US09104850B1
Mobile devices and methods are disclosed for providing privacy and confidentiality of information through the provision of multiple profiles that control access to the information, and operation of the mobile device in accordance with a profile chosen by entry of an associated access code.
US09104846B2
Described herein is technology for, among other things, provisioning access to shared resources. It involves various techniques for creating accounts for recipients of communications with shared resources. Further, the resources may available by an easy to find permanent location (e.g., URL). Such a provisioning process facilitates the growth of the network as recipients are given fully featured accounts. Therefore, the technology avoids the sign up process that users would otherwise have to go through in order to access the shared resource.
US09104844B2
A platform and a method for dynamic software license are disclosed. The dynamic software license platform comprises a license pool, a register manager, a user configure unit and a license manager. The register manager receives a software application from a user end. The user configure unit grants a setting permission to the user end in response to the software application, and allows the user end to submit a license setting according to the setting permission. The license manager adds the software license provided by the software supplier to the license pool, and dynamically provides the software license from the license pool unit according to the license setting.
US09104843B2
Systems and methods for providing content items to users. A computer system may provide to a first user an indication of a plurality of available content items. The computer system may receive from the first user an indication of a first content item selected from the plurality of content items. The computer system may determine whether a content provider service associated with the computer system is authorized to stream the first content item to the first user. When the content provider service is not authorized to stream the first content item to the first user, the computer system may identify an alternate source for the first content item. The computer system may initiate playback of the first content item to the first user from the alternate source.
US09104841B2
Various embodiments for enabling and protecting execution of encrypted electronic content in a client system. In various embodiments, there is a method for managing the state of the cache memory of the client system. In various embodiments, there is a method for protocol stack validation to confirm readiness of the client system to execute encrypted electronic content. In various embodiments, there is a method for protocol stack execution.
US09104840B1
Embodiments relate generally to methods and systems for creating and using a watermark for verification of operation in a trusted security zone of a mobile device. The watermark may be created or chosen by a user and may be unique to the user. The watermark may be stored in a trusted security zone of the mobile device and may not be accessible from any other area of the mobile device. The watermark may comprise one or more of an image, an audio file, a video, a shape, a signature, a word, a phrase, or a number. The watermark may be verified by a user before operation of a secure application executed in the trusted security zone of the mobile device, and the watermark may also be present throughout the use of a secure application.
US09104839B2
A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for de-duplication aware secure delete. Responsive to receiving a secure delete request for a file, the mechanism identifies a list of file blocks to be securely deleted from a physical disk device. Responsive to determining at least one virtual block of another file refers to a given disk block corresponding to a file block in the list, the mechanism copies the given disk block to generate a copied disk block in the physical disk device and updates a pointer of the at least one virtual block to refer to the copied disk block. The mechanism writes a secure delete pattern for each file block in the list of file blocks to a disk block in the physical disk device without performing de-duplication processing.
US09104836B2
In an embodiment, the method is comprising, receiving an access request, from an authenticator device, to grant a supplicant device access to a data network; transmitting the access request to an authentication server; after sending a response that the access request was granted, updating a trust topology map by including in the trust topology map information that has been obtained from the response and that indicates a secure link between the authenticator device and the supplicant device, and causing displaying the updated trust topology map as a logical map depicting one or more network devices and roles assigned to the one or more network devices; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing device.
US09104835B2
A method for timing analysis includes using the processor to determine an impedance profile of a coupling between at least a first inter-level via (ILV) and a second ILV or a device, as a function of at least different frequency values. The impedance profile includes a plurality of impedance values corresponding to respective frequency values. An effective capacitance value corresponding to each respective impedance value is determined. At least one table is provided with respective impedance values and respective effective capacitance values for each respective frequency value. An RC extraction of a design layout of an ILV circuit is conducted using the populated table and based on determined effective capacitance values.
US09104833B2
A mask set for double exposure process and method of using said mask set. The mask set is provided with a first mask pattern having a first base and a plurality of first teeth and protruding portions, and a second mask pattern having a second base and a plurality of second teeth, wherein the second base may at least partially overlap the first base such that each of the protruding portions at least partially overlaps one of the second teeth.
US09104826B2
A design verification system automatically identifies coverage of different constraints for a static model of an electronic device. The static model can be employed by a tool, referred to as a solver, that identifies whether the mathematical relationships of the static model can be reconciled, given a set of user-defined constraints that indicate a desired configuration, or range of configurations, of the electronic device. After a solution for a particular set of user-defined constraints has been identified, a constraints adjustment module can identify, based on coverage information generated by the solver, if other sets of user-defined constraints were implicitly solved by the solver. If such other sets were implicitly solved, the adjustments module can mark the sets as solved, such that they will omitted from constraints used for subsequent solutions of the solver.
US09104820B2
The present invention is to provide a semiconductor device that can correctly switch endians on the outside even if the endian of a parallel interface is not recognized on the outside. The semiconductor device includes a switching circuit and a first register. The switching circuit switches between whether a parallel interface with the outside is to be used as a big endian or a little endian. A first register holds control data of the switching circuit. The switching circuit regards the parallel interface as the little endian when first predetermined control information, that is unchanged in the values of specific bit positions even if its high-order and low-order bit positions are transposed, is supplied to the first register, and regards the parallel interface as the big endian when second predetermined control information, that is unchanged in the values of specific bit positions even if its high-order and low-order bit positions are transposed, is supplied to the first register. Whatever the endian setting status, the control information can be correctly inputted without being influenced by the endian setting status.
US09104818B2
An accelerator management device includes an accelerator link DB that stores an accelerator identifier in association with an application identifier. The accelerator management device includes the accelerator mounting information DB that stores the accelerator identifier of an accelerator mounted in a slot in association with each slot identifier used to identify each slot of an expansion I/O box. The accelerator management device specifies an accelerator identifier corresponding to an application by referring to the accelerator link DB when an execution request of an application is received from a host. The accelerator management device specifies a slot identifier corresponding to the specified accelerator identifier by referring to the accelerator mounting information DB. The accelerator management device assigns the slot that is identified through the slot identifier which is specified by the second specifying unit to the host.
US09104815B1
System, method, and non-transitory medium for ranking similar runs of test scenarios based on unessential test steps in the runs. Runs of test scenarios run by users on software systems that belong to different organizations are clustered to clusters of similar runs. Analysis of a certain selected cluster identifies occurrences of potentially unessential test steps in the similar runs belonging to the cluster. By counting, for each potentially unessential test step, the number of different users that ran a test scenario that includes the potentially unessential test step, it is possible to label certain test steps as verified unessential test steps. A potentially unessential test step may be labeled a verified unessential test step when its corresponding number of different users is below a predetermined threshold. A ranking module utilizes the number of occurrences of verified unessential test steps in runs in order to rank the runs.
US09104799B2
An embodiment of the present invention manages window focus non-intrusive over-lays while debugging a graphical user interface program. In an example, the computer displays in a first graphical user interface, wherein the computer program is designed to manipulate a second graphical user interface of another computer program. The computer receives a command to debug the second graphical interface computer program and converts the first graphical user interface into a focus-less graphical user interface so the focus does not transfer from the second graphical user interface. The computer debugs the computer program and upon completing debugging, the computer restores the first graphical user interface into focus.
US09104797B1
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a system for efficiently annotating numerous crash reports originating from multiple instances of an application. Prior to deploying a version of the application, a service receives a file that stores debugging information associated with the version. Next, the service parses the debugging information from the file. The service then converts the debugging information into an object representation in memory and stores the object representation in a database. Next, in response to an instance of the version crashing on a client device, the service receives a crash report from the client device. Then, for each item in the crash report, the service determines whether that item needs to be annotated and, if so, annotates the item.
US09104793B2
A method and system to adapt communication links statically and/or dynamically to their individual link conditions on a platform. The communicatively coupled devices have logic to adapt one or more settings of a respective one or more communication links with another device based at least in part on a respective metric of received data patterns from the respective one or more communication links. The communicatively coupled devices in the platform have a back channel to allow feedback or information to be sent from one receiving device to a transmitting device in one embodiment of the invention.
US09104789B2
A patient monitoring station includes a display that displays a plurality of sectors. A controller displays the patient data received from one or more remote medical devices in a corresponding sector of the display. The controller is programmed to collapse one or more sector in response to one of (1) not receiving patient data from the corresponding remote patient monitor or (2) receiving patient data not indicative of a pending patient event or alarm condition; and expand at least sectors that receive patient data indicative of a pending patient event or alarm condition.
US09104787B2
Methods, computer systems, and computer-storage media are provided for augmenting Web-based search results with relevant content received from third-party applications. Each of a plurality of third-party applications is registered to obtain an indication of entity types associated with the each registered third-party application. An annotated search query is received that includes the original inputted search query and at least an entity type associated with the search query. The annotated search query is communicated to those third-party applications having an indicated entity type that matches the entity type associated with the inputted search query. Search results that are relevant to the annotated search query are received from the applications and presented on a results page.
US09104784B2
An aspect includes a computer-implemented method for detecting one or more multi-column composite key column sets. The method includes accessing a plurality of first columns, each first column representing a parameter, each first column including a set of distinct parameter values of its respective parameter, each distinct parameter value being stored in association with one or more object identifiers. Two or more of the first columns are selected for use as a current candidate column set, the current candidate column set including at least a first and a second candidate column, the current candidate column set being of a current cardinality. The method also includes determining, by comparing object-identifiers, whether for the current candidate column set at least one tuple of parameter values exists with parameter values respectively stored in association with two or more shared ones of the object identifiers to identify a multi-column composite key column set.
US09104780B2
According to embodiments described in the specification, systems and methods are provided for natural language processing. A method in a server includes receiving, at the network interface device, an input for response from an electronic device, parsing the input to identify one or more entity data values and one or more relationship data values, populating a graph data structure with the identified entity data values, and the relationship data values, wherein the populating includes applying evaluation criteria-rating pair values, traversing the graph data structure to identify one or more problems indicated by the evaluation criteria-rating pair values, in response to the traversing, determining one or more changes to the graph data structure to satisfy one or more identified problems, if the determination is affirmative, populating a solution graph data structure that satisfies one or more identified problems, and transmitting, to the electronic device, a response to the input.
US09104779B2
Techniques for analyzing and synthesizing complex knowledge representations (KRs) may utilize an atomic knowledge representation model including both an elemental data structure and knowledge processing rules stored as machine-readable data and/or programming instructions. One or more of the knowledge processing rules may be applied to analyze an input complex KR to deconstruct its complex concepts and/or concept relationships to elemental concepts and/or concept relationships to be included in the elemental data structure. One or more of the knowledge processing rules may be applied to synthesize an output complex KR from the stored elemental data structure in accordance with an input context. Multiple input complex KRs of various types may be analyzed and deconstructed to populate the elemental data structure, and input complex KRs may be transformed through the elemental data structure to output complex KRs of different types, providing semantic interoperability to KRs of different types and/or KR models.
US09104777B2
A method and article of manufacture of making dynamic content more accessible to screen readers and web spiders. The method applies to a server connected to a client via a network. The method includes receiving from the client an action event indicative of an action performed by a user on content displayed on the client and a change event indicative of a change in the content. The method further includes generating metadata for improving accessibility to the content based on the action event and the change event.
US09104775B2
The present invention provides a method for presenting a web page which presents a preview of a web page when loading the web page. The preview may be a smaller version of the web page, which is fitted to be completely contained in one screen. The preview may include a smaller version of each module on the web page, and may be expanded to a web page in full size when the loading is finished. If a user expresses interests in one module, that module may be loaded and displayed first.
US09104774B2
A request for a web page is received from a client device at a web server. At least a source web application and a target web application relating to the requested web page is identified. An output from the source web application and an output from the target web application are requested. A source style of the source web application is requested. The source style is combined with the output of the source web application and the output of the target web application into the requested web page. The requested web page is sent to the client device.
US09104772B2
A method comprises identifying a first user having stored in a database a set of first bookmarks associated with a topic of interest; determining a level of relatedness of a second user to the first user by comparing a first number of overlapping bookmarks that were stored in the database by the second user and that overlap the set of first bookmarks; determining a level of value of the second user to the first user by comparing a second number of related nonoverlapping bookmarks that were stored in the database by the second user that, relate to the topic of interest, and that do not overlap the set of first bookmarks; and presenting at least a portion of the related nonoverlapping bookmarks to the first user.
US09104762B1
Database messages, such as queries, may be managed to process data based at least in part on performance characteristics. For example, a database query associated with a first database format may be received. The first database format may be one of a plurality of database formats. A second database format may be determined based at least in part on a performance characteristic of the second database format being above a threshold. The second database format may be determined as a result of the received database query. Additionally, the second database format may also be one of the plurality of different database formats. Data communicated by the received database query may be processed according to the second database format.
US09104748B2
Embodiments provide indexing and searching features including the use of a configurable schema as part of providing partial update support of one or more aspects of an electronic document or documents, but are not so limited. In an embodiment, a system is configured to provide search services including partial update functionality based in part on use of a configurable schema to manage partial document updates and/or query processing operations. A method of one embodiment operates to use a configurable schema to define a number of merge sets that group various document attributes based in part on data source, update, and/or usage parameters to provide an efficient partial update mechanism. Other embodiments are included.
US09104745B1
A distributed log collector and report generation architecture is disclosed. In some embodiments, a received query to generate a log report is forwarded to each of a plurality of log collector clusters, and responses to the query received from each of at least a subset of the plurality of log collector clusters are aggregated to generate the log report.
US09104744B2
Techniques for determining one or more preferred languages for a user are provided. The preferred languages may be determined based upon a set of language indicators. The language indicators are analyzed using, for example, rules-based techniques, clustering, language classifiers, and the like, or combinations thereof. Language indicators can include or be derived from information about the user's behavior, location, preferences, social connections, or other data related to the user.
US09104734B2
A system for scoring micro-blogging messages is provided, including an extractor, and evaluator, a calculator, and a publisher. The extractor may be configured to receive micro-blogging messages, to detect messages containing terms of interest, to extract raw data, and to store the data in a database. The evaluator may be configured to access and parse the stored data into tokenized data, and to store the tokenized data in a database. The evaluator may also be configured to identify relevant micro-blogging messages; to tag message as indicative; and to filter messages from low-volume or malicious sources before being tagged as indicative. The calculator may be configured to access a sentiment dictionary; to calculate a sentiment score of the tokenized data, and to calculate a sentiment signature for a term of interest. The publisher may be configured to provide access to clients of the system.
US09104733B2
A computer-implemented method and system for Web search ranking are provided herein. The method includes generating a number of training samples from clickthrough data, wherein the training samples include positive query-document pairs and negative query-document pairs. The method also includes discriminatively training a translation model based on the training samples and ranking a number of documents for a Web search based on the translation model.
US09104721B2
A mobile device includes a memory to store an unregistered application and corresponding unregistered application data which is unable to be searched, and a registered application and corresponding registered application data that is able to be searched. The mobile device also has a processor to convert the unregistered application and the unregistered application data to a newly registered application and newly registered application data which is able to be searched, and search the registered application data and the newly registered application data for a search term to determine whether the registered application and the newly registered application have search results associated therewith. The processor also displays applications having search results associated therewith on an application selection screen on a display, with a subset of information about the search results being displayed, and receives selection of an application via an input device. The processor also executes the selected application to present the search results on the display.
US09104720B2
A functional description is of a report to be formulated and then run against a database. Report keywords and relationships among the report keywords are extracted from the functional description of the report, using an ontology related to data contained in the database. The report keywords and the relationships among the report keywords are processed or profiled against a data dictionary of the database, such as by performing text mining, to identify particular tables and columns of the database that contain the data needed for the report. The particular tables and columns are a technical description of the report that facilitates formulation of the report. The technical description can also include representative structured query language (SQL) statements and relationships among the identified tables.
US09104706B2
Techniques for meta-directory control and evaluation of events are provided. Disparate events from heterogeneous processing environments are collected as the events are produced by resources within the processing environments. The events are filtered and organized into taxonomies. Next the filtered and organized events are assigned to nodes of a Meta directory, each node defining a relationship between two or more of the resources and policy is applied. Finally, additional policy is evaluated in view of the events and their node assignments with other events, and one or more automated actions are then taken.
US09104696B2
There is disclosed a method and device for operating an image database shared by a plurality of users. In an embodiment, each image captured by a user and stored in a shared image database is associating with the geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was captured. A search engine for the image database is configured to accept geographic coordinates as a search criterion for locating at least one captured image stored in the shared image database. The images having location coordinates within a predefined range of geographic coordinates is displayed to the user.
US09104688B2
Systems and methods for compressing a raw logical data object (201) for storage in a storage device operable with at least one storage protocol, creating, reading, writing, optimizatic in and restoring thereof. Compressing the raw logical data object (201) comprises creating in the storage device a compressed logical data object (203) comprising a header (204) and one or more allocated compressed sections with predefined size (205-1-205-2); compressing one or more sequentially obtained chunks of raw data (202-1-202-6) corresponding to the raw logical data object (201) thus giving rise to the compressed data chunks (207-1-207-6); and sequentially accommodating the processed data chunks into: said compressed sections (205-1-205-2) in accordance with an order said chunks received, wherein said compressed sections serve as atomic elements of compression/decompression operations during input/output transactions on the logical data object.
US09104687B2
A method and system for automatically rotating image files and preventing duplicate uploads in a remote file storage system is described. The system receives an image file. The system calculates a hash value associated with newly uploaded files. The system then automatically rotates the images based on orientation data associated with the files (if included). The system then compares the hash value(s) associated with the new file(s) with the hash values from the existing files stored on the remote file storage system. If the hash values of any of the new files to be uploaded match a hash value on the hash value list, then the system prevents the new files from being uploaded to the remote file storage system.
US09104686B2
A method and system of managing data in a storage device is provided. The method includes receiving a request to store content in a storage device. If the content is discardable content, the content is divided into a plurality of discardable data objects, each associated with at least one type of discarding priority data. The discardable data objects in the storage device are managed based on the discarding priority data associated with each discardable data object. Management of discardable objects may include selection and deletion of discardable objects based on discarding priority data, as well as further subdivision of existing discardable objects, to maintain a desired amount of free space on the storage device. The system may include a host having a processor and a storage device interface configured to execute the method, or a storage device having a processor configured to execute the disclosed methods.
US09104684B2
Embodiments relate to cache handling in a database system. An aspect includes controlling operations of a set of caches in the database system and determining whether a value of a cache quality parameter of a first cache out of the set of caches meets a cache image creation criterion relating to the first cache. Moreover, an aspect includes selecting at least one cache entry from the first cache, if a value of a related cache entry parameter meets a cache entry criterion, and if the value of the cache quality parameter of the first cache exceeds the predefined value of the cache image creation criterion, and creating a cache image based on the selected at least one cache entry and storing the cache image for further use.
US09104683B2
A set of media files are identified within a data store. Each of the media files lack user established file names, lack user established icons, or lack user established file names and icons. The media files are analyzed to determine semantic metadata. For at least a subset of the media files, the semantic metadata is utilized to automatically generate unique and meaningful file names, file icons, or both file names and file icons for each of the media files in the subset.
US09104680B2
Method for accessing files of a file system according to metadata and device implementing the method
The invention relates to the field of accessing data stored in a file system and more particularly, to the optimization of accessing data of a file system. To this effect, the invention proposes a method of accessing files of a data file system according metadata related to the files, and a device for implementing the method.
US09104669B1
Owners of editorial video and/or audio content that is delivered over the Internet or other networks can enroll in an advertising affiliate network. Video and/or audio advertisements, or other marketing messages, are then delivered into the video and/or audio content when the content is accessed by a user. Bypassing of the advertising content may be prevented.
US09104665B1
Data are received at a worker system in a distributed computing system that describe a graph representing relationships among a set of items. The graph models a condition having an associated problem. The graph has graph components having associated data fields. The received data are stored in a backup table, and the relationships are analyzed to identify a solution to the problem. As part of the analysis, a new value for the data field associated with a graph component is identified and compared with an existing value of the data field, and the data field is modified. The modified data field is stored in a delta table representing a change to the backup table.
US09104663B1
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for processing queries, comprising performing a query with a first memory intensive allocation, receiving an indication that a memory intensive operator spilled to a first storage device, adjusting a resource queue memory allocation based on the indication, computing a second memory intensive allocation based on the adjusted resource queue memory allocation, and storing the second memory intensive allocation in a second storage device.
US09104660B2
A method, system, and computer program product for semantic attribution of a request. Source data statements for the request are received. A selection of a domain for the received source data statements is received. The received source data statements are semantically analyzed, which includes matching elements in the received source data statements to respective one or more entries in an ontology associated with the selected domain. The ontology includes items and relationships that define the selected domain. Each element in the received source data statements is a word or a phrase. The one or more entries are assigned to the matched elements, respectively, to annotate each matched element with a respective annotation consisting of the respective one or more entries. The annotated elements are saved with the respective annotations.
US09104653B2
A method and apparatus for automatically adding a tag to a document are provided. The method comprises: determining a plurality of candidate tag words corresponding to the document; determining a corpus comprising a plurality of texts; selecting commonly-used words from the corpus as characteristic words; determining, for each of the characteristic words and each of the candidate tag words, a probability for co-occurrence of the candidate tag word with the characteristic word; abstracting characteristic words from the document, and calculating a weight for each of the abstracted characteristic words; and calculating, in the corpus, a weighted probability for co-occurrence of each of the candidate tag words with all of the characteristic words abstracted from the document; selecting the candidate tag word with a high weighted co-occurrence probability as a tag word to be added to the document.
US09104637B2
A system and method can support input/output (I/O) virtualization in a computing environment. The system can comprise a chip, which is associated with a server on a network fabric. Additionally, the chip is associated with an external memory that contains a plurality of packet buffers. Moreover, an on-chip memory maintains a state of one or more packets that contain disk-read data received from a physical host bus adaptor (HBA). Furthermore, the chip operates to en-queue said one or more packets in the plurality of packet buffers on the external memory, read out said one or more packets from the external memory based on the state of said one or more packets, and send said one or more packets to the server.
US09104635B2
According to some embodiments, a method and apparatus are provided to determine a worst-case setup and hold bit pattern stream associated with a load on a bus, and determine a time shift to apply to an incoming bit pattern being conveyed relative to a DLL associated with the load.
US09104624B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for instant recovery of a virtual machine (VM) from a compressed image level backup without fully extracting the image level backup file's contents to production storage. The method receives restore parameters and initializes a virtual storage. The method attaches the virtual storage to a hypervisor configured to launch a recovered VM. The method stores virtual disk data changes inflicted by a running operating system (OS), applications, and users in a changes storage. The method provides the ability to migrate the actual VM disk state (taking into account changed disk data blocks accumulated in changes storage) so as to prevent data loss resulting from the VM running during the recovery and accessing virtual storage, to production storage without downtime. In embodiments, the method displays receives restore parameters in an interactive interface and delivers the recovery results via an automated message, such as an email message.
US09104618B2
Enhanced configuration of security and access control for data in a storage device is disclosed. A request is received to access an addressable memory location in a storage media within the storage device. A set of addressable memory locations with contiguous addresses identified by an address range is associated with first and second characteristics. The first characteristic is applied if the addressable memory location is within the set of addressable memory locations, and an entity is currently authenticated to and authorized to access the set of addressable memory locations. The second characteristic is applied if the addressable memory location is within the set of addressable memory locations, and no entity is currently authenticated to and authorized to access the set of addressable memory locations. The set of addressable memory locations can also be a logical partition, where the first and second characteristics are stored in a logical partition table.
US09104613B2
In general, embodiments of the present invention provide a DR solution for a networked computing environment such as a cloud computing environment. Specifically, a customer or the like can select a disaster recovery provider from a pool (at least one) of disaster recovery providers using a customer interface to a DR portal. Similarly, using the interface and DR portal, the customer can then submit a request for DR to be performed for a set (at least one) of applications. The customer will then also submit (via the interface and DR portal) DR information. This information can include, among other things, a set of application images, a set of application files, a set of recovery requirements, a designation of one or more specific (e.g., application) components for which DR is desired, dump file(s), database file(s), etc. Using the DR information, the DR provider will then generate and conduct a set of DR tests and provide the results to the customer via the DR portal and interface. In one embodiment, a temporary DR environment can be created (e.g., by the DR provider or the customer) in which the DR tests are conducted.
US09104608B2
A method, computer program product, and computer system for receiving information from a first computing device, the information including digital audio data, the information sent to a second computing device by the first computing device. The information is received from the second computing device. A discrepancy between at least a portion of the information received from the first computing device and at least a portion of the information received from the second computing device is identified in real-time. At least a portion of the discrepancy is corrected in real-time for replaying at least the portion of the discrepancy at the second computing device.
US09104602B2
In an environment in which a processor operates a hypervisor and multiple guest partitions operating under the hypervisor's control, it is desirable to allow a guest partition access to a physical memory device without decreasing system performance. Accordingly, a conversion instruction for converting a logical address to a real address, i.e., an LTOR instruction, executable from a guest partition, is added to the processor. Upon the guest partition's execution of the conversion instruction with the logical address specified, the processor converts the logical address to an encrypted real address, and returns it to the guest partition. The guest partition is then able to pass the encrypted real address to an accelerator that converts the encrypted real address to a real address in order to access the memory device using the real address.
US09104599B2
Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for destaging cached data. A method includes caching write in a nonvolatile solid-state cache by appending the data to a log of the nonvolatile solid-state cache. The log includes a sequential, log-based structure preserved in the nonvolatile solid-state cache. A method includes destaging at least a portion of the data from the nonvolatile solid-state cache to the backing store in a cache log order. The cache log order comprises an order in which the data was appended to the log of the nonvolatile solid-state cache.
US09104582B1
A device is configured to receive first data of a media file. The first data is in a first type of format. The device is further configured to extract media data and metadata from the first data, to store the media data in a first cache, and to store the metadata in a second cache. The device is also configured to determine a second type of format that is supported by a client device. The second type of format is different from the first type of format. The device is configured to retrieve the media data from the first cache, to retrieve the metadata from the second cache, to construct second data that is in the second type of format based on the media data and the metadata, and to provide the second data to the client device.
US09104570B2
A method for monitoring at least two microcontrollers using a watchdog is described. The watchdog is associated with a first microcontroller and monitors the communication of a message from the first microcontroller within a time interval of a predefined duration. The message communicated to the watchdog by the first microcontroller contains a contribution which is formed on account of communication between the first microcontroller and a second microcontroller connected to the latter and on the basis of which the watchdog checks the proper method of operation of the second microcontroller. The disclosure also describes a circuit arrangement and a battery with a battery management unit which are configured to carry out the method according to the disclosure.
US09104569B2
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided herein for enabling the joint detection and decoding of uplink state flag symbols. In this regard, a method is provided that determining one or more residual error terms by jointly detecting and decoding in one or more bursts of a radio block. In some example embodiments, the one or more residual error terms are determined over a plurality of uplink state flag symbols in the one or more bursts that correspond to a plurality of available uplink state flag sequences. The method of this embodiment may also include determining a weighted error measure for each of the plurality of available uplink state flag sequences based on the one or more residual error terms. The method of this embodiment may also include determining an uplink state flag value based on the plurality of weighted error measures.
US09104568B2
A method for detecting memory cells that are stuck in a physical state. The method includes performing a diagnostic read of a memory cell in a memory system. The memory system is configured to utilize at least one read threshold value to determine a read data value stored in the memory cell when performing a data read operation on the memory cell. Performing the diagnostic read includes: comparing a measurement property of the memory cell to at least one diagnostic threshold value, where at least one of the diagnostic threshold values is different from all of the read threshold values; and identifying the memory cell as being stuck in a physical state based on the comparing. Based on identifying the memory cell as being stuck in a physical state, an indication that memory cell is stuck is output along with a diagnostic data value associated with the physical state.
US09104552B1
The present invention is a system and method for utilizing shadow/ghost list to prevent excessive wear on FLASH based cache devices. The method determines when data is highly likely to be accessed again, and avoids writes to a FLASH based caching device when data is unlikely to be accessed again through the use of “shadow” or “ghost” lists that are also used to perform adaptive caching.
US09104548B2
One or more circuits of a device may comprise a memory. A first portion of a first block of the memory may store program code and/or program data, a second portion of the first block may store an index associated with a second block of the memory, and a third portion of the first block may store an indication of a write status of the first portion. Each bit of the third portion of the first block may indicate whether an attempt to write data to a corresponding one or more words of the first portion of the first block has failed since the last erase of the corresponding one or more words of the first portion of the first block. Whether data to be written to a particular virtual address is written to the first block or the second block may depend on the write status of the first block and the second block.
US09104546B2
A method for performing block management is provided. The method is applied to a controller of a Flash memory, where the Flash memory includes a plurality of blocks. The method includes: adjusting a dynamic threshold according to at least one condition; and comparing a valid/invalid page count of a specific block of the plurality of blocks with the dynamic threshold to determine whether to erase the specific block. An associated memory device and a controller thereof are also provided, where the memory device includes the Flash memory and the controller. In particular, the controller includes a read only memory (ROM) arranged to store a program code, and further includes a microprocessor arranged to execute the program code to control access to the Flash memory and manage the plurality of blocks, where under control of the microprocessor, the controller operates according to the method.
US09104537B1
Methods and systems are provide a method for processing information associated with a vehicle. An example method includes receiving a plurality of actions set at the vehicle over a period of time. The actions can be received from a server or services of a provider over the Internet. The method includes updating a history profile for a user account of the vehicle for the plurality of actions. The history profile includes meta data for each of the plurality of actions. The method generates confidence scores for each of the plurality of actions in the history profile and generating one or more action recommendations that can be accepted for implementation by the vehicle. For actions having confidence scores that exceed a threshold, the method sends the one or more action recommendations to the user account associated with the vehicle.
US09104533B2
A voltage and timing calibration method used in a memory system. A memory controller adjusts timing and voltages of the controller and voltages of a memory buffer according to data returned by the buffer based on timing and voltages at a memory controller side of the buffer, to calibrate timing and voltages between the controller and controller side. According to data read by the buffer from a memory chip unit on the basis of timing and voltages at a memory chip side of the buffer, the controller adjusts the timing and voltage at the chip side and the voltage of the chip unit; or the buffer adjusts the timing and voltage at the chip side and the voltage of the chip unit, to calibrate the timing and voltage between the chip side and chip unit. Therefore, hardware resources of the buffer can be saved and the circuit can be simplified.
