US09403081B2
Embodiments are provided of skateboard decks and skateboard assemblies each having a unitary body of extruded aluminum, the body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge. Each embodiment can have a handle portion formed in the unitary body and configured to receive one or more fingers, the handle portion positioned proximate one of the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge. Each of the embodiments disclosed herein can also comprise a first truck rail and a second truck rail extruded with the unitary body on the bottom surface, the first truck rail and the second truck rail running along at least a portion of a length of the unitary body and forming a track configured to movably receive a plurality of truck assemblies.
US09403080B2
A sport helmet having an outer shell, an inner padding for covering at least partially the wearer's head, an occipital inner pad for facing the occipital region of the wearer's head, a rear support having an upper part hingedly mounted to the helmet and a lower part mounted to the occipital inner pad, and a biasing member having a portion abutting the rear inner surface of the outer shell such that the rear support and occipital inner pad are movable between a first position wherein the rear support is biased to extend inwardly from the rear inner surface, and a second position when the wearer puts on the sport helmet to cause the rear support and occipital inner pad to be deflected towards the rear inner surface while the rear support and occipital inner pad maintain pressure on the occipital region of the wearer's head.
US09403071B2
A golf club head includes a club face and a body. The club face is formed from a metallic material and includes a first, hitting surface, a second, rear surface that is opposite the first surface, and a flange that is separated from the second surface by a transverse distance. The body is formed from a polymeric material and includes a crown, a sole, a hosel, and a face support. The club face and the body cooperate to define a closed volume, and the face support extends to opposing sides of the flange and is operative to couple the club face to the body.
US09403070B2
Golf club heads with trench features are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.
US09403069B2
A ball striking device has a face with a striking surface and a body extending rearwardly from the outer periphery of the face. A channel extends across at least a portion of the sole, and includes a trough defined between front and rear edges and extending in a heel-toe direction. The device further has internal interconnection structure for connection of a shaft to the head. The device may have a hosel connected to the body proximate the heel, with the hosel having the internal interconnection structure adapted for connection of the shaft to the hosel. A bore or access opening may be provided that intersects the channel, to access the interconnecting structure. The device may further include one or more stiffening ribs on the sole.
US09403065B2
A club 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 6 and a grip 8. A club length L1is equal to or greater than 43 inches and equal to or less than 48 inches. A frequency of the club is equal to or greater than 240 (cpm) and equal to or less than 290 (cpm). A club inertia moment Ix is equal to or greater than 6.90×103 (kg·cm2) and equal to or less than 7.50×103 (kg·cm2). A ratio Iss/Ix is equal to or greater than 0.085 and equal to or less than 0.115. The inertia moment Ix is a club inertia moment about a swing axis Zx. The moment Iss is a shaft inertia moment about the swing axis Zx.
US09403062B2
A golf ball has, on a surface thereof, a rugged pattern composed of a land and a large number of dimples. A method for designing the rugged pattern includes the steps of: (1) assuming a large number of circles on a surface of a phantom sphere; (2) assuming a large number of generating points 16 based on positions of the large number of circles; (3) assuming a large number of Voronoi regions 18 on the surface of the phantom sphere by a Voronoi tessellation based on the large number of generating points 16; and (4) assigning a dimple and a land to the surface of the phantom sphere based on contours of the large number of Voronoi regions 18.
US09403055B2
Exercise device (1) comprising an exercise ball (10) and a cover (20) for housing and completely surrounding this ball (10); the cover being designed to couple, in use, in a substantially form-fitting manner to the outer surface of the shell (11) of the exercise ball (10) and being provided with a respective closing device (25) that can be selectively opened to allow the exercise ball (10) to be inserted into and extracted from the cover.
US09403041B2
The invention provides a cosmetic method for, preventing, minimizing and removing wrinkles and providing for smoother and more robust skin surfaces comprising applying a material incorporating water-insoluble copper compounds which release Cu+ ions, Cu++ ions or combinations thereof upon contact with a fluid to a body surface to be treated.
US09403036B2
When an energy of a particle beam to be emitted from an accelerator is set for every slice group including two or more adjacent slices and an attenuation amount is set for each slice in the slice group, the energy to be emitted from the accelerator is set, for every slice group, higher than an energy corresponding to the slice at a deepest location in that slice group so that a transmissive plate has a predetermined thickness for the slice at the deepest location; and, with respect to a thickness of the transmissive plate to be set for every slice group, the thickness set for the slice group at a deep location is larger than or equal to the thickness set for the slice group at a shallow location, and the thickness set for the slice group at a deepest location is thicker than the thickness set for the slice group at a shallowest location.
US09403035B2
The present invention relates to a method for positioning an arrangement of at least one beam position relative to a patient's body when the patient is placed for treatment by means of a treatment device which can emit treatment radiation, wherein the at least one beam position describes at least one position of at least one treatment beam, wherein the arrangement is referred to as the treatment arrangement and the treatment beam comprises the treatment radiation, wherein the method is executed by a computer and comprises the following steps: providing treatment beam absorption data which describe the absorption properties of the at least part of the body with respect to absorbing the treatment radiation, and the relative position between the at least part of the body and the treatment arrangement; providing treatment beam data which describe radiation properties of the at least one treatment beam; providing condition data which describe a condition for treating the at least part of the body; determining an optimum relative position between the treatment arrangement and the at least part of the body on the basis of the condition data, the treatment beam data and the treatment beam absorption data.
US09403034B2
A method for time-resolved tomosynthesis imaging for a moving object includes moving an imaging device having an x-ray source and an x-ray detector around the moving object and recording raw image data for a temporal series of tomosynthesis images. The method also includes reconstructing the temporal series of tomosynthesis images from the raw image data. While the imaging device is being moved, a motion speed of the imaging device is matched to a speed, at which the moving object is moving.
US09403032B2
Dosing regimens, methods of treatment, controlled release formulations, and combination therapies that include an HDAC inhibitor, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, are described.
US09403031B2
Techniques disclosed herein include systems and methods for treating spinal cord injury. Techniques include using a diode laser assembly, a power source, a fiber optic cable, and a fenestrated tip. The power source can be connected to the diode laser assembly, with a fiber optic cable connected to the diode laser assembly. The fenestrated tip is connected to the fiber optic cable to emit a plurality of laser light beams produced by the diode laser assembly at a location remote from the diode laser assembly. The apparatus can be used in a method for treating a spinal cord injury. The method is carried out by providing a source of laser light having a wavelength in the range of 500-1000 nm and a power in the range of 5 to 500 milliwatts. The laser light is transmitted through an optical wire to a position adjacent a spinal cord injury site, with at least a portion of the apparatus positioned within a human body. The spinal cord injury site is then irradiated with laser light from the optical wire.
US09403019B2
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) delivered to a heart of a patient may be adjusted based on detection of a surrogate indication of the intrinsic atrioventricular conduction of the heart. In some examples, the surrogate indication is determined to be a sense event of the first depolarizing ventricle of the heart within a predetermined period of time following the delivery of a fusion pacing stimulus to the later depolarizing ventricle. In some examples, the CRT is switched from a fusion pacing configuration to a biventricular pacing configuration if the surrogate indication is not detected, and the CRT is maintained in a fusion pacing configuration if the surrogate indication is detected.
US09403017B2
A system and method for managing preload reserve and tracking the inotropic state of a patient's heart. The S1 heart sound is measured as a proxy for direct measurement of stroke volume. The S3 heart sound may be measured as a proxy for direct measurement of preload level. The S1-S3 pair yield a point on a Frank Starling type of curve, and reveal information regarding the patient's ventricular operating point and inotropic state. As an alternative, or in addition to, measurement of the S3 heart sound, the S4 heart sound may be measured or a direct pressure measurement may be made for the sake of determining the patient's preload level. The aforementioned measurements may be made by a cardiac rhythm management device, such as a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator.
US09403014B2
A method of blocking signal transmission through a nerve with reduced onset activity includes applying an HFAC to an axon of a nerve to block the transmission of signals through the axon. The method may also include applying a direct current (DC) to the axon, increasing the amplitude of the DC over time to a predetermined amplitude, applying the HFAC, and then decreasing the DC. The method may also include temporarily reducing the amplitude of the HFAC to permit the transmission of signals through the axon and subsequently increasing the amplitude to block transmission without triggering an onset response. The method may also include temporarily applying an unbalanced charge to the nerve and then balancing the charge over time.
US09403004B2
Methods, systems, and devices for receiving a data signal and a power signal by a hearing prosthesis are disclosed. An input signal is received at a first unit of a hearing prosthesis. The first unit receives the input signal at a wired interface module that conforms to a standardized interface. The first unit identifies a data signal and a power signal included in the input signal. The first unit transfers at least a portion of the power signal to a second unit of the hearing prosthesis. The second unit is implanted in a body and is configured to stimulate an auditory organ, allowing a user to perceive at least a portion of a sound.
US09403000B2
A monitoring system has biomechanical sensors, physiological sensors and a controller which receive sensory inputs from the sensors to provide output signals for the output device, and it detects from the sensory inputs risk of a syncopal event The bio-mechanical sensors include sensors arranged to allow the processor to detect a user postures and posture transitions. The processor operates a finite state machine, in which there is a state corresponding to each of a plurality of user physical postures and to each of a plurality of transitions between said postures, and the processor determines a relevant state depending on the sensory inputs. A device output may be muscle stimulation to prevent syncope, and there are stimulation permissions associated with the finite state machine states.
US09402976B2
An embodiment of an elongate medical device may comprise a shaft body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and three or more deflection wire assemblies, each deflection wire assembly comprising a flat wire coupled to the distal end portion and configured to deflect the distal end portion. Each flat wire may have a respective length defining a respective deflection radius, wherein each deflection radius is different.
US09402968B2
The colorectal delivery device provides a device for rectal delivery of therapeutic compositions to the colon of a patient. The composition may be a foam application in some embodiments. The device allows medical personnel to add therapeutic drugs to the pressurized canister immediately prior to administration to the patient.
US09402967B1
The tamper evident cap assembly is structured for protective connection to a syringe of the type having a nozzle and a discharge port, wherein the cap assembly includes a body configured to receive and restrict access to the nozzle. A flow restricting member is connected to the body in flow restricting relation to the discharge port of the nozzle. An attachment assembly interconnects the body and the flow restricting member and is structured to facilitate detachment of the body from the flow restricting member upon the body being removed from the syringe. A connecting assembly is mounted on the flow restricting member and is structured to be connected to a syringe nozzle by a linearly directed, snap-fit, “push-on” action, and to be disconnected therefrom by a “rotate-off” action.
US09402964B2
A shieldable needle device includes a hub with and a needle cannula having a puncture tip extending from a forward end thereof, and a shield member in telescoping association with the hub. At least one of the hub and the shield member are adapted for relative axial movement with respect to the other between a first position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is exposed from a forward end of the shield member and a second position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is encompassed within the shield member. A drive member extends between the hub and the shield member, biasing the hub and the shield member axially away from each other. A packaging cover may further extend about the needle cannula, applying external pressure between the cooperating portions of the hub and the shield.
US09402958B2
The present disclosure concerns an indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, particularly for insulin or other liquid preparations, particularly for multiple injection administration of set doses of a medicine from an exchangeable container, for example for the self-application of insulin by diabetes patients. An indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, having an assembly of at least two barrels movably coupled to each other has an indication barrel mounted on the driving barrel contains only marking on its external surface and is co-axially connected to the pull-push control nut.
US09402950B2
A fluid delivery device comprising a fluid reservoir; a transcutaneous access tool fluidly coupled to the fluid reservoir; and a drive mechanism for driving fluid from the reservoir, the drive mechanism comprising a plunger received in the reservoir; a leadscrew extending from the plunger; a nut threadably engaged with the leadscrew; a drive wheel; and a clutch mechanism coupled to the drive wheel, wherein the clutch mechanism is configured to allow the nut to pass through when disengaged and is configured to grip the nut when engaged such that the drive wheel rotates the nut to advance the drive rod and the plunger into the reservoir.
US09402946B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: an inflow channel to which liquid is supplied; an outflow channel communicated with a nozzle; a liquid chamber formed with a spiral flow channel having a substantially constant cross-sectional area between the inflow channel and the outflow channel and having a given volume; a volume changing portion configured to deform the liquid chamber so as to change the volume of the liquid chamber to a volume smaller than the given volume; and an ejection control unit configured to cause the liquid to be ejected from the nozzle in a pulsed manner by driving the volume changing portion in a state in which the liquid chamber is filled with the liquid.
US09402942B2
An apparatus is disclosed including: an intracardiac pump device having a path for a guidewire extending through the pump device from a first opening to a second opening; and a lumen which extends from a first end located outside of the pump device, into the pump device through the first opening in the pump device, along the path for the guidewire, out of the pump device through the second opening, and to a second end located outside of the pump device. The lumen is configured to receive the guidewire such that when the guidewire passes through the lumen from the first end to the second end, the guidewire is positioned along the path.
US09402933B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a powder-filled ceramic coating made from a precursor ceramic compound (for example, a sol-gel), said coating having an advantageous surface roughness and wherein active ingredients may be eluted from the matrix or filler under physiological conditions and to an implant which can be produced according to the claimed method.
US09402928B2
A method of metering a preselected volume of hydrogen peroxide into a vessel under vacuum is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of connecting a passage of known volume to the vessel under vacuum to evacuate the passage; sealing the passage; connecting the passage to a supply of hydrogen peroxide solution for a time sufficient to draw the hydrogen peroxide solution into the evacuated passage and fill the passage with the hydrogen peroxide solution; sealing the passage; and repeating steps a) to d) until a cumulative volume of fills of the passage is equal to the preselected volume. The volume of the passage is preferably 15 μL to 75 μL. Sterilization is controlled in an economic manner by obviating the need for a means to measure the hydrogen peroxide concentration in the chamber.
US09402926B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for nanoprobes, methods of imaging, methods of imaging a target, methods of making nanoprobes, and the like.
US09402921B2
The present invention provides methods of achieving directed evolution of viruses by in vivo screening or “panning” to identify viruses comprising scrambled AAV capsids having characteristics of interest, e.g., tropism profile and/or neutralization profile (e.g., ability to evade neutralizing antibodies). The invention also provides scrambled AAV capsids and virus particles comprising the same.
US09402916B2
The invention provides an agent for preventing or treating a condition characterized by the presence of unwanted cells, the agent comprising: (i) a targeting moiety that is capable of targeting to the unwanted cells; and (ii) a T cell antigen, wherein the T cell antigen can be released from the targeting moiety by selective cleavage of a cleavage site in the agent in the vicinity of the unwanted cells.
US09402915B2
Conjugated meningococcal capsular saccharides will be introduced into immunization schedules in the near future, but the phenomenon of “carrier suppression” must first be addressed, particularly where multiple conjugates are to be used. It has been found that diphtheria toxoid and its derivatives (such as CRM197) can safely be used as the carrier protein, even where multiple meningococcal conjugates are administered at the same time and where a patient has previously been exposed to the carrier protein, either in the form of a previous immunogen (e.g. in a DTP vaccine) or as a previous carrier protein (e.g. in a Hib or pneumococcal conjugate vaccine). The invention provides a method for immunizing a patient, comprising administering multiple conjugates of meningococcal capsular saccharides, wherein each conjugate comprises a diphtheria toxoid (or derivative thereof) carrier protein, and the capsular saccharide, and wherein the patient has been pre-immunized with a diphtheria toxoid (or derivative thereof).
US09402905B2
The present disclosure provides, in part, compositions comprising an antibody or antibody fragment that immunospecifically binds to MCH class I polypeptide-related sequence A (MICA), or an epitope thereof.
US09402887B2
The present invention relates to an active (immunostimulatory) composition comprising at least one RNA, preferably an mRNA, encoding at least two (preferably different) antigens capable of eliciting an (adaptive) immune response in a mammal wherein the antigens are selected from the group consisting of PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen), PSMA (Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen), PSCA (Prostate Stem Cell Antigen), and STEAP (Six Transmembrane Epithelial Antigen of the Prostate). The invention furthermore relates to a vaccine comprising an active (immunostimulatory) composition, and to the use of the active (immunostimulatory) composition (for the preparation of a vaccine) and/or of the vaccine for eliciting an (adaptive) immune response for the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa), preferably of neoadjuvant and/or hormone-refractory prostate cancers, and diseases or disorders related thereto. Finally, the invention relates to kits, particularly to kits of parts, containing the active (immunostimulatory) composition and/or the vaccine.
US09402883B2
An isolated protein selected from the group consisting of (i) proteins comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to the C-terminal domain of lung surfactant protein C precursor (CTproSP-C, “CTC”) from a mammal; and (ii) proteins comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to the Brichos domain of CTproSP-C from a mammal, is disclosed for treatment of Alzheimer's disease in a mammal, including man.
US09402865B2
The invention provides compositions and methods for treating ovarian cancer. Specifically, the invention relates to administering a genetically modified T cell having α-folate receptor (FRα) binding domain and 4-1BB (CD137) costimulatory domain to treat ovarian cancer.
US09402856B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating diabetes or a complication of diabetes, which includes a TENC1 (tensin like C1 domain-containing phosphatase) expression or activity suppressor, and, more specifically, relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating diabetes or a complication of diabetes, which either suppresses the degradation of IRS-1 (insulin receptor substrate-1) or suppresses the phosphorylation of IRS-1 due to the PTPase activity of TENC1. The pharmaceutical composition according to the present invention, which is for preventing or treating diabetes or a complication of diabetes and comprises the TENC1 expression or activity suppressor as an active ingredient, can be expected to be widely usable in preventing and treating diabetes or a complication of diabetes since the pharmaceutical composition can effectively prevent the muscular dystrophy and reduction in sugar adsorption that occur due to reduction in IRS-1 by suppressing degradation of IRS-1 caused by TENC1.
US09402852B2
The present invention provides for compositions and methods for modulating tissue growth using tissue growth modulators, which are agents that either enhance or inhibit tissue growth as desired by a particular indication by modulating the PG or Wnt signaling pathways, or employing modulators of both PG and Wnt signaling pathways for a synergistic effect or highly selective effect.
US09402851B2
A process for the preparation of a solid, orally administrable pharmaceutical composition, comprising 5-chloro-N-({(5)-2-oxo-3-[4-(3-oxo-4-morpholinyl)-phenyl]-1,3-oxazolidin-5-yl}-methyl)-2-thiophenecarboxamide comprising preparing granules in hydrophilized form using fluidized bed granulation for moist granulation, adding additives, compressing to form a tablet, and coating the tablet.
US09402845B2
A system for treating or providing prophylaxus against a pulmonary infection is disclosed comprising: a) a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a mixture of free antiinfective and antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition, and b) an inhalation delivery device. A method for providing prophylaxis against a pulmonary infection in a patient and a method of reducing the loss of antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition upon nebulization comprising administering an aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation comprising a mixture of free antiinfective and antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition is also disclosed.
US09402836B2
Herein are disclosed indoles of formula (I) where the various groups are defined herein, and which are useful for treating cancer.
US09402830B2
The present disclosure describes compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and compositions and formulations comprising the same that are useful in methods of treating dyskinesia or related disorders, and methods for treating dyskinesia or related disorders.
US09402829B2
The present invention relates to hydroxamate compounds which are inhibitors of histone deacetylase. More particularly, the present invention relates to benzimidazole containing compounds and methods for their preparation. These compounds may be useful as medicaments for the treatment of proliferative disorders as well as other diseases involving, relating to or associated with dysregulation of histone deacetylase (HDAC).
US09402827B2
Sodium 2-(5-bromo-4-(4-cyclopropyl-naphthalen-1-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylthio)acetate is described. In addition, pharmaceutical compositions and uses such compositions for the treatment of a variety of diseases and conditions.
US09402819B2
The present invention relates to the technical field of chemically synthesized drugs, in particular to an anti-HIV drug or prodrug and preparation method and uses thereof. The compound or prodrug compound of the present invention has a structural formula as represented by formula I. The compounds have anti-HIV-1 and anti-HIV-2 virus activity, and have a C8166 therapeutic index as high as 2081.59 and an H9 therapeutic index as high as 303.03. Furthermore, the compounds have high solubility up to 1290-2845.5 μg/ml in an aqueous solution, and can be formulated into an oral formulation.
US09402816B2
The instant invention provides for novel cationic lipids of Formula A that can be used in combination with other lipid components such as cholesterol and PEG-lipids to form lipid nanoparticles with oligonucleotides. It is an object of the instant invention to provide a cationic lipid scaffold that demonstrates enhanced efficacy along with lower liver toxicity as a result of lower lipid levels in the liver. The present invention employs low molecular weight cationic lipids with one short lipid chain coupled with inclusion of hydrolysable functionality in the lipid chains to enhance the efficiency and tolerability of in vivo delivery of siRNA.
US09402808B2
The present invention relates to liquid oral pharmaceutical compositions of lanthanum and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The present invention further relates to preparation of liquid oral pharmaceutical compositions of lanthanum and its salts and also provides use of such compositions in treating hyperphosphatemia in patients.
US09402798B2
This invention provides a carrageenan mixture comprising about 60% to about 95% by weight of iota-carrageenans and about 5% to about 25% by weight of lambda-carrageenans, which is useful as an ingredient of a cosmetic formulation such as a fully natural hair styling gel being free from synthetic polymers.
US09402792B2
Provided is a method for increasing hair shaft diameter, the method including applying a hair care composition to a region of the hair, wherein the hair care composition includes from about 0.01% to about 5% of chlorinated resorcinol; and from about 0.1% to about 10% of a rheology modifier.
US09402787B2
The invention relates to a device for removing a fluid from at least one container (300), from a vial for example, said container being closed by a closure (320) that can be punctured. The device comprises a base body (271) with a container receiving portion (272) and a hollow needle-like puncturing organ (277) in order to puncture the closure (320) of the container (300) in a removal position of the container (300). The aim of the invention is to enable mounting the container on the device without unintentionally puncturing the closure. This is achieved in that detent structures (274, 275) are provided which retain the container (300) on the device in a removal position and in a mounting position which is different from said removal position. Such a device can be used in particular to fill an applicator (280) with one or more fluid reservoirs from one or more vitals.
US09402786B2
A reusable and versatile device/system for mixing liquid drugs or solutions, before their administration into the human body. Mixing is carried out inside an entirely closed circuit, avoiding any contacts between the phases to be mixed and the external atmosphere. Closure of the circuit is realized partly by integral and indissoluble (permanent) connections and partly by reversible connections, such as vascular accesses, unidirectional or bidirectional check valves (NRV), or any other device which allows the creation of a closed circuit even after use, both to the system and the connected accessories, thus minimizing the risks of possible contaminations and/or infections to the patients.
US09402785B1
A vial and cap holder includes a vial frame having a plurality of vial apertures formed therein, wherein each vial aperture is configured to receive a vial, and a handle connected to the vial frame. The vial and cap holder further includes a plurality of cap holders connected to the vial frame. Each of the cap holders is positioned adjacent to one of the apertures on the vial frame, and each cap holder is configured to hold a cap for capping a vial. Each of the cap holders is configured to hold a cap above a top of vials configured to be held by the vial apertures. Corresponding ones of the vial holders and the cap holders are positioned along common radiuses of the vial frame.
US09402784B2
The present invention relates to a method for increasing leakage resistance in a closed, pressurized system. The method involves providing a closed system including a container sealed with a septum having a top surface with an exposed section, which is maintained under a positive pressure of at least about 5 psig. A contact surface of a hard component is fixedly placed adjacent to or in contact with at least a portion of a border section or a central section of the exposed section of the septum, or both, to reduce the size of any bulge or deformation formed in the exposed section of the septum. The present invention also relates to a kit for increasing leakage resistance in a closed, pressurized system, which includes the hard component.
US09402782B2
The present invention relates to a package, and more particularly to a package for sterile fluids, such as contrast media. More particularly the invention relates to a package comprising a container, a connecting plug and a cap. The package hence includes an integrated connection for easily transferring the content of the container of the package, e.g. to a syringe, a tube or a cartridge.
US09402780B2
One variation of an interaction module for a sexual stimulation device, including: a support structure including a metallic material and defining a bore; a vibratory actuator including a rotary motor, an output shaft, and an eccentric mass coupled to the output shaft; a housing enclosing the eccentric mass and the output shaft; a first isolator arranged over the vibratory actuator opposite the eccentric mass and configured to pivotably couple the vibratory actuator to the bore of the support structure; a second isolator coupled to the vibratory actuator adjacent the first isolator and configured to contact an interior surface of the bore of the support structure to define a pivot endstop for the vibratory actuator; and a sheath arranged over the vibratory actuator and a portion of the support structure.
US09402779B2
A compression garment includes a bladder having an inner surface and an outer surface. Wicking material may be present to wick fluid. In another version a removable absorbent material is releasably secured to the bladder.
US09402771B2
A method for monitoring use of an absorbent product, such as an incontinence pad or a diaper, worn by a wearer, includes registering a movement of the wearer by way of a mobile device having a movement sensing device, evaluating whether the registered movement is indicative of urinary and/or faecal voiding by the wearer, and providing product-related information to the wearer or a caregiver of the wearer based on said evaluation. In this way, the product-wearer or the caregiver can be provided with valuable information related to the use of the product, such as recommendations on when to change the product, displayed on the mobile device or a mobile device of the caregiver.
US09402765B2
The present invention relates to a bottle for packaging a liquid to be distributed drop by drop comprising a reservoir the walls of which can be reversibly elastically deformed by letting air into the container, surmounted by a liquid dispensing head comprising a dropper nozzle protruding from the bottle and an anti-bacterial filter membrane, that is partially hydrophilic and partially hydrophobic, interposed across the path of the liquid and the air, at the base of the said nozzle. In the dispensing head, the proposal is to create the nozzle by itself out of a material containing a bactericidal agent that has the effect of preventing any bacterial growth on the surface of the said nozzle on the outside of the antibacterial membrane. A porous core is advantageously positioned inside the duct through which liquid is expelled and air is admitted.
US09402764B2
A patient temperature control catheter (10) includes working fluid supply (16) and return (18) lumens through which working fluid circulates to exchange heat with a patient in whom the catheter is positioned. At least one lumen is defined by plural coils (32) axially spaced from each other. At least a first coil is a large coil that inflates with working fluid to seat against a wall of a blood vessel in which the catheter is positioned, with blood flowing through the coil so as not to block blood flow in the vessel. Alternate centering structures (116) are disclosed.
US09402762B2
The present invention comprises systems, methods and devices for the delivery of compositions for occluding or of elements for opening conduits. The implantable occlusive material may be delivered pre-formed or in situ cured and, may be a resorbable or degradable material that supports tissue ingrowth or wound healing or a similar response that replaces the cured occlusive material leaving little or no original occlusive material in place. The delivery system is positioned to allow for placement of the occlusive material into the body conduit. Use of delivery systems, methods and devices for re-opening an occluded body conduit are also included.
US09402749B2
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a movable component of a prosthesis or orthosis. The method (100) comprises moving the component by means of a motor (102) and determining when movement of the component is arrested when the component bears against a surface (104, 106). Thereafter a plurality of driving electrical pulses are applied to the motor (110) in dependence on the determination and when movement of the component is arrested to thereby drive the motor so as to cause the component to bear against the surface with greater force.
US09402735B2
An implant for insertion into the disc space between vertebrae. The implant including a spacer portion, a plate portion coupled to the spacer portion, a plurality of bone fixation elements for engaging the vertebrae and a retention mechanism for preventing the bone fixation elements from postoperatively uncoupling from the implant.
US09402734B2
The present invention is a spinal implant that can be inserted into a surgically created cavity of one or more regions of the mammalian spine. Among other things, the biocompatible implant and end cap or biocompatible implant, end cap and spacer combinations can assist with the restoration of the normal anatomic spinal alignment and spinal stability.
US09402729B2
Knee prostheses featuring components that more faithfully replicate the structure and function of the human knee joint in order to provide, among other benefits: greater flexion of the knee in a more natural way by promoting or at least accommodating internal tibial rotation in a controlled way, replication of the natural screw home mechanism, and controlled articulation of the tibia and femur respective to each other in a more natural way. In a preferred embodiment, such prostheses include an insert component disposed between a femoral component and a tibial component, the insert component preferably featuring among other things a reversely contoured posterolateral bearing surface that helps impart internal rotation to the tibia as the knee flexes. Other surfaces can also be specially shaped to achieve similar results, preferably using iterative automated techniques that allow testing and iterative design taking into account a manageable set of major forces acting on the knee during normal functioning, together with information that is known about natural knee joint kinetics and kinematics.
US09402728B2
A cementless femoral stem prosthesis for use in hip replacement surgery is disclosed. The stem has a collar and a body having a fixed end and a shank end. The shank end is divided into a pair of adjustable endosteal plates that are secured to the cortical bone of the femur by screws. The present invention provides an improved femoral stem structure because the screws through the endosteal plates transfer the load to the cortical bone rather than the cancellous bone, the medial endosteal plate has a plurality of spurs to engage with the cancellous bone to increase the number of stress-strain points, and the collar transfers the load directly to the cortical bone. All of these features work in tandem to reduce the risk of stress shielding, bone resorption, prosthetic loosening, and other difficulties associated with femoral stem prostheses.
US09402727B2
Devices, systems and methods for performing arthroscopic evaluations and procedures in and near the hip joint are provided. An arthroscopic assisted arthroplasty system is useful in the treatment of arthritic hip conditions, conserving healthy tissue, and limiting iatrogenic injury associated with traditional surgical exposures. A guide wire system employing retrograde and antegrade reamers along the femoral neck is useful in anatomic placement of instrumentation without formal hip dislocation. Fluoroscopy and computer assisted navigation enhance the system, methods, and apparatus. Acetabular and femoral collapsible prosthetic forms are useful in arthroscopic assisted placement. The devices, systems, and methods are effective to assist an operating surgeon in the addressing mild to moderate arthritic conditions of the femoral head and acetabulum where tissue conservation and surgical exposure morbidities should be limited.
US09402723B2
A penile prosthesis implantation device includes a barrel having a bore, and an obturator that is received within the bore and is configured to slide along a longitudinal axis of the bore relative to the barrel. A distal end of the obturator includes a needle clamp and one or more bore engaging members. The needle clamp is configured to hold a thread attachment end of a needle. Each bore engaging member includes a surface that engages an interior wall of the bore. A gap extends between a central portion of the obturator and the one or more bore engaging members.
US09402722B2
Devices, systems, and methods for treating a heart of a patient may make use of one or more implant structures which limit a size of a chamber of the heart, such as by deploying a tensile member to bring a wall of the heart toward (optionally into contact with) a septum of the heart.
