US09174755B2
The invention relates to a sack cutting means (10) for offshore emptying of content from a package, comprising a means (11) for cutting up the package, means (21) for separating the package from its content and means (20) for removing the emptied package from the cutting means, said means (21) for separating the content at least from the package comprising means (13) for ripping the package open, one or more transporting means and a rotating drum (21) provided with openings through which the content separated from the package is allowed to leave the drum (18). Further, the sack cutting screw (11) is separated from the drum (18) and that below both the sack cutting screw (11) and the drum (17), a means (20) for collecting and transporting away the content of the sacks is arranged, said means being configured in such way that the content of the package is removed at one end, while the waste package is removed at the other end of said sack cutting means (10).
US09174754B2
An induction sealing device for heat sealing packaging material for producing sealed packages of pourable food products and fed in a first direction, the sealing device having an inductor device which interacts with the packaging material by at least one active surface; a supporting body made of heat-conducting material and housing the inductor device; an insert made of magnetic flux-concentrating material and housed in the supporting body; and a member made of plastic material, and having at least a first portion interposed, in the first direction, between the supporting body and the insert so as to be at least partly surrounded by the supporting body.
US09174750B2
In one embodiment, a variable surface landing platform (VARSLAP) includes a base for contacting a landing surface; at least 3 adjustable struts interconnected with the base, wherein each strut is bisected by a strut actuator-housing, and wherein the at least 3 adjustable struts are interconnected to a main body aerospace craft (MAC); a sensor array on the base; and an attitude determination and control system (ADCS).
US09174745B1
A system and method for checking the fuel quantity of a vehicle based on vehicle performance includes predicting vehicle performance based from a number of vehicle related input parameters including assumed fuel quantity to provide predicted vehicle performance data. Actual vehicle performance is measured from a number of vehicle sensor systems to provide measured actual vehicle performance data. The predicted vehicle performance data is compared with the measured actual vehicle performance data to provide an indication as to whether the vehicle is operating within a selected tolerance of the prediction. An alert message is provided if the vehicle is determined to be operating outside of the selected tolerance of prediction.
US09174744B2
A system including at least one global navigation database including data for aerial navigation and airport navigation of the aircraft and data mentioned on navigation maps, a central unit for carrying out a contextualized filtering of data intended for a display and received, at least in part, from said navigation database, and a display device for carrying out the display on one and the same screen, said display being based on information from said contextualized filtering.
US09174740B2
A system for supplying an aircraft with inert gas is provided. The system includes at least one fuel cell with an air inlet and an exhaust air outlet as well as a membrane device with an inlet, an outlet and a vapor-permeable membrane. The exhaust air outlet is in fluid communication with the inlet of the membrane device. The membrane device guides a gas from the inlet to the outlet and to give off to the outside through the membrane any water vapor contained therein. This leads to a cost efficient, passive and reliable dehumidifaction of inert exhaust gas for inerting purposes, and a dehumidification device that does not or only marginally increases the weight of the aircraft.
US09174728B2
The invention is related to an electrical powered tail rotor (1) of a helicopter comprising a housing (2) around the tail rotor (1), and at least one permanent magnet energized synchronous motor with a stator (6, 7) with an increased number of poles (9). Said at least one synchronous motor is integrated as a torus (8) around an opening of the housing (2) encompassing the tail rotor (1). Blades (4) of the tail rotor (1) are fixed to at least one rotating component (10, 11) of said at least one synchronous motor. Supply means provide for electric energy to said at least one synchronous motor. Blade pitch control means are provided at the torus (8).
US09174725B2
Aircraft guidance assistance systems and computer readable media are disclosed. The present subject matter includes systems and computer readable media for providing task guidance for managing flight operations during normal operating procedures or exceptional situations caused by abnormal events. In some aspects, a system for providing task guidance can include a processor, memory, and a flight assistance module configured to receive data from multiple servers. The assistance module can display possible aircraft flight phases while indicating the flight phase. The assistance module can also display operations to be carried out for the flight phases, and the actions corresponding to these operations.
US09174721B2
An aircraft windshield assembly includes at least one window pane, a frame against which the pane bears, at least one flange for clamping the pane against the frame, and at least one cavity delimited between the pane, the frame and the flange. A member of profiled cross-section substantially fills the cavity and over at least part of its periphery has formations in relief in the form of flutes which with a facing surface define seal-forming baffles.
US09174705B2
A system of lashing a tender assist drilling unit (TADU) to a floating production platform includes a plurality of lashing lines reeved over a hydraulic-pneumatic tensioning system sheave assembly and a plurality of fixed anchor points to the above water line section of the production platform hull structure. The hydraulic-pneumatic tensioning device will, when in tensioning mode, compensate and control the relative movement between the two floating bodies. The hydraulic-pneumatic tensioning system will also enable lashing pre-tension adjustments during operations and fine-tuning of system performance can be done site-specific based on lessons learned. The hydraulic-pneumatic tensioning device will, when in hydraulic lock mode, enable a fixed lashing line system. This will by the means of the first units mooring winch system enable; a winch-in for close proximity during heavy lifting; or an efficient lashing pay put during extreme weather preparation for increased separation between the two units.
US09174704B1
A passenger boat configured for interactively shielding passengers from incoming water. The boat includes a hull with seats for receiving passengers and a rider interactive assembly with an input element for receiving input from the passengers. The boat also includes a water shield supported on the hull and an actuation system operating in response to the input from the passengers to move the water shield from a first position to a second position relative to the seats. In some cases, the water shield is mounted on the hull to travel within a channel extending about a perimeter of the hull located on an outboard side of the seats. Then, the water shield may include a wall that extends substantially vertically from the channel.
US09174701B2
A bicycle pedal with automatic attachment and detachment, the pedal having a body (2) rotating on a spindle (3) with a front stop (4) suitable for engaging with a mating stop surface (5) located on a cleat (6) fixed to the sole of the shoe of the user, and a retaining member (9) rotating about a hinge axis parallel to the pedal axis and able to be applied by an elastic return to the cleat to lock the cleat to the pedal. The elastic return means comprises a flexing element (B, 18), one end of which is housed in the pedal body, and the other end of which bears against the retaining member (9).
US09174697B2
A bicycle operating device comprises an operating unit, a mounting member, and a positioning structure. The operating unit includes a first portion. The mounting member includes a second portion configured to be connected with the first portion of the operating unit. The positioning structure is configured to adjustably position the first portion with respect to the second portion in a first direction and a second direction. The positioning structure comprises an abutment member and a fixing member. The abutment member is arranged opposite to the first portion with respect to the second portion. The fixing member is configured to fix the second portion with respect to the first portion by sandwiching the second portion between the first portion and the abutment member.
US09174694B2
An exhaust gas sensor arrangement structure for a motorcycle includes a vehicle body frame, an internal combustion engine suspended on the vehicle body frame between front and rear wheels and exhaust pipes extending toward a rear side in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle from a front side of the internal combustion engine in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a state where the exhaust pipes extend below the internal combustion engine. Exhaust gas sensors are arranged on upper halves of the exhaust pipes arranged between the internal combustion engine and the bottom frame portions as viewed from a front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a state where the exhaust gas sensors are sandwiched between the internal combustion engine and the bottom frame portions as viewed from a front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
US09174683B2
The invention includes a floor reinforcement structure for vehicle body providing rigidity to an area around a main and rear floor joint; improving vehicle-body rigidity and rigidity against floor shaking and associated vehicle interior noise; and improving vehicle running stability. A floor reinforcement structure includes: a main floor; rear floor; side sill; a floor tunnel with a hat-like cross-section protruding from the floor and located medially in the main floor in the vehicle width direction and extending in a front-and-rear direction; and a vertical wall at the front of the rear floor extending in a vehicle vertical direction. The vertical wall is continuous with no steps The height of a top face thereof is larger than twice the height of a top face of the side sill, which is more than twice the height of a top face of a rear end portion of the floor tunnel.
US09174668B2
In an electric power steering system, an ECU calculates a steering angle of a steering wheel based on an output of a rotation angle sensor and an EPS gear ratio. The ECU calculates a correction amount for canceling a steering deviation caused due to a temperature change, based on a temperature of a rack shaft detected by a temperature sensor and a map stored in a memory, and corrects the correction amount by adding the correction amount to the calculated steering angle.
US09174657B2
Methods and systems are described that can be used to verify a track database of a train management system, for example that the track database has not been corrupted, built with critical errors, or is not being used properly by the software application. In one embodiment, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are mounted on the trackside features contained in the track database. The tags contain data such as the geographical coordinates of the trackside features and a unique feature identifier that uniquely identifies the respective feature. As the train passes the trackside feature, a tag reader on the train reads the tag to gather the geographical coordinates and the feature identifier. The train management system then compares the geographical coordinates and/or the feature identifier from the tag with the expected geographical coordinates and/or the expected feature identifier in the track database.
US09174654B2
A bogie for locomotives is provided. Two wheelsets, each including a drive unit, are disposed in a bogie frame, wherein the wheelsets each include a wheelset shaft and two wheels. The drive unit comprises a motor unit and a transmission disposed to ride on an axle, and each motor unit is suspended at three points, namely at a main pivot point on the transverse beam of the bogie frame and two mounting points on a head beam of the bogie frame. Further, the motor unit is transversally elastically suspended; the transmission is mounted pivotally about the wheelset shaft but not displaceable along the wheelset shaft. The transmission is further connected to the motor unit by a transmission torque support, and the drive unit comprises a clutch by which the motor unit has a driving connection to the wheelset by the transmission.
US09174652B2
A system for preventing driving skill atrophy comprises a trainer module that determines the driver's current skill level, disables certain automated features based on the determined skill level, and forces the driver to use and hone her driving skills. The system collects data to determine through on-board vehicle sensors how a driver is driving the vehicle. The system then compares the driver's current driving skills with the driver's historical driving skills or the general population's driving skills. Based on the comparison, the system determines whether the driver's skill level is stagnant, improving or deteriorating. If the skill level is improving, for example, the system disables certain automated driving features to give driver more control of the vehicle.
US09174649B1
A vehicle sub-system controller is configured to receive a first message and a second message, wherein the first message includes at least a command for the controller, and the second message includes at least a target value for the controller to achieve. A fault may be detected with respect to the first message; and an adjustment to the sub-system may be locally determined in the sub-system controller to achieve the target value.
US09174646B2
An electric vehicle motor control device controls the transmission of power from an electric motor to driving wheels via an automatic transmission. The electric vehicle motor control device includes a vehicle speed detecting device that detects a vehicle speed of the electric vehicle and a controller. The controller includes a required driving power calculating section that calculates a required driving power of the electric vehicle, and a target motor rotational speed calculating section that calculates a target motor rotational speed. The target motor rotational speed is calculated so that an efficiency of a product of a power consumption rate of the electric motor and a transmission efficiency of the automatic transmission will become a prescribed target efficiency, based on the vehicle speed and the required driving power. The controller controls the electric motor based on the target motor rotational speed.
US09174645B2
The present disclosure provides systems and methods to detect and reduce any high driveline torsional levels, such as due to the cylinder deactivation in variable displacement system engines or aggressive lock-up strategies for fuel efficiency, in automobile transmissions. The present disclosure utilizes a controller in an automobile to operate a computationally thrifty method for quickly detecting noise and vibration disturbances in the transmission. This quick detection enables fuel economic calibrations that aggressively reduce the disturbances by controlling slip in a launch device of the transmission. As problem disturbances arise, they are detected before occupants notice objectionable behavior. Once detected, the disturbances are reduced, such as by increasing launch device slip, which effectively intercepts the objectionable disturbances before they are transferred through the entire drivetrain. The present disclosure can also apply to launch devices in Dual Clutch Transmissions and Electronically-controlled Manual Transmissions.
US09174639B2
A shift control method and system of a hybrid vehicle that prevent engine clutch slip occurring when a transfer torque of engine clutch is greater than an allowable transfer torque under unfavorable driving conditions by controlling a shifting time, may include, (a) detecting an engine torque. (b) determining an input torque of an engine clutch based on the engine torque. (c) comparing the determined input torque and a predetermined allowable transfer torque of the engine clutch. (d) increasing a present shifting time by a predetermined value when the determined input torque is greater than the allowable transfer torque and applying the increased shifting time.
US09174633B2
Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, driveline braking may transition from regenerative braking to engine braking to reduce the possibility of battery degradation.
US09174628B2
A powertrain system includes a transmission employing an electrically-powered hydraulic pump providing pressurized hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic circuit. A method of operating the powertrain system includes monitoring a temperature of the hydraulic pump. In response to the temperature exceeding a threshold temperature, power output from an electrically-powered motor coupled to the hydraulic pump is derated, which includes decreasing rotational speed of the hydraulic pump and maintaining hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic circuit.
US09174624B2
A method and device for preventing a surging of fluids in a tank of a tank truck, during transportation, the tank truck having a drive train including an internal combustion engine, a clutch device and an automatic or automated transmission device, and the drive train is controlled by an electronic control unit (ECU), which is prepared to receive input data from an arrangement for detecting a tank drive mode and sensors for sensing a load status of the tank truck. The method includes detecting a tank drive mode, calculating a launch gear, and limiting the clutch device torque gradient.
US09174623B2
A braking force detector detects the braking force of a vehicle or a value based on which the braking force can be calculated. A steering torque sensor detects a steering torque of a steering wheel. A lateral acceleration sensor detects a lateral acceleration of the vehicle. A turning/braking judgment unit judges whether or not the vehicle is braking while turning. When the vehicle has been judged to be braking while turning, an abnormality judgment unit judges based on the steering torque and the lateral acceleration whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the braking force detector.
US09174620B2
A vehicular hydraulic braking pump includes a sleeve having an inner bore defining an inner bore surface and a piston having a stop collar and a ramped seal face. The stop collar, ramped seal face, and the inner bore cooperating to define a seal pocket which traps a high pressure seal therein. The ramped seal face provides contact of the high pressure seal to the sleeve inner bore that is proportional to fluid pressure acting on the high pressure seal.
US09174619B2
An all-in-one braking system for a vehicle is described. The braking system includes an operating rod, a first piston system, a second piston system, and a fail safe plate. The operating rod is couplable to a brake actuator operated by the driver of the vehicle. The first piston system and the second piston system each include a piston, a fail recovery key, and a motor. The motor is coupled to the piston to affect lateral movement of the piston which, in turn, causes a braking pressure to be applied to a wheel of the vehicle. The fail safe plate is fixedly coupled to the operating rod such that lateral movement of the operating rod causes lateral movement of the fail safe plate. A controller is configured to operate the motors to control the lateral movement of the pistons based at least in part on detected movement of the operating rod.
US09174618B2
A brake may include a bellows having an opening that leads into the interior of the bellows, a brake element joined to the bellows, a rotational element arranged at a distance from the brake element, a fluid reservoir or a pressure production unit, and a first conduit between the fluid reservoir or the pressure production unit and the opening.
US09174617B2
A braking system for motor vehicles. The system comprises a brake pedal, a travel simulator which is coupled via actuating-forces transmitting first mechanical connecting means to the brake pedal. A brake master cylinder having at least one pressure chamber and one piston. The pressure chamber is connected or connectable via a pressure line to at least one hydraulically actuable wheel brake, and an electrically controllable electromechanical drive device with which the piston of the brake master cylinder is actuable via a second mechanical connecting means. The electromechanical drive device is arranged between the brake pedal on one side and the brake master cylinder and the travel simulator on the other side. The first mechanical connecting means extends from the brake pedal through the drive device to the travel simulator.
US09174613B2
A vehicle speed operating device for a work vehicle has a shift pedal that is disposed on a first lateral surface side of a body frame and is linked to an operating shaft of a continuously variable transmission via a first mechanical linkage mechanism, and a brake pedal, a speed maintenance mechanism and a second mechanical linkage mechanism are arranged on a second lateral surface side of the body frame.
US09174606B2
A harness retainer for use with a juvenile vehicle seat in accordance with the present disclosure may include a first belt mount that couples to a first harness belt, a second belt mount that couples to a second harness belt and couples to the first belt mount, and a lock that moves from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration, wherein the lock moves from the locked configuration, blocking movement of the first belt mount away from the second belt mount, to the unlocked configuration, allowing movement of the first belt mount away from the second belt mount.
US09174598B2
In a collision surface determination computing section 27, a collision prediction ECU 2 selects a surface of an own vehicle where an opponent vehicle collides when the own vehicle and opponent vehicle collide with each other. A vehicle track intersection computing section 29 calculates an intersection between the own vehicle and the opponent vehicle. According to the intersection between the own vehicle and opponent vehicle and respective times when the own vehicle and opponent vehicle reach the intersection, a collision determining section 30 determines whether the own vehicle and opponent vehicle collide with each other or not. When it is determined that the own vehicle and opponent vehicle collide with each other, a collision position computing section 32 calculates a collision position of the own vehicle where the opponent vehicle collides according to the collision surface selected in the collision surface determination computing section 27.
US09174596B2
A control unit for activating an occupant protection unit includes, at least one analyzer circuit and at least one other component causing the activation. The at least one analyzer circuit transmits a signal to the at least one component as a function of an error event. The at least one other component performs a setting and at least one reset as a function of the signal.
US09174595B2
An apparatus includes an enclosed body defining a chamber therein. The body includes a rearward portion, a forward portion opposite the rearward portion and a first portion extending between the rearward and forward portions. The first portion has a stiffness less than at least one remaining portion of the body. The apparatus further includes at least one pressure sensor coupled to the body and the chamber to detect deformation of the first portion of the body.
US09174591B2
A vehicle roof molding to be fitted into a roof groove of a roof panel of a vehicle is provided. The molding has a main body for filling at least a portion of a the roof groove in a groove width direction and a latching portion on a back side of the main body to secure the roof molding within the roof groove. The main body includes a first segment and a second segment, the first and second segments resides in different planes and are joined by a wall oriented generally transverse to both segments. A pair of protruding portions are provided on opposed edges of the first and second segments, respectively. Each protruding portion includes an elastic deforming region engaging an opposed side wall of the roof groove when the latching portion is fitted in the roof groove.
US09174590B2
A system for coupling a trim component to a body component having a bearing surface. The system has a threaded weld fastener coupled to the body. The trim piece has an exterior bearing surface and an interior bearing surface. Defined within the trim piece is an aperture having a lead-in portion. A rotatable fastener having a nut body with a cylindrical body portion is floatably positioned within the aperture. The body defines a fastener holding aperture and defines a side slot.
US09174588B2
A headliner assembly for a vehicle includes a headliner and a microphone. The headliner is configured for attachment to the vehicle such that the headliner separates a passenger cabin of the vehicle from a roof panel of the vehicle and such that a first surface of the headliner faces the roof panel, and an opposite, second surface of the headliner faces the passenger cabin. The microphone is mounted along the second surface of the headliner such that, when installed in the vehicle, the headliner is disposed between the microphone and the roof panel.
US09174583B2
A container for a vehicle interior has a base body in which at least one compartment is formed and a lid for at least partially closing the compartment and movable between a closed position and an open position. An actuator biases the lid into the open position and a latch can retain it in the closed position. A first brake associated with the actuator retards movement of the lid during movement of the lid from the closed into the opened position. A second brake further retards movement of the lid in only a limited end portion of its movement into the open position.
US09174576B2
Certain embodiments provide emergency release bracket systems for use in connection with vehicle signage. The emergency release bracket system includes a mounting bracket for operably connecting to a vehicle. The mounting bracket includes bent out tabs and mounting plate attachment holes. The emergency release bracket system includes a mounting plate for operably connecting to vehicle signage. The mounting plate includes tab windows and tab slots. The mounting plate is adjustably and detachably coupled to the mounting bracket by mating the tab windows of the mounting plate with a portion of the bent out tabs of the mounting bracket. The mounting plate is secured to the mounting bracket using removable couplings extending through the tab slots of the mounting plate and the mounting plate attachment holes of the mounting bracket.
US09174575B2
A driver prompting braking system includes a detection device adapted to sense at least one object in front of the vehicle; a detection system interfacing with the detection device, the detection system adapted to detect the at least one object; and a brake coaching system interfacing with the detection system, the brake coaching system adapted to determine a brake application timing for an operator of the vehicle to avoid the object and optimize fuel economy of the vehicle. A driver prompting braking method is also disclosed.
US09174572B2
Electric horn devices for a vehicle and vehicles with the electric horns are provided. An electric horn device includes a housing that is tightly sealed, a housing section within the housing, and a membrane element within the housing and configured to generate a sound. An elastic pressure equalizing element is adapted to allow pressure equalization in the housing.
US09174571B2
A vehicle compartment has a housing defining a space and an access door pivotally coupled to the housing for pivoting between an open position and a closed position. Included is a light source for illuminating the space and a tilt switch provided on a circuit board coupled to the access door. The tilt switch is configured to have a first switch position when the access door is in the closed position and a second switch position when the access door is in the open position. The light source is activated when tilt switch is in the second switch position. The compartment may include a storage compartment, such as a glove box. The compartment may include an engine compartment.
US09174562B2
A control valve device (19) controls supply and discharge of pressurized oil to and from a hoist cylinder (12) which tilts a vessel (3). A throttle (24C) that limits a flow rate of hydraulic oil which is discharged from a hydraulic pump (13) and flows in a return line (16) through a pump line (15), a first directional control valve (24) and a center bypass oil passage (23) is provided in the floating position (F) of the first directional control valve (24). When the first directional control valve (24) is in the floating position (F), the upstream side of the throttle (24C) is connected to the pump line (15), and the downstream side of the throttle (24C) is connected to the return line (16). In addition, a rod-side actuator line (18) communicated with rod-side oil chambers (12E, 12F) in the hoist cylinder (12) is connected to the pump line (15).
US09174554B2
This invention relates to a guide for a vehicle seat belt securing a child safety seat in the vehicle. The belt guide comprises a body, a slot extending into the body from an edge thereof and having a longitudinal axis, the slot further extending through the body in a direction transverse to its longitudinal axis, and wherein the belt guide further comprises means adapted to permit movement of the belt lengthwise along the slot, and transversely through the slot in one direction, but not the other. An associated child safety seat comprising a guide is also disclosed.
US09174550B2
An electric vehicle driving support system includes an acquisition unit that acquires predictive information of traffic congestion calculated based on acceleration of an electric vehicle and an economical driving mode output unit that outputs a control instruction to prioritize speed maintenance or acceleration when the predictive information of traffic congestion acquired by the acquisition unit indicates a non-congestion tendency, and that outputs a control instruction to prioritize deceleration when the predictive information of traffic congestion indicates a congestion tendency.
US09174546B2
A power storage device is electrically connected to a first input and output end located on the opposite side of a direct-current common section in a second power converter. According to an input form of electric power, a first power converter operates as a DC/AC converter or an AC/DC converter. The second power converter operates as a DC/AC converter, an AC/DC converter, or a DC/DC converter. The power storage device is charged using direct-current power supplied from the direct-current common section or the first input and output end side. The power storage device discharges desired direct-current power to the direct-current common section or the first input and output end side. A control device freely adjusts, according to the input form of the electric power, the voltage of the direct-current common section to a desired voltage including a high voltage or a low voltage.
US09174544B2
A method for charging a battery, including: determining a final state of charge and a final temperature of the battery; and calculating charging power and/or cooling power required to reach the two final values within a minimum amount of time.
US09174536B2
The invention relates to a method of producing a multifunctional functional unit with a rigid support structure, in which control elements and/or display elements are arranged behind a transparent surface layer which is continuous over substantially the entire functional unit. The method includes punching a positioning hole in a transparent plastic film with a thickness in the range of 0.1-0.4 mm; positioning the film into an injection mold using the positioning hole, with a corresponding positioning means for engaging in the positioning hole; back-injecting film to form a plastics support on the first side, the injection mold being designed such that, of the plastic film is not back-injected at the control elements and/or display elements, on the second side the plastics film is flooded with a transparent curing casting compound to form a continuous transparent surface layer.
US09174534B2
A method is described for estimating longitudinal velocity of a vehicle on a road surface. The method includes obtaining a measured value of vehicle acceleration, which is dependent on longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle and vertical acceleration of the vehicle when a slope of the road surface is non-zero. The method includes determining an initial estimate of the slope. The method includes determining a difference between the initial estimate of the slope and a prior estimate of the slope and, based on the difference, setting a current estimate of the slope to be equal to the initial estimate or the prior estimate. The method includes estimating the longitudinal velocity of the vehicle based on the current estimate of the slope and the measured value of vehicle acceleration. The method includes controlling at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels based on the estimated longitudinal velocity of the vehicle.
US09174529B2
A device for ventilating and aerating a fuel tank includes a tank shut-off valve and two tank pressure control valves. One of the tank pressure control valves opens in response to a negative pressure in the fuel tank and the other one of the tank pressure control valves opens in response to an overpressure in the fuel tank. The opening pressures of the two tank pressure control valves are adjustable flexibly and independent of the respective other valve.
US09174522B2
A hybrid powertrain includes a hybrid transmission that has an input member operatively connectable to an engine crankshaft, at least one motor/generator, a gearing arrangement, and an output member operatively connectable to both the input member and said at least one motor/generator. An input brake has a first and a second brake shoe, a selectively energizable solenoid, and a mechanical biasing mechanism. The solenoid is operatively connected to the brake shoes via the mechanical biasing mechanism so that both brake shoes are operatively connected with the input member when the solenoid is energized. When the solenoid is deenergized, the first brake shoe remains operatively connected with and resists rotation of the input member when clockwise torque is applied to the input member and the second brake shoe remains operatively connected with and resists rotation of the input member when counterclockwise torque is applied to the input member.
US09174519B2
The subject invention provides a weatherstrip assembly for sealing between a frame and a closure member of a vehicle. The weatherstrip assembly includes a body having an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a channel. The body has a plurality of retaining lips extending into the channel. A seal extends from the exterior surface. A locking fin has a first end and a second end. The first end of the locking fin is mounted to one of the interior surface and the exterior surface and the second end of the locking fin disposed within the channel. A shim extends from the second end of the locking fin. The shim engages the interior surface and supports the locking fin within the channel. The retaining lips and the locking fin at least partially define a slot for sandwiching the frame between the retaining lips and the locking fin within the slot.
US09174518B2
A clamping device for attaching or holding a sheet material has an upper clamping surface on an upper jaw with a series of protuberances formed with at least a curved shape about a center of a sheet material clamp, and a lower clamping surface on a lower jaw member having a series of protuberances which mate with the upper clamping surface protuberances in a nesting manner, such that closing of the sheet material clamp brings the upper clamping surface and the lower clamping surfaces into a nesting juxtapositioned position, thereby capturing a sheet material between the surfaces using compression or crimping. The pattern of protuberances may be concentric circular protuberances, other closed geometric protuberances, or semi-circular with rounded or tapered ends to avoid presentation of a sharp edge to a clamped sheet material.
US09174517B2
In an aspect, a swing door actuation system is provided for moving a door about a vertical axis between open closed positions relative to a vehicle body. The system includes a housing connectable to one of the swing door and the vehicle body, an extensible member that moves relative to the housing, and connects to the other of the swing door and the vehicle body, a motor connected to a gear train that is non-backdrivable, and a normally engaged clutch. The motor is operatively connected to a clutch input end through the gear train. The output end is operatively connected to the extensible member. The clutch is disengageable to disconnect the motor from the extensible member. The clutch has a slip torque that is sufficiently high to prevent movement of the door when the door is exposed to less than a selected external torque and the motor is stopped.
US09174516B2
A sun visor system includes multiple visors to provide selective window coverage for glare. This system can be employed on the driver side, passenger side, or both. The second visor (50), having pivotal device (56) on support rod (54), can be easily connected to the first visor (20) support rod (24) to provide pivotal movements between the windshield and side window. These visors, first and second, can be moved together or separately to stored positions, windshield and side window blocked positions, or combinations of both positions to provide window protection from glare quickly and easily for windshield, side window, or both. Also support rod of the visor can be made of flexible material, like gooseneck arm, to further provide flexible adjustments of visor to desired positions to block glare from different angles or positions of vehicle window. This adjustable visor system can be applied to a single sun visor system or multiple visors system.
US09174515B2
A method of assembling a slider window assembly for a vehicle includes providing at least one fixed window panel defining an opening with an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion fixed relative to the fixed window panel. A movable window panel is loaded at the upper and lower frame portions by (i) inserting a lower portion of the movable window panel into a portion of a lower channel element of the lower frame portion to a first depth, (ii) aligning an upper portion of the movable window panel with an upper channel of the upper frame portion, (iii) raising the movable window panel so that the upper portion is at least partially received in the upper channel and the lower portion is at a second depth to generally align with a receiving portion of the guide element, and (iv) moving the lower portion into the guide element.
US09174511B2
A vehicular air conditioning apparatus is equipped with a casing having respective air passages therein, and first and second blower units are connected to the casing. Further, the casing is constituted by first and second divided casings. In addition, air is supplied to the interior of the casing from the first and second blower units. Moisture, which is generated when the air is cooled by an evaporator, is guided to forward bottom surfaces of the first and second divided casings and the moisture is discharged to the exterior from first drain ports disposed at terminal end positions of inclined surfaces that decline gradually toward opposite sides of the casing.
US09174504B1
A control arm for use in a vehicle suspension. The control arm includes a first connection, the first connection configured to secure the control arm to a first external device and a second connection, the second connection configured to secure the control arm to a second external device. An external force expands or contracts the distance between the first connection and the second connection within predetermined limits. The control arm also includes a mechanical bias, where the mechanical bias returns the distance between the first connection and the second connection to a set free length when the external force is removed.
