US09481671B2
A method of treating a glomerular disease selected from the group consisting of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, collapsing glomerulopathy, proliferative lupus nephritis, crescentic glomerulonephritis and membranous nephropathy in a subject comprises administering to the subject an effective amount of a glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor.
US09481669B2
The present invention provides novel pladienolide pyridine compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, and methods for using the compounds as therapeutic agents. These compounds may be useful in the treatment of cancer, particularly cancers in which agents that target the spliceosome and mutations therein are known to be useful.
US09481664B2
Described herein are compounds that are androgen receptor modulators. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments that include the compounds described herein, as well as methods of using such androgen receptor modulators, alone and in combination with other compounds, for treating diseases or conditions that are mediated or dependent upon androgen receptors.
US09481661B2
We describe anhydride compounds suitable for physiologically labile modification of amine-containing molecules. The described anhydrides form reversible linkages having desirable kinetics for in vivo delivery of biologically active molecules. Also described are endosomolytic polymers formed by modification of membrane active polyamines with the described anhydrides.
US09481660B2
The present invention relates to nordihydroguaiaretic acid derivative compounds, namely, butane bridge modified nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) compounds and butane bridge modified tetra-O-substituted NDGA compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, methods of making them, and methods of using them and kits including them for the treatment of diseases and disorders, in particular, diseases resulting from or associated with a virus infection, such as HIV infection, HPV infection, or HSV infection, an inflammatory disease, such as various types of arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases, metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, or a proliferative disease, such as diverse types of cancers.
US09481657B2
Provided is a photo-sensitive composition capable of yielding pixels having a high translucency and a large refractive index, with a less amount of development residue in the process of formation. The photo-sensitive resin composition contains an ultraviolet absorber represented by Formula (I); a photo-polymerization initiator; and a polymerizable monomer: wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; one of R4 and R5 represents an electron withdrawing group, and the other of R4 and R5 represents —SO2R6, —CO2R6, —COR6, —CN or —CONR6R7; each of R6 and R7 independently represents a hydrogen atom, alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or aryl group.
US09481654B2
The invention encompasses compounds having formula I and the compositions and methods using these compounds in the treatment of conditions in which modulation of the JAK pathway or inhibition of JAK kinases, particularly JAK3, are therapeutically useful.
US09481652B2
The present invention provides a packaged product of a solid preparation containing 5-hydroxy-1H-imidazole-4-carboxamide or a salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof, which comprises the solid preparation and an environment-controlling agent packaged together. The packaged product of present invention is useful as a packaged product of a solid preparation containing 5-hydroxy-1H-imidazole-4-carboxamide or a salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof, with which discoloration of the solid preparation is suppressed, and superior storage stability of the solid preparation is obtained.
US09481646B2
The disclosure provides compounds, compositions and methods using these compounds and compositions to stimulate the differentiation of cells and inhibit excessive cell proliferation of certain cells, including cancer cells and skin cells, which may be useful in the treatment of diseases characterized by abnormal cell proliferation and/or cell differentiation such as leukemia, myelofibrosis and psoriasis without the well known effect on calcium metabolism, which gives rise to hypercalcemia.
US09481645B2
This invention relates to novel isonitriles, including arylthio isonitriles, and methods for their preparation. The isonitriles include a conjugated ring system. The structure is designed with the flexibility to have multiple substitution patterns. The isonitriles may be used in applications including, but not limited to, pharmaceutical compositions.
US09481634B2
A family of amine mining collectors that uses alkoxylates allows for the easy adjustment of solubility and molecular weight useful because anionic and cationic mineral collectors require such varying degrees of solubility and molecular weight. The family of the present invention allows for the optimization of both parameters and an increase in collector efficiency.
US09481633B2
The present disclosure is directed to acetylated polyglyceride fatty acid ester and compositions containing the same. The acetylated polyglyceride fatty acid ester may be blended with an epoxidized fatty acid ester. The present acetylated polyglyceride fatty acid ester and blends find advantageous application as a plasticizer.
US09481630B2
The present invention relates to an injenane-type diterpene compound derived from Euphorbia kansui Liou, and a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing viral infectious diseases, a health functional food for preventing or ameliorating viral infectious diseases and a composition for enhancing the production of interferon-gamma, which comprise the injenane-type diterpene compound. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for preventing or treating viral infectious diseases including administering the composition to a subject having a viral infectious disease occurrence or a risk thereof with a therapeutically effective dose.
US09481623B2
A process and an apparatus for the separation of a homogeneous catalyst solution from crude monoethylene glycol (MEG) and for purifying MEG is provided. The apparatus includes a catalyst separation section, an MEG rectification section, a stripping section and a pasteurization section, wherein the MEG rectification and pasteurization sections are located within a MEG purification column, and the catalyst separation section is either located in the MEG purification column or in a separate upstream vessel, and wherein the catalyst separation section includes a crude MEG vapor feed inlet to the MEG rectification section.
US09481613B2
Insecticidal compositions suitable for use in preparation of insecticidal liquid fertilizers are disclosed. The compositions include bifenthrin, a polymeric dispersant, a suspension agent, a freeze-thaw stabilizer, and optionally a preservative.
US09481612B2
The invention relates to a liquid formulation that stimulates the germination of seeds and the rooting of plants, including water-soluble addition compounds from the K vitamin group together with complexed microelements and essential amino acids, which acts by improving the metabolic processes that occur during the different stages in the development of treated plants, improving the appearance thereof, activating defence responses and promoting resistance to adverse conditions, both biotic and abiotic, thereby allowing harvest production and yields to be increased.
US09481591B1
The device and process is designed to treat sewage, food processing and other biologically contaminated wastewater without the addition of any chemical or physical agitation. It consists of a series of chambers in specific arrangement to achieve the required nutrient removal and disinfection which kills any bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. The treated water can be safely discharged, injected into the groundwater or used for irrigation.
US09481580B2
The invention relates to a process for preparing monomeric and/or dimeric halogen- and/or hydrogen-containing silicon compounds from oligomeric inorganic silanes having three or more directly covalently interconnected silicon atoms substituted by substituents selected from halogen, hydrogen and/or oxygen by reacting the oligomeric silane over a nitrogen-containing catalyst in the presence of hydrogen halide.
US09481578B2
The invention provides a polycrystalline silicon rod having a total diameter of at least 150 mm, including a core A having a porosity of 0 to less than 0.01 around a thin rod, and at least two subsequent regions B and C which differ in porosity by a factor of 1.7 to 23, the outer region C being less porous than region B.
US09481576B2
An intercalated graphite compound composition, comprising a layered graphite with interlayer spaces or interstices and an intercalant residing in at least one of said interstices, wherein said intercalant comprises a carboxylic acid and an oxidant selected from Li2FeO4, Na2FeO4, K2FeO4, LixCoO4, NaxCoO4, KxCoO4, LixNiO4, NaxNiO4, KxNiO4, or a combination thereof. This compound can be produced in an environmentally benign process. The compound can be further treated to produce separate graphene sheets.
US09481571B2
A photostructurable ceramic is processed using photostructuring process steps for embedding devices within a photostructurable ceramic volume, the devices may include one or more of chemical, mechanical, electronic, electromagnetic, optical, and acoustic devices, all made in part by creating device material within the ceramic or by disposing a device material through surface ports of the ceramic volume, with the devices being interconnected using internal connections and surface interfaces.
US09481570B2
Disclosed is an integrated circuit, comprising a semiconductor substrate carrying a plurality of circuit elements; and a pressure sensor including a cavity on said semiconductor substrate, said cavity comprising a pair of electrodes laterally separated from each other; and a flexible membrane over and spatially separated from said electrodes such that said membrane interferes with a fringe field between said electrodes, said membrane comprising at least one aperture. A method of manufacturing such an IC is also disclosed.
US09481569B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for manufacturing a CMOS-MEMS device (100). A partial protective layer (401) is deposited on a top surface of a layered structure to cover a circuit region. A first partial etch is performed from the bottom side of the layered structure to form a first gap (501) below a MEMS membrane (207) within a MEMS region of the layered structure. A second partial etch is performed from the top side of the layered structure to remove a portion of a sacrificial layer between the MEMS membrane and a MEMS backplate (215) within the MEMS region. The second partial etch releases the MEMS membrane so that it can move in response to pressures. The deposited partial protective layer prevents the second partial etch from etching a portion of the sacrificial layer positioned within the circuit region of the layered structure and also prevents the second partial etch from damaging the CMOS circuit component (211).
US09481567B2
A micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) structure is provided, which includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a MEMS device and a hydrophobic semiconductor layer. The first substrate has a first portion. The second substrate is substantially parallel to the first substrate and has a second portion substantially aligned with the first portion. The MEMS device is between the first portion and the second portion. The hydrophobic semiconductor layer is made of germanium (Ge), silicon (Si) or a combination thereof on the first portion, the second portion or the first portion and the second portion and faces toward the MEMS device. A cap substrate for a MEMS device and a method of fabricating the same are also provided.
US09481563B2
According to an embodiment of a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device includes a micro-mechanical structure and a semiconductor material arranged over the micro-mechanical structure. A side surface of the semiconductor material includes a first region and a second region. The first region has an undulation, and the second region is a peripheral region of the side surface and decreases towards the micro-mechanical structure.
US09481555B2
An industrial truck has a canopy with two columns arranged laterally on the vehicle, which support a crown equipped with one or more belts. The one or more belts are connected with an assembly plate having an opening for a glass roof, which is glued in a circumferential profile frame. The profile frame is thereby connected with at least one belt and/or support profiles extending between the belts.
US09481554B2
Disclosed in the present invention is a monitoring apparatus of crane hoisting vertical deviation angle. The monitoring apparatus uses a dual-axis inclinometer to measure the vertical deviation angle of the lifting pulley block of a crane, wirelessly transmits the angle signal, and dynamically displays the angle by a control display. The control method adopts the monitoring apparatus mentioned above. The monitoring apparatus thereof fixes a measuring platform on the outside of the guard plate of the movable pulley of the lifting pulley block, and the dual-axis inclinometer is fixed on the measuring platform surface, which becomes a horizontal plane when the crane hoisting vertical deviation angle is 0 degree. The present invention can detect and monitor the verticality of the lifting pulley block in real time, and avoid the risk of non-vertical crane hoisting.
US09481553B2
A system or method, for controlling at least two automated non-passing rail mounted gantry cranes, has, for each crane, a crane control unit for ensuring execution of at least one work order received by the respective crane from an external scheduling system, and may have a rescheduling unit which performs a rescheduling of the at least one work order based on an expected trajectory along the rail determined for each work order. The rescheduling can be achieved by splitting at least one of the work orders into at least two new work orders and by re-sequencing and re-allocating resulting work orders to reduce the number or duration of situations, where the expected trajectory of one crane blocks the expected trajectory of another crane and/or to reduce a workload imbalance between the cranes. The rescheduling unit operates in parallel with the crane control units, and dynamically updates these original work orders.
US09481548B2
Smart elevator systems and methods for controlling an elevator system use sensors that transmit data to a processor in a network system for use in operating an elevator system. The elevator system can include a system connected to a LAN, WAN, intranet, internet, etc. and is capable of exchanging data with and retrieving data therefrom. In the smart elevator systems, there are a number of wireless sensors that detect and transmit information on a number of people requesting elevator transport. The smart elevator system uses that information to select or determine one or more transport paths for one or more elevators to follow and, therefore, can be beneficial in enhancing efficient use of one or more elevators in an elevator system to service persons awaiting elevator service.
US09481546B2
A reel includes: a hub in which plural through holes are formed at a connecting portion that interconnects a cylinder portion and an axial center portion; a first flange disposed on one end portion of the hub and equipped with first insertion portions that are inserted into the through holes; a second flange disposed on the other end portion of the hub and equipped with second insertion portions that are inserted into the through holes; and joint portions configured to join the first insertion portions and the second insertion portions, with spaces between radial direction inside wall surfaces of the through holes and radial direction inside wall surfaces of the first insertion portions and the second insertion portions being smaller than spaces between radial direction outside wall surfaces of the through holes and radial direction outside wall surfaces of the first insertion portions and the second insertion portions.
US09481535B2
A vacuum roll-to-roll device includes: a first chamber; a second chamber neighboring the first chamber; a shutter disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber; a sealing member attached to the shutter; and a roll-type substrate which moves from the first chamber to the second chamber through the sealing member. A thickness of a lateral side of the roll-type substrate decreases in a direction toward an edge thereof.
US09481534B2
A conveyance device includes an image-forming drum (52) which fixes a rear surface (PB) of a sheet (P) and conveys the sheet along an arc-shaped path at a transfer position (312), a chain gripper which includes a gripper (64D) which is disposed on the downstream side of the image-forming drum in a conveyance direction and holds a leading end portion of the sheet, conveys the sheet along the arc-shaped path at the transfer position, and is disposed at a position at which a portion of the path leads to the image-forming drum side from the transfer position, and a blower unit (300) which is disposed on the chain gripper side from the transfer position, blows air from the chain gripper side to the image-forming drum side on the downstream side of the transfer position in the conveyance direction, and blows air toward the sheet conveyed by the chain gripper.
US09481532B2
A feeding apparatus includes a stacking member provided to a feeding cassette, a feeding member, a contact portion provided on a regulating member provided on the feeding cassette, a movement unit, and a switching unit. The movement unit raises the feeding member when the feeding cassette is pulled out and lowers the feeding member when the feeding cassette is inserted. The switching unit switches a positional relationship between the feeding and stacking member. After the feeding member is lowered and before the feeding member performs a sheet feeding operation, the switching unit switches the relationship to the second positional relationship from the first. When a stacked sheet amount is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, the contact portion is disposed in contact with the stacked sheets and when the amount is smaller than the predetermined amount, the contact portion is disposed not in contact with the stacked sheets.
US09481524B2
A guide rail system for guiding containers moved by one or more conveyors, each container having an interior portion defined therein for receiving a product and an opening in fluid communication with the interior portion. The guide rail system includes a cover assembly including one or more cover elements, and one or more structural elements to which the cover element is secured. The structural element locates the cover element in a preselected location relative to the openings of the containers, for at least partially impeding ingress of foreign matter to the interior portions of the containers.
US09481515B2
Certain embodiments of a trash can include a cap with a lid and an actuator. The actuator can extend outwardly from the cap at a downward angle. The actuator can be configured to maintain the lid in a closed position when a locking portion of the actuator is engaged with a securement portion of the lid. The lid can be rotationally biased toward an open position and the actuator can be configured to release the lid from the closed position upon an input of force on the actuator. The range of effective angles for the input force can enable a user of the trash can to easily open the lid by contacting the actuator with from a wide variety of angles.
US09481514B2
A trash bag securing system having a plastic liner; the plastic liner inserted into the trash receptacle and placed over the at least one sidewall; a single elastic cord having a first end and a second end and which culminates in at least one knot. The at least one knot anchors the elastic cord to the receptacle. The at least one knot is a stopper at either the first end or the second end of the elastic cord and positioned on the outer surface of the least one sidewall. The elastic cord is inserted into the at least one opening and sized and positioned to fit around the outer rim of the outer surface of the at least one sidewall and over the plastic liner such to secure the plastic liner to the receptacle. The elastic cord may also be further configured to act as a handle.
