US09022844B2

An air conditioning apparatus has, a first domed door comprising a first pivot and a first sealing surface, and a second domed door comprising a second pivot and a second sealing surface, wherein, said second pivot is positioned different from said second pivot. With the above structure, the radial gap between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface is varied when at least one of the two domed doors is moved. Accordingly, the air conditioning apparatus described above does not have to set the constant small radial gap or constant wide radial gap for the sake of reducing unintentional air leaking or preventing said friction.
US09022843B2

An outflow valve (10) for an aircraft has a frame (12) for arrangement in an opening (14) of an outer shell (16) of the aircraft, a first flap (18) pivotably arranged in the frame (12) for controlling a flow cross-section of at least one first inflow opening (24) and at least one outflow opening (15). To achieve a simplified construction of the ventilation system of the aircraft, the outflow valve (10) has a second inflow opening (26) configured to be closable by means of a drivable adjustable member (28).
US09022839B2

A dart restoration tool includes a stator having a conical milling surface and a rotor mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the stator. The rotor includes a guide adapted to accept a tip end portion of a game dart such that the tip end portion engages the conical milling surface. Rotation of the rotor about the longitudinal axis produces an orbital motion of the game dart against the conical milling surface to sharpen the tip end portion of the game dart.
US09022838B2

A device for processing welding electrodes with a grinding surface driven by a driving motor with a shaft, which faces the motor and runs in a housing, wherein at least one opening is provided in the housing for guiding a welding electrode for grinding in a defined position relative to the grinding wheel. The housing is releasably fixed to a motor flange for bearing the shaft, and the grinding wheel is arranged on a side of the motor flange which is remote from the motor. The motor flange is formed by a sleeve, which is adapted to be stuck onto the housing in such a way, that at least one opening extends from the circumference of the housing towards the grinding surface facing the motor.
US09022834B2

The polishing solution for CMP according to the invention comprises abrasive grains, an additive and water, and the polishing solution comprises an organic compound satisfying specified conditions as the additive. The polishing method of the invention is for polishing of a substrate having a silicon oxide film on the surface, and the polishing method comprises a step of polishing the silicon oxide film with a polishing pad while supplying the polishing solution for CMP between the silicon oxide film and the polishing pad.
US09022831B2

A modular building set having a plurality of interlocking members comprising a plurality of planks and a plurality of posts. The planks each comprise a central plank member having two pairs of opposing recesses and four pairs of opposing parallel bars with two pairs of bars located equidistant one another on either the recesses. The posts each comprise a central post member with a pair of opposing central recesses depending from the upper and lower edges. The posts each have two pairs of opposing bar members with one set of bar members between the opposing central recesses and a first end a post, and another set of bar members between the opposing central recesses and a second end opposite said first end. The plank and/or post members interlockably engage one another by joining a recess of a first member with the recess of the second member.
US09022829B2

A toy construction kit has a plurality of magnetic modules, each with a housing having a plurality of sides, each side having an internal hollow. A magnet is contained within each of the hollows at a given polar orientation relative to the housing and the hollow. The hollow has dimensions that permit the magnet to move within the hollow, but substantially constrains the magnet to the given polar orientation relative to the housing. When a side of a module is placed near a side of another module, they are bound by magnetic attraction by the respective aligned magnets, either because the polar orientations are opposite when they are initially juxtaposed or due to shifting of one or both magnets in their respective hollows to achieve relative polar opposition.
US09022823B2

Exhaust gas from an engine passes through a lower unit, and passes through a propeller boss coupled to a propeller shaft to be discharged into water. A stopper is provided at a rear end portion of a gear case of the lower unit, and a bush is inserted into and attached to an inner surface of the stopper. An inside diameter of the bush is set to substantially the same diameter as an outside diameter of a front end portion of the propeller boss, and the bush and the propeller boss are disposed by being overlapped with each other in an axial direction.
US09022812B2

An electrical connector system having electrical contacts with reduced normal force is provided. The electrical contacts can define cantilevered beams of extended length, such that normal forces exerted by the electrical contacts on the electrical contacts of a complementary electrical connector are reduced. The beams of the electrical contacts can be coupled by a tie bar that can act to enhance the structural rigidity of the electrical contact.
US09022809B2

A card edge connector (100) for mounted on a PCB (200) includes a longitudinal insulative housing (1) and a plurality of contacts (2, 6) arranged two arrays opposite to each other in the width direction. Each of the contacts has a retaining portion (24, 64), a contacting portion extending from the retaining portion and a soldering tail (66) extending outwards for being soldered to the PCB (200). The retaining portion (24, 64) of each array contact are coplanar to each other and disposed at a vertical plane in the longitudinal direction, while the soldering tails (26, 66) of each array contact are arranged at least three tail lines (L1, L2, L3).
US09022808B2

An integrated radio frequency connector installed in a main board includes a built-in radio frequency part, a connecting element and conductive wire. The connecting element is installed and electrically coupled to the built-in radio frequency part, and the connecting element has a conductive terminal protruded from the built-in radio frequency part, and an end of the conductive wire is electrically coupled to the conductive terminal, and the other end of the conductive wire is electrically coupled to the main board to achieve a modular design, so as to facilitate the assembling procedure.
US09022803B2

The connector includes a pin contact, a housing, a sealing member, and a limitation member. The pin contact is rod-shaped and makes contact with a mating contact. The housing includes a through hole through which the pin contact extends from a top of the housing to a bottom of the housing, with parts of the pin contact protruding from both of the top of the housing and the bottom of the housing. The sealing member seals the space between through hole and the pin contact. The limitation member applies a reaction force against a force experienced by the pin contact through a contact of the mating contact, so as to limit inclination of the pin contact.
US09022796B2

The invention relates to an assembly of a plug connector and a circuit board (200; 500), the plug connector (100; 400; 800) being arranged on an edge of the circuit board (200; 500; 801), characterized by contact elements (110, 120; 410, 420, 430; 805) arranged in, below, and above the circuit board plane, wherein at least the contact elements (110, 120; 410, 420, 430; 805) arranged below and above the circuit board are bent on the side of the contact elements facing the circuit board (200; 500; 801) in such a way that the contact elements lead from both sides of the circuit board (200; 500; 801) into openings in the circuit board (200; 500; 801) adapted to the contact elements (110, 120; 410, 420, 430; 805) and can be soldered there.
US09022795B2

A connector arrangement for connecting the bare ends of a plurality of insulated conductors to a horizontal row of first contacts arranged on an electrical device, respectively, including a main housing having a side portion containing a chamber in which the electrical device is mounted, a connector housing pivotally connected with the main housing for pivotal movement about a vertical pivot axis between engaged and disengaged positions, the connector housing supporting a horizontal row of conductor contacts arranged to engage the first contacts when the contact housing is in the engaged position, and a manually-operable locking arrangement for locking the connector housing in the engaged position. The locking arrangement includes a locking projection fixed to the main housing, a catch member movably connected with the connector housing, and an actuating member for displacing the catch member between locked and unlocked positions relative to the locking projection.
US09022794B2

A waterproof shield connector includes an electric wire to which a terminal fitting is connected at an end portion of the electric wire, a resin housing, a rubber waterproof ring, and a shield shell. The resin housing has a terminal insertion hole that holds the electric wire and a rear opening through which the electric wire is inserted. The shield shell is integrally formed with a ring pressing part that closes the rear end opening to cover a rear end of a waterproof ring disposed in the terminal insertion hole and prevent the waterproof ring from a detachment. The shield shell is integrally formed with an electric wire pressing part that is fitted to an outer periphery of the electric wire inserted into the terminal insertion hole and restricts displacement of the electric wire in a radial direction of the electric wire.
US09022783B2

A surgical method and tool for expanding an initial osteotomy (42) to receive a dental implant (44). An osteotome (22) having a tapered working end (28) is inserted into the initial osteotomy (42). The initial osteotomy (42) is enlarged by simultaneously rotating and pushing the working end (28) of the tapered osteotome (22) into the osteotomy (42). One or more burnishing edges (40) concentrate the pushing and rotational force in outward normal and tangential component forces against the interior surface of the osteotomy (42) to incrementally expand the osteotomy (42) with little to no removal of bone material (46). The inserting and enlarging steps are repeated, as needed, with progressively larger tapered osteotomes (22) until an osteotomy (42) of predetermined size is achieved. Finally, a fixture portion of a dental implant (44) is installed into the expanded osteotomy (42).
US09022777B2

Disclosed herein is an injection molding apparatus. That apparatus includes an axially extending bar shaped support bar and an inner mold that has a plurality of internal parts surrounding the support bar and is axially divided into a plurality of parts in which one or more corresponding parts in the inner parts have an inner circumferential surface width the same or larger than an outer circumferential surface width. The apparatus further includes an outer mold that has a plurality of axially divided external parts surrounding the inner mold and has a space between the inner circumferential surface of the outer mold and the outer circumferential surface of the inner mold.
US09022773B2

A device and method for manufacturing integrated circuit packaging using a mold plunger with position compensation in a manufacturing setting. In an embodiment, a compensating mold plunger, which may be used during the manufacture of an integrated circuit package, engages a die set on a carrier and within a bushing. This may be done to inject a mold compound on top of the die/carrier. If the bushing that is housing the die/carrier tandem is misaligned with the plunger in any lateral direction, the amount of pressure may be compromised. A compensating mold plunger includes a flexible portion that allows for the head of the plunger to properly engage the die/carrier despite any possible misalignments. Further, different die/carrier combinations may also be used with a compensating mold plunger because the pressure and force applied may be uniform inside a bushing despite the contents of the bushing.
US09022770B2

Three-dimensional fabrication resources are improved by adding networking capabilities to three-dimensional printers and providing a variety of tools for networked use of three-dimensional printers. Web-based servers or the like can provide a single point of access for remote users to manage access to distributed content on one hand, and to manage use of distributed fabrication resources on the other.
US09022757B2

A compressor is provided that includes an accumulator formed in an internal space of a shell to reduce a size of the compressor. An accumulator space may be formed using the shell of the compressor, thereby simplifying an assembly process. A stationary shaft having a refrigerant suction passage may be directly connected to the accumulator to prevent leakage of refrigerant. A discharge passage may be formed in a rotating body to enhance a cooling effect of a drive motor, and an oil separating member may be installed in the discharge passage to prevent oil from being excessively leaked out. A center of gravity of the accumulator may correspond to a center of gravity of the compressor to reduce vibration noise of the compressor caused by the accumulator. An area for installing a compressor including the accumulator may be minimized to enhance design flexibility of an outdoor device.
US09022753B2

A fan (1) consisting of an electric external rotor motor (2) and of a fan wheel (4), the external rotor motor (2) consisting of a stator (6) encapsulated with an insulating material (14), and a rotor (8) carrying the fan wheel (4) enclosing the stator (6) in a pot-shaped manner. The rotor (8) having ventilation openings in a front wall (18). The stator (6) having projecting fins (24) on a front area (22) arranged and distributed over the circumference which is opposite the ventilation openings (20). A gap (34) between a circumferential rim (36) of the rotor (18) opposite the front wall (18) and a stator carrier (38) forms a passage for a cooling air current flowing around the stator (6) during operation. During operation, the cooling air is swirled intensively between the ventilation openings (20) and the projecting fins (24) for cooling the motor.
US09022750B2

A multichamber pressure-increasing device is comprised of a plurality of chambers disposed in series one inside the other, wherein the innermost chamber is configured so as to place objects or samples therein to subject them to ultra-high pressures. An external hydraulic pump pumps fluid into the outermost chamber while a plurality of elemental hydraulic motor pump systems (EHMPS) are mounted in each chamber for increasing the pressure from one chamber to the next one disposed more to the interior of the device through an iterative process, each EHMPS consisting of two cylinder-piston assemblies operatively joined together in such a way that both pistons extend or retract simultaneously within their respective cylinders, the motor part driving the pump part as pressurized fluid admitted into the motor cylinder is subsequently discharged so fluid admitted into the pumping part cylinder is compressed therein and impelled at a higher pressure into the succeeding chamber.
US09022748B2

A screw compressor including a driving machine having an output shaft coupled to an input shaft of a compressor main body; a clutch mechanism between the output shaft of the driving machine and the input shaft of the compressor main body; a pressure sensor installed in a discharge channel; and a controller that controls the switching of the clutch mechanism between an engaged state and a disengaged state based on a discharge pressure value detected by the pressure sensor is disclosed. When the discharge pressure value becomes higher than an unload set value that is predetermined, the controller controls the clutch mechanism to be switched to the disengaged state. According to the above screw compressor, power losses are reduced even when the supply of compressed gas is hardly required.
US09022745B2

The present invention provides a composite material panel structure and a manufacturing method thereof with which an anti-lightning function can be realized without adding a separate anti-lightning structure to the composite material panel structure. In a composite material panel structure formed from a composite material panel containing reinforcing fibers, the composite material panel includes: a fiber-reinforced base material impregnated with a matrix resin; a conductive mesh sheet disposed on one surface side of the fiber-reinforced base material; and a bag film disposed on the one surface side of the fiber-reinforced base material so as to sandwich the conductive mesh sheet. The conductive mesh sheets of a plurality of the composite material panels are electrically connected to each other.
US09022742B2

The disclosed fluid elements include radial blades extending to trailing edges and that are integral with front and rear shrouds to provide a fluid exit. Fillets adjoin the trailing edge and the front and rear shrouds at the exit. The front and rear shrouds respectively have first and second perimeter thicknesses at the impeller outer perimeter. The first perimeter thickness is greater than the second perimeter thickness at the trailing edge and adjacent to the exit, which provides greater high cycle fatigue in the area of the fillets.
US09022739B2

A more efficient and simple wind turbine generator with a lifting device and method of using the lifting device is disclosed. A wind turbine generator comprises a tower, a nacelle supported by the tower, the nacelle comprising a foundation supporting components of the nacelle, a yawing system comprising a yaw bearing enabling rotation of the nacelle relative to the tower, a lifting device internally in the wind turbine generator and capable of moving an item, a support supporting the lifting device, and wherein the lifting device is moveable in a horizontal direction from a first position to a second position, and at least one of the positions is, in a vertical direction, between a lowermost level of the foundation, such as just above the yaw bearing, and an uppermost level of the tower, such as just below the yaw bearing.
US09022736B2

A continuous serpentine cooling circuit forming a progression of radial passages (44, 45, 46, 47A, 48A) between pressure and suction side walls (52, 54) in a MID region of a turbine airfoil (24). The circuit progresses first axially, then tangentially, ending in a last radial passage (48A) adjacent to the suction side (54) and not adjacent to the pressure side (52). The passages of the axial progression (44, 45, 46) may be adjacent to both the pressure and suction side walls of the airfoil. The next to last radial passage (47A) may be adjacent to the pressure side wall and not adjacent to the suction side wall. The last two radial passages (47A, 48A) may be longer along the pressure and suction side walls respectively than they are in a width direction, providing increased direct cooling surface area on the interiors of these hot walls.
US09022732B2

A centrifugal pump is provided capable of pumping liquid volume flow rates of at least 20 m3/sec. The pump includes a centrifugal impeller rotatable about an axis and operable to direct a liquid towards a concrete volute arranged around the impeller. The pump further includes fixed fin-like elements arranged between the impeller and the volute. The elements form a discontinuous barrier around the impeller and are effective to reduce uneven radial thrusts exerted by the water on the centrifugal impeller, while limiting the water flow rate in a simple and economic manner.
US09022724B2

An anti-vibration serial fan structure includes a first frame having a first assembling side and a second frame having a second assembling for connecting to the first assembling side. The first assembling side is provided with at least one mounting post or mounting hole and at least one male or female connector. The second assembling side is correspondingly provided with at least one mounting hole or mounting post and at least one female or male connector. The male connector has a certain degree of elasticity, so that the engaged male and female connectors provide a vibration-absorbing effect to save additional cushioning elements, enabling the serial fan structure to have lowered assembling cost and minimized defects in assembling.
US09022710B2

Provided is a nut into which a bolt (10) including a male-threaded portion with a male-threaded external diameter d and a male-threaded core diameter d1 is screwed, wherein a bolt insertion side end of a female-threaded portion (21) formed in a nut body (20) is provided with an incompletely threaded female portion (22) that is formed by one to three pitches so that an internal diameter dimension D is larger than (d+d1)/2 and is smaller than the male-threaded external diameter d. Accordingly, even when the bolt is screwed into the nut in the inclination direction, the bolt may be rotated about a contact surface with respect to the incompletely threaded female portion (22), and hence seizing may be prevented.
US09022703B2

The present invention relates to a hole-saw assembly includes a hole-saw having at one end a plurality of cutting teeth and with a boss attached to the hole-saw at the other end two shafts. The assembly includes a mandrel coaxially aligned with said hole-saw and including a body having two bores there through coaxially aligned with said shafts. An annulus located on top of the body is coaxially aligned with said mandrel and hole saw and includes two holes, the annulus rotatable around its longitudinal axis from a first to a second position. In the first position the annulus holes are aligned with the bores and shafts allowing the shafts to be freely insertable and removable and in the second position the holes are misaligned to lock the shafts to the annulus. The mandrel further includes a pair of driving pins adapted to engage driving apertures found in hole-saws especially larger ones. Typically the driving pins may be biased to enable the assembly to be used even with those hole-saws that do not include driving apertures and that also enables easier assembly of the device. A compressible O-ring may further facilitate the operation of the assembly. This device avoids the problem of thread stripping. The invention further provides for a boss that can be used with larger hole-saws and includes notches that accommodate driving pains extending on the side of the boss and where appropriate into the driving apertures.
US09022701B2

Device for cooling a rotating tool mounted on a machine, including elements for generating a continually renewed first flow of air, external to the tool and around the tool, at a high flow rate, produced via a Coanda-effect flow amplifier device realized in a housing fixed on the machine around the tool holder connected to a source of pressurized air.
US09022692B2

A system and method for underwater compressed fluid energy storage include a compressed fluid storage system that comprises a fluid containment vessel positioned on a floor of a body of water, wherein the fluid containment vessel comprises sediment positioned therein to ballast the vessel on the floor.
US09022674B2

A tape feeding apparatus has a feeding roller that feeds a tape and a roller accommodation section that has a cylindrical accommodation section inner surface along with a roller outer circumferential surface of the feeding roller, accommodates the feeding roller having a gap with the roller outer circumferential surface, and has a roller opening aperture through which the accommodated feeding roller faces the tape. The feeding roller is rotatably supported at one end section side in a cantilever state and is opened at the other section side.
US09022673B2

A device support and trigger apparatus includes a handle, a frame member attached to the handle, a cage member, and a triggering assembly including a trigger section and an actuation section. The cage member rigidly or pivotally connected to the frame member accommodates a device. The cage member can be rigidly positioned in an upright position or can be pivotally rotated to position the device in an upright position or an inverted position. The trigger section is pulled using one hand to allow the actuation section to contact and actuate an activation button of the device positioned in the upright position in front of the handle. A push rod assembly of the device support and trigger apparatus is pushed using one hand to push the trigger section to allow the actuation section to contact and actuate the activation button of the device positioned in the inverted position above the handle.
US09022671B2

A fiber optic connector fiber stub remover and method for automated fiber stub removal. The device has a top plate with a platen opening, and a platen with a well that carries a polishing film over the well. An air pocket is formed between the polishing film and the well. The platen is positioned with a top surface of the polishing film accessible via the platen opening. A fixture holds connector ends of fiber optic cables with fiber stubs extending therefrom, and a weight biases the fiber stubs into contact with the polishing film. A motor is controlled by a motor control unit to control a ramp up time and final speed of movement of the platen over a timespan. Each connector ends moves independently relative to the polishing film. The air pocket provides shock absorption of the polishing film so that an ideal pressure is exerted on each fiber stub during stub removal.
US09022657B2

Embodiments of the invention are directed to bearing assemblies configured to effectively provide heat distribution from and/or heat dissipation for bearing element, bearing apparatuses including such bearing assemblies, and methods of operating such bearing assemblies and apparatuses. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed about an axis. Each superhard bearing element of the plurality of superhard bearing elements has a superhard material including a superhard surface. Additionally, a support ring structure that includes a support ring that supports the plurality of superhard bearing elements and a thermally-conductive structure in thermal communication with the superhard table of each of the plurality of superhard bearing elements. The thermally-conductive structure has a higher thermal conductivity than the support ring of the support ring structure.
US09022653B2

The present invention refers to a flexible multiple chamber bag comprising: a) three adjacent chambers, a first chamber partially separating a second upper chamber from a third lower chamber by first and second welded seams, b) said second chamber and said third chamber being partially connected by a third welded seam, c) said first welded seam being non-peelable and said second and third welded seams being peelable said second and third welded seams having the shape of an inverse letter “V” each second and third welded seam starting at the basic point of said “V” and terminating essentially in a right angle at the circumference weld of said bag, said bag comprising a hanger flap extending from the top end of said bag and a medical port welded to the lower end of said circumferential weld.
US09022652B2

The present invention relates to a test chamber that can be used to perform a variety of X-ray and neutron spectroscopy experiments including powder diffraction, small-angle scattering, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and pair distribution functions, such chamber comprising a first electrode with an X-ray transparent window; a second electrode with an X-ray transparent window; a plurality of insulating gaskets providing a hermetic seal around the sample and preventing contact between said first and second electrodes; and an insulating housing into which the first electrode is secured.
US09022640B2

This invention is directed to a stirring apparatus comprising: a plurality of blades having between a 5° to 180° twist along the length of their axis attached perpendicularly to a shaft so that a downward fluid flow is created when the shaft is rotated by a rotary drive; and, a plurality of standards attached to the plurality of blades separating the plurality of blades and arranged parallel to the shaft and rotated between 0° and 25° relative to a plane defined by the blades and the standards so that an inward fluid flow is created when the shaft is rotated and a bottom blade connected to the standards.
US09022619B2

An optical construction comprises an optically transmissive first layer having a first and second major surfaces, and an optically transmissive second layer adjacent the first major surface and defining an interface. The optically transmissive second layer comprises a binder and optical beads. The binder comprises from 55 to 99.9 percent by weight of polyethylene oxide segments. A weight ratio of the binder to the optical beads is in a range of from 44:56 to 50:50. A light source is disposed in a fixed orientation relative to the optically transmissive second layer. Methods of making optical constructions, and electronic devices containing them, are also disclosed.
US09022616B2

The disclosure relates to a lighting fixture having a base, a solid-state light source, and a lens assembly. The optic has a body with a cavity and a proximal opening. The lens assembly is coupled to the base at the proximal opening. The solid-state light source is mounted to the base and is configured to direct light into the cavity via the proximal opening. At least a portion of an interior surface of the body includes a number of elongated prisms. At least a portion of the exterior surface of the body includes a number of diffusers.
US09022610B2

The present invention is a lighting apparatus with adjustable light beam which includes an outer reflector, an inner optical element, a light source assembly, and a transparent mounting member. The light source assembly is movable between an upper position in which the light source is positioned close to the inner optical element lower end so that a majority of light from the light source exits the lighting apparatus directly via the inner optical element to attain a wide floodlight and a lower position in which the light source is positioned close to the outer reflector lower end so that in comparison with the upper position, a decreasing amount of light exits the lighting apparatus directly via the inner optical element, and an increasing amount of light exits the lighting apparatus via reflection from the outer reflector to attain a narrow beam.
US09022598B2

One embodiment of the invention is directed to a light mixing illuminator for illuminating an object, comprising an array of light emitting elements wherein at least some of the elements emit light of different wavelengths. An optical device is employed that focuses the light from the elements to a Fourier plane of the device, wherein the light emitting elements are arranged so that at least the zero spatial frequency components of light of the different wavelengths from the elements substantially overlap in a region at the Fourier plane. An objective is used to project the region onto the object. A mask is used that selectively blocks some of spatial frequency components of light from the elements without blocking the zero spatial frequency components of light from reaching the object.
US09022596B2

A lighting arrangement is provided on each corner of the housing of a ventilation arrangement. Each lighting arrangement comprises a profiled rod of acrylic material with a plurality of LED's shining downwardly into an upper end of the rod, with light being reflected outwardly, and particularly by bubbles within the rod. A reflective plate is provided at a lower end of the rod to reflect light back up the rod.
US09022588B2

A mirror surface angle adjusting device includes: a pivot plate (10) which supports a mirror (6) and is attached to a holder (9) pivotably three-dimensionally on a pivot shaft (76); a bracket (8) disposed on a vehicle body; a mirror tilting drive section (11) contained between the bracket (8) and the holder (9) attached to the bracket (8); an operation shaft (44A, 44B) of the mirror tilting drive section (11), the operation shaft penetrating through the holder (9) and being connected to the pivot plate (10); a detection rod (101A, 101B) which moves following the pivot plate (10); an angle detection section (100) which detects a tilt angle of the pivot plate (10); a pivot depressed portion (80) into which the pivot shaft can be press-fitted; and a gear positioning rib (69) provided on an inner wall of the holder (9) to position the mirror tilting drive section (42).
US09022585B2

The disclosure includes producing a plastic lens with an antireflection film at a lower cost. The plastic lens is configured to include a plastic base material; and an antireflection film having an electrically conductive layer that is formed in contact with a surface of the plastic base material and that has colorless transparency, and an antireflection film main body that contains a metal oxide, formed on the electrically conductive layer.
US09022582B2

Embodiments relate generally to computer-based image processing, and more particularly, to systems, computer-readable media, methods, integrated circuits, and apparatuses to facilitate operation of a projection system with relatively high dynamic range output by, among other things, providing subsets of light patterns along an optical path during respective first and second temporal fields associated with respective first and second illuminants. The projection system can synthesize color for projectable images by combining or otherwise using the subsets of light patterns with an array of color elements to produce projectable images with color in at least the visible spectrum.
US09022571B2

An optical device includes: a light transmissive first substrate; a light transmissive second substrate; a polarizing layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first bonding layer which bonds the first substrate to the polarizing layer; and a second bonding layer which bonds the second substrate to the polarizing layer, wherein the first bonding layer is an adhesive layer, and the second bonding layer contains a structure of siloxane (Si—O) and a leaving group. By forming the first bonding layer of an adhesive layer, a necessary strength can be ensured, and also the optical properties can be enhanced by absorbing the irregularities of the polarizing layer formed of a synthetic resin so as to prevent the contamination with air bubbles. Since the time of exposure of the polarizing layer to heat generated by a plasma can be decreased, the polarizing layer is not deteriorated.
US09022564B2

The present application relates to a display apparatus comprising: a display portion which displays a first image and a second image different from the first image to create a stereoscopic image; a separator which separates the first and second images from each other; and an adjuster which adjusts a shape of the separator. The separator includes a barrier portion which blocks image light emitted from the display portion. The barrier portion includes a contour portion which defines a shape of at least one opening that allows transmission of the image light. The contour portion includes a first contour and a second contour facing the first contour. The first and second contours define a continuous opening region inclined at a predetermined angle from a vertical line. At least one of the first and second contours forms protrusions which periodically protrude toward the opening region. Shapes of the protrusions are heterogeneous.
US09022560B2

A method for producing a series of base lenses, which cover a predetermined power range, wherein each base lens of the series has a base power different from the base powers of the other base lenses of the series, and has at least one diffractive base grating, the method comprising: specifying the base powers of each base lens of the series and calculating the base grating of each base lens of the series so as to minimize the color fringe of the respective base lens with the specified base power in a predetermined region of the spectacle lens.
US09022552B2

A liquid ejecting apparatus, comprising: a liquid ejecting unit which ejects a liquid onto a medium that is transported in a transport direction; a suction mechanism for sucking the medium; a medium supporting portion in which two or more suction pores for applying a suction force of the suction mechanism to the medium are provided so as to be lined up in a width direction; and a supporting member which is configured separately from the medium supporting portion, which includes rib forming portions which form ribs that can support the medium, and which is disposed on the medium supporting portion such that the rib forming portions extend in the transport direction between two of the suction pores which are lined up in the width direction.
US09022551B2

A transportation device includes a transportation unit that transports a transportation target material, a supporting surface that supports the transported transportation target material, a first suction hole that opens in the supporting surface in order to suck the transportation target material which is supported by the supporting surface, a light transmission portion that is exposed in the supporting surface and through which light is permitted to pass, a detector that has a light irradiator capable of irradiating the transportation target material which is supported by the supporting surface with light through the light transmission portion and detects a transportation amount of the transportation target material based on reflected light of the light with which the light irradiator has irradiated the transportation target material, and a second suction hole that opens in the supporting surface at least one of the positions adjacent to the light transmission portion.
US09022548B2

An inkjet printer and method therefore including a detector to monitor a quantity of release agent applied to a spreader drum. The inkjet printer includes a drum maintenance unit which applies the release agent to the spreader drum with a metering device, such as a metering blade, and determines a flow rate of unused or excess release agent returned to a release agent sump. The determined flow rate of release agent provides a determination of the quantity of release agent applied to the spreader drum. Upon the determination that too little release agent has been applied, at least one function of the inkjet printer is disabled to stop the flow of release agent and to facilitate maintenance if necessary.
US09022543B2

A print method, print apparatus and printed medium include forming a black portion of an image from two inks. The first ink (62) includes first carbon black pigment units (66) and a first binder (68). The first carbon black pigment units (66) have a median dibutylphthalate absortion (DBP) of at least 95 cc/100 g. The first ink (62) has a first ratio of the first carbon black pigment units to the first binder. The second ink (64) includes second carbon black pigment units and a second binder. The second ink has a second ratio of the second carbon black pigment units to the second binder less than the first ratio. The first ink and the second ink together have a median total weight per unit area of at least 70 percent of an absorptive capacity of the print medium and overlap one another, wherein the second ink is at least 54 percent of the total weight per unit area.
US09022541B2

A printing apparatus includes an ink container tray which is capable of holding an ink container, a guide portion which guides the ink container tray in a movable manner between an ink container mounting position when mounting the ink container onto the ink container tray and an ink supply position, and a locking mechanism which, when moving the ink container tray, which is positioned further at the ink container mounting position side than a predetermined position between the ink supply position and the ink container mounting position, further to the ink supply position side than the predetermined position, stops the ink container tray from moving further to the ink supply position side than the predetermined position.
US09022540B2

A cartridge configured to be mounted to a liquid ejection apparatus that has an electrical connection portion and an engagement portion, and having an engaging portion for engaging the engagement portion and a plurality of electrodes for connecting to the connection portion. The electrodes have contact portions for contacting the connection portion, with a first group of a plurality of the contact portions constituting a first array whose contact portions are aligned in an X-axis direction intersecting a mounting direction of the cartridge, and a second group of the plurality of the contact portions constituting a second array whose contact portions are aligned in the X-axis direction. The first and second arrays are aligned in a direction intersecting the X-axis direction, and the engaging portion and an area between the first array and the second array are aligned in the X-axis direction.
US09022537B2

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid which is supplied from two or more liquid housing portions that house liquid; two or more housing portion side flow paths which are provided to correspond with each of the liquid housing portions and which supply liquid from an upstream side that is a side of the liquid housing portions to a downstream side; and a flow mechanism which is capable of causing liquid to flow in the housing portion flow paths, and the flow mechanism causes liquid to flow in a housing portion side flow path corresponding with a liquid housing portion that does not supply liquid for a predetermined time set in advance among the housing portion side flow paths.
US09022523B2

Among a plurality of recording heads in a non-recording area, a leading end of a second recording head closer to a recording area is situated further forward than the that of another recording head, and a second cover which is provided in a position close to the leading end of the second recording head houses a second cleaning unit which is in contact with the second recording head.
US09022521B2