US09174493B2
Tire tread having at least two wearing layers, provided with at least one continuous groove having in the as new condition a plurality of external cavities opening onto the tread surface and a plurality of internal cavities placed radially and completely inside the tread surface, such that: the difference between the mean lengths of the internal cavities and of the external cavities is at most equal to 20% of the longest mean length, the difference in the mean cross-sectional areas of the internal and external cavities is at most equal to 20% of the largest mean area, each external cavity of a continuous groove being connected to at least two internal cavities of the same groove and having a plurality of incisions opening onto the tread surface, each connecting two consecutive external cavities of the same groove and at least two connecting channels and at least one internal cavity.
US09174491B2
It is found that the amount of wear of a tread rubber of a tire, which is abandoned as wear life of the tread rubber expires, is not uniform over the entire width, and there is a high correlation between distribution in the tread width direction of the remaining thickness of the tread rubber of the abandoned tire and distribution in the tread width direction of wear effective rubber volume. On the basis of this finding, it is possible to improve wear life of a pneumatic tire 1, by making volume distribution of a base rubber layer 8 of a tread rubber 4, which has a layered structure, equal to distribution of the wear effective rubber layer, so that the tread rubber 4 wears equally in the tread width direction.
US09174489B2
A tire comprising a carcass-type reinforcement structure and beads, each bead being extended radially outwardly by a sidewall, the sidewalls meeting radially outwardly with a tread, the intersection of the sidewalls and of the tread defining the shoulder ends of the tire. The tire includes, in the area of each of the sidewalls, at least one layer of materials having a stretch rigidity in the longitudinal direction greater than 5000 daN/mm and the radially outer end of said layer of materials is radially inside the shoulder ends of the tire.
US09174487B2
A rear wheel hub assembly includes a sleeve and a first installation portion and a second installation portion are respectively located in the two open ends of the sleeve. A hub is mounted to one end of the sleeve and two bearings are located between the two open ends of the hub and the sleeve. A ratchet socket is mounted to an end of the sleeve and located away from the first positioning portion. Two end members are located on the two open ends of the sleeve and each end member has a body. The two respective bodies of the two end members are respectively engaged with the first and second installation portions. The two end members are replaceable when the axle of different sizes is replaced so as to be connected to the bicycle frame.
US09174481B2
A booklet storage includes a first storage member that includes a first receiver portion and a second receiver portion connecting with the first receiver portion; and a second storage member that includes a third receiver portion and a fourth receiver portion connecting with the third receiver portion, wherein the first storage member and the second storage member together receive a booklet in combination, and wherein a first width between the first receiver portion or the second receiver portion and the third receiver portion and a second width between the first receiver portion or the second receiver portion and the fourth receiver portion are different from each other.
US09174479B2
The invention provides coated printing paper having base paper and on at least one surface of the base paper, a coating layer containing a pigment and a binder as main components, wherein the base paper contains calcium carbonate, the coating layer contains ground calcium carbonate as a pigment in an amount of 50 parts by mass or more relative to 100 parts by mass of the total of the pigment(s) in the coating layer, the base paper and/or the coating layer contains a calcium compound other than calcium carbonate, and the content of calcium derived from the calcium compound is 3 mmol to 60 mmol, both inclusive, in terms of calcium ions per 1 m2 of the base paper and/or the coating layer.
US09174474B2
A temperature control assembly controls the temperature of parts of a printing machine. A plurality of assembly-side sub-circuits, the temperature of which is to be individually controlled, each comprises a temperature control fluid outlet and a temperature control fluid inlet. An external temperature control sub-circuit, can be connected to each assembly-side sub-circuit to form a respective temperature control circuit. The assembly-side sub-circuits are coupled to a common feed line, which conducts temperature control fluid, in a thermal and/or fluidic manner on the feed side to control the temperature of the assembly-side sub-circuits and to a common return line on the return side. The feed line is connected to a fluid store, which provides temperature control fluid to supply the feed line. The temperature control assembly comprises the common feed line, the fluid store, and an assembly which controls the temperature of the temperature control fluid of the fluid store.
US09174469B2
Film-forming apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided. The apparatus can include a substrate positioning system and a printing array that includes an inkjet printing array and/or a thermal printing array. The positioning system can be a gas-bearing plate system. The positioning system can be configured to move a substrate between a first position, away from the printing array, and a second position, above the printing array. The apparatuses, systems, and methods can be used to manufacture organic light emitting devices (OLEDs), for example, flat panel displays.
US09174468B2
The disclosure discloses a recording apparatus comprising a take-up body, a recording speed determining portion, a total length acquiring portion, and a take-up time determining portion. The take-up body sequentially takes up a recorded medium around a predetermined axis and produces a roll-shaped recorded matter. The recording speed determining portion determines a recording speed by a recording head based on a medium information acquired by a medium information acquiring portion. The total length acquiring portion acquires a total recording length by the recording head. The take-up time determining portion predicts and determines a take-up time by the take-up body before the take-up body starts take-up of the recorded medium, based on the total recording length acquired by the total length determining portion and the recording speed determined by the recording speed determining portion.
US09174467B2
A printer includes a media stacking section, a print section, a pickup roller, a relay roller, a common actuator, a transport mechanism section and a control section. The control section is configured to control the common actuator based on a print job and displacement of the printing media. The control section is configured to stop transferring of driving force of the common actuator from the pickup roller to an nth printing medium after the pickup roller draws out the nth printing medium and the relay roller starts to send out the nth printing medium which is drawn out in a case where a print job, where printing is carried out on n of the printing media with a length in a transport direction shorter than a transport distance of the printing media from the pickup roller to the print section, is processed in the continuous transport mode.
US09174465B2
A duplex printer with a small, compact conveyance path has a medium supply path and a medium inverting path that merge into a middle conveyance path at a junction. The middle conveyance path goes to a path switching unit connecting a main conveyance path and the inverting path. A flap, which is a path switching member, is disposed in the path switching unit. A middle conveyance roller pair, having a middle conveyance roller and a nipping portion, conveys the medium (e.g. paper) through the middle conveyance path. The portion of the middle conveyance path from at least the junction to the nipping portion is a conveyance path portion defined by the roller surface of the middle conveyance roller. The paper fed to the middle conveyance path is guided by the middle conveyance roller from the junction to the nipping portion of the middle conveyance roller pair.
US09174458B2
In a heating device, a heater has first and second terminals. The first terminal is connectable to an alternating current source. The adjustment portion selectively establishes and disconnects a first connection between the second terminal and the alternating current source. The switching portion selectively establishes and disconnects a second connection between the heater and the alternating current source. The generating circuit has a third terminal connected to the alternating current source and a fourth terminal connected between the second terminal and the adjustment portion. The generating circuit generates a zero-cross signal of the alternating current source. The processor is configured to: adjust a connection period during which the adjustment portion establishes the first connection; detect a state of the adjustment portion in response to the zero-cross signal; and perform an error process when the detected state of the adjustment portion indicates that the adjustment portion cannot disconnect the first connection.
US09174447B2
A liquid ejecting device includes a casing, a carriage, and a cartridge. The carriage is configured to move in a first direction and a second direction. The cartridge is configured to be removably mounted on the carriage and includes a first cartridge and a second cartridge. The first cartridge has a first grip part. The second cartridge has a second grip part. The carriage is configured to move between a first position where the first grip part is exposed and positioned outside the casing through a first opening and a second position where the second grip part is exposed and positioned outside the casing through a second opening.
US09174444B2
Piezoelectric elements each have a configuration in which a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric body layer, and an upper electrode film are stacked in order from a side relatively near to a displacement portion that defines a pressure chamber by tightly closing a portion of a pressure chamber space that forms the pressure chamber. The lower electrode film is provided individually for each pressure chamber. The upper electrode film covers the lower electrode film and the piezoelectric body layer, and is common to the piezoelectric elements. The ratio of a length (L) of a displacement portion-side opening of each pressure chamber space in a direction orthogonal to a pressure chamber space juxtaposition direction to a width (W) of the displacement portion-side opening in the pressure chamber space juxtaposition direction is greater than or equal to 4.3 and less than or equal to 6.0.
US09174443B2
A cover member is fixed to a head chip in an area in the vicinity of a nozzle plate but does not constitute a communication path, and thus causes no liquid leakage. The head chip discharges droplets of a discharge liquid that is supplied via the communication path which is formed from nozzles thereof without depending on the cover member. A surface of the nozzle plate is positioned on a side further apart from a printing medium than from a surface of the cover member and is surrounded. As a result, abutting of the printing medium against a side surface of the nozzle plate is avoided.
US09174442B2
According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes: a nozzle plate including plural nozzles; a piezoelectric element including plural pressure chambers corresponding to the nozzles and sidewalls provided adjacent to the pressure chambers and serving as driving elements configured to press the pressure chambers to eject liquid from the nozzles; a substrate to which the piezoelectric element is bonded; and a frame member placed on the substrate to surround the piezoelectric element. Grooves are formed on the upper end, and in which an adhesive is applied to bond the upper ends of the sidewalls and the nozzle plate.
US09174436B2
A printing apparatus, comprising a driving unit for driving a printhead including a plurality of nozzles each of which prints a dot, a conveying unit for conveying a printing medium, a memory and a unit, wherein the plurality of nozzles are arranged to form nozzle arrays adjacent to each other, the unit performs a first operation for developing printing data column by column on the memory, a second operation for assigning the printing data to each nozzle array, and a third operation for controlling the driving unit based on the assigned printing data, and, after the first operation and before the second operation, the unit specifies a portion of the printing data corresponding to a dot deviated from a correct printing region due to a tilt of the nozzle arrays and rearranges the portion.
US09174434B2
The present invention provides a droplet generator (10) of the velocity modulation type, the generator (10) being configured so that substantially all the modulation energy generated by piezo-electric crystals (60) is transformed into vibration of the nozzle (34). The generator preferably also includes an internal closure mechanism (70) which blocks off the nozzle (34) when the generator is not in operation, but which is de-coupled from the modulation process when the generator is operating.
US09174430B2
This invention discloses a numbering and imprinting machine including an impression cylinder, a stamp cylinder, a first printing cylinder, a second printing cylinder, and a moving inker which includes a first ink supply device and second ink supply device. A first space is formed between the moving inker, which is set at a retraction position, and the first and second printing cylinders so as to permit entrance of the operator into it. A second space is formed between the stamp cylinder and the first printing cylinder to permit the operator who has entered the first space to access the impression cylinder.
US09174429B2
A press cage may include pairs of opposing wall plates, each of the pairs of wall plates being orthogonal with respect to the other pairs, with corresponding machined indentations located at predetermined locations on broad faces of the wall plates which are adjacent to each other. The press cage may also include coupler assemblies made of coupler parts, each of the parts fixed to machined indentation of the corresponding machined indentations at one of the predetermined locations, the coupler parts locked together.
US09174424B2
A positioning mechanism includes a loading assembly and a clamping assembly. The clamping assembly includes a driver mounted on the bottom of the loading assembly, at least two sliding members driven by the driver, and at least two clamping subassemblies mounted on the top of the loading assembly. The clamping subassemblies are divided into two groups and are arranged and mounted adjacent to opposite sides of the loading assembly, and the sliding members are connected to the two groups of the at least two clamping subassemblies, respectively. The driver is capable of driving the sliding members to move away from or toward each other to enable the two groups of the clamping subassemblies to move toward or away from the loading assembly to clamp or release a workpiece on the loading assembly. The present invention further discloses a bonding device using the positioning mechanism.
US09174420B2
Multilayer breathable barrier films are provided. The films contain one or more layers of polymers without fillers in combination with at least two or more microporous breathable layers. The barrier layer provides a viral and alcohol barrier that can effectively allow moisture vapor to pass.
US09174419B2
A plywood laminate includes: a plate having lateral wood grains as a core plate material; additional core plate materials that sandwich the core plate material from both sides, wood grains of one of the additional core plate materials being 45° inclined and wood grains of the other one thereof being 45° inclined in an opposite direction; and, a front plate material and a rear plate material having vertical wood grains and superposed on the outside of the additional core plate materials, wherein plates constituting the plywood laminate are formed by assembling cut pieces obtained by cutting along cutting lines obtained by assembling isosceles right triangles without gap or by cutting along cutting lines obtained by assembling a pentagon of which upper portion is an isosceles right triangle and an isosceles.
US09174415B2
A method of joining an amorphous alloy material to a heterogeneous material and a composite formed by the same are provided. The method comprises steps of: placing a pre-formed piece made of one of the amorphous alloy material and the heterogeneous material into a mold; heating the other of the amorphous alloy material and the heterogeneous material to a predetermined temperature, and casting the other of the amorphous alloy material and the heterogeneous material into the mold to form a transition connection part joining the amorphous alloy material to the heterogeneous material and having a fusion welded structure, a microstructure reinforcing connection structure and a composite connection structure; and cooling the amorphous alloy material and the heterogeneous material at a rate higher than a critical cooling rate of the amorphous alloy material to obtain a composite formed by joining the amorphous alloy material to the heterogeneous material by the transition connection part.
US09174413B2
Electromagnetic interference shielding structures and methods of shielding an object form electromagnetic radiation at frequencies greater than a megahertz generally include providing highly doped graphene sheets about the object to be shielded. The highly doped graphene sheets may have a dopant concentration greater than >1e1013 cm−2, which is effective to reflect the electromagnetic radiation or a dopant concentration of 1e1013 cm−2>n>0 cm−2, which is effective to absorb the electromagnetic radiation.
US09174401B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a multilayer data carrier comprising a first layer which is made of plastic and has an upper face on which an opaque layer partially covering said upper face, for example a metal layer, is arranged. The data carrier has a second layer made of plastic which is disposed on the first layer and is transparent at least in a sub-region of the metal layer. The metal layer is partially removed by a laser to such an extent that the metal layer has at least one break. The metal layer is preferably laminated between the first and the second plastic layers.
US09174397B2
A method for a repair of materials used in the manufacture of non-structural aircraft interior components includes the steps of laying fiberglass over a damaged surface and adhering the fiberglass with a fast-adhering glue, that includes at least one of cyanoacrylate and a cyanoacrylate activator for repairing the surface, to the damaged surface. A related method that includes applying a cyanoacrylate activator is used for removing pen and pencil marks for a synthetic leather material.
US09174392B2
The invention relates to a method for switching a particulate material flow in the construction of models in layers, wherein particulate materials are fed to a subsequent method step from a container having an opening in the direction of a workpiece platform. The particles in the container are exposed to a vacuum and to overpressure.
US09174390B2
Provided are methods and systems for fabricating multimaterial bodies in a layer-wise fashion, which bodies may be used bone-stabilizing implants. The multimaterial bodies include rigid and flexible portions that are integrally formed with one another. The multimaterial bodies may be softened or stiffened in specific areas to match the biological or anatomical features of a bone.
US09174388B2
A method for improving part quality for a printed three-dimensional part, the method comprising moving a print head nozzle along a substantially linear segment of a tool path at a tip height above a previous layer of the three-dimensional part while extruding a flowable material, and producing an extruded road from the extruded flowable material having a road height above the previous layer, where the tip height is greater than the road height due at least in part to draw on the extruded road.
US09174384B2
A method including forming a bilayer polymer film having an oriented polypropylene film and a metallocene-catalyzed polypropylene film wherein the metallocene-catalyzed polypropylene film has a seal initiation temperature of from 80° C. to 130° C. A laminate including a biaxially oriented polypropylene film, a metallocene-catalyzed polypropylene film, and a substrate, wherein the metallocene-catalyzed polypropylene film is disposed between the biaxially oriented polypropylene film and the substrate.
US09174383B2
A method and system is provided for forming a three-dimensional image and, more particularly, for making three-dimensional digital image transfer thermoformed objects on, e.g., generic molds. The method includes manipulating digital images of a subject into a single image; printing the single image onto a media; and thermoforming the media with the single image using a generic mold. The system comprises a computer infrastructure operable to: receive images of a subject; display the images; stitch together the images to form a single image; adjust portions of the images or single image to compensate for deformation during thermoforming of the single image; register the single image with points on a mold; and print the single image.
US09174378B2
The present invention describes a polyamide textile fiber comprising conjugated nanoparticles homogeneously dispersed in the fiber, selected from polyethylene glycol-conjugated platinum nanoparticles, hyaluronic acid-conjugated gold nanoparticles and mixtures thereof. The invention also describes how to obtain it as well as its use in a cosmetic skin treatment as a system for the release of said conjugated nanoparticles.
US09174377B2
The present invention discloses multilayer blown films for shrink label and related applications. These multilayer blown films can comprise a core layer containing an ethylene polymer, and inner and outer layers containing conjugated diene monovinylarene block copolymers.
US09174364B2
The pellet dosing apparatus comprises a hopper (10) pouring pellets (1) on a chute (30) which is vibrated by a vibrator device (3) to move the pellets (1) forward along the chute until dropping them from a discharging end (30a). A counting device (20) is arranged for counting the number of pellets (1) falling from said discharging end (30a) of the chute (30) into a dosing container (4). The pellets (1) are retained in the dosing container (4) by transferring means until their number reaches an amount corresponding to a pre-established dose determined by control means based on a counting signal received from said counting device (20). The control means then control the transferring means to transfer the pellets from the dosing container to an output duct.
US09174363B2
An extrusion expansion of low molecular weight polyalkylene terephthalates having an IV of below 1.0 dl/g to produce gas-charged beads is disclosed. The process includes an extrusion expanding of the resins and an underwater pelletizing of the melt threads. The obtained beads show a composite structure and are characterized by an IV of 0.69 dl/g or more and a melt viscosity η0 of higher than 300 Pa·s.
US09174361B2
A method for simultaneously slicing a multiplicity of wafers from a substantially circular-cylindrical workpiece that is connected to a sawing strip includes executing a relative movement between the workpiece and a wire gang of a wire saw with the aid of a forward feed device with a defined forward feed rate so as to slice the wafers. The forward feed rate is varied through the course of the method and includes being set to a value v1 at a cutting depth of 50% of the workpiece diameter. Subsequently, the forward feed rate is to a value v2>1.15×v1 as the forward feed rate passes through a local maximum. The forward feed rate is set to a value v3
US09174355B2
Metal nanoparticles were incorporated into wood. Ionic liquids were used to expand the wood cell wall structure for nanoparticle incorporation into the cell wall structure. Nanoparticles of elemental gold or silver were found to be effective surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) imaging contrast or sensing agents. Nanoparticles of elemental iron were found to be efficient microwave absorbers and caused localized heating for disrupting the integrity of the lignocellulosic matrix. Controls suggest that the localized heating around the iron nanoparticles reduces losses of cellulose in the form of water, volatiles and CO2. The ionic liquid is needed during the incorporation process at room temperature. The use of small amounts of ionic liquid combined with the absence of an ionic liquid purification step and a lower energy and water use are expected to reduce costs in an up-scaled pretreatment process.
US09174344B2
The present invention provides remote interfacing utilizing haptic technology. In a first aspect there is provided a haptic grasping interface comprising a plurality of finger interaction points, with actuators connected at one end to an actuator control mechanism. The mechanism is mounted remotely from the grasping interface, inverse to the finger interaction points, for manipulation of these points. The grasping points comprise pulleys which route the actuators through a cable tension and transmission system. A second aspect provides haptic augmentation to an operator, which indicates to the operator the state of a control input to a controlled device. A third aspect provides a means of simulating motion where haptic feedback is provided to a user in correspondence with the movement of the user within a pod environment.
US09174337B2
A saddle coupling and saddle base assembly is provided for use with power hand tools. The assembly is mounted atop a variably-adjustable stand for drilling holes or inserting fasteners into concrete ceilings, drywall ceilings or other overhead surfaces. The assembly comprises a saddle base and a saddle coupling that is removably attachable to the saddle base. The saddle coupling is configured to attach a single power hand tool or a plurality of power hand tools to the coupling. A plurality of like-configured saddle couplings can be attached to different power hand tools to allow the user to quickly and easily remove one saddle coupling and power hand tool and replace it for another. A spring-loaded locking feature is included in the assembly as a primary securement means for the assembly. A secondary securement means is also provided in the event of a failure of the primary means.
US09174336B2
An apparatus and methods for unloading panels. One example method includes receiving the panel on a table top. The panel is positioned on the table top to allow a worker to make an external surface inspection. The method further includes rotating a table flap extending from the table top from a first position to a second position to allow a worker access to a panel fixture in a stowed position. The method further includes moving the panel fixture from the stowed position to a load position and receiving the panel on the panel fixture. The panel is positioned on the panel fixture to engage a load sensor. In response to the load sensor sensing the panel on the panel fixture, the method further includes rotating the panel fixture from the load position to an unload position.
US09174334B2
A handle for a screwdriver including a body having a first open end and a second open end and also provides an intermediate member which connects the one end to the other end. A space is defined in the body and located between the first and second open ends such that space communicates with the first and second open ends. Multiple first connection portions are formed in inside of the first open end and connected with a stop formed in inside of the space.
US09174333B2
The present application discloses a portable tool. In one embodiment, the portable tool comprises a body portion, a tool portion, and an attachment member for fastening the portable tool to a second device. The tool portion is coupled to the body portion and has one or more tools. The tool portion is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and relative to the body portion. The attachment member is operatively coupled to the tool portion and rotates with the tool portion about the axis of rotation and relative to the body portion. Rotating the tool portion relative to the body portion exposes a space between the attachment member and the tool portion that permits release of the second device from the portable tool.
US09174326B2
An arrangement for floor grinding with a floor conditioning device. A tool instrument is used in the floor conditioning device by rotating the floor conditioning device. The instrument is an essentially porous washing, polishing, waxing disk for carrying out basic functions of the floor conditioning device. A grinding instrument is removably coupled in connection with the tool instrument. A fastener couples the grinding instrument with the tool instrument by a fastening frame supported on a front surface of the tool instrument and by an auxiliary frame supported on a back surface of the tool instrument.
US09174325B2
An abrasive article, comprising a polycrystalline material comprising abrasive grains and a filler material having an average negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) within a range of temperatures between about 70 K to about 1500 K. A method of forming an abrasive article, comprising preparing an abrasive material, preparing a filler material having an average negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) within a range of temperatures between about 150 K to about 1500 K, and forming a polycrystalline material comprising grains of the abrasive material and the filler material.
US09174323B2
Polishing and cleaning techniques are combinatorially processed and evaluated. A polishing system can include a reactor assembly having multiple reaction chambers, with at least a reaction chamber including a rotatable polishing head, slurry and chemical distribution, chemical and water rinse, and slurry and fluid removal. Different downward forces can be applied to the polishing heads for evaluating optimum process conditions. Channels in the polishing pads can redistribute slurry and chemical to the polishing area.
US09174322B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes forming a polish target film on a substrate and conducting a CMP process for the polish target film. The conducting the CMP process includes bringing a surface of the polish target film into contact with a surface of a polishing pad with a negative Rsk value, and adjusting friction dependency on polishing speed between the polish target film and the polishing pad to a value that restrains the occurrence of a stick slip to polish the polish target film.
US09174317B1
A fixture mechanism may include first and second outer plates, a central plate and first and second guide members. The second outer plate includes a first face facing the first outer plate. The second outer plate may include first and second guide channels and a guide-member recess. The guide channels may be fixed relative to the first outer plate. The central plate is movably disposed between the first and second outer plates. The central plate may slidably engage first and second gripping arms that are movable relative to the outer plates between a clamped position and a retracted position. The guide members may be received in the guide-member recess and may be movable relative to the second outer plate and relative to each other within the guide-member recess to adjust a position at which the workpiece will be clamped when the gripping arms are in the clamped position.
US09174313B2
In some implementations a defect perimeter sealing system includes a plurality of perimeter base components that are arranged around a defect of a tank, where all of a top of the perimeter base components are encompassed or spanned by compression panels, in which the plurality of perimeter base components and the compression panels define a fill zone between the plurality of perimeter base components and the compression panels and that also includes an injected material in the fill zone.
US09174308B2
A method of scoring a multi-layer film structure, wherein the multi-layer film structure comprises a metal layer and polymer layer bonded to each other, the method comprises using a single laser beam incident to the polymer layer to produce a score line in the polymer layer, wherein the laser energy is absorbed only by the metal layer.
US09174305B2
A laser processing apparatus removes a sapphire substrate from an optical device wafer configured by forming an optical device layer on the front side of the sapphire substrate through a buffer layer. A chuck table holds the optical device wafer. A pulsed laser beam is applied to the optical device wafer to break the buffer layer, and the light intensity of plasma light produced in the buffer layer by the application of the pulsed laser beam is detected and displayed. The light intensity of a predetermined wavelength region of the plasma light generated from a substance forming the buffer layer is detected.
US09174297B2
An apparatus and method are provided for manufacturing an orthopedic prosthesis by resistance welding a porous metal layer of the orthopedic prosthesis onto an underlying metal substrate of the orthopedic prosthesis. The resistance welding process involves directing an electrical current through the porous layer and the substrate, which dissipates as heat to cause softening and/or melting of the materials, especially along the interface between the porous layer and the substrate. The softened and/or melted materials undergo metallurgical bonding at points of contact between the porous layer and the substrate to fixedly secure the porous layer onto the substrate.
US09174286B1
A method for repairing a blowout preventer using a blowout preventer milling assembly while in an operational configuration at sea. The blowout preventer is lifted while secured to casing and the blowout preventer is locked to the platform of a rig. The opening doors of a gasket chamber of a blowout preventer have a gasket surface for resurfacing. A pair of legs slides into grooves in the gasket chamber. A support frame is attached to the pair of legs using a plurality of spring loaded mounting assemblies. A pneumatic spindle with a calibration head inserts into a spindle holder of the support frame. Each actuator of the support frame is connected to a portable controller. The portable controller calibrates a location of the pneumatic spindle over the gasket surface for resurfacing using the portable controller.
US09174274B2
A multi-piece sound dampened brake rotor comprises a relatively light weight hub with a hub flange and a heavier rotor body with a sound damping insert and a rotor body flange. The hub and rotor body are attached at their flanges. The flanges may be mechanically attached such as with bolts. Or the hub and rotor may be attached by casting the hub of a lower melting metal alloy against the rotor body and rotor body flange. The rotor body may have vanes for air cooling and a sound damping insert may be incased in either or both body portions sandwiching the vanes.
US09174270B2
The mold set is constructed with a cope, a drag, cheeks, and a core. In a case where the mold set is closed before molten metal is fed, a first clearance between a first mold (cope) that is located above a casting shape forming part of the core and the casting shape forming part is smaller than a second clearance between an upper surface of a core print of the core and a second mold (cheek) that is opposed to the upper surface.
US09174267B2
An improved arts and crafts tool designed to loop and cut wire in a single fluid motion at any desired location along the length of the wire. The tool comprises a pair of arms each arm terminating in a soft-cover handle adapted to be gripped by a user. The upper portions of the arms have looping and cutting members for looping and cutting wire at a desired length. Disposed within one of the cutting members is an ejection aperture which harmlessly directs cut sections of waste wire away from a user and enables the tool to cut sections of wires at any desirable point.
US09174265B2
A rechargeable battery having an electrode assembly formed by depositing/spiral-winding an positive electrode and a negative electrode on respective surfaces of a separator; a can including a pipe having a side seam portion to enclose the electrode assembly and a bottom plate bonded to a first opening of the pipe by a bottom seam portion to close and seal the first opening and facing an end portion of the electrode assembly; and a cap assembly bonded to a second opening of the pipe formed at the other side of the bottom plate to close and seal the second opening.
US09174263B2
A component forming tool for forming a component from a blank includes a die forming shell having a first shell portion disposed at a first set of support elements and a second shell portion disposed at a second set of support elements. A first fluid line has a plurality of first fluid discharge ports at or near the first shell portion. A second fluid line has a plurality of second fluid discharge ports at or near respective ones of the first fluid discharge ports that are located in between the support elements. The component forming tool provides pressurized fluid in the first and second fluid lines and the pressurized fluids are discharged from the respective first and second fluid discharge ports. The fluid discharged from the second fluid line mixes with the fluid discharged from the first fluid line to cool the first shell portion.
US09174258B2
A cold roll forming apparatus for forming a variable profile. The apparatus comprises a forming unit having a least one adjustment stand which includes a roll stand with a pair of rollers between which the sheet metal strip is passed through along its longitudinal direction (X), wherein the roll stand is translationally and rotationally displaceable during the cold roll forming with at least one translatory degree of freedom and one rotary degree of freedom being independent from each other.
US09174251B2
A cleaning process is provided for a test apparatus that has a switch, external connections and internal volumes that can come into contact with a fluid from a filter to be tested or a container to be tested. The cleaning process includes selecting one or more internal volumes to be cleaned, cleaning the selected internal volumes with a cleaning fluid by a corresponding switching of the switch, at least partially draining the cleaning fluid left in the selected internal volumes after cleaning, and flushing the selected internal volumes with a flushing fluid different from the cleaning fluid. Also provided are a computer program product for performing the cleaning process, a cleaning apparatus, and a test apparatus for testing filters and containers.
US09174250B2
A method of cleaning off organic deposition material accumulated on a mask includes forming an organic deposition material pattern on a substrate using the mask, which includes a plurality of slots, in a deposition chamber including a deposition source; transporting the mask to a stock chamber that is maintained at a vacuum and adjacent to the deposition chamber; and partially cleaning off the organic deposition material accumulated along the boundaries of the slots of the mask in the stock chamber. A system to clean off an organic deposition material accumulated on a mask having a plurality of slots, includes a deposition chamber including a deposition source; and a stock chamber that is maintained at substantially the same vacuum as the deposition chamber and includes a cleaning device that cleans off the organic deposition material accumulated on the mask.
US09174244B2
A system and apparatus for separating/sorting and orienting/aligning tubes and/or vials or other sample containers.