US09402721B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for repairing heart valves through percutaneous transcatheter delivery and fixation of annuloplasty rings to heart valves via a trans-apical approach to accessing the heart. A guiding sheath may be introduced into a ventricle of the heart through an access site at an apex of the heart. A distal end of the guiding sheath can be positioned retrograde through the target valve. An annuloplasty ring arranged in a compressed delivery geometry is advanced through the guiding sheath and into a distal portion of the guiding sheath positioned within the atrium of the heart. The distal end of the guiding sheath is retracted, thereby exposing the annuloplasty ring. The annuloplasty ring may be expanded from the delivery geometry to an operable geometry. Anchors on the annuloplasty ring may be deployed to press into and engage tissue of the annulus of the target valve.
US09402719B2
A heart valve assembly includes an annular prosthesis and a valve prosthesis. The annular prosthesis includes an annular ring for dilating tissue within a biological annulus and a conformable sewing cuff extending radially from the annular member. The valve prosthesis includes a frame and a valve component. The annular ring is introduced into the biological annulus to dilate tissue surrounding the biological annulus and the sewing cuff conforms to tissue above the biological annulus. Fasteners are directed through the sewing cuff to secure the annular prosthesis to the biological annulus. The annular prosthesis may include a baleen element for biasing fabric on the annular ring outwardly to enhance sealing against the biological annulus. A valve prosthesis is then advanced into the sinus cavity, and secured relative to the annular prosthesis. The sewing cuff may enhance a seal between the valve prosthesis and annular prosthesis.
US09402718B2
An artificial valve (5; 10; 20; 30; 50) for implantation in a body, in or adjacent to a blood vessel, comprising a casing (12; 37; 61) and an opening and closing mechanism, at least part of said mechanism being a moving part (11; 21, 22; 31, 32, 33; 51) adapted to make an opening and a closing movement to assume an open and a closed position for opening and closing, of the blood through said blood vessel, and positions between said open and closed positions, said closing movement of the moving part (11; 21, 22; 31, 32, 33; 51) being initiated and carried out when a threshold value is reached by a parameter of the mammal or of a device (8) used by the mammal. The opening and closing mechanism is arranged to cause the moving part (51) to its closing movement by means of giving the moving part kinetic energy in a plurality of steps.
US09402707B2
A clot capture system for disengaging a clot from a vessel wall and removing the clot from the vessel. The system may include a clot capture device for placement on a distal side of a clot. The clot capture device may have a retracted delivery configuration and an expanded deployed configuration. The clot removal device may have a proximal support frame, and a distal fiber net. The support frame may have a retracted delivery configuration and an expanded deployed configuration. The proximal support frame in the expanded configuration may define a proximal inlet mouth for engaging a clot and a net for confining the clot. An elongate member may facilitate capture and/or withdrawal of a clot from a vessel.
US09402680B2
An actuator for use in a surgical instrument, the actuator includes an upper portion configured to be actuated by one or more fingers, wherein the upper portion has an upper distal portion for operating the surgical instrument in a first mode of operation, and an upper proximal portion for operating the surgical instrument in a second mode of operation, and wherein the upper distal portion and the upper proximal portion have different respective tactile configurations for informing the user of the first and second modes of operation, respectively.
US09402678B2
A device for vaporizing a hole in tissue, including a vaporizing element, a heating element, configured to heat the vaporizing element, and a mechanism configured to advance the vaporizing element into a specific depth in the tissue and retract the vaporizing element from the tissue within a period of time long enough for the vaporizing element to vaporize the tissue and short enough to limit diffusion of heat beyond a predetermined collateral damage distance from the hole. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US09402675B2
A tweezers device for the application of cryogenic matter directly on a skin lesion while protecting the collateral skin tissue from being damaged by the cryogenic matter, the device comprising an applicator body configured with opposing tweezer arms, each tweezer arm including a cryogenic matter application element such that when the opposing tweezer arms are closed about the skin lesion, the skin lesion is substantially encased by the cryogenic matter application elements.
US09402655B2
An interspinous spacer assembly (100) for insertion and/or implantation between spinous processes of adjacent superior and inferior vertebrae includes an interspinous spacer member (110) sized and configured for insertion into the interspinous space located between adjacent spinous processes and an engagement mechanism (105) for operatively coupling the spacer member to the adjacent spinous processes and for preventing migration of the assembly once implanted. The interspinous spacer assembly is adjustable to conform to the individual anatomy of a patient's spine.
US09402653B2
An enhanced pedicle rod clamp device for connecting two or more pedicle rods in spinal surgery is disclosed. The device may include an arm, an upper clamp, and a lower clamp, which are configured for coupling to a pedicle rod. The upper clamp may be coupled to the arm, and the lower clamp may be coupled to the upper clamp. The upper clamp may be rotationally and/or translationally movable with respect to at least one of the arm and the lower clamp. The lower clamp may be rotationally and/or translationally movable with respect to at least one of the arm and the upper clamp.
US09402646B2
In a method for re-entry from extraluminal space into the central lumen of a vessel, a guidewire is advanced into the extraluminal space of the vessel, and then a directional catheter is advanced over the guidewire through the extraluminal space. Thereafter, the guidewire is removed from the directional catheter, an ultrasound device is placed through the directional catheter, and the ultrasound device is advanced through the extraluminal space into the central lumen and then activated.
US09402645B2
A method of endoscopically removing tissue including providing a surgical cutting instrument including a first elongated member having a cutting tip, a second tubular member forming a cutting window, and a handpiece. The first elongated member is co-axially disposed within the second tubular member such that the cutting tip is exposed at the cutting window and combines to define a cutting implement. The first and second members are coupled to the handpiece. The method includes grasping the handpiece, deploying the instrument such that the cutting implement is adjacent a target site with the cutting window positioned at a first spatial orientation relative to the handpiece, rotating the cutting window relative to the handpiece such that the cutting window is positioned at a second spatial orientation, and moving the first elongated member relative to the second tubular member such that the cutting tip removes tissue from the target site.
US09402641B2
A Pedicle Drill Guide is a radiolucent device which allows preliminary positioning of a needle/trochar near the pedicle in the AP view and adjusting the final position of the lateral view without changing the initial position of the AP position. This guide allows simultaneous alignment of both AP and Lateral views for ultimate ideal or perfect pathway for the pedicle cannulization.
US09402635B2
A hand-held surgical cutting instrument for cutting bone material with a surgical micro-saw blade has a plurality of openings formed therein. The surgical cutting instrument includes a hand-graspable body for manipulating the cutting instrument and a blade coupling mechanism attached to the body and being configured to attach to the surgical micro-saw blade. The blade coupling mechanism includes a first coupling member including a first blade-contacting surface. The first blade-contacting surface has at least one first protrusion extending therefrom and is configured to engage a first opening in the surgical saw blade. The blade coupling mechanism includes a second coupling member including a second blade-contacting surface facing the first blade-contacting surface of the first coupling member. The second blade-contacting surface having at least one second protrusion extending therefrom and configured to engage a second opening in the surgical saw blade.
US09402629B2
The present disclosure relates to surgical fastener applying apparatus for sequentially applying a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue. The surgical fastener applying apparatus includes a replaceable cartridge assembly receivable in a distal end portion of a cartridge receiving half-section, the cartridge assembly including a safety lockout pivotably disposed along the upper surface of the cartridge assembly and movable from an unlocked orientation permitting assembly of an anvil half-section to the cartridge receiving half-section, to a locked orientation preventing assembly of the anvil half-section to the cartridge receiving-half section.
US09402622B2
Described are devices, methods and systems for securing sutures external to the body. In certain aspects, a suture securement device includes a housing member defining an internal cavity and a wedge member moveable within the cavity between a suture-release position to a suture-retention position. The wedge member defines a suture aperture extending therethrough. At the suture-retention position, the housing member is configured to compress the wedge member to clamp the suture, thereby substantially preventing the suture from moving within the aperture.
US09402617B2
An anchoring system for securing tissue to bone includes an implant having a body through which a suture eyelet extends transversely, a suture recess extending along a portion of a length of the body, having a predetermined depth below an outer surface of the body, and a suture pinch ramp disposed at a proximal end of the suture recess. The suture pinch ramp has a depth approximately equal to the predetermined depth at a distal end thereof and sloping outwardly in a proximal direction so that a depth of a proximal end of the suture pinch ramp approaches zero. An insertion member includes an insertion tube and a handle which is engageable with the anchor body to deploy the anchor in a selected bone site.
US09402615B2
In one embodiment, an implant includes a support member configured to be placed within a body of a patient and provide support to a portion of the body of the patient, a tether coupled to an end portion of the support member; and an anchor configured to be disposed within a tissue of the body of the patient to help retain the implant in place within the body of the patient. The tether is coupled to the anchor such that the tether may move with respect to the anchor in a first direction but is retrained from moving in a second direction. In one embodiment, a method of placing an implant within a body of a patient includes making an incision in the body of the patient, inserting the implant into the body of the patient through the incision, placing the implant within the body of the patient such that a support member provides support to a portion of the body and an anchor helps retain the implant in place within the body of the patient, closing the incision, and adjusting the tension of the implant after closing the incision.
US09402613B2
A surgical access assembly includes a body having first and second body members. Each body member has an opposed side and an outer side. The body members are coupled to one another by a connector and are moveable with respect to one another between an approximated position and a spread position wherein the opposed sides are flexed outwardly and apart from one another to define a passageway therebetween. A flexible membrane is coupled to the first and second body members and extends therefrom such that translating the flexible membrane radially outwardly moves the body members from the approximated position to the spread position.
US09402612B2
A surgical access device for facilitating access through an incision to a surgical site in a patient's body has a pliable membrane which is configured to engage and expand the incision. The pliable membrane includes a base layer, a permeable membrane attached to the base layer, and a fluid channel disposed between the layers. The fluid channel is fluidly coupled to a fluid source. The fluid is delivered to the surgical site via the permeable membrane. The surgical access device may also have a locking mechanism for holding the device in a desired configuration.
US09402605B2
An incision closure device includes an elongated handle portion including a distal end, a first connector detachably affixed to the distal end of the handle portion, and a second connector adapted to be axially moveable along the handle portion, wherein the first and second connectors are magnetically attracted to one another.
US09402604B2
An electromechanical surgical system is provided including a hand-held surgical instrument; an end effector; and a shaft assembly for selectively interconnecting the end effector and the surgical device. The shaft assembly includes a transmission housing; an outer tubular body; a distal neck housing for interconnecting a rotatable drive member of the surgical instrument and a rotation receiving member supported in the end effector, wherein the distal neck housing includes at least one gear system configured to convert a rotational input of the rotatable drive member into at least two output forces to the end effector; and an articulating neck assembly interconnecting the tubular body and the distal neck housing. The articulating neck assembly enables off-axis articulation of the distal neck assembly, and wherein the rotatable drive member extends through the articulating neck assembly.
US09402600B2
In order to improve the continuity of the image qualities in the minor-axis direction of plural sets of elastic frame data that constitute elastic volume data and generate a high-quality 3-dimensional elastic image, regarding each elastic frame data constituting elastic volume data, a noise frame interpolation unit subjects plural sets of elastic frame data including said elastic frame data and adjacent in a swing direction to synthesis processing, generates the elastic volume data from the synthesized plural sets of elastic frame data, and volume renders the elastic volume data to generate a 3-dimensional elastic image. The noise frame interpolation unit stores plural sets of elastic volume data, subjects plural sets of elastic frame data at corresponding swing angle positions among the stored plural sets of elastic volume data to synthesis processing to generate synthetic elastic frame data and elastic volume data from the synthesized plural sets of elastic frame data.
US09402587B2
In an embodiment, a method includes at least moving a patient table through a measurement region of the computed tomography device, the movement of the patient having at least one phase of variable speed during the projection recording, time-solved determination or recording of the patient table position, time-resolved recording of projections of at least one part of an examination object moving with the table, the number of the slices contributing to the recording being varied during the at least one phase of variable speed of the patient table as a function of the table speed in such a way that the quotient formed from the current table speed divided by the number of the slices contributing to the recording is constant so that the pitch factor is kept constant during the projection recording, and time-resolved determination or recording of the number or slices contributing to the projection recording.
US09402584B2
Methods and apparatus for providing multi-stage signal amplification in a medical telemetry system are provided.
US09402574B2
Disclosed herein is a sensor comprising a conduit; the conduit comprising an organic polymer; a working electrode; the working electrode being etched and decorated with a nanostructured material; a reference electrode; and a counter electrode; the working electrode, the reference electrode and the counter electrode being disposed in the conduit; the working electrode, the reference electrode and the counter electrode being separated from each other by an electrically insulating material; and wherein a cross-sectional area of the conduit that comprises a section of the working electrode, a section of the reference electrode and a section of the counter electrode is exposed to detect analytes.
US09402570B2
Devices associated with on-body analyte sensor units are disclosed. These devices include any of packaging and/or loading systems, applicators and elements of the on-body sensor units themselves. Also, various approaches to connecting electrochemical analyte sensors to and/or within associated on-body analyte sensor units are disclosed. The connector approaches variously involve the use of unique sensor and ancillary element arrangements to facilitate assembly of separate electronics assemblies and sensor elements that are kept apart until the end user brings them together.
US09402562B2
A coordinate system particular to a subject's tissue, such as a subject's brain, is provided. Furthermore, a system and method for multi-dimensional, interrelated tractography is provided. Images of the subject are acquired that include diffusion information and tracts and/or vectors potentially associated with tracts are determined therefrom. With respect to the coordinate system, this information is used along with an basis that the tracts and/or vectors generally conform to a substantially orthogonal grid, such that white matter tissue fibers are arranged as one of substantially parallel or substantially orthogonal to other fibers. This coordinate system may be provided to a user along with reconstructed images, or may be used to process images. Similarly, in multi-dimensional, interrelated tractography, a new predictive ability and new metrics are provided along with an improved ability to reconstructed or process images.
US09402559B2
There is provided an input device including a plurality of electrodes that are arranged on a surface of a body in a direction crossing a muscular fiber group of the body at a right angle, and detect electromyogram signals generated from the muscular fiber group according to a motion performed by the body; a switch unit that switches an electrode acquiring an electromyogram signal between the plurality of electrodes; and a control unit that selects an electrode detecting an electromyogram signal for identifying the motion from among the plurality of electrodes.
US09402558B2
A method of detecting pain in a subject, comprises the steps of generating brain wave data based on brain wave activity of the subject and comparing the brain wave data to reference data to generate result data, the reference data corresponding to at least one of (i) population normative data indicative of brain wave activity of a first plurality of individuals in an absence of pain, (ii) population reference data indicative of brain wave activity of a second plurality of individuals generated in response to pain events inflicted on the second plurality of individuals, (iii) subjective population reference data indicative of brain wave activity of a third plurality of individuals reporting a sensation of pain, and (iv) population of reference data indicative of brain wave activity of a fourth population of individuals following an intervention which has changed a subjective report of pain in combination with determining a presence of pain experienced by the subject as a function of the result data.
US09402556B2
A method, including inserting a flexible probe into a living subject and positioning a distal end of the probe in a heart of the subject, the distal end including a position sensor configured to generate position signals indicative of a position of the distal end, and an electrode configured to convey electrical signals from the heart. The method further includes formulating, in response to the position signals, a first indication of a change in a mean position of the heart within the living subject and deriving a second indication of a change in the electrical signals. The method also includes determining, in response to the first and second indications, a new mean position of the heart.
US09402543B2
A disclosed telemetry system comprises an Nth number of telemetry devices and an equal number of standard disposable circular electrode patches. A body of each telemetry device in the system includes a female snap receptor configured to attach to a single male snap post of an electrode patch. A wireless transmitter module is disposed in direct connection with each female snap receptor. Each wireless transmitter module transmits a signal to an electrical ground thereof to a receiver. A wireless receiver module is configured to receive and to process an Nth number of transmitted signals from the Nth number of telemetry devices into an Nth−1 number of signals where the number of signals is greater than zero. An interface on each telemetry device threads the devices in series to a single grounding device based on a connection and a disconnection of the single female snap receptor to the wireless transmitter module.
US09402539B2
Surgical microscope systems are provided including an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system; an objective lens; oculars for direct viewing of a subject distal to the objective lens; a heads up display module configured to direct an optical image through the oculars to be visible to a user of at least one ocular; and a coupling element connected to the surgical microscope coupling the OCT system, the heads up display module and the objective lens. The coupling element has first and second faces, the first face positioned toward the oculars of the surgical microscope and the second face positioned toward the subject. The coupling element is configured to receive a heads up optical display signal at the first face of the coupling element and reflect the signal in a wavelength band of the heads up display module; and receive a signal on the second face of the coupling element and reflect the signal in a wavelength band of the OCT system.
US09402532B2
An optical obturator for penetrating tissue and being at least partially positionable within a cannula assembly. The obturator may include an obturator housing at a proximal end of the obturator and may configured to be grasped by a user. The obturator housing may define an opening for receiving an endoscope, the obturator housing including an endoscope retention mechanism adapted for securing and stabilizing an endoscope inserted therethrough. The obturator housing may also include at least one attachment mechanism for enabling selective attachment and detachment of the obturator housing to the cannula assembly. The obturator may also include an obturator shaft integrally formed with the obturator housing. The obturator shaft may define a hollow interior configured to receive the endoscope inserted through the opening. A penetrating member is disposed at the distal end of the obturator shaft. The obturator may be formed as a single component, preferably from transparent material.
US09402524B2
A robot cleaning device includes a debris detecting unit. The robot cleaning device includes a body, a driving unit to enable the body to travel, a drum brush unit provided at the body, to sweep up debris, using a brush and a rotating drum, a debris box to store the debris swept up by the drum brush unit, a debris detecting unit to detect whether debris has been introduced into the debris box through the drum brush unit during a cleaning operation, and a controller to determine whether debris is introduced into the debris box and whether debris has been accumulated in the debris box in a predetermined amount, based on introduction or non-introduction of debris detected by the debris detecting unit.
US09402519B2
An accessory tool for a vacuum cleaner. The accessory tool includes a main body including a suction conduit configured to be coupled to the vacuum cleaner, a suction opening in fluid communication with the suction conduit, a longitudinal first brush made from a first material positioned adjacent the suction opening, and a second brush spaced from the first brush forming a brush opening between the first and second brushes configured to receive an object being cleaned. The second brush is made from a second material different than the first material and generally positioned over the first brush.
US09402504B2
A microwave mat for removing items from a microwave oven includes a mat portion and a lip portion. The mat portion includes a plurality of ridges on the bottom side of the mat portion. The mat portion lays flat when the microwave mat is placed on a flat surface. The lip portion includes a plurality of ridges on the bottom side of the lip portion. The lip portion is raised from the flat surface when the microwave mat is placed on a flat surface. The mat portion and the lip portion are made from a single material and the material is a heat resistant material. The mat portion and the lip portion are flexible.
US09402503B2
The invention is an improvement of the filter unit in beverage makers. Said filter unit comprises a filter insert and a filter lock, can be placed as a whole onto and removed from the brewing container, and at the same time ensures good sealing of all components. For improved handling, the brewing chamber can be filled and closed outside of the beverage-maker, wherein the particularly large depth of the filter insert offers significant assistance. Closing the brewing chamber by means of the filter closure prevents the beverage base material from oozing out due to a ring engaging in the filter insert and additionally ensures its adequate sealing. By widening the brewing chamber, the beverage-making machine provides a consistent quality of the beverages with of different fill levels.
US09402484B2
A cover system for a seat having a base, a back, armrests and a tray is provided. The cover system includes a main cover with a bottom portion extending across the base of the seat and a top portion extending across and over the back of the seat. The cover system further includes first and second armrest covers defining an open end opposing a closed end. The first and second armrest covers extend over the armrests of the seat with the closed ends thereof abutting outwardly facing ends of the armrests. The cover system also includes tray cover adapted to extend over the tray of the seat. The tray cover has at least first and second securing components extending from opposite sides thereof. The first and second securing members secure the tray cover relative to the tray of the seat.
US09402475B2
A mounting apparatus for mounting a slide rail to either a first bracket or a second bracket includes a retaining member, a first locking member pivotably attached to the retaining member, and a second locking member pivotably attached to the first locking member. The retaining member includes a sidewall forming a positioning pole. The positioning pole includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion. When mounting the slide rail to the first bracket, the first positioning portion engages in a through hole of the first bracket, a first abutting portion abuts against the first bracket. When mounting the slide rail to the second bracket, the second positioning portion engages in a through hole of the second bracket, a second abutting portion and the first abutting portion engage with the second bracket.
US09402472B1
A power cord management system for managing flexible electrical power cords associated with hair or bathroom handheld appliances includes a power cord storage body. A pair of spaced apart cord wrapping elements are coupled to the power storage body about which the flexible electrical power cord may be wrapped for storage. At least one of the cord wrapping elements is movable between a storage and release position. The cord wrapping elements are configured to retain the wrapped power cord upon the power cord storage body when the at least one of the cord wrapping elements is in the storage position and wherein the wrapped power cord may be removed from the power cord storage body without unwrapping the wrapped power cord when the at least one of the cord wrapping elements is moved to the release position. A power cord coupling mechanism is coupled to the power cord storage body for facilitating releasable retaining of a free end or other portion of the flexible electrical power cord to the power cord storage body.
US09402471B1
A transportable boot storage hanger designed for space-efficient and low-wear storage of multiple boots may have: a) a topmost support engaging element; b) a first vertical support rod having a top end engaged with the topmost support element and a lower portion of the first vertical support rod engaged with a hanger connecting element; c) the hanger engaging element having an opening into which a multiple boot hanging frame is removably inserted or permanently attached; d) the multiple boot hanging frame having at least two major outward arms extending away from the opening; e) each of the at least two major arms having a vertical arm and a sole support element angle upwardly away from the first vertical support rod; and f) the sole support element having a top toe support stem and a lower heel support stem.
US09402467B2
A collapsible table includes upper and lower pole members, a hub, and a tabletop. The upper and lower pole members are pivotally attached to the hub. The upper pole members extend upward and apart from each other from the hub when in their operable configuration and extend downward from the hub and generally parallel to each other when in their stowage configuration. The lower pole members extend downward and apart from each other from the hub when in their operable configuration and extend downward from the hub and generally parallel to each other when in their stowage configuration. The tabletop is removably attachable to the upper pole members and can be suspended by and between the upper pole members when the upper and lower pole members are in their operable configurations.
US09402464B2
Described in this application is a kit for adapting a paint brush having a handle opening. The kit includes a tool for improving the usefulness of the paint brush; a bushing receivable within the handle opening of the paint brush; a screw for passing through the tool and bushing and joining the tool to the paint brush; and a locking nut for securing the screw to the paint brush.
US09402461B2
A head for an oral care implement has a mounting surface and at least one twisted tuft including a plurality of filaments and having a base mounted on the mounting surface. The twisted tuft has an outer lateral surface, a longitudinal axis, a lower cross-sectional area extending in a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and that is arranged at the base, and an upper cross-sectional area extending in a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and that is arranged at the twisted tuft's free end. The lower cross-sectional area and the upper cross-sectional area have substantially the same shape and size. The filaments forming the outer lateral surface are substantially straight and inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis in either a clockwise direction or in a counterclockwise direction. The upper cross-sectional area is twisted relative to the lower cross-sectional area. The upper cross-sectional area is not congruent with the lower cross-sectional area when they are orthogonally projected onto each other along the longitudinal axis.
US09402460B2
Hair brushes are disclosed that include a brush head having opposing front and back sides with a hollow portion therebetween. The back side includes a plurality of longitudinal apertures that extend between first and second ends of the brush head, at least one of the longitudinal apertures having a length L. The front side includes first and second sets of apertures separated by a medial portion. At least one of the apertures of the first and second sets of apertures has a length dimension of at least about 0.3 L to about 0.6 L.
US09402458B2
A utility belt assembly for use in association with an article of clothing including a belt member, wherein the belt member includes a first end, a second end, an inner surface, an outer surface, an upper end, and a lower end; a first bracket, wherein the first bracket is positioned on at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the belt member; a second bracket, wherein the second bracket is positioned on at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the belt member; wherein the first bracket and the second bracket are spaced apart from one another to define a first track therebetween; a securement member, wherein the securement member contacts at least one of the upper end and the lower end of the belt member, and wherein the securement member releasably associates the utility belt assembly with the article of clothing; and an accessory member, wherein the accessory member includes a guide member slidably positioned on and/or within the first track.
US09402457B2
A lanyard attachment assembly has a sleeve with an inside surface and an outside surface. The inside surface defines a passageway through the sleeve. A strap passes through the passageway and forms a closed loop to link the closed loop to the sleeve. The assembly optionally includes a connector with a connector opening therethrough. When the assembly includes a connector, the strap passes through the connector opening where the closed loop links the connector to the sleeve.
US09402456B2
A bridging device for securing a load carried by a user over a vest having interior side facing the user and exterior side facing away from the user that comprises a first axle capable of being coupled to the load in an area proximal to the exterior side, a second axle capable of being coupled to a support element worn by the user in an area proximal to the interior side; and at least one connecting element connecting the first axle to the second axle, wherein the connecting element is capable of maintaining a tension between the load and the support element.
US09402451B2
A portable article, which may be a portable tote for use in traveling or otherwise non-permanent use, is provided. The article includes first and second sections that may be foldably connected to allow for an open and closed configuration. Handles and snaps or other connection members are connected to the sections to allow for carrying and holding the article closed, which will aid in the mitigation of items falling out of the article. One of the sections includes one or more protrusions extending therefrom. Attached to the one or more protrusions is a tube for holding a product. The tube includes an aperture through a portion thereof to allow for the protrusion to extend at least partially therethrough, which will at least temporarily hold the tube in place and connected to the article. Other holders may be included to hold additional items within the article as well.
US09402450B2
A mounting holds a grooved gemstone invisibly to a setting. One end of the mounting has arms or extensions to receive the gemstone and protrusions extending inwardly from the arms to fit in the grooves of the gemstone, the mounting further comprising a holding configuration for holding the mounting to the setting. Insertion of the mounting into the setting may in one version distort the holding configuration and levers the arms to press harder into the groove.
US09402449B1
Provided is a fastener for an angle-adjustable earring. The fastener includes: a housing has a hollow box shape with an open front end; a latch member received in the housing; a pin member fixed to the latch member and inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the latch member; a control member having a protrusion that controls a position of the latch member that is locked; an elastic member that elastically supports the control member; and a cap member having a slide hole, the cap member being attached to the open front end of the housing in a state in which the elastic member, control member, and latch member are installed in the housing, in which the pin member extends from the latch member to the outside of the housing through the slide hole so that an angle of the pin member is adjustable.
US09402440B2
A sole in accordance with the present invention may include a sole for attachment to an outside of a shoe. Moreover, a sole of the present invention may include a sole for insertion within an inner cavity formed by an upper of a shoe. In exemplary aspects the sole includes a base and a plurality of protrusions projecting from the base and integrally constructed with the base. Protrusions may include a side extending at an angle from the base. In addition, protrusions may include a side extending near perpendicular from the base. A plurality of protrusions may be arranged at ball portions of the sole. In addition, a plurality of protrusions may be arranged at a heel portion of the sole.
US09402438B2
Footwear including a flexible sole having a series of flexure zones positioned to correspond to primary joint axes of the human foot approximating the characteristics of a bare foot in motion.
US09402433B2
Visors and methods of using a soft type foam visor having a brim and headband formed from a pliable and flexible material, such as but not limited to EVA which includes ethylene vinyl acetate, with or without patterns of through-holes and partial cutouts for allowing accessories such as labels, charms, badges, puncture tool and sunglass/eyeglass supports and the like, to be plugged into the holes and cut-outs and easily removable and interchangeable with other accessories. A removable rear head strap be attached to the visor, having a plurality of holes with fasteners to adjust the strap to different head sizes.
US09402421B2
The invention is related to an electronic cigarette, including an atomizing device with a tobacco-liquid cup, and a battery electrically connected with the atomizing device, herein, the tobacco-liquid cup forms a recessed cavity, the battery is received in the cavity. The battery of the present invention is set in the atomizing device, so that the whole length of the electronic cigarette is effectively reduced, and it is more convenient to take the electronic cigarette.
US09402417B2
The present invention describes a single-layer printing method of a wrapper for smoking articles, so as to obtain a wrapper for smoking articles with low propensity to ignition using the flexographic technique, characterized in that (1) the printing is carried out by means of a central drum flexographic printing machine using a single printing unit, (2) said unit has an anilox with a capacity of between 10 and 40 cm3/m2 and a printing cylinder equipped with a printing form selected from a stencil plate plus an adhesive, and a sleeve, and (3) in that an ink is used that comprises at least one film-forming substance and a mineral filler. The present invention also relates to the wrapper that can be obtained by this method and to the smoking article that includes said wrapper.
US09402403B2
A method and apparatus for stunning animals intended to be slaughtered wherein the animals are introduced into and displaced from above downwardly in a closed environment (1) containing a stunning gas mixed with air at an increasing concentration with a top to bottom vertical gradient from a preset initial value to a final higher value. The stunning gas concentration is detected in the upper area (2) of the environment (1) and in case the detected concentration is higher than the preset initial value, the external air is automatically supplied to the upper area at a pressure slightly higher than the atmospheric pressure until the preset initial value is restored.
US09402399B2
The present invention relates to pesticidal mixtures comprising a component A and a component B, wherein component A is a compound of formula (I) wherein A1, A2, L, p, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in claim 1 and component B is an insecticide. The present invention also relates to methods of using said mixtures for the control of plant pests.
US09402384B2
A transformable sporting chair system which can be transformed from a working seat for use in the outdoors, to a transportable configuration for carrying the chair to or from an outdoor location. The chair features a frame which can be nearly entirely disassembled and reassembled into the working or transport configuration. The chair includes a holding element for holding tools or equipment, such as a hunting bow. The chair may also be strapped to a tree using ratchet straps.
US09402377B2
The invention relates generally to compositions and methods of using transgenic non-human animals expressing human SIRPα that are engrafted with a human hematopoietic system. In various embodiments, the human hematopoietic system engrafted, human SIRPα transgenic non-human animals of the invention are useful as systems for the in vivo evaluation of the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic and immune cells, for the in vivo assessment of an immune response, for the in vivo evaluation of vaccines and vaccination regimens, for in vivo production and collection of immune mediators, including human antibodies, and for use in testing the effect of agents that modulate hematopoietic and immune cell function.