US09481512B2
The present invention is a system for transporting and storing construction materials for a job site using a trailer having a plurality of openings, a container having a frame carrying support feet for being received into the trailer openings, a plurality of attachment points carried by the frame on the floor of the interior of the container, a plurality of shelves carried by the interior of the container; and a door carried by the container having a lock.
US09481499B2
An electronic device is protected from unauthorized access by use of a security wrap which comprises at least a substrate, a security screen, a layer of adhesive and decoy pattern. The security screen is disposed over one side of the substrate and includes a pair of screen terminals and a conductive path between the pair of screen terminals. The layer of adhesive bonds the first side of the substrate to the electronic component with the security screen sandwiched there between. The decoy pattern is at least partially impervious to X-ray and overlays said security screen.
US09481494B2
A slider structure, provided with a first member 1 and a second member 2, in which a first insertion groove 31 inclined forward and upward, and a second insertion groove 32 inclined forward and downward, are formed by the first member 1 and the second member 2, and, an opening width dimension S1 of the first insertion groove 31 and an opening width dimension S2 of the second insertion groove 32 are reduced when the first member 1 and the second member 2 are relatively moved and mutually come close to conduct stopping in left-and-right direction W of a fastener male-female portion Fa in the first insertion groove 31 and another male-female portion Fb in the second insertion groove 32.
US09481492B2
A multi-closure strip of clips with one or more openings to hold the neck of a bag, which include a male and a female interlocking portion to hold the clips together in a series. Each clip includes a female pocket at a first edge, and a male tab at a second edge. Neighboring clips can interlock or mate-ably attach to the respective pockets and tabs without the need for adhesive, and without fracture of the clip material. Instead of a neighboring clip, a tag or label with a mating pocket or tab can be mate-ably attached to the clip. The clips can be made of a resilient plastic or biodegradable material, or any recyclable products.
US09481490B2
A system for coupling accessory devices to a portable electronic device includes a casing that receives the portable electronic device. The casing has a front opening through which a display screen of a portable electronic device is accessible to a user, and a rear opening. The system further includes a plate element that is inserted into the casing and is positioned adjacent the rear opening such that a portion of the plate element is exposed by the rear opening. The system further includes an accessory device coupled to the plate element. The accessory device has an inner portion and an outer portion, such that when the accessory device is coupled to the plate element, at least part of the plate element is between the inner portion and the outer portion.
US09481481B2
A packaging device includes a conveyance mechanism, a first guide portion, and a processor. The conveyance mechanism is configured to convey, along a conveyance path, a base on which an object is placed. The first guide portion is configured to guide a film and to move along a movement path. The processor is configured to cause the conveyance mechanism to convey the base toward a downstream side in a conveyance direction. The processor is further configured to cause the first guide portion to move along the movement path from above to below the conveyance path after the base is conveyed toward the downstream side to a first position. The processor is further configured to cause the conveyance mechanism to convey the base toward the upstream side to a second position after the first guide portion is moved to below the conveyance path.
US09481478B2
An ice bagging assembly and related method with a horizontal ice bag cassette, a pair of opposing ice bag ply graspers configured to move an empty ice bag from the horizontal ice bag cassette to a vertical position to receive cubed ice before it is sealed shut and dropped to an ice bag merchandiser. The opposing graspers may be configured as rotating wheels and may have a grasping sensor. The ice bag cassette may be slidably and tiltably supported for easy replacement of horizontal bags. A load sensor, optical or mechanical, may be associated with the ice hopper to sense how much ice has been put in each bag. A pair of angled guides may guide a hopper into a support frame for the system.
US09481471B2
Autonomous propulsion apparatus and methods are disclosed. An example autonomous propulsion unit includes a flight controller capable of executing flight control instructions stored in a memory of the autonomous propulsion unit; and a propulsor to generate propulsion in accordance with the instructions for a payload carrier to which the autonomous propulsion unit is coupled, wherein the flight controller is to provide flight control for the propulsor in an absence of flight control instructions from the payload carrier.
US09481465B2
A tray table that facilitates consumption of entertainment and various other media via a portable electronic device is disclosed herein. The tray table includes a panel that secures the portable electronic device for hands free operation. One or more channels at the panel receive at least a portion of the portable electronic device. The panel is capable of rotating between an open and closed position, while the tray table itself may rotate between a stowed and service position.
US09481461B1
A dual release lanyard connector includes first and second lanyard rings coupleable to first and second lanyard cables, a coupling sleeve coupled to the first lanyard ring and movable between a first position and a second position, and a locking ring configured to engage the coupling sleeve and movable between the first position and the second position, the locking ring having a first ring groove. A two-piece housing of the lanyard connector includes a plug housing with first and second plug housing grooves and a secondary housing coupled to the second lanyard ring and having a secondary housing groove, the secondary housing movable between a third position and a fourth position. The secondary housing is configured to engage the coupling sleeve such that movement of the secondary housing to the fourth position causes a corresponding movement of the coupling sleeve and locking ring to the second position.
US09481458B2
An autonomous battery replacement station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided. The UAV includes a replaceable battery. The station includes (a) a landing platform configured to receive the UAV, (b) a storage location configured to store a replacement battery for the UAV, and (c) a means for swapping the replaceable battery on the UAV with a replacement battery from the storage location.
US09481452B2
A device including a first hydraulic piston, a second hydraulic piston disposed within the first hydraulic piston, and a third hydraulic piston disposed within both the first hydraulic piston and the second hydraulic piston. The first, second, and third hydraulic pistons are contained within a common outer wall. A manifold is connected to the first, second, and third hydraulic pistons. The manifold is disposed relative to the first, second, and third hydraulic pistons such that a fluid moving in the manifold can control positions of the first, second, and third hydraulic pistons.
US09481444B2
An aerodynamic lift structure comprises unbalanced composite skin that couples twist and bending.
US09481439B1
A stern drive is for a marine vessel. The stern drive comprises a gimbal housing that is configured for connection to the marine vessel, a gimbal ring that is steerable with respect to the gimbal housing about a vertical steering axis, a driveshaft housing that is connected to the gimbal ring, and a trim actuator that is configured to trim the driveshaft housing about a horizontal trim axis. The trim actuator has a first end that is pivotably connected to the gimbal ring at a horizontal first pivot axis and a second end that is pivotably connected to the driveshaft housing at a horizontal second pivot axis. A resilient driveshaft housing vibration isolator is located along the second pivot axis. The resilient vibration isolator isolates vibration forces on the driveshaft housing. A resilient gimbal ring vibration isolator is located along the trim axis. The gimbal ring vibration isolator isolates vibration forces on the gimbal ring.
US09481433B2
A paddle is disclose, the paddle comprises a blade, an intensified structure and a handle. The blade comprises a body and a tubular section extending from the body. The body is provided with a reception hollow communicated with the interior of the tubular section. The intensified structure comprises a joint section and an intensified section, where one end of the joint section engages fixedly in the inside of the tubular section of the blade. The handle is joined to the other end of the joint section. The paddle of this invention exploits the intensified structure to heighten the structural strength of the blade, which substantially decreases the possibility of breakage of the blade due to the propelling force.
US09481430B2
A lightweight transport vessel transports compressed natural gas underwater without needing to liquefy the gas for transport.
US09481419B2
The invention relates to a bicycle, with a bicycle seat assembly rotatably connected to the bicycle. Rotation movement of the bicycle seat assembly is possible, seen in the driving direction, to the left and to the right side and is independent of the steering movement of the bicycle. The axis of rotation of the bicycle seat assembly is arranged in front of the axis of the bottom bracket, seen in the driving direction, and the seating surface of the bicycle seat is arranged behind the axis of the bottom bracket, seen in the driving direction. The rotatable bicycle seat assembly enables an upright riding position by dodging the cyclist's leg pedaling downwards through a rotational movement. At the same time it supports the hip side of the other leg. The driver is supported by the bicycle seat even in the upright riding position.
US09481418B2
A mounting jig for a vehicle door, the jig includes a first support having means for adjustably fastening it to a vehicle body in the vicinity of the door opening; a second support having fastening means for fastening to the vehicle door; connection arms for interconnecting the first and second supports, which arms are hinged to each of said supports, and their trace, in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the door opening, co-operates with the trace, in the same plane, of said supports, to form a deformable quadrilateral; a weight arm, mounted to move at least in translation along a vertical axis in guide means carried by the stationary support, between a low first position and at least one second position that is higher than said low position; at least one operating member for operating an indexing member for indexing the position of the second support relative to the first support, the operating member being connected to the weight shaft; and a raising lever, for acting against the effect of gravity, to raise the weight shaft from the first position towards the second position.
US09481409B2
A motor vehicle component having at least one surface which, in the installed position, forms an outer side of the motor vehicle, in which the surface has substantially V-shaped and/or substantially U-shaped projections, with the closed sides thereof facing a direction of air flow during normal operation of the motor vehicle.
US09481404B1
A cargo bed cover apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus includes a laterally opposed pair of first support post assemblies removably attachable to a cargo bed of the vehicle and a laterally opposed pair of second support post assemblies removably attachable to the cargo bed of the vehicle, the pair of second support assemblies being longitudinally opposed to the pair of first support post assemblies. The apparatus further includes a pair of side panels extending between and connected to longitudinally opposed pairs of the first support post assemblies and the second support post assemblies and a pair of end panels extending between and connected to the laterally opposed pairs of the first support post assemblies and the second support post assemblies.
US09481397B2
A motor vehicle body is provided with a substantially vertical wall, which separates a lower zone of the passenger compartment from the engine compartment, and with a structure for receiving and draining water; such a structure protrudes forward into the engine compartment from an upper end of the substantially vertical wall and has an upper crosspiece shaped so as to define a manifold for receiving water; the upper crosspiece has a perforated intermediate portion and two opposite end portions provided with respective openings for draining water into drain passages; the structure further has a reinforcing crosspiece, which is arranged underneath the perforated intermediate portion for receiving some of the water and is shaped so as to define a channel which is elongated in the transversal direction so as to divert the water sideways and outwards.
US09481380B2
An improved coupler knuckle with an improved interior configuration for handling forces imparted on the knuckle and transferring said imparted forces through the knuckle and improving handling of linear force loads and their transmission the interior having a force handling structure that includes spaced apart layers and cavities, with a cavity extending between the nose section and the tail section of the coupler knuckle.
US09481376B2
In a bearing unit of a cable sheave of a cableway system, the cable sheave is arranged on a shaft which is mounted in bearings in a bearing framework. An inner ring or an outer ring of at least a first bearing is connected to the shaft. The outer ring or the inner ring of the first bearing is connected to an inner ring or an outer ring of a second bearing and is mounted in the bearing framework via the second bearing.
US09481372B2
After a speed change operation mechanism has changed gear position during a shift in a vehicle, a controller operates an actuator to put a clutch into a partial clutch engagement state, thereby reducing difference rotation Nd of the clutch, and temporarily lowers an output of an engine below a normal-time output. After the difference rotation of the clutch is reduced, the controller returns the engine output to the normal-time output, and operates the actuator to bring the clutch into a full capacity state. The standard difference rotational speed Nds is variable according to the throttle position Th detected by the engine load detection means.
US09481367B1
A computer-implemented method causes a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to avoid a physical encounter with an animal. One or more sensors on a self-driving vehicle (SDV) capture a description of an environment around an animal that the SDV is approaching. A camera captures an image of the animal that the SDV is approaching. An SDV on-board computer on the SDV determines an animal type of the animal based on the captured image of the animal, and then predicts a direction and speed of movement of the animal based on the animal type of the animal and the captured description of the environment of the animal. The SDV on-board computer then determines a probability of a physical encounter between the SDV and the animal, and adjusts the speed and direction of the SDV accordingly in order to reduce a likelihood of the SDV striking the animal.
US09481362B2
A driving control apparatus and method for a hybrid vehicle are provided. The apparatus includes a vehicle speed calculator that is configured to detect a driving speed of the vehicle and output information regarding the detected driving speed. An inclination sensor is configured to detect an inclination of a road on which the vehicle is being driven and output information regarding the detected inclination. In addition, a mode shift controller is configured to determine a driving load of the vehicle based on the driving speed and the inclination and execute the driving mode of the vehicle based on a magnitude of the driving load.
US09481359B2
When an air density is relatively low and a predicted regeneration zone is present within a predetermined travel distance, a vehicle control device executes at least one of the following: i) prohibition of setting a target value of a remaining battery level to a corrected target value; and ii) prohibition of control of an engine and a motor based on the corrected target value.
US09481353B2
A method to reduce fuel consumption when driving a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine, and a gearbox that is settable to a plurality of transmission ratios, and the vehicle is configured to be driven in at least a first mode (M1) and a second mode (M2), wherein, when the vehicle is driven according to the second mode (M2), a reduced fuel consumption is prioritized to a larger extent at the cost of performance compared with when the vehicle is driven according to the first mode (M1). When setting the gearbox from a first transmission ratio to a second transmission ratio lower than the first transmission ratio that is one of the three lowest settable transmission ratios for the gearbox, the method includes comparing a torque (Treq) requested from the internal combustion engine after setting the gearbox to the second transmission ratio with a first torque (Tlim1), and driving the vehicle according to the second mode (M2) if the request for torque (Treq) from the internal combustion engine is below the first torque (Tlim1).
US09481351B2
A hybrid vehicle and method of control are disclosed wherein the vehicle is propelled solely by the motor in some operating modes and the internal combustion engine is set to run whenever a brake pedal is released in other operating modes. In some operating modes, the engine is controlled to simulate a vehicle with a discrete ratio transmission, wherein the engine speed is controlled in response to vehicle speed and a virtual gear number. The virtual gear number changes in response to driver activation of shift selectors. When the driver selects a high gear number, a revised algorithm is utilized which allows some motor only operation but starts the engine in response to specified increases in accelerator pedal position.
US09481345B2
A control device for a motor vehicle such that during a driving direction change from an original direction and/or during a starting process and/or during a stopping process and/or during a rolling process, in order to assist with the driving direction change and/or starting process and/or stopping process and/or rolling process, an appropriate control signal is provided by the control device to automatically activate a service brake. The control device automatically determines the friction energy produced at a starting clutch, during the driving direction change and/or starting process and/or stopping process and/or rolling process, without activation of the service brake. The control device only automatically activates the service brake, to assist with the driving direction change and/or starting process and/or stopping process and/or rolling process, if the determined friction energy exceeds a limit value.
US09481343B2
A windscreen wiper device is provided. The windscreen wiper device includes an elongated wiper strip of a flexible material for sealing against the windshield and at least one elongated groove. At least one flexible and elongated carrier element is disposed in the at least one groove of the wiper strip for biasing the wiper strip into a predetermined configuration when in a relaxed state. The at least one carrier element presents at least one upwardly facing curve and at least one downwardly facing curve when in a relaxed state.