US09174239B2
A process for the production of a dark-color multi-layer coating, comprising the successive steps:(1) applying an NIR-opaque coating layer A′ from a solventborne coating composition A to a substrate,(2) applying a coating layer B′ from a solventborne coating composition B onto the substrate provided with coating layer A′,(3) subjecting the coated substrate obtained in step (2) to a drying step,(4) applying a clear coat layer, and(5) curing the coating layers simultaneously;wherein both coating compositions A and B comprise binders and crosslinkers comprising melamine-formaldehyde resin crosslinker,wherein both coating compositions A and B comprise certain proportions of cellulose ester binder and NAD binder and/or sheet silicate and/or fumed silica and/or urea SCA and/or polyolefine wax,wherein the pigment content of coating composition A comprises <90 wt. % of aluminum flake pigments and is composed in such a way that NIR-opaque coating layer A′ exhibits low NIR absorption,wherein the pigment content of coating composition B consists 50 to 100 wt. % of black pigment with low NIR absorption and 0 to 50 wt. % of further pigment.
US09174236B2
A dispenser for viscous, extrudable materials uses a sprocket-driven push chain that is drawn from a chain magazine responsive to actuation of a user trigger. The sprocket for the chain is driven by a toothed wheel, which is driven by a first, ratcheting drive pawl, which is actuated by the trigger. A second ratcheting locking pawl prevents the toothed wheel and hence the chain sprocket from rotating backward when the trigger is released. A single “button” or actuator can be actuated by one hand of a user while the user's other hand grasps a chain retractor to pull an extended chain back to a starting position whereat the dispenser can be reloaded.
US09174232B2
A water spray gun including a gun body. The gun body includes: an inner part including a water channel; an outer part including a handle; an upper part including a spray bar, a water spray plate, a lock button, and a pull rod including a plug; and a lower part including an water stop plug disposed at an distal end thereof, a water stop plate, a water stop spring, a first sealing ring for stopping water, and a second sealing ring for introducing water. The water channel is disposed in the inner part of the gun body. The handle is movably mounted on the outer part of the gun body via a pin. A water sealing position of the water spray gun is disposed at the distal end for keeping the water out of the gun body and for preventing the gun body from becoming stuck and rupturing.
US09174229B2
A helix cup for use in a pressurized dispenser. The helix cup has a convergent funnel wall. The funnel wall is not straight and does not satisfy the mathematical equations for surface area or for subtended volume of the frustrum of a cone. Instead, the funnel wall provides a longer flow path than is achieved with straight sidewalls. The longer flow path provides for a tighter particle size distribution at lower pressures than occurs in the prior art.
US09174219B2
A radially projecting member (e.g., a paddle assembly) including a pin having a head; a paddle pivotally engaged to the head; and a shear member engaged to the head and to the paddle, the shear member being constructed and arranged to fracture to permit pivotal rotation of the paddle relative to the head.
US09174217B2
The disclosure describes example devices and methods for amplifying nucleic acids by using an oil layer including exothermal particles, forming an emulsion using the oil layer including exothermal particles, and performing a nucleic acids amplification reaction in the emulsion. The nucleic acids amplification reaction may be effectively performed even with a small amount of a sample by maximizing nucleic acids amplification efficiency, reducing reaction time, and improving controls to be convenient.
US09174213B2
An apparatus for passive sorting of microdroplets including a main flow channel, a flow stream of microdroplets in the main flow channel wherein the microdroplets have substantially the same diameter and wherein the flow stream of microdroplets includes first microdroplets having a first degree of stiffness and second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness wherein the second degree of stiffness is different than the first degree of stiffness. A second flow channel is connected to the main flow channel for the second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness. A separator separates the second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness from the first microdroplets and directs the second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness into the second flow channel.
US09174207B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing compounds comprising at least one nitrile function by hydrocyanation of a compound comprising at least one non-conjugated unsaturation.The invention proposes a process for producing compounds comprising at least one nitrile function by hydrocyanation of an organic compound comprising at least one non-conjugated unsaturation, comprising from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, by reaction with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a catalytic system comprising a complex of nickel having the oxidation state of zero with at least one organophosphorus ligand chosen from the group comprising organophosphites, organophosphonites, organophosphinites and organosphosphines and a cocatalyst of the Lewis acid type.
US09174206B2
Bulk catalysts that include a Group VI metal, a Group VIII metal, and at least 10-60% of an organic compound based component are formed. The bulk catalysts have increased stability through the use of a stabilizer in the organic compound based component, the use of an improved gas phase sulfidation, or a combination thereof. The bulk catalysts are suitable for hydroprocessing of hydrocarbon feeds.
US09174201B2
Process for the continuous preparation of an amine by reaction of a primary or secondary alcohol, aldehyde and/or ketone with hydrogen and a nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia, primary and secondary amines at a temperature in the range from 60 to 300° C. in the presence of a catalyst comprising copper oxide and aluminum oxide, wherein the reaction takes place in the gas phase and the catalytically active composition of the catalyst before reduction with hydrogen comprisesfrom 20 to 75% by weight of aluminum oxide (Al2O3),from 20 to 75% by weight of oxygen-comprising compounds of copper, calculated as CuO,from 0 to 2% by weight of oxygen-comprising compounds of sodium, calculated as Na2O, andless than 5% by weight of oxygen-comprising compounds of nickel, calculated as NiO, and the shaped catalyst body has a pellet shape having a diameter in the range from 1 to 4 mm and a height in the range from 1 to 4 mm.
US09174197B2
A method of forming a treated granulized zeolite product includes applying a cationic surfactant to a granulized zeolite material, such that an amount applied to the granulized zeolite material covers at least 20 percent of the ECEC sites of the granulized zeolite material, granulizing a zeolite material to produce the granulized zeolite material, the zeolite material having a d50 in a range of 300 to 30 micron size.
US09174191B2
An optical network (10) comprising an optical network element (12) comprising a first optical transmitter (14), a first controller (16), an optical receiver (18), a second optical transmitter (22), a second controller (24) and optical receiver apparatus (26). Said first controller is arranged to control said first optical transmitter to generate and transmit a first optical signal in response no second optical signal being detected. Said first controller is arranged to iteratively generate and transmit said first optical signal at different wavelengths of a plurality of wavelengths until said second optical signal is detected, and is further arranged to subsequently maintain generation and transmission of said first optical signal at said wavelength at which said second optical signal is detected. Said second controller is arranged to control said second optical transmitter to generate and transmit said second optical signal following detection of said first optical signal by said optical receiver apparatus.
US09174190B2
A method and a system for producing a change in a medium disposed in an artificial container. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one of a plasmonics agent and an energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy through the artificial container to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent.
US09174188B2
An electrode arrangement for an ozone generator includes a tubular dielectric which concentrically encloses a rod at a distance therefrom, and a filler material provided in an interstice between the tubular dielectric and the rod.
US09174184B2
An apparatus of producing a carbonate mineral includes a first reaction device including a fluid path along which an ion exchange solution moves; a cation exchange medium disposed in the fluid path, the cation exchange medium containing an alkaline earth metal; a second reaction device accommodating a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution and receiving the ion exchange solution containing an alkaline earth metal ion from the first reaction device; and a carbon dioxide supplying device supplying a carbon dioxide to the second aqueous solution.
US09174183B2
The invention provides a fluidized bed polymerization reactor, including: a column, in which a liquid distributor and a gas distributor above the liquid distributor are arranged, so that the reaction zone being divided into a first zone and a second zone through the gas distributor; and a circulating unit for circulating the gas material originated from the top zone of the column into the bottom zone thereof in a form of gas-liquid mixture. The gas-liquid mixture is undergone a gas-liquid separation in the bottom zone, the gas phase portion obtained being fed to the gas distributor and then into the second zone while the liquid phase portion obtained being entered into the first zone through the liquid distributor, so that the temperature in the first zone is lower than that in the second zone. Therefore, polymer with a molecular weight distributed in a relatively wide range can be obtained. The invention further provides a method for preparing polymer.
US09174181B2
Disposable bioreactor for culturing cells in a nutrient medium, consisting of a reagent container which is sealable with a lid and which is capable of being subjected to a shaking process in a shaking device, where the reagent container is equipped with at least one web adjacent to the internal wall of the container, the web being arranged running vertically from the bottom upward, preferably in the shape of a helix.
US09174179B2
A multi-station liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing that defines a first pocket for supporting a first container, a second pocket for supporting a second container, and a third pocket disposed vertically above at least one of the first pocket and the second pocket. The apparatus also includes a first door pivotably coupled to the housing and enclosing the first pocket, and a second door pivotably coupled to the housing and enclosing the second pocket. The apparatus also includes a valve coupled to the housing to control flow of chemical concentrate to at least one of the first container and the second container.
US09174169B2
Disclosed is a mat or molded pre-form that may be used as a mounting mat to mount a fragile monolith within an outer housing of an exhaust gas treatment device, such as automotive catalytic converters and diesel particulate traps. The mat or pre-form may also be used as thermal insulation in the end cone regions of the exhaust gas treatment device. The mat and pre-form includes an inorganic microporous insulation component and a flexible fibrous material component. Exhaust gas treatment devices and methods for making exhaust gas treatment devices including the mat or pre-form are also disclosed.
US09174166B2
Ammonia off-gas, which is separated and recovered by an ammonia recovery device from gasification gas produced in a gasification furnace in a two-column gasification system, is injected as reducing agent for denitration into an inlet of a cyclone for separation of bed material heated in a combustion furnace from combustion exhaust gas and for returning the bed material to the gasification furnace. The ammonia off-gas is contacted with the high-temperatured combustion exhaust gas to reduce and remove NOx through non-catalytic decomposition. Any excess of the ammonia off-gas is distributed for burning to primary air to the combustion furnace.
US09174165B1
A system and method for desulfurization or acidic gas removal from a hot flue gas is provided that uses a dry sorbent injection technology with downstream sorbent reproduction based on a dual-alkali process. As such, lime and flue gas carbon dioxide are used in a process to produce the dry sorbent, sodium bicarbonate.
US09174139B2
Noise-making assemblies are presented including: a self-recovering stretchable element; and at least one noise-making element mechanically coupled with and along the self-recovering stretchable element at a number of attachment points, where the at least one noise-making element forms slack portions between the number of attachment points when the self-recovering stretchable element is in a relaxed position, where the slack portions are flattened when the self-recovering stretchable element is in an extended position, and where when the self-recovering stretchable element extends from the relaxed position to the extended position, the at least one noise-making elements emits a noise.
US09174135B2
An input is acquired, and in accordance with the input, a sequence of game processing from beginning a predetermined game to obtaining a result of the game is performed. Then, a game image corresponding to the game processing from the beginning of the game to a state of the game still in progress is displayed on the portable display apparatus. A game image corresponding to at least part of the game processing from the beginning of the game to the state of the game still in progress is redisplayed on another display apparatus, and thereafter, a game image corresponding to the game processing until the obtaining of the result of the game is displayed on the other display apparatus.
US09174131B2
A user interface processing apparatus for controlling an application is provided. In the user interface processing apparatus, a touch on a display screen by means of a contact operation by a user on a touch panel is received. A touched position on the touch panel is detected when the touch on the display screen is received. The touched position is a position touched by the player on the display screen. A virtual controller is displayed at a predetermined position on the display screen corresponding to the detected touched position in a case where the touch on the display screen is received. An operation of the virtual controller displayed on the display screen is received from the player. The application is controlled in accordance with the operation received from the player.
US09174128B2
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for executing a game and for creating computer-generated game quests, which are referred to as dynamic quests. One method includes an operation for identifying a template for creating a dynamic quest. The dynamic quest includes quest tasks and quest rewards, which are provided to a player upon completion of the quest tasks in the game. The template includes template tasks and template rewards. Further, the method includes an operation for selecting one or more template tasks for the quest tasks, and an operation for selecting one or more template rewards for the quest rewards. The dynamic quest is created in the game with the selected one or more template tasks and the selected one or more template rewards.
US09174127B2
A game system includes a server, and the server can communicate with and is connected to a plurality of game apparatuses via a network. In a case that a currently-connecting message is not received from any game apparatus during a communication game, the server determines that the game apparatus prematurely ends the communication game, and adds a bad reputation score of each of the players who is participating in the communication game. Furthermore, if the communication game is ended, and there is a game apparatus that refuses to participate in a next communication game, the bad reputation score of the game apparatus who permits participating in the next communication game is added. For example, the player having a high bad reputation score is refused to participate in the next communication game.
US09174126B2
A wireless communication game system includes a plurality of mobile game apparatuses, which function as a parent device or a child device and are capable of making a communication with each other, and broadcasts from the parent device a parent device packet including a parent device PID, a user name UserName, a game name GameName, an OC flag, an E slot, a U slot, and a payload. All the parent device packets are received from the parent device existing within a communicationable range of a user's own apparatus, and the user's own apparatus creates a parent device list, and displays the parent device list on an LCD. Therefore, a user or a player of his own apparatus looks at the game name of the parent device list, for example, and operates a cross key included in an operation key so as to select one desired parent device. Then, transmitting a child device number CID of the user's own apparatus at the E slot designated by the parent device packet, the user's own apparatus transmits a connection request to the parent device.
US09174125B1
A social networking game system that includes at least one processor, and computer executable instructions readable by the at least one processor and operative to display at least one game on a display device, wherein the game includes displaying a plurality of pictures of online social networking contacts and non-contacts, requiring that a user identify which pictures belong to contacts or non-contacts, and allowing the user to move onto a next level if the user correctly identifies which pictures belong to contacts or non-contacts.
US09174116B2
A device, method, and system for developing, managing, acquiring and playing electronic board games. Game developers may illustratively access one or more electronic game board, game piece templates and/or other game development application software from a game server to design and develop electronic board games. Such electronic board games may then be acquired by game players in the form of full, limited and/or modifiable versions. A game service module of the game server makes a number of electronic board game related services available to game players for managing, playing and acquiring electronic board game collections and/or for enhancing or facilitating electronic board game playing.
US09174112B1
A synthetic, low maintenance bocce court with a surface comprising (a) a force-reduction layer comprising a open or closed cell foam material having a density with Shore A Durometer hardness of about 25 or more; (b) an embedding resin; (c) a bonding layer between the force reduction layer and the embedding resin, wherein the bonding layer comprises a non-woven mesh embedded in a polymer resin and, optionally, fused to a polymer wear layer; (d) elastomeric particles embedded in the embedding resin; and (e) a finish layer over the elastomeric particles and embedding resin; as well as a method of manufacturing same.
US09174109B2
Golf training devices and related method are disclosed that provide to align a golfer's hands with a club face of a golf club. The training device includes a first attachment portion configured to couple the training device to a golf club and a second attachment portion coupled to the first attachment portion. The training device also includes an alignment component coupled to the second attachment portion. The alignment component can be shaped to represent a hitting surface of a different piece of sports equipment. When coupled to a golf club, the training device can be oriented such that the hitting surface of the alignment component is aligned with a club face of the golf club.
US09174099B2
Golf club heads are described comprising a striking surface that includes a center zone that is free of scorelines and an impact zone having an impact zone area, Aiz, and having a plurality of scorelines in the impact zone having an impact zone scoreline area, Asliz, such that a ratio Asliz/Aiz is at least 0.10.
US09174096B2
A golf club head comprises a sole, a recessed sole port in the sole; and a rotatably adjustable sole piece adapted to be at least partially received within the sole port and comprising a central body having a plurality of contact surfaces adapted to contact the sole port and being offset from each other along a central axis extending through the central body of the sole piece. The sole piece can be positioned at least partially within the sole port at five or more rotational and axial positions with respect to the central axis, wherein at each rotational position, at least one of said contact surfaces of the central body contacts the sole port to set the axial position of the sole piece. The sole port and/or the sole piece can be generally pentagonal in shape.
US09174087B2
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a hand paddle system comprising a wrist member and a hand member. The wrist member and hand member are intercoupled. The wrist and hand members are configured to releasably couple or receive the scaphoid and metacarpal regions of a user's hand. The hand paddle system is composed and/or configured to be buoyant. The hand paddle system may also include a finger member coupled to the hand member opposite of the wrist member. The system causes an increased water entry resistance when the user improperly orients their arm and/or wrist leading up to and at the catch point and the buoyancy facilitates an early, high elbow catch and pull.
US09174083B2
An exercise device with a body having recesses for receiving fingers of a user. The body can be squeezable or not. An elastic band surround the periphery of the body, and permits the user to move fingers against the tension of the elastic band. A guide/hook device prevents accidental separation of the guide/hook device from the body, and prevents accidental separation of the elastic band from the guide/hook device.
US09174071B2
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a fall-protection safety harness having padding structures located at harness pressure points, including dorsal and shoulder regions, the lumbar region, and leg regions. The padding structures may be constructed to provide air-flow parallel to a wearer's skin. Air may flow through wearer-webbing channels created by displacing a webbing via comfort pads. For example, the padding structures may be made by sandwiching foam pads between mesh fabric materials. The foam pads may be captured by the two mesh fabrics using circumferential stitching, for example. Circumferential stitching may permit the foam to retain its uncompressed form which may facilitate webbing displacement. Separate and symmetric pads may be located on both sides of a wearer's spine, both at the lumbar region and at the dorsal region of the back, permitting airflow between pads and along the wearer's spine.
US09174068B2
A navigation device for brachytherapy is provided. The navigation device has a 3D imaging facility which can be moved relative to an operating table, and which is designed to obtain a 3D image dataset intraoperatively for a region of the body of a patient positioned on the operating table which is to be irradiated radioactively using at least one applicator. The navigation device has a control facility which is linked to the imaging facility and is designed to generate a volume model of the region of the body, in which volume model the at least one applicator is emulated in the position indicated by the position data, from the 3D image dataset and from position data for a spatial position of the at least one applicator.
US09174067B2
A system for treating a light treatable condition may include a luminaire configured to emit diagnostic output spectra and a sensor configured to measure a biotic response to the diagnostic output spectra. A computer may be positioned in electrical communication with each of the luminaire and the sensor and may utilize a measured biotic response to determine prescribed output spectra that is responsive to treat the light treatable condition. The luminaire may also be configurable to emit the prescribed output spectra by receiving an instruction from the computer.
US09174059B2
A system may include an active implantable medical device implantable in a body of a patient and a patient programmer for the AIMD. The patient programmer may be configured to obtain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatibility information relating to compatibility of the AIMD with an MRI modality.
US09174056B2
Pacemaker for the stimulation of the human heart having three electrodes or two electrodes, with the first electrode connected to the right atrium, the second electrode connected to the right ventricle and the third electrode connected to the said right ventricle. The pacemaker is programmed so that there is first stimulation of the right atrium by means of the first electrode, then there is second stimulation of the right ventricle by means of the second electrode with an interval function of the programmed AV delay (50-400 msec) and with a voltage not exceeding 80-90% of the threshold potential, and finally there is third stimulation, again of the right ventricle by means of the third electrode with a voltage that conforms with Safety Margin rules and at a second stimulation time interval comprised between 50 msec and 300 msec.
US09174055B2
The disclosure provides a system that displays an indicator of patient posture state that changes according to posture state data. The posture state data may be transmitted from a medical device, for example, in or near real-time. In some examples, the disclosure relates to a method comprising receiving posture state data for a patient from a medical device; and presenting an indicator indicative of two or more of posture states based on the received posture state data, wherein each posture state of the two or more posture states is determined based on different detection criteria.
US09174046B2
The present invention provides, among other things, apparatus and methods of use for treating a subject in need of assistance with breathing. In some embodiments the subject suffers from airflow obstruction. In some embodiments, the subject suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
US09174042B2
The technology disclosed herein pertains to wound healing electrodes and devices. The technology disclosed herein also pertains to electrode sets for electrically induced wound healing that can be adjusted to the wound size.
US09174039B2
A novel implantable electric lead arrangement is described for medical implant systems such as middle ear implants (MEI), cochlear implants (CI) and vestibular implants (VI). An electric lead contains parallel lead wires wound in an elongated helix about a central longitudinal axis. A lead core is fixed and enclosed within the wire helix for providing impact strain relief to the lead wires by resisting radial and/or axial deformation from external impact force.
US09174035B2
An applicator that has an elastic band to snap a microneedle array against skin with a predetermined force and velocity. The microneedle array, which may be pre-loaded with drug(s), is attached to the elastic band such that the band can be secured in place (e.g., wrapped around a person's arm), pulled away from the arm, and released from a suitable distance so that the microneedle array snaps back against the arm with sufficient force to cause an intended amount of penetration of microneedles. Also, a microneedle application device has an elastic band, a microneedle device, and a structure attaching the band to the microneedle device.
US09174031B2
Deflation devices including a catheter having a proximal opening at a proximal end and a distal opening at a distal end, and a coring member disposed within the catheter are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the coring member comprises a handle disposed near the proximal end of the catheter, a cable, and a coring tip disposed near the distal end of the catheter. The distal end of the catheter can be configured to press against a wall of a balloon to create a substantially normalized surface of the balloon relative to a coring tip. A method for deflating and removing an implanted device, in accordance with another embodiment, can include pressing a distal end of a catheter against the wall of an inflated balloon of the device, and advancing the coring tip within the catheter beyond the distal end of the catheter and into the balloon.
US09174030B2
Balloon catheters, and methods of treatment therewith, are provided including an inflatable first balloon at least partially enclosed by an expandable second balloon that has holes. The annular space between the first balloon and the second balloon is configured to promote delivery of the fluid evenly through holes in the second balloon to avoid problems of underloading and/or overloading. Preferably, the annular space is in communication with the holes, and the annular space is configured to receive and then to release and distribute the fluid via the holes in a substantially uniform manner such that even amounts of fluid are released in the distal and proximal holes. The first balloon may have various configurations including being tapered relative to the second balloon. The second balloon may also be tapered accordingly. The device may also include raised portions disposed in the annular space and configured to define channels having various configurations.
US09174025B2
Methods and devices for preventing fluid flow through the relatively short guidewire lumen of a rapid exchange catheter. The guidewire lumen for a rapid exchange catheter is provided with a narrowed or sealed section allowing for passage of a guidewire therethrough while preventing fluid flow while a guidewire is disposed therethrough. The narrowed or sealed section extends for a relatively short length of the guidewire lumen to avoid creating excessive friction between the guidewire and the guidewire lumen. In several embodiments the narrowed or sealed section is placed proximal of the distal end of the guidewire lumen.
US09174023B2
A catheter includes a tip electrode with a shell and a support member to provide a plenum chamber. The plug is formed with a U-shaped passage for a safety line to wrap around and secure the support member (with the shell affixed thereto) to the catheter. Additional passages are formed in the plug to accommodate components such as irrigation tubing, lead wire and thermocouple wire pair. A method of manufacture provides distal installation and/or anchoring of the safety line, lead wire and thermocouple wire pair in the support member prior to sealing the support member and mounting the shell.
US09174019B2
A split-tip catheter for placement within the vasculature of a patient and for use in hemodialysis or other suitable procedures is disclosed. In one embodiment, the split-tip catheter includes a catheter body that defines a first lumen and a second lumen. The catheter body further comprises a split distal region, including a venous segment and an arterial segment. The venous segment includes a recess extending proximally of a nose portion; and a lateral opening in fluid communication with the first lumen. The arterial segment also includes a lateral opening, is separate from the venous segment, and is removably seatable in the recess provided by the venous segment. In one embodiment, the distal region is un-split, but includes symmetrically opposed lateral openings, as well as distal openings, in communication with the first and second lumens for providing a functional stagger for blood flow in both forward and reverse catheter flow directions.
US09174018B2
A respiratory interface device including a fluid coupling device having a main body and an exhalation plate having a plurality of vent holes, the exhalation plate being separate from and coupled to the main body. The present invention further relates to a fluid coupling device including an exhaust portion having a plurality of vent holes having a tapered shape. A set of the vent holes has an incident angle that radiates and originates from a common point. The present invention also relates to an exhalation mechanism including a plurality of vent holes defined by a continuous straight inner wall extending from an interior surface to an exterior surface wherein an exterior circumference of the vent hole is offset with respect to an interior circumference.
US09174015B2
A method for managing a set of active straps for a positive airway pressure (PAP) mask including detecting a pressure value with a pressure sensor, analyzing the pressure value with a processor for identifying an adjustment of the set of active straps, and performing the identified adjustment with the set of active straps.
US09174013B2
A manually operated metered dose inhaler includes a dose counter chamber including a dose display tape driven by a ratchet wheel which is driven in turn by an actuator pawl actuated by movement of a canister, the tape unwinding from a stock bobbin during use of the inhaler, a rotation regulator being provided for the stock bobbin and including a wavelike engagement surface with concavities which engage against control elements in the form of protrusions on resilient forks of a split pin thereby permitting incremental unwinding of the stock bobbin yet resisting excessive rotation if the inhaler is dropped onto a hard surface.
US09174012B2
This disclosure relates to dry powder inhalers and drug products and, more particularly to polyflux colliders useful for de-agglomerating dry powder in dry powder dispensers. Various embodiments provide drug products, dry powder inhalers and polyflux collider arrangement. With various embodiments of the present invention, a polyflux collider is provided which utilizes colliding streams of dry powder to provide desirable de-agglomerating capability for dry powder dispensers.
US09173998B2
Occlusions in a delivery line of an infusion pump can be detected by measuring pressure differentials in the pump over short periods of time in order to minimize the effects of long term systematic sensor changes. In a delivery mode such as basal insulin delivery where a small portion of a volume of fluid is delivered, pressure readings can be obtained before and after the motor move to deliver each portion and compared. The differentials after one or more motor moves can be compared to determine whether an occlusion is present. In a delivery mode such as bolus insulin delivery in which an entire volume of fluid is delivered, pressure differentials can be obtained for consecutive deliveries at a common point in the delivery cycle of each delivery. Comparison of these pressure values can be used to determine whether an occlusion is present.
US09173994B2
A micropump device. The micropump device includes a first layer forming a first chamber configured to store a working material, a second chamber defined by a deflectable membrane in fluid communication with the first chamber and configured to deflect in response to a pressure increase in the first chamber in response to a volume increase in the first chamber, the second chamber configured to store a drug compound to be delivered to a subject's vascular system, and at least one needle in fluid communication with the second chamber and configured to penetrate a subject's skin to pump the drug compound in response to the deflection of the deflectable membrane.
US09173990B2
A method is provided in a centrifugal blood processing system for adding replacement fluid without a dedicated peristaltic pump to blood components being returned to the donor. A disposable blood processing set for use in the method comprises a hermetically sealed set of blood bags, connecting tubes, needles or connectors, and supporting structures with a replacement fluid line coupled directly to a return reservoir without contact with an intervening pump.
US09173981B2
Described herein are biocompatible compositions that contain a copolymer and a filler material. In particular, described herein are compositions that include a copolymer and a filler which may be a calcium salt. Also described herein are methods in which the compositions are used to attach soft tissue to bone.
US09173976B2
The present invention relates to compositions, methods and medical devices for the treatment of bone voids and bone defects. The methods of the invention comprise the step of applying to a bone void or bone defect site a composition comprising a matrix which provides local prolonged release of at least one antibiotic agent at the bone void site.
US09173971B2
Described herein is the synthesis of adhesive from simple adhesive coacervates and their uses thereof. The adhesives are produced by (a) preparing a solution comprising (1) a polyelectrolyte, wherein the polyelectrolyte comprises a polyanion or polycation but not a combination thereof, the polyeletrolyte comprises at least one crosslinking group, and (2) a sufficient amount of a complimentary counterion to produce a simple adhesive coacervate; and (b) crosslinking the simple adhesive coacervate to produce the adhesive. The adhesives have numerous medical and non-medical applications.
US09173964B2
The present invention relates to the field of cancer treatment, particularly to a novel constructs useful for treating tumors expressing H19 and/or IGF-II. More specifically, the invention provides compositions and methods utilizing a nucleic acid construct enabling expression of a cytotoxic gene product directed by more than one tumor specific promoter.
US09173963B2
Disclosed are methods of predicting responsiveness of a cancer cell to a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and methods of predicting the risk of progression of a cancer cell to a more aggressive form. Also provided are methods of reducing proliferation or promoting differentiation of a cancer cell having reduced level of Numb or increased level of Msi. Further disclosed are methods of treating a mammalian subject having cancer and methods of assessing an agent for chemotherapeutic potential.
US09173961B2
CD20 is a transmembrane protein of the tetra-spanin family expressed on the surface of B-cells from peripheral blood as well as lymphoid tissues. CD20 expression persists from the early pre-B cell stage until the plasma cell differentiation stage. In addition to expression in normal B-cells, CD20 is expressed in B-cell derived malignancies such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The present invention includes anti-CD20 antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof comprising a light chain variable region and a heavy chain variable region, wherein the CDR-L1, CDR-L2, and CDR-L3 of said light chain variable region comprise the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 17-19, respectively, and wherein the CDR-H1, CDR-H2, and CDR-H3 of said heavy chain variable region comprise the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 20-22, respectively.
US09173948B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising fingolimod and a weak acid cation exchange resin in the form of an ion-exchange complex and pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.
US09173946B2
The present invention relates to a bifunctional hydroxy-bisphosphonic acid derivative of formula (I) below: or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, a method for producing the same, pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, and the use thereof as a medicament, as well as a compound of formula (II) below: or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, and the use thereof for producing a vectorized molecule of therapeutic or diagnostic purpose.
US09173943B2
The present invention relates to imprinted polymer nanoparticles. In particular, the present invention provides imprinted polymer nanoparticles polymerized in the presence of a target molecule (e.g., peptide), wherein the imprinted polymer nanoparticles comprise vinyl, acryl, and/or methacryl monomers, wherein the monomers have affinity for the target molecule. The present invention also relates to methods of using imprinted polymer nanoparticles in biomacromolecular purification methods (e.g., to purify monoclonal antibodies or hormones), in toxin elimination methods (e.g., hemoperfusion), in diagnostics, in research, as well as in therapeutic methods (e.g., therapeutic methods where antisera or monoclonal antibodies are normally employed).
