion having data associated with a command from the host controller to one of multiple devices coupled to a port multiplier, and a physical region descriptor (PRD) portion to store address information associated with a next address for data transfer with regard to the command. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07844776B2
A RAID capacity expansion handling method and system with concurrent data access capability is proposed, which is designed for use with a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) unit for providing a capacity-expanding function that allows the RAID unit to add just a single disk to an original disk cluster for expanding the total capacity thereof, and meanwhile allows a network server to concurrently gain access to the data stored in the RAID unit. This feature allows the capacity-expanding procedure for the RAID unit to be implemented in a more simplified manner with enhanced system performance.
US07844761B1
Methods and apparatus are provided for allowing flexible on-chip datapath interfaces on a device. Datapath connections allow data streamlining without any knowledge of channels or packet boundaries. Flexible and modular interface adapters are used to allow component designers to efficiently provide interoperable components without having to adhere to a strict datapath interface specification. Interface adapters from an adapter library are instantiated and configured automatically when two components are connected.
US07844760B2
A method and apparatus for schedule and data caching for wireless transmissions. An embodiment of a method may include generating a schedule of queues for a wireless controller, the schedule being generated at a driver on a host system. In some embodiments schedule data may be cached at the wireless controller from the host system, where the cache may include active queues and page list entries for the active queues. The wireless controller may be operated using the cached queues.
US07844759B1
A method, system, and computer readable medium for processing a message queue comprises processing messages in the queue in a serial manner, suspending a message, when the processing is blocked for the message, processing a next message in the queue during the suspension, continuing the processing of the messages until the processing is unblocked, placing the message back in the queue, and processing the message.
US07844754B2
A data transfer apparatus includes a processor, a main memory, and a DMAC connected to the main memory via a plurality of buses. The DMAC transfers data to the main memory by bypassing the processor, writes flag data “1” indicating completion of the data transfer processing in a completion status storage area of the main memory, and finally outputs an interrupt signal to the processor. In response to the interrupt signal, an interrupt handler refers to the completion status storage area, and when the flag data is written, reads the data in the main memory and erases the flag data in the completion status storage area.
US07844747B2
A multi-chip system in which at least one of the chips includes a performance parameter encoded thereon. After system assembly, the performance parameter can be obtained by a companion chip and used to automatically or semi-automatically fine tune the companion chip to the specific parameters of the at least one chip.
US07844720B2
The present invention provides a method for managing a database connection, comprising the steps of: in responsive to a connection request of a first application, allocating an available connection for the first application; if there is no available connection, selecting a held connection being used by a second application; backing up connection context of the held connection; releasing the held connection; and allocating the held connection for the first application. Since connection context of the application has been restorably backed up, a connection of the application can be cut off and the connection re-scheduled when necessary. As a result, the connection utilization rate is enhanced. The present invention further provides a device and system that can manage a database connection based on the technology of connection pools. (FIG. 5)
US07844717B2
A system is provided that preserves data privacy for the Individual-I and Private Data Owner (PDO) while granting data access to the User-U and Accessor who need such data to perform their usual and customary business functions. The method and system completely control the User's access to the Private Data Owner's Private Data by replacing Identifying Information for the User-U, Individual-I, Accessor and PDO with pseudonyms. This assures the overall privacy of individuals, throughout the course of collecting, storing, accessing, analyzing and sharing detailed private records among different organizations engaged in providing and/or consuming services and/or products. Access Control Rule Sets (“ACRS”) consist of instructions which prescribe the terms and conditions for permitting Users to access the PDO's Pseudonymized and Actual Private data in accordance with the rules governing their authorization to access such data.
US07844711B2
A management device selects a storage device having a plenty of unallocated storage regions, selects a target using a port having a small allocation quantity from the storage device targets, and allocates the target, an initiator, and a storage region. When the number of targets and the allocated storage regions prepared by the storage device is within a predetermined number, the storage device manages the storage device as an allocation candidate. When the predetermined number is exceeded, the exceeding one is excluded from the allocation candidate. When the number of storage devices excluded from the allocation candidate has reached a certain number, the management device manages a new storage device and a new storage region as an allocation candidate.
US07844710B2
Proxy caching for directory services are presented. Requests for directory resources are intercepted and an inspection of cache is made to determine whether a resource being requested is identified in cache. When an identifier for the resource is identified in cache, a corresponding directory service associated with a cache entry for that resource is used to supply the resource; otherwise the resource is supplied by a directory service selected by policy.
US07844699B1
An event driven, network enabled off-site management listening system (“Listener”) manages remote devices by listening to unsolicited events communicated from devices connected to the Internet, and from a Mission Controller. The Listener listens for messages, decrypts them, and writes the message to the message queue where a Message Decoder retrieves the message. The Message Decoder decodes the messages and updates the database with location and device specific status information. The Listener also takes messages from the Mission Controller to be executed in a specific sequence, and transmits those messages over the Internet to the specific locations and devices as specified by the Mission Controller. Web-based applications allow end users to monitor and control any device or component connected to the Home Central system from any Internet-enabled device or public communications network.
US07844698B2
A wireless network change support system includes a change setting section, an income prediction section and an expense calculation section. The change setting section sets a change data for changing a setting data based on a status data indicating a status of a wireless network with wireless base stations and said setting data indicating a setting of said wireless network. The income prediction section calculates a prediction income in said wireless network when said setting data is changed, based on said status data, said setting data and said change data. The expense calculation section calculates a prediction expense necessary to execute a change of said wireless network as indicated in said change data based on said change data. The wireless network change support system may further includes an income and expenditure calculation section which calculates a profit of said wireless network when said setting data is changed on the basis of said changing data, based on said prediction income and said prediction expense.
US07844694B2
The communication system includes: an apparatus that mounts a processing unit which executes transmission and reception of a signal with an external apparatus and which processes the received signal; and a relay apparatus that relays transmission and reception of a signal between the external apparatus and the apparatus. The relay apparatus is provided with: a transmission and reception unit that receives a signal from the external apparatus and transmits a signal to the external apparatus; an analysis unit that analyzes whether or not the signal received by the transmission and reception unit is a signal to be processed by the processing unit of the apparatus; and a determination unit that determines whether or not to execute transfer processing of the received signal to the apparatus based on a result of the analysis by the analysis unit.
US07844682B2
A system for managing multimedia is provided. The system includes an IMS (Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem) network that has a media server and a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) server. The system includes a data store that is in communication with the IMS network. The system also includes an application configured to promote storing multimedia data to the data store. The multimedia data is created by a client. The client communicates with the CSCF and the multimedia server to promote providing the multimedia data for storage to the data store and to promote retrieving the multimedia data stored on the data store.
US07844672B2
According to some embodiments of the present invention, email may be managed in a client-server environment by associating an address list with an email at a server. An identifier may be generated that can be used to retrieve the address list associated with the email at the server. The identifier may be encoded to generate a local part of a truncated address list. The identifier may be encoded to generate a domain part of the truncated address list. The address list in the email may be replaced with the truncated address list that comprises the local part and the domain part.
US07844671B1
A method for a computer system include determining a first social distance for a first user with respect to a second user, determining a second social distance for a third user with respect to the second user, determining a first trust-metric for the first user in response to the first social distance, determining a second trust-metric for the third user in response to the second social distance, and prioritizing a first communication from the first user over a second communication from the third user, in response to the first trust-metric and the second trust-metric.
US07844669B1
A system for selectively providing an out of office autoreply message in response to an incoming message is provided. The system avoids providing potentially sensitive or useful information to unauthorized senders of unsolicited messages, commonly known as spam. Accordingly, dramatic increases in such messages that can be experienced after a sender of such messages has confirmed the validity of a target address through the receipt of a reply message, can be avoided. In addition, security concerns associated with providing unknown senders of messages with information indicating that a user is out of the office are also avoided.
US07844666B2
The present invention relates to a system and methodology to enable a plurality of information associated with electronic messages to be automatically prioritized by a message urgency system for transmittal to a user or system. The message urgency system can employ classifiers that can be explicitly and/or implicitly trained to prioritize or triage one or more received messages according to a learned importance to the user. An adaptable and configurable graphical user interface is provided in order to manage the prioritized information. The interface facilitates system personalization according to user desires of how messages are received and subsequently processed by the user. Display and input adjustments are provided in a plurality of selectable pages to enable the personalization of the system. Display options include status and summary views of various configuration and adjustment options that alter the characteristics of how messages are presented to the user. Configuration and adjustment options include profile options, routing options, alerting options, chunking options, schedule options, and other context-sensitive control options, one or more rules that act in conjunction with a routing system, learning status and configuration options for guiding and inspecting the state of learning of the message urgency system along with device option configurations for controlling messages output to a selected message reception and display device.
US07844663B2
A method, system, and computer program product for gathering information and statistics from a community of agent nodes in a network is provided. The method includes generating a process request. The process request includes a rule for discovering each of the agent nodes in the community and a rule for accessing local information stored on each of the agent nodes. The local information represents activities conducted by end users at each of the agent nodes. The process request also includes a set of rules for classifying data comprising the local information and developing a cumulative profile resulting from the classifying. The cumulative profile includes generic information that is descriptive of collective activities conducted by the end users and is absent information that personally identifies any of the end users.
US07844655B2
A computer is connected to a memory. The computer to execute an encryption program in the memory. The encryption program including a multiplication portion to perform multiplication of input operands. The multiplication portion includes graph based functions to generate coefficients representing products returned from the multiplication portion to generate encryption keys. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07844653B2
A digital signal processing circuit having a pre-adder circuit includes; a first register block and a pre-adder circuit coupled to a multiplier circuit and to a set of multiplexers, where the set of multiplexers are controlled by an opcode, and where the pre-adder circuit has a first adder circuit; and an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) having a second adder circuit and coupled to the set of multiplexers.
US07844651B2
An equalizer, group delay compensation circuit for the equalizer and method of compensating for group delay may improve group delay characteristics in the equalizer. The equalizer circuit may include a first low pass filter configured to filter a received input signal to output a filtered input signal, and a gain control circuit connected to an output terminal of the first low pass filter, and configured to modulate a gain of a transfer function for the equalizer. The equalizer may include a group delay compensation circuit connected to the output terminal of the first low pass filter and configured to compensate for a group delay of the input signal, and a second low pass filter connected to the output terminal of the first low pass filter.
US07844637B2
A method, data processing system and computer program product for maintaining/updating managing keyboard navigation using a linked list. In particular, a Dynamic Tree Control Linkage (DTCL) utility creates a doubly linked list with list nodes having assigned values based on a tree control structure UI component. Each list node of the doubly linked list corresponds to a visible tree item of the tree structure UI component. Responding to a keyboard event signal, the DTCL utility finds a current list node corresponding to a first current tree item. The DTCL utility finds a next (i.e. previous or subsequent) list node corresponding to a next tree item. The DTCL utility detects a list node exists. The DTCL utility detects whether the next list node is associated with a null value. When the next list node is associated with a non-null value, the next tree item is identified. The DTCL utility returns an identification of the next tree item representing a second current tree item. The DTCL utility also updates the doubly linked list in response to the expansion/collapsion of the current list item. The DTCL utility avoids the need to number all tree items (both visible and hidden tree items) sequentially by adding list node(s) to or removing list node(s) from the linked list to represent the visible tree items.
US07844634B2
Techniques for community discovery in a network are disclosed. For example, a technique for discovering a community around a given entity in an interaction graph, wherein nodes in the graph represent entities and edges connecting nodes in the graph represent interactions between connected nodes, comprises the following steps/operations. Nodes in the interaction graph are partitioned into different sets of nodes based on interaction information associated with each node to minimize a number of interaction pairs that need to be considered. An objective function is minimized by moving entities between the different sets such that the community is discovered once a measure associated with the objective function is minimized.
US07844629B2
An XML wrapper queries an XML document in an on-the-fly manner so that only parent nodes in the document that satisfy the query are extracted and then unnested. The parent nodes and associated descendent nodes are located using XPath expressions contained as options in data definition language (DDL) statements. The parent nodes satisfying the query and associated descendent nodes are extracted and stored outside of a database according to a relational schema. The wrapper facilitates applications that use convention SQL queries and views to operate on that information stored according to the relational schema. The wrapper also responds to query optimizer requests for costs associated with queries against external data sources associated with the wrapper.
US07844628B2
A method for improving functionality of a binary representation of an XML-based content description, wherein a structure of any instance of an XML document corresponds to a tree-like data structure, is provided. The method includes providing that each tree node represents an element of the content description and has a structure which is defined in a schema; providing the tree nodes in the binary representation with tree branch codes; providing that the respective tree branch code has a schema branch code; and decoding, via a decoder within a telecommunications device, paths with new elements, which does not conform to a previous schema, by communicating to the decoder one of (a) the associated tree structure nodes beforehand, and (b) a completely new schema.
US07844625B2
A method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for authorizing users of network portals to access a secure resource hosted by a secure server comprises storing a plurality of user identifiers, each representing a user of an owning portal; storing for each of the user identifiers an access privilege to the secure resource; storing a proxy user identifier representing a guest portal and a guest access privilege to the secure resource for all of the users of the guest portal; receiving from the owning portal a first request for access to the secure resource, the first request comprising a first user identifier representing a user of the owning portal; granting to the user of the owning portal access to the secure resource according to the access privilege stored for the first user identifier; receiving from the guest portal a second request for access to the secure resource, the second request comprising a second user identifier representing a user of the guest portal and a portal identifier representing the guest portal; and granting to the user of the guest portal access to the secure resource according to the guest access privilege stored in the authorization table for the proxy user identifier.
US07844623B2
System and article of manufacture for processing queries that are executed against a database. In one embodiment, the database environment imposes a limit on the number of columns capable of being returned for a single query. Accordingly, a single query is replicated to produce N sub-queries, each selecting a portion of the total number of result fields specified in the single query.
US07844615B2
Embodiments consistent with the principles of the invention check, before the data underlying a changed primary object is persistently save, for related objects whose data is also affected by the change. The related objects may be two or more degrees removed from the primary object. The changed primary object and all its changed related objects are then persistently saved together, so that the saved data is consistent across the related objects. Embodiments consistent with the principles of the invention also provide a state model for controlling access to services by clients and for making services available by servers.
US07844608B2
A device, system, and method are directed towards combining a plurality of queries to a database into a combined execution plan. The plurality of queries is received. The queries may be Structured Query Language (SQL) statements. The database may be a relational database. The plurality of queries is transformed into a plurality of parse trees. A determination is made whether the plurality of queries operates on at least the same portion of the same table. If so, then the plurality of query trees is query-optimized. The plurality of query trees are combined into a master query tree based on similar nodes in the plurality of query trees. A split node in the master query tree represents non-similarities between the plurality of query trees. The master query tree is transformed into an execution plan. The execution plan is applied to a database to return at least one result.
US07844597B2
An electronic device provide a database application that enables a user to access personal data organized as a plurality of entries in a database, where each of the plurality of entries is associated with a different person and has one or more alphanumeric text fields and an image field. According to one embodiment, a camera control application is arranged to enable the user to control the device using a user input device to capture an image via a digital camera and to present a user selectable option, after capturing an image, for using the captured image as an image field of an entry of the database. According to another embodiment, a messaging application is arranged to display a received message including an image and to present a user selectable option for using the image as an image field of an entry of the database.
US07844593B2
The present invention provides a network search system, including: a search initiating client, configured to initiate a search request to a resource search server, and acquire network resource according to a resource feature information index returned by a resource search server; the resource search server, configured to acquire a search response client corresponding to the search initiating client according to a corresponding relation between the search response client and the search initiating client, search a resource index server corresponding to the search response client according to the search request, and return the resource feature information index to the search initiating client; the resource index server, configured to store the resource feature information index reported by the search response client. A network search method is also disclosed. By use of the present invention, it is possible to improve the instant performance of network search and the individuation of the search result.
US07844592B2
The invention is an ontological-content-based method for filtering and ranking the relevancy of items. The filtering method of the invention utilizes a hierarchical ontology, which considers the distance, or similarity between concepts representing each user to concepts representing each item, according to the position of related concepts in the hierarchical ontology. Based on that, the filtering algorithm computes the similarity between the items and users and rank-orders the items according to their relevancy to each user. The method finds general use in the fields of information filtering and publishing, specifically the production of electronic newspapers for which the invention provides methods of filtering and ranking the relevance of news content to specific readers in order to allow production of personalized electronic newspapers.
US07844583B2
A method and a system are described that involve obtaining information about a plurality of inbox objects, wherein each inbox object is linked to another inbox object via a set of operations, each operation having a priority. The set of operations are executed on a subset of the plurality of inbox objects to generate a modified subset of the plurality of inbox objects. The modified subset is scanned to extract a list of files. The extracted files are used by a maintenance procedure to replace files in a system with older information and thus to update the system.
US07844577B2
A backup computer storage system that protects and/or recovers data on a primary computer storage system is disclosed. The backup computer system may be used to backup databases, files, and/or applications. In some embodiments, the backup system may be used to backup an image of the primary computer system. In other embodiments, the backup system may be used to backup one or more databases. In some embodiments of the present invention, the backup system replicates an image of data that is on a primary computer system. The backup system may also be used to restore data from the backup system to the primary computer system. In some embodiments, the backup system may restore data to a database while non-affected portions of the database are available and can be used. In some embodiments, the backup system records all transactions in real time without overwriting any previously stored backup data. In some embodiments of the present invention, the backup system maintains historical and/or chronological information related to the backed up data.
US07844572B2
A database record controls a license to use a computational component. An input receives an order identifier associated with an order related to a computational component and an interface retrieves order information associated with the identifier. The order information comprises at least one material code. A material code mapping agent compares the material code with at least one material code mapping table to identify corresponding computational component information associated with the material code. In another configuration, a transaction record includes first information associated with the order, the order relates to at least a first computational component and/or feature thereof, a configuration file includes second information different from the first information, the configuration file relates to at least one telecommunication switch/server, and a configuration file processing agent compares some of the first information with some of the second information to form a system record having both first and second information.
US07844566B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-based method for automatically identifying clusters of conceptually-related documents in a collection of documents, including the following steps: generating a document-representation of each document in an abstract mathematical space; identifying a plurality of document clusters in the collection of documents based on a conceptual similarity between respective pairs of the document-representations, wherein each document cluster is associated with an exemplary document and a plurality of other documents; and identifying a non-intersecting document cluster from among the plurality of document clusters based on (i) a conceptual similarity between the document-representation of the exemplary document and the document-representation of each document in the non-intersecting cluster and (ii) a conceptual dissimilarity between a cluster-representation of the non-intersecting document cluster and a cluster-representation of each other document cluster. Variants of the method enable creating hierarchy of clusters and conducting incremental updates of preexisting hierarchical structures.
US07844565B2
A method (system and computer program product) performs facet classification synthesis to relate concepts represented by concept definitions defined in accordance with a faceted data set comprising facets, facet attributes, and facet attributes hierarchies. Dimensional concept relationships are expressed between the concept definitions. Two concept definitions are determined to be related in a particular dimensional concept relationship by examining whether at least one of explicit relationships and implicit relationships exist in the faceted data set between the respective facet attributes of the two concept definitions.
US07844562B2
A system and method for reasoning about concepts, relations and rules having a semantic network comprising at least one node from a predetermined set of node types, at least one link from a predetermined set of link types, and zero or more rules from a predetermined set of rule types, a subset of the rule types being matching rule types, each node and each link being associated with a set of zero or more rules; a network reasoning data structure having a reasoning type database having at least one regular expression, each of the regular expressions being a class of sequences having at least three node types and two link types, wherein the network reasoning data structure further has a context being a set of rules; and a reasoning engine having an activator for activating one or more activated paths in the semantic network, the set of activated paths having a common starting node in the semantic network, wherein the reasoning engine further has a validator for selecting a subset of the activated paths being valid paths, each rule from the set of rule matching types that is associated with one or more path elements on each valid path being matched by one or more rules in the context and wherein the reasoning engine further has a legal inferencer for selecting a subset of the set of valid paths being legal and valid paths, the legal and valid paths matching at least one of the regular expressions.