Disclosed is a droplet discharge head including a nozzle substrate including a nozzle, an individual liquid chamber substrate including an individual liquid chamber, and a common liquid chamber substrate including a common liquid chamber, wherein the substrates are laminated, wherein a portion of a top surface of the common liquid chamber is flexible, wherein the top surface of the common liquid chamber is disposed at a side opposite to another side at which the nozzle plate is disposed, wherein the common liquid chamber has a shape such that one portion of the common liquid chamber is narrowed in a direction in which the substrates are laminated, wherein a height of a wall of the common liquid chamber in the direction in which the substrates are laminated is constant, and wherein the wall is substantially perpendicular to the top surface.
US09022518B2

There is provided a recording apparatus including a support stage which supports a recording medium, a recording processing section which includes a recording unit for performing recording on the supported recording medium and is bridged so as to cross over the support stage in an X-axis direction, a Y-axis moving section which moves the recording processing section in a Y-axis direction with respect to the support stage, and a collision detection section which detects collision between a foreign matter and the recording processing section, in which the recording processing section includes projecting sections projecting in the X-axis direction with respect to the support stage, and side collision detection sections are respectively arranged on front and rear sides of the respective projecting sections.
US09022516B2

A fluid ejecting apparatus includes a pair of guide rails that movably supports a carriage and an abnormal portion detecting sensor that has a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion for receiving a light beam emitted from the light emitting portion, in which the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion are mounted on the carriage via a sensor mounting member.
US09022496B2

An appliance is provided having one or more racks or shelves, the position of which may be adjusted vertically. Multiple different positions along the vertical direction can be made available for selection by a user of the appliance. One or more mechanisms allow for the selective adjustment and securing of the vertical position at which a shelf may be located.
US09022494B2

A bottom mount refrigerator is provided with refrigerator components housed in a space adjacent the top of the fresh food compartment between a false ceiling and the top wall of the compartment. The top wall includes a stepped portion formed in the liner forming the compartment. The stepped portion is positioned near the top and front of the compartment, and it includes a section that is lower than the remainder of the top wall. The stepped portion includes a rear facing face in the interior of the compartment, and the false ceiling is positioned between the rear facing face and the back wall. The ceiling extends horizontal from the rear wall before angling upward to abut the face of the stepped portion. The false ceiling may also contain apertures to provide access to the components housed between the ceiling and the top wall.
US09022492B2

An anesthesia workstation includes a sliding track system attached to the front of the anesthesia workstation for the mounting of one or more displays. The displays are horizontally slidable along the front of the anesthesia workstation along the sliding track. In addition, the sliding track system includes pivot points which enable outward pivoting of the displays up to 90 degrees. Sliding and pivoting of the displays is possible both independently and simultaneously. The sliding track system allows the anesthetist to slide and pivot the displays across the front of the workstation along the length of the track to the most preferable viewing position. Additional storage space is positioned within the anesthesia workstation behind the displays and becomes exposed and accessible when the displays are manipulated via the sliding track system.
US09022491B2

A table top dishwasher comprises (a) a tub (10) for accommodating articles to be cleaned; (b) a water-tight hood (12) arranged over said tub (10), said hood comprising a fixed hood portion (14), an access opening (42), and a rotatable door (16) which is connected to the fixed hood portion so as to be rotatable between a raised opened position in which it exposes the access opening to provide access to the tub and a lowered closed position in which it closes the access opening and forms part of the water-tight hood; and (c) a gasket (44) which is attached to the fixed hood portion (14) or to the rotatable door (16) along an edge region of the access opening, wherein the fixed hood portion (14)or the rotatable door (16), respectively, comprises a plurality of mounting projections (46), and wherein the gasket comprises a plurality of apertures (54) in which the mounting projections are held by snap-fit connection.
US09022487B2

A system and method for brake assisted turning are provided. One system includes a pedal operated braking system configured to apply hydraulic brake pressure to brakes of a vehicle when one or more brake pedals are pressed. The system also includes a steer assist braking system configured to apply hydraulic brake pressure to the brakes of the vehicle based at least partly on a steering angle. The system includes hydraulic shut-off circuitry configured to selectively enable and disable operation of the steer assist braking system.
US09022482B2

An engagement protrusion (20) extending in the front/back direction of a frame body (13) is provided on one of the opposing surfaces of a notch (16) in the frame body (13) and a fitting member (17) opposite said notch; similarly, an engagement recess (13h) in which the engagement protrusion (20) fits is provided on the other of said surfaces. By means of the moment of the fitting member (17) resulting from the tension of a tension member (14), the engagement protrusion (20) and the engagement recess (13h) are prevented from separating.
US09022480B2

A no-tools chair and chair arm assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes an armrest support configured and arranged to connect to a seat of a chair. The armrest support has mating formations thereon. A backrest support is configured and arranged to connect to a backrest of a chair. The backrest support is pivotally connected to the armrest support. A chair arm has an armrest portion and support member depends from the armrest portion. A connector extends from the support member and has reciprocal mating formations thereon configured and arranged to interlock with the mating formations on the armrest support. The chair arm locks the backrest support in position when coupled to the armrest portion.
US09022475B2

A vehicle seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back extending upwardly from the seat bottom. The seat back includes a backrest and a headrest.
US09022474B2

A seating unit that includes an adjustable foundation, a torque-inducing mechanism, and a base structure for interconnecting a backrest and a seat is provided. The adjustable foundation provides adjustable support for, and is controlled by, an occupant of the seating unit. The adjustable foundation includes extensible supports that each have a first and second end, and a frame assembly. The frame assembly includes a stationary member that is fixedly attached to the first ends and a drive bar that is configured to secure the second ends of the extensible supports such that longitudinal tension is generated upon rotating the drive bar with respect to the stationary member. The torque-inducing mechanism adjusts an angular position of the drive bar. In this capacity, the drive bar is configured to convert torque applied by the torque-inducing mechanism into a directional force that controls the longitudinal tension of the extensible supports.
US09022472B2

A child safety seat includes a seat shell including a backrest that has a lengthwise axis, a headrest assembled with the seat shell and movable along the lengthwise axis of the backrest, and a headrest adjustment mechanism. The headrest adjustment mechanism includes two tube segments affixed with the backrest, a mount frame affixed with the headrest, two latches and a driving part. The mount frame is movable with the headrest along the tube segments. The two latches are assembled with the mount frame, wherein the latches are operable to move transversally relative to the headrest to respectively engage with the two tube segments to lock the headrest in position, and to respectively disengage from the tube segments to allow adjustment of the headrest. The driving part is connected with the two latches, and is movable along the lengthwise axis to cause the latches to respectively disengage from the tube segments.
US09022464B2

A heatable seat includes a back and a bottom. At least one of the back and the bottom includes a heating pad. The heating pad includes a heating element, a number of first electrodes and a number of second electrodes. The heating element includes a flexible substrate and a carbon nanotube layer fixed on the flexible substrate. The heating element has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end is cut into a number of first strip structures. The second end is cut into a number of second strip structures. Each of the first electrodes clamps one of the first strip structures and is electrically connected with the first strip structure. Each of the second electrodes clamps one of the second strip structures and is electrically connected with the second strip structure.
US09022461B2

A high stiffness waterproof roof panel pad for a vehicle, which is configured by stacking and laminating a waterproof reinforcing layer coated with PE layers on both surfaces of a urethane foam pad, thereby reinforcing the stiffness of a vehicle body panel, preventing the pad from becoming wet due to dew condensation and thus increasing noise and vibration reduction effects and having a waterproof function. Additionally, a method of manufacturing the waterproof roof panel pad includes preparing a hard urethane foam pad, preparing a waterproof reinforcing layer of which both surfaces are coated with PE layers, stacking the waterproof reinforcing layer on both surfaces of the urethane foam pad, laminating the PE layer in contact with the urethane foam pad and integrally forming the urethane foam pad and the waterproof reinforcing layer, and performing a cutting operation according to a shape and a size of a roof panel.
US09022459B2

An assembly for attaching a steering column for a motor vehicle that is to be attached to a cross-member of a firewall and to a bottom cross-member of a window opening. The assembly includes a support member that extends substantially vertically, which is to be attached to the firewall cross-member and to the bottom cross-member of the window opening, and which supports a mechanism for attaching a plate of the steering column.
US09022455B2

A vehicle slide door for covering an opening in a vehicle body includes a door trim panel having a slot extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. A linkage arm operably connects the vehicle door to the vehicle body. The linkage arm slides within the slot of the door trim panel as the vehicle door is moved between a closed position and an opened position. A garnish panel is separate from the door trim panel and is engaged with the linkage arm. The garnish panel at least partially covers a section of the slot of the door trim panel in the closed position of the vehicle door. The garnish panel has a portion movable relative to the door trim panel in a lateral direction of the vehicle body due to an obstruction between the door trim panel and the garnish panel.
US09022452B2

A hinge assembly for a storage compartment includes a first component and a second component coupled to the first component. The second component is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the first component. A damper device includes a housing assembly supported by the first component and a finger attached to the second component such that the finger is movable with the second component between the first and second positions. The finger and the housing assembly are spaced from each other when the second component is in the first position, and the finger slidingly engages the housing assembly as the second component moves to the second position such that frictional engagement between the finger and the housing assembly dampens movement of the second component relative to the first component.
US09022449B2

A straddle-type vehicle seat includes: a saddle-type seat main body which is provided above a vehicle body in one of a three-wheel straddle-type vehicle and a four-wheel straddle-type vehicle and which is straddled by a driver; and an angle adjustment mechanism which adjusts an angle of the saddle-type seat main body with respect to the vehicle body in accordance with a signal from a detection unit that detects a traveling state of the straddle-type vehicle when the straddle-type vehicle is turning.
US09022446B2

A trim or weatherstrip assembly secured to an associated vehicle. The assembly includes a cover portion that overlies an associated vehicle adjacent an edge. A connection member is defined on the cover portion. A fastener portion includes a detent connection member having first and second portions for operatively and alternatively engaging the connection member in a shipping, first position and in an installed, second position.
US09022434B2

A latch selectively secures a compute node enclosure into a chassis bay. The latch comprises a frame securable to a proximal end of the compute node enclosure. A handle is pivotally secured to the frame intermediate a proximal end of the handle and a distal end of the handle so that the handle can be pivoted between a closed position and an open position. A proximal end of a pawl is pivotally coupled at to the distal end of the handle, wherein the pawl includes a landing at a distal end of the pawl and a latch key intermediate proximal and distal ends of the pawl. Movement of the handle positions the pawl into engagement with a slot in chassis bay to assist installation and removal of the compute node enclosure.
US09022427B2

A steering shaft bearing unit for rotatably mounting a steering shaft of a steering column for a motor vehicle includes an outer metal sheet having at least one circumferentially closed region for accommodating at least one bearing for rotatably mounting the steering shaft, and at least one securing region for securing the steering shaft bearing unit to a console part of the steering column. In the securing region, the outer metal sheet has an opening delimited by at least two opposite securing flanges which project freely from the outer metal sheet and which are part thereof.
US09022421B2

An inflatable restraint assembly includes a vehicle pillar and a pillar trim component that is attached to the vehicle pillar, with the pillar trim component having an upper end. A curtain airbag module having an inflatable curtain portion is disposed in a stowed configuration prior to deployment and moves to a deployed configuration subsequent to deployment. A guide ramp is disposed between the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module and the upper end of the pillar trim component. A headliner having an outboard portion is sandwiched between the guide ramp and the upper end of the pillar trim component prior to deployment of the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module. The outboard portion of the headliner defines a reduced thickness section.
US09022420B1

An curtain side airbag apparatus includes an airbag and an inflator. The airbag is stored in a housing adjacent to a side structure of a vehicle. The airbag includes a main body and an additional cushion portion. The housing includes an opening flange. The inflator provides a gas into the airbag for inflating the airbag. Upon deployment of the airbag, the main body of the airbag projects substantially downwardly from the housing and the additional cushion portion of the airbag projects substantially upwardly into the opening flange of the housing.
US09022418B2

The present invention relates to an interior trim component for a motor vehicle, in particular a dashboard, adapted for covering an airbag. The trim component is adapted to break along a main weakening line during deployment of the airbag, said trim component comprising an inside area relative to the main weakening line which defines a flap intended to extend over the airbag. The trim component comprises a notched element comprising a plurality of disjoint notches following one another along the main weakening line and having a generally concave shape relative to the inside area.
US09022414B2

A portable, collapsible vending cart which can be used to vend disparate items in a variety of environments. The cart is adaptable to accommodate vendors of a wide variety of products, and provides an apparatus which is in compliance with most state regulations for vending carts. The cart is adapted to fit within the “security space” of a storefront, the space between a pull down security gate and the display window/entry point of the storefront. A locking mechanism extending from the vending cart is designed for secure locking engagement within the security space using infrastructure associated with the standard security gate.
US09022411B2

The present disclosure relates to a single piece base portion (10) for a locking mechanism (30) for a ski binding (1), in particular a cross country or touring ski binding. The base portion (10) comprising: a planar resting portion (11); one or more, preferably two, support sections (12) extending out of the plane of the planar resting portion (11). In particular, each of the support sections (12) comprises an axle pin hole (13) for receiving an axle (21) of a part associated with the locking mechanism (30). Further, the lowest section (14) of the axle pin hole (13) is aligned with the upper surface (15) of the planar resting portion (11).
US09022401B1

A vehicle wheel suspension system that achieves increased width in the passenger and/or luggage compartment is provided. The suspension system utilizes a (i) a wheel support member that is positioned between the inner and outer tire planes; (ii) a plurality of linkage arms rotatably coupled to the wheel support member; (iii) a nonlinearly-shaped damper-spring support member that is attached to either an upper or lower linkage arm, where the support member includes a damper-spring mounting platform that is positioned above, and at least partially overlaps, the tire; and (iv) a damper-spring assembly mounted to the damper-spring mounting platform and coupled to a vehicle body structure.
US09022400B2

A wheelchair including a chassis, two front suspension arms connected by a pivot link to the chassis and by a pivot link to a support assembly of a front wheel, two rear suspension arms connected by a pivot link to the chassis and by a pivot link to a support assembly of a rear wheel, and connecting means arranged to connect one of the front suspension arms to one of the rear suspension arms and to convert each rotational movement of the front suspension arm with respect to the chassis into a reverse rotational movement with respect to the chassis of the rear suspension arm to which it is connected by the connecting means, and vice versa.
US09022396B2

A radiographic grid cabinet for holding x-ray grids and/or cassettes that can have a vertical structure attached to a flat base with wheels that engage when the device is tilted backward like a handcart so that the cabinet can be easily transported from place to place. Wheels can fold out when needed. The device also can have a support plate that can move vertically on a set of rails or other structure attached to the cart. A thumb controlled pin on a clamp or other locking device can select one of a number of holes in the rails to lock the cabinet into a fixed vertical position. The device can also have a rotating bearing that allows the grid holder to be rotated from a horizontal to a vertical position, or through a vertical position from either of two horizontal positions.
US09022392B2

An apparatus of semiconductor process including a chuck and a vacuum source is provided. The chuck has a plurality of holes for holding a semiconductor substrate, and the vacuum source is used for providing vacuum suction through the holes to make the semiconductor substrate be subjected to varied suction intensities according to a warpage level thereof.
US09022389B1

A grooved supporting member for assisting in the construction of a card structure is provided. Specifically, the grooved supporting member provides support for the beginning foundational planar stackable members. The grooved supporting member includes a planar base member, top surface, bottom surface, at least one edge, and at least one groove. Preferably, the groove is cut completely through the planar base member and provides lateral support for a planar stackable member. In the preferred embodiment, the grooved supporting member has four edges and four grooves, thus providing support for four planar stackable members to create the cell of a card structure. The user may employ one or more of the grooved supporting members of the present invention in a card structure. Further disclosed is a kit including a grooved supporting member of the present invention and a plurality of stackable planar members.
US09022388B2

The sheet stacking system discharges a sheet to one of a first stacking apparatus including a first stacking tray and a second stacking tray, and a second stacking apparatus including a third stacking tray, executes one of a first discharging method and a second discharging method, the first discharging method for moving, after a sheet is discharged to the first stacking tray by executing a job, the sheet which has been discharged to the first stacking tray to the second sheet stacking tray and discharging a sheet to the first stacking tray of the first stacking apparatus by executing the job, and the second discharging method for, after a sheet is discharged to the first stacking tray by executing the job, discharging a sheet to the third stacking tray of the second stacking apparatus by executing the job.
US09022386B2

A medium conveying apparatus includes a conveying status detecting unit configured to determine a conveyance status of a medium based on a driving torque of a driving unit, wherein the conveying unit is configured to convey the medium at a reference speed, the reference speed being faster than the upstream conveying unit at least when the medium is conveyed from the upstream conveying unit, and the reference speed being slower than the downstream conveying unit at least when the medium is conveyed to the downstream conveying unit, and wherein the conveyance status of the medium is detected by the comparison of a prescribed reference torque to the driving torque of the driving unit at least when the medium is conveyed between the upstream conveying unit and the conveying unit or when the medium is conveyed between the conveying unit and the downstream conveying unit.
US09022385B2

A sheet ejection apparatus includes an ejection unit, a thickness detection unit, a thickness storage unit, a sheet detection unit, an acquisition unit, a setting unit, and an adjustment unit. The ejection unit ejects a sheet. The thickness detection unit measures a thickness of the sheet. The thickness storage unit stores thickness information. The acquisition unit acquires a thickness of a preceding sheet. The setting unit sets a gap between the preceding sheet and the sheet in accordance with the thickness of the preceding sheet. The adjustment unit adjusts timing for supplying the sheet to a conveyance path in accordance with the gap.
US09022384B2

A recording-material transport apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a recording material, a detector that detects a position of the recording material in intersecting directions intersecting a transport direction in which the recording material is transported by the transport unit, and a moving member that moves the recording material transported by the transport unit to a predetermined position in a predetermined one of the intersecting directions on the basis of a detection result of the detector.
US09022378B2

In a sheet conveyance device, if a sheet has not been detected at a second position when a predetermined time has elapsed since the sheet has been detected at a first position, a separating portion switches operation thereof from a separating operation to a non-separating operation of conveying the sheet from upstream to downstream in a sheet conveyance path, and a sheet feed portion continues a feeding operation. If the sheet has not been detected at the second position by the time a predetermined time has elapsed since the separating portion has started the non-separating operation, the separating portion and the sheet feed portion stop driving, and if the sheet has been detected at the second position by the time, the separating portion switches operation thereof from the non-separating operation to the separating operation, and the sheet feed portion continues the feeding operation.
US09022375B2

A c-shaped clamp tool system preferably includes slider arms, one or more slider arm supports, pads, one or more threaded rods, and turning knobs. The clamping system preferably includes multiple slider arms and slider arm supports of different lengths. In a preferred embodiment, the slider arms are made of unidirectional pultruded carbon fiber and the slider arm support is made of woven carbon fiber.
US09022370B2

A workpiece support, including: first and second arms pivotably connected to first and second support members respectively, the first and second support members being spaced apart, each arm including first and second receiving members for receiving the workpiece, the first and second receiving members being provided at first and second ends of each arm respectively, wherein each arm is pivotably connected to the respective first and second support members at a point between the first and second ends of each arm, such that a workpiece may be supported by the first and second receiving members of the first arm and the first and second receiving members of the second arm.
US09022367B2

In a curved spring configured to generate, based on a relative approaching displacement of the one-side bearing section and the other-side bearing section in an approach/separation direction, an urging force in a separation direction in which a one-side bearing section and an other-side bearing section are separated from each other, a linear elastic body is provided to extend on a closed curve, which includes a one-side portion arranged along a circumferential direction of the one-side bearing section and an other-side portion arranged along a circumferential direction of the other-side bearing section, and to constitute elastic sections of two lines between the one-side portion and the other-side portion.
US09022366B2

A liquid vaporizer includes a first housing having a liquid-supplied surface to which a chemical solution is supplied, a heater, a mesh, a first holder and a second holder attached to the outer edge portions of the mesh, the outer edge portions opposing each other in a direction of spreading of the mesh, first cover bolts, stems supported by the first housing so as to be movable along a specific direction inclined with respect to the liquid-supplied surface, second cover bolts, coil springs biasing the stems along the specific direction and bring the mesh into intimate contact with the liquid-supplied surface, and a lid member covering the mesh from a side of the liquid-supplied surface to seal a space around the liquid-supplied surface with the first housing.
US09022361B2

A system to control drips from rotary atomizers without the use of recirculation pumps or drain tubes. The drips are collected in a catch basin suspended under the atomizer and reintroduced to the rotary atomizer by one of three methods; a mechanical pumping action from a cone or impeller extending from the rotating part of the atomizer, a suction from a Venturi section built into the fluid delivery tube, or by aspirating the fluid back into the atomizer by using the exhaust air from an air motor. Additionally, to prevent bacterial growth and to completely eliminate any moisture after shutdown, a heating element can be incorporated into the catch basin to sterilize and evaporate any excess fluid.
US09022360B2

There is disclosed a non-electric portable manually operated misting fan assembly which is formed by a handle for allowing the user to grasp and manipulate the fan assembly, the handle formed by a container adapted to function as a reservoir for a supply of fluid and having an upper end which includes a pump assembly including a pump head extending upwardly therefrom for pumping fluid from the handle container through a fluid nozzle located in the pump head. The fan means are fixedly mounted on the handle and positioned above the pump head, the fan means bounded by an upper end and a lower end, the lower end being accurately formed over the pump head in order to allow the user to position his finger on the pump head to manipulate the pump in order to eject a fluid from the fluid reservoir incident to the fanning procedure.
US09022357B2

An aerial roller spacer apparatus and related methods thereto are provided. The aerial roller spacer apparatus includes a spacer body. At least one saddle is formed on the spacer body. A spacer arm is connected to the spacer body at a first end, wherein the spacer arm extends away from the spacer body. A roller assembly is positioned proximate to a second end of the spacer arm, wherein the roller assembly has two rotatable roller halves that are removably engagable with one another with at least one fastener. A messenger groove is formed between the two rotatable roller halves.
US09022354B2

The invention provides a switching valve having a valve element which is movable in a housing, an actuating apparatus acting on the valve element in a first direction and a spring apparatus charging the valve element in a second direction. According to the invention, the first and second directions are in opposition and the spring apparatus has a progressive spring characteristic.
US09022353B2

A ball valve which can suppress the increasing of processing labor time and reliably prevent simultaneous rotation of a ball seat and a ball when the ball is rotated by handle manipulation is provided. The valve body 2 is formed of a hard material such as stainless steel, the ball seat is formed of a relatively soft material such as a fluorine resin, and a protrusion 18 is formed on a ball seat support surface 13 of the valve body 2 made of a hard material so as to bite into the ball seat 4.
US09022349B2

A solenoid valve includes a plunger, an actuating device, and an air tap assembly. The plunger is connected to the actuating device. The air tap assembly is secured to the actuating device and has a cavity. The air tap assembly includes a main body, and first and second tubes. The first tube protrudes from the main body and defines a first through hole. The main body defines a second through hole communicated with the first through hole and the cavity. The second tube defines a third through hole. The main body defines a fourth through hole extended from the third through hole and a fifth through hole extended from the fourth through hole to the cavity. The fifth and second through holes are parallel. The plunger head is used to seal the second and fifth through holes.
US09022342B2

A jack plate for easily and effectively mounting a secondary motor to a pontoon boat. The mount comprises a horizontal supporting member affixable to a pontoon decking and a downward member rigidly and operably coupled to the horizontal supporting member and extending from the horizontal member downwardly, wherein the motor is operably coupled to the downward member. Optionally, the mount further comprises a supporting member operably coupled on a first end at an intermediate position to the downward member, wherein a second end of the supporting member is affixable to a pontoon hull extension.
US09022340B2

A method performed and apparatus formed to fabricate an Isofix latch wire arrangement bends an elongated strip about an open profile to form an elongated tubular member, radially penetrating the member with wires across the open profile, and forming enlarged portions on the legs. The enlargements engage opposite sides of the tube to complete abutment of the strip edges to close the profile and join the wires as rivets to the tubular member formed.
US09022337B2

Apparatus for securing products are provided. Each of a pair of elongate retaining members is pivotally secured at a first end of a base. Each of a pair of carriages is movable along a corresponding one of the retaining members and fixable to the corresponding one of the retaining members at a plurality of locations. Each carriage has a clip for capturing a projecting portion of the product. A stop member engages a portion of the product spaced apart from the projecting portions captured by the clips. The stop member is movable toward the clips in a single degree of freedom and is fixable to the base at a plurality of locations along the degree of freedom. Methods of securing a product using the apparatus are provided.
US09022323B2

For capturing satellites and other orbital objects, one or more independent capturing units are releasably arranged on a spacecraft serving as a steerable carrier vehicle. Each capturing unit has a propellant charge and at least one braking thrust nozzle of its own, and a closeable capture net releasably connected to the capturing unit via a tether line. The net is deployed from the capturing unit to capture the orbital object. Position or attitude control engines of the carrier vehicle are operated for orienting the combination including the capturing unit and the orbital object captured in the net. The capturing unit is then released from the carrier vehicle, and applies a braking thrust to the captured object so as to deorbit the captured object together with the capturing unit.
US09022322B2

Devices, systems and methods for utilizing a remotely-controlled aerial vehicle for emergency situations are disclosed. In an aspect of the present disclosure, a remotely-controlled aerial vehicle consisting of a rotor with interchangeably attached blades, a camera, an antenna for transmitting data, and rescue equipment which may be used to assist an endangered person on location is disclosed. In another aspect, the aerial vehicle further comprises a light source to assist in the use of the device at night, a pressure gun to assist in the delivery of rope or other materials in mountain side situations, an explosive device dropping mechanism, and a cable hoist.
US09022318B2

A hydraulic drive for an aircraft includes: a gear, a first hydraulic pump and a second hydraulic pump, wherein the gear is installed in a gear housing and wherein the first hydraulic pump and the second hydraulic pump in each case are installed in a pump housing that is affixed to the gear housing, or the two together are installed in a pump housing that is affixed to the gear housing; a hydraulic supply device including a first and a second hydraulic system for operating actuators of the aircraft; and a monitoring and drive device, with the hydraulic supply device including a first hydraulic drive for coupling the latter to a first engine, and a second hydraulic drive for coupling the latter to a second engine, wherein each hydraulic drive includes: a gear drive shaft for coupling the respective hydraulic drive to an engine output shaft of the respective associated engine; two hydraulic pumps that are coupled to a gear output shaft, in each case with a connection device for connecting the hydraulic pump to the pressure line and to the suction line of a hydraulic system; an aircraft comprising such a hydraulic supply device; as well as a method for configuring a hydraulic supply device.
US09022317B2

A towbarless airplane tug comprising: a chassis mounted on a plurality of tug wheels, at least some of said plurality of tug wheels being steerable tug wheels; an airplane wheel support assembly, mounted on said chassis, for supporting rotatable wheels of a nose landing gear of an airplane; at least one tug wheel driver operative to drive said plurality of tug wheels in rotation to provide displacement of said chassis; and at least one tug controller operative to control speed of said tug, said at least one tug controller employing at least one feedback loop utilizing a mapping of speed limits along a travel path traversed by said tug and said airplane at said airport as well as an indication of the instantaneous location of said tug and said airplane along a travel path.
US09022304B2

A fuel injection device of a direct injection engine is provided. The device includes an engine body, a fuel injection valve, and a controller for controlling a fuel injection by the fuel injection valve. The fuel injection valve has a nozzle hole, a valve body for opening and closing the nozzle hole, and first and solenoid coils for stroking the valve body by first and second stroke amounts, respectively. The controller performs the fuel injection by the first solenoid coil in an intake stroke period within an engine operating range with an engine load below a predetermined load. The controller performs the fuel injection with a fuel pressure of 40 MPa or above by the second solenoid coil in a period between a compression stroke late stage and an expansion stroke early stage within a low-engine-speed range with an engine speed below a predetermined speed and within a high-engine-load range.
US09022302B2

A system includes a gasification feed injector. The gasification feed injector includes a tip portion disposed at a fluid exit region of the gasification feed injector, and a tip cap coupled to the tip portion of the gasification feed injector and configured to serve as a thermal barrier for the tip portion during gasification reactions.
US09022296B2

An identification tag, comprising a rigid carrier comprising a cavity therein, a bead arranged within the cavity, wherein the bead includes an electronics module configured to receive and transmit signals, a protective fluid-like fill material disposed in the cavity such that it surrounds the bead, and one or more openings extending into the identification tag that can be used to couple the tag to a downhole tool or provide pressure equalization across the tag.
US09022292B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and system for sharing information between a first computing device and a second computing device. In the described embodiments, an optical label, such as, for example a QR code, is generated on the first computing device. In embodiments, the optical label is color encoded and displayed in such a way that the optical label is not perceptible to a user. The second computing device may capture the encoded optical label and subject the captured images to a processing technique that decodes the encoded optical label.
US09022291B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and system for sharing information between a first computing device and a second computing device. In the described embodiments, an optical label, such as, for example a QR code, is generated on the first computing device. In embodiments, the optical label is color encoded and displayed in such a way that the optical label is not perceptible to a user. The second computing device may capture the encoded optical label and subject the captured images to a processing technique that decodes the encoded optical label.
US09022287B1

A shopping system for tracking and tabulating costs during a shopping experience features a shopping cart with a handle having a handle diameter and a horizontal support bar having a horizontal support bar diameter. The system features a computing unit with a power supply and a microprocessor located inside. The computing unit features input keys located on a computing unit top that are in communication with the microprocessor for data input. The computing unit features a first display and a second display located on the computing unit top. Data input from the input keys is displayed on the first display. The computing unit features a scanner located on a computing unit front. Data read by the scanner is displayed on the second display. The system features a first clip and a second clip located on a computing unit bottom.
US09022279B2

A method for identifying an application usable with an accessory is provided. The method includes receiving an accessory identifier associated with the accessory, identifying an application protocol associated with the accessory identifier, identifying an application that supports the application protocol, and providing information about the application to a user device. A method for identifying an accessory usable with an application is also provided. The method includes receiving information about an application, determining an application protocol associated with the application, determining an accessory that supports the application protocol, and providing information about the accessory to a user device.
US09022273B1

A surgical fastening instrument is provided. The surgical fastening instrument includes a handle portion and an elongate portion extending distally from the handle portion and defining a longitudinal axis along a length thereof. The surgical fastening instrument also includes an end effector assembly that includes an anvil and a cartridge supported adjacent a distal end of the elongate portion. Each of the anvil and the cartridge includes a tissue contacting surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. One or more independently movable pushers is configured to support one or more surgical fasteners. A thrust bar is operatively coupled to the elongate portion, wherein the thrust bar is movable over a predetermined stroke to effect sequential ejection of at least two surgical fasteners of the plurality of surgical fasteners from the cartridge.
US09022267B2

A holder apparatus is provided for a portable electronic device, in particular in a motor vehicle. The portable electronic device is designed for bidirectional data transfer with the motor vehicle, wherein the holder apparatus has a base element which can be fixed in the motor vehicle and which has a plurality of holder elements, and at least one wall and/or cover element which is coupled to the holder elements such that it can be reversibly plug-connected. The portable electronic device can be secured in the holder apparatus in an interlocking and/or force-fitting manner by the base element and the at least one wall and/or cover element.
US09022262B2

The present invention refers to an improved holster for handguns provided with a spent casing ejection port, adapted to prevent the accidental drop or an unauthorized extraction of the handgun, thanks to a safety device embodied in the same holster and engaging with the ejection port.
US09022252B2

