Rehabilitation of underperforming service centers
Patent 8,478,634
This disclosure provides apparatus and methods for rehabilitating an underperforming service center operated by an entity. The service center may be included in a plurality of service centers. A service center may be characterized as underperforming based on a calculated health score. The health score may be based on a technology malfunction that occurred at the service center. The health score may be based on an intensity score. The health score may be based on an incident count. The health score may be based on a network count. The health score may be compared to a threshold. If the health score is below the threshold, the service center may be characterized as underperforming. A service center characterized as underperforming may be included in a chronic list. The chronic list may be mined for patterns characteristic of an underperforming service center.
Inventors: Strand M. Hoagland (Scottsdale, Ariz.); Nathan Dent (Concord, N.C.); Thomas R. Pepera II (Jacksonville, Fla.); Pamela M. Ferrell (Richmond); Richard L. Fitzgerald (Davidson, N.C.)
Assignee: Bank of America Corporation (Charlotte, N.C.)
July 2, 2013
Method and system for monitoring and reporting to an operator greenhouse gas emission from a vehicle
Patent 8,478,603
A method and system for monitoring greenhouse gas emission from a vehicle. The vehicle is monitored for greenhouse gas emission, which includes identifying a running total of greenhouse gas emitted by the vehicle into an external environment that is external to the vehicle and activating a payment triggering condition when the emission exceeds the expected total. Satisfaction of a payment triggering condition that triggers collection of a required payment pertaining to the identified running total of greenhouse gas emitted is detected. Responsive to detecting the satisfaction of the payment triggering condition the required payment is computed as a function of the stored running total of greenhouse gas emitted.
Inventors: Gregory Jensen Boss (Midland, Mich.); Rick Allen Hamilton II (Richmond); Jacquelyn Annette Martino (Hawthorne, N.Y.); Clifford Alan Pickover (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.); Anne R. Sanders (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, N.Y.)
July 2, 2013
System and method to provide multiple private networks using PBB
Patent 8,477,620
A system and method are supplied to provide multiple private networks. The system can include a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) interface or interfaces configured to receive a plurality of data stream types each associated with an Instance Service Identifier (I-SID) from a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) or public carrier Ethernet. A plurality of local area network (LAN) ports can be configured to communicate data to a plurality of LANs. A switching process is provided between the PBB interface and the LAN ports. The switching process can be configured to bind individual data stream types from subdivided data streams each represented by an I-SID to each of the respective LAN ports. In addition, the switching process can communicate packets between the PBB interface and the bound LAN ports.
Inventors: C. Robert Peterson (Idaho Falls, Idaho); Thomas F. Herbert (Richmond)
Assignee: Entry Point, LLC (Idaho Falls)
July 2, 2013
Diesel fuel additive
Patent 8,475,541
A diesel fuel additive composition, a fuel containing the fuel additive, a method for improving diesel engine performance using the additive and a method for making the additive for diesel engines having a high pressure fuel injection system. The fuel additive has a number average molecular weight (M.sub.n) of from about 500 to about 10,000 and is selected from a hydrocarbyl-substituted succinic acid or anhydride or derivative thereof and a hydrocarbyl-substituted Mannich base. The additive has a molecular weight distribution such that less than about 25 wt. % of the additive has a molecular weight of 400 or less as measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) based on a polystyrene calibration curve.
Inventors: Xinggao Fang (Richmond); Julie Galante-Fox (Midlothian)
Assignee: Afton Chemical Corporation (Richmond)
July 2, 2013
Integrated pressure and temperature cannula
Patent 8,475,369
The invention is an integrated thermal and pressure device and method for detecting breathing patterns. The device has a manifold, two parallel nasal cannulas stemming from the manifold, and at least one flexible tube. The flexible tube stems from the manifold and provides an airtight connection with the manifold and a pressure transducer apparatus. The device also includes at least a first temperature sensor for detecting temperatures of air flowing from one cannula to the other cannula. The device can include a second temperature sensor for sensing oral air flow temperatures.