US07844558B2
A method for identifying a potential fault in a system includes obtaining a set of training data. A first kernel is selected from a library of two or more kernels and the first kernel is added to a regression network. A next kernel is selected from the library of two or more kernels and the next kernel is added to the regression network. The regression network is refined. A potential fault is identified in the system using the refined regression network.
US07844552B2
A method for implementing a customer relationship management system can include establishing a plurality of customer contact channels within a customer relationship management services system. A software component can be associated with each of customer contact channels. A shared software agent can be accessed by software components through a publicly accessible network. The shared software agent performs at least one data management task and displays at least one visual element within a graphical user interface of an accessing software component.
US07844549B2
The present invention provides methods and systems for legally sharing files in a peer-to-peer network on the internet in a manner that compensates the content owners, artists, authors and/or programmers, and the like. Methods of the present invention may include incentive programs, which allow users to earn credits that may be redeemable for later file downloads and/or for merchandise at an online store or other compensation.
US07844539B2
A system and method of trading combined orders in an exchange configured for trading by a combination of electronic and open-outcry trading mechanisms is provided. One method includes receiving an incoming order having a first order component and a second order component at an electronic trade engine and routing the first and second order components to a first electronic database. The first and second order components are matched and executed against order components maintained in the first and second electronic databases, respectively. Any unexecuted first and second order components are placed in an electronic book according to a predetermined program if the first or second order component cannot be completely matched against any order components maintained in one of the first or second electronic databases. The system includes a trade engine configured for receiving combined orders from market makers.
US07844536B1
A system and method for linking and managing linked orders are described. According to one method, a trader may first link two or more orders into a linked order, and then one or more parameters associated with one of the orders may be dynamically changed based on user inputs or information being received from an exchange. For example, a trader may link any two orders as an order cancel order, and each linked order may be associated with the same or different tradable objects, order quantities, and may be submitted to one or more exchanges. The order quantities may be then dynamically updated based on updates being received from the one or more exchanges and further based on a quantity ratio between the two orders. Further, the linked order may be submitted upon detecting a fill for another order.
US07844528B2
The present disclosure describes an approach to constructing and implementing risk rating products that provides a number of advantages. Instead of hard-coding attributes of a risk rating scheme, which requires the assistance of a trained programming specialist for any modifications, adjustments, or new products, the present invention provides a set of modular tools that assist non-specialists in on-the-fly generation and implementation of risk rating products. The modularity of this approach facilitates the modification and/or updating of a system component without affecting the operation of other components. Described herein are embodiments of a risk evaluation product builder, which allows users to manipulate visual tools to generate a data-structure comprising an embodiment of a risk rating scheme and insurance quoting product.
US07844526B1
A Life-Time Value (LTV) system is a data-driven computer-facilitated financial model that provides accurate and consistent profitability projections using current period account level profitability data stored in a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The Life-Time Value system performs Net Present Value (NPV) and Future Value (FV) processing using business-rule and data-driven applications that embrace the current period profit components, defines forecast periods, parameters and methodologies, and applies appropriate growth values, attrition values and propensity values to an object of future value interest.
US07844518B1
A system and method for evaluating financial transactions, which may involve credit requests, is provided. Credit requests are categorized into three tiers: the third-tier is for requests capable of being processed by computers, the second-tier is for requests that meet predefined criteria and cannot be categorized as third-tier requests, and the first-tier is for requests that cannot be categorized as second-tier or third-tier requests. The first-tier requests are manually reviewed by a credit executive. The second-tier requests are delegated to more junior credit personnel via an inventive pre-approval procedure. The third-tier requests are processed, at least in part, by computers. Additionally, requests that exceed a credit line, or limit, may be approved by reallocating credit from other credit lines.
US07844517B2
Weather metrics data and a weather factor relationship knowledgebase are received and used to forecast the weather-based demand. The weather factor relationship knowledgebase can be a weather-impact model. The weather-impact model can comprise at least one of an empirical scoring matrix, a weather indices template, and a proxy model conditions template. The weather-impact model can be derived from an analysis of normalized proxy sales history data. Optionally, the weather-based demand can be scaled, deaggregated, or both.
US07844514B2
The described embodiments of the invention include a method for maintaining accounting records for a portfolio of investments, comprising accounting records stored on a computer readable medium and providing a table for each event type affecting an investment for generating an account entry, each line of the table designating which accounting record receives the account entry and at least one key designating a data source for the account entry and an operation on the data source to determine the amount of the account entry. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, a data processing system for maintaining accounting records for a portfolio of securities comprises a plurality of accounting records stored on a computer readable medium, the accounting records including tax accounts, a plurality of defined security types and, for each security type, a plurality of tables for each transaction affecting a security for generating an account entry, each line of the table designating which accounting record receives the account entry and a key designating a data source for the account entry and an operation on the data source to determine the amount of the account entry.
US07844512B2
A server is in communication with an ATM host and at least one ATM. Sever software is adapted to operate in the server to cause messages to be converted to enable ATM and ATM host communication. The server is operative to receive messages from the ATM host and/or the ATM, cause the received messages to be converted for handling by the other one of the ATM host and the ATM, and then cause the converted messages to be sent to the other one of the ATM host and the ATM. In one embodiment, the server software is operative to cause HTTP messages to be converted to non-HTTP messages, and vice versa.
US07844511B2
Methods and systems for auditing invoice and payment records are disclosed. A computer system may receive a plurality of invoices and payment records, compare one of the invoices to a matching one of the payment records to identify a discrepancy between the invoice and the payment record, calculate an error value as a function of the identified discrepancy, determine that the calculated error value exceeds a tolerance value, and generate an reporting the identified discrepancy. Methods and systems for balancing invoices and payment records are also disclosed. A computer system may compare dates and payment amounts of the invoices to dates and payment amounts of the payment records, and identify matches between the two. The computer system may then display lists of unmatched invoices and payment records for a user to manually examine.
US07844510B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for determining an absorption costing sequence for items in a business operation. More specifically, embodiments provide an efficient mechanism for sequencing items for absorption costing, thereby also improving the efficiency of subsequent absorption costing mechanisms by reducing the number of sequencing operations performed during costing. In one embodiment, an initial hierarchy is created from a bill of materials (BOM) including items for which an absorption cost will be calculated. Thereafter, an iterative method is performed to modify the initial hierarchy and reposition each parent item at a level above all of the children items corresponding to the parent item. An absorption processing sequence for the items is then determined from the modified hierarchy. As such, all items may be efficiently repositioned before absorption costing is performed.
US07844508B2
A system and method for coordinating delivery of components to manage solution delivery and installation to customers. When a customer order for components is received, a component tracking device is configured to be placed within one or more pre-designated areas of a customer site. Each component to be shipped to the customer site is tagged with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that is associated with the order. The tracking device is used to detect the presence of each component at the pre-designated areas within the customer site. An RFID reader in the tracking device detects the presence of a component by reading the RFID tag on the component. Data about the presence of each component is recorded. An installation team may be notified when the recorded data indicates that a number of components in the order have been detected within the pre-designated areas of the customer site.
US07844499B2
A method of delivering a solar system and related services from a solar system vendor to a customer is provided. The method includes estimating the customer's solar system requirements, delivering the estimated requirements to the customer, providing a sales lead that includes the estimated requirements to a contractor, the contractor contacting the customer to perform a sales close, ordering the solar system products from the solar system vendor, and issuing a payment for the products to the solar system vendor. The method of delivering solar services further includes supplying a first set of solar system components from the solar system vendor and a second set of solar system components from a third-party vendor, configuring all or a portion of the solar system components in accordance with the solar system requirements, shipping the solar system to the customer's site, and installing the system on the customer's site. The method for delivering solar services further includes financing the solar system by providing a loan from a financial institution to the customer, providing periodic payments from the customer to the financial institution, and providing payments from the financial institution to the contractor and from the contractor to the solar system vendor. An optional network monitoring service may also be provided.
US07844498B2
In one embodiment, techniques are provided for interacting with an online media store to obtain a media asset bundle, such as a digital boxset. These techniques involve, for instance, browsing for a media asset bundle that includes at least one interactive playable media asset, purchasing the media asset bundle, obtaining the media assets contained in the media asset bundle, determining if a presentation request has been made for a media asset in the media asset bundle, and presenting the requested media asset.
US07844491B1
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a client application for enabling access to an online service and displaying advertisements while the user is accessing the online service. The client application receives play lists from the online service provider. The play lists include information about advertisements to be played and the order of play. The client application also receives match lists from the online service provider. The match lists include information about advertisements to be played when the user performs certain actions. The client application also displays a wide variety of sponsorship information in connection with the online service. The sponsorship information is displayed in hypertext format. The client application provides the user with information related to a sponsor when the user clicks on hypertext associated with the sponsor.
US07844487B2
A method of transforming the standard O.H.L.C. (open, high, low, close) bar chart into a new advanced chart that diagrams value changes occurring within the charted period, disclosing the sequence of occurrence of value extremes (highest price or value compared to lowest price or value) as well as the direction and momentum of value changes during the ending portion of the period.
US07844483B2
A system and method for collecting and analyzing electronic discussion messages to categorize the message communications and to identify trends and patterns in pre-determined markets. The system comprises an electronic data discussion system wherein electronic messages are collected and analyzed according to characteristics and data inherent in the messages. Objective data is collected by the system for use in analyzing the electronic discussion data against real-world events to facilitate trend analysis and event forecasting based on the volume, nature and content of messages posted to electronic discussion forums. The message posting activity of a plurality of posters can be tracked to determine the tendency of individual posters to initiate or moderate discussions, accurately predict events external to the discussion forums, accelerate or decelerate a buzz level in a forum, or precede a rising market or a falling market.
US07844482B1
A method for collecting feedback from a user, involving determining a location of the user using a user device comprising location detection, sending a feedback request corresponding to an entity at the location to the user device, providing feedback data responsive to the feedback request, wherein feedback data is supplied by the user and includes rating information associated with the entity, and transmitting feedback data and the location from the user device to a remote database.
US07844472B1
A method and system for aggregating and standardizing healthcare quality ratings includes a process for aggregating and standardizing healthcare quality ratings whereby data representing healthcare provider quality ratings is obtained from one or more sources, i.e., parties offering and/or presenting healthcare provider quality ratings data. The data representing healthcare provider quality ratings obtained from one or more sources is then aggregated. The aggregated data representing healthcare provider quality ratings obtained from one or more sources is then standardized and/or normalized to provide a standardized and uniform ratings format/system. The normalized aggregated data representing healthcare provider quality ratings obtained from one or more sources is then stored, for access by authorized parties.
US07844469B2
A genetic banking system allows the ability to securely store genetic profile data while allowing access to individuals authorized to access the profile for authorized purposes.
US07844465B2
Method and system are provided for performing random confirmation in a speech system. When a speech recognition result is received with an associated confidence score indicating a level of confidence with respect to the speech recognition result, a confirmation decision is made in terms of whether a confirmation is to be carried out based on the confidence score. The confirmation decision may be made in a random confirmation mode. A confirmation may be performed when the confirmation decision is to carry out a confirmation on the speech recognition result.
US07844443B2
Systems and methods for modeling a subscriber network experience. In one embodiment, a method includes the act of receiving a plurality of subscriber metrics associated with a subscriber to an access network. The method also includes the act of modeling the subscriber experience by applying at least one transformation to the plurality of subscriber metrics to produce a set of subscriber experience data. The metrics measure quality of service for a subscriber experience with the access network. Each element of the subscriber experience data quantifies an aspect of the subscriber experience.
US07844438B1
A method to analyze and correct dynamic power grid variations in an IC includes performing a dynamic power grid analysis of the circuit, identifying an excessive dynamic power grid voltage fluctuation from the analysis, and modifying the circuit to reduce the excessive dynamic power grid fluctuation.
US07844436B2
A method and localization unit for localizing load coils within a transmission line. The load coil localization is achieved using a measurement of a Single-Ended Line Testing (SELT) parameter for the transmission line and an approximation of the SELT parameter obtained from a model of the transmission line. The model is based on a parameter vector θ including parameters describing the transmission properties of each load coil and cable section and the length of a plurality of individual cable sections as unknown independent parameters. The location of at least one load coil is determined by substantially minimizing a criterion function that represents a deviation between the measurement of the SELT parameter and the approximation of the SELT parameter obtained from the model. The load coil localization method and unit can be used for both symmetric and asymmetric transmission lines.
US07844409B2
Packet formats and associated metering infrastructure for filtering meter reading data that is being transmitted by utility meters are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method suitable for being implemented in a metering environment is provided that filters meter reading data being received by multiple collectors. Specifically, the method includes ranking the relative ability of the plurality of collectors to capture transmissions from the same utility meter. Based on the relative ranking, at least one collector from the plurality of collectors is identified that will be configured to disregard transmissions that originate from the utility meter. Then, the method provides the collector with a read list for differentiating between transmissions containing meter reading data that will be forwarded to a utility service provider from transmissions that originate from the utility meter.
US07844393B2
Route guidance is provided for traveling to a lane opposite to a present traveling lane. If a user operates a return button, a main control unit calculates a position closest to a present position in a lane of the traveling direction opposite to that of a present traveling lane on a present traveling path as a destination, and sets the destination to destination data. Then, the route search unit searches for a guide route to the destination indicated by the destination data. A navigation image indicating the searched guide route along with the present position and the destination is displayed.
US07844388B2
A method of regulating the actual lambda value for an internal-combustion engine of a motor vehicle in a closed control loop is provided. A lambda setpoint is transferred to a controller for influencing an injection calculation for the internal-combustion engine, and an actual lambda value, which occurs at the output of a controlled system as a function of the injection calculation, is returned to the controller. At least one system parameter of the controlled system is determined, and the determined system parameter is transferred to a Smith predictor added to the controller for compensating the influence of the system dead time on the control loop characteristics.
US07844387B2
A method for consumption-optimized operation of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is described, an engine output of the internal combustion engine being set as a function of a position of a gas pedal according to a manipulated variable, the gas pedal being adjustable in a first mechanically defined adjustment range between an initial position and a specific gas pedal position, the internal combustion engine being controlled with a consumption-optimized engine output with regard to the instantaneous engine speed by adjusting the gas pedal to the specific gas pedal position, the consumption-optimized engine output causing a minimal fuel consumption at the instantaneous engine speed.
US07844379B2
An intelligent boom control device includes: a control unit and an angle measurement unit, the control unit calculating the boom position information based on measured value of angles, whereby adjusting the control of various actuators; the device further including: a remote controller which transmits control commands and can provide movement control commands including X axis component, Y axis component and Z axis component used in a rectangular coordinate system; a rectangular coordinate system being defined in a space; when the remote controller transmits a movement control command, the control unit determining the movement direction of the boom end in a plane according to the X axis component and Y axis component of the received movement control command, and decomposing the movement into movement of each boom section and the rotary platform so that the boom end moves to the direction indicated by the movement control command.
US07844374B2
A boat has a propulsion unit and a steering system. The steering system includes a steering device actuated by an electric actuator. A steering wheel operated by an operator is electrically connected to the actuator. Detectors collect data regarding one or more of operation status of the steering wheel, running status of the boat, status of the propulsion unit, status of the electric actuator, and the like. In certain situations, the electric actuator may not be capable of providing a quick steering response. A controller weighs detected data to identify such situations and controls a propulsive force of the propulsion unit so as to restrain the propulsive force if necessary to maintain good steering response.
US07844373B2
The present invention relates to a method and a system for monitoring the following of a reference trajectory by an aircraft. The values that flight parameters of the aircraft will have on completion of a time interval ΔT are extrapolated, the time interval ΔT corresponding to a duration less than the remaining duration of validity of a guidance instruction presently applied by the aircraft and during which the instruction remains unchanged, by measuring at the start of the time interval ΔT the actual values of the flight parameters as well as external conditions on which the performance of the aircraft depends, then by making the assumption that the instruction values of the flight parameters will remain constant throughout the time interval ΔT, an alarm being raised if the extrapolated values of the flight parameters are not substantially equal to theoretical values of the flight parameters deduced from the reference trajectory on completion of the time interval considered ΔT or if they are not compatible with the actual performance of the aircraft having regard to the measured external conditions.
US07844365B2
A field-mounted process device with multiple isolated connections includes a connection that can be an input or an output. The given input or output can couple to multiple sensors or actuators, respectively. The process device can be wholly powered through its communication I/O port. The process device includes a controller adapted to measure one or more characteristics of sensors coupled to an input connection and to control actuators coupled to an output connection. The controller can be further adapted to execute a user generated control algorithm relating process input information with process output commands.
US07844360B2
Systems and methods for processing tobacco-oriented goods are disclosed. One embodiment of a method includes receiving a pick-up signal from a pick-up sensor. The pick-up signal is indicative of the picking up of a tobacco product unit that has been pre-sorted based on inclusion in an associated order. Also received is a put-down signal from a put-down sensor. The put-down signal is indicative of the fact that the tobacco product unit has been put down. A determination is made, based on a system parameter, whether the pick-up signal is properly associated with the put-down signal.
US07844345B2
Medical electrical lead systems and related methods are described. The lead systems may be configured to be at least partially implanted in neural tissue of a subject, such as a brain of a subject. Some variations of the lead systems may comprise a lead body, an electrode connected to the lead body, and a bioactive agent. The electrode and/or lead body may comprise a substrate, and the bioactive agent may be supported by the substrate (e.g., by a substantial portion of the area of the substrate). Examples of bioactive agents that may be used in the lead system include antiproliferative agents, bactericidal agents, bacteriostatic agents, antiepileptic agents, and/or antifungal agents. Methods described herein may comprise coating a lead body and/or an electrode of a medical electrical lead system with at least one bioactive agent, where the lead body and the electrode are connected to each other.
US07844335B2
A device is connected to electrode leads which performs intracardiac impedance measurements, conducts a transient pacing protocol, analyses the impedance measurements, and generates an LV lead position quality factor. The transient pacing protocol includes a repeated change (“transitions”) between ventricular intrinsic rhythm and biventricular paced rhythm and may also include a variation of the atrioventricular delay (AVD) and/or the interventricular delay (VVD). The quality factor expresses the degree to which hemodynamic properties have improved due to BiV stimulation for the current LV lead position compared to intrinsic ventricular rhythm.
US07844324B2
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for assessing the reactivity observable in a certain physiological signal, especially the EEG signal, of a comatose subject. In order to obtain an objective and a reliable measure of the reactivity automatically and without the presence of a trained EEG specialist, a valid signal model is constructed for an EEG signal obtained from the subject. A time reference corresponding to a stimulus is applied and further signal data is obtained from the time series, the further signal data being subsequent to the time reference. By employing the further signal data, the method tests whether the signal model remains to be a valid signal model for the EEG signal also after the stimulus, and indicates, based on the test, whether reactivity is present in the physiological signal.
US07844323B2
Disclosed is a system for the detection of cardiac events that includes an implanted device called a cardiosaver, a physician's programmer and an external alarm system. The system is designed to provide early detection of cardiac events such as acute myocardial infarction or exercise induced myocardial ischemia caused by an increased heart rate or exertion. The system can also alert the patient with a less urgent alarm if a heart arrhythmia is detected. Using different algorithms, the cardiosaver can detect a change in the patient's electrogram that is indicative of a cardiac event within five minutes after it occurs and then automatically warn the patient that the event is occurring. To provide this warning, the system includes an internal alarm sub-system (internal alarm means) within the cardiosaver and/or an external alarm system (external alarm means) which are activated after the ST segment of the electrogram exceeds a preset threshold.
US07844318B2
The invention relates to a patient support device, for use with Magnetic Resonance imaging apparatuses, comprising a support surface (7) adapted to accommodate at least a part, particularly the whole of the patient body. According to the invention, this device comprises at least one, receptacles (307) for holding and/or removably coupling a coil (13′) adapted to receive signals from an anatomic region particularly from the spinal region, which receptacle (307) is arranged over the surface (7) of the patient support device in areas corresponding to the position of the anatomic region to be imaged. The invention also relates to a Magnetic Resonance imaging apparatus comprising a magnet structure (2) which delimits a cavity to receive at least a part of the patient body, in which an imaging volume is created. In accordance with the invention, the apparatus comprises a patient support device as defined in the invention and as described above. The invention further relates to a Magnetic Resonance imaging method providing the use of the apparatus and the patient support device according to the invention.