US09402370B2
A food retainer adapted to receive food to be eaten by a domestic animal. The food retainer has a base and a number of protrusions extending from the upper surface of the base of the food retainer in mutual distances from each other. At least some of the protrusions are substantially higher than the remainder of those on the food retainer. The structure of the food retainer forces the animal to struggle for the food, thereby performing an exercise that keeps the animal healthy and active and stimulates the intelligence and physique of the animal.
US09402366B2
Systems and methods to treat a region of a cornea of an eye having an epithelial layer disposed over a stromal layer. The system comprises a device to map a thickness of the epithelial layer over the region of the cornea to generate a map of epithelial thickness over the region, and a laser to generate a laser beam of an ablative radiation. A movable scan component is coupled to the laser to scan the laser beam over the region. A processor system is coupled to the laser and the movable scan component, and the processor system is configured to arrange pulses of laser beam to ablate the epithelial layer of the region in response to the map of epithelial thickness.
US09402356B2
A novel hybrid tomato plant, designated HMX3887 and/or HMX3888 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of tomato hybrid HMX3887 and/or HMX3888, to the plants and plant parts of hybrid tomato HMX3887 and/or HMX3888, and to methods for producing a tomato plant by crossing the hybrid tomato HMX3887 and/or HMX3888 with itself or another tomato plant. The invention further relates to methods for producing a tomato plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other tomato plants derived from the hybrid tomato plant HMX3887 and/or HMX3888.
US09402346B2
A baler has a flywheel, a plunger connected to the flywheel via a crank, an auxiliary motor for rotating the flywheel in a reverse direction and a start-up control system comprising a sensor for providing a signal indicative for the position of the crank and a control unit for controlling the auxiliary motor for rotating the flywheel in reverse direction to a predetermined launch position for enabling the flywheel to gain sufficient kinetic energy before the first plunger impact, at the next start-up.
US09408333B2
There are provided: a flow-rate adjustment unit capable of individually adjusting the flow rates of a heating medium to be supplied to a plurality of electronic devices; a temperature sensor configured to individually detect the temperatures of the heating medium released from the plurality of electronic devices; and a control unit. The control unit controls the flow-rate adjustment unit based on outputs of the temperature sensor such that the temperatures of the heating medium released from the plurality of electronic devices become equal to each other.
US09408332B2
A system and method for cooling electronic devices disposed with the innermost volume of a fluid-tight sealed enclosure. Thermally conductive fluids that fill one or more volumes of said sealed enclosure may be circulated away from said sealed enclosure to an external heat exchange mechanism. The innermost volume of the sealed container contains one or more single phase or multi-phase thermally conductive fluids, which may be circulated passively by convection or actively by means of a pump, bubbler, fan, propeller or other means. Pressure balancing mechanisms may be included to maintain suitable pressure of gaseous fluid in a volume of the sealed container.
US09408330B2
An apparatus to cool a computing device is provided and includes a structure. The structure includes a coolant moving device and a heat generating component. The structure is formed such that the coolant moving device is configured to generate a first flow of coolant into a plenum in a first direction and a second flow of coolant from the plenum in a second direction, which is transverse to the first direction, such that the coolant thermally interacts with the heat generating component. The structure further includes a plate interposed between the plenum and the heat generating component. The plate includes aerodynamic elements disposed to extend into the plenum.
US09408324B2
A modular chassis includes a first casing module, a second casing module and a back plate module. The second casing module and the back plate module are disposed inside the first casing module. The first casing module includes a first outer box and a second outer box, in which the second outer box is capable of sliding relative to the first outer box and joining to the first outer box such that the length of the first casing module is adjustable.
US09408318B2
A storage device has a casing with physical and mechanical features that enable an automated dispenser to reliably move the storage device through a loading and dispensing process therewithin. The casing's physical and mechanical features reduce the chance of a user loading the storage device in an automated dispenser incorrectly. The casing may also improve the stacking of storage devices in a dispenser. The features herein additionally assist a free fall while loading to the automated dispenser. The storage devices may be, for example, USB solid state drives (also referred to as flash drives, thumb drives, or the like), Secure Digital (SD) cards, CompactFlash (CF) cards and the like.
US09408316B2
Wearable electronic devices that provide adaptive physical coupling between electrically coupled components are described. Adaptive physical coupling advantageously accommodates different user sizes, forms, and movements and enhances the overall ergonomics of a wearable electronic device. Adaptive physical coupling also introduces stresses and strains on electrical pathways between the electrically coupled components. Accordingly, the wearable electronic devices include strain mitigation systems that mitigate physical strains on the electrical pathways between electrically coupled components. An exemplary strain mitigation system includes a guide structure that is pivotally coupled to a first substantially rigid structure of the wearable electronic device and slideably coupled to a second substantially rigid structure of the wearable electronic device. The guide structure provides a surface/channel over/through which electrical pathways extend between electrically coupled components.
US09408304B2
A broadband through printed circuit board (PCB) for millimeter wave application and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The structure includes a multiple layered body and an opening in the multiple layered body. The structure further includes at least one signal via extending through the opening. The structure further includes ground vias extending through the opening and on opposing sides of the at least one signal via. The structure further includes a ground plate above and below the opening and electrically connected to the ground vias at respective ends. The structure further includes a microstrip signal via above and below the opening and electrically connected to the at least one signal via.
US09408298B2
A flexible circuit current measuring apparatus includes a flexible substrate member having a top side and a bottom side, a plurality of first conductive traces disposed on the top side of the flexible substrate member and spaced along a length of the flexible substrate member, and a plurality of second conductive traces disposed on the bottom side of the flexible substrate member and spaced along the length of the flexible substrate member. The first conductive traces and the second conducive traces are electrically connected to one another to form a serpentine pattern having a number of windings about and along the flexible substrate member, and the current measuring apparatus is structured to be wrapped around a conductor for measuring a current carried by the conductor.
US09408294B2
Printed circuit board assemblies providing fault detection are provided. One example printed circuit board assembly includes a substrate layer. One or more solder pins are located on a rear surface of the substrate layer. The printed circuit board assembly includes a non-conductive layer adjacent to the rear surface of the substrate layer. The printed circuit board assembly includes a conductive layer adjacent to the non-conductive layer. The conductive layer is electrically connected to a ground. The printed circuit board assembly includes a mounting surface. The printed circuit board assembly includes a support layer compressed between the conductive layer and the mounting surface. The support layer applies a mechanical force that presses the conductive layer towards the non-conductive layer.
US09408287B2
A plasma actuator system includes a first electrode having a first slit formed in a first peripheral section of the first electrode. The first slit directs flow of a gaseous medium along a radial direction of the first electrode. Further, the plasma actuator system includes a second electrode coupled to the first electrode and is disposed concentrically around the first electrode. The second electrode includes a second slit formed in a second peripheral section for directing flow of the gaseous medium along the radial direction. Further, the system includes a power source coupled to the first and second electrode for supplying electric power to the electrodes for ionizing gaseous medium to generate plasma.
US09408284B2
A test pin array (21) array with electrostatic discharge protection comprises at least one modified test pin (22) with a static dissipative element (24) incorporated at its plunger tip (23). The use of the modified test among the test pin array provides an extremely low-cost alternative solution to the large scale testing of microchips without the use of any air ionizer.
US09408282B1
A lighting device for use with one or more other networked devices is disclosed. In embodiments, the lighting device may comprise an outer globe, a diffuser, a plurality of light pipes, an outer cowling, a power input connector, a power control printed circuit board, a communication and control printed circuit board, an indicator printed circuit board, one or more microprocessors, an auxiliary device, and an LED lighting printed circuit board. In embodiments, the lighting device may communicate with one or more other networked devices, such as second lighting devices, mobile phones, servers, remote controls, and/or home or office automation equipment. The lighting device may be powered through a light socket.
US09408278B2
An LED module receives current supplied from a variable current source. The LED module includes a first LED that is connected to a variable current source, a bipolar transistor that is series-connected to the first LED and has a resistance that varies depending on magnitude of the current It supplied from the variable current source, and a second LED that is parallel-connected to a series circuit that is composed of the first LED and the bipolar transistor and differs in luminescent color from the first LED.
US09408265B2
A multichannel constant current LED driving circuit can include: (i) a power stage circuit having a power switching transistor, an inductor, and a rectifier circuit, where the power stage circuit is configured to receive a DC bus voltage, and to generate a pseudo-constant output signal to drive a plurality of LED strings; (ii) a current control unit configured to control an average current of each of the plurality of LED strings in accordance with a corresponding one of a plurality of dimming signals; and (iii) the current control unit being configured to control the power switching transistor in accordance with a current feedback signal that represents a current flowing through the LED strings, where the plurality of LED strings are coupled in series to receive the pseudo-constant output signal.
US09408262B2
A portable lighting device, such as a flashlight, with a mechanical power switch and multiple operating modes is provided. The mechanical power switch is disposed in series with the controller for the lighting device and acts as the user interface to the controller to change modes of operation. Because the mechanical power switch is in series with the controller, the portable lighting device does not consume battery power when the mechanical switch is open. A state machine coupled to the controller is polled by the controller each time it is powered up to determine the operational mode of the lighting device. A regulating circuit is used to power a controller and light source. The regulating circuit converts between current regulation and voltage regulation.
US09408257B2
A silicone band heater assembly includes a silicone heater cable, lead wires, and a zip tie connection. The heater cable consists of a resistance heater wire that is optionally surrounded by a fiberglass braid, which in turn is encased in a silicone insulator. Each end of the heater cable includes an overmolded zip tie segment, which includes the splice connection between the lead wire and resistance wire, and the ability to link the ends of the heater cable assembly together when being clamped to a desired structure.
US09408254B2
An access point and a method for transmitting data through an access point are disclosed, In one embodiment the access point includes a MAC processor configured to process and output a single transmit data stream, and a physical layer (PHY) processor configured to split the single transmit data stream in a plurality of transmit data streams, the physical layer (PHY) processor further configured to process a first group of one or more channel paths for the first set of one or more transmit data streams according to the first mode of operation and a second group of one or more channel paths for the second set of one or more transmit data streams according to the second mode of operation.
US09408251B2
Systems and methods for communicating data within mesh networks are provided. According to one implementation, a data communication node comprises a radio frequency (RF) driver configured to transmit RF signals to and receive RF signals from a remote device via an antenna. The node further comprises a timing device configured to establish a plurality of sequential time periods having start times and end times in synchronization with corresponding time periods of the remote device. The node also includes a memory device configured to store a frequency channel table listing a predetermined sequence of channels, the table also being stored in the remote device. Furthermore, the node comprises a transmitting module configured to forward information related to a data packet to the RF driver for transmission over a channel of the predetermined sequence of channels to the remote device during a first of the plurality of sequential time periods.
US09408250B2
A wireless communication system comprises one or more control units operable to transmit control signals, a plurality of actuators responsive to the control signals, and a plurality of sensors operable to transmit sensor data used by the one or more control units in generating the control signals. Each of the sensors, actuators, and one or more control units are located at a fixed position in the system relative to one another. Each of the plurality of sensors and each of the plurality of actuators are coupled to at least one of the one or more control units via a plurality of wireless paths. Each of the plurality of sensors are operable to transmit the sensor data in an assigned time slot to at least one of the one or more control units over a plurality of wireless channels in each of the plurality of wireless paths. The number of channels in each of the plurality of wireless paths is determined based, at least in part, on a worst-case estimate of potential interference, and each of the plurality of sensors is operable to pseudo-randomly switch the plurality of channels over which the sensor data is transmitted.
US09408248B2
Provided are a communication control device by which a situation where a mobile station is disabled to receive a terminating call can be prevented from continuing for a long time, even when the IP-CAN bearer is removed for some reason. A P-CSCF 310 executes the steps of: detecting a state of the IP-CAN Bearer; transmitting a 503 Service Unavailable, rejecting a terminating call to an UE 100, to a source making the terminating call when loss of the IP-CAN Bearer which has been established is detected; and canceling the transmission of the rejection response when receiving a signal from the UE 100 in a situation where the loss of the IP-CAN bearer is detected, the signal being related to an originating call to the IP multimedia subsystem and being a signal other than registration to the IP multimedia subsystem.
US09408246B2
Systems, methods, apparatus and mechanism for maintaining an existing UE control session attachment while changing bearers of a UE data session, such as migrating between UMTS and non-UMTS bearers terminating at a common gateway device.
US09408245B2
The present disclosure includes systems and methods for acquiring service using multiple channels. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method comprising successively configuring a first wireless communication channel and a second wireless communication channel of a single wireless apparatus to receive a plurality of signal frequencies of one or more radio communication protocols. The first wireless communication channel is configured to receive different signal frequencies of the plurality of signal frequencies than the second wireless communication channel. The first wireless communication channel and the second wireless communication channel process the plurality of signal frequencies in parallel to establish a service connection.
US09408238B2
An apparatus includes an NFC circuit and an electrically conductive layer. The NFC circuit includes an antenna configured to inductively couple to signals emitted by another NFC circuit, a charging circuit configured to output power provided by the inductive coupling through the antenna to the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit, and a transceiver circuit configured to be powered by the charging circuit to transmit data for receipt by the other NFC circuit. The electrically conductive layer is removable from being on the NFC circuit, and while the electrically conductive layer is on the NFC circuit the transceiver circuit is prevented from transmitting. The electrically conductive layer can include a removable conductive sticker that electrically connects to one or more locations on the antenna, to a ground plane of the NFC circuit, and/or to another circuit node of the NFC circuit to prevent the transceiver circuit from transmitting.
US09408234B2
According to the present invention, collision and a back-off slot in a competition by means of DCF can be significantly reduced, and a throughput higher than conventional DCFs can be provided. Also, overhead due to additional control messages is eliminated by reverse order implied information operating in a distributed manner in terminals, and communication with conventional terminals is enabled even in a wireless network using Aps or the DCF.
US09408231B2
Methods, apparatuses and a computer program product for Extended Access Barring for machine type communications defining first access class barring parameters, a first scaling factor and a second scaling factor, and transmitting, by a base station, the first access class barring parameters, the first scaling factor and the second scaling factor to user equipment.
US09408224B2
A coexistence signaling scheme for radio communications is described. In one embodiment, a method for coexistence signaling includes establishing first communications and second communications with separate access points or base stations. The method further includes determining protocol timings of the first and second communications. Based on various communications parameters, protocol timings, and identified interference conditions, the method includes generating one or more priority signals to manage the first and second communications. According to certain aspects, overlapping channel conditions can be avoided while maintaining acceptable communications data throughput.
US09408222B2
In a method of interference mitigation in a multi user detection capable radio base station in a communication system, which radio base station comprises a set of confined detection modules, at least one of which is capable of handling multiple user connections, first and at least a second subset of detection modules are formed from said set, wherein the second set comprises at least one interference mitigation capable detection module. Interference information from the first subset is communicated to the second subset, interference originating in user connections of the first subset are then mitigated from the user connections of the second subset. Subsequently, interference is mutually mitigated between the connections within the interference mitigation capable detection module.
US09408220B2
Apparatuses and methodologies are described that enhance performance in a wireless communication system using beamforming transmissions. According to one aspect, the channel quality is monitored. Channel quality indicators can be used to select a scheduling technique, such as space division multiplexing (SDM), multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) transmission and opportunistic beamforming for one or more user devices. In addition, the CQI can be used to determine the appropriate beam assignment or to update the beam pattern.
US09408191B2
A communication terminal and a method for controlling data communication are provided by embodiments of the invention, relating to the field of communication technology. The communication terminal comprises: a first communication module adapted to, when transmitting a first communication signal to a first antenna, generate a first communication control signal for controlling a second communication module; and a second communication module adapted to receive the first communication control signal, and stop the transmission of a second communication signal between the second communication module and a second antenna in accordance with the first communication control signal. In the embodiments of the invention, respective signals of the first communication module and the second communication module are controlled to be transmitted in different times, thus signal interferences between the communication modules on the terminal are reduced.
US09408189B2
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to radio communication devices and to a method for controlling frequency selection. In an embodiment of the invention, a radio communication device is provided. The radio communication device may include a first medium access control unit, a second medium access control unit, a common scheduling unit configured to control the first medium access control unit and the second medium access control unit, and a communication interface configured for frequency selection communication between the first medium access control unit and the second medium access control unit, wherein at least one frequency channel to be used is exchanged between the first medium access control unit and the second medium access control unit.
US09408186B2
A method, base station, terminal and communication system for selecting a component carrier are provided in the present invention. The method includes the following steps: determining the coverage range of each available carrier which can be used by the terminal; determining whether the distribution of the coverage ranges of all available carriers accords with a preset distribution mode; in the case of according with the presetting distribution mode, at least according to a rule which is determined by the distribution mode, determining a component carrier to be used. With the embodiments provided in the invention, a component carrier used by the terminal can be reasonably chosen.
US09408181B2
System and methods are provided for dynamically setting a threshold signal-to-noise ratio for probe requests for one or more access points in a wireless network based on several factors, including density/distance between access points and/or current and expected load on access points. By dynamically adjusting a threshold signal-to-noise for probe requests, the systems and methods described herein may efficiently utilize resources based on current and/or expected conditions. In particular, an access point may ignore client device probe requests when another access point may be better positioned to handle such a request and/or when the access point would be unable to meet expected load requirements if such an associate were made.
US09408171B2
Methods, devices, and computer program products for synchronization of wireless devices in a peer-to-peer network are described herein. In one aspect, a method for synchronizing a wireless communication apparatus is provided. The method includes selectively updating a time value of the wireless communication apparatus in response to receiving one or more received synchronization messages from other wireless communication apparatuses during the discovery interval, the one or more received synchronization messages comprising one or more received timestamps of the other wireless communication apparatuses, wherein selectively updating the time value comprises updating based on one or more criteria and the received timestamps, and transmitting the synchronization message in response to determining an absence any received synchronization messages during the discovery interval.
US09408169B2
An arrangement for providing synchronization between a number of overlapping area access points within a wireless LAN utilizes an Ethernet cable connection to transmit synchronization signals from a centralized hub/switch to each of the access points connected to the cable. The synchronization signal takes the form of a direct sequence spread spectrum (DS-SS) signal.
US09408161B2
An arrangement for controlling energy consumption of a network node associated with a cell includes a terminal activity monitor (16) configured to detect active terminals served by the cell. A transmission controller (18) is connected to the terminal activity monitor and is configured to restrict transmission downlink in the cell during time periods when there are no active terminals served by the cell. During these time periods transmission is restricted to inermittent transmission of information assisting active terminals not served by the cell in finding the cell.
US09408157B2
Measures for enabling per-carrier power control for inter-band multi-carrier capable devices, such as for example inter-band carrier aggregation capable devices. Such measures may for example comprise calculating a desired cumulative output power value for a combination of at least two uplink carriers of a terminal device, said two uplink carriers operating on different bands, setting an output power value for each of the at least two uplink carriers of the terminal device based on the calculated desired cumulative output power value, and providing, for the terminal device, a power control instruction for the at least two uplink carriers at the terminal device in accordance with the output power values set for the at least two uplink carriers.
US09408156B2
Transmit power is controlled for a first uplink data transmission on Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) during random access channel (RACH) procedure. Power control adjustment for the first PUSCH transmission is performed relative to the power spectral density used for successful PRACH transmission as adjusted for bandwidth difference, etc. The uplink Physical random access channel carries the RACH information that is transmitted by the user equipment (UE) during registrations or base station originated calls. A PRACH is composed of a number of preambles and a message portion. The preambles are a series of radio frequency power “steps” that increase in power according to the power step setting until the maximum number of preambles is reached or the base station acknowledges. Once the UE receives a positive indication, it transmits the message portion of the PRACH which consists of message data and control data with independent power gain control.
US09408152B2
A method and apparatus for setting and executing a function profile in a mobile communication terminal to manage its battery usage. The method includes determining whether a function profile setting function is set; selecting, if a function profile setting function is set, a specific function and executing the function according to a set function profile. Therefore, each function of the mobile communication terminal can be executed in an optimal function profile which in turn reduces unnecessary power consumption of the mobile communication terminal.
US09408136B2
Various methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture are provided which may be implemented for use by a mobile device to alter a scan operation. Various methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture are provided which may be implemented for use by one or more electronic devices to determine one or more scan factors for use by a mobile device in altering a scan operation.
US09408123B2
A method for Mobility Management MM in a system architecture supporting mobility between different access systems having separate Core Network CN-level MM entities while using common MM Area, the method comprising a step of: when a User Equipment UE leaves the coverage of a first one of the access systems where it is in a Non Radio Connected state as seen from Radio Access Network RAN, but seen in Connected State from CN-level MM entity, for the coverage of a second one of the access systems where it is in Idle state as seen from CN-level MM entity, putting the UE into Idle state as seen from CN-level MM entity of said first access system.
US09408122B2
A method of obtaining system frame number for handover is provided. A UE receives a handover command from a serving base station in a serving cell. The UE performs downlink synchronization with a target base station. Upon synchronization, the UE determines a radio frame boundary of a target cell. The UE then obtains a system frame number of the target cell based on the radio frame boundary. The UE performs a handover procedure with the target cell by transmitting a RACH preamble to the target base station. The RACH preamble is transmitted over a PRACH resource determined from the system frame number without reading SFN information from a PBCH/BCH broadcasted from the target base station. Finally, the UE establishes data connection with the target base station. Handover interruption time is reduced by obtaining SFN before PBCH reading and decoding.
US09408118B2
This disclosure relates to cell selection of a telecommunication device based on mobility management algorithms for idle mode cell selection routines and handover routines. The mobility management algorithm can utilize the BTS class of the infrastructure equipment to help determine cell selection. The BTS class of the infrastructure equipment can be used to determine the geographic size of the coverage area that the infrastructure equipment provides. These algorithms can be used to help handle mobility management for telecommunication device.
US09408115B2
A master monitor/control (“M/C”) unit selects a base station controller (“BSC”) to serve a mobile radio base station (“RBS”). In one embodiment, the master M/C unit is configured to monitor and assess performance parameters of a communications link between the mobile RBS and a serving BSC and alternative communications links between the mobile RBS and a plurality of other BSCs. The master M/C unit is also configured to determine if the performance parameter of an alternative communications link between the mobile RBS and one of the plurality of other BSCs is better than the performance parameter of the communications link between the mobile RBS and the serving BSC, and select the one of the plurality of other BSCs as an alternative BSC accordingly. The master M/C unit is also configured to provide a new configuration for the mobile RBS and the alternative BSC to enable the alternative communications link therebetween.
US09408113B2
A method of selecting a target core network of a communication network for handing over a voice session of a terminal from a packet switched source radio access network (RAN) to a target RAN. The voice session is anchored in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem, and the selected target core network includes a circuit switched domain which is associated with the target RAN and supports voice session continuity to hand over the voice session from the source RAN to the target RAN. The target RAN is associated with a network identification of the target core network. The method is executed by a node and includes receiving a network identification of at least one target core network associated with at least one target RAN. The target core network is selected based on an indicated support of voice session continuity by the network identification.
US09408107B2
In a multi-access system, an access selection principle is achieved by selecting a signal strength threshold level (130-133) based on a determined load level (ULOCAL) in a first access network. A new user in an area commonly covered by more than one access network attempts to allocate to the first access network if an experienced signal strength exceeds the signal strength threshold level (130-133). Communication utility can preferably be maximized or at least be taken into account by using suitable load level dependencies. By increasing the threshold when the load level approaches the capacity limit, a completely filled first access network is avoided. This gives an opportunity to let particularly well-suited users still have access to the first access network. At the same time, since the preferred access is decided before the actual access attempt, control signalling can be significantly reduced, even at very high traffic loads.
US09408090B1
In a wireless network in which communication devices are configured to use a first guard interval between symbols or a second guard interval between symbols, wherein the first guard interval has a length shorter than a length of the second guard interval, a field in a data unit received from a communication device is analyzed to determine a set of one or more modulation and coding schemes (MCSs) supported by the communication device and to determine whether one or more MCSs in the set of one or more MCSs is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval. One MCS in the set of one or more MCSs and the first guard interval is utilized a) when communicating with the communication device, and b) when it is determined that the one MCS is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval.
US09408088B2
A wireless communication system including a transmitting and receiving device that performs communications with the transmitting device, using a radio frame containing control information and data, wherein the transmitting device includes: a first generating unit that generates first control information able to be estimated by the receiving device; a second generating unit that generates second control information used for control of communication from the receiving device to the transmitting device and unable to be estimated by the receiving device; a multiplexing unit that multiplexes the control and data information so that the first control information is allocated in the control information and the second control information is allocated in the data in the radio frame; a transmitting unit a signal multiplexed by the multiplexing unit; the receiving device includes a receiving unit that receives the signal wherein the second control information is allocated in the data from the transmitting device.
US09408083B2
A system, method, and computer program product can determine a need to place a small cell in a particular location covered by a cellular network. Accordingly usage of a network resource by one or more user devices within the confinement of a particular location can be recorded. When the usage exceeds a predetermined threshold for that network resource, and upon determination that such an area could be better served by a small cell, a notification can be generated of the location and the one or more user devices so that such a small cell, such as, e.g., but not limited to, a femtocell, can be effectively placed in the location. In certain embodiments, an area representative of a plurality of user devices may be determined. In such embodiments, the location can be determined within the area.
US09408080B2
A method and apparatus performs processing of the non-access stratus (NAS) layer (layer 3) in long term evolution (LTE) wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), which allows the NAS protocol layer to route layer 3 messages to the correct NAS entity, and to encode new NAS message types and information elements. A new architecture is presented that enables NAS security. When a NAS message is generated, a determination is made as to whether or not to cipher, de-cipher and/or integrity check the NAS message based on at least one of a protocol discriminator (PD) of the NAS message, an indicator field in a header of the NAS message, the type of the NAS message, a NAS security state variable, and an indication by an upper layer protocol. The NAS security state variable indicates whether NAS security is currently active or not and may comprise one bit.
US09408076B2
During a technique for authenticating a user using a portable electronic device (such as a smartphone) while preventing successful 2D media attacks and virtual-camera attacks, the portable electronic device provides an instruction to a user to move the portable electronic device relative to the user's face. Then, using an imaging sensor in the portable electronic device, the portable electronic device acquires, a series of images while the portable electronic device is at different positions or orientations relative to the user's face, where the series of images include at least two images relative to a symmetry axis of the user's face (such as the midline). Moreover, the portable electronic device determines a change in a sign of a nose angle in at least the two images. Next, the portable electronic device authenticates the user based on at least one of the series of images using a facial-recognition technique.
US09408065B2
A device (34) facilitates communications on behalf of users from various public service agencies (22-32). An example device (34) is implemented at a core layer such that it is capable of interfacing with a plurality of wireless communication network elements. An example device (34) includes a database portion (36) that includes information regarding how wireless communications should be managed on behalf of individuals associated with one or more public service agencies. A communication portion (38) interfaces with one or more network elements to provide information from the database portion (36) to achieve the desired control over wireless communications on behalf of end users from the public service agencies. Control portions (40) provide information and management capabilities to agencies utilizing the device (34).
US09408064B2
The present invention discloses user equipment, a home subscriber data server (HSS) and a method and system for obtaining user equipment ability by a core network element. Wherein, the method for obtaining user equipment ability by the core network element includes: in and/or after the IP multimedia network subsystem (IMS) registration process, the home subscriber data server (HSS) informing the IMS network element of the ability information of user equipment (UE). The HSS is enabled to obtain the user equipment ability information in present invention, and can provide services for various operations of subscribers.
US09408061B2
The present disclosure discloses a method and network device providing distributed network layer mobility for unified access networks. The method eliminates the need for a secure tunnel between a home network device and a foreign network device when a client roams from the home network device to the foreign network device. The disclosed network device receives an association request from a client device in a wireless network; identifies a first wireless virtual local area network (VLAN) that the client device is assigned to; and, allows traffic to or from the client device to be transmitted via the network device on the first wireless VLAN, wherein traffic on at least a second wireless VLAN is transmitted via the network device and segregated from the traffic on the first wireless VLAN.
US09408054B2
A method and apparatus for obtaining end-user location information for emergency services within a multimedia network is presented. The multimedia network may include a network implementing the Session Initiation Protocol, H.323, etc. In one embodiment, a Location Application Server (LAS) in the multimedia network and an interface between the LAS and a gateway mobile location center (GMLC) is defined.
US09408044B2
A network device includes a communication interface and a processor. The communication interface may receive a multicast stream that includes a frame. The processor is coupled to the communication interface and may determine whether to send the frame unicast or multicast. The communication interface transmits the frame unicast or multicast based on the determination by the processor. The determination by the processor may be based on characteristics of the frame. If the characteristics of the frame include characteristics of a key frame such as an I-frame, the processor may determine to transmit the frame unicast. The determination may also be based on a predetermined state of client devices that are to receive the frame. If a client device is in a predetermined state such as a power save state, the processor may determine to transmit the frame unicast to that client device. Other embodiments are also described.
US09408041B1
A method and an apparatus are disclosed for dynamically detecting and updating occupancy of a predefined space based on the presence of smartphones carried by people. In some embodiments, smartphones may include an app that transmits a unique identification used to adjust a count automatically maintained by a remote or local computer to determine the number of people entering or leaving a predefined area. The occupancy level may allow the determination of whether the capacity of the predefined space has been exceeded. Such determinations may be indicated by generating an alarm. Detection of occupancy is useful in many applications such as space monitoring in schools or other buildings, fire evacuation, burglary detection, security purposes, detection of unauthorized presence, starting video cameras in a space to start recording events, calling security staff, space preparation (turning on lights, heat, etc.), space overflow estimation, and other applications.
US09408034B2
A network-centric device discovery solution that leverages area event location services. A proximity server (PS) performing device discovery for a discoverer mobile initiates an area event, via a location server, for each device subscribed to the same proximity service group as the discoverer mobile and camped on the same zone as the discoverer mobile. The area event notifies the PS each time such device moves into an area of an E-CGI and/or WiFI access point where the discoverer mobile attaches. If the PS receives an area event notification for the device camped on the same zone as the discoverer mobile, the PS requests location information for the device and uses returned location information to determine if the device is within a predefined proximity of the discoverer mobile. If the device is within a predefined proximity of the discoverer mobile, the PS sends a proximity alert message to the discoverer mobile.
US09408025B2
A method for authenticating a user's location in a femtocell-based network is disclosed. A user is associated to a femtocell connected to a connection point in the wireless network. An indication of the user's location is provided to a remote user. A characteristic of a connection between the femtocell and the connection point is monitored. The monitored characteristic is provided to the remote user to verify user's location.