US09173930B2
Methods for detecting an infection with Mtb in a subject are disclosed. The methods include detecting the presence of CD8+ T cells that specifically recognize an Mtb polypeptide. The methods include in vitro assays for detecting the presence of CD8+ T cells in a biological sample, and in vivo assays that detect a delayed type hypersensitivity reaction. The methods also include detecting Mtb polypeptides and polynucleotides.
US09173929B2
The present invention provides a method for treating an individual who is afflicted with a cancer, such as non-small cell lung cancer or prostate cancer, by administering to that individual a MUC-1 based formulation. The formulation may be a MUC-1 based liposomal vaccine formulation.
US09173927B2
The invention is directed to novel cellular factor-containing solution compositions (referred to herein as “CFS” compositions), including novel sustained-release cellular factor-containing solution compositions (referred to herein as “SR-CFS” compositions), methods of making such novel compositions and uses thereof.
US09173924B2
There is provided glucagon formulations suitable for preparing coatings on microneedle patches for the transdermal delivery of glucagon. The coated patches may be used for the treatment of low blood sugar in diabetic patients. Also provided are glucagon loaded patches, methods for their preparation, and methods of their use.
US09173923B2
This disclosure provides compositions and methods for enhancing innate immune system activities and responses by combining lunasin with at least one cytokine. The compositions synergistically enhance the effect of these selected cytokine(s), including but not limited to, activating Natural Killer (NK) cells, augmenting NK's cytotoxicity against viruses and tumors, regulating NK mediated anti-allergic inflammation, producing potent NK cells for cellular therapy using adoptive transfer. and facilitating dendritic cells antigen presentation.
US09173920B2
Methods for treating muscular wasting diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy are disclosed. Specifically, the methods include administering to a subject in need of treatment for a muscular wasting disease, an NF-κB activation inhibitor capable of blocking the activation of NF-κB.
US09173919B2
This invention relates to compositions comprising collagen binding peptides coupled to nanoparticles. The invention also relates to a method of imaging a collagenous matrix using a composition comprising collagen binding peptides coupled to nanoparticles.
US09173918B2
The present invention provides a method of treating, ameliorating and/or preventing cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an annexin A1 (ANXA1) peptide such that the AKI is treated, ameliorated and/or prevented.
US09173915B1
The antioxidant eye drops is a topical ophthalmic formulation that contains four nutraceuticals (namely, astaxanthin, resveratrol, pyruvate and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chelating activity in a carbomer gel carrier. The active ingredients can reduce oxidative stress through free radical scavenging and chelating activity. The carrier is composed of a solution of deionized water containing about 0.4% Carbopol 980 NF, 5.7% sorbitol. 0.01% cetrimide, 0.01% EDTA, and sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide in adequate amounts to adjust both the viscosity and the pH of the topical carrier to pH 7.0-7.4. Use of the formulation may delay the development of cataracts, reduce retinal degeneration, and maintain normal tear flow in dry eye due to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chelating activity of the active ingredients.
US09173912B2
The invention relates to a method for producing an extract containing at least 40% (m/m) of polyphenols from Cistus creticus L., said method comprising the following steps: plant parts are extracted from Cistus creticus L. using an extraction agent selected from the group comprising water, alcohols and mixtures thereof; the extraction residues are removed; the extraction agent is at least partially removed; redissolution is carried out in an aqueous solvent and the undissolved constituents are removed; and selective enriching is carried out by means of either a) a two-phase extraction, and b) a membrane filtration.
US09173905B1
Nutritional supplements and methods for maintaining and/or improving the condition of bones or cartilage in a mammal, particularly a human. One such supplement comprises demineralized bone matrix (DBM) wherein the DBM comprises a bone growth improving amount of at least one osteoinductive growth factor. A preferred supplement composition further comprises at least one vitamin, such as vitamin E. One method comprises orally administering to the mammal on a periodic basis a supplement comprising DBM. In a preferred method the DBM composition is periodically administered and there is a further periodic administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a calcium-containing composition; the calcium-containing composition is administered temporally spaced apart from said DBM composition for maximum effectiveness.
US09173903B2
Apparatus and process to create, expand, and localize the population of stem cells in adult tissues by placing a foreign body either in omentum or in the subcutaneous tissue. The apparatus 1) traps the granulation fluid, cells a fluid rich in a myriad of growth factors, 2) mobilizes and concentrates free-floating stem cells in the granulation fluid, and 3) stimulates the growth of a new tissue around the apparatus, which provides another source of stem cells. Stem cells obtained by this process can be used as freshly isolated or after culturing, which can be used for wound healing, treating diseases, and regenerating organs in animals and humans. The granulation fluid could substitute the stem cells in many of their applications and offers the convenience of an injectable medicine for treating animal and human diseases.
US09173898B2
Compounds useful for the treatment of giardiasis are described.
US09173897B2
Provided herein are compositions and methods for diagnosis, risk assessment, research, and therapy related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and ALS-related disorders. In particular, the present invention relates to mutations in the UBQLN2 gene that cause dominantly inherited chromosome X-linked ALS and ALS/dementia.
US09173895B2
The present invention relates to antisense oligonuclotides that modulate the expression of and/or function of Membrane Bound Transcription Factor Peptidase, site 1 (MBTPS1), in particular, by targeting natural antisense polynucleotides of Membrane Bound Transcription Factor Peptidase, site 1 (MBTPS1). The invention also relates to the identification of these antisense oligonucleotides and their use in treating diseases and disorders associated with the expression of MBTPS1.
US09173892B2
Acadesine derivatives as a drug, as well as the derivatives for the treatment of cancer and in particular for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia are described. Also, product containing the derivatives and at least one second active ingredient as a combination product for simultaneous, separate or sequential administration, in the treatment of cancer, as well as a pharmaceutical composition containing the derivatives and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are described. Finally, a method for inhibiting the in vitro cell proliferation including the placement of an in vitro cell in contact with the derivatives and methods for synthesis of said derivatives and methods for synthesis of the derivatives are described.
US09173875B2
This invention provides pertains to the discovery that that nicotine interrupts molecular signaling between endodermal and mesodermal cells of the lung alveolus. Treatment of the lung with specific molecular agents (e.g., PPAR gamma agonists) can prevent and/or reverse the injury caused by nicotine.
US09173874B2
The present invention relates to anti-drug vaccines based on conjugates between the drug and a non-immunogenic carrier protein. In preferred embodiments, it provides for anti-cocaine vaccines and their use to diminish the effects and/or use of cocaine in a subject.
US09173873B2
This invention relates to imidazopyridyl compounds of the structural formula: I or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, wherein the variable are defined herein. The inventive compounds selectively inhibit aldosterone synthase. This invention also provides for pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of Formula I or their salts as well as potentially to methods for the treatment, amelioration or prevention of conditions that could be treated by inhibiting aldosterone synthase.
US09173872B2
Compounds of formula (I) and salts thereof: wherein R1 is n-C1-6alkyl or C1-2alkoxyC1-2alkyl-, R2 is halo, OH or C1-3alkyl, m is an integer having a value of 4, 5, 6 or 7, n is an integer having a value of 0, 1, 2 or 3, and p is an integer having a value of 0, 1 or 2, are inducers of human interferon. Compounds which induce human interferon may be useful in the treatment of various disorders, for example the treatment of allergic diseases and other inflammatory conditions, for example allergic rhinitis and asthma, infectious diseases and cancer, and may also be useful as vaccine adjuvants.
US09173862B2
The present invention provides methods for treating or limiting development of age-related macular degeneration, as well as methods for identifying compound suitable for such use.
US09173859B2
The specification describes the use of selected DPP IV inhibitors for the treatment of physiological functional disorders and for reducing the risk of the occurrence of such functional disorders in at-risk patient groups. In addition, the use of the above-mentioned DPP IV inhibitors in conjunction with other active substances is described, by means of which improved treatment outcomes can be achieved. These applications may be used to prepare corresponding medicaments.
US09173854B2
The present invention relates to methods for producing particles of diclofenac using dry milling processes as well as compositions comprising diclofenac, medicaments produced using diclofenac in particulate form and/or compositions, and to methods of treatment of an animal, including man, using a therapeutically effective amount of diclofenac administered by way of said medicaments.
US09173853B2
Disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition for gene delivery, comprising: (i) a gene; (ii) a water-soluble chitosan; (iii) a thiamine pyrophosphate or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; (iv) a protamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and (v) a neutral or anionic phospholipid. The composition can introduce a gene into cells safely and effectively. Composed of non-toxic and injectable components, the composition is safe for the body and can be advantageously commercialized. Notably, it can deliver a gene at high efficiency in vivo as well as in vitro, and is stable in the blood.
US09173849B2
The present invention provides a solid preparation containing compound (I) or a salt thereof, a pH control agent and a calcium antagonist, which is superior in the dissolution property, stability and the like.
US09173845B2
A controlled release pharmaceutical composition comprising Milnacipran or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and hydrophobic release controlling agent. The composition releases 90% of the total amount of Milnacipran or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof between 8 to 20 hours when dissolution is carried out in 900 ml 0.1N HCl, USP apparatus Type I (Basket) at 100 rpm for 2 hrs, followed by 900 ml Phosphate buffer pH 6.8 USP apparatus Type I (Basket) at 100 rpm. A process of preparing a controlled release pharmaceutical composition comprises: a) preparing a first layer comprising i) melting hydrophobic release controlling agent and Milnacipran or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof in it ii) cooling followed by sieving the melted mass to obtain granules and iii) lubricating the granules; and b) preparing a second layer comprising granules which comprises hydrophobic release controlling agent and optionally Milnacipran or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
US09173835B2
The present invention provides compositions and methods for use in the treatment of hyperproliferative dermal diseases. Specifically, the present invention teaches pharmaceutical compositions for topical administration where the compositions contain nicotinamide and a vitamin D metabolite, calcipotriol, which are particularly effective in treating and in the maintenance treatment of psoriasis and other related dermal disorders and diseases.
US09173834B2
The invention refers to a natural hair re-coloration and hair growth composition comprising boiled Makroot fruit (Citrus hystrix DC Rutaceae) that when applied returns white or grey hair to its original color and causes newly re-grown hair to return to its original color as well. The composition also stimulates hair growth. It is composed of natural organic ingredients and thus the composition is low cost and easy to prepare and the application of the composition is quite simple.
US09173824B2
A semi-permanent mascara product that includes a supply of a semi-permanent mascara composition disposed in a container and a twisted-wire brush for applying the mascara to the eyelashes of a user. The combination of the semi-permanent mascara and twisted-wire brush provides improved eyelash separation and reduced clumping versus the same mascara composition and an unsuitable molded plastic brush.
US09173820B2
The invention is directed to a composition comprising a) compound (A) being characterized by at least the following features: comprising a backbone unit (U) comprising a tricylclic hydrocarbon moiety, two spacer units (S) each comprising a hydrocarbon chain (G) being directly connected to the backbone unit (U) via an urethane moiety, and at least two reactive groups (M) being connected to the hydrocarbon chain (G) via an ester linkage, with (G) being a non-branched hydrocarbon chain having a length of at least 3 carbon atoms, (G) not comprising ether moieties, and (M) being selected from acroyl and methacroyl, b) initiator (B) and c) optionally filler (C), the composition being a dental composition.
US09173813B2
A welled handle device comprising a base with a front and back end having a predetermined silhouette or outer contour, a plurality of open wells formed in the base, and a tool portion connected to the front end of the base. The open wells contain regions which are substantially rough or textured and regions which are substantially smooth. A method of collecting medical waste comprising the steps of having waste on a hand or glove and gripping the grippable outer contour of a welled handle, wherein at least some of the medical waste is collected within the wells of the handle.
US09173809B2
Shower apparatus comprises a shower head (1) for expelling fluid in use, means (2) for connecting the shower head (1) to a water supply (3), a pressurized air supply (4), and guidance means (5) for guiding air flow from the pressurized air supply (4) to the shower head (1).
US09173806B1
Examples of the present disclosure are related to systems and methods for controlling stimulation movement on a stimulation device. Specifically, embodiments are related to changing a stimulation pattern on a stimulation device responsive to bio feedback data associated with a user.
US09173804B2
There is provided a massage device capable of producing innovative and comfortable massage effect by massaging a target body part over a wide area in its lengthwise direction with substantially rectilinear motion of a pressure-applying point. The massage device 1 comprises a pair of treatment members 23, 24 arranged face-to-face with each other at a spacing large enough for insertion of part of human body; a holding mechanism 162 for holding and pressing the body part in sandwich style by moving at least one of the paired treatment members or both of them 23, 24 in the direction of width of the body part set in place between the paired treatment members; and a moving mechanism 26 for moving the treatment member 23, 24 in the direction of length of the body part while maintaining the holding condition of the treatment member 23, 24 effected by the holding mechanism 162.
US09173802B2
A mobility device includes at least a first front leg and at least a first rear leg connected to the first front leg. The first rear leg includes an upper member having a first end a second end and a lower member having a first end and a second end. The first end of the upper member is pivotally connected to the first end of the lower member, and the lower member is preferably pivotal between an extended use position and a folded storage position.
US09173801B2
Domain names are determined for each computational event in a set, each event detailing requests or posts of webpages. A number of events or accesses associated with each domain name within a time period is determined. A registrar is further queried to determine when the domain name was registered. An object is generated that includes a representation of the access count and an age since registration for each domain names. A client can interact with the object to explore representations of domain names associated with high access counts and recent registrations. Upon determining that a given domain name is suspicious, a rule can be generated to block access to the domain name.
US09173798B2
A patient repositioning system for pulling a patient toward a head end of a bed includes a sheet, a mattress, and a housing which contains at least a part of a drive mechanism for operatively coupling to and pulling the sheet. The housing resides below a head end piece of the mattress, and is secured to the bed deck. The sheet pulling structure extends out of the housing via a slot and releasably attaches to the sheet, in a manner which has a low profile so as to pass through the slot. The sheet is longer than and wider than the mattress, and has beaded longitudinal side edges which are retained within rows of spaced retainers located on opposite sides of the mattress. During pulling of the sheet, the contoured shape of the housing facilitates movement of the sheet into the housing via the slot, even though the sheet width extends beyond the lateral edges of the mattress. Additionally part of the drive mechanism may be located outside of the housing, and could include a hand held electrically powered unit, or even a hand crank which is operated entirely in a manual mode to reposition the patient.
US09173797B2
A siderail assembly includes a guide, a support coupled to the guide to move relative to the guide, and a barrier coupled to the guide. The barrier is movable between a lowered position, wherein the barrier is situated substantially below a frame of a patient support apparatus, and a raised position, wherein the barrier is situated substantially above the frame.
US09173791B2
A lightweight, portable transporter for carrying a person having anti-hypothermia structures and an absorbent body is provided. The transporter has a backing substrate, an absorbent body, a gripping device, and anti-hypothermia structures, such as material segments or covers that reduce loss of body heat of the person being carried on the transporter. A method of using the transporter is provided.
US09173765B2
A pair of pads is held against the remus of a patient's jaw, to prevent the jaw from slipping back and causing an airway obstruction, while the patient's neck is hyperextended to also cause the patient's airway to stay open. A device including the adjustable jaw pads as well as a triangularly shaped portion over which the patient's neck rests is not required to be attached to the surface on which the patient is lying, and permits the patient to be rolled on either side while still maintaining the patency of the patient's airway.
US09173763B2
A force distribution apparatus and method are presented. Various embodiments of the disclosed apparatus include a plurality of layers configured and oriented to be deployed on a subject in a manner that disperses forces and lowers peak pressures experienced by the subject when resting on a surface, which tends to minimize risks of deformation and local ischemia. An innovative combination of novel construction methods and material selections produce an apparatus that possesses an inherent three-dimensional shape despite being built from essentially flat components, while also retaining an ability to effectively distribute forces and reduce pressures.
US09173750B2
Insertion tool assemblies for positioning an implant at a target location in a patient. Insertion tool assemblies that comprise first and second jaw portions configured to engage an implant; a sleeve assembly coupled to the first and second jaw portions; and a handle coupled to the sleeve assembly.
US09173742B2
A spacer device (1) for the two-step treatment of prosthesis infections, made from biologically compatible and porous material designed to allow the possibility of adding pharmaceutical products, active and/or therapeutic ingredients, includes a first portion (2) designed to be fixed to a corresponding bone bed remaining from a previous implant, and a second portion (3) designed to be inserted in a corresponding articular area of the patient, the first portion (2) and the second portion (3) being attached by adjustable connecting means (4).
US09173736B2
A flat sheet of woven material includes warp yarns and weft yarns interlaced at substantially right angles to each other. A graft material is cut from the flat sheet of woven material such that the graft material includes a graft material longitudinal axis and the warp yarns are disposed at an angle relative to the graft material longitudinal axis. The warp yarns and weft yarns are not parallel to or perpendicular to the graft material longitudinal axis. The graft material is formed into the shape of an endoluminal prosthesis, such as by rolling opposing edges towards each other and securing the opposing edges to each other. The endoluminal prosthesis thus includes warp yarns disposed at an angle relative to the prosthesis longitudinal axis.
US09173734B2
An intragastric anchor implant device with an elongate member having proximal and distal ends with atraumatic features disposed thereon is described herein. The atraumatic features inhibit damage to the tissues of the stomach and the gastrointestinal tract and help anchor the device. The elongate member may be substantially rigid to resist bending and engage a tissue of the stomach or gastrointestinal tract to prevent passage therethrough and may include one or more bends to conform to the shape of the tract. The anchor implant device may be coupled with a therapeutic device, such as an intestinal bypass sleeve with a sliding seal, such as an expandable structure, that secures the sleeve to direct a flow of food particles from the stomach therethrough, for use in treating various disorders, including obesity and diabetes. Methods of deploying the anchor implant devices are also disclosed.
US09173731B2
A hernia repair prosthesis comprises a segmented frame forming a closed loop where a first segment comprises a helical hollow tube and a second segment comprises a solid strand. Both segments are preferably a metal exhibiting shape memory properties and the two segments are assembled with end portions of the second segment inserted into the lumen at opposed end portions of the first segment with a clearance fit. A prosthetic fabric is attached to the segmented frame.
US09173725B2
A nozzle tip for a three-way syringe device, including a co-axial tube assembly having attachment feature adapted for releasable attachment of the nozzle tip to a syringe device, and wherein the tube assembly includes an outer tube and an inner tube, the inner tube having an end section including an inclined outlet face, and wherein the inner tube is tight-fit against the interior surface of the outer tube. The nozzle tip is included in a dental apparatus including a three-way syringe device.
US09173719B2
The present invention discloses a tool, kit and method for applying loading, torsional/twisting, oscillatory or vibration induced forces to a bond line established between a tooth root surface and an associated bone defined socket within which the tooth is held. Forces are applied typically for a given number of cycles or iterations in order to adequately pre-loosen the tooth from the bone. In a most basic variant, a body is adapted to being engaged by an output portion of a force applying tool. The body includes a pair of tooth engaging portions adapted to being inserted into contact with opposite surfaces of the tooth root surface and opposing surfaces associated with the bone receiving socket. The tool introduces loading forces to the engaging portions, causing the tooth to displace within the socket sufficiently to fracture the bond with the bone, thereby facilitating tooth removal.
US09173717B2
Described herein are apparatus and associated methods for the generation of at least one user adjustable, accurate, real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium including natural patient vertical for use in ocular surgery. The apparatus used to generate real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium including natural patient vertical includes one or more real-time, multidimensional visualization modules, one or more data processors configured to produce real-time, virtual surgical reference indicia, and at least one user control input for adjusting the at least one real-time virtual surgical reference indicium including natural patient vertical. The associated methods generally involve the steps of providing one or more real-time multidimensional visualizations of a target surgical field, identifying at least one visual feature in a pre-operative dataset, aligning the visual features with the multidimensional visualization, and incorporating one or more real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium including natural patient vertical into the real-time visualization.
US09173711B2
Medical devices, systems, and methods reduce the distance between two locations in tissue, often for treatment of congestive heart failure. In one embodiment an anchor of an implant system may reside within the right ventricle in engagement with the ventricular septum. A tension member may extend from that anchor through the septum and an exterior wall of the left ventricle to a second anchor disposed along an epicardial surface. Deployment of the anchor within the right ventricle may be performed by inserting a guidewire through the septal wall into the right ventricle. The anchor may be inserted into the right ventricle over the guidewire and through a lumen of a catheter. An anchor force may be applied within a desired range to secure the anchors about the septum and epicardial surface. The anchor force may inhibit migration of the anchors relative to the septum and epicardial surface.
US09173709B2
A system for extending a penis. The system includes a woven cylinder. The woven cylinder includes a set of fibers woven into a cylindrical shape. The woven cylinder is configured to lengthen when a force is applied to the woven cylinder and decrease in circumference when the woven cylinder lengthens. The woven cylinder is further configured to be placed on the penis of a user, applying a lateral force to the penis.
US09173700B2
An electrosurgical probe with internal cooling for use in systems and methods for lesioning in bone and other tissue is disclosed. The probe includes tubular electrodes configured such that the inner surface of the lesioning electrodes are cooled, directly or indirectly, while keeping the electrodes electrically isolated. One embodiment includes an electrosurgical probe having at least two electrically isolated electrical conductors, including an inner electrical conductor and an outer electrical conductor. The inner electrical conductor defines a lumen for the circulation of a cooling fluid therein. An inner electrical insulator is disposed between the electrical conductors to electrically isolate the electrical conductors. The electrical insulator has sufficient thermal conductivity to allow for cooling of the inner and outer electrical conductors when the cooling fluid is circulating within the lumen of the inner electrical conductor.
US09173697B2
A cannula subject to receiving electric charge via capacitive coupling is configured to provide an easily connectable path to remove the charge. The cannula is further configured with a flared distal end to prevent scraping contact with a surgical instrument shaft. Embodiments of the cannula may be used in surgical procedures in which the cannula does not contact the patient.
US09173694B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for near-simultaneous and integrated delivery of bone graft material during the placement of surgical cages or other medical implants in a patient's spine. The integrated fusion cage and graft delivery device according to various embodiments delivers and disperses biologic material through a fusion cage to a disc space and, without withdrawal from the surgical site, may selectably detach the fusion cage for deposit to the same disc space. The integrated fusion cage and graft delivery device is formed such that a hollow tube and plunger selectively and controllably place bone graft material and a fusion cage in or adjacent to the bone graft receiving area.
US09173686B2
An interspinous implant. The interspinous implant includes a resilient S-shaped body having first and second saddle-shaped portions. First and second stirrup-shaped brackets extend in opposite directions from the first and second saddle-shaped portions for engaging first and second spinous processes.
US09173685B2
A clamp housing assembly and method for providing stabilization as a bone anchor during an operation. The assembly includes a housing, a locking element and a band. The housing defines a longitudinal axis, a center recess, and at least one slot. The housing has two opposing arms extending from a base. At least a portion of the inside surface of each arm may be threaded and at least a portion of the outside surface of each arm may be planar. The locking element is positionable within the recess in a co-axial relationship to the housing. The band is sized for travel along a predetermined path defined in part by the at least one slot in the housing.
US09173679B2
The invention relates to a device for the insertion of a cannula into a bone of a patient, which comprises: (a) an activator assembly for activating the device; (b) needle assembly which comprises a stylet and cannula; (c) barrel assembly for containing said stylet and cannula in a loaded state prior to the device activation; and (d) a setting assembly for adjusting the penetration depth of said cannula into the patient's bone.
US09173678B2
The disclosure is directed to a method and tool for implanting a stimulation lead or other medical device adjacent a pudendal nerve. The tool includes a shaped needle that enters a patient and passes through an obturator foramen passage in a pelvis. A physician places a tip of the tool at the pudendal nerve and performs test stimulation to confirm an effective stimulation location. A shape memory cannula initially covering the needle remains at the pudendal nerve when the physician removes the tool. The cannula deforms to follow the curve of the pudendal nerve once the needle is removed, and a lead is inserted into the cannula and secured at the pudendal nerve placement site. This method may provide an easier and more consistent procedure for implanting the stimulation lead near the pudendal nerve.
US09173661B2
A patient-specific guiding system for guiding an instrument relative to a portion of an anatomical feature of a patient. The patient-specific guiding system includes a patient-specific guide. The guide includes a first portion having a first patient-specific inner surface that conforms to a first surface of the anatomical feature and an outer surface opposite the first patient-specific inner surface. The first portion also includes a guide surface for use in guiding the instrument relative to the anatomical feature. The guide also includes a second portion having a second patient-specific inner surface that conforms to a second surface of the anatomical feature and an outer surface opposite the second patient-specific inner surface. The second portion is removably connected to the first portion.
US09173655B2
A surgical suturing device comprises a needle having a leading end, a trailing end, an arced body between the leading and trailing ends, and two steps located at antipodal positions on the body. A length of suture is connected to the needle. A needle driver reciprocates at least 180 degrees between a driven position and a returned position. The needle driver is adapted to engage the needle steps to rotate the needle in a circular path in first rotational direction. A pawl is positioned adjacent the driven position of the needle driver. The pawl is adapted to engage the needle steps to prevent the needle from rotating in a second rotational direction opposite of the first rotational direction.
US09173640B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system that includes an ultrasound receiver configured to receive ultrasound signals scattered from a sample in real time; an acoustic beam former; and an ultrasound data demodulation system. In one embodiment, the ultrasound imaging system further includes a processing system configured to process demodulated scan data and perform ultrasound image generation and flow processing and a display configured to show ultrasound image data and blood flow velocity data relative to such image data. Signals that include positive flow information and negative flow information are separated from received signals using phase-filters and analytic signal transforms such that a first and a second autocorrelation signal processing stage is used to generate mean positive flow, mean negative flow, and variance data for such flows.
US09173635B2
A system and method are disclosed that facilitate characterizing vascular plaque tissue based upon spectral analysis of intravascular ultrasound echo signal segments. In particular, split spectrum analysis of an integrated backscatter parameter introduces a spectral resolution component to parameterization of received intravascular ultrasound echo signal segments. The resulting parameter values for each of multiple bands within a larger frequency band supported by an ultrasound system are applied to plaque tissue characterization criteria to render a plaque tissue characterization corresponding to the corresponding ultrasound echo signal segments.
US09173634B2
A fatty tissue image display device includes a light source, an ultrasonic wave transmission/reception mechanism, an analysis unit which calculates a velocity change of ultrasonic waves after irradiation with a heating beam as compared to before irradiation with light, a display control unit which displays the distribution of the calculated velocity change of the ultrasonic waves, a designation unit which waits for the designation of a region of interest, a histogram calculation unit which, based on luminance information or color information within the designated region of interest, calculates the histograms of a fatty region showing a negative velocity change of the ultrasonic waves and a normal region showing a positive velocity change of the ultrasonic waves, and an index calculation unit which, from the calculated histograms of the fatty and normal regions, calculates a fatty change index that is an index of a proportion of fatty tissue.
US09173633B2
A photoacoustic apparatus capable of recognizing variation in reception characteristic among a plurality of receiving elements that detect an acoustic wave in the photoacoustic apparatus with a simple configuration unique to the photoacoustic apparatus. A detecting unit including a plurality of receiving elements is configured to detect an acoustic wave that is generated when an analyte is irradiated with light. A signal processing unit is configured to acquire information about the inside of the analyte from a detected signal acquired from the detecting unit. An optical absorber is configured to absorb the irradiation light; and a reception characteristic calculation unit is configured to calculate reception characteristic information of the plurality of receiving elements on the basis of detected signals when the plurality of receiving elements receive an acoustic wave that is generated from the optical absorber.
US09173630B2
Image data of the interior of a sample (S) are sequentially created on the basis of reception signals at the time when ultrasonic waves are transmitted into the sample (S) so as to scan the interior thereof, movements of respective control points set on the image data are tracked so as to evaluate temporal changes of velocities of motions of the sample (S), and differences of timings of the motions in the sample (S) are color-displayed on the basis of the temporal changes of the velocities.
US09173629B2
Certain embodiments provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a data acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of spatially overlapping ultrasonic images or a plurality of temporarily consecutive ultrasonic images, a block extraction unit configured to extract, for each pixel, a block having a predetermined size and including each pixel as a central pixel for each of the plurality of ultrasonic images, a covariance calculation unit configured to calculate a covariance for each pixel of each of the plurality of ultrasonic images by using the block for each pixel, and a generating unit configured to generate a synthesized image using the plurality of ultrasonic images and to control a level of each pixel of the synthesized image based on a covariance of each pixel of each of the plurality of ultrasonic images.
US09173628B2
A mobile base designed to receive an X-ray machine is provided. An X-ray machine capable of being mounted on the mobile base is also provided. The X-ray machine of the invention is configured to move using a motor-driven system associated with a navigation system. The navigation system of the invention enables the X-ray machine to be moved automatically and with precision from one position to another within an examination, hybrid or operation room. The X-ray machine is also configured for the automatic positioning of the moving parts around the patient, while at the same time keeping the region to be subjected to radiography within an X-ray beam.
US09173621B2
The present invention pertains to a system and method for adaptive X-ray filtration comprising a volume of X-ray attenuating material with a central less attenuating three-dimensional region. The volume of X-ray attenuating material can be positioned within 10 cm from an X-ray source and rotated around an internal axis of rotation. The volume of X-ray attenuating material can be symmetric around the internal axis while the central less attenuating region can be asymmetric around the internal axis. Rotating the volume by a predetermined angle around the internal axis can change the amount of attenuation of an X-ray beam through the filter. The volume can be rotated by the same predetermined angle as an imaging subject or X-ray source and detector are rotated during X-ray image acquisition.