US07844311B2
A mobile terminal having acoustic transducers and method for using the same are provided. The acoustic transducers are detachably mounted in a terminal body. When the acoustic transducers are mounted in the terminal body, they are operated as speakers, and when the acoustic transducers are separated from the terminal body, the acoustic transducers are operated as at least one of a wireless earphone and the microphone.
US07844309B2
A communication device comprising a keymat, a cover, and a substrate comprising a plurality of key switches is disclosed. The keymat comprises a plurality of lips located at the edges of the keymat. The cover comprises a plurality of indentations configured to receive the plurality of lips. The indentations are located at the edges of a recess for removably mounting the keymat.
US07844299B2
A base station configured to communicate with a mobile station includes a controlling-information transmitting unit and a receiving unit. The controlling-information transmitting unit is configured to transmit to the mobile station as a set of controlling information, an information set indicating an environment of a cell which is resided by the mobile station, or an information set indicating power of interference from surrounding cells, or an information set indicating a condition of propagation channel. The receiving unit is configured to receive a signal transmitted from the mobile station, based on said set of controlling information, via a variably-controlling process of a spreading factor and a number of chip repetitions.
US07844298B2
A technique for improving radio coverage involves using interdependently tuned directional antennas. An example according to the technique is a substrate including two antennas, a transceiver, and a connector. Another example system according to the technique is a wireless access point (AP) including a processor, memory, a communication port, and a PCB comprising a plurality of directional antennas and a radio. An example method according to the technique involves determining a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) and interdependently tuning a first and second directional antenna to reach an expected radiation pattern.
US07844294B1
Systems and methods for supporting group communications are provided. A group list management server (GLMS) stores communications group definitions in documents, such as extensible mark-up language (XML) documents. The communications group can include communication addresses for different types of communication applications, including electronic mail, voice telephone, data, instant messaging, voice dispatch, short messaging service (SMS), and multimedia service (MMS). Various methods for managing communications groups and features provided for communications groups are provided.
US07844287B2
The present invention relates to a method in a first communications device for sharing an application with a second communication device. The method comprises the steps of: Sending a first short message service (SMS) to the second device. The first SMS comprises a link to a place from where the application can be downloaded into the second device. The first SMS comprises an identity for the second device to use for initiating an IP connection between the first device and the second device and the second device. The method comprises the further step of being connected by the second device for setting up an IP connection between the first device and the second device. The method comprises the further step of communicating with the second device in an IP connection sharing the application.
US07844283B2
A method of providing location based information to a mobile terminal within a communications network comprising the steps of interrogating a component of the communications network to determine the location of a mobile terminal within the communications network; repeating the above process a number of times over a period of time; generating, from the repeated determinations of the location of the mobile terminal within the communications network, a location profile for the mobile terminal; storing the location profile; and providing location based information to the mobile terminal in response to the location of the mobile terminal determined by the stored location profile.
US07844281B2
Emergency Services architecture for determining the location of a wireless caller. The architecture leverages a synchronization feature of GSM networks of the Base Station Subsystem (BSS) to enable employment of sparse networks by removing WLS (Wireless Location Sensor) equipment from selected cell sites. Thus, the location of a wireless caller within a sparse site can be determined. Sparse network location services can be provided further utilizing Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) technology, and other network-based location technologies such as Enhanced Observed Time Difference (EOTD) and Angle of Arrival (AOA). Hybrid network-based/handset-based location technologies may also be used with the disclosed invention.
US07844271B2
The invention refers to a method for establishing a radio connection (4, 5) for transmitting and receiving data across one of a plurality of radio interfaces (2, 3) of a mobile radio telecommunication terminal (1). The multiple radio interfaces (2, 3) serve for data transmission and reception across radio connections (4, 5) according to various radio protocols within different sub-radio access networks (9, 10). The coverage of sub-radio access networks (9, 10) is determined and the radio connection (4, 5) is established across at least one of the available sub-radio access networks (9, 10). In order to establish a radio connection (4, 5) for transmitting and receiving data across one of the plurality of radio interfaces (2, 3) of the mobile radio telecommunication terminal (1) more efficiently without waste of energy and waste of bandwidth on the radio connections (4, 5) the necessity for a determination of sub-radio access network (9, 10) coverage is established and coverage of the sub-radio access networks (9, 10) is determined only if determination of sub-radio access network (9, 10) coverage is deemed to be necessary.
US07844268B2
A method and apparatus for, upon generation of an event triggering a change in the state of a UE participating in a call, sending service information changed due to the state change to the other participating entity and notifying each user of the service information are provided. When a state change event occurs to a UE, the UE checks its available services and sends a message including service information indicating the available services to the other entity connected to the UE. Therefore, the other entity has knowledge of the actual available services of the UE in a changed environment.
US07844263B2
Systems and methods for provisioning an electronic device for multiple services are disclosed herein. An exemplary embodiment, among others, of a provisioning method includes receiving a first request to procure a user device capable of operating under a plurality of service plans. The method also includes receiving a second request to provision the user device for operation under a first service plan and receiving a third request to provision the user device for operation under a second service plan. Also, the method includes coordinating the first request, second request, and third request to provision the user device under the first service plan and second service plan.
US07844259B2
According to the present invention, the step of requesting of an associated information provision server KS for associated information about contents broadcast in a broadcast program being received is provided. The step of acquiring the associated information corresponding to the request from the associated information provision server KS and storing this is provided. And the retrieval step of transmitting a part of the associated information as a retrieval key to retrieve contents to a CD seller server 31, and obtaining retrieval results from the CD seller server 31 is provided. Thereby, the associated information about the contents broadcast in the broadcast program being received is obtained. The retrieval results are obtained from a contents retrieval server by using the part of the associated information as retrieval keys. Therefore, retrieval results having variety that are not limited to results conceived by the user in a certain degree can be obtained.
US07844244B2
An apparatus for providing dynamic assignment of slot cycle index includes a processing element. The processing element may be configured to send a registration message to a server for registering a network node to a service associated with the server, to receive a response to the registration message from the server in which the response identifies slot cycle index information, and to apply a slot cycle value at the network node based on stored information defining the slot cycle value corresponding to the identified slot cycle index information.
US07844228B2
Deterioration of transmission efficiency due to a change in modulation scheme is prevented. A terminal apparatus determines a line which is to be given the priority between an uplink or downlink, according to an application activating operation from an operator, and then makes a request accordingly to a base station apparatus. The base station apparatus detects a request signal on a downlink or uplink to be prioritized. If the request signal indicates that the downlink be prioritized, the execution of a processing of changing a transmission rate of the uplink involving the stoppage of the downlink is cancelled. If the request signal indicates that the uplink be prioritized, the execution of a processing of changing a transmission rate of the downlink involving the stoppage of the uplink is cancelled.
US07844225B2
A radio for a motor vehicle includes a housing in which a radio module and a digital radio decoder are arranged. The radio module includes a radio-module low-frequency input and a radio-module low-frequency output for the emission of a low-frequency signal which is inputted via the radio-module low-frequency input. The digital radio decoder includes a decoder high-frequency input, a decoder high-frequency output which is connected to the radio-module low-frequency input and a digital radio receiver for converting a digital radio signal inputted into the decoder high-frequency input into a low-frequency signal and for emitting the low-frequency signal via the decoder low-frequency output.
US07844215B2
The present invention provides the delivery of mobile-capable audio entertainment content. More particularly, the present invention relates to the electronic and mobile delivery of various media content, such as print periodicals and print news articles, by converting them into audio format and enabling such content along with other audio content to be delivered to consumers over wireless telephone networks. Particular embodiments of the invention provide interactive classified advertisement features.
US07844203B2
A development apparatus includes an anilox roller for supplying liquid developer to a development roller and a supply roller arranged in a developer container and held in contact with the anilox roller to supply the liquid developer to the anilox roller. An AC voltage is applied to the supply roller, and a bias voltage is applied to the development roller. Liquid developer contained in grooves of undulations of an anilox pattern formed on a surface of the anilox roller is applied to the development roller.
US07844198B2
An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes, a cylindrical photoreceptor pipe; at least one flange which is attached to an opening of one end of the photoreceptor pipe, and which is provided with a shaft part projecting outward from the one end at a shaft center position of the photoreceptor pipe; and an earth member which is arranged to penetrate through the shaft part of the at least one flange, and which is provided on its inward side with at least one first contact part which contacts an inner circumference of the photoreceptor pipe, and on its outward side with a second contact part.
US07844194B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus main body; a sheet feeding cassette attached to the apparatus main body so as to be pulled out to an outside; a cover that covers, with an internal space in between, a portion of the apparatus main body different from a portion where the sheet feeding cassette is attached; a handle portion formed on a front face side in a pull-out direction of the sheet feeding cassette so as to open for enabling a user to insert a fingertip therein; an air channel formed in the sheet cassette and allowing an opening of the handle portion and the internal space inside the cover to communicate with each other; and an air blower that sends outside air inside the apparatus main body by way of the opening, the air channel, and the internal space.
US07844187B2
An optical communications circuit has a communications light signal source and a heat pump coupled to cool the signal source. A controller monitors a current and a temperature of the signal source, and regulates the temperature. The controller updates a heat pump control limit parameter for the heat pump, based on the monitored current. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07844183B2
A system for transmission of information between at least two players in a training area comprises means on a first (1) of said players for encoding light pulses and means for transmitting information in the form of such coded light pulses towards at least one second (2-4) of said players, said second player having means for receiving said light pulses and means for decoding the information thereof. Each of said players is provided with a clock, and the system comprises means for keeping said clocks synchronized. The encoding means and the decoding means are adapted to utilize data of times of transmission and receipt of said light pulses for transmitting information from the first player to the second player.
US07844178B1
Disclosed is a method and apparatus which provides for alerting of potential fiber optic cable intrusion. A stress detector located at a fiber optic cable termination point detects stress on the fiber optic cable and generates an alarm signal in response to the stress detection. The alarm signal is transmitted to remote alarm units along the fiber optic right of way via a conductive metallic portion of the fiber optic cable (e.g., the fiber optic cable sheath). In response to receipt of an alarm signal, the alarm units initiate a perceptible (e.g., audible and/or visible) alarm. The stress detector may also determine a location of the stress, and generate an alarm signal addressed to a particular one or more alarm units in the vicinity of the stress location.
US07844174B2
A method and system for additively, manually sequentially or manually in parallel, selecting multiple points or regions of interest in the analog or digital viewfinder of a photo or video camera with automatic controls like auto-focusing, auto-metering and auto white-balancing. Points or regions capable of being selected, within a grid of elements comprising a camera's evaluative matrix and represented to the user in a viewfinder or other display, may be hard-coded (pre-defined, selectable regions) or any point, pixel, or group of pixels. Data from the selected regions is used to simultaneously, dynamically adjust focus related parameters, light metering and white balancing of the camera and is tied into these features. Point selection may be via touch screen or by holding down a lock button. The selected points or regions may be applied to focus and aperture related adjustments or for any other camera function related to measurement of the scene.
US07844169B2
A method for converting the MPEG 1 data format to the MPEG 2 data format is provided. The method includes reading and mapping the MPEG 1 data format to the MPEG 2 data format to generate a first title file and a second title file. Sequential playback functions defined in the Video 1.1 specification is supported when the first title file is selected for playback. Otherwise, playback controls functions defined in the Video 2.0 specification is supported when the second title file is selected for playback.
US07844168B2
A video decoding apparatus capable of controlling presentation of sub-pictures includes a first decoder, a second decoder, a first scaler, a second scaler and a combiner. The first decoder and the second decoder respectively decode a digital audio/video signal to generate a decoded video and a decoded sub-picture. In accordance with an output picture size, the decoded video size, the decoded sub-picture size and a sub-picture aspect ratio, the first scaler and the second scaler generate a first scaling factor and a second scaling factor. The combiner combines the decoded video and the decoded sub-picture according to the first scaling factor and the second scaling factor and outputs the combination thereof. A video decoding method and a digital audio/video playback system capable of controlling presentation of sub-pictures are also disclosed.
US07844156B2
An optical waveguide includes: an optical waveguide core through which light propagates, at least one end portion of the optical waveguide core in a longitudinal direction thereof having an inclined surface; a reflective layer provided on the inclined surface and formed by a metal layer of silver or a silver alloy; a protective layer disposed to cover the reflective layer; and a cladding portion enclosing the optical waveguide core and having a lower refractive index than that of the optical waveguide core.
US07844149B2
The invention relates to an electro-optic modulator structure containing an additional set of bias electrodes buried within the device for applying bias to set the operating point. Thus the RF electrodes used to modulate incoming optical signals can be operated with zero DC bias, reducing electrode corrosion by galvanic and other effects that can be present in non-hermetic packages. The bias electrodes are at least partially separated from the substrate with a buffer layer, which in one embodiment has a small amount of conductivity. This conductive buffer layer reduces optical loss from the bias electrodes and also reduces DC drift.
US07844146B2
An all-fiber optical pulse compression arrangement comprises a concatenated arrangement of a section of input fiber (e.g., a single mode fiber), a graded-index (GRIN) fiber lens and a section of pulse-compressing fiber (e.g., LMA fiber). The GRIN fiber lens is used to provide mode matching between the input fiber (supporting the propagation of chirped optical pulses) and the pulse-compressing fiber, with efficient pulse compression occurring along the length of the LMA fiber. The dispersion and length of the LMA fiber section are selected to provide the desired degree of pulse compression; for example, capable of reconstituting a femtosecond pulse as is used in supercontinuum generation systems.
US07844140B2
An image processing apparatus includes a generating unit for generating a database related to image data acquired by image sensing, a transmitting unit for transmitting image data to a server, a receiving unit for receiving characteristic data of the image data from the server, the characteristic data being based on the result of at least person extraction performed on the image data, a recording unit for recording, on a recording medium, the characteristic data related to the image data and received from the server as a part of the database generated by the generating unit, a searching unit for presenting the characteristic data such that the characteristic data can be designated, and searching the database so as to hit image data corresponding to the designated characteristic data, and a display unit for displaying images based on the image data hit by the searching unit.
US07844137B2
A relatively non-complex signal processor supporting an active pixel sensor imaging system is disclosed. The signal processor only requires the first sample from a group of samples in a multiple sample to be transmitted to the signal processor at full resolution. The subsequent samples in that group can be transmitted using only a subset of least significant bits. The minimum number of required LSBs is based upon the level of noise in the system. In one embodiment, the number of LSBs transmitted is k+2 per sample, where k indicates the number bits corresponding to peak noise. In an alternative embodiment, each subsequent sample is transmitted using only k+1 bits.
US07844135B2
A method of automatically establishing the correct orientation of an image using facial information. This method is based on the exploitation of the inherent property of image recognition algorithms in general and face detection in particular, where the recognition is based on criteria that is highly orientation sensitive. By applying a detection algorithm to images in various orientations, or alternatively by rotating the classifiers, and comparing the number of successful faces that are detected in each orientation, one may conclude as to the most likely correct orientation. Such method can be implemented as an automated method or a semi automatic method to guide users in viewing, capturing or printing of images.
US07844130B2
The present invention discloses a method of volume-panorama imaging processing, which generates a volume-panorama image by subsequently splicing respective image frames from an image sequence obtained in a real-time way or stored in a medium based upon the fact that the immediately adjacent image frames have the largest correlation. The method comprises the steps of: reading the image sequence, and firstly initializing an aligned image and a spliced image; dividing the i-th image frame Fi into a plurality of sub-regions; calculating a motion vector of the i-t image frame with respect to the aligned image; fitting the motion vector to calculate a transform coefficient; splicing the Fi to the current spliced image based upon the transform coefficient, and updating the aligned image; entering into a self-adaptive selection of a next image frame until the end of the splicing; and outputting the current spliced image as a resultant image. Additionally, when the image Fi is spliced, double-filtering architecture of selecting characteristic points through a filtering and selecting the valid motion vector of the selected characteristic points through the other filtering to reduce an alignment error may be adopted. According to the present invention, the volume-panorama imaging can be done quickly and accurately so that the reliability of images particularly meets a very high requirement of the ultrasonic iatric diagnose.
US07844122B2
A system and method are provided for compressing data. In use, luminescence data of a frame is updated at a first predetermined rate, while chrominance data of the frame is updated at a second predetermined rate that is less than the first predetermined rate. Moreover, pause information may be inserted with the compressed data, where the pause information may be used when the video data is paused during the playback thereof to increase the quality of a still frame.
US07844117B2
An image digest based search approach allows images within an image repository related to a query image to be located despite cropping, rotating, localized changes in image content, compression formats and/or an unlimited variety of other distortions. In particular, the approach allows potential distortion types to be characterized and to be fitted to an exponential family of equations matched to a Bregman distance. Image digests matched to the identified distortion types may then be generated for stored images using the matched Bregman distances, thereby allowing searches to be conducted of the image repository that explicitly account for the statistical nature of distortions on the image. Processing associated with characterizing image noise, generating matched Bregman distances, and generating image digests for images within an image repository based on a wide range of distortion types and processing parameters may be performed offline and stored for later use, thereby improving search response times.
US07844116B2
Images within an image repository related to a selected image may be located despite cropping, rotating, and/or the application of a variety of other distortions to either the selected image and/or images in the image repository. Described exemplary approaches may use image digests produced using a multi-step process. In a first step, a discrete Fourier transform may be applied to produce an M×N frequency-based image matrix from an M×N image matrix containing elements that represent spatial image pixel values. In subsequent steps, matrix approximations may be applied to reduce the M×N frequency-based image matrix and to produce an image digest that reflects the content of the image. Further, an approach is described for generating a search threshold value that may be used to determine whether images digests associated with images in a repository are sufficiently similar to a search digest to be returned in a search result.
US07844115B2
An information processing apparatus includes feature extraction means for extracting features of a designated image in plural images which are associated with each other, image determination means for determining whether the designated image is an image of the face of a certificate, a receipt, a ticket or a note on which a character string is written based on the extracted features, and metadata addition means for adding the first metadata which is character string data of the character string to another image in the plural images, when it is determined that the designated image is an image of the face of a certificate, a receipt, a ticket or a note on which a character string is written.
US07844095B2
A method and an apparatus for virtual bowel cleaning are disclosed. A first CT volume data record of an area of the bowel of interest is produced, in which voxels relating to a bowel content are identified and are suitably modified in order to obtain a modified data record without visible bowel contents, which is then visualized. In at least one embodiment of the method, at least one further volume data record is produced of the area of interest, which was recorded by a CT scanner with a different spectral distribution than the first volume data record which was recorded by a CT scanner, with at least some of the voxels relating to the bowel content being identified on the basis of information about a local density and/or atomic number, which is obtained from data in the first and the further volume data record taking account of the different spectral distributions. In at least one embodiment, the method and the apparatus make it possible to increase the reliability of virtual bowel cleaning.
US07844094B2
A method of determining a geometric parameter of a machine includes using the machine to obtain an image of at least a portion of a structure, the structure having a plurality of markers, wherein the markers have predetermined position(s) relative to each other, determining a position of the structure based on a pattern of the markers in the image, and determining a geometric parameter of the machine based at least in part on the determined position of the structure.
US07844091B2
A method for caries detection uses an image capture device (30, 32) to obtain fluorescence image data from the tooth (20) by illuminating the tooth to excite fluorescent emission. A first enhanced image of the tooth is then obtained by illuminating the tooth at a first incident angle, obtaining a back-scattered reflectance image data from the tooth tissue, and combining the back-scattered reflectance image data with the fluorescence image data. A second enhanced image of the tooth is then obtained by illuminating the tooth at a second incident angle, obtaining a back-scattered reflectance image data from the tooth tissue, and combining the back-scattered reflectance image data with the fluorescence image data. The first and second enhanced images are then analyzed to select and display the best-contrast image. This method provides high contrast images for carious regions (58) on all tooth surfaces.
US07844088B2
Systems and methods for automated pattern recognition and detection of avian influenza virus in a data set corresponding to an aspect of a biological sample. The method includes receiving a first data set corresponding to a first aspect of a first biological sample, analyzing the first data set using results of a first series of algorithms processed on a second data set corresponding to an aspect of a second biological sample known to contain avian influenza virus, generating an algorithm value cache for the first data set by running a second series of algorithms on the first data set, generating a match result by comparing the algorithm value cache with the results of the first series of algorithms, and performing a processing action based on the generated match result.