An insulating holder for holding a beverage in a bottle or a can having a lower cylindrical enclosure which receives an upper cylindrical enclosure having a dome-shaped upper end. The upper cylindrical enclosure is adapted to cover the top portion of a bottle inserted into the lower cylindrical enclosure and to snuggly receive a can when inverted and inserted into the lower cylindrical enclosure. At least a portion of the lower cylindrical enclosure or upper cylindrical enclosure is made of a polyolefin elastomer foam. The insulating holder may be structured to retain various sizes of wine bottles.
US09022249B2

A thermally insulated sandwich polyurethane (PUR) shipper for a temperature sensitive payload is provided. The sandwich PUR shipper comprises an outer corrugated box, an inner corrugated box, vacuum insulated panels (such as VIP panels) and PUR foam. The inner box is nested within the outer box and has a bottom, sides and a top. The inner box defines a payload compartment. The VIP panels are adhered to the outer facing surfaces of the inner box. Preferably the VIP panels are wedged against each other so that a side edge of one VIP panel abuts an adjacent VIP panel. The PUR foam fills the space between the VIP panels and the outer box. The PUR foam may cover the top edges of the VIP panels.
US09022245B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to support arrangements for semi-membrane tank walls and, more particularly, to a universal support assembly for tanks that experience thermal expansion and contraction. One embodiment of the invention may include a tank assembly having at least one tank wall, a support structure at least partially adjacent to the wall, and a link member coupling the tank to the support structure. The link member may be configured to accommodate relative movement between the tank and the support structure through rotation. The link member may be coupled to the tank wall by a ball and socket joint and coupled to the support structure with another ball and socket joint, allowing substantially unlimited in-plane movement of the tank wall relative to the support structure.
US09022240B2

Described is a process for producing poliovirus, the process comprising: a) providing a serum-free suspension culture of cells, which are primary human retina (HER) cells that have been immortalized by expression of adenovirus E1 sequences, b) infecting the cells with poliovirus, at a cell density of between 2×106 cells/ml and 150×106 cells/ml, and c) harvesting poliovirus at a time of between 12 and 48 hours after infection.
US09022234B2

Various aspects include a rack module comprising a side including one or more receptacles. A receptacle may include a contact surface shaped to receive a container. A rack module may include one or more engagement features operable to removably attach the rack module to another rack module having complementary engagement features. The other rack module may also have a side including one or more receptacles, and the attached rack modules may commonly orient their respective receptacles such that the containers received therein may be used.
US09022225B2

Provided is a filtration filer with which a stable opening size during filtration is obtained, and which can be easily regenerated when clogged and used repeatedly. The filtration filter (10) comprises: a substrate stack wherein substrates (11) that have a through hole that penetrates from front to back are stacked; stoppers (15) that define the spacing between the substrates (11); and pillars (16) with a larger thermal expansion coefficient than the stoppers (15). The spacing between the substrates (11) at normal temperature is defined at least by the stoppers (15), and the spacing when heated is defined by the thermally expanded pillars (16). The gaps between the substrates (11) form the filtration surface that traps contaminants contained in the liquid that is being treated A.
US09022223B1

A compact, piston-driven water filtration system with annular cleaning device/brush. The filter apparatus operates based on a piston-driven pressure system where the piston is threadably mated to a water reservoir. Threading of the piston forces a sleeve connected thereto within the reservoir to force water through any suitable water filter (e.g. carbon-based, ceramic, micro- and/or nano-membrane materials) on the opposite side of the reservoir from the threadably-mated piston within the reservoir. The sleeve connected to the piston within the interior of the reservoir includes a cleaning device (e.g., brush, scraper, pad, etc.) on a distal end of the sleeve inside the water reservoir. The annular brush has an inner diameter smaller than that of the sleeve, such that as the piston is threaded into and out of the reservoir, the sleeve moves toward, over, and away from the filter, and the brush scrapes/scrubs/cleans the exterior of the filter for cleansing.
US09022219B2

A suspension magnet assembly (10) having a magnet (24) with an arcuate lower surface, and a collector (27) movable from adjacent the magnet (24) to a position spaced from the magnet (24) to provide for the removal of collected material (14) from the assembly (10).
US09022201B1

A conveyor process and system for sorting objects having a plurality of inbound conveyors in a vertically stacked configuration and a plurality of diversion conveyors connected to the inbound conveyors for diverting objects transported on the inbound conveyors to a particular outbound conveyor.
US09022200B2

A line accumulation conveyor includes a secondary belt rotatably mounted to a frame so as to define upper and lower surfaces caused to move in opposite directions by rotation of the secondary belt. The conveyor further includes a product conveying belt that is rotatably engaged with the secondary belt at a first position on the first surface and at a second position on the second surface therebetween in an endless manner. The product conveying belt has an upper portion that extends from the first surface in an upper plane between the first position and a looping portion of the product conveying belt and a lower portion that extends from the second surface in a lower plane between the looping portion and the second position. The upper portion of the product conveying belt defines a product accumulation path that can be elongate or shorten by rotating the secondary belt.
US09022194B2

The present disclosure provides an actuation assembly for applying a mechanical diode clutch. The clutch includes an outer member, an inner member, and a strut. The actuation assembly includes a plate having an apply portion and a plurality of legs, where each of the plurality of legs has a first end coupled to the apply portion and a second end adapted to couple to a shift sleeve. A mechanism is coupled to the apply portion of the plate. The mechanism includes at least one biasing member. The plate is moveable between an unapply position and an apply position such that a movement from the unapply position to the apply position induces contact between the mechanism and the strut.
US09022191B2

A hydraulic pressure control device including a pump driven to generate hydraulic pressure; a first pressure regulation valve that regulates hydraulic pressure in a first passage coupled to a pump along with discharge of oil; a second pressure regulation valve that receives the hydraulic pressure in the first passage and regulates the hydraulic pressure to an engagement pressure to engage a lock-up clutch according to a first signal pressure to output the engagement pressure to a second passage that supplies the oil to an engagement chamber; and a third pressure regulation valve that receives the hydraulic pressure in the first passage or the engagement pressure output to the second passage and regulates the received pressure according to the first signal pressure or a second signal pressure that synchronizes with the first signal pressure to output the resulting pressure to a third passage that supplies the oil to the disengagement chamber.
US09022190B2

A system for transferring energy to a vehicle, in particular a track bound vehicle, such as a light rail vehicle, wherein the system includes an electric conductor arrangement adapted to produce an electromagnetic field which can be received by the vehicle thereby transferring the energy to the vehicle the system further includes electric and/or electronic devices which are adapted to operate the electric conductor arrangement. The devices produce heat while operating the conductor arrangement and—therefore—are to be cooled. A cooling arrangement of the system includes a structure having a cavity in which at least one of the devices to be cooled is located. The structure includes a cover limiting the cavity at the top, wherein the device(s) to be cooled is/are located at a distance to the cover. The structure is integrated in the ground at the path of travel of the vehicle in such a manner that the cover forms a part of the surface of the ground.
US09022189B2

A cask cushioning body includes an end-surface side member (2) in which a plurality of plates (21, 22) made of steel are formed at a distance between plate surfaces of the plates (21, 22) that face each other, and in which the plate surfaces of the plates (21, 22) are arranged along an end surface (100a) of a cask (100), and a circumferential-surface side member (3) that forms a cylindrical body (31) made of steel, one end of which is connected to a periphery of the end-surface side member (2), and that is arranged along an end-portion outer-circumferential surface (100b), wherein an impact absorber (4) that absorbs an impact by deforming is provided outside of the end-surface side member (2) and the circumferential-surface side member (3).
US09022186B2

A damping force generator for a hydraulic shock absorber featuring an increased deflection (bending) characteristic of a damping valve to widen the adjustable range of a damping force. In a damping force generator (70) for a hydraulic shock absorber, the damping valve (80) undergoes deflections with boundaries (71C) between secured portions (71A) and recessed portions (71B) of the valve seat (71) as supporting points K, and inner and outer peripheries of the damping valve (80) are disposed on an outside of line segments L each connecting two circumferentially adjacent supporting points K, K of the valve seat (71).
US09022170B2

A muffler is capable of stably supporting the catalytic converter in a muffler box with a pair of partitions. The muffler box includes first and second box halves joined together with open surfaces thereof abutting each other, and first and second partition plates interposed between the first and second box halves and overlapping each other to separate inside of the muffler box into first and second silencing chambers and define a third silencing chamber between the first and second partition plates, one end opening of a cylindrical holding tube housing and holding the catalytic converter is connected to the exhaust inlet pipe, the pair of partition plates support the holding tube in such a way as to wrap an outer peripheral surface thereof, and another end opening of the holding tube is communicated with the exhaust outlet pipe through the first, second, and third silencing chambers in this order.
US09022169B2

An electrical power steering system is configured to assist steering by transmitting, through a belt, a rotational force of a driving pulley coaxially coupled to a rotational shaft of an electrical motor to a driven pulley coaxially coupled to a rotational member of a steering apparatus. The electrical power steering system includes a belt tension adjustment mechanism for adjusting a tension of the belt. The belt tension adjustment mechanism includes: a guide surface and an engagement surface, which are formed as mating surfaces of a housing of the steering apparatus and a casing of the electrical motor so as to engage with each other; and a connector capable of relatively moving the engagement surface along the guide surface due to a connection force for connecting the housing and the casing under a state in which the guide surface and the engagement surface engage with each other. The guide surface is inclined by a predetermined amount with respect to an axial line direction of the rotational shaft.
US09022166B2

The invention concerns a hydraulic steering arrangement with a hydraulically actuated steering valve arrangement, steering motor connections (CL, CR), which are connected to supply connections (HP, T) via the steering valve arrangement, and a steering unit. It is endeavored to equalize in a simple manner the steering behavior in both directions. For this purpose, it is ensured that the steering valve arrangement has a directional valve and a flow control valve.
US09022158B2

A four-wheel-drive vehicle includes a dog clutch provided between a propeller shaft and an engine, a torque coupling provided between a rear differential and rear wheels, and an ECU that controls the dog clutch and the torque coupling. When a drive mode is switched from a two-wheel-drive mode where the transmissions of torque by the dog clutch and the torque coupling are both interrupted, to a four-wheel-drive mode, the ECU sets the amount of torque that is transmitted by the torque coupling to a first torque value (T1) to increase the speed of rotation of the propeller shaft, and then sets the amount of torque that is transmitted by the torque coupling to a second torque value (T2) that is lower than the first torque value (T1), and engages the dog clutch when the rotations of first and second rotary members of the dog clutch are synchronized with each other.
US09022154B2

A one-man riding mobile apparatus includes a plurality of wheels, a board-shaped boarding base to which the wheels are attached, a motor that drives at least a part of the wheels and provided on the boarding base, a plurality of load sensors provided on the boarding base, a plurality of vibrators provided on the boarding base, and a control circuit that performs driving control of the motor and driving control of the vibrators. The control circuit is provided on the boarding base and includes a center-of-gravity position detecting section that detects presence of weighting and a center-of-gravity position based on signals output from the load sensors, a motor driving control section that controls a driving operation of the motor depending on the presence of the weighting and the center-of-gravity position detected by the center-of-gravity position detecting section, and a vibrator driving control section.
US09022151B2

A multi-legged apparatus enables a multi-legged robot to provide a natural motion, and includes a body portion comprising a body, a front leg portion comprising a front fixing portion fixed to the body, and a front rotating portion rotatably connected to the front fixing portion, a rear leg portion connected to the body and a rear leg portion comprising a rear rotating portion rotatably connected to the rear fixing portion, and a first link rotatably connected, at both ends, to the front and rear rotating portions, respectively. The body portion additionally includes a driving portion which rotates one of the front and rear rotating portions. By employing the first link and the driving portion, the body of the multi-legged robot is moved to and fro and left and right naturally in accordance with the movement of the legs, in a similar pattern as that generally shown in actual multi-legged animals.
US09022147B2

According to an embodiment, a drilling fluid comprises: water and a set accelerator, wherein the drilling fluid has a 10 minute gel strength of less than 20 lb*ft/100 sq ft, wherein the drilling fluid has a density in the range of about 9 to about 14 pounds per gallon, wherein the drilling fluid remains pourable for at least 5 days, and wherein when at least one part of the drilling fluid mixes with three parts of a cement composition consisting of water and cement, the drilling fluid cement composition mixture develops a compressive strength of at least 1,200 psi. According to another embodiment, a method of using the drilling fluid comprises the steps of: introducing the drilling fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation, wherein at least a portion of the drilling fluid is capable of mixing with a cement composition.
US09022138B2

The invention relates to an impact device, having an internal combustion engine and an impact mechanism driven by the internal combustion engine. An engine lubricating device supplies lubricant to the internal combustion engine. An impact mechanism lubricating device lubricates the impact mechanism accordingly. For this purpose, the engine lubricating device and the impact mechanism device partially comprise the same components.
US09022126B2

A system and method for replacing equipment at a wellsite is provided. The wellsite has a subsea stripper installed proximate a subsea borehole. The system has a conveyance for delivering a BHA into the subsea borehole. The system has a subsea stripper having a central bore for passing the conveyance and the BHA therethrough, and at least one actuator connected to the subsea stripper for actuating a packer whereby the wellbore is sealed. The system has at least one replaceable seal assembly for installation within the stripper. The replaceable seal assembly has at least one packer extendable within the subsea stripper to form a seal thereabout and at least one locator sleeve for positioning the seal assembly in an install position within the subsea stripper. The replaceable seal assembly has a frangible member for connecting the seal assembly to the conveyance prior to deployment in the subsea stripper.
US09022124B2

A method of well intervention in a subsea well having a wellhead on the sea floor includes extending an intervention hose downwardly through the sea from a hose drum installed on a vessel on the sea surface into the well through a subsea intervention stack installed on the wellhead. The intervention hose is exposed directly to the ambient sea between the vessel and the top of the subsea intervention stack. In a method of well intervention, an intervention hose extends from a hose drum and into a well. The hose is driven out of the well without the use of an injector by pulling the hose out of the well with the hose drum. In a method of well intervention, an intervention hose extends from a hose drum towards a wellhead, with the hose being guided downward from the drum towards the wellhead by a guiding sheave.
US09022123B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting and monitoring flexible collection and production lines in real time, rendering possible constant tracking of the condition of the internal structures of a flexible riser, specifically of the tensile armor thereof.The device may be provided at any point along the riser ensuring the establishment of an area of physical and visual contact directly over the surface of the tensile armor of the riser for the installation of equipment for analysis, which area permits further accesses without destroying the sealing of the chamber there formed.
US09022122B2

A cap for protecting a sealing surface of a hub of a subsea device includes an equalization valve and a fluid conduit. The equalization valve includes a valve body having a pressure equalization conduit, a sleeve disposed about the valve body and having a port allowing fluid communication across the sleeve, and a valve spring configured to bias the sleeve to a closed position. The sleeve is configured to move to an open position in response to a force that depresses the sleeve and causes the valve spring to compress and the port is fluidly isolated from the pressure equalization conduit in the closed position and is in fluid communication with the pressure equalization conduit in the open position. In the open position, an interior environment of the subsea device is in fluid communication with the environment outside the cap through the equalization valve.
US09022119B2

Methods and apparatus for enhanced and improved viscous oil recovery are disclosed. A horizontal well is drilled through the viscous oil formation. A specially designed tubing string includes outlets that deliver steam more uniformly into the entire horizontal extent of the well borehole. Heat from the steam mobilizes and lowers the viscosity of the heavy crude wherein the crude is then produced to the surface via conventional lift arrangements.
US09022117B2

A method for milling a tubular cemented in a wellbore includes deploying a bottomhole assembly (BHA) into the wellbore through the tubular, the BHA comprising a window mill; and extending arms of the window mill and radially cutting through the tubular, thereby forming a window through the tubular, wherein a body portion of each window mill arm engages and stabilizes from an inner surface of the tubular after a blade portion of each window mill arm cuts through the tubular.
US09022115B2

A method for wellbore perforation in which a section of the wellbore to be perforated is isolated and purged of wellbore fluid to provide a clear path for laser beam transmittal. A laser beam emitter in the purged wellbore section transmits a laser beam pulse from the laser beam emitter to a target area of a sidewall and formation lithology of the purged wellbore section, thereby altering a mechanical property of a material of the sidewall and formation lithology and producing material debris. A liquid jet pulse of a liquid is transmitted immediately following termination of the laser beam pulse to the target area, thereby removing the material debris from the target area. This cycle is then repeated until the desired perforation depth has been achieved.
US09022113B2

A tubular string is advanced with a bottom hole assembly as the hole is drilled and reamed in a desired direction with the aid of directional drilling equipment adjacent the bit. When the advanced tubular forms the desired lap to the existing tubular, the assembly can be configured to cement the tubular and expansion can then be accomplished to fill the annular space and enhance the cement bonding. The expansion equipment can create a bottom bell on the expanded tubular and expand the top end into a bell of the existing tubular so that a monobore is created as the process is repeated with each added string. Numerous variations are contemplated for each single trip including but not limited to the direction of expansion, whether cementing or expansion occurs first, reforming folded tubing in the hole as well as the nature of the expansion tool and pressure control when drilling.
US09022109B2

A method of treating a subsurface formation includes circulating at least one molten salt through at least one conduit of a conduit-in-conduit heater located in the formation to heat hydrocarbons in the formation to at least a mobilization temperature of the hydrocarbons. At least some of the hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An electrical resistance of at least one of the conduits of the conduit-in-conduit heater is assessed to assess a presence of a leak in at least one of the conduits.
US09022104B2

Techniques for shearing a tubular of a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation with a blowout preventer are provided. The blowout preventer has a housing with a hole therethrough for receiving the tubular. The techniques relate to a blade assembly including a ram block movable between a non-engagement position and an engagement position about the tubular, a blade carried by the ram block for cuttingly engaging the tubular, and a retractable guide carried by the ram block and slidably movable therealong. The restractable guide has a guide surface for urging the tubular into a desired location in the blowout preventer as the ram block moves to the engagement position.
US09022099B2

A heat transport fluid passage device for a heat transport circuit has a wall defining a passage through which a heat transport fluid flows. The heat transport fluid contains a solvent made of water or an organic substance and fine particles dispersed in the solvent. A hydrophobic membrane is formed on a surface of the wall.
US09022089B1

A retractable flexible screen is attached to a retractable barrier assembly fitted into a bottom edge portion of a window sash portion of a window unit. The retractable barrier assembly is provided with a weather seal and a moisture draining means. A weather strip is provided along a bottom edge of the screen. The screen is maintained in a retracted position within the retractable barrier assembly until it is desired to employ the screen. To deploy the screen, it is extracted from the retractable barrier assembly and a bottom edge is anchored against a sill portion of the window unit, thereby causing the screen to be automatically extended each time the sash is raised.
US09022086B2

A pneumatic tire that is provided with a first fastener of a separatable pair of mechanical fasteners on a tire inner surface, wherein, even in cases where a desired object is engaged/fixed using only one fastener, the object does not rotate having the fastener as a central axis when the tire is in use. A first fastener of the pair of mechanical fasteners is provided on a tire inner surface, and the mechanical fasteners are provided with a rotation preventing mechanism for preventing the fasteners from mutually rotating when the pair of mechanical fasteners are engaged.
US09022073B2

Provided is a device for use in a shower system and a related method. The device may include an appliance for adding a medium to shower water. The appliance may be designed such that it works according to the principle of a water jet pump. Advantageously, the medium added to the shower water may contain one or more fragrance media.
US09022072B2

A valve array includes a reservoir containing a pressurized fluid, a non-return valve and a seat valve that is actuatable so as to allow the fluid to flow out of the reservoir. The seat valve is configured as a pilot control valve connected to the reservoir such that, in an open condition of the seat valve, a smaller amount of the fluid flows out of the reservoir via the seat valve and a larger amount of the fluid flows out of the reservoir via the non-return valve.
US09022071B2

A control valve which includes a uniquely configured seat ring outfitted with flow passages adapted to operatively interact with a valve plug in a manner providing prescribed pressure reduction characteristics in a fluid flowing through the flow passages. The seat ring of the control valve of the present invention is preferably fabricated through the use of a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process. The use of the DMLS process to facilitate the fabrication of the seat ring in the control valve allows for the creation of more intricate and complex flow passages therein. Such increased intricacy/complexity provides better flow range/rangeability within the control valve.
US09022066B2

The point of the invention is to evenly distribute water or effluent over an irrigation area or a drain field. Typically the fluid comes from a reservoir or a septic tank and is fed, by gravity, into a number of discharge pipes that would be located underground.The device related to this invention is characterized by a container with an inlet at the top and a number of outlets at the bottom. Inside the container the fluid is directed to the center of a flow splitter surface underneath, via a specifically configured spout. To make the fluid spread radian and uniformly towards the surface's perimeter this surface has hydrophilic properties and is convex shaped. The fluid eventually flows uniformly over the surface's edge and is evenly distributed over the outlets at the bottom.
US09022065B1

The present invention includes pressure event indicators that identify specific pressurized vessels or pipes from which a pressurized fluid has been exhausted, closed pressurized systems that implement such pressure event indicators, and methods of using such pressure event indicators. Embodiments of such pressure event indicators may include a housing having a substantially horizontal elongate passage, a rotatable axle orthogonally passing through the passage, a paddle fixedly attached to the axle having a closed position, an open position, and a shape that is complementary to a portion of the passage and that occludes a portion of the passage when the paddle is in the closed position, and at least one visual indicator outside of the housing and fixedly attached to the axle, where the purpose of the visual indicator is to identify a position of the paddle to an observer.
US09022059B2

An apparatus is supplied for a self adjusting regulator suited for an irrigation emitter. A curved flow channel is integrated into a concave dome shaped surface. A deformable member deforms to approach the surface to adjust the resistance to flow. The concave dome shaped surface may match a deformed shape of the membrane. Irregularities in the interface between the surface and the deformable member are configured to achieve a desired discharge under varying flow conditions. The deformable member may activate an inlet filter cleaner by pushing a ram and thereby unclogging the filter.
US09022058B2

According to an embodiment, a valve comprises: a valve member, wherein the valve member is made from a non-deformable material; a seat, wherein the seat: (A) is made from a non-deformable material; and (B) is positioned adjacent to the valve member; a seal, wherein the seal is created by the interaction between at least a portion of the seat and at least a portion of the valve member and a sealant; and at least one recess, wherein the at least one recess: (A) is located on the inside of the seat or the outside of the valve member; and (B) is capable of containing at least one particulate, wherein the valve is capable of being opened or closed via relative movement of the valve member and the seat.
US09022057B2

A flow path switching valve is disclosed that can be operated remotely simply by turning flow on and off. A mid portion of the body has at least one passage therein leading from a central axial bore to one or more external ports each having a tractor nozzle. The valve outlet connects the axial bore to a cleaning nozzle. A poppet member is received in the central axial bore. In a first position, the poppet member directs fluid flow through the outlet to the cleaning nozzle connected to the outlet. The poppet member, when in a second position, closes the central axial bore through the outlet end of the valve body and permits fluid flow through the tractor nozzles. Selection of the different flow paths is made by simply reducing flow through the valve below a predetermined fluid flow threshold and then increasing the flow rate above the threshold.
US09022051B2

A valve for an inflatable device includes a first region configured to seal to a fluid impermeable wall of a bladder of the inflatable device, a cap including a rim, and a seal. The base includes a second region that defines an orifice for exhausting fluid from an interior of the inflatable device, the second region configured to provide a sealing surface. Further, the rim can include a generally circular peripheral region including at least one rib located about an underside of the peripheral region and a cavity defined in part by at least one wall located radially inward of the rib. The seal can include a first end region secured to the cap within the cavity between the at least one wall and the at least one rib and a second end region configured to freely move with the at least one first end region secured to the cap.
US09022049B1

An improved umbrella top notch and runner are provided for an umbrella including a shaft, plural ribs, and plural stretchers, in addition to the top notch and the runner. The top notch, structurally the same as the runner, includes a main body and plural building blocks. Each building block has a threaded hole through which a screw rod can pass to fasten the building block to the periphery of the main body. Each building block has a projecting pin on one lateral side and a recess on the opposite lateral side. When the building blocks are fastened to the periphery of the main body, the front end of the projecting pin on one lateral side of each building block is fittingly received in the recess of the adjacent building block. Each building block can be detached from the main body to facilitate replacement of the ribs and stretchers.
US09022043B1

A hair holder system featuring an outer component having a slot disposed therein and an insertion component that can slideably insert snugly into the slot of the outer component. When the insertion component is within the slot, the slot surface and the outer surface of the insertion component can clamp and hold hair therein between, thereby creating a bun or puff effect for hair inserted therethrough. The bun or puff effect is shaped according to the shape of the insertion component.
US09022041B2

A method of converting tea leaves into a smoking product suitable for use with a smoking device such as, but not limited to, a hookah. In one embodiment the method comprises the steps of heating a batch of sundried tea leaves in water to provide a batch of wetted tea leaves; fermenting the wetted tea leaves to provide a batch of fermented tea leaves; rinsing the fermented tea leaves with water to provide rinsed fermented tea leaves; drying the rinsed fermented tea leaves to provide dried fermented tea; and adding glycerine to the dried fermented tea leaves to provide a tea leaf based smoking product. In another embodiment a nicotine free smoking product is provided comprising of glycerin treated dried fermented tea leaves.
US09022038B2

The various embodiments herein provide an air suction device for a smoking apparatus. The air suction device comprises a cylindrical housing, an impeller, an impeller cover, a motor assembled inside the housing to drive the impeller, a plurality of batteries provided in the housing, a battery cover to enclose the plurality of batteries and a switch provided externally to the cylindrical housing. When the switch is in ON condition, the plurality of batteries supply an electrical power to the motor and the motor converts the electrical power into a mechanical power which in turn causes propulsion of the impeller thereby sucking out the air from a water bowl of the smoking apparatus. The propulsive motion of the impeller sucks out the air from the water bowl until the air inside the water bowl is replaced by condensed smoke.
US09022035B2

There is provided a portable intake air sterilizing apparatus which allows prevention of a worker's infection with virus/bacteria and which allows, at the same time, the worker to work comfortably. The apparatus includes a cover member C for covering one or both of the nose and the mouth, an air intake portion K for the inner space of the cover member C, and a chlorine dioxide slow-release portion J capable of releasing chlorine dioxide gas into an intake air in association with introduction of this intake air from the air intake portion K.
US09022030B2

Methods, systems and devices are provided for monitoring respiratory disorders based on monitored factors of a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal that is representative of peripheral blood volume. The monitored factors can be respiratory effort as well as respiratory rate and/or blood oxygen saturation level. The systems and devices may or may not be implanted in a patient.
US09022021B2

Racking assemblies for solar panel installations are provided. The racking assemblies may include a series of posts arranged in two parallel rows and anchored to the ground or other suitable surface. Purlins may be coupled to and may span the posts of each row. Specialized clamps may be used to attach the purlins to a series of mounting rails. The mounting rails, in turn, may support an array of solar modules.
US09021997B2

A cam shaft phase setter including a control valve for controlling the feeding and draining of a hydraulic fluid into and out of a pressure chamber which serves to adjust the rotational angular position of a cam shaft relative to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. The control valve includes a valve housing with an operating port to the pressure chamber and a reservoir port to a reservoir for the fluid. A valve piston is axially adjustable back and forth in the valve housing between a first position and a second position and includes an axial hollow space, a piston inlet for introducing the fluid into the hollow space, and a piston outlet which leads out of the hollow space and is connected to the operating port in the first position of the valve piston and separated from the operating port in the second position of the valve piston. An actuating unit is coupled to the valve piston for axially adjusting the valve piston. A coupling member protrudes through an axially facing closure wall which closes off the valve housing and couples the actuating unit to the valve piston. The valve piston includes a radial widening which is surrounded by a complementarily widened housing portion of the valve housing and to which the fluid can be applied in an axial direction pointing away from the axially facing closure wall in order to generate an axial pressure force. The widening is dimensioned such that the fluid acts on the valve piston with a pressure force of at least substantially equal size in both axial directions, despite the coupling member.
US09021995B2

The invention relates to an electromagnetic actuating device (1) for a camshaft adjustment device of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, with an elongated actuating element (2) forming an engagement region on the end side and movable by the force of a coil device (29) provided in a stationary manner, which actuating element preferably has in parts a cylindrical covering contour and penetrates a cut-out (8) in permanent magnet means (6) arranged on the shell side, which are constructed for cooperating with a stationary core region (5) comprising a core body (15), and which actuating element lies in a switching position with a contact surface (11), on the end side on the actuating element side, against a contact surface (10) on the core region side. Provision is made that the contact surface (11) on the core region side is formed at least in part by a contact element (16) fixed in the core body (15), which contact element is constructed from a material which has a greater hardness than the material of the core body (15).
US09021994B2

A variable compression ratio apparatus includes: a piston defining a combustion chamber, a connecting rod connected to the piston; an eccentric link eccentrically connected to the piston, a swing link connected to the eccentric link so as to rotate the eccentric link, a crankpin to which the connecting rod is connected, and a crank web disposed at both sides of the crankpin and provided with a guide portion for guiding downward motions of the eccentric link and the swing link when the eccentric link and the swing link move downward. Thereby, the downward motions of the eccentric link and the swing link are stabilized.
US09021993B2

A water heater in which by applying pulsation of a liquid to be heated which circulates between a tank and a heat exchanger, scale that has been deposited on the inner wall (heat-transfer surface) of a to-be-heated liquid flow channel in a heat exchanger is detached, and the number of times of circulation of the liquid to be heated which circulates between the tank and the heat exchanger is controlled to be three times or less. The number of times of circulation is determined, based on the entire volume of the to-be-heated liquid stored in the tank, a boiling time to be taken for the entire volume of the to-be-heated liquid in the tank to reach a predetermined temperature, and the flow rate of the to-be-heated liquid which passes through the to-be-heated liquid flow channel.
US09021990B2

A multi-material pet toy includes a first member having an attractant for making the multi-material pet toy interesting to a pet and a second member for protecting the first member to lengthen a serviceable life of the first member. The toy may be configured so that the first member includes a sound-producing member for making a noise without air movement passing through the sound-producing member, and the second member includes a protective member for protecting the sound-producing member. The toy may also be configured so that the first member includes a mouth-feel member for providing attraction for the pet with the noise of air movement passing through the mouth-feel member, and the second member includes a protective member for protecting the mouth-feel member.
US09021987B1

A Vertically Integrated Aquaculture System for producing high quality consumer seafood products at a significantly reduced cost. The Vertically Integrated Aquaculture System includes at least one aquaculture grow-out module for containing an aquaculture species, a feed handling system for distributing feed to the aquaculture species located in the aquaculture grow-out module(s), an aquaculture species moving system for routing the aquaculture species at least out of the aquaculture grow-out module(s), and a processing system for processing the aquaculture species after harvesting from the aquaculture grow-out module(s).
US09021985B2

Embodiments related to hardware and methods for processing a semiconductor substrate are disclosed. One example film deposition reactor includes a process gas distributor including a plasma gas-feed inlet located to supply plasma gas to a plasma generation region within the film deposition reactor and a precursor gas-feed inlet located to supply film precursor gas downstream of the plasma generation region; an insulating confinement vessel configured to maintain a plasma generation region at a reduced pressure within the film deposition reactor and an inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) coil arranged around a portion of a sidewall of the insulating confinement vessel and positioned so that the sidewall separates the plasma generation region from the ICP coil; and a susceptor configured to support the semiconductor substrate so that a film deposition surface of the semiconductor substrate is exposed to a reaction region formed downstream of the process gas distributor.
US09021982B2