US09173604B2
A measurement device (1) includes a probe (7) which irradiates a specific part or a specific location of a living body with excitation light and which receives fluorescence generated by irradiating the specific part or the specific location with excitation light.
US09173600B2
Described herein are devices, systems, and methods for determining the composition of fluids, and particularly for describing the identity and concentration of one or more components of a medical fluid such as intravenous fluid. These devices, systems and methods take multiple complex admittance measurements from a fluid sample in order to identify the identity and the concentration of components of the fluid. The identity and concentration of all of the components of the solution may be simultaneously and rapidly determined. In some variations, additional measurement or sensing modalities may be used in addition to admittance spectroscopy, including optical, thermal, chemical, etc.
US09173591B2
In part, the invention relates to computer-based methods, devices, and systems suitable for displaying stent malapposition in a 2-D or 3-D image. A threshold malapposition distance can be set as an input in response to which a software component in an imaging pipeline automatically detects stent struts and calculates a malapposition distance from a lumen contour. Projections of stent strut dimensions can be used to compensate for stent imaging artifacts results from imaging probe orientation in the lumen.
US09173582B2
Techniques for accelerating training through optimization of the psychophysiological state of the trainee are provided. These techniques include an adaptive performance training system configured to acquire, analyzed, display, and translate data that reflects the psychophysiological state of the user, including the electrical activity of the brain (EEG), the heart (EKG), the musculature (EMG), respiration and other parameters that characterize the state of the user in real-time. The system includes a plurality of feedback mechanisms for providing visual, auditory, and/or tactile feedback based on the current psychophysiological state of the user and for facilitating moving the user toward a goal psychophysiological state for performing a particular task and for optimizing performance of that task.
US09173563B2
Portable optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices including at least one mirror configured to scan at least two directions are provided. The portable OCT devices are configured to provide a portable interface to a sample that can be aligned to the sample without repositioning the sample. Related systems are also provided.
US09173559B2
With some ophthalmological instruments, the patient to be examined or treated needs to gaze in a defined direction. Accordingly, the operator needs the most objective possible information as to whether the patient actually fixates the fixating target or when this may no longer be the case. The invention makes it possible to monitor fixation economically with a short reaction time and with high accuracy. Monitoring of the fixation of an eye is accomplished in an economical manner with a short reaction time and high accuracy through spectroscopic detection of fixation, particularly by identifying a reflection at the fovea or foveola based on different reflectance factors compared to the rest of the retina.
US09173549B2
The biological introduction apparatus includes a drive force generation and input mechanism, a drive force transmission mechanism, a helical rotation member, a holding member and a positioning mechanism. The positioning mechanism positions a proximal end portion of a main body portion which is arranged in the helical rotation member to an intermediate portion arranged between a distal end portion of an insertion unit and a proximal end portion of the insertion unit.
US09173542B2
A dishwasher having a tub having a front defining an outer periphery, a treating chamber defined by the tub and having an open face located at the front of the tub and within the outer periphery, and a cover selectively closing the open face. A usable space configured to receive a component of the dishwasher can be at least partially defined by the outer periphery of the tub. The cover is sized to overlie the usable space when the cover closes the open face.
US09173541B2
A dishwashing machine includes a lower arm disposed at a lower side of a lower rack to spray wash water to the lower rack, a rack fixing unit provided at the lower rack, and a tower nozzle fixed to the rack fixing unit to spray wash water to an upper rack. The dishwashing machine also includes a tower connection unit provided in the lower arm such that at least a portion of the tower connection unit is configured to move from the lower arm. The tower connection unit being connected to the tower nozzle to supply wash water to the tower nozzle based on the tower connection unit moving from the lower arm. The rack fixing unit includes a guide configured to guide movement of the tower connection unit withdrawn from the lower arm to the tower nozzle.
US09173539B2
Disclosed are a robot cleaner and a method for controlling the same, capable of controlling a travelling or cleaning pattern of a robot cleaner in accordance with extension and retraction operations of an auxiliary cleaning tool to perform an efficient cleaning operation. The robot cleaner includes a plurality of auxiliary cleaning units mounted to a bottom of the robot cleaner such that the auxiliary cleaning units are extendable and retractable, an obstacle sensor to sense an obstacle in a cleaning region of the robot cleaner, and a control unit to extend the auxiliary cleaning units while travelling in a wall tracing manner along the periphery of the cleaning region, and to retract the auxiliary cleaning units while the robot cleaner travels in an inner portion of the cleaning region when traveling of the periphery of the cleaning region is finished.
US09173537B2
A vacuum cleaner includes a drive unit configured to generate a volume flow rate and a negative pressure, when energized, during operation of the vacuum cleaner, a means for determining a measure of the volume flow rate generated during operation, a pressure sensor for determining a measure of the negative pressure generated during operation, and a drive unit controller. The drive unit controller is configured to generate an operand from the measure of the determined volume flow rate and the measure of the determined negative pressure, and to compare the operand with a predefinable threshold as a design limit. The drive unit controller is operable to reduce the electrical power input to the drive unit based on the comparison of the operand to the design limit.
US09173536B2
The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a surface (20), comprising: —a brush (12) rotatable about a brush axis (14), said brush (12) being provided with flexible brush elements (16) that are substantially uniformly distributed over the periphery of the brush (12), wherein the brush (12) is at least partly surrounded by a nozzle housing (28) and protrudes at least partially from a bottom side (30) of said nozzle housing (28), which, during use of the device (100), faces the surface to be cleaned (20), wherein the brush elements (16), during the rotation of the brush (12), substantially form a sealing with the housing (28) at a first position (33) where the brush elements (16) leave the housing (28) during the rotation of the brush (12), and contact the surface to be cleaned (20) during the rotation of the brush (12) at a second position (35) for picking up dirt particles (22) and liquid (24) from said surface (20), thereby defining a suction area (34) in a space between the brush (12), said housing (28) and said surface to be cleaned (20) which is at least partly sealed at said first and second positions (33, 35), —a single squeegee element (32) which is spaced apart from the brush (12) and attached to the bottom side (30) of the nozzle housing (28) on a side of the brush (12), where the brush elements (16) enter the housing (28) during the rotation of the brush (12), wherein said squeegee element (32) is adapted for pushing or wiping dirt particles and liquid across or off the surface to be cleaned (20) during movement of the cleaning device (100), thereby defining a suction inlet (36) between the squeegee element (32) and the brush (12)that opens into the suction area (34), —a drive means for driving the brush (12) in rotation, and —a vacuum aggregate (38)which is arranged at a suction outlet (47)of the suction area (34) for generating an under-pressure in said suction area (34) for ingesting dirt particles (22) and liquid (24) from the suction inlet (36).
US09173535B2
A cleaning device (1) for cleaning a carpet (70) having face yarns (74) that extend over a distance of several millimeters from a generally planar backing (72) to define a carpet surface (76), comprising: an oscillator unit (30), including: an oscillator (32); an oscillation space (34) defined by or accommodating at least part of the oscillator, and accessible through a jet opening (36) via which ambient fluid is alternatingly drawn into the oscillation space and expelled from the oscillation space during operation of the oscillator; a nozzle (10), including a carpet surface penetrator (14) that defines said jet opening; a support structure (12) configured to support the nozzle against the carpet, such that, in a supported condition of the nozzle against the carpet, the penetrator penetrates the carpet surface and the jet opening is disposed at least partially below the carpet surface.
US09173522B2
A tabletop grill generally includes a housing, a heating element disposed within the housing, and a grill plate configured to be removably mounted on the housing. The grill plate and the housing are magnetically connectable to retain the grill plate on the housing.
US09173514B2
A multi-purpose accessory straw is provided for use with a container for a consumable beverage, in which the straw is at least partially hollow and has structure to mix the beverage and at least minimize separation of the beverage into component phases or layers.
US09173513B2
A salt dispenser including a dispenser body, two or more salt chambers, an outflow opening, and human consumable colored salt. The dispenser body can have a visible indicia for a colored themed entity or event, such as a sport's team or holiday. The salt chambers can be isolated from each other to prevent salt in one of the chambers from mixing with salt of any other of the chambers. Each of the chambers can include a transparent region though which salt within the chamber is viewable. The outflow opening can dispense granules of human consumable salt. The human consumable colored salt can include salt having different colors, each of the different colors being contained in a different one of the salt chambers. The different colors can include colors of the color themed entity or event.
US09173502B2
A convertible sofa and sofa frame deployable between a sofa orientation and a bed orientation. The frame has a base frame with a seat extension frame comprising a seat frame and a mid-frame pivotally secured to the base frame. Cushioning is on one side of the base frame. A seat back frame is pivotally secured to the base frame, the second cushioning on what is a back side when in the sofa orientation. Removable seat back cushions engage the front side of the seat back frame in the sofa orientation. In the bed orientation, the seat frame is extended, the seat back portion is pivoted horizontally, and the removable seat back cushions are located on the mid-frame between the seat frame and the seat back frame.
US09173501B1
A hand positional travel pillow that includes a medial protuberance disposed upon a first side of a pillow member, said medial protuberance disposed to accommodate a user's thumb and thenar when each of a respective first soft surface and a second soft surface are contacted to either of a user's hands, whereby a strap member, disposed to secure the pillow member to the user's respective hand, is reversible by transition over the medial protuberance and thereby positional tensioned across each of the first and alternately the second soft surfaces, as desired, for use with the pillow member engaged against each side of a user's head as comfort dictates.
US09173500B2
A chair assembly comprising a backrest, a fan assembly, and an airflow guide associated with the backrest in a manner such that airflow emitted from the fan assembly exits the chair assembly through the backrest. The assembly in various embodiments is, for example, a collapsible lawn chair, a quad chair, a bleacher chair, or an accessory for a wheelchair.
US09173498B2
An armrest assembly is provided for adjusting an armrest of a seating unit in three degrees of motion. The armrest assembly includes an angle-adjustment mechanism that allows the armrest to pivot and to translate forward, and a lift mechanism that enables vertical articulation of the armrest. The angle-adjustment assembly includes a pivot bracket with a downwardly disposed pin and a shuttle with an arcuate slot to receive the pin. The arcuate slot includes contoured walls that form detents for restricting movement of the pin, thereby restraining rotation of the shuttle, with respect to the pivot bracket, to predefined angular positions. The lift mechanism includes a rack with ride element(s) extending therefrom and locking teeth, and a control bar with track(s). An upward manual actuation of the control bar causes the track to shift laterally and retract the locking teeth, via interaction between the track(s) and ride element(s), respectively.
US09173497B2
The invention concerns a seat forming a rigid sitting surface (8) and a backrest frame (1) globally oriented in intersecting directions in a crossover area situated towards the rear of the rigid sitting surface, characterized in that it includes a flexible sheet (3), in that the backrest frame includes a device (7) for suspension of said flexible sheet, disposed higher than the rigid sitting surface, in that said flexible sheet includes a transition panel (18) extending between the suspension device and an intersection area (9) globally in front of the suspension device, so that said transition panel serves as a rear sitting surface portion and a bottom backrest portion.
US09173491B2
A chair component assembly includes a back support component adapted to support a portion of a seated user, a lumbar support assembly adapted to support the lumbar area of a seated user, wherein the lumbar support is vertically adjustable, and a cover having an aesthetic outer surface and including a first pocket that receives the back support component therein, and a second pocket that receives the lumbar support assembly such that the lumbar support is vertically adjustable with the second pocket.
US09173486B2
An adjustable modular shelving system is secureable to a rail mounting system in the cargo area of a vehicle. The shelving system includes a pair of end panels, each pair having an end panel flange with a plurality of end panel flange apertures. The end panel flange extends along a portion of an outer periphery of each of the pair of end panels. The shelving system may include a shelf having a base and a pair of shelf flanges which extend from longitudinal end portions of the base, one of the pair of shelf flanges includes a plurality of locking mechanisms and another one of the pair of shelf flanges include a plurality of shelf apertures. The locking mechanisms may securably connect with a first side of the pair of end panels, and the plurality of shelf apertures may securably connect with a second side of the pair of end panels.
US09173484B2
A ready-to-assemble table comprises a split tabletop having separable portions, an apron depending from the tabletop portions, and legs mountable to the tabletop portions to support the tabletop on a surface. When the table is disassembled, the tabletop portions with their respective aprons can be stacked and arranged so that the aprons space the tabletop portions to form a cavity therebetween sized to receive the legs for packaging of the table. Additionally, a partial table can be constructed employing one of the tabletop portions for retail display.
US09173481B2
An extension table with multiple legs with two table tops sliding back and forth in relation to each other and at least one leaf and at least four supporting members each comprising at least two table legs, including a first table leg and a second table leg. The supporting members support the extension table when the sliding table tops are joined in a first position, and they support the extension table when the sliding table tops are pulled apart in a second position. The first table legs in each supporting member are directly or indirectly connected to the sliding table tops through fasteners which, in one embodiment, comprise sliding means.
US09173479B2
A device for cleaning the mouth or teeth has a rod-shaped support, on one axial end of which an interdental cleaner made of a flexible plastic is arranged. A brush-like cleaning part made of a flexible plastic, and having a plurality of protruding cleaning elements, is arranged at the opposite axial end of the rod-shaped support. In addition, the rod-shaped support has a grip portion made of a flexible plastic and arranged preferably in the central area of the axial length of the rod-shaped support. Provision is made that the grip portion is connected, via at least one connecting portion, to the interdental cleaner and/or to the brush-like cleaning part so as to form a one-piece structure.
US09173476B2
A chewing-based oral self-cleaning device includes a pair of tubes (2, 3) placed back to back either directly or separated by a base plate (13), optionally provided with an external handle (1) and a positioning flange (15). Each of the tubes includes a channel (14) into which the teeth are inserted and each channel is provided with side drag elements and descaling elements on the base thereof.
US09173475B2
Tool holder devices are provided, which are designed to hold tools having spring clip mechanisms. In one aspect, a tool holder device comprises a guiding portion and a mounting portion. The mounting portion is adapted to engage a spring clip of a tool for mounting the tool. The guiding portion is adapted to guide a spring clip towards the mounting portion as a person slides the tool from the guiding portion to the mounting portion while maintaining contact between the spring clip and the guiding portion.
US09173474B2
The present invention generally relates to identification card holders. In particular, embodiments of the invention are directed to an apparatus for retaining an identification card (“ID card”) in a manner that allows for the card to be swiped or otherwise utilized without requiring the ID card from being removed from the ID card holder.
US09173471B2
The invention protects an application body as well as reducing a remaining amount of a liquid cosmetic. A bag-like container accommodates liquid cosmetic therein and provides an opening neck portion to communicate the inner side and the outer side thereof, a pipe portion in the opening neck portion extends to the bag portion bottom side. The pipe portion peripheral surface has an opening for the liquid cosmetic going into an internal portion. An application body in a lid portion goes into the pipe portion by installing the lid portion to the opening neck portion to reach the opening position. If a user pushes and squeezes the bag portion, the liquid cosmetic goes into the pipe portion through the opening, the application body dips into the liquid cosmetic to run short of the liquid cosmetic and to protect the application body by the pipe.
US09173469B2
An apparatus for cutting a person's hair, having a comb with a spine, a handle that extends axially from the spine and a plurality of teeth that extends transversely from the spine, and at least one finger that extends transversely from the spine substantially perpendicularly to the plurality of teeth, the at least one finger terminating in a lobe that is shaped to comfortably follow a surface of the person's head and shaped to gently scoop and lift hair away from the person's head.
US09173463B2
Disclosed is a stack of individually separable packages for a plurality of contact lenses, each individual lens being packaged between a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is provided by a first one of the individually separable packages and the second surface is provided by a second one of the individually separable packages.
US09173453B2
A method and a system are provided to re-create an internal shape of a shoe using a pneumatically-powered inflatable sock. For example, a shoe last used to manufacture a shoe product based on a selected shoe identifier may be identified. A description of the dimensions of the shoe last may be accessed. The description of the dimensions of the shoe last may be expressed as a set of fills per chamber of a sock having a plurality of fillable chambers. The set of fills per chamber may be determined based on the displacement of an inner wall of the sock when the fillable chambers are in an inflated state. Further, an instruction to cause the plurality of fillable chambers to inflate according to the accessed description may be transmitted.
US09173437B2
A personal protection system for providing a sterile barrier around medical/surgical personnel. The system includes a helmet over which a hood or a toga suspended. The helmet has a chin bar that extends forward of the face of the individual wearing the system. At least one manually actuated control for regulating one aspect of operation of the system is mounted to the chin bar. Sometimes the control is a button that is depressed to control the operation of a helmet mounted fan that draws air into the hood or toga. A microphone may also be mounted to the chin bar.
US09173432B2
Systems and methods of processing produce are provided. A sizing unit can convey the produce in a first direction, and can release the produce into a produce receptacle of a receiving unit, which can convey the in a second direction. The produce receptacle can include a cavity to receive the produce subsequent to release from the sizing unit with a first portion of the produce at least partially disposed in the cavity and with a second portion of the produce at least partially protruding from the cavity. At least one conveyor unit can receive the produce from the produce receptacle, and can convey the produce in a third direction to separate a first portion of the produce from a second portion of the produce.
US09173430B1
A mechanism for carbonating a liquid in a bottle that has a neck with outer threads includes a source of pressurized carbon dioxide, a dispenser to controllably release the carbon dioxide through an orifice in a pointed component. A bottle cap has a thickness and has a hole in it. A check valve installed in the hole includes an elastomeric plug having a high pressure side and a low pressure side joined by a stem. A passageway open at the low pressure side extends through the low pressure side, the stem and into the high pressure side, terminating within a shank in the high pressure side and defines a shank sidewall laterally of the passageway. At least one puncture is made through the shank sidewall to the passageway.
US09173428B2
A method for producing a powdery emulsified fat and oil that releases fats and oils when dissolved in hot water and that has an excellent powder property during storage is provided. The method for producing a powdery emulsified fat and oil includes adding a fat and oil to an aqueous solution containing a meat extract and a salt and emulsifying the mixture, and then drying the emulsified solution. The method for producing a powdery emulsified fat and oil includes emulsifying the aqueous solution that further contains an excipient and then drying the emulsified solution. A powdered soup produced using the obtained powdery emulsified fat and oil has a good aroma and richness, and is provided as a food product with an excellent shelf life.
US09173424B2
A compound (including salts thereof) according to Formula I in which R1 is H, methyl or ethyl; R2 is H, OH, fluorine, C1-C4 linear or branched alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy wherein the alkyl group is linear or branched, or a C3-C5 cycloalkyl moiety; R3 is H, methoxy, methyl or ethyl; or R2 and R3 together form a bridging moiety —O—CH2—O— between the phenyl carbon atoms to which they are connected; R4 is OH or methoxy; and R5 and R6 are independently H or methyl; R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are such that, (i) when R2 and R3 together form a bridging moiety —O—CH2—O— between the phenyl carbon atoms to which they are connected, R1, R5, R6 are H, and R4 is OH; and (ii) when R4 is OH and R1-R3 are H, at least one of R5, R6 is methyl.
US09173421B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing phytase variants has at least 70% identity to a phytase derived from Buttiauxella and comprises at least one additional disulfide bond as compared to this phytase. These phytase variants have modified, preferably improved, properties, such as thermostability, temperature profile, pH profile, specific activity, performance in animal feed, reduced protease sensitiliby, and/or an modified glycosylation pattern. The invention also relates to the variants produced, DNA encoding these phytases, methods of their production, as well as the use thereof, e.g. in animal feed and animal feed additives.
US09173414B2
A method for at least partially dehydrating the casing of co-extruded food products, wherein an aqueous salt solution is supplied to the exterior of the co-extruded food products. A device for at least partially dehydrating the casing of co-extruded food products.
US09173402B2
The present invention relates to the use of alkyl-substituted 2-[2-chloro-4-(4-chloro-phenoxy)-phenyl]-1-[1,2,4]triazol-1-yl-ethanol compounds of formula I as defined in the description, and the N-oxides, and salts thereof for combating harmful fungi and seed coated with at least one such compound. The invention also relates to novel alkyl-substituted 2-[2-chloro-4-(4-chloro-phenoxy)-phenyl]-1-[1,2,4]triazol-1-yl-ethanol compounds, processes and intermediates for preparing these compounds and also to compositions comprising at least one such compound.
US09173394B2
The present invention relates to novel active substance combinations which contain firstly at least one known compound of the formula (I) in which R1 and A have the meanings given in the description, and secondly at least one further known active substance from the class of the macrolides, the carboxylates or other classes, and which are highly suitable for controlling animal pests such as insects and undesired acarids.
US09173391B2
The present invention relates to crystalline complexes of 4-hydroxy benzoic acid and selected pesticides. It also relates to agriculturally useful compositions of the complexes.
US09173387B2
A twist grip drive handle outrigger device having a locking mechanism for use on a fishing vessel having a first tubular member for holding of an outrigger pole, which is rotatably journaled to a second tubular member that is mounted to a fixed structure. The second tubular member houses a twist grip drive handle assembly that allows manual rotation of the outrigger pole. The driver assembly constructed and arranged to provide an unlocked condition by the twisting of the handle thereby allowing adjustment of the outrigger pole upon rotation of the first tubular member. The rotation of the first tubular member allows for movement of the outrigger pole from a stowage position to a trolling position and vice versa.
US09173380B2
An animal indicator apparatus that tracks the locations of an animal and alerts nearby persons when the animal approaches a boundary includes a location determining component operable to determine a current geographic location of the apparatus; memory for storing cartographic data representative of at least one boundary; an indicator and a processor. The processor triggers the indicator when the current geographic location of the apparatus is near the location of the boundary.
US09173376B2
An on-demand animal feed apparatus is provided comprising a receiving chamber, base tube and actuator. The receiving chamber comprises an upper section to connect to a feed supply, a lower section, and an intermediate section disposed between the upper and lower sections. A base tube is connected to the lower section of the receiving chamber and cooperates with the receiving chamber to define the feed reservoir. A lower portion of the base tube defines a discharge opening for dispensing animal feed. An actuator is disposed at least partially within the base tube and is configured to raise and lower in an axial direction in response to movement by an animal, thereby allowing the transfer of animal feed from the feed reservoir through the discharge opening. The lower section of the receiving chamber defines a relief area for the temporary displacement of animal feed when the actuator is raised or lowered.
US09173373B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the lettuce line designated SV8143LC. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of lettuce line SV8143LC, and to methods for producing a lettuce plant produced by crossing a plant of lettuce line SV8143LC with itself or with another lettuce plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of lettuce line SV8143LC, including the gametes of such plants.
US09173371B2
The present disclosure describes tobacco varieties having reduced levels of DVTs, methods of making such varieties, and tobacco compositions including such varieties.
US09173365B2
The present invention relates to a new and distinctive canola, designated G73875R. Also included are seeds of canola G73875R, to the plants, or plant parts, of canola G73875R and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing the canola G73875R with itself or another canola genotype, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of canola G73875R.
US09173360B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB68A12 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB68A12, cells from soybean variety XB68A12, plants of soybean XB68A12, and plant parts of soybean variety XB68A12. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB68A12 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB68A12, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB68A12, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB68A12. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB68A12 are further provided.
US09173354B2
A method of operating an irrigation system is provided and includes coupling one or more lateral driplines to a main irrigation line, dividing each lateral dripline into zones and providing each lateral dripline with a plurality of replaceable emitters at each zone, disposing a plurality of controllable valves along each of the one or more lateral driplines at zone borders and actuating each one of the plurality of controllable valves to thereby activate corresponding emitters in the associated zone.
US09173340B2
Product dosing system for agricultural machines, in particular for fertilizer distributors such that the simple salts carrying nutrients, that is to say, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, can be arranged in granulated form in respective deposit hoppers aligned in the advance direction of the fertilizing machine to directly distribute the single fertilizer to the soil to be fertilized, as well as having an auger 8 for regulating the single fertilizer for its conduction towards collection and distribution dosing means, thus, having an auger for regulating the doses of single fertilizer in granulated form and dosing means for each of the hoppers, allowing the regulation and measurement speed to depend on the advance speed of the machine, the machine having to that end a ground engaging member through which the movement is transmitted to the regulating augers and to the axles of the collection and distribution dosing machines.
US09173338B2
An inductor box for an agricultural implement having compression limiters. One inductor box includes a housing having a first side configured to receive an agricultural product from a tank. The first side has a sealable surface, and the sealable surface has plates attached thereto. The inductor box includes a first gasket disposed on the sealable surface and configured to establish a seal between the sealable surface and a corresponding surface of the tank. The plates are configured to extend through respective openings in the gasket, and to block compression of the first gasket beyond a desired compression limit.
US09179583B2
A handheld, electromechanical device useful in mammalian body-care includes a one-piece housing, a unitary insert, and a removable cover. The one-piece housing has a single opening defined by a rim. The rim circumscribes a rim area, and the one-piece housing has a projected area that is substantially larger than the rim area. The unitary insert is dimensioned to be insertable through the opening defined by the rim, and it has a frame having disposed thereon electromechanical elements interconnected in an electrical circuit. The cover is arranged and configured to close the opening of the one-piece housing.
US09179580B2
The invention is a cooling module for one or more data centers. The cooling module accepts coolant from a data center, chills the coolant, then returns the coolant to the data center. The coolant is subject to cooling via a free cooling system and a then chiller. The chiller includes a bypass. The free cooling system and the chiller are fluidly connected in a second cooling loop that includes a dry cooling tower. A pump maintains pressure at a predetermined level.
US09179576B2
A computer power supply of the present disclosure comprises a housing, a circuit board disposed inside the housing and a fan assembly for dissipating heat from the circuit board, and the fan assembly is disposed obliquely with respect to a surface of the circuit board. With the aforesaid structure, the air produced by the fan assembly of the computer power supply of the present disclosure acts on the circuit board obliquely, and flows out in one direction after dissipating heat from a component that is to be cooled, so the heat dissipation effect is improved.
US09179575B1
The present invention includes a MEMS-based cooling system that can be passive or active in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The MEMS-based cooling system has an expandable MEMS device that is a MEMS device that has one or more expandable chambers to help transfer heat autonomously from a heat source using a working fluid and one or more MEMS directional devices that can control the flow of the working fluid through one or more cooling channels that enable heat transfer from one or more heat sources to one or more heat sinks via the working fluid.
US09179571B2
A cable backplane system includes a backplane having a plurality of openings and mounting blocks proximate the openings. A cable rack is coupled to a rear of the backplane that includes a tray, spacers coupled to the tray and cable connector assemblies held by corresponding spacers. Each cable connector assembly has a plurality of cables extending between cable connectors. The cable connectors are received in corresponding openings and held in position relative to the backplane by the spacers. Locking assemblies are held by the tray and have a latch proximate to a front edge of the tray configured to interact with a corresponding one of the mounting blocks to lockably couple the tray to the backplane. The locking assemblies each have an actuator at a rear of the tray that is actuated by an installer to lock and unlock the latch with the mounting block.
US09179562B2
An apparatus and system for housing a device include a housing that is configured such that a device may be fitted within the housing and thereby be protected, such as from shocks and/or liquid. The housing may include top and bottom members that may be removably coupled together so as to form the housing. Each top and bottom member optionally includes front and back surfaces surrounded by a perimeter. The perimeter is defined by proximal and distal ends as well as opposing sides. The top and bottom members may include respective clasping mechanisms that extend along the perimeter of the top and bottom members. The clasping mechanisms are configured for coupling the top and bottom members with one another thereby sealing the housing, for instance, in a shock-proof and/or water tight seal.
US09179559B1
Discussed is a foldable display apparatus. The foldable display apparatus can include a display panel unfolded or folded at two stages with respect to first and second bending parts which are defined in a display area displaying an image, a first housing assembly configured to include a first panel supporting part which supports a central portion of the display panel between the first and second bending parts, a first connection housing connected to a first side of the first housing assembly to overlap the first bending part, a second connection housing connected to a second side of the first housing assembly to overlap the second bending part, a second housing assembly configured to support a first side of the display panel and connected to the first connection housing, and a third housing assembly configured to support a second side of the display panel and connected to the second connection housing.
US09179549B2
A packaging substrate includes: a core board with at least a cavity; a dielectric layer unit having upper and lower surfaces and encapsulating the core board and filling the cavity; a plurality of positioning pads embedded in the lower surface of the dielectric layer unit; at least a passive component having upper and lower surfaces with electrode pads disposed thereon and embedded in the dielectric layer unit so as to be received in the cavity of the core board at a position corresponding to the positioning pads; first and second wiring layers disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the dielectric layer unit and electrically connected to the electrode pads of the upper and lower surfaces of the passive component through conductive vias, respectively. By embedding the passive component in the core board and the dielectric layer unit, the invention effectively reduces the height of the overall structure.
US09179543B2
An article includes a flexible polymeric dielectric layer having first and second major surfaces. The first major surface has a conductive layer thereon and at least one cavity therein. The at least one cavity contains a conductive material including electrically separated first and second portions supporting and electrically connecting a light emitting semiconductor device to the conductive layer on the first major surface.
US09179541B1
A system for use with optical and electrical signaling is disclosed. The system may include a printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a plurality of layers vertically stacked between a first face and a second face and a first optical signal transmission path within a first internal layer of the plurality of layers. The PCB may also include an electrical signal transmission path and a via extending through the plurality of layers. The via may include a first reflective surface that is configured to reflect light between the first optical signal transmission path and an opening of the via on the first face and an electrically conductive material that is configured to electrically connect the electrical signal transmission path to a portion of the via on the first face.