US07844082B2
A method for authentication by biometric data, including receiving a biometric data set; evaluating if the received biometric data set is within a reference region, wherein the reference region represents a region associated with a reference biometric data set; evaluating if the received biometric data set is within a blackout region, wherein the blackout region represents a region associated with at least one previously received and positively authenticated biometric data set; and issuing a positive authentication if the received biometric data set is within the reference region, but outside the blackout region.
US07844081B2
Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of imaging systems and methods of using such systems. In one exemplary embodiment, one or more direct images of the body of a clothed subject are received, and a motion signature is determined from the one or more images. In this embodiment, the one or more images show movement of the body of the subject over time, and the motion signature is associated with the movement of the subject's body. In certain implementations, the subject can be identified based at least in part on the motion signature. Imaging systems for performing any of the disclosed methods are also disclosed herein. Furthermore, the disclosed imaging, rendering, and analysis methods can be implemented, at least in part, as one or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the respective methods.
US07844072B2
Methods and arrangements are disclosed for embedding and detecting a watermark in a cinema movie, such that the watermark can be detected in a copy made by a handheld video camera. The watermark embedder divides each image frame into two areas. A watermark bit ‘+1’ is embedded in a frame by increasing the luminance of the first part and decreasing the luminance of the second part. A watermark bit ‘−1’ is embedded by decreasing the luminance of the first part and increasing the luminance of the second part. It is achieved with the invention that the embedded watermark survives ‘de-flicker’ operations that are often used to remove flicker caused by the different frame rates of cinema projection equipment and consumer camcorders.
US07844064B2
Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a tooth or teeth are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.
US07844059B2
A system and process for dereverberation of multi-channel audio streams is presented which uses reverberation suppression techniques. In general, the present system and process builds a frequency dependent model of the reverberation decay and uses spectral subtraction-based reverberation reduction to achieve the aforementioned suppression. This dereverberation system and process can be used to improve automatic speech recognition (ASR) results with minimal CPU overhead.
US07844056B1
A method and apparatus for encapsulating long messages over limited Fiber Channel ELSs. The method includes ascertaining if the authentication message has a length that exceeds the message length supported by the device with which communication is sought, and either: fragmenting the authentication message into message fragments if the length of the message exceeds the message length supported by that particular device and sequentially sending the message fragments one by one; or sending the authentication message in its entirety if the length of the authentication message is less than the message length supported by that particular device. When the message is fragmented, a fragmentation bit in the message fragment is set except for the last message fragment. The set fragmentation bit indicates that subsequent fragments are to be sent. The fragmentation bit of the last fragment is reset to indicate that it is the last fragment in the authentication message. This fragmentation method enables initiating and target entities implementing a limited form of ELSs to send long authentication messages to one another in a Fiber Channel Switching Fabric.
US07844055B2
A method for detecting and transporting dynamic presence information over a wireless and wireline communications network comprises determining client device capabilities relating to user presence information that may be obtained from the client device and determining a presence configuration of the client device. The presence configuration defines information to be provided to a presence agent. The presence configuration also defines one or more action to be performed upon notification of an event occurrence. The method also includes collecting dynamic presence information based at least in part on the client device capabilities and the presence configuration.
US07844051B2
The present invention provides a new trapdoor one-way function. In a general sense, some quadratic algebraic integer z is used. One then finds a curve E and a rational map defining [z] on E. The rational map [z] is the trapdoor one-way function. A judicious selection of z will ensure that [z] can be efficiently computed, that it is difficult to invert, that determination of [z] from the rational functions defined by [z] is difficult, and knowledge of z allows one to invert [z] on a certain set of elliptic curve points. Every rational map is a composition of a translation and an endomorphism. The most secure part of the rational map is the endomorphism as the translation is easy to invert. If the problem of inverting the endomorphism and thus [z] is as hard as the discrete logarithm problem in E, then the size of the cryptographic group can be smaller than the group used for RSA trapdoor one-way functions.
US07844042B2
The present invention is a method and system for forwarding communications to a first destination number to a second destination number after receipt of a forwarding indication from the second destination number. In the first embodiment, the method comprises the steps of the communication device coupled to the second destination number receiving a forwarding indication, determining the first destination number to be forwarded based on the forwarding indication, and forwarding communications directed to the first destination number to the second destination number. In the second embodiment, the method comprises the steps of the client device coupled to the second destination number receiving a forwarding indication, determining the first destination number to be forwarded based on the forwarding indication, and forwarding communications directed to the first destination number to the second destination number.
US07844041B2
A teleconferencing system for voice and data provides interconnections among user sites via a central station. User stations at user sites each alternate operation between a data mode connecting a user computer and modem to a user telephone communication path and a voice mode connecting a telephony circuit to the communication path. The teleconferencing system is adapted for conducting a voice conference over standard telephone lines while allowing simultaneous viewing of data objects such as slides, graphs, or text. A host computer connected to the central station serves as a central repository for storage and retrieval of data objects for use in teleconferences.
US07844039B2
Methods are disclosed for providing prepaid telephony service via an Internet protocol (IP) network system. A first method provides controlling at least one media agent or call routing station/switch of an IP network system for allowing and/or blocking call media streams from traversing through the media agent. A second method provides directing all signaling messages transmitted by a signaling agent or station and all media packets transmitting voice and data communications through at least one common device within the IP network system. The methods further provide for continuously monitoring a subscriber's account balance and terminating the prepaid telephony service if the account balance is less than a predetermined amount.
US07844037B2
A computing device is configured to receive an incoming communication from another computing device. The incoming communication may be for purpose of initiating a voice-exchange session. In response to receiving the incoming call, the computing device may identify or determine a message identifier of the other computing device. The message identifier is determined based at least in part on data provided with the incoming communication. The computing device may programmatically address a message to the other computing device using the message identifier determined from the incoming communication.
US07844035B2
A message broadcast system is disclosed for quickly delivering a relatively large amount of content to customer premises devices. A dial-out voice server initiates a plurality of telephone calls to a plurality of telephone numbers associated with customer premises alerting devices. The dial-out server also transmits a control data signal to the alerting devices, which indicates an incoming voice message to the alerting devices. The customer premises devices are connected to the telecommunication network via a communication channel and are configured to continuously monitor the communication channel for the control data signal. In response to receipt of a control data signal, an alerting device automatically configures itself to receive the incoming voice message. After delivering the voice message to the alerting device, the dial-out voice server may disconnect and place another call.
US07844033B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for performing a trace of a communications transaction using a dynamically generated endpoint identifier list are disclosed. According to one method, a first endpoint identifier for identifying a communications endpoint is received. A list including the first endpoint identifier is created. A signaling message including the first endpoint identifier may be searched for in the list. A parameter from the signaling message having the first endpoint identifier may be extracted that is distinct from the endpoint identifier. Further, the method may include searching for signaling messages having the extracted parameter. The method may include adding to the list any endpoint identifiers found in the search for signaling messages having the extracted parameter. The method may include searching for signaling messages having any of the endpoint identifiers in the list and thereby tracing a communications transaction involving endpoints in the endpoint identifier list.
US07844031B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for obtaining an x-ray image from an x-ray imaging apparatus using a digital radiography receiver installs a retrofit connection apparatus that adapts the x-ray imaging apparatus for use with the digital radiography receiver by forming a receiver interface channel for communicating signals to and from the digital radiography receiver, forming an operator interface channel for routing at least an input expose signal from an operator control to the connection apparatus and forming a generator interface channel for transmitting at least an output expose signal from the retrofit connection apparatus to an x-ray generator of the x-ray imaging apparatus. An input expose signal over the operator interface channel initiates a reset of the digital radiography receiver over the receiver interface channel before the output expose signal to the x-ray generator is transmitted over the generator interface channel.
US07844029B2
An X-ray diagnostic apparatus includes an X-ray generating unit which generates X rays, an X-ray detecting unit which detects X rays transmitted through a subject, an X-ray exposure operating unit which is operated by an operator, and a system control unit which controls the X-ray generating unit in order to start the generation of the X rays from the X-ray generating unit at a time point when a heart rate phase of the subject reaches a specified phase after the X-ray exposure operating unit is operated.
US07844016B2
A radio transmitting apparatus includes a calibration reference signal generator for generating a calibration reference signal for each of the subcarriers to be calibrated, a subcarrier modulator for modulating the calibration reference signal with the subcarrier, a radio transmitter for frequency-converting a baseband signal, which is the modulated signal, into a transmission signal in a radio frequency band, a radio receiver for frequency-converting the transmission signal in the radio frequency band supplied from the radio transmitter, into a baseband signal, a calibration coefficient measurer for calculating a calibration coefficient from the baseband signal output from the radio receiver, and a calibration coefficient multiplier for multiplying a transmission signal for each of the subcarriers and each of the antenna elements, by the calculated calibration coefficient.
US07844005B2
Channel estimation unit 16 includes CNR calculation unit 17, threshold setting unit 18, and modulation method determination unit 19. CNR calculation unit 17 calculates a CNR for each of a plurality of subcarriers from a received multicarrier communication signal. Threshold setting unit 18 takes statistics of a plurality of calculated CNRs, and, based on the statistics, sets CNR thresholds each assigned to one of a plurality of modulation methods. Modulation method determination unit 19 uses the set thresholds to determine a modulation method for each subcarrier, according to the calculated CNR of the subcarrier.
US07844003B2
A signal detection apparatus improving signal detection accuracy in a receiver for communications system complying with the MIMO scheme. The signal detection apparatus detects transmission signals sent from transmission antennas based on received signals received by receiving antennas. The apparatus includes: a first determination mechanism for determining symbol candidates of the transmission signals in sequence based on the QRM-MLD method using the received signals arranged in first order; a second determination mechanism for determining symbol candidates of the transmission signals in sequence based on the QRM-MLD method using the received signals arranged in second order that is different from the first order; and an output mechanism for outputting symbol candidates and likelihood of the transmission signals based on determination results of at least the first and the second determination mechanisms.
US07843999B2
The present invention relates to a method for coding a moving picture in a moving picture coding system using multiple reference picture. According to the method for coding an interlaced moving picture into a frame picture having frame/field macroblock, a reference picture index of the frame macroblock is determined at a macroblock level by determining the reference picture index of frame unit at a picture (or slice) level and respectively allocating a lower index and a higher index to a top reference field and a bottom reference field while sequentially visiting the reference frames according to an order of reference picture index of frame unit, the top and bottom field indexes being giving by an equation: top reference field index=2×picture index of reference frame; and bottom reference field index=2×picture index of reference frame+1.
US07843997B2
Described herein is a context adaptive variable length code decoder for decoding macroblock adaptive field/frame coded video data. In one embodiment, there is presented a context adaptive variable length code decoder. The context adaptive variable length code decoder comprises a symbol decoder, and a left neighbor buffer. The symbol decoder decodes context adaptive variable length code symbols representing frequency coefficients associated with a partition of a macroblock. The left neighbor buffer stores information about another partition, the another partition being a left neighbor of the partition. The information about the another partition is overwritten by information about the partition.
US07843977B2
A light source and the method for operating the same are disclosed. The light source includes first and second lasers, and first and second wavelength control assemblies. The lasers emit first and second light beams, respectively, at wavelengths that are determined by first and second wavelength control signals. First and second beam splitters split the first and second light beams, respectively, to create first and second sampling light beams. The first and second wavelength control assemblies receive sampling light beams and generate the first and second wavelength control signals such that the wavelengths of the first and second light beams differ by no more than a predetermined amount. The first and second wavelength control assemblies each include an absorption cell having a gas that has an optical absorption that varies with the wavelength of the first and second sampling light beams at wavelengths around the output wavelength of the light source.
US07843966B2
There is described a module for expanding a central module of an automation system, the data transfer between module and central module being accomplished by means of a serial communication system having point-to-point connections in a daisychain or backplane layout and the module having, in a physical layer herefor, at least two transmitters and at least two receivers. There is also described a communication system having at least one module of said kind and a central module. A module for a communication system within an automation system is specified, which module can be flexibly and easily adapted to the respective field of application. There is further described a flexible and scalable communication system for the data transfer between a central module/a CPU and at least one module with the aim of realizing a modular expansion of the central module/CPU. A physical layer can be parameterized in order to adapt it to a predefinable field of application of the module, in particular in terms of speed, availability and/or expandability.
US07843962B2
A system for an apparatus for extending the physical reach of an InfiniBand network. Methods and apparatus can connect an InfiniBand network to a long distance connection (e.g. WAN) while maintaining full 10 Gbit InfiniBand speeds and retaining the semantics specified by the InfiniBand Architecture (IBTA). A system can include an InfiniBand interface, a management block, packet routing, encapsulation/de-encapsulation, bulk memory buffer, and WAN interface, logic and circuits. The invention is applicable to efficiently moving large amounts of data over large distances using a single transport stream.
US07843956B2
A wireless communication system complying with a CSMA scheme includes one or more wireless communication apparatuses and a communication terminal that performs communication via the one or more wireless communication apparatuses. Each wireless communication apparatus includes: a transmission buffer configured to store a packet and output the packet according to transmission timing; a unit configured to determine a permissible delay time based on required quality for communication; and a control unit configured to determine the transmission timing, wherein, the control unit determines the transmission timing such that, after receiving a first packet, the wireless communication apparatus transmits the first packet after elapse of a waiting time that includes a period derived from a random number and the permissible delay time, and after receiving a response packet for the first packet, the wireless communication apparatus transmits a following second packet after elapse of a fixed period.
US07843950B2
An audio/video communication system is provided which includes: a web server providing a user system with a phone icon or button indicating a call receiver and transmitting a phone identifier LN for identifying the receiver allocated to the phone button when a user clicks the icon or button; and a gateway module performing a call setup in response to a data connection request for the audio/video communication from the user system, specifying the user identifier DN for identifying the user system from another user system, transmitting the phone identifier LN to the IP-based telephone exchanger, and relaying a communication between a phone connected to the IP-based telephone exchanger and the user system to progress the audio/video communication.
US07843942B2
A topology database stores the number of RPR nodes which belong to an RPR network. A traffic rate measuring unit sends a variety of parameters for calculating a communication band available to a fairness controlled traffic packet to a fairness control unit. Upon detection of congestion, the fairness control unit calculates a communication band available for transmission of the fairness controlled traffic packet from the parameters sent from the traffic rate measuring unit, divides the communication band by the number of nodes to find an initial value for a fair rate.
US07843939B2
The disclosure presents techniques for merging multiple data flows in a network such as a Passive Optical Network (PON). The PON comprises an interface module and network nodes connected to the interface module via an optical fiber link. Each network node further serves client devices. The client devices request multiple data flows, requiring the interface module to serve multiple data flows to a network node for delivery to the devices. The interface module merges received data flows to permit multiple flows to be processed by a single segmentation and reassembly (SAR) engine, reducing hardware cost and complexity within the node. However, subunits associated with different data flows within a merged data flow are not interleaved with one another. Instead, the subunits associated with an original unit of information are transmitted contiguously within the merged data flow, facilitating identification and reassembly of the subunits for a particular microflow.
US07843933B2
When packets reach from the 0 system and the 1 system, the packet selecting means 21 determines, based on the sequence numbers held in the packet output record register 22, whether or not the corresponding packet has passed, interrupts passing of the corresponding packet to the output side if passed, and allows the corresponding packet to pass to the output side if not passed. When the packet selecting means 21 selects a packet and allows the packet to pass to the output side, the packet output record register 22 holds the sequence number of the corresponding packet as a packet output record. Phase adjusting means that absorbs an average difference in delay for transmission between the systems may be provided at a stage before the packet selecting means 21.
US07843932B2
Narrowband signaling from a transfer node for a call originating at an end office is received at a centralized control and signaling interworking function device in an asynchronous transfer mode switching network. The received narrowband signaling is converted to broadband signaling. The broadband signaling is provided to a plurality of trunk interworking function devices via the asynchronous transfer mode switching network, to establish a connection across the asynchronous transfer mode switching network, when the centralized control and signaling interworking function device and the plurality of trunk interworking function devices are determined to be members of a closed user group.
US07843921B2
A method and a device for optimizing the routing of data packets, in which method data packets are received, data flow is detected on the received data packets, a feedback request is transmitted in response to the detected data flow, feedback information is received, feedback information is generated and added to the received feedback information, feedback information is transmitted and the data packets belonging to the data flow are directed on the basis of said feedback information.
US07843915B2
A packet filtering method, system and article of manufacture are provided which include: employing an instruction set associated with a pseudo-machine in filtering packets received at a network interface card coupled to a host, wherein a set of instructions of the instruction set implements at least one byte-defined filter rule; and the employing includes for a packet of the received packets, processing bytes of the packet as a bytestream and applying at least one filter rule to the bytestream to filter the packet. The applying can be performed in any one of a plurality of locations without customization of the instruction set, including the network interface card and the host processor coupled thereto.
US07843899B2
An apparatus and method use logical network connections to telephones interconnected by the network to obtain the call status information and then to convert the call status information to audio information that is presented to the user.
US07843897B2
Provided is a system, apparatus, and method for evaluating a variety of protocols on a computer network which includes a plurality of network devices. The network devices are adapted to communicate messages on the computer network using their respective protocols. The present invention system, apparatus and method are associated with one of the network devices. The present invention system, apparatus and method are further adapted to identify the various protocols on the network and analyze each message on the network to determine the protocol associated with the message. In another aspect of the present invention, the system and apparatus are adapted to determine whether to communicate a message to the associated network device based on this identification and analysis the message. The present invention embodiments allow for mixed mode communication on a single network.
US07843894B2
After a user device unsuccessfully attempts to establish upstream communication with a central network equipment downstream frequency to which it has tuned, an identifier corresponding to the tuned-to downstream frequency is removed from a cache of the user device. The frequency identifier stored in the cache typically corresponds to a frequency to which the user device has previously successfully tuned. The frequency identifier is removed from the cache after a predetermined attempt period, which may be determined by the number of attempts to establish communication that are made after previous unsuccessful attempts.
US07843891B2
An apparatus and method of a mobile access node selecting a data transmission rate is disclosed. The method includes the mobile access node receiving beacons from a plurality of wireless clusters. Each beacon advertises a data transmission rate a gateway of the wireless cluster that originates the beacon. The mobile access node identifies at least one qualified routing path. The at least one qualified routing path includes a best quality routing path, and other routing paths having a quality within a predetermined margin of the best quality routing path. The mobile access node selects the data transmission rate of the mobile access node to be the lowest data transmission rate advertised by beacons of the at least one qualified routing path.
US07843889B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for power allocation in a Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA) system. The apparatus includes an encoder, an antenna weighting calculator, and an antenna. The antenna weighting calculator divides a transmission power of a Base Station (BS) by number of Mobile Stations (MSs), fixedly distributes the divided transmission powers to the MSs, calculates a surplus power of each MS, sums up the calculated surplus power to thereby calculate a total surplus power, calculates a power per MS needed for an MPR one level higher, determines whether there is an MS whose power needed for a next level MPR is smaller than the total surplus power, and additionally allocates the total surplus power when there is the MS.
US07843886B2
A method of providing a toplist of neighboring base stations for a mobile station in a communications network can include determining a base station identifier code for a neighboring base station in a toplist at a rate that varies based on a quality indication of communications with the neighboring base station.
US07843881B2
Disclosed herein is a mobile communication terminal and handover method therefor, which enable handover of a mobile communication terminal that is using a packet data service or is in a dormant state in a mobile communication network in which asynchronous and synchronous networks coexist. In the handover method, if a channel is assigned between a mobile communication terminal and a synchronous mobile communication system in response to a request from an asynchronous mobile communication system as a mobile communication terminal using packet data service in the asynchronous mobile communication system moves into an area of the synchronous mobile communication system, call setup is performed. A node B of the asynchronous mobile communication releases a connection to the mobile communication system and assigns a new mobile IP to the mobile communication terminal, thus providing continuous packet data service to the mobile communication terminal.