Provided is a gas wiping device having a box-shaped body which encloses a steel band and gas wiping nozzles, wherein it is possible to prevent splash on the steel band. A gas wiping device provided with a plating bath for storing molten metal, and a box-shaped body placed above the plating bath. The box-shaped body is provided, in the interior, with tubular members disposed along the width direction of a band-shaped body, gas wiping nozzles disposed facing one another on the respective tubular members so as to sandwich the band-shaped body, extending members disposed on both ends of gas wiping nozzle so as to extend towards the direction of gas wiping nozzle, and extending members disposed on both ends of gas wiping nozzle so as to extend towards the direction of gas wiping nozzle.
US09021971B2

A catamaran type vessel for use in a wastewater facility for servicing submerged air diffusers is disclosed. The vessel has spaced apart pontoon having an A-frame spanning between the upper decks of the pontoon and connecting the pontoons. A hook connected to a winch is secured to a cross header above the space between the pontoons. The hook is lowered into water and lifts an air header, to which the air diffusers are connected. An air diffuser is then pulled on the pontoons and serviced. The vessel is then propelled to a position to service other air diffusers in the pontoon.
US09021969B1

A spool of thread holder and threading device for holding a plurality of spools of thread, made up of a frame and a plurality of spool thread holders, said spool thread holders further comprising a rod, a base and a wing. The wing attaches to the rod along the axial length of said rod and the rod extends from the base. Each of the individual spool thread holders comprising the multiple spool thread holder, allows receipt of a spool of thread and the wing maintains the spool of thread adjacent the base. The frame is configured for attachment to a quilting machine to allow thread to unspool from each non-rotating spool of thread during operation under substantially equal tension.
US09021966B2

A burner system for consumption of waste fuel comprises a screw conveyor having a longitudinal hollow interior for air distribution and radially disposed air intake orifices connecting the hollow interior to a plurality of combustion chambers, which includes a first combustion chamber disposed centrally around the screw conveyor and at least one orifice; a second combustion chamber disposed concentrically around the first combustion chamber, receiving burning waste fuel from the first combustion chamber, and in fluid communication with the air intake orifice to provide air from an air blower through the orifice; and a third combustion chamber disposed concentrically around the second combustion chamber, receiving waste fuel from the second combustion chamber, and in fluid communication with the air intake orifice to provide air from the air blower.
US09021959B2

A less than lethal cartridge for a projectile which when fired has a velocity which will not kill an individual struck by the projectile. The less than lethal cartridge has a rim which is deeper or thicker than a rim on a conventional lethal cartridge. The caliber of the cartridge is also selected so that regular lethal ammunition is not available in this caliber. The preferred caliber of the less than lethal cartridge is .490. The less than lethal cartridge contains a polymeric projectile or alternatively, a sealed filled polymeric pouch containing shot therein.
US09021947B2

A method for preparing a lenticular guide roll for use in a lenticular printing run. The method comprises providing a printing roll of a printing press and a first piece of lenticular media. The first piece of lenticular printing substrate has a pitch which is substantially identical to a second lenticular printing substrate to be used in the lenticular printing run. The, method further comprises attaching the first piece of lenticular printing substrate to the printing roll to allow the maneuvering of the second lenticular printing substrate by the printing roll in the printing press.
US09021945B2

A shell cracking and retaining device for cracking shelled food products, wherein the device entirely or substantially retains food, shell portions and other debris during the cracking process, and therefore prevents said food, shell portions and other debris from being sent airborne from the device.
US09021941B2

A fryer unit includes a vat and heat exchange system with multiple passes within the fryer vat. Additional heat exchange passes may be provided in ductwork along the exterior surface of the lateral vat sidewalls.
US09021940B2

A method of converting a conventional atmospheric frying device to a vacuum frying device is provided. The method includes positioning a hood on top of a conventional frying device to provide an enclosure for drawing a vacuum within the modified devices. In addition, the method can include strengthening the existing vat so that it is capable of withstanding the forces associated with vacuum frying.
US09021927B2

A subassembly is provided for a pipe lathe. The pipe lathe includes a segmented base ring and a drive gear assembly. The segmented base ring is structured to be removably coupled to a work piece having a perimeter. The subassembly includes a gear ring, a separate ring member, at least one tool mounting portion disposed on the separate ring member. The separate ring member is fastenable to the gear ring, in order that the separate ring member rotates with the gear ring but not independently with respect thereto. A number of tool assemblies mount to the tool mounting portion to machine the work piece. The gear ring includes a plurality of teeth, which cooperate with the drive gear assembly of the pipe lathe to rotate the subassembly about the perimeter of the work piece.
US09021923B2

An adaptor tool comprises a locking pin removably engaged with a main body defining a hook portion. The main body is configured to pivot about a pivot pin. The adaptor tool further includes a first link having first and second ends, and a first contact face. The first link is configured to receive the locking pin. A second link includes first and second ends, and a second contact face. The second link is pivotally coupled to the main body via the pivot pin. At least a third link includes first and second ends, and a third contact face. The first, second, and at least third links are pivotally coupled end-to-end such that the first, second, and third contact faces define a circular opening. The circular opening is configured to receive a workpiece such that rotational force applied to the main body rotates the adaptor tool and the workpiece.
US09021921B2

A torque wrench equipped with a cam-type torque detection mechanism is provided which is capable of detecting a torque with high accuracy, providing a non-unusual-feeling of handle operation after torque has been detected, and enabling tightening of fastened members such as bolts with safety. In a torque wrench equipped with the cam-type torque detection mechanism, a cam portion 27 formed on the outer circumference of a tubular cam 22 includes: a static engagement cam surface 27a with which a roller member 18 in a static status engages in a non-operated status; a gradually increasing torque peak cam surface 27b which is connected to the static engagement cam surface 27a and with which the roller member 18 is brought into contact while moving to thereby gradually increase the torque peak value; a cam top surface 27c forming the cam top portion continued to the gradually increasing torque peak cam surface 27b; a gradually decreasing torque cam surface 27d for gradually decreasing a plus torque to the roller member 18 to zero; and a minus torque cam surface 27e for imparting a minus torque to the roller member 18 having passed over the gradually decreasing torque cam surface 27d.
US09021916B2

A robotic arm includes a driving unit, a first arm assembly connected to the driving unit, and a second arm assembly. The first arm includes two balls. The second arm assembly includes two arms and two intermediate members. Each intermediate member is secured to an end of one of the two arms. Each intermediate member defines a receiving recess. Each receiving recess has a spherical inner circumferential surface. Each ball is partially received in one of the two receiving recesses and abuts against the spherical inner circumferential surface. The two arms and the two intermediate members are capable of rotating about the balls. The driving unit drives the balls to move. The balls force the arms to move in a direction as a moving orientation of the balls, at the same time the arms rotating about the balls.
US09021913B2

In a shift by wire transmission, a control unit limits the shift position (P, R, N, D, L) to be changed beyond a prescribed shift position depending on an initial shift position and an amount of the movement of the shift member in a single shifting operation. Thereby, even when the shift member is excessively advanced or otherwise improperly advanced, the actually selected shift position can be suitably selected so that an undesired change of the shift position can be avoided. The control unit may also limit the selected shift position to be changed beyond a prescribed shift position depending on a traveling speed of the vehicle so that an improper change in the shift position due to vehicle speed constraints can be avoided by using a simple structure.
US09021899B2

A control device controls driving of a pulse motor to cause liquid that is sucked into a syringe in a single suction process to be discharged over a plurality of discharge processes. The control method of the control device is a method that controls driving of the pulse motor so that rotation of a ball screw for executing each discharge process starts from an identical rotational angle position relative to a slit of a coupling.
US09021894B2

Generally, the subject matter herein relates to detecting the presence of weak BEOL sites in a metallization system. One disclosed method includes performing a lateral force test on a pillar bump formed above a metallization system of a semiconductor chip, which includes contacting the pillar bump with a test probe while moving the test probe at a substantially constant speed that is less than approximately 1 μm/sec along a path that is oriented at a substantially non-zero angle relative to a plane of the metallization system. Furthermore, the test probe is moving substantially away from the metallization system so that a force imposed on the pillar bump by the test probe has an upward component that induces a tensile load on the metallization system. The disclosed method also includes determining a behavioral interaction between the pillar bump and the metallization system during the lateral force test.
US09021884B2

A pressure sensor device and its use for confirming achievement of a selected pressure in a high pressure process (HPP) for sanitizing food is disclosed. The device includes at least a base and a sheet, each of which is substantially impermeable to the working fluid of the HPP and is deformable at the selected pressure. Microcapsules interposed between flat overlapping portions of the base and sheet contain a color former and burst upon pressurization of the environment surrounding the device. Release of the color former is detected to confirm that the pressurization occurred. The device can be associated with one or more foodstuffs (e.g., a packaged food product or a group of such packages) and remain associated therewith to continuously indicate that the foodstuff(s) have been subjected to the selected pressure and are therefore sanitized.
US09021878B2

The present invention is flow rate meters which are able to accurately measure the volumetric rate of flow of a liquid through a conduit without requiring foreknowledge of the physicochemical characteristics of the liquid, e.g., for the purpose of calibration of the thermal mass flow rate. One application of the flow meters of the invention is to incorporate them in a system for measuring the flow rate of urine excreted by a catheterized patient. The invention also provides methods for using the flow rate meters.
US09021877B2

A method and a device determines an air mass flow flowing through a ram air channel having disposed therein a feed device adapted in a first operating state of the ram air channel to feed air through the ram air channel and further adapted in a second operating state of the ram air channel to be set in rotation by an air mass flow flowing through the ram air channel. The method includes the step of detecting an actual operational characteristic of the feed device that is characteristic of the air mass flow flowing through the ram air channel in the second operating state of the ram air channel as well as the step of determining the air mass flow flowing through the ram air channel on the basis of the detected actual operational characteristic of the feed device.
US09021875B2

A method of determining characteristics of fluids flowed between a wellbore and multiple zones intersected by the wellbore can include measuring a first distributed temperature profile of the fluids along the wellbore while the fluids flow in one direction through the wellbore, and measuring a second distributed temperature profile of the fluids along the wellbore while the fluids flow in an opposite direction through the wellbore. Another method can include flowing the fluids in a first direction through an annulus formed between tubular strings in the wellbore, measuring a first distributed temperature profile of the fluids while flowing the fluids in the first direction, flowing the fluids in a second, opposite direction through the annulus, and measuring a second distributed temperature profile of the fluids along the wellbore while flowing the fluids flow in the second direction.
US09021872B2

A system for measuring suspension sag in a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, is disclosed. The system includes a measuring device that attaches to a wheel hub, axle, or other component. The system includes a clamp that attaches to a fender or other vehicle component. The device is connected to the clamp by a cord, which extends from and retracts into the device. When a load is placed on the vehicle, the fender may move closer to the hub or axle. Any slack in the cord may be taken up by a spool shaft in the device. A rotary encoder may measure the rotation of the spool shaft, and the measuring device may calculate a change in a linear distance between, for example, the fender and the axle based on the rotation of the spool shaft.
US09021863B1

A system for measuring back pressure in open ended chemical reactor tubes is provided. The system can include automatic test heads or manual test head connected to a continuous real-time monitor and display device, a controller, a multiport manifold, and a plurality of umbilicals. Each umbilical can carry compressed air, sensor signals, and power to the test heads.
US09021859B2

A heating system can include certain pressure sensitive features. These features can be configured to change from a first position to a second position based on a pressure of a fuel flowing into the feature. These features can include, fuel selector valves, pressure regulators, burner nozzles, and oxygen depletion sensor nozzles, among other features.
US09021855B2

A flow sensor with h no moving parts and which is suitable for miniaturization into a probe for fluid measurements in remote, hostile environments. It comprises an isolation torque tube to isolate a high pressure media from an instrument environment. and a highly sensitive disc torque sensor to measure the values of torque generated by flow across a static impeller. A proportionalized electric property signal is transmitted to a value reading station.
US09021849B2

The present invention is a shrinker stretcher machine that uses four distinct and separate tool cartridges to perform both shrinking and stretching operations by simply removing, rotating each tool cartridge 180 degrees, and reattaching it in its designated position. Each tool cartridge removably carries a jaw that can be removed and securely replaced with either a shrinker or stretcher jaw to accommodate the operation being performed. Each tool cartridges and jaw is firmly held in place by magnets and interlocking keyed surfaces to properly align and hold the tool cartridges and jaws.
US09021844B2

Methods and apparatus to monitor conditioning machines are disclosed herein. An example system includes a plurality of work rolls to process a strip material. A first sensor detects a first distance between an upper surface of the strip material and a first reference location and a second sensor detects a second distance between an upper surface of the strip material and a second reference location. A controller determines a difference value between the first distance and the second distance to detect material curvature of the strip material.
US09021838B2

Submerged combustion systems and methods of use to produce glass. One system includes a submerged combustion melter having a roof, a floor, a wall structure connecting the roof and floor, and an outlet, the melter producing an initial foamy molten glass. One or more non-submerged auxiliary burners are positioned in the roof and/or wall structure and configured to deliver combustion products to impact at least a portion of the bubbles with sufficient force and/or heat to burst at least some of the bubbles and form a reduced foam molten glass.
US09021836B2

When melting a glass layer 3 by irradiation with laser light L1 along a region to be fused R, the glass layer 3 is irradiated with the laser light L1 having a first heat input along the region to be fused R, so as to gasify a binder and melt a glass frit 2, and the heat input is switched when the melting ratio of the glass layer 3 in a direction intersecting an advancing direction of the laser light L1 exceeds a predetermined value, so as to irradiate the glass layer 3 with the laser light L1 having a second heat input smaller than the first heat input along the region to be fused R, thereby gasifying the binder and melting the glass fit 2, thus fixing the glass layer 3 to a glass member 4.
US09021834B2

Flexible retaining structures for body jewelry and method for their use.
US09021832B2

A process and an apparatus are disclosed for recovering ethane, ethylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The stream is cooled, expanded to lower pressure, and supplied to a first fractionation tower at a mid-column feed position. A distillation liquid stream is withdrawn from the first fractionation tower below the feed position of the expanded stream, heated, and directed into a second fractionation tower that produces an overhead vapor stream and a bottom liquid stream. The overhead vapor stream is cooled to condense it, with a portion of the condensed stream directed to the second fractionation tower as its top feed and the remainder directed to the first fractionation tower at a lower column feed position. The bottom liquid stream from the second fractionation tower is cooled and directed to the first fractionation tower as its top feed.
US09021830B2

A compressor (10, 200) for compressing refrigerant, having a power unit arranged in a power unit space (14) which is delimited at least partially by a power unit housing (12), having a suction gas volume (46) and having a high-pressure volume (48) is in fluid communication with the power unit space (14) via a second fluid connection (74), wherein the compressor furthermore has a first fluid connection (54, 254) which can be placed in or is in fluid communication with an oil-conducting volume (205) of a refrigeration plant or of the compressor (10, 200), wherein an oil separator (56) is arranged in the first fluid connection (54, 254).
US09021829B2

An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, comprising: a case forming shape and having a suction port suctioning outside air and a discharge port discharging the suctioned air; a heat exchanger accommodated inside the case; a fan that is accommodated inside the case and forcibly circulate air; and a louver assembly revolvably mounted in the case so as to selectively open and close the discharge port.
US09021825B2

An apparatus for maintaining the temperature of a fluid in a container includes a body having a cavity and a seal assembly adapted to engage and temporarily seal the container; a second fluid located and sealed in the cavity and having a freezing point below 0° C.; and the body and the seal assembly have no apertures through which the fluid or the second fluid flows.
US09021820B2

The invention relates to a control process for an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system comprises a thermal loop (1) used as a heat pump and an electrical heating device (2). The process calculates a global heating capacity (HCglo) in function of the temperature chosen by the passenger, the speed of the blower and the temperature of the exterior air. Then, the process calculates a heating capacity (HC1) of the thermal loop (1) and compares this heating capacity (HC1) of the thermal loop to the global heating capacity (HCglo). If the global heating capacity (HCglo) is superior to the heating capacity (HC1) of the thermal loop, the process determines a heating capacity (HC2) of the electrical heating device (2). This heating capacity (HC2) of the electrical heating device (2) added to the heating capacity (HC1) of the thermal loop (1) allows to obtain the global heating capacity (HCglo) required in function of the temperature selected by the passenger.
US09021811B2

A swirler for mixing fuel and air is provided. The swirler includes a plurality of vanes positioned radially around a central axis of the swirler and a plurality of mixing channels for mixing the fuel and the air. At least one mixing channel of the plurality of mixing channels is defined by opposite walls of two adjacent vanes of the plurality of vanes and is comprising at least one fuel injection opening and is further comprising at least one dimple for generating a vortex of the air. Further, a combustion chamber incorporating such a swirler and a gas turbine incorporating such a combustion chamber are provided.
US09021806B2

Embodiments for a supercharged engine are presented. In one example, a supercharged engine includes a cylinder head having at least two cylinders, each cylinder having at least one outlet opening for discharging exhaust gases and each outlet opening being adjoined by an exhaust line, with exhaust lines of at least two cylinders merging to form an overall exhaust line within the cylinder head so as to form an integrated exhaust manifold, at least two turbines arranged in series, the two turbines being of different size and arranged downstream of the exhaust manifold in the overall exhaust line, a distributor housing in which the overall exhaust line downstream of the manifold enters into and leads through to a small turbine of the two turbines, and a first turbine housing which accommodates the small turbine including at least one coolant jacket in order to form a liquid cooling arrangement.
US09021805B2

Methods and systems are disclosed for controlling an exhaust gas recirculation valve in an engine by determining errors in exhaust backpressure estimates and adapting EGR flow estimations based on these errors to meet target EGR dilutions in the engine. In one example approach, a method comprises adjusting valve position based on desired EGR flow and estimated EGR flow, where the estimated flow is based on estimated exhaust backpressure, and the estimated exhaust backpressure is updated based on errors between actual and desired intake oxygen concentration.
US09021803B2

In a turbine for an exhaust gas turbocharger having a turbine housing with a turbine rotor rotatable supported therein and including spiral channels for directing exhaust gas onto the turbine wheel, at least one annular blocking element is supported between the spiral channels and the turbine wheel so as to be rotatable in the peripheral direction of the turbine wheel and additionally movable in the axial direction of the turbine wheel for a controlling the exhaust gas flow to the turbine wheel between impulse turbine mode when extended into the space between the turbine wheel and the spiral chamber and an accumulation made when retracted, with the gas flow through the turbine wheel or by-passing the turbine wheel being adjustable by rotation of the blocking element.
US09021799B1

A hydraulic motor assembly capable of precise control having a housing, a hydraulic mounting surface located in the housing, a cylinder block rotatably disposed on the hydraulic mounting surface, a motor shaft engaged to the cylinder block and supported proximate to a first end, a plurality of cooperating gears located in the housing and rotationally engaged to a second end of the motor shaft, an output shaft rotationally engaged to the plurality of cooperating gears, a speed sensor located proximate to one of the plurality of cooperating gears, wherein the speed sensor transmits a signal indicative of the rotational speed of the one of the plurality of cooperating gears.
US09021791B2

A method for diagnosing a metering valve for metering a reagent into the exhaust gas region of an internal combustion engine. The metering valve is actuated by a pulse-width-modulated metering valve actuation signal with a certain duty factor for setting the metering rate. A reagent pump places the reagent at a reagent pressure, and the reagent pump is operated with a pulse-width-modulated pump actuation signal with a certain duty factor. Diagnosis of the metering valve is carried out on the basis of an evaluation of the increase in the metering valve actuation signal pulse duty factor after a predefined increase in the metering rate. The reagent filling level of an SCR catalytic converter arranged in the exhaust gas region is taken into account. At the start of the diagnosis, the reagent storage capacity of the SCR catalytic converter is checked.
US09021788B2

In an internal combustion engine, inside of an engine exhaust passage, a hydrocarbon feed valve (15) and an exhaust purification catalyst (13) are arranged. At the time of engine operation, the amplitude of change of the concentration of hydrocarbons which flow into the exhaust purification catalyst (13) is made to become within a predetermined range of amplitude by control of the injection amount of hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon feed valve (15), the concentration of hydrocarbons flowing into the exhaust purification catalyst (13) is made to vibrate by a predetermined range of period by control of the injection period of hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon feed valve (15), and thereby the NOx contained in the exhaust gas and the NOx stored in the exhaust purification catalyst (13) are reduced.
US09021787B2

A fluid delivery apparatus with a flow sensing means for delivering a first fluid into a second fluid. In a fluid delivery apparatus using a common rail method, which produces a pulsated flow, the flow sensing means generates sensing signals indicative of the flow rate and the temperature of the second fluid, the delivery rate of the first fluid, and the evaporating rate of the first fluid, while in a fluid delivery apparatus using a pump metering method, the flow sensing means is able to provide a sensing signal indicative of the delivery rate of the first fluid. The sensing signals can be used in a feedback control for controlling delivery rate, in limiting delivery rate according to the evaporation capability of the first fluid, and in a diagnostic system detecting failures and abnormalities in the fluid delivery apparatus.
US09021783B2

The engine (10) includes at least one firing tube (12) wherein an exhaust stream (32) from the firing tube (12) drives a turbine (30). A scroll ejector attenuator (40) is secured between and in fluid communication with an outlet end (28) of the firing tube (12) and an inlet (76) of the turbine (30). The attenuator (40) defines a turning, narrowing passageway (72) that extends a distance the exhaust stream (32) travels before entering the turbine (30) to attenuate shockwaves and mix the pulsed exhaust stream (32) into an even stream with minimal temperature differences to thereby enhance efficient operation of the turbine (30) without any significant pressure decline of exhaust stream (32) pressure and without any backpressure from the attenuator (40) on the firing tube (12).
US09021767B1

A kit for securing stone veneer panels to a structure, the kit comprising a plurality of stone veneer panels with upper and lower flanges, a plurality of brackets for securing the panels to the structure and a filler panel for placement between adjacent vertically disposed stone veneer panels to fill the gap between the panels. The brackets are secured to the structure through a bracket center mount and also utilize upper and lower wing walls to form a channel for receipt of the flange of the panels.
US09021766B1

A baseboard for repair of a flood-damaged building and for construction of buildings located in areas prone to flooding, and a method of use of such a baseboard in repairing a flood-damaged building or in construction of buildings located in areas prone to flooding. The baseboard has one or more rearwardly-extending standoffs. A rear surface portion of the baseboard defines a plane, and a distal surface of the standoff(s) is spaced rearwardly from the plane by the standard thickness of wallboard mounted to studs on the building's wall. The bottom edge of the wallboard is above the “high-water” line, and the rear surface portion of the baseboard extends above the bottom edge of the wallboard and rests adjacent the outer surface of the wallboard with the distal surface of the standoff(s) supported by and resting adjacent the studs below the bottom edge of the wallboard.
US09021748B2

A gutter protecting apparatus includes a plurality of substantially parallel rods extending in a downward slope from near a roof edge to and beyond the far side of the gutter. The rods extend substantially perpendicular to the gutter's length and to a frame to which the rods connect at the upper edge. Preferably, the lower rod ends are spaced above and slightly beyond the far edge of the gutter to allow debris to pass the gutter without catching. Legs can extend down from some rods to the gutter's far edge to provide support. The apparatus can be pivotably mounted to the roof, the fascia or the gutter, permitting access beneath. The apparatus forms a cage-like covering over the gutter to exclude matter and small creatures, while allowing the liquid to flow past. Sunlight bypassing the rods and movement of air through the gutter make the water exiting the downspout cleaner.
US09021742B2

An opening and closing apparatus includes: a drive unit provided in an opening and closing body which is openably and closeably attached to a main body, and opening and closing the opening and closing body with respect to the main body by driving the opening and closing body using electric power; a secondary energy storage device provided in the opening and closing body and electrically connected to the drive unit in such a manner that the secondary energy storage device can be inductively charged and can supply electric power to the drive unit; and an electric power receiving coil provided in the opening and closing body so as to be capable of facing an electric power transmitting coil which is provided on the main body, and is electrically connected to a primary energy storage device installed on the main body, and electrically connected to the secondary energy storage device.
US09021731B2

A double-magazine (“Dmag”) able to house projectile ammunition for a projectile launcher having a first ammunition channel, a second ammunition channel, and a flexible projectile control bar (“FPCB”) is disclosed. In one embodiment, the first ammunition channel contains a first set or column of projectiles and the second ammunition channel which is situated in parallel to the first ammunition channel is configured to house a second set of projectiles. Dmag also includes a follower with a follower lock capable of moving along the first ammunition channel. The follower is configured to push the first set of projectiles toward a first ammunition supply port of the first ammunition channel. The FPCB has a first flexible flap which keeps the first set of projectiles from reaching the loading port of the launcher until the follower lock is released.
US09021730B2

A firearm (1) comprising a stock (2) and a slide (3) and a bolt (50) suitable to reciprocally lock them.Firearm wherein the slide (3) comprises a barrel (31), a spring and a spring-holder (35) suitable to act on the bolt (50).The bolt (50) comprises a spring-holder seat (500) which acts in conjunction with an engagement end (350) of the spring-holder (35).The spring-holder seat (500) comprises a support surface (501), a translation surface (502) which permits the translation of the bolt (50) acting in conjunction with said engagement end (350).
US09021712B2

The invention relates to an autonomous system for determining items of information representative of the movement of an articulated chain (CA—1, CA—2, CA—3) comprising at least two solid elements (ES1—1, ES2—1, ES1—2, ES2—2, ES3—2, ES1—3, ES2—3, ES3—3, ES4—3) and at least one articulation (ART1—1, ART1—2, ART2—2, ART1—3, ART2—3, ART3—3) connecting said two elements. The system comprises at least two devices (DISP1—1, DISP2—1, DISP1—2, DISP2—2, DISP3—2, DISP1—3, DISP2—3, DISP3—3, DISP4—3) for measuring inter-device distances, mounted fixedly on two distinct elements of said articulated chain and suitable for transmitting the measurements made. Moreover, the system comprises means for determining at least one distance separating two measuring devices based on at least one measurement supplied by a measuring device, and calculation means (CALC), mounted on said articulated chain, suitable for calculating items of information representative of the movement of said articulated chain based on the measurements transmitted by said devices for measuring inter-device distances.
US09021702B2

When forming a toothed portion on the outer section of a blank by contacting a tooth profile-forming portion of a forming die with a curved portion of the blank, the first projection of the blank is accommodated in a first depression, and a load is applied axially to a center section of the blank so a material of the blank flows radially outward. The material of the blank at the first projection flows in the axial direction to inside the first depression, and the material of the blank at an intermediate section between the center and the outer section flows in axially to inside a second depression to form a second projection. When the load is maximized, a space is provided between a toothed portion and the tooth profile-forming portion, between the first projection and the forming die, and between the second projection and the forming die.
US09021694B2

A method of making a hermetically-sealed feed-through device includes inserting an elongate conductor or conductors within a hollow portion or portions of a plastic insulator body and inserting the plastic insulator body within a hollow outer jacket to form an assembly. At least one of the conductor or conductors, insulator body, or jacket of the assembly has a plurality of circumferential grooves. Thereafter, the assembly is crimped and/or is swage-crimped at ambient temperature to cause the materials of the conductor or conductors, insulator body, and outer jacket to be displaced or extrude into the grooves thereby creating mechanical interlocks between the conductor or conductors, insulator body, and outer jacket. Additional methods and feed-through devices made by the methods are also disclosed.
US09021685B2

An annealing process for a TMR or GMR sensor having an amorphous free layer is disclosed and employs at least two annealing steps. A first anneal at a temperature T1 of 200° C. to 270° C. and for a t1 of 0.5 to 15 hours is employed to develop the pinning in the AFM and pinned layers. A second anneal at a temperature T2 of 260° C. to 400° C. where T2>T1 and t1>t2 is used to crystallize the amorphous free layer and complete the pinning. An applied magnetic field of about 8000 Oe is used during both anneal steps. The mechanism for forming a sensor with high MR and robust pinning may involve structural change in the tunnel barrier or at an interface between two of the layers in the spin valve stack. A MgO tunnel barrier and a CoFe/CoB free layer are preferred.
US09021681B2

A mountable cable tie with fine adjustment with an elongated strap having a first strap end and a second strap end, the elongated strap having one or more rows of teeth or cross-bars formed crosswise on the elongated strap, and a plurality of holes positioned linear along the median between the one or more rows of teeth, at least one locking buckle positioned proximate the second strap end, the at least one locking buckle having at least one channel and at least one locking tang or pawl positioned within the locking buckle, wherein increased insertion of the first strap end into the locking head decreases the size of the loop of the elongated strap to secure the bundle.
US09021677B1

An automatic riveting apparatus is improved by providing at least one sensor on a pressure foot plate or at an interface between the pressure foot plate and a pressure foot bushing of the apparatus for generating a signal indicative of force transmitted between the pressure foot plate and the pressure foot bushing. For example, the at least one sensor may include a strain gauge or other type of sensor for measuring deflection of the pressure foot plate, or it may include load cell(s) for measuring force at the interface between the pressure foot plate and the pressure foot bushing. A control system of the apparatus may be configured to execute one or more control functions based on a value of the sensor signal or signals. The control functions may adjust machine operation commands or trigger a safety mode based at least in part on the sensor signal.
US09021673B2

A bayonet-connection-undoing device includes a projection configured for attachment to a hand so as to extend therefrom for depressing a pin to undo a bayonet connection. The device may have a finger ring to which the projection is attached, in which case the attachment to the hand can be made by wearing the ring on the hand, optionally the ring being disposed inside a hand glove, with the projection emerging from the glove. Alternatively or in addition, the device may further include sections of a pipe cleaner, the connection, and the pin which is configured for mutually fixing one of the sections to another. In this case, the depressing is down into a position at which the pin is retracted out of the connection and maintained, without need for the depressing, in a contracted state by relative movement of the sections.
US09021672B2

An apparatus for removal of fasteners. The apparatus comprises a motor, a rotary drive shaft, a striker mechanism operable to convert rotary motion into reciprocating linear motion and a reciprocating shear blade shaped and sized to shear off fasteners or split materials.
US09021659B2

A hinge structure includes a first shaft, a second shaft, a pivot base and a position-limiting mechanism. The first and second shafts are pivoted on the pivot base. The position-limiting mechanism includes a first position-limiting portion, a second position-limiting portion and a position-limiting component. The first position-limiting portion is fixed to the first shaft. The second position-limiting portion is fixed to the second shaft. The position-limiting component is slidably disposed on the pivot base and has first and second ends opposite to each other. When the position-limiting component moves to a first position, the first end and the first position-limiting portion interfere with each other to stop the first shaft and the pivot base from rotating relatively. When the position-limiting component moves to a second position, the second end and the second position-limiting portion interfere with each other to stop the second shaft and the pivot base from rotating relatively.
US09021653B2

A cleaning device includes at least: a holder, a lance having a fluid distribution device, a drive unit for a translational motion of the lance in the holder, and a fluid conducting system having a feed, a return, and flow paths starting from the feed to the return and to the fluid distribution device. At least one actuating means (or actuator) is provided in order to connect the feed to the return or to the fluid distribution device as needed. Furthermore, a method involves cleaning heating surfaces of a convection section of a thermal power plant that includes spaced heat exchanger pipes using such a cleaning device.
US09021650B2

A lint and fuzz ball removing device is disclosed comprising at least one blade attached to an easily grasped and maneuvered body allowing for the quick removal and or detangling of lint, hair and pill balls. The blade surface is entirely covered with particle removing hooks or finger-like projections, including a plurality of flat surfaces, and edges of the blade, allowing for the quick and easy removal of lint, hair, fuzz and pill balls of any shape and size, across broad surfaces or hard to reach areas of clothing and fabric.
US09021645B2