US09179539B2
A wiring board includes a first wiring line and a second wiring line formed on a substrate, a first land and a second land respectively formed at a connection portion of the first wiring line and the second wiring line. A second wiring line has a longer wiring length than the first wiring line. The land is structured with a wiring pattern of a single wiring line. The wiring board also includes a first pad electrode and a second pad electrode respectively formed on the first land and a second land through an insulating film, a first interlayer connection via and a interlayer connection via embedded in the insulating film and electrically connecting the land to the pad electrode. And a wiring length of the wiring pattern of the first land is longer than the wiring length of the wiring pattern of the second land.
US09179534B2
An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus for supplying extreme ultraviolet light to a processing unit for performing processing by using the extreme ultraviolet light. The extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which the extreme ultraviolet light to be supplied to the processing unit is generated; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light generated in the chamber to output the extreme ultraviolet light to the processing unit; and an optical path connection module for defining a route of the extreme ultraviolet light between the chamber and the processing unit and isolating the route of the extreme ultraviolet light from outside.
US09179528B2
LED light assemblies (20) are spaced over a geographical territory defined by a central dispatch of public service personnel operating in the geographical territory and are controlled by transmitting digital packets on a first radio frequency reserved for public safety personnel from a central transceiver (24) to repeaters (26) in the geographical territory and re-transmitting the digital packets on a different second frequency reserved for public safety personnel from the repeaters (26) to the light assemblies (20). In turn, the light assemblies (20) transmit digital radio signals on frequencies reserved for public safety personnel to the repeaters (26) for re-transmission to the central transceiver (24). A plurality of emergency signaling devices (36) transmit digital radio signals on the channels of frequencies reserved for public safety personnel to the light assemblies (20) to transmit a radio signal on the reserved frequencies to the central transceiver (24), a 9-1-1 alert or the like.
US09179514B2
A control circuit for reducing Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) in the power supply to an electric load, includes an input stage (10) for receiving a network voltage (V1) and providing a corresponding rectified sinusoidal output supply voltage (Vbus); an output stage (20) associated with the input stage (10) for providing power supply to an electric load (L); a control module (30) designed to control the power factor and the harmonic distortion (THD) of the energy obtained from the network voltage (V1), by regulating a pulse current (S1) that acts upon the power supply absorbed by the output stage (20); a regulating module (40) which is designed to: sense a main signal (SW) representative of the supply voltage (Vbus); compare the main signal (SW) with a preset reference (Vref); generate a regulating signal (S3) designed for the control module (30). The control module (30) is designed to modify the pulse current (S1) according to the regulating signal (S3).
US09179508B2
A solid-state lighting (SSL) system having dimming capability includes an SSL driver having a current control circuit configured to control current flow and, consequently, the brightness of light emitted by a light-emitting load. The magnitude of current flowing through the light-emitting load is set and controlled depending on a dim control signal, which is generated based on the value of a scaled alternating current (AC) power signal. The scaled AC power signal is generated by an AC scaling unit, which scales an input AC power signal provided by an AC power source. The extent to which the input AC power signal is scaled determines the value of the dim control signal and, consequently, the magnitude of current flow and resultant dimming of the light-emitting load. Pulse-width modulation of the light-emitting load current may be optionally combined with the current-control-based dimming to widen the overall dimming range.
US09179505B2
A method and system for heating a plurality of articles is provided. The method includes discharging microwave energy into a microwave chamber and passing a plurality of articles through the heating zone. At least a portion of the microwave energy discharged into the heating zone may first be phase shifted using one or more phase shifting devices. One embodiment of a rotatable phase shifting device is also provided and includes an elongated fixed member disposed proximate a rotatable housing. The phase shifting device employed by the microwave heating system is configured such that the ratio of the article residence time in the heating zone to the phase shifting rate is at least about 4:1. Rotatable phase shifting devices, or variable phase short circuits, as described herein can also be used in other applications, such as, for example, as impedance or frequency tuning devices.
US09179503B2
A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head includes the following processes in the following order: forming a first metal layer containing a first metal material on an insulating layer of a base on which a plurality of thermal energy generating elements and the insulating layer are laminated in this order; forming a second metal layer containing a second metal material on the first metal layer, and then patterning the second metal layer to form a plurality of protective portions; patterning the first metal layer to form a connection portion for electrically connecting the plurality of protective portions; inspecting the conduction of the connection portion and the plurality of energy generating elements; and patterning the connection portion to thereby electrically isolate the plurality of protective portions and form a plurality of close contact portions which are electrically isolated from each other.
US09179499B1
Techniques, apparatuses, and systems can include mechanisms for network selection.
US09179490B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and method of disconnecting a wireless communication link. For example, a wireless communication device may include a controller to receive placement-related information indicating a change in one or more placement-related attributes of the wireless communication device, during communication over a wireless communication link, and based on the orientation-related information to disconnect the wireless communication link.
US09179489B2
The present invention provides a DRX control method and system in which power consumption of a mobile station can be reduced and an increase in the load of a network can be suppressed. A source base station forwards Dormancy Context, which is information for controlling the activity level of a mobile station that performs inter base station handover, to a target base station and, immediately after the mobile station completes handover, the target base station performs DRX control of the mobile station using the Dormancy Context.
US09179486B2
A device and method for performing inter-device communication are disclosed. An inter-device communication method of a first device includes searching for a second device supporting inter-device communication, receiving network information from the searched second device, and determining that one of the first and second devices is a group owner based on the received network information of the second device and network information of the first device. The network information includes at least one selected from among type information indicating a server device or a client device, network support information, network necessity information, and network setting information.
US09179482B2
When an incoming communication is directed to a telephony device that is capable of conducting an IP-based communication via an IP telephony system and a cellular-based communication via a mobile telephony service provider, the communication is initially setup as a cellular-based communication via the mobile telephony service provider. At the same time, an IP-based communication channel is setup between the telephony device and an IP telephony system. Once the IP-based communication channel is available, the communication is transitioned from the cellular-based communication channel to the IP-based communication channel.
US09179480B2
A method is provided in a user equipment node for dynamically selecting a random access response window value for use with random access procedures in a network. The method comprises the step of determining if a random access response window value is being signalled from the network for a first serving cell currently associated with the user equipment node. If so, the random access response window value being signalled for the first serving cell is used when performing a random access procedure in the first serving cell. If not, an alternative random access response window value for the first serving cell is used when performing a random access procedure in the first serving cell.
US09179479B2
A method, system, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for providing admission control in a wireless network are provided. The method may include receiving a RACH-Preamble from a mobile device and determining whether a first set of requirements is satisfied for the received RACH-Preamble. The method may further include transmitting a first response to the mobile device when the first set of requirements is satisfied and receiving a RRC connection request from the mobile device after transmitting the first response. The method may further include determining an establishment cause of the RRC connection request and determining whether a second set of requirements corresponding to the establishment cause are satisfied. The method may further include rejecting the RRC connection request when the second set of requirements is not satisfied.
US09179474B2
A communications system comprises a terminal, and network resources. The terminal is operable to transmit substantially simultaneously a data portion and a data transfer request for that data portion to the network resources.
US09179467B2
A method of operating a network coordinator for a spatial reuse scheme includes receiving a reservation request for a time period for a data communication of a target transmitter/receiver pair that uses a directional antenna, searching for a time period reserved in advance for another transmitter/receiver pair, from a Channel Time Allocation Period (CTAP) that is a contention-free access period for the data communication, and reserving a time period for the target transmitter/receiver pair in the CTAP, so that the time period reserved for the target transmitter/receiver pair overlaps the time period reserved in advance for the other transmitter/receiver pair.
US09179460B2
A method of processing control information in a mobile communication system is disclosed, by which an RRC connection setup can be quickly completed and by which control information can be processed without an unnecessary standby of a mobile terminal. The present invention includes the steps of receiving a plurality of protocol data units transmitted plural time from a transmitting side via one common logical channel by an RLC (radio link control) entity operating in a UM (unacknowledged mode) and having a receiving window and a timer, re-ordering a plurality of the received protocol data units using sequence numbers of a plurality of the received protocol data units, the receiving window and the timer, reassembling at least one service data unit by processing a plurality of the re-ordered protocol data units, and delivering the at least one service data unit.
US09179456B2
Methods and apparatus for downlink control channels transmissions in wireless communications systems
An antenna port for an extended Physical Downlink Control CHannel (ePDCCH) transmission is determined based on at least an identifier for a leading extended Control Channel Element (eCCE) within the ePDCCH and an identifier for a user equipment (UE) to receive the ePDCCH transmission, and based on whether the ePDCCH transmission is localized or distributed. The determined antenna port is a DeModulation Reference Signal (DMRS) port to which the UE is assigned. Symbols are mapped in sequence to resource elements (REs) and transmitted via the determined antenna port to the UE.
US09179436B1
An example method is provided and may include retrieving by a user equipment (UE) an access point (AP) Media Access Control (MAC) address for an AP to which the UE is connected; reporting location information for the UE to an evolved Packet Data Gateway over an SWu interface using Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) protocol, wherein the location information includes, at least in part, a UE location in GPS coordinates, a service set identifier, the retrieved AP MAC address and cell identity information for the UE; and populating a location database with the location information. The method can include embedding the location information in an identity initiator (Idi) of an IKE Authentication Request (IKE_AUTH_REQ) message using a Network Access Identifier (NAI) and communicating the location information from the ePDG to a PGW over an S2b interface using a private extension information element of GPRS Tunneling Protocol version 2 (GTPv2).
US09179434B2
A computing device may be locked and contact information associated with an owner of the computing device may be displayed. For example, a request to lock the computing device may be received. In response to such a request, at least some of the functionality of the computing device may be disabled. For example, control input or input keys of the computing device may be at least partially disabled. Furthermore, contact information may be shown on the display of the computing device. For example, the phone number, address, email address, or other information of the owner of the computing device may be displayed.
US09179433B1
A method and apparatus in which (i) a user equipment device registers with a first radio access network (RAN) that provides connectivity with a transport network, (ii) once registered with the first RAN, the device then registers via the first RAN and transport network with a call server, and (iii) in response to the device registering with the call server, but before the device then engages in a call served by the call server, the device registers via the first RAN with a second RAN. The method may thereby help to expedite later handover of a call served by the call server from being via the first RAN to being via the second RAN. Further, by the second RAN registration being conducted in response to registration of the device with the call server, the method may help to ensure usefulness of the registration of the device with the second RAN.
US09179431B2
A method and system are provided for transmitting information in a Mobile Internet Protocol (IP) environment, which includes a home network, a home agent (HA) provided at the home network, a base station (BS) broadcasting a pilot signal, a foreign agent (FA) provided at or associated with the BS, a mobile node (MN) providing the ability to detect and identify itself to a BS, a proxy mobile node (PMN) Identifying the MN wherein the PMN is provided at the BS. If the PMN identifies the MN, the PMN retrieves an IP address for each of the MN, FA and HA and sends a registration request to the FA. The FA relays the registration request to the HA, and the proxy MN is registered with the HA. The MN functionality is provided transparently to the MN by the PMN. The network may further include a further base station (BS) with a further foreign agent (FA) provided at or associated with the new BS. Another PMN is provided at the further BS. If the MN detects the other BS, the further PMN identifies the MN using normal link layer messages, retrieves an IP address for each of the MN, other FA, and HA, and sends a registration request to the further FA. The further FA relays the re-registration request to the HA, and the other PMN is registered with the HA. The initial and all subsequent registrations with the HA associated with the home network are transparent to the MN, i.e., so that the MN itself is not required to implement the registration with the home agent since it may be mobile, moving from one base station to the next. This significantly simplifies the configuration of the MN and the Mobile IP network.
US09179429B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a synchronization method, device, and system, and relate to the field of communications, so that a device deployment cost may be reduced and the stability of device synchronization may be improved. The method includes: acquiring, by a switching node, synchronization time from a main control node; and sending, by the switching node, the synchronization time to each controlled node that is connected to the switching node, so as to perform time synchronization between each controlled node and the main control node.
US09179427B2
Methods and apparatuses for wireless communication are provided. In an aspect, Transmissions are received from multiple antennas of a user equipment and a differential power control message that is based on an imbalance of transmitted power from the multiple antennas is transmitted. In another aspect, a differential power control message that is based on an imbalance of transmitted power from multiple antennas of a user equipment is received and based on the message, the imbalance is compensated for by varying a transmit power from one or more of the multiple antennas.
US09179424B2
The invention relates to methods for informing an eNodeB on the transmit power status of a user equipment in a mobile communication system using component carrier (CC) aggregation. Furthermore, the invention is also related to the implementation of these methods by hardware and their implementation in software. The invention proposes procedures that allow the eNodeB to recognize the power usage status of a UE in a communication system using carrier aggregation. The UE indicates to the eNodeB, when the UE is close to using its total maximum UE transmit power or when it has exceeded same. This is achieved by the UE including indicator(s) and/or new MAC CEs to one or more protocol data units transmitted on respective component carriers within a single sub-frame that is providing the eNodeB with power status information. The MAC CEs may report a per-UE power headroom. Alternatively, the MAC CEs may report per-CC power headrooms and/or power reductions applied to the respective uplink CCs.
US09179422B2
A wireless base station apparatus to establish a wireless connection with a terminal equipment detects an intensity of a signal transmitted from another terminal equipment; calculates, as transmission power for the terminal equipment, a sum of a first parameter adjusted at an interval of predetermined time and a second parameter taking a value between a predetermined first minimum value and a predetermined first maximum value; sets, as the second parameter, the larger value of a difference between first target power and the first parameter and the first minimum value when detecting that reception power of the signal transmitted from another terminal equipment is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and further sets a difference between the first target power and the first minimum value as the first parameter and the first minimum value as the second parameter when the first parameter is adjusted.
US09179413B2
There is described a method of controlling a basestation in a cellular wireless communications network, the method comprising, within the basestation, autonomously and dynamically adapting a maximum value for a total transmit power of the basestation, such that interference between the basestation and other access points in the vicinity is minimized.
US09179412B2
An apparatus and a method for receiving content in a terminal, by which the terminal can receive, with low power consumption, content from an adjacent service provider by using a wireless communication technology. A low-power short-range communication unit; and a controller for controlling the low-power short-range communication unit to broadcast an advertising packet including information of the terminal at regular intervals, and control the low-power short-range communication unit so as to connect to a particular service provider which has scanned the advertising packet. A control operation is then performed so as to receive content from the particular service provider.
US09179411B2
A system and method for controlling envelope tracking in a transmitter with closed loop power control, including up-converting and pre-amplifying a baseband signal to a pre-amplified RF signal, amplifying the pre-amplified RF signal, converting the envelope of the baseband signal into a shaped envelope signal, adjusting the gain of the pre-amplified RF signal, and adjusting the shape of the envelope signal in response to changes in the gain of the pre-amplified RF signal.
US09179387B2
The present invention relates to a method, call handling server (18), local wireless network (10) and computer program product for performing vertical handover of a wireless voice connection, which is a part of a voice connection set up between a portable communication (22) device and another device. The network comprises a number of access points (20) and the call handling server (18) for controlling voice connections to the portable device. The server comprises a control unit (24) that determines a handover situation for the wireless connection to the portable device based on a set of handover factors that comprise the position and movement of the portable communication device in an area of the local network and structural layout information of the area together with knowledge of where in this area there is insufficient coverage.
US09179381B2
A method enables a user equipment (UE) intervention to reduce a network-initiated Quality of Service (QoS) interruption time or a disruption of the network-initiated QoS, while avoiding application intervention. The method includes communicating with a source radio access network (RAN) in accordance with a network-initiated quality of service (QoS) profile. The method also includes transferring to a target RAN. The method further includes triggering, by a user equipment (UE), a QoS setup to reestablish the QoS profile.
US09179380B1
Systems and methods of performing a handover in a wireless communication network are provided. A controller node can receive a first request to establish a first logical communication link between a first access node and a gateway. The controller node can receive from a second access node a second request to establish a second logical communication link between the second access node and the gateway and to release the first logical communication link between the first access node and the gateway. A timer can be initiated after receiving the second request. The timer can be based on a mobility of the wireless device, a load of the wireless communication network, and an application requirement of an application running on the wireless device. The gateway can be instructed to establish the second logical communication link after initiating the timer and to release the first logical communication link after the timer expires.
US09179378B2
Femtocell base station, and a method of selecting carrier frequency band of a femtocell base station
A method is provided of selecting carrier frequency band of a femtocell base station that provides a femtocell and resides within a macrocell provided by a macrocell base station. The method comprises: the femtocell base station operating at the carrier frequency band of the macrocell, detecting that a user terminal connected to the macrocell base station at an carrier frequency band of the macrocell is in or close to the femtocell, and the femtocell base station switching its carrier frequency band to one not allocated to the macrocell.
US09179369B2
A method of performing a handover in a wireless communication system employing a macro base station and a femto base station is provided. The method comprising: monitoring an uplink signal transmitted from a user equipment to the macro base station; transmitting a handover initiation message to the macro base station on the basis of a result of comparing the uplink signal's strength obtained by the monitoring with a reference value; and performing a handover of the user equipment from the macro base station to the femto base station. According to the present invention, there is provided a method of initiating a handover by a femto base station by fining user equipments located in a cell coverage of the femto base station. In addition, a signaling overhead is reduced by utilizing previously existing information such as uplink transmit power.
US09179366B2
A scheduler having improved throughput is disclosed, for scheduling packets or other data blocks for transmission from a plurality of transmission elements in timeslots in a communication system. The scheduler determines for the transmission elements respective channel capacities, and adjusts one or more of the channel capacities based on amounts of data available to transmit in the corresponding transmission elements. The scheduler then selects one or more of the transmission elements for scheduling in a given one of the timeslots based on the one or more adjusted channel capacities. The scheduler in an illustrative embodiment may be implemented in a network processor integrated circuit or other processing device of the communication system.
US09179364B2
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus is a UE. The UE transmits data packets. The UE determines to implement a flow control to reduce a transmission rate of the data packets. The UE determines whether the data packets include known or potential real-time data packets. The UE refrains from implementing the flow control to reduce the transmission rate of the known/potential real-time data packets when the data packets include known/potential real-time data packets.
US09179356B1
A method and system is provided by which packets received from or destined for devices served by a bidirectional signal transceiver such as a distributed antenna system (DAS) (or “headend”) by means of a connected Long-Term Evolution (LTE) eNodeB are serviced and routed locally rather than being placed arbitrarily on a Wide Area Network (WAN). The physical path length of the connections between the signal transceiver, eNodeB and primary router, and primary router and Evolved Packet Core (EPC), and primary router and secondary router is fundamental to the invention.
US09179349B2
The present invention provides a mobile terminal apparatus, a base station apparatus, and a communication control method, which allow control suitable for interference reduction in a layered network such as HetNet, and which support a next-generation mobile communication system. A mobile terminal apparatus has a receiving section (103) that receives radio frames of a pico cell, in which a protected subframe, the transmission of which by a macro cell is suppressed, and a non-protected subframe, the transmission of which by the macro cell is not suppressed, coexist, a measurement section (112) that measures reception quality from the reference signals multiplexed individually on the protected subframe and the non-protected subframe, and a transmission section (103) that notifies two types of reception quality information of the protected subframe and the non-protected subframe, measured in the measurement section (112), to a base station apparatus (20B).
US09179346B1
A computing device may obtain n values of a first performance indicator of a network and n values of a second performance indicator of the network. The ith value of the first performance indicator may be based on a measurement of the first performance indicator within an ith time period, and the ith value of the second performance indicator may be based on a measurement of the second performance indicator within the ith time period. A set of aggregate weighted rank values of the first and second performance indicators may be determined. A jth entry in the set of aggregate weighted rank values may be selected, and the jth value of the first performance indicator and the jth value of the second performance indicator may be used to provision the network.
US09179330B2
An access controller is coupled to a plurality of physical access points. The access controller is operable to create a plurality of virtual access controllers that are each coupled to the plurality of physical access points. The access controller then creates a different virtual access point for each of the plurality of virtual access controllers, and associates the virtual access point of each virtual access controller with each of the plurality of physical access points coupled to that virtual access controller. The access controller then provides a plurality of different wireless sub-networks through each of the plurality of physical access points, with each virtual access controller providing one of the different wireless sub-networks using the virtual access point associated with each of the plurality of physical access points coupled to that virtual access controller.
US09179326B2
The invention relates to an access node in a communications network that is adapted for providing an identifier for a relay node including receiver means arranged to receive a message from the relay node, the message requesting an establishment of an interface over a communication link, checking means arranged to check data fields included in the message received, generating means arranged to generate the identifier, and transmitting means arranged to transmit the generated identifier to the relay node over the interface connection of communication link.
US09179324B1
Methods and systems are provided for operation of densely-deployed low-cost Internet base stations (LCIBs). In an embodiment, an LCIB controller determines that a plurality of LCIBs are densely deployed. The LCIB controller then selects respective densely-deployed operational parameters for each respective LCIB in the plurality. After selecting the respective parameters, the LCIB controller configures each respective LCIB in the plurality to operate according to the respective densely-deployed operational parameters.
US09179321B2
Disclosed herein is an architecture for a Digital Capacity Centric Distributed Antenna System (DCC-DAS) that dynamically manages and distributes resources in different locations where there is demand for capacity. The DCC-DAS also allows for the routing of resources to other applications such as location finding devices, jamming devices, repeaters, etc.
US09179318B2
A method of handling mobility-related signalling in a communications system comprising a mobile node, a mobile router, and a peer node. The method comprises providing the mobile router with a delegation certificate that is cryptographically signed by or on behalf of the mobile node. At the mobile router, a mobility-related signalling exchange is initiated with the peer node on behalf of the mobile node, the mobile router providing to the peer node within this exchange, said delegation certificate or an identification of the certificate, and a sequence number associated with the certificate. At the peer node, the received sequence number is compared with a sequence number maintained by the peer node in respect of the delegation certificate, and the exchange authorized in dependence upon the result of the comparison.
US09179310B2
A mobile terminal is disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a touch panel and an input detection part, a display part, a determination part, and an execution part. The input detection part is configured to detect inputs to the touch panel. The display part is configured to display an object corresponding to a lock state in which predetermined processing based on inputs detected by the input detection part is not executed. The determination part is configured to determine whether or not a predetermined input to the object is detected by the input detection part. The execution part is configured to release the lock state and execute predetermined processing if the determination part determines that a predetermined input to the object is detected.
US09179308B2
A method comprising receiving information identifying a first Internet data service of two or more Internet data services accessible to a user of an end-user communications device via a wireless network; generating instructions based on the information, the instructions for causing the end-user communications device to generate a first measure of the first Internet data service and for causing the end-user communications device to report the first measure to a network-attached server, the first measure expressing data usage only for the first Internet data service of the two or more Internet data services; providing the instructions to the end-user communications device; and determining whether the first measure is consistent with a second measure of the first Internet data service, the second measure generated independently from generation by the end-user communications device of the first measure.
US09179304B2
Embodiments described herein may help to protect users' privacy when storing and/or utilizing location data that is provided by the users' mobile devices. An example method may involve: (a) determining a location history associated with a first client device, wherein the location history comprises a plurality of time-stamped location reports associated with the first client device, (b) before the location history is exported: (i) identifying at least one stop in the location history, wherein the at least one stop corresponds to a plurality of location reports that indicate a substantial lack of movement by the first client device, and (ii) scrubbing the location history in order to obscure at least one location report that corresponds to the at least one stop, and (c) exporting the scrubbed location history to long-term data storage.
US09179303B2
Devices, methods, and systems capable of an enabling transmission and receipt of secure and non-secure data are discussed in this document. According to some embodiments, a network apparatus can transmit ciphered and unciphered data. The network apparatus transmits a first signal indicating a cipher to be used and transmits a second signal indicating that non-secure data is to be transmitted and received unciphered. The network apparatus can cipher secure data and transmits ciphered-secure data and unciphered-non-secure data. A wireless terminal can receive the first and second signals, the ciphered secure data, and the unciphered non-secure data. The wireless terminal can deciphers the received secure data and does not decipher the received non-secure data. System embodiments can include both network-side and network terminal components. Embodiments of the present invention enable secure transmission of data in concert with efficient processing. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09179301B2
A method for protecting data contained in a security module of a telecommunication device equipped with a near-field communication router and with a microcontroller, wherein data relative to the routing between the security module and gates of the router assigned to near-field communications are transmitted over a channel accessible by the router only, or by a control signal which is not generated by the microcontroller for the router.
US09179297B2
Systems and methods are described to disable texting while driving a moving vehicle. The position and speed of a user's cell phone are compared with that of a registered master phone. If the position and speed track that of the master phone, it is assumed that the user is a passenger and not a driver, and texting is enabled for that user. Texting at speed is disabled for a master phone user who may be an ordinary citizen or may be a professional driver of a mass transit vehicle. The user of a master phone may utilize a different service provider than a passenger. Information parameter measurements such as for example one or more of cell phone position, velocity, and direction of travel, are time stamped and then passed between service providers and a third party.
US09179296B2
A short-range wireless network is established by direct communication between wireless devices and wireless access points. A wireless communication device provides initial registration information to a network and becomes a registered device. An API is downloaded to the wireless device to permit automatic authentication of the device for future communications. When a registered device enters a venue, at least one access point will automatically detect the wireless device and extract the necessary identification data to permit authentication of the device. Customized messages may be provided to the wireless device. If the wireless device enters a different venue, even in another city or state, the registration data may be automatically extracted by an AP and provided to a cloud network for authentication. Authenticated devices receive a list of authenticated vendors and unauthenticated vendors near the present location of the authenticated device.
US09179293B2
The invention relates, in particular, to a method for updating secure elements included in terminals of a telecommunication network. The terminals connect, for recurring updates and according to a first order, to a server of the network such that said server can transmit data thereto. In the context of a process for updating the secure elements, the method comprises transmitting messages requesting connection to the secure elements such that the latter connect to the server. According to the invention, the method comprises the prioritized transmission of the messages requesting connection to the secure elements in an order that is the reverse of the first order, in order to update, on a prioritized basis, the last secure elements that were updated by the recurrent updates from the start of the update process.
US09179290B2
Methods and apparatus for improving the reporting of mobility information are disclosed. An example method, suitable for implementation in a mobile terminal such as an LTE UE, begins with the detecting (410) of a transition from idle state to connected state. The mobile terminal subsequently transmits (420) mobility information to the network in response to or in connection with the transition. The mobility information sent to the network includes one or more of several information elements or information types, including a list of recently visited cells, including information specifying a time-of-stay in each cell, or timestamp information that can be used to derive the UE's time in each cell. GPS-based speed information or other generic speed information may be included. Complementary methods for implementation in a base station and corresponding apparatus are also disclosed.
US09179287B2
This disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for managing the memory of a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal includes a main system that operates with normal power, and a subsystem that operates with low power. The subsystem operates at least one feature of the mobile terminal while the main system is in a sleep mode. Binary data may be used to operate the at least one feature of the mobile terminal. When binary data is stored in memory operatively coupled to the main system, the binary data is retrieved and copied to memory operatively coupled to the subsystem, allowing the subsystem to operate the feature while the main system is in sleep mode.
US09179286B2
A method, system and device for registering with a Local Mobility Anchor (LMA) are disclosed. The method includes: receiving a message from at least one local device; selecting a new local device according to the message; and registering with the new local device. The present invention enables dynamic registration with the LMA based on the network. In the Proxy Mobile Internet Protocol (PMIP) domain, network sharing and load balancing are properly supported, the network is more reliable, and it is convenient for the operator to deploy the network massively.
US09179281B2
A method of managing notification message reception corresponding to natural disaster warning for a user equipment of a wireless communication system includes activating the notification message reception when a reception indication message indicating permission of the notification message reception is received from the network, receiving a system information broadcasted by the network, and stopping the notification message reception when the system information includes no resource configuration about notification message delivery controlled by the network.
US09179247B2
Systems and methods for communications systems and more particularly to systems and methods for locating a mobile communication device are disclosed. When attempting to locate a misplaced, lost or stolen mobile communication device, if the mobile communication device may be in the possession of another party, the mobile communication device may be remotely controlled such that remote operations are independent of the normal mobile communication device operations.
US09179246B2
A computer implemented method, data processing system or computer program product for activating mobile device activity is disclosed. A mobile device may receive an action association to a stance, wherein the stance comprises a sector of the mobile device relative to a base, wherein a user specifies an action associated to the stance. The mobile device can receive a signal that the mobile device is present in the sector. Further, the mobile device, responsive to receiving the signal, may perform the action.
US09179238B2
An application software for automatically adjusting environmental frequency response is installed in a communication device and provided for outputting a sine wave audio frequency to a stereo. The stereo receives and plays the sine wave audio frequency. A built-in microphone of the communication device receives the audio frequency outputted from the stereo. After obtaining an appropriate reference gain of 1 KHz, the application software outputs a sine wave audio frequency of 20 Hz˜20 KHz to the stereo and compares the gain value of the audio frequency outputted from the stereo with the reference gain value. The micro-controller of the stereo adjusts the gain of the current audio frequency to comply with the reference gain value, so that the stereo can have an output approaching/reaching an ideal frequency response curve.
US09179234B2
There is provided a process for assembly of a capacitor microphone. The capacitor microphone has a frame and a counterpart electrode. The counterpart electrode is positioned in the frame and held. Adhesive is applied so that the counterpart electrode is glued directly to the frame.
US09179230B2
A system for estimating the occlusion effect comprises a hearing aid adapted for being set up for operation in an occlusion measurement mode. The hearing aid comprises a first transducer (9) for transforming an acoustic sound level external to a hearing aid user's ear canal into a first electrical signal. The hearing aid comprises a second transducer (10) for transforming the acoustic sound level in the occluded ear canal into a second electrical signal. The system comprises a filter bank (21, 22) for splitting the first and the second digitized electrical signals into a first and a second band split digitized electrical signal, respectively and the estimated sound pressure must be a factor √{square root over (r)} larger than the estimated leakage when deciding if the estimated sound pressure in a given band can be applied in the calculation of the occlusion effect. The invention further provides a method for estimating the occlusion effect.