Inventors: Paul Boatner (Stevensville, Md.); Scott Cardozo (Richmond)
Assignee: Ambu A/S (Ballerup, Denmark)
July 2, 2013
N-substituted P-menthane carboxamides
Patent RE44,339
Cooling compounds are provided having the formula: ##STR00001## wherein, m is 0 or 1, Y and Z are selected independently from the group consisting of H, OH, C1-C4 straight or branched alkyl, and a C1-C4 straight or branched alkoxy, X is (CH.sub.2).sub.n–R, where n is 0 or 1 and R is a group with non-bonding electrons, with the provisos that: (a) when Y and Z are H, X is not F, OH, MeO or NO.sub.2 in the 4-position and is not OH in the 2 or 6-position (b) when Y or Z is H then X, Y and Z are such that (i) the groups in the 3- and 4-positions are not both OMe, (ii) the groups in the 4- and 5-positions are not both OMe, (iii) the groups in 3- and 5-positions are not OMe if the group in the 4-position is OH, and (iv) the groups in the 3- and 5-positions are not OH if the group in the 4-position is methyl.
Inventors: Christophe C. Galopin (Chesterfield); Pablo Victor Krawec (Cincinnati); Jay Patrick Slack (Loveland, Ohio); Lori W. Tigani (Salisbury, Md.)
Assignee: Givaudan S.A. (Vernier, Switzerland)
July 2, 2013
Colored lines and methods of making colored lines
Patent 8,474,237
Colored monofilament ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin lines, and methods of making such colored lines are disclosed. The colorant can result in a product that provides a visual indication of metered length. When the colorant has a luminescent response to ultraviolet or infrared light, a line can change color based on the environmental conditions to which it is exposed. Methods of making the line can include feeding a substantially untwisted multifilament ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin yarn; coating the substantially untwisted multifilament yarn with at least one colorant; twisting the coated multifilament yarn; and heating the twisted multifilament yarn to a temperature and for a time sufficient to at least partially fuse adjacent filaments together while stretching the yarn.
Inventors: Thomas Y-T. Tam (Chesterfield); Huy Xuan Nguyen (Midlothian); Mark Tallent (Midlothian); Brian H. Waring (Chester)
Assignee: Honeywell International (Morristown, N.J.)
July 2, 2013
Breathable waterproof fabrics with a dyed and welded microporous layer
Patent 8,470,722
A composite wind barrier fabric having the ability to maintain a high MVTR while controlling air permeability. The fabric has a nanofiber layer optionally welded to, and in a face-to-face relationship with, a fabric layer. Optionally a second fabric layer is welded adjacent to and in a face-to-face relationship with the nanofiber layer and on the opposite side of the nanofiber layer to the first fabric layer. The fabric has a Frazier air permeability of between about 1.2 m.sup.3/m.sup.2/min and about 7.6 m.sup.3/m.sup.2/min, and an MVTR per ASTM E-96B method of greater than about 500 g/m.sup.2/day. The nanofiber layer is dyed over at least a portion or all of its surface or both.
Inventors: Jill A. Conley (Midlothian); Joseph Robert Guckert (Chester); Robert Anthony Marin (Midlothian); George Bruce Palmer IV (Richmond)
Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company (Wilmington, Del.)
June 25, 2013
Pre-portioned moist product and method of making
Patent 8,469,037
A pre-portioned moist product comprising a portion of plant material and a coating is disclosed. Preferably, the plant material comprises tobacco. The coating includes a soluble, non-cross-linkable component and an cross-linkable component which becomes substantially water-insoluble upon crosslinking. The soluble component of the coating dissolves upon placement in the mouth, while the insoluble component disintegrates and/or loses structural integrity once the soluble component has dissolved to release and disperse the plant material in the user’s mouth.