US09481337B2
A method of manufacturing a vehicle trim component includes disposing a fiber panel within a mold cavity, and aligning an airbag chute assembly with the fiber panel. The method also includes compressing the fiber panel within the mold cavity to form the fiber panel into a desired shape. At least a portion of the fiber panel is compressed between a surface of the mold cavity and a surface of the airbag chute assembly.
US09481333B2
A bumper back beam for a vehicle may include side portions connected to a vehicle body and formed of general plastic on both sides and an intermediate portion connecting the side portions on both sides and formed of high-strength plastic and a predetermined section, both ends of which encroach into the side portions to form overlap sections.
US09481327B2
A wire harness including a wire fitting is provided that maintains the length of the portion of the wire bundle that extends to the outside of the wire fitting reliably at a tolerance range without impeding the freedom of bending the wire bundle. A wire harness includes a wire fitting having a base and a cover covering a portion of a wire bundle together with the base. The base is provided with a protrusion that pierces the insulated wires at a portion further to an outer edge of the base than a portion of the wire bundle that is tied together by a first tie member, the wire bundle extending from the base to an outside of the base.
US09481315B1
A device for movably mounting a storage container in relation to the storage bed of a pickup truck. The device includes a container support frame with a mounting member configured to be fixedly secured in relation to the pickup truck storage bed, and a lift arm having a first end coupled to the container support frame for pivotal movement about a first pivot axis and a second end configured to be coupled to the storage container for pivotal movement about a second pivot axis. The second end of the lift arm is movable along an arcuate path about the first pivot axis between a stowed position in which the storage container is disposed between the side rails and an extended position in which the storage container is disposed above a side rail. The storage container is pivotable about the second pivot axis to maintain an upright orientation in the stowed and extended positions, providing a variety of convenient access and storage options. Also, the frame can be confined to a very small portion of the storage bed or hidden within existing components of the storage bed to allow substantially unimpeded top and rear access to the storage bed.
US09481304B2
An exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use on a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly, a mirror heating element and a control. The mirror assembly includes a mirror head portion mountable to a side of a vehicle and a reflective element supported at the mirror head portion. The mirror heating element is disposed at a rear side of the reflective element and operable to heat the reflective element. The control is operable to power the mirror heating element to heat the reflective element. The control controls heating of the mirror heating element responsive at least in part to a signal indicative of air flow at or around the exterior rearview mirror assembly and the reflective element of the equipped vehicle.
US09481298B2
A reporting system has a first handheld device that locks and unlocks a door of a vehicle, and a second handheld device that communicates with the first handheld device. The first handheld device has an inside/outside determination unit that carries out wireless communication with the vehicle and acquires, with the vehicle, information of inside/outside determination on whether the first handheld device is inside the vehicle or outside the vehicle, and a transmitting unit that transmits the result of the inside/outside determination. The second handheld device has a receiving unit that receives the result of the determination from the first handheld device.
US09481297B2
A lighting system for a vehicle steering assembly is provided herein. The lighting system includes a steering wheel having a central hub and a rim connected to the hub through a spoke. A light source is disposed on the rim. A first photoluminescent structure is disposed on the steering wheel and configured to luminesce in response to excitation by at least a portion of the light source. In some embodiments, the light source may implement a thin design, thereby helping to fit the light source into small package spaces of the vehicle where traditional light sources may not be practicable.
US09481296B2
An illuminated emblem assembly is provided that includes a power source, a backing member, and a light-producing assembly coupled to the power source and supported by the backing member. The light-producing assembly includes a plurality of light-emitting diode sources. The light-producing assembly may also include a plurality of micro-sized, dispersed light-emitting diode sources. The illuminated emblem assembly further includes a translucent base region over the light sources, a chromatic layer over the translucent base region and a UV-stable translucent sealing structure over the chromatic layer that seals the backing member, the light producing assembly, and the chromatic layer. The sealing structure may be UV-stable and/or include a design feature. The illuminated emblem assembly exhibits a chrome- or mirror-like finish when viewed under ambient lighting conditions. Further, the illuminated emblem assembly possesses a glowing appearance when activated under low light or nighttime conditions.
US09481294B2
A planter monitor system and method that provides an operator with near real-time data concerning yield robbing events and the economic cost associated with such yield robbing events so as to motivate the operator to take prompt corrective action.
US09481288B1
A system of providing vehicle information and alerts to a vehicle operator or other user includes a device that removably attaches to the vehicle data port. The device communicates through the data port with a vehicle electronic control module. The device incorporates a set of vehicle operating parameters, communications settings and commands. The device monitors vehicle operating parameters and alerts a vehicle operator or other user if a monitored vehicle operating parameter exceeds a predetermined or configured limit. The vehicle operator or other user may configure custom calculations, formulas, or algorithms to generate new data based on existing vehicle or peripheral input data and then may use this new data as the configured limit to alert the vehicle operator or other user.
US09481284B2
A system includes a strap assembly positioned on a portion of a tire of a vehicle and configured to be coupled to a deck of a transport, and a mandrel assembly operable to be coupled to the strap assembly. The system also includes a winch assembly configured to be coupled to the deck of the transport including a winch assembly axel configured to be coupled to the mandrel assembly. The winch assembly is configured to engage the winch assembly axel to prevent rotation of the mandrel assembly in a first rotational direction to produce a tension force to secure the strap assembly around the portion of the tire. The system further includes a tightening assembly configured to rotate the mandrel assembly in a second rotational direction to produce a tightening force to tighten the strap assembly around the portion of the tire. The system additionally includes a release mechanism.
US09481283B2
Methods and apparatus for advertising, promoting, marketing and/or selling products and services. The inventions include a mobile vehicle and moving showroom for advertising, promotion, marketing, and sales of products and services. The products and services may be promoted for direct sale from the moving showroom, or for sale from other outlets, such as retail stores and internet sales.
US09481271B2
A child seat includes a seat shell, a retractor assembly connected with the seat shell, two anchor strap portions extending outward from a rear of the seat shell, and an adjustment strap extending outside the seat shell. Each of the two anchor straps is provided with a fastener operable to attach with an anchor structure of a vehicle. The two anchor strap portions extend outward from a rear of the seat shell, and are provided with two fasteners operable to attach with an anchor structure of a vehicle, the anchor strap portions being connected with the retractor assembly. The adjustment strap is operable to actuate the retractor assembly to retract the anchor strap portions toward an interior of the seat shell.
US09481269B2
Disclosed herein is a recliner for a vehicle seat including an external gear bracket having an external gear, an internal gear bracket which has an internal gear and is formed with a central protrusion, a socket which is formed with a socket protrusion and has an operation protrusion, and a pair of wedge blocks configured to surround the central protrusion. The socket includes a lubrication pocket for supplying a lubricating substance to the central protrusion of the internal gear bracket or the bush, and thus may improve durability of each component by constantly supplying the lubricating substance between the central protrusion of the internal gear bracket and the operation protrusion of the socket, between the operation protrusion of the socket and the bush, and between the bush and the wedge blocks.
US09481260B2
An industrial vehicle includes a battery that includes battery cells including a battery liquid and connected in series, an battery liquid shortage detection unit detecting a shortage of the battery liquid by detecting a voltage value between the battery cells, an battery liquid-shortage time calculation unit calculating a battery liquid-shortage time, which is a cumulative time of the shortage of the electrolyte detected by the battery liquid shortage detection unit, a memory storing the battery liquid-shortage time calculated by the battery liquid-shortage time calculation unit, and a communication controller attaching time information to the battery liquid-shortage time stored in the memory and outputting the battery liquid-shortage time with the time information to a management server, at a predetermined timing.
US09481259B2
Disclosed is a charging apparatus to supply a power to a battery of an electric vehicle. The charging apparatus includes a bidirectional power conversion unit including three pairs of switching device groups and having one end connected to a power system and an opposite end; an energy storage unit connected to the opposite end of the bidirectional power conversion unit to store the DC power output through the opposite end of the bidirectional power conversion unit; a multi-DC power output unit to output the DC power to an outside in the first inverse operation mode; and a charging control unit to detect a charging condition of the charging apparatus. The switching device groups serve as buck-converters, respectively, in the first inverse operation mode to convert the DC power into another DC power having a level different from a level of the DC power.
US09481252B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing engine fuel consumption during regenerative braking. According to certain embodiments, the regenerative braking system has an engine, a generator, a rectifier, a first inverter, a traction motor, and a reverse recovery unit. The generator is configured to be driven by the engine to produce AC electrical power. The rectifier is configured to receive AC electrical power from the generator and convert the AC power to DC power. The first inverter is configured to receive the DC power and convert the DC power to AC power. The traction motor is configured to be driven by the AC power in a traction mode, and to produce regenerated power when rotated in reverse in a regenerative braking mode. The reverse recovery unit has a second inverter and a filter. The second inverter is electrically connected in parallel with the rectifier and configured to communicate at least part of the regenerated power from the traction motor to the generator during the regenerative braking mode. The filter is electrically connected downstream of the second inverter and in parallel with the rectifier. The filter is configured to filter transient voltage generated by the second inverter during the regenerative braking mode.
US09481246B2
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control apparatus and a control method thereof, and the vehicle control apparatus may include a body portion comprising an outer frame constituting an external appearance of a vehicle and an inner frame formed to allow a user to get on, a sensing unit configured to sense a user's input from at least one sensing region formed on the body portion, and a controller configured to drive at least one of functions that can be executed in the vehicle based on at least one of a location of the sensing region at which the user's input is sensed and the user's input to the sensing region.
US09481238B2
A crash-tolerant system arrangement in an engine compartment situated in the front end region of a motor vehicle includes an exhaust emission control system having an essentially cylindrical first catalytic converter housing situated in front of the exhaust gas turbocharger in the travel direction. The exhaust gas turbocharger is mechanically connected to an exhaust gas manifold via a first fastening device, and to an engine block via a second fastening device, the first and the second fastening devices being designed in such a way that a detachment of the connection of the exhaust gas turbocharger to the exhaust gas manifold and/or a detachment of the connection of the exhaust gas turbocharger to the engine block take(s) place within a predefined upper value range for the pressure force.
US09481236B2
A powertrain is disclosed. A ring gear is attached to a first distal end of a crankshaft such that the ring gear and the crankshaft are rotatable in unison about a longitudinal axis. A motor-generator includes a motor/generator shaft rotatable about a first axis spaced from the longitudinal axis. A starter mechanism includes a first starter gear coupleable to the motor/generator shaft and rotatable about a second axis spaced from the longitudinal axis. The first and second axes are spaced and substantially parallel to each other. The first starter gear is movable along the second axis between a first position engaging the ring gear such that torque is transferred from the motor/generator shaft through the first starter gear and the ring gear to the crankshaft to start the engine, and a second position disengaged from the ring gear to rotatably disconnect the starter mechanism from the ring gear.
US09481235B1
A control device performs a control process such that when there is a request in a series/parallel mode to switch the current mode to a parallel mode, and the current speed ratio also has a value faster than a Lo rotation synchronization speed ratio, the control device performs the step of switching the running mode to the parallel mode via a series mode with asynchronous switching, whereas when the current speed ratio has a value slower than the Lo rotation synchronization speed ratio, the control device performs the step of switching the running mode to the parallel mode via the series mode with synchronous switching.
US09481234B2
A vehicle driving system includes an engine, an electric motor, a clutch, a torque converter, a transmission, a front module, and a housing. The clutch is configured to selectively connect or interrupt a power transmission path between the engine and the electric motor. The front module includes the clutch and the electric motor. The housing has an accommodation space that accommodates the front module and an accommodation space that accommodates the torque converter. The housing is a single member. The engine, the electric motor, the clutch, the torque converter and the transmission are arranged in series with one another.
US09481217B2
In a computerized method for generating a finite element model of a pneumatic tire provided in the tread portion with a zero-degree band, a 2D tire model is firstly generated based on the finished tire shape in a tire vulcanization mold, where the 2D tire model includes a 2D model of a band ply. Secondary, a residual stress is computed and defined on each element of the band ply model. Then, a deformation calculation is made on the 2D tire model to obtain the deformed 2D tire model. Finally, a 3D tire model is generated by duplicating the 2D tire model around the tire rotational axis.
US09481215B2
A system for controlling bicycle tire air pressure on the go is provided. The system has a wheel mounted portion and a control unit in communication with one another. The wheel mounted portion attached to each wheel has a gas source, manifold, regulator to control air flow into and out of the tire, and a communication device. The control unit monitors air pressure in each tire, and has a user interface allowing input of a higher or lower tire pressure. Based on user input, the control unit instructs operation of the wheel mounted portion, controlling pressure within the tire.
US09481210B2
Plural lug grooves are formed that extend from an outermost circumferential direction groove towards a tire equatorial plane side and are disposed sloped with respect to the tire equatorial plane at intervals along the tire circumferential direction. Arc shaped communication grooves are formed in segment land portions arising from a land portion being segmented in the tire circumferential direction by the lug grooves. The communication grooves communicate between the lug grooves adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction.
US09481206B2
The invention relates to a roller (1) having a wheel (2), which is accommodated in a housing, and a locking device (10, 17), the locking device (10, 17) being actuated by foot actuation of an actuating element (5) which is arranged so that it extends radially outwardly with respect to a vertical (V) that passes through a securing portion of the roller (1). To provide a roller which is advantageously formed with regard to locking by foot operation, it is proposed that an actuating portion of the actuating element (5) extends circumferentially at least far enough that a second foot actuation in the circumferential direction with respect to the vertical (V) may be carried out next to an area of the actuating portion by way of which a first foot actuation has been carried out.
US09481204B1
Various aspects of a wheel rim for use with agricultural equipment, such as an irrigation system are disclosed. In one example, the wheel rim includes first and second concentric rim plates separated by a distance, each of the first and second concentric rim plates having an outer surface. The wheel rim further includes a plurality of cross members spanning the distance.
US09481191B2
A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a tape feed path, a front wall, and a tape feed exit adjacent to the front wall configured to expose a tape guided in the housing along the tape feed path. The tape cassette also includes a tape at least partially included within the housing and configured to be fed along the tape feed path to the tape feed exit, a first aperture, formed on the front wall above a first centerline bisecting the front wall into top and bottom halves, and to the right of a second centerline on the front wall bisecting the housing into right and left halves, and a second aperture, formed on the front wall to the left of the second centerline, wherein at least a portion of the second aperture is below the first centerline.
US09481186B2
A method for automatically adjusting the setting(s) of a printer having a control circuit in communication with a sensory system and a database. The database is located in a storage medium and the data in the database includes one or more defined parameter settings corresponding to one or more media types. The sensory system is used to obtain a media identifier from media loaded into the printer. The control circuit determines the type of media from the media identifier. The media type is then compared to the database entries and used to retrieve any defined parameter setting(s) corresponding to the media type identified by the media identifier. Instructions to adjust the printer setting(s) according to the defined parameter setting(s) are determined at the control circuit. The control circuit then sends the instructions to the appropriate systems of the printer to adjusted the printer setting(s) according to the defined parameter setting(s).