A pool cleaning robot for cleaning a surface of a swimming pool, said robot comprising: a main housing; main wheels being configured for propelling the robot; an auxiliary brushwheel disposed between said main wheels and configured for being rotated by the robot about an axis of rotation; and at least one inlet being formed in a bottom panel of the housing between said main wheels and being configured for intake of water and debris, wherein said main wheels are configured for being rotated by the robot at a first angular velocity, and said auxiliary brushwheel is configured for being rotated by the robot at a second angular velocity which is greater than the first angular velocity.
US09021640B2

A vacuum mattress for an operation table has plural foam strips oriented longitudinally with respect to a patient, the foam strips being laterally spaced apart, wherein the gaps are free from granulate of the vacuum mattress at least in their upper parts and the plural foam strips are separated from the granulate by a gas-impermeable layer.
US09021633B2

A movable lift device including a rotatable bed which can be lifted or rotated by a user, with laying a user thereon. The movable lift device having a rotatable bed includes a base frame comprising a plurality of wheels installed therein; a post rotatably coupled to the base frame, the post upwardly extended from the base frame a predetermined length in an “L” shape; and a bed comprising a bed part that is able to ascend along the post, the bed part allowing a user to lie thereon. The post rotatably supporting the bed has an “L” shape and the supporting point of the post rotatably supporting the bed is formed in the center of the base frame, such that the structure may be stably maintained even when the bed having the patient lying thereon is rotated, only to prevent an accident of overturning the movable lift device.
US09021630B2

Levitation devices are disclosed for use with beds. In one embodiment, the levitation device is configured to facilitate rotation of a mattress with respect to a box spring. In another embodiment, the levitation device is configured to facilitate making a bed which allows sheets and blankets to be tucked between the mattress and the box spring without the need to lift the mattress. In a third embodiment, the levitation device functions as a hybrid device and can be used for making a bed or rotating a mattress.
US09021628B2

The invention relates to a drain (1′), in particular for floor level showers, the drain comprising a pot shaped drain housing (1.1) including a shell or pot shaped base component (1.2) without a pipe connection, a laterally disposed pipe connection (1.5) and an inlet opening (1.3) at a top side of the base component, and an immersion pipe (2) which is insertable into the drain housing through the inlet opening (1.3) and defines a stench trap with the drain housing. In order to be able to adapt such a drain to various installation conditions in a flexible manner, so that the installation height, water lock height and drain output of the drain is variable, the invention provides a solution wherein the base component (1.2) is connected in an elevation-adjustable and liquid-tight manner with the drain housing (1.1).
US09021621B2

The drain strainer and filter is removably placed within a sink, tub, or other drain to prevent solid particles from passing through the drain and building up to block the drain at some inaccessible location. The device includes a perforated basket having a removable perforated lid. The basket and lid enclose a removable and disposable filter element therein. The drain strainer may have a retractable stopper extending therebelow, the stopper being actuated by a lift rod that extends through the basket, filter, and lid. The handle of the lift rod may be removed to allow the lid and the filter to be removed from the basket. Alternatively, the drain strainer does not include the stopper. The drain strainer includes a folding handle. The lid includes a recess to allow the handle to fold flush with the top of the lid to avoid interference with articles in the sink during use.
US09021614B2

An embodiment of a leg protector of the present disclosure includes an upper thigh pad that is structurally attached to an upper bracing shell including lateral and medial uprights. The upper shell and thigh pad can be held to the player via a strap and/or garment. The uprights extend to uni- or polycentric hinges arranged on, and in one embodiment biased against, either side of the player's knee. A connecting member extends in a frontward direction from each hinge and attaches to a patella pad held in place over the player's knee. The patella pad may additionally be connected to the thigh pad via one or more connecting strip. Each hinge is also connected to a lower bracing shell, which includes lateral and medial uprights that extend down and around the player's lower leg, anteriorly or posteriorly. The lower shell can also be fitted via a strap or garment.
US09027147B2

An example apparatus may include a processor and a memory device including computer program code. The memory device and the computer program code may, with the processor, cause the apparatus to provide modified serialization codes for a first entity in a serialization flow to replace existing serialization codes for the first entity. In various examples, the modified serialization codes may have a representation of at least two different characters, and a number of instances of one of the characters in the representation of the modified serialization codes may be different from a number of instances of the one of the characters in the representation of the existing serialization codes. The memory device and the computer program code may further cause the apparatus to receive serialization codes from a second entity, the second entity being downstream in the serialization flow from the first entity; compare serialization codes from the second entity with the modified serialization codes; and verify the serialization codes from the second entity by determining if the serialization codes from the second entity are compatible with the modified serialization codes.
US09027137B2

According to one embodiment, a computing device is coupled to a web application layer attack detector (AD), which itself is coupled between an HTTP client and a web application server. The computing device automatically learns a new condition to detect a first type of web application layer attack. Responsive receiving a web application layer message from the HTTP client that violates a rule for detecting the first type of web application layer attack, the AD transmits an alert package to the computing device, which uses the alert package, and optionally other alert packages, to automatically generate a new set of attribute values for each of a set of attribute identifiers to be transmitted to the AD or optionally other ADs for use in a different rule than the violated rule. The different rule is another attack specific rule for detecting the first type of web application layer attack.
US09027129B1

Techniques for protecting against denial of service attacks are provided. In one embodiment, a network device can extract one or more values from a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) ACK packet sent by a client device, where the one or more values encode TCP option information. The network device can further decode the one or more values to determine the TCP option information and embed the TCP option information into the TCP ACK packet. The network device can then forward the TCP ACK packet with the embedded TCP option information to a server.
US09027128B1

Uniform resource locators (URLs) that include strings matching known malicious budget codes are deemed to be malicious URLs. Compromised websites and compromised IP addresses are identified from the malicious URLs. URLs obtained from network traffic to compromised domain names or compromised IP addresses are inspected to identify candidate budget codes. Candidate budget codes that are confirmed to be malicious budget codes are included in a watch list, which may be distributed to endpoint computers to detect phishing attacks.
US09027108B2

Systems and methods for secure file portability between mobile applications in a cloud-based environment or cloud-based collaboration and file sharing environment. In one embodiment, a server-based key generation service generates an encryption key that is unique to each file transfer transaction between mobile applications accessed via a mobile device. Data packages leaving a mobile application are then encrypted using the encryption key to provide secure file portability between mobile applications. In another embodiment, a background service triggered by a mobile application detects when a user is logged out of the mobile application and revalidates the user session with the mobile application to maintain portability of files between mobile applications. The background service presents a minimal user interface to get the user's credentials for the mobile application, without the user having to switch to the mobile application, and obtains an authentication token from a remote server using the user's credentials.
US09027086B2

A method for connecting to a trust broker system is disclosed. The electronic device stores encrypted identifying information for a plurality of client systems authorized to interact with the server system, wherein the encrypted identifying information is changed per client system per session. The electronic device creates a plurality of virtual domains; each virtual domain representing a set of services and information distinct from the other virtual domains. The electronic device stores permissions associated with each respective client system in the plurality of client system. The electronic device receives a request from a first client system, including encrypted identifying information associated with the first client system, for information associated with a first virtual domain and then retrieves stored permissions of the first client system based on the encrypted identifying information. The electronic device determines whether the first client system is permitted to access the requested first virtual domain.
US09027083B2

Access to an on-line account management system is facilitated. A request is received to perform a first action using an on-line account management system. The request comprises a first access identifier. A global party identifier associated with the first access identifier is determined. Restriction information associated with the first access identifier and the global party identifier is accessed from a global party profile operable to store at least one of a time-based, a location-based, and a device-based restriction associated with actions capable of being performed using the on-line account management system. A processor determines whether the first action is permissible based on the restriction information associated with the first access identifier and the global party identifier.
US09027081B2

The invention provides for a method for use in a mobile radio communications device network connection procedure and including the step of, at a network, sending to a mobile radio communications device a list of a plurality of security algorithms supported in the network and so as to allow choice of a suitable algorithm irrespective of the degree of update that the device may have experienced.
US09027076B2

An approach is provided for causing a change in a security policy of a device based on contextual information. The approach involves determining context information associated with a device. The approach also involves determining a security policy of the device. The approach further involves determining a change of the context information. The approach additionally involves processing the determined change of the context information to cause, at least in part, a revision of the security policy of the device.
US09027074B2

A method and system to permit TV viewers to interact with program content broadcast over a subscriber network, such as cable, satellite, internet, or cellular telephone. The details of the ability for the viewer to interact is embedded as data in the program signal. The subscription provider broadcasts a visual indicator as a small icon during programming that informs the viewer that interaction is permitted. The viewer then uses a remote control to purchase products, vote on events, respond to polls, download files, request information, and request callback actions. The TV viewer uses the remote control to send information to a set-top box front-end application, and to iteratively create transactions that are batched and then sent to a back-end core application and database which then handles fulfillment.
US09027069B2

A content playback device reduces user discomfort, relative to conventional devices, when playback is interrupted and resumed after switching viewing modes, pieces of content representing different viewing modes for a common product, and differing in video length or having other differences. The content playback device receives and plays back streaming content from a content server delivering two pieces of content having different viewing modes for the common product, and comprises: a selection unit selecting a viewing mode; a determination unit determining whether playback of a first piece of content not having the selected viewing mode was interrupted; a conversion unit converting, when the determination unit has determined affirmatively, a playback interrupt position into a corresponding position in a second piece of content having the selected viewing mode; and a request unit making a request to the content server for transmission of the second piece of content from the corresponding position.
US09027064B1

Some embodiments seamlessly deliver video content by streaming the video content for on-demand playback and by store and forward delivery of the video content for delayed playback. In some embodiments, a user combines a plurality of video content items from a plurality of content sources, organizes the video content items into a set of playlists, and assigns the playlists to a set of channels for distributing the video content items in the playlists. In some embodiments, each channel is associated with at least two video distribution protocols that deliver the video content items of the assigned playlist at approximately the same time.
US09027061B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media processor having a controller to receive from a media communication system metadata describing one or more marketable items depicted in a media program supplied by the media communication system, present images of the media program at a media presentation device without highlighting the one or more marketable items, present an icon at least at one of a remote controller managing operations of the media processor or the media presentation device to indicate a presence of the one or more marketable items in one or more of the images presented at the media presentation device, detect a selection of the icon, and highlight the one or more marketable items. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09027050B2

A media distribution system provides controlled distribution of media owned by various parties hosted on a local media access device. The media access device may store temporary media, such as rented or leased media, on a separate provider controlled storage partition. This gives the media provider control over rented or leased media even though it is locally hosted. The media access device can download media from providers at various predefined times so as to limit its use of bandwidth.
US09027046B2

A method and apparatus are described including receiving buffer maps of neighbor peers, measuring serving rates from the neighbor peers, measuring serving rates to the neighbor peers, requesting a unit of data from one of the neighbor peers responsive to information in the buffer maps of the neighbor peers at a rate responsive to the serving rate from the one of the neighbor peers, receiving incoming requests for units of data, sorting the incoming requests into a plurality of queues, selecting one of the incoming requests to serve responsive to the serving rates to the neighbor peers corresponding to the incoming request, updating the queues and selecting a new neighbor peer.
US09027038B2

The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for constructing a secure and flexible operating system. The presently disclosed system executes different user applications in different operating systems on different virtual machines. Each user application communicates with other processes via the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). In particular, each user application's user interface is implemented in a web browser that is running in its own operating system on its own virtual machine, and each user application interacts with the user interface by exchanging HTTP messages between the virtual machines.
US09027007B2

In one example, a device includes one or more processors configured to determine an allocated time for execution of an optimization pass for optimizing code for a software program, execute at least some instructions of the optimization pass on the code, and, in response to determining that an actual time for execution of the optimization pass has exceeded the allocated time for execution, preventing execution of subsequent instructions of the optimization pass.
US09027005B2

Embodiments of the claimed subject matter are directed to methods and a system that allows an application comprising a single code set under the COBOL Programming Language to execute in multiple platforms on the same multi-platform system (such as a mainframe). In one embodiment, a single code set is pre-compiled to determine specific portions of the code set compatible with the host (or prospective) platform. Once the code set has been pre-compiled to determine compatible portions, those portions may be compiled and executed in the host platform. According to these embodiments, an application may be executed from a single code set that is compatible with multiple platforms, thereby potentially reducing the complexity of developing the application for multiple platforms.
US09027004B1

Application computer instructions can be provided to a publishing server. The publishing service can parse the application computer instructions to identify one or more locations where supplemental computer instructions can be inserted. Metadata about purchasable items can be obtained and the supplemental computer instructions can be written based on the item metadata. The supplemental computer instructions can be inserted into the application computer instructions. A publishable application can be created by compiling the application computer instructions with the inserted supplemental computer instructions.
US09026998B2

A data processing system obtains a delta between a first version of a target program and a second version of the target program, wherein the target program has been tested by a plurality of test routines. The data processing system obtains test coverage data that has been generated for the plurality of test routines, the test coverage data for a test routine identifying lines of code of the target program that have been previously tested by said test routine. The data processing system ranks the plurality of test routines based on the test coverage data and based on the delta. The data processing system selects one of the plurality of test routines based on the ranking and executes the selected test routine on the second version of the target program to determine code stability of the second version of the target program.
US09026989B2

An object oriented application framework is provided in which base classes are decoupled from derived classes by using attributes. Relationships between derived classes and attributes can be generated, and derive classes can be statically or dynamically instantiated at run time. By decoupling the base class from derived classes using instances of such attributes, a developer does not modify computer program code defining the base class when adding customized extensions to that base class. The framework includes a class factory that uses instances of attributes associated with elements to derive, at run time, extension classes. The attributes can be specified at run time to specify or to alter the run time behavior of the application. This framework also allows the application to conditionally instantiate an element based on its attributes.
US09026987B2

System and method for performing program-related operations over a network via a web browser. A network connection is established between a server computer and a client computer over a network. A universal resource identifier (URI) is sent from the client computer to the server computer over the network, where the URI indicates a program, e.g., a graphical program (GP), or at least a portion of a graphical program interactive development environment (GPIDE), e.g., a graphical program editor, an execution engine, a static or dynamic analyzer, and/or compiler. The at least a portion of the GPIDE is received from the server computer over the network in response to the URI, and executed in a web browser of the client computer to perform some specified functionality with respect to the GP.
US09026981B2

Embodiments relate to methods, computer systems and computer program products for performing a dielectric reliability assessment for an advanced semiconductor. Embodiments include receiving data associated with a test of a macro of the advanced semiconductor to a point of dielectric breakdown. Embodiments also include scaling the data for the macro down to a reference area and extracting a parameter for a Weibull distribution from the scaled down data for the reference area. Embodiments further include deriving a cluster factor (α) from the scaled down data for the reference area and projecting a failure rate for a larger area of the advanced semiconductor based on the extracted parameter, the cluster factor and the recorded data associated with the dielectric breakdown of the macro.
US09026978B1

A system, method, and computer program product for automatically optimizing circuit designs. A graphical user interface based environment allows arbitrary selection of a circuit design region to be optimized based on physical layout, without regard for logical hierarchy. Embodiments analyze circuit paths crossing optimization region boundaries and replace externally connected circuitry with an interface logic model describing such circuitry from the optimization region boundary to a first register occurrence. A reduced netlist spans the regional circuitry and the modeled external circuitry. Embodiments optimize the reduced netlist under design constraints applicable to the full circuit design. Changes to the original circuit design made by the optimization are tangibly saved as engineering change orders. The optimization process may be applied to other regions, including via parallel execution by multiple processors. Conventional design bottlenecks may be bypassed for greatly improved quality of results and reduced turnaround time.
US09026975B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit designing method capable of minimizing a parasitic capacitance generated by an overhead in conductive lines, especially a gate line, a semiconductor integrated circuit according to the designing method, and a fabricating method thereof are provided. A method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit having a FinFET architecture, includes: performing a pre-simulation of the semiconductor integrated circuit to be designed; designing a layout of components of the semiconductor integrated circuit based on a result of the pre-simulation, the components comprising first and second device areas and a first conductive line extending across the first and second device areas; modifying a first cutting area, that is arranged between the first and second device areas and electrically cuts the first conductive line, according to at least one design rule to minimize an overhead of the first conductive line created by the first cutting area.
US09026973B2

An integrated circuit includes a first conductive structure of a device configured to have a first voltage potential, a second conductive structure of the device configured to have a second voltage potential that is different than the first voltage potential, and a peacekeeper structure disposed between and separating the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure. The peacekeeper structure is separated from at least one of the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure by a fixed spacing distance for conductive lines for a self-aligned double patterning (“SADP”) process from the integrated circuit was formed.
US09026970B2

An approach is provided to generate a number of virtualized circuit designs by applying design-for-manufacturing (DFM) processes to a circuit design. The virtualized circuit designs are checked using design rule checks (DRCs), with the checking resulting in a design rule error quantity that corresponds to each of the virtualized circuit designs. One of the virtualized circuit designs is selected for use in manufacturing the circuit design with the selection based each of the design's design rule error quantities.
US09026964B2

A method for modeling a circuit comprising storing a plurality of design variable ranges for a circuit component in a non-transient electronic data memory. Performing transistor-level simulations at a plurality of sample points for the circuit component to generate a plurality of design variable samples for the circuit component. Storing a neural network architecture in the non-transient electronic data memory that models the plurality of design variable samples for the circuit component. Storing a performance metric metamodel and a circuit parameter metamodel generated using Verilog-AMS.
US09026962B2

An electronic design automation system combines features of discrete EDA/CAD systems and manufacturing systems into a monolithic system to enable a layperson to efficiently design, construct and have manufactured a specific class of custom electronic device, namely a computer processing unit with embedded software. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is provided as the front-end to a Computer Aided Design (CAD) server that generates sophisticated control and manufacturing instructions that are delivered to a fabrication supply chain, which produces a specified device that is then transported via managed logistics into inventory and ordering systems at vendors for delivery to a designated customer.
US09026960B1

The present invention is directed towards designing integrated circuit and provides systems and methods for lithography-aware floorplanning. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for circuit floorplanning is provided. The method comprises generating a floorplan through a floorplanner, performing a lithography-analysis within the floorplanner on at least a portion of the floorplan, and generating one or more violations that result from the lithography-analysis. Some embodiment, in addition to viewing a floorplan, further comprise of modifying the floorplan. Furthermore, some embodiments provide a method that further comprises fixing the violations that result from the lithography analysis.
US09026959B2

A semiconductor manufacturing method of generating a layout for a device includes defining a first plurality of mandrels in a first active region of a first layout. Each mandrel of the first plurality of mandrels extends in a first direction and being spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The method further includes defining a second plurality of mandrels in a second active region of the first layout. Each mandrel of the second plurality of mandrels extends in the first direction and being spaced apart in the second direction. An edge of the first active region is spaced from an edge of the second active region by a minimum distance less than a specified minimum spacing. The method further includes connecting, using a layout generator, at least one mandrel of the first plurality of mandrels to a corresponding mandrel of the second plurality of mandrels.
US09026955B1

The present disclosure relates to a method of integrated chip (IC) design pattern correction that reduces pattern correction cycle time by separately correcting main feature shapes and dummy shapes of the IC design, and an associated apparatus. In some embodiments, the method is performed by forming an IC design having a plurality of main feature shapes. A plurality of dummy shapes are added to the IC design to improve a process window of the IC design. The plurality of main feature shapes are corrected using a first pattern correction process. One or more of the plurality of dummy shapes are subsequently corrected using a second pattern correction process separate from the first pattern correction process. By separately correcting dummy shapes and main feature shapes, the dummy shapes can be subjected to a different pattern correction process having lower time/resource demands, thereby reducing the pattern correction cycle time.
US09026953B2

A method comprises (a) providing an integrated circuit (IC) layout comprising data representing a plurality of circuit patterns to be formed on or in a single layer of an IC by multi-patterning; (b) dividing the plurality of circuit patterns into two or more groups; (c) assigning the circuit patterns within each group to a respective mask to provide mask assignment data, for forming each group of circuit patterns on or in the single layer of the IC; (d) compressing the mask assignment data; and (e) storing the compressed mask assignment data to a non-transitory machine readable storage medium for use by an electronic design automation tool configured for reconstructing the mask assignment data from the compressed data.
US09026946B2

An electronic device and a method of operation thereof for facilitating the provision of an image as a background wallpaper of a user interface for display on a display of an electronic device, the device being configured to display the user interface and wallpaper in first and second different orientations during use, comprising: generating, based on the image, a first thumbnail representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper in a first orientation; generating, based on the image, a second thumbnail representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper in a second orientation; and simultaneously displaying on the display the first and second thumbnails.
US09026944B2

Context based menus are employed for content management through touch or gesture actions, keyboard entries, mouse or pen actions, and similar input. Context based menus may be deployed using a variety of shapes, forms, and content. Different actions and combinations of actions enable users to activate submenus, execute commands, or collapse context based menus. By enabling viewing of menus and execution of commands through context based menus positioned in relation to displayed content user experience is enhanced when interacting with user interfaces with limited display area.
US09026940B2

The mobile terminal includes a wireless communication unit configured to receive terminal position information and object related information of at least one object corresponding to the terminal position information; a display module configured to display at least one object indicator indicating the at least one object and display a storage target object indicator region on a background image corresponding to the terminal position information; a user input unit configured to receive a selection of an object indicator; a memory configured to store object related information; and a controller configured to control the components of the mobile terminal. The display module is further configured to display an identifier corresponding to the selected object indicator within the storage target object indicator region, and display an object item list including an object item corresponding to the stored object related information.
US09026938B2

A method for presenting applications on a display screen, comprising: displaying a first presentation on the display screen, the first presentation including two or more icons; receiving a signal indicative of an icon, the icon being one of the two or more icons, the icon having an application associated therewith; initiating the application, the application having information associated therewith; generating a second presentation, the second presentation having a first area for presenting the information at least partially surrounded by a second area for presenting reduced-size versions of the two or more icons other than the icon; and, displaying the second presentation on the display screen to replace display of the first presentation.
US09026936B2

A project management system and method includes a user interface with “pie slices” and “layers” to provide a matrix view that integrates multiple best practices content. The slices of the pie represent project stages and the matrix view represents layers of best practice content, such as project management, quality assurance, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, and other processes. Each cell of the matrix represents best practice information in process, people, and deliverables views. The user loads a project and uses the best practice steps to help with their project implementation. The user interface allows the users to select a best practice layer, then select a project stage cell, and then drill down to view process step details, view people roles information, or work with files that define the project deliverables.
US09026926B2

An apparatus is provided that comprises a first detection unit configured to detect a first user operation on a first object and a first display unit configured to generate signals to display the first object in a first display state. The apparatus further comprises a second display unit configured to generate signals to change the display state of the first object from the first display state to a second display state. The apparatus further comprises a third display unit configured to generate signals to change the display state of the first object from the second display state to the first display state in response to the detection of the second user operation on the first object.
US09026922B2

In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes the step of providing a graphical user interface configured to accept user input. A user-indicated dream symbol is obtained. A user-provided intention is received. The user-provided dream symbol and the user-provided intention are associated in a digital dreamboard. Optionally, the digital dreamboard is published to an online social network. Online donations from other members of the online social network related to fulfill the user-provided intention can be obtained. Two or more digital dreamboards may be merged together. A user can invite friends to view the digital dreamboard. A user can indicate a dream symbol by tagging another dream symbol in another user's digital dreamboard.
US09026918B2

A method, system and graphical user interface for enabling a user to access enterprise data and interact with enterprise applications generating the enterprise data using a portable electronic device is disclosed. A native application for a portable electronic device enables a user of the portable electronic device to initiate or interact with one or more enterprise applications. Each of the enterprise applications is executed remotely on a system in communication with the portable electronic device, where the portable electronic device may communicate data to the remote system and display data received from the remote system. Processing resources and storage resources of the remote system may be utilized to execute the enterprise application, thereby enabling a user to initiate or interact with a computationally-intensive enterprise application using a portable electronic device.
US09026909B2

Some embodiments provide a list view that displays a list of media clips and, for each media clip, displays each tag associated with the media clip. The list view includes a list area for displaying the list of media clips and tags. In some embodiments, the list view includes a preview section for displaying a representation of a clip selected from the list view's list area. The list view, in some embodiments, displays information related to each tag such as a starting point of the tag's range, an ending point of the tag's range, and a duration of the range.
US09026903B1

A system, method, and a computer-readable medium for generating a valid HTML document. The method includes receiving a request from a browser and, in response, providing an abstract syntax tree, the abstract syntax tree including a plurality of nodes, where each node represents an element in a template file. The method also includes, traversing the abstract syntax tree, and for each node in the tree determining a type of the node and performing an action based on the node type. The method further includes generating the valid HTML document based on the plurality of actions and sending the valid HTML document for display to a browser.
US09026901B2

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for viewing annotations created for data objects appearing in a data source using a second application configured to access and view the data source. Some embodiments present users viewing a data source with an indication of data objects in the data source that have been by other applications accessing the data source. An annotation system may use a mapping component to transform a set of parameters suitable for the first application to identify an annotated data object into a set of parameters suitable for the second application to view an annotated data object in a common data source.
US09026899B2

A user interface features a field explorer component comprising a list of available fields in a stored document. Certain embodiments may present the field explorer in conjunction with an existing transaction interface. In one operational mode, information may be input by selecting values from a drop menu associated with one field of the field explorer. The corresponding field of the transaction interface may be indicated (e.g. with highlighting), with the user being allowed to click/drag/drop selected data from the field explorer to that indicated field. Some embodiments may dispense with displaying the transaction interface, presenting the field explorer instead alongside a symbolic representation of a document container. In this operational mode, the user pulls the desired data from the field explorer into the container representation. If the document is persisted (e.g. as a file or on a database), an output representation (e.g. PDF) may be generated and stored.
US09026892B2

A storage device includes a nonvolatile memory, a volatile memory, and a memory controller. The volatile memory includes a free block management table, and a worn block management table. If the number of free blocks is equal to or larger than a threshold value 1, and errors of the number of equal to or larger than a threshold value 2 but smaller than a threshold value 3 are included in the data read from the nonvolatile memory, the memory controller registers the block in the worn block management table as a worn block. If the number of free blocks becomes smaller than the threshold value 1, the memory controller registers the worn block registered in the worn block management table in the free block management table as the free block.
US09026889B2

A system and method for mitigating memory errors in a computer system. Faulty memory is identified and tested by a memory manager of an operating system. The memory manager may perform diagnostic tests while the operating system is executing on the computer system. Regions of memory that are being used by software components of the computer system may also be tested. The memory manager maintains a stored information about faulty memory regions. Regions are added to the stored information when they are determined to be faulty by a diagnostic test tool. Memory regions are allocated to software components by the memory manager after checking the stored information about faulty memory regions. This ensures a faulty memory region is never allocated to a software component of the computer system.
US09026881B2

A codebook which includes a plurality of messages and a plurality of codewords, a specified codeword bit value, and a specified message bit value are obtained. The LLR for bit ci in a codeword is generated, including by: identifying, from the codebook, those codewords where bit ci has the specified codeword bit value; for a message which corresponds to one of the codewords where bit ci has the specified codeword bit value, identifying those bits which have the specified message bit value; and summing one or more LLR values which correspond to those bits, in the message which corresponds to one of the codewords where bit ci has the specified codeword bit value, which have the specified message bit value.
US09026878B2

A fast retransmission method by introducing the internal node under better channel condition to join the work of retransmission after the destination node sends out the packet loss indication for unicast services. Extended to serve multicast services, a system comprising a plurality of nodes utilizes the farthest node in each branch from the source to transmit an acknowledge signal when packet loss occurs. The system then enables the closest node to the acknowledging node to retransmit the requested packet, thereby improving the target packet hit rate and data integrity with less retransmission steps.
US09026862B2

Systems and methods for monitoring operational performance of at least one application containing no explicit instrumentation are described. Data relating to the operational performance of the application can be obtained and provided to a telemetry server for analysis without the use of diagnostic instrumentation within the application. Generic and targeted performance data can be obtained using responsiveness components within a computing operating system.
US09026860B2

In a computer storage system, crash dump files are secured without power fencing in a cluster of a plurality of nodes connected to a storage system. Upon an occurrence of a panic of a crashing node and prior to receiving a panic message of the crashing node by a surviving node loading, in the cluster, a capturing node to become active, prior to a totem token being declared lost by the surviving node, for capturing the crash dump files of the crashing node, while manipulating the surviving node to continue to operate under the assumption the power fencing was performed on the crashing node.
US09026856B2

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for receiving historical data describing behavior of human subject-matter experts, wherein the historical data links customer problems with solutions, receiving a plurality of human-generated algorithms describing patterns for linking customer problems with solutions based on problem-specific diagnostic data, comparing each algorithm of the plurality of algorithms with the historical data to determine respective predictive scores for linking a customer problem type with a particular solution, and ranking at least part of the plurality of algorithms based on the respective similarity scores.
US09026853B2

Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to enhancing test scripts with dynamic data. The disclosed embodiments include receiving production data that reflects real user interaction with an application process. Test scripts are generated based on the production data, where the test scripts simulate behavior relating to execution of the application process. The embodiments also include automatically enhancing the test scripts with dynamic data that includes at least one of correlation data and asynchronous data.
US09026851B2

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for improving customer experience through real time troubleshooting in relation to customer experience management. In one embodiment, a proactive customer experience management method is disclosed, comprising: obtaining a performance-indicating alert (PA); identifying relevant alerts from the alert database in absence of possible fault condition from the PA; determining a possible problem condition from the PA and identified relevant alerts; raising trace trigger for gathering relevant trace data; determining specific problem condition and relevant cause, based on gathered trace data and relevant data from PM/FM, CDR, OSS systems; determining appropriate recommendation for resolution of the determined specific problem condition; updating a user interface dashboard using the determination of the root cause of the possible problem and the recommendation for resolution of the possible problem; and updating new knowledge into a knowledge base with problem-context, resolution, relevant adjustments to alerts, thresholds and rules.
US09026846B2

Disclosed is a system and method for providing data integrity for pinned cache even if a RAID controller card fails while it has pinned cache or a memory module goes bad. A controller is enabled to use complete cache lines even if pinned cache is present, thereby enabling other virtual disks to run in write-back mode when pinned cache is present.
US09026844B2

Storing, retrieving, transmitting and receiving data (20) by a) separating the data into a plurality of data subsets (A, B); b) generating parity data (P) from the plurality of data subsets (A, B) such that any one or more of the plurality of data subsets may be recreated from the remaining data subsets and the parity data (P). Steps a and b may be repeated on any one or more each of the plurality of data subsets and parity data providing further data subsets and further parity data; and d) storing each of the further data subsets and further parity data in separate storage locations (380) or transmitting the further data subsets and further parity data.
US09026836B2

A communication system, method, and components are described. Specifically, the method described herein provides the ability for an application sequence of a communication session to be reconstructed during the communication session and even though SIP standards dictate that the reconstruction of the application sequence should be denied and the session should be terminated.
US09026835B2

The present invention relates to a computer system and a clock configuring method. The computer system comprises at least two nodes, wherein each of the at least two nodes includes a selecting module and a CPU, inputs to the selecting module of any node comprise a clock of the node and a clock output from other node, and an output terminal of the selecting module is connected to the CPU and an input terminal of the selecting module of other node; the computer system further comprises a clock controlling module, whose output terminal is connected to a control terminal of the selecting module to control the clocks of the at least two nodes to be the same clock. When clocks of plural nodes are abnormal, the computer system can still normally operate as long as there is a normal clock in the computer system.
US09026832B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and device for selecting a sampling clock signal. The method includes: obtaining, by a logic chip, a data edge of a data signal and a clock edge of a clock signal, selecting a sampling edge according to the data edge and the clock edge, and sending a selecting signal corresponding to the sampling edge to a selector; and selecting, by the selector, a sampling clock signal according to the selecting signal. The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention can solve problems of poor system maintainability and high cost of operation and maintenance because a receiver device needs to select a sampling clock signal through manual configuration in the synchronous serial-port communication in the prior art.
US09026828B2