US09104531B1
Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multi-core switch device comprising a plurality of P processing cores for processing packets received from a computer network; a memory comprising a plurality of M memory banks, the plurality of processing cores and the plurality of memory banks being arranged such that the plurality of processing cores have access to multiple memory banks among the plurality of memory banks to perform corresponding memory operations; and a memory access controller coupling the plurality of processing cores to the plurality of memory banks, the memory access controller configured to selectively provide, to each of the plurality of processing cores, access to multiple memory banks among the plurality of memory banks over a number of N physical couplings such that N (i) is an integer and (ii) is less than P times M.
US09104530B2
A system estimating temperature of a mechanical member of a vehicle once the vehicle has stopped, including: a temperature sensor of a first element of the vehicle, for example a fluid tank; a mechanism estimating air temperature outside the vehicle; a first module estimating temperature of the member when the vehicle is moving; a mechanism storing, while the vehicle is stopped, an outside air temperature, a temperature of the first element, and a temperature of the member; a second module to calculate how long the vehicle has been stopped according to the outside air temperature, the stored temperature of the first element, and the measured temperature of the first element; and a third module to calculate thermal history of temperature variation of the member while the vehicle is stopped, according to the outside air temperature, the stored temperature of the member, and the stoppage time of the vehicle.
US09104525B2
Techniques for mining API method usage patterns from source code are described. These techniques include parsing the source code to generate API method call sequences that include an API method. These call sequences are clustered to obtain clusters. Based on the clusters, frequent closed sequences are determined and then clustered to obtain an API usage pattern. In addition, optimal clustering parameters may also be determined. In some instances, a graphical representation is generated based on the API usage pattern in response to a query associated with the API method.
US09104504B2
Systems and methods are provided for deploying new software application features as a dynamically-loadable executable package including one or more dynamically-linked shared dependent libraries. The dynamically-loadable executable package may be capable of being loaded into volatile memory and executed in an information handling system environment with or without the dependent shared libraries, and without duplicating the presence or use of redundant shared libraries that may be already present on the existing software stack.
US09104499B2
Resource state sets corresponding to the application states are maintained in memory. A request may be issued for a processor operating in a first application state corresponding to the first resource state set to transition to a second application state corresponding to the second resource state set. A start time to begin transitioning resources to states indicated in the second resource state set is scheduled based upon an estimated amount of processing time to complete transitioning. A process is begun by which the states of resources are switched from states indicated by the first resource state set to states indicated by the second resource state set. Scheduling the process to begin at a time that allows the process to be completed just in time for the resource states to be immediately available to the processor upon entering the second application state helps minimize adverse effects of resource latency.
US09104495B2
Methods and systems for resource segmentation include dividing a time horizon to be partitioned into time slots based on a minimum partition size; determining resource usage for multiple virtual machines in each of the plurality of time slots; determining a set of partitioning schemes that includes every possible partitioning of the time slots into a fixed number of partitions; for each partitioning scheme in the set of partitioning schemes, determining a cost using a processor based on a duration of each partition and a resource usage metric; and selecting a partitioning scheme that has a lowest cost.
US09104485B1
Architectures and techniques for substantially maintaining performance of hyperthreads within processing cores of processors. One technique can include determining that at least one of two or more hyperthreads has entered an idle state. The technique can further include executing an idle workload loop that comprises a set of instructions that substantially simulates execution of the one of the two or more hyperthreads that has entered the idle state.
US09104484B2
Techniques and mechanisms for conversion of code of a first type to bytecode. Apex provides various unique characteristics. When converting to bytecode, these characteristics are handled to provide bytecode functionality. Some of the unique characteristics of Apex include Autoboxing, SOQL, Properties, Comparisons, Modifiers, Code coverage mechanisms and Sharing mechanisms.
US09104482B2
A system includes disk storage to provide differentiated storage QoS for a plurality of IO classes. Each IO class has a plurality of applications to it. A QoS controller collects IO statistics for each application and each class. The QoS controller adaptively determines an IO class assignment for each application based at least in part on the collected IO statistics.
US09104472B2
A method and circuit for a data processing system (12) provide a virtualized programmable interrupt control system (70) which processes interrupt event reports from interrupt sources (e.g., 14, 40) which generate write transactions to an address for an interrupt event register (80) which is authenticated and then interpreted based on the current state of the targeted interrupt to generate the next state using an interpretation table (306) and predetermined configuration/state bits (310-314).
US09104462B2
A method and apparatus of providing an RE-aware technique for placing slots based on redundancy across and within slot communication pairs. In particular, the RE-aware placement strategy takes into account the redundancy in data transfers for slot-to-slot communications and place slots to exploit redundancy in data transfers while minimizing the overall inter-rack (or inter-data center) bandwidth usage.
US09104452B2
High Fidelity remoting can be enabled by loading a hybrid remote session in a computer system. The hybrid remote session can include components loaded in a console session and components loaded in a remote session.
US09104450B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with graphical user interface (GUI) component classification are described. One example method includes generating a first vector. The first vector may be generated based on image data describing a GUI component. The example method may also include assigning a GUI component classifier to the GUI component. Assigning the GUI component classifier may comprise comparing the first vector to members of a vector set. Members of the vector set may describe GUI elements. The example method may also include providing the GUI component classifier.
US09104444B2
A user device receives a mobile application that defines multiple environments associated with the mobile application and launches the mobile application. After the launching the mobile application, the user device retrieves an environment selector value for the mobile application and initializes the mobile application with configuration data for a particular environment of the multiple environments. The particular environment is selected from the multiple environments based on the environment selector value.
US09104430B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method and apparatus for enabling extensibility in sensing systems. The distributed sensing system comprises a number of sensor nodes, a device database, a sensing module registry, a sensing needs monitor, and an automatic composer. The device database is in communication with at least one sensor node and configured to maintain physical information on at least one sensor node. The sensing module registry is configured to maintain a registry of a number of software modules that are available for extracting information from sensor data. The sensing needs monitor is configured to maintain a list of context pairs that represent a number of sensing needs of a sensing application. The automatic composer is configured to generate a composition of software modules, at runtime, to realize the sensing needs of users and applications.
US09104420B2
An image forming apparatus, a microcontroller, and methods for controlling the image forming apparatus and the microcontroller are provided. The microcontroller include: a memory controller which is connected to an external memory operating in a self-refresh mode if a normal mode changes to a low power mode and outputs a preset signal which is to cancel the self-refresh mode if the low power mode changes to the normal mode; a memory interface unit which transmits the preset signal to a main memory; and a signal detector which detects whether the preset signal has been output. Here, the memory controller powers off the memory interface unit if the normal mode changes to the low power mode and powers on the memory interface unit if the low power mode changes to the normal mode, and the output of the preset signal is detected by the signal detector.
US09104414B2
The multimedia processing system includes a plurality of first units including a CPU and a top domain; a storage domain configured to store a plurality of multimedia data; a multimedia codec domain configured to decode segments of target multimedia data received from the storage domain and to output decoded segments according to control of the CPU or the top domain; a system bus configured to connect the plurality of first units, the storage domain, and the multimedia codec domain with one another; and an alive domain configured to control power supply to the plurality of first units, the storage domain, the multimedia codec domain, and the system bus and to receive a signal from a user.
US09104410B2
A method and apparatus are provided which allow telecommunication equipment to adjust its power consumption. By replicating the functionality of a standard component for processing traffic on a general purpose CPU, traffic can be routed within the equipment to the general purpose CPU for processing instead of the component under certain conditions. If the maximum bandwidth supported by the functionality on the general purpose CPU is less than the maximum bandwidth supported by the component, then the component can be powered down during times of low traffic and the traffic routed to the general purpose CPU instead. Since the maximum bandwidth supported by the functionality on the general purpose CPU is less than the maximum bandwidth supported by the component, less power is necessary to operate the telecommunication equipment and hence cost is reduced.
US09104405B2
Methods, system, and computer program products are provided for managing server power consumption in a data center. Embodiments include detecting, by a circuit monitoring interposer, a type of a power circuit that is currently coupled to the circuit monitoring interposer; determining a power capacity of the power circuit based on the type of the power circuit; receiving, by the circuit monitoring interposer, a power consumption server measurement from each server monitoring interposer of a plurality of server monitoring interposers, each power consumption server measurement corresponding to a server of the plurality of servers; determining a total power consumption of the power circuit in dependence upon a total of the power consumption server measurements; and determining whether the total power consumption exceeds the power capacity, and if the total power consumption of the power circuit exceeds the power capacity, instructing one or more servers to reduce their power consumption.
US09104402B2
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems generate a plurality of possible branch traces for a computer program. Each possible branch trace represents different sequences of branch instructions that may be executed while the computer program is running. Each branch instruction has a corresponding identifier. A branch trace value is generated for at least one of the plurality of possible branch traces. Generating the branch trace value includes performing a mathematical or logical operation between a first identifier and each subsequent identifier of the possible branch trace to obtain the branch trace value. An output including a branch trace is generated based upon a match between a run-time branch trace value and the at least one generated branch trace value.
US09104395B2
To provide a processor with low power consumption, particularly a processor in which low power consumption is achieved by reducing leakage current from a high potential power supply line. A circuit of the processor used for a power gating driving method is divided into a first circuit block including a logic circuit and the like and used only in an arithmetic processing period, a second circuit block including a volatile memory element and the like and used in the arithmetic processing period, a data storage period, and a data restorage period, and a third circuit block including a nonvolatile memory element and the like and used in the data storage period and the data restorage period. The first to third circuit blocks are connected to first to third high potential power supply lines, respectively, and these lines are electrically connected to a fourth high potential power supply line which supplies power to the processor, through switches.
US09104392B1
Monitoring data can be received and managed in a multi-tenant environment. Monitoring data can be received for multiple tenants. The received monitoring data can be sorted. Sorting can be performed based on various criteria, such as by tenant. The sorted monitoring data can be written to data files. Each data file can store monitoring data for a plurality of tenants. Receiving, sorting, and writing monitoring data can be performed within a multi-tenant monitoring system.
US09104389B2
Inheritance contributions of programming class functions and class variables are diagrammed. A functional diagram illustrates individual class contributions of functions. A variable composition diagram illustrates individual class contributions of variables. A diagrammatic depiction of functions overridden and functions contributed in the inheritance hierarchy is provided. Functions which are unique, overridden and/or have contributions in different classes of the hierarchy are visually distinguished (e.g., by distinguishing marks). Classes in the hierarchy are graphically depicted with relative sizes based on percent contribution.
US09104385B2
The invention provides an expansion card adapted for a motherboard, in which the motherboard includes a first slot, and the first slot is located at a surface of the motherboard. The expansion card includes a circuit board, a heat-dissipating module and a supporter. The circuit board includes a connecting interface configured for being inserted into the first slot of the motherboard. The heat-dissipating module is disposed at a side of the circuit board and has a bottom surface. When the expansion card is inserted into the first slot, the supporter is disposed at the bottom surface of the heat-dissipating module so that the bottom surface of the heat-dissipating module is substantially parallel to the surface of the motherboard.
US09104384B2
A new type of portable USB mass storage gadget is disclosed which provides the user with upgradeable high speed mass storage and processing for use with portable computer appliances such as smart phones and tablets as well as standard desk top computers and laptops. Various modifications to the embodiment referred to as a UDRIVE are disclosed including a battery option, wireless connectivity, security, and additional internal electronics and external interfaces that allow processing of the data stored or sent to the portable gadget.
US09104380B2
A ratchet module disposed in an electronic apparatus realizes one-way push-push function for a functional module. The ratchet module includes a first member and a second member meshed with each other with axially extending ratchet such that the second member may be pushed to rotate in one direction with respect to the first member. A torque spring disposed between the two members is twisted to accumulate a restoring force as the second member is moved by the functional module sliding in a housing and rotated with respect to the first member. The second member is served to maintain the position of the functional module. A button is further used in the ratchet module to push the second member to disengage from the first member, allowing the twisted torque spring to rotate the second member automatically in a reverse direction that pushes the functional module to slide reversely in the housing.
US09104360B2
A terminal apparatus may receive first information relating to a first function executing apparatus from the first function executing apparatus. The first function executing apparatus may be configured to execute a scan function. The terminal apparatus may cause a display mechanism of the terminal apparatus to display a first image indicating M1 items of communication schemes by using the first information. Each of the M1 items of communication schemes may be a communication scheme available for the first function executing apparatus to send scan data.
US09104356B2
A system for preprocessing a print document is disclosed. The system may comprise a document inputting unit, configured to receive a print document, a document processing unit, configured to process the print document that is received by the document inputting unit, and a document outputting unit, configured to output a print document that has been processed by the document processing unit. Further, a method for preprocessing a print document is also disclosed.
US09104350B2
An information processing apparatus for setting a setting value for print data to be transmitted to a printer, includes a selection unit configured to select a purpose from a plurality of printing purposes, and a display unit configured to display a screen for setting the setting value for the print data including a variable setting item for setting a setting value from a plurality of setting values associated with the printing purpose selected by the selection unit, and a fixed wherein setting values for the variable setting item and the fixed setting item are set by using different setting ways on the displayed screen.
US09104346B2
An apparatus includes a subset staple setting unit configured to divide one print data into a plurality of subsets and to set a stapling position for each subset, a page layout setting unit configured to set a page layout of the print data, and an adjustment unit configured to adjust, if the page layout is changed when a setting of the stapling position for each subset is specified, the setting.
US09104345B2
First in, first out (FIFO) queues may be used to transfer data between a producer clock domain and a number of consumer clock domains. In one implementation, a control component for the FIFO queues may include a number of counters, corresponding to each of the consumer clock domains, each of the counters maintaining a count value relating to an amount of data read by the corresponding consumer clock domain. The control component may additionally include a credit deduction component coupled to the count values of the counters, the credit deduction component determining whether any of the count values is above a threshold, and in response to the determination that any of the count values is above the threshold, reducing the count value of each of the counters and issuing a write pulse signal to the producer clock domain, the write pulse signal causing the producer clock domain to perform a write operation to the FIFO queues.
US09104344B2
In one example, a cloud-based printing service that calculates cumulative usage data of a consumable.
US09104342B2
A method for writing a logical data block to storage. The method includes receiving a request to write a logical data block to a storage pool, allocating a number of physical log blocks in a RAID log and a parity block for the logical data block, and writing the logical data block and the parity block to the physical log blocks. The number of the physical log blocks are less than a number of disks storing the RAID log. The method further includes allocating space in a physical slab block in a RAID slab for the logical data block, copying data including the logical data block to the space in the physical slab block, and updating, in the RAID slab, a checksum corresponding to the physical slab block and a parity block that includes the data stripe having the physical slab block based on the data copied.
US09104335B2
The present invention relates to migrating volumes among computers in a computer system. According to the migration method of the present invention, a setting of a storage apparatus is changed so that the volume having been used by the migration source host is accessible by the migration destination host, and then a volume recognition process is performed in the migration destination host. As a result of the volume recognition process, if it is detected in the migration destination host that multiple device files are created in a duplicated manner with respect to a single volume provided by the storage apparatus, the migration destination host deletes the device files created in a duplicated manner leaving one device file.
US09104333B2
The present disclosure relates to a method for enhancement of media experience that comprises transmitting, by a first computing device, a data stream stored in a first storage region of the first computing device to an output device connected to the first computing device, providing, by a trigger module, a trigger that is linked to the data stream, detecting, by a detection module, the trigger while the data stream is being transmitted, and providing, by a content module, additional data in response to detecting the trigger. Furthermore, a system for enhancement of media experience is described.
US09104327B2
A system and method for reducing the need to check both a secondary address table and a primary address table for logical to physical translation tasks is disclosed. The method may include generating a fast translation indicator, such as a logical group bitmap, indicating whether there is an entry in the secondary address table that contains desired information pertaining to a particular logical address. Upon a host request relating to the particular logical address, the storage device may check the bitmap to determine if retrieval and parsing of the secondary table is necessary. The system may include a storage device having RAM cache storage, flash storage and a controller configured to generate and maintain at least one fast translation indicator to reduce the need to check both secondary and primary address tables during logical to physical address translation operations of the storage device.
US09104314B2
A method and apparatus for performing calculations in a character input mode of an electronic device. Character input is received in the character input mode, and input characters are displayed in a character input window. If determined that an arithmetic expression is present in the displayed input characters, the arithmetic expression is evaluated, and an evaluation result is displayed. A calculation enabling condition may be satisfied prior to, or after, the arithmetic expression identification. The method may be applied to character input modes of a text messaging or email application, or of a word processing application.
US09104310B2
An information processing device that includes a display, a touch panel that detects a gesture operation, a memory that stores a correlation between each of a plurality of effects that can be applied to an object displayed on the display and one of a plurality of gesture operations, and a processor that applies one of the plurality of effects that corresponds to the detected gesture operation to an object displayed on the display, and controls the display to display the object to which the one of the plurality effects is applied.
US09104304B2
A method for operating a computer device incorporating a touch screen is provided. The method includes pre-defining a first pointing device command and a second pointing device command, which are not related to directional pointing control, in the computer device. In response to a first touch, the touch screen generates a first touch signal. The first pointing device invokes a command in response to the first touch signal. In response to a second touch different from the first touch, the touch screen generates a second touch signal. The second pointing device command is invokes in response to the second touch signal.
US09104299B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and a corresponding apparatus for displaying an arc menu index, which are used to display index characters on an arc display bar. The method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: receiving a menu expanding instruction; and expanding an arc menu index on a display according to the menu expanding instruction, where the arc menu index includes an index operation area, an index pointer, and index characters; the index operation area is an area encompassed by an arc border line displayed on the display and a display frame intersecting the arc border line, the index characters are arranged along the arc border line, and the index pointer is located in the index operation area and is configured to indicate a selected index character.
US09104298B1
The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for managing, tracking, and facilitating the ordering and procurement of promotional products. Additionally, the disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for aggregating, managing, and tracking promotional product procurement data in order to allow for the data mining of such information. The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for enabling the generation of a virtual canvas for creating images sized for editable areas of a promotional product, website, brochure, banner, or the like. The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for enabling the generation of a virtual canvas for creating a rotatable image of a promotional product having positioned on the promotional product a user defined image. The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for enabling the generation of a single invoice comprising an invoice amount from a supplier and an invoice amount from a third party decorator.
US09104297B2
A method, system and computer program product for indicating an organization of a visitor on a user interface of a user engaged in collaborative activity with the visitor. The visitor attempting to engage in a collaborative action (e.g., participating in an online meeting, sharing files) with a user from a different organization is authenticated to confirm that the visitor has the right to engage in collaborative activity with the user from the different organization. The identification of the organization of the visitor is extracted from the information used to authenticate the visitor. The identification of the organization of the visitor is then displayed on the user interface of the user engaging in the collaborative action with the visitor. In this manner, the organization of the visitor is easily discoverable by the user without requiring the user to perform a time consuming search to determine the organization of the visitor.
US09104296B2
Some embodiments relate to providing an improved progress indicator in a graphical user interface. In addition to conveying a completion status of a task to a user, an improved progress indicator in some embodiments can convey additional information about the task to the user. For example, some embodiments can display a visual cue when a triviality threshold indicating that the task is “substantially complete” is met.
US09104290B2
A method for controlling a screen of a mobile terminal that simultaneously displays a plurality of execution screens is provided. The method preferably includes: displaying a layout composed of a plurality of sections when a magazine creation event is sensed; mapping applications to the plurality of sections in a one-to-one correspondence, respectively to create a magazine; and displaying the magazine, and an execution screen of an application mapped to each of the sections is arranged at the magazine.
US09104282B2
An electronic device having a plurality of electrodes arranged to detect a touch operation onto an operation plane has a control unit for effecting control such that in a case where a capacity of an electrode arranged at an end portion of an arrangement of the plurality of electrodes is equal to or greater than a first capacity, a process corresponding to the touch operation is executed, and in a case where a capacity of another electrode different from the electrode arranged at the end portion is equal to or greater than a second capacity greater than the first capacity, the process corresponding to the touch operation is executed.
US09104280B2
Disclosed herein is a touch panel. In the touch panel, electrode patterns included in the touch panel may be orthogonal to each other in an intersecting point, and formed of a combination of unit patterns having a bent straight line shape. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a contact area of the electrode patterns that intersect in the intersecting point from being increasing, thereby reducing visibility of the electrode pattern.
US09104277B2
Stimulus regions are defined based on the traces of a capacitive touch panel. A first signal is applied to a first trace in a first direction under a second signal applied to a second trace in a second direction to stimulate the second trace, to sense a stimulus region for an ADC value thereof. Calibration parameters for the traces are determined according to the ADC values of the traces without being touched, and are stored for later sensing the traces for position calculation and multi-finger calculation.
US09104274B2
A touch screen panel includes first and second sense cells on a same layer and coupling patterns that couple adjacent ones of the first sense cells and adjacent ones of the second sense cells to each other, respectively. The coupling patterns do not cross with each other, thereby improving the ability of the coupling patterns to withstand static electricity. A dummy line formed of a same material as the sense cells may be formed between the first and second sense cells, and the dummy line is electrically coupled to a guard ring located in an area outside of a display area of the touch screen panel, making it possible to overcome the effects of static electricity applied to the front surface of the touch screen panel as well as the side surface thereof.
US09104268B2
An optical finger navigation device includes a navigation cover. The navigation cover includes a tracking surface and an illumination surface. The tracking surface exhibits a first light reflection characteristic in a presence of a navigation object at the tracking surface and a second light reflection characteristic in an absence of the navigation object at the tracking surface. A light source generates illumination directed toward the illumination surface of the navigation cover. A redirection structure is interposed between the light source and the illumination surface of the navigation cover. A reflection surface of the first redirection structure is approximately facing the illumination surface of the navigation cover. An illumination surface of the redirection structure is approximately facing the light source. The redirection structure defines at least one hole therethrough to pass light generated by the light source toward the illumination surface of the navigation cover.
US09104267B2
A capacitive multi-touch system includes a touch sensor pane, a front-end circuit, and a digital signal processor. The touch sensor panel generates a capacitance signal corresponding to a touch input. The front-end circuit converts the capacitance signal to a sensing channel signal. The digital signal processor receives a common voltage (VCOM) from a display device, calculates a noise interval of two neighboring noise peaks of the common voltage, and performs a noise filtering operation on the sensing channel signal using a noise filter path. The noise filter path is selected from a plurality of noise filter paths based on the noise interval.
US09104264B2
An information processing apparatus comprises: a calculation unit configured to calculate differences between the display coordinates of the plurality of target touch marks and the coordinates converted by the conversion unit; a correction unit configured to calculate an average value with reference to the center of the display range from the differences calculated by the calculation unit, and to correct, using the average value, the coordinates converted by the conversion unit so that distances between the reference coordinates and the coordinates converted by the conversion unit become equal to each other; and an update unit configured to calculate new conversion coefficients required to correct displacements between the coordinates corrected by the correction unit and the display coordinates of the plurality of target touch marks, and to update the new conversion coefficients as conversion coefficients used in subsequent touch position detection of the touch panel.
US09104262B2
Methods for displaying and moving data and systems using the same are provided. First, a first movement of an object on or near a touch-sensitive display unit is detected, and in response to the first movement, data displayed in the touch-sensitive display unit is moved in a first direction. In response to an edge of the data being reached while the data is moving in the first direction and the object is still detected on or near the touch-sensitive display unit, the movement of the data is stopped. Then, a second movement of the object on or near the touch-sensitive display unit is detected, and in response to the second movement, an area beyond the edge of the data is displayed in the touch-sensitive display unit. In response to detecting that the second movement of the object is no longer on or near the touch-sensitive display unit, the data is moved in a second direction until the area beyond the edge of the data is no longer displayed in the touch-sensitive display unit.
US09104259B2
A liquid crystal display device with a touch panel includes: pixel electrodes which is applied a electrical potential corresponding to a gradation value in respective pixels; common electrodes that are a plurality of electrodes which extend in one direction; a liquid crystal layer having a liquid crystal composition whose orientation is changed according to an electric field developed by the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes; and detection electrodes that are a plurality of electrodes which extend in another direction different from the one direction, and detect a touch position on the panel. The common electrodes include a first electrode which is applied a detection potential for detecting the touch position on the panel, and a second electrode to which a potential different from the detection potential is applied during a period in which the detection potential is applied.
US09104258B2
This relates to adding multi-touch functionality to a display without the need of a separate multi-touch panel or layer overlaying the display. Instead, embodiments of the invention can advantageously utilize existing display circuitry to provide multi-touch functionality while adding relatively little circuitry that is specific to the multi-touch functionality. Thus, by sharing circuitry for the display and the multi-touch functionalities, embodiments of the invention can be implemented at a lower cost than the alternative of superimposing additional multi-touch related layers onto an existing display panel. Furthermore, since the display and multi-touch functionality can be implemented on the same circuit, they can be synchronized so that noise resulting from the display functionality does not detrimentally affect the multi-touch functionality and vice versa.
US09104256B2
A shield that is attachable to a touch sensitive screen is disclosed. The shield may be attached to the touch sensitive screen only at its outer peripheral portion. An air gap is enclosed between the shield and the touch sensitive screen to form a planar air bearing. The shield preferably does not touch the active area of the touch sensitive screen when the user is not touching the shield but only viewing the touch sensitive screen through the shield. This mitigates unwanted optical artifacts such as trapped air bubbles, Newton rings and chromatic interference while maintaining the sensitivity of the touch sensitive screen.
US09104246B2
An electronic system having a multiple of input keyboards is provided. The electronic system comprises a touch display unit and a processing unit. The touch display unit displays a plurality of input fields. The processing unit links each of a plurality of virtual input keyboards correspondingly to one of the input fields to perform data processing on the input fields according to the operation input on each of the virtual input keyboards.
US09104244B2
Embodiments of the present invention describe systems and methods for using a combined (or All-In-One) Chinese input method to enter Chinese characters in documents and forms on computers or on web sites. The combined Chinese input method includes a number of Chinese input methods that are frequently used by users. Chinese characters that match the strings of symbols typed by users are displayed under each of the Chinese input methods for users to select the correct characters under the desired Chinese input methods. The combined Chinese input method allows users to enter (or input) Chinese characters without specifying the Chinese input methods being used, which reduces the time used in switching input methods. Further, the combined Chinese input method can also be personalized to include Chinese input methods frequently used by or specified by users. The display of the Chinese characters matching the strings of symbols entered to form Chinese characters can also be personalized to enhance usability and to increase the speed of identifying matched Chinese characters.
US09104239B2
Provided are a display device and a method for controlling the same. The display device comprises a display unit, and a controller configured to perform predetermined functions according to a distance with a external object in response to an identical gesture made by the external object.
US09104238B2
Provided are systems and methods for providing enhanced motion detection. One system providing enhanced motion detection includes a smart display, an interface subsystem including a human interface device (HID), and a console having a processor configured to form communication links with the smart display and the interface subsystem and to provide motion detection feedback, using the smart display, to a user of the HID, where the HID is configured to sense motion of the HID and utilize a predictive model to characterize the motion of the HID. One interface subsystem includes a camera to sense motion of a user of the HID. One processor is configured to negotiate a reduced response latency with the smart display.
US09104236B2
An approach is provided to control information display at an augmented reality device. In the approach, a biometric value is received from a biometric input device. The biometric input device is a device that receives biometric data from a user of the augmented reality device. The received biometric value is compared to a number of previously established biometric input ranges that correspond to the user. Each of the biometric input ranges corresponds to a different display policy. The comparison identifies a selected display policy. The display detail of the augmented reality device is then automatically set according to the selected display policy.
US09104233B2
A method 300 and device for visual compensation captures 330 an image using an imager, detects 360 whether eyeglasses are present in the image, and sets 363 an electronic visual display to a normal font size, if eyeglasses are detected as present in the image. If eyeglasses are not detected as present in the image, the electronic visual display is set 367 to a larger font size. The method and device can be triggered 320 (for example) by an incoming call or message, by a touch screen activation, a key press, or by a sensed motion of the device. The method can be repeated from time to time to detect whether a user has taken off eyeglasses (or put on eyeglasses) after the first image capture. The method and device compensates for users with presbyopia (and some other types of visual impairments) who intermittently wear glasses.
US09104229B2
The present disclosure relates to interrelated methods in a server and in a client enabling policy controlled preload and consumption of software application in a client. The method in a server comprises receiving information pertaining to an identified user; providing the identified user's current user and/or software application usage policies to a client associated with the identified user; deriving an software application preferences context pertaining to the user; based on the derived software application preferences context recommending an unsolicited software application from a set of available software applications; and preparing for transmission a set of software application comprising the recommended unsolicited software application; and transmitting to the client the prepared set of software applications. The method further relates to a server, a client, a computer program on a carrier and a computer program product.
US09104207B2
A walking robot and a control method thereof. The control method of the walking robot which walks using two legs includes applying first virtual gravity torque including a vector component in the anti-gravity direction to respective joints of a support leg from among the two legs during walking, and applying second virtual gravity torque including a vector component in the gravity direction to respective joints of a swing leg from among the two legs during walking. Thereby, the walking robot implements a natural walking motion having a low energy consumption rate.
US09104205B1
An automated return shopping cart for enabling a shopping cart to sense when it is not in use and automatically return itself to a cart corral area when it is not in use. The automated return shopping cart comprises a conventional shopping cart modified to include an automation component, which includes the programmable logic controller, a rechargeable battery, the powertrain components, and brakes, interconnected with a GPS component, object sensors, activity sensors, two docking ports, a touchscreen, and a WiFi component. Whenever the cart is not in use, the automation component causes the cart to be moved back to a desired location, using the GPS component to determine the route based on the location of the desired destination. While in route to the desired destination, object sensors are used to detect objects in the current and potential path of the cart, enabling the cart to avoid the objects.