US09481178B2
A printing head assembly with integrated purge mechanism is disclosed. The printing head assembly comprises: (a) a liquid dispensing head comprising one or more dispensing nozzles enclosed in a nozzle plate, driven by at least first and second pressures, and (b) a shielding mask including an opening in front of the one or more nozzles, wherein the opening being configured such that when printing liquid is dispensed from the head driven by the first pressure, the liquid being dispensed in pulses through the opening in the shielding mask, and (ii) when purge printing liquid is dispensed from the head driven by the second pressure, the liquid being drawn to a capillary gap formed between the shielding mask and the nozzle plate thereby removing the purge printing liquid from the nearby nozzles.
US09481177B2
To provide a waste ink absorber having excellent permeability and retention, a waste ink absorber absorbing waste ink discharged from a head for injecting ink is provided with a first portion and a second portion having different densities, and the first portion has higher density than the second portion.
US09481175B2
A gas-liquid separator includes a casing with a cylindrical chamber inside, a gas-liquid 2-phase inlet pipe which is attached to a wall of the casing and connected to the chamber, a gas outlet pipe for discharging the gas of a gas-liquid mixture flowing into the chamber, and the gas-liquid 2-phase outlet pipe for discharging the liquid as a most part of the gas-liquid mixture flowing into the chamber. A gap is formed around the gas-liquid outlet pipe in the chamber for separating the mixture into liquid and gas using the surface tension and suction force. The gas-liquid separator is installed in the inkjet recording apparatus, especially in the print head. The print head is filled with the solvent gas so as to be suctioned from the gutter to reduce the solvent consumption.
US09481169B2
A liquid jet head includes a head portion having a supply flow path configured to allow liquid supplied from the outside to flow therethrough, a pressure chamber that communicates with the supply flow path, a driver element that drives the pressure chamber, and a nozzle that communicates with the pressure chamber for ejecting liquid droplets. A circuit portion supplies a drive waveform to the driver element. A cooling portion has a cooling flow path configured to allow the liquid to flow therethrough, and the cooling portion is coupled and fixed to the circuit portion to absorb heat energy dissipated by the circuit portion. The supply flow path and the cooling flow path communicate with each other so that the same liquid flows through both paths thereby eliminating the need for a dedicated cooling liquid system and achieving size and cost reduction.
US09481166B2
Provided are a piezoelectric element drive circuit and state detection method, and an image recording device which realize state detection of a piezoelectric element inexpensively and with a suppressed circuit scale in a drive circuit for rapidly driving a large-capacity load that uses negative voltage drive. An output potential (VOUT) of a boost unit (BST) is detected in a state in which VS_AMP supplied to an amplification unit (AMP) is set to a voltage lower than a maximum rating of a transistor (FET1) by SW1, supply of VS_FET to the boost unit (BST) is blocked by SW2, and an individual electrode (28) of a piezoactuator (30) is pulled down to VS_FET via a resistor (R6).
US09481161B2
The present invention aims at reducing a breaking phenomenon of an adsorbed substrate while the substrate is detached from a lower plate at a high speed. An embodiment is a substrate detaching apparatus including an adsorption main body disposed on one side of the adsorbed substrate to generate an adsorption force; and a plurality of adsorption parts provided in a predetermined adsorption region of the substrate under the adsorption main body, being spaced apart from each other and applied with an adsorption force from the adsorption main body to adsorb the substrate, wherein the adsorption region includes an outer region of a first cycloid curved line protruding in a third corner direction based on a diagonal connecting between a first corner and a second corner of the adsorbed substrate and an outer region of a second cycloid curved line protruding in a fourth corner direction.
US09481156B2
To reduce operation time and ensure strength of a covering member.The method includes; causing the first sheet to memorize a shape of curvature having a predetermined radius of curvature by curing a first resin while holding the first sheet with the predetermined radius of curvature, the first sheet being impregnated with the first resin (S1); wrapping the first sheet around a radially expandable cylindrical packer and tentatively fastening the first sheet to the packer, wherein the packer has a radius that is smaller than the predetermined radius of curvature (S3); forming a laminated sheet assembly by attaching a plurality of sheets to each other with a second resin (S2); forming the covering member by wrapping the laminated sheet assembly around an outer surface of the first sheet via a third resin and tentatively fastening the laminated sheet assembly, the first sheet being wrapped around the packer (S4); applying a fourth resin to an outer surface of the laminated sheet assembly of the covering member and inserting the packer into a cylindrical tube (S5); radially expanding the packer in the cylindrical tube to release the tentative fastening of the first sheet and the laminated sheet assembly, thereby pressing the covering member against an inner wall of the cylindrical tube via the fourth resin (S6); pulling out the packer from the cylindrical tube (S7); and curing the second (S8).
US09481149B2
Provided is a resin article produced by melt processing and having layers formed by a layer-separation. The resin article may include a first resin layer, a second resin layer formed on the first resin layer and an interface layer including a first resin and a second resin and formed between the first resin layer and the second resin layer. The resin article may have improved mechanical and surface characteristics. Further, since coating or plating is not required for manufacturing a resin article, a manufacturing time and/or cost can be reduced, and productivity can be increased.
US09481134B2
A three-dimensional printer uses leveling screws with tactile feedback to assist a user in properly orienting a build platform within a working volume.
US09481132B2
An extruder or other similar tool head of a three-dimensional printer is slidably mounted along a feedpath of build material so that the extruder can move into and out of contact with a build surface according to whether build material is being extruded. The extruder may be spring-biased against the forward feedpath so that the extruder remains above the build surface in the absence of applied forces, and then moves downward into a position for extrusion when build material is fed into the extruder. In another aspect, modular tool heads are disclosed that can be automatically coupled to and removed from the three-dimensional printer by a suitable robotics system. A tool crib may be provided to store multiple tool heads while not in use.
US09481130B2
A method of permanently joining plastic components is provided. The method includes orienting a first plastic component having at least one first rib in close proximity to a second plastic component having at least one second rib. Also included is positioning a plurality of fiber-optic cables in a location between the first plastic component and the second plastic component, wherein each of the plurality of fiber-optic cables include a first end and a second end. Further included is generating a laser beam that is directed into the first end of the plurality of fiber-optic cables and terminating proximate the second end of the plurality of fiber-optic cables.
US09481125B2
A method for patterning a carbon nanotube array is disclosed. A carbon nanotube array is transferred onto a surface of a substitute substrate. The carbon nanotube array has a second surface adjacent to the substitute substrate and a first surface away from the substitute substrate. The carbon nanotube array is laser etched from the first surface to divide the carbon nanotube array into two areas which are a preserving area and a removing area. A carbon nanotube structure is drawn from the removing area.
US09481117B2
In a manufacturing method of a decorative molded article, in which a surface of a fiber-reinforced resin shaped product including carbon fibers in which some carbon fibers are contained in a form of carbon fiber bundle and a thermoplastic resin, is decorated in the mold, a decorative molded article having excellent surface smoothness and an excellent appearance is provided by controlling a pressure in the mold during cooling.
US09481114B2
An imprint method using a mold includes the steps of applying on a substrate a resin composed of a mixture of an ultraviolet curable resin cured with ultraviolet light and a luminescent material that undergoes fluorescence or phosphorescence upon receiving ultraviolet light, imprinting the mold into the resin applied to the substrate, curing the resin applied to the substrate using ultraviolet light, releasing the mold from the substrate imprinted with the pattern, and detecting light from any residual resin remaining on the mold. The imprint method can use an imprint apparatus that includes a light-emission detecting unit configured to detect light emitted from the luminescent material. After the mold is released from the resin on the substrate, the detecting step can use the light-emission detecting unit to detect light emitted from any residual resin remaining in a concave and convex portion of the pattern formed on the mold.
US09481111B1
A method of making a vacuum fused-particle mold involves bringing the outer surface of a flexible bladder into contact with a master part; drawing a first vacuum between the flexible bladder and the master part to cause the flexible bladder to conform to its shape; placing a quantity of particles inside the compartment in sufficient quantity and distribution to cover at least a portion of the inner surface of the flexible bladder that conforms to the shape of the master part; sealing the mold compartment with a rear bladder; drawing a second vacuum on the mold compartment to hold the quantity of particles in place; removing the first vacuum to release the master part; and maintaining the second vacuum on the compartment to retain the shape of the flexible bladder. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US09481109B2
A bracket is described for clamping a mould to a supporting structure. The bracket includes a first part and a second part for attaching to the mould and to the supporting structure, respectively, or vice versa. The first and second parts are connected together and configured to provide constrained relative movement along a first axis to accommodate thermal expansion of the mould relative to the supporting structure in a first direction parallel to the first axis. The first and second parts of the bracket are connected via an articulated joint that allows the first and second parts to pivot relative to one another without moving the first axis such that the bracket can independently accommodate misalignments between the mould and the supporting structure.
US09481108B2
Previously, in order to produce a dimensionally stable fused-quartz hollow cylinder, an output cylinder having a centre axis would have been prepared, said output cylinder being produced by means of a bore having a boring bar, said bore rotating about a horizontal axis of rotation, and by means of a boring head that has an internal bore and is fixed to said bore in a torsionally rigid manner, wherein the boring head adopts a continually changing boring head position that is continuously ascertained by means of a measuring device and is returned to a target position in the event of any deviation. The design outlay is high, however. The problem addressed by the invention is therefore that of providing a cost-effective method for producing a dimensionally stable fused-quartz hollow cylinder.
US09481104B2
Provided are a system and method for cutting boards into two board pieces, even ending one of the board pieces at a first side while travelling transversely on a conveyor and even ending the other board piece at a second side of the conveyor.
US09481100B2
A continuous-type automatic label separating apparatus is formed of a frame, a driving device, and a label separating device. The frame includes a feeding port and a discharging port. The driving device is mounted to one side of the label separation device. The label separation device is formed of a rotary shaft, a combination-type cutter unit, and an adjustable nail unit. The combination-type cutter unit is installed to the rotary shaft. The adjustable nail unit surrounds the combination-type cutter unit. A label-separation interval is formed between the combination-type cutter unit and the adjustable nail unit. The combination-type cutter unit includes a circular or polygonal cross-section. The adjustable nail unit includes label separating bolts. Each of the label separating bolts includes an adjustable fixed needle. The adjustable nail unit also includes a slide rail formed of concavities and convexities opposite to the concavities.
US09481097B2
A robot includes a base. A rotation base is coupled to the base and rotatable about a rotation axis relative to the base. An arm includes a base end that is coupled to the rotation base and that is turnable relative to the rotation base about a turning axis that is approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis. A balancer is coupled to the rotation base and the arm to provide force to between the rotation base and the arm. To a first attachment portion, one end of a jig is attachable to restrict displacement of the balancer in an axial direction. The first attachment portion is disposed at a coupling portion where the balancer and the arm are coupled to each other. To second attachment portions, another end of the jig is attachable. The second attachment portions are disposed at a predetermined distance from the rotation base.
US09481093B2
A case, in which an inner bottom surface is formed, and a chuck tool in which a lower surface is formed are provided. The inner bottom surface is a concave surface. The lower surface is a concave surface. An elongated member chucking apparatus changes an orientation of an elongated member inside the case to a predetermined orientation with respect to the chuck tool by sandwiching the elongated member between the inner bottom surface and the lower surface. The elongated member is held by the chuck tool in the predetermined orientation.
US09481090B2
An apparatus (01) configured for identifying numbers for layers having objects thereon within a container (02), the objects being accommodated in the container and arranged in layers. the apparatus comprising: an optical fiber sensor (10) configured for detecting presence or absence of the objects from layers within a detecting range; a support frame (20) configured for carrying the optical fiber sensor (10); a guide rail (60) configured for defining a moving direction of the support frame (20); a motor (40) and driving mechanism (30) configured for driving the optical fiber sensor to move along the guide rail; and a controller (50) connected with the optical fiber sensor (10) and the motor (40), wherein the controller (50) is at least configured for obtaining the numbers for the layers having objects thereon according to a moving distance of the support frame (20), in the case that the presence of the objects is detected by the optical fiber sensor (10). In the case of a smaller spacing between the layers in the container (02), the apparatus (01) can accurately obtain the number for the layer in which an object locates, so that a robot arm can take out the object placed at this layer directly. The object is a display panel.
US09481087B2
A robot and a control method thereof are provided. The method includes the following steps: receiving a manual control command from a remote control device, and accumulating a duration of issuing the manual control commands; estimating an estimated moving velocity corresponding to the manual control command; detecting a surrounding environment of the robot and generating an autonomous navigation command based on the surrounding environment; determining a first weighting value associated with the manual control command based on the duration, the estimated moving velocity and the distance to obstacles; determining a second weighting value associated with the autonomous navigation command based on the first weighting value; linearly combining the manual control command and the autonomous navigation command based on the first weighting value and the second weighting value to generate a moving control command; and moving based on the moving control command.
US09481084B2
Described herein is a robot for testing touch-sensitive displays. The test robot may have a test surface holding a touch-sensitive display. The test robot may also have a first robotic unit that can translate in only two dimensions relative to the touch-sensitive display, where the first robotic unit secures a first plurality of finger units. The test robot may also have a second robotic unit that can translate in only the two dimensions relative to the touch-sensitive display, where the second robotic unit secures a second plurality of finger units. The test robot may also have a control unit controlling the first robotic unit, the second robotic unit, the first plurality of finger units, and the second plurality of finger units.
US09481082B1
Devices for maintaining crawler alignment on complex-shaped blades and for enabling the blade crawler to traverse over trailing edge protrusions. Using ball and socket bearings or air pads in place of alignment wheels, the crawler will be able to track along complex-geometry rotor blades, propellers and other airfoils. Using an oversized-diameter roller, a semi-flexible roller, or a dual-roller follower arrangement, the crawler will be able to traverse over trailing edge protrusions.
US09481076B2
Device for screwing and unscrewing bolts/nuts including a lever, two jaws mounted between two side plates, with spacers guiding and holding the components together, the lever rotates a certain angle around an axis moving the two jaws inward to clutch the bolt head/nut or outward to release the bolt head/nut.
US09481072B2
A device for replacing sanding elements of a polishing device includes a first support, a second support, a feeder assembly, a suction assembly, a first pushing assembly, a second pushing assembly, and a clamping assembly. The feeder assembly includes a receiving member configured to receive the sanding elements, and a supporting member positioned below the receiving member. The suction assembly includes a suction member configured to draw a sanding element from the receiving member, and a rotary actuator configured to rotate the suction member. The first pushing assembly is configured to receive the sanding element from the suction member and transport the sanding element to the polishing device. The clamping assembly is configured to attach an unused sanding element to, and detach a used sanding element from, a manipulator of the polishing device, and the second pushing assembly is configured to separate the sanding element from the clamping assembly.
US09481071B2
A work surface is ground by moving a grinding wheel, on an outer periphery of which a helical dressed groove having no intersection is formed, in a first direction being tilted with respect to a forward direction. Then, the work surface is ground by moving the grinding wheel in a second direction which is tilted with respect to a backward direction. When the grinding wheel is virtually moved for grinding in the forward direction, an extending direction of a virtual grinding trace formed by the dressed groove transcribed and the first direction are tilted in mutually opposite directions with respect to the forward direction. An absolute value of a tilt angle of the first direction is smaller than that of the extending direction of the virtual grinding trace. Rotation directions from the forward direction to the first direction and from the backward direction to the second direction are opposite.