Inventors: Shengsheng Liu (Richmond); Munmaya K. Mishra (Manakin Sabot); William R. Sweeney (Richmond); Feng Gao (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 25, 2013
Tobacco compositions
Patent 8,469,036
The invention features tobacco compositions and methods of their use and manufacture. Compositions of the invention may be based on a variety of technologies. Technologies include films, tabs, shaped parts, gels, consumable units, insoluble matrices, and hollow shapes. In addition to tobacco, compositions may also contain flavors, colors, and other additives as described herein. Compositions may also be orally disintegrable. Exemplary compositions and methods of their manufacture are described herein.
Inventors: Scott A. Williams (Greenbrier, Tenn.); James Arthur Strickland (Richmond); Frank Scott Atchley (Midlothian); Armand J. Desmarais (Inverness, Fla.); Tod J. Miller (Smyrna, Tenn.); Cherne W. Johnson (Antioch, Tenn.); Vernie A. Due (Kansas City)
Assignee: U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (Richmond)
June 25, 2013
Crosslinked polysiloxanes, a process for their preparation and use of the crosslinked polysiloxanes in emulsifier systems for water-in-oil emulsions
Patent 8,470,306
The invention relates to crosslinked organopolysiloxanes which are linked by a polyether building block via the Si atoms, to emulsifier systems which have these crosslinked organopolysiloxanes, and also to cosmetic, dermatological or pharmaceutical formulations comprising a crosslinked organopolysiloxane or an emulsifier system comprising these.
Inventors: Thomas Neumann (Bochum, Germany); Burghard Gruening (Essen, Germany); Anna Howe (Moseley); Dana Adkins (Quinton); Jerry Reddinger (Chesterfield)
Assignee: Evonik Goldschmidt GmbH (Essen, Germany)
June 25, 2013
Process of making a non-woven web
Patent 8,470,236
A non-woven web, comprising one or more polymeric fibers, wherein the number-average fiber diameter distribution of said one or more polymeric fibers conforms to a Johnson unbounded distribution. Non-woven webs comprising such polymeric fibers are rendered with mean-flow pore size and porosity desirable for specific filtration applications such as hepafiltration.
Inventors: Patrick Henry Young (Colonial Heights)
Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company (Wilmington, Del.)
June 25, 2013
Rehabilitation of underperforming service centers
Patent 8,478,634
This disclosure provides apparatus and methods for rehabilitating an underperforming service center operated by an entity. The service center may be included in a plurality of service centers. A service center may be characterized as underperforming based on a calculated health score. The health score may be based on a technology malfunction that occurred at the service center. The health score may be based on an intensity score. The health score may be based on an incident count. The health score may be based on a network count. The health score may be compared to a threshold. If the health score is below the threshold, the service center may be characterized as underperforming. A service center characterized as underperforming may be included in a chronic list. The chronic list may be mined for patterns characteristic of an underperforming service center.
Inventors: Strand M. Hoagland (Scottsdale, Ariz.); Nathan Dent (Concord, N.C.); Thomas R. Pepera II (Jacksonville, Fla.); Pamela M. Ferrell (Richmond); Richard L. Fitzgerald (Davidson, N.C.)
Assignee: Bank of America Corporation (Charlotte, N.C.)
July 2, 2013
Method and system for monitoring and reporting to an operator greenhouse gas emission from a vehicle
Patent 8,478,603
A method and system for monitoring greenhouse gas emission from a vehicle. The vehicle is monitored for greenhouse gas emission, which includes identifying a running total of greenhouse gas emitted by the vehicle into an external environment that is external to the vehicle and activating a payment triggering condition when the emission exceeds the expected total. Satisfaction of a payment triggering condition that triggers collection of a required payment pertaining to the identified running total of greenhouse gas emitted is detected. Responsive to detecting the satisfaction of the payment triggering condition the required payment is computed as a function of the stored running total of greenhouse gas emitted.
Inventors: Gregory Jensen Boss (Midland, Mich.); Rick Allen Hamilton II (Richmond); Jacquelyn Annette Martino (Hawthorne, N.Y.); Clifford Alan Pickover (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.); Anne R. Sanders (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, N.Y.)