A system-on-chip comprises a power-off domain block; and a power-on domain block that analyzes externally transferred data during a power-down state of the power-off domain block, wherein the power-on domain block executes an operation of the power-off domain block or a wake-up operation, based on an analyzed result of the externally transferred data.
US09026827B2

In an embodiment, provided is a control device that operates: in a second mode where electric power to each of a processing unit and a second storage unit is stopped and is supplied to a first storage unit; and in a first mode where first control information controlling a state of the processing unit is stored in the second storage unit and electric power to each of the processing unit, and the first and second storage unit is stopped. When shifted from the first to second mode, the power supply control unit starts supply of electric power to each of the processing unit and the first storage unit. If the processing unit has been made to be in an operable first state, the processing unit creates and stores second control information in the first storage unit. Then, the power supply control unit stops electric power to the processing unit.
US09026826B2

A system for reducing energy consumption of a device and a method therefor. An apparatus for providing power to a controlled device includes a memory, a power controller, and a processor. The processor receives switching data from the memory. The switching data may include at least one on time and at least one off time. The processor generates a connect command or a disconnect command from the switching data and issues the command to the power controller. The power controller connects a power source interface to a power output interface. A power source is also connected to the power source interface. The power output interface is connected to a power input of the controlled device. The power controller connects the power output interface to the power source interface in response to a connect command and disconnects the power output interface from the power source interface in response to the disconnect command.
US09026825B2

A control system reduces energy consumption in a multi-device system comprising a plurality of devices. The control system includes at least one processor. The processor is programmed to receive a job to be executed, as well as a selection of one of the plurality of devices for executing the job and a transfer cost for transferring the job from the selected device to each of the plurality of devices. A device to execute the job is determined through optimization of a first cost function. The first cost function is based on the device selection and the transfer costs. The job is assigned to the determined device and a time-out for each device in the multi-device system is determined through optimization of a second cost function. The second cost function is based on an expected energy consumption by the multi-device system. The devices are provided with the determined time-outs.
US09026816B2

A method and system for determining an energy-efficient operating point of the platform or system. The platform has logic to dynamically manage setting(s) of the processing cores and/or platform components in the platform to achieve maximum system energy efficiency. By using the characteristics of the workload and/or platform to determine the optimum settings of the platform, the logic of the platform facilitates performance guarantees of the platform while minimizing the energy consumption of the processor core and/or platform. The logic of the platform identifies opportunities to run the processing cores at higher performance levels which decreases the execution time of the workload and transitions the platform to a low-power system idle state after the completion of the execution of the workload. Since the execution time of the workload is reduced, the platform spends more time in the low-power system idle state and therefore the overall system energy consumption is reduced.
US09026814B2

A power context system is described herein that makes decisions related to device power usage based on factors such as location, load, available alternatives, cost of power, and cost of bandwidth. The system incorporates contextual knowledge about the situation in which a device is being used. Using the context of location, devices can make smarter decisions about deciding which processes to migrate to the cloud, load balancing between applications, and switching to power saving modes depending on how far the user is from a power source. As the cloud becomes more frequently used, load balancing by utilizing distributed data warehouses to move processes to different locations in the world depending on factors such as accessibility, locales, and cost of electricity are considerations for power management. Power management of mobile devices is becoming important as integration with the cloud yields expectations of devices being able to reliably access and persist data.
US09026805B2

Described herein are techniques for distributed key management (DKM) in cooperation with Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs). The use of TPMs strengthens the storage and processing security surrounding management of distributed keys. DKM-managed secret keys are not persistently stored in clear form. In effect, the TPMs of participating DKM nodes provide security for DKM keys, and a DKM key, once decrypted with a TPM, is available to be used from memory for ordinary cryptographic operations to encrypt and decrypt user data. TPM public keys can be used to determine the set of trusted nodes to which TPM-encrypted secret keys can be distributed.
US09026794B2

An information processing system including a medium where a content to be played is stored; and a playing apparatus for playing a content stored in the medium; with the playing apparatus being configured to selectively activate a playing program according to a content type to be played, to obtain a device certificate correlated with the playing program from storage by executing the playing program, and to transmit the obtained device certificate to the medium; with the device certificate being a device certificate for content types in which content type information where the device certificate is available is recorded; and with the medium determining whether or not an encryption key with reading being requested from the playing apparatus is an encryption key for decrypting an encrypted content matching an available content type recorded in the device certificate, and permitting readout of the encryption key only in the case of matching.
US09026781B2

A method for transmission data in a system is provided. The system includes a first device, plurality of second devices, and plurality of third devices, the method includes steps of encrypting the data with a first key and encrypting the first key with a second key at the first device, sending the encrypted data from the first device to the second device, decrypting the second key and encrypting the first key with a third key by the second device, sending the encrypted data from the second device to the third device, and decrypting the third key and the first key by the third device.
US09026778B2

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a storage device, a setup module, an operation control module, and a setup value control module. The storage device stores power-saving setup information including at least one setup item relating to an operation of the apparatus. The setup module sets up a value of the at least one setup item in accordance with a user operation. The setup value control module acquires first setup information including a first setup value corresponding to the at least one setup item, and applies a setup value with a higher power-saving effect, which is selected between the first setup value and a current setup value of the at least one setup item, to the at least one setup item.
US09026770B2

A method including receiving control profile information that controls one or more operations of a user device during an event associated with a user; generating a control profile based on the control profile information; controlling the one or more operations of the user device based on the control profile for a duration of the event; and automatically setting the user device to a previous state or a new state after the event transpires.
US09026767B2

A system monitors and dynamically changes memory mapping in a runtime of a computing system. The computing system has various memory resources, and multiple possible mappings that indicate how data is to be stored in and subsequently accessed from the memory resources. The performance of each memory mapping may be different under different runtime or load conditions of the computing device. A memory controller can monitor runtime performance of the current memory mapping and dynamically change memory mappings at runtime based on monitored or observed performance of the memory mappings. The performance monitoring can be modified for any of a number of different granularities possible within the system, from the byte level to memory channel.
US09026760B1

Described are techniques for enforcing an allocation policy. Information is received that describes one or more storage groups. Each of the storage groups includes one or more thin devices. Each of the thin devices includes a plurality of chunks of storage allocated on one or more of a plurality of storage tiers. For each of the one or more storage groups, a plurality of counters is determined indicating amounts of storage currently allocated from the plurality of storage tiers for use by the storage group. Using the plurality of counters, it is determined whether each of the one or more storage groups violates thresholds included in an allocation policy associated with each storage group. Each of the thresholds specifies a maximum amount of storage of one of the plurality of storage tiers that can be used by each storage group.
US09026754B2

Storage apparatus and data management methods provide for high-speed copying of a compressed data volume. A control unit of the storage apparatus divides a pool into a plurality of chunks including a plurality of pages storing data, compresses data which is written to a logical volume by a host, and assigns one of the plurality of chunks to a compressed data logical volume which stores the compressed data. When the compressed data logical volume is copied, the control unit makes a page length of the chunk assigned to the compressed data logical volume that is a copy source equivalent to a page length of the chunk assigned to the compressed data logical volume that is the copy destination.
US09026752B1

A system for estimating a quantity of unique identifiers comprises a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to, for each of k times, associate a bin of a set of bins with each received identifier. The processor is further configured to determine an estimate of the quantity of unique identifiers based at least in part on an average minimum associated bin value. The memory is coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.
US09026748B2

A method of storage access scheduling for a memory device for a workload of different priority access requests including access requests having a real-time priority. The method includes characterizing the memory device including determining a balanced number (N) of concurrent access requests associated with a concurrent access maximum throughput associated with the memory device. The method also includes characterizing the workload. The method also includes receiving a real-time access request associated with an access request storage location value. The method also includes processing the real-time access request, utilizing a processor, based on the access request storage location value and the values obtained from characterizing the memory device and the workload.
US09026740B1

A computer-implemented method and system for improving efficiency in a delta compression process selects a data chunk to delta compress and generate matching criteria for the selected data chunk. The method and system searches for a similar data chunk using the matching criteria and loads a best match data chunk from the search. Locality data for the best match data chunk is determined and a plurality of data chunks with matching locality data are pre-fetched.
US09026738B2

To aim to provide a cache memory device that performs a line size determination process for determining a refill size, in advance of a refill process that is performed at cache miss time. According to the line size determination process, the number of reads/writes of a management target line that belongs to a set is acquired (S51), and in the case where the numbers of reads completely match one another and the numbers of writes completely match one another (S52: Yes), the refill size is determined to be large (S54). Otherwise (S52: No), the refill size is determined to be small (S55).
US09026737B1

A method is used in enhancing memory buffering by using secondary storage. A buffer cache pool is supplemented with a secondary storage. A portion of a volatile memory of a data storage system is reserved as the buffer cache pool. The buffer cache pool includes a set of buffer cache objects for storing file system data and metadata. The secondary storage includes a set of data blocks. A first buffer cache object of the set of buffer cache objects is aged out by copying contents of the buffer cache object to a data block of the secondary storage. Contents of the first buffer cache object are retrieved from the secondary storage by copying contents of the data block of the secondary storage to a second buffer cache object of the set of buffer cache objects of the buffer cache pool.
US09026727B2

Methods and structure are provided for representing ports of a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expander circuit within routing memory. The SAS expander includes a plurality of PHYs and a routing memory. The routing memory includes entries that each indicate a set of PHYs available for initiating a connection with a SAS address, and also includes an entry that represents a SAS port with a start tag indicating a first PHY of the port and a length tag indicating a number of PHYs in the port. The SAS expander also includes a Content Addressable Memory (CAM) including entries that each associate a SAS address with an entry in the routing memory. Further, the SAS expander includes a controller that receives a request for a SAS address, uses the CAM to determine a corresponding routing memory entry for the requested SAS address, and selects the port indicated by the corresponding routing memory entry.
US09026721B2

Methods of operating a memory, and memories for performing such methods, include determining that a particular area of the memory is defective, locating a free area of the memory, programming data intended for the particular area of the memory to the free area of the memory, checking the particular area of the memory for data previously programmed to the particular area of the memory, and moving any previously-programmed data from the particular area of the memory to the free area of the memory.
US09026716B2

Methods and systems for optimizing the selection of memory blocks for garbage collection to maximize the amount of memory freed by garbage collection operations are disclosed. Some of these systems and methods provide for the efficient selection of optimal or near-optimal garbage collection candidate blocks, with the most optimal selection defined as block(s) with the most invalid pages. In some cases, a controller classifies memory blocks into various invalid block pools by the amount of invalid pages each block contains. When garbage collection is performed, the controller selects a block from a non-empty pool of blocks with the highest minimum amount of invalid pages. The pools facilitate the optimal or near-optimal selection of garbage collection candidate blocks in an efficient manner and the data structure of the pools can be implemented with bitmasks, which take minimal space in memory.
US09026714B2

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving from a memory controller, a request to access memory stored at memory modules, the request directed to one of a plurality of logical ranks, mapping at a rank aggregator, the logical rank to one of a plurality of physical ranks at the memory modules, and forwarding the request to one of the memory modules according to the mapping. Two or more of the memory modules are combined to represent the number of logical ranks at the memory controller such that there is a one-to-one mapping between the logical ranks and the physical ranks. An apparatus for rank aggregation is also disclosed.
US09026712B2

Described herein are embodiments of USB device control using endpoint type detection during enumeration. An apparatus configured for USB device control using endpoint type detection during enumeration may include a host controller configured to selectively disable enumeration of a USB device based at least in part on an endpoint type of the USB device. The apparatus may include a management engine configured to store in the host controller a USB lock policy defining endpoint types disallowed to be enumerated by the apparatus. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09026703B2

A bus monitoring device may include a measurement unit configured to measure a bandwidth of data on a common bus for a unit time, which is constant and predetermined, based on transfer information indicating a state of exchange of the data when a plurality of processing blocks connected to the common bus exchange the data via the common bus with a memory including an address space having a plurality of banks.
US09026701B2

A method, system, application programming interface, and computer program product that enable enterprise data management application programs to request input/output services from a device manager controlling devices. The device manager operates in a heterogeneous environment including incompatible devices provided by multiple vendors. These requests, and responses from the device manager to the enterprise data management application program, are communicated in a markup language format, rather than in a device-specific native language. This structure enables the vendor of the enterprise data management application program to send requests for services, including both data and instructions to use specialized features of a device, without the need to change the enterprise data management application program to support device-specific native languages.
US09026699B2

Method and apparatus for managing data in a memory, such as a flash memory. In accordance with some embodiments, a memory module has a plurality of solid-state non-volatile memory cells. A controller communicates a first command having address information and a first operation code. The first operation code identifies a first action to be taken by the memory module in relation to the address information. The controller subsequently communicates a second command having a second operation code without corresponding address information. The memory module takes a second action identified by the second command using the address information from the first command.
US09026689B2

An Extended Input/output (I/O) measurement word facility is provided. Provision is made for emulation of the Extended I/O measurement word facility. The facility provides for storing measurement data associated with a single I/O operation in an extended measurement word associated with an I/O response block. In a further aspect, the stored data may have a resolution of approximately one-half microsecond.
US09026687B1

A controller includes a communications interface configured to communicatively couple a host to a computer expansion bus configured to perform peripheral device enumeration and configuration. The computer expansion bus is configured to communicatively couple the host to a peripheral device. The controller also includes a processor configured to facilitate enumeration and configuration by the host of the peripheral device. The controller further includes a memory having computer executable instructions stored thereon. The computer executable instructions are configured for execution by the processor to facilitate enumeration and configuration of a topology associated with the communicative coupling between the host and the peripheral device, where the topology is enumerated and configured by the host.
US09026685B2

Methods and systems for memory module communication control are disclosed. A method includes receiving a message associated with a memory module in communication with a controller via a bus including a clock line. Further, the method includes determining whether the bus is idle. The method also includes communicating a signal via the clock line regarding the message associated with the memory module in response to determining that the bus is idle.
US09026682B2

A method and apparatus for enhancing/extending a serial point-to-point interconnect architecture, such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) is herein described. Temporal and locality caching hints and prefetching hints are provided to improve system wide caching and prefetching. Message codes for atomic operations to arbitrate ownership between system devices/resources are included to allow efficient access/ownership of shared data. Loose transaction ordering provided for while maintaining corresponding transaction priority to memory locations to ensure data integrity and efficient memory access. Active power sub-states and setting thereof is included to allow for more efficient power management. And, caching of device local memory in a host address space, as well as caching of system memory in a device local memory address space is provided for to improve bandwidth and latency for memory accesses.
US09026681B2

A system is disclosed for mapping operating-system-identified addresses for substantially-identical hardware modules into performance-parameter-based addresses for the hardware modules. The mapping is accomplished by configuring a flexible I/O interface responsive to a characterization of at least one performance parameter for each hardware module.
US09026661B2

A method for determining metrics of a content delivery and global traffic management network provides service metric probes that determine the service availability and metric measurements of types of services provided by a content delivery machine. Latency probes are also provided for determining the latency of various servers within a network. Service metric probes consult a configuration file containing each DNS name in its area and the set of services. Each server in the network has a metric test associated with each service supported by the server which the service metric probes periodically performs metric tests on and records the metric test results which are periodically sent to all of the DNS servers in the network. DNS servers use the test result updates to determine the best server to return for a given DNS name. The latency probe calculates the latency from its location to a client's location using the round trip time for sending a packet to the client to obtain the latency value for that client. The latency probe updates the DNS servers with the clients' latency data. The DNS server uses the latency test data updates to determine the closest server to a client.
US09026649B2

A first server is configured to receive data associated with a first user device. The first user device may send the data to the first server via a network device without user interaction, and the data may relate to activity associated with the first user device. The first server is further configured to determine a status, associated with the first user device, based on the data, store information regarding the status, receive permissions for the information regarding the status of the first user device, apply the permissions for the information regarding the status to form an advertised status, and send the advertised status to the network device. The network device may be capable of sending the advertised status to a client device or a second user device based on the permissions.
US09026647B2

According to some embodiments, information associated with a task may be received, including a trigger entity and a related action entity. A social media network/business platform interface may monitor a trigger condition associated with the trigger entity. The social media network/business platform interface may then automatically detect that the trigger condition is satisfied. Responsive to that detection, an action defined by the action entity related to the trigger entity may be automatically performed.
US09026628B2

A method and system for designing file replication schemes in file sharing systems consider node storage constraints and node up/down statistics, file storage costs, and file transfer costs among the nodes, user request rates for the files, and user specified file availability requirements. Based on these considerations, a systematic method for designing file replication schemes can be implemented. The method first determines the number of copies of the files to be stored in the system to achieve the desired goal (e.g., to satisfy file availability requirements, or to maximize the system hit rate), and then selects the nodes at which to store the file copies to minimize the total expected cost. The file replication scheme for a peer-to-peer file sharing system in a distributed and adaptive manner can scale to a large number of nodes and files and can handle changes in the user request pattern over time.
US09026620B2

A computer system that monitors attributes related to cloud computing services is disclosed. A request may be received via a portal within a common connection and database framework. The computer system may generate an internet-based interface that is configured to provide access to the attributes. The computer system may process selection criteria for an object related to the cloud computing services within the internet-based interface to be monitored within the common connection and database framework.
US09026617B2

A method and system for providing a portable document services environment on a computer system is disclosed. An installation application may automatically be loaded from a portable device onto a computer system when the portable device is connected to the computer system. The computer system may automatically access a document service application on the portable device based on information contained in the installation application. One or more document service preferences may automatically be received from the portable device onto the computer system, and an electronic document may be selected. One or more document services may be performed for the selected electronic document based on the one or more document service preferences using the document service application.
US09026612B2

Identifying at least one custom parameter in a request uniform resource locator (URL). The method can include identifying at least a first portion of source code of a Web application that typically consumes the custom parameter provided in the request URL and, via a processor, instrumenting the Web application at the first portion of the source code. The Web application can receive the request URL and the Web application can be executed with the instrumented source code. At least one run-time value consumed by the second portion of the source code can be identified, and the run-time value can be compared to the request URL to determine whether the run-time value intersects with the request URL. Responsive to determining that the run-time value intersects with the request URL, the run-time value can be identified as the custom parameter. A custom parameter rule can be generated based on the comparison.
US09026611B2

A DNS name resolution system according to the present invention has a DNS server; a terminal which generates and transmits a DNS query packet containing DNS name information described in accordance with a specific description method and whose destination is said DNS server; and an override agent which is disposed along a communication path between the terminal and the DNS server. The override agent has a capture unit which captures a DNS query packet transmitted from the terminal; an analysis unit which stores in advance information concerning the specific description method based on which the DNS name information was described by the terminal, analyzes the DNS name information contained in the DNS query packet captured by the capture unit based on the specific description method, and selects the information for reply to the terminal based on the analysis results; and a reply unit which generates and transmits a DNS response packet containing the information for reply selected by the analysis unit and whose destination is the terminal.
US09026609B2

An approach is provided for coordinating media presentation on devices via an information space. In response to a request for presentation of media content, a media provision coordinating application retrieves from an information space raw media content corresponding to the request. The media provision coordinating application determines one or more first devices for pre-processing the raw media content and one or more second devices for presenting pre-processed media content based upon respective technical capabilities and availabilities of the first devices, the second devices, or a combination thereof, the first and second devices are connected to the information space.
US09026608B1

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for providing customized content delivery from one or more data sources include receiving a selection of one or more base requests for content; receiving a selection of a custom request for content; receiving a mapping of the custom request to at least one of the base requests; building an output template including the custom request mapped to the at least one of the base requests; and publishing a resource based on the output template.
US09026607B2

A method uses web servers to promulgate information from one server to another, instead of promulgating the information by the user to each server individually. A first server receives a first request for promulgating web-information from a user, locally promulgates the web-information, and sends a second request to at least one second website server to instruct the second website server to locally promulgate the web-information. The selection of the second server is done according to a preset configuration file which includes a relationship mapping between the first website server and the second website server. The relationship mapping may provide the user information related to the second website server based on the user information related to the first website server. The present disclosure further discloses a communication apparatus and a communication system.
US09026603B2

A master communications device/slave device configuration is disclosed where a master communications device discovers a slave device when the master communications device does not have the necessary features and resources to perform a service requested by an operator. The master communications device utilizes the slave device to provide additional features and resources to the master communications device in performing the service requested by the operator. The master communications device and the slave device interact as a single device provided by the master communications device/slave device configuration. The slave device serves as an extension to the master communications device providing a larger interface to the operator.
US09026597B1

In some embodiments, techniques for electronic messages may include various enhancements.
US09026585B2

A system and method for providing a content download service, that preferably includes a content service server for receiving a request for a content service from a client terminal accessed through a network, and identifying the client terminal and one or more sub-client terminals connected to the client terminal to route the requested contents and a download control signal. A client terminal obtains inherent information from one or more adjacent terminals to request a service from the content service server, and decodes transmitted contents by using the inherent information of the adjacent terminals when receiving the download control signal from the content service server.
US09026573B2

A recursive type-IV discrete cosine transform system includes a first permutation device, a recursive type-III discrete cosine/sine transform device, a cosine/sine factor generation device, a recursive type-II discrete cosine/sine transform device, a second permutation device. The first permutation device performs two-dimensional order permutation operation on N digital signals for generating N two-dimensional first temporal signals. The recursive type-III discrete cosine/sine transform device repeats a type-III discrete cosine/sine transform for generating second temporal signals. The cosine/sine factor generation device sequentially performs cosine/sine factor multiplication and corresponding addition operations for generating third temporal signals. The recursive type-II discrete cosine/sine transform device repeats a type-II discrete cosine/sine transform for generating fourth temporal signals. The second permutation device performs a one-dimensional order permutation operation for generating N one-dimensional output signals. The N one-dimensional output signals are obtained by performing a type-IV discrete cosine transform on the N digital input signals.
US09026550B2

A method for identifying a plurality of patterns of events from within event log file data includes receiving a query comprising a plurality of patterns, each of the patterns comprising a plurality of events. One or more key events is determined from the plurality of patterns of events. The one or more key events is located within a database of stored event log file data. An event stream comprising the key events and all other events of the event log file data occurring within a predetermined time span from the time of the located one or more events is generated. Each of the plurality of patterns of the received query are searched for from within the event stream.
US09026547B2

In an embodiment, a method comprises performing a first search based on a first text string; based on the first search, identifying one or more search results; after identifying the one or more search results, causing the one or more search results to be displayed; while the one or more search results are displayed: receiving input that changes the first text string to a modified text string; in response to receiving the input: performing a second search based, at least in part, on a portion of the modified text string, and determining that no search results are identified based on the second search; after determining that no search results are identified based on the second search, continuing to display the one or more search results; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.
US09026530B2

SEO for an entire website can change the presence of the website on the internet, and change which webpages of the website rank higher for different internet searches. The SEO optimized website can provide a particular webpage in response to a particular search engine query rather than a generic landing page. SEO can determine a unified website configuration having individual webpages with higher search engine rankings for specific search engine parameters. This can allow for enhanced search engine optimization that directs search engine results to rank selected pages within a website higher than others to provide a more directed search result within the website.
US09026529B1

Techniques are presented for producing demographics, in an automated fashion, from a search result of computer-accessible content. While the demographics can be determined for a research product that has been produced by any technique, they are particularly useful when applied to an automated frame-based search approach. Frame-based search engines are presented for technology profiling, healthcare-related search and brand research. Determination of a demographic proceeds at two levels: member and population. At the member level, a demographic characteristic can be determined applicable with either total or partial certainty. Each value assigned by a demographic, to a population member, has a confidence level associated with it and the assignments can be represented by a Confidence Distribution. Summarization of a demographic, at the population level, depends upon whether the certainty assignments, at the member level, are total or partial. Declarant Demographics are presented. Approaches, to determining Declarant Demographics, are presented.
US09026527B2

Methods and systems are disclosed for associating non-geographical information to track paths. Among other things, meaningful labels for the track paths can be formulated. In one aspect, a method performed by an application executing on a computer system includes receiving a set of images taken during a trip, a corresponding set of acquisition times, and a track path of the trip. The method further contains identifying landmarks near the received track path. Furthermore, the method includes receiving from a human user of the application a landmark selection from the identified landmarks and one or more image selections from the received set of images. In response to receiving the human user's selections, the method can associate the one or more selected images with the selected landmark. Additionally, the method included matching the received set of images to the received track path based on the association.
US09026524B1

A system gathers information on influential people and builds a social graph. The system is flexible in what types of information it gathers so that a detailed picture on influential persons can be determined. The information is organized to allow users of the system to make fast searches with the system and draw meaningful conclusions from the information.
US09026523B2

A method is provided for constructing a cache for storing results of previously evaluated queries in a binary tree based on a cache key. The cache is searched, by a processing device, for a node representing a set of previously evaluated queries that match a given record using an instance of the cache key. In response to finding a representative node that matches the instance of the cache key, the method performs processing associated with the set of previously evaluated queries. In response to finding no representative nodes, the method creates a new node using the instance of the cache key. The method of the invention then updates the cache by classifying the compatibility of newly registered queries with the cache key and evaluating whether compatible newly registered queries match the record.
US09026515B2

Methods and apparatuses to present communication references obtained from different sources to connect people for real time communications. One embodiment includes: receiving a search request from a user; searching a first data source according to the search request to obtain information about a first entity; assigning to the first entity a first reference to be used to request a connection server to provide a connection between the user and the first entity for real time communications; searching a second data source according to the search request to obtain information about a second entity, including a second reference for requesting a connection for real time communications with the second entity without going through the connection server; and providing to the user a combined, sorted list of entities in response to the search request, including the first reference for the first entity and the second reference for the second entity.
US09026509B2

A system for the support and management of search for documents is presents. The system includes knowledge-database, query interface and communication to a database of documents to be searched. Information generated during a search session is collected by the system and is added to the knowledge-database. The information is ranked automatically according to the usage of that information by the user. During successive search session, or during search made by other users, the system uses the knowledge-database to support the users with keywords, queries and reference to documents.
US09026502B2

Example systems and methods of database migration optimized by feedback are presented. In one example, a migration of database data from a first to a second database by multiple concurrent processes may be initiated on a computing system. Processing time of at least some of the processes may be monitored during the migration. Based on this monitoring, at least one portion of the database data being migrated by one of the concurrent processes may be segmented into multiple segments, wherein each of the multiple segments may be migrated by a separate one of the concurrent processes. Also, a load on the computing system may be monitored during the migration. Based on this monitoring, a number of the concurrent processes may be adjusted. In other examples, consistency checking for subsequent database migrations may be based on consistency checking results for the current migration.
US09026501B2

Method, system, and computer program product embodiments for recording data on a contactless integrated circuit (IC) memory associated with a data storage cartridge are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, an index of a plurality of files to be recorded on a storage media of the data storage cartridge is parsed with a table of contents (TOC) profile file to build a table of contents (TOC) specific to an owning application of the plurality of files. The TOC is written to the contactless IC memory.
US09026499B1

According to one embodiment, recovering file systems by restoring partitions is described. In one example, a method includes discovering an error in a storage partition of a file storage system, the storage partition including identification metadata to identify itself to the file system, finding a backup storage partition containing data and identification metadata corresponding to that of the error storage partition, restoring the error storage partition using the backup storage partition, and using the restored identification metadata to identify the restored storage partition to the file system.
US09026498B2

A data storage system allows a user to search a secondary copy such as a back up, archive, or snapshot and receive an abbreviated version of the secondary copy of the file system as a result of the search. The abbreviated version of the secondary copy of the file system may include metadata such as a listing of secondary copy data that correspond with a search term or other filtering criteria provided by the user. An operating system of the user's computing device may mount the abbreviated version so that it can be displayed within a view of the file system of the computing device. Once a user selects one or more desired data objects listed in the abbreviated version, the selected actual one or more data objects are retrieved from secondary storage.
US09026490B2

A technique for synchronizing a datum between a plurality of stores, wherein a version history is associated with the datum in each store. The version history has one or more entries, and each entry has an identifier and a value. The identifier identifies a store that has modified the datum, and indicates a number of modifications to the datum. When synchronizing the datum between stores, the version histories of the datum are compared to determine whether one version history is subordinate to another version history. The datum having the subordinate version history is then replaced with the datum having the dominant version history. Conflict resolution is required if the version histories are not identical, if the version histories do not have the same identifiers, and if one version history does not contain all of the identifiers with equal or greater values of those in the other version history.
US09026489B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer method, computer program product, and computer system for automatically updating a conference invitation with contact information corresponding to a user's geographical location. A user on a client device accepts an invitation to a conference. The geographical location of the client device is determined and stored in a database. Using the location of the client device, a conference information database is accessed, and location specific conference contact information is determined. The location specific conference contact information is then input into the conference invitation so that the user has location specific conference contact information. In another embodiment, when the user accesses the conference invitation, the location of the client device is determined, and if the location has changed from when the invitation was accepted, a new location is determined. The conference contact information for the new location is determined and input into the invitation.
US09026487B2

In one embodiment, a system is provided. The system includes a first client. The system also includes an analysis server coupled to the first client. The system further includes a first customer database of information coupled to the analysis server. The first customer database is to embody forecast data and to receive essentially real-time updates to the forecast data. The first customer database supports an OLAP cube associated with the analysis server.
US09026483B1

Techniques are described for automatically facilitating the performance of tasks based on automatically generating predictions about future task performance, and then using the generated task performance prediction information in various ways. For example, as tasks are performed via a task exchange server system, various information about the tasks and their performance may be tracked, and the tracked information may then be analyzed to identify relationships between various of the information related to the tasks and to corresponding information about the performance of the tasks. Based on the identified relationship information, the task exchange server may automatically generate predictions regarding how performance of additional tasks will occur in the future, such as by determining task performance information that corresponds to information available about the additional tasks. The automatically generated task performance prediction information may then be used to facilitate performance of tasks in various manners.
US09026478B2

In an embodiment, information for use in identifying a plurality of sub-solvers may be acquired. The plurality of sub-solvers may be used in a first attempt to find at least one solution to a problem that may be defined in the acquired information. At least two of the sub-solvers in the plurality of sub-solvers may be of different sub-solver types. The sub-solvers may be identified based on the acquired information. One or more starting points for the identified sub-solvers may be identified and transferred to the identified sub-solvers. One or more outputs, that indicate one or more results associated with the first attempt to find at least one solution to the problem, may be acquired from the identified sub-solvers. One or more sub-solvers may be identified, based on the acquired one or more outputs, for use in a second attempt to find at least one solution to the problem.
US09026474B2

A method and system for generating printable certificates to verify log authenticity. A logging module generates a compound document that includes metadata for changes made to pages in a document. Each time a change is made to the document, such as adding stroke data, the logging module updates the compound document with the changes. The online marketplace module displays an option for purchasing a printable certificate. In response to a request for a certificate, the logging module generates a printable certificate that includes a set number of hashes for previous transactions. The verification module can recreate a transaction and generate a hash that is compared to the certificate to verify that no tampering has occurred with the document.
US09026469B2

An Internet based system for executing transactions is described. The system may include transaction data, a database, a business logic manager and user profiles. A rules may also be included, and store information about system responses to modifications of the data. The user profiles may be configured to store information concerning the availability of information and displays depending upon the user.
US09026463B1