US09481068B2
A tool grinder is disclosed which includes a variable speed DC motor having an output shaft, and a cutter wheel mounted on the output shaft and having a precision coating of prone superabrasive particles. The grinder preferably further includes a motor controller for governing a rotational speed of the motor between 100 rpm and 2000 rpm. This minimizes the surface speed of the cutter wheel and the friction heat generated by contact of the workpiece with the cutter wheel. The precision coating of prone superabrasive particles minimizes rubbing contact between the cutter wheel and the workpiece during material removal from the workpiece. The cutter wheel preferably has a first cutting surface parallel to an axis of rotation of the wheel and one or more additional cutting surfaces perpendicular to the axis of rotation, at another angle to the axis of rotation, or both.
US09481066B2
A machine tool having a machine frame which has a stand and a machine sub-structure, a workpiece carrier arrangement which can be moved on linear guides, and a machining unit which is arranged on the stand. The machining unit can be moved along at least one coordinate axis and comprises an exchangeable cutting tool. The linear guides and the linear drives of the workpiece carrier arrangement are covered by longitudinally continuous, stationary cover elements and are thus protected against chip deposits.
US09481063B2
In a tool changer configured so that a turret is turned to index a desired tool to be changed, the front and rear surfaces of the turret are covered individually by covers. These covers are each formed in the shape of a truncated cone. Chips and a cutting fluid dropped onto an upper part of the cover that covers the rear surface of the turret flow away from a gap between the covers along a slope of the cover concerned, so that they can be prevented from getting into the turret through the gap.
US09481059B2
Part positioning apparatus are disclosed. An example apparatus to hold an object comprises: a first assembly including a first post and a first puck fitted onto the first post, the first puck to hold the object such that the first puck eliminates a roll moment of the object; and a second assembly including a second post and a second puck fitted onto the second post, the second puck to hold the object such that the second puck eliminates yaw movement of the object, at least one of the first assembly or the second assembly being adjustable to change a distance between the first and second pucks.
US09481051B2
A method for producing a hexagonal single crystal wafer from a hexagonal single crystal ingot includes a separation start point forming step of setting the focal point of a laser beam inside the ingot at a predetermined depth from the upper surface of the ingot, which depth corresponds to the thickness of the wafer to be produced, and next applying the laser beam to the upper surface of the ingot while relatively moving the focal point and the ingot to thereby form a modified layer parallel to the upper surface and cracks extending from the modified layer along a c-plane in the ingot, thus forming a separation start point. The ingot is immersed in water after forming the separation start point in the ingot, and ultrasonic vibration is applied to the ingot to thereby separate a plate-shaped member corresponding to the wafer from the ingot.
US09481050B2
The invention features methods and apparatuses for establishing operational settings of a plasma arc cutting system. A plasma power supply includes a user selectable control. The user selectable control enables selection of a single cutting persona that establishes at least a current, a gas pressure or gas flow rate, and an operational mode of the plasma arc cutting system.
US09481048B2
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for converting the energy of an energy storage (2) for operating an arc (6), wherein a power unit (3) and an input and/or output device (5) for setting the current for operating the arc (6) is used to convert energy, as well as an appropriate welding device. In order to be able to provide the user with information on the state of energy storage (2), the time remaining for operating the arc (6) using the set current is calculated depending on a determined capacity of the energy storage (2) and a value for the current set on the input and/or output device (5), and said time is displayed on a corresponding display unit (27).
US09481046B2
Systems and methods for providing controlled AC TIG arc welding processes is provided. In AC TIG arc welding power source embodiments, configurations of main and auxiliary bridge circuits allow for the directional switching of the output welding current through the welding output circuit path and selectively provide one or more high impedance paths to rapidly decay the arc current. The high impedance path aids in the low spatter transfer of molten metal balls from consumable to a workpiece, via an arc generated by a tungsten electrode, and further aids in the maintaining or the re-establishing of an arc between the tungsten electrode and the workpiece during welding.
US09481041B2
End mills are disclosed which may be made monolithically of ceramic or other materials. The cutting portions of the end mills have lengths of cut that are no more than twice their cutting diameters and cores which are at least 0.7 times their cutting diameters. Their axial blades have cutting edges with negative radial rake and are separated by helical flutes. Their cutting ends have negative axial rake and are gashed ahead of center and have radial cutting edges with negative rake. Such end mills also have radiused corners and gashes transitioning from radial to axial at a flute. Methods of milling materials using such ceramic end mills are also disclosed.
US09481040B2
A coupling part structured to engage with a complementary coupling part for interchangeably fastening a cutting head to a carrier of a rotary cutting tool. The coupling part includes a pair of coupling pins arranged opposite each other with respect to a central longitudinal axis and spaced apart from each other so as to form a receiving space structured to receive a central pin of the complementary coupling part. Each coupling pin includes a stop surface for transmitting a torque, a radially external outer surface, and a radially internal inner surface. At least one of the outer surface or inner surface is a clamping surface oriented in an obliquely inclined manner with respect to the central longitudinal axis for centering and clamping the coupling part.
US09481037B2
A method for manufacturing an electronic device, the method comprising: providing a conducting wire; forming a mixture with the conducting wire buried therein, wherein the mixture comprises: a first magnetic powder and a second magnetic powder, wherein the mean particle diameter of the first magnetic powder is larger than the mean particle diameter of the second magnetic powder, and the Vicker's Hardness of the first magnetic powder is greater than the Vicker's Hardness of the second magnetic powder by a first hardness difference; and performing a molding process on the conducting wire and the mixture, wherein by means of the first hardness difference of the first magnetic powder and the second magnetic powder, the mixture and the conducting wire buried therein are combined to form an integral magnetic body at a temperature lower than the melting point of the conducting wire.
US09481030B2
A filter setter apparatus includes a housing to which an upper jaw and a lower jaw removably connect. The upper jaw has the shape of a rectangular bar with a plurality of upper jaw overlaps depending from either side of the upper jaw. The upper jaw has a mass causing a gravitational force acting on the upper jaw to clamp a filter inserted between the upper jaw and the lower jaw. The upper jaw partially encloses the lower jaw between the plurality of upper jaw overlaps. A filter setter system incorporates the above housing with a plurality of the above upper jaws and a plurality of the above lower jaws.
US09481028B2
A method and apparatus for drilling a hole through a first part and a second part. An image of a first pilot hole in the first part may be generated using an imaging system. A first feature related to the first pilot hole in the first part may be identified based on the image. A second feature related to a second pilot hole in the second part may be identified based on the image. A drilling vector for drilling the hole through the first part and the second part may be identified based on the first feature and the second feature.
US09481025B2
A tool assembly for forming a workpiece with an outer surface into a housing with a non-round design outer profile. The tool assembly includes a number of jaw segments, each jaw segment having an internal surface for engaging the outer surface. The jaw segments are movable between a first condition and a second condition, in which the internal surfaces of the jaw segments substantially define the design outer profile of the housing. Each internal surface has a preselected end point associated therewith defined by a radius centered on the preselected end point that is substantially coincident with the portion of the design outer profile defined by the internal surface. Each jaw segment is movable toward the preselected end point therefor when moved from the first condition to the second condition, and away from the preselected end point therefor when moved from the second condition to the first condition.
US09481015B2
A sorting apparatus for sorting out coins from bulk metal, in particular from non-ferrous bulk metal and/or heavy bulk metal, includes a conveying system, provided with a conveyor belt (2), for conveying the bulk metal in a conveying direction (4) to a sorting slot (14) through which coins can pass and which is defined by a roller (10, 11), and, on the side opposite the roller (10, 11), by the conveyor belt (2), wherein the roller (10, 11) can be rotated about an axis of rotation (6, 7, 30, 31) by a drive such that the metal, which cannot be conveyed through the sorting slot (14) in the conveying direction (4), can be transported by the roller (10, 11) in a direction (13, 19, 22) leading away from the sorting slot (14) such that the metal can be removed at the side, wherein the sorting apparatus further comprises an apparatus for removing the metal, which is not conveyable through the sorting slot (14) in the conveying direction (4), and wherein the apparatus is embodied such that the removal of the metal to the two opposite sides of the conveyor belt takes place in an area in conveying direction (14) upstream of the roller (10, 11).
US09481013B2
A combined auger conveyor and screening apparatus features an inlet hopper mounted to an auger housing adjacent an inlet end thereof, and a screen support frame disposed atop the inlet hopper and supporting a screen over an area of the inlet hopper. A screen drive mechanism is removably mounted to the auger housing, coupled to the screen support frame and operable to drive oscillatory motion of the screen. An angle adjustment mechanism is operable to vary a position of ground wheels relative to the auger housing in order to change an inclination angle of the auger housing and screen relative to the ground. A hydraulic circuit supplying hydraulic motors for both the auger and the screen drive mechanism comprises a control valve operable to adjust an oscillatory speed of the screen support frame.
US09481006B2
The invention disclosed a plastic tubular product coating machine head and a plastic tubular product coating apparatus including the same, plastic tubular product coating machine head includes a machine head body, a tubular product guiding sleeve and a fluid guiding plate, wherein, fluid guiding plate is in the shape of a circular plate with a central circular aperture, an annular channel is formed in circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the fluid guiding plate, a plurality of sub-channels extending from the outer periphery of the fluid guiding plate to the inner aperture wall of the fluid guiding plate are formed on both end faces of the fluid guiding plate, the sub-channels are tangent to the circumference of the central circular aperture, the main fluid passage is communicated to the sub-channels through the annular channel.
US09481005B2
A liquid dispensing applicator can include a container body containing a liquid and having an end with a projection; a head component cooperating with the container body and having a slot for receiving the projection; the container body and the head component being rotatable with respect to each other to enable engagement of the projection and the slot and cause breakage of the projection allowing the liquid to flow from the container body into the head component; and a radial locking system for radially locking the container body and the head component together after rotation with respect to each other. The radial locking system can include a lip-and-channel system where the lip radially slides within the channel and is retained at a far end in a fluid application position.
US09481003B2
A pop-up rotor-type irrigation sprinkler includes an outer case and a riser assembly telescopically extensible from the outer case. A coil spring surrounds the riser assembly and normally holds the riser assembly in a lower retracted position within the outer case. The coil spring is dimensioned and configured to permit extension of the riser assembly to a raised upper position when pressurized water is introduced into the outer case. A cushion made of an elastomeric material is retained in the outer case adjacent an end thereof and surrounds the riser assembly. The cushion may be solid and may move between hard structures to facilitate absorption of the shock of the impact caused by rapid extension of the riser assembly to its raised upper position. The cushion may also include a plurality of voids that facilitate deformation and shock absorption.
US09481001B2
To provide an intermediate storage unit for the intermediate storage of objects to be painted in the form of vehicle bodies and/or parts of vehicle bodies and/or for the transport of objects to be painted in the form of vehicle bodies and/or parts of vehicle bodies from one process section of a paint shop to another process section of the paint shop, which allows the objects to be painted to also be stored in the intermediate storage unit over a lengthy period of time, e.g. during a shift change, overnight or over a weekend, without impairment to the quality of the painting of the objects to be painted, it is proposed that the intermediate storage unit is configured as a clean-room area.
US09480992B2
The invention relates to a method for the separation of a polarizable bioparticle comprising the steps: a) dielectrophoretic preseparation of a polarizable bioparticle from a suspension of bioparticles; b) fluidic separation of the selected bioparticle by fixing the bioparticle in a dielectrophoretic field cage and circulating fluid around the bioparticle; c) transferring the separated bioparticle from the dielectrophoretic field cage to a culture chamber; d) dielectrophoretic fixing of the separated bioparticle in the culture chamber and study, observation, manipulation and/or culturing of the separated bioparticle. The invention further relates to a microfluidic system and use thereof.
US09480985B2
Washing efficacy test apparatus (2) is provided which includes a holder (4) and a test soil device (6) for location with said holder (4). The test soil device (6) is in the form of sheet material with a test soil substance (34) provided thereon. The holder in one example includes two members (8, 10) between which the test soil device (6) is detachably attached so that the device (6) can be easily removed for inspection and maintained in a required orientation in the washing apparatus (2) in use.
US09480984B2
A System for use in sample processing for urine sediment analysis that is composed of a main tube and a thinner inner tube (without capillarity), which is attached to the wall of the main tube and has the volume equal to one twelfth of the main tube. Near an upper end of both tubes, a small connected aperture on each tube allows evacuation of air from the inner tube when urine enters this tube from an open end. After urine centrifugation, the small opening is closed by operator's finger and the supernatant is poured out from the main tube. This allows retention of the urine in the inner tube, which will be added to the sediment after unblocking of the aperture.
US09480972B2
Provided are: a photocatalyst comprising a porous first metal oxide film having pores, and a second metal particle or a second metal oxide particle formed inside the pores; a method for preparing the photocatalyst; and a photocatalyst apparatus using the photocatalyst.
US09480966B2
A solid substrate for the extraction, stabilization, and storage of proteins is provided. The substrate includes: a polysaccharide, such as melezitose under a substantially dry state. The substrate is configured to extract proteins from a sample and stabilize the extracted proteins in a dry format under ambient conditions for a prolonged period of time. Methods for collecting and recovering the proteins stored in the dry solid substrate are also described.
US09480957B2
The present invention describes a distributor plate adapted to co-current downflow flows of gas and of liquid, more particularly in the “trickle” mode, said distributor plate integrating a filtration function separate from the distribution function.
US09480954B2
The present invention provides a high selectivity epoxysilicone-cross-linked polyimide membrane comprising a polyimide polymer with hydroxyl functional groups cross-linked with epoxy functional groups on epoxysilicone polymer. The present invention also provides a process for separating at least one gas from a mixture of gases using the high selectivity epoxysilicone-cross-linked polyimide membrane. The process comprises providing the high selectivity epoxysilicone-cross-linked polyimide membrane which is permeable to the at least one gas; contacting the mixture on one side of the membrane to cause the at least one gas to permeate the membrane; and removing from the opposite side of the membrane a permeate gas composition comprising a portion of the at least one gas which permeated the high selectivity epoxysilicone-cross-linked polyimide membrane.
US09480951B2
A mass transfer device includes a wall structure having a first surface and a second surface. The wall structure has slots extending there through between the first and second surfaces. Each slot has a width, a length and a height. For purposes of mass transfer applications to include cross-flow fluid filtering, the length is at least approximately 3 times the width for each of the slots, and a width-to-height ratio for each of the slots is less than approximately 5.
US09480945B2
A pressure swing adsorption apparatus for treatment of gases is disclosed. It includes a main inlet for receiving a flow of gas and one or more adsorption columns containing adsorption material. The columns are connected by a channel and the channel has an annular recess therein to receive a valve. The valve includes a support member formed from a pair of truncated cones and having slots extending therethrough. The valve also has a tubular membrane that surrounds the support member and is movable, in response to pneumatic pressure applied to the membrane, between a first position in which the membrane does not block the slots thereby allowing the gases to flow and a second position in which the membrane blocks the slots thereby preventing said gases from flowing through the valve.