US09104203B2
A robot and a method for planning a path of the robot. The method includes storing coordinates of a base cell in a queue structure, setting a plurality of cells adjacent to the base cell as scan cells, calculating a movement direction of the robot from the base cell to each of the scan cells, calculating movement cost of each of the scan cells according to the calculated movement direction, comparing the calculated movement cost and movement cost previously stored in each of the scan cells and determining whether or not coordinates of each of the scan cells are stored in the queue structure, and repeatedly performing a process of recording the movement direction and the movement cost in each of the scan cells and building a map of the movement space of the robot if the coordinates of each of the scan cells are stored in the queue structure.
US09104202B2
An operator control unit having a user interface that allows a user to control a remote vehicle, the operator control unit comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit data to the remote vehicle; a receiver unit configured to receive data from the remote vehicle, the data received from the remote vehicle comprising image data captured by the remote vehicle; and a display unit configured to display a user interface comprising the image data received from the remote vehicle and icons representing a plurality of controllable elements of the remote vehicle, and configured to allow the user to input a control command to control at least one of the plurality of controllable elements. Inputting a control command to control the at least one controllable element comprises selecting the icon representing the at least one controllable element, inputting an action for the at least one controllable element, and requesting that the at least one controllable element performs the action.
US09104197B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for off-line programming of multiple interacting robots. For example, a system for off-line programming (100) of multiple interacting robots includes a computer (110) for off-line programming and verification of program codes (111) for multiple interacting robots (131-133) and a robot controller (120) connected to the computer (110) to receive a download of at least one of the program codes for execution. Multiple interacting robots (131-133) can be controlled by the robot controller (120).
US09104196B2
There is provided a communication unit configured to receive monitor data showing a progress state of substrate processing or a state of substrate processing apparatus, from a substrate processing apparatus; a database part configured to readably store the monitor data received by the communication unit, in association with production information data; a file archive part configured to read the monitor data and the production information data from the database part, then create typical value data based on the monitor data, and prepare a file including the monitor data, the production information data, and the typical value data, and readably store this file; and a data searching part configured to receive an input of a prescribed searching condition to search the file, and display data stored in the file and matching with the searching condition, on a display unit.
US09104189B2
Apparatus and method including acquiring a signal indicative of power consumption; detecting a transient in the signal; extracting a feature indicative of the transient, wherein extracting the feature includes: fitting a plurality of models to the transient, selecting one of the plurality of models as a model for the transient, and defining the feature indicative of the transient based on at least one parameter of the model for the transient; and classifying the transient based on the feature.
US09104187B2
A system and method for operating a wind energy installation or wind farm. The system includes a control unit configured to process control variables and a transfer module. The transfer module has an input interface for receiving control commands and an output interface for transmitting control variables to the control unit. The transfer module has multiple transfer logic elements each configured to convert a control command to a control variable. The transfer module has a switching device for switching between the transfer logic elements. As a result, the wind energy installation or wind farm can be connected to an electrical grid in which the control commands are transmitted in a different format than that of the control variables of the control unit.
US09104183B2
A system for collaborative energy management and control in a building, including an energy management controller, one or more occupant HMIs that supports two-way communication between building occupants and a facility manager, and between building occupants and the energy management controller, and a facility manager HMI that supports two-way communication between the facility manager and the building occupants, and between the facility manager and the energy management controller, in which the occupant HMI allows building occupants to provide temperature preferences to the facility manager and the energy management controller, and the facility manager HMI allows the facility manager to configure an energy policy for the building as a set of rules and to view occupants' aggregated temperature preferences, and the energy management controller determines an optimum temperature range that resolves conflicting occupant temperature preferences and occupant temperature preferences that conflict with the facility manager's energy policy for the building.
US09104177B2
An apparatus and method for reconstructing a hologram are disclosed. An illuminator emits a reference beam, a hologram display driver displays an interference pattern based on a video signal, a lens unit adjusts a magnification and a focus of a hologram reproduced by projecting the emitted reference beam onto the displayed interference pattern, and a scanning unit scans the adjusted hologram to pixels of a screen by controlling a direction of the adjusted hologram.
US09104174B2
Electronic systems, such as printing systems, often use components that have integral memory. The integral memory can be used to store information about the component. In some printing systems this memory includes a portion that stores a value indicative of a print yield. Disclosed is a method and system for allowing the memory to have data indicative of an increased print yield.
US09104171B2
A detachable device, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a unit drive mechanism, and a cover disposed at one end and an opposite end in the given attachment/detachment direction to cover the unit drive mechanism thereof. The cover includes a first cover and a second cover. The first cover includes at least one first inlet port to intake air from the apparatus body and guide the air to the detachable unit. The second cover includes a second inlet port to intake the air guided into the detachable unit and an air outlet port to exhaust the air introduced from the second inlet port to the apparatus body.
US09104170B2
An opening and closing mechanism includes: a first opening and closing unit rotated to be opened from or closed onto an apparatus body; a drawer unit drawable from the body toward the first opening and closing unit; a second opening and closing unit drawable from the body integrally with the drawer unit, rotatable relative to the drawer unit, rotated integrally with the first opening and closing unit to be opened from or closed onto the body integrally with the first opening and closing unit, and singly rotated independently of the first opening and closing unit to be singly opened from or closed onto the body; and regulation mechanisms provided to the second opening and closing unit independently of the body and the first opening and closing unit to regulate the angle of opening, relative to the body, of the second opening and closing unit singly opened from the body.
US09104165B2
An image forming apparatus, in which a method of handling a sheet conveyance error is performed, includes an apparatus body, a fixing unit fixing an image to a recording medium at a nip area thereof, a sheet conveying path, a sheet output roller unit outputting the recording medium outside the apparatus body, a sheet output detector detecting the recording medium, a post-fixing nip detector detecting the recording medium, a notifying unit notifying a user of an error recovery process when the error is detected by the error detector, and a controller. A distance from the post-fixing nip detector to the sheet output detector is smaller than a given size of the recording medium. When the error is detected by the error detector and the recording medium is detected by the sheet output detector, the controller causes the notifying unit to display a different process according to the detection results.
US09104161B2
A recording medium storage apparatus has a storage cassette and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism restricts movement of the storage cassette in the drawing direction. The lock mechanism has an engaging portion on an apparatus body and an engaged portion on the storage cassette. While the storage cassette is drawn out of the apparatus body, an abutting portion of the engaging portion moves along a first slope on the engaged portion toward a peak portion while swinging in a second direction in which it retracts from the engaged portion, and meanwhile the engaged portion rotates in a third direction so that the peak portion is displaced from a protruding position to a guiding position.
US09104153B2
An image forming apparatus including: a heating member which heats a toner image on a recording medium using a decolorizable toner containing a coloring agent containing a color developable compound and a color developing agent and having a capsule structure covered with an outer shell; a pressing member which is in press contact with the heating member to form a nip portion and nips and conveys the recording medium in cooperation with the heating member; a temperature control section which controls the temperature of the heating member to a temperature not higher than the density maintaining threshold temperature and not lower than the melting threshold temperature; and a conveyance control section which controls the conveying speed of the recording medium such that a time required for the recording medium to pass through the nip portion is 100 msec or more.
US09104146B2
A sheet separating mechanism is provided to solve the problem that a sheet processed by heating step is easy to stick with surface of the heating roller. The sheet separating mechanism according to the present invention applies combination of contactless separating structure and contact-type separating structure to reduce the cost and manufacture process of contact part. Besides, the sheet separating mechanism can decrease the probability of the heating roller damaged by the contact-type separating structure, so as to increase the usage life of the heating roller.
US09104142B2
The developing device includes a developing container that stores a developer including a non-magnetic toner and a magnetic carrier, a toner bearing member that bears the toner and conveys the toner to a developing portion and a separating portion wherein a surface of the toner bearing member includes a plurality of recess structures. A percentage of the recess structures per unit area in a toner bearing region of the toner bearing member is equal to or larger than 55%.
US09104138B2
There is provided a developing device including a developing roller, a housing configured to support the developing roller, a first seal member arranged between the developing roller and the housing at each end portion of the developing roller in an axial direction thereof, and a second seal member arranged between the developing roller and the housing at an inner side of each first seal member in the axial direction and having a smaller frictional force per unit area to be applied with respect to the developing roller than the first seal member.
US09104136B2
A developer conveyance device includes a housing and a conveyance member. The conveyance member is supported to the housing and rotates to convey developer. The conveyance member includes a shaft portion, a helical member, and a plurality of reinforcement members. The plurality of reinforcement members are disposed in a circumferential direction of rotation of the conveyance member. When viewing a cross section in a direction intersecting with the rotational axis, an outer circumferential surface of the helical member includes a facing region and a non-facing region, which are defined for one reinforcement member of the plurality of reinforcement members, the facing region being a region where the one reinforcement member of the plurality of reinforcement members is projected on an opposite side of an outer circumferential surface of the helical member through the rotational axis, and the non-facing region being a region of the outer circumferential surface of the helical member which is different from the facing region. The other reinforcement member of the plurality of reinforcement members is disposed in the non-facing region.
US09104131B1
Provided is an optical scanning head including plural light-emitting element arrays that are arranged along a scanning direction, each of which includes plural light-emitting elements, a light-emitting control unit that outputs a light-emitting timing signal generated based on image information to each light-emitting element of the plural light-emitting element arrays to control light emission of the light-emitting element, a storage unit that is common to the plural light-emitting element arrays and stores a correction value of a light intensity variation due to an arrival time difference between the light-emitting timing signals to the plural light-emitting elements, and a correction unit that corrects the light-emitting timing signal based on the correction value.
US09104127B2
An image forming apparatus comprises: an image forming unit configured to form an image quality adjustment pattern image on an image carrier to be driven at a predetermined speed; a detector configured to detect the image quality adjustment pattern image; an image quality adjustment controller configured to control image quality adjustment processing in accordance with a detection result by the detector; a speed change unit configured to change an image formation speed indicating a speed at which an image is formed, and an interval change unit configured to change an interval at which the detector acquires a detection result in accordance with a change amount between the image formation speed before changed by the speed change unit and the image formation speed after changed.
US09104115B2
According to one embodiment, a method for controlling an exposure apparatus includes calculating a shift from a target value of an illuminance distribution on a reticle of light irradiated onto the reticle. The calculating is based on a relational expression and a measured value of an illuminance distribution on a wafer of light irradiated onto the wafer via a projection optical system. The relational expression has a correlation between the illuminance distribution on the reticle, the illuminance distribution on the wafer, and a spread function reflecting a characteristic of the projection optical system projecting light obtained by way of the reticle onto the wafer.
US09104104B2
A fluorinated photopolymer is formed on a device substrate and exposed to patterned radiation. The photopolymer has a total fluorine content in a weight range of 15 to 60% and comprises at least three distinct repeating units, including a first repeating unit having a fluorine-containing group, a second repeating unit having an acid- or alcohol-forming precursor group, and a third repeating unit different from the first and second repeating units. The pattern-exposed photopolymer layer is contacted with a developing solution comprising at least a first fluorinated solvent that dissolves the unexposed photopolymer thereby forming a developed structure having a first pattern of photopolymer covering the substrate and a complementary second pattern of uncovered substrate. The developing solution is selected to provide a maximum photopolymer contrast in a range of 1.9 to 5.0.
US09104103B2
An information recording medium manufacturing method includes steps of forming, on a support, a recording layer containing a polymer compound having an azobenzene structure, irradiating the recording layer with first writing light to form a first light-diffracting structure having a three-dimensional relief pattern on the surface of the recording layer, fixing the relief pattern by forming a deformation preventing layer on the surface of the recording layer, and irradiating the recording layer having the fixed relief pattern with second writing light to forcedly inhibit deformation caused by the movement of molecules, thereby forming a second light-diffracting structure having a refractive index change inside the recording layer.
US09104100B2
Compositions such as photoresists and microfabrication processes are provided that can produce high-fidelity microfabricated structures. The provided photoresists can have reduced swelling during the development phase and can give tight tolerances for products, such as microneedles, that can be used, for example, in the medical field. The provided compositions include a photoresist, a photoinitiator system dispersed in the photoresist, and a polymer-tethered nanoparticle dispersed in the photoresist. The photoresist can be a negative photoresist and the photoinitiator system can include a two-photoinitiator system. The polymer-tethered nanoparticle can include an acrylic polymer and, in some embodiments, can include poly(methyl methacrylate). The nanoparticles can include silica.
US09104099B2
There is herein described curable coatings for use in a photoimaging process. In particular, there is described curable coatings in the form of 100% or substantially 100% solids energy curable coatings for use in a photoimaging process wherein a substrate is covered with a wet curable photopolymer and the photoimaged substrate is used to form images such as electrical circuits or other features used in the Photochemical Machining Industry (PCMI) such as for example lines, squares, spirals, circles, or other geometric and non-geometric shapes.
US09104098B2
A charge-generating layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a phthalocyanine pigment and a specific tricyanoethylene compound. Alternatively, the charge-generating layer and/or an undercoat layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a specific tricyanoethylene compound, and the charge-generating layer includes the phthalocyanine pigment.
US09104097B2
A radiographic apparatus including an X-ray generating means which irradiates an object with X-rays, the apparatus comprises a first housing which includes an X-ray reception unit formed by a member having a higher X-ray transmittance than a frame member, a buffer material which is placed on the first housing and reduces a load on the X-ray generating means, an X-ray detection sensor which is placed on the buffer material and detects X-rays transmitted through the object, a support member whose support surface to support the X-ray detection sensor is placed on the X-ray detection sensor, and a second housing which includes a concave portion engaging with the convex portion formed on the support member and constrains movement of the support member.
US09104091B2
An imaging lens-exchangeable image capturing apparatus comprises: a detection unit arranged to detect a focus state; a setting unit arranged to cause a user to set correction information for correcting the focus state or correction information for correcting control of a focus position based on the focus state; an acquisition unit arranged to acquire first lens identification information for identifying an attached imaging lens; an input unit arranged to enable the user to input second lens identification information for identifying the attached imaging lens; a storage unit arranged to store, for each imaging lens, the correction information, the first lens identification information, and the second lens identification information in association with each other; and a focus adjustment unit arranged to adjust a focus based on the detection result of the focus state and the correction information.
US09104090B1
A viewfinder 3 includes a finder optical system S2 including first and second lens groups L1, L2; a zoom frame 6 provided with first and second cam grooves 63, 64 configured to rotate about an optical axis A2 to move the first and second lens groups L1, L2 in the optical axis direction in accordance with the shapes of the first and second cam grooves 63, 64; and a diopter adjuster 9 configured to adjust the diopter of the finder optical system S2. The diopter adjuster 9 changes the position of the zoom frame 6 in the optical axis direction to adjust the diopter of the finder optical system S2, and adjusts, during rotation of the zoom frame 6, the position of the zoom frame 6 in the optical axis direction such that the diopter of the finder optical system S2 is maintained.
US09104083B2
A recording medium includes a first substrate; a second substrate; and an image recording layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the image recording layer has insulating properties and multiple cells or microcapsules, each of which encapsulates at least one of electrophoresis particles or magnetophoresis particles, a dispersion medium, and a thermoreversible gelling agent, wherein at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate contains fillers.
US09104075B2
In one embodiment, a first shield electrode and a second shield electrode are arranged on a first substrate. A first source line and a second source line are arranged facing the first and second shield electrodes through an insulating layer, respectively. A first main common electrode and a second main common electrode are formed facing the first and second source lines through an insulating layer, respectively. A main pixel electrode is formed so as to locate between the first and second main common electrodes. A second substrate includes a third main common electrode and a fourth main common electrode facing the first and second main common electrodes, respectively. A liquid crystal layer is held between the first and second substrates. The first, second, third and fourth main common electrodes are set to the same electric potential.
US09104070B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and a display apparatus using the same. The LCD panel comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer and quarter wave (λ/4) retarder films. The liquid crystal layer is formed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The second substrate comprises a second electrode, wherein the second electrode comprises a trunk portion and plurality of branch portions, and there is a predetermined angle between the trunk portion and the branch portions, and the predetermined angle is less than or greater than 45 degrees. The λ/4 retarder films are bonded to outer surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate. The present invention can improve the color shift problem and the transmittance of the LCD panel.
US09104067B2
The invention relates to a backlight module and an LCD device comprising the backlight module. The backlight module includes a backplane, and an optical film arranged on the backplane; the optical film is provided with a convex lug for positioning, the convex lug is provided with a root and an expanded part which is outwards extended, and the width of the expanded part is more than that of the root; the side wall of the backplane is provided with first protrusion(s) which is provided with an opening, the root of the convex lug of the optical film is contained in the opening, the side wall of the backplane is further provided with second protrusion(s) which is provided with an extension part, and the expanded part of the convex lug of the optical film is contained below the extension part of the second protrusion. In the invention, the second protrusion is arranged on the backplane, and the extension part of the second protrusion can prevent the convex lug of the optical film from moving in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the optical film. The cost for arranging the second protrusion is low, and the installation means of the optical film has the advantages of simplicity, time saving, and labor saving.
US09104065B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display device (1), including: a liquid crystal panel (2); and a backlight unit (4), which is disposed on a rear surface of the liquid crystal panel (2) and includes a light source substrate (42) onto which a plurality of light sources are mounted and a casing (49), in which: the plurality of light sources are arranged along one direction, and at least one of the plurality of light sources is disposed so as to be offset in a direction orthogonal to the one direction with respect to at least another one of the plurality of light sources; and the backlight unit further includes a fixture (50) for fixing the light source substrate (42) onto the casing (49), the fixture being disposed on a side of the offset light source in an opposite direction to an offset direction.
US09104060B2
A liquid crystal display panel is disclosed, which comprises: a first substrate with a metal layer formed thereon; a first passivation layer, formed on the metal layer; a color filter layer with a first opening, disposed on the first passivation layer; a first electrode, formed on the color filter layer; a second passivation layer with a second opening, disposed on the first electrode layer and covering partial sidewall of the first opening, wherein the second opening corresponds to the first opening to expose the metal layer; a second electrode layer disposed on the second passivation layer and electrically connecting to the metal layer; a second substrate opposite to the first substrate; and a light-shielding layer, disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and comprising a filling part, wherein the filling part is disposed in the second opening and covers the exposed color filter layer.
US09104055B2
A second substrate has detection electrodes of a touch panel, each of pixels has a pixel electrode and a counter electrode, the counter electrode is divided into a plurality of blocks, the counter electrodes of the respective divided blocks are commonly provided for the respective pixels of the plurality of display lines in series, and the counter electrodes also serve as scanning electrodes of the touch panel, and a counter electrode selector circuit that selects the counter electrodes. The counter electrode selector circuit includes an address decoder circuit that selects the counter electrodes of the respective blocks for a given period, and a selector circuit that applies a touch panel scanning voltage to the counter electrode of the block selected by the address decoder circuit, and applies a counter voltage to the counter electrodes of the blocks not selected by the address decoder circuit.
US09104054B2
An exemplary liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a casing and a liquid crystal panel accommodated in the casing. The casing includes a frame and a window surrounded by an inner side of the frame. The liquid crystal panel includes an outside surface essentially serving as a display screen for displaying images and a peripheral wall. The liquid crystal panel is attached to the frame, with the inner side of the frame contacting the peripheral wall of the liquid crystal panel, and the display screen exposed outside of the casing.
US09104046B1
An apparatus for and methods of determining that the placement and alignment of progressive add lenses (PALs) in a subject's frame are correct. Namely, a PAL verification tool includes a chart and light source, wherein the chart is viewed by the subject and the light source is worn by the subject during a PAL verification process. The PAL verification method may include the steps of positioning the subject with respect to a near fixation point, the subject viewing the near fixation point with one eye and bringing it into best and clearest vision, measuring and recording a first head position with respect to the near fixation point, the subject viewing the near fixation point with the other eye and bringing it into best and clearest vision, measuring and logging a second head position with respect to the near fixation point, and determining the amount and direction of the difference in the first and second head positions and correlating to an amount and direction of PAL misalignment. A measured misalignment exceeding certain tolerances indicates that a subject's PALs aren't properly positioned in their frame. A subject is suitable for correction if this misalignment causes the subject to experience visual or physical discomfort.
US09104040B2
An optical system (20) is presented, which is configured to enable the line of sight stabilization. The system comprises a light module (230), an optical module (210) defining an optical axis (0X) and an optical path of light propagation therethrough, and a stabilizer (220) configured and operable for providing optical coupling between said optical module (210) and said light module (230). The stabilizer (2209 comprises: a gimbal assembly defining a first rotation axis (FRX) orthogonal to said optical axis (0X), and an internal deflector (222) located in the optical path of light propagating through said optical module (210). The internal deflector (222) is mounted for rotation about said first rotation axis (FRX) and is configured and operable to provide optical coupling between at least a section of the optical path of said optical module (210) and an optical path of light passing through said light module (230).
US09104026B2
The present invention relates to an optical imaging device, in particular for microscopy, with a first optical element group and a second optical element group, wherein the first optical element group and the second optical element group, on an image plane, form an image of an object point of an object plane. The first optical element group includes a first optical element with a reflective first optical surface and a second optical element with a reflective second optical surface. The second optical element group includes a third optical element with a reflective third optical surface. The first optical element and the second optical element are formed and arranged such that on formation of the image of the object point, in each case a multiple reflection of at least one imaging beam takes place on the first optical surface and the second optical surface.
US09104019B2
An eyepiece lens includes: a first lens having positive refractive power, the first lens having a convex surface that faces toward an eye point side; and a second lens having positive refractive power, the second lens having a convex surface that faces toward the eye point side. The first and second lenses are arranged in order from the eye point side. Following conditional expressions are satisfied, 3.0>(h×ω)1/2/E>1.2 (1) 2.3>(L−E)/h>1.5 (2) where h is a height of the image at a horizontal end, ω is a half angle of view in a horizontal direction, E is a distance from an eye point to the first lens, the distance being an eye relief, and L is a distance from the eye point to the image.
US09104012B2
An image lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element and a fourth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface in a paraxial region thereof. The second lens element with negative refractive power has a concave object-side surface in a paraxial region thereof and a concave image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof. The third lens element with positive refractive power has a concave object-side surface in a paraxial region thereof and a convex image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof. The fourth lens element with negative refractive power has a concave image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof. The image lens assembly has a total of four lens elements with refractive power.
US09104008B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatus for cables having one or more fibers that may function as a sensing device within a wellbore, wherein the fibers do not adhere to each other or to an inner wall of the cable during a high temperature operation, such as in a thermal recovery operation that may last over 30 days.
US09104006B2
Disclosed is a terminal box for an optical fiber and power line composite cable. The terminal box includes a housing, a cable lead-in part provided at a side of the housing, a first intermediate connector provided in the housing, a second intermediate connector provided in the housing. The first intermediate connector and the second intermediate connector are provided on a base of the housing to have different heights.
US09104000B2
An optical module includes a substrate including a conductor pattern formed thereon, a photoelectric conversion element mounted on the substrate, and an optical coupling member for optically coupling the photoelectric conversion element to an optical fiber. A part of the conductor pattern on the substrate defines an engagement portion that engages with the optical coupling member so as to position the optical coupling member relative to the substrate.
US09103998B2
An optical connector includes a first optical-electric coupling element and a second optical-electric coupling element. The first optical-electric coupling element includes a first side surface and a second side surface facing away from the first side surface. The first optical-electric coupling element includes two extension portions substantially perpendicularly extending from the first side surface. Each extension portion includes an inside surface substantially perpendicular to the first side surface. Each extension portion includes a rotation post substantially perpendicularly extending from the inside surface. The second optical-electric coupling element includes a third side surface. The second optical-electric coupling element includes a protrusion portion substantially perpendicularly extending from the third side surface. The protrusion portion includes two outside surfaces substantially perpendicular to the third side surface. Each outside surface defines a rotation hole spatially corresponding to a respective one of rotation posts, the rotation posts are inserted into the rotation holes.
US09103991B2
An optical switch having multiple input and output ports directs any number of WDM signals, each arriving at a respective input port, to any one of the output ports. The optical switch includes an array of LC pixels, each positioned to receive a WDM signal transmitted through one of the ports, and an array of reflective elements, each associated with one of the LC pixels. The LC pixels are controlled to cause a WDM signal incident thereon to attain an attenuation state while an output of the WDM signal is being switched by an associated reflective element, such that when an output for a WDM signal is switched from a first port to a second port, the switching can be performed in a hitless manner.
US09103987B2
An optical device comprising a first optical coupler located over a surface of a substrate such that the optical coupler is able to end-couple to an optical core of a first optical fiber having an end facing and adjacent to the first optical coupler and the surface. The optical device further comprises a second optical coupler located over the surface such that the second optical coupler is able to end-couple to an optical core having an end facing and adjacent to the second optical coupler. The optical device also comprises a pump coupler being configured to couple pump light to an optical path that connects the first optical coupler and the second optical coupler.
US09103976B2
A method for manufacturing a waveguide-type semiconductor device includes the steps of forming an epitaxial structure including a waveguide mesa and a device mesa; forming a mask for selective growth on the epitaxial structure; growing a semiconductor region on an end surface of the device mesa by using the mask for selective growth, the semiconductor region including a side portion having a layer shape and a protruding wall portion; forming an ohmic electrode on a top surface of the device mesa; forming a resin layer on the device mesa and the semiconductor region; forming a resin mask having an opening on the ohmic electrode; forming an electric conductor connecting the ohmic electrode to an electrode pad, the electric conductor passing over the protruding wall portion while making contact with a surface of the resin mask; and removing the resin mask after forming the electric conductor.
US09103960B1
A sign and display system including a faceplate, lens, backing plate, and at least one magnet is described. The faceplate includes a viewing aperture and the back of the faceplate includes a recess in which the at least one magnet is mounted. The recess in the faceplate is configured to receive the lens and backing plate. The lens may include one or more edge protrusions configured to enter one or more small recesses in the side of the faceplate recess to secure the lens to the faceplate. When the lens and backing plate are positioned in the recess of the faceplate, the one or more magnets exert a force on the backing plate to secure the faceplate and lens to the backing plate. An insert capable of displaying text and/or graphics can also be positioned between the lens and backing plate in the recess of the faceplate.
US09103951B2
The present invention provides a light guide plate and a method and a mold for manufacturing the same. The light guide plate comprises at least one incident surface, an exiting surface and a bottom surface, the exiting surface and bottom surface being disposed facing to each other and both being connected to the incident surface, the light guide plate having a cavity formed therein, wherein light incident from the incident surface exits the exiting surface after refracted and/or reflected by the cavity. With the light guide plate, light energy loss can be reduced and brightness of pictures can be improved.
US09103949B2
The present invention provides a direct light backlight module with solar light assistance, which comprises a backboard. The backboard is provided with a waveguide. A light source is disposed under the waveguide. An optical film module is disposed above the waveguide and faces the light emitted from the direct light source. An assisting light source device is provided and which collects solar light and direct it to an optical film module. The present invention further provides a liquid crystal display device with the direct light backlight module with assisting solar light. With the provision of the assisting light source, the solar light can be used as an assisting light source making the backlight module and the liquid crystal display device made therefrom become more environmental friendly.
US09103942B2
Methods and systems for survey designs are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of towing an array of marine streamers is disclosed, wherein: the array includes a plurality of receivers, the array includes a plurality of steering devices, and the array is towed along a first portion of a coil sail path; steering the array of marine streamers along two or more depths; and steering the array of marine streamers to a slant angle while maintaining the array of marine streamers at their respective two or more depths.
US09103930B2
A multiple axis sensor assembly includes an enclosure and encapsulated microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors. The encapsulated sensors are disposed inside the enclosure and are mounted in different orientations, which correspond to different axes of the sensor assembly. A controller of the sensor assembly is disposed in the enclosure and electrically coupled to the MEMS sensors.
US09103925B2
In one example, a method of examining a container is disclosed comprising detecting a potential threat within contents of a container using radiation scanning and disabling the potential threat with radiation. In another example, a method of examining a container is disclosed comprising scanning at least a portion of the container with a first radiation beam, detecting radiation interacting with contents of the container, identifying a potential threat contained based, at least in part, on the detected radiation, and disabling the potential threat with a dose of radiation from a second radiation beam. The potential threat may be a nuclear, chemical, and/or biological weapon, for example. Chemical and/or biological detectors may also be provided. The threat and/or electronics associated with the threat, may be disabled. Systems are also disclosed.
US09103922B2
An apparatus including a scintillator panel which absorbs X-rays radiated from an X-ray generator and converts the X-rays into visible light; an image detector including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix array and charging the plurality of pixels with electric charges proportional to intensity of the visible light converted by the scintillator panel; a gate driver which selects a line in the image detector and applies a drive signal to pixels in the selected line; an automatic exposure request signal generator which generates an automatic exposure request signal as a trigger signal informing of X-ray radiation through detection of X-rays radiated from the X-ray generator; and a controller which controls a time point of performing an exposure operation depending on a state of the drive signal applied to the pixels of the selected line in response to the automatic exposure request signal is disclosed.
US09103914B2
Optical angle of arrival sensors and methods for determining an angle of arrival of incident light are provided, wherein one sensor includes a focusing lens and an array of lateral-effect position sensing detector (LEPSD) elements. The focusing lens is configured to focus light on the array, wherein each of the LEPSD elements includes an absorber region that absorbs light of a first wavelength range that is focused on the LEPSD elements. Each of the LEPSD elements further includes at least one lateral current conducting layer that has a relatively low sheet resistance.
US09103906B2
The present invention relates to a radar apparatus utilizing multiple transmission channels having the structure enabling multiple transmission channels only by using only the number of transmission RF ports as many as the number of the transmission channels.
US09103905B2
This specification relates to an active SONAR system comprising a transmitter, a transducer and an impedance matching circuit for expanding bandwidth and increasing a power factor value in sound and ultrasonic wave bands by mutually matching resonant frequencies of the transducer and the impedance matching circuit or a resonant frequency between the transducer and the impedance matching circuit using an electrical equivalent model corresponding to actual impedance data of the transducer and controlling the positions and the intervals of the frequencies at which reactance components of the transducer including the impedance matching circuit become zero, and an impedance matching method thereof. This allows for efficient driving in a broadband between the transmitter and the transducer in the active SONAR system, contributing to output power performance and detection performance of the active SONAR system.