US07843873B2
A scheduler associated with a base station of a wireless communication network dynamically compensates for uplink bandwidth that has been re-assigned (stolen) by a mobile station (MS) to transmit a control message. The scheduler allocates a preset amount of bandwidth to the MS for data transmission. The scheduler detects bandwidth stealing activity and evaluates when bandwidth stealing is justified on he part of the MS. The scheduler provides additional bandwidth to appropriately compensate for the stolen bandwidth when bandwidth stealing is justified, in order to maintain the quality of service of the data traffic connection.
US07843871B2
When a mobile node suffers an abrupt shut down while operating in a foreign network and recovers in a new foreign network, the invention enables the mobile node to reestablish communication capability, without time delay, with the nodes that had established one or more communication sessions with the mobile node prior to the abrupt shut down. The mobile node of the invention includes an update module that determines whether additional information needs to be sent to the nodes in communication with the mobile node prior to the mobile node suffering an abrupt shut down. Based on that determination, the update module may provide additional information to such nodes.
US07843870B2
Systems and methods for supporting multiple wireless communications technologies are provided. When a first and second base station operate according to different wireless communication technologies on the same carrier frequency in different cells or on different carrier frequencies in the same cell the frame structure of each base station is controlled in such a way that idle periods of transmissions from one base station are aligned with idle periods of the other base station. When the first and second base stations are located in the same cell and operate on the same carrier frequency the frames of the first and second base stations are time-interlaced.
US07843868B2
A service quality management device, preventing deterioration of a quality of a communication service provided on a network while effectively utilizing network resources by managing the quality of the communication, comprises an information acquiring unit acquiring service information containing information about each of sessions for the communication service and the network configuration information, an information generation unit generating a traffic volume of each of the sessions, a route determination unit determining a packet route for each of the sessions based on the respective information, a calculation unit calculating a traffic volume and a load of each of the links based on the traffic volume of each of the sessions and the packet route for each of the sessions, and a quality judging unit judging a quality of service actualized by each of the sessions based on the calculated load of each of the links.
US07843862B2
This invention provides a method of transmitting and receiving packets containing data and positional information for a plurality of devices in a radio frequency network in combination with a global positioning system. The periodic position coordinates of each said device are determined using the global positioning system. The position coordinates are transmitted from each device at staggered points in time that are randomized, and the randomizing operation is performed in discrete steps, wherein the time period of each discrete step is of adequate duration for one device to transmit a positional update. A positional update table and proximity table is created and maintained for each device, and these tables are transmitted to every other device in the network at periodic intervals.
US07843860B2
The present invention relates to an arrangement in a communications system participating in user station (UE; 1) service request and/or access procedures and comprising a number of packet data support nodes (10), a number of charging and/or policy handling nodes (30) and a number of application functions (20) handling mobility management and call control of mobile user stations requesting and/or accessing services. The packet data support node(s) (10) comprise(s) means adapted to send first mobile user station identity related information over a first interface (Gx,Gy; Gx/Gy) to a charging and/or policy handling node (30), at reception of a request for bearer services from a mobile user station (1). The application function(s) (20) comprise(s) means for, at reception of a request for a service session (SIP) from a mobile user station (1), sending second mobile user station identity related information to the charging and/or policy handling node (30), over a second interface (Rx,Rx/Gq). The policy and/or charging handling node (30) comprises verification means (32) adapted to establish whether the request for a bearer service to the packet data support node (10) and the request for a service session to the application function (20) (AF; P/S/I-CSCF) originate from one and the same mobile user station (1).
US07843850B2
The present invention relates to the problem of estimating the effect of packet transmission impairments, including packet loss, on the subjective quality of a video transmission where frames of data relating to the same video frame or field are permitted to span more than one packet. The invention provides a method of assessing quality of a video signal comprising a sequence of video frames received via a packet switched network using a parameter which is a weighted sum of two counters where the first counter is incremented in dependence of the total number of packets in frames determined to have been received with one or more lost packets and the second counter is incremented in dependence of the number of packets following the first lost packet in each frame and the lost packet itself.
US07843847B2
A number of features for enhancing the performance of a communication system, in which data is transmitted between a base station and a plurality of subscriber stations located different distances from the base station, are presented. The power transmission level, slot timing, and equalization of the subscriber stations are set by a ranging process. Data is transmitted by the subscriber stations in fragmented form. Various measures are taken to make transmission from the subscriber stations robust. The uplink data transmission is controlled to permit multiple access from the subscriber stations.
US07843841B2
A method and apparatus for automating test procedures to determine if non-emergency signaling message processing errors impact emergency calls, e.g., E911 calls, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present method alerts network engineers so that crankback procedures to alternative routes can be instituted when these E911 call impacting error conditions are detected in a network.
US07843834B2
The present technology relates to protocols relative to utility meters associated with an open operational framework. More particularly, the present subject matter relates to protocol subject matter for advanced metering infrastructure, adaptable to various international standards, while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field. The present subject matter supports meters within an ANSI standard C12.22/C12.19 system while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field, all to permit cell-based adaptive insertion of C12.22 meters within an open framework. Particular present features relate to the use of minimal propagation delay path to optimize a mesh network.
US07843813B2
Apparatus are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a router includes multiple virtual interfaces and a policy engine. The virtual interfaces define connections between the router and corresponding subscribers of a service provider. A first virtual interface is operable to receive packets from a first subscriber and to process the packets in accordance with a first-level profile identifier. The policy engine is coupled with the virtual interfaces and operable to de-reference subscriber profiles of the subscribers on behalf of the virtual interfaces based on a database of hierarchically organized profile identifiers. The database includes multiple lower-level profile identifiers, which explicitly define subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, which define service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers when connected to the service provider by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the lower-level profile identifiers.
US07843802B2
A method setting a maximum number of determinations for computing power allocation responsive to allocating power among multiple users in one subchannel of an OFDM system; beginning determination of maximum sum-throughput of users in the OFDM system with a randomly generated power profile with an iteration including: i) computing a sum-throughput using a power profile; ii) keeping a previous power profile if the sum-throughput of the current power profile sum-throughput is less than the previous power profile sum-throughput; iii) finding an index of power profile that has maximum sum-throughput; and ascertaining power profiles when the iteration is complete.
US07843799B2
A method and apparatus for enabling a local area network wiring structure to simultaneously carry digital data and analog telephone signals on the same transmission medium. It is particularly applicable to a network in star topology, in which remote data units (e.g. personal computers) are each connected to a hub through a cable comprising at least two pairs of conductors, providing a data communication path in each direction. Modules at each end of the cable provide a phantom path for telephony (voice band) signals between a telephone near the data set and a PBX, through both conductor pairs in a phantom circuit arrangement. All such communication paths function simultaneously and without mutual interference. The modules comprise simple and inexpensive passive circuit components.
US07843798B2
An optical information storage medium includes a plurality of areas and at least one transition area. Each transition area is located between two adjacent areas. The transition area allows data to be smoothly reproduced from the optical information storage medium at a low error generation rate. Also, since the optical information storage medium provides standards for the transition area, it is compatible with existing optical information storage media.
US07843796B2
An optical information recording medium includes a read-only information recording portion, and a BCA (Burst Cutting Area) portion formed by laser marking. A reflective film on an information recording surface of the read-only information recording portion and a reflective film on the BCA portion are formed of the same material. The reflective film includes Ag as a main component, and at least one of Nd and Gd, and at least one of Sn and In as components; the reflective film including at least one of Nd and Gd of 0.1 atom % or more and 3.0 atom % or less in total and at least one of Sn and In of 3 atom % or more and 12 atom % or less in total. Recorded information is reproduced from the information recording surface of the read-only information recording portion and a BCA signal is reproduced from the BCA portion, using blue-violet laser reproducing light.
US07843791B2
Provided are optical information processing apparatus and method. In the optical information processing apparatus and method, when the recording regions in which optical information is recorded in an angular multiplexing scheme overlap with each other, a recording angle and a recording position for optical information is adjusted so as to improve reproducing efficiency of readout beams reproduced from the overlap recording regions, so that heights of “null” for diffraction energy reproduced from the recording regions and overlap recording regions can be lowered. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce crosstalk noise during the recording and producing of the optical information and to improve optical information recording quality and reproducing efficiency.
US07843780B2
A method of reproducing a recording medium having finalized recorded data. Data is read from the recording medium and a determination is made whether the recording medium is further recordable based on whether a temporary defect management area includes repetitions of a predetermined value or based on whether another predetermined value is recorded in response to a finalization command previously recorded.
US07843779B2
A recording method for recording information into an information recording medium having a plurality of recording layers includes a step of recording information, for specifying a non-recording layer where user data are not recorded, onto at least one of the recording layers.
US07843776B2
For achieving pulling operation into tracking servo during seek operation at high-speed and with stability, in timing thereof, even on an optical disk forming lands and grooves on a recording surface thereof, in a seek control method, according to the present invention, for moving an optical spot onto an arbitrary track through movement of an optical pickup 110 into the radial direction on the optical disk forming the lands and the grooves, thereby forming a track on the recording surface thereof, in particular, in the seek operation, measurement is made on a period of a tracking error (TE) signal generated due to the movement in the radial direction, and a time point when the measured period of the tracking error signal exceeds a predetermined value is determined to be a starting point for pulling the optical spot of the optical pickup into the track, through the tracking servo, thereby pulling it selectively, into either one of the land and the groove building up the track.
US07843775B2
An optical disc apparatus and a focusing method for the same prevent a focusing start error of an optical pickup when using a ring-shaped lens to handle multiple wavelengths, and allow the optical pickup to start focusing at the correct starting time. To write and/or read data to and/or from an optical disc, an optical pickup in the optical disc apparatus emits a laser beam to the disc through an objective lens, and reads a reflected beam to output a read signal. The optical pickup outputs a signal based on the read reflected beam. An actuator controls the position of the objective lens so that the laser beam is focused on a surface of the disc. A focusing controller performs focusing operations on the actuator using a focus error signal generated from the signal outputted from the optical pickup. A focusing start time detector processes the read signal used to generate the focus error signal and detects when to start the focusing control of the focusing controller.
US07843772B2
A recording apparatus includes a storage section that stores content data. The recording apparatus additionally includes a reproduction history information acquisition section that acquires reproduction history information about the content data from a portable reproducing apparatus. The recording apparatus further includes a content data extraction section that extracts one or more pieces of content data from the content data stored in the storage section in accordance with a reproduction start time included in the reproduction history information. The reproduction start time corresponds to a time at which a reproduction of the content data was started. The recording apparatus additionally includes a content data transfer section that transfers the extracted content data to the portable reproducing apparatus.
US07843771B2
The present subject matter is directed to a high-speed high resolution and accuracy time interpolator circuit. The interpolator uses basic dual ramp time-to-digital converter architecture, but provides circuits and methodologies to improve the accuracy, reduce the effective intrinsic jitter, and reduce the measurement time. Improved aspects of the present subject matter correspond to the introduction of a current mirror for improved settling time, a high frequency clock for improved resolution and ADC sample processing to improve resolution and accuracy.
US07843769B2
An information processing device includes: timing means for performing a timing action thereby to output time information indicating the result of the timing action; unit time outputting means for converting the time, as indicated by the time information outputted from the timing means, into individual unit times, as expressed by using a plurality of time units individually, thereby to output the plural unit times individually; unit-by-unit contents decision means for individually deciding the unit presentation contents of an object to be presented to a user, individually for the plural time units, on the basis of such one of the plural unit times outputted from the unit time outputting means as is expressed by a target time unit; general contents decision means for deciding the general presentation contents of the object at the time which is indicated by the time information outputted from the timing means, on the basis of the unit presentation contents for every the time units decided by the unit-by-unit contents decision means; and presentation means for presenting the object with the general presentation contents decided by the general contents decision means.
US07843765B2
To attenuate a surface seismic wave, seismic sensors having a predetermined orientation with respect to a surface are provided, where the seismic sensors receive seismic waves including a seismic wave reflected from a subterranean structure and the surface seismic wave propagating in at least a first direction that is generally parallel to the surface. A signal that represents a partial derivative of a wavefield containing the surface seismic wave is provided, and the signal is integrated to obtain a response in which the surface seismic wave is attenuated.
US07843752B2
An integrated circuit memory device includes a refresh control circuit that generates an internal memory refresh command signal having a period that is changed relative to a period of an external memory refresh command signal received by the memory device. This change in the period of the internal memory refresh command may be in response to detecting a change in temperature of the memory device. In particular, the refresh control circuit is configured so that the period of the internal memory refresh command signal is increased in response to detecting a reduction in temperature of the memory device.
US07843745B2
A semiconductor memory device has a control circuit capable of properly controlling a delay locked loop in a variety of operational modes. The semiconductor memory device includes a clock buffer for externally receiving a system clock to output it as an internal clock, a delay locked loop unit for controlling a delay of the internal clock such that a data output timing is synchronized with the system clock; a data output buffer for synchronizing data with the delay locked internal clock, thereby outputting the data, and a clock buffer control unit, responsive to a previous operation state, for generating an enable signal controlling the on/off switching of the clock buffer.
US07843741B2
A number of read cycles applied to a selected memory location of a memory device, such as a variable-resistance memory device, is monitored. Write data to be written to the selected memory location is received. Selective pre-write verifying and writing of the received write data to the selected memory location occurs based on the monitored number of read cycles. Selectively pre-write verifying and writing of the received write data may include, for example, writing received write data to the selected memory cell region without pre-write verification responsive to the monitored number of read cycles being greater than a predetermined number of read cycles.
US07843739B2
When performing a data sensing operation, including a verify operation during programming of non-volatile storage elements (or, in some cases, during a read operation after programming), a first voltage is used for unselected word lines that have been subjected to a programming operation and a second voltage is used for unselected word lines that have not been subjected to a programming operation. In some embodiments, the second voltage is lower than the first voltage.
US07843730B2
A method including performing a program/erase cycle on a first non-volatile memory (NVM) bit of an integrated circuit using a first fluence, wherein the first NVM bit has a first transconductance is provided. The method further includes performing a program/erase cycle on a second NVM bit of the integrated circuit using a second fluence, wherein the second NVM bit has a second transconductance, and wherein the first transconductance is greater than the second transconductance and the second fluence is greater than the first fluence.
US07843729B2
Methods, apparatus, and systems for memories that include a data array and a configuration array adapted to store configuration information for configuring the data array, are disclosed. The data array and the configuration array include a plurality of wordlines and a plurality of bitlines. The plurality of wordlines in the data array extend in the same direction as the plurality of wordlines in the configuration array. Likewise, the plurality of bitlines in the data array extend in the same direction as the plurality of bitlines in the configuration array. The configuration array may include a wordline driver layout, a bitline driver layout, relative positions of zia contact regions, a diode sensing orientation, a sense amplifier layout, a voltage regulator layout, and a layout of conductors proximate to the array that are each substantially similar to corresponding elements of the data array. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.
US07843720B2
Disclosed are a phase change memory device in which an active time is reduced and a method of discharging a bitline in the phase change memory device. In the phase change memory device having the reduced active time and the method of discharging the bitline in the phase change memory device, the bitline is either always discharged when the phase change memory device is in standby, is discharged after the active operation of the phase change memory device, or is discharged prior to and after the active operation of the phase change memory device.
US07843711B2
Of a pair of switching transistors connected in series between a high voltage power source and the ground, when the switching transistor on the high potential side is controlled by an RS flip-flop in response to an input signal, in order to prevent a malfunction caused by the influence of dv/dt transient phenomena of an output terminal for driving a load, a latch circuit is reset using an input signal from a low side input terminal LIN in a period during which the voltage of the output terminal for driving the load abruptly decreases.
US07843706B2
An inverter according to the invention includes an open circuit instructing device (ECU, Steps S5 to S8). The open circuit instructing device is for opening a switching circuit based on resistor inter-terminal voltage Vrb and resistor current Irb.
US07843699B2
A circuit device includes an element and a base body. The element has a pair of projections on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The base body has an engagement standing part extending in a standing direction. The element is assembled to the base body in a state, where each of contact surfaces of the engagement standing part is in press-contact with a corresponding projection. The engagement standing part has first and second tapered wall parts. The first tapered wall part has a first tapered surface angled by a first angle relative to the standing direction. The second tapered wall part has a second tapered surface angled by a second angle relative to the standing direction. The second angle is smaller than the first angle. One of the pair of projections is in press-contact with at least one of the first and second tapered surfaces to be deformed.
US07843697B2
A vertical device for mounting to a host having a horizontal surface with an upwardly oriented host service interface providing a mechanical service and at least one electrical service as well as an adapter for mounting a vertical device to a host of this type. The device or adapter has a main body with a horizontal portion and a vertical portion extending generally downwardly from the horizontal portion. A device service interface extends downwardly from the horizontal portion for engagement with the host service interface. At least one functionality is provided on the vertical portion of the vertical device or the adapter.
US07843694B2
An electronic device having a heat-dissipating module includes a housing and an electronic component (e.g., a central processing unit) disposed within the housing. The heat-dissipating module is used for dissipating heat of the electronic component, and includes a two-phase flow heat-dissipating loop and a thermoelectric cooling component. The two-phase flow heat-dissipating loop can be a loop heat pipe (LHP) or a capillary pumped loop (CPL). The thermoelectric cooling component includes a cooling portion and a heat-generating portion respectively to cool or heat necessary portions of the two-phase flow heat-dissipating loop, or directly cool the electronic component through the cooling portion, thereby increasing the heat-dissipation effect of the two-phase flow heat-dissipating loop.
US07843691B2
The invention relates to cooling techniques for portable devices such as, for example, mobile telephones. In one implementation, a portable device comprises one or more printed circuit boards (“PCBs”) supporting multiple heat-generating components, an airflow generator adapted to generate an airflow internally in the portable device, and a heat sink element thermally connected to the heat-generating components, wherein the heat sink element is adapted to receive heat from the heat-generating components for dissipation by the airflow.
US07843690B2
The object of this invention is, in an electronic device provided with a supporting member that supports a drive member driven with vibration by engaging therewith, to provide the fixing structure of wiring that realizes the following: alleviation of the wobble generated by the vibration at the operating time of the drive member, reduction of unwanted sound and vibration caused by the above wobble, and inexpensive fixing of a wire without additional and specific members for wiring.This invention is constituted as a fixing structure of wiring for fixing a wire wired in an electronic device, wherein a drive member driven with vibration and a supporting member for supporting the drive member by engaging therewith are provided in the electronic device, and wherein the wire is fixed by being interposed in a gap formed between the drive member and the supporting member.
US07843686B2
The invention relates to a system for protecting a portable computing device wherein the system comprises a device housing adapted to protectively encase a portable computing device, a protectively hardened user input device in communication with the device housing, and a protectively hardened display in communication with the device housing. When the portable computing device is encased within the device housing, a user of the portable computing device can operate the portable computing device via the protectively hardened user input device and the protectively hardened display. The device housing may further comprise sealing elements, insulating elements, and shock-absorbing elements.
US07843675B2
In an overcurrent protection circuit 23 according to the present invention, a timer circuit TMR that generates an overcurrent protection signal EN according to the results of comparison between a detection voltage Va (Vb) and VrefL and VrefH is configured as follows. When Va (Vb) has reached VrefL, the timer circuit TMR starts to count T1. When T1 has elapsed with Va (Vb) kept above VrefL, the timer circuit TMR changes EN to a disabled state and starts to count T2. When T2 has elapsed, the timer circuit TMR returns EN to an enabled state. On the other hand, after Va (Vb) has reached VrefL and T1 starts to be counted, when Va (Vb) has reached VrefH, the timer circuit TMR forcibly stops the counting of T1 without waiting for T1 to elapse, changes EN to a disabled state, and starts to count T2. With this configuration, it is possible to offer necessary and sufficient protection for an object to be protected (for example, a load or an element provided inside a device).
US07843674B2
A motor-drive circuit comprising: a current-passage-control circuit to perform ON/OFF control of a drive transistor connected to a motor coil to pass current through the motor coil; an overcurrent-state-detection circuit to detect whether current passing through the drive transistor is in an overcurrent state where the current exceeds a predetermined threshold value; a charging and discharging circuit to start charging a capacitor in response to detecting the overcurrent state by the overcurrent-state-detection circuit and subsequently discharge the capacitor in response to not detecting the overcurrent state; and an overcurrent-protection-control circuit to stop the ON/OFF control to turn off the drive transistor, for an elapsed charging period for a charging voltage of the capacitor at a predetermined voltage to exceed a threshold voltage, and determine whether to perform such an overcurrent-protection-control as to turn off the drive transistor by detection of the overcurrent state, after the charging period has elapsed.