US09480941B2
An apparatus for cleaning air filters utilizes a pressurized fluid flow, preferably air, to rotate a set of air spraying jets inside a hollow interior of a filter in order to remove particles from the filter. To ensure proper positioning of the jets in relation to the filter the present invention uses a set of plates with slots and pins, wherein the pins secure the apparatus on one end of the filter. The set of plates also at least partially blocks the flow of air out of the ends to more efficiently direct the flow of air from the jets to the filter. The jets then may be moved reciprocally along the length of the filter for cleaning purposes.
US09480937B2
A hydraulic filter may include a ring-shaped full-flow filter and a partial-flow filter arranged coaxially inside the full-flow filter.
US09480935B2
Systems and methods for separating particles and/or toxins from a sample fluid. A method according to one embodiment comprises simultaneously passing a sample fluid and a buffer fluid through a chamber such that a fluidic interface is formed between the sample fluid and the buffer fluid as the fluids pass through the chamber, the sample fluid having particles of interest therein; applying a force to the fluids for urging the particles of interest to pass through the interface into the buffer fluid; and substantially separating the buffer fluid from the sample fluid.
US09480928B2
Disclosed herein are an experience ride representation apparatus and method for a real-sense media service based on a multi-vision. An experience ride representation apparatus for a real-sense media service based on a multi-vision in which a motion of a user is reflected so as to move in a plurality of screen units depending on a first signal received from the user, a second signal is transmitted to the user based on real-sense media contents reproduced on the screen unit, and metaverse contents are provided to a plurality of users when the screen unit is shared by the plurality of users.
US09480927B2
Disclosed are a portable terminal with a music performance function and a method for playing a variety of musical instruments. The method includes: selecting a particular piece of music and a particular musical instrument from the portable terminal, according to a user request, and executing a music performance mode corresponding to the selected musical instrument; detecting a first input signal input to a screen according to the selected musical instrument in the musical performance mode; determining, if the first input signal is detected, whether a second input signal for executing audio source data is detected; analyzing the first and second input signals, in association with each other; and outputting audio source data of the selected music, according to the analyzed result, via audio signals.
US09480920B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a content-related information display system capable of acquiring related information corresponding to contents, such as a game, during a reproduction of the contents by a first apparatus without stopping the reproduction of the contents by the first apparatus. The first apparatus displays the contents on a first display. When a predetermined condition is satisfied during the reproduction of the contents, the first apparatus transmits reproducing status information on a reproducing status of the content to a second apparatus. The second apparatus receives the reproducing status information and specifies content-related information according to the reproducing status information. The second apparatus displays the content-related information on a second display.
US09480911B2
A gaming system employs bioinformatics to improve gamer performance and enhance the gaming experience. The gaming system monitors biometrics of gamers using gaming accessories having sensors coupled to the gaming accessories (e.g., a mouse with pulse sensor). Biometrics can be used to assess a crisis or panic reaction of the gamer. The system can also assess the state of the game in real time via API feedback, and coach the player on how best to regain control. The system can also predict a gamer's loss of control by monitoring hardware statistics associated with the game, combined with gaming feedback and biometric data, and can determine how best to coach the player to correct problems. Predictive models can be used to predict a gamer's panic attack or loss of control before it occurs. When a crisis occurs, the system can automatically contact the gamer's teammates to assist the gamer.
US09480910B2
The present invention refers to an embodied Robot videogame apparatus that receives input through the (human) user's physical actions (full body actions), contact and physiological signals (Bio-signals). The apparatus has principal components: led/sound sensor eye with a video camera; mechanical lever; rotation sensor; rubber torso; solar battery; sensor leds; heart rate and galvanic skin response sensor; multi-touch computer display, with a I/O board v2.0 Bluetooth wireless connection; multiplayer button; microphone; intensity sensor; feet support; suspensions; rubber pneumatic wheels; accelerometer sensor; plastic leveler sensor; wireless Bluetooth digitizers; Velcro strips; and GPS. The apparatus includes a series of electronic sensor that detects the user's input physical actions, contact and physiological signals in real-time. The output result is visualized on a multi-touch computer display. The player's real-time actions are translated in virtual actions in the software game scenarios (e.g., running with the physical robot represents the same virtual action in the game avatar). The apparatus establishes a simultaneous connection between physical and virtual realities and can be shared through online connection.
US09480905B2
A card dealing shoe with card reading capability for facilitating play of card games includes a control system configured to detect the existence of an alarm condition and a card restraining apparatus mounted on the elongated housing and configured for alternating between a non-restraining condition and a restraining condition, wherein the restraining condition includes activation of a physical restraint that prevents cards from being added to and removed from the card receiving or staging area in the card dealing shoe, wherein the card restraining apparatus is in communication with the control system and actuated from the non-restraining condition to the restraining condition responsive to the detection of an alarm condition.
US09480884B2
A leather-based cover material for an inflatable sports ball that consists of a composite of a thin external layer, a filler, and an internal liner. The thin external layer is dimpled by using positive/negative embossing plates to create pebble projections on an exterior side and voids on the other or interior side. The interior side is coated with a filler material that fills the voids. The cover material is completed by attaching a liner layer to the cured filler material.
US09480875B2
An abdominal exercise device comprising a body support to support an upper body of a user, where the body support includes a back rest made up of cushioned partitions; a pair of handles attached to the back rest; a track extending from an end of the body support, where the track includes a plurality of adjustment holes; a leg support attached to the track with a sleeve, where the leg support is adjustable along the track by fastening a stopper through one of the adjustment holes; a slide extending from the sleeve, where the slide includes a plurality of adjustment holes; and a leg stabilizer attached to the slide with a sleeve, where the leg stabilizer is adjustable along the slide by fastening a stopper through one of the adjustment holes.
US09480860B2
Systems and methods are proposed for accurate and efficient automatic measurement of jaw and leaf positioning in multi-leaf collimator imaging systems. Specifically, the method enables the automated and objective processing of images to determine characteristics of collimator jaws and MLC leaves. These novel techniques enable verification of collimator component positioning to ensure accurate beam modulation for radiation therapy procedures.
US09480858B2
A radiotherapy system comprises a patient support, moveable along a translation axis, an imaging apparatus, comprising a first magnetic coil and a second magnetic coil, the first and second magnetic coils having a common central axis parallel to the translation axis, and being displaced from one another along the central axis to form a gap therebetween, the imaging apparatus being configured to obtain an image of a patient on the patient support, a source of radiation mounted on a chassis, the chassis being rotatable about the central axis and the source being adapted to emit a beam of radiation through the gap along a beam axis that intersects with the central axis, a multi-leaf collimator comprising a plurality of elongate leaves movable between at least a withdrawn position in which the leaf lies outside the beam, and an extended position in which the leaf projects across the beam, and a radiation detector mounted to the chassis opposite the source, the radiation detector having a plurality of detector elements aligned with the elongate leaves when projected onto an isocentric plane.
US09480854B2
Apparatus and method for providing and using a highly precise and low level driver. In one described embodiment, a driver for a magnetic field generating device is provided, the driver including a first digital to analog converter and a second digital to analog converter; a differential amplifier configured to receive a first signal from the first digital to analog converter and receive a second signal from the second digital to analog converter and output a third signal; and an attenuator to configured to receive the third signal from the differential amplifier.
US09480849B2
A method includes providing a mold defining a mold cavity for receiving material to be molded into a molded part, positioning an insert at least partially in the mold such that a portion of the insert defines a portion of the mold cavity, and injecting the material into the mold cavity to substantially fill the mold cavity to form the molded part. The molded par can then be removed from the mold and the insert can be removed from the molded part. The mold can include silicone and the insert can include polyoxymethylene.
US09480844B2
A method and apparatus for detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing a cardiac signal, detecting a cardiac event in response to the sensed signal, determining whether an interval associated with the cardiac signal is less than an interval threshold, determining a noise metric in response to an interval associated with the cardiac signal being less than the interval threshold, determining whether the noise metric is greater than a noise metric threshold, and determining whether to inhibit detecting in response to determining whether an interval associated with the cardiac signal is less than the interval threshold and determining whether the noise metric is greater than the noise metric threshold.
US09480839B2
A lead delivery apparatus and a method of delivering a medical lead to an anatomic target site. The method includes inserting a hydraulic plug into an internal delivery lumen of a delivery shaft, and coupling a medical lead to the hydraulic plug. Hydraulic pressure is applied to the hydraulic plug through the delivery lumen, thereby moving the hydraulic plug toward an anatomic target site, and advancing the medical lead toward the target site.
US09480837B2
Providing an electrode structure capable of realizing an electrode array which allows each of the electrodes to be individually controlled while allowing them to be densely arranged and placed in a living body. According to the present invention, an electrode control circuit electrically connected to an electrode body is fixed to a rear portion of the electrode body within a front-viewed contour of the electrode body. This electrode control circuit may be contained in a recess formed in the rear portion of the electrode body, or it may be fixed to the back face of the electrode body. Conversely, an electrically conductive material layer covering the electrode control circuit may be used as the electrode body. A plurality of such bioelectrodes may be arranged in a two-dimensional form on a substrate or connected by a connection line including an electrical wire. Such configurations allow the bioelectrodes to be densely arranged.
US09480832B2
There is provided a tube connector for connecting between a fluid sampling tube and a fluid analyzer, the tube connector includes an end face adapted to identify the tube connector, said end face comprising a reflecting surface having one or more reflective regions adapted to reflect light at a predetermined range of wavelengths.
US09480830B1
An assembly used to promote wound healing through the creation of an oxygen gradient, whereby the oxygen gradient hastens the diffusion of oxygen from underlying capillaries and subcutaneous tissue up through and over an overlying target site of skin tissue. In an exemplary embodiment, the assembly provides a flush cycle and/or a negative pressure cycle to enhance the flow of oxygen from the subcutaneous tissue and the capillaries to the target site. In an exemplary embodiment, the assembly further comprises a means for maintaining a constant relative humidity over the wound site.
US09480829B2
An all direction stretchable dressing article is disclosed. The article includes a first surface, a second surface, at least one layer of all directions stretchable polymer, and at least one layer of fibers affixed to at least a part of the polymer layer. The article further includes at least one type of curative material embedded or associated with at least one of the polymer layer or the fiber layer.
US09480828B2
Disclosed is a method comprising: creating one or more pockets within an inferior turbinate of a patient, inserting one or more it that are easily inserted into the one or more pockets, wherein the one or more implants contain one or more therapeutic compounds and the one or more implants do not need to be removed from the inferior turbinate after implantation into the one or more pockets.
US09480818B2
Medical devices as well as methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include an elongate catheter shaft having a distal end. A tip member may be rotatably coupled to the distal end of the catheter shaft. The tip member may have a groove formed therein. The groove may extend along a portion of the circumference of the tip member. A control member may be coupled to the catheter shaft. The control member may be configured to engage the helical groove and rotate the tip member.
US09480816B2
A packaged incontinence treatment device includes a catheter enclosed in a package having a closure jaw. The package has a lower portion coupled to an upper portion by a hinge plate that forms a rear wall of the package. The hinge plate allows the upper portion to pivot away from the lower portion to open the package. The closure jaw includes a first wall that is attached to the lower portion by a hinge line and an overlap wall that is attached to the first wall by a front wall. The overlap wall is releasably secured to the upper portion of the package.
US09480797B1
A plunger for use with a syringe has a plunger body with a proximal end, a distal end, and a circumferential sidewall extending between the proximal end and the distal end along a plunger longitudinal axis. The plunger further has at least one resiliently deflectable retaining member having a first segment attached to the plunger body and a second segment protruding toward the distal end of the plunger body and deflectable relative to the first segment. The plunger further has at least one actuation member associated with the at least one resiliently deflectable retaining member. The at least one actuation member interacts with a piston to deflect the at least one resiliently deflectable retaining member upon rotation of the plunger relative to the piston. The plunger is engagable with the piston regardless of a rotational orientation of the piston relative to the plunger.
US09480794B2
A medical fluid communication system is disclosed comprising a pump controller and a fluid detector. The fluid detector detects characteristics of the fluid and provides fluid measurements to the pump controller, which detects if the fluid is flowing in the medication delivery system. In the event fluid is not flowing due to an occlusion, the pump controller may attempt to resolve the occlusion or may provide a warning to a user that an occlusion is occurring.
US09480792B2
An infusion set has a disposable inserter that can insert a needle at a controlled rate of speed to a depth to deliver insulin or other medicament to the upper 3 mm of skin surface, and a skin securing, adhesive layer to secure the skin surface at the insertion site such that the inserter that can insert a needle without a risk of tenting of the skin surface. Position of the inserted needle can be maintained by providing a separated inner and outer hub of the infusion set that can isolate the inserted needle from external forces such that the needle can be maintained at a depth to deliver insulin or other medicament to the upper 3 mm of skin surface during normal use.
US09480786B2
Disclosed herein are centrifuge-free self-contained systems for aseptically separating components of whole blood comprising at least one cassette for receiving whole blood; at least one red blood cell exclusion filter; at least one leukocyte reduction filters; at least one platelet exclusion filter; a plurality of product cassettes; and optionally a plurality of pumps and valves; and wherein the filters, pumps, valves, and cassettes are fluidly connected by tubing and the system does not include a centrifuge. Also disclosed are methods for obtaining blood components using the system.
US09480785B2
An example of a nitric oxide delivery device includes a medium, a working electrode in contact with the medium, and a reference/counter electrode in contact with the medium and electrically isolated from the working electrode. The medium includes a source of nitrite ions and a Cu(II)-ligand complex. A nitric oxide permeable material separates the medium from an external environment that is to contain blood.
US09480765B2
A hydrogen peroxide delivery system for a sterilizer having a hydrogen peroxide injection unit and a housing is disclosed. The system includes a cradle for supporting a hydrogen peroxide solution container, a drainage arrangement for aspirating the hydrogen peroxide solution from the container, and a delivery arrangement for supplying the aspirated hydrogen peroxide solution to the hydrogen peroxide injection unit. The drainage arrangement includes a needle for penetrating a seal on the container and extending into the hydrogen peroxide solution in the container. A needle drive moves the needle from an at rest position, wherein the needle is retracted to allow insertion of a new hydrogen peroxide container into the cradle, to a penetrating position wherein the needle penetrates the seal of the container and extends all the way to the bottom of the container to ensure complete drainage of the hydrogen peroxide solution from the container.
US09480750B2
A method of preparing an antibody- or antibody fragment-targeted cationic immunoliposome or polymer complex comprises the steps of (a) preparing an antibody or antibody fragment; (b) mixing said antibody or antibody fragment with a cationic liposome to form a cationic immunoliposome or with a cationic polymer to form a polyplex; and (c) mixing said cationic immunoliposome or said polyplex with a therapeutic or diagnostic agent to form said antibody- or antibody fragment-targeted cationic immunoliposome or polymer complex.