July 2, 2013
System and method to provide multiple private networks using PBB
Patent 8,477,620
A system and method are supplied to provide multiple private networks. The system can include a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) interface or interfaces configured to receive a plurality of data stream types each associated with an Instance Service Identifier (I-SID) from a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) or public carrier Ethernet. A plurality of local area network (LAN) ports can be configured to communicate data to a plurality of LANs. A switching process is provided between the PBB interface and the LAN ports. The switching process can be configured to bind individual data stream types from subdivided data streams each represented by an I-SID to each of the respective LAN ports. In addition, the switching process can communicate packets between the PBB interface and the bound LAN ports.
Inventors: C. Robert Peterson (Idaho Falls, Idaho); Thomas F. Herbert (Richmond)
Assignee: Entry Point, LLC (Idaho Falls)
July 2, 2013
Diesel fuel additive
Patent 8,475,541
A diesel fuel additive composition, a fuel containing the fuel additive, a method for improving diesel engine performance using the additive and a method for making the additive for diesel engines having a high pressure fuel injection system. The fuel additive has a number average molecular weight (M.sub.n) of from about 500 to about 10,000 and is selected from a hydrocarbyl-substituted succinic acid or anhydride or derivative thereof and a hydrocarbyl-substituted Mannich base. The additive has a molecular weight distribution such that less than about 25 wt. % of the additive has a molecular weight of 400 or less as measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) based on a polystyrene calibration curve.
Inventors: Xinggao Fang (Richmond); Julie Galante-Fox (Midlothian)
Assignee: Afton Chemical Corporation (Richmond)
July 2, 2013
Integrated pressure and temperature cannula
Patent 8,475,369
The invention is an integrated thermal and pressure device and method for detecting breathing patterns. The device has a manifold, two parallel nasal cannulas stemming from the manifold, and at least one flexible tube. The flexible tube stems from the manifold and provides an airtight connection with the manifold and a pressure transducer apparatus. The device also includes at least a first temperature sensor for detecting temperatures of air flowing from one cannula to the other cannula. The device can include a second temperature sensor for sensing oral air flow temperatures.
Inventors: Paul Boatner (Stevensville, Md.); Scott Cardozo (Richmond)
Assignee: Ambu A/S (Ballerup, Denmark)
July 2, 2013
N-substituted P-menthane carboxamides
Patent RE44,339
Cooling compounds are provided having the formula: ##STR00001## wherein, m is 0 or 1, Y and Z are selected independently from the group consisting of H, OH, C1-C4 straight or branched alkyl, and a C1-C4 straight or branched alkoxy, X is (CH.sub.2).sub.n–R, where n is 0 or 1 and R is a group with non-bonding electrons, with the provisos that: (a) when Y and Z are H, X is not F, OH, MeO or NO.sub.2 in the 4-position and is not OH in the 2 or 6-position (b) when Y or Z is H then X, Y and Z are such that (i) the groups in the 3- and 4-positions are not both OMe, (ii) the groups in the 4- and 5-positions are not both OMe, (iii) the groups in 3- and 5-positions are not OMe if the group in the 4-position is OH, and (iv) the groups in the 3- and 5-positions are not OH if the group in the 4-position is methyl.
Inventors: Christophe C. Galopin (Chesterfield); Pablo Victor Krawec (Cincinnati); Jay Patrick Slack (Loveland, Ohio); Lori W. Tigani (Salisbury, Md.)
Assignee: Givaudan S.A. (Vernier, Switzerland)
July 2, 2013
Colored lines and methods of making colored lines
Patent 8,474,237
Colored monofilament ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin lines, and methods of making such colored lines are disclosed. The colorant can result in a product that provides a visual indication of metered length. When the colorant has a luminescent response to ultraviolet or infrared light, a line can change color based on the environmental conditions to which it is exposed. Methods of making the line can include feeding a substantially untwisted multifilament ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin yarn; coating the substantially untwisted multifilament yarn with at least one colorant; twisting the coated multifilament yarn; and heating the twisted multifilament yarn to a temperature and for a time sufficient to at least partially fuse adjacent filaments together while stretching the yarn.