US09103902B2
Electronic apparatus having an antenna chip with a substrate and an antenna structure, and a method of producing the same. The antenna chip is integrated or packaged in a package having a clip mounting surface for mounting the antenna chip, and an encapsulating material. The encapsulating material typically is a plastic mold used in the industrial packaging of integrated circuits. Between the antenna structure and the chip mounting surface, a first void is disposed in the substrate.
US09103901B2
Various methods, apparatuses and articles of manufacture are provided for use in or with a mobile device to identify one or more attributes for each of a plurality of positioning resources available at the mobile device. In an example, positioning resources may provide all or part of a position fix based, at least in part, on one or more wireless signals received by the mobile device, and/or one or more electrical signals received from one or more sensors onboard the mobile device. For example, in certain instances at least one of the positioning resources may have at least one attribute that is different than at least one other attribute of anther positioning resource. In certain examples, at least one of the positioning resources may be selected for obtaining a position fix based, at least in part, on a request and one or more particular attributes.
US09103900B2
In one embodiment, techniques are employed to estimate a position of a wireless local area network (WLAN) enabled mobile device. The mobile device sniffs one or more WLAN packets destined for one or more WLAN devices other than the mobile device. Information identifying one or more WLAN APs is extracted from the one or more WLAN packets destined for the one or more WLAN devices other than the mobile device. A record of the one or more WLAN APs is generated that includes at least some of the extracted information. A WLAN positioning system (WPS) is cooperated with, to use the generated record of the one or more WLAN APs to obtain an estimate of a position of the mobile device.
US09103894B2
A battery-monitoring device that monitors a state of charge of each battery cell constituting a battery is provided, including: a voltage detection circuit that individually detects a voltage of the battery cell; a voltage comparison circuit that individually compares the voltage of the battery cell and a threshold voltage, and outputs a signal having a first level when the voltage of the battery cell is equal to or greater than the threshold voltage, and a signal having a second level when the voltage of the battery cell is less than the threshold voltage; and a determination unit that determines the overcharged state of the battery cell when at least one condition is satisfied from among two conditions of: a voltage detection value which is input from the voltage detection circuit being equal to or greater than a threshold; and a signal which is input from the voltage comparison circuit being a first level.
US09103892B2
A ground fault detector which does not need complicated circuitry and can detect a ground fault with high accuracy in conformity to a capacitance of a common mode capacitor is presented. Upon judging the ground fault on the basis of a threshold for a high-tension power supply system which is electrically isolated and mounted in a vehicle, a controller in a ground fault detector alters the threshold in conformity to a capacitance of a common mode capacitor of which value is different between a first state that a system main relay is ON and a second state that the system main relay is OFF, thereby judges the ground fault on the basis of the altered threshold. Thus the ground fault detector can adequately detect the ground fault in conformity to the capacitance of the common mode capacitor. Thus the detector can detect the ground fault with accuracy without complicated circuitry.
US09103883B2
A method and evaluation device for checking plausibility of an incremental counter, wherein counting pulses are detectable via the incremental counter, and wherein a dynamic system generates the counting pulses with a clock rate corresponding to a state of the dynamic system. Here, a minimum value and a maximum value for a possible or permitted change in the clock rate per time unit is predefined based on operating limits of the dynamic system, wherein a current clock rate is calculated in each case from two counting pulses respectively detected last, and wherein at each newly detected counting pulse the counting pulse is checked to determine if the difference between the clock rate calculated in the course of the newly detected counting pulse and a clock rate calculated immediately beforehand is within the limits defined by the minimum value and maximum value, wherein otherwise implausibility is detected.
US09103882B2
Scan architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present invention describes a method of adapting conventional scan architectures into a low power scan architecture. The low power scan architecture maintains the test time of conventional scan architectures, while requiring significantly less operational power than conventional scan architectures. The low power scan architecture is advantageous to IC/die manufacturers since it allows a larger number of circuits (such as DSP or CPU core circuits) embedded in an IC/die to be tested in parallel without consuming too much power within the IC/die. Since the low power scan architecture reduces test power consumption, it is possible to simultaneously test more die on a wafer than previously possible using conventional scan architectures. This allows wafer test times to be reduced which reduces the manufacturing cost of each die on the wafer.
US09103878B2
A method for scan testing a three-dimensional chip, comprising: establishing a scan forest structure for the three-dimensional chip; generating a first test set and a plurality of test periods, and dividing the first test set into a plurality of test subsets; distributing test vectors in the plurality of test subsets into the plurality of test periods; obtaining a current hotspot of the three-dimensional chip; ranking the plurality of test subsets in accordance with an order of temperature rising values from small to large to obtain a test vector strategy; selecting the test subsets corresponding to the temperature rising values less than a temperature threshold from the plurality of test subsets according to the test vector strategy, so as to generate a second test set; and applying the second test set to the scan forest structure, and updating the current hotspot of the three-dimensional chip.
US09103877B2
A method for conducting IDDQ tests for a device having a plurality of test sites is disclosed. The method includes identifying voltage ranges for each of the plurality of test sites, closing a switch in each of a plurality of voltage drop setup circuits, and setting each of the plurality of test sites to one of a plurality of logic states. Each of the plurality of voltage drop setup circuits includes a resistor parallelly coupled to the switch. One terminal of each voltage drop setup circuit is coupled to a voltage source and the other terminal of each voltage drop setup circuit is coupled to respective tester channels of each of the plurality of test sites. After opening the switch in each of the plurality of voltage drop setup circuits, the voltage drop across the resistor in each voltage drop setup circuit is measured.
US09103870B2
An inspection apparatus inspects a photovoltaic cell panel in which the photo device is formed. The inspection apparatus includes: an irradiation part that irradiates the photovoltaic cell panel with pulsed light (pump light) emitted from a femtosecond laser; a detecting part that detects an electromagnetic wave pulse, which is generated from the photovoltaic cell panel according to the irradiation of the pump light; and a continuous light irradiation part that irradiates a portion, which is irradiated with the pump light in the photovoltaic cell panel, with continuous light.
US09103862B2
A method for generating and checking a spatio-temporal field distribution having predefined characteristics such as one or more directions of propagation, a high level of field intensity and a polarization in a reverberant chamber. To do this, two separate networks of transducers are provided so as to estimate a transfer function between these two networks and to determine excitation signals using the principle of temporal return. The excitation signals are used to generate the spatio-temporal field according to the predefined characteristics.
US09103860B2
A system for measuring electrical charge, comprising a capacitance detector (110) connected to a charge integrator (120) being an operational amplifier with a capacitance feedback (130), in which the input stage (121) of the charge integrator (120) comprises a pair of symmetrically connected JFET-type transistors (T1; T2), having gates connected to the input of the charge integrator (120).
US09103856B2
A spectrum analyzer that provides from below 9 kHz to above 20 GHz operation range while remaining hand-held. The spectrum analyzer includes an integrated precision stand-alone step attenuator that does not rely on printed circuit board (PCB) mounted circuit elements within the signal path. Further, a PIN diplexing switch separates signals into different base-band and highband paths. The baseband path includes a pre-amplifier for low frequency signals, while the higher frequency bands may not necessarily include a pre-amplifier. The highband path incorporates multi-throw MMIC PIN diode switches to selectively filter different bands of input signals.
US09103840B2
Diagnostics relating to C-type natriuretic and erythropoietin signal peptides and fragments, and kits, uses and applications therefor.
US09103837B2
Methods, compositions, and kits for predicting whether a subject with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or at risk of developing COPD is likely to have progressive COPD are provided. Methods, compositions, and kits for predicting whether lung function is likely to decline in a subject with COPD or at risk for developing COPD are also provided.
US09103835B2
The present invention relates to a method for identifying hypoallergenic polypeptides and to a corresponding screening method. The invention further relates to hypoallergenic polypeptides identified by the method of the invention and to the prophylactic and therapeutic use of these polypeptides.
US09103833B2
The present invention relates to evaluating the prognosis of patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer on the basis of Rab27B expression. The invention further relates to a kit comprising an assay for measuring Rab27B levels in said patients and to the usage of Rab27B as a target to screen for drugs capable of inhibiting or diminishing metastasis of said cancer. Furthermore, the invention discloses compounds which can be used to treat estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.
US09103828B2
The invention concerns a method to determine if an individual is infected by a bacterium selected from the group consisting Streptococcus, Enterococcus and Peptostreptococcus genera comprising: (i) detection of antibodies directed against at least one protein of sequence SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID NO: 8, in a biological sample of the individual, and (ii) deducing therefrom that the individual is infected by a bacterium selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus, Enterococcus and Peptostreptococcus genera. The invention further concerns the kit for diagnosing of such an infection.
US09103815B2
An apparatus (100) for testing electrical activity from a biological tissue sample comprises a body (1) provided with a well (4), stimulating means (8) for stimulating a sample located in the well (4), and detecting means (9) for detecting electrical activity in the sample. In one embodiment the apparatus has a fluid inlet means (10) and a fluid outlet means (16) in fluid communication with the well (4). The inlet means (10) comprises an electrically conductive conduit (11A) which is in fluid contact with a fluid flowing, in use, though the outlet means (16). In some embodiments the apparatus is provided with an electrically conductive member (19) which is in electrical contact with a fluid contained, in use, in at least one of the well (4), inlet means (10) and outlet means (16). The stimulating means (8) and detecting means (9) are engaged with the body (1) by a gripping means (32) which comprises an electrically conductive gripping member (36). Related methods and apparatus are also disclosed.
US09103811B2
An electronic equipment enclosure (10), especially for an oil-in-water analyzer. The enclosure has a metal body (22) including an expandable folded section (26) that expands in response to increased pressure within the enclosure thereby increasing the volume defined by the enclosure. The enclosure is capable of containing internal explosions and is suitable for use in hazardous environments where the electronic equipment can come into contact with explosive gases.
US09103807B2
A rack collecting unit including: a transport path capable of transporting a sample rack in a first direction; a transport path capable of transporting the sample rack in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a storing section for storing therein the sample rack; and a transferring section for transferring the sample rack carried onto the transport paths to the storing section.
US09103804B2
In the method of latent print analysis, wherein the improvement comprises using an ultra-fine, nanoporous carbon material as an adsorptive powder to identify trace chemicals found within oils of a print.
US09103796B2
A multi-layered device for detecting the presence or absence of an analyte within a test sample is described. The device includes a sensing layer and a control layer. The sensing layer is configured to support a reaction so as to exhibit a signal indicative of the presence or absence of the analyte in the test sample. The control layer is in fluid communication with and vertically adjacent to the sensing layer and includes a reagent capable of inhibiting the reaction and/or other unwanted side reactions at the sensing layer after a certain period of time by diffusive movement of the reagent from the control layer to the sensing layer.
US09103795B2
An optochemical sensing device has source that emits radiation of a first and a second predetermined intensity, a detector, and a sensitive element that comprises a signal substance. To measure an analyte in a measurement medium, the sensitive element is contacted with the analyte. A first raw signal, which is dependent on the analyte content is obtained by exciting the signal substance with radiation of the first predetermined intensity. At a later time, a second raw signal is also obtained. A comparison of the raw signals yields a comparison value, which is compared against a predetermined limit value. If the comparison value exceeds the limit value, the radiation source is set at the first intensity. If the comparison value is smaller than the limit value, the radiation source is set at the lower second intensity. Using the lower radiation intensity prolongs the life of the sensitive element.
US09103791B1
Disclosed are fluorescent indicators and methods for detecting the activity of an ion channel or transporter in a cell. The indicators and methods may be used to measure influx or efflux of thallium through an ion channel or a transporter.
US09103790B2
A linker for a unimolecular FRET biosensor based on a principle of fluorescence resonance energy transfer, the linker including: a polypeptide containing 52 to 400 amino acids residues, wherein at least 45% of a total number of the amino acid residues are glycine, alanine, or both thereof, and at least 10% of the total number of the amino acid residues are alanine.
US09103783B2
A sample solution containing a sample component is sprayed onto an atmosphere at atmospheric approximately pressure while being applied with electric charge from the tip of a nozzle (1). A sample molecule is released as an ion in a process where charged minute liquid droplets collide with an atmospheric gas and are broken apart, and a solvent is vaporized from the respective liquid droplets. A reflectron (7) in the shape of a half-cut spheroid is arranged in such a manner that a second focal point (F2) is positioned in front of an ion-introducing portion (4) in the spray flow. A discharge electrode (8) is disposed in a position at a first focal point (F1) of the reflectron (7). When pulsed high voltage is applied to the discharge electrode (8), an electric discharge occurs, causing shock waves to be generated. The shock waves reflected on the reflectron (7) are converged on the second focal point (F2). Due to the converged shock waves, the vicinity of the second focal point (F2) rises to a high temperature, and a large pressure is also applied thereto. Therefore, vaporization of a solvent from the respective liquid droplets is further accelerated, allowing an ion to be easily generated. In addition, direct ionization can be expected. This makes it possible to improve ion generation efficiency.
US09103774B2
A material may be identified using THz radiation that simultaneously or sequentially includes at least one first frequency portion and a second frequency portion different therefrom. An object formed from the material to be identified is irradiated with the THz radiation and the THz radiation exiting the object is detected using a phase-sensitive THz receiver. A time or phase offset, caused by the object, is measured at least for the first frequency portion and a material thickness is determined therefrom. Attenuation of the received signal, at least for the second frequency portion, is determined. An absorption coefficient for at least the second frequency portion is calculated using the material thickness.
US09103769B2
Methods and apparatus for generating an image of a specimen with a microscope (e.g., TEM) are disclosed. In one aspect, the microscope may generally include a beam generator, a stage, a detector, and an image generator. A plurality of crystal parameters, which describe a plurality of properties of a crystal sample, are received. In a display associated with the microscope, an interactive control sphere based at least in part on the received crystal parameters and that is rotatable by a user to different sphere orientations is presented. The sphere includes a plurality of stage coordinates that correspond to a plurality of positions of the stage and a plurality of crystallographic pole coordinates that correspond to a plurality of polar orientations of the crystal sample. Movement of the sphere causes movement of the stage, wherein the stage coordinates move in conjunction with the crystallographic coordinates represented by pole positions so as to show a relationship between stage positions and the pole positions.
US09103759B2
Systems and methods for analyzing blood samples, and more specifically for performing a nucleated red blood cell (nRBC) analysis. The systems and methods screen a blood sample by means of fluorescence staining and a fluorescence triggering strategy, to identify nuclei-containing particles within the blood sample. As such, interference from unlysed red blood cells (RBCs) and fragments of lysed RBCs is substantially eliminated. The systems and methods also enable development of relatively milder reagent(s), suitable for assays of samples containing fragile white blood cells (WBCs). In one embodiment, the systems and methods include: (a) staining a blood sample with an exclusive cell membrane permeable fluorescent dye; (b) using a fluorescence trigger to screen the blood sample for nuclei-containing particles; and (c) using measurements of light scatter and fluorescence emission to distinguish nRBCs from WBCs.
US09103757B2
The present invention generally discloses an extraction system that provides a locale for fluid processing and extraction on a post-microcapture transfer film. The extraction system includes a transfer film carrier and an extraction device forming a reservoir. The extraction system selectively excludes regions of the transfer film from the reservoir to advantageously reduce contamination due to matter adhered to the transfer film by non-specific transfer.
US09103754B2
A cell capture system including an array, an inlet manifold, and an outlet manifold. The array includes a plurality of parallel pores, each pore including a chamber and a pore channel, an inlet channel fluidly connected to the chambers of the pores; an outlet channel fluidly connected to the pore channels of the pores. The inlet manifold is fluidly connected to the inlet channel, and the outlet channel is fluidly connected to the outlet channel. A cell removal tool is also disclosed, wherein the cell removal tool is configured to remove a captured cell from a pore chamber.
US09103751B2
A device for the transverse retention of a longitudinal test specimen and apparatus for the mechanical characterization in bending of such a test specimen. The test specimen includes a web and at least one main flange connected to one end of said web. The device includes a body in which there is formed a housing which is shaped to house said test specimen transversally and which has a main bearing face against which one face of said web is intended to press; and a mobile clamp formed so as to press said web against said main bearing face.
US09103747B2
A system that generates a dynamic seating body pressure distribution data includes a seat and a stimulus applying mechanism that is adapted to apply a stimulus to the seat. A human biofidelic manikin is provided on the seat. A seat pressure distribution sensor array is responsive to the human biofidelic manikin for generating a dynamic seating body pressure distribution data when the stimulus applying mechanism applies a stimulus to the seat.
US09103742B2
A sensor line for monitoring for and locating leaks in an installation, in which chlorine escapes to the area surrounding the installation if there is a leak. The sensor line contains a carrier pipe. The wall of the carrier pipe has openings which are closed by at least one layer which is permeable for chlorine and contains a halogen-containing siloxane rubber.
US09103739B2
A pressure transmitter system for measuring a pressure of a process fluid in an industrial process includes a pressure transmitter having a pressure sensor. A process fluid passageway having a circular opening is configured to couple pressure of the process fluid to the pressure sensor. A concentric seal support structure extends around the circular opening comprising an annular recess. An annular stress riser is positioned radially inward from the annular recess. A seal material fills the annular recess and contacts at least a portion of the annular stress riser.
US09103733B2
A bearing comprises a Bragg grated optical fiber to measure one or more parameters of the bearing such as load, temperature, acceleration/vibration and identification. To be able to fit as many Bragg gratings as possible, the utilization of the corresponding frequency plane output is optimized by having low bandwidth next to large bandwidth sensors in the frequency place. The corresponding physical sensors such as load sensors on a bearing will not be adjacent. Sensors in the loaded zone are giving a high bandwidth output and sensors in the un-loaded zone are giving a low bandwidth output, thus even though these are not physically adjacent, the corresponding frequency areas are adjacent by appropriate grating.
US09103732B2
A user computer device is provided that comprises a temperature sensitive touchscreen having a temperature sensitive user interface comprising multiple thermal energy emitter/detector devices, such as thermocouples. The multiple thermal energy emitter/detector devices are capable both of detecting thermal energy and emitting thermal energy. The temperature sensitive user interface generates thermal patterns that may be transferred to other thermally sensitive electronic devices or that may be used to authenticate the user computer device. The user computer device also can detect and thermally communicate with a thermal energy docking station and, based on thermal recognition, activate applications displayed on the temperature sensitive touchscreen. Further, the user computer device can auto-bias a temperature of the temperature sensitive user interface in order to better assure proper operation of the temperature sensitive user interface in all operating conditions.
US09103730B2
The invention relates to a temperature sensor (24) for measuring the temperature on or in a living body. The temperature sensor (24) includes a plurality of thermocouples arranged distributed on a measurement surface (30) of the sensor (24) and electrically connected to create at least one series circuit, wherein thermojunctions (16, 18) formed by the thermocouples in each series circuit are divided into at least two, and preferably a total of two, spatially separate groups such that in each group when there is a change in temperature the thermojunctions (16, 18) cause an equivalent change in voltage.
US09103724B2
This invention has for purpose to provide a photosensor that is small in size and can obtain high-contrast image data and to provide a semiconductor device including the photosensor. In the photosensor including a light-receiving element, a transistor serving as a switching element, and a charge retention node electrically connected to the light-receiving element through the transistor, the reduction in charge held in the charge retention node is suppressed by extending the fall time of the input waveform of a driving pulse supplied to the transistor to turn off the transistor.
US09103722B2
A unit pixel of a depth sensor includes a light-receiver configured to perform photoelectric conversion of an incident light to output an electrical signal and at least two sensors adjacent to the light-receiver to receive the electrical signal from the light-receiver such that a line connecting the sensors forms an angle greater than zero degrees with respect to a first line, the first line passing through a center of the light-receiver in a horizontal direction.
US09103719B1
Described herein are technologies pertaining to computing the solar irradiance distribution on a surface of a receiver in a concentrating solar power system or glint/glare emitted from a reflective entity. At least one camera captures images of the Sun and the entity of interest, wherein the images have pluralities of pixels having respective pluralities of intensity values. Based upon the intensity values of the pixels in the respective images, the solar irradiance distribution on the surface of the entity or glint/glare corresponding to the entity is computed.
US09103716B2
Disclosed is a portable handheld characteristic analyzer used to analyze chemical compositions in or near real-time. The analyzer may include a portable housing, at least one optical computing device arranged within the portable housing for monitoring a sample, the at least one optical computing device having at least one integrated computational element configured to optically interact with the sample and thereby generate optically interacted light, at least one detector arranged to receive the optically interacted light and generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the sample, and a signal processor communicably coupled to the at least one detector for receiving the output signal, the signal processor being configured to determine the characteristic of the sample and provide a resulting output signal indicative of the characteristic of the sample.
US09103710B2
An apparatus and method for monitoring a flow of liquid in a pipe are provided. The apparatus may include a temperature sensor attached to a pipe of a heat exchanger system to measure a temperature of the pipe, and a controller to determine whether a liquid is present in the pipe, based on a change in the measured temperature.
US09103705B2
A combination sensor and corresponding method of measuring a plurality of environmental parameters uses a pressure sensor disposed on an integrated circuit die; a humidity sensor disposed on the integrated circuit die; and a circuit coupled to and shared by the pressure sensor and the humidity sensor to facilitate pressure and humidity sensing.
US09103696B2
An extended range position sensor system includes a first set of spaced-apart magnets, a first sensor, a second set of spaced-apart magnets, a second sensor, and a processor. The first sensor is associated with and is movable relative to the first set of magnets, and is configured to generate a first sensor output signal in response to relative movement between the first sensor and the first set of magnets. The second sensor is associated with and is movable relative to the second set of magnets, and is configured to generate a second sensor output signal in response to relative movement between the second sensor and the second set of magnets. The processor is coupled to receive the first and second sensor output signals and is configured, in response thereto, to generate a position signal.
US09103694B2
An approach is provided for presenting guidance information to a driver of a vehicle in terms of safety and legality based on the vehicle's current position, direction, and speed and/or the driver's current behavior. A feasibility platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of contextual data associated with at least one vehicle to determine feasibility information associated with performing at least one maneuver using the vehicle. The feasibility platform also determines one or more user interface elements for presenting guidance information for the at least one maneuver based, at least in part, on the feasibility information.
US09103692B2
A navigation method and apparatus of a mobile terminal displays only a particular point of interest (POI) existing by the roadside of a pre-set route when the POI is selected by the user, to thereby provide the user-selected POI without changing the route (or without re-searching the route). The navigation apparatus of a mobile terminal includes a display unit configured to display a route from a current location to a destination on map data, and a controller configured to search a first point of interest (POI) among the first POI located by the roadside of the route and a second POI located near the route, and display location information of the searched first POI on the display unit.
US09103689B1
A computer-implemented method for analyzing travel patterns in transit systems is provided. The method includes identifying an existing transit point of a transit system and receiving location information including geo-location paths of a plurality of mobile devices. Each of the geo-location paths includes the identified transit point. The method also includes determining a congestion level for transit points of the transit system based on the received location information. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09103686B2
Methods and apparatus for guiding a mobile transportation means of a set of transportation means to a selected reconditioning station of a set of reconditioning stations, comprising determining a position of the battery, determining a condition of the battery, forecasting a consumption characteristic of the transportation means, evaluating an achievable range of mobility of the transportation means, assigning the selected reconditioning station of the set of reconditioning stations, which is located within the range of mobility of the transportation means along a path to a desired target and guiding the transportation means to the selected reconditioning station, an optimization of the assignment and/or the path is executed by a search algorithm for assigning the set of transportation means to the set of reconditioning stations and batteries, based on actual and/or forecasted information about multiple entities of the sets of transportation means, stations and batteries as well as their conditions.
US09103684B2
A system for odometer calibration for a motor vehicle is provided. The system can include a first source of speed data that provides first speed data during operation of the motor vehicle, and a second source of speed data that provides second speed data during a portion of the operation. The system can also include a vehicle speed control module that computes overall average speed data based on the first speed data and a duration of operation. The system includes a speed control module that determines an average first speed for the portion of the operation in which the second source of speed data provides the second speed, and computes an average second speed. The system can include an odometer correction control module that computes corrected odometer data based on the overall average speed data and a ratio of the average second speed to the average first speed.
US09103682B2
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for applying multi-axial inertial force, the apparatus including: a lower support plate; two first support members fixed to stand up from the lower support plate; a second support member positioned to be orthogonal to inner sides of the two first support member in a stand-up direction thereof and rotatably coupled to the first support member; and a third support member stacked on the second support member and coupled to the second support member so as to be rotatable based on a rotational axis corresponding to a stacked direction. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an apparatus for applying multi-axial inertial force in which vibration excitation and rotation may be performed in multiple-axes directions using a uni-axial inertial force generator that may be vibration-excited and rotated only in a single direction.
US09103673B2
A time-domain inertial sensor comprising: a support structure having an electrode plane parallel to an x-y plane of an x-y-z mutually orthogonal coordinate system, wherein the support structure's largest dimension lies within the x-y plane; a proof mass having a first surface parallel to the x-y plane; wherein the proof mass is springedly coupled to the support structure such that the first surface is separated from the electrode plane by a gap; a driver configured to drive the proof mass to oscillate with respect to the support structure in approximately only the x-direction such that, while oscillating, the gap does not vary significantly; and a first, time-domain, proximity switch disposed to switch from an open state to a closed state each time the proof mass is in a first reference position with respect to the support structure.
US09103671B1
Method and system for mapping terrain including one or more roads includes a vehicle equipped with at least one camera, a position determining system that determines its position and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that provides at least one inertial property of the vehicle, all of which are in a set configuration relative to one another. A processor at a remote location apart from the vehicle converts images from the camera(s) to a map including objects from the images by identifying common objects in multiple images and using the position information and the inertial measurement information from when the multiple images were obtained and knowledge of the set configuration of the camera(s), the position determining system and the IMU. The images, position information and inertial measurement information are transmitted to the processor by a communications unit on the vehicle.
US09103666B2
A structured light 3D scanner consisting of a specially designed fixed pattern projector and a camera with a specially designed image sensor is disclosed. A fixed pattern projector has a single fixed pattern mask of sine-like modulated transparency and three infrared LEDs behind the pattern mask; switching between the LEDs shifts the projected patterns. An image sensor has pixels sensitive in the visual band, for acquisition of conventional image and the pixels sensitive in the infrared band, for the depth acquisition.
US09103644B2
A signal tube connector which can be used with a number of signal tubes which includes a detonator receiving body and a retention member, wherein a signal tube locating space is formed between opposing surfaces of the body and the member and wherein the retention member is movable relative to the body and can be locked in place with a locking mechanism to retain signal tubes within the space.
US09103633B2
An armor system with a lightweight armored panel manufactured as a multi-material structure having a multiple of layers including a hard ballistic material layer of a Ceramic/CMC (Ceramic Matrix Composite) hybrid armor material capable of defeating ballistic threats.
US09103630B1
Described herein is a removable sight level for a firearm. The sight level includes a lower clamp member. Also disclosed is an upper clamp member attached to the lower clamp member. A level indicator holder having a plurality of level indicator holder voids aligned with the upper clamp member voids is adjustably attached to the upper clamp member. At least one fastener may be utilized, at least partially within one of the level indicator voids and partially within one of the upper clamp member voids being tensionable there between so as to selectively prohibit movement between the upper clamp member and the level indicator holder. At least one of the voids is elongated and has a radially convex surface so as to allow selective arcuate movement between the upper clamp member and the level indicator holder when the fasteners are not tensioned.
US09103629B2
The present invention describes a weapon firing simulator comprising a laser transmitter arranged to emit a light beam triggered by a simulated firing, wherein the laser transmitter has sweeping means arranged for sweeping the emitted light beam typically around the simulated projectile or missile, the laser transmitter has modifying means arranged for modifying the emitted light beam to contain information, for transmission of a simulated engagement coordinate.
US09103627B1
An assembly for holding a concealed handgun behind a handheld electronic device in a carrier. A carry case is provided that has a front panel, a rear panel, and a middle panel. The front panel, middle panel and rear panel are oriented in parallel. The front panel contains at least one area that is transparent. A forward compartment is defined within the carry case between the front panel and the middle panel. The forward compartment is sized to receive and hold a handheld electronic device. A rearward compartment is defined within the carry case between the middle panel and the rear panel. A gun holster is connected to the carry case within the rearward compartment. The rearward compartment is behind the forward compartment and is large enough to surround the gun holster and a handgun set into the gun holster.
US09103619B2
A squirting toy capable of squirting water received from a reservoir and/or from an external source. The squirting toy can include a housing, a piston, a shaft, and an handle portion. As the piston is slidably moved through the housing the water can be squirted out of the housing. Further, as the piston is slidably moved through the housing an electrical assembly including a turbine can be activated generating electricity to power an electric device (e.g., a light).
US09103618B2
A suppressor assembly for a firearm is disclosed herein. The firearm may include a barrel, a bore, and a muzzle end. The suppressor assembly may include a gas block mount positioned about the barrel. The suppressor assembly also may include an outer tube comprising a first end and a second end. The first end of the outer tube may be configured to be attached to the gas block mount, and the second end of the outer tube may be configured to extend beyond the muzzle end of the firearm. Moreover, the suppressor assembly may include a baffle comprising a first end and a second end. The second end of the baffle may be configured to be attached to and positioned within the second end of the outer tube.
US09103614B2
The present disclosure provides a quick loading magazine that is easier and less cumbersome than previous ammunition magazines. A quick loading magazine is disclosed. An upper portion of the quick loading magazine is coupled to a lower portion, with the upper and lower portions defining a slider channel and a bullet channel. A feeder lip is coupled to the upper portion. A slider is configured to travel along the slider channel between a first position and a second position. A follower is coupled to the slider by a biasing member, and the follower is also configured to travel within the bullet channel.
US09103610B2
An adjustable gas block is provided enabling variable adjustment of the amount of gas return. The adjustment knob is provided at a non-perpendicular/non-parallel angle to the firearm barrel enabling manual adjustment and without requiring tools to perform the adjustment, thereby providing a gas block that can variably adjust the amount of gas entering the gas tube.