US09408018B2
A dual-wireless mode speaker is disclosed, which includes a controller and a wireless receiver module connected to the controller. The wireless receiver module includes a Bluetooth receiver module and a WiFi receiver module. The speaker further includes an audio processing module with an input terminal coupled to the controller and an audio output module coupled to an output terminal of the audio processing module. The speaker is configured to operate in one of a Bluetooth-only mode, a WiFi-only mode and a dual-wireless mode. Additionally, the Bluetooth receiver module is activated and the WiFi receiver module is deactivated in the Bluetooth-only mode; the Bluetooth receiver module is deactivated and the WiFi receiver module is activated in the WiFi-only mode; and both the Bluetooth receiver module and the WiFi receiver module are activated in the dual-wireless mode.
US09408014B2
A data transmission method for Machine Type Communication (MTC) and a MTC apparatus are disclosed. The data transmission method for MTC includes: dividing each of a plurality of subframes configured with time resources and frequency resources into a first region for transmitting control information and a second region for transmitting data; and allocating resources for MTC to the second region of each subframe according to a predetermined hopping period and a predetermined hopping frequency interval. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the data transfer rate of a MTC apparatus.
US09408006B2
An exemplary headpiece module includes 1) a housing configured to be affixed to a head of a patient, 2) communication circuitry disposed within the housing and that facilitates communication of an off-the-ear sound processor module with a cochlear implant implanted within the patient, and 3) a loudspeaker at least partially disposed within the housing of the headpiece module and that applies acoustic stimulation to the patient as directed by the off-the-ear sound processor module.
US09408002B2
In a hearing aid with a signal processor for signal processing in accordance with selected values of a set of parameters Θ, a method of automatic adjustment of a set z of the signal processing parameters Θ, using a set of learning parameters θ of the signal processing parameters Θ is provided, wherein the method includes extracting signal features u of a signal in the hearing aid, recording a measure r of an adjustment e made by the user of the hearing aid, modifying z by the equation z=uθ+r, and absorbing the user adjustment e in θ by the equation θN=Φ(u,r)+θP, wherein θN is the new values of the learning parameter set θ, θP is the previous values of the learning parameter set θ, and Φ is a function of the signal features u and the recorded adjustment measure r.
US09407999B2
A method of enhancing binaural representation for a subject includes receiving a first signal and a second signal in response to a plurality of sound sources, generating a number of estimated interaural time differences using the first signal and the second signal, converting each of the number of estimated interaural time differences to a corresponding interaural level difference, using one or more of the corresponding interaural level differences to generate an adjusted first signal, and using the adjusted first signal to generate a number of signals delivered to the subject for enhancing the hearing of the subject.
US09407993B2
A latency reduction system in a virtual bass processing system performs harmonic transposition on low frequency components of an audio signal to generate transposed data indicative of harmonics of the audio signal. The system uses a base transposition factor greater than two, and generates the harmonics in response to frequency-domain values determined by forward and inverse transform stages that use asymmetric analysis and synthesis windows. The system combines a virtual bass signal with the delayed wide band audio signal through analysis filter banks having filter coefficient truncated Nyquist filters. The virtual bass signal may lag the delayed wide band audio signal when combining with the audio signal to further reduce the latency caused by the harmonic transposition. The virtual bass input signal may be directly routed from a CQMF analysis filter bank of a preceding Hybrid filter bank stage, in order to avoid the delay associated with a Nyquist filter bank.
US09407989B1
A closed audio circuit is disclosed with function of eavesdropping prevention and audio clarity enhancement. The closed audio circuit includes a plurality of user equipment (UEs) and an audio signal combiner for a group audio communication session. The UEs and the audio signal combiner form a closed audio circuit allowing a user to target another user to create a private conversation to prevent eavesdropping. The UEs receive user audio input signals and send the audio input signals to the audio signal combiner. The audio signal combiner receives the audio input signals from each UE and transfer desired mixed audio output signals to each of the UE.
US09407984B2
An electronic apparatus and a method for providing a sound system of the electronic apparatus are provided herein. The electronic apparatus has a housing, a speaker and a bracket. The housing has a space and a channel, which is coupled to the space. The speaker is placed in the space. The bracket has a first end coupled to the channel and is movable relative to the housing. A sound mode of the electronic apparatus may be switched from a first mode to a second mode by positioning a second end of the bracket from a first position in the channel to a second position away from the channel.
US09407982B2
A system for providing media and/or communications data to a plurality of users, the system comprising: a plurality of headphones; and a server system for providing audio data to each of the plurality of headphones; wherein each headphone comprises a processor module for allowing two-way digital communication between the headphone and the server system.
US09407978B2
A portable communication device, such as a remote speaker microphone (RSM) (100) is provided with a movable paddle (104) providing a combination speaker grill and push-to-talk actuator. The RSM incorporates drainage paths (110) to prevent moisture from collecting around the movable paddle (104). An internal speaker (502) is retained within the RSM (100) in a stationary manner with sufficient front and back volumes impervious to the actuations of the movable paddle (104). The movable paddle (104) provides improved tactile feedback over a large surface.
US09407975B2
Objects in a video are identified, and linked to ecommerce sites and advertisements. A user may select an object and be provided with information about the object. A video stream may be encoded with a separate metadata stream that contains the identity of each object on each frame of the video. The metadata channel may be extracted from a video stream and displayed to a user when the user clicks on the corresponding object. A device may take a video input, analyze it, and recognize the video. The device may look up said video in a database of tagged videos, output as an overlay or separate window to a video display device stream with information about the item. A user interface device may allow a user to select objects on a video screen and select and choose said object for integration with the other components of the system.
US09407972B2
A data processor capable of preventing a system from starting up improperly due to incomplete program updating. The data processor receives, by way of an external interface, a program which is sent by communicating medium such as a broadcast wave or a telephone network from an external device and stores the received program into a memory B which is different from a memory A storing a program for the system when a version of the received program is newer than that of a program currently executed by the data processor, thereby starting up an MPU at the next time with the program stored in the memory B.
US09407971B2
Techniques for presentation of summary content for primary content are described. In at least some embodiments, primary content includes different types of content, such as television programs, live broadcasts, web content, and so forth. Summary content can be generated that encapsulates various aspects and/or events of primary content. In at least some embodiments, summary content is selectable to retrieve other types of content. For instance, summary content can be selected to retrieve supplementary content and/or associated primary content. Implementations enable a variety of different interactions with summary content, such as searching, bookmarking, browsing, and so on.
US09407961B2
Systems and methods may determine a visibility state of an application window associated with a media stream, and selectively decode a media stream based on a visibility state. One or more decode operations with respect to media content, such as video content, may be prevented if a visibility state indicates that at least a portion of an application window includes a blocked state. One or more decode operations with respect to media content, such as video content, may be permitted if a visibility state indicates that at least a portion of an application window includes a visible state. The systems and methods result in benefits to resource utilization, such as processor utilization, power consumption, and so on.
US09407952B2
Provided is a control device including a detector configured to detect use of an application on a communication terminal, and a controller configured to control recording processing related to content that is being output from a content output device associated with the communication terminal in accordance with a detection result obtained by the detector.
US09407942B2
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to methods and systems for the indexing and annotation of video content, the retrieval and display of such video content and its annotations, and the conversion and transmission of such video content and associated data. In certain embodiments, the system processes and cross-references video content with data associated with that content and with standard ontologies. Correlating these information sources produces a system of indexing and annotation of the content. In certain embodiments, this indexing and annotation may facilitate the discovery, retrieval, and management of video content, and may facilitate the integration of video content with other media and other systems.
US09407937B2
The present invention relates to an image encoding and decoding technique, and more particularly, to an image encoder and decoder using unidirectional prediction. The image encoder includes a dividing unit to divide a macro block into a plurality of sub-blocks, a unidirectional application determining unit to determine whether an identical prediction mode is applied to each of the plurality of sub-blocks, and a prediction mode determining unit to determine a prediction mode with respect to each of the plurality of sub-blocks based on a determined result of the unidirectional application determining unit.
US09407930B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for encoding or decoding a video signal. According to the present invention, a plurality of reference units for image prediction of the current unit is acquired and combined to obtain a unit prediction value, thereby improving the accuracy of image prediction. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for inducing a variety of reference units using a motion vector prediction value or a motion vector which is used in conventional inter-prediction, and also relates to a method which combines the reference units so as to obtain the prediction value for the current unit. In addition, the present invention relates to a method which involves acquiring a plurality of reference units for a merging mode, and combining the reference units so as to perform image prediction.
US09407927B2
A motion vector coding unit executes processing including a neighboring block specification step of specifying a neighboring block which is located in the neighborhood of a current block; a judgment step of judging whether or not the neighboring block has been coded using a motion vector of another block; a prediction step of deriving a predictive motion vector of the current block using a motion vector calculated from the motion vector of the other block as a motion vector of the neighboring block; and a coding step of coding the motion vector of the current block using the predictive motion vector.
US09407926B2
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to perform block-based static region detection for video processing are disclosed. Disclosed example video processing methods include segmenting pixels in a first frame of a video sequence into a first plurality of pixel blocks. Such example methods can also include processing the first plurality of pixel blocks and a second plurality of pixel blocks corresponding to a prior second frame of the video sequence to create, based on a first criterion, a map identifying one or more static pixel blocks in the first plurality of pixel blocks. Such example methods can further include identifying, based on the map, a static region in the first frame of the video sequence.
US09407923B2
A computer-implemented method, apparatus and computer program product for recovering from lost packets in video transmissions, the method performed by a computerized device, comprising: receiving by a computing device associated with a subscriber a frame constituting a part of video transmission, from an encoder; decoding the frame; determining that a packet within the frame is missing or corrupted; notifying an encoder about a missing packet; receiving from the encoder a first frame in which a first part is encoded independently of a preceding frame; decoding the first frame; receiving from the encoder a second frame in which a second part different from the first part is encoded independently of a preceding frame; and decoding the second frame.
US09407922B2
In a medical image managing system, there are first and second density conversion modes. In the first density conversion mode, a medical image is processed in density conversion by an image server, before a density-converted medical image is transmitted to a client terminal. In the second density conversion mode, a medical image is transmitted from the image server to the client terminal, which processes the medical image in the density conversion. A density conversion mode checker compares processing time of the first density conversion mode with processing time of the second density conversion mode after acquisition according to communication speed between the image server and the client terminal, and processing speeds of the client terminal and the image server. One of the density conversion modes with the shorter processing time is selected. Thus, the density-converted medical image can be displayed rapidly at the client terminal.
US09407917B2
Provided are a video encoding method of adjusting a range of encoded output data to adjust a bit depth during restoring of encoded samples, and a video decoding method of substantially preventing overflow from occurring in output data in operations of a decoding process. The video decoding method includes parsing and restoring quantized transformation coefficients in units of blocks of an image from a received bitstream, restoring transformation coefficients by performing inverse quantization on the quantized transformation coefficients, and restoring samples by performing one-dimensional (1D) inverse transformation and inverse scaling on the quantized transformation coefficients. At least one from among the transformation coefficients and the samples has a predetermined bit depth or less.
US09407915B2
A block of a frame of a video stream can be encoded using lossless coding that generates a transform domain residual block and a spatial domain difference block. The compression ratio of the coding may be improved by selecting an optimal quantization value on a per-block basis. The optimal quantization value can be selected by quantizing a residual block resulting from prediction of the block using a plurality of candidate quantization values and selecting the candidate quantization value that results in the fewest number of bits for the quantized residual block.
US09407903B2
A compound-eye type stereoscopic image shooting apparatus has a single image sensing device and two shooting optical systems. The two shooting optical systems include a first shooting optical system for forming a first subject image composed of light in a first wavelength range alone and a second shooting optical system for forming a second subject image composed of light in a second wavelength range alone which is different from the first wavelength range. The image sensing device has an image sensing surface divided into a first image sensing area for recording the first subject image and a second image sensing area for recording the second subject image. The image sensing device has, on the image sensing surface, a wavelength filter that transmits, in the first image sensing area, light in the first wavelength range alone and, in the second image sensing area, light in the second wavelength range alone.
US09407899B2
Disclosed are a method for converting a frame format and an apparatus using the same. The method may include: decoding an encoded multiview video compression (MVC)-compatible frame using an MVC decoder; and converting the decoded MVC-compatible frame into an advanced 3D frame. Accordingly, a different frame format may be played by an existing image processing device.
US09407898B2
There is provided a display control device which includes an information acquisition unit for acquiring information related to an object image for a right eye to be observed by a right eye of a viewer and an object image for a left eye to be observed by a left eye of the viewer, a determination unit for determining whether scale correction of the information acquired by the information acquisition unit can be omitted, and a display control unit for performing control of stereoscopically displaying an object based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, in a case it is determined that the scale correction can be omitted.
US09407897B2
A video processing apparatus includes: an obtainment unit which obtains a stereoscopic video, a subtitle data item, and subtitle depth information indicating a position of the subtitle data item in a depth direction; a depth level input unit which receives an input of depth level information for adjusting a depth effect of the stereoscopic video; a depth adjustment unit which adjusts, according to the depth level information, the depth effect of the stereoscopic video and a depth effect of the subtitle depth information in association with each other; a subtitle video generation unit which generates a subtitle video from the subtitle depth information adjusted by the depth adjustment unit and the subtitle data item; a video combining unit which combines the stereoscopic video and the subtitle video to generate a combined video; and an output unit which outputs the combined video generated by the video combining unit.
US09407891B2
A closed caption tagging system provides a mechanism for inserting tags into an audio or video television broadcast stream prior to or at the time of transmission. The receiver receives the broadcast stream and detects and processes the tags within the broadcast stream which is stored on a storage device that resides on the receiver. The tags contain command and control information that the receiver translates and acts upon. A one-touch recording option is provided. An icon is displayed to the viewer telling the viewer that an advertised program is available for recording at a future time. The viewer presses a single button on an input device causing the receiver to schedule the program for recording.
US09407871B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method of controlling an eye-to-eye contact function, which provide a natural eye-to-eye contact by controlling an eye-to-eye contact function based on gaze information about a local participant and position information about a remote participant on a screen when providing the eye-to-eye contact function by using an image combination method and the like in a teleconference system, thereby improving absorption to a teleconference.
US09407870B2
A group video messaging method stores user information identifying authorized users of a video messaging system, and provides a user interface to the video messaging system. The user interface permits authorized users to transfer video files to the video messaging system for storage and retrieval, and to identify criteria for other authorized users to access each transferred video file. The method also stores in the video messaging system the video files transferred to the system by the authorized users; stores information identifying the user that transferred each stored video file to the video messaging system, and the criteria for authorized users to access the stored video files; and stores information identifying different groups of the authorized users and which of the stored video files are to be accessible to each of the authorized users or authorized user groups.
US09407869B2
A system and method for initiating conference calls with external devices are disclosed. Call participants are sent conference invitation and conference information regarding the designated conference call. This conference information is stored on the participant's external device. When the participants arrive at a conference call location having a conferencing device, the conferencing device is capable of communicating with the external device, initiating communications, exchanging conference information. If the participant is verified and/or authorized, the conference system may send the IP address of the conference device to the conference system to initiate the conference call. In one embodiment, the conference device uses an ultrasound acoustic communication band to initiate the call with the external device on a semi-automated basis. An acoustic signature comprising a pilot sequence for communications synchronization may be generated to facilitate the call. Audible and aesthetic acoustic protocols may also be employed.
US09407866B2
A technique joins an electronic device to an electronic conference hosted by a conference server. The technique involves sensing, by the electronic device, sound input. The technique further involves receiving, by the electronic device, sound from a sound initiating device (e.g., a primary device of a user). The technique further involves automatically establishing, based on the sound received from the sound initiating device, a communications channel from the electronic device (e.g., a helper device of the user) to the electronic conference hosted by the conference server to enable a user of the electronic device to participate in the electronic conference through the communications channel by using the electronic device. Once the electronic device has joined the electronic conference, a user can operate the electronic device in a variety of ways to enhance the overall experience, e.g., as a control panel to replace a control panel of the sound initiating device.
US09407864B2
A data processing method and an electronic device that include acquiring a first image, determining whether the first image satisfies a preset condition, and executing a first predetermined processing when the first image satisfies the preset condition.
US09407856B2
A television formed of a FIPEL panel that creates light in both front and rear directions. The television system has a light modulator and a backlight layer for the light modulator. The backlight layer emits light both toward the light modulator to create a television display, and away from the light modulator to create a backlight for the television. The television can be in a housing, with a transparent back. The housing can also have a bezel that can be lit by the backlight layer.
US09407852B2
A method and system for providing program guide data to a user network device associated with a user identifier includes a partner service provider in communication with the user network device and a primary service provider in communication with the partner service provider authenticating the user network device provider using the user identifier. The user network device generates a request for program guide data and communicates the user identifier and the request to the partner service provider. The partner service provider or the primary service provider communicates program guide data to the user network device based on the identifier data. The user network device displays the program guide data on a display device.
US09407843B2
A compensating current is applied at one or more points in a signal processing path to compensate for one or both of a dark or offset current present in an input signal. In certain implementations, the dark or offset current is present in a signal generated by a photomultiplier device. The dark or offset current may be monitored in an output of the signal processing path and, the monitoring being used to determine how much compensation is needed in the signal processing path and to allocate where in the signal processing path the compensation current will be applied.
US09407842B2
There is provided an image pickup apparatus including an image sensor including a plurality of phase difference detection pixels that each perform pupil division of a photographing lens, a gain acquisition unit for acquiring a gain used to correct an output of the phase difference detection pixels, and a correction processing unit for correcting the output of the phase difference detection pixels using the gain acquired by the gain acquisition unit.
US09407838B2
The invention provides systems and methods for imaging a sample. In various embodiments, the invention provides a system comprising an image sensor, a laser for emitting excitation light for an infrared or near-infrared fluorophore, a visible light source, a notch beam splitter, a notch filter, a synchronization module, an image processing unit, an image displaying unit, and light-conducting channels. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a system comprising an image sensor, a laser for emitting excitation light for an infrared or near-infrared fluorophore, a laser clean-up filter, a notch filter, a white light source, an image processing unit, an image displaying unit, and light-conducting channels. In accordance with the present invention, the image sensor can detect both visible light and infrared light.
US09407833B2
Systems, methods, and media for recording an image of a scene ate provided. In accordance with some embodiments, systems for recording an image of a scene are provided. comprising. a diffuser {hat diffuses light representing the scene and that has a scattering function that is independent of aperture coordinates, a sensor that receives diffused light representing the scene and generates data representing an image; and a hardware processes that uses a point spread function to deblur the image.
US09407829B1
Various disclosed embodiments include methods and systems that automatically adjust camera functions of an electronic device to provide improved image quality by determining whether the electronic device is being operated indoors or outdoors.
US09407827B2
A system for capturing sequences of digital images, including a lens, a digital sensor including a plurality of light-sensitive elements, a focusing module suitable for varying the focus of the lens on the sensor, and an electronic processing unit. The electronic processing unit is suitable for determining a variation in magnification between two consecutively captured digital images from a variation in the focus of the lens, and for determining a digital compensation for said variation in magnification. The electronic processing unit is further suitable for digitally processing at least one of the consecutively captured digital images on the basis of said predetermined compensation. The system enables compensation for visual effects resulting from changes in magnification between two consecutively captured images.
US09407826B1
A method or apparatus can be used with an aircraft or other vehicle. The apparatus can include or the method can use processing electronics configured to receive weather and airfield data associated with a weather report and configured to: 1. adjust at least one operational parameter of the vision system in response to the received weather report and airfield data; 2. adjust a display of an image derived from vision system data from vision system and synthetic vision data from a synthetic vision system in response to the data associated with the weather report detect; or 3. perform both operations 1 and 2.
US09407823B2
Example embodiments concern reducing the negative impacts of camera motion during video capture. Processing, transmitting, or displaying motion compromised video data yields inefficient use of bandwidth, battery power, memory, and other resources. Watching video acquired from a moving video camera may induce motion sickness. Unlike conventional systems that attempt to address motion by increasing frame capture rates to produce better individual frames, example embodiments identify frames that are compromised by motion data and do not provide or present them for viewing. Compromised frames may be logically or physically deleted from a video stream or memory. Motion may be detected by physical apparatus (e.g., accelerometer) or through image processing (e.g., motion artifacts, low correlation between frames, low signal-to-noise ratio). A display device may be controlled to operate in a video display mode or a still frame mode depending on motion detected in captured video frames.
US09407819B2
An imaging device is provided, comprising a multidirectional imaging unit defining a plurality of fields of view (FOVs), a sensor unit, and guiding optics. The multidirectional imaging unit is configured for collecting a plurality of electromagnetic (EM) radiation portions from a plurality of scenes, each scene being imaged with a respective FOV. The sensor is configured for receiving EM radiation and generating image data indicative thereof. The guiding optics is configured for receiving at least a part of the collected EM radiation portions and directing them onto the sensor unit.
US09407812B2
An image pickup apparatus that is capable of performing a focusing control with sufficient accuracy without restricting a settable range of a focus detection area. An image pickup device has pixels each of which has sub-pixels that receive light beams passing through different pupil areas. A correlation operation area including a focus detection area and a shift area is set in an image indicated by an output from the image pickup device. A defocus amount is calculated in response to a correlation amount found by applying a shift process to image signals from the sub-pixels. If the focus detection area is set at a position where the correlation operation area is set with a default width, the shift area is set with a predetermined width. Otherwise the shift area is set with a narrower width and the correlation operation area is set with a width narrower than the default width.
US09407795B2
The invention relates to a method of reading out a CMOS image sensor. The method includes setting a pixel (Pxl) in a first mode (SS) and resetting the pixel (Pxl) so the predefined voltage (V-ref) is set over the photo-diode (Dde) and the first capacitance (C_low). The method further includes collecting charge carriers that reduce the pixel potential (Vp) on the photo-diode (Dde). The method further includes reading out the pixel (Pxl) while in the first mode (SS) and a second mode (LS), and storing the pixel potential (Vp). The method further includes resetting the pixel (Pxl) such that the predefined voltage (V_ref) is over the photo-diode (Dde), the first capacitance (C_low), and the second capacitance (C_high). The method further includes reading out the pixel (Pxl) while in the second mode (LS) and the first mode (SS), and storing the pixel potential (Vp).
US09407789B2
A method to selectively compress an image in a printing process comprises the steps of providing a first representation of an image to be printed on a printer to a printing pipeline, processing the first representation in the printing pipeline to derive a second representation of the image, wherein the second representation comprises physical printing parameters adapted to the image and the printer, and compressing the second representation to obtain a compressed third representation of the image. The third representation of the image is again supplied to the printing pipeline, and is processed in the printing pipeline to derive a fourth representation of the image. The fourth representation of the image is provided to a printhead of the printer for printing. The invention also relates to a corresponding system to selectively compress an image in a printing process, as well as to a computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions to cause a computer coupled to or integrated into a system to selectively compress an image in the printing process to perform a method with the steps described above.
US09407781B2
An image reading device includes a casing, an image reading unit, a mounting board, and an antenna. The casing has a side wall positioned at one end thereof in a first direction. The image reading unit is accommodated in the casing and configured to read an image of an original document by scanning in the first direction. The mounting board is accommodated in the casing and mounts an electronic component that is used when the image reading unit reads the image, the mounting board extending in the first direction. The antenna is accommodated in the casing and configured to receive or transmit a radio signal. The antenna is disposed along and adjacent the side wall.
US09407780B2
According to the present disclosure, a light scanning device includes a housing, a light source, a polygon mirror, a polygon motor, a cooling duct, and a fastening portion. The housing is constituted by a housing main body and an upper lid. The light source is supported at one end side of the housing main body. The cooling duct is provided in the housing main body to extend from a light-source side to a side opposite from the light source. The fastening portion is constituted by first and second fastening portions disposed on the light-source side so as to sandwich the light source therebetween and a third fastening portion disposed at a position that is on the side opposite from the light source and that does not overlap the cooling duct as seen from a screw-fastening direction.
US09407776B2
A system and associated methods are provided for the evaluation of printing systems. Results may be expressed as a set of simple-to-understand alphabetic grades (e.g., A, B, C, D, F). These grades reflect the visual acceptability of prints of the image evaluation document produced by the printing system. Capabilities are provided for query and reporting of data across printing systems and over time for various attributes and factors.
US09407773B2
A system and method for bridging the POTS network and a packet network, such as the Internet, uses a set of access objects that provide the interfacing and functionality for exchanging address and payload information with the packet network, and for exchanging payload information with the payload subnetwork and signaling information with the signaling subnetwork of the POTS network. The system includes a communications management object that coordinates the transfer of information between the POTS network and the packet network; a payload object that transfers payload information between the system and the payload subnetwork of the first communications network; a signaling object that transfers signaling information between the system and the signaling subnetwork of the first communications network in accordance with a signaling protocol associated with the signaling subnetwork; and a packet object that transfers payload and address information between the system and the second communications network in accordance with a communications protocol associated with the second communications network. An alternative embodiment uses a plurality of payload, signaling and packet objects to provide a scalable system.
US09407769B1
Ways of presenting a custom greeting to a user who retrieves a voicemail that was left by a caller are disclosed. In one embodiment, a voicemail server facilitates storing a voicemail in connection with an identifier that is associated with a calling device that was used by a caller in an attempt to call the user. A user-specific name is automatically retrieved based on the identifier. This name can be retrieved from the user's mobile device or from a remote address book. When the user retrieves his or her messages, the voicemail server presents a custom announcement introducing the message, where the custom announcement is based on the name retrieved.
US09407759B2
Processing telephonic communication is disclosed. A request to establish communication is received from a first communication participant. A first identifier associated with the request is mapped to a second identifier associated with a second communication participant. The second identifier is used to establish communication between the first and the second participant in a manner that allows at least a portion of the communication between the first and second participants to be monitored. Compliance processing is performed with respect to at least a portion of said at least a portion of the communication between first and the second participant. The first identifier is made available to the first participant in a manner that causes the first participant to associated the first identifier with the second participant, the first identifier cannot be used to reach the second participant directly, and the second identifier is not provided to the first participant.
US09407758B1
An architecture and process flow for a contact center that receives payments prevents the agent from hearing sensitive financial information during the payment transaction. During a call with a remote party, the agent determines an appropriate time to bridge on a bank card payment processing system to receive and process a payment. Audio of the call to the agent is then interrupted so as to avoid the agent hearing any sensitive financial information provided by the remote party. A speech analytics system (“SAS”) is bridged onto the call and monitors the payment transaction. The SAS provides status indications displayed to the agent so that the agent is able to monitor the progression of the payment transaction without hearing the contents of the call. The SAS determines when the payment transaction has completed and causes the agent audio to be restored.
US09407756B2
In one example a controller comprises logic, at least partially including hardware logic, configured to receive a notification of an incoming event and terminate the notification in response to at least one of a predetermined motion applied to the controller or a predetermined touch applied to a touch surface. Other examples may be described.
US09407743B1
A cell phone protector case with a chamber to press fit retain a cell phone and an adjustable low profile strap retained on the cell phone protector case to enable a grip on a hand between a rear surface of the cell phone protector case and strap to be adjustable for a tight grip. The strap also has reflective strips and a reflective pull tab to enable the cell phone protector case to be used in low light.
US09407740B2
A mobile electronic device is described. The mobile electronic device includes a circuit board and a battery. The circuit board has opposing first and second peripheral edges. The first peripheral edge has a first cutout and the second peripheral edge has a second cutout. The battery is located adjacent to the circuit board and has opposing first and second curved end portions. The first curved end portion extends at least partially through the first cutout. The second curved end portion extends at least partially through the second cutout.
US09407736B1
In the subject system for remote monitoring and configuration, management of a remote physical layer device may be performed by receiving, at a local physical layer device, an incoming message of a first communication format from a controller device. The incoming message may include a request intended for the remote physical layer device that is communicatively coupled to the local physical layer device over a transmission line carrying a data channel and a supplemental channel. The incoming message may be parsed into an outgoing message of a second communication format for sending to the remote physical layer device through the supplemental channel. The local physical layer device may receive a response from the remote physical layer device through the supplemental channel. The local physical layer device may convert the response from the second communication format into the first communication format for sending the converted response back to the controller device.
US09407717B1
The present invention relates to systems, apparatus, and methods of enhancing prefetcher functionality by scanning responses object requests. In certain embodiments, prefetching is improved by identifying references to container objects or sections of container objects at a proxy server. When URLs are identified as part of a container object, a prefetching determination or adjustment to a prefetching decision is made according to the identification of the reference for a subset of URLs identified by the reference to the container object. For example, prefetching of URLs located in cascading style sheet (CSS) files may be restricted to a subset of URLs which are identified by a CSS rule.
US09407711B2
Techniques for receiving and processing detected events are provided. A bit array may be received from a device. Each bit value in the bit array may indicate whether a user initiated event relating to interaction with a website was detected by the device. Data regarding a start time associated with the bit array may be received. Each bit value in the bit array is associated with a time increment after the start time.
US09407708B2
A first member of a social network service provides a set of desired attributes and a designation of the type of a candidate having the desired attributes that is desired as a recommendation. The attributes of the profiles of other members of the social networks are searched for entities having the set of desired attributes. At least one of the entities having the desired attributes that result from the search is presented to the first member as the recommendation of a candidate. The first member may provide a second set of desired attributes and a designation of the type of at least one second candidate having the second set of desired attributes. The attributes of the profiles of the other members of the social network may be searched for second entities having the second set of desired attributes. The first member is presented with at least one of the second entities as the recommendation of a second candidate.
US09407706B2
Components, methods, and apparatuses are provided that may be used to obtain a plurality of time-referenced features extracted from signals received from one or more inertial sensors of a mobile device, wherein the time-referenced features are provided according to heterogeneous time scales. The time-referenced features are combined over a decision window to infer an activity of a user co-located with the mobile device.
US09407699B2
A system and method for management and processing of resource requests is provided. A content delivery network service provider determines a class associated with a set of client computing devices and monitors resources requests for the determined class. The content delivery network service provider then identifies at least one cache component for providing additional content, such as advertisement content or other additional content provided in anticipation of future resource requests, to client computing devices as a function of the determined class. In other embodiments, instead of cache components, the content delivery network service provider identifies a second set of client computing devices as a function of the determined class for providing the additional content information.
US09407698B1
A device for sharing and synchronizing data objects with peer devices. The device has a memory, interface for communication with a peer, and a processor. The memory is configured to store therein least one data object that is deemed either an original or a copy. When in communication with a peer device, the processor transmits a request for the peer device to send an original data object that corresponds to a data object stored in the memory if the stored data object is a copy and it is to be modified. The processor then stores the requested data object in the memory as an original data object or, if the requested data object is not received, marks the data object stored in the memory as an original. Then the processor may modify data in the original data object stored in the memory.