Inventors: Thomas Y-T. Tam (Chesterfield); Huy Xuan Nguyen (Midlothian); Mark Tallent (Midlothian); Brian H. Waring (Chester)
Assignee: Honeywell International (Morristown, N.J.)
July 2, 2013
Breathable waterproof fabrics with a dyed and welded microporous layer
Patent 8,470,722
A composite wind barrier fabric having the ability to maintain a high MVTR while controlling air permeability. The fabric has a nanofiber layer optionally welded to, and in a face-to-face relationship with, a fabric layer. Optionally a second fabric layer is welded adjacent to and in a face-to-face relationship with the nanofiber layer and on the opposite side of the nanofiber layer to the first fabric layer. The fabric has a Frazier air permeability of between about 1.2 m.sup.3/m.sup.2/min and about 7.6 m.sup.3/m.sup.2/min, and an MVTR per ASTM E-96B method of greater than about 500 g/m.sup.2/day. The nanofiber layer is dyed over at least a portion or all of its surface or both.
Inventors: Jill A. Conley (Midlothian); Joseph Robert Guckert (Chester); Robert Anthony Marin (Midlothian); George Bruce Palmer IV (Richmond)
Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company (Wilmington, Del.)
June 25, 2013
Pre-portioned moist product and method of making
Patent 8,469,037
A pre-portioned moist product comprising a portion of plant material and a coating is disclosed. Preferably, the plant material comprises tobacco. The coating includes a soluble, non-cross-linkable component and an cross-linkable component which becomes substantially water-insoluble upon crosslinking. The soluble component of the coating dissolves upon placement in the mouth, while the insoluble component disintegrates and/or loses structural integrity once the soluble component has dissolved to release and disperse the plant material in the user’s mouth.
Inventors: Shengsheng Liu (Richmond); Munmaya K. Mishra (Manakin Sabot); William R. Sweeney (Richmond); Feng Gao (Richmond)
Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc. (Richmond)
June 25, 2013
Tobacco compositions
Patent 8,469,036
The invention features tobacco compositions and methods of their use and manufacture. Compositions of the invention may be based on a variety of technologies. Technologies include films, tabs, shaped parts, gels, consumable units, insoluble matrices, and hollow shapes. In addition to tobacco, compositions may also contain flavors, colors, and other additives as described herein. Compositions may also be orally disintegrable. Exemplary compositions and methods of their manufacture are described herein.
Inventors: Scott A. Williams (Greenbrier, Tenn.); James Arthur Strickland (Richmond); Frank Scott Atchley (Midlothian); Armand J. Desmarais (Inverness, Fla.); Tod J. Miller (Smyrna, Tenn.); Cherne W. Johnson (Antioch, Tenn.); Vernie A. Due (Kansas City)
Assignee: U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (Richmond)
June 25, 2013
Crosslinked polysiloxanes, a process for their preparation and use of the crosslinked polysiloxanes in emulsifier systems for water-in-oil emulsions
Patent 8,470,306
The invention relates to crosslinked organopolysiloxanes which are linked by a polyether building block via the Si atoms, to emulsifier systems which have these crosslinked organopolysiloxanes, and also to cosmetic, dermatological or pharmaceutical formulations comprising a crosslinked organopolysiloxane or an emulsifier system comprising these.
Inventors: Thomas Neumann (Bochum, Germany); Burghard Gruening (Essen, Germany); Anna Howe (Moseley); Dana Adkins (Quinton); Jerry Reddinger (Chesterfield)
Assignee: Evonik Goldschmidt GmbH (Essen, Germany)
June 25, 2013
Process of making a non-woven web
Patent 8,470,236
A non-woven web, comprising one or more polymeric fibers, wherein the number-average fiber diameter distribution of said one or more polymeric fibers conforms to a Johnson unbounded distribution. Non-woven webs comprising such polymeric fibers are rendered with mean-flow pore size and porosity desirable for specific filtration applications such as hepafiltration.
Inventors: Patrick Henry Young (Colonial Heights)
Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company (Wilmington, Del.)
June 25, 2013