US09179228B2
Disclosed are various embodiments of systems, devices, components and methods for reducing feedback between a transducer and a microphone in a magnetic bone conduction hearing aid. Such systems, devices, components and methods include providing encapsulation compartments for the transducer and/or the microphone, and providing an acoustically-isolating housing for the microphone that is separate and apart from the main housing of the hearing aid.
US09179224B2
A hearing device comprises a feedback-path estimation unit, which adaptively estimates a feedback path from an output transducer to an input transducer, and sets an adaptation-step size of an adaptive feedback-path estimation algorithm in dependence on an estimate of a background-noise spectrum. The feedback-path estimation unit provides an estimation-control signal for generating an acoustic feedback-path estimation signal having an level spectrum, which has at least one first frequency band with non-zero level and at least one second frequency band with zero level or with a non-zero level smaller than the level in the first frequency band and smaller than a background-noise level in the respective second frequency band. Background noise is detected in the second frequency band while the feedback-path estimation signal is provided. The background-noise level in the at least one first frequency band is estimated for obtaining the estimate of the background-noise spectrum. A corresponding method is described. The method is e.g. useful for estimating a feedback path during fitting of a hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid, to a particular user's needs.
US09179222B2
A device includes a sound input element for receiving a sound signal and converting the sound signal into an electrical signal. The device also includes an actuator and a sound processor for processing the electrical signal to generate a stimulation signal. The sound processor is configured to apply frequency shifting on the stimulation signal to generate a frequency shifted stimulation signal and to apply the frequency shifted stimulation signal as an output from the device. The frequency shifting can be triggered by detecting that the stimulation signal is associated with frequencies above an output limit of the device for a recipient and/or the stimulation signal can be applied as vibration.
US09179220B2
Low frequency alarm tones emitted by life safety devices are more like to notify sleeping children and the elderly. Disclosed herein is a life safety device equipped with a novel, compact, quarter-wave, folded resonant cavity which significantly increases the low frequency (400-700 Hz square wave) acoustic efficiency of an audio output transducer when the folded resonant cavity is acoustically coupled to the transducer forming an audio output apparatus. The folded resonant cavity is comprised of undulating, annular, acoustic passages to significantly reduce the length of the resonant cavity, thereby permitting the audio output apparatus to fit within the housing of conventional size life safety devices such as, but not limited to, residential and commercial smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. Battery powered embodiments of the audio output apparatus comprising a folded resonant cavity passed audibility tests for low frequency alarm tones in smoke alarms specified by UL217.
US09179218B2
A mobile device for providing multi-channel sound collection and output using a common connector, and a driving method thereof are provided. A mobile device having a sound compressor and a sound decompressor includes a connector slidably receiving a sound collector plug or a sound output plug, a plug identification unit for, if one of the sound collector plug and the sound output plug is coupled to the connector, identifying if the plug coupled to the connector is the sound collector plug or is the sound output plug, a switching unit for electrically coupling the plug coupled to the connector, to the sound compressor, or electrically coupling the plug coupled to the connector, to the sound decompressor, and a controller for controlling switching of the switching unit according to the identification outcome.
US09179194B2
An exemplary method includes a computing device presenting a program guide interface by way of a touch screen, detecting a pinch gesture provided in relation to the program guide interface, and presenting, in response to the pinch gesture, a plurality of graphical objects representative of a plurality of media programming channel groups. Each graphical object in the plurality of graphical objects is configured to function as a user-selectable jump point to specific programming guide information associated with a respective media programming channel group in the plurality of media programming channel groups.
US09179192B1
A system and method for associating videos with geographic locations is disclosed. The system comprises a communication module, a location module, a tagging module and a database association module. The communication module receives a video uploaded by a content provider and a set of video data describing the video. The location module determines that the video describes a geographic location included in a geographic map based at least in part on the video data. The tagging module determines one or more travelling tags for the video based at least in part on the video data. The database association module associates the video and the one or more travelling tags with the geographic location so that the video with the one or more travelling tags is included in the geographic map.
US09179189B2
Methods and systems are provided for recording time offset for video recording devices and services including receiving a request to record a program, wherein the program is associated with show schedule information including a start time and a channel identifier, determining that the channel identifier is associated with at least one offset value, calculating an offset start time based at least in part on the start time and the offset value, and storing a scheduled record time for the program using the offset value.
US09179186B2
An information processing apparatus includes a managing unit that manages a scale calculated based on descriptions of an operation performed on a predetermined item and a series to which the item belongs in association with each other, a first extracting unit that extracts items belonging to the same series as top N series, obtained by sorting the scales, from among a plurality of items, a taste managing unit that manages taste of a user, a second extracting unit that calculates the degree of similarity between the taste managed by the taste managing unit and each item to extract items with higher degrees of similarity, and a recommending unit that recommends a predetermined number of items among the items extracted by the first extracting unit and the items extracted by the second extracting unit to the user.
US09179183B2
A method including receiving an input media stream and splitting a video portion of a received portion of the input media stream into input video chunks. For each input video chunk of the video portion of the input media stream, the method includes assigning the input video chunk to one or more slave transcoders, splitting the input video chunk into video subchunks, and separately feeding each input video subchunk to each of the one or more slave transcoders. The method includes separately receiving output video subchunks from the one or more slave transcoders. Each output video subchunk respectively corresponds to one of the input video subchunks. The method also includes assembling the output video subchunks into an output video chunk corresponding to the input video chunk and assembling the output video chunks into an output media stream.
US09179172B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an access device for implementing an IP broadband video service, the method is executed by an access device, includes: receiving a request for demanding a program from the user terminal; checking a right of a user corresponding to the user terminal; if the user has right to demand the program and is the first member joining the program group, sending the request to the multicast router and then sending the user terminal a multicast stream of the program received from the multicast router; if the user has right to demand the program and is not the first member joining the group, sending the multicast stream to the user terminal; the method further comprises: generating a record comprising program information and time information that indicates program join and leave activities and sending the record to a video service support system.
US09179165B2
In a video encoding control method of the present invention, each picture is encoded in units of encoding-order picture groups such as GOPs, and when CPB underflow has occurred, an encoding parameter such as a quantization parameter and filter strength of a pre-filter is changed in such a manner that a generated bit rate is reduced, and an encoding-order picture group that is being encoded is re-encoded from its first picture using the changed encoding parameter.
US09179163B2
An image processing device includes a decompression unit configured to decompress a compressed image signal, a gradation-dependent correction unit configured to perform gradation-dependent correction on the decompressed image signal, the gradation-dependent correction being a correction process in which the amount of correction varies among luminance gradations, and a compression error correction unit configured to perform compression error correction in which input luminance values are selectively offset, on the decompressed image signal which has yet to be subjected to the gradation-dependent correction.
US09179160B2
Systems and methods for error resilient transmission and for random access in video communication systems are provided. The video communication systems are based on single-layer, scalable video, or simulcast video coding with temporal scalability, which may be used in video communication systems. A set of video frames or pictures in a video signal transmission is designated for reliable or guaranteed delivery to receivers using secure or high reliability links, or by retransmission techniques. The reliably-delivered video frames are used as reference pictures for resynchronization of receivers with the transmitted video signal after error incidence and for random access.
US09179156B2
Video analytics may be used to assist video encoding by selectively encoding only portions of a frame and using, instead, previously encoded portions. Previously encoded portions may be used when succeeding frames have a level of motion less than a threshold. In such case, all or part of succeeding frames may not be encoded, increasing bandwidth and speed in some embodiments.
US09179150B2
A decoding method decodes a bit stream in an image decoding apparatus. The method includes receiving a weight parameter that is added to a luma quantization parameter as the bit stream. The method also includes decoding, in a decoding unit in the image decoding apparatus, the bit stream, and generating a luma component of quantized coefficients and a chroma component of quantized coefficients. Further, the method includes performing, in a dequantization unit in the image decoding apparatus, dequantization on the luma component of quantized coefficients using the luma quantization parameter and the chroma component of quantized coefficients using a chroma quantization parameter calculated on the basis of the luma quantization parameter weighted by an add operation of the weight parameter. In addition, the method includes performing, in a transform unit in the image decoding apparatus, an inverse orthogonal transform.
US09179148B2
A method comprising receiving a plurality of reference pixels, computing a plurality of filter coefficients based on differences between a reference pixel and neighboring reference pixels in the plurality of reference pixels, and combining the filter coefficients with the reference pixel and the neighboring reference pixels to generate a filtered value, wherein the filtered value is used for intra prediction.
US09179147B2
A method of encoding video data using soft decision quantization makes use of iterative encoding to provide the ability to optimize encoding across different functional elements in a hybrid video encoder. Iterative encoding is used to allow quantization step size, motion prediction and quantization levels to be optimized despite their interrelated nature.
US09179144B2
Techniques are presented herein for switching between a software decoder and a hardware decoder in a hybrid decoder. A video bit stream is received. The video bit stream is analyzed to determine whether or not the video bit stream can be decoded by the hardware decoder. When the video bit stream can be decoded by the hardware decoder, the video bit stream is routed to the hardware decoder and also stored in a first buffer. The video bit stream is decoded by the hardware decoder and when a reference frame is decoded, the reference frame is stored in a second buffer. When the video bit stream cannot be decoded by the hardware decoder, the video bit stream is routed to the software decoder for decoding. When an instantaneous decoder refresh (IDR) frame is decoded by the software decoder, the IDR frame is stored in the first buffer.
US09179142B2
An image processing apparatus including: at least one connector including at least one connection pin configured to be connected to an external device; an interface which interfaces transmission of signals to the connection pin through a first wiring formed between the interface and the connection pin; a switching unit which is switched on to transmit a signal through a second wiring which is formed differently from the first wiring to feedback the signal from the connection pin to the interface; a controller which controls the switching unit to allow the feedback of the signal through the second wiring to transmit a preset test signal from the interface to the first wiring at the time of inspecting a signal transmission state of the connection pin and the first wiring, and determines the signal transmission state based on a change of the test signal feedbacked to the interface through the second wiring.
US09179132B2
A depth signal generation apparatus includes a depth signal estimation unit, a depth signal histogram generator, and a depth signal level converter. The depth signal estimation unit estimates a depth signal for each pixel of a predetermined unit in a video image signal. The depth signal histogram generator divides a range of a depth signal level which the depth signal can have, into depth signal level regions each having a predetermined range size, determines which depth signal level region includes the depth signal for each pixel, counts the number of pixels included in each depth signal level region to generate depth signal histogram data according to the count value. The depth signal level converter generates a depth signal level conversion curve according to the depth signal histogram data and generates a depth signal after level conversion by executing depth signal level conversion according to the depth signal level conversion curve.
US09179119B2
In an embodiment, an image processing device includes: a first acquiring unit that acquires a plurality of parallax images having parallax between one another; a second acquiring unit that acquires identification information of a parallax image to be observed from a predetermined observing point position in each of a plurality of regions into which a display area on which three-dimensional image is configured to be displayed is divided, each of the regions including at least one element image, and the element image including each pixel in the plurality of parallax images; a corrector that corrects pixels at positions corresponding to the regions in the parallax images into pixels of parallax images identified by the identification information; and a first generator that generates the three-dimensional image from the parallax images resulting from the correction.
US09179114B2
This solid-state image sensor includes an array of photosensitive cells and an array of dispersive elements. The photosensitive cell array is comprised of a plurality of unit blocks 40, each including four photosensitive cells 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. A condensing element 4c is further arranged to cover the photosensitive cells 2a and 2b and condenses incoming light onto the photosensitive cells 2a and 2b.
US09179111B2
Disclosed is a system for generating and synchronizing video across multiple displays during a theatrical performance. In particular, the disclosure relates to individual handheld video monitors that can be arranged to create larger images or video. The system is adapted for use in theatrical performances during which performers manipulate and selectively arrange the monitors to produce differing visual effects. Each of the video monitors includes a computer and associated software for playing back still or video images. A control computer can wirelessly access each of the individual laptops to increase or decrease the rate at which the video or images appear. This allows all of the video monitors to be synchronized during the course of a performance.
US09179110B2
An image sensor may have an array of image sensor pixels arranged in unit pixel cells each having at least one modified clear image pixel. Each modified clear image pixel may include a modified clear color filter element formed from a transparent material such as an oxide material that is modified with a colored pigment or colored dye such as yellow pigment. Each unit pixel cell may include one or more color pixels of other colors such as red pixels, blue pixels, and green pixels. Image signals such as yellow image signals from the modified clear pixels may be processed along with other color image signals such as red image signals and blue image signals to generate standard red, green, and blue image data. Image processing operations may include chroma demosaicing or point filtering of the image signals from the modified clear image pixels.
US09179108B1
Doorbell systems can be configured to electrically couple to a doorbell power supply of a building. In some embodiments, the doorbell systems can include a doorbell with a button configurable to sound a chime. As well, doorbell systems can include a first wire that can electrically couple the doorbell to the power supply and a second wire that can electrically couple the doorbell to the chime. Doorbell systems can also include a third wire that can electrically couple the chime to the power supply to form a circuit comprising the first wire, the doorbell, the second wire, the chime, the third wire, and the power supply.
US09179095B2
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for a scalable videoconference system. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving a video stream from a party on a videoconference over a communication network. The method further provides transferring the video stream to a processing device of a plurality of processing devices located on one of a plurality of processing boards operatively coupled to each of one or more server processors. The method further provides processing the video stream to generate a processed video stream and transferring the processed video stream for distribution to other parties on the videoconference.
US09179093B2
A remote resource access interface apparatus is provided. A key input unit has keys for generating input key values. A communication unit transmits a connection establishment request message including screen resolution information to, and receives a connection establishment response message including supportable key information from, a portable device. The communication unit transmits input key information to and receives video information from the portable device after establishing the connection. A pixel information processing unit converts the video information to pixel signals for a video output unit to display as a visual image. A key advisor unit extracts supportable key information from the response message and outputs the supportable key information to the video output unit. The video information is video data adjusted in resolution based on the screen resolution information, and the input key value is mapped to one of key values indicated by the key information of the portable device.
US09179092B2
Provided is system and a method of producing a high definition video from a low definition video. According to one or more embodiments, the method performs a trajectory estimation and a matching operation only with respect to a feature region pixel of a previous frame of the low definition video, which is different from all pixels of the previous frame, thereby reducing an amount of computation to improve efficiency of a memory, producing the high definition video in real time, and producing a more accurate high definition video with respect to a feature region.
US09179091B2
A flash removal system identifies and removes flash lighting from a video. The flash removal system identifies flash-exposed frames in the video based on a time stamp of the frame, an average luminance of the frame, or a user input. The flash removal system generates a replacement frame for each identified flash-exposed frame based on at least one frame of the video. The flash removal system replaces the flash-exposed frames with the replacement frames, generating a modified video having reduced flash lighting.
US09179086B2
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for providing a framework for providing one or more applications to a user set top device. The method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises providing a minimized state wherein installed applications are displayed as one or more minimized widgets on an output device in communication with to the user device wherein the list of the installed applications comprises one or more indications of passively updated content associated with the installed applications. In response to the selection of a minimized widget command, a widget state is provided wherein a portion of the output device is allocated for the display of additional widget content in response to the selection of a minimized widget. In response to a remote control command, a full-screen state is provided wherein full-screen version of the minimized widget may be displayed. Finally, an installed application is displayed in a minimized, widget or full-screen state in response to a user action.
US09179081B2
Since the great number of elements constituting a unit pixel having an amplification function would hinder reduction of pixel size, unit pixel n,m arranged in a matrix form is comprised of a photodiode, a transfer switch for transferring charges stored in the photodiode, a floating diffusion for storing charges transferred by the transfer switch, a reset switch for resetting the floating diffusion, and an amplifying transistor for outputting a signal in accordance with the potential of the floating diffusion to a vertical signal line, and by affording vertical selection pulse φVn to the drain of the reset switch to control a reset potential thereof, pixels are selected in units of rows.
US09179061B1
Various approaches provide for detecting and recognizing text to enable a user to perform various functions or tasks. For example, a user could point a camera at an object with text, in order to capture an image of that object. The camera can be integrated with a portable computing device that is capable of taking the image and processing the image (or providing the image for processing) to recognize, identify, and/or isolate the text in order to send the image of the object as well as recognized text to an application, function, or system, such as an electronic marketplace.
US09179060B2
A method and apparatus for camera shake effect image stabilization determines a most favorable image sharpness metric out of image sharpness metrics from a plurality of images that were captured at a same lens position. A final image is selected based on the most favorable image sharpness metric.
US09179055B2
This application relates primarily to various apparatus and method for securing and protecting a camera module within a device housing. The securing and protecting elements are configured to take up minimal space within the device housing so that available space for the camera module is maximized. In some embodiments the securing elements can also include grounding features.
US09179054B2
In some implementations a mountable afocal adaptor for a camera includes an attachment plate affixed to the front of a camera housing of a camera and an afocal optical module. The afocal optical module is configured to convert a received optical image to a converted optical image for use by the camera. The afocal adaptor also includes a rotation mechanism with a rotation ring and a wave spring clamp, the rotation ring affixed to the attachment plate and the wave spring clamp affixed to the afocal optical module. The rotation ring and wave spring clamp are mounted relative to each other to rotate around a rotational axis aligned with an axis of an optical path formed between the afocal optical module and the attachment plate and aligned with a view axis of the camera. The rotation mechanism also permits rotation of the camera housing around the rotational axis relative to the afocal optical module.
US09179048B2
Disclosed herein is a camera module. The camera module includes a bobbin unit, a suspension unit and a drive unit. The bobbin unit includes a stationary part which is fixed in a base, and a movable part which is provided so as to be movable relative to the stationary part, with a lens installed in the movable part. The opposite ends of the suspension unit are respectively connected to the stationary part and the movable part. The suspension unit includes a link unit which rotates when the movable part moves relative to the stationary part. The drive unit moves the movable part relative to the stationary part.
US09179047B2
In one embodiment, the structure and motion of a stationary object are determined using two images and a linear velocity and linear acceleration of a camera. In another embodiment, the structure and motion of a stationary or moving object are determined using an image and linear and angular velocities of a camera.
US09179045B2
Methods and systems herein provide for color conversion. Such color conversion includes gamut mapping by determining a color gamut of an imaging device and receiving color data having color values external to the color gamut of the imaging device. The gamut mapping proceeds by determining a color region external to the color gamut and mapping the color values within the color region to the color gamut. Thereafter, the area of the color region is increased and the color values within the increased color region are mapped to the color gamut.
US09179037B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an image reading unit reading an image on a document at a predetermined image reading speed and generating image data; a memory including a first area temporarily storing the image data and a second area storing the image data read from the first area and subjected to processing; an image forming unit forming an image on a recording material based on the image data stored in the memory; a reducing unit that, in a case where an amount of the image data stored in the second area exceeds a predetermined amount, reduces an amount of the image data generated per unit time by the image reading unit; and an allocation unit that, in the case where the amount of the image data stored in the second area exceeds the predetermined amount, allocates a partial area contained in the first area to the second area.
US09179034B2
An information processing system includes first information processing devices, and a second information processing device. Each of the first information processing devices includes a request transmitter for transmitting a connection request to the second information processing device; a first storage unit for storing job information to be executed by an apparatus; a retrieval unit for transmitting a request for job information to the second information processing device and receiving the job information; and a first reply unit for transmitting the job information to the apparatus. The second information processing device includes a collection unit for collecting the job information from each of the first storage units of the first information processing devices other than a source of a retrieval request; and a second reply unit for transmitting the job information to the source of the retrieval request.
US09179027B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a recording medium; an inverting transport unit to invert first and second surfaces of the recording medium, and front and rear ends of the recording medium to transport the inverted recording medium; a recording medium width measuring unit to measure an end position of the recording medium in a width direction orthogonal to a transporting direction of the recording medium at a measuring position having an approximately identical distance from one end of the recording medium in the transporting direction before and after the image is formed on the recording medium; and a correcting unit to correct an image to be formed on a subsequent recording medium based on a change in a shape of the recording medium computed based on a measured result from the recording medium width measuring unit.
US09179026B2
The invention relates to a device for cancelling notes of value, comprising a transport unit for transport of the notes of value, and a printing unit having a print head for imprinting a printing area of a note of value located on a print side. Further, the device comprises a sorting gate for diverting notes of value between three transport paths, and a control unit for controlling the sorting gate. The device further comprises a sensor unit for determination of the orientation of a note of value, and an intermediate storage for intermediate storage of notes of value, wherein a second transport path connects the sorting gate with the intermediate storage, and a third transport path connects the sorting gate with the printing unit.
US09179013B2
Provided is an image reading apparatus including a reading member that reads a document on which an image is recorded, a calibration process section that performs a shading process to correct unevenness in brightness based on a result acquired in such a way that the reading member reads a preset color, and a heating control section that heats the reading member during a preset period when power is supplied from a state in which power is not supplied.
US09179008B2
A cellular traffic monitoring system includes: a traffic detection function (TDF) module to monitor cellular traffic associated with a cellular subscriber device, and to generate detection output which includes at least one of: a type of an application associated with the cellular traffic of the cellular subscriber device, and a type of the cellular traffic of the cellular subscriber device. The cellular traffic monitoring system further includes a policy charging and enforcement function (PCEF) module to enforce one or more charging rules to the cellular subscriber device, based on the detection output.
US09179000B2
A method for fault-tolerant recording of calls of a PBX, comprising concurrently receiving metadata of calls of a PBX by a plurality of computerized apparatuses, generating unique identifiers for each of the calls such the unique identifiers that are common between the plurality of the computerized apparatuses, activating a first computerized apparatus to control recordings of contents of the calls and assigning the recording with the unique identifiers respective to the calls, operating the computerized apparatuses to receive feedbacks of activities of the recordings, where the feedbacks comprise the assigned unique identifiers and in case of a failure of the first computerized apparatus, activating a second computerized apparatus to maintain the recordings that were controlled by the first computerized apparatus.
US09178996B2
A prank call server that performs 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system, prior to routing a 911 call to a PSAP. The inventive prank call server identifies prank calling devices, regardless of current service subscription, by retrieving and analyzing emergency call data pertaining to detected prank 911 calls. The prank call server assigns a unique global identifier to each 911 call detected on the 911 emergency call system. Unique global identifiers enable a PSAP to uniquely identify prank 911 calls that are identified thereon. A PSAP transmits a prank call signal and a relevant unique global identifier to the prank call server, for each prank 911 call that is detected. A prank call signal/unique global identifier combination triggers the prank call server to store all available call data for a referenced prank 911 call in to a prank call database, for subsequent prank call filtering analysis.
US09178984B1
A cellular phone and mobile device is configured with the ability to accept a signature. A user may write a signature on a touch sensitive display of a mobile device using touch or a pen. A user may be further authenticated by using voice or password. Software for recognizing a finger print could reside on a network server or on the hand held device. Handwriting recognition can be used for authentication. The signature may be viewed on a second mobile device in real time. The signature may be synchronized with a server or an Internet device. The system may allow for multiple parties to sign an electronic document using mobile devices and Internet servers.
US09178977B2
A communication terminal includes: a touch panel, which receives a contact operation and outputs position information representing the contact position, and which includes a first operation area configured to receive a position designating operation and a second operation area configured to receive a response operation to respond to an event occurring according to an execution of another function; a control unit, which determines whether the position information represents the first operation area or the second operation area, wherein, in a case where the position information represents the first operation area, the control unit outputs the received position information to the transmitting unit, and wherein, in a case where the position information represents the second operation area and the notification signal is received, the control unit controls to perform a process corresponding to a notification signal.
US09178961B2
A method and apparatus for providing a mobile video blog (vlog) service in a communication network are disclosed. For example, the method captures video content sourced from a mobile device used by a mobile user through a mobile vlog posting service portal, and provides a vlog viewing function accessible to a viewer through a vlog viewing service portal, wherein the vlog viewing function affords viewing of the video content and is provided in accordance with a user profile of the viewer, wherein the user profile comprises a viewing preference of the viewer.
US09178950B2
Systems and methods provide real-time communication between website operators and website visitors including monitoring, gathering, managing and sharing of information. The features include: simultaneous chatting with system's website visitor while responding/submitting tickets/emails and searching through company knowledge base; operator communicating message to another operator directly in active chat session, while message remains hidden to visitors/customers; displaying advertising messages to visitors/customers within chat window during active chat sessions; growing knowledge base by adding information into knowledge base during chat session; providing real-time access to system's website visitor information by seeing the content of visitor's shopping cart or by passing information from system's server into visitor's information located in operator's panel; creating and branding multiple chat windows and selectively linking all or some to the account; tagging and grouping each chat sessions; parent-child ticketing for project management; lead scoring; and mobile live chatting.
US09178947B2
A method to a method, system and apparatus for configuring a device for interaction with a server is provided. An intermediation infrastructure mediates registration traffic between any of a plurality of application servers hosting a server-side application and any of a plurality of computing devices executing a client-side application that corresponds to the server-side application. The intermediation infrastructure receives account registration information, including an account identifier and a server identifier, from an application server that is hosting an account. Any one of the computing devices can access the intermediation infrastructure using the account identifier and thereby determine the server identifier and thereafter direct communications with the application server can be effected.
US09178945B2
A system for remotely accessing diagnostic information from an access control module includes a host device. The host device is configured to interface with the access control module over a direct connection to retrieve diagnostic information from the access control module in response to a host query from the host device, and to interface with a network server over an Internet protocol (IP) network to provide the diagnostic information relating to the access control module to the network server in response to a server query to an IP network address of the host device. The access control module is non-addressable in the IP network.
US09178942B1
Systems and methods for automatically updating contact information in a native contacts application of a device are provided. A contact synchronization engine executing on one or more processors can store a first plurality of contacts received from a first agent running on a first device, store a second plurality of contacts received from a second agent on a second device, receive a change to one or more contact fields of a contact of a user of the second device, determine that the contact of the user of the second device is in the first export, and transmit, responsive to the determination, the change to the first agent.
US09178937B2
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for selected alert delivery in a distributed processing system are provided. Embodiments include receiving a plurality of events from one or more event producing components of the distributed processing system; creating, by an incident analyzer, in dependence upon the events a truth space representing events that make one or more conditional event processing rules true, the truth space including a set of truth points, each truth point including a set of events and a set of event locations; creating, by the incident analyzer, in dependence upon the truth space one or more alerts; and sending, by the incident analyzer, the alerts to at least one component of the distributed processing system.
US09178932B2
In one embodiment, a wireless mobile User Equipment (UE) device comprises a message generator configured to send a SIP request message via a first IP network and a processor configured to process a SIP response message received from a network node via the first IP network, the processor further configured to process instructions to provide a treatment for at least one message body content of the SIP response message based on a value of a content type indicator independent of at least one of an absence of a content disposition indicator, a content disposition indicator without a value and a content disposition indicator having a value. The treatment, applied by the UE device, may comprise one of: (i) performing an Emergency Services (ES) call effectuated via a CS network and (ii) performing a registration and an ES call effectuated via an IP network.
US09178930B2
A content receiver comprises: an acceptance unit for accepting a designation of a recording medium to which contents are to be output; a license information acquiring unit for acquiring output license information describing the output requirements of the contents; and an output unit for outputting the contents to the designated recording medium. The output license information includes usage time limit information indicating the time limit of using the contents in an output destination. The output unit acquires the usage time limit information from the output license information for the contents, and sets the acquired usage time limit information to a management information storing area in the designated recording medium, thereby managing the time period of using the contents in the recording medium even if the copyright protection of the recording medium, which is an export destination, has a function to manage the time period of using the contents.
US09178929B2
A client device downloads content from a content delivery network as segments encoded at respective bitrates selected from distinct encoding bitrates. Downloading is paced per a class of service having an associated abort timeout increasing with higher classes of service. Pacing includes downloading a segment encoded at a first bitrate and monitoring for the earlier of completing the downloading or aborting the downloading based on the abort timeout. Upon the downloading being aborted, a first backoff duration is calculated as a remainder of a playback interval and the first backoff duration is waited before downloading of the same segment is re-initiated at a second bitrate less than the first bitrate. Upon the downloading completing successfully, a second backoff duration is calculated and the second backoff duration is waited before downloading is initiated of a next segment encoded at either the first bitrate or at a greater third bitrate.
US09178927B2
This invention concerns the transmitting and receiving of digital media packets, such as audio and video channels and lighting instructions. The network (104) is comprised of at least a transmitter device (110) and a receiving device (112). The controllers (122) and (126) of these devices handle the exchanging of configuration messages between the devices (110) and (112). Using the invention, the user is not required to manually configure the processor to receive media packet streams. Instead, a controller (126) of a receiving device (112) operates to receive information on a user selection of media channels and automatically configure the processor of the transmitter device. Further, the receiving device (112) is able to receive media channels using both unicast and multicast protocols. Media channels can be given textual labels which are unique on the unique (104) and easily identify to the user the actual source of the media channel. Media channels of different formats to be sent on the same net work simultaneous. Further, redundant media channels are easily accommodated.
US09178921B2
An accessory device for a first portable audio unit, for sharing audio data between the first audio unit and a second portable audio unit, the accessory device including communication means linked to the audio input and arranged in such a way as to send the inherent audio stream originating from the portable audio unit to an accessory device linked to the second portable audio unit and to receive a third-party audio stream from said accessory device of the second portable audio unit, and mixing means arranged in such a way as to receive as input the inherent audio stream and the third-party audio stream, and to send as output, to the audio output, a mixed audio stream corresponding to a combination of the inherent audio stream and of the third-party audio stream.