An online video distribution network includes an online video portal and an online video merchant. In one embodiment, when the consumer orders a video, the merchant provides a pick-up ticket to the consumer. The portal uses the merchant identity in the pick-up ticket to connect to the merchant, and the merchant uses a product identity in the pick-up ticket to retrieve and send the video to the portal. In another embodiment, the portal provides the consumer with a drop-off ticket, which is provided to the merchant. The merchant connects to the portal using the portal identity in the drop-off ticket, and sends the video and a customer identity in the drop-off ticket to the portal. The portal determines a consumer record associated with the consumer identity and stores the video in the consumer record. The consumer can then easily access the video at the portal.
US09026456B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for managing business responsibilities. During operation, the system receives a user request for a business responsibility and forwards the request to a managing entity, thereby allowing the managing entity to approve or deny the request. If the managing entity approves the user's request, the system identifies one or more resources corresponding to the requested business responsibility, and provisions the credentials required to access the identified resources, thereby allowing the user to access the business responsibility without managing the required credentials. The system further notifies the user that the requested business responsibility is accessible. If the managing entity denies the user's request, the system notifies the user that the request is denied.
US09026445B2

A system and method to allow an author of an instant message to enable and control the production of audible speech to the recipient of the message. The voice of the author of the message is characterized into parameters compatible with a formative or articulative text-to-speech engine such that upon receipt, the receiving client device can generate audible speech signals from the message text according to the characterization of the author's voice. Alternatively, the author can store samples of his or her actual voice in a server so that, upon transmission of a message by the author to a recipient, the server extracts the samples needed only to synthesize the words in the text message, and delivers those to the receiving client device so that they are used by a client-side concatenative text-to-speech engine to generate audible speech signals having a close likeness to the actual voice of the author.
US09026425B2

A translation method is adapted to a domain of interest. The method includes receiving a source text string comprising a sequence of source words in a source language and generating a set of candidate translations of the source text string, each candidate translation comprising a sequence of target words in a target language. An optimal translation is identified from the set of candidate translations as a function of at least one domain-adapted feature computed based on bilingual probabilities and monolingual probabilities. Each bilingual probability is for a source text fragment and a target text fragment of the source text string and candidate translation respectively. The bilingual probabilities are estimated on an out-of-domain parallel corpus that includes source and target strings. The monolingual probabilities for text fragments of one of the source text string and candidate translation are estimated on an in-domain monolingual corpus.
US09026415B2

A method of modeling a segment of a pipeline transporting a product comprising defining within the segment a plurality of discrete cells, each disposed between knots, preparing a system of equations relating the conservations of mass, momentum and energy for each cell along with equations for the liquid phase flow area of cells with tight, slack and minimum area flow modes, providing data relating to the product and the location and elevation of the cells, sensing a plurality of conditions within known cells, solving the system of equations, initiating a re-stepping process by re-assessing the flow modes of each cell and re-setting flow modes for cells with unstable flow modes, and re-solving the system of equations using stable flow modes. An embodiment of the method includes excepting one or more cells from the re-stepping portion where a recurrent pattern of flow mode change is detected.
US09026410B2

A method for simplifying a complex well-formed formula (WFF) may include receiving, in a formula processor, an input WFF and converting the input WFF into an initial bit array. The method may further include simplifying the initial bit array into a simplified bit array by removing predicates from the initial bit array not necessary to represent the input WFF. The method may include converting the simplified bit array into a return WFF in either a conjunctive normal form or a disjunctive normal form.
US09026406B2

A method, apparatus and computer program product is disclosed for determining the strain induced at a selected point in a stiffened panel structure in response to a load, taking into account one or more out of plane (OOP) effects.
US09026399B2

Temperatures of intake-air temperature, intercooler outlet temperature and intake manifold temperature sensors are compared in cold time of an engine to determine any characteristic abnormality of the sensors. A first temperature difference is obtained from temperatures of the intercooler outlet temperature sensor before and after increase in boost pressure to determine any characteristic abnormality of the intercooler outlet temperature sensor. A second temperature difference is obtained from temperatures of the intake manifold temperature and intercooler outlet temperature sensors after opening an EGR valve to determine any characteristic abnormality of the intake manifold temperature sensor.
US09026398B2

A motion analysis device includes two posture angle sensors attached to a measurement object at locations distant from each other, a data acquisition section, a posture angle correction section, and a deformation amount calculation section. The data acquisition section acquires data of a first posture angle and a second posture angle respectively detected by the posture angle sensors. The posture angle correction section corrects a difference between the first posture angle and the second posture angle after starting a motion of the measurement object in accordance with a difference between the first posture angle and the second posture angle before starting the motion of the measurement object. The deformation amount calculation section calculates a deformation amount of the measurement object based on a difference between the first posture angle and the second posture angle corrected by the posture angle correction section.
US09026394B2

The present disclosure generally relates to the automated testing of a system that includes software or hardware components. In some embodiments, a testing framework generates a set of test cases for a system under test using a grammar. Each test case may perform an action, such as provide an input to the system under test, and result in an output from the system under test. The inputs and outputs are then compared to the expected results to determine whether the system under test is performing correctly. The data can then be interpreted in the grammar system or used as input to a fault isolation engine to determine anomalies in the system under test. Based on identified faults, one or more mitigation techniques may be implemented in an automated fashion.
US09026390B2

A time-interleaved RF triggering method and system on a test and measurement instrument includes an acquisition component that samples a waveform, which is converted into an amplitude, phase, frequency, in-phase (I), and quadrature (Q) waveform, any of which can be used for triggering an RF digital trigger, including triggering that uses demodulation and/or decoding of the down-converted complex IQ data samples for a given protocol. Aliasing caused by subsampled data in each of the interleaved acquisition components is cancelled out using a fractional time-shift filter.
US09026389B2

A first estimated state of charge is output based on an estimated open voltage of a secondary battery. A second estimated state of charge is output based on the result obtained by integrating the measured current of the secondary battery and the upper limit of the error of the measured current and the capacity of the secondary battery. A third estimated state of charge is output based on the result obtained by integrating the measured current and the lower limit of the error of the measured current and the battery capacity. A fourth estimated state of charge is output based on the result obtained by integrating the measured current and the battery capacity. The fourth estimated state of charge is output as a state of charge within the period of the predetermined period.
US09026381B2

A problem of the present invention is to provide a flow rate measurement device which is capable of simplifying calculation, reducing the amount of memory necessary for calculation, absorbing variations in the flow rate which changes in various ways depending on the state of usage, and improving identification precision of appliances with a configuration which extracts characteristics of appliances. The flow rate measurement device monitors and determines the change in the flow rate measured by a flow rate measurement unit, and extracts and determines codes obtained by a differential conversion unit and appliance characteristic flow rates representing the characteristics of gas appliances, thereby identifying the gas appliances in which appliance characteristics vary depending on the state of usage.
US09026371B2

A method for determining bias across two domains comprising gene expression data. The method can comprise (a) providing a first domain and a second domain; (b) obtaining information indicative of a bias within the first domain; (c) obtaining information indicative of a bias within the second domain; and (d) using the information indicative of the bias within the first domain and the information indicative of the bias within the second domain to produce an indication of bias across the two domains.
US09026370B2

A method and system is disclosed for operating a medical device with or without a cassette in place. A method is disclosed for adding additional VTBI to an ongoing infusion without stopping the infusion and with maintaining the infusion parameters. A method and system is disclosed for changing the CCA without having to interrupt or completely stop an ongoing infusion. Quick titration buttons are provided to allow improved navigation between various delivery display screens.
US09026369B2

Methods, computer program products, and systems are described that include accepting an indication of an individual's compliance with an artificial sensory experience and presenting an indication of a bioactive agent at least partly based on the indication of the individual's compliance with the artificial sensory experience.
US09026367B2

The claimed subject matter provides a method for navigating to dynamic destinations. The method includes associating a leader mobile device with a follower mobile device. The method also includes displaying, on the follower mobile device, a first path from a follower vehicle to a first location of a leader vehicle. The follower vehicle is associated with the follower mobile device. The leader vehicle is associated with the leader mobile device. The method further includes displaying, on the follower mobile device, a second path from the follower vehicle to a second location of the leader vehicle.
US09026365B2

A method of determining the appropriateness of satellite orbit modeling is provided. The method includes calculating values of parameters, that the predetermined model has, on the basis of predicted position data including a first predicted position at a first point of time and a second predicted position at a second point of time of a positioning satellite in time series, calculating a first and a second calculated positions of the positioning satellite derived from the predetermined model by using the values of the parameters; and determining the appropriateness of the predetermined model using the values of the parameters, on the basis of first difference between the first predicted position and the first calculated position, and seconded difference between the second predicted position and the second calculated position. The predetermined model is used when approximating a satellite orbit of the poisoning satellite.
US09026354B1

Methods and computer-readable media are provided to determine optimal locations at which it is suggested that a mobile device download portions of a map corresponding to an initial location and a destination location. A navigation server receives an indication of an initial location and a destination location from the mobile device and retrieves a map corresponding to a route between the two locations. A first download location is determined based on one or more of signal strength, a time of day that the map is likely to be downloaded, periods of known high saturation, a battery level of the mobile device, and/or a cost associated with roaming. Using one or more of these factors, the first download location is determined and is communicated to the mobile device.
US09026350B1

A Center of Gravity Determination Apparatus for Fixed Wing Aerial Systems (NC#102046) comprising a lifting support structure designed to support a fixed wing aerial system (FWAS) wherein the lifting support structure allows the FWAS to freely pitch, a 3-D translation mechanism, operatively coupled to the lifting support structure, designed to precisely position the lifting support structure in the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis, a base support structure, operatively coupled to the 3-D translation mechanism, designed to support other components, at least one resting support structure, operatively coupled to the base support structure, designed to support the FWAS when the lifting support structure is not providing support to the FWAS and wherein the at least one resting support structure is designed to prevent the FWAS from pitching, rolling, or yawing when the lifting support structure is not providing support to the FWAS.
US09026346B2

There is disclosed a method of providing detailed information using a multimedia based traffic and travel information message and a terminal for executing the same. A method of providing detailed information using a multimedia based traffic in accordance with this document may comprise receiving transport protocol expert group (TPEG) information, comprising a road traffic message and a multimedia based traffic and travel information message and comprised of a hierarchical structure, displaying one or more events comprised in the road traffic message, allowing a request for detailed information about any one of the events to be input, and receiving detailed information of a multimedia type from a multimedia data providing server through specific one of bearer information comprised in the multimedia based traffic and travel information message and providing the received detailed information.
US09026345B2

Methods and systems are provided for performing a vehicle-off fuel system leak test. A vehicle controller may be woken up after a vehicle has been in a key-off condition for a sufficient amount of time to monitor a fuel tank for pressure and temperature stabilization. If the pressure and temperature of the fuel tank is stable, a fuel pump may be operated to raise a fuel tank vapor pressure, and fuel system leaks are identified based on a rate of pressure decay from the fuel tank.
US09026341B2

An apparatus for detecting an abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine includes: a detecting unit detecting the abnormal air-fuel ratio variation on the basis of output fluctuations of at least one predetermined target cylinder when fuel injection amount changing control for changing a fuel injection amount of the target cylinder by a predetermined amount is executed; and an air-fuel ratio control unit causing an air-fuel ratio detected on the basis of a signal output from an air-fuel ratio sensor provided in an exhaust passage to follow a predetermined target air-fuel ratio. When the fuel injection amount changing control is executed, a target air-fuel ratio in the air-fuel ratio feedback control is shifted from the predetermined target air-fuel ratio by an amount corresponding to an amount of change of the fuel injection amount of the target cylinder in the fuel injection amount changing control.
US09026336B2

An engine monitoring module includes a housing configured to be mounted at the aircraft engine and a first wireless transmitter carried by the housing. A memory is carried by the housing and a processor is carried by the housing and coupled to the memory and the first wireless transmitter and configured to collect and store in the memory engine data relating to at least one engine parameter sensed during operation of the aircraft engine by a plurality of engine sensors that transmit the engine data via the first wireless transmitter. A wireless receiver is located within the aircraft and configured to receive the engine data transmitted from the first wireless transmitter. A second wireless transmitter is located within the aircraft and operatively connected to the wireless receiver and configured to receive and transmit the engine data.
US09026329B2

A method for managing torque transmitting mechanism actuator output pressure under low supply pressure conditions is provided. The method is executable to control engagement of a torque transmitting mechanism during such conditions.
US09026324B2

A deceleration indication value is set so as to prevent a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle on the basis of front side information or to prevent traffic lane deviation, and automatic braking is performed. When automatic braking is performed, a transfer clutch is coupled, a deceleration generated by synchronization of a main drive shaft and a propeller shaft is calculated, the deceleration indication value G is corrected based on the deceleration and a brake liquid pressure corresponding to a corrected deceleration indication value is applied to a brake drive unit.
US09026322B2

A speed change controlling apparatus in which the mode of driving force transmission is depends upon the roll angle of a vehicle body. When a roll angle is within a range from a second roll angle, which corresponds to a full bank state, to a first roll angle, speed change operation is carried out by soft speed change control in which variation of the driving force with respect to time is smaller than that by normal speed change control. If the roll angle is within another range from the first roll angle to a third roll angle, then normal speed change is carried out and if the roll angle is within a further range from an uprightly standing state to the third roll angle, then speed change operation is executed by direct speed change. When the roll angle is greater than the second roll angle, speed change is inhibited.
US09026317B2

A multimonitor (display unit) is mounted in a mobile construction machine including an undercarriage and working equipment each driven by an engine, the multimonitor receiving a data of instant fuel consumption from a controller for controlling a fuel quantity to be supplied to the engine. The multimonitor includes a display including a single eco gauge (fuel-consumption indicator) for displaying fuel consumption in a street mode in which an undercarriage is operated and fuel consumption in a work mode in which working equipment is operated, a 100%-gauge fuel-consumption calculator that calculates a full-scale fuel consumption value in a full scale of the eco gauge based on target fuel consumption in the respective modes, and a gauge-display-value calculator that calculates a ratio of the instant fuel consumption to the 100% fuel consumption calculated by the 100%-gauge fuel-consumption value calculator.
US09026313B2

The invention relates to a drive arrangement for the motorized adjustment of a flap arrangement for a motor vehicle, with a drive controller for producing a desired flap adjustment by means of at least one drive, wherein the flap arrangement is configured with two flap wings, wherein the two flap wings are each substantially pivotable about a respective spaced-apart, parallel pivot axis and, in the closed state, are in engagement with each other via a respective free wing end opposite the respective pivot axis. The two flap wings are assigned collision pivoting regions which are mounted upstream of the respective closed position and in which the movement regions of the flap wings overlap in such a manner that a predetermined opening and closing sequence has to be observed there in order to avoid collisions between the free wing ends.
US09026312B2

A test buck, a test buck system and related method are disclosed. The test buck system may comprise a controller and a test buck. The test buck may include a portable bed, a seat module mounted to the bed, and a first OIM disposed on the bed. At least a portion of the first OIM may be selectively moveable in at least four degrees of freedom, up to six degrees of freedom. The controller may be electrically connected to a first Operator Interface Module (OIM). The controller may be configured to selectively move at least a portion of the first OIM in at least four to six degrees of freedom.
US09026309B2

A variable-geometry suspension apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus having a resiliently compressible member, such as a coil-over damper, an actuator and support structure, such as a chassis of a vehicle. The resiliently compressible member is mounted to the support structure for compression under the weight of a mass suspendable by the apparatus. The compressible member is mounted with at least one end of the compressible member displaceable in a displacement direction having a component perpendicular to the direction of compression, so that such displacement varies the geometry of the suspension apparatus and thereby varies the compression of the compressible member. The actuator is arranged for displacing the end of the compressible member in the displacement direction to vary the geometry and thereby vary the compression. Applications include motor vehicles such as cars and motorcycles.
US09026305B2

A vehicle service or inspection system including a load roller for applying a radial load to a vehicle wheel assembly consisting of a tire mounted to a rim, with at least one sensor for acquiring measurements of acoustical energy generated by the wheel assembly during loaded rotational movement. The vehicle service or inspection system is configured with a programmed processor to evaluate the acquired measurements to provide a measure of tire road noise, identification of tire defects, and/or identification of sources of noise, vibrations, or acoustical energy on the tire surface such as tire flat spots, cupping, bubbles, embedded foreign objects, or other defects. The processor is further configured with software instructions to utilize the acquired measurements to provide a consumer with a figure of merit associated with the acoustics of the tire undergoing testing.
US09026299B2

A navigation system for a robotic mower includes a boundary wire defining a boundary of a specified area; a boundary sensor assembly, and a vehicle control unit with a navigation arbitration logic configured to arbitrate a selection between at least a straight propagation mode and an arc propagation mode. The navigation arbitration module is configured to select the arc propagation mode when the sensor assembly indicates that the mower approaches the boundary of the specified area and has a distance from the boundary that is equal to or smaller than a specified turn distance. The boundary sensor assembly generates a sensor signal representative of a measured yaw angle of the mower relative to the boundary wire, and the navigation arbitration logic is configured to generate output information representative of a desired yaw angle dependent on an assumed actual yaw angle.
US09026295B2

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which is provided with an engine and an electric motor each functioning as a drive power source, and a clutch selectively connecting the engine and the electric motor to each other, said control apparatus being configured to switch a drive mode of the hybrid vehicle between an engine-driven running with at least said engine of the drive power source consisting of the engine and said electric motor used as the drive power source and with said clutch placed in a fully engaged state, and an electric-motor-driven running with said electric motor used as the drive power source and with said clutch placed in a released state, includes: a clutch temperature calculating portion configured to calculate, during said engine-driven running, an estimated temperature of said clutch upon a next engaging action of the clutch for switching of said drive mode from the following electric-motor-driven running back to the engine-driven running; and a switching control portion configured to continue the engine-driven running while inhibiting a releasing action of said clutch if said estimated temperature of the clutch calculated by said clutch temperature calculating portion is not lower than a predetermined overheat threshold value.
US09026286B2

A plugin hybrid vehicle is installed with an engine, an oil pump coupled to an output shaft of the engine to be driven by the engine, a motor/generator coupled to the output shaft of the engine, and a battery. An ECU controls the motor/generator to rotate the output shaft of the engine during charging of the battery using power supplied from a power source on the exterior of the plugin hybrid vehicle.
US09026285B2

A battery charging method for a hybrid vehicle and the hybrid vehicle using the same are disclosed. The hybrid vehicle includes an engine and a motor as power source and includes the battery in which electrical energy for driving the motor is stored. The method and system may include: determining whether the battery needs to be charged while the vehicle is stopped; transitioning a transmission to a neutral position (N position) when the battery needs to be charged; starting the engine and engaging an engine clutch to connect the engine with the motor so that the motor generates electrical energy via power from the engine. The electrical energy generated by the motor is then stored in the battery accordingly.
US09026284B2

A multi-mode control system for a locomotive includes a throttle control device having notch settings corresponding to, for a first, long haul mode, control signals for providing respective tractive effort or power from the locomotive, a master controller in communication with the throttle control device and adapted to receive said control signals from the throttle control device and to transmit respective command signals to power-train components of the locomotive to achieve the respective tractive effort or power, the master controller also adapted for sending alternative command signals when a user-operable mode selector is set to one of one or more alternative modes. The user-operable mode selector includes one or more user interface devices in communication with the master controller for selecting one alternative mode of the one or more alternative modes.
US09026281B2

A device for monitoring the status of a railcar handbrake having a hand operated handle, which device has a load bearing member configured to be inserted in the linkage of a railcar handbrake system so that the force applied to the brake system passes through the load bearing member. A strain gauge mounted on the load bearing member measures the strain. The information from the strain gauge is indicative of the force applied by the handbrake to the brake and is used to determine the status of the handbrake. Means for determining motion of the railcar is also provided. In one form, if it is determined that the brake is on and the railcar is in motion, information, such as an alarm, is transmitted. A system and method of monitoring a railcar handbrake are also provided.
US09026280B2

Provided herein is a method for detecting landing quality of an aircraft. Method steps include using an aircraft data system to determine whether a vertical speed rate is greater than a first preset value when the aircraft lands; determine whether a vertical acceleration is greater than a second preset value if the vertical speed rate is not greater than the first preset value when the aircraft lands; collect landing data; generate a landing message based on the collected landing data; store or transmit the landing message; and determine the landing quality based on the landing data in the landing message.
US09026279B2

A plurality of wireless engine sensors each sense an engine parameter as engine data and transmits wirelessly the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameters and receives data regarding a sampling rate. An engine monitoring module is mounted at the aircraft engine and a wireless sensor transceiver is configured to receive the engine data regarding sensed engine parameters from the wireless engine sensors. A first wireless transmitter is carried by the housing. A memory is carried by the housing. A processor is coupled to the memory, sensor transceiver and the first wireless transmitter and collects and stores in the memory engine data relating to engine parameters and transmits the engine data via the first wireless transmitter.
US09026277B2

A method for reducing vibrations in an airframe of an aircraft includes determining, with a processor, information indicative of an initial error value between a desired vibration level and a measured vibration level in the airframe; determining, with the processor, an initial adjustment solution for the aircraft in response to the determining of the information for the initial error value; receiving, with the processor, information indicative of a flight response to the initial adjustment solution; combining, with the processor, disturbance signals indicative of vibration noise with the information for the flight response; determining, with the processor, a subsequent error value between the desired vibration level and a subsequent measured vibration level; and determining, with the processor, a predicted adjustment solution in response to the determining of the subsequent error value.
US09026272B2

A system and methods for autonomously tracking and simultaneously providing surveillance of a target from air vehicles. In one embodiment the system receives inputs from outside sources, creates tracks, identifies the targets and generates flight plans for unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and camera controls for surveillance of the targets. The system uses predictive algorithms and aircraft control laws. The system comprises a plurality of modules configured to accomplish these tasks. One embodiment comprises an automatic target recognition (ATR) module configured to receive video information, process the video information, and produce ATR information including target information. The embodiment further comprises a multisensor integrator (MSI) module configured to receive the ATR information, an air vehicle state input and a target state input, process the inputs and produce track information for the target. The embodiment further comprises a target module configured to receive the track information, process the track information, and produce predicted future state target information. The embodiment further comprises an ownship module configured to receive the track information, process the track information, and produce predicted future state air vehicle information. The embodiment further comprises a planner module configured to receive the predicted future state target information and the predicted future state air vehicle information and generate travel path information including flight and camera steering commands for the air vehicle.
US09026270B2

Mobile drilling devices and systems, methods, and computer-readable media for controlling such devices are provided. One method includes receiving user input from a user of a mobile computing device. The method further includes transmitting data based on the user input from the mobile computing device to a control circuit of a mobile drilling device via a wireless network connection. The method further includes generating a plurality of control signals based on the data received from the mobile computing device. Each of the plurality of control signals is configured to control movement of a separate one of a plurality of movement devices of the mobile drilling device. The plurality of movement devices are configured to move the mobile drilling device between locations.
US09026267B2

Selectively enabling a vehicle by way of a portable wireless device. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: enabling a vehicle when a portable wireless device is communicatively coupled to an onboard device by way of a first communication network; sending an indication of location of the vehicle to a data center; and disabling the vehicle when the portable wireless device is no longer communicatively coupled to the onboard device. In some cases, the sending by: receiving global positioning system (GPS) signals by the portable wireless device; establishing that the portable wireless device is proximate to the vehicle; and sending an indication of location to the data center, the sending by the portable wireless device.
US09026258B2

In order to specify a method for the regulation of a wind park (1) comprised of a multiplicity of wind energy installations (WT1, . . . , WT9), wherein the wind park (1) is connected to an electric utility grid (12) into which the electric power generated by the wind park (1) is fed, and the wind park (1) includes a control input (13) by means of which nominal controlled variables (15, 16) of the wind park (1) can be set, which can be adapted to highly different wind park topologies using the least possible adaptation expenditures, which permits the addition or removal of wind energy installations to or from the wind park with minimal adaptation expenditures, which is utilizable without a measurement of the park network data at the grid transfer point and which, moreover, allows the integration of wind energy installations by different manufacturers into a wind park, it is proposed that each wind energy installation (WT1, . . . , WT9) is regulated decentralized in order to maintain at least one nominal controlled variable (15, 16) of the wind park (1), wherein as a function of the nominal controlled variable (15, 16) for the wind park (1) at least one controlled input variable (P1ref, Q1ref) for the wind energy installation (WT1, . . . , WT9) is calculated.
US09026256B2

A system and method for real-time feeder reconfiguration are disclosed for load balancing in distribution system automation. The load balancing of transformers and feeders can be achieved by load transfer from an overloaded transformer or feeder to an adjacent transformer or feeder which is lightly loaded. An exemplary method can include defining an objective function as a sum of squares of the load deviation of transformers/feeders. The minimization of this objective function determines the optimal operating states (open or closed) of sectionalizing switches. The load balancing operation of transformer and feeder can be carried out by a single operation in which a plurality of switches is reconfigured.
US09026251B2

Proposed is a monitoring device for monitoring and/or sensing predefined positions of a robotic device (5) having at least two axes of motion. The monitoring device comprises at least two sensors (15, 16), the first (15) of which is defined to sense a horizontal position and/or rotative position of the main support (9) and the second sensor (16) a defined horizontal position of the robotic arm (11). The monitoring device comprises furthermore sensor active faces (17a, 18a, 18b) arranged selectively for the first sensor (15) arranged in the horizontal motion zone and/or swiveling zone of the robotic device (5).
US09026247B2

The present technology is directed to motion and video capture for tracking and evaluating robotic surgery. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one tracking device coupled to a remote surgical tool. The tracking device is configured to use one or more sensors to sense one or more physical variables such as movement and electrical contact. In some embodiments, the data from multiple individual sensors is synchronized, received, and stored by a digital information system. The digital information system is configured to analyze the data to objectively assess surgical skill.
US09026243B2

The invention relates to an order picking station (48) and a method of picking articles from loading aids (2) by an order picker, adjoined by automated conveyor systems (20, 41) disposed on different height levels, loading aids (2) being conveyed to the order picking station (48) on a first conveyor system (20) and loading aids (2) being conveyed away from the order picking station (48) by a second conveyor system (41), and comprising a loading aid supply apparatus (61), an automated first loading aid transport apparatus for transporting loading aids (2) to the loading aid supply apparatus (61) and an automated second loading aid transport apparatus for transporting loading aids (2) away from the loading aid supply apparatus (61), and the first loading aid transport apparatus has a first carrying unit (62) for a loading aid (2) and the second loading aid transport apparatus has a second carrying unit (63) for a loading aid (2). The first carrying unit (62) and second carrying unit (63) are coupled by a common, reversible positioning drive (65). The invention further relates to an order picking system and a storage system with such an order picking station (48).
US09026231B2

Electrode structures for transvascular nerve stimulation combine electrodes with an electrically-insulating backing layer. The backing layer increases the electrical impedance of electrical paths through blood in a lumen of a blood vessel and consequently increases the flow of electrical current through surrounding tissues. The electrode structures may be applied to stimulate nerves such as the phrenic, vagus, trigeminal, obturator or other nerves.
US09026230B2

An electrode pad packaging system including an electrode pouch, an electrode pad (e.g., a defibrillation electrode pad) and a sacrificial source of moisture is disclosed. The electrode pad and the sacrificial source of moisture are each disposed at least partially within the electrode pouch.
US09026228B2

An implantable neurostimulation lead, method and system adapted for tripolar electric simulation and/or field steering. The neurostimulation lead is are adapted to provide an electrode array defining, for example, a plurality of electrode sets that may be used to provide tripolar stimulation and/or electric field steering.
US09026208B2

An implantable medical device, comprised of at least one lead configured to be located proximate to a heart, the at least one lead including electrodes, at least a portion of the electrodes configured to sense cardiac activity. A therapy module configured to control delivery of pacing pulses in accordance with a therapy timing and based on the cardiac sensed activity sensed. Cardiac impedance (CI) sensor circuitry configured to be coupled to at least a first combination of the electrodes to sense cardiac impedance (CI), the CI sensor circuitry generating an impedance data stream associated with a corresponding CI sensing vector.
US09026205B2

An implantable apparatus for delivering electrical stimuli to a user, the apparatus including at least a stimulator adapted to generate stimulation signals, an electrode array, said array including a plurality of electrodes for delivering said stimulation signals; and a plurality of release sites for pharmaceutical agents, said release sites being positioned at locations along said array, said release sites being controlled such that said agents can be operatively delivered at selected ones of said locations.
US09026199B2

Apparatus and methods are described, included a method for detecting uterine contractions in a pregnant woman. The method includes sensing motion of the woman without contacting the woman, generating a signal corresponding to the sensed motion, and analyzing the signal to detect presence of labor contractions. Other applications are also described.
US09026198B2

A method for determining the signal quality of samples in a physiological signal, in particular an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal, is provided. A supra-threshold sample sum, a noise threshold crossing sum, or both are calculated in a noise detection window including the sample to be evaluated, and low signal quality is indicated if either or both of the sums exceed respective values. ECG beat detections can then be labeled as unreliable based on the determination of low signal quality for one or more samples between the detections.
US09026193B2

Hardware and software methodology are described for cardiac health measurement. Hemodynamic waveforms variously acquired for a subject are analyzed to calculate or approximate intrinsic frequencies in two domains in two domains across the Dicrotic Notch. The intrinsic frequencies provide metrics/measures that correlate to the cardiac health of the subject. The systems may be used for monitoring a condition and/or is diagnosis. Exemplary uses include identifying (diagnosing) the presence of arrhythmia, heat failure, atrial fibrillation, aneurysms, vessel stenosis or aortic valve dysfunction and the necessity for valve replacement and/or monitoring congestive heart failure progression, together with identifying the acute need for hospitalization in connection with daily testing for any such condition.
US09026187B2

A mobile device peripheral that incorporates a repeater antenna inside of a protective case for a mobile device to extend the range of short-range communications while minimizing interference caused by the thickness or materials of the protective case. The repeater antenna can be capable of receiving a wireless signal from an antenna in the mobile device and transmitting the same signal or an amplified version of the same signal. The repeater antenna can be capable of receiving a wireless signal from an external antenna and transmitting the same signal or an amplified version of the same signal to the mobile device. The mobile device peripheral can also include a battery that provides additional power the mobile device. Without a repeater antenna, the materials and/or thickness of the additional battery and/or the case can partially or completely block a short-range, low-frequency, or low-power communication signal such as Near Field Communication (NFC).
US09026178B2

A method for operating a mobile terminal device comprising at least two displays is disclosed. Information of a first group on a first display module is displayed, if only a first display module is externally exposed. Information of a second group different from the first group on the first display module and a second display module is displayed, if both the first display module and the second display module are externally exposed.
US09026163B2

Embodiments describe arrangements related to offload scanning of large scan lists. Embodiments may comprise logic such as hardware and/or code to facilitate offloading of the scans of large scan lists, e.g., lists on the order of thousands of networks or access points for networks, to network adapters such as wireless network interface cards. Many embodiments provide a network adapter with a compressed representation of a large scan list that may not fit uncompressed in memory of the network adapter. In some embodiments, the compressed representation of the scan list may be lossy, introducing balances related to the memory size on the network adapter, the extent of compression, and the list size, as well as a balance between the memory size and a probability of false positives. In many embodiments, the network adapter may wake the host device upon identifying a network on a scan list.
US09026152B2