US09407684B2
Systems and methods for providing registration at a remote site that may include, for example, a monitoring module that may communicate with a remote site. A registration protocol may be used by the monitoring module and the remote site in generating the messages communicated during the registration process. The monitoring module may gather and generate various identification information to be included in the registration protocol messages. The registration information provided by the monitoring module may be stored at the remote site in a database server having a database. A confirmation message may be communicated from the remote site to the monitoring module that may either acknowledge successful registration or report that an error occurred during the registration process.
US09407680B2
An example method to determine a quality-of-experience (QoE) metric for a network communication includes receiving a media signal from the network communication, wherein the media signal includes a voice component, extracting an experience indicator from the voice component, wherein the experience indicator is a voice feature descriptive of a service quality of the network communication, evaluating the experience indicator, retrieving a quality-of-service (QoS) metric if the evaluated experience indicator reflects the service quality of the network possibly being subpar, and determining the QoE metric for the network communication based on the evaluated experience indicator and the retrieved QoS metric for the network communication.
US09407676B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, initializing a boundary estimate for an optimization of a linear programming model describing a network of media servers for servicing requests for media content items from subscriber devices, where the boundary estimate is an estimate of an infeasible solution of the linear programming model, and calculating iteratively, using an exponential potential function, additional boundary estimates for the linear programming model, wherein the calculating resolves to an improved boundary estimate that corresponds to placement of copies of the media content items at the media servers subject to a set of constraints on storage capacity of media servers and on bandwidth for communication links in the network. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09407665B2
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for sharing sensitive personal data such as personally identifying data and financial data of a user. In an aspect the exchange of data is facilitated by a trusted contract broker, which is in communication with a client device and an external application. The contract broker having access to needs and rules for each of the client device and the external application, and the contract broker brokering the secure exchange of data between the client device and the contract broker according to said needs and rules. In an aspect, an electronic representation of a subset of personal data needed to satisfy an ad-hoc rule of said external application is generated in a client device and delivered to the external application.
US09407662B2
In an information management system, activity data is collected and analyzed for patterns. The information management system may be policy based. Activity data may be organized as entries including information on user, application, machine, action, object or document, time, and location. When checking for patterns in the activity or historical data, techniques may include inferencing, frequency checking, location and distance checking, and relationship checking, and any combination of these. Analyzing the activity data may include comparing like types or categories of information for two or more entries.
US09407661B2
A security device may receive a request from an attacker device and intended for a server device. The security device may identify the request as being associated with a malicious activity. The malicious activity may include one or more undesirable tasks directed to the server device. The security device may generate an unsolvable challenge-response test based on identifying the request as being associated with the malicious activity. The unsolvable challenge-response test may be generated using at least one construction technique and may be configured in an attempt to block the attacker device without making the attacker device aware that the attacker device is being blocked. The security device may provide the unsolvable challenge-response test to the attacker device, and may receive a solution associated with the unsolvable challenge-response test. The security device may notify the attacker device that the solution is incorrect regardless of whether the solution is actually correct.
US09407656B1
Approaches are provided for determining a risk level for server health check processing. An approach includes creating statistical process control analyzes for each of one or more servers on a network by calculating performance parameters for each of one or more servers based on historical values for one or more key process indicators of server health or vulnerability. The approach further includes collecting new values for each of the one or more key process indicators, detecting significant changes of the mean or variation in each of the one or more key process indicators, and determining a risk level for each of the one or more servers based on a number of the significant changes of the mean or variation. The approach further includes providing a health check recommendation for each of the one or more servers based on the risk level determined for each of the one or more servers.
US09407653B2
A particular scan set to be performed on at least a portion of a computing environment is identified. A particular scan engine, in a plurality of scan engines, is identified that is adapted to perform at least one scan in the particular scan set, each scan engine in the plurality of scan engines adapted to perform one or more scans on one or more host devices in the computing environment. A request is sent to the particular scan engine to perform the at least one scan in the particular scan set and scan result data is received from the particular scan engine corresponding to the at least one scan in the particular scan set.
US09407651B2
Methods and apparatus for anomaly detection in network-site metrics using predictive modeling are described. A method comprises obtaining time-series data for a given time range, wherein the time-series data comprises values for a network-site analytics metric for each of a plurality of sequential time steps across the given time range. The method includes generating a predictive model for the network-site analytics metric based on at least a segment of the time-series data. The method includes using the predictive model to predict an expected value range for the network-site analytics metric for a next time step after the segment and, based on the expected value range, determining whether an actual value for the network-site analytics metric for the next time step is an anomalous value.
US09407648B1
Disclosed are system and method for detecting malicious code in random access memory. An exemplary method comprises: detecting, by a hardware processor, a process of an untrusted program on the computer; identifying, by the hardware processor, function calls made by the process of the untrusted program, including inter-process function calls made by the process to a destination process; determining, by the hardware processor, whether to perform malware analysis of a code in an address space of the destination process that was subject of an inter-process function call made by the process of the untrusted program; and when it is determined to perform malware analysis, analyzing the code in an address space of the destination process that was subject of an inter-process function call made by the process of the untrusted program using antivirus software executable by the hardware processor.
US09407647B2
A detection engine may be implemented by receiving network traffic and processing the traffic into one or more session datasets. Sessions not initiated by an internal host may be discarded. The frequency between the communication packets from the internal host to external host may be grouped or processed into rapid-exchange instances. The number of rapid-exchange instances, the time intervals between them, and/or the rhythm and directions of the initiation of the instances may be analyzed to determine that a human actor is manually controlling the external host. In some embodiments, when it is determined that only one human actor is involved, alarm data may be generated that indicates that a network intrusion involving manual remote control has occurred or is underway.
US09407646B2
In one embodiment, a device in a network detects a network attack using aggregated metrics for a set of traffic data. In response to detecting the network attack, the device causes the traffic data to be clustered into a set of traffic data clusters. The device causes one or more attack detectors to analyze the traffic data clusters. The device causes the traffic data clusters to be segregated into a set of one or more attack-related clusters and into a set of one or more clusters related to normal traffic based on an analysis of the clusters by the one or more attack detectors.
US09407645B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for analyzing data that includes security threat information. One of the methods includes identifying intelligence types that each categorizes a subset of data, associating, for each of the intelligence types, each of the subsets of data, which are categorized by the respective intelligence type, with the respective intelligence type, determining rules for a third party that each indicate that the third party should receive data associated with particular types of potential security threats and priority information for the data, determining, for each of the potential security threats indicated in the rules, a group of the subsets that include information associated with the respective potential security threat, assigning, for each subset in each of the groups, a priority to the respective subset using the priority information, and providing the determined subsets to the third party using the respective priorities.
US09407637B2
The invention relates to a method and system for managing and checking different identity data relating to a person. According to the invention, a derived-identity management server generates for the person at least part of the identity data with which said person can be authenticated in relation to a service provider for the derived-identity domain, on the basis of information derived from identity data from parent domains. The identity data generation processing ensures that no link can be established from two authentications in two separate domains in the absence of link information. If necessary, said link information is transmitted by a parent domain to a derived-identity server so that the latter establishes the link between the identity data of the derived-identity domain and the identity data of the parent domain, e.g. for the cascade revocation of a person from various domains.
US09407630B2
Resetting a password for a network service account may include redirecting the user to a password reset tool, wherein the user is blocked from network access other than the password reset tool while being redirected. After redirecting the user to the password reset tool, user entry of verification information may be accepted, and the verification information from the user may be compared with known verification information for the user. User entry of a new password may be accepted if the verification information accepted from the user matches the known verification information for the user; and the new password may be stored as the known password for the user. Related systems and computer-program products are also discussed.
US09407626B2
Systems and methods for a security token management service hosted in an application server. A set of services and/or associated applications can be served from an application server to one or more clients. The set of services may require one or more token services in order to deliver their intended functionalities, so that for instance an email client may require the use and presentation of a token or other object incorporating user ID, password, or other authentication information for the user to access and retrieve their email messages. Different served applications and/or services may require the installation of various different token types or services, conventionally requiring manually configuration. A centralized security token management service can be installed and configured in the application server itself, which interfaces to requesting services and automatically locates and acquires diverse token types and/or associated token services to support served applications or services.
US09407614B2
Systems and methods are provided for determining an authentication attempt threshold. Authentication systems often have predetermined authentication attempt thresholds that may not be sufficient for some users and do not necessarily provide any increased security. Systems and methods provided for determining an authentication thresholds described herein may determine the authentication threshold based on certain factors in a user's authentication attempt history that may provide information about a user's probability of a successful authentication to provide additional security for users more likely to successfully authenticate while providing additional assistance to users who may be less likely to successfully authenticate.
US09407608B2
An appliance and method for authorizing a level of access of a client to a virtual private network connection, based on a client-side attribute includes the step of establishing, by an appliance, a control connection with a client upon receiving a client request to establish a virtual private network connection with a network. The appliance transmits, via the control connection, a request to the client to evaluate at least one clause of a security string, the at least one clause including an expression associated with a client-side attribute. The client transmits, via the control connection, a response to the appliance comprising a result of evaluating the at least one clause by the client. The appliance assigns the client to an authorization group based on the result of evaluation of the at least one clause.
US09407604B2
A method and system for best effort propagation of security group information is disclosed. The method includes determining if a reserved group identifier is associated with a destination and, if the reserved group identifier is associated with the destination, indicating that a packet received at a network node can be sent to another network node. The packet includes destination information that identifies the destination as a destination of the packet.
US09407597B2
An embodiment of the system for publishing events of a telephony application to a client includes a call router that generates events from the telephony application and an event router that manages the publication of events generated by the call router and that manages the subscription to events by clients. The system can be used with a telephony application that interfaces with a telephony device and an application server.
US09407594B2
Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications and commerce via a social network. In one embodiment, a social network is used to provide information about an advertiser to demonstrate the trustworthiness of the advertiser to potential customers. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request from a customer for a document; and providing the customer with an advertisement embedded in the document, the advertisement including information to identify an advertiser of the advertisement based on a social network. In one embodiment, the presentation of the advertisement or the advertiser is at least partially based on the social network. In one embodiment, communication references are provided to facilitate the requests for real time communications with a member of the social network via a connection provider, which performs scheduling, filtering, payment processing, etc. for the member of the social network.
US09407590B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring hashtags in micro-blog posts, or status updates, from users to provide one or more crowd-based features. In one embodiment, a micro-blog post of a user in a crowd of users is obtained. The crowd of users is a group of users within a predefined spatial proximity to one another. A hashtag in the micro-blog post is then obtained, and a crowd-based feature is provided based on the hashtag.
US09407583B2
The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a method that includes establishing first federation links between a message broker system and neighbors of the message broker system. The method further includes distributing information describing the first federation links to other message broker systems. The method further includes receiving information describing second federation links between each of the other message broker systems and neighbors of each of the other message broker system. The method further includes identifying shortest paths between the message broker system and each of the other message broker systems. The method further includes receiving a request to send a message from a source message broker system to a destination message broker system. The method further includes determining that none of the shortest paths to the destination message broker system are available and, in response, taking corrective action.
US09407567B2
Apparatus for operating as a server node within a private IP network to host or aggregate a plurality of resources. The apparatus comprises an address controller for obtaining a private IP network IP address, for allocating a server node port number to said resources, and for causing the server node to listen on that server node port. A resource configurator is provided for determining for each of said resources a resource private Uniform Resource Identifier, URI, or URI path together with resource metadata, and for sending to a gateway, interconnecting the private IP network with a public IP network, an advertisement containing said private URI or URI path and respective resource metadata. The apparatus further comprises a resource request receiver for receiving requests at said server node port, for identifying private URIs or URI paths included within the requests, and for delivering resources corresponding to said URI or URI paths.
US09407566B2
For a controller of a distributed network control system comprising several controllers for managing forwarding elements that forward data in a network, a method for managing the forwarding elements is described. The method changes a set of data tuples stored in a relational database of the first controller that stores data tuples containing data for managing a set of forwarding elements. The method sends the changed data tuples to at least one of other controllers of the network control system. The other controller receiving the changed data tuples processes the changed data tuples and sends the processed data tuples to at least one of the managed forwarding elements.
US09407565B1
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to detecting and repairing permanently pauses on a flow controlled fabric. In one aspect, one or more computing devices, such as a switch or a centralized controller, may detect whether a port of a network device receives one or more pause messages. The pause messages may instruct the network device to pause data transmission. Further, the one or more computing devices may determine a period of time during which the port receives the one or more pause messages and identify the port as a permanently paused port based on the determined period of time. The one or more computing devices may then reconfigure the permanently paused port to stop complying with the one or more pause messages.
US09407558B2
The present disclosure is directed to a method and system for automatic triggering network management (NM) control for Voice-Over-IP (VoIP) border elements (BE). The method detects call storm events by monitoring blocked call error messages and maintaining counts according to telephone number based control strings, and controls call storm events by limiting the admitted call rate for calls matching a control string according to an adaptive leaky bucket control. The control drain rate is updated periodically based on a calculated successful call rate and is set to somewhat exceed the successful rate. A control is automatically removed when no blocked calls are observed for a specific number of consecutive windows.
US09407557B2
Techniques for distributing computation and storage tasks between customer premises equipment and a remote vendor computer are disclosed. The techniques include receiving, at a customer premises computer equipment, a TCP-based data flow from a client, rewriting the IP header of the TCP-based data flow, and forwarding the TCP-based data flow to a defined TCP port. The techniques also include a transient termination server process operating in user space of the customer premises equipment to read an application payload sent by the client and sending data to a deep packet inspection engine for classification. The techniques may include identifying, from the client data flow, a protocol associated with the data flow, looking up a handling policy from a policy cache stored in the customer premises equipment, and handling the data flow according to the handling policy.
US09407556B2
Systems and methods are described for predictive delaycast feedback in relation to content object queuing and offer and request handling via communications systems. When a subscriber of communications and/or media services requests access to a content object, embodiments can determine where the content object can and/or should be placed in a delaycast queue. The queue can include multiple regions associated with different estimated delivery timeframes. The placement determination can involve determining an appropriate queue location for the requested content object (e.g., an appropriate queue region), and determining an associated promise time for the requested object.
US09407539B1
Systems and methods utilize network destination identifiers, such as IP addresses, that are simultaneously advertised from multiple locations. The network destination identifiers may be announced in multiple geographic regions. Network traffic routed to devices advertising the network destination identifiers may be routed to appropriate endpoints. When a device receives such traffic, it may send the traffic to an endpoint in a network served by the device. In some instances, such as when such an endpoint is not available, the network traffic may be sent to another network that is served by another device that advertises the network destination identifiers.
US09407536B1
A system may comprise a first device and a second device associated with a Clos architecture. The first device may include a first crossbar that comprises a first component, a second component, and a third component. The second device may include a second crossbar that comprises a fourth component, a fifth component, and a sixth component. The first component may connect to the second component and the fifth component. The second component may connect to the first component, the third component, the fourth component, and the sixth component. The third component may connect to the second component and the fifth component. The fourth component may connect to the second component and the fifth component. The fifth component may connect to the first component, the third component, the fourth component, and the sixth component. The sixth component may connect to the second component and the fifth component.
US09407528B2
The present invention discloses a method, system of fault detection for pseudo wires (PW) and a provider edge router (PE) thereof. The method includes the following. A remote PE receives, from a local PE, a first bonding relationship between a PW and an LSP of which the starting point is the local PE. After the remote PE detects a fault of the LSP, the remote PE determines a fault of the PW based on the detected fault of the LSP, a second bonding relationship between the PW and an LSP of which the starting point is the remote PE, and the received first bonding relationship, wherein the second bonding relationship is pre-configured at the remote PE. The method, system and PE of fault detection for a pseudo wire according to embodiments of the present invention can detect a fault of the PW precisely, ensuring the consistency of PW statuses detected by PEs at the two ends of the PW.
US09407518B2
A system includes a first device and a second device configured to monitor a plurality of data flows traversing the second device. The second device is configured to collect statistics associated with the plurality of data flows, and includes traffic analysis logic that is configured to augment the plurality of data flows with data including statistical information based on the statistics and address information associated with the first device. The first device is configured to receive the data. The traffic analysis logic is operable to push the statistical information to the first device independently of a real-time request for at least a portion of the statistical information from the first device. The traffic analysis logic is configurable based on at least the address information.
US09407516B2
A distributed storage system comprising interconnected computer nodes; each one of the computer nodes comprising at least one processing resource configured to execute a Unified Distributed Storage Platform (UDSP) agent; at least one of the computer nodes comprising one or more resources including at least one cache resource configured to cache objects and having corresponding cache-related parameters; at least one UDSP agent of a respective computer node having the at least one cache resource is configured to: monitor cache-related parameters of the at least one cache resource connected to the respective computer node, for determining whether the cache-related parameters meet at least one first SLS criteria; and in the case the at least one first SLS criteria is not met, initiate handoff of at least part of one or more cache object spaces of the at least one cache resource to at least one other computer node, which after receiving the at least part of one or more cache object spaces, its cache-related parameters meet at least one second SLS criteria.
US09407513B2
Disclosed is a system and method for managing web services. The described exemplary system and method provides an infrastructure for managing various aspects of publishing and using web services, such as logging, security, monitoring, SLA management, service level metrics and notification.
US09407507B2
Systems and methods provide a discovery protocol allowing nodes that are interested in knowing a network topology to discover other nodes in the network topology. The discovery protocol includes two message types, topology discovery messages and topology query messages. A node issues topology discovery messages upon powering up, at periodic intervals, or upon detecting a change in network topology. The topology discovery messages are broadcast to all nodes on a network and identify the issuing node to the network. A topology query message is sent to a particular node and requests a response from the receiving node regarding the neighboring nodes of the receiving node. The querying node can use the response data to discover other nodes and to send the discovered nodes query messages such that the node can determine a network topology to a desired level of depth within the network.
US09407505B2
A computing resource is loaded with the code or data, and an audited record of the loaded code or data is generated. Furthermore, a configuration integrity is generated based on the record of the loaded code or data. The configuration integrity verifier is sent to a requestor for verification of the code or data, the configuration integrity verifier being usable as a trusted verification of the loaded code or data.
US09407504B1
Creating virtual links is disclosed, including: determining a first network appliance to configure to communicate with a second network appliance using a virtual link, wherein the virtual link comprises a layer three overlay point-to-point data link; and determining the second network appliance to configure to communicate with the first network appliance using the virtual link.
US09407500B2
A system and method of determining the configuration of a network switching unit includes receiving a configuration message on a network link. The network switching unit is associated with a first switch ID and belongs to a domain associated with a first domain ID. The system and method further includes identifying a second domain ID and a second switch ID based on at least information associated with the configuration message; determining whether the first domain ID and the second domain ID match; if the first domain ID and the second domain ID match, adding the network link to a first link aggregation group (LAG) associated with the second switch ID and designating the first LAG as part of an intra cluster link (ICL); and if the first domain ID and the second domain ID do not match, adding the network link to a second LAG associated with the second domain ID.
US09407498B2
Embodiments of the invention include a method for providing UE session resilience performed in a first PDN-GW that is coupled to a second PDN-GW, which are both in a PDN-GW pool. The method provides UE session resilience by allowing the first PDN-GW to provide connectivity for UE sessions previously serviced by the second PDN-GW after the second PDN-GW becomes non-operational. The first PDN-GW recognizes that the second PDN-GW failed and then activates a plurality of standby UE sessions. Each standby UE session is a backup UE session corresponding to a previously active UE session serviced on the second PDN-GW. Each standby UE session is associated with a UE device and a network resource identifier of an APN slice. The first PDN-GW transmits a message to a SGW that is servicing the UE sessions that indicates that the SGW should direct traffic previously bound for the second PDN-GW to the first PDN-GW.
US09407490B2
A method of processing signals may include receiving a first signal being modulated on a first carrier frequency in a predefined frequency band; measuring a signal level of a received second signal at a frequency higher than the first carrier frequency; and measuring a signal level of a received third signal at a frequency being lower than the first carrier frequency. The method may further include selecting an intermediate mixing carrier frequency from a plurality of intermediate mixing carrier frequencies for processing at least a portion of the received first signal based on the signal level of the second signal and the signal level of the third signal. The method may additionally include performing intermediate frequency reception of at least a portion of the received first signal using the selected intermediate mixing carrier frequency.
US09407485B2
Short training field (STF) for use within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. An STF design as is made such that the power associated with the tone indices at the edges of the STF design is relatively less than the power associated with the tone indices more centrally located within the STF design. Also, when multiple respective operational modes are supported (e.g., 1 MHz and 2 MHz), the respective STF designs corresponding to those respective operational modes have a great deal of similarity. For example, the respective STF designs for different respective operational modes may have certain common STF tone indices among those respective STF designs.
US09407479B2
A pulse width modulation (PWM) data recovery device includes a differential-to-single (DTS) circuit configured to generate a PWM bit using a differential data signal including a differential positive data signal and a differential negative data signal, and an alignment buffer configured to activate a bit lock signal by detecting a synch pattern, recover symbol data by receiving the PWM bit in synchronization with one of the differential positive data signal and the differential negative data signal, and transmit the symbol data in synchronization with a reference clock.
US09407474B2
A phase detecting device and a clock data recovery circuit are provided. The phase detecting device includes a decision feedback equalizer having first and second sample-hold sub-circuits, an edge detector having a third sample-hold sub-circuit, a first XOR gate, and a second XOR gate. The first sample-hold sub-circuit, the second sample-hold sub-circuit and the third sample-hold sub-circuit obtain first sample data, second sample data and transition data, respectively. The first XOR gate executes an XOR operation for the first sample data and the transition data to generate first clock phase shift information. The second XOR gate executes the XOR operation for the second sample data and the transition data to generate second clock phase shift information. Therefore, high-frequency noise disturbance generated from conventional clock data recovery circuit and decision feedback equalizer can be avoided.
US09407466B2
Methods and apparatuses to adaptively deliver high-definition digital entertainment and telecommunications to client devices over various networking technologies. A gateway device receives one or more services and delivers the one or more services to one or more client devices, respectively, using a plurality of networking technologies. A controller determines which among the plurality of networking technologies to use to deliver the one or more services to the one or more client devices, respectively. To make such a determination, the controller can monitor one or more conditions of the plurality of networking technologies.
US09407461B2
In a method for processing network packets, a network packet is received at an ingress port. Before the network packet has been completely received at the ingress port, a first data structure representing the network packet is generated based on a received first portion of the network packet, and the first data structure is processed at a packet processor of the network device. Processing the first data structure includes making a forwarding decision for the network packet. A second data structure representing the network packet is generated and, after the network packet has been completely received at the ingress port, at least one or more non-forwarding operations are performed with respect to the network packet using at least the second data structure.
US09407455B2
Embodiments disclosed herein provide redundant connectivity between an Ethernet Automatic Protection Switching (EAPS) access network and a Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) network. A first VPLS node is provided to function as an EAPS controller node. A second VPLS node is provided to function as an EAPS partner node. The first and second VPLS nodes are linked by a pseudowire and an EAPS shared-link. Additional EAPS nodes are also provided. The additional EAPS nodes are linked to each other and one of the additional EAPS nodes is designated as a master node. Links are also established between the VPLS nodes and the EAPS nodes such that one or more EAPS rings are formed. Each EAPS ring includes the shared-link between the first and second VPLS nodes. The EAPS rings are monitored to detect link failures. When a failure of the pseudowire shared-link between the first and second VPLS nodes is detected, all pseudowire links associated with the first VPLS node are disabled if any of the EAPS nodes has a path to both of the VPLS nodes. Otherwise, the existing pseudowire links associated with the first VPLS node are maintained.
US09407432B2
One embodiment provides a system for processing encrypted content. During operation, a client computing device determines a request for content based on the identity of the user or the client computing device. Content is received which has been encrypted using a master encryption, where the master encryption key is not known to the client computing device. The client computing device generates an interest packet that includes a request for a user-specific re-encryption key, and, based on the information in the interest packet, receives a content object that includes the user-specific re-encryption key. The client computing device decrypts the master-encrypted content by: re-encrypting the master-encrypted content, using the user-specific re-encryption key to transform the master-encrypted content to a user-specific encrypted content; and decrypting the transformed user-specific encrypted content using a user-specific key. This thereby facilitates the secure distribution of user-specific content without requiring a content source to distribute user-specific encrypted content.
US09407431B2
A robust computational secret sharing scheme that provides for the efficient distribution and subsequent recovery of a private data is disclosed. A cryptographic key may be randomly generated and then shared using a secret sharing algorithm to generate a collection of key shares. The private data may be encrypted using the key, resulting in a ciphertext. The ciphertext may then be broken into ciphertext fragments using an Information Dispersal Algorithm. Each key share and a corresponding ciphertext. Fragment are provided as input to a committal method of a probabilistic commitment scheme, resulting in a committal value and a decommittal value. The share for the robust computational secret sharing scheme may be obtained by combining the key share, the ciphertext fragment, the decommittal value, and the vector of committal values.
US09407424B1
A clock and data recovery module (CDR) is configured to perform fast locking using only two samples per each unit interval (UI). Two clock phase signals are selected from a plurality of clock phase signals. A sequence of data bits is sampled at a rate of two times per UI responsive to the two clock phase signals in which a first sample of each UI is designated as an edge sample a second sample is designated as a data sample. Each edge sample is voted as early/late as compared to an associated data transition of the sequence of data bits by comparing each edge sample to a next data sample. The sample clocks are locked such that edge samples occur in proximity to data transitions by iteratively adjusting a phase of the two selected clock phase signals by a variable step size in response to the early/late vote.
US09407417B2
Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communications. The use of at least two channel quality indicator (CQI) tables is supported. One of the at least two CQI table is identified. The identified CQI table is used to generate a CQI value for a wireless channel. In addition, the use of at least two modulation and coding scheme (MCS) tables is supported. A transmission is received via a wireless channel. One of the at least two MCS tables is identified to use for the received transmission. Further, a transport block size (TBS) table is identified that is mapped from the identified MCS table. The identified TBS table is used to determine a size of the received transmission.
US09407413B2
A wireless communication device used in a communication system that utilizes a coordinated multiple-point technique has a determination section that determines another wireless communication device which performs coordinated multiple-point with respect to a wireless communication terminal; an allocation determination section that determines for a predetermined number of sub-frames a proportion of multiple-data-transmission automatic repeat request control to identical-data-transmission automatic repeat request control; an automatic repeat request control section that performs multiple-data-transmission automatic repeat request control; and an automatic repeat request control section that performs identical-data-transmission automatic repeat request control.
US09407411B2
Means of configuring a reference signal unique to a mobile station apparatus is provided. There is provided a control station apparatus notifying a first mobile station apparatus of a parameter group generating a reference signal. The control station apparatus includes: an RRC layer to configure a parameter set including a plurality of parameter groups generating the reference signal; and a physical layer to select one of the parameter groups and notify the mobile station apparatus. It is preferred that the parameter set is configured with a plurality of parameter groups that respectively configure a sequence number and a cyclic shift hopping pattern of the reference signal and includes a parameter group generating a reference signal the same as in a second mobile station apparatus different from the first mobile station apparatus.
US09407401B2
Generate a first set S comprising a plurality of quasi-orthogonal sets of sequences; generate L number of second sets of quasi-orthogonal sets of sequences Th by symbol-by-symbol multiplication of each sequence in the first set S with signature sequences {wh (k)}, wherein h=0, . . . , L−1, L is a positive integer larger than or equal to one, and each second set Th has the same number of quasi-orthogonal sets of sequences and the same length of sequences as the first set S; and generate a superset Z of quasi-orthogonal sets of sequences as the union of the first set S and the L number of second sets Th.
US09407396B2
A wavelength multiplexing apparatus includes: a dividing unit to divide a multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of groups each including a plurality of channels; a designating unit to designate, for each group, an arbitrary channel as a designated channel and to designate an adjacent channel in a predetermined frequency direction; an acquisition unit to acquire a first optical level at a central wavelength in the designated channel and a second optical level at a wavelength at which the designated channel and the adjacent channel interfere with each other; a comparison unit to compare a determined ratio of the second optical level to the first optical level with a reference ratio of a third optical level to the first optical level; and an adjustment unit to adjust a wavelength spacing between the designated channel and the adjacent channel in the group, based on a result of the comparison.
US09407392B2
Techniques are presented herein for use in a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communication system in which devices send transmissions to each other in time slots during a time frame. A plurality of time slots is allocated for a first device to send traffic to a second device. The first device includes in a transmission during at least one of the plurality of time slots an indicator configured to indicate whether a next time slot in the plurality of time slots is used for traffic from the first device to the second device. Thus, the actual usage of a next time slot in a sequence of a plurality of time slots may be dynamically determined by the transmitting device so that the receiving device(s) need not be in the idle listening mode for the next time slot, thereby saving power.
US09407390B2
Disclosed is a method for allowing a terminal to transmit and receive signals to and/from a base station in a wireless communication system using a time division multiplexing method. Specifically, the method comprises the steps of: receiving a request signal for resetting into a second uplink/downlink setting while transmitting and receiving a signal according to a first uplink/downlink setting; terminating an uplink retransmission process associated with a specific uplink subframe when the use of the specific uplink subframe is changed into a downlink subframe according to the second uplink/downlink setting; and applying the second uplink/downlink setting at a specific time point to transmit and receive signals.
US09407382B1
A device, apparatus, and method are provided for mitigation of return loss during signal transmission. The device comprises a radio transmitter and a radio antenna coupled by a signal transmission line, the radio antenna configured to broadcast over air a radio signal transmitted by the radio transmitter, the signal transmission line configured to transmit the radio signal to the radio antenna along a signal path. The device further comprises a positioning stub coupled to the radio transmitter, the radio antenna, and the signal transmission line, the positioning stub configured to move to different locations along the signal path to dynamically change the impedance of the signal path to reduce signal return loss.
US09407379B2
An apparatus for reducing a harmonic response in an electronic circuit is provided. The apparatus includes an RF input configured to provide a first signal operating at a radio frequency. The apparatus includes a local oscillator configured to produce a second signal operating at a local oscillator (LO) frequency. The apparatus includes a switching mixer configured to mix the first and second signals. The apparatus includes a notch filter comprising an inductor and a capacitor connected in parallel. The notch filter is directly coupled to an input of the switching mixer in series. The notch filter is tuned such that its resonant frequency is a harmonic of the LO frequency signal. In an aspect, the apparatus also includes a transformer configured to provide the first signal. In an aspect the apparatus also includes a second notch filter comprising a second inductor and a second capacitor connected in parallel.