US09178919B2
Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for collaboration conferencing with multiple participants over a communications network, and more specifically for a conferencing routing service for managing and routing collaboration participants. In one embodiment, the conferencing routing server is configured to respond to a failure in a conference bridge to allow for repair to the network and/or account for split conferences that may occur due to the bridge failure. In one embodiment, the CCRS may account for moving a conference bridge into an offline state by removing the conference bridge from consideration for hosting a collaboration conference.
US09178918B2
Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for collaboration conferencing with multiple participants over a communications network, and more specifically for a conferencing routing service for managing and routing collaboration participants. A collaboration conferencing routing server may provide configurability in routing a collaboration conference to a conference bridge based on any number of criteria and information about the requester and the communications network on which the conference occurs.
US09178914B2
A method and an apparatus for performing a distributed control of end-to-end media on packet networks such as Voice over Internet Protocol and Service over Internet Protocol networks are disclosed. The method first receives a request from a first media endpoint device for opening at least one media channel to a second media endpoint device wherein said request contains a descriptor of said first media endpoint device. The method then updates one or more slot states and link states in response to said request and records the current state of each slot for supporting said media channel. The method also records the most recently received descriptor of said media endpoint device as a most recent descriptor for said slot supporting said media channel. The method executes one or more link objects in response to said request for controlling said at least one media channel.
US09178905B1
A security device may receive information identifying a set of conditions for providing countermeasure code to a client device. The security device may receive information identifying an action to be performed when the countermeasure code is executed by the client device, and may determine the countermeasure code to be provided to the client device when the set of conditions is satisfied. The security device may receive a request from the client device, and may determine a response to the request. The response may include response code for serving content of a web page to the client device. The security device may determine that the set of conditions has been satisfied, and may insert the countermeasure code into the response code. The security device may provide the response code and the countermeasure code to the client device, and the countermeasure code may cause the client device to perform the action.
US09178903B1
Computer systems and methods in various embodiments are configured to test the security of a server computer by simulating a wide range of attacks from one or more bot-nets. In an embodiment, a computer system including a memory; a processor in a home geographic region coupled to the memory; a plurality of network cards in the home geographic region, coupled to the processor and the memory; wherein each network card in the plurality of network cards is configured to send one or more requests to a remote server computer through a geographic region, of a plurality of geographic regions, that is different than the home geographic region; wherein, for each network card of the plurality of network cards, the processor is configured to store a geo-mapping, which indicates the certain geographic region the network card is configured to send the one or more requests to the remote server computer through.
US09178895B2
A data communication authentication system (10) and method are described. One or more locator nodes (20) are installable at a location (30), the or each locator node (20) including an identifier (21) and a communication system (22) and being arranged to provide said identifier via said communication system (22). The communication authentication system (10) is arranged to generate an authentication code for the location (30) in dependence on identifiers (21) from the one or more locator nodes at the location and is arranged to provide said authentication code on demand for inclusion in a data communication originating locally to said location (30).
US09178891B2
This disclosure relates to remote control of dialysis machines. In certain aspects, a method includes receiving a request for a network connection from a dialysis machine and establishing the network connection with the dialysis machine. The method also includes receiving, from a client device, a request to access the dialysis machine, authorizing the client device to access the dialysis machine, receiving, from the dialysis machine, information pertaining to an operation of the dialysis machine, and providing, to the client device, the received information.
US09178889B2
Systems and methods are disclosed which may allow a user having a mobile device to automatically authenticate to a server using a device identifier associated with the mobile device. An access point may be configured to send the device identifier as well as additional identifying information to the server so that the device identifier can be accurately matched to the mobile device. Then, when the mobile device submits a credential during authentication, the device identifier and the credential may be matched such that the next time the server receives the device identifier from the access point, the mobile device may be automatically authenticated.
US09178887B2
A strategy is described for controlling access to a resource which is shared between a trusted environment and an untrusted environment. The resource can represent a clipboard module. The trusted environment can include trusted client functionality, while the untrusted environment can include potentially untrusted network-accessible entities (e.g., websites) which seek to access the clipboard module. The strategy provides a security presentation which notifies a user when a network-accessible entity is attempting to access the clipboard module, identifying the entity which is making the attempt, together with the nature of the information being read or added to the clipboard module. The security presentation invites the user to approve or deny the particular attempt (or all such attempts from the network-accessible entity), and/or clear the clipboard module. The security presentation does not block the user's interaction with other parts of a user interface presentation.
US09178885B1
Enforcing a policy is described. A mapping between an IP address of a device and a user identity is identified, at least in part by correlating event information. A policy is applied to the device based at least in part on the user identity. One example of an event is an access to a mail server, such as an access to a Microsoft Exchange server.
US09178875B2
A method for authenticating an OTP (one time password) and an instrument therefor, in which the method includes determining whether the OTP token is authenticated successfully, if the OTP token is not authenticated successfully, setting size of an authentication window to be a first predetermined time length and authenticating the obtained OTP according to the authentication window; if the OTP token is authenticated successfully, determining whether the interval between the authentication success time and the current system time is longer than a second predetermined time length, if yes, setting size of the authentication window to be a third predetermined time length and authenticating the obtained OTP according to the authentication window and the authentication success time, in which the third predetermined time length is shorter than the first predetermined time length; otherwise, setting size of the authentication window to be a fourth predetermined time length and authenticating the obtained OTP according to the authentication window and the authentication success time, in which the fourth time length is shorter than the third predetermined time length. The invention can ensure both the authentication success rate and the authentication security.
US09178873B2
Systems and methods for secure password entry are provided. When a user wishes to log in or otherwise authenticate as an authorized user of a system using a password, the system can provide an apparently random sequence of characters to the user. The user can select all of the characters in the sequence of characters that also appear in the user's password. The system can determine whether all of the selected characters are in the password and that all of the characters in the sequence of characters that are also in the password were selected. The user can select the characters in any order and the selected characters can include less than all of the characters in the password. In this way, the system can authenticate the user without the user entering their entire password, thereby increasing both the efficiency and the security of the password entry operation.
US09178872B2
The invention relates to a server system for providing at least one service. The system having an interface for connecting a server to a user's computer, an authentication device that is designed and provided for request personal identification data of a user who logs onto the server via the user computer and to permit the user computer access if authentication is successful, and a server protection system. The server protection system is designed and provides to compare additional user's computer specific identification data with identification data stored in advance on the server, after successful authentication by the authentication device, and to grant authorization to the user's computer to access the service or services depending on the comparison of the user's computer specific identification data. The invention also relates to a method for providing at least one service and the method for executing an application program.
US09178867B1
A computer-implemented method includes recording one or more actions being performed by an agent using at least one resource of a resource provider environment, the at least one resource being associated with a non-restricted zone in the resource provider environment. The method includes creating a primitive that describes the one or more actions. The primitive is able to be executed on at least one different resource in a restricted zone in the resource provider environment to perform the one or more actions using the different resource. The restricted zone includes resources associated with a customer that are directly accessible only to at least one authorized entity. The method includes submitting the primitive to the restricted zone in the resource provider environment. The primitive is able to be executed by the at least one authorized entity on the at least one different resource in the restricted zone.
US09178844B2
An approach for enabling delivery and presentment of service provider notification messages to a subscribed user via a social networking service of the user is described. An integration platform determines whether a network identifier for accessing a social networking service via a communication network is associated with subscriber account information maintained by the communication service provider. The integration platform also generates a request for linking a social networking identifier associated with the social networking service with the subscriber account information based on the determination. The integration platform further initiates a rendering of a notification message received from the communication service provider to a user interface of the social networking service based on acceptance of the request.
US09178842B2
The present inventions relate systems and methods for monitoring and managing electronic messages in one or more computer networks. More particularly, the systems and methods of the present invention provide a substantially global or unified approach to messaging management within one or more computer networks that allows network administrators or other authorized users to define and identify electronic messages of interest within the network and store selected messages such that they can be retrieved and examined in connection with an audit or other inquiry.
US09178833B2
A network control system for generating physical control plane data for managing first and second managed forwarding elements that implement forwarding operations associated with a first logical datapath set is described. The system includes a first controller instance for converting logical control plane data for the first logical datapath set to universal physical control plane (UPCP) data. The system further includes a second controller instance for converting UPCP data to customized physical control plane (CPCP) data for the first managed forwarding element but not the second managed forwarding element. The system further includes a third controller instance for receiving UPCP data generated by the first controller instance, identifying the second controller instance as the controller instance responsible for generating the CPCP data for the first managed forward element, and supplying the received UPCP data to the second controller instance.
US09178832B2
To prevent buffer overflow, a receiving entity may use credits to control the total amount of packets any single transmitting entity can forward. Once the assigned credits are spent, the transmitting entity cannot send data portions to the receiving entity until additional credits are provided. However, the logic in the receiving entity may be designed to manage a maximum number of credits that is less than the capacity of the buffer in the transmitting entity. For example, the receiving entity is designed to manage a maximum of eight credits but the buffer has room for twelve data portions. To use the buffer efficiently, the transmitting entity may identify when extra buffer storage is available and provide additional credits. In addition, the transmitting entity may control when the credits are provided such that the receiving entity is not allocated more credits that it was designed to manage.
US09178830B2
A method of and a network processor unit for processing of packets in a network, the network processor comprising: communication interface configured to receive and transmit packets; at least one processing means for processing packets or parts thereof; an embedded switch configured to switch packets between the communication interface and the processing means; and wherein the embedded switch is configured to analyze a received packet and to determine whether the packet should be dropped or not; if the packet should not be dropped, the switch is configured to store the received packet, to send a first part of the packet to the processing means for processing thereof, to receive the processed first part of the packet from the processing means, and to transmit the processed first part of the packet.
US09178829B2
A system is described for communication in a tactical network. A gateway is communicatively couplable to one or more tactical nodes and to one or more other gateways. The gateway is programmed to transmit information to and/or receive information from other gateways. Information exchanged includes gateway attributes, link attributes, service availability, and/or data availability. The gateway optionally provides quality of service, distributed persistence, load balancing, and/or transformation services. Services are provided in a modular, service-oriented architecture (SOA) to accommodate the addition of services and/or applications.
US09178828B2
An example method for service insertion in a network environment is provided in one example and includes configuring a service node by tagging one or more interface ports of a virtual switch function to which the service node is connected with one or more policy identifiers. When data traffic associated with a policy identifier is received on a virtual overlay path the virtual switch function may then terminate the virtual overlay path and direct raw data traffic to the interface port of the service node that is tagged to the policy identifier associated with the data traffic.
US09178827B2
Aspects of the invention are provided for rate control and management of service requests. A token bucket is employed in conjunction with a capacity sharing scheme to manage processing of service requests. Each token represents the capacity reserved for a particular source of requests. Excess tokens may be shed, with the excess tokens representing available excess capacity. Similarly, a projected time at which the service request(s) may be released may be computed in the event the bucket does not contain the required quantity of tokens to process the request.
US09178826B2
A method for scheduling communication traffic in an Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture based equipment and a corresponding apparatus are provided. In the method, communication traffic information of traffic processing means in the equipment is collected; based on the collected communication traffic information, a traffic distribution rule for the traffic processing means in next time period is generated; and based on the generated traffic distribution rule, incoming communication traffic of the equipment is scheduled. The method of the invention considers the quality of service and contracted capacity of the whole equipment and the dynamic processing capability and running environment of the traffic processing means, and can balance the loads of the respective traffic processing means in the equipment with asymmetric multi-application configuration well by adaptively adjusting the distribution of the communication traffic, to guarantee the quality of service of the whole equipment.
US09178824B2
Network traffic flow records received from a network probe are filtered and short traffic flows are selected so that the total number of short traffic flows is high but the number of bytes in the short traffic flows is negligible, followed by discarding of the short traffic flows. Traffic flow data is recorded in multiple sets of buckets of different granularity, optimized for the purpose of almost instant analysis and display as well as for longer term report generation. The traffic flow data is pre-processed and stored redundantly in parallel in multiple bucketized data base tables of different time window sizes. A corresponding method and system are provided.
US09178815B2
Methods, apparatus, and systems for implementing in Network Interface Controller (NIC) flow switching. Switching operations are effected via hardware-based forwarding mechanisms in apparatus such as NICs in a manner that does not employ use of computer system processor resources and is transparent to operating systems hosted by such computer systems. The forwarding mechanisms are configured to move or copy Media Access Control (MAC) frame data between receive (Rx) and transmit (Tx) queues associated with different NIC ports that may be on the same NIC or separate NICs. The hardware-based switching operations effect forwarding of MAC frames between NIC ports using memory operations, thus reducing external network traffic, internal interconnect traffic, and processor workload associated with packet processing.
US09178814B2
A technique for analyzing network packets includes receiving, by a network processor, a network packet having a packet header including address and control information. A set of bytes are extracted, using the network processor, from the packet header and a set of input bits for generating a hash code are derived, using the network processor, from the set of bytes. Finally, the hash code is generated using the input bits.
US09178808B2
The different switch modules making up a distributed virtual switch may route configuration commands for hardware resources to different modules within the distributed switch using a distribution and routing layer. At least one of the switch modules maintains a routing table that defines which switch modules are responsible for which hardware resources. The switch module uses the routing tables to forward the commands on the distribution and routing layer to the responsible switch module which then ensures that the relevant hardware resources are configured.
US09178800B1
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a port profile manager for receiving a port configuration policy and creating a port profile for the port configuration policy. The apparatus further includes a management interface for transmitting the port profile to a management station operable to receive input mapping the port profile to one or more interfaces associated with virtual machines. The port profile manager receives and stores the mapping input at the management station, for use in configuring the interfaces according to the port configuration policy. A method for policy based configuration of interfaces in a virtual machine environment is also disclosed.
US09178798B2
The techniques of this disclosure provide local protection for network traffic in multipoint label switched paths (LSPs) due to link or node failure using loop-free alternate (LFA) next hops. The techniques include establishing a vanilla or point-to-point (P2P) LSP with LFA next hops between routers of a multipoint LSP for use in the event of link or node failure in the multipoint LSP. Upon a failure, the multicast traffic is tunneled between the routers using the P2P LSP with LFA to an alternate next hop with an associated label stack. The techniques of this disclosure define the label stack as including a P2P LSP label as well as a multipoint LSP label. In this way, the P2P LSP with LFA may be used for fast reroute (FRR) of traffic in the multipoint LSP until a convergence process completes for a new multipoint branch of the multipoint LSP.
US09178797B2
In general, techniques are described for selectively invoking graceful restart procedures when a route reflector member of a redundant route cluster fails. In one example, a method is provided that includes determining, by a provider edge router that supports graceful restart procedures, that a first router forms a redundant group with at least a second router. The method also includes detecting a failure of the first router and determining that at least the second router in the redundant group is operating approximately while the first router is failed. The method further includes overriding graceful restart procedures with respect to the failed first router when at least the second router is operating. The method also includes forwarding one or more data packets according to route information provided via the second router.
US09178771B2
Examples disclosed herein relate to determining the type of a network tier. Examples include determining that a target network tier is a forwarding type network tier if a protocol of communications between the target network tier and a source network resource is the same as a protocol of communications between the target network tier and a backend network tier. Examples further include comparing select content of communications between the target and backend network tiers to select content of communications between the target network tier and the source networking resource, if the protocols are the same.
US09178770B2
A first computing device receives one or more messages, wherein the one or more messages includes information regarding one or more components, wherein each component is part of one or more systems and wherein each system includes one or more sub systems. The first computing device determines that a first system has changed based on the first computing device comparing the one or more messages to a hierarchical model, wherein the change to the first system includes a change associated with a first component of the first system. The first computing device determines a position of the first component within the first system and within one or more sub-systems of the first system based on the one or more messages. The first computing device updates the hierarchical model to include the first component in a hierarchical location that corresponds to the determined position of the first component.
US09178757B2
One embodiment describes a fault tolerant transmission system that includes a programmable logic device. The programmable logic device includes a first serial port communicatively coupled to a first serial link, in which the first serial port receives a first transmission signal from the first serial link, and a second serial port communicatively coupled to a second serial link, in which the second serial port receives a second transmission signal from the second serial link. The first serial link and the second serial link are disposed in parallel with each other and communicate over a first single conduit, and the first communication signal and the second communication signal are representative of identical information. The programmable logic device further includes circuitry that detects a fault in the first serial link, the second serial link, or both by comparing the first communication signal and the second, and if a fault is detected, determines whether the transmission system can continue operation despite the fault.
US09178754B2
A system and method for anomaly detection and presentation. The method of anomaly detection and presentation comprises receiving information for a plurality of traits from a plurality of servers. A first server has fewer of the plurality of traits than a second server. A first trait is on fewer of the plurality of servers than a second trait. The plurality of servers is rendered in a graphical display wherein the first server is positioned to one side of the second server based on respective numbers of traits had by the first and second servers. The first trait is rendered in the graphical display to one side of the second trait based on respective numbers of systems having the first and second traits. A table may be displayed in a cell in response to a user request. Anomalous traits may be displayed in an anomaly table.
US09178753B2
Disclosed are systems, apparatus, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing access to an online social network. The online social network can be specific to an organization having one or more internal users. In some implementations, a request message is received from a requesting user to access social network data of the online social network. The requesting user is identified as an external user of the organization, and it is determined that the requesting user has an authorized status. Access to only a portion of the social network data is provided to the authorized requesting user.
US09178746B2
A browser-based fetch of an external library may include a browser receiving a request from a web application to load an external library and determining whether the web browser has a bundled version of the library. If the bundled version exists, the browser may load the bundled version. If the bundled version does not exist, the browser may fetch the external library. When the external library is configured to send data to the remote server the method may include the browser intercepting a request to send the data to the remote server, determining that the data may be sent at a later time, and storing the data until a connection with the remote server is established. Additionally, a web store may inspect a web application for use of an external library and prevent the web application from being added to the web store when the external library is not trusted.
US09178738B2
A receiver is operated so as to receive data conveyed on an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) signal transmitted on a plurality of sub-carriers. Such operation includes ascertaining which of the plurality of sub-carriers have a channel quality that satisfies one or more criteria. Then, sub-carriers are selected based at least in part on whether they have the channel quality that satisfies one or more criteria. The receiver then fully processes data streams only from the selected sub-carriers, wherein fully processing data streams comprises sub-carrier channel estimation or sub-carrier equalization or both sub-carrier channel estimation and sub-carrier equalization.
US09178730B2
A clock distribution module for a digital synchronous system is described. The clock distribution module comprising a first node arranged to comprise a clock signal comprising a propagation delay relative to a reference clock signal, at least one further node arranged to comprise a clock signal comprising a propagation delay relative to the reference clock signal corresponding to that of the first node, and a clock configuration module. The clock configuration module is arranged to receive at least one indication of clock skew between the first node and at least one further node of the clock distribution module, and to selectively couple the first node to the at least one further node based at least partly on the at least one indication of clock skew there between.
US09178727B2
A filter bank receiver (FBMC) effecting a carrier frequency offset compensation in the frequency domain. The receiver comprises an FFT module extended by the overlap factor (610), a module (630) offsetting a predetermined number of subcarriers at the output of the FFT followed by a filter for reducing interference between subcarriers (640), the number of subcarriers and the coefficients of the interference reduction filter being determined from an estimation () of the frequency offset. The vector of samples thus obtained is then the subject of channel equalisation (650) before being filtered by a battery of analysis filters and spectrally de-spread (660). Finally, after spectral de-spreading, the vector of samples is demodulated by an OQAM demodulation (670) so as to recover the transmitted data.
US09178725B2
Systems, apparatus, modules, and methods of communicating with memory devices utilizing multi-band communication containing a baseband and one or more amplitude shift keyed (ASK) RF channels over each differential pair of off-chip transmission lines. Configurations are described for interfacing between microprocessors, or controllers and memory devices or modules, and within a DIMM and its DRAM devices, and between multiple DIMM memory modules.
US09178721B2
According to one embodiment, a method comprises evaluating messages between nodes of a distributed computing environment. Based on timing relationships of the messages, probability of causal links between pairs of messages determined. Based on the determined probability, at least one causal path comprising a plurality of causal links is inferred. Further, an overall probability that the inferred causal path is accurate is determined. In certain embodiments, the overall probability is output for the corresponding causal path to provide an indication of the confidence of the accuracy of such inferred causal path.
US09178718B2
The present invention provides a method for dealing with a PS domain service and realizing a PS domain service request for a mobile terminal and the mobile terminal. The method comprises: identifying, by the mobile terminal, a type of a PS domain signaling process that is used for realizing a PS domain service; when the type of the PS domain signaling process belongs to a first type, acquiring a result of the PS domain signaling process corresponding to the PS domain signaling process; and when it is judged that the result is network refusal and the reason for refusal is Reason #7 (GPRS service not allowed), judging that a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) on which the mobile terminal currently resides is not a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) and adding the PLMN into a list of forbidden PLMNs for GPRS service. According to the above technical solution, it is able to provide a GPRS service on a HPLMN or other PLMNs, thereby to provide a user with a PS domain service with the biggest possibility.
US09178712B2
Various embodiments for remote presentation of an interface of a computing device, such as a PC, are described herein. In particular, in various illustrated embodiments, a local device such as a Digital Media Adapter (DMA), mobile device, cellular telephone, etc. may be used to receive input from a remote control, where the local device provides human perceptible feedback, such as a sound, visual response, etc., responsive to use of the remote control. In some embodiments, the local device may contain a memory or cache for locally storing particular feedback data for human perceptible feedback. In various embodiments, a communication protocol is provided for storing, triggering, deleting, etc. feedback data in the memory or cache. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.
US09178703B2
A computer program product is provided and includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and on which instructions are stored for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes validating parameters passed to a parameter database, computing a length required for control vector CV data, preparing an optional block in accordance with a result of the computation, converting the CV to a format for a standardized key block while copying the converted CV into the optional block and updating optional block data in the standardized key block.
US09178700B2
Provided an information processing apparatus including a message generation unit that generates a message based on a pair of multi-order multivariate polynomials F=(f1, . . . , fm) and a vector s that is an element of a set Kn, a message supply unit that supplies the message to a verifier storing the pair of multi-order multivariate polynomials F and vectors y=(y1, . . . , ym)=(f1(s), . . . , fm(s)), an intermediate information generation unit that generates third information based on first information randomly selected by the verifier and second information obtained at a time of generation of the message, an intermediate information supply unit that supplies the third information to the verifier, and a response supply unit that supplies the verifier with response information corresponding to a verification pattern which the verifier selects from among k (where k≧2) verification patterns.
US09178694B2
Techniques described herein generally relate to methods, data processing devices and computer readable media to ensure that data stored in a remote backing storage device are in encrypted form before that data is transferred to another device or over a network. In some examples, the methods, data processing devices and computer readable media may be arranged to encrypt the data passed to the network when the data stored in the backing storage device is in unencrypted form. Also disclosed are methods, data processing devices and computer readable media that identify when the data stored in the backing storage device is in unencrypted form, including methods that may detect that the data may appear to be in encrypted form as a result of the data being compressed.
US09178688B2
A receiver is equipped with an adaptive phase-offset controller and associated timing-calibration circuitry that together shift the timing for a data sampler and a digital equalizer. The sample and equalizer timing is shifted to a position with less residual inter-symbol interference (ISI) energy relative to the current symbol. The shifted position may be calculated using a measure of signal quality, such as a receiver bit-error rate or a comparison of filter-tap values, to optimize the timing of data recovery.
US09178687B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit for a radio communication terminal sequentially uses a plurality of frequency channels by instructions from a hopping frequency decision unit to receive packet data by a reception unit. When the integrated circuit cannot detect the head of the packet data in reception operations, the integrated circuit cannot receive packet data should be received originally then assumes that the received packet data is a packet error. And the integrated circuit calculates packet error rates for each frequency channel on the basis of the number of times of reception operations performed for each frequency channel and of the number of times of packet errors to estimate channel qualities by using the packet error rates.
US09178671B2
A User Equipment (UE), a method for determining a resource, a method for reporting a resource, and a system for distributing a resource are provided. The method for determining a resource includes: if transmission data on the carrier reaches maximum transmission data supported in a scope allowed by Service Grant (SG), and a transmission power of the UE is capable of improving a data transmission rate of the carrier, and the carrier and the other one carrier of the dual carriers are incapable of completing transmitting total buffer status data in the same delay period, determining that a resource distributed to a UE on one carrier of dual carriers of the UE is insufficient; otherwise, determining that the resource distributed for the UE on the carrier is sufficient. Therefore, a solution for reporting the resource of the dual carriers is provided, so as to improve a network performance.
US09178669B2
A wireless communication device configured for providing carrier aggregation is described. The wireless communication device includes at least one antenna configured to receive a plurality of wireless signals. The wireless communication device also includes a first transceiver. The first transceiver includes a first downconverting circuitry. The wireless communication device further includes a second transceiver. The second transceiver includes a second downconverting circuitry. The wireless communication device also includes an inter-transceiver connection that routes a first signal from a low noise amplifier on the first transceiver to the second downconverting circuitry of the second transceiver.
US09178668B2
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for detecting improper connection near the end of an xDSL loop based on separately analyzing the location and levels of time domain signals associated with different transmission bands in an xDSL band plan. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed to separately convert the received test signal data to different sets of time domain data corresponding to different sets of the separate frequency bands, and then to separately analyze the different sets of time domain data to identify an improper connection near the modem.
US09178667B2
A method of improving a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) resource release process for a medium access control (MAC) layer of a user equipment in a wireless communication system includes deactivating allocated SPS resources when receiving an SPS resource release command and transmitting a MAC control element including an SPS resource release confirmation for confirming SPS resource deactivation.
US09178663B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus in which a base station transmits a physical ARQ channel (PHICH) in a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting a PHICH, wherein the method comprises the following steps: generating a plurality of hybrid of ARQ (HARQ) indicators: channel-coding the plurality of HARQ indicators into a single HARQ codeword; and transmitting the HARQ codeword via the PHICH, wherein the value of a portion of the HARQ codeword indicates individual value of each of HARQ indicators, and the value of the rest of the HARQ codeword indicators a value of joint operation of the plurality of HARQ indicators.
US09178661B2
A method, a system and network nodes use an indication of possible duplicates of units, so that these units can be handled differently than other units. The unit is indicated to be a possible duplicate to the entity to which it is resent because no response was received from the entity it was sent to.
US09178656B2
A method and system are described for applying MLD detection to SC-FDMA data streams. Embodiments obtain initial estimates of at least some symbols encoded within an SC-FDMA data input using a non-MLD algorithm, and then use the initial estimates to reduce the search space and the MLD complexity. In addition, the reduced complexity MLD (“RC-MLD”) is applied only to a limited search window within the digital communication input, thereby modeling only a subset of the symbols included in the digital communication input. The MLD complexity is thereby reduced sufficiently for an RC-MLD decoder to simultaneously model and extract a plurality of the symbols included in the data input. Symbols initially decoded by the non-MLD algorithm can be subtracted from the data input in a serial interference cancelling module. This cancellation can be applied successively in a turbo-loop.
US09178645B2
A wavelength path reallocation method in a path reallocation apparatus for reallocating a wavelength path set in a communication network, including: a wavelength path designing step in which a wavelength path designing unit designs a reallocation destination wavelength path by performing calculation such that the number of use frequency regions in the communication network becomes smaller than a corresponding value before reallocation; and a wavelength path setting step in which a wavelength path setting unit changes a reallocation target wavelength path to the reallocation destination wavelength path by using free wavelength.
US09178630B2
A receiving circuit includes: an interpolation circuit that generates, by using an interpolation coefficient, output data including a data point and a boundary point from pieces of input data that are input in chronological order; a detection circuit that outputs a detection signal when the detection circuit detects a phase of the output data by using the boundary point of the output data; a low pass filter that filters the detection signal and generates the interpolation coefficient; and a modulation circuit that modulates, by using a modulation signal having a frequency different from a cutoff frequency of the low pass filter, the interpolation coefficient generated by the low pass filter, and outputs the modulated interpolation coefficient to the interpolation circuit.
US09178627B2
A method and apparatus for measuring a complex gain of a transmit path are disclosed. During a test mode, an IQ to radio frequency modulator modulates a quadrature RF carrier signal using a quadrature test signal. An RF to IQ down-converter down-converts a down-converter RF input signal to provide a quadrature down-converter output signal using the quadrature RF carrier signal. The down-converter RF input signal is based on the quadrature test signal and the gain of the transmit path. A digital frequency converter frequency converts the quadrature down-converter output signal, providing an averaged frequency converter output signal, which is a quadrature direct current signal representative of an amplitude of the quadrature test signal and the gain of the transmit path. Therefore, a measured gain of the transmit path is based on the amplitude of the quadrature test signal and averaged frequency converter output signal.
US09178626B2
A signal processing method is disclosed. The method includes identifying a preferred loss profile for a plurality of signal transmission channels and generating a filter transfer function corresponding to each of the plurality of signal transmission channels, where each filter transfer function is configured to produce a filtered signal with a loss profile approximately equal to the preferred loss profile. The method further includes generating a plurality of filtered signals by filtering a plurality of signals using the filter transfer function corresponding to each of the plurality of signal transmission channels. and transmitting the plurality of filtered signals to a plurality of receivers via the plurality of signal transmission channels.
US09178625B1
A timing recovery system generates a sampling clock to synchronize sampling of a receiver to a symbol rate of an incoming signal. The input signal is received over an optical communication channel. The receiver generates a timing matrix representing coefficients of a timing tone detected in the input signal. The timing tone representing frequency and phase of a symbol clock of the input signal and has a non-zero timing tone energy. The receiver computes a rotation control signal based on the timing matrix that represents an amount of accumulated phase shift in the input signal relative to the sampling clock. A numerically controlled oscillator is controlled to adjust at least one of the phase and frequency of the sampling clock based on the rotation control signal.