US07843672B2
An I/O regulating circuitry is provided. The I/O regulating circuitry omits the ESD device in a CMOS process with a minimized critical dimension to reduce chip size while still maintaining electrostatic discharge immunity. The I/O regulating circuitry is applied in MLC flash memory applications and the flash controller thereof.
US07843670B2
One embodiment monitors a line-side electrical current provided by a power sourcing equipment (PSE) port to a powered device (PD), the PSE port having a power-isolation transformer with a primary coil on an isolated side and a secondary coil on a line side. A switching signal having a switching period and a duty cycle is applied to the primary coil of the power-isolation transformer. A value is determined for an electrical current on the isolated side of the power-isolation transformer, conversion is performed between a line-side electrical current value Iout and a corresponding isolated-side peak-current value Ipeak, and the line-side electrical current is indirectly monitored based on the determined isolated-side current value.
US07843667B2
Provided is a thin film magnetic head capable of suppressing an occurrence of a track erase, decreasing an influence on a magnetoresistive element caused by a magnetic flux generated from a thin film coil, and further decreasing the parasitic capacity. The thin film magnetic head has, in order in a stacked direction, a first magnetic shield layer, a magnetoresistive element, a second magnetic shield layer, a third magnetic shield layer, a main magnetic pole layer and a return yoke layer. A width in a track width direction of at least one of the first and the second magnetic shield layers is smaller than widths in a track width direction of the third magnetic shield layer and the return yoke layer.
US07843665B2
A magnetic head including an encasing layer having a groove; a nonmagnetic metal layer that has a sidewall located directly above the edge of the groove and that is disposed on a region of the encasing layer away from the medium facing surface; two side shield layers that have sidewalls located directly above the edge of the groove and that are disposed adjacent to the nonmagnetic metal layer on regions of the encasing layer closer to the medium facing surface than the nonmagnetic metal layer; and a pole layer. The pole layer is placed in an encasing section formed of the groove of the encasing layer, the sidewall of the nonmagnetic metal layer, and the sidewalls of the two side shield layers.
US07843660B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk having a plurality of data tracks, wherein each data track comprises a plurality of data sectors. A head is actuated radially over the disk in order to read one of the data sectors from a target data track on the disk. The data sector is stored in a buffer and decoded with an error correction code (ECC) decoder. When the decode fails, an erasure window is adjusted based on a number of non-read data sectors recorded in the target data track, wherein the erasure window comprises a length spanning at least one ECC symbol in the data sector. The data sector is read from the buffer and decoded with the ECC decoder using the erasure window.
US07843658B2
A method of measuring a magnetic write width includes forming a data track on a discrete track medium by a write operation at a first frequency, performing write operations at a second frequency that is different from the first frequency, at both side positions along the formed data track, obtaining a track profile by scanning the data track in a track-width direction, using a magnetic field detection element, calculating an integrated profile of the obtained track profile, obtaining profile integrals by setting a distance from the data track to a position of the write operations at the second frequency to various values and by calculating the profile integrals for the respective values of the distance, and calculating a magnetic write width of the magnetic head and a magnetic write width of the discrete track medium from a relationship between the distance and the profile integrals.
US07843653B2
There is provided an optical system and method for shaping a polychromatic light into a substantially uniform profile beam along a first axis. A polychromatic divergent light with having multiple wavelength components is provided with a dispersion of divergence. A collimation optic collimates the polychromatic divergent light. A shaping lens shapes the collimated beam into a shaped beam with a nearly uniform profile along the first axis, the dispersion of divergence causing a deviation from uniformity of the nearly uniform profile. A focusing optic focuses the shaped beam. A combination of the collimation and focusing optics shows a chromatic focal shift that compensates for said dispersion of divergence, so as to reduce the deviation from uniformity to obtain a profile with a substantially uniform intensity along the first axis, for all of said multiple wavelength components.
US07843650B1
An afocal monolithic optical element formed of a shallow cylinder of optical material (glass, polymer, etc.) with fast aspheric surfaces, nominally confocal paraboloids, configured on the front and back surfaces. The front surface is substantially planar, and this lends itself to deposition of multi-layer stacks of thin dielectric and metal films to create a filter for rejecting out-of-band light. However, an aspheric section (for example, a paraboloid) can either be ground into a small area of this surface (for a Cassegrain-type telescope) or attached to the planar surface (for a Gregorian-type telescope). This aspheric section of the surface is then silvered to create the telescope's secondary mirror. The rear surface of the cylinder is figured into a steep, convex asphere (again, a paraboloid in the examples), and also made reflective to form the telescope's primary mirror. A small section of the rear surface (approximately the size of the secondary obscuration, depending on the required field of the telescope) is ground flat to provide an unpowered surface through which the collimated light beam can exit the optical element. This portion of the rear surface is made to transmit the light concentrated by the reflective surfaces, and can support the deposition of a spectral filter.
US07843643B2
A system and method of aligning a micromirror array to the micromirror package and the micromirror package to a display system. One embodiment provides a method of forming and utilizing a package that exposes regions of an alignment reference plane. The device within the package is mounted on the reference plane such that the exposed regions allow precise alignment with the device in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane. Alignment surfaces formed in a display system or other system contact the reference plane at the exposed regions to position the packaged device relative to other components of the system. One embodiment of the package 400 taught has laminated layers forming the package substrate 402 and providing a precision reference plane 416 relative to the position of the micromirror device 404. The package may be formed by laminating several layers of material in sheets to form several package substrates simultaneously. Voids formed in the layers 408 on one side of the reference plane provide access to the reference plane. A transparent cover or lid 412 is attached to the package substrate 402 sealing the micromirror 404 in the cavity 410. The preceding abstract is submitted with the understanding that it only will be used to assist in determining, from a cursory inspection, the nature and gist of the technical disclosure as described in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). In no case should this abstract be used for interpreting the scope of any patent claims.
US07843641B2
A method and apparatus for inspecting transparent materials. An optical inspection apparatus comprises a prism, a mirror, and a light source. The prism has a first end, a first side, and a second side. The first side is opposite the second side, the first end is located between the first side and the second side, the first end has an angled surface, and the prism is capable of bending light. The first side is around parallel to the second side. The mirror is on the angled surface. The mirror is capable of redirecting light entering the prism on the first side along a directed line of sight to the second side along a line of sight to a viewer. The light source is attached to another surface on the first end. The light source is capable of transmitting light through the prism along the directed line of sight.
US07843636B2
Disclosed herein is an image display method wherein an image display apparatus which includes a light source and an optical system is used, the optical system including, an optical modulation section, a Fourier transform image forming section, a Fourier transform image selection section, and a conjugate image forming section, the image forming method including, a step, carried out by the optical modulation section, of producing a two-dimensional image based on two-dimensional image data whose aberrations caused by the optical system are corrected.
US07843632B2
In a first aspect, a method of fabricating an EUV light source mirror is disclosed which may comprise the acts/steps of providing a plurality of discrete substrates; coating each substrate with a respective multilayer coating; securing the coated substrates in an arrangement wherein each coated substrate is oriented to a common focal point; and thereafter polishing at least one of the multilayer coatings. In another aspect, an optic for use with EUV light is disclosed which may comprise a substrate; a smoothing layer selected from the group of materials consisting of Si, C, Si3N4, B4C, SiC and Cr, the smoothing layer material being deposited using highly energetic deposition conditions and a multilayer dielectric coating. In another aspect, a corrosion resistant, multilayer coating for an EUV mirror may comprise alternating layers of Si and a compound material having nitrogen and a 5th period transition metal.
US07843607B2
A method for processing digital image data (ID) is proposed wherein a step (B) of processing digital image data (ID) comprises or realizes a sub-step (B′) of image improvement with respect to said digital image data (ID) which uses or which is based on a process of re-mapping (REM) together with a process of dithering (DIT).
US07843605B2
Implementation of color matching with a high accuracy between a device of luminous type and a device of non-luminous type is demanded. Hence, a combination of the device type of a source device and the device type of a destination device is discriminated. If a device of luminous type and a device of non-luminous type are combined, colorimetric values of the device of non-luminous type measured by a contact colorimeter into those of a non-contact colorimeter, and color conversion in accordance with a predetermined color matching method is performed using colorimetric values of the device of luminous type measured by the contact colorimeter and the transformed colorimetric values of the device of non-luminous type.
US07843599B2
For each combination of color material signals corresponding to an input image signal, a total color material use amount is calculated. On the other hand, on the basis of a predetermined target color, total color material use amounts are set which vary smoothly in accordance with a variation in the target color. Then, a determination is made as to which one of all the combinations of color material signals determined as described above corresponds to one of the set total color material use amounts which is the same as the total color material use amount corresponding to the input image signal. This combination is outputted to a printer as the optimum combination of color material signals corresponding to the input image signal.
US07843594B2
A method for filing a data file from an imaging device using removable storage is described. A data file is received with a first format and a second format. A determination is made if the first format is a known format. A data converter is accessed to convert the first format to a known format if the first format is unknown. A determination is made if the second format is a known format. The data converter is accessed to convert the second format to a known format if the second format is unknown. The data file is filed to removable storage.
US07843589B2
An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a user interface device. The image forming apparatus accepts a print command and forms an image according to the print command. The user interface device communicates with the image forming apparatus. Power control and power supply are performed for the image forming apparatus and the user interface device separately. The image forming apparatus includes a detection section, a storage section, a re-establishment section and a mode control section. The detection section detects as to whether or not communication between the image forming apparatus and the user information device is disconnected. The storage section stores modes of the image forming apparatus and user interface device when the detection section detects disconnection. The re-establishment section re-establishes the communication. The mode control section controls modes, after the re-establishing, of the image forming apparatus and user interface device based on the stored modes.
US07843587B2
When a sheet remains in a staying portion of a printer for executing alternating sheet feed duplex printing, a printer driver precedently transfers print data of a page to the staying sheet to the printer in page order different from order of pages to be normally transmitted upon alternating sheet feed duplex printing. Thus, when two-sheet stay alternating feed is executed in the duplex printing without providing a memory of a large capacity, even if a no-sheet error occurred in a sheet feeding portion, the staying sheet can be preferentially printed and ejected.
US07843582B2
Image data comprising multiple images is received at an imaging device. The image data does not need to be processed by a driver before it is received at the imaging device. A number of images to be included in an output group is determined. Image data for each of the images to be included in the output group is identified. The image data for images within the output group is transformed into an image-ready format to be imaged within an N-up grid. The transformed image data for each of the images within the output group is stored in a buffer at a memory location corresponding to a cell within the N-up grid to form at least one rendered page. One of the rendered pages having image data formatted in an N-up grid is transmitted to the marking engine for imaging.
US07843579B2
An electronic document management system includes: a reading unit that reads a code image from a document in which the code image is formed; an analysis unit that analyzes code information from the code image read by the reading unit; and a discard processing unit that executes discard processing of the document if the code information is correctly analyzed by the analysis unit, and does not execute discard processing of the document if the code information is not correctly analyzed.
US07843573B2
A method for profiling the shape of a component using a line sensor (110) which is provided in a component mounter (100) and which profiles the shape of the component (200) three-dimensionally by (a) projecting a sweeping light onto the component (200) in a relative movement between the line sensor (110) and the component (200) held by a mounting head (103) so that the sweeping light traverses the direction of the movement and (b) detecting the reflected light from the component using a detector (119). The method includes getting the component (200) from the component supply unit 101 using the mounting head (103), rotating the component (200) by a predetermined angle within a predetermined surface, and profiling the shape of the rotated component using the line sensor (110).
US07843567B2
A method of identifying an analyte. The method includes providing a plurality of microparticles. The microparticles have optically detectable codes extending along bodies of the corresponding microparticle. The microparticles have the chemical probes attached thereto. Each of the chemical probes is associated with a corresponding one of the codes. The method also includes selectively binding target analytes to the chemical probes on the microparticles to produce labeled microparticles and distributing the labeled microparticles to random locations of a substrate. The method also includes determining the codes for the labeled microparticles in the random array and code positions of the codes in the random array. The method further includes detecting the label on the labeled microparticles in the random array and label positions of the labels in the random array. The method also includes using the code positions and the label positions to analyze the target analyte.
US07843564B2
A non-sampling-based Q-factor measuring apparatus and method use a power conversion module to transform the power variation of inputted optical signals in time domain into the variation in other domains, such as optical wavelength, optical polarization and different output ports of optical elements. Taking optical wavelength as an example, different levels of power variation respond different outputs of wavelength variation through the use of a power-to-wavelength conversion module. An optical filter then separates the inputted optical signals with different wavelengths. The power average of a wavelength for its corresponding optical signals is further calculated by a photo detector. Thereby, the information of the power variation for the inputted optical signals at levels 1 and 0 can be obtained, and the Q-factor for the inputted optical signals is easily measured.
US07843557B2
An optical device that may include a sighting portion including an optical axis; an electromagnetic beam source coupled to said sighting portion, electromagnetic beam source facilitates generating a source beam including an axis that is substantially parallel to said optical axis; an optical surface coupled to said electromagnetic beam source; and a frequency filter coupled within said sighting portion.
US07843550B2
In the inspection apparatus of this projection optical system, a folding glass member, comprising a flat surface part and a reflecting spherical surface part opposing to the flat surface part, is disposed on the image plane side of the projection optical system so that the flat surface part opposes to the projection optical system. Further, in a state wherein a liquid is supplied between the projection optical system and the folding glass member, a measuring beam emitted from an interferometer unit enters the projection optical system; the measuring beam that transmitted through the projection optical system and the liquid, and entered the folding glass member is reflected by the reflecting spherical surface part, and once again passes through the liquid and the projection optical system; and the interference fringes obtained from the measuring beam and the reference beam generated within the interferometer unit are detected.
US07843547B2
The invention relates to optically compensated bend (OCB) mode liquid crystal display devices and fabrication methods thereof. The OCB mode liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. A first pixel electrode is disposed on the first substrate. A second pixel electrode is disposed overlying the first pixel electrode with a dielectric layer interposed therebetween such that a discontinuous fringe field is formed at the edge of the second pixel electrode. A first alignment layer is disposed on the first substrate covering the first and second pixel electrode. A common electrode is disposed on the second substrate, and a second alignment layer is disposed on the second substrate covering the common electrode.
US07843539B2
A thin film transistor (“TFT”) substrate includes: gate lines extending along a first direction; data lines extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a pixel electrode formed to extend at an angle from a first gate line toward a second gate line adjacent to the first gate line. A portion of the pixel electrode at least partially overlaps a portion of the second gate line. Each data line includes a source electrode and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode.
US07843535B2
The present invention provides a reflective liquid crystal display assembly, which includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer sealed between them. The present invention designs a specific surface structure of at least one of the first and second substrates relative to the liquid crystal layer so that the helical axes of the cholesteric liquid crystal molecules can incline in different directions as desired in the liquid crystal layer. The reflective spectrum can be broadened and the viewing angle is widened.
US07843527B2
A display device includes a lower substrate, comprising reflective display pixel electrodes, an upper substrate and a liquid crystal layer provided between the substrates. A light source is provided on the upper substrate for illuminating the display electrodes through the liquid crystal layer. This arrangement provides a top light as an integrated structure within the liquid crystal display structure. The illumination can be efficiently provided to the pixel electrodes. This means that a light source pattern used can provide small light source areas.
US07843524B2
A mold frame formed integrally with a lamp holder for holding a lamp and a LCD having the mold frame. The mold frame includes a receiving unit provided with a predetermined receiving space therein, and a pair of lamp holders formed on a side of the receiving unit to hold a lamp. Each of the lamp holders includes a contact surface reducing member reducing a contact surface between the lamp and the lamp holder. The receiving unit and the pair of lamp holders are integrally formed.
US07843522B2
A thin film transistor array panel includes a substrate, a data line and a gate electrode formed on the substrate, a insulating layer formed on the data line and the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer formed on the insulating layer, a drain electrode and a source electrode formed on the semiconductor layer, a passivation layer formed on the drain electrode and the source electrode including a first contact hole to expose a portion of the data line, a second contact hole to expose a portion of the source electrode, a third contact hole to expose a portion of the drain electrode, and a fourth contact hole to expose a portion of gate electrode, a first connector formed on the passivation layer and connected to the data line and the source electrode through the first contact hole and the second contact hole, a gate line formed on the passivation layer and connected to the gate electrode through the fourth contact hole, and a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode through the third contact hole.
US07843516B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device (100) having an integrated touchscreen, includes a touchscreen surface and LC layer (20) that are partitioned according to the touchscreen keys (200). A corresponding probe light source (82) and sensor (92) positioned behind each partition is assigned to the corresponding touchscreen key. Each probe light sensor is configured to detect user contact on the touchscreen surface by sensing a reflection of the probe light. To further distinguish between different keys, each key may be made active according to a scanning or timesharing process. In this process, when a particular key is active, the neighboring keys are inactive. The scanning/timesharing process may be performed during a touchscreen mode of operation, which is interleaved with a normal display mode.
US07843504B2
A dual-purpose camera cap functions as a camera lens protector and a white balance filter. The camera cap includes a camera cap body having a locking mechanism or a flexible member to engage with or fitted over a camera lens housing. The camera cap body also includes a ring-shaped area to be placed in front of a camera lens to partially cover the camera lens. The ring-shaped area defines a center cut-out region. A translucent piece is fitted into the center cut-out area of the camera cap body to protect the camera lens and provide the white balance filtering function.
US07843501B2
In an image sensing device having an effective pixel area and an optical black area, a vertical line of the optical black area corresponding to a vertical line, which has a defect in the effective pixel area, is selected from among vertical lines of the image sensing device, and a signal, which has been produced by the defect, is calculated based upon result of selection and a defect correction is performed.
US07843500B2
An image capturing device includes a capturing module, a numerical transform module, a brightness measuring module, and a processing module. The capturing module includes a lens unit and an image sensor. The lens unit forms an optical image onto the image sensor. The image sensor includes an effective pixel region and an optical black pixel region. The effective pixel region is configured for generating electrical image signals roughly corresponding to the optical image. The optical black pixel region is configured for generating dark currents corresponding to the electrical image signals. The numerical transform module is configured for transforming the dark currents into a first brightness value matrix. The brightness measuring module is configured for measuring a brightness component of the electrical image signals as a second brightness value matrix. The processing module is configured for subtracting the first brightness value matrix from the second brightness value matrix to obtain a corrected brightness component corresponding to the optical image.
US07843494B2
Disclosed is an image taking apparatus that has functions of performing plural types of corrections on a captured image, and can continuously execute the plural types of corrections on the image. The image taking apparatus can be configured in such a way that when image data recorded in a recording medium is read and is subjected to plural types of corrections, for example, the image data once read can be saved in the recording medium after completion of the plural corrections which are continuously executed. The plural types of corrections can be configured in such a way that the combination or the order thereof is determined based on information unique to the image data.
US07843490B2
A method and system for remote surveillance information processing by an end user to ensure the safety of personnel, facilities and property. The user remotely accesses video streams from one or more cameras at each of a set of stores, facilities or other locations. After reviewing video streams for a specific audit item or guard tour stop, the user can input into the computer a classification of the audited video stream according to a set of predefined criteria. The user then generates a report summarizing the reviewed items and their classifications, which is transmitted to designated recipients. The present invention also includes a networked computer system for generating, performing and modifying audits and guard tours, creating guard audit reports, and providing access to the images that support the conclusions contained in the reports.
US07843486B1
The present invention is directed toward conference calls and methods, devices, and systems for facilitating a conference call. Specifically, the present invention allows participants of a conference call to selectively alter or mute other participants' voices in a conference call. More specifically, a number of participants may be associated with a single communication device and only a subset of those participants may have their voice signal altered or muted during the conference call.
US07843485B1
A communication system including a communication network, an entertainment device connected to the communication network, and an application server connected to the communication network. The entertainment device has a software client adapted to provide real time two-way communication between the entertainment device and a telephony device connected to the communication network. The application server is adapted to communicate with the software client and facilitate the real time two-way communication between the entertainment device and the telephony device.