US09103604B2
The invention relates to a heat exchange unit between a first and a second fluid with the heat exchange unit comprising: at least one interior duct (17) having a plurality of first longitudinal internal channels (21) for the circulation of the first fluid, a hollow exterior envelope (19) wherein is housed the interior duct (17), and at least two ribbed walls (19a) arranged on either side of the interior duct (17), in contact with the interior duct (17) and as well with the exterior envelope (19), in such a way as to delimit a plurality of second longitudinal channels (29) for the circulation of the second fluid, the second channels (29) extending substantially in parallel to the first channels (21). The invention also relates to a heat exchanger incorporating a heat exchange unit as well as a method of manufacturing such a unit.
US09103602B2
A two-phase heat transfer system includes an evaporator, a condenser, a vapor line, and a liquid return line. The evaporator includes a liquid inlet, a vapor outlet, and a capillary wick having a first surface adjacent the liquid inlet and a second surface adjacent the vapor outlet. The condenser includes a vapor inlet and a liquid outlet. The vapor line provides fluid communication between the vapor outlet and the vapor inlet. The liquid return line provides fluid communication between the liquid outlet and the liquid inlet. The wick is substantially free of back-conduction of energy from the second surface to the first surface due to an increase in a conduction path from the second surface to the first surface and due to suppression of nucleation of a working fluid from the second surface to the first surface to promote liquid superheat tolerance in the wick.
US09103600B2
A system for cooling a reductant injector in an emissions module is provided. The system includes an emissions module, coupled to an engine exhaust duct, and a cooling system fluidly coupled to the emissions module. The emissions module includes a reductant system and a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) module. The reductant system includes a reductant injector having a cooling passage. The cooling system includes a reservoir tank, a supply pump fluidly coupled to the reservoir tank, and a siphon tank fluidly coupled to the supply pump and the reductant injector cooling passage. The siphon tank is disposed proximate to the reductant injector, and a gravitational elevation of a base of the siphon tank is greater than a gravitational elevation of the reductant injector.
US09103599B2
The invention provides a flake and method for reducing waste heat using water produced when an air conditioner operates and thereby heat exchange efficiency can increase. Accordingly, an energy-saving effect can be achieved. The flake is placed at an inner bottom side of the air conditioner and between a condenser fan and a condenser coil. When the condenser fan operates, wind power created by the condenser fan has a portion blowing toward the flake, and then blowing toward underlying water, produced when the air conditioner operates, along the flake such that the water can move to the condenser coil and cool the condenser coil. Thereby, the temperature of discharged waste heat can be reduced. When the condenser coil cools, heat exchange efficiency increases. Accordingly, an indoor cooling effect can be improved and an energy-saving effect can be achieved.
US09103590B2
A tray, for example, a drying tray, a method for drying, and a structural member engagement system are provided. The drying tray includes at least one perforated panel; and a frame adapted to support the perforated panel. The frame may include a plurality of interconnecting plastic support members adapted to receive the perforated panel. The tray may be used to dry fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat. A method of using the tray and a structural member engagement system are also disclosed The member engagement system includes a first elongated member, a second elongated member, and a plug and pin adapted to engage the first member with the second member.
US09103589B2
A clothes dryer exhaust line blower system is provided that assists a clothes dryer venting hot air and lint from the dryer interior and through the length of the dryer ducting to maintain a clear pathway and maintain the dryer's efficiency over time. A Y-pipe having a main exhaust line and an intermediate line is installed on the dryer exhaust port and connects the dryer exhaust outlet to an existing dryer duct that is adapted to communicate dryer exhaust from the dryer to the exterior of a dwelling. An intermediate section of the Y-pipe connection includes an electric blower assembly that functions as an auxiliary venting means, which generates air pressure to assist the dryer assembly vent the heated air through the exhaust conduit during the drying process. The blower is electrically driven and is controlled via a manual switch or timer switch that functions in conjunction with the drying cycles of the dryer.
US09103584B2
An energy-efficient method of recovering carbon dioxide (CO2) in a liquid state from a high-pressure gas stream is provided. The method includes cooling, condensing, and/or separating CO2 from a high-pressure gas stream and further purifying the resulting liquid CO2 in a purification zone to thereby provide a purified CO2 product. The purified liquid CO2 product may then be pumped to a higher pressure for further utilization and/or sequestration for industrial or environmental purposes.
US09103575B2
A refrigerant system control operates tandem compressors. If one of the monitored system conditions does not change as each of the tandem compressors or associated components is brought on line, then a determination is made that the respective component is malfunctioning. A refrigerant system can also be additionally equipped with other functions and components, such as variable speed drive, economizer circuit, unloader bypass, and reheat circuit. In case of a reheat circuit, the system can have single or multiple compressors. The control algorithm can also be updated such that that particular malfunctioning component is eliminated from the operational sequence.
US09103571B2
A refrigeration apparatus includes a multistage compression mechanism, a heat-source-side main heat exchanger, at least one heat-source-side sub heat exchanger, a usage-side heat exchanger, a switching mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a refrigerant piping group. The refrigerant piping group connects the multistage compression mechanism, the switching mechanism, the heat-source-side main heat exchanger, the heat-source-side sub heat exchanger, the expansion mechanism and the usage-side heat exchanger so that during the heating operation, the heat-source-side main heat exchanger and the heat-source-side sub heat exchanger are connected in series.
US09103546B2
A hand held device includes a container body having a column of individually controlled LED lights for use as guide lines for handwriting and for use as a highlighting feature. Processing circuitry is included that stores LED light configurations to be recalled for later use.
US09103530B2
The invention relates to an arrangement for light emission, comprising at least one LED illuminant in a long arrangement, a carrier element carrying the LED illuminant, and a light emitting element that can be connected to the carrier element. The light emitting element comprises a first region (41) wherein traversing light is extensively scattered. It also comprises a second region (40) wherein traversing light is scattered significantly less than in the first region.
US09103529B2
A photoluminescent daylight panel for converting higher energy shorter wavelength daylight to lower energy longer wavelength light comprises: a light transmissive substrate; at least one photoluminescent material configured to absorb at least a portion of daylight radiation of wavelengths between about 350 nm and about 450 nm and convert it to light with a wavelength greater than about 600 nm.
US09103517B2
A vehicle light can prevent color variations of the projected image. The vehicle light can include a laser diode, a wavelength conversion member including a phosphor configured to receive blue light emitted from the laser diode and then emitting white light, a projection lens configured to project the white light emitted from the wavelength conversion member to provide forward illumination for a vehicle, and a diffusing portion provided to the projection lens, configured to diffuse the excitation light which is incident on the projection lens from the wavelength conversion member.
US09103514B2
Light stripe (101), comprising an elongated elastic circuit board (102) and electrical components connected to it, which comprise at least light-emitting components (103), and a transparent insulation material layer at least on the side of the circuit board that contains electrical components, and in which a lens structure (105) elongated in the direction of the light stripe is arranged in the insulation material layer for directing the light.
US09103512B2
Electronic devices may include displays having backlight structures and display layers. The display layers may include alignment features. The backlight structure may include alignment features. The alignment features on the backlight structures may include transparent portions of the backlight structures. The alignment features on the display layers may include alignment marks that are visible through the transparent portions of the backlight structures. The transparent portions of the backlight structures may include openings that extend from a first surface of the backlight structures to an opposing second surface of the backlight structures. The openings may be filled by transparent members formed from plastic or glass. The transparent members may include additional alignment marks. The transparent members may include lensing portions that magnify the alignment marks on the display layers when viewed through the lensing portions.
US09103511B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for providing a light emitting diode and driving circuitry integrated into a component module that will retrofit common incandescent lightbulb applications. The disclosed embodiments will perform with high efficiency at a wide operating voltage range with a very small size allowing for the incorporation within the envelope and form of existing lightbulb bases. Therefore, a single universal LED light bulb module can be used to replace the dozens of conventional LED and incandescent lights currently being used. The electronic circuitries used to drive the LEDs are extremely compact and consequently can be incorporated in nearly any standard bulb base.
US09103502B2
A device and method of laminar flow patterning of at least one sample fluid in a main channel in a microfluidic device are provided. A first input channel is provided in the microfluidic device. The first input channel has an output end communicating with the first end of the main channel and an input end communicating with a first input port. A buffer fluid is deposited in the main channel and the first input channel and a first sample fluid is deposited in the first input port. A first pressure is generated in response to the depositing of the first sample fluid in the first input port so as to cause laminar flow of the first sample fluid in the main channel.
US09103500B2
A boss for a pressure vessel has a flange. The flange includes an interior keyway having an inner sidewall and a plurality of bores disposed on the inner sidewall. A pressure vessel includes a main body section and an end section. The end section includes a boss and the boss includes a flange. The flange includes an interior keyway having an inner sidewall and a plurality of bores disposed on the inner sidewall. In another aspect, a pressure vessel includes an outer shell, and inner liner and a boss including a flange with an exterior side and an interior side. The liner is mechanically integrated with the flange via a plurality of anchors, each anchor contacting the flange only on the interior side. A method of forming a pressure vessel includes providing a boss having a flange. The flange has an interior keyway having an inner sidewall and a plurality of bores disposed on the inner sidewall. The method comprises allowing a fluid polymer material to flow into the interior keyway and into the plurality of bores.
US09103499B2
One exemplary embodiment includes a gas storage tank comprising a structural outer layer, an internal liner layer, an annular boss, and a liquid sealant disposed between the overlapped section of the liner layer and the boss to provide a gas-tight seal.
US09103495B2
A portable stand with an integral power supply and controller, a mast for supporting a functional device and a stabilizing leg assembly comprises a main housing for a power supply, and connected to the main housing are retractable and extendable support legs and an extendable and retractable mast. The mast includes a mount for holding at least one functional device to form a single, integral unit that provides for storage, stable support and power for a functional device that is mounted onto the mast, and portability.
US09103494B2
An assembly apparatus is provided. The assembly apparatus includes a fixed apparatus that includes a body element, a first fixed element protruding from an outer curved surface of the body element in a radial direction of the body element, and a second fixed element extending in a first direction that is vertical to the radial direction of the body element, and a support apparatus that includes a first receiving element in which the first fixed element is inserted, rotated, and fixed, and a second receiving element in which the second fixed element is inserted, rotated, and fixed. An end of the second fixed element is connected to the body element. Another end of the second fixed element protrudes from a lower surface of the body element.
US09103487B2
An adjustable mounting clip for an electronic device, such as a cellular telephone or smart phone. The mounting clip may be adapted to be supported by a flexible support apparatus, such as a tripod. The mounting clip may support a variety of electronic device types with an automatically adjusting variable device receiver. The mounting clip may be adapted to retract into a compact stowed position when not in use.
US09103482B2
A highly reliable vacuum heat insulating material having excellent processability, handleability and heat insulating performance, and a heat insulating box using the vacuum heat insulating material are provided. In the vacuum heat insulating material with the inside in an approximately vacuum state by sealing a core material 5 having a structure wherein plural pieces of fiber assembly 1 are laminated by a gas-barrier outer cover material 4, by using long fiber for the core material, fiber dust or remaining fiber by cutting is prevented from protruding into a sealing portion of the outer cover material from a cut surface of a sheet or an opening portion, and sealing failure is reduced. Further, since the core material is structured so as to be wound continuously from an inner side toward an outer side, the vacuum heat insulating material is easily manufactured, and excellent in handleability.
US09103480B2
A quick connector having a first element including a piston with a valve for closing an inner duct of the first element and which piston is movable between a first position within a body of the first element and a second position forward of the body and wherein the valve is movable relative to the piston in a direction parallel to an axis of the first element. The connector includes a seal between the piston and the body of the first element and at least one movable member for locking the piston in the first position and a ring for maintaining the movable member in the first position when the first element is coupled to, and during separation of, a second element of the connector and as long as the valve is not closing the inner duct of the first element.
US09103474B2
A fire hose coupling includes a substantially annular body having a first end adapted to connect to a fire hose and a second end having male threads. The annular body has a central bore. The coupling includes circumferentially spaced-apart lugs extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the first end of the body. The coupling further includes a protective shoulder extending radially outwardly from the body between the male threads and the lugs. The protective shoulder has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the male threads to thereby protect the male threads.
US09103470B2
The invention describes a device and method for making corrugated products. The device can be used with any substrate and includes, at least, first and second drive rollers for driving a middle substrate and a single wall corrugated product. In other embodiments the invention includes upper drive rollers, lower drive rollers and middle drive rollers for driving an upper substrate, a lower substrate and a middle substrate. The middle substrate is driven between the upper and lower substrates at a higher velocity to form flutes that are anchored between the upper an lower substrates thereby forming a corrugated product. The invention also provides for customized corrugated products having multiple fluted substrates in various desirable arrangements. Examples of such products include mattresses, partition panels, other furniture, construction products such as tubes or pipes previously made from metals or concrete.
US09103464B2
Relating to a solenoid used as a solenoid valve, a holding circuit and the like for suppressing the occurrence of back electromotive force, and preventing magnetic flux density from deterioration, without a major change of the conventional circuit constitution, is provided. A capacitor is connected in parallel with a resistance which is connected in series to a solenoid. The solenoid is driven at rated voltage by making a first switch and a second switch ON state and the solenoid is kept at holding voltage by making the first switch OFF state. The capacitor slows down the speed of change of applied voltage to the solenoid from the rated voltage to the holding voltage so that the back electromotive force of the solenoid is absorbed, which prevents the extinguishment of magnetic flux density.
US09103458B2
A method for controlling a valve including a spring, an actuator having an actuator force opposing the spring, and a pin actuatable by the actuator. To open the valve, in a first operating mode a current having a predefined curve is applied to the actuator, starting from a starting value of the current at which the pin is positioned to allow the valve to close, measured values of the current are determined chronologically sequentially, a reference value of the current takes on the current measured value of the current when the measured current deviates from the applied current by a predefined degree. In a second operating mode, a current having a predefined curve is applied to the actuator, starting with the starting value of the current to a final value of the current at which the pin is in a position that prevents the valve from closing.
US09103455B2
A novel valve assembly is provided. In one embodiment, the valve assembly includes a seat plate having a plurality of fluid conduits. The valve assembly may also include a plurality of poppet cages. In some embodiments, a poppet cage of such a plurality includes a mounting portion for coupling the poppet cage to the seat plate, and a receiving portion for receiving a poppet therein. Other devices, systems, and methods related to poppet cages are also disclosed.
US09103446B2
A fluid seal assembly is disposable between an outer surface, i.e. engine block or any other part that requires application of the assembly and a rotatable member, such as, for example a shaft, wherein the assembly circumscribes the shaft and lubricates the shaft and the same rotates around the axis. The assembly includes at least three members: a casing unit, a sealing ring unit, and a liner. The assembly eliminates problems associated with prior art designs such as static leakage of oil, and clogging up the spirals with carbonized oil that negatively impact lifecycle of the fluid seals.
US09103442B2
The invention relates to a sliding element, such as a piston ring, comprising a coating on at least one surface comprising, form inside to outside, a bonding layer, a metal DLC layer preferably containing tungsten, and a metal-free DLC layer doped with nitrogen at least in some regions, wherein said sliding element is characterized in that the nitrogen content in the metal-free DLC layer is graduated.
US09103435B2
A mechanism for actuating a transmission having shifting elements. A self-holding valve device is movable into a first position, by a pilot pressure, against a force directed to a second position and held by a pressure holding signal in the first position. Transmission of a pressure signal, to a switching valve, is blocked by the self-holding valve device in the first position but, in the second position, is applied to the switching valve. When the driver sets the switching valve to a first shift position, the pressure signal can be applied to valve devices of at least two of the shifting elements that produce an actuating pressure and, in a second shift position of the switching valve, the onward transmission of the pressure signal, to the valve devices of the shifting elements that produce an actuating pressure, is blocked in the area of the switching valve.
US09103424B2
The vehicle driving force transmission structure of a power unit can include a main transmission having a transmission shaft group and parallel to a crankshaft and provided in a crankcase on the side of the crankshaft. The transmission structure can also include a large rotational body provided at an end of the crankshaft, and an auxiliary transmission provided as a separate body from and connecting to the main transmission. The auxiliary transmission has a transmission shaft group parallel to the transmission shaft group of the main transmission and disposed so as to form a periphery of the large rotational body. The auxiliary transmission includes a transmission driving mechanism disposed below the large rotational body.
US09103418B2
A machine tool assembly includes a basic body, and a clamp and an actuator component mounted to the basic body. The clamp and actuator components include ramping surfaces for cooperatively biasing the clamp into an engagement position. The actuator component is configured to move along an actuator movement axis and includes an actuator relief surface connected, and extending at a different angle, to the actuator component's ramping surface. The different angle is configured to facilitate disengagement of the actuator component and clamp for a smaller movement of the actuator component along the actuator movement axis than would have been the case in the absence of such configuration, thereby allowing a compact construction of the assembly.
US09103413B2
An epicyclic gearing has a plurality of planet gears arranged about a transmission axis so as to form two arrays symmetrical with respect to a plane orthogonal to the transmission axis; the gearing has a body which, on one side, is adapted to be connected to a rotating member and, on the other side, is coupled to a ring; the ring has a plurality of relatively thin plate sectors and a plurality of pins, which extend in cantilever fashion and in opposite directions from the plate sectors and each support a respective planet gear; coupling between the aforesaid body and the ring defines at least one degree of freedom in rotation about a radial axis to allow a relative movement under load between the two components.
US09103412B2
Among V-faces (48) of a pulley (15), a portion (48a) that is radially further inside than a predetermined position P1 is susceptible to slip against a metal belt (19), but making a shape of the generatrix of the portion (48a) on the radially inner side into a straight line enables a large coefficient of friction against the metal belt (19) to be ensured, thereby reliably preventing slip from occurring. Furthermore, by making, among the V-faces (48) of the pulley (15), a shape of the generatrix of a portion (48b) that is radially further outside than the predetermined position P1 into a curved line that curves in a direction that compensates for misalignment (C) of the metal belt (19) ensures that the metal belt (19) smoothly bites into the V-faces (48), thereby enabling the durability of the metal belt (19) or the pulley (15) to be enhanced. When the shape of the generatrix of the V-faces (48) is a curved line, the coefficient of friction against the metal belt (19) decreases, but since the portion (48b) of the V-faces (48) on the radially outer side is a portion that is naturally resistant to the occurrence of slip of the metal belt (19), there is no possibility of slip occurring even if the coefficient of friction decreases.
US09103408B1
A soft snatch block is shown and described as having a loop of spliced line or soft shackle attached to a block. The soft shackle can be opened or released such that the line can be captured without having one end of the captured line. The block can retain a line to a fixed object to hold a line near the fixed object. A retainer can be used to hold the soft shackle to the block and an alternative embodiment of the block shows a pin to retain the line to the block when the soft shackle is not fixed. The device can be easily attached and removed from any desired location and has no moving parts that require any difficult maintenance. The block has smooth surfaces such that there is a low coefficient of friction while the line is drawn in or released.
US09103407B2
The invention relates to a disk set arrangement with a driving disk set and a driven disk set for a chain-type CVT, wherein each disk set of said arrangement comprises two disks that are axially displaceable relative to one another on a shaft and a chain arrangement comprising thrust pieces that are active between said disks. The longitudinal axis of said thrust pieces runs parallel to the rotational axis of the shaft, and the frictional surfaces of the disks and the thrust pieces have a curvature determined by a radius and an eccentricity, wherein the eccentricity of the disk in the driving disk set is different to that of the driven disk set.
US09103402B2
A shock absorber is provided. A first piston, a pilot valve, a second piston, and a rebound retainer are sequentially connected to a piston rod reciprocating within a cylinder. An upper portion of the second piston is provided inside the first piston. Due to a first compression chamber formed in the first piston, a second compression chamber formed in the second piston, a third compression chamber formed between the first piston and the second piston, and a fourth compression chamber formed in the rebound retainer, it is possible to improve a ride comfort by reducing a damping force over periods from an ultra-low-speed period to a high-speed period and it is possible to achieve the compact configuration and the cost reduction by reducing the overall length of the processing portion.
US09103400B2
An air bleed system for a suspension fork or shock absorber includes: a fluid passage between an interior of the suspension and an exterior of the suspension; and a manually operable valve having a first position substantially closing the fluid passage and a second position allowing fluid flow between the interior and the exterior.
US09103399B2
A HDD retaining mechanism includes a frame and a vibration isolator. The frame includes a through hole in a prescribed position. The vibration isolator includes a smaller cylindrical portion formed so as to be fitted in the through hole. The smaller cylindrical portion includes projecting portions formed by splitting one end portion of the smaller cylindrical portion into a plurality of portions in a circumferential direction. The projecting portions project into the accommodation space and abut against a HDD when the smaller cylindrical portion is fitted in the through hole. Each of the projecting portions includes a notch part recessed toward a center position of the smaller cylindrical portion from an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion and extending across each of the projecting portions in the smaller circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion.
US09103386B2
A clutch plate includes an annular body and an integral resilient portion connected to the annular body by a first circumferentially extending tab. The annular body has inner and outer diameters and first and second parallel surfaces extending therebetween. The resilient portion has third and fourth parallel surfaces extending at respective acute angles to the first and second parallel surfaces. In some example embodiments, the clutch plate includes a wet friction material affixed to the first and third surfaces. In an example embodiment, the clutch plate has a wet friction material affixed to the second and fourth surfaces. In an example embodiment, the clutch plate has first and second circumferential slots respectively disposed radially inside and outside of the first circumferentially extending tab.
US09103373B1
A bearing-shaft assembly includes a shaft having a first cylindrical section and a second cylindrical section axially separated by a first annular groove. A bearing is arranged around the annular groove and axially overlaps with the first and second cylindrical sections. A first bushing fills a radial gap between the inner race of the bearing and the first cylindrical section. The first bushing has a first radial collar radially overlapping with the inner race and axially overlapping with the first cylindrical section. A second bushing fills a radial gap between the inner race and the second cylindrical section. The second bushing has a second radial collar radially overlapping with the inner race and axially overlaps with the second cylindrical section. The second bushing fills the first annular groove and is made of a softer material than the first bushing.
US09103371B2
A track clamp for coupling linear motion guide tracks with standard linear motion support bases without the use of fasteners comprises a clamp body having a plug portion and an outwardly-opening guide track-receiving channel, the plug portion having outwardly-extending deformable protrusions on its outer surfaces that, upon insertion of the plug portion into a selected slot of a support base, deform upon engagement with the slot thereby securing the plug portion in the slot, the track-receiving channel holding a linear motion guide track. In one embodiment upwardly-extending clamp arms formed in the plug portion by the guide track receiving channel deflect inwardly upon insertion of the plug portion into the selected slot thereby clamping the guide track in the channel.
US09103370B2
A driving device for an adjusting device of a motor vehicle is provided. The driving device comprises a housing or housing section which at least partially encloses components of the driving device and an electric-motor-driven drive shaft which extends in a longitudinal direction and which is axially supported on the housing or housing section at least via one end. An active bearing element is arranged between the housing or housing section and the drive shaft at at least one end of the drive shaft, said bearing element being suitable for acting on the drive shaft axially in the longitudinal direction during the operation of the driving device.
US09103364B2
A screw includes a shank and at least one end cutting groove. The shank includes a lower section disposed near an insertion end thereof and an upper section disposed near a head end thereof. The lower section has triangular transverse cross sections, and the upper section has circular transverse cross sections. A first thread is disposed on the lower section of the shank, and a second thread is disposed on the upper section of the shank. A non-threaded section is disposed between the lower section and the upper section of the shank. An outer diameter of the non-threaded section is larger than an outer diameter of the upper section. The end cutting groove is formed in the lower section of the shank, and an included angle between 3 and 9 degrees is formed between an extending direction of the end cutting groove and a longitudinal axis of the shank.
US09103362B2
The invention relates to a fitting for furniture, in particular for kitchen corner cabinets (1) with an interior (2) which is accessible via a corner cabinet door (3), having a substantially vertical load-bearing column (5), which can be supported at a fixed location, for example, in the interior (2) of the furniture, and having a connector (8), which can be arranged on the load-bearing column (5) and is intended for retaining articles, such as a shelf (6) or the like, which are to be supported on the load-bearing column (5), wherein the connector (8) can be supported on the load-bearing column (5) such that it can be altered in height via a height adjuster (9).
US09103357B2
A cylinder comprises a cylinder body, a main cavity body, a piston and a piston rod. Air inlets and air outlets are arranged in each of two opposite ends of the cylinder body. The cylinder is further configured with an anti-collision structure. The anti-collision structure comprises a buffer rod arranged on the piston. The cylinder body defines a receiving hole corresponding to the buffer rod. The receiving hole is configured with a first sealing ring that seals a gap between the buffer rod and the receiving hole. The anti-collision structure has a flexible buffering function and does not generate hard impact. Thus, the cylinder has a low vibration and high stability.
US09103356B2
An oil-pressure apparatus is provided with an actuating cylinder that works on the outside and an acceleration cylinder that does not work on the outside. When a rod of the actuating cylinder is extended with no load applied to the actuating cylinder, oil is supplied to the actuating cylinder through the acceleration cylinder so that extension of the rod is accelerated. When the rod of the actuating cylinder is extended with load applied to the actuating cylinder, oil is adjusted to the actuating cylinder without passing through the acceleration cylinder so that original thrust of the actuating cylinder is exerted.
US09103347B2
A fan device includes an impeller, a motor, a fan frame, a circuit board and a covering member. The motor is used for driving rotation of the impeller. The fan frame includes an axial-flow channel for accommodating the impeller and the motor and includes a receptacle. The receptacle is defined by two airflow inlet/outlet plates, one channel wall and two lateral plates. The circuit board is accommodated within the receptacle. The covering member is used for sheltering the receptacle.
US09103342B2
The invention relates to an underwater delivery unit with a pump and a drive device that is sealed against the surrounding water and a process medium. According to the invention, the pump (31) and the drive device (32) are combined into a module with a module housing (3) and are arranged in a pressure housing (2), wherein the pressure housing (2) is filled with the process medium and surrounds the module housing (3).
US09103338B2
An electric motor drives a variable capacity backup hydraulic pump that can supply pressure oil to an actuator when a loss or reduction occurs in the function of an aircraft central hydraulic power source. A power source unit rectifies electric power supplied from a variable frequency supply. A driver supplies the electric power from the power source unit, and drives the electric motor so as to rotate the pump at a predetermined constant rotational speed. The constant rotational speed is set, based on the change in the efficiency of each of the pump, the electric motor, and the driver with respect to the rotational speed of the pump, such that the overall efficiency, obtained as a product of these efficiencies, has a maximum value.
US09103335B2
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed, including a compressor having a piston and a valve assembly. In some embodiments, the valve assembly includes a check valve having a valve member, a magnet coupled to the valve member, and an electrical conductor near the magnet. The check valve may be configured to change state in response to a change in fluid pressure. The compressor may also have an electric device coupled to the electrical conductor.
US09103327B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and apparatus for determining a property of wind approaching a wind turbine. A light detection and ranging equipment may be used to determine a property of the wind at a plurality of locations ahead of a turbine. A wind flow model may be used to determine the property of wind expected at the rotor of the wind turbine based on the readings of the light detection and ranging device.
US09103322B2
Disclosed herein is an independent power generator assembly comprising a driving magnetic member in which N pole and S pole are arranged alternately; a first power generation module including an induction coil, and plural power supply generating members having isolation spaces with the driving magnetic member as the center, and arranged and constructed along the circumference of the driving magnetic member, the power supply generating member having a magnet vibrator; and a second power generation module in which induction coils are arranged along the isolation spaces; wherein the first power generation module and the second power generation module are repeatedly arranged with an annular ring shape: another first power generation module is arranged at the circumference of the second power generation module and another second power generation module is arranged at the circumference of such an another first power generation module.
US09103321B1
Vertical axis wind turbine and horizontal wind turbine each with a rotary wing assembly that has helical swept wings whose free ends each have a spoiler. The vertical axis wind turbine has permanent magnet discs for levitating static weight of an entirety of the rotary wing assembly via magnetic repulsion. There is a hub or affixing the permanent magnet discs within a frame structure in a manner that counteracts both a coefficient of friction (“COF”) associated with rotation of the rotary wing assembly and ensuing bearing wear imparted from the rotary wing assembly. The horizontal axis wind turbine has collapsible telescoping towers.
US09103320B1
A renewable energy power generation system for a cooling unit which comprises a housing sized to fit the cooling unit. The housing has an upper aperture and a lower aperture positioned over an exhaust port of the cooling unit. A rotor mounted wind turbine is in the housing between the upper aperture and the lower aperture. A venting flow coming through the exhaust port of the cooling unit will travel past the lower aperture of the housing to operate the wind turbine and then pass out of the upper aperture of the housing to cause the wind turbine to generate electricity.
US09103315B2
A buoyant actuator (19) for coupling wave motion to a device operable in response to wave motion in a body of water. The buoyant actuator (19) comprises a generally spherical body (20) defining an exterior surface and a hollow interior adapted to contain water received from the body of water. The exterior surface comprises a plurality of facets (101) which are tessellated. Typically, there are 36 facets (101), of which 12 comprise generally pentagonal facets (105) and 24 comprise generally hexagonal facets (107). The body (20) comprises a plurality of openings (143) for fluid flow between the hollow interior and the surrounding body of water. A closure configured as a flap (145) is provided for each opening (143) to block or at least inhibit fluid flow therethrough, the closure being adapted to move away from the opening to permit fluid flow therethrough in response to a predetermined fluid pressure differential imposed thereon between the hollow interior and the surrounding body of water. The exterior surface of the body (20) is configured to viscously couple with water surrounding the body (20). The viscous coupling between the surrounding water and the exterior surface of the body (20) provides added effective mass to the buoyant actuator (19) which is additional to the physical mass of the buoyant actuator and the mass of the volume of water contained in the body.