US09480736B2
An immunogenic composition having 13 distinct polysaccharide-protein conjugates and optionally, an aluminum-based adjuvant, is described. Each conjugate contains a capsular polysaccharide prepared from a different serotype of Streptococcus pneumoniae (1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F) conjugated to a carrier protein. The immunogenic composition, formulated as a vaccine, increases coverage against pneumococcal disease in infants and young children globally, and provides coverage for serotypes 6A and 19A that is not dependent on the limitations of serogroup cross-protection. Also described is a method for making an immunogenic conjugate comprising Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 1 polysaccharide covalently linked to a carrier protein, the method including partial de-O-acetylation of the polysaccharide by mild hydrolysis in an alkaline pH buffer.
US09480734B2
The present invention pertains to a composition containing an immunogenic cell preparation of killed Leptospira bacteria in an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution. The invention also pertains to a vaccine to protect an animal against an infection with leptospira bacteria, wherein the vaccine comprises this composition. Also, the invention pertains to the use of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to stabilize an immunogenic preparation of killed Leptospira bacteria in a liquid carrier, by dissolving the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid in the carrier.
US09480726B2
The present invention relates to methods for preventing or treating Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, inflammatory conditions, and graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) in a subject. Therapeutic compositions of the present invention comprise Leukocidin E (LukE) and/or D proteins or polypeptides. The invention further relates to methods of treating Staphylococcus aureus infection by administering a composition comprising a CCR5 antagonist or any molecule that blocks LukE/D interaction with CCR5+ cells in an amount effective to treat the S. aureus infection in the subject.
US09480724B2
In one embodiment, a method is provided for lowering C-reactive protein levels in a mammal. The method comprises administering a composition containing an effective amount of Irvingia gabonensis seed to a mammal to reduce C-reactive protein levels in the mammal. Other embodiments include, among other things, lowering leptin levels, increasing adiponectin levels, reducing body weight, decreasing LDL and total cholesterol levels, increasing fat loss, and reducing waist size in a mammal using administering a composition containing an effective amount of Irvingia gabonensis.
US09480721B2
The present invention discloses a novel antitumor agent which provides an antitumor activity based on metabolites with reduced side effects. Moreover, the antitumor agent is prepared starting with a highly safe bacterium used in food production, which is a probiotic lactic acid bacterium.
US09480706B2
The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods for treatment of subjects having or at risk of acne or other conditions. In some cases, the composition may include nitric oxide. The nitric oxide may be present within a first phase comprising a lecithin, such as phosphatidylcholine. In certain embodiments, the lecithin is present in liposomes, micelles, or other vesicles containing nitric oxide. The composition can take the form of a gel, a cream, a lotion, an ointment, a solution, a solid “stick,” etc., that can be rubbed or sprayed onto the skin, e.g., onto a location with acne, or on another suitable portion of the skin. Other aspects of the present invention are generally directed to methods of making or using such compositions, methods of promoting such compositions, kits including such compositions, or the like.
US09480704B2
The present disclosure consists of therapeutically-active compositions that combine strontium with at least one additional molecules that increase the overall therapeutic potency of the combination beyond the potency of any of the separate constituents. Specifically, the combinations described herein perform two important functions; (1) they increase the ability of topically-applied strontium to inhibit both acute sensory irritation (e.g., pruritus and pain), redness, swelling and inflammation (collectively defined for purposes of this description, “irritation”) and the chronic irritation that is characteristic of and contributes to the development and maintenance of painful or pruritic neuropathic conditions; and (2) they decrease the strontium activated pathways that are known to enhance the development and maintenance of pain, pruritis and neuropathic conditions.
US09480702B2
The present invention relates to chemically modified heparin for use in the treatment of sickle cell disease, with an antifactor II activity of less than 10 IU/mg, an antifactor Xa activity of less than 10 IU/mg and an average molecular weight (Mw) between about 6.5 and 9.5 kDa.
US09480701B2
The present invention relates to a chemically modified heparin, with an antifactor II activity of less than 10 IU/mg, an antifactor Xa activity of less than 10 IU/mg and an average molecular weight (Mw) between about 6.5 and 9.5 kDa. Also disclosed is a method of preparing the heparin and its medical use, including treatment of malaria.
US09480698B2
Oligonucleotide analogs are provided that incorporate 5-aza-cytosine in the oligonucleotide sequence, e.g., in the form of 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (decitabine) or 5-aza-cytidine. In particular, oligonucleotide analogs rich in decitabine-deoxyguanosine islets (DpG and GpD) are provided to target the CpG islets in the human genome, especially in the promoter regions of genes susceptible to aberrant hypermethylation. Such analogs can be used for modulation of DNA methylation, such as effective inhibition of methylation of cytosine at the C-5 position. Methods for synthesizing these oligonucleotide analogs and for modulating nucleic acid methylation are provided. Also provided are phosphoramidite building blocks for synthesizing the oligonucleotide analogs, methods for synthesizing, formulating and administering these compounds or compositions to treat conditions, such as cancer and hematological disorders.
US09480695B2
The invention provides a method for producing an orexin neuron by culturing a pluripotent stem cell or a neural progenitor cell in the presence of N-acetyl-D-mannosamine and optionally in the presence of at least one inhibitor selected from the group consisting of a Sirtuin 1 inhibitor and an O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine transferase inhibitor. The invention also provides a therapeutic agent for narcolepsy or eating disorders, such as anorexia, containing N-acetyl-D-mannosamine, which is based on the induction of orexin neuron in vivo.
US09480690B2
The present disclosure is drawn to pharmaceutical compositions and oral dosage capsules containing testosterone undecanoate, as well as related methods. The capsule includes a capsule shell and a capsule fill. The capsule fill can include a solubilizer and about 14 wt % to about 35 wt % testosterone undecanoate based on the total capsule fill. The oral dosage capsule is such that when a single oral administration to a male subject of one or more capsules with a total testosterone undecanoate daily dose of about 350 mg to about 650 mg it provides a ratio of serum testosterone Cmax to serum testosterone Cave of about 2.7 or less. In yet another embodiment, a method for providing a serum concentration of testosterone within a target serum testosterone concentration Cave range for a male subject is provided.
US09480676B2
Methods of treating cystic fibrosis by administering a PDE4 inhibitor in combination with one or more cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) potentiators, including ivacaftor, and/or one or more CFTR correctors, including lumacaftor. Pharmaceutical compositions, dosage forms, and kits suitable for use in methods of the invention are also disclosed.
US09480672B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an internal composition capable of exerting various physiological functions such as a brain-function improving function. That is, the present invention provides an internal composition including docosahexaenoic acid and capsanthin, or docosahexaenoic acid, capsanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin as active ingredients.
US09480666B2
Methods are provided for preventing, inhibiting, or treating intimal hyperplasia in a patient who has undergone a coronary bypass procedure that include providing a solution comprising DCA added to water; and administering the solution orally to a patient to prevent, inhibit, or treat intimal hyperplasia.
US09480663B2
Provided herein are methods for treating certain conditions, including diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic diseases, disorders or conditions by administrating a composition comprising a biguanide or related heterocyclic compound, e.g., metformin. Also provided herein are biguanide or related heterocyclic compound compositions, and methods for the preparation thereof for use in the methods of the present invention. Also provided herein are compositions comprising metformin and salts thereof and methods of use.
US09480657B2
The present teachings relate to compounds and compositions for treatment of cancers. In some embodiments, the composition comprises a platinum compound having a heterocycle ligand. Cabazitaxel-platinum nanoparticles are disclosed herein, as well as methods of making and using the same.
US09480653B2
Various embodiments provide materials and methods for synthesizing protocells for use in targeted delivery of cargo components to cancer cells. In one embodiment, the lipid bilayer can be fused to the porous particle core to form a protocell. The lipid bilayer can be modified with targeting ligands or other ligands to achieve targeted delivery of cargo components that are loaded within the protocell to a target cell, e.g., a type of cancer. Shielding materials can be conjugated to the surface of the lipid bilayer to reduce undesired non-specific binding.
US09480652B2
A steam-sterilizable aerosol valve has a valve body of polymeric material such as polyphenylene sulfone (PPSU) having an HDT (heat deflection temperature) at 1.8 MPa stress in the range of 200-275° C. Such a valve has the ability to survive steam sterilization without significant degradation of properties or appearance.
US09480650B2
Nanolipidic Particles (NLPs) having average mean diameters of 1 nm to 20 nm are made from a precursor solution. NLPs can be loaded with a desired passenger molecule. Assemblies of these particles, called NLP assemblies, result in a vehicle population of a desired size. Single application or multifunction NLP assemblies are made from the loaded NLPs and range in size from about 30 to about 200 nm. A method of using preloaded NLPs to make larger carrier vehicles or a mixed population provides increased encapsulation efficiency. NLPs have application in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage industries.
US09480648B2
The present invention relates to a hydrogel matrix comprising cartilage-forming cells wherein alginate, chitosan and cartilage-forming cells are mixed and subsequently polymerized into beads.
US09480646B2
The present invention provides an ocular implant of siRNA complexed with a transfection agent such as cationic lipids and short cell penetration peptides, wherein the complex is associated with a biocompatible polymer. The biocompatible polymer includes a polymeric matrix configured to release the complex into the eye of a patient at therapeutic levels for a time sufficient to treat an ocular condition or disease.
US09480645B2
Disclosed herein are non-irritating ophthalmic emulsion compositions useful for treating ocular disorders including dry eye. More specifically, the ophthalmic compositions disclosed herein combine a high HLB surfactant and a low HLB surfactant together with an omega-3 fatty acid-containing oil having non-polar aliphatic side chains to form a therapeutic non-irritating eye drop.
US09480643B2
Described herein are implantable composites, articles comprising the composites, implant devices comprising the composites, and methods of making and using same, including point of use methods.
US09480637B2
A cereal extract is cosmetically used and obtained by at least one polar solvent. This cereal extract is used as a slimming agent in a slimming cosmetic composition. The cosmetic use makes it possible to achieve an effective slimming cosmetic care with a natural, nontoxic slimming agent.
US09480629B2
An aqueous structured surfactant composition comprising water, one or more sulfate free anionic surfactants, one or more hydroxysultaines and one or more amphodiacetates, which is capable of suspending water insoluble or partially water soluble components. A sulfate-free structured liquid surfactant composition for use in personal care formulations allows for high level of vegetable oil and/or fragrance oil in end formula without negatively affecting stability and foam properties.
US09480618B2
A portable active fluid-powered ankle foot orthosis. A lower leg mount and a foot bed are pivotally coupled at or proximate to an ankle position. A fluid powered rotary actuator is configured to receive power from a wearable fluid power source and provide controlled force and resistance to aid or inhibit relative rotation of the foot bed and the lower leg mount. An integral controller is provided for receiving data from sensors and controlling the fluid powered rotary actuator to actively assist gait of a user.
US09480617B1
A burial system and method includes a container with an outer shell surrounding an interior containment space where the container is configured to retain biological remains in the interior containment space. A pressure relief valve is connected with the container where the pressure relief valve is a one-way valve for release of pressure from the interior containment space. An input valve is connected with the container where the input valve is a one-way valve for the introduction of material to the interior containment space. At least one sensor device is connected with the container where the at least one sensor device monitors and obtains data from the interior containment space and the exterior of the container. A management information system is connected with the container where the management information system maintains real time and historical data of the container.
US09480612B2
A composite web, with elastic and inelastic regions, is formed to separated or punched into diaper closure elements. The composite web includes nonwoven web which forms a first outer side of the composite web. On the composite web are disposed spaced-apart, elastically stretchable foil strips. A nonwoven material covers the elastically stretchable foil strips on a second outer side of the composite web. At least one inelastic strip of a hook material bridges a region between two adjacent, elastically stretchable foil strips. The nonwoven material overlaps edges of the strip of hook material. The strip of hook material has projections on the edges thereof that are overlapped by the nonwoven material. The projections extend into the nonwoven material.
US09480600B2
A steerable laser probe may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, a flexible housing tube having a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end, an actuation mechanism control of the handle, and an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and within the flexible housing tube. An actuation of the actuation mechanism control may be configured to gradually curve the flexible housing tube. A gradual curving of the flexible housing tube may be configured to gradually curve the optic fiber. An actuation of the actuation mechanism control may be configured to gradually straighten the flexible housing tube. A gradual straightening of the flexible housing tube may be configured to gradually straighten the optic fiber.
US09480596B2
A thermal breast pad device that comprises of two straps that connect to each other via hook and loop materials, each strap has a pear shaped thermal pad disclosed on one end of each strap, each thermal pad defines a pear shaped aperture within each thermal pad and is split at a central location of each pear shaped thermal pad. Each pear shaped thermal pad is segmented into pockets that are evenly distributed. The pockets may be filled with flax seeds. The device can be used by nursing mothers, menstruating women, or women suffering from breast cancer that need a hot or cold compress to be draped around their breasts.
US09480594B2
Described are implants for placing in a body, tools for delivering the implants, and systems and methods for using implants and tools for placing in a body and more particularly to nasal implants, tools for delivering nasal implants, and systems and methods for using such implants and tools. A tool may include a hand-held implant delivery device that cuts, holds, moves, orients, inserts, or shapes an implant. An implant may be a biodegradable, longitudinal implant that may be oriented for implantation by an implant delivery device.
US09480591B2
An adjustable limb protective assembly has a main body, a first covering frame and a second covering frame. The main body has a first extending arm, a second extending arm, two holding bases, two operating elements and a jointing connector. Each extending arm has a connecting board. The holding bases are respectively connected to the extending arms adjacent the connecting boards. The operating elements are respectively and securely mounted on the connecting boards, and each one of the operating elements has an operating mount and an operating stem. The jointing connector is connected to the extending arms. The first covering frame is connected to the first extending arm and has a first supporting arm and a first covering base. The second covering frame is connected to the second extending arm and has a second supporting arm and a second covering base.
US09480572B2
In various embodiments, an intervertebral disc prosthesis is provided. The prosthesis may be provided with an insertion adapter, such as a head, holder, or other carrier of the prosthesis. The insertion adapter may be configured to retain the prosthesis and to engage an insertion tool body. In various embodiments, the prosthesis and the insertion holder are provided in a sterile pack, with the prosthesis components and the insertion holder sterilized and packaged in one or more types or layers of sterile packaging. In various other embodiments, the prosthesis and an insertion tool are provided in a sterile pack, with the prosthesis components and the insertion tool sterilized and packaged in one or more types or layers of sterile packaging.
US09480565B2
An embodiment includes an apparatus comprising: a hollow needle with a narrowed inner diameter in a distal third of the needle; and a flexible chord coupled to proximal and distal conduits; wherein the distal conduit is in the needle and distal to the narrowed inner diameter and the proximal conduit is in the needle and proximal to the narrowed inner diameter; wherein: (a)(i) long axes of the proximal and distal conduits are substantially parallel to a long axis of the needle when the proximal and distal conduits are in the needle, and (a)(ii) the proximal and distal conduits are configured to rotate when deployed from the needle such that their long axes are not parallel to a long axis of the chord when the chord is fully extended. Other embodiments are described herein.