Mobile station information is exchanged between a plurality of distributed mobility agents (106, 108). The exchange is initiated by a mobility agent (106) associated with a last known network access point (110) that has communicated with the mobile station (114). The mobile station (114) is paged from at least one network access point using an available air interface technology to interface with the mobile station (114) and using the mobile station information. No centralized controller is used in the paging.
US09026150B2

A method of tracking a first wireless communications device using another computing device, such as a second wireless communications device, includes obtaining current position data for the first wireless communications device and obtaining one or more of speed data, time data, and path data for the first wireless communications device. The first wireless device then transmits the current position data and at least one of the speed data, time data and path data to the second wireless communications device or other computing device. In addition to current position data, the speed, path and time data facilitate tracking of the first wireless communications device. When a first mobile user wants a second mobile user to follow him, the first mobile user can put his device in “follow me” (tracking) mode. This is particularly useful when the first and second mobile users are traveling in respective cars or other vehicles.
US09026146B2

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for associating communication information with a geographic location-aware contact entry. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include identifying a geographic location. The method may also include receiving a communication including identification information and originating from the geographic location. Further, the method may include associating the identification information with a contact entry.
US09026145B1

A computer-implemented method that includes receiving a location from a location aware access device and an IP address of a network device to which the location aware access device is connected, receiving a request that includes the IP address of the network device from a location unaware access device that is connected to the network device, determining a geographic location for the location unaware access device based on the IP address of the network device and the location received from the location aware access device, selecting information responsive to the request from the location unaware access device based at least in part on the geographic location, and providing the selected information to the location unaware access device.
US09026139B2

A location-based cognitive and predictive communication system includes an interface connected to sensors to receive transactional data for an individual measured by the sensors. A memory stores the transactional data. The transactional data may be associated with a current travel path for the individual and includes a time and geographic location for the individual on the travel path. A prediction module may determine a current activity for the individual based on a prediction determined from the transactional data and may determine a choice set for the individual based on the current activity and based on predictions for a group for which the individual is a member. The choice set may include choices associated with transportation for the current travel path of the individual.
US09026133B2

The systems and methods disclosed herein can implement a handset agent calibration solution that uses the GPS receivers on mobile devices to determine a location of the mobile device to calibrate timing based locating systems. The handset agent can be installed on the mobile device and can upload to an internet server the coordinates captured by the GPS receiver along with the observed time differences. The observed time differences and the location of the mobile device can be used to solve for reference time differences to calibrate unsynchronized macrocells. The reference time difference can be used to solve for the location of other mobile devices if the observed time differences between that mobile device and the macrocells are known. The solution can include receiving measurement reports from many mobile devices to obtain averaged observed time differences at a reference location to achieve more accurate reference time differences.
US09026129B2

Systems and methods disclosed herein generate pseudo pilot signals including PN phase offsets corresponding to a plurality of pseudo base stations. The pseudo base stations are (1) a plurality of non-physical base stations, and/or (2) physical base stations outside the reception range of the mobile device. The pseudo pilot signals are combined with communication signals from a physical base station to form a series of composite signals. The composite signals are transmitted for reception by a wireless mobile device and are used to determine the location of the mobile device.
US09026125B2

Methods are provided that enable mitigation of desense from a transmission on a first radio frequency (RF) resource associated with a first SIM to a receiver circuit of a second RF resource associated with a second SIM in the same device. A multi-SIM wireless device, such as a dual-SIM dual active (DSDA) device, may utilize characteristics of uplink and downlink signals to determine an optimal action that reduces interference from conflicting signals. Mitigating actions do not require involvement on the network side, and may greatly improve processing time for implementing interference prevention measures.
US09026117B2

The present invention provides systems and methods for real-time cellular to Internet video transfer during a voice call between an initiator and a recipient handset. In some embodiments, the systems and methods deliver the video stream in real-time from a cellular phone to a personal computer using the Internet.
US09026109B2

A radio base station allocates a large-interference channel or a small-interference channel to a radio terminal. The radio base station includes: a performance determination unit (121) which determines an interference can performance as a performance to cancellation the affects of interference in the radio terminal or the radio base station; and a channel allocation unit (125) which allocates the large-interference channel or the small-interference channel to the radio terminal in accordance with the interference cancellation performance. The channel allocation unit (125) allocates the small-interference channel with a higher priority than the large-interference channel as the interference cancellation performance increases.
US09026101B2

A method for managing appointments using a wireless device includes receiving scheduling data for a future appointment including a time associated with the future appointment. A current location of the wireless device is determined, and a reminder for the future appointment is provided at a time prior to the future appointment based on the current location of the wireless device. For example, the reminder may be provided at a time that varies based on the current location of the wireless device, a location associated with the future appointment, and an estimated travel time between the current location of the device and the location associated with the future appointment. Related methods, devices, and computer program products are also discussed.
US09026094B2

A method of selecting the positioning method(s) used to respond to given positioning requests uses historical performance data reflecting the actual performance yielded by one or more of the positioning methods that are generally available for selection. As a non-limiting example, a positioning node maintains or otherwise has access to historical data reflecting the QoS obtained for at least some of the positioning methods supported by the node. Correspondingly, the node compares the QoS requirements associated with an incoming positioning request to the historical performance data, to identify the positioning method(s) that appear to best satisfy the requirements. The positioning node therefore selects the “best” method(s) for responding to a positioning request, not based on “generic” performance characteristics of those methods, but rather based on observed real-world performance of those methods, as applicable to the particular operating environment (radio environment) in which the positioning methods are carried out.
US09026087B2

A method for decoding an ambiguous character code. The method includes a user equipment (UE) receiving a character code that refers to a first character in a first language and to a second character in a second language. The method further includes the UE using language discrimination information available to the UE for other purposes to determine whether to display the first character or the second character.
US09026078B2

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, operations including monitoring events relating to activities by a plurality of communication devices, content sources supplying content to the plurality of communication devices, and network conditions during content exchanges between the plurality of communication devices and the content sources, tagging the events to generate tagged events, detecting an event initiated by a communication device of the plurality of communication devices, obtaining tagged event information from the tagged events according to the event detected, generating a policy according to the tagged event information, and transmitting the policy to a policy enforcement function system to facilitate a communication session between the communication device and the content source according to the policy. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09026077B2

Methods and arrangements for undertaking delayed delivery of digital content. At least one request for transmission of digital content is received from a client device. There is estimated a usable bandwidth for delivery of the digital content during a predetermined time period. There is offered to the client device two or more delivery schedules for delayed digital content delivery during the predetermined time period. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.
US09026061B2

An integrated chip (IC) package may include a waveguide that comprises a cavity, a first chip and a second chip. The first chip includes a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver that may be coupled to a first probe that extends into the cavity of the waveguide and/or a first antenna that is positioned over a first opening in the waveguide. The second chip includes a second RF transceiver that may be coupled to a second probe that extends into the cavity of the waveguide and/or a second antenna that is positioned over a second opening in the waveguide. The first and second chips may be configured to communicate with one another exclusively by the first and second RF transceivers transmitting and receiving RF signals through the cavity of the waveguide via the first and second probes and/or the first and second antennas.
US09026058B2

A network sends to a user equipment UE a range indicator by which a private cell can be distinguished from a non-private cell, a first indicator that indicates whether or not to report private cells in a measurement report, and a second indicator that indicates which private cells are to have their measurements reported. The UE receives these, in an embodiment all in a same message. The UE uses the second indicator to identify at least one cell to report and the received range indicator to distinguish private cells from non-private cells; measures a signal from the identified at least one cell which is determined by the range indicator to be a private cell; and sends to the network a measurement report that comprises a measurement indication from the identified and determined at least one private cell. The network receives from the UE that measurement report.
US09026057B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for measuring power levels in narrow frequency bands of signals provided by a radio frequency receiver configured to scan radio frequency signals over a wide frequency band, calculating an average wideband power level from at least a portion of the measured power levels, determining a threshold from the average wideband power level, the portion of the measured power levels in the narrow frequency bands, or both, detecting from the signals narrow band interference based on the threshold, and substantially suppressing the detected narrow band interference. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09026053B2

Embodiments of the present invention include a system and method for wirelessly identifying and validating an electronic device in order to initiate a communication process with another device or a service. In an embodiment, the system includes a portable biometric monitoring device that is identified by a client device or a server for the purpose of initiating a pairing process. In an embodiment, pairing implies pairing the portable device to an online user account with minimal user interaction. After pairing, the portable device and appropriate client devices and servers communicate with little or no user interaction, for example to upload sensor data collected by the portable device.
US09026048B2

A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that detects a presence of another NFC capable device within its magnetic field. The NFC device observes signal metrics of an observed detection signal at various intervals. The NFC device determines a statistical relationship based upon at least two first signal metrics from among the signal metrics to determine an estimate of at least one second signal metric from among the signal metrics. The NFC device compares a difference between the estimate of the signal metric of the at least one second signal metric and the at least one second signal metric. The NFC capable device makes a first determination that another NFC device is present within its magnetic field when the difference indicates that the at least one second signal metric is non-linearly related to the at least two first signal metrics.
US09026045B2

An in-vehicle apparatus selects, as a profile connection mode, one connection mode out of a first connection mode and a second connection mode, and performs profile connection using the selected one connection mode. The first connection mode is to transmit a profile connection request signal to a communication partner so as to start a connection procedure; the second connection mode is to wait for reception of a profile connection request signal from the communication partner for a predetermined time so as to start the connection procedure. When the profile connection using the selected one connection mode fails, a connection procedure using the other connection mode that was not selected previously is started. When the profile connection using the other connection mode is successful, upon occurrence of a next profile connection request, the other connection mode is selected as a profile connection mode.
US09026039B2

In a wireless multi-hop relay network arranged in a tree topology, the base station and one or more relay stations are associated as a virtual base station (VBS). The base station and each relay station have a unique virtual base station identifier (VBS-ID) associated with the path defined by the base station and the one or more relay stations. a relay station in the branch uses its VBS-ID for communicating with an attached subscriber station (e.g. a mobile station) such that communications between the base station and subscriber station occur via the VBS. Subscriber station data communications are relayed between the base station and the one or more relay stations over the VBS via a tunnel connection. The VBS is autoconfigurable. Mobility for subscriber stations and relay stations is provided through reconfiguration of VBS's.
US09026036B2

The invention is directed to a method and system for supporting wireless RF services over a wired digital data network infrastructure, such as an Ethernet network. The system includes a control unit that can be connected to a base station that supports one or more wireless RF services. The control unit converts the wireless RF signals to an intermediate frequency (IF) that does not interfere with the data network signals and combines the IF signals onto the cable run to a remote network device on the digital data network. The remote network device includes a multiplexer or a low pass filter and a high pass filter that separates the IF signals from the digital data signals on the downlink and combines the IF signals with digital data signals on the uplink over the cable run. The IF signals can be input to an RF module connected to the remote network device which converts the IF signals back to the original RF signals for transmission by a transceiver to wireless devices. Similarly, on the uplink, RF signals received from the wireless devices through the transceiver can be converted to IF for transmission over the cable run to the base station. In one conventional data network each cable run includes 4 pair of conductors and each pair can be used to carry a different IF frequency band. In addition, each pair can be configured to carry more than one IF frequency band using FDD or TDD. Additional signaling channels, such as for management signaling can be provided using differential signaling between 2 pair of conductors. The filters can be implemented using various technologies, including silicon, LTCC and discrete components and active filters can be provided to allow for configuring and tuning of performance in the field.
US09026029B2

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a sheet conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a transfer unit disposed downstream of the sheet conveyance unit and configured to transfer a toner image onto the sheet, a shifting unit configured to shift the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance unit in a width direction by shifting the sheet conveyance unit, a detection unit configured to detect a position of the sheet in the width direction while the sheet is being conveyed by the transfer unit, and a control unit configured to control the shifting unit. The control unit causes the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance unit to shift in the width direction based on a result detected by the detection unit while the sheet is being conveyed by the transfer unit.
US09026019B2

A transfer device comprising: a load including a transferring unit, the transferring unit being configured to transfer an image on a transferable material; a direct current source connected to the load and configured to apply a direct voltage to the load; and an alternating current source connected between the load and the direct current source in attachable and detachable manner, the alternating current source being configured to selectively apply to the load an overlapping voltage that is formed by overlapping an alternating voltage and the direct voltage.
US09026011B2

An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a first developer carrying member for carrying a developer comprising toner and a carrier for developing an electrostatic image formed on the photosensitive member, and a second developer carrying member for carrying the developer received from the first developer carrying. The second developer carrying member is disposed downstream of the first developer carrying member with respect to a rotational direction of the photosensitive member. In addition, a voltage source applies a developing bias voltage to the first developer carrying member and second developer carrying member, and a driving device rotates the first developer carrying member at a peripheral speed higher than that of the photosensitive member and rotates the second developer carrying member at a peripheral speed which is higher than that of the photosensitive member and which is lower than that of the first developer carrying member.
US09026009B2

A toner container for containing toner, removably installable into an apparatus body, includes a container body in which an opening for receiving toner therein or discharging toner therefrom is formed and a handle forming a front end portion of the toner container when the toner container is installed in the apparatus body, the handle having a front face inclined relative to a center axis (L) of the container body.
US09026002B2

An image forming apparatus includes: a main body; a photosensitive drum rotatably supported in the main body; a developing unit detachably accommodated in the main body in a direction along an axis of the photosensitive drum in a state where the photosensitive drum is disposed in the main body. The developing unit includes: a developer carrying member configured to carry developer for supplying the developer to the photosensitive drum; a developing frame supporting the developer carrying member; and a supporting assembly configured to support the developing frame such that, in a state where the developing unit is accommodated in the main body, the developing frame is movable between a proximity position where the developer carrying member and the photosensitive drum being positioned adjacent to or in contact with each other and a separation position where the developer carrying member and the photosensitive drum being separated from each other.
US09025997B2

An image forming apparatus includes a main body; a process cartridge being detachably mounted to the main body along a direction perpendicular to a rotational axis direction, the process cartridge including a photosensitive member, and a charger facing a surface of the photosensitive member; and an exposure device including a plurality of light emitting devices arranged along the rotational axis direction, and a facing part. The facing part is a part of the exposure device that is positioned closest to the photosensitive member and faces the surface of the photosensitive member when seen from the rotational axis direction, at a state in which the process cartridge is mounted, and the charger is positioned at an opposite side of the exposure device with respect to a second line which is parallel with the mounting direction and passes the facing part when seen from the rotational axis direction.
US09025982B2

An image heating apparatus includes a control unit that executes a long grain feed mode of conveying a long grain recording sheet whose grain direction is in parallel with a conveying direction of the recording sheet and a short grain feed mode of conveying a short grain recording sheet whose grain direction is orthogonal to the conveying direction of the recording sheet, the control unit changing, in accordance to the long grain feed mode and the short grain feed mode, temperature of a first rotating body set by the heating unit and setting of at least either one changeable setting among settings of a pressure-contact mechanism and a driving mechanism configured such that the setting of at least one of them is changeable.
US09025978B2

An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body on which a toner image is formed; a transfer unit that functions to transfer the toner image formed on the image holding body onto a recording medium; and an adjusting unit that adjusts a gap between the transfer unit and the image holding body based on the rigidity of the recording medium, the recording medium being conveyed through the gap with respect to the image holding body.
US09025977B2

An image forming apparatus capable of continuous image formation on multiple pages includes an image bearer to bear an image, a latent image forming unit to form a latent image on the image bearer, a developing device to develop the latent image with toner, a temperature sensor to detect temperature inside the developing device or adjacent to the developing device, a controller to impose a limit on a quantity of pages in continuous image formation and cancel the limit according to a detection result generated by the temperature sensor, and a report unit to report time data indicating when the limit is imposed.
US09025968B2

An optical communication device includes a substrate, a photoelectric element for emitting/receiving optical signals, a driver chip for driving the photoelectric, and a light waveguide for transmitting optical signals. The substrate defines a through fixing hole. The photoelectric element and the driver chip are electrically connected to the substrate. The photoelectric element includes a base portion and an optical portion formed on the base portion. The optical portion includes an optical surface serving as a light emergent/incident surface, the optical surface faces toward the substrate, and the optical portion is aligned with the fixing hole. An end of the light waveguide is inserted and fixed into the fixing hole and is optically aligned with the optical portion.
US09025956B2

A system for routing signals in a Distributed Antenna System includes a plurality of local Digital Access Units (DAUs) located at a Local location. Each of the plurality of local DAUs is coupled to each other and operable to route signals between the plurality of local DAUs. Each of the plurality of local DAUs includes one or more Base Transceiver Station (BTS) RF connections. Each of the plurality of BTS RF connections is operable to be coupled to one of one or more sectors of a BTS. The system also includes a plurality of remote DAUs located at a Remote location. The plurality of remote DAUs are coupled to each other and operable to transport signals between the plurality of remote DAUs.
US09025949B2

Systems, methods and apparatus for operating an optical network terminal (ONT) in a passive optical network include maintaining an operational state in the passive optical network, estimating an upstream channel, adjusting equalization delay and physical layer frame offset values and switching from a backup mode to a primary mode of operation upon detecting a failure condition.
US09025948B2

A mobile device case defining an aperture and a camera protection module within the aperture. The camera protection module may be a separate element from the case shell or may be formed as an integral part of shell.
US09025947B1

An actuator is provided for driving a camera module to perform a focusing operation. The actuator includes a carrier part, a base, a driving module, and plural balls. The carrier part is used for supporting the camera module and the plural balls. The base is used for accommodating the carrier part. The driving module is used for driving movement of the carrier part. The driving module is located at a corner of the carrier part. The plural balls are located at other corners of the carrier part. The carrier part is guided by the plural balls to be moved in a direction parallel with an optical axis of the camera module.
US09025943B2

Radiant energy from a semiconductor wafer which is determined from the theoretical value of black body radiation and the actually measured result of an output from a photodiode are brought into correspondence with each other, and a table showing a correlation therebetween is acquired and stored on a magnetic disk. When a semiconductor wafer to be treated is irradiated with flashes of light from flash lamps, the photodiode receives radiant light emitted from the semiconductor wafer. A controller determines, from the output from the photodiode, the radiant energy emitted per unit time from the semiconductor wafer irradiated with flashes of light, based on the acquired table. The controller further determines the surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer from the determined radiant energy.
US09025942B2

A radiant heating device for a vehicle includes a radiant heater that radiates radiant heat toward a passenger and is provided together with an air-conditioner that selectively introduces air outside a passenger compartment or air inside the passenger compartment and then supplies conditioned air generated from the introduced air into the passenger compartment. The radiant heating device includes a controller that differentiates a radiant energy amount of the radiant heater when the introduced air into the air-conditioner is the air outside the passenger compartment from when the introduced air is the air inside the passenger compartment. According to the radiant heating device, the passenger can be provided with warm comfort feeling both in an outside air intake mode and in an inside air intake mode of the air-conditioner.
US09025939B2

Arrangements for managing a digital video recorder timer at a plurality of television receivers are presented. A plurality of television receivers may be present. Each television receiver of the plurality of television receivers may be linked with a particular user account. Each television receiver may use separate receiving hardware to receive television programming from a television service provider. A timer management computer system may receive a timer associated with the particular user account. The timer may specify a date, a time, and a television channel to be recorded. Based on the received timer, the timer management computer system may notify each television receiver of the plurality of television receivers of the timer for recording.
US09025933B2

An information processing device includes first encoding means for encoding an image by placing strip-shaped areas in the upper and lower sides, second encoding means for encoding data of first subtitles displayed in a third area formed by joining at least a part of one area of a first area and a second area together with the other area, first generating means for generating information referred to form the third area, and second generating means for generating the contents including the video stream, a stream of the first subtitles, and the control information.
US09025931B2

A recording apparatus codes moving image data on a unit basis of a moving image sample corresponding to a first period, codes the audio data on a unit basis of an audio sample corresponding to a second period, stores the coded moving image data and audio data in a moving image file and records the moving image data and the audio data in a recording medium, determines based on a recording start position of the obtained moving image data, a recording start position of the obtained audio data to be a position preceding the recording start position of the obtained moving image data by at least the audio sample corresponding to the second period, and determines a reproduction start position of the recorded audio data to be a position following a head of the recorded audio data by the unit of the audio data.
US09025926B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations for decreasing optical loss in a waveguide of a modulator device. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate, and a waveguide of a modulator device formed on the substrate, the waveguide having a first portion that is configured to receive light for propagation along the waveguide, a second portion that includes two slots formed in the waveguide that merge into a single slot, the second portion being coupled with the first portion, a third portion that includes the single slot formed in the waveguide, the third portion being coupled with the second portion, a fourth portion that includes another two slots formed in the waveguide, the another two slots branching from the single slot, the fourth portion being coupled with the third portion, and a fifth portion that is configured to output the propagated light, the fifth portion being coupled with the fourth portion. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09025921B2

Embodiments of a method and apparatus for controlling the mechanical stabilization of an optical fiber are disclosed. The method may consist of placing an inflatable bladder between an optical fiber and a protective jacket. The bladder may be inflated with air, inert gas, or liquid to a desired pressure. The bladder may be sectioned to extend along part of or the entire length of the fiber. The bladder may isolate the optical fiber in a periodic fashion. The temperature of the material inside the bladder may vary axially along the optical fiber. Embodiments of the invention can stabilize the optical fiber by providing mechanical isolation from vibration and other perturbations. Embodiments of the invention can also alter Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (“SBS”) and Stimulated Raman Scattering (“SRS”) thresholds using either thermal or vibrational perturbations.
US09025915B2

A method and module for affecting controlled switching of optical signals having different modes of propagation, wherein the module being provided with at least two multi-mode ports MMPs and a plurality of single-mode ports SMPs, the method comprises: inputting at least one multimode optical signal to an MMP of said MMPs; inputting the single mode optical signals to the SMPs; performing mode processing of one or more of the single mode and multi mode optical signals within the switching module, controllably and selectively switching different optical signals inputted to different ports of the module, preferably based on received feedback related to quality information, thereby allowing switching between single mode ports, between multi-mode ports, and between single mode and multi mode ports.
US09025904B2

The present invention relates to a method and device for obtaining an image of a crumpled document from an image of this document when it is crumpled. The method comprises a step of determining a three-dimensional geometric model of the surface of the crumpled document by triangulation of three-dimensional points defined from the pattern of a target extracted from the image of this document when it is crumpled; the method is characterized in that it comprises a step of determining a projection of the three-dimensional geometric model onto a so-called acquisition plane, by means of error minimization of this projection under constraints of preserving defined geometric characteristics in the vicinity of the three-dimensional points, and in that it comprises a step of superimposing the textures associated with the three-dimensional model onto the projection of this model thus determined. The present invention likewise relates to target patterns that make it possible to improve the quality of the image resulting from the method to be improved and/or to reduce the cost for computing said image.
US09025900B1

A signal processing transformation (wavelet, Fourier, discrete cosine) is applied to a digital image on a mobile device in order to produce a low-level information image and at least one high-level information image. The low-level image is recognizable as the digital image and is kept on the device; all other related images are deleted. The high-level information images are uploaded. The transformation is applied recursively and is dictated by a default setting, calculated from data of the mobile device, or input. To regenerate the original image the device connects to the server and downloads a set of high-level information images or all sets. The low resolution image is combined with the high-level information images using the reverse of the transformation originally applied to produce a higher resolution version of the low resolution image. Successive sets of high-level information images may be recursively applied to generate successively higher resolution images.
US09025893B2

Provided are a method and an apparatus for encoding images using template matching and a method and an apparatus for decoding images. The method for encoding the images can determine a template of an encoding target block and can determine a matching search target image for performing a matching search with the determined template among the recovered reference images. In addition, an optimum prediction block can be determined on the basis of the determined matching search target image and the template of the encoding target block.
US09025882B2

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a statistical quantity extraction section calculating similarities between all of a group of multiple images of a first identification target and all of a group of multiple images of a second identification target and extracting a statistical quantity for similarity from the similarities and an identification section identifying the first identification target with the second identification target based on the statistical quantity for similarity. The present technology may be applied to a personal computer, for example.
US09025876B2

A method and an apparatus for multi-label segmentation of an image are described. First an energy function is determined for the image. Then for a homogeneous region of the image variables of the energy function are grouped to a single variable. Subsequently the energy function is minimized and labels are assigned to regions of the image based on the minimized energy function.
US09025875B2

A people counting device includes: a person presence region extraction unit which extracts a region in which a person is present by performing person detection in relation to an input image; a person presence state estimation unit which estimates a person presence state from an extraction result; a portion detector selection unit which selects a type of portion detector to be used for people count measurement based on the estimation result, and outputs portion detector information. The people counting device further includes: a portion detection process unit which performs a portion detection process for detecting a portion of a person based on the portion detector information; and a people counting unit which obtains a number of people within the input image from a portion detection process result.
US09025872B2

Segments included in an image I are each classified as one of object (i.e., person) segments OS1 and OS2 and foreground segments FS1 and FS2. With respect to each of the foreground segments FS1 and FS2, an importance degree is calculated based on a composition of the image I and relations between the foreground segment of the image I and a foreground segment of an image other than the image I.
US09025869B2

A color translation method and a color translation apparatus adapted to map a data point from a first color space to a second color space are provided. At least four color axes coordinating with a plurality of first reference points and a plurality of second reference points corresponding to the first reference points are used to divide the first color space and second color space into a plurality of first sub-spaces and a plurality of second sub-spaces. A target first sub-space where the data point is located is found, and then a corresponding target second sub-space is also found. According to a positional relationship between the data point and the first reference points which define the target first sub-space, an interpolation operation is applied to the second reference points which define the target second sub-space so as to obtain a mapped point in the second color space.
US09025867B2

Systems and methods for processing YCC image data provided. In one example, an electronic device includes memory to store image data in RGB or YCC format and a YCC image processing pipeline to process the image data. The YCC image processing pipeline may include receiving logic configured to receive the image data in RGB or YCC format and color space conversion logic configured to, when the image data is received in RGB format, convert the image data into YCC format. The YCC image processing logic may also include luma sharpening and chroma suppression logic; brightness, contrast, and color adjustment logic; gamma logic; chroma decimation logic; scaling logic; and chroma noise reduction logic.
US09025866B2

A method of operating a computer system to perform material recognition based on multiple features extracted from an image is described. A combination of low-level features extracted directly from the image and multiple novel mid-level features extracted from transformed versions of the image are selected and used to assign a material category to a single image. The novel mid-level features include non-reflectance based features such as the micro-texture features micro-jet and micro-SIFT and the shape feature curvature, and reflectance-based features including edge slice and edge ribbon. An augmented Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model is provided as an exemplary Bayesian framework for selecting a subset of features useful for material recognition of objects in an image.
US09025865B2

Methods and systems for reducing the required footprint of SNoW-based classifiers via optimization of classifier features. A compression technique involves two training cycles. The first cycle proceeds normally and the classifier weights from this cycle are used to rank the Successive Mean Quantization Transform (SMQT) features using several criteria. The top N (out of 512 features) are then chosen and the training cycle is repeated using only the top N features. It has been found that OCR accuracy is maintained using only 60 out of 512 features leading to an 88% reduction in RAM utilization at runtime. This coupled with a packing of the weights from doubles to single byte integers added a further 8× reduction in RAM footprint or a reduction of 68× over the baseline SNoW method.
US09025862B2

A method for matching the pixels (10-1, 10-2) of a first range image of a scene (18) as seen from a first point of sight (14) with pixels (12-1, 12-2) of a second range image of the scene as seen from a second point of sight (16) comprises the following steps: providing the first range image as a grid of source pixels (10), on which the scene is mapped in accordance with a first projection associated with the first point of sight, wherein each source pixel has a point in the scene projected thereon in accordance with the first projection and has associated therewith a range value determined for that point in the scene; providing a grid of target pixels (12) for the second range image and a second projection associated with the second point of sight; and for each one of the target pixels, a) determining which source pixel would have the same point (P1, P2) in the scene projected thereon in accordance with the first projection as the target pixel would have projected thereon in accordance with the second projection if the imaged scene were a planar surface at a certain surface distance from the first point of sight; b) determining a depth coordinate of the point in the scene that the source pixel determined in step a) actually has projected thereon in accordance with the first projection; c) if the depth coordinate is greater than a threshold, which is itself greater than the surface distance, repeating steps a), b) and c) with an increased surface distance at step a) and an increased threshold at step c), and else associating the target pixel with the source pixel determined in step a).
US09025859B2

The disclosure is directed to creating an inertial sensor aided depth map of a scene. An embodiment of the disclosure captures at least a first image and a second image during movement of a device caused by a user while framing or recording the scene, compensates for rotation between the first image and the second image, calculates an amount of translation of the device between the first image and the second image, calculates a pixel shift of a plurality of key points of the first image and the second image, and estimates a depth to one or more of the plurality of key points of the first image and the second image.
US09025835B2

A computer implemented method for modifying a digital image comprises padding two or more face regions in the image and digitally defining at least one combined padded region that includes the two or more face regions. At least one border of the combined padded region is collinear with a border of one of the individual regions. Each of the borders of the at least one combined padded region is selected so as to be collinear with at least one border of one of the individual padded regions.
US09025832B2

A method of finding a new social network service friend for a player belonging to a social network service and having a friend group including one or more player-accepted friends includes recognizing the player, automatically identifying an observer within a threshold proximity to the player, and adding the observer to the friend group of the player in the social network service if the observer satisfies a friending criteria of the player.
US09025821B2

For obtained raw moving image data, an image processing apparatus decides a focal distance at which a specific subject is focused on. The respective pixels of image signals in each frame of the raw moving image data correspond to light beams having different combinations of pupil regions through which the light beams have passed, and incident directions in an imaging optical system. More specifically, the image processing apparatus generates, from the image signals of each frame of the raw moving image data, a pair of images corresponding to light beams having passed through different pupil regions, and decides, based on a defocus amount at the position of the specific subject that is calculated from the pair of images, the focal distance at which the specific subject is focused on.
US09025799B2

A sound reproducing device includes: a plug section configured to receive input of L-channel and R-channel audio signals; an L-channel housing section including at least an L-channel driver unit configured to produce sound on the basis of the L-channel audio signal, an L-channel microphone configured to collect external sound, and an L-channel microcomputer configured to perform setting control on noise-canceling processing on the basis of a collected sound signal of the microphone; an R-channel housing section including a same corresponding configuration as those of the L-channel housing section; and an in-cord housing section formed so as to be inserted in a wiring cord for supplying the signals inputted from the plug section to the L-channel and the R-channel housing sections, wherein the in-cord housing section is provided with a communication terminal for allowing data communication between the L-channel microcomputer and the R-channel microcomputer, and an external apparatus.
US09025782B2

A multi-microphone system performs location-selective processing of an acoustic signal, wherein source location is indicated by directions of arrival relative to microphone pairs at opposite sides of a midsagittal plane of a user's head.
US09025776B2

Methods and systems for processing an audio signal are provided. The method includes generating a pseudorandom sequence and generating at least one reciprocal of the pseudorandom sequence such that the at least one reciprocal is substantially decorrelated with the pseudorandom sequence. The pseudorandom sequence and the at least one reciprocal form a set of sequences. The method further includes convolving the audio signal with the set of sequences to generate a corresponding number of output signals and providing the number of output signals to a corresponding number of loudspeakers.
US09025775B2

An apparatus for enhancing a multichannel audio signal comprising at least two channels configured to: estimate a value representing a direction of arrival associated with a first audio signal from at least a first channel and a second audio signal from at least a second channel of at least two channels of a multichannel audio signal; determine a scaling factor dependent on the direction of arrival associated with the first audio signal and the second audio signal; and apply the scaling factor to a parameter associated with a difference in audio signal levels between the first audio signal and the second audio sign.
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