US07843484B2
A mobile telecommunications device including: a transceiver for sending and receiving signals via a wireless telecommunications network; processing means for processing connection history information relating to communications sent to or from the mobile telecommunications device via the transceiver, to generate dot data representing a visual layout of the connection history information; and a integral printer configured to receive the dot data and print it onto a print medium.
US07843478B2
A recording medium drive apparatus is disclosed. The recording medium drive apparatus includes a holding mechanism, a data recording means, and a printing means. The holding mechanism holds a recording medium having a print target surface targeted for printing and an optical recording surface for data. The data recording means is capable of recording the data on the optical recording surface held by the holding mechanism. The printing means is capable of performing printing on the print target surface of the recording medium and applying a correction fluid on the print target surface.
US07843476B2
A thermal head includes a head containing a glass layer. The glass layer has a projecting portion on one surface and a concave groove on the other surface at a position opposed to the projecting portion. The head further contains a heating resistor disposed on the projecting portion, and a pair of electrodes disposed on both sides of the heating resistor. The thermal head further includes a rigid substrate on which a control circuit for the head is provided, and a flexible substrate for electrically connecting the head and the rigid substrate.
US07843474B2
A driving apparatus for a display wherein an m-bit data driver integrated circuit is used to drive n-bit data. The apparatus includes a timing controller arranged to supply n-bit data, and a plurality of m-bit data integrated circuits having a predetermined value for two least significant bits, wherein the m-bit data driver integrated circuits output the n-bit data from the timing controller as video signals having 2n gray levels.
US07843472B2
A method for viewing a full image of a server stored original attachment on a portable electronic device including: building a graph structure within the server representing a map of the original image, downloading and displaying a re-sized image from the server to the portable electronic device, the original image exceeding an image size limit of the portable electronic device indicative of screen size of the portable electronic device, calculating width and height parameters of the full image, sending a request from the portable electronic device to the server to enlarge the image displayed on the device based on the width and height parameters, the request including the image size limit, retrieving and traversing the graph structure within the server to locate a separate image component constructed for the image size limit, collecting image binary data from the separate image component and modifying the image binary data based on the width and height parameters to create the full image of the original image and downloading the full image of the original image to the portable electronic device.
US07843470B2
A system includes a first acquisition unit adapted to acquire a first position/orientation of a first viewpoint of a first observer, a first manipulation unit used by the first observer to manipulate a virtual object, and a second manipulation unit used by a second observer to manipulate the virtual object. A generation unit generates an image of the virtual object viewed from the first viewpoint based on the first position/orientation, and generates an image of the second manipulation unit based on a relative position of the second manipulation unit from a second viewpoint position of the second observer, a second acquisition unit acquires an image of a physical space viewed from the first viewpoint, and a combining unit combines the images generated by the generation unit and the image acquired by the second acquisition unit. In addition, an output unit outputs the combined image to a first head mounted display worn by the first observer and a second head mounted display worn by the second observer, with the manipulation results by the first manipulation unit and the second manipulation unit being reflected in the image of the virtual object.
US07843461B2
An image special effect device includes: a graphic processor and a video processing block; the graphic processor converting coordinates in virtual three-dimensional space into two-dimensional coordinates on a display screen in accordance with a supply of information on the shape of a model in the virtual three-dimensional space, computing texture coordinates of an image that is pasted on the display screen and a reduction rate of the model on the display screen, and outputting information on the texture coordinates and reduction rate from an image data output unit; the video processing block writing input video data YUV into a memory after filtered by using a pre-filter coefficient corresponding to information on the reduction rate supplied from the graphic processor, and reading out the video data from the memory by using the supplied texture coordinates as information of read-address.
US07843455B2
An interactive animation environment. The interactive animation environment includes at least one user-controlled object, and the animation method for providing this environment includes determining a position of the user-controlled object, defining a plurality of regions about the position, detecting a user input to move the position of the user-controlled object, associating the detected user input to move the position of the user-controlled object with a region in the direction of movement, and providing an animation of the user-controlled object associated with the mapped region. A system and controller for implementing the method is also disclosed. A computer program and computer program product for implementing the invention is further disclosed.
US07843448B2
An improved interface and algorithm(s) can be used to simplify and improve the process for locating an occluded edge from a series of points in a point cloud. An interface can allow the user to select a hint point thought to be near an edge of interest, which can be used to generate an initial edge profile. An interface can allow the user to adjust the fit of the initial profile in cross-section, then can use that profile to generate a profile of the entire edge. A moving fit window can use an imaginary plane to provide an additional constraint, and can utilize a moving average to extend the edge and determine proper end locations. An interface then can display the results of the fit to the user and allow the user to adjust the fit, such as by adjusting the end points of the calculated edge. Such a process can be used to fit linear or curvilinear occluded edges, and can fit a number of irregular shapes as well as regular shaped edges such as “v-shaped” edges.
US07843439B2
A detector for detecting touches of at least one object on a transparent sensor located over a display screen, the detector comprising. a display screen; a patterned arrangement of conductors extending into said sensor situated over said display screen; and detection circuitry adapted to detect capacitive coupling of said at least one object with said at least one conductor.
US07843433B2
A cordless pointing device used for moving a pointer displayed on a display screen and selecting information displayed on the display screen. The cordless pointing device includes an operation device having an optical reflection surface, a light emitting and receiving unit, which is a separate unit from the operation device, and emits a light to the optical reflection surface of the operation device and receives the light reflected on the optical reflection surface of the operation device, a switch for generating an instruction on information pointed by the pointer, and a control unit that moves the pointer according to a movement of the operation device detected by the light emitting and receiving unit when the light is received and detects the instruction given by the switch.
US07843431B2
Control system for a remote vehicle comprises a twin grip hand-held controller including: a left grip shaped to be held between a left little finger, ring finger, and the ball of the thumb, leaving the left index finger, middle finger, and thumb free; a left control zone adjacent to the left grip, including a first analog joystick and a first 4-way directional control manipulable by the left thumb, and a left rocker control located on a shoulder portion of the controller; a right handed grip shaped to be held between the right little finger, ring finger, and the ball of the thumb, leaving the left index finger, middle finger, and thumb free; and a right control zone adjacent the right grip, including a second analog joystick and a second 4-way directional control manipulable by the right thumb, and a right rocker control located on a shoulder portion of the controller.
US07843429B2
A method and apparatus for interactive TV camera based games in which position or orientation of points on a player or of an object held by a player are determined and used to control a video display. Both single camera and stereo camera pair based embodiments are disclosed, preferably using stereo photogrammetry where multi-degree of freedom information is desired. Large video displays, preferably life-size may be used where utmost realism of the game experience is desired.
US07843428B2
A handheld wireless communication device includes a device body having a display screen. The display screen is located above a user input device located on a front face of the body. The user input device includes a set of four rotatable wheels, each mounted on an axle having a longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicular relative the front face of the body. At least one sensor is operatively associated with the set of four wheels and is configured to sense motion induced in any of the four wheels. Additionally the at least one sensor is further configured to output electronic data representative of sensed wheel motion. The device further includes a microprocessor that is programmed to process input data into cursor guidance instructions that are outputted to the display screen and which affect x-direction and y-direction cursor movement on the display screen in correspondence with the sensed wheel motion.
US07843421B2
A gate driver includes several first and second circuit units outputting first and second driving signals to odd and even gate lines, respectively, and each of the first circuit units or the second circuit units includes a signal output unit for outputting the driving signal and a shift register unit for outputting a start signal to a next circuit unit. A driving method is also disclosed.
US07843420B2
A data transmitting method for inputting a data signal to an electronic device. The data signal includes first and second sets of data, and the electronic device includes first to fourth receiving units and corresponding first to fourth registers. The transmitting method includes the following steps. First, the first and second receiving units are disabled. Then, the first set of data is inputted to the electronic device through the third and fourth receiving units and stored in the third and fourth registers during a first clock cycle of a clock signal. Thereafter, the second set of data is inputted to the electronic device through the third and fourth receiving units and stored in the third and fourth registers while the first set of data stored in the third and fourth registers is inputted to the first and second registers during a second clock cycle of the clock signal.
US07843419B2
The present invention provides a transflective LCD including a plurality of pixel units defined by scan lines and data lines. Each pixel unit includes two sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel includes a storage capacitor. The two storage capacitors are connected to different voltage sources and correspond to a reflection region and a transmission region in a pixel unit respectively to modify the pixel voltage.
US07843413B2
A method is for calibrating a contrast offset value for an LCD contrast control system in a mobile device. The method includes the steps of adjusting a user contrast setting on the mobile device to a desired optimal value, initializing the contrast offset value, determining a contrast ratio of the LCD, and incrementing the contrast offset value until the contrast ratio reaches a peak value.
US07843399B2
The invention relates to a textile material that comprises an HF transponder. The HF transponder comprises a circuit module and an antenna linked therewith and set to a working frequency. The antenna is configured as an E field radiator for a working frequency in the UHF or microwave range. The E field radiator is completely constituted of electrically conducting components of the textile material itself.
US07843398B1
The method comprising coupling a first antenna element to a second antenna element to for a tapered slot antenna pair; electrically coupling a first end cap to the first antenna element; electrically couples a second end cap to the second antenna element; and configuring the first and second end caps to provide induction-canceling, capacitive coupling when operating at frequencies below a theoretical cutoff frequency.
US07843397B2
A communications apparatus, includes a housing (40) containing a printed circuit board (PCB) (12) having a ground plane (16) and electronic components in rf shields (18) thereon. A planar antenna (10) is mounted spaced from the ground plane and a dielectric (14) is present in a space between the PCB and the planar antenna. A feed (36) couples the planar antenna (10) to the rf components.
US07843396B2
A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains wireless communications circuitry. The handheld electronic device may have a housing and a display. The display may be attached to the housing a conductive bezel. The handheld electronic device may have one or more antennas for supporting wireless communications. A ground plane in the handheld electronic device may serve as ground for one or more of the antennas. The ground plane and bezel may define a opening. A rectangular slot antenna or other suitable slot antenna may be formed from or within the opening. One or more antenna resonating elements may be formed above the slot. An electrical switch that bridges the slot may be used to modify the perimeter of the slot so as to tune the communications bands of the handheld electronic device.
US07843395B2
An electronic apparatus has a touch pen. The touch pen includes a pen tube and an antenna. The pen tube has a hollow tube body and a touch end. The tube body is used to accommodate the antenna. Further, the antenna has a fixed tube body and a telescopic tube body. The interior of the fixed tube body is provided with electronic circuit and is electrically connected with the telescopic tube body. Therefore, when the touch pen is accommodated in the electronic device and is electrically connected with the electronic device, the electronic device can receive the wireless signals via the antenna within the touch pen. Alternatively, the antenna is provided within the electronic device directly and is electrically connected thereto, so that the electronic device can be kept to have a function of receiving the wireless signals during the use of the touch pen.
US07843385B2
An antenna device includes: an antenna base portion; an antenna mount portion which is supported by the antenna base portion and rotated around an azimuth axis and which supports a main reflector with two struts; a frame structure group including a plurality of frame structures which are provided in the antenna base portion and the antenna mount portion, with six degrees of freedom restrained, respectively; a displacement gauge group which measures a displacement of the frame structure group; a metrology correction portion which calculates a pointing error of an antenna based on measured data of the displacement gauge group and calculates a metrology correction amount by removing an error amount arising depending on an azimuth angle from the calculated pointing error; and a control circuit which controls a driving of the antenna by correcting a drive command value of the antenna with the metrology correction amount.
US07843384B2
A vehicle communication terminal stops a currently-operating GPS engine when a vehicle is put into a parking condition, memorizes a station number transmitted from a base station that serves as a waiting station, starts the stopped GPS engine when a currently-received station number and plural station numbers memorized after parking do not match, and transmits an emergency report signal including positional information derived from GPS measurement by the GPS engine, pre-registered vehicle information and the like through a communication network to a center terminal or a user terminal for suppressing vehicle battery capacity loss while timely performing an emergency report in case of vehicle theft.
US07843382B2
The present solution provides methods and systems for realizing hardware efficient mismatched filters for pulse compression codes. For pulse compression codes with sufficiently small sidelobe structures, such as in the cases of odd length Barker codes, the proposed filters require a small number of adders and multipliers per output. This translates to significantly reduced chip-area and lower power consumption when implemented on a chip. In one aspect, the present application features a method for suppressing an undesired part of a waveform. The method includes filtering a signal via a filter. In one embodiment, the signal includes an expected waveform that can be represented as a sum of the desired part and the undesired part. The impulse response of the filter can be represented a sum of the desired part and a negative of the undesired part.
US07843380B1
A system and method for sensing elevation terrain using an airborne weather radar. Method techniques include sampling first and second radar returns from a weather radar at two portions of an antenna. First radar returns are removed from second radar returns to generate third radar returns for a third portion of the antenna. The third portion of the antenna is included in the second portion but not the first portion. Changes in the third radar return are analyzed to sense elevation of the terrain.
US07843376B1
The invention includes, in its various aspects and embodiments, a method and apparatus for detecting cross-eye jamming. In some embodiments, the invention includes mitigating cross-eye jamming once its presence is detected.
US07843366B2
A method for modulating a video input signal received into a modulation circuit is disclosed. A first step of the method generally comprises (A) during a first modulation pass, generating (i) a primary frame by inserting a plurality of primary synchronization codes into the video input signal, (ii) a secondary frame by inserting a plurality of secondary synchronization codes into the video input signal, (iii) a plurality of first values and a first digital sum value both for the primary frame and (iv) a plurality of second values and a second digital sum value both for the secondary frame. A second step of the method generally comprises (B) during a second modulation pass, generating a video output signal presented from the modulation circuit by modulating the video input signal using one set of (i) the first values and (ii) the second values as determined by the first digital sum value relative to the second digital sum value.
US07843348B2
A system for tracking personnel and equipment in hazardous environments in pre or post-accident situations includes an intrinsically safe tracking tag and an intrinsically safe reader system. The intrinsically safe tracking tag transmits identification and status information to the intrinsically safe reader system, which includes a plurality of intrinsically safe antennas and a hub cable driver. In one embodiment, antennas are located at known positions in the hazardous environment and connected via a redundant, wired-mesh topology. The wired-mesh topology also allows more flexible antenna placement than line-of-sight wireless-mesh systems. The hub cable driver provides intrinsically safe power to and communication with the antennas using communication cables, receives data signals from the antennas, and transmits the data signals to a server. The server stores the data signals in a storage device and is connected to a workstation. The workstation retrieves the stored data to track persons or equipment.
US07843346B2
A closure (10) and RFID device (15) in combination, wherein the closure comprises a metal shell and the RFID device comprises a tag (40) and antenna means (80), wherein the tag (40) comprises an RFID chip (60) and an electrical circuit (50), and wherein the antenna means (80) is adapted to be one side of a dipole, and the RFID device is entirely located within the metal closure with the electrical circuit (50) electrically connected (70) to the metal closure (10) so that the closure becomes the other side of the dipole antenna.
US07843343B2
A method of providing location information associated with moveable objects can include periodically receiving identification (ID) information at a first terminal from a moveable object via a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) signal. Location information associated with the ID information can be updated to provide updated location information for the moveable object. The ID information relative to the first terminal may be evaluated to determine if the moveable object is associated with the first terminal. The location information may be sent to a second terminal, if the moveable object is associated with the second terminal.
US07843341B2
A method of making an electronic label, such as an RFID label, includes attaching a circuit, such as an antenna, to a substrate material, applying an adhesive layer to the substrate material over the circuit, adding a release layer over the adhesive layer, forming at least one opening in the release layer to expose at least one portion of the circuit, and connecting a microchip to the at least one portion of the circuit through the at least one opening. The circuit can be an RFID inlay, including an antenna and a microchip, and can be formed of a conductive ink. A portion of the release layer at the at least one microchip has an opening to expose the at least one microchip so that the at least one microchip is free from coverage by the release layer.
US07843336B2
A system includes a plurality of sensors and a monitoring system that are capable of wireless communication. A first of the sensors senses information relating to a specified condition and sends a wireless message with information relating to the specified condition to a second of the sensors. The first sensor also sends another wireless message relating to the specified condition to the monitoring system. The second sensor may also sense information relating to the specified condition, and the message sent to the monitoring system may include information derived from the information sensed by both the sensors. The second sensor may modify its functionality in response to the wireless message sent by the first sensor.
US07843329B2
In order to maintain stability when connected, a cradle 27 includes an engagement part 33 for engaging with regard to a unit connection part which allows an antenna unit having at least a receiving antenna to be detachably connected to a receiving unit constituting a receiving apparatus together with the antenna unit; and a connecting terminal 31 provided so as to be communicably connected to a connector provided to the receiving unit only when the unit connection part and the engagement part are in engaged state.
US07843322B2
A method of operating a security system by generating an instant message at a first location, the instant message including security system data, then transmitting the instant message from the first location over a computer network to a second location via an instant message server computer. The instant message is received at the second location, and a security system function is initiated at the second location based on the security system data from the instant message. Security system configuration data may be provided with an instant message in order to enable remote programming of the security system via the instant messaging channel. Half-duplex audio communications may also be achieved by providing digitized audio files with instant messages that may be communicated between locations.
US07843318B2
A control unit having an immobilizer function includes a circuit for transmitting a request signal within a predetermined range. After receiving a reply signal from an electronic key in response to this request signal once and allowing a movable body to move, when a reply signal to the periodically sent request signal is not received, it is determined that the electronic key is out of the range, and it is assumed that the key has been dropped. A monitor section outputs a warning signal and transmits the warning signal to the navigation unit. A navigation unit, in response to the warning signal, stores the location at that time as the positional information on the electronic key. The navigation unit also displays a map showing the location of a key based on positional information on the electronic key. With this system, a lost electronic key may be readily located.
US07843315B2
Data falsification or the like is prevented and security is enhanced in an IC tag. The IC tag consists of three portions: separable portions A1 and A2, and a non-separable portion B (tag main body). The portions A1, A2, and B include IC1, IC2, and IC3, and antenna 1, antenna 2, and antenna 3, respectively, the antennas being an interface between the tag and the outside (a reader/writer device for the exchange of data with the tag). IC1 (10) and IC2 (20) are connected by a signal line L1 for signal transmission between IC1 (10) and IC2 (20). IC2 (20) and IC3 (30) are connected by a signal line L2 for signal transmission between IC2 (20) and IC3 (30). Upon separation of A1 from the tag main body, the signal line L1 is also severed. Similarly, upon separation of A2 from the tag main body, the signal line L2 is severed. Each time the separable portions are separated in the order of A1 to A2, the separation of A1 or A2 is detected, and the function of the tag is changed from the first function to the third function sequentially.
US07843314B2
A paging transceiver and method for selectively paging provides a page to a paging transceiver but does not automatically provide an associated message. The paging transceiver receives the page and alerts the user that a message is waiting and preferably provides a short description of the message. The user can then download or otherwise act on the message at a time and at a place convenient to the user. The user can therefore place the paging transceiver in a location where it can easily receive and reply to the message. The paging system conserves air time and the paging transceiver conserves memory by not automatically receiving the associated messages. The user can determine the time at which the paging transceiver receives transmissions, such as during off-peak hours. The messages stored by the systems and delivered to the paging transceiver may be of different types, such as voice, text, audio, or even video. In addition to messages, the paging system can store other information for the user, such as songs or video clips that the user can sample or updates on weather or stock rates.
US07843311B2
A network communication and messaging protocol for use in a medical perfusion system, provides the rules which govern how, among other things, information and data is conveyed between the various devices which are connect to the network. The rules define the different types of messages that are used in conveying information and data, as well as the formatting for each of those message types. The various messages provide the ability to configure the perfusion system devices, establish links between the perfusion system devices, and convey various types of information and data, even when the main network controller is unavailable.
US07843306B2
A transformer core includes a stack of a plurality of planar core plates of a magnetically permeable material, which plates each consist of a first and a second sub-part that together enclose at least one opening. The sub-parts can be fitted together via contact faces that are located on either side of the opening and that extend obliquely with respect to the centerline of the core plate. The invention also relates to the use of the described transformer core in a Coriolis flowmeter with the Coriolis tube extending through the opening so as to induce a current in the tube.