US09103314B2
A water wheel impeller blade type electric power generating apparatus including a rotating shaft for transmitting motive power to a power generator, a rotor fixed to the rotating shaft, an impeller blade provided on the outer periphery of the rotor to receive a flow of fluid for rotating the rotor, and a fluid guide plate inclined from above to below the rotor so as to guide the fluid to the impeller blades located on a lower portion of the rotor. The impeller blade is rotatably disposed on the rotor, a fluid receiving part and a stopper part shorter than the fluid receiving part are formed, the fluid receiving part is disposed in the upstream direction of the fluid in a fluid passage, and a bearing which rotatably supports the rotating shaft is provided on the outer periphery of the rotor.
US09103311B2
Fuel injection valve with conical valve seat surface that abuts a valve body to seal fuel, fuel injection orifices having an inlet opening formed on the valve seat surface, wherein fuel sprays injected from the plurality of fuel injection orifices include a first fuel spray constituted by a fuel spray injected from at least one fuel injection orifice and a second fuel spray constituted by a plurality of fuel sprays injected at an outer periphery of the first fuel spray, and a fuel injection orifice that injects the first fuel spray constituted with a plane that includes an orifice axis connecting a center of an inlet with a center of an outlet of the fuel injection orifice, parallel to a center axis of the fuel injection valve intersecting a plane, a conical apex that forms the valve seat surface to form an inclination angle that is larger than 0°.
US09103301B2
An EGR gas passageway member is removably attached to a motorcycle cylinder assembly between the cylinder head and the cylinder of said motorcycle cylinder assembly in manner such that presence of the EGR gas passageway member is partially concealed. The EGR gas passageway member allows motorcycles to be provided with EGR systems without significantly impacting the aesthetic appearance of the engines of such motorcycles.
US09103299B2
A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine. The fuel delivery system includes a diaphragm carburetor for mixing air and fuel, a start preparation system for introducing fuel into the carburetor before a start of the engine, and a fuel enrichment system for providing an enriched fuel and air mixture when the engine is cranked.
US09103295B2
A current-control profile may be built from a sequence of phases in which the current is controlled in a defined manner. The electrical behavior of these phases may be configured within a list, which contains one entry, or slot, for each phase and which may be stored in a memory device. The order for stepping through the list is not hard-wired into the control circuit. Instead, such an order is part of the configuration for each entry, or slot, itself. Each entry/slot contains the information about the next phase, or the next possible phases depending upon the occurrence of any trigger events. In this way, the list of entries/slots is linked dynamically by the configuration thereby allowing for generation, in a flexible way, of current profiles with different characteristics and different numbers of phases and sequences.
US09103293B2
A method for correcting a total cylinder air flow during scavenging by way of an oxygen sensor is disclosed. Additionally, cylinder trapped air amount and cylinder scavenging air amount are adjusted based on the corrected total cylinder air flow. The approach may reduce sensitivity between cylinder air flow estimates and fuel supplied for combustion.
US09103290B2
A continuous variable valve lift engine may include determining whether an engine is in an idle state and an oil temperature of an engine is within a predetermined range, controlling, the engine in a predetermined control state when the engine is in the idle state and the oil temperature is within the predetermined range, and measuring, an error occurrence time when an error occurs in controlling the engine in the control state, and controlling the engine while switching the engine to a predetermined passive state when the error occurrence time is more than a preset time.
US09103288B2
Methods and systems are provided for a parallel arrangement of at least two aspirators bypassing an intake compressor in an engine system, the aspirator arrangement including an aspirator shut-off valve arranged in series with each aspirator. The aspirator shut-off valves may be controlled based on engine vacuum needs as well as based on intake manifold pressure, during non-boost conditions, and compressor surge, during boost conditions. For example, during boost conditions, the aspirator shut-off valves may be controlled to enable a selectable discrete compressor recirculation flow rate, whereas during non-boost conditions the aspirator shut-off valves may be controlled to enable a selectable, discrete level of vacuum generation for use by various engine vacuum consumers.
US09103285B2
A purge system and liquid fuel atomizing system, a system including a purge system and liquid fuel atomizing system, and a method of purging and atomizing are disclosed. The purging involves a first nozzle, a second nozzle, a third nozzle, and a staged compression system having a first stage and a second stage. The first stage is configured to selectively direct a first pressurized fluid stream to the first nozzle and the second nozzle. The second stage is configured to selectively direct a second pressurized fluid stream to the third nozzle.
US09103267B2
A diagnostic system for a vehicle includes a comparison module, a disabling module, and a fault indication module. The comparison module indicates whether a temperature of engine coolant is less than a first predetermined temperature. The disabling module disables the comparison module until the temperature of the engine coolant is greater than a second predetermined temperature. The fault indication module diagnoses a fault in response to the comparison module indicating that the temperature of the engine coolant is less than the first predetermined temperature.
US09103263B2
Disclosed herein is a method and an exhausting apparatus for an internal combustion engine including: a central exhaust passage; a first expansion chamber in an upstream portion of the exhaust system and in fluidic communication with the central exhaust passage; a second expansion chamber in a downstream portion of the exhaust system and in fluidic communication with the central exhaust passage and the first expansion chamber, forming a continuous expansion chamber throughout a length of the exhausting apparatus.
US09103261B1
A device and method for adjusting dosage of a fuel additive is described. The device includes a fuel reservoir and an additive reservoir. A variable-flow pump is used to pump the additive into contact with the fuel to create a combined fluid. An ESR sensor is positioned downstream from the pump and fuel reservoir such that a portion of the combined fluid passes through the ESR sensor, which measures the concentration of contaminants and fuel additive in the fuel. Based on the concentrations, a controller controls the rate at which the fuel additive is pumped, thereby adjusting the dosage of the fuel additive.
US09103258B2
An arrangement for introducing a liquid medium into exhaust gases from a combustion engine: A mixing chamber (3) has exhaust gases flow through it. Its downstream end (5) has an endwall (7) of thermally conductive material as an end surface of the mixing chamber (3). An injector injects the liquid medium spray into the mixing chamber (3) or into exhaust gases led into the mixing chamber (3). An exhaust passage (13) adjacent to the mixing chamber (3) is intended for exhaust gases to flow through it and is delineated from the mixing chamber (3) by the endwall (7). Heat flanges (14) of thermally conductive material are situated on at least part of the side of said endwall (7) which faces towards the exhaust passage (13), extend into the exhaust passage (13), absorb heat from exhaust gases which flow through the exhaust passage and give off this heat to the endwall.
US09103257B2
Disclosed herein is a method of determining a DOC regeneration cycle of a vehicle, in which the DOC regeneration cycle is determined such that a rich fuel-air mixture is repeatedly and periodically applied to the DOC, and the regeneration of the DOC is accelerated, thereby improving the purification performance of the DOC.
US09103255B2
Methods and systems are provided for controlling an engine in a vehicle, the engine having a turbocharger, and a particulate filter upstream of a turbocharger turbine. In one example, the method comprises, under selected boosted operating conditions, injecting a reductant upstream of the filter during an exhaust stroke to generate an exothermic reaction at the filter.
US09103244B2
Actuator device of a sliding cam system with at least one sliding cam and with at least one actuator pin (13) projecting from the housing. The housing is attachable to a component of a cylinder head or to the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine and the actuator pin(s) (13) can contact at least one groove of a sliding cam system that has at least one ejection ramp. The actuator pin(s) (13) are loaded in the direction toward the sliding cam by springs (14) and can be fixed in their retracted position facing away from the groove by a latching device that can be locked and is controlled by an electromagnet unit. At least one latch element (11) of the latching device is in active connection with at least one recess (12) on the actuator pin(s) (13).
US09103243B2
The invention relates to a valve train for gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine, having a base camshaft, a plurality of cam carriers, which are arranged in a rotationally fixed and axially movable way on the base camshaft, as well as stopping devices for retaining the cam carriers in defined displacement positions along the base camshaft, with the stopping devices comprising in each case a pressure-applying element, which is inserted into a recess of the base camshaft and pressed in the radial direction of the base camshaft against an opposite inner circumferential section of the cam carrier. In order to counteract noise generation in the valve train, a first variant of the invention provides an additional pressure-applying element at an axial distance from the pressure-applying element. This additional pressure-applying element is pressed against an opposite inner circumferential section of the cam carrier. According to a second alternative or additional variant of the invention, the pressure-applying elements of different cam carriers are offset in relation to each other in the circumferential direction of the base camshaft.
US09103238B2
A continuous variable valve lift device includes a rotatable input shaft, an input cam rotating with the input shaft, a control shaft rotatably disposed parallel to the input shaft, an input rocker mounted to, and rotatable round, the control shaft so as to be in contact with the input cam to have a torque forwarded thereto from the input cam, a control link mounted to the control shaft eccentrically, an input link having one end connected to the input rocker, a connecting rod connected between the other end of the input link and the control link, and a valve operating unit mounted to rotate as one unit with the control shaft for operating the valve, the valve operating unit having a control long hole for movably inserting the connecting rod therein, for improving the fuel consumption at a low load operation range of the engine.
US09103237B2
In an internal-combustion engine provided with a system for variable actuation of the intake valves of the cylinders, some of said cylinders are deactivated in given conditions of operation of the engine by interrupting the supply of fuel. During de-activation, the cycle of opening and closing of the intake valves and exhaust valves of the deactivated cylinders is maintained. The intake valves of each deactivated cylinder are opened when the exhaust valves of the same cylinders are also open. The inactive cylinders are used as reciprocating volumetric pumps for recirculation of exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold of the engine up to the intake manifold. The recirculated gases are cooled in the intake manifold by the air introduced into the latter and can consequently be fed in a larger mass to the active cylinders, which enables a better global efficiency of the engine to be obtained.
US09103235B2
A first rod is rotatably connected to a first drive lever shaft and a first valve lever shaft. A second rod is rotatably connected to a second drive lever shaft and a second valve lever shaft. A first predetermined shape portion is formed at a location, which is spaced from an axis of an output shaft by a predetermined distance. A second predetermined shape portion is formed in a second drive lever and is contactable with the first predetermined shape portion. A spring is placed between the actuator and the second drive lever and urges the second drive lever in a predetermined direction, which coincides with a closing direction of a second valve and an approaching direction of the second predetermined shape portion toward the first predetermined shape portion.
US09103232B1
An apparatus, system, and method for generating power including a boiler with a heat exchanger and an optional porous material at the heat exchanger. Further including an optional power-generating means that receives a vapor from the heat exchanger for generating power. Further including a condenser that receives the vapor from the heat exchanger. The condenser having a vapor chamber that receives the vapor, a porous material that receives the vapor, and a liquid chamber that receives a liquid condensed from the vapor. Further including an optional power-generating means that receives the liquid from the liquid chamber.
US09103225B2
A blade outer air seal for a gas turbine engine includes a wall, a forward hook, and an aft hook. The wall extends between the forward hook and the aft hook, which are adapted to mount the blade outer air seal to a casing of the gas turbine engine. The wall includes a cored passage extending along at least a portion of the wall. The cored passage extends radially and axially through a portion of the aft hook to communicate with one or more apertures along a trailing edge of the aft hook.
US09103212B2
A method to prevent blockage of air passages in curvic couplings between drive parts and to prevent potential damage to the drive parts during weakening of protective elements. To this end, axial abutments are formed by ring gears of the curvic couplings. A coupling includes two rings, each ring being on the end of one drive part and engaged with the other so as to transmit to the drive part a rotation around a central axis while allowing air to pass between male and female portions of the teeth of the rings behind a bearing area. The rings are extended in an at least partially radial manner relative to each other to form an outer ring extension and an inner ring extension respectively facing elements surrounding the drive part that are mounted onto the other ring. The rotor lines can be used in turbine engines.
US09103206B2
A method of increasing the fracture resistance of a low permeability formation that includes emplacing a wellbore fluid in a wellbore through the low permeability formation, the wellbore fluid comprising: a settable carrier fluid; and a solid particulate bridging material; increasing the pressure in the wellbore such that fractures are formed in the formation; allowing the settable carrier fluid to enter the fractures; bridging and sealing the mouths of the fractures to form a substantially impermeable bridge proximate the mouth of the fractures thereby strengthening the formation; and holding the increased pressure for an amount of time sufficient for setting of the carrier fluid in the fractures is disclosed.
US09103204B2
An acoustic modem located on a blowout preventer stack communicates with a running tool acoustic modem located on a subsea running tool disposed within a subsea wellhead, tree or tubing spool. The acoustic modem and the running tool acoustic modern transmit and receive acoustic signals through a column of fluid in the blowout preventer stack. The acoustic modem is communicatively coupled to a subsea electronics module located on the blowout preventer stack and further communicatively coupled to a central control unit located on a platform at the surface. The running tool acoustic modem is communicatively coupled to a controller that receives data from sensors on the running tool and sends operational signals to functions of the running tool. An operator at the surface may control the running tool through the acoustic modems, and the running tool may communicate the running tool status to the operator through the acoustic modems.
US09103202B2
The invention provides a method made of steps of injecting into a wellbore, a composition comprising a solvent, a surfactant, a foaming gas, a foam enhancer, a crosslinkable polymer, and a crosslinking agent capable of crosslinking the polymer, wherein the foam enhancer increases the foam half-life of the gel composition compared to the gel composition without the foam enhancer; and allowing viscosity of the composition to increase and form a gel.
US09103200B2
The invention provides a method of stimulation a subterranean formation to improve formation fluid production, the method comprising: providing a wellbore which penetrates the subterranean formation, wherein the wellbore comprises at least two perforation cluster zones; injecting a treatment fluid into the wellbore at a fluid pressure equal to or greater than the fracture initiate pressure of the subterranean formation; contacting the subterranean formation with the treatment fluid through a first perforation cluster zone; performing a shutin by stopping injection of the treatment fluid; waiting for a determined period of time, wherein no physical material is introduced into the wellbore and no significant reverse flow from the subterranean formation to the wellbore occurs during said period of time; resuming the introduction of the treatment fluid into the wellbore at a fluid pressure equal to or greater than the fracture initiate pressure of the subterranean formation; and contacting the subterranean formation with the treatment fluid through a second perforation cluster zone.
US09103198B2
A system, method and device may be used to monitor conditions in a borehole. Well tubing and casing act as a conductive pair for delivering power to one or more downhole active sensors. At the surface, power and signal are isolated so that the same conductive pair may act to transmit the sensor signals to the surface. In an embodiment, the sensor signals are RF signals and the surface electronics demodulate the RF signals from the sensor power.
US09103191B2
A method, apparatus, and program product facilitate the automation of an oil & gas process, e.g., a drilling process, through the use of a dynamic phase machine incorporating multiple autonomous agents. A master plan may be queried during the performance of an oil & gas drilling process, e.g., by a drilling automation system and/or agents registered therewith, to provide data associated with the oil & gas drilling process and thereby assist the drilling automation system with implementing the process.
US09103186B2
A device has a first, lower sub housing, a second, upper sub housing, and an extensible joint connecting the lower sub housing to the upper sub housing. A pressure equalization chamber is attached to the upper sub housing and demarcates an inner zone including an internal mechanism of the extensible joint, and an outer zone open to well bore fluids and pressure. A fluid barrier moves within the pressure equalization chamber in response to changes in well bore pressure to alter a volume of the inner zone to equalize a pressure of the inner zone.
US09103185B2
A technique facilitates prolonging the useful life of a subsurface valve without requiring replacement of the entire hydraulic chamber housing of the subsurface valve. A removable piston tube is provided and may be inserted into a valve housing of a subsurface valve. The removable piston tube is removably secured within a piston passage in the valve housing via a fastening mechanism. If necessary, the removable piston tube can be removed and replaced without requiring replacement of the overall housing.
US09103184B2
A valve and valve assembly are provided to allow opening of flow channels through the wall of a tubular by increasing and then decreasing pressure in the tubular. Slidable seals having different areas are used to apply an axial force to a shuttle in the valve in response to differential pressure across the valve when in the closed position. The axial force shears a pin, releasing the shuttle. A decrease of pressure in the tubular can allow the valve to open in response to a spring force. Multiple valves may be placed along a tubular string and the valves may be opened all at substantially the same time or at time intervals determined by pressures applied inside the tubular.
US09103183B2
A ball launcher for dispatching balls into a wellbore that includes a manifold for selective attachment to a wellhead assembly and a magazine mounted on the manifold in which the balls are stored for distribution to the manifold. Chambers are provided in a cylinder in the magazine, so that by rotating the cylinder the chambers register with a bore in the manifold, through which the balls are delivered to the wellbore. Flowing a flushing fluid into the bore in the manifold urges the balls downward. An auxiliary line through the manifold provides a conduit for the flushing fluid into the bore.
US09103182B2
A well completion system includes a wellhead, a control line assembly for use in completions that is mounted to the wellhead, and a tubing hanger. The control line assembly includes a cylinder, a main housing assembly, a passage and a metal-to-metal seal. A split lockout ring provides a positive lock to the passage. Control lines enter the tubing hanger and exit via the wellhead. This arrangement on the wellhead provides sufficient height and clearance to allow for the installation of a plurality of control lines.
US09103181B2
A heater cable for hydrocarbon drilling tubing, preferably applicable to pressurized or flooded annular space shale type wells, to prevent and/or remove obstructions in petroleum production wells tubing, caused by the accumulation of substances such as paraffin and hydrates or by a sharp increase in viscosity of the type which extends alongside a metallic thermo conductor duct affixed to the tubing by means of fixation elements. The cable is formed by an inner sheath insulating the electrical conductors, a metallic coat on said conductors' insulating sheath, a fluoropolymeric jacket surrounding said metallic sheath and an outer armor generally defined by a spring which surrounds the jacket in a helicoidal way. The coating of the conductors' insulating sheath is defined by a laminar band which protects all the surface of said sheath arranged in a surrounding way alongside it following a helicoidal arrangement and whose successive spirals are partially overlapped between them. According to a preferred embodiment, said laminar band is formed by an outer aluminum sheath and an inner polymeric sheath.
US09103177B2
Embodiments of the disclosure pertain to a metal slip for a downhole tool that may include a slip body; an outer surface comprising gripping elements; and an inner surface configured for receiving a mandrel. In aspects, slip body may include at least one hole formed therein, and a buoyant material may be disposed in the hole.
US09103176B2
A coring apparatus may be integrated with fluid analysis capabilities for in situ analysis of core samples from a subterranean formation. An instrumented coring apparatus may include an inner core barrel; an outer core barrel; a coring bit; and an instrumented core barrel having an analysis device in fluid communication with the inner core barrel.
US09103174B2
Cutting elements include a superabrasive table, at least one indentation in a cutting face of the superabrasive table, and at least one spoke extending radially across at least a portion of the at least one indentation. Earth-boring drill bits include such a cutting element. Methods of forming a cutting element include forming a superabrasive table having at least one such indentation and at least one such spoke, and positioning the superabrasive table on a substrate.
US09103171B2
A drill bit for use in drilling a borehole is described that includes a body including a side, face section and a passage in the body. The drill bit further includes a rubbing member disposed in the face section and configured to control a depth of cut for the drill bit, wherein the rubbing member comprises a thermally responsive material in thermal communication with the passage configured to control a position of the rubbing member with respect to the face section.
US09103170B2
A drill bit that includes a body having a lower end face for engaging a rock formation. The end face having a plurality of raised ribs extending from the face of the bit body and separated by a plurality of channels therebetween At least one of the plurality of ribs has a varying width along at least a portion of a rib height.
US09103144B2
A door travel limiting device includes a housing, a stop member, a compression spring, and a flexible member. The stop member is slidably received by the housing, and is slidable in first and second sliding directions, and has first and second ends respectively extending outwardly from different portions of the housing. The stop member is biased to slide in the first sliding direction, causing a portion proximate to its second end to normally retract into the housing. Extreme sliding positions of the stop member are limited by protrusions. A flexible member protrudes from the stop member to selectively engage portions of a housing track, to retain the second end of the stop member at an intermediate position between its first and second positions, when the stop member is first actuated to slide from the first position to the second position, and is then no longer actuated but biased.
US09103143B2
A door handle assembly extends a door handle in parallel from an outer surface of a vehicle door and retracts the door handle until it is flush with the outer surface. The door handle assembly includes a door handle formed from a planar handle member and a handle base member. The planar handle member is coupled to the handle base member and a swing arm coupled to the backside of the handle base member extends and retracts the door handle. A first upper fork is rotably coupled to a backside of the handle base member near the distal portion of a first post portion and a second upper fork is rotably coupled to the backside of the handle base member near the distal portion of a second post portion. The lower dual fork portion of the swing arm pivots about a shaft mounted to an inner door surface.
US09103139B2
An illustrative key includes first and second substantially vertical blades being connected by a substantially horizontal connecting member such that an axial channel is formed between the two blades. Members may be slidingly coupled to the connecting member such that the members are moveable into the channel.
US09103123B2
A roofing system, assembly and related methods of manufacture and installation for simulating a metal roof includes a membrane which is installed over a roof deck and aesthetic ribs installed directly on the membrane layer using a hot melt adhesive having a melting temperature below the melting temperature of the membrane.
US09103122B2
The present disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to TPO roofing apparatus, systems, and methods. For example, a method may include applying profiles to a substrate before applying a TPO membrane to the substrate. For example, an installation method may comprise, in some embodiments, laying out the spacing for one or more roof profiles on a substrate (e.g., a roof deck), attaching the one or more profiles to the substrate, applying a membrane (e.g., a self-adhesive TPO membrane) to the substrate between the profiles, and/or sealing the edges of the membrane to the profiles.
US09103117B1
A mechanical drop-away ceiling may include a frame and a panel. The frame may be configured to be suspended above a floor. The frame may include a movable element movable between a closed position and an open position. The panel may be selectively retained at the frame by the movable element in the closed position and may be free to drop away from the frame when the movable element is in the open position.
US09103106B1
The U-shaped closet flange is an auxiliary closet flange for use with a toilet that is seated onto an existing closet flange. The U-shaped closet flange fits around the rear base of a toilet from above the floor surface, and which improves the overall stability of the toilet by encircling the rear base of the toilet as well as across tops of opposing side lips of said base of said toilet. The U-shaped closet flange includes two generally parallel members that include grooves thereon to accommodate varying locales of bolts and bolt holes that extend up through the base of the toilet. The parallel members each include parallel base members that engage the floor surface, and interconnect with a cross member. Holes provided on the U-shaped closet flange enable screws to secure both the U-shaped closet flange and toilet in place to the surrounding floor.
US09103100B2
A grader blade assembly for mounting a blade to a grader comprises at least one bearing plate which reduces vibration of the blade during use and wherein at least one shim is used to reposition the bearing plate as it is subjected to wear. A grader blade assembly may alternatively or additionally include at least one bearing pad which reduces vibration of the blade during use and wherein at least one shim is used to reposition the bearing pad as it is subjected to wear. The shims are flexible and can conform to the contour of the bearing plate or pad and are of the same shape as the plate or pad with which it is to be used.
US09103099B2
A low height pivot arrangement allows an excavation tool of a surface excavation machine to be pivoted between an upper transport position and a lower excavating position. The low height pivot arrangement assists in reducing a moment arm of the excavation tool when the excavation tool is raised during non-excavating operations.
US09103091B2
A system and method to excavate and fill is disclosed. The system includes a canister adapted to receive and store excavated material. In addition, a plurality of blades are mounted inside of the canister about a horizontal shaft proximate a bottom end of the canister. A motor is adapted to rotate the plurality of blades to move the excavated material stored in the canister to the bottom end of the canister and a blower is adapted to blow the excavated material at the bottom end of the canister out of an opposing side of the canister through a discharge port. The canister includes a downward sloping lip disposed above the plurality of blades, where the downward sloping lip funnels the excavated material on to a downwardly rotating blade of the plurality of blades.
US09103085B2
An oil spill cleanup system has a vessel, a separator within the vessel for separating oil and water, a pump for pumping an oil/water mixture into the separator, and one or more probes and submersibles having hoses connected to the pump, for collecting the oil/water mixture. The separator has two or more adjacent tanks, for containing the oil/water mixture. Gravity separates the oil from water in the first tank and the water is evacuated from the bottom, while the oil overflows in the second tank, having an increased oil concentration, and so on, until the pure oil is evacuated. A mobile oil platform is also disclosed, having a subsea well connected to a hose, the hose carrying oil to a vessel, wherein the vessel receives the oil and is exchangeable with an empty vessel when full. When the vessel drops the hose, floats maintain the location thereof.
US09103084B2
Dams are a useful source of energy. An embodiment of a dam according to the present invention includes precast segments configured to be coupled together to form a dam optionally used to generate energy. An embodiment includes encasing an existing dam structure using interconnected precast segments. An underpinning system may penetrate the existing dam structure and be employed to assist in maintaining position of the dam or segmental components. A further embodiment includes encasing a main energy generation component using interconnected precast segments formed from a composite material including electrically conducting fibers, an electric circuit configured to measure and report the electrical resistance using a transmitter or transceiver to a dam stress/strain monitoring server. The electrical circuit may be powered directly or indirectly by available power supplied by the main energy generation component.
US09103082B2
An apparatus and a method for disabling a ground engaging traction device of a land vehicle includes at least one penetrator configured to breach the traction device, an articulated strap configured to move the apparatus between a retracted arrangement and an extended arrangement, a mass configured to deploy the apparatus to the extended arrangement, and a retractor configured to retract the apparatus to the retracted arrangement. The penetrators can be arranged in sections and the penetrators can be arranged so as to be multi-directional within each section.
US09103074B1
A tie plate assembly including a tie plate, an insulator plate assembly, and first and second clips configured to secure a rail to the tie plate assembly. The tie plate has a body with a top surface and the insulator plate assembly is positioned on the top surface of the tie plate. The insulator plate assembly includes a top pad and an abrasive plate. The first and second clips comprise an electrically-insulating material.
US09103064B2
A clothes treating apparatus including a drum, an air suction duct forming a flow path of air introduced into the drum, an auxiliary fan introducing air into the air suction duct, an air exhaustion duct forming a flow path of air exhausted from the drum, a main fan exhausting air to the air exhaustion duct from the drum, a condenser heating air sucked into the drum through the air suction duct, an evaporator cooling air exhausted from the drum through the air exhaustion duct, and a compressor and an expander forming a heat pump together with the condenser and the evaporator. The method includes measuring a discharge side pressure of the compressor, and comparing the measured discharge side pressure with a maximum allowable pressure, and determining that the auxiliary fan does not operate when the discharge side pressure is more than the maximum allowable pressure.
US09103061B2
An appliance is configured to establish a communications link through the appliance between a user and a service representative as part of installing, diagnosing and servicing the appliance.
US09103057B2
Nonwoven calendered materials for various applications such as household use and personal and hygienic care are provided. In particular, the present invention can be applied to the manufacture of wipes and cleaning cloths. Methods for making and using nonwoven calendered fabrics are also provided.
US09103056B2
Polymer structures and methods for making such polymer structures are provided. More particularly, polymer structures comprising a hydroxyl polymer structure, such as a fiber comprising a hydroxyl polymer are provided. Even more particularly, fibrous structures comprising a hydroxyl polymer structure, such as a fiber comprising a hydroxyl polymer, wherein the fibrous structure exhibits a CETM Factor of less than 20 and/or a CETM*L2 Factor of less than 950 are provided.
US09103055B2
A device for producing intertwining knots in a multifilament thread has a rotating nozzle ring with an encircling guide groove on an outer casing and an encircling sealing surface on an inner casing. At least one nozzle bore opens radially into the guide groove and passes through the nozzle ring. The nozzle ring is guided on a stator that has an encircling sliding surface on its periphery for guiding the nozzle ring and that forms a pressure chamber having a chamber opening that opens into the sliding surface. The sealing surface of the nozzle ring interacts with the sliding surface of the stator in order to provide air sealing. The nozzle ring is formed in a pot-like manner with an end wall having a disc-like end sealing surface which interacts with an end sliding surface formed on an end side of the stator to provide air sealing.
US09103053B2
A method for operating an open-end rotor spinning machine having a plurality of workstations, usually a large number, each including a spinning device with a rotor housing, to which negative pressure can be applied, in which a spinning rotor (23) revolves at a high rotational speed, to produce a yarn, as well as a winding device to produce a cross-wound bobbin (18), wherein the connection of the workstations to a central negative pressure supply can be selectively switched off. The application of negative pressure to the rotor housing is limited to the spinning devices which are producing yarn as well as the spinning devices which are repiecing.
US09103044B2
An object of the present invention is to provide electrolytic manganese dioxide to be used as a cathode active material for an alkali-manganese dry cell, which has a high alkali potential and is provided with a high reactivity and packing efficiency as a cathode for the cell, and which is excellent in the middle rate discharge characteristic, and electrolytic manganese dioxide excellent in the high rate discharge characteristic and the middle rate discharge characteristic, which will not cause corrosion of metal materials, and a method for its production.In the present invention, electrolytic manganese dioxide having an alkali potential of at least 280 mV and less than 310 mV, and FWHM of at least 2.2° and at most 2.9°, is used. It is preferred that of the electrolytic manganese dioxide, the (110)/(021) peak intensity ratio in the X-ray diffraction peaks is at least 0.50 and at most 0.80, and the (110) interplanar spacing is at least 4.00 Å and at most 4.06 Å. Further, electrolytic manganese dioxide wherein the JIS-pH (JIS K1467) is at least 1.5 and less than 2.6, the sodium content is at least 0.02 wt % and less than 0.10 wt %, the sulfate group content is less than 1.30 wt %, the median diameter is at least 30 μm and at most 50 μm, and the BET specific surface area is at least 20 m2/g and at most 50 m2/g, is preferred.
US09103039B2
The present invention relates to a corrosion inhibitor for use in the oil and gas exploration, recovery and processing industries. In particular, the invention relates to a quaternary ammonium compound suitable for use as such a corrosion inhibitor, to the manufacture of the quaternary ammonium compound, to compositions containing it, and to methods of using it. Quaternary ammonium compounds of the invention have the formula (I) in which R is C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, aryl, aralkyl; X, Y, and Z are each independently hydrogen, or R1CO—, provided that at least one of X, Y and Z is R1CO, where R1 is C5-23 alkyl or alkenyl containing 0, 1, 2 or 3 double bonds; D is C2-6 alkylene; E is C2-4 alkylene; p, q and r are each, independently, integers from 0 to 20, with the proviso that p+q+r is from 3 to 20; and A− is an anion.