US09407378B2
An apparatus and a method for reducing a time division multiple access noise of a portable terminal. The apparatus includes an interface unit to which an earphone is electrically connected, an audio processing unit including a virtual ground for transmitting and receiving an audio signal through the interface unit, a switch unit located electrically between the interface unit and the audio processing unit for electrically connecting a ground terminal of the interface unit with one of a real ground and the virtual ground of the audio processing unit, and a controller for controlling the switch unit to electrically connect the ground terminal of the interface unit with the virtual ground of the audio processing unit when a call function using the earphone is activated, and to electrically connect the ground terminal of the interface unit with the real ground when the call function using the earphone is deactivated.
US09407370B2
A visible light communication (VLC) transmitting apparatus modulates source data to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol according to an OFDM modulation method, inserts a diffusion code that is allocated to the VLC transmitting apparatus into a frequency axis of the OFDM symbol, converts the OFDM symbol in which the diffusion code is inserted to a visible light modulation signal, and transmits the converted visible light modulation signal. Thereby, a signal of the VLC transmitting apparatus in which a VLC receiving apparatus wants can be easily detected.
US09407369B2
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention convert satellite signals to an intermediate frequency signal and selecting modulated digital data within the satellite signals for content decoding. One embodiment includes an optical low noise block converter (LNB) including a digital channelizer switch configured to select at least one content channel from an input signal including a plurality of content channels modulated onto a carrier and to output an optical signal including the selected at least one content channel.
US09407360B2
Disclosed is an optical line monitoring system and method which detects an optical line where a disorder occurs, by using an OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer) pulse pattern with matching information. The optical line monitoring system generates and stores a reference OTDR pulse pattern matched with identification information of an optical channel service unit, and compares the matched reference OTDR pulse pattern with the OTDR pulse pattern collected at an inspection time to verify an optical line region where a disorder occurs.
US09407358B2
An optical network terminal with functions of detecting, recovering and blocking failures, and storing the information according to the present invention comprises: an uplink carrying out a function to communicate with a high level system; a communication port distributing or integrating the communication; a CPU managing distribution and integration of the communication; and a system power source for supplying power to the uplink, the communication port and the CPU, wherein the uplink comprises an optical module carrying out optical communication with the high level system; a MAC module controlling optical communication with the high level system; and a failure detection, recovery and blocking module for detecting optical output of the optical module, recovering failures and blocking optical output outside the MAC module. In accordance with the present invention, faster and specific failure solution can be provided using a low-cost microprocessor and its storage media.
US09407345B2
The present invention relates to a method by which a terminal feeds back channel state information for downlink transmission in a wireless communication system supporting multiple antennas. More specifically, the present invention comprises a step of transmitting a first precoding matrix index (PMI) and a second PMI for each sub-band, wherein a precoding matrix preferred by the terminal is instructed to combine the first PMI and the second PMI, and a precoding codebook in which a portion of a plurality of bits forming the second PMI is additionally used to form the first PMI is applied.
US09407343B2
A wireless device transmits downlink interference-related information to a transmission point. The wireless device generates this information by listening to reference signals associated with a first reference signal resource as well as with a second reference signal resource. The wireless device uses these reference signals to estimate a first channel matrix relating to the first reference signal resource and a second channel matrix relating to the second reference signal resource. Using the estimated first and second channel matrices, the wireless device derives a pair of precoding matrices. Precoding matrix indicators representing the precoding matrix pair are sent to the transmission point.
US09407335B2
A method and system performs antenna tuning using detected changes in antenna self-capacitance in a wireless communication device. A modem detects changes in antenna self-capacitance by utilizing multiple antenna elements. The modem determines a current antenna loading condition using the detected changes in antenna self-capacitance. The modem determines appropriate tuning states for each antenna matching and tuning circuit (AMTC) associated with a respective antenna element. In order to determine the appropriate tuning states, the modem utilizes pre-established antenna self-capacitance information which is mapped to antenna tuning states. The antenna tuning states which are respectively mapped to pre-established antenna self-capacitance are empirically pre-determined by correlating antenna self-capacitance changes to antenna impedance changes. The modem is thus able to change the tuning states of multiple tunable matching circuits and perform antenna tuning using (a) detected real-time changes in antenna self-capacitance and (b) pre-established mappings of antenna self-capacitance and antenna tuning states.
US09407334B2
Exemplary embodiments are directed to reducing jamming caused by radiated fields generated by wireless power transmitters. Exemplary embodiments include detecting a jamming condition of a wireless power receiving device resulting from a radiated field from a wireless power transmitter of a charging device. Such embodiments include synchronizing the wireless power coupling with communication of the wireless power receiving device. Synchronizing wireless power coupling may include wireless power coupling at a first level when the wireless power receiving device is expected to receive a signal on a communication channel. Synchronizing wireless power coupling may further include coupling at a higher rate when the wireless power receiving device is not expected to receive a signal on the communication channel.
US09407332B2
A communication system that uses keyed modulation to encode fixed frequency communications on a variable frequency power transmission signal in which a single communication bit is represented by a plurality of modulations. To provide a fixed communication rate, the number of modulations associated with each bit is dynamic varying as a function of the ratio of the communication frequency to the carrier signal frequency. In one embodiment, the present invention provides dynamic phase-shift-keyed modulation in which communications are generated by toggling a load at a rate that is a fraction of the power transfer frequency. In another embodiment, the present invention provides communication by toggling a load in the communication transmitter at a rate that is phase locked and at a harmonic of the power transfer frequency. In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides frequency-shift-keyed modulation, including, for example, modulation at one of two different frequencies.
US09407330B2
A mobile terminal, a home appliance and a method for operating the same are disclosed. The method for operating the mobile terminal includes displaying a product registration screen, performing tagging to a home appliance, receiving product information of the home appliance from the home appliance based on the tagging, and transmitting the product information to a server. Accordingly, it is possible to conveniently perform product registration of the home appliance.
US09407327B2
Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A method may comprise detecting one or more transmit elements positioned within an associated charging region. The method may further comprise selecting at least one transmit element of the detected one or more transmit elements to receive wireless power therefrom to enable for optimal charging of a charging device.
US09407326B2
Method and apparatus for generating a balanced three-phase power line communication signal. In one embodiment, the method comprises generating a plurality of modulation signals based on at least one data stream; modulating a plurality of carrier signals by the plurality of modulation signals to generate a balanced three-phase PLC signal comprising a first phase signal, a second phase signal, and a third phase signal; and coupling the balanced three-phase PLC signal to a three-phase power line.
US09407323B2
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to power line communications (PLC) systems and apparatus. In some implementations, a method includes determining information regarding a potential data rate to be used with a powerline communications (PLC) channel, reducing a bias current or voltage of an analog front end of a PLC transceiver based on the determined information to reduce power consumption of the analog front end of the PLC transceiver, and transmitting or receiving data over the PLC channel with the reduced bias current or voltage of the analog front end of the PLC transceiver.
US09407322B1
A system including a processor that receives a first digital signal corresponding to a first signal received by the system, and a second digital signal corresponding to a second signal transmitted by the system; generates a first control signal based on the first and second digital signals; and generates a first output signal based on the first control signal and a second analog signal corresponding to the second signal. A cancellation device generates a second control signal based on a first analog signal corresponding to the first signal, and a third control signal based on the first control signal and the first output signal; selects the second or third control signal when the system operates in a first or a second mode; and outputs a second output signal to cancel interference in the first signal according to the second analog signal and one of the second and third control signals.
US09407319B2
Described is a differential data bus system which maintains error free communication despite faults in one of the data bus lines.
US09407318B2
A receiver (100) is provided for signals of different signal strengths and modulated with respective pseudorandom noise (PN) codes. The receiver (100) includes a correlator circuit (120) operable to correlate the signals with a selectable locally-issued PN code having a Doppler and a code lag to produce a peak, the correlator circuit (120) being subject to cross correlation with a distinct PN code carried by least one of the signals that can produce cross correlation; and a cross correlation circuit (370, 400) operable to generate a variable comparison value related to the cross correlation as a function of values representing a Doppler difference and a code lag difference between the locally-issued PN code and the distinct PN code, and to use the variable comparison value to reject the peak as invalid from cross correlation or to pass the peak as a valid received peak.
US09407317B2
The differential ultra-wideband indoor positioning method provides differential positioning to increase the accuracy of ultra-wideband (UWB) based indoor position estimation. Knowledge about common errors can be learned by employment of a reference source, where the difference between its known and estimated position (differential operation in solution domain), or the difference between the known and measured ranges (differential operation in measurement domain), provides invaluable information to be utilized in reducing errors in estimating the position of the target source. Differential operation accuracy reaches far beyond the accuracy of the non-differential setting.
US09407314B2
A radio communication device enabling a serial interface to restart transmission in a short time when interface setting is changed, as well as a method for controlling RF-BB state in the device, are provided. According to the radio communication device in which a radio frequency section (20) and a baseband section (10) are connected through a serial interface, exclusive signals (Act, Act_Ack) for triggering an interface state change and for acknowledging it are provided between the radio frequency section and the baseband section, respectively. Interface state change control is performed by transmitting and receiving the interface state change trigger exclusive signal and its acknowledgement exclusive signal between the radio frequency section and the baseband section.
US09407313B2
An interface system for communication devices comprises a radio having a through-hole opening from a front surface to a back surface, the through-hole forming a coaxial connector shaped interface for coupling to an accessory. The coaxial connector shaped interface allows for a plurality of different interchangeable electronic accessories to interface to the radio.
US09407312B2
An amplifier circuit that amplifies a carrier wave that a transmitting and receiving part has received, and includes a superimposition wave generation part that generates a superimposition wave to be superimposed onto the carrier wave; an amplifying part that adds the carrier wave and the superimposition wave to obtain an amplified carrier wave and outputs the amplified carrier wave; and an amplitude detection part that detects, based on a change in an amplitude value of the carrier wave, that the carrier wave is a predetermined carrier wave that carries a predetermined communication signal. The amplifier circuit outputs the amplified carrier wave when having detected the predetermined carrier wave.
US09407306B2
Time-reversal wireless communication includes: at a base station, receiving a probe signal from a terminal device; generating a signature waveform that is based on a time-reversed signal of a channel response signal derived from the probe signal; performing quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) on a transmit signal to generate a quadrature amplitude modulated signal; and generating a transmission signal based on the quadrature amplitude modulated signal and the signature waveform.
US09407304B1
A switching mixer that includes an input configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal, a set of inductors, and a set switches in a one-to-one relationship with the set of inductors. The set of switches are configured to alternate turning off in a quadrature sequence of a switching cycle. When a respective switch of the set of switches is turned off: the respective switch connects the input to a respective inductor of the set of inductors to convert the RF signal to a baseband current; and each remaining inductor of the set of inductors is configured to maintain current therein.
US09407303B2
A technique for generating a processing filter is provided. The processing filter allows for processing data that is received in a mobile communication network on multiple branches. A method embodiment of the technique includes the steps of determining a covariance of noise on the multiple branches and computing the processing filter based on the noise covariance. The computation includes a Cholesky decomposition of the noise covariance and a matrix inversion based on a result of the Cholesky decomposition, wherein the Cholesky decomposition uses a first numerical representation and the matrix inversion uses a second numerical representation that is more complex than the first numerical representation.
US09407296B2
A current buffer used in a receiver arrangement includes a direct path mode and a mirror path mode. The direct path mode includes a plurality of first set of transistors and a plurality of first set of current sources turned on while all remaining transistors and current sources are turned off, during the direct path mode a current signal at an input node directly appears at an output node. The mirror path mode includes a first transistor and a first current source being turned off while a plurality of second set of transistors and a plurality of second set of current sources are turned on. The current signal goes through a current mirror pair and appears at the output node with a gain which is controlled by slicing one of transistors of the current mirror pair and a second current source allowing multiple gains in the mirror path mode.
US09407291B1
A method for parallel multi-dimensional encoding, the method may include receiving or generating a first version of a group of bits and a second version of the group of bits, wherein the first and second versions differ from each other by an arrangement of bits of the data unit; selecting a first set of bits of the first version and a second set of bits of the second version; encoding, in parallel, the first set of bits and the second set of bits; wherein the encoding of the second set of bits is responsive to the second set of bits and a first redundancy result of the encoding of the first set of bits; and wherein the encoding of the first set of bits is responsive to the first set of bits and to a second redundancy result of the encoding of the second set of bits.
US09407286B2
Provided are data compression method, data compression apparatus, and memory system. The data compression method includes receiving input data and generating a hash key for the input data, searching a hash table with the generated hash key, and if it is determined that the input data is a hash hit, compressing the input data using the hash table; and searching a cache memory with the input data, and if it is determined that the input data is a cache hit, compressing the input data using the cache memory.
US09407268B1
An low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) driver is provide having an output voltage amplitude regulator for regulating an output voltage amplitude of the LVDS driver by receiving a differential output signal from a switched-polarity current generator of the LVDS driver at an output voltage amplitude regulator of the LVDS driver, detecting an output voltage amplitude of the differential output signal, comparing the output voltage amplitude to a reference voltage at the output voltage amplitude regulator and regulating a steering current of the LVDS driver based upon the comparison between the output voltage amplitude and the reference voltage to regulate an amplitude of the differential output signal at one or more loads of the LVDS driver.
US09407262B2
In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a self calibration unit configured to iterate a test on a logic circuit in the integrated circuit at respectively lower supply voltage magnitudes until the test fails. A lowest supply voltage magnitude at which the test passes is used to generate a requested supply voltage magnitude for the integrated circuit. In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a series connection of logic gates physically distributed over an area of the integrated circuit, and a measurement unit configured to launch a logical transition into the series and detect a corresponding transition at the output of the series. The amount of time between the launch and the detection is used to request a supply voltage magnitude for the integrated circuit.
US09407252B2
One or more circuits are provided wherein leakage current is mitigated. A circuit comprises a pad, a first transistor, a second transistor, a power leakage component and a data leakage component. The first transistor and the second transistor are respectively configured to control a voltage level at the pad. The first transistor is connected to the pad and to a first voltage source. The second transistor is connected to the pad and to a third voltage source. The power leakage component is connected between the first transistor and the pad. The data leakage component is connected between the second transistor and the pad. The power leakage component is configured to mitigate leakage current from the first transistor to the pad. The data leakage component is configured to mitigate leakage current from the pad to the second transistor.
US09407249B2
A circuit for use with PWM signal having first pulse and a second pulse, wherein the first pulse has a period and a first duty cycle, and the second pulse has the period and a second duty cycle. The period has clock information therein, the first duty cycle has first data information therein, and the second duty cycle has second data information therein. The circuit includes a first integrating component and a second integrating component. The first integrating component can generate a first voltage corresponding to the first duty cycle and a second voltage corresponding to the first duty cycle. The second integrating component can generate a third voltage corresponding to the second duty cycle and a fourth voltage corresponding to the second duty cycle.
US09407244B2
A device comprises a first time generator for generating an internal time signal, a unit for receiving an external time signal at discrete synchronization times and a generator unit for producing a generated time signal, which generator unit is designed to calculate on the basis of an algorithm the generated time signal at a determination time between two synchronization times from a value of the external time signal at a previous synchronization time and from a value of the internal time signal at the determination time. Said algorithm includes an assumption of a proportionality between an advance in the internal time signal and an advance in the external time signal.
US09407241B2
Systems and methods for closed loop feedback control of integrated circuits. In one embodiment, a plurality of controllable inputs to an integrated circuit is adjusted to achieve a predetermined value of a dynamic operating indicator of the integrated circuit. An operating condition of an integrated circuit is controlled via closed loop feedback based on dynamic operating indicators of the integrated circuit's behavior.
US09407237B2
An acoustic wave device includes a first longitudinally-coupled acoustic wave filter having interdigital transducer (“IDT”) electrodes arranged in a propagation direction of acoustic wave, and a second longitudinally-coupled acoustic wave filter having IDT electrodes arranged in a propagation direction of acoustic wave. In the IDT electrodes of the first longitudinally-coupled acoustic wave filter, a comb-shaped electrode connected to an input port and another comb-shaped electrode connected to an output port are disposed in an in-phase relation. In the IDT electrodes of the second longitudinally-coupled acoustic wave filter, a comb-shaped electrode connected to an input port and another comb-shaped electrode connected to an output port are disposed in an anti-phase relation. This acoustic wave device has an excellent attenuation characteristic while maintaining a preferable insertion loss.
US09407233B2
A first component (CMP1) is connected to the antenna (ANT) and to an impedance matching circuit (CAI) configurable on command and connected to the antenna, and in the absence of another component (CMP2) connected to the antenna, the impedance matching circuit is placed in a first configuration in which it forms with the first component and the antenna a resonant circuit having a first resonant frequency compatible with a carrier frequency. In the presence of a second component (CMP2) connected to the antenna, the impedance matching circuit is placed in a second configuration in which it forms with the first component, the second component and the antenna a resonant circuit having a second resonant frequency compatible with the carrier frequency.
US09407231B2
An apparatus and a method for sound recording are provided. The apparatus stores an equalizer and includes a housing, a microphone, and a processor. The microphone includes a plurality of sensors and receives a sound signal through an acoustical resonator in the housing. The microphone generates a plurality of electronic signals in response to the sound signal. The equalizer generates a plurality of equalized signals according to the electronic signals. The processor generates an output signal according to the equalized signals. The equalizer compensates the gain margin and the phase margin caused by the sound signal passing through the acoustical resonator in order to prevent the output signal from being affected by resonance of the sound signal in the acoustical resonator.
US09407214B2
A microwave integrated circuit includes a substrate and a power amplifier on the substrate. The power amplifier includes a power divider circuit having an input configured to receive an input RF signal, a base amplifier having an input coupled to a first output of the power divider circuit and a peaking amplifier having an input coupled to a second output of the power divider circuit and an output coupled to an output combining node. The power amplifier further includes an impedance inverter circuit coupling the output of the base amplifier to the output combining node and a load matching circuit having an input coupled to the output combining node and an output configured to be coupled to a load.
US09407212B2
Device and methods for improving consistency of operation and therefore yield of sealable periphery amplifiers is described. Amplifier size of the scalable periphery architecture can be adjusted to obtain part-to-part consistency of operating performance as per a defined/desired set of criteria. Amplifier segments of the scalable periphery architecture can be rotated to distribute wear. Further, extra amplifier segments can be implemented on amplifier dies to extend the overall lifetime of amplifiers.
US09407204B2
A method and corresponding device for processing a frequency-modulated analog signal are disclosed. The signal includes a number of symbols belonging to a set of M symbols respectively associated with at least one frequency of a set of M frequencies. The method includes a phase of reading each symbol of the signal that includes a sampling of a signal portion corresponding to the duration of a symbol and delivering N samples (M being less than N). M individual discrete Fourier transform processing operations are performed on the N samples. Each individual processing operation is associated with each of the frequencies. The M individual processing operations deliver M processing results. The value of the symbol can be determined from the M processing results.
US09407198B2
A support structure for solar panel includes first supports, second supports, first platens, second platens, and optoelectronic units. Two first diversion grooves are formed in an upper part of the top protrusion, and second diversion grooves are respectively formed in the side protrusions. One end of the second support is connected to one side of the first support, and the third diversion grooves is formed in an upper part of each second support. The first platen is disposed on the upper part of the first support. The second platen is disposed on the upper part of the second support. The optoelectronic unit is disposed between the first platen and the first support, and is disposed between the second platen and the second support.
US09407195B2
A power tool includes a motor, a gear mechanism that changes the speed of an output of the motor, a drive circuit including a switching element that controls power supplied to the motor, a housing that accommodates the motor, a fixture that fixes the motor to the housing, and a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the switching element. The drive circuit stops supplying power to the motor when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor reaches a predetermined temperature. The fixture functions to radiate heat from the switching element.
US09407194B2
A compressor includes an electric motor and a protector device. The motor drives a compression mechanism and has a rotor and a stator. The stator includes aluminum windings. The protector device is attached to the stator and is configured to disconnect the motor from a power supply when an input voltage of the power supply to the motor is less than a threshold voltage value set at a level between a minimum run voltage and an overheat voltage of the compressor. The overheat voltage corresponds to an overheat temperature of the motor. The threshold voltage value is set at a level that is between the minimum run voltage and the overheat voltage. The protector device includes a tolerance level such that the threshold voltage minus the tolerance level is greater than the overheat voltage and the threshold voltage plus the tolerance level is less than the minimum run voltage.
US09407188B2
A sensor-less vector control apparatus for induction motor enhanced in performance of sensor-less vector control by estimating changes in parameters in real time is provided, the apparatus including a current controller, a first phase converting unit, a second phase converting unit, a rotor speed and position estimator configured to measure a rotor speed of a rotor and a rotor flux using an output value of the first phase converting unit and to estimate a rotor position using the output value, and a stator resistance and angle error estimator configured to calculate a stator resistance and an angle error of the induction motor by receiving d, q axis current commands on the synchronous reference frame inputted from the current controller and d, q voltages on the synchronous reference frame outputted from the current controller, and to provide the stator resistance to the rotor speed and position estimator.
US09407187B2
A braking system includes a converter, a capacitor coupled to an output of the converter, a bridge coupled in parallel to the capacitor, and at least one inductor coupled to the bridge, an electrically conductive disc disposed proximate to the at least one inductor, and a switching unit controller for commanding the converter to convert a level of voltage supplied therefrom from a first voltage level to a second voltage level and thereby increase energy stored in the capacitor, and, upon receiving a brake command, commanding the bridge to ramp-up electrical current in the at least one inductor so as to induce an electromagnetic force on the electrically conductive disc.
US09407186B2
This invention relates to a method and a power plant controller arranged to carry out the method. The method is on an intelligent dispatching of the power production to wind turbines and optional compensation equipment of a wind power plant, as the power producing units of a wind power plant. The invention relates to a case where the requested produced power is less than the total capacity of the power plant, and the invention relates to utilizing this situation to dispatch set points to the wind turbines and the compensation equipment in a flexible way. This flexibility may increase the wind turbines' life time, help in scheduling maintenance and expand the electrical operating range of the wind power plant. The determination of the set points on active and reactive power is a combined determination of both set points for each of the energy producing units of the wind power plant.
US09407180B2
A power converting circuit for supplying power to an inductive load, includes an inductance, a switching circuit and an energy saving circuit. The inductance is charged when the switching circuit is conductive and discharges energy to the energy saving circuit and the inductive load when the switching circuit is nonconductive. The energy saving circuit discharges energy to the inductive load when the switching circuit is conductive.
US09407179B2
Controller for a three-phase brushless D.C. motor has a full bridge circuit and an electronic control unit (ECU). The full bridge circuit has three branches each with switches connected to the motor windings. The switches are driven by signals from the ECU. The drive signals are arranged in two sets of three signals. The two sets are offset by 180 electrical degrees. The drive signals of each set are offset by 120 electrical degrees and each have an active portion, alternating with an inactive portion. The active portion includes an initial interval of pulsed activation, an intermediate interval of continuous activation, and a final interval of pulsed activation. The active portion of the drive signals is greater than 120 electrical degrees, with each initial interval of pulsed activation of a switch overlapping the final interval of the previously activated switch.
US09407166B2
An inverter device includes; a switching element; a plurality of flyback diodes each connected in parallel with the switching element; a first conductor plate connected to anode terminals of the flyback diodes and to one side of the switching element; and a second conductor plate connected to cathode terminals of the flyback diodes and to the other side of the switching element. Each of the flyback diodes is formed in a polygonal shape, and the two flyback diodes in each pair of the flyback diodes that are arranged in mutually adjacent positions are arranged so that a vertex of one opposes a vertex of the other.
US09407160B2
A method for controlling a converter for converting an n-phase AC input voltage into a DC output voltage, each phase of the AC input voltage being connected to a switch of the converter. The method includes determining the signs of j characteristic voltages (Va, Vb, Vc, Va-Vb, Vb-Vc, Va-Vc, Va+20°, Vb+20°, Vc+20°, Va−20°, Vb−20°, Vc−20°); determining a reference combination (C1-C12, C1-C18), to which the signs of j characteristic voltages (Va, Vb, Vc, Va-Vb, Vb-Vc, Va-Vc, Va+20°, Vb+20°, Vc+20°, Va−20°, Vb−20°, Vc−20°) correspond, by comparing the signs of the j characteristic voltages to data from a reference table; and (c) opening each switch for an opening time (t1, t2, t3) pre-determined according to the reference combination (C1-C12, C1-C18) identified during the determining of the reference combination.
US09407158B2
In various embodiments a circuit is provided which may include a node at which a circuit potential may be provided; an alternating voltage providing circuit configured to provide a DC current free alternating voltage; a rectifier coupled to the alternating voltage providing circuit, the rectifier including a first rectifier terminal and a second rectifier terminal, wherein the first rectifier terminal or the second rectifier terminal may be coupled to the node; and a first output terminal and a second output terminal, wherein the first output terminal may be coupled to the first rectifier terminal to provide a first potential and wherein the second output terminal may be coupled to the second rectifier terminal to provide a second potential different from the first potential, the difference between the first potential and the second potential defining an output voltage, wherein the output voltage may be constant independent of the circuit potential.
US09407144B2
A current mode control buck-boost converter with improved performance utilizes separate buck and boost pulses. The buck-boost converter utilizes a buck/boost decision method with continuous control voltage for buck and boost mode, therefore eliminating transients in the control loop between operation modes and preventing voltage overshoots. If switching in Boost mode and the buck duty cycle is smaller than a set duty cycle, then in the next cycle Buck mode switching will occur. It is possible to track a Buck comparator output and the related duty cycle during Boost mode operation. Thus a mode change decision will only be dependent on a single input. A control loop will incorporate a single loop filter and error amplifier, wherein control voltages for Buck comparator and Boost comparator will be related.
US09407142B2
The present invention provides a circuit for controlling a programmable power converter. The circuit includes a micro-controller, a controller, and a timer. The controller includes a voltage error amplifier. The micro-controller has a program memory and a data memory. The controller generates switching signals in response to a voltage-feedback signal for regulating an output voltage of the programmable power converter. The voltage error amplifier generates the voltage-feedback signal according to a voltage reference signal and the output voltage of the programmable power converter. A gain of the voltage error amplifier and a value of the reference signal are programmed by the micro-controller.
US09407136B2
A passive coupled-inductor soft-switching circuit of a power factor corrector is provided. The passive coupled-inductor soft-switching circuit includes a power input terminal, a first inductor, a first diode, a power output terminal, a power switch and a buffer circuit. The first inductor has a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first inductor is electrically coupled with the power input terminal. The first diode has a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein the positive terminal of the first diode is electrically coupled with the second terminal of the first inductor. The power output terminal is electrically coupled with the negative terminal of the first diode. The buffer circuit is electrically coupled with the power switch. By using the buffer circuit, the voltage and current have phase interlacing shifts and thereby reducing the switching loss.
US09407134B2
Systems and methods for controlling potentially damaging inrushes of current to the capacitor bank of an electric drive system when the voltage on the capacitor bank is low. In one embodiment, a variable speed drive has a converter that converts AC power to DC power, a capacitor bank that receives the DC power, and an inverter that converts the DC power stored by the capacitor bank to AC output power. The converter has three sections that rectify the phases of three-phase input power. Each section has at least one controlled rectifier component, and the rectifier components have switches connected to them in parallel. When the voltage on the capacitor bank is low, the controlled rectifiers and switches are controlled to prevent dangerously high inrushes of current to the capacitor bank.
US09407132B2
The efficient control of a plurality of high side switches, e.g. the high side switches of half bridges is presented. A control circuit contains a charge provisioning unit to provide an electrical charge. The control circuit contains a plurality of sets of high control switches for the plurality of high side switches, respectively; wherein each set of high control switches is used to arrange the charge provisioning unit in parallel to a gate-source capacitance of the respective high side switch. The control circuit comprises a controller to, during a phase of a plurality of different phases, control a respective set of high control switches from the plurality of sets of high control switches to arrange the charge provisioning unit in parallel to the gate-source capacitance of the respective high side switch from the plurality of high side switches, to switch on the respective high side switch.
US09407124B2
A motor frame comprising four side surfaces, built-up portions and leg members is provided. The four side surfaces define the outer circumference of the motor frame. The four side surfaces include a terminal box mounting surface on which a terminal box is provided and two side surfaces located on respective sides of the terminal box mounting surface. The built-up portions are provided on each of the two side surfaces, wherein two or more bolt holes can be formed on the built-up portions. The built-up portions are configured such that any of hanging bolts or the leg members can be fastened to the built-up portions. The hanging bolts are screwed into bolt holes formed on one of the two side surfaces and the leg members are fastened to bolt holes formed on the other of the two side surfaces.
US09407122B2
A motor housing includes a central body having a central cavity region configured to receive an electric motor. Also included is a first end portion having a first inner surface that defines a first internal cavity region configured to receive a first end winding of a stator of the electric motor, wherein the first internal cavity region comprises a first radius defined by a distance from a main axis of the motor housing to the first inner surface. Further included is a second end portion having a second inner surface that defines a second internal cavity region configured to receive a second end winding of the stator, wherein a ratio of the first radius to a first end portion wall thickness ranges from 19.89 to 27.85.
US09407121B2
An electromechanical rotary actuator including a housing including first end that extends to a second end through an intermediate portion that defines a longitudinal axis, and an internal cavity. An electric motor is arranged within the internal cavity. The electric motor includes a shaft having first shaft end and a second shaft end. A drive member is arranged within the housing along the longitudinal axis. The drive member includes an input shaft operatively coupled to the first shaft end and an output shaft. An output shaft member is coupled to the output shaft of the drive member. At least one bearing assembly supports one of the output shaft member and the first shaft end, and a preload member is arranged within the housing and configured to apply a compressive axial force to the at least one bearing, the drive member and the electric motor.
US09407117B2
A shaped electrical conductor (610, 630) includes a first sheet of metal (319) with a first and second thermoplastic adhesive pattern (311, 312). The second pattern is justified with the first pattern. The first sheet is etched to remove metal not covered by the thermoplastic adhesive patterns so that no metal bridges remain between disconnected coated portions. A second sheet of metal (339) has a third and fourth thermoplastic adhesive pattern (333, 334) on a second surface and the fourth pattern is justified with the third pattern. The second sheet is etched to remove metal not covered by the thermoplastic adhesive patterns so that no metal bridges remain between disconnected coated portions. First and second contact regions (315, 335) in the second and third adhesive patterns are in electrical contact.
US09407110B2
An external charging system for charging or powering an implantable medical device is disclosed which is self-affixing to the patient without the need for a holding device. The charging system can comprise a charging coil attached to a flexible member. The flexible member is bendable, and when bent will firmly hold its position on the patient. The system can include an electronics module including a user interface and the necessary electronics for activating the charging coil to produce a magnetic charging field. Wires can couple the charging coil in the coil module to the electronics in the electronics modules. The entire assembly can be encased in a water proof sleeve having a high-friction surface, which protects the charging system and helps the charging system to adhere to the patient.