US07843303B2
A multilayer inductor is disclosed. The multilayer inductor includes a bottom magnetic layer having an external conductive pattern formed on a bottom surface thereof for connection to a substrate such as a printed circuit board. The bottom external conductive pattern includes signal/power contacts and first and second inductor electrodes. A top magnetic layer includes a top external conductive pattern having signal/power contacts and inductor electrode contacts. An inductor conductive pattern formed on the top surfaces of intermediate magnetic layers disposed between the top and bottom magnetic layers are electrically coupled to each other by means of through holes to form a spiral inductor element. The spiral inductor element is coupled to the first inductor electrode by means of a through hole formed in the bottom magnetic layer and to the second inductor electrode by means of power conductive traces formed on side surfaces of the multilayer inductor. Flux density reducing layers may be inserted directly above the bottom magnetic layer and directly below the top magnetic layer. Signal/power conductive traces formed on side surfaces of the multilayer inductor provide signal/power routing between the top magnetic layer signal/power contacts and the bottom magnetic layer signal/power contacts. The top external conductive pattern accommodates a semiconductor chip in a flip chip configuration.
US07843299B2
In inductive devices and transformers, a periodic transformation system reduces or prevents heat or distortion, reduces resistance or impedance and improves output energy. In one embodiment, the Tru-Scale Reactance Transformation System provides an harmonic relationship among the core, winding, magnetic flux, and the current in order to maximize energy output of inductive devices, such as a transformer, by reducing EMF collisions in any type of power systems.
US07843297B2
A panel system for a panel or sets of panels having a magnetic mounting that utilizes a plurality of magnets in a magnet structure that provides a magnetic attachment alignment configuration and a release configuration. In one embodiment, magnet structures are configured so that a panel will mount correctly favoring a given support structure and will not achieve attachment strength and may even reject other support structures of similar dimensions. The magnet structures may be based on sets of codes having low cross correlation or the same code positioned to avoid attachment magnetic attraction. Alternatively, sets of magnet structures of reversed polarity may be placed in accordance with a set of codes having a low cross correlation. The magnet structures may be used to favor selective placement of a panel in one of several possible mounting locations or in one of several possible mounting orientations.
US07843282B2
The invention provides a phase shifter with flexible control voltage that is useful with all RF systems that phase shift a RF signal. The phase shifter according to the present invention may comprise transistors used as switching elements. In one aspect, the phase shifter provides the option of controlling a phase shifter with either a positive or a negative voltage control signal. For example, the dc ground of the transistors included in the phase shifter may be floated, either fixed or adjusted. The RF grounding of the transistors may be achieved by in-band resonant capacitors. Thus, the control voltage provided to the transistors is flexible in that it may be connected to a positive or negative control voltage, or it may be connected to ground, or it may swing from a positive control voltage to a negative control voltage or vice versa.
US07843280B2
Embodiments of the invention may provide for a CMOS antenna switch, which may be referred to as a CMOS SPDT switch. The CMOS antenna switch may operate at a plurality of frequencies, perhaps around 900 MHz 1.9 GHz and 2.1 GHz according to an embodiment of the invention. The CMOS antenna switch may include both a receiver switch and a transmit switch. The receiver switch may utilize a multi-stack transistor with body substrate switching and source and body connection along with body floating technique to block high power signals from the transmit path by preventing channel formation of the device in OFF state as well as to maintain low insertion loss at the receiver path. Example embodiments of the CMOS antenna switch may provide for 35 dBm P 1 dB at both bands (e.g., 900 MHz and 1.9 GHz and 2.1 GHz). In addition, a −60 dBc second and third harmonic up to 28 dBm input power to the switch, may be obtained according to example embodiments of the invention.
US07843271B2
An audio amplifier includes an output stage for generating an output stage voltage in response to an input signal and an output stage quiescent current. A controlled current source controls the output stage quiescent current in response to a quiescent current signal during a start-up cycle.
US07843266B2
An amplifier for improving an electrostatic discharge (ESD) characteristic includes an operational amplifier, a first resistor circuit, a first fuse box, a second resistor circuit, and a second fuse box. The operational amplifier includes a first input terminal receiving a first input signal, a second input terminal receiving a second input signal, and an output terminal outputting an output signal. The first resistor circuit is connected between the second input terminal and a first node to prevent ESD from being input to the second input terminal. The first fuse box is connected between the first node and the output terminal of the operational amplifier. The second resistor circuit is connected between the second input terminal and a second node to prevent ESD from being input to the second input terminal. The second fuse box is connected between the second node and a terminal for receiving a ground voltage.
US07843265B2
Power amplifiers with reduced idle currents are described. In some examples, a power amplifier includes a driver configured to generate a control signal based on an input signal. The power amplifier also includes a first output transistor configured to selectively provide an output signal via an output channel that has a resistance based on the control signal, and a channel adjuster configured to generate several digital signals based on the control signal. A composite switch, which includes several segment transistors, is included to selectively increase or decrease the output channel resistance based on the digital signals.
US07843261B2
A voltage-to-current converter is provided. The voltage-to-current converter comprises an amplifier, a resistor network, an R-2R network, and switches. The amplifier has a first input node (which is an input signal), a second input node, and an output node. The resistor network is coupled to the output node of the amplifier, includes a plurality of resistors coupled in series with on another, and includes a plurality of first tap nodes. The R-2R network is coupled to the resistor network and includes a plurality of second tap nodes. Additionally, at least one switch is coupled between the second input node of the amplifier and each first tap node, and at least one switch is coupled between the second input node of the amplifier and each of the second tap nodes.
US07843256B2
An internal voltage generator includes a pull-up driver to pull-up drive a supply terminal of an internal voltage, a pull-down driver to pull-down drive the supply terminal of the internal voltage, a pull-up driving control unit to turn on the pull-up driver when a first feedback voltage corresponding to the internal voltage becomes lower than a reference voltage, and a pull-down driving control unit to turn on the pull-down driver when a second feedback voltage becomes higher than the reference voltage, the second feedback voltage having a voltage level corresponding to that of the internal voltage and lower than that of the first feedback voltage.
US07843253B2
A reference voltage generating circuit for producing a predetermined reference voltage at an output node includes a depletion-type n-channel field-effect transistor serving as a first field-effect transistor having one node thereof coupled to a power supply voltage, a second field-effect transistor having one node thereof coupled to another node of the first field-effect transistor and having a highly-doped n-type gate, and a third field-effect transistor having one node thereof coupled to another node of the second field-effect transistor, another node thereof coupled to a ground voltage, and a highly-doped p-type gate.
US07843245B2
There is provided a reference voltage generating circuit generating a reference voltage to be applied to a current-to-voltage converting circuit in order to compensate for an offset voltage of the current-to-voltage converting circuit converting an input current into a voltage and outputting the voltage, the reference voltage generating circuit including: a sampling conversion circuit having the same circuit characteristics as the current-to-voltage converting circuit and adding a predetermined offset to the reference voltage to generate an output voltage; and a comparator controlling the reference voltage so that the output voltage of the sampling conversion circuit is equal to a predetermined voltage, wherein the reference voltage is applied as an input to the sampling conversion circuit.
US07843240B2
A delay locked loop circuit includes a delay locking unit configured to output an internal clock by delaying a reference clock as much as a first delay amount in response to a phase comparison result of comparing a phase of the reference clock with a phase of a feedback clock that is generated based on delay modeling of a semiconductor memory device, and a noise sensor configured to control variation of the first delay amount caused by an external noise to be less than a second delay amount after locking the internal clock.
US07843238B2
An embodiment of a discharge circuit comprises an output circuit with one output connected to an electrical load to absorb a discharge current given by the load when a logic signal commands a discharge of the load. The discharge circuit also comprises a control circuit to give the output circuit an appropriate control signal so that a slope of an output potential of the output circuit diminishes gradually when the logic signal commands a discharge of the load. Limiting the slope of the output potential gradually (and not suddenly) may limit the electromagnetic radiation generated by these variations.
US07843235B2
A differential signal driver includes a pre-driver configured to generate a constant charging current and a constant discharging current. A first capacitor of the pre-driver is charged with the charging current when a differential input signal has a first state, and discharged with the discharging current when the differential input signal has a second state, thereby developing a first output control voltage on the first capacitor. A second capacitor of the pre-driver is discharged with the discharging charging current when the differential input signal has the first state, and charged with the charging current when the differential input signal has the second state, thereby developing a second output control voltage on the second capacitor. An output driver circuit generates a differential output signal in response to the first and second output control voltages. The slew rate of the differential output signal is controlled by the charging and discharging currents.
US07843233B2
A comparator based circuit with effective offset cancellation includes first and second amplifiers and an offset capacitor operatively connected to the first and second amplifiers. An offset voltage source generates an offset voltage. A first switch connects the offset voltage source to ground during a first time period. The first amplifier generates an output voltage in response to the first switch connecting the offset voltage source to ground during the first time period. A second switch connects the offset capacitor to ground during a second time period. The first switch disconnects the offset voltage source from ground during a third time period, and the second switch disconnects the offset capacitor from ground during the third time period.
US07843231B2
A temperature-compensated voltage comparator (301) that compares first and second input voltages includes first and second bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) (221 and 222) that convert the first and second input voltages to first and second input currents, respectively. The first and second BJTs share a same thermal environment and their currents are dependent upon temperature. A temperature-compensating circuit (350), which includes a zero thermal coefficient reference (419), generates a logarithmic temperature-compensating factor that compensates for temperature dependency of the first and second BJTs. The temperature-compensating circuit receives one of the input currents, and outputs a temperature-compensated current that is said input current multiplied by the logarithmic temperature-compensating factor. The temperature-compensating circuit shares a thermal environment with the first and second BJTs. An output voltage is indicative of a differential between the first input voltage and the second input voltage, such that a threshold of the comparator is substantially temperature independent.
US07843230B1
A comparator circuit for providing hysteresis comprises first and second differentially coupled transistors. The first of the differentially coupled transistors provides drain current to first and second load transistors. The second of the differentially coupled transistors provides drain current to third and fourth load transistors. In one example embodiment, the drain of the first of the differentially coupled transistors also drives the gate of the first and third load transistors, while the drain of the second of the differentially coupled transistors drives the gate of the second and fourth transistors.
US07843229B2
Disclosed is a signal output circuit comprising: a first transistor of an emitter follower configuration, which receives an input signal; a second transistor of an emitter follower configuration, which receives the input signal, and has an output connected to an external load (106); a comparator circuit which has an input pair connected via resistors to emitters of the first and the second transistors; a first current mirror circuit which has an input connected to an output of a first current source transistor and an output connected to an emitter of the first transistor; and a second current mirror circuit which has an input connected to a connection node of an output of a second current source transistor and an output of the comparator circuit, and has an output connected to an emitter of the second transistor.
US07843223B1
A semiconductor device includes a buffer unit configured to include first and second buffers, connected to each other in a cross-coupled manner, to receive a reference voltage and to buffer an input signal applied to the first and second buffers based on the reference voltage to drive an output terminal with a current-driving capacity; and a drive power adjustor configured to adjust the current-driving capacity depending on a level of a power supply voltage applied to the buffering unit.
US07843220B2
An integrated circuit comprises a processor, a controller and plural terminals. Each terminal constitutes a connection between the integrated circuit and a peripheral device. Each terminal is connected to a logic circuit on the integrated circuit by a respective IO cell in series connection with a respective IO isolation circuit and wherein the controller is operable on power up of the integrated circuit to activate a reset state and to release the reset state prior to releasing IO isolation by one or more of the IO isolation circuits. Each IO isolation circuit may be arranged so that a default state of the IO isolation circuit is a state in which the IO cell is isolated from the logic circuit. The IO isolation circuits may be controllable by software, for instance a driver for a peripheral device connected to the terminal associated with the IO isolation circuit. Plural IO isolation circuits may be connected so as to be commonly controllable by a single control signal from the controller.
US07843219B2
An XOR logic circuit includes a first transfer unit configured to transfer a logic high level data to an output terminal in response to data applied to first and second input terminals; a multiplexing unit configured to output a power voltage or a ground voltage in response to the data applied to the first and second input terminals; and a second transfer unit configured to transfer a logic low level data to the output terminal in response to an output signal of the multiplexing unit and the data applied to the first and second input terminals.
US07843212B2
The present invention provides a precisely controlled terminator circuit of a differential amplifier, in particular, for a differential amplifier of an optical receiver. The differential circuit, which receives a differential signal by a first input for the normal phase signal and a second input for an anti-phase signal, provides a terminator circuit comprises two resistors connected in serial between two inputs and two resistive connections each including a transistor and a resistor serially connected to the transistor and connected between respective inputs and the power supply line Vcc. The control unit, by receiving a medium potential of two resistors, provides a bias to two transistors so as to equalize the medium potential with the reference potential.
US07843210B2
A disclosed semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a logic circuit, a memory circuit to which data are written by the logic circuit and from which the data are read by the logic circuit, a register circuit holding the data when the logic circuit writes the data to the memory circuit, and a selector circuit selecting one of data output from the register circuit and data output from the memory circuit, and outputting the selected data to the logic circuit. Further in the semiconductor integrated circuit device, in an operational test of the logic circuit, the selector circuit selects the data output from the register circuit and outputs the selected data to the logic circuit.
US07843209B2
An architecture for a quantum processor may include a set of superconducting flux qubits operated as computation qubits and a set of superconducting flux qubits operated as latching qubits. Latching qubits may include a first closed superconducting loop with serially coupled superconducting inductors, interrupted by a split junction loop with at least two Josephson junctions; and a clock signal input structure configured to couple clock signals to the split junction loop. Flux-based superconducting shift registers may be formed from latching qubits and sets of dummy latching qubits. The devices may include clock lines to clock signals to latch the latching qubits. Thus, latching qubits may be used to program and configure computation qubits in a quantum processor.
US07843207B2
Methods and apparatus to test electronic devices are disclosed. An example method includes setting a first controlled switch to prevent a current detect signal from tripping an overcurrent protection event controlling an operation of the device; setting a second controlled switch to route a first sensed voltage associated with the device to a voltage adjuster; sending a calibration current corresponding to a target threshold current through the device; detecting the first sensed voltage while the calibration current flows through the device; and setting a reference signal substantially equal to the first sensed voltage, wherein the reference signal is to be used to generate the current detect signal.
US07843206B2
An internal connection output pad (14A) connected to a CMOS output circuit (15A, 16A) on a first chip (11A) is electrically connected via a chip-to-chip bonding wire (17) to an internal connection input pad (14B) connected to a CMOS input circuit (15B, 16B) on a second chip (11B). In order to inspect the presence or absence of leakage resistance (40), a test circuit (30) controls a high-impedance output state, a high-level output state and a low-level output state of the internal connection output pad (14A) via the CMOS output circuit (15A, 16A). If a difference between a value obtained by measuring a current flowing through a power supply to a ground in the high-impedance output state and a value obtained by measuring such a current in the high-level output state is calculated, a transistor leakage current is canceled, so that a correct minute leakage current can be detected.
US07843204B2
The object of the present invention is to prevent an operator from touching electronic elements arranged on an upper surface of a probe assembly of an electrical connecting apparatus at the time of carrying the electrical connecting apparatus and to restrict bowing of the probe assembly caused by the temperature difference between the upper surface and the lower surface of the probe assembly. An electrical connecting apparatus 10 comprises a probe assembly having a plurality of contactors 14 on a lower surface and a plurality of electronic elements 18 arranged on an upper surface, a cover 32 arranged on the upper surface of the probe assembly so as to close a space 30 in which the electronic elements are arranged, and two grippers 42 attached to the cover. Each gripper 42 has one end 42a and the other end 42a, has a region ranging from one end to the other end formed approximately in a U-shape, and is attached to a main body portion 33 of the cover at both the ends.
US07843190B2
A magnetic flux detection unit and a rectangular solid magnet are provided. The magnetic flux detection unit includes one or more pairs of Hall sensors, each pair having two Hall sensors arranged on a substrate. The solid magnet is arranged movably in a direction in a plane parallel to the substrate. Each pair of two Hall sensors is arranged on the substrate so that a line connecting the centers of magnetism sensing sections of each pair of two Hall sensors is orthogonal to a movement direction of the magnet. A tetragon has a long side and a short side and the long side has a inclination angle to the line connecting the centers of magnetism sensing sections of the each pair of two Hall sensors. The magnet has one N-pole and one S-pole separately magnetized in orthogonal to the substrate on which the Hall sensors are arranged.
US07843188B2
A computer implemented method and apparatus for a sensor network. The sensor network comprises a set of cables, a set of sensor units, and a central processor unit. The set of cables is capable of conducting an electrical current. The set of sensor units is coupled to the set of cables without physical contact to a wire in the set of cables, wherein the set of sensor units is capable of being powered by the electrical current and transmitting data in the electrical current. The central processor unit is connected to the set of cables and is capable of receiving the data from the set of sensor units in the electrical current.
US07843169B1
A battery pack system is disclosed. The battery pack system includes a battery pack having batteries arranged in a plurality of parallel groups that are connected in series. Each parallel group includes a plurality of the batteries connected in parallel. The electronics are configured to drop the current at which the battery pack is operating from a first current level to a second current level one or more times. The second current level is lower than the first current level. The electronics can drop the current from the first current level to the second current level during the charge and/or discharge of the battery pack. In some instances, the electronics intermittently drop the current from the first current level to the second current level during the charge and/or discharge of the battery pack.
US07843167B2
A battery charger having an integrated battery charge indicator that is readily visible when a battery pack is connected for charging. The battery charge indicator is on a visible outer surface of the housing of the battery charger to indicate a state of charge of the battery pack. The indicator may include a series of light emitting diodes with one LED that is illuminated when the battery pack is charging and will flash if something is wrong with the battery pack. The housing can preferably accommodate more than one configuration of battery packs with the indicator being visible when various battery packs are attached for recharging.
US07843165B2
A charging device for charging battery packs includes charging terminals including a first charging terminal to be connected to an electrode of a first battery pack and a second charging terminal to be connected to an electrode of a second battery pack. Here, the first and the second battery pack are different in kind. Further, the charging device includes a conversion unit for supplying electricity to the first charging terminal when the electrode of the first battery pack is connected to the first charging terminal and supplying electricity to the second charging terminal when the electrode of the second battery pack is connected to the second charging terminal.
US07843158B2
A medical robotic system includes a surgical instrument, a robotic arm assembly, an input device, and a processor. The surgical instrument has an end effector and a sensor for sensing a force exerted by the end effector, and is operatively mounted on the robotic arm assembly. The processor is configured to receive commanded movement of the end effector from the input device, receive information of the force from the sensor, determine a reduced velocity of the commanded movement that would inhibit damage causing motion of the end effector, and control robotic manipulation of the surgical instrument in response to the commanded movement of the end effector while restricting the velocity of the commanded movement to the reduced velocity.
US07843157B2
A method for providing a compatible interface between a motor control circuit and a system controller is described. The method includes determining which signals in the interface have incompatible voltage requirements, and inserting a series resistance in an interface extending between the motor control circuit and the system controller for each signal determined to have incompatible voltage requirements therebetween.
US07843155B2
A permanent magnet rotor for use in a flux regulated permanent magnet brushless machine is constructed such that the inductance along the direct and quadrature axes is markedly different to provide sensorless position feedback for the rotor.
US07843151B2
An exemplary backlight control circuit (200) includes at least one load circuit (210), a pulse width modulation integrated circuit (250), and a micro controller (260). The micro controller includes an output terminal and a plurality of analog to digital input terminals. The output terminal outputs a high level signal when the analog to digital input terminals all receive high level signals, and the output terminal outputs a low level signal when any one of the analog to digital input terminals receives a low level signal. The micro controller feeds operating states of the at least one load circuit back to the pulse width modulation integrated circuit.
US07843137B2
The inventive luminous vessel has strong bonding and improved adhesion of the current through conductor provided in the luminous container to a sealing member or the like. A luminous vessel has a luminous container, a solid current through conductor made of a metal or a cermet and a sintered body of a molded body containing at least metal powder fixed to the outside of the current through conductor.