US09103037B2
A method of stripping gamma/gamma prime polycrystalline alloy bond coats from single crystal gamma/gamma prime nickel based superalloys, including the steps of grit blasting followed by the use of hydrochloric acid solutions, followed by rinsing. The cycle may be repeated several times, with visual inspection between cycles.
US09103032B2
Apparatus for forming a solar cell comprises a housing defining a chamber including a substrate support. A sputtering source is configured to deposit particles of a first type over at least a portion of a surface of a substrate on the substrate support. An evaporation source is configured to deposit a plurality of particles of a second type over the portion of the surface of the substrate. A cooling unit is provided between the sputtering source and the evaporation source. A control system is provided for controlling the evaporation source based on a rate of mass flux emitted by the evaporation source.
US09103026B1
A magnetron sputtering system comprising a vacuum processing chamber having a chamber shield, a magnetron assembly, and a substrate, the magnetron assembly comprising a permanent magnetic assembly and an electromagnetic coil assembly, a first impedance circuit coupled between a power supply and the electromagnetic coil assembly, the first impedance circuit comprising a first resistor and a first capacitor, and a second impedance circuit having a second resistor and a second capacitor, and coupled between the substrate and a susceptor.
US09103025B2
A magnetron sputtering apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a target and a substrate holder disposed to face one another in the vacuum chamber, a magnetron disposed on the target side which is opposite to where the substrate holder is disposed, and a rotating mechanism for rotating the magnetron about an axis perpendicular to a face of the target. The magnetron includes an inner magnet formed of a sector-shaped frame and an outer magnet formed of a sector-shaped frame, these inner and outer magnets having a different polarity each other, the outer magnet being disposed to surround the inner magnet leaving a gap between the arcuate segments of the inner and outer magnets as well as a gap between straight segments of the inner and outer magnets, the width of these frames being substantially the same with each other.
US09103020B2
Metalized plastic substrates, and methods thereof are provided herein. The method includes providing a plastic having a plurality of accelerators dispersed in the plastic. The accelerators have a formula AMxByOz, in which A is one or more elements selected from groups 10 and 11 of the Element Periodic Table; M is one or more metal elements in three plus selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Mn, Al, Ga, In, Tl, and rare earth elements; and O is oxygen; and x=0-2, y=0.01-2; z=1-4; and the accelerators further have a formula A′M′mOn, in which A′ is one or more elements selected from groups 9, 10, and 11 of the periodic table; M is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mo, W, Se, Te, and Po; and O is oxygen; and m=0.01-2; n=2-4. The method includes the step of irradiating a surface of plastic substrate to expose at least a first accelerator. The method further includes plating the irradiated surface of the plastic substrate to form at least a first metal layer on the at least first accelerator, and then plating the first metal layer to form at least a second metal layer.
US09103019B2
Methods and compositions for depositing a metal containing thin film on a substrate comprises introducing a vapor phase metal-organic precursor into a reaction chamber containing one or more substrates. The precursor has at least one β-diketiminato ligand, and has the general formula: M(R1C(NR4)CR2C(NR5)R3)2Ln wherein M is a metal selected from nickel, cobalt, ruthenium, iridium, palladium, platinum, silver and gold. Each of R1-5 is an organic ligand independently selected from H; and a C1-C4 linear or branched, alky group, alkylsilyl group, alkylamide group, alkoxide group, or alkylsilylamide group. Each L is independently selected from: a hydrocarbon; an oxygen-containing hydrocarbon; an amine; a polyamine; a bipyridine; an oxygen containing heterocycle; a nitrogen containing heterocycle; and combinations thereof; and n is an integer ranging from 0 to 4, inclusive. A metal containing film is deposited onto the substrate, while the substrate is maintained at a temperature between about 100° C. and about 500° C.
US09103011B2
A method of fabricating a Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy component including solution heat treating a forged Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy component at a temperature within the alpha+beta two-phase field for the material of the component for a predetermined period of time, and subsequently cooling the component. The component is then age heat treated using an overaging process at a predetermined overaging temperature for a predetermined time, and the component is cooled to room temperature. The overaging temperature is selected to be a higher temperature than an aging heat treatment temperature for effecting a maximum yield strength in the component.
US09103002B2
Articles that are cast from a particular titanium alloy can achieve a relatively high fatigue strength. The titanium alloy is an (α+β) titanium alloy that has a nominal composition of about 5.5 to about 6.63 mass percent aluminum, about 3.5 to about 4.5 mass percent vanadium, about 1.0 to about 2.5 mass percent chromium, maximum of 0.50 mass percent iron, about 0.15 to about 0.25 mass percent oxygen, about 0.06 to about 0.12 mass percent silicon, and at least 80 mass percent titanium or the balance titanium (Ti) with the exception of some allowable impurities. In one exemplary application, this titanium alloy may be used to cast a turbocharger compressor wheel.
US09102997B2
A method of purification for recycling of gallium-69 isotopes includes processes of proton irradiation and dissolution for a silver alloy plating target with gallium-69. After the proton irradiation and dissolution, a high concentration elution liquid of gallium-69 and germanium-68 is obtained by washing through an ion-exchange resin to filter out gallium-69 solution, followed by neutralizing precipitation, drying, and sintering treatments to obtain a gallium oxide. The gallium oxide can be dissolved to produce a solid target, and the washing processes can be repeated. The solid target after use can be placed in recycling again. This method is not only implemented to reduce the cost of production and comply with recycling notion nowadays, but also enhance efficiency in the practical application of radioisotopes.
US09102980B2
Aspects of the present invention are drawn to processes for moving a region of interest in a polynucleotide from a first position to a second position with regard to a domain within the polynucleotide, also referred to as a “reflex method”. In certain embodiments, the reflex method results in moving a region of interest into functional proximity to specific domain elements present in the polynucleotide (e.g., primer sites and/or multiplex indentifier). Compositions, kits and systems that find use in carrying out the reflex processes described herein are also provided.
US09102979B2
A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing.
US09102963B2
The present disclosure relates to biocatalysts and its uses for the efficient preparation of eslicarbazepine, eslicarbazepine acetate, and analogs thereof.
US09102962B2
A production method effectively increases the amount and yield of mushroom beta-glucan, and widely applied in the fields of food, biotechnology, cultivation and medical development. The cultivating medium contains the nutrition of three natural grains, including brown rice, adlay and oat, to provide a complete physiological environment for the mushrooms to grow well. Experimental results strongly suggest that AMFM treated cell activities are significantly enhanced in comparison with those without AMFM treated.
US09102959B2
The disclosure relates to engineered ketoreductase polypeptides and processes of using the polypeptides for production of phenylephrine.
US09102958B2
This document describes biochemical pathways for producing adipic acid, caprolactam, 6-aminohexanoic acid, hexamethylenediamine or 1,6-hexanediol by forming two terminal functional groups, comprised of carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl groups, in a C6 aliphatic backbone substrate. These pathways, metabolic engineering and cultivation strategies described herein rely on CoA-dependent elongation enzymes or analogues enzymes associated with the carbon storage pathways from polyhydroxyalkanoate accumulating bacteria.
US09102954B2
A recombinant yeast that makes an isoprenoid compound is provided. The yeast comprises an endogenous mevalonate pathway comprising (i) an enzyme that converts acetyl-CoA to acetoacetyl-CoA, (ii) an enzyme that converts acetoacetyl-CoA to hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA, (iii) an enzyme that converts hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA to mevalonic acid, (iv) an enzyme that converts mevalonic acid to phosphomevalonic acid, (v) an enzyme that converts phosphomevalonic acid to phosphomevalonate, and (vi) an enzyme that converts phosphomevalonate to isopentenyl pyrophosphate. The yeast further comprises heterologous nucleic acid sequences encoding an enzyme that converts hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA to mevalonic acid, an enzyme that converts mevalonic acid to phosphomevalonic acid, an enzyme that converts phosphomevalonic acid to phosphomevalonate, and an enzyme that converts phosphomevalonate to isopentenyl pyrophosphate. Carbon flow through the mevalonate pathway is increased in the recombinant yeast compared to a yeast that does not comprise the heterologous nucleic acid molecule encoding an enzyme that converts hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA to mevalonic acid.
US09102949B2
The invention in some aspects relates to recombinant adeno-associated viruses useful for targeting transgenes to CNS tissue, and compositions comprising the same, and methods of use thereof. In some aspects, the invention provides methods and compositions for treating CNS-related disorders.
US09102939B2
A process is provided of introducing an RNA into a living cell to inhibit gene expression of a target gene in that cell. The process may be practiced ex vivo or in vivo. The RNA has a region with double-stranded structure. Inhibition is sequence-specific in that the nucleotide sequences of the duplex region of the RNA and of a portion of the target gene are identical. The present invention is distinguished from prior art interference in gene expression by antisense or triple-strand methods.
US09102937B2
The present invention describes a flexible basestacking monomer that can be incorporated into an oligonucleotide or oligonucleotide analogue, as well as triplex forming oligonucleotides comprising the flexible basestacking monomer. Triplex forming oligonucleotides of the invention are capable of binding sequence specifically to doublestranded target nucleic acids and are therefore of interest for modulation of the activity of target nucleic acids and also detection of target nucleic acids.
US09102934B2
The present invention provides a pseudo-tissue for accuracy control comprising a nucleic acid or cells, a holding body for holding the nucleic acid or cells, and a protecting body for covering at least a part of the surface of the holding body so as to protect the holding body. A method for controlling accuracy by using the pseudo-tissue, and a method for manufacturing the pseudo-tissue are also disclosed.
US09102925B2
Particular aspects show that the signal peptide remains intact on the mature CD18 molecule on ruminant leukocytes rendering these cells susceptible to cytolysis by Lkt. Comparative amino acid sequence analysis of the signal peptide of CD18 of eight ruminants and five non-ruminants revealed that the ruminant CD18 signal peptides contain ‘cleavage-inhibiting’ glutamine (Q), compared to ‘cleavage-conducive’ glycine in non-ruminants, at position −5 relative to the cleavage site. Mutagenesis of Q at position −5 of the bovine CD18 signal peptide to G resulted in the abrogation of Lkt-mediated cytolysis of transfectants expressing bovine CD18 carrying the Q(−5)G mutation. Provided is novel technology to clone cattle and other ruminants expressing CD18 without the signal peptide on their leukocytes, providing ruminants that are less susceptible to M. haemolytica. Methods for treating conditions and/or diseases associated with M. haemolytica (e.g., pneumonic pasteurellosis), comprising administration of polypeptides comprising CD18 signal peptide sequences are also provided.
US09102921B2
A novel protein delivery system to generate induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells is described. The delivery system comprises a construct with a receptor binding domain that recognizes a receptor in a somatic cell, a translocation domain that allows the transfer of an inducer into the cytosolic space, and a cargo bearing domain to which the inducer is attached and facilitates transfer of the inducer into the cell.
US09102919B2
The invention provides compositions and methods of use in reprogramming somatic cells. Compositions and methods of the invention are of use, e.g., for generating or modulating (e.g., enhancing) generation of induced pluripotent stem cells by reprogramming somatic cells. The reprogrammed somatic cells are useful for a number of purposes, including treating or preventing a medical condition in an individual. The invention further provides methods for identifying an agent that reprograms somatic cells to a pluripotent state and/or enhances the speed and/or efficiency of reprogramming. Certain of the compositions and methods relate to modulating the Wnt pathway.
US09102915B2
Compositions and methods for the growth and expansion of mammalian cells in culture are provided. In particular, methods for the growth and expansion of postpartum-derived cells in vitro are provided using surfaces such as microcarrier beads.
US09102913B2
The present invention provides biomatrix scaffolds for industrial scale dispersal.
US09102912B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions related to the generation of host cells permissive for virus growth, particularly Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus.
US09102911B2
Devices, containers, and methods are provided for performing biological analysis in a closed environment. Illustrative biological analyses include high density nucleic acid amplification and detection and immuno-PCR.
US09102910B2
The present invention relates to a bioreactor comprising a first fluid distribution chamber and a first fluid collection chamber, the reactor adapted to receive at least one conduit in fluid communication between the first fluid distribution chamber and the first fluid collection chamber; wherein the reactor includes a second fluid distribution means including a plurality of distributors arranged to distribute the second fluid between the first fluid distribution chamber and the first fluid collection chamber. The invention extends to a removable insert for a bioreactor comprising a first fluid distribution plate; a first fluid collection plate; and a second fluid distribution means including a plurality of distributors arranged to distribute the second fluid between the first fluid distribution plate and the first fluid collection plate.
US09102908B1
A beer making device may have removable reservoirs through which brewing ingredients may be added. The removable reservoir may include a grain steeping reservoir and one or more adjunct or hops steeping reservoirs. A removable tub may contain the various reservoirs, and some or all of the various ingredient reservoirs may be removable from the reservoir tub. For example, a set of hops reservoirs may be manufactured as a single joined unit, and may be removable from the reservoir tub. The removable reservoirs may include a check valve which may shut off flow when the reservoir may be removed or dislodged, thereby minimizing leakage, and a beer making device may further sense such a situation and cause operations to cease.
US09102901B2
The invention provides a process for removing a film from a substrate, said process comprising applying a composition to the film, and wherein the composition comprises at least the following: a) water; and b) at least one compound selected from the following compounds (i-v): i) NR4HF2 (Formula 1), wherein R═H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, ii) NR4F (Formula 2), wherein R═H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, iii) HF (hydrofluoric acid), iv) H2SiF6 (hexafluorosilicic acid), or v) combinations thereof. The invention also provides a composition comprising at least the following: a) water; and b) at least one compound selected from the following compounds (i-v): i) NR4HF2 (Formula 1), wherein R═H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, ii) NR4F (Formula 2), wherein R═H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, iii) HF (hydrofluoric acid), iv) H2SiF6 (hexafluorosilicic acid), or v) combinations thereof.
US09102900B2
An inverse dispersion comprising i) at least one cationic polymer obtainable by the polymerization of a) at least one cationic monomer and optionally at least one nonionic monomer (compound A), b) optionally at least one crosslinker (compound B), c) optionally at least one chain transfer agent (compound C), ii) at least one stabilizing agent, wherein the stabilizing agent has one or more hydrophobic chains with more than 30 carbon atoms, iii) at least one non-aqueous carrier.
US09102896B2
A fuel economical lubricating oil composition for internal combustion engines comprises a base oil and an additive composition comprising an overbased metal-containing detergent and a molybdenum-containing friction modifier, in which the overbased metal-containing detergent comprises calcium salicylate having an alkyl group having an average carbon atom number of 14-18, at least 60 mol. % of the alkyl group having a carbon atom number of 14-18, and calcium sulfonate having an alkyl group having an average carbon atom number of 20-24, at least 60 mol. % of the alkyl group having a carbon atom number of 20-24, and/or calcium salicylate having an alkyl group having an average carbon atom number of 20-28, at least 60 mol. % of the alkyl group having a carbon atom number of 20-28.
US09102886B1
A vessel for mixing a fluid with a reagent as the fluid flows through the vessel includes a vessel wall that encloses an interior volume. The vessel includes a first end, a second end spaced, and an axis that extends from the first end to the second end. The axis is configured to intersect and form an angle with a reference plane. The vessel also includes a fluid inlet proximate the first end through which the fluid enters the interior volume, a fluid outlet proximate the second end through which the fluid exits the interior volume, a port through which the reagent enters the interior volume, and at least one packing material positioned within the interior volume between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The packing material randomly distributes the fluid and the reagent as the fluid flows through the vessel from the fluid inlet towards the fluid outlet.
US09102884B2
The invention relates to a hydroprocessed product that can be produced by hydroprocessing tar, such as a tar obtained from hydrocarbon pyrolysis. The invention also relates to methods for producing such a hydroprocessed product, and the use of such a product, e.g., as a fuel oil blending component.
US09102883B2
With a method for discharging slag from a water bath of a reactor for synthesis gas production, whereby the slag is brought to a lower pressure level by means of a transfer container, a solution is supposed to be created, with which the components connected with transferring the slag out are subject to a low temperature, whereby immediate slag transfer without water exchange is supposed to be made possible, with a minimal required cooling power. This is accomplished in that a cooling water stream is passed to the slag stream in the outlet region of the slag from the water bath of the gas generator or the pressurized container that surrounds it, in a region having a greater cross-section than the cross-section of the entry connector of another system part, such as, for example, the transfer container, in such a manner that temperature stratification in the outlet region is made possible.
US09102862B2
A method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising (a) providing a composition to at least a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation, wherein the composition comprises a glycerol sulfonate of a propoxylated primary alcohol having a branched aliphatic group with an average carbon number from 10 to 24 and having an average number of branches per aliphatic group of from 0.7 to 2.5 and having at least 0.5 moles of propylene oxide per mole of primary alcohol; and (b) allowing the composition to interact with hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing formation.
US09102861B2
When conducting cementing operations within confined locales, such as the annular space within a wellbore, it can sometimes be difficult to successfully deliver an uncured cement composition to a desired location. Cementing methods can comprise: providing a cement composition comprising a cement and a property control package, the property control package comprising: a filtration control agent; a friction reducer; and a setting accelerator; introducing the cement composition into a mineral exploration wellbore; and setting the cement composition in the wellbore.
US09102859B2
A brine membrane method for controlling dust on a saline lakebed is disclosed comprising the steps of creating or locating an existing wetting basin, depositing precipitated salts in the basin, and depositing a brine over the salts to form a brine membrane.
US09102858B2
The present invention relates to abrasive grain agglomerates composed of fine-particle primary abrasive grains which are held together by means of a binder based on an aluminosilicate having a molar ratio of Al2O3 to SiO2 of from 1:2 to 1:20. The particular advantage of these abrasive grain agglomerates is that the binder cures fully at below 450° C., preferably below 400° C., to form abrasive grain agglomerates having an extraordinarily high strength.
US09102857B2
A phase change material (PCM) is used for thermal storage for LED-based lighting systems. The PCM is placed in multiple sealed containers in thermal contact with the LED to be cooled. The PCM is selected such that its melting point temperature is substantially the preferred operating temperature of the LED. When the LED is on, the PCM absorbs and stores some of the heat generated by the LED, while some of the generated heat is convected away from the LED. The PCM is selected based upon its heat storage capabilities to cool the LED when the lighting system is operated for a cyclical application.
US09102855B2
Methods which include hydrating a crystalline polymeric material in a first liquid medium, precipitating the polymeric material to form an amorphous polymeric material, and combining amorphous polymeric material with a second liquid medium to form a treatment fluid. Alternative methods include hydrating a crystalline polymeric material in a first liquid medium, precipitating the polymeric material to form a lower crystalline form of the polymeric material, and combining the lower crystalline form of polymeric material with a second liquid medium to form a treatment fluid.
US09102850B2
The prepreg in accordance with the present invention is formed from a resin composition and a fabric substrate impregnated with the resin composition. The resin composition contains: (A) a thermosetting resin composition; (B) a resin having a Tg not more than 100° C.; and (C) an inorganic filler. The resin (B) having the Tg not more than 100° C. has: a carbonyl group or a siloxane group; and an epoxy group or a phenolic hydroxyl group. The inorganic filler (C) is subjected to surface-treatment with a silane coupling agent represented by a general formula: YSiX3, wherein X represents a methoxy group or an ethoxy group, and Y represents an aliphatic alkyl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms.
US09102848B2
Environmentally friendly, high performance coating formulations and methods for their preparation are described. The coating formulations can be prepared as aqueous dispersions. The aqueous dispersions include a plurality of multiphase polymer particles and a C8-C18 alkyl alcohol alkoxylated phosphate ester surfactant. The multiphase particles include an acrylic-based copolymer derived from one or more (meth)acrylate monomers and at least one copolymerizable surfactant. Optionally, the acrylic-based copolymer is further derived from one or more acid monomers, one or more amide monomers, and/or one or more molecular weight regulators. Further described herein are products prepared from the aqueous dispersions, such as for high gloss and satin paint compositions, that can have a low VOC content.
US09102845B2
A siloxane-functional isobutylene copolymer and use thereof is described. The copolymer is of the formula:
US09102843B2
The current document discloses an inkjet ink that is characterized by exceptionally low sedimentation rate of glass frit and pigment particles. Practically, the ink reversibly gels upon extended standing, thus preventing sedimentation entirely.
US09102842B2
Disclosed is ink composition used in a recording apparatus provided with a pressure regulation valve which performs opening and closing operations to adjust a pressure in a recording head and is covered with an elastic member. The ink composition includes a slip agent and a lactone system medium. The slip agent is preferably at least one kind selected from a group consisting of a silicon system compound, a hydrocarbon system compound, a fluorine system compound, an amide system compound, and acrylic compound. In addition, the content of the slip agent is preferably not more than 1% by mass.
US09102838B2
An anti-corrosive coating composition precursor enabling easily obtaining an anti-corrosive coating composition using a polyaniline powder is provided. The anti-corrosive coating composition precursor comprises polyaniline, polyvinyl butyral and an alcohol-containing solvent and has a storage modulus G′ of 0.01 to 300 Pa and a loss modulus G″ of 0.01 to 100 Pa obtained by a frequency dispersion measurement at a temperature of 25±1° C. at a frequency of 0.1 to 100 rad/s.
US09102835B2
Methods of using dyes and associated technology are provided. A dye, such as a monomeric dye or a dimeric dye, may be used in a nucleic acid gel staining application and/or a nucleic acid detection application. Such a dye and a salt that comprises an anion that is associated with a strong acid and a cation that is associated with a strong base may be used in such an application. A dimeric dye, such as a dimeric dye capable of forming a hairpin-like structure, may be used to stain and/or detect nucleic acids via a release-on-demand mechanism. A dimeric dye having low background fluorescence in the absence of nucleic acids and high fluorescence in the presence of nucleic acids, upon binding therewith, may be used to stain and/or detect nucleic acids.
US09102814B2
Disclosed herein is a curable composition comprising a polyhydroxy curable fluoroelastomer, a polyhydroxy curative, a cure accelerator and an unsaturated metal compound process aid comprising a siloxane having at least one vinyl or allyl group bonded to a silicon atom. Such curable compositions have a lower Mooney viscosity than do similar compositions absent the process aid.
US09102795B2
A method for providing urea particles in a solvent medium, said method comprising at least the steps of: providing at least one polyisocyanate component dissolved in a first solvent; providing at least one isocyanate-reactive polyamine component dissolved in a second solvent; providing at least one isocyanate-reactive monoamine, optionally dissolved in a third solvent; combining and reacting said isocyanate-reactive monoamine optionally dissolved in said third solvent with said polyisocyanate dissolved in said first solvent, thereby providing an urea-modified polyisocyanate dissolved in said first solvent and said optionally third solvent, and then combining and reacting said urea-modified polyisocyanate dissolved in said first solvent and said optionally third solvent with said polyamine component dissolved in said second solvent.
US09102794B2
A polymeric composition includes the reaction product of monomers, where the monomers include a first monomer having at least two carboxylate functional groups, and a second monomer having at least two hydroxyl functional groups. The second monomer is a reaction product of a metathesized natural oil and a bis(hydroxyalkyl) amine.
US09102790B2
A polyester resin is a polymer of a carboxylic acid component and an alcohol component including a rosin diol represented by the formula (1), wherein an acid value is from 10 mg KOH/g to 30 mg KOH/g, a content of carboxylic acid having a rosin skeleton in the resin is 1% by weight or less, and a content of carboxylic acid except carboxylic acid having the rosin skeleton in the resin is 1% by weight or less: wherein, R1 and R2 each independently represent hydrogen or a methyl group, L1, L2 and L3 each independently represent a divalent linking group selected from the group consisting of a carbonyl group, a carboxyl group, an ether group, a sulphonyl group, a chain alkylene group, a cyclic alkylene group, an arylene group, and combinations thereof, and A1 and A2 represent a rosin ester group.
US09102782B2
The present invention relates to a transparent copolyester, wherein the transparent copolyester comprises an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester segment A, a segment B having repeating units —O—CH(CH3)—C(O)—, and structural units C derived from polyisocyanate(s), wherein the weight ratio for the segment A, segment B and structural unit C is 100:(100-2000):(0.1-10) and wherein the weight-average molecular weight Mw of the transparent copolyester is from 50,000 to 1,000,000. The present invention further relates to a preparation method for a transparent copolyester, including polymerizing lactide, a hydroxyl-terminated aliphatic-aromatic copolyester and a polyisocyanate in the presence of a catalyst; wherein the weight ratio for the aliphatic-aromatic copolyester, lactide and polyisocyanate is 100:(100-2000):(0.1-10). The present invention further relates to a transparent copolyester prepared by said method and an article made from the transparent copolyester according to present invention.
US09102776B1
Various techniques are disclosed to detect and mitigate the effects of burn-in events occurring in thermal imaging systems. Such events may be attributable to the sun (e.g., solar burn-in) and/or other high thermal energy sources. In one example, a method includes detecting a burn-in event that causes thermal images captured by a focal plane array (FPA) to exhibit a blemish; and mitigating the blemish in the thermal images. In another example, a thermal imaging system includes a focal plane array (FPA) adapted to capture thermal images; and a processor adapted to: detect a burn-in event that causes the thermal images to exhibit a blemish, and mitigate the blemish in the thermal images.
US09102775B2
A composition including a core-shell polymeric particle, the core including, when dry, at least one void and the shell including, as polymerized units, from 18% to 50%, by weight based on the weight of the shell, monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylamide, methacrylamide, and mixtures thereof is provided. Also provided is a composition including an organic medium and a core-shell polymeric particle, the core including, when dry, at least one void and the shell having a calculated shell-organic medium interaction parameter, XPS>1.15 and a method for providing opacity to a dry composition.
US09102772B2
A rheology modifier copolymer of formula (I) wherein A is a polyacidic vinyl monomer selected from maleic, fumaric, itaconic, citraconic and acid combinations thereof and anhydrides and salts thereof, B is an acrylic or methacrylic acid or salt thereof; C is a C1-C8 ester of (meth)acrylic acid; D is an associative monomer; and optionally E is a crosslinking monomer.
US09102757B2
This document provides aquaretic and natriuretic polypeptides. For example, this document provides polypeptides having aquaretic and/or natriuretic activities. In some cases, a polypeptide provided herein can have aquaretic and natriuretic activities, while lacking the ability to lower blood pressure. This document also provides methods and materials for inducing aquaretic and/or natriuretic activities within a mammal.
US09102747B2
Methods and compositions are used to identify and characterize new channelrhodopsins derived from algae and several of which are red-shifted. The rhodopsin domain of these red-shifted channelrhodopsins can be cloned and expressed in mammalian systems and used in optogenetic applications and as therapeutic agents. Also provided are methods and compositions for use in red-shifting the absorbance maxima of channelrhodopsins in order to improve their utility for use in vivo.
US09102744B2
Isolated antibodies that bind to human CD38 and cynomolgus CD38 are disclosed. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the disclosed antibodies, and therapeutic and diagnostic methods for using the disclosed antibodies.
US09102732B2
Disclosed are immunological compositions and methods for reducing activity of glucagon signaling using antibodies against glucagon receptor.
US09102729B2
Polypeptides comprising non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) amino acid sequences. Over 2500 specific NTHi proteins are disclosed. The invention also provides related polypeptides, nucleic acids, antibodies and methods. These can all be used in medicine for treating or preventing disease and/or infection caused by H. influenzae, such as otitis media.
US09102724B2
The present invention relates generally to anti-FZD10 antibodies and to methods of using anti-FZD10 antibodies. In particular, the anti-FZD10 antibodies described herein are useful for altering one or more of survival, replication, differentiation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal cell transition of embryonic stem cells and/or for the treatment of diseases, such as a variety of cancers, associated with expression of FZD10, including as stand-alone therapies and in combination therapies with other agents.
US09102715B2
The present invention provides a CTL inducer composition which comprises one or more peptides selected from the group consisting of the peptides of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 27 in the Sequence Listing, and can be used for the treatment or prevention of cancer or a hepatitis C virus-related disease in two or more patient groups selected from the group consisting of an HLA-A2 positive patient group, an HLA-A24 positive patient group, an HLA-A26 positive patient group, and an HLA-A3 supertype positive patient group.
US09102708B2
The present invention relates to methods for forming dicarba bridges in organic compounds. This involves the use of a pair of complementary metathesisable groups on the organic compound, and subjecting the compound to cross-metathesis under microwave radiation conditions. In an alternative, the compounds contain a turn-inducing group between the pair of cross-metathesisable groups to facilitate the cross-metathesis.
US09102695B2
Methods of preparing compounds according to Formula (I): and salts thereof as well as their corresponding phosphine intermediates are provided herein, wherein R1 and R2 are different and each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from an organic radical that branches at the alpha carbon and an organic radical that branches at the beta carbon, and each of X and Y is independently O or S, and wherein said compound is a liquid at room temperature.
US09102691B2
The invention relates to monocrystalline single crystals of metal-organic framework materials comprising at least one aluminum metal ion, processes for preparing the same, methods for employing the same, and the use thereof. The invention also relates to monocrystalline aluminum metal-organic frameworks.
US09102688B2
The present invention relates to novel hepcidin antagonists, pharmaceutical compositions comprising them and the use thereof as medicaments for the use in the treatment of iron metabolism disorders, such as, in particular, iron deficiency diseases and anemias, in particular anemias in connection with chronic inflammatory diseases.
US09102687B2
The invention relates to compounds of general formula I wherein R is heteroaryl optionally substituted by R7; or R is heterocycloalkyl or heterocycloalkenyl, optionally substituted by R8; or R is X wherein X is —NR11R12; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates, or solvates thereof, for use—alone or in combination with one or more other pharmaceutically active compounds—in therapy, for preventing, treating or ameliorating diseases or conditions responsive to stimulation of neutrophil oxidative burst, responsive to stimulation of keratinocyte IL-8 release or responsive to induction of necrosis.
US09102685B2
The present invention relates to compounds characterized by having a structure according to the following Formula I: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Compounds of the present invention are useful for the treatment or prevention of HIV.