US09407109B2
A contactless charging system is made up of an electronic device and a contactless charger 200 that recharges the electronic device in a contactless manner. The electronic device transmits a full charge command indicating completion of charge. Upon receipt of the full charge command, the contactless charger shifts to a charge stop state in which charge of the electronic device is not performed. In the charge stop state, the contactless charger generates a load check signal for checking whether or not the electronic device is placed in the contactless charger in a rechargeable state, and transmits the signal. Further, the contactless charger also generates a charge restart check command for checking whether or not the electronic device requests recharge in a charge stop state, and transmits the command.
US09407108B2
A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) battery charging system includes a programmable transport refrigeration system (TRS) Controller, a TRU battery and a programmable battery charger (BC) programmed to transfer electrical current to the TRU battery via a predetermined current path through the programmable TRS Controller in response to a value of offset current drawn from the TRU battery by the programmable TRS Controller and subsequently communicated to the programmable BC by the programmable TRS Controller. The programmable TRU battery charger allows for a dynamic load characterization of the programmable TRS Controller and accessory loads based on programmable TRU battery charger internal shunt current measurements and programmable TRS Controller internal shunt current measurements to allow the programmable TRU battery charger to function properly with all intended modes of operation.
US09407106B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus for authenticating a device via an out of band personal area network are disclosed. In one aspect, a wireless charger includes a power transmitter configured to transmit power wirelessly to charge a charging device. The wireless charger further includes an out of band transmitter configured to transmit an authentication request to authenticate the charging device. The wireless charger further includes a receiver configured to receive an authentication response based on the transmitted authentication request. The wireless charger further includes a processor configured to adjust an amount of power wirelessly transmitted to the charging device based on whether the authentication succeeds or fails.
US09407105B2
Motor vehicles may need to exchange electrical energy. At least one vehicle may determine a target charge state. The vehicle may then identify another vehicle with which to exchange energy. The vehicles may negotiate a quantity to be transferred, transfer parameters for the exchange, and/or the like. The vehicles may be in a common fleet or an affinity group. A central location may facilitate the identification and/or negotiation process. The transfer may be monitored and may be controlled based on monitoring data collected. The transfer may be wired or wireless, and the vehicles may be stationary or in motion during the transfer. The vehicles may be, among others, pure electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and/or fuel cell vehicles.
US09407087B2
An over voltage protection circuit comprises an input end, coupled to an input power, for receiving an input voltage provided by the input power; and a driving module, coupled between the input end and a ground end, for generating a discharging current when the input voltage is larger than a predefined voltage, to reduce the input voltage to the predefined voltage. The driving module comprises a voltage regulating module, a p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (PMOS), and an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (NMOS). The PMOS and the NMOS are an upper gate switch and a lower gate switch of a motor driver or a fan driver.
US09407081B2
In a wiring harness, a plurality of terminals are mounted on end parts of a plurality of wires to touch strands of the wires. A connector set includes a first connector in which the plurality of terminals are inserted and a second connector to be connected to the first connector. The strands of the plurality of wires and the plurality of terminals are made of mutually different metals. A busbar for shorting the plurality of terminals by being connected to the plurality of terminals inserted in the first connector when the first connector is connected to the second connector is provided in the second connector. A covering member covers the connector set.
US09407071B2
The invention relates to an accessory device assembly for a low or medium voltage switching device. The accessory device assembly comprises at least a first accessory device comprising a first external housing, first electrical connection means for electrical connection with said switching device, second electrical connection means for electrical connection with outside equipment, third electrical connection means for electrical connection with a second accessory device, first mechanical connection means for mechanical connection with said second accessory device and second mechanical connection means for mechanical connection with said switching device.
US09407070B2
An engine ignition system and the like are provided, which reduce a required voltage and improve an ignition performance without any special electrical configuration. An ignition system is configured so that: to an auxiliary electrode is applied a voltage that is not more than a voltage applied between a center electrode and a ground electrode and that generates no spark discharge; the auxiliary electrode is positioned so that an electric field Ef2 between the auxiliary electrode and the ground electrode or an electric field Ef3 between the auxiliary electrode and the center electrode, which is generated by the applied voltage, is spread over the gap. A time for applying the voltage to the auxiliary electrode is controlled to include a time for applying the voltage between the center electrode and the ground electrode.
US09407066B2
III-V lasers integrated with silicon photonic circuits and methods for making the same include a three-layer semiconductor stack formed from III-V semiconductors on a substrate, where a middle layer has a lower bandgap than a top layer and a bottom layer; a mirror region monolithically formed at a first end of the stack, configured to reflect emitted light in the direction of the stack; and a waveguide region monolithically formed at a second end of the stack, configured to transmit emitted light.
US09407061B2
Provided herein is an external-cavity type wavelength tunable laser including gain medium configured to generate an optical signal and amplify the generated optical signal based on a bias current applied; an external reflector configured to be coupled optically with the gain medium; a second thermistor provided on the side of the gain medium and configured to measure a temperature of the gain medium; a first thermistor provided on the external reflector and configured to measure a temperature of the external reflector; and a thermoelectric cooler configured to transfer generated heat based on the temperatures measured by the first and second thermistors.
US09407056B2
In at least one embodiment a laser system includes a fiber laser source, a polarization controller and a wavelength converter. The relative power distribution between a pump wavelength and a signal wavelength is controllable using the polarization controller. An optional phase compensator is used to control polarization state of the output laser beam. In various embodiments the relative power distribution among multiple wavelengths may be controlled over a range of at least about 100:1.
US09407052B2
An amplifier may include a plurality of discharge tubes arranged in a designed path of a seed laser beam and an optical system arranged to steer the seed laser beam to travel along the designed path.
US09407051B2
A waterproof intermediate spliced portion of wires includes an intermediate spliced portion of the wires, waterproofing agent supplied to the intermediate spliced portion and cured, and a protective sheet for covering around the waterproofing agent supplied to the intermediate spliced portion. The protective sheet has flexibility capable of being deformed following the deformation of the surface of the waterproofing agent supplied to the intermediate spliced portion and covers the waterproofing agent in a state held in close contact with the surface of the waterproofing agent.
US09407044B2
An apparatus and method for crosstalk compensation in a jack of a modular communications connector includes a flexible printed circuit board connected to jack contacts and to connections to a network cable. The flexible printed circuit board includes conductive traces arranged as one or more couplings to provide crosstalk compensation.
US09407043B2
Communications connectors include a housing and a plurality of substantially rigid conductive pins that are mounted in the housing. The conductive pins are arranged as a plurality of differential pairs of conductive pins that each include a tip conductive pin and a ring conductive pin. Each conductive pin has a first end that is configured to be received within a respective socket of a mating connector and a second end. The tip conductive pin of each differential pair of conductive pins crosses over its associated ring conductive pin to form a plurality of tip-ring crossover locations.
US09407039B2
Interconnection systems are shown that include communication contacts, and a guide. Configurations are shown with a guide that locates a male portion with respect to a female portion and guides their engagement before any communication contacts are engaged. Configurations are also shown with a guide that includes one or more power contacts.
US09407038B2
An electrical distribution center having a base connected to one or several wiring harnesses and a connector body that is configured to be electrically and mechanically connected to the base. The connector body houses electrical devices such as relays, fuses, and control modules. The connector body is secured to the base by a pair of slides having dog-leg shaped slots that engage studs on the base. A single slide lever having two arms attached to each of the slides is pivotably attached to the connector body and the slides and is configured to simultaneously move the dog-leg shaped slots relative to the studs on the base, thereby securing the connector body to the base.
US09407036B2
A device for closing a plug connector housing which comprises a first housing part and a second housing part includes a locking element which comprises an elongate handle and two fastening portions which are each connected to the handle. The fastening portions each comprise a first web element and a second web element which are arranged with respect to one another in a V-shape. The web elements each comprise a free end portion for fastening to a bearing journal which is formed on the first housing part and the second housing part. A third web element having a curvature arranged between the first web element and the second web element such that the fastening portions each comprise a through-opening. The through-opening is delimited by the first web element, the second web element and the third web element.
US09407034B2
A communication connector system for connecting with a peripheral communication connector having a peripheral housing with at least one of a peripheral contact, a peripheral magnet and a peripheral detent and methods for manufacturing and using same. The communication connector system includes a housing assembly with a mating surface. A system contact is disposed on the mating surface and can cooperate with the peripheral contact; whereas, a system magnet is provided in the housing assembly and can cooperate with the peripheral magnet. A magnetically coupling between the system magnet and the peripheral magnet can retain the housing assembly in connection with the peripheral housing during use. The housing assembly likewise can include a housing assembly detent for cooperating with the peripheral detent. An electrical connection between the communication connector and the peripheral communication connector thereby can advantageously be formed via the system contact or the housing assembly detent.
US09407029B2
An angled electrical connector has a body having an engagement portion including a sleeve which extends in a longitudinal first direction for engaging with a mating electrical connector. The sleeve has a cylindrical inner portion at the base of the sleeve and a tapered portion, such that the opening of the sleeve is larger than the base. A corresponding receptacle part is also provided, having a projecting connection port, with a corresponding cylindrical portion at or near the end.
US09407024B2
Multidirectional electrical connectors, electrical connector plugs and electrical connection systems for electrically connecting a portable energy storage device to an electrically powered device, such as an electric powered vehicle or a device for electrically charging the portable electrical energy storage device are described. The multidirectional feature of the electrical connectors, electrical connector plugs and electrical connections systems permits electrical connection between the electrical connectors and electrical connector plugs in a plurality of rotational orientations between a portable electrical energy storage device to which a connector or plug is electrically connected and an electrically powered device to which a corresponding plug or connector is electrically connected.
US09407022B1
The present application relates to the field of interface technology, particularly to a unitary interface used for PCI-E SAS. The unitary interface comprises a connecting assembly, a terminal assembly and a fastening assembly, the connecting assembly includes a male sub-assembly, a female sub-assembly and a PCB sub-assembly. The fastening assembly includes two ferrule-arm-hook components. Each of the two ferrule-arm-hook components includes a ferrule, an arm and a hook, with the ferrule and the hook being respectively located at one of the two ends of the arm. The male protrusion and the female protrusion at the same side, which are brought closely to each other, can be encircled tightly by one of the two ferrules, while each of the arms provides elastic force to make each of the two hooks respectively snap to one of the two sides of the female sub-assembly.
US09407021B2
A integrated mechanical and electrical connector and method for connecting printed circuit boards and an connected printed circuit board assembly is disclosed. The connector comprises an outer member defining a first bore, and an inner member at least partially disposed within the first bore wherein the inner member is in an interference fit relationship with the outer member at the periphery of the first bore and wherein the inner member is an electric conductor, the connector being configured to be mechanically and electrically connected to a printed circuit board by at least one of solder reflow, wave soldering and press fitting.
US09407013B2
A MIMO antenna used in both transmit and receive operations, with the ability to serve an n-by-n MIMO transceiver architecture (where n can take integer values between 0 to 4). The structure is designed to increase the effective area of the array by coupling the bars of the antenna to the disc and results in good isolation and low envelope correlation.
US09407008B2
An antenna system (10) comprises a transmitter part (12) comprising n inputs (40.1 to 40.n) to the antenna system, a transmitter part antenna array 18 comprising k radiating elements; a respective beam-forming network (20.1 to 20.n) connected to each of the n inputs with each beam-forming network having a plurality of outputs; and k signal combiners (22.1 to 22.k) each having a plurality of inputs and a respective output. Each output of each beam-forming network is connected to a respective input of each of the signal combiners and the output of each signal combiner is connected via an output stage to a respective one of the k radiating elements. The beam-forming networks are configured such that each of the transmitter part inputs is associated with a respective transmitter part beam (24.1 to 24.n) having a respective beam-width.
US09407004B2
An antenna circuit board assembly comprises a substrate having a ground plane comprised of a conductive material; a first antenna element mounted to the substrate and coupled to the ground plane; a second antenna element mounted to the substrate and coupled to the ground plane; a third antenna element mounted to the substrate and coupled to the ground plane; and a plurality of features etched into the ground plane, each of the plurality of features having a respective length and a respective width. The respective length and the respective width of each of the plurality of features are selected to increase isolation between the first, second, and third antenna elements.
US09406994B2
A remote antenna deployment latch is disclosed. The remote antenna deployment latch includes a latch assembly having a latch pin movable to alternately secure an antenna in, and release the antenna from, a deployed position. The remote antenna deployment latch also includes an azimuth pin movable to alternately lock and unlock rotation of the antenna about an azimuth axis. In addition, the remote antenna deployment latch includes a remote control assembly operably coupled to the latch pin and the azimuth pin to simultaneously secure the antenna in the deployed position and unlock rotation of the antenna about the azimuth axis.
US09406993B2
A cavity filter, including a dielectric resonator structure comprising a piece of dielectric material having a shape such that it can support a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode which is substantially degenerate with the first resonant mode; and a coupling structure for exciting a resonant mode within the piece of dielectric material or extracting energy from a resonant mode within the piece of dielectric material; wherein the coupling structure consists of a single patch element in contact with a surface of the piece of dielectric material, the patch element being arranged to couple directly to said first and second resonant modes simultaneously.
US09406989B2
A two-port non-reciprocal circuit element includes a ferrite, a first central electrode disposed on the ferrite and including an end connected to an input port and another end connected to an output port, a second central electrode disposed on the ferrite so as to intersect the first central electrode while being electrically insulated from the first central electrode, the second central electrode including an end connected to the input port and another end connected to a ground port, a capacitor connected between the input port and the output port, a resistor connected between the input port and the output port, a capacitor connected between the output port and the ground port, an input terminal, and an output terminal. A capacitor is connected at least between the input port and the input terminal or between the output port and the output terminal, and a capacitor and an inductor are connected in series between the input terminal and the output terminal.
US09406986B2
Metal-air button cells including a closed cell housing and, arranged therein, an air cathode and a metal-based anode separated from one another by a separator, wherein the cell housing is substantially composed of a first housing half-part and a second housing half-part; the housing half-parts are configured to be cup-shaped and have a base and a circumferential side wall; the base of the second housing half-part has one or more entry and/or exit openings for atmospheric oxygen; and the air cathode is configured to be disc-shaped and is positioned on the base of the second housing half-part such that it covers the entry and/or exit openings and its periphery bears on the inner side of the circumferential side wall of the second housing half-part.
US09406970B2
A method for manufacturing a lithium-ion type battery including the steps of forming in a substrate a recess having lateral walls having a re-entrant profile; depositing, by successive non-conformal physical vapor depositions, a stack of the different layers forming a lithium-ion battery, this stack having a thickness smaller than the depth of the recess; depositing on the structure a filling layer filling the space remaining in the recess; and planarizing the structure to expose the upper surface of the stack.
US09406964B2
A fuel cell stack is formed from a plurality of stacked fuel cell units and at least one stack end element. The stacked fuel cell units being surrounded by a housing. A frame element is situated on the at least one stack end element and the housing on the end-face side. At least one seal is situated at least between the stack end element and the housing in the area of the frame element.
US09406963B2
An interconnect of a solid oxide fuel cell article is disclosed. The interconnect is disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode of the solid oxide fuel cell article. The interconnect comprises a first phase including a ceramic interconnect material and a second phase including partially stabilized zirconia. The partially stabilized zirconia may be in a range of between about 0.1 vol % and about 70 vol % of the total volume of the interconnect.
US09406944B2
In one aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a composite anode for a hydrocarbon solid oxide fuel cell, the anode comprising a layered perovskite ceramic and a bi-metallic alloy.
US09406938B2
A three-dimensional porous electrode architecture for a microbattery includes a substrate having first and second conductive patterns disposed thereon where the first and second conductive patterns are electrically isolated from each other, a three-dimensional porous cathode disposed on the first conductive pattern, and a three-dimensional porous anode disposed on the second conductive pattern. The porous cathode includes a first conductive scaffold conformally coated with a layer of a cathode active material and having a porosity defined by a network of interconnected pores, where the first conductive scaffold has a lateral size and shape defined by the first conductive pattern and porous side walls oriented substantially perpendicular to the substrate. The porous anode includes a second conductive scaffold conformally coated with a layer of an anode active material and having a porosity defined by a network of interconnected pores.
US09406934B2
An alkaline, rechargeable electrochemical cell includes a pasted electrode structure in which a composition comprising a paste matrix component includes cobalt in an amount greater than 6 weight percent ranging up to 14 weight percent. The matrix may also include a rare earth such as yttrium. The composition further includes particles of nickel hydroxide dispersed in the matrix, and these particles include cobalt levels ranging from greater than 8 atomic percent up to 15 atomic percent. Cells incorporating these materials have good charging efficiency at elevated temperatures.
US09406919B2
A mechanism is presented for shielding a cathode in a metal cyanometallate battery. A battery is provided with an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, and an ion-permeable membrane separating the anode from the cathode. The cathode is made up of a plurality of metal cyanometallate layers overlying the current collector. At least one of the metal cyanometallate layers is an active layer formed from an active material AXM1YM2Z(CN)N·MH2O, where “A” is an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or combination thereof. At least one of the metal cyanometallate layers is a shield layer comprising less than 50 percent by weight (wt %) active material. In response to applying an external voltage potential between the cathode and the anode, the method charges the battery. Upon discharge, the shield layer blocks metal particles from contacting active layers. Simultaneously, the shield layer transports metal ions from the electrolyte to the active layers.
US09406914B2
An annular device includes an annular main body defining a through hole, a battery mounting portion arranged in the through hole, and a battery cover. The battery mounting portion protrudes from an inner surface of the main body in the through hole, includes a first arcuate element with an outwardly curved surface and a second arcuate element with an outwardly curved surface opposite to each other and cooperatively defining a receiving space. The battery cover is operable to clasp the battery mounting portion, includes a first arcuate member and a second arcuate member opposite to each other. At least one first protrusion is formed on an inner surface of the first arcuate member, at least one cutout is defined in an outer surface of the first arcuate element, and the first protrusion can be fit into the cutout. The second arcuate member clasps the second arcuate element.
US09406912B2
A sealed battery is provided in which a case is partially provided with a safety valve that is provided with a thin portion, which is formed thinner than the peripheral portion of the safety valve. A portion of the safety valve surrounding the thin portion is provided with a slit for preventing heat conduction from the other portions of the case to the thin portion, said slit being formed so as to surround the thin portion.
US09406900B2
Provided is an organic light-emitting display apparatus that includes a substrate; a first electrode on the substrate; an intermediate layer on the first electrode and including an organic emission layer; and a second electrode that includes a first layer including a dipole material, a second layer including a material having a work function of 3.6 eV or less, and a third layer including a conductive material, wherein the first to third layers are sequentially disposed on the intermediate layer.
US09406899B2
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: a substrate; pixels defined on the substrate, where each pixel includes a first region including a light-emitting region and a second region including a transmission region; a third region defined on the substrate disposed between the pixels; first electrodes disposed in the pixels on the substrate, respectively, where each first electrode is disposed in the first region of a corresponding pixel; an organic emission layer disposed to cover the first electrodes; a first auxiliary layer disposed on the organic emission layer in the second region and which exposes the first region; a second electrode disposed on the organic emission layer in the first region; a second auxiliary layer disposed in the first and second regions and which exposes the third region; and a third electrode disposed in the third region and in contact with the second electrode.
US09406893B2
A substance having a hole-transport property and a wide band gap is provided. A heterocyclic compound represented by a general formula (G1) is provided. In the formula, α1 and α2 separately represent a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group having 6 to 13 carbon atoms; n and k separately represent 0 or 1; Q1 and Q2 separately represent sulfur or oxygen; and R1 to R22 separately represent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 14 carbon atoms.
US09406892B2
A compound having a structure of Formula I: Formula I, is disclosed. In the structure of Formula I: X is selected from a group consisting of O, S and Se; G2 and G3 are each independently selected from benzene, biphenyl, fluorene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, triphenylene, dibenzofuran, dibenzothiophene, dibenzoselenophene, pyridine, pyrimidine, quinoline, isoquinoline, phenanthroline, aza-fluorene, and combinations thereof; L is selected from phenyl, biphenyl, terphenyl and pyridine, and combinations thereof; G2, G3 and L are each optionally further substituted with one or more unfused substituents; R1, R2, and each R3, R4, R5 and R6 are an unfused substituent selected from hydrogen, deuterium, alkyl, alkoxyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkoxyl, halogen, nitro, nitrile, silyl, benzene, biphenyl, terphenyl, pyridine, and combinations thereof; and R1 and R2 are optionally joined to form a ring. Formulations and devices, such as an OLEDs, that include the compound of Formula I, and, optionally a co-host, are also described.
US09406889B2
A novel compound having high triplet excitation energy and a bipolar property is provided. Specifically, a phenanthrene compound represented by General Formula (G1) is provided where R11 to R19 and R21 to R27 separately represent any one of hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 13 carbon atoms, Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group having 6 to 13 carbon atoms, and Z represents a sulfur atom or an oxygen atom. The use of the phenanthrene compound as a host material of a light-emitting layer in the presence of a phosphorescent dopant allows the formation of a light-emitting element with high current efficiency.
US09406888B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of forming carbon nanotube based semiconductor devices. The method includes creating a guiding structure in a substrate for forming a device; dispersing a plurality of carbon nanotubes inside the guiding structure, the plurality of carbon nanotubes having an orientation determined by the guiding structure; fixating the plurality of carbon nanotubes to the guiding structure; and forming one or more contacts to the device. Structure of the formed carbon nanotube device is also provided.
US09406882B2
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile resistance change element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a first layer and a second layer. The second electrode contains at least one metal element selected from Ag, Cu, Ni, Co, Al, and Ti. The first layer is arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second layer is arranged between the first electrode and the first layer. A diffusion coefficient of the metal element in the second layer is larger than a diffusion coefficient of the metal element in the first layer.
US09406881B1
The present disclosure includes memory cells and methods of forming the same. The memory cells disclosed herein can include a heater electrode formed between a first storage material and a second storage material.
US09406879B2
A conductive bridge memory system and method of manufacture thereof including: providing a dielectric layer having a hole on a bottom electrode, the hole over the bottom electrode; forming an ionic source layer in the hole and over the bottom electrode including: depositing a reactivation layer over the bottom electrode, depositing a first ion source layer on the reactivation layer, depositing another of the reactivation layer on the first ion source layer, depositing a second ion source layer on the another of the reactivation layer; and forming an upper electrode on the ionic source layer.
US09406865B2
A resonator is described. The resonator includes multiple electrodes. The resonator also includes a composite piezoelectric material. The composite piezoelectric material includes at least one layer of a first piezoelectric material and at least one layer of a second piezoelectric material. At least one electrode is coupled to a bottom of the composite piezoelectric material. At least one electrode is coupled to a top of the composite piezoelectric material.
US09406856B2
The present invention provides a package for light emitting apparatus has a long-length direction and a short-length direction perpendicular to the long-length direction as viewed in plan view, and includes first, second and third leadframes, and a resin portion. The first and second leadframes are arranged on the both sides in the long-length direction. The third leadframe is arranged between the first and second leadframes. The resin portion is integrally formed with the first, second and third leadframes. The first and second leadframes include main portions, and first and second extension portions that extend from the main portions toward the second and first leadframes, respectively, and have a width smaller than the main portions.
US09406850B2
A substrate including phosphor is remotely illuminated by an LED. Optical radiation that emerges through the substrate is measured. Portions of the substrate, such as raised features on the substrate, are then selectively removed responsive to the measuring, so as to obtain a desired optical radiation. In removing portions of the substrate, holes may be drilled through the substrate to provide a separate path for light from the LED that does not pass through the phosphor. Alternatively, a separate LED may be provided outside the dome.
US09406849B2
A phosphor converted Light Emitting Diode (LED), a lamp and a luminaire are provided. The phosphor converted LED 106 comprises a LED 102, a first luminescent material 166, a second luminescent material 164 and a third luminescent material 162. The LED 102 emits a first spectral distribution having a first peak wavelength in the blue spectral range. The first luminescent material 166 absorbs a portion of the light of the first spectral distribution and converts at least a portion of the absorbed light towards light of a second spectral distribution. The second spectral distribution has a second peak wavelength in the green spectral range. The second luminescent material 164 absorbs absorbing a portion of the light of the first spectral distribution and/or a portion of the second spectral distribution. The second luminescent material 164 converts at least a portion of the absorbed light towards lights of a third spectral distribution. The third spectral distribution has a third spectral width and has a third peak wavelength. The third luminescent material 162 absorbs a portion of the light of at least one of the first spectral distribution, second spectral distribution, and the third spectral distribution. The third luminescent material 162 converts at least a portion of the absorbed light towards light of a fourth spectral distribution. The fourth spectral distribution has a fourth spectral width and has a fourth peak wavelength. The third peak wavelength and the fourth peak wavelength are in the orange/red spectral range. The third peak wavelength is smaller than the fourth peak wavelength and the third spectral width is larger than the fourth spectral width.
US09406848B2
Color converter comprising at least one polymer and at least one organic fluorescent dye comprising at least one structural unit of the formula (I) where the structural unit may be mono- or polysubstituted by identical or different substituents and where one or more CH groups of the six-membered ring of the benzimidazole structure shown may be replaced by nitrogen.
US09406846B2
A light emitting device according to the embodiment includes a first conductive semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer; a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer; a first passivation layer surrounding the first conductive semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second conductive semiconductor layer; a second connection layer electrically connected to the second conductive semiconductor layer through the first passivation layer; a first light extracting structure layer on the first passivation layer and the second connection layer; a first electrode layer electrically connected to the first conductive semiconductor layer; and a second electrode layer on the first light extracting structure layer.
US09406836B2
Embodiments of the invention include a III-nitride light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region, a III-nitride layer including a nanopipe defect, and a nanopipe terminating layer disposed between the III-nitride light emitting layer and the III-nitride layer comprising a nanopipe defect. The nanopipe terminates in the nanopipe terminating layer.
US09406834B2
The invention provides a material for forming a passivation film for a semiconductor substrate. The material includes a polymer compound having an anionic group or a cationic group.
US09406833B2
Neutron-detecting structures and methods of fabrication are provided which include: a substrate with a plurality of cavities extending into the substrate from a surface; a p-n junction within the substrate and extending, at least in part, in spaced opposing relation to inner cavity walls of the substrate defining the plurality of cavities; and a neutron-responsive material disposed within the plurality of cavities. The neutron-responsive material is responsive to neutrons absorbed for releasing ionization radiation products, and the p-n junction within the substrate spaced in opposing relation to and extending, at least in part, along the inner cavity walls of the substrate reduces leakage current of the neutron-detecting structure.
US09406826B2
The invention relates to a flexible electrical generator comprising at least one photovoltaic device and a flexible support, wherein said photovoltaic device is attached to the flexible support and wherein the flexible support comprises a fabric comprising high-strength polymeric fibers, said flexible support comprising also a plastomer wherein said plastomer is a semi-crystalline copolymer of ethylene or propylene and one or more C2 to C12 α-olefin co-monomers and wherein said plastomer having a density as measured according to ISO1183 of between 860 and 930 kg/m3.
US09406825B2
A stacked and integrated electric power generating device for capturing multiple light sources for power generation has a first concentrating photovoltaic module and a second concentrating photovoltaic module. The first concentrating photovoltaic module 10 has a transparent solar concentrating panel and a thin film solar cell. The second concentrating photovoltaic module is positioned below the first concentrating photovoltaic module with an interval, such that the first and second concentrating photovoltaic modules are in the form of a stacked and integrated structure, and the second concentrating photovoltaic module can absorb the light concentrated by the transparent solar concentrating panel to generate electric power.
US09406822B2
A process for the production of an optoelectronic device, such as a photovoltaic cell or a light emitting diode is disclosed. The process comprises providing a substrate having a conductive coating on at least one surface, the conductive coating having an initial roughness and at least one or more spikes, and applying a functional component to the coated surface of the substrate. The surface of the substrate having the conductive coating has been subjected to a polishing step using at least one brush to reduce the height of the spikes inherent to the conductive coating and to give the conductive coating a final roughness. By reducing the spikes there is less potential for the optoelectronic device to suffer from electrical shunts which reduce the efficiency of the device.
US09406821B2
Methods of fabricating back-contact solar cells and devices thereof are described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming an N-type dopant source layer and a P-type dopant source layer above a material layer disposed above a substrate. The N-type dopant source layer is spaced apart from the P-type dopant source layer. The N-type dopant source layer and the P-type dopant source layer are heated. Subsequently, a trench is formed in the material layer, between the N-type and P-type dopant source layers.
US09406816B2
Provided is a solid-state imaging apparatus including: a plurality of photoelectric conversion units; an element isolation unit that performs element isolation between the plurality of photoelectric conversion units; and a diffusion prevention unit that prevents diffusion of a dark current component generated on an interfacial surface of the element isolation unit to a region surrounding the dark current component generation region.
US09406806B2
A semiconductor having an active layer; a gate insulating film in contact with the semiconductor; a gate electrode opposite to the active layer through the gate insulating film; a first nitride insulating film formed over the active layer; a photosensitive organic resin film formed on the first nitride insulating film; a second nitride insulating film formed on the photosensitive organic resin film; and a wiring provided on the second, nitride insulating film. A first opening portion is provided in the photosensitive organic resin film, an inner wall surface of the first opening portion is covered with the second nitride insulating film, a second opening portion is provided in a laminate including the gate insulating film, the first nitride insulating film, and the second nitride insulating film inside the first opening portion, and the semiconductor is connected with the wiring through the first opening portion and the second opening portion.
US09406805B2
A Fin-FET and a method of forming the Fin-FET are provided. A substrate is provided, and then a mask layer is formed thereabove. A first trench is formed in the substrate and the mask layer. A semiconductor layer is formed in the first trench. Next, the mask layer is removed such that the semi-conductive layer becomes a fin structure embedded in the substrate and protruded above the substrate. Finally, a gate layer is formed on the fin structure.
US09406799B2
At least one method, apparatus and system disclosed involves semiconductor base structure adapted for accepting at least one of a NMOS device and a PMOS device. A substrate is formed. A strained relaxed layer is formed on the substrate. A first tensile strained layer is formed on the strained relaxed layer. A first compressive strain layer is formed on the first tensile strained layer.