US09102683B2
Described herein are methods for synthesizing heterocyclic, 8-membered ring structures. The methods may allow for preparation of highly substituted 8-membered rings. Also disclosed are heterocyclic, 8-membered ring compounds and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds.
US09102676B2
The present invention relates to compounds of general Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The compounds can be used in the treatment of immune, autoimmune, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, bone resorption disorders, neurodegenerative diseases or proliferative diseases.
US09102675B2
Compounds of the formula (I) in which R1, R2, X and Y have the meanings indicated in claim 1, are inhibitors of TBK1 and IKKε and can be employed, inter alia, for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases.
US09102671B2
The invention provides compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and methods of using such compounds to treat or prevent diseases or disorders associated with abnormal or deregulated TRK kinase activity. wherein: A is X1 is CH or N;
US09102622B2
Disclosed are compounds of formula R—X—Y that may be used to inhibit the action of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) will slow the normal degradation and inactivation of endogenous cannabinoid ligands by FAAH hydrolysis and allow higher levels of those endogenous cannabinergic ligands to remain present. These higher levels of endocannabinoid ligands provide increased stimulation of the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors and produce physiological effects related to the activation of the cannabinoid receptors. They will also enhance the effects of other exogenous cannabinergic ligands and allow them to produce their effects at lower concentrations as compared to systems in which fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) action is hot inhibited. Thus, a compound that inhibits the inactivation of endogenous cannabinoid ligands by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) may increase the levels of endocannabinoids and, thus, enhance the activation of cannabinoid receptors. Thus, the compound may not directly modulate the cannabinoid receptors but has the effect of indirectly stimulating the cannabinoid receptors by increasing the levels of endocannabinoid ligands. It may also enhance the effects and duration of action of other exogenous cannabinergic ligands that are administered in order to elicit a cannabinergic response.
US09102621B2
The invention relates to sulfonamide derivatives, to their use in medicine, to 5 compositions containing them, to processes for their preparation and to intermediates used in such processes. More particularly the invention relates to a new sulfonamide Nav1.7 inhibitors of formula (I): 10 X NH O S O O R1 R2 R5 R4 R3 Het1 (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein X, Het1, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in the description. 15 Nav 1.7 inhibitors are potentially useful in the treatment of a wide range of disorders, particularly pain.
US09102620B2
The subject invention provides deuterated N-ethyl-N-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-4-hydroxy-5-chloro-1-methyl-2-oxoquinoline-3-carboxamide, its salts and uses.
US09102614B2
The invention provides compounds of formula (I): or a salt thereof as described herein. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of formula I, processes for preparing compounds of formula (I), intermediates useful for preparing compounds of formula I and therapeutic methods for treating the proliferation of the HIV virus, treating AIDS or delaying the onset of AIDS or ARC symptoms in a mammal using compounds of formula (I).
US09102612B2
A process for producing acetic acid includes: obtaining hydrogen iodide in an acetic acid production system; and continually introducing a complexing agent into the system, wherein the complexing agent and hydrogen iodide interact to form a complex.
US09102611B2
A process for removing free carboxylic acid from an aqueous solution including a mass fraction of less than 1% wt of the free carboxylic acid. The process includes the steps of: (a) contacting the aqueous solution with a depleted solvent including a polyamine extractant to obtain an extract enriched in free carboxylic acid and a raffinate having a reduced free carboxylic acid content; and (b) separating the raffinate from the extract, wherein the polyamine extractant is a compound containing at least two nitrogen atoms, and at least one double bond between a nitrogen atom and a carbon atom.
US09102610B2
Liquid overbased alkali or alkaline earth metal carboxylates, particularly barium carboxylates, are prepared by a process which includes the use of a beta diketone as a reaction promoter during carbonation. Mixed metal stabilizers containing the overbased metal carboxylates are used as stabilizers for halogen-containing polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
US09102608B2
Provided is a simple, safe, and industrially practical method for producing a pentafluorosulfanylbenzoic acid.This method includes (A) a providing step of providing a trihalomethyl(pentafluorosulfanylbenzene) represented by general formula (1): where X is a halogen atom, n is an integer of 1≦n≦3, and the hydrogen atoms on the benzene ring are optionally replaced with a group having an oxygen atom, a group having a nitrogen atom, or a halogen atom; (B1) a step of reacting the trihalomethyl(pentafluorosulfanylbenzene) with a carboxylic acid, water, or a disiloxane represented by general formula (b): R3Si—O—SiR3 (b) (where R is an alkyl group) in the presence of an acid other than carboxylic acids to form a pentafluorosulfanylbenzoic halide represented by general formula (2a): where X and n are as defined above, and the hydrogen atoms on the benzene ring are optionally replaced with the group or atom defined above; and (B2) a step of converting the pentafluorosulfanylbenzoic halide into a pentafluorosulfanylbenzoic acid represented by general formula (2): where n is as defined above, and the hydrogen atoms on the benzene ring are optionally replaced with the group or atom defined above.
US09102607B2
Compounds of the following general formula (I): are described. Also described, are processes of their preparation and their use in therapeutic applications.
US09102594B2
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of isocyanates by reaction of the corresponding amines with phosgene in the gas phase, wherein a diluent containing between 90.0000% by weight and 99.9999% by weight of substances which are inert in the phosgenation process and between 0.0001% by weight and 10.0000% by weight of oxygen is present during the conversion of the amine into the gas phase and the molar ratio of amine to oxygen (O2) is ≧1,000:1.
US09102590B2
There is provided a method for producing an aqueous acrylamide solution by producing acrylamide by reacting a composition including acrylonitrile with water, in which the composition including acrylonitrile includes 20 to 80 mg of methacrylonitrile per 1 kg of the total weight of the composition including acrylonitrile. According to the present invention, a production method allowing stable obtainment of an aqueous acrylamide solution can be provided as polymerization of the acrylamide can be suppressed without causing a decreas+455e in quality.
US09102587B2
The present invention relates to a method of producing 2-(isopropylamino)ethanol, including subjecting acetone, 2-aminoethanol, and hydrogen to a vapor-phase catalytic reaction in the presence of a noble metal-containing catalyst. According to the present invention, 2-(isopropylamino)ethanol can be industrially obtained in a large amount and with high efficiency through the vapor-phase catalytic reaction of acetone, 2-aminoethanol, and hydrogen. 2-(Isopropylamino)ethanol is a compound useful as a raw material for a drug, an agricultural chemical, or the like.
US09102573B2
An encapsulated particle includes a core particle and a polyurethane disposed about the core particle. The polyurethane includes the reaction product of an aromatic isocyanate component and a polyol component. The polyol component includes a polyol derived from an aromatic amine-based initiator and an aliphatic polyether polyol. The polyol derived from the aromatic amine-based initiator has a nominal functionality of 4. The aliphatic polyether polyol has a nominal functionality of from 2 to 4. The weight ratio of the polyol derived from the aromatic amine-based initiator and the aliphatic polyether polyol is from about 1:2 to 2:1. A method of forming the encapsulated particle is also provided.
US09102572B2
A method of forming a concrete wall having a substantially uniform exterior surface texture. The method includes the initial step of pouring concrete into a wall form. The concrete is poured from a first mixture and is allowed to cure. After the concrete is cured, the wall form is removed from the resultant concrete base structure. A roughened texture is then created on the base structure. A finishing mixture is then applied to the roughened texture. The finishing mixture may be created by separating the aggregate from a portion of the remaining first mixture. The finishing mixture creates a smooth texture on the exterior surfaces of the initially formed base structure.
US09102570B2
Provided herein are nanofibers and processes of preparing nanofibers. In some instances, the nanofibers are metal and/or ceramic nanofibers. In some embodiments, the nanofibers are high quality, high performance nanofibers, highly coherent nanofibers, highly continuous nanofibers, or the like. In some embodiments, the nanofibers have increased coherence, increased length, few voids and/or defects, and/or other advantageous characteristics. In some instances, the nanofibers are produced by electrospinning a fluid stock having a high loading of nanofiber precursor in the fluid stock. In some instances, the fluid stock comprises well mixed and/or uniformly distributed precursor in the fluid stock. In some instances, the fluid stock is converted into a nanofiber comprising few voids, few defects, long or tunable length, and the like.
US09102569B2
The embodiments of the invention are directed to a synthetic ceramic comprising pyroxene-containing crystalline phase, a clast, and a glass phase, wherein at least a portion of the synthetic ceramic is plastically deformable in a certain temperature range. Other embodiments of the invention relate to a method of making a synthetic ceramic, comprising heating a green ceramic material to 900-1400° C., to a temperature sufficient to initiate partial melting of at least a portion of the green ceramic material, transferring the heated green ceramic material to a press, pressing the heated green ceramic material in a die at 1,000 to 10,000 psi, and transferring the heated, pressed green ceramic material to a furnace for cooling to form the synthetic ceramic.
US09102554B2
A method is disclosed in which water is pumped continuously into one end of a container, the pollutants are captured and floated to the surface, the treated and cleaned water flows out the other end and the floated pollutants are removed. In one embodiment, the system consists of at least one container that has a set of electrically active plates and a mechanism for capturing and removing the pollutants that are floated to the surface by the electrically active plates. Multiple containers can be connected in series and used for similar or separate purposes to remove the pollutants. In another embodiment, the single container is partitioned into a multiple of chambers. Each chamber can be used for a similar or separate purpose, which purpose depends upon the application. In both embodiments, the primary reaction consists of electroflocculation, in which a low voltage is applied across a set of metal plates. This liberates metal ions and gas bubbles. The metal ions capture the pollutants and the gas bubbles float them to the surface. The whole process is done In a manner In which the floated pollutants form a stable layer on the surface of the flowing water. Different sets of metal plates can be used in separate chambers to remove different pollutants. The voltage to the plates is controlled in such a manner as to provide a known charge dose to the water as It passes through the apparatus at a Known rate. This is controlled by monitoring and controlling both the rate at which the water flows and the rate at which the electric charge Is imparted through the water. In operation water is pumped into the first chamber where ft is treated with the first set of plates. It can then flow into a second chamber, with a barrier mechanism that limits the surface floe from flowing with it. This process can be repeated in other chambers until the water is adequately treated with different sets of plates. The water can then flow into additional chambers in which much of the residual floe and bubbles floats to the surface. Each chamber has a wall over which the floe can flow into a drain mechanism, and a mechanism for getting the floe to flow over the wall. In this manner these continuous flow electroflocculation water treatment systems operate like a membrane free filter or a chemical free dissolved air flotation system.
US09102550B2
In an anaerobic treatment method in which contaminated water is introduced into an acidification tank to decompose polymer components in the contaminated water into organic acids, and the effluent from the acidification tank is introduced into a methane production tank containing non-biological fluidized carriers so as to convert the acids into methane, the treatment is carried out stably and continuously by preventing the occurrence of floating of carriers in the methane production tank. The CODCr concentration of polymer components other than organic acids in the acidification tank effluent to be introduced into the methane production tank is controlled to be not more than 300 mg/L. This control prevents the occurrence of acid production reactions in the methane production tank and the consequent proliferation of microorganisms, and thereby suppresses sticking of carriers as well as the occurrence of floating and blockage by the carriers.
US09102549B2
Disclosed is a method of making coagulant and viscoelastic compositions for use in removal of dispersed, solubilized, and emulsified oils and hydrocarbons and other noxious species from water and air. The composition comprises thermal reaction products of blends of fatty acids derived, isolated and purified from drying and semi-drying oils such as linseed, safflower, and tung oil with a polymer such as for example poly(isobutyl methacrylate) and can include a solvent. The product of the invention facilitates cohesion of oils and hydrocarbons independent of agitation and temperature and may be used in both salt and fresh water, air and other gaseous streams.
US09102547B2
A method includes a first step of, with a CO2.H2S stripper maintained to have a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, from the ammonia-containing wastewater, discharging CO2 and H2S in a form of gas having a low moisture concentration from a tower top of the CO2.H2S stripper while discharging an ammonia-containing solution from a tower bottom of the CO2.H2S stripper; a second step of introducing the ammonia-containing solution obtained after the first step into an ammonia stripper which is maintained to have a lower pressure than that of the CO2.H2S stripper, and thereby discharging a gas rich in ammonia containing a small amount of H2S and CO2 from a tower top of the ammonia stripper while discharging water usable as industrial water from a tower bottom of the ammonia stripper; and a third step of introducing the ammonia rich gas obtained after the second step into a washing tower which is maintained to have a lower pressure than that of the ammonia stripper, and thereby discharging a wastewater containing a Na compound from a tower bottom of the washing tower while discharging a H2S-free gas rich in ammonia from a tower top of the washing tower.
US09102538B2
The invention relates to a polycrystalline silicon production method. The inventive method involves supplying a gas mixture based on a silicon-containing gas to a reduction reactor via a tube system and precipitating silicon on heated surfaces in such a way that an effluent gas mixture is formed. The silicon precipitation process is simultaneously carried out in at least two reactors which are connected in series by the tube system for transporting the gas mixture. Then, the gas mixture used for the operation of all the reactors is supplied at entry into the first reactor and is continuously transmitted through all the connected in series reactors.
US09102537B2
The present disclosure relates to a method for making a carbon nanotube sponge. A carbon nanotube film structure comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes and an oxidizing solution formed by an oxidizing agent and hydrogen peroxide is provided. The carbon nanotube film structure is soaked in the oxidizing solution to form a preform. Finally, the carbon nanotube sponge is obtained by freeze-drying the preform under vacuum condition. The present disclosure also relates to a carbon nanotube sponge obtained by above method.
US09102536B2
Corrosion Resistant Ozone Generators, including ozone generating chips, for various purposes including spas, pools and jetted tubs as well as methods for making and using such Corrosion Resistant Ozone Generators.
US09102532B2
Method for producing synthesis gas for methanol production The present invention relates to a method for producing synthesis gas from a hydrocarbon containing feed, which synthesis gas is particularly suitable for subsequent use in methanol production. In this method, a feed (100) is divided into two streams, wherein one stream is subjected to catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) (2) and the other stream is subjected to steam reforming (5) followed by a water gas shift reaction (51). The two streams are then recombined and can be used further in methanol synthesis (6). The recombined stream preferably has an R ratio, being a molar ratio (H2−C02)/(CO+C02), in the range of 1.9-2.2 and preferably about 2. The invention further relates to a method for producing methanol from a hydrocarbon containing feed, wherein first synthesis gas is obtained according to the method of the invention, which synthesis gas is further used to produce methanol. Also, the invention relates to a method of adapting an existing methanol plant to the methanol production process of the invention.
US09102530B2
Systems and methods for hydrogen production with carbon capture are provided. A hydrogen containing stream can be divided so that a portion of the stream is processed for separation of CO2. A hydrogen enriched stream formed during separation of CO2 and another portion of the hydrogen containing stream can be processed in a cycling adsorber unit to form a hydrogen product stream. Optionally, the cycling adsorber unit can be operated to form a plurality of tail gas streams. The hydrogen containing stream can be a reformed hydrocarbon stream and/or an input stream previously exposed to a water gas shift catalyst. Optionally, a portion of the reformed hydrocarbon stream can be a reformed biocomponent stream.
US09102526B2
Engineered proteins are used in the assembly of two-dimensional and three-dimensional nanostructure assemblies, based on systematic design and production of protein node structures that can be interconnected, for example, with streptavidin or streptavidin-incorporating struts to produce structures with defined dimensions and geometry. Nanostructure assemblies having utility as functional devices or as resists for the patterning of substrates have architectures including polygons, polyhedra, two-dimensional lattices, and three-dimensional lattices.
US09102525B2
The invention provides a process for producing carbon nanotubes which includes supplying a continuous fluidized feed of a catalyst and at least one hydrocarbon to a reactor operating under conditions suitable to produce carbon nanotubes. The fluid is made to flow though the reactor with a swirling motion which ensures that the internal surfaces of the reactor are cleaned of deposits.
US09102519B2
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a sacrificial layer over a first surface of a workpiece having the first surface and an opposite second surface. A membrane is formed over the sacrificial layer. A through hole is etched through the workpiece from the second surface to expose a surface of the sacrificial layer. At least a portion of the sacrificial layer is removed from the second surface to form a cavity under the membrane. The cavity is aligned with the membrane.
US09102514B2
A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device (58) includes a structural layer (78) having a top surface (86). The top surface (86) includes surface regions (92, 94) that are generally parallel to one another but are offset relative to one another such that a stress concentration location (90) is formed between them. Laterally propagating shallow surface cracks (44) have a tendency to form in the structural layer (78), especially near the joints (102) between the surface regions (92, 94). A method (50) entails fabricating (52) the MEMS device (58) and forming (54) trenches (56) in the top surface (86) of the structural layer (78) of the MEMS device (58). The trenches (56) act as a crack inhibition feature to largely prevent the formation of deep cracks in structural layer (78) which might otherwise result in MEMS device failure.
US09102508B2
A wine dispensing system comprises a cabinet with refrigerated compartments for maintaining bulk wine in boxes and dispenses any one of a number of wine varieties upon pressing an appropriate button. Check valves in the system prevent air from spoiling unused wine, and a computer measures each pour, updates inventory, and accepts demographic information to assist in marketing and sales promotion.
US09102499B2
A filament winding apparatus for winding a fiber bundle on the surface of a liner is configured so that the end position of a fiber layer of the dome section of the liner is easily corrected. A control section stores a series of operations for winding the fiber bundle on the liner as winding data including steps, controls a fundamental operation which winds the fiber bundle on the basis of the winding data, and also controls a correction operation which corrects the end position of the fiber layer on the basis of an actual value and a design value when forming a fiber layer by winding the fiber bundle on the dome section of the liner.
US09102495B2
A paper ejection device holds paper ejected out from an upstream device through a paper-ejection opening of the upstream device. The paper ejection device includes: a pair of side fences arranged parallel and perpendicularly to a paper ejection direction, the paper ejection direction being a direction in which paper is ejected through the paper-ejection opening, to restrict positions of edges of the ejected paper in a width direction; and a control unit that, when an ejection speed at which the paper is ejected through the paper-ejection opening is higher than a predetermined speed, controls spacing between the pair of side fences to be narrower than spacing between the pair of side fences for paper ejected at a speed equal to or lower than the predetermined speed.
US09102479B2
A gripper arm, and a method for its manufacture, is provided for grasping, holding and guiding objects, for example, bottle-like containers. A rotatably mounted control cam may move a gripping section of the gripper arm from an open position into a gripping position. The gripper arm may have a bore hole for supporting a bearing pin for pivotably mounting the gripper arm, a seating for an opening structure for moving the gripping section of the gripper arm from the gripping position into the open position, and a suspension structure for cushioning and equalizing the force and deflection exerted on the gripper arm by the control cam. So that the gripper arm remains sufficiently free of contaminants and germs, the suspension structure may include a spring bar integrally formed in an end section of the gripper arm body.
US09102477B2
A radial distribution system includes a base member for receiving product for distribution to a plurality of conveyors, a plurality of gate members radially-spaced around the base member and configured to move between an open position and a closed position, and a vibration member configured to vibrate the base member. The vibration causes product received on the base member to move on the base member in a substantially circular manner.
US09102475B2
A log singulator has first and second segments supported between roller mechanisms that allow the first and second segments to be reciprocated up and down. Each segment has a plurality of steps. Structural members of one segment extend between steps of the other segment. Some log singulators have first and second stages that can be independently operated. A first stage takes logs from a log pile and delivers the logs to a second stage that singulates the logs and delivers the logs to an output. A log storage area may be provided between the first and second stages. The first stage may operate at a higher cycle rate than the second stage. The second stage may be designed for rapid operation and good singulation of a range of log diameters. Embodiments of the first and second stages may be used in stand-alone applications and/or in combination with other log elevating and or singulating devices.
US09102474B2
A rotation mechanism includes a mandrel, a rotation axle, a needle roller bearing and an angular bearing. The mandrel includes a shaft portion, a first annular contact portion and a second annular contact portion. The shaft portion has an outer surface, and the first annular contact portion and the second annular contact portion are located on the outer surface and respectively surround the axis of the mandrel. The rotation axle includes an annular portion, a third annular contact portion and a fourth annular contact portion. The annular portion has a shaft hole and an inner surface forming the shaft hole. The third annular contact portion and the fourth annular contact portion are located on the inner surface, and the mandrel passes through the shaft hole. The needle roller bearing is in contact with the first annular contact portion and the third annular contact portion, and is located between them.
US09102466B2
A waste collection vehicle, such as a garbage truck, recycling truck or organic waste collection truck, has a bucket drive mechanism. The vehicle has a waste container that houses a bin and a movable bucket for receiving waste. The movable bucket is driven upwardly in sliding contact with a divider wall of the bin by the bucket drive mechanism. The bucket drive mechanism further causes the bucket to rotate about a pivot for transferring waste from the bucket into the bin. A rotatable paddle may be provided for sweeping the waste from the bucket and for compacting the waste inside the bin. The bucket drive mechanism may include inclined actuators eccentrically connected to sliding collars that run over guide rails to raise the bucket until the sliding collars reach a horizontally disposed rocker shaft that acts as a pivot for pivoting the bucket.
US09102459B2
A dual layer packaging for shipping compressible items or goods includes an inner expandable layer and an outer non-expandable layer.
US09102455B2
A handbag preservation unit includes a suspension mechanism to connect with an upper portion of a handbag and support part of the weight of the handbag. The handbag preservation unit further includes a support surface configured to support a bottom of the handbag and support a remainder of the weight of the handbag.
US09102447B2
The invention is directed to a push-pull closure for a drink container including a mouthpiece holder. The container includes a pin, which projects into the through-opening of the mouthpiece holder; several bars, parallel to the pin and arranged around the pin, which are connected to the mouthpiece holder and to the pin; a mouthpiece that is axially displaceable and sealing with respect to the mouthpiece on the outer circumference and accommodating the pin in the further through-opening; at least one circumferential seal element, which blocks and unblocks the passage of liquid through the further through-opening in an closing/opening position of the mouthpiece in the mouthpiece holder; and several ribs of a soft elastic material, axially extending on the circumference of the mouthpiece at the bottom, wherein the mouthpiece may be inserted into the mouthpiece holder, and the bars can engage free spaces and the ribs engage recesses between the bars.
US09102430B2
The method for removing a sealing film from a container includes use of a gripping device having a fixed lower jaw and a mobile upper jaw and comprises carrying out following steps: a first gripping step, in which the gripping device clamps the flap of film projecting from a rounded corner of the container; a step of partial detachment, in which the gripping device detaches only a portion of the film which is at the rounded corner; an adjusting step in which the mobile upper jaw is distanced from the fixed lower jaw and the gripping device is moved so as to capture, between the two jaws, a larger surface of film; a second gripping step in which the upper jaw lowers and locks against the lower jaw to grip the surface of film, and a complete detaching step, in which the gripping device performs complete detachment of the film.
US09102425B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for reforming of a web of flexible packaging material into tube form by rotatable forming rollers which define a material opening. The apparatus is at least one of the forming rollers is displaceable in relation to the material web when an opening device disposed on the material web passes through the material opening.
US09102422B2
A solar cell assembly, a solar cell array, and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The solar cell assembly may include a solar cell and an interconnection member, the interconnection member comprising a first portion and a second portion attached to the first portion with an angle formed therebetween. The solar cell array may comprise at least two said solar cell assemblies. In an embodiment, the top surfaces of the first solar cell and the second solar cell are arranged such that the second portion of the first interconnect member and the second portion of the second interconnection member are adjacent to each other, and at least the end portion of the second portion of the first interconnection member is bended together with at least the end portion of the second portion of the second interconnection member.
US09102417B1
Method and apparatus for monitoring a vehicle. An apparatus comprises a sensor system and a computer system. The sensor system is associated with a number of human operators of a vehicle and a number of components in the vehicle. The sensor system is configured to generate physiological data for the number of human operators. The computer system is configured to receive the physiological data; determine whether the physiological data is within a level for a desired level of performance for operating the vehicle based on a policy; and perform a number of actions to maintain the desired level of performance for operating the vehicle in response to the physiological data not being within the level for the desired level of performance.
US09102414B2
Apparatuses and systems that use a variable displacement motor-pump (VDMP) to control the position and speed of a hose for an aerial refueling system are disclosed. At displacements greater than required to hold a position of the hose, the VDMP operates in a motor mode to retract the hose. For lesser displacements, the VDMP operates in a pump mode to control extension of the hose. In accordance with some embodiments, a pump-motor relief valve operates to throttle hydraulic fluid flow from the VDMP and to control mixing of hydraulic fluid flowing from the VDMP with system hydraulic fluid.
US09102408B2
The present invention is aimed at a storage trolley body for aircraft which incorporates refrigeration means storing the cold source and allowing the distribution thereof in a uniform manner to all the parts inside the trolley. The proposed solution provides additional advantages such as the increase of the structural rigidity of the trolley body incorporating these refrigeration means.
US09102402B2
The present invention relates to landing gear (5) having at least one undercarriage (10) comprising a landing gear leg (11) carrying at least one wheel (12). The undercarriage (10) includes a retraction actuator (20) having an electric motor (23), blocking means (30) for blocking the actuator in the retraction position and for enabling the retraction actuator to be positioned in the “landing gear extended” position by gravity, first monitoring means (35) for monitoring the operation of the retraction actuator (20), first control means (65) for controlling the refraction actuator (20), and second control means (75) for controlling the blocking means (30).
US09102390B2
Provided is an underwater elevating apparatus, wherein the cable is not paid out unexpectedly by self-buoyancy while waiting underwater, excessive paying out of the cable may be prevented by a latch unit having simple mechanisms, and electric power does not be used needlessly. An underwater elevating apparatus (1), which rises or descends together with a flame (10) having an underwater observation apparatus (80) and buoyancy bodies (12) connected through a cable (11) anchored to the bottom, comprises: a stopper (51) halfway attached to the cable (11) at a lower position than the frame (10); a winch provided to the frame (10) for spooling and paying out of the cable (11); and a latch unit (30) provided to the frame (10), having opening or closing a plurality of hooks surrounding the cable (11), for causing the winch to stop spooling of the cable (11) while causing the plurality of hooks closed to seize the stopper (51) on the basis of a trigger according to pressure and contact with the stopper (51) by spooling thereof, and for causing the winch to start paying out of the cable from the plurality of hooks opened on the basis of the trigger by release of the stopper (51).
US09102385B1
Method and apparatus for a dinghy brake including a cone-like member having a smaller front end and a larger rear end connected in line between a towing boat and a towed dinghy in such a way that if the towing boat should slow or stop suddenly, the towed dinghy would be stopped from overtaking or colliding with the towing boat. The dinghy brake includes a cone-like central member comprising a plurality of panels connected inside a plurality of cords so that the apparatus can be tied or connected between the towing boat and the towed dinghy.
US09102384B2
A lightweight tender comprising a hull constructed from substantially a single piece of composite material and a retractable pillar attached to the hull, wherein the retractable pillar defines a longitudinally extending channel. A retractable carbon fiber bimini cover is pivotingly attached to the retractable pillar, and defines a top deck when the pillar is retracted, and defines a bimini top extended. A first end of a brace is hingedly attached to the bimini cover and a second end of the brace travels within the longitudinally extending channel of the retractable pillar such that the angle between the bimini cover and the retractable pillar increases as the brace travels distally within the longitudinally extending channel.
US09102375B2
Drifting karts in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described that include a front wheel drive train and rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn. One embodiment of the invention includes a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor, a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery, wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor, two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis, and a hand lever configured to dynamically engage the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn.
US09102370B2
A track pad for a crawler, especially operating in a landfill, having a generally rectangular base plate with holes for attachment to a track chain link, the base plate having front, rear and side edges, a high rise grouser on the base plate, the grouser projecting from the base plate a distance substantially greater than conventional grousers, the grouser having a central portion with the general configuration of a plate with an edge distal from the base plate, the central portion being generally laterally centered on the base plate, the grouser being devoid of areas projecting significantly from the base plate adjacent the side edges of the base plate.
US09102369B2
To improve the traveling functionality of a traveling device equipped with dual, rotating, negative-pressure suction seals. Provided is a traveling device equipped with dual, rotating, negative-pressure suction seals, which is characterized in that: a single, rotating, negative-pressure suction seal is respectively provided to the left and the right of the axis of travel of the traveling device; the distance between the rotational axis of one of the negative-pressure suction seals and the axis of travel is substantially equal to the distance between the rotational axis of the other negative-pressure suction seal and the axis of travel; the outer peripheral shape of each negative-pressure suction seal forms a shape comprising a farthest outer peripheral end portion, which is the outer peripheral end portion farthest from the rotational axis, and a nearest outer peripheral end portion, which is the outer peripheral end portion nearest to the rotational axis; and a driven wheel is provided inside each negative-pressure suction seal.
US09102367B1
A rear spoiler for a motor vehicle has a spoiler body (14) for deflecting a stream of air to provide an aerodynamic effect. The spoiler body (14) has a main spoiler (16) with a main surface (21) and an auxiliary spoiler (18) with an auxiliary surface (62). A multi-jointed actuating kinematics (34) can move the main spoiler (16) and the auxiliary spoiler (18) between a storage position where the auxiliary surface (62) of the auxiliary spoiler (18) is at least partially below the main spoiler (16) and a use position where the auxiliary spoiler (18) is substantially in a common plane with the main surface (21).
US09102359B2
A vehicle front end structure including a fender support rail that includes a plurality of slots defined by an outer wall of the rail that facilitates bending the rail in a transverse vehicle direction. A plurality of circular holes may be provided that are defined in the rail adjacent a bend in the rail to facilitate fracturing the rail in a collision event. A bracket is attached to the rail adjacent the circular holes to inhibit the rail in that area from bending in an outboard direction.
US09102357B2
A first outer panel has: a first general surface; and a first flange section having an end section of the first general surface recessed more than the first general surface. A second outer panel has: a second general surface having a surface flush with the first general surface; and a second flange section that is recessed from the second general surface and is joined overlapping with the first flange section. A joint that is recessed more than the first and second general surface is formed in the joined section. A filler substance is provided in the joint, and the section from the first general surface to the second general surface is formed in a continuous surface.