US09406793B2
Semiconductor devices and manufacturing methods are provided for making channel and gate lengths independent from lithography. Also, semiconductor devices and manufacturing methods are provided for increasing resistivity between drain and channel to allow for higher voltage operation. For example, a semiconductor device includes a first doped layer implanted in a semiconductor substrate forming one of a source or a drain and a gate metal layer disposed over the first doped layer. The semiconductor device further includes a second doped layer disposed over the gate metal forming the other the source or the drain, where the first doped layer, the gate metal layer and the second doped layer form a vertical stack of layers of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device further includes a conduction channel formed in a trench that extends vertically through the vertical stack of layers and terminates at the semiconductor substrate.
US09406790B2
A mandrel having vertical planar surfaces is formed on a single crystalline semiconductor layer. An epitaxial semiconductor layer is formed on the single crystalline semiconductor layer by selective epitaxy. A first spacer is formed around an upper portion of the mandrel. The epitaxial semiconductor layer is vertically recessed employing the first spacers as an etch mask. A second spacer is formed on sidewalls of the first spacer and vertical portions of the epitaxial semiconductor layer. Horizontal bottom portions of the epitaxial semiconductor layer are etched from underneath the vertical portions of the epitaxial semiconductor layer to form a suspended ring-shaped semiconductor fin that is attached to the mandrel. A center portion of the mandrel is etched employing a patterned mask layer that covers two end portions of the mandrel. A suspended semiconductor fin is provided, which is suspended by a pair of support structures.
US09406778B2
A semiconductor device and method of formation are provided herein. A semiconductor device includes a fin having a doped region, in some embodiments. The semiconductor device includes a gate over a channel portion of the fin. The gate including a gate electrode over a gate dielectric between a first sidewall spacer and a second sidewall spacer. The first sidewall spacer includes an initial first sidewall spacer over a first portion of a dielectric material. The second sidewall spacer includes an initial second sidewall spacer over a second portion of the dielectric material.
US09406771B1
A semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate; a first and a second ion implantation regions of a first conductive type; a source and a drain diffusion regions formed in the first and the second ion implantation regions respectively; a channel diffusion region formed between the first and the second ion implantation regions; a gate layer disposed above the channel diffusion region and located between the source and the drain diffusion regions; and a third ion implantation region of a second conductive type formed in the gate layer, which extends in a first direction. The third ion implantation region is located above and covers two side portions of the channel diffusion region, the two side portions are adjacent to two edges, extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, of the channel diffusion region.
US09406768B2
A semiconductor device includes a fin-shaped silicon layer and a pillar-shaped silicon layer on the fin-shaped silicon layer, where a width of a bottom part of the pillar-shaped silicon layer is equal to a width of a top part of the fin-shaped silicon layer. A gate insulating film and a metal gate electrode are around the pillar-shaped silicon layer and a metal gate line extends in a direction perpendicular to the fin-shaped silicon layer and is connected to the metal gate electrode. A nitride film is on an entire top surface of the metal gate electrode and the metal gate line, except for the bottom of a contact.
US09406761B2
A transistor having high field-effect mobility is provided. A transistor having stable electrical characteristics is provided. A transistor having low off-state current (current in an off state) is provided. Alternatively, a semiconductor device including the transistor is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first insulating film, an oxide semiconductor film over the first insulating film, a second insulating film over the oxide semiconductor film, and a conductive film overlapping with the oxide semiconductor film with the first insulating film or the second insulating film provided between the oxide semiconductor film and the conductive film. The composition of the oxide semiconductor film changes continuously between the first insulating film and the second insulating film.
US09406757B2
The semiconductor device according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type made of SiC having an Si surface; a gate trench dug down from the surface of the semiconductor layer; a gate insulating film formed on a bottom surface and a side surface of the gate trench so that the ratio of the thickness of a portion located on the bottom surface to the thickness of a portion located on the side surface is 0.3 to 1.0; and a gate electrode embedded in the gate trench through the gate insulating film.
US09406751B2
A method for making a semiconductor device is provided. Raised source and drain regions are formed with a tensile strain-inducing material, after thermal treatment to form source drain extension regions, to thereby preserve the strain-inducing material in desired substitutional states.
US09406750B2
Technologies are described for reduction of an output capacitance of a transistor. In some examples, spacing of source-to-drain metallization may be increased and a sealed air-gap may be employed in an elongated trench in the drain region to reduce a dielectric constant of a portion of the body region and thereby the output capacitance of the transistor. In other examples, a planar area component of a body-drain junction may be reduced by forming a spherical cavity at a bottom portion of the body-drain junction and sealing the cavity with a low dielectric constant material. In further examples, a sealed cavity may be formed in an epitaxial region below the body region through formation and removal of selective buried oxide islands. In yet other examples, the output capacitance may be reduced through removal of areas in the drain region of the transistor that do not contribute to the current flow.
US09406743B2
A manufacturing method of a junction field effect transistor includes the steps of: (a) forming an n+-type source layer on a surface of an n−-type drift layer formed on an n+-type SiC substrate; (b) forming a plurality of shallow trenches disposed at predetermined intervals by etching the surface of the n−-type drift layer with a silicon oxide film formed on the n−-type drift layer used as a mask; (c) forming an n-type counter dope layer by doping the n−-type drift layer below each of the shallow trenches with nitrogen by using a vertical ion implantation method; (d) forming a sidewall spacer on each sidewall of the silicon oxide film and the shallow trenches; and (e) forming a p-type gate layer by doping the n−-type drift layer below each of shallow trenches with aluminum by using the vertical ion implantation method.
US09406739B2
A system and method for providing and manufacturing an inductor is provided. In an embodiment similar masks are reutilized to form differently sized inductors. For example, a two turn inductor and a three turn inductor may share masks for interconnects and coils, while only masks necessary for connections between the interconnects and coils may need to be newly developed.
US09406731B2
A display device includes an element substrate including a display area where a plurality of self-light-emitting elements are formed, and a driver IC disposed outside the display area in the element substrate. A first metal layer is disposed on the reverse side of the element substrate at a position opposite to the display area. A second metal layer is disposed with a space between the first metal layer and the second metal layer on the reverse side of the element substrate at a position opposite to the driver IC.
US09406726B2
A dual-mode display including a substrate and a multiple sub-pixels on the substrate, in which each sub-pixel includes, a color selection reflector, and an optical shutter disposed on the color selection reflector, and an emissive devised disposed on the shutter, wherein the emissive device includes a cathode and an anode, and the cathode and the anode include a carbon-based material including graphene sheets, graphene flakes, and graphene platelets, and a binary or ternary transparent conductive oxide including indium oxide, tin oxide, and zinc oxide.
US09406716B2
An image sensor includes a photosensing element for receiving infrared (IR) radiation and detecting the IR radiation and generating an electrical signal indicative of the IR radiation. A redistribution layer (RDL) is disposed under the photosensing element, the RDL comprising pattern of conductors for receiving the electrical signal. An IR reflection layer, an IR absorption layer or an isolation layer is disposed between the photosensing element and the RDL. The IR reflection layer, IR absorption layer or isolation layer provides a barrier to IR radiation such that the IR radiation does not impinge upon the RDL. As a result, a ghost image of the RDL is not generated, resulting in reduced noise and improved sensitivity and performance of the image sensor.
US09406712B2
A structure includes a first chip having a first substrate, and first dielectric layers underlying the first substrate, with a first metal pad in the first dielectric layers. A second chip includes a second substrate, second dielectric layers over the second substrate and bonded to the first dielectric layers, and a second metal pad in the second dielectric layers. A conductive plug includes a first portion extending from a top surface of the first substrate to a top surface of the first metal pad, and a second portion extending from the top surface of the first metal pad to a top surface of the second metal pad. An edge of the second portion is in physical contact with a sidewall of the first metal pad. A dielectric layer spaces the first portion of the conductive plug from the first plurality of dielectric layers.
US09406704B1
A thin-film transistor array panel includes an insulation substrate, a gate line disposed on the insulation substrate, a gate insulating layer disposed on the gate line, a semiconductor layer disposed on the gate insulating layer, a data line disposed on the semiconductor layer and including a source electrode, a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer and facing the source electrode, a first electrode disposed on the gate insulating layer, a first passivation layer disposed on the first electrode and including silicon nitride, a second passivation layer disposed on the first passivation and including silicon nitride, and a second electrode disposed on the passivation layer, in which a first ratio of nitrogen-hydrogen bonds to silicon-hydrogen bonds in the first passivation layer is different from a second ratio of nitrogen-hydrogen bonds to silicon-hydrogen bonds in the second passivation layer.
US09406703B2
Provided is a configuration for a semiconductor layer and a line for reducing the segment length of the semiconductor layer with respect to the bending direction of the flexible substrate. Such a configuration reduces the probability of cracks occurring in the semiconductor layer of the thin-film transistor, thereby improving the stability and durability of the thin-film transistor employed in a curved or a flexible display device. The configuration includes a thin-film transistor (TF) on the flexible substrate. The TFT includes the semiconductor layer extending obliquely with respect to the direction of the line.
US09406701B2
The present invention provides an array substrate comprising a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of oxide thin film transistors, the plurality of data lines and the plurality of gate lines intersect with each other in different planes to divide the array substrate into a plurality of pixel units, in each of which the oxide thin film transistor is provided, the array substrate further comprises a metal oxide layer provided at least below a portion of the data line overlapping with the gate line, and an upper surface of the metal oxide layer is in contact with a lower surface of the data line. The present invention further provides a method for fabricating the array substrate and a display device comprising the array substrate.
US09406699B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor device which can suppress characteristic deterioration in each transistor without destabilizing operation. In a non-selection period, a transistor is turned on at regular intervals, so that a power supply potential is supplied to an output terminal of a shift register circuit. A power supply potential is supplied to the output terminal of the shift register circuit through the transistor. Since the transistor is not always on in a non-selection period, a shift of the threshold voltage of the transistor is suppressed. In addition, a power supply potential is supplied to the output terminal of the shift register circuit through the transistor at regular intervals. Therefore, the shift register circuit can suppress noise which is generated in the output terminal.
US09406698B2
A display device in which reliability of a display element is improved is provided. Alternatively, a display device in which reliability of a transistor is improved is provided. Alternatively, a display device in which an increase in an area of a periphery region is suppressed is provided. A display device includes a display region including a display element between a first flexible substrate and a second flexible substrate in which the display region is surrounded by a first continuous sealant, the first sealant is surrounded by a second continuous sealant, and the second sealant is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate and on at least one of a side surface of the first substrate and a side surface of the second substrate.
US09406691B2
According to one embodiment, a non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of electrodes, at least one semiconductor layer, conductive layers, and first and second insulating films. The electrodes are arranged side by side in a first direction. The semiconductor layer extends into the electrodes in the first direction. The conductive layers are provided between each electrode and the semiconductor layer and separated from each other in the first direction. The first insulating film contacts the conductive layers, and extends in the first direction along the semiconductor layer between the conductive layers and the semiconductor layer. The second insulating film is provided between the first insulating film and the semiconductor layer. The first insulating film includes a first portion located between the conductive layers and the second insulating film, and a second portion located between the interlayer insulating film and the second insulating film.
US09406687B1
Device and method for forming a device are presented. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with at least a memory cell region having first and second sub-regions and a logic region having input/output (I/O) region and core region. First voltage memory cell is formed in the first sub-region and second voltage memory cell is formed in the second sub-region of the memory cell region of the same substrate. The first voltage memory cell operates in a first voltage and the second voltage memory cell operates in a second voltage which is higher than the first voltage. Each of the first and second voltage memory cells includes a split gate having first and second gates. The first gate is a storage gate having a control gate over a floating gate and the second gate is a wordline. Logic I/O device is formed in the I/O region and logic core device is formed in the core region.
US09406683B2
A method including forming a deep trench in a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate including an SOI layer directly on top of a buried oxide layer directly on top of a base substrate, masking only a top surface of the SOI layer and a sidewall of the SOI layer exposed within an upper portion of the deep trench with a dielectric material without masking any surface of the base substrate exposed within a lower portion of the deep trench, and forming a bottle shaped trench by etching the base substrate exposed in the lower portion of the deep trench selective to the dielectric material and the buried oxide layer.
US09406666B2
A protective diode is provided above a first guard ring region which surrounds an active region, with a field oxide film interposed there between. The protective diode may include a series pn zener diode in which a p+ layer and an n− layer are adjacent to each other. In a semiconductor device having the first guard ring region provided below the protective diode, cracks in the surface protective film may be prevented by providing a surface protective film that may be a polyimide film. The first guard ring region is provided below the protective diode and is connected to a second guard ring region that is provided in a portion other than the portion provided below the protective diode through a third guard ring region which is an intermediate region (R). Thus, when a surge voltage is applied, concentration of electric field on the outermost guard ring may be reduced.
US09406658B2
An embedded component device includes an electronic component including an electrical contact, an upper patterned conductive layer, a dielectric layer between the upper patterned conductive layer and the electronic component, a first electrical interconnect, a lower patterned conductive layer, a conductive via, and a second electrical interconnect. The dielectric layer has a first opening exposing the electrical contact, and a second opening extending from the lower patterned conductive layer to the upper patterned conductive layer. The first electrical interconnect extends from the electrical contact to the upper patterned conductive layer, and fills the first opening. The second opening has an upper portion exposing the upper patterned conductive layer and a lower portion exposing the lower patterned conductive layer. The conductive via is located at the lower portion of the second opening. The second electrical interconnect fills the upper portion of the second opening.
US09406654B2
Packages for LED-based light devices include interface structures that can facilitate heat transfer from the package to a heat sink. The package can include multiple LEDs mounted on a ceramic substrate that provides electrically conductive pathways between the LEDs and metal contact pads at a peripheral region of a top surface of the substrate. A bottom surface of the substrate can be patterned with a plate, such as a thick supporting plate, made of metal and/or other materials with high thermal conductivity, that can be attached to an external heat sink.
US09406648B2
A semiconductor device includes a device die, a first power supply die, and a second power supply die different from the first power supply die. The device die includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first power supply die is electrically coupled to the first circuit and configured to supply power for the first circuit. The second power supply die is electrically coupled to the second circuit and configured to supply power for the second circuit. The first and second power supply dies are attached to the device die, and overlap the device die in a thickness direction of the device die.
US09406641B2
A compound carrier board structure of Flip-Chip Chip-Scale Package and manufacturing method thereof provides a baseplate having a flip region with a through-opening and bonding to a Non-conductive Film to bond to a carrier board in order to form a compound carrier board structure. The baseplate is constructed with a low Thermal Expansion Coefficient material.
US09406636B2
An integrated circuit (IC) package includes an IC die having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface. The IC package includes first contact members coupled to the second surface of the IC die. The IC package includes a bottom substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface, where the first surface of the bottom substrate is coupled to the second surface of the IC die via the first contact members. The IC package includes an interposer substrate coupled to the first surface of the IC die via an adhesive material, where the adhesive material is disposed on at least a surface of the interposer substrate. The IC package includes second contact members coupled along a periphery of the interposer substrate, where the interposer substrate is coupled to the first surface of the bottom substrate via the second contact members.
US09406628B2
A semiconductor device in which reliability of a bonding pad to which a conductive wire is bonded is achieved. A bonding pad having an OPM structure is formed of an Al—Cu alloy film having a Cu concentration of 2 wt % or more. By increasing the Cu concentration, the Al—Cu alloy film forming the bonding pad is hardened. Therefore, the bonding pad is difficult to be deformed by impact in bonding of a Cu wire, and deformation of an OPM film as following the deformation of the bonding pad can be reduced. In this manner, concentration of a stress on the OPM film caused by the impact from the Cu wire can be reduced, and therefore, the breakage of the OPM film can be prevented.
US09406613B2
The semiconductor device has insulating films 40, 42 formed over a substrate 10; an interconnection 58 buried in at least a surface side of the insulating films 40, 42; insulating films 60, 62 formed on the insulating film 42 and including a hole-shaped via-hole 60 and a groove-shaped via-hole 66a having a pattern bent at a right angle; and buried conductors 70, 72a buried in the hole-shaped via-hole 60 and the groove-shaped via-hole 66a. A groove-shaped via-hole 66a is formed to have a width which is smaller than a width of the hole-shaped via-hole 66. Defective filling of the buried conductor and the cracking of the inter-layer insulating film can be prevented. Steps on the conductor plug can be reduced. Accordingly, defective contact with the upper interconnection layer and the problems taking place in forming films can be prevented.
US09406602B2
In a conventional electronic device and a method of manufacturing the same, reduction in cost of the electronic device is hindered because resin used in an interconnect layer on the solder ball side is limited. The electronic device includes an interconnect layer (a first interconnect layer) and an interconnect layer (a second interconnect layer). The second interconnect layer is formed on the undersurface of the first interconnect layer. The second interconnect layer is larger in area seen from the top than the first interconnect layer and is extended to the outside from the first interconnect layer.
US09406601B2
Body-bias voltage routing structures. In an embodiment, doped well structures distribute body biasing voltages to a plurality of body biasing wells of an integrated circuit.
US09406600B2
A semiconductor package includes an interposer and a semiconductor element mounted on one surface of the interposer. A plurality of lands are formed on another surface of the interposer. A plurality of lands are formed on a surface of a printed wiring board opposed to the another surface of the interposer. The plurality of lands on the printed wiring board are divided into a first land group including lands connected to the plurality of lands formed on the another surface of the interposer via solder and a second land group including lands connected to an insulating member of the interposer via solder. The second land group is provided in a region opposed to a center region of the another surface of the interposer. The first land group is provided around the second land group so as to surround the second land group.
US09406597B2
An integrated circuit system comprises an interposer, a first integrated circuit, and at least one voltage regulator module. The first integrated circuit comprises first bond pads, and is electrically connected to the interposer at a first position of the interposer via the first bond pads. The first integrated circuit also comprises second bond pads. The first integrated circuit further comprises at least two circuit blocks. The at least two circuit blocks are configured to operate at different operating voltages. The at least one voltage regulator module is electrically connected to the first integrated circuit via the second bond pads, and the at least one voltage regulator module is configured to convert a received power supply voltage to the respective operating voltage of one of the at least two circuit blocks and supply the respective operating voltage via the second bond pads.
US09406594B2
Leadframe based light emitter components and methods are provided. In some aspects, a leadframe based light emitter component includes a leadframe element, an electrical device connected to a portion of the leadframe element, and a molded cup encasing portions of the leadframe element and the electrical device connected thereto. A method of providing a leadframe based light emitter component includes providing a leadframe element, connecting an electrical device to a portion of the leadframe element, and molding a body over portions of the leadframe element and the electrical device.
US09406586B2
A cooling jacket includes: first and second pipe portions through which a coolant flows; and a main portion connected with side surfaces of the first and second pipe portions, defining, with a single member, a flow path through which the coolant flows, and cooling an object to be cooled.
US09406584B2
A semiconductor package may include an interposer; a first semiconductor chip disposed on a first surface of the interposer and at least one second semiconductor chip disposed at a predefined distance from the first semiconductor chip, a molding part filling spaces between the first semiconductor chip and the at least one second semiconductor chip and having a trench hole formed therein, and a thermal expansion buffer pattern filling the trench hole.
US09406578B2
A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip, a first and a second depression, a first and second redistribution layer and a packaging layer. The semiconductor chip has an electronic component and a conductive pad that are electrically connected and disposed on an upper surface of the semiconductor chip. The first depression and first redistribution layer extend from the upper surface toward the lower surface of the semiconductor chip. The first redistribution layer and the conductive pad are electrically connected. The second depression and the second redistribution layer extends from the lower surface toward the upper surface and is in connection with the first depression through a connection portion. The second redistribution layer is electrically connected to the first redistribution layer through the connection portion. The packaging layer is disposed on the lower surface.
US09406574B1
A method of making a semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes forming a tunneling layer over a channel connecting a source and a drain formed in a surface of a substrate, forming a charge storage layer overlying the tunneling layer, and forming a blocking structure on the charge storage layer by plasma oxidation. A thickness of the charge storage layer is reduced through oxidation of a portion of the charge storage layer during the formation of the blocking structure. Other embodiments are also described.
US09406569B2
A semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate comprises a bulk semiconductor substrate, a buried insulator layer formed on the bulk substrate and an active semiconductor layer formed on the buried insulator layer. Impurities are implanted near the interface of the buried insulator layer and the active semiconductor layer. A diffusion barrier layer is formed between the impurities and an upper surface of the active semiconductor layer. The diffusion barrier layer prevents the impurities from diffusing therethrough.
US09406566B1
A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes depositing an aluminum-base interlayer on a silicon substrate, the aluminum-base interlayer having a thickness of less than about 100 nanometers; and growing a III-V compound material on the aluminum-base interlayer. The aluminum-base interlayer deposited directly on silicon allows for continuous and planar growth of III-V compound materials on the interlayer, which facilitates the manufacture of high quality electronic devices.
US09406564B2
In one embodiment, the semiconductor die includes a selective epitaxial layer including device regions, and a masking structure disposed around sidewalls of the epitaxial layer. The masking structure is part of an exposed surface of the semiconductor die.
US09406560B2
A method of forming a wiring structure for an integrated circuit device includes forming one or more copper lines within an interlevel dielectric layer (ILD); masking selected regions of the one or more copper lines; selectively plating metal cap regions over exposed regions of the one or more copper lines; and forming a conformal insulator layer over the metal cap regions and uncapped regions of the one or more copper lines.
US09406555B2
A method for forming an interconnect device is provided by the present disclosure. The method includes providing a dielectric layer on a substrate, forming openings in the dielectric layer to expose a portion of a surface of the substrate at a bottom of each opening and forming a metal layer to fill up the openings. The method also includes forming a semiconductor cover layer on the metal layer and on the dielectric layer, and performing a thermal annealing reaction to convert portions of the semiconductor cover layer that are on the metal layer into a metal capping layer. The method further includes performing a nitridation process on the metal capping layer and a remaining semiconductor cover layer to convert the metal capping layer into a metal nitride capping layer and the remaining semiconductor cover layer into a semiconductor nitride layer.
US09406554B2
A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) diffusion barrier includes exposing a deposition surface to a first pulse of a titanium-containing precursor and to a first pulse of a nitrogen-rich plasma to form a first TiN layer with a first nitrogen concentration making a lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first nitrogen concentration of the first TiN layer is increased by the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma reducing a reactivity of the lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier to prevent fluorine diffusion. The first TiN layer is exposed to second pulses of the titanium-containing precursor and the nitrogen-rich plasma to form a second TiN layer with a second nitrogen concentration above the first TiN layer making an upper portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma has a substantially longer duration than the second pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma.
US09406551B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate includes providing a semiconductor wafer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and forming, when seen in a cross-section perpendicular to the first surface, cavities in the semiconductor wafer at a first distance from the first surface. The cavities are laterally spaced from each other by partition walls formed by semiconductor material of the wafer. The cavities form a separation region. The method further includes forming a semiconductor layer on the first surface of the semiconductor wafer, and breaking at least some of the partition walls by applying mechanical impact to the partition walls to split the semiconductor wafer along the separation region.
US09406547B2
Techniques are disclosed for providing trench isolation of semiconductive fins using flowable dielectric materials. In accordance with some embodiments, a flowable dielectric can be deposited over a fin-patterned semiconductive substrate, for example, using a flowable chemical vapor deposition (FCVD) process. The flowable dielectric may be flowed into the trenches between neighboring fins, where it can be cured in situ, thereby forming a dielectric layer over the substrate, in accordance with some embodiments. Through curing, the flowable dielectric can be converted, for example, to an oxide, a nitride, and/or a carbide, as desired for a given target application or end-use. In some embodiments, the resultant dielectric layer may be substantially defect-free, exhibiting no or an otherwise reduced quantity of seams/voids. After curing, the resultant dielectric layer can undergo wet chemical, thermal, and/or plasma treatment, for instance, to modify at least one of its dielectric properties, density, and/or etch rate.
US09406544B1
A method for filling a trench in a substrate includes partially filling the trench with a first silicon dioxide layer. An amorphous silicon layer is deposited on the silicon dioxide layer. The trench is filled with a second silicon dioxide layer. An oxidation treatment is performed on the substrate to oxidize the amorphous silicon layer.
US09406539B2
In the substrate holder, while holding a periphery portion of a semiconductor wafer, some of protruding portions having a grass shape on a pad main body hide beneath the semiconductor wafer, and the others of the protruding portions are exposed outside the semiconductor wafer. Also, the protruding portions hiding beneath the semiconductor wafer contact a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer, and sink the semiconductor wafer to a suitable depth via gravity, thereby holding the semiconductor wafer mainly in a length direction. In addition, some of protruding portions exposed near the periphery portion of the semiconductor wafer contact a side surface of the semiconductor wafer, thereby holding the semiconductor wafer mainly in a width direction.
US09406519B2
A system and method for manufacturing a memory device is provided. A preferred embodiment comprises manufacturing a flash memory device with a tunneling layer. The tunneling layer is formed by introducing a bonding agent into the dielectric material to bond with and reduce the number of dangling bonds that would otherwise be present. Further embodiments include initiating the formation of the tunneling layer without the bonding agent and then introducing a bonding agent containing precursor and also include a reduced concentration region formed in the tunneling layer adjacent to a substrate.
US09406517B2
The present disclosure relates to a transistor device having a germanium cap layer that is able to provide for a low interface trap density, while meeting effective oxide thickness scaling requirements, and a related method of fabrication. In some embodiments, the disclosed transistor device has a channel layer disposed within a semiconductor body at a location between a source region and a drain region. A germanium cap layer is disposed onto the channel layer. A gate dielectric layer is separated from the channel layer by the germanium cap layer, and a gate region is disposed above the gate dielectric layer. Separating the gate dielectric layer from the channel layer allows for the germanium cap layer to prevent diffusion of atoms from the channel layer into the gate dielectric layer, thereby provide for a low interface trap density.
US09406515B2
A laser annealing device for compensating wafer heat maps and its method are disclosed. A laser annealing device comprises a pump laser source array including of a plurality of pump laser sources for irradiating a tunable mask, each pump laser source emitting pump laser, an annealing laser source for emitting annealing laser and irradiating the tunable mask, and a tunable mask for transmitting at least part of the annealing laser after being irradiated by the pump laser.
US09406514B2
The present invention provides a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device having a low drive voltage and a production method therefor. A p-type semiconductor layer formation step comprises a p-type cladding layer formation step of forming a p-side superlattice layer on a light-emitting layer by supplying a first raw material gas containing at least a Group III element and a dopant gas, a p-type intermediate layer formation step of forming a p-type intermediate layer on the p-side superlattice layer by supplying a first raw material gas and a dopant gas, a dopant gas supply step of supplying the dopant gas while stopping the supply of the first raw material gas after the p-type intermediate layer formation step, and a p-type contact layer formation step of forming a p-type contact layer on the p-type intermediate layer by supplying a first raw material gas and a dopant gas after the dopant gas supply step.
US09406512B2
Self-aligned via patterning with multi-colored photobuckets for back end of line (BEOL) interconnects is described. In an example, an interconnect structure for an integrated circuit includes a first layer of the interconnect structure disposed above a substrate, the first layer including a first grating of alternating metal lines and dielectric lines in a first direction. The dielectric lines have an uppermost surface higher than an uppermost surface of the metal lines. A second layer of the interconnect structure is disposed above the first layer of the interconnect structure, the second layer including a second grating of alternating metal lines and dielectric lines in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction. The dielectric lines have a lowermost surface lower than a lowermost surface of the metal lines of the second grating. The dielectric lines of the second grating overlap and contact, but are distinct from, the dielectric lines of the first grating. First and second dielectric regions are disposed between the metal lines of the first grating and the metal lines of the second grating, and in a same plane as upper portions of the dielectric lines of the first grating and lower portions of the dielectric lines of the second grating. The first dielectric region is composed of a first cross-linked photolyzable material, and the second dielectric region is composed of a second, different, cross-linked photolyzable material.
US09406507B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to reducing dislocation density in a heteroepitaxial growth film and devices including heteroepitaxial films with reduced dislocation density. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, sidewalls of high aspect ratio trenches may be tilted or angled to allow defects in crystalline material formed in the high aspect ratio trenches to be terminated in the tilted sidewalls, including defects propagating along the length of the high aspect ratio trenches. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be used to reduce defects in heteroepitaxial growth on silicon (Si) for microelectronic applications, such as high mobility channels using Group III-V elements in field effect transistors.
US09406502B2
An apparatus and method for fabricating a semiconductor device using a 4-way valve with improved purge efficiency by improving a gas valve system by preventing dead volume from occurring are provided. The apparatus includes a reaction chamber in which a substrate is processed to fabricate a semiconductor device; a first processing gas supply pipe supplying a first processing gas into the reaction chamber; a 4-way valve having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet and installed at the first processing gas supply pipe such that the first inlet and the first outlet are connected to the first processing gas supply pipe; a second processing gas supply pipe connected to the second inlet of the 4-way valve to supply a second processing gas; a bypass connected to the second outlet of the 4-way valve; and a gate valve installed at the bypass.
US09406497B2
The invention describes a high intensity gas-discharge lamp comprising a discharge vessel (5, 5′) enclosing a fill gas in a discharge chamber (2) and comprising a pair of electrodes (3, 3′, 4, 4′) extending into the discharge chamber (2), and wherein the fill gas includes a halide composition comprising a halide of sodium and, optionally, scandium iodide to a total proportion of at least 30 wt %, and a halide of terbium and/or gadolinium to a proportion of at least 5 wt %.
US09406490B1
A system for determining an analyte by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) includes a sample introduction device having a heated cyclonic spray chamber. The system is configured to introduce sample that includes a metal and/or a metalloid having an organic interferent. The system also includes an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry device with a collision/reaction cell configured to receive a mixture of gases including both ammonia and hydrogen. A method includes introducing a sample to plasma to produce a characteristic spectrum associated with an elemental composition of the sample. The method also includes introducing both ammonia and hydrogen to a collision/reaction cell to remove carbon-based interferences to detection of the sample prior to determining the elemental composition of the sample.
US09406479B1
One embodiment pertains to an apparatus for compressing an electron pulse. An electron source is illuminated by a pulsed laser and generates a pulse of electrons. The pulse enters a beam separator which deflects the electrons by 90 degrees into an electron mirror. The faster, higher energy electrons form the leading edge of the pulse and penetrate more deeply into the retarding field of the electron mirror than the lower energy electrons. After reflection, the lower energy electrons exit the electron mirror before the higher energy electrons and form the leading edge of the pulse. The reflected pulse reenters the separator and is deflected by 90 degrees towards the specimen. The fast, higher energy electrons catch up with the slow, low energy electrons as the electrons strike the specimen. The electrons are scattered by the specimen and used to form a two-dimensional image or diffraction pattern of the specimen.