US09480564B2
A delivery system and method for percutaneous aortic valve (PAV) replacement and apparatus used therein. A temporary aortic valve including a reversibly expandable occluder surrounds a central catheter mechanism. The temporary valve is positioned within the ascending aorta, just above and downstream from the coronary ostia. The occluder is configured such that, when fully expanded against the aortic wall, gaps are left that promote continuous coronary perfusion during the cardiac cycle. The temporary valve substitutes for the function of the native aortic valve during its replacement. The native aortic valve is next dilated, and then ablated through deployment of low profile, elongated, sequentially delivered stents. The stent(s) displace the native tissues and remain within the aortic annulus to receive and provide a structure for retaining the PAV. The PAV is delivered, positioned and deployed within the stent(s) at the aortic annulus with precision and relative ease.
US09480557B2
A prosthetic valve including a wire frame having a generally tubular body portion, an interior area, a longitudinal axis, a first end comprising a plurality of crowns, and a second end comprising a greater number of crowns than the first end. The wire frame includes a plurality of adjacent rows of modified diamond-shaped structures extending between the first and second ends. The prosthetic valve further includes a valve structure that includes a plurality of leaflets and that is attached within the interior area of the wire frame.
US09480552B2
A removable apparatus is provided for temporary implantation in a pulmonary vein for ablating atrial tissue surrounding the antrum of the pulmonary vein to treat atrial fibrillation in a subject. The apparatus comprises an electrically-insulated expandable support member and a retrieval mechanism. The support member has oppositely disposed proximal and distal end portions and a main body portion extending between the end portions. The proximal end portion includes at least one annularly disposed wing member, and has a free end defined by oppositely disposed first and second major surfaces. The at least one wing member includes at least one ablation element located at the free end thereof. The retrieval mechanism is for removing the support member and for energizing the at least one ablation element. The retrieval mechanism includes at least one electrically-conductive wire, which is separately connected to the at least one wing member.
US09480546B2
The invention describes embodiments of apparatuses and methods of using a hysteropexy mesh.
US09480545B2
Using a sling that includes a central portion and at least two arms extending from the central portion, a method of treating anal incontinence may include positioning the central portion posteriorly to the rectum and/or anus of a subject, and extending each arm of the sling to a respective obturator region. Using a sling having the same or similar structure, a method of treating pelvic organ prolapse may include positioning the central portion beneath the ano-rectum of a subject, and extending each arm of the sling to a respective thigh incision near the obturator region.
US09480532B2
A manipulator, such as for use in medical procedures, is provided. The manipulator includes a body and a first actuator system connected to the body at a first attachment point and capable of moving the first attachment point with at least three degrees of freedom. A second actuator system is connected to the body at a second attachment point and capable of moving the second attachment point with at least three degrees of freedom. A third actuator system is integrated with the body and is capable of moving at least a portion of the body with at least one degree of freedom.
US09480523B2
The systems and methods of the present disclosure calibrate impedance loss model parameters associated with an electrosurgical system and compensate for impedance losses in an electrosurgical system using the calibrated impedance loss model parameters. A computer system stores voltage and current sensor data for different test loads and calculates impedance values for each test load. The computer system predicts a phase value for each test load using a respective load impedance value. The computer system back calculates impedance loss model parameters based upon the voltage and current sensor data, the predicted phase values, and the impedance values of the test loads. During operation, the electrosurgical device senses a voltage and a current, predicts a phase value based upon the sensed voltage and current, and calculates metrics at the tissue site based upon the sensed voltage and current, the predicted phase value, and the impedance loss model parameters.
US09480522B2
A surgical instrument is provided and includes a housing having a shaft. An end effector assembly is operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft and has a pair of first and second jaw members that are movable relative to one another. A drive assembly operably couples to a handle assembly associated with the housing and is configured to impart movement of a respective jaw member when the handle assembly is actuated. A spring component operably associated with each of the jaw members is configured to provide a sealing force at the jaw members.
US09480512B2
A volar fixation system includes a plate intended to be positioned against the volar side of the radial bone. The plate includes holes having a predefined axis along which fasteners can be received and locked relative to the plate. A guide is provided that seats on the plate to guide a drill in axial alignment with the holes in plate.
US09480503B2
The present invention relates various embodiments of a laminoplasty implant comprising a telescopic spacer configured to attach to the vertebra and adjust the space between two cut portions of a vertebra.
US09480496B2
Provided herein is an apparatus and method useful for surgical removal of mammalian tissue. In one or more implementations, a cylindrical punch having one or more cutting edges may be provided for surgically extracting one or more hair follicles during a follicular dissection procedure. In one or more implementations, one or more cutting edges may be located along an outside diameter of a cylindrical punch.
US09480484B2
An inner assembly for a modular surgical drive hub includes a drive adapter, an inner blade adapter, and a compression member, the inner blade adapter mounted within the drive adapter and biased in a distal direction by the compression member, the drive adapter and the inner blade adapter including a key-way and a key for transmitting rotational force from the drive adapter to the inner blade adapter; wherein the inner assembly is configured to be inserted into and retained within the modular surgical drive hub. A modular surgical drive hub and a surgical instrument are described.
US09480482B2
A method for performing an orthopedic surgical procedure on a femur includes attaching a proximal end of an intramedullary adaptor to an intramedullary orthopedic surgical instrument, securing a distal end of an intramedullary adaptor to a base cutting block, inserting the intramedullary orthopedic surgical instrument into a medullary canal using the base cutting block, and positioning the base cutting block on a distal end of the femur.
US09480468B2
A vascular closure system (10) includes a dual lumen tube (14), an inflatable balloon (16), and a distal sealing assembly (18). The dual lumen tube includes a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a first lumen, and a second lumen. The first lumen is coupled in fluid communication with an inflation fluid and has a first distal opening at a distal end of the dual lumen tube. The second lumen extends from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion. The inflatable balloon is mounted to the dual lumen tube in fluid communication with the first lumen, and is inflatable within a vessel to temporarily seal closed a tissue puncture. The distal sealing assembly includes a distal sealing member (74) positioned distal of the inflatable balloon, and is detachable from the distal sealing assembly at a location exterior and adjacent to the vessel.
US09480465B2
An organism paracentesis device comprises a first tube member and a second tube member. The first tube member comprises an injection tube filled with a medicament, a piston and a first syringe needle. The second tube member comprises a sampling tube and a second syringe needle. Both ends of the second syringe needle are in the form of syringe needle. Using one end of the second syringe needle to penetrate a cover of the sampling tube which is vacuumed, such that the second syringe needle's the other end which is penetrating into an organism will extract a sample from the organism because of the vacuumed sampling tube. The medicament filled in the injection tube is ejected both when the first and second syringe needles are penetrating into and pulled out of the organism, so as to avoid the cells of sampled organism being spread to other places.
US09480461B2
A chemical extraction apparatus has absorbent material for absorbing or adsorbing volatile chemicals from a breath of a user. The chemical extraction apparatus is positioned within such that breaths from the user flow over the absorbent material thereby causing volatile chemicals in the breaths to absorb or adsorb into the absorbent material. The absorbent material is then analyzed to determine the amount of chemicals absorbed or adsorbed into the absorbent material. Based on such analysis, various diseases or conditions can be detected or diagnosed.
US09480459B2
The present invention relates to ultrasound imaging on a capsule endoscope platform. It relates to the generation of a focused ultrasound acoustic signal and the receiving of echo signals from the wall of a body lumen with an array of acoustic transducers wrapped around the circumference of the capsule. It relates to sending the generated echo image signals to receiver devices attached or worn on the body. It relates to the generation of 360° overlapping sidewall ultrasound scans of a body lumen, and image processing techniques to assemble these scans into a high resolution continuous ultrasound image. Finally, it relates to the manufacture and assembly of such an ultrasound scanning capsule endoscope (USCE). The concept is extendable to conventional endoscopes and catheters.
US09480457B2
An ultrasound image is displayed while clarifying a positional relationship with an ultrasound probe. An ultrasound diagnostic device is provided with an ultrasound probe, a first position detecting means for detecting a position of the ultrasound probe, an ultrasound image generating means for generating an ultrasound image by using a reflected echo signal, an ultrasound volume data generating means for generating three-dimensional ultrasound volume data by accumulating the ultrasound images, a reference image generating means for generating a ultrasound reference image of an arbitrary cross section by using the ultrasound volume data and displaying an ultrasound probe mark indicating the position of the ultrasound probe in a superimposed manner on a position in the ultrasound reference image, the position corresponding to the ultrasound probe position detected by the first position detecting means, and a display means for displaying the ultrasound image and the ultrasound reference image.
US09480451B2
An X-ray image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a specifying unit and a decision unit. The specifying unit processes a first X-ray image based on an output signal from an X-ray detector influenced by the action of an electromagnetic field, and specifies noise characteristics unique to noise components which are contained in the first X-ray image and originate from the action of the electromagnetic field on the X-ray detector. The decision unit decides filter characteristics for reducing the noise components which are contained in the first X-ray image and originate from the action of the electromagnetic field on the X-ray detector based on the specified noise characteristics.
US09480433B2
A method for detecting cuff slippage in a blood pressure monitoring device includes starting a cuff inflation on the blood pressure monitoring device. A plurality of pressure samples is obtained when the cuff is inflating. A level of background noise is determined during the cuff inflation. The level of background noise is determined from the plurality of pressure samples. When the background noise is determined, a determination is made from the plurality of blood pressure readings whether a pressure pattern indicating cuff slippage is obtained.
US09480428B2
This assembly includes: a transportable support; a strip attached to the support and including an application area for applying the sample and at least one reagent required for the analysis; a piercing member for piercing the skin and a blood vessel; and a container for collecting, storing and returning the sample of human or animal blood. The piercing member is inserted into the container. The tip is connected to the support. The container is connected to the support in a removable manner between a storage configuration and a use configuration, in which the container is placed close to the application area.
US09480417B2
Provided is a posture estimation device with which it is possible to estimate the posture of an object having joints with a high degree of precision. A posture estimation device (100) carries out an estimation of a posture of an object on the basis of image data. An object having a plurality of sites which are connected by joints is photographed. The posture estimation device includes a reference model storage unit (140) which stores a reference model, which defines the locations of the sites, for each posture. A weighting computation unit (150) carries out weighting on the sites for each posture such that the weighting of concentrated parts is reduced. A posture estimation unit (160) estimates the posture of the object by applying the weighting and comparing the reference model with the object.
US09480412B1
An electrode assembly includes a handle, holder, and electrode with an electrical conductor. The electrode is loaded into the holder with its attached conductor. The holder includes a protective cap, a resilient button with a flange, an alignment ring, two plungers each with a spring, and a retention ring. The flange and retention ring both have plural holes in registration and with posts depending from the alignment ring in order to hold the retention ring in place. Inside the button are two plungers, one on top of the other, and each with its own spring resisting downward pressure. Once the cap is removed from the button, the holder is placed against the skin of a patient, and the button is pressed, the top plunger pushes the bottom plunger against the skin of the patient and then the electrode from the protection ring, thereby ejecting the electrode.
US09480408B2
A device includes a guard member, at least one bias sensor, a display, and a measurement sensor. The guard member includes an aperture on an axis. The at least one bias sensor is coupled to the guard member. The at least one bias sensor is configured to provide a bias signal corresponding to a bias force on the guard member. The bias force is aligned parallel with the axis. The display is coupled to the at least one bias sensor and is configured to provide a visible indication of the bias force. The measurement sensor is configured to provide an output signal corresponding to a measured force proximate the aperture.
US09480400B2
An electronic stethoscope includes a housing configured for hand-held manipulation, a transducer supported by the housing and configured to sense auscultation signals at a first location, and a headset coupled to the housing and configured to deliver audio corresponding to the auscultation signals through earpieces on the headset. The electronic stethoscope further includes a processor disposed in the housing and configured to convert the auscultation signals to first digital signals representative of the auscultation signals and to wirelessly transmit the first digital signals from the electronic stethoscope via a secure digital network to a second location such that the audio corresponding to the auscultation signals is provided to headsets of one or more additional electronic stethoscopes at the second location in substantial real time with the sensing of the auscultation sounds at the first location.
US09480399B2
An illumination device for an optical viewing apparatus defines an illumination beam path and includes an illumination light source having mutually independently controllable individual light sources arranged in a first plane in a two-dimensional array. The illumination device defines an illumination beam path and includes illumination optics defining an optical axis. The illumination optics form a second plane conjugated with respect to the first plane. A diaphragm unit is arranged in the second plane. The diaphragm unit has a plurality of apertures and the apertures are assigned to corresponding ones of the individual light sources.
US09480393B2
A system and method for assessing the functionality of a visual system of the eye using a digital micro-mirror device (DMD) to generate a coded pattern which is illuminated by a light source. Optics project an image of the coded pattern onto the retina of the eye. Sensors detect electrical signals based on the response of the visual system to the image. One or more processors control the DMD and correlate the electrical response from the sensor with the coded DMD pattern to assess the functionality of the visual system.
US09480384B2
A wringer has a support surface and a first wringer surface depending from the support surface to a second wringer surface having perforations and curving to a free edge substantially below the support surface. The second wringer surface may be curved in an approximately 180 degree arc. The first wringer surface may be flat and also perforated. The support surface may be formed as an inverted channel structure with a closed upper surface and an angled surface extending away from the first wringer surface. The angled surface may extend at an angle approximately 45 degrees. The wringer may be used with one or more buckets, where the wringer is supported from the rim of one bucket or from the adjacent rims of two buckets. A flat first wringer surface may be used to ring a flat mop, and the curved second wringer surface may be used to bring a round mop.
US09480381B2
An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.
US09480380B2
A cleaning robot having improved traveling performance and a method of controlling the same. The cleaning robot detects a stuck state such as a ‘jammed state’, ‘lifted state’, or ‘object-caught state’ by using a motion instruction or sensor information and quickly escapes from the stuck state caused in various traveling conditions by using a wheel structure capable of changing a total height of the cleaning robot. In addition, a degree of risk and type of the stuck state is predicted before the cleaning robot is in the stuck state so that the cleaning robot may deal with the stuck state in advance. The cleaning robot may escape from the stuck state via rapidly deceleration or quick stopping in accordance with the predicted degree of risk of the stuck state, and the cleaning robot may efficiently deal with the stuck state by using information to select an escaping method suitable for the type of the stuck state.
US09480371B2
A self-securing roll holder for easily exchanging rolls of sheet material. The holder comprises a mounting bracket, an mounting stanchion, a support, and a cap. The cap is pivotally connected to the support with a resilient retaining assembly. The cap has dimensions that allow the cap to act as a retainer in one position and, when moved to a second position, allow rolls of sheet material to be mounted and dismounted from the support. The retaining assembly further comprises a piston, a piston guide, a spring, and a pivot pin all of which are located inside the support. The cap is pivotally connected to the retaining assembly thereby maintaining forcible contact with the support and retaining rolls of sheet material on the support in one position until moved to a second position to exchange rolls.
US09480366B2
A lid holding device for supporting a pot lid off of a countertop while cooking in order to prevent creating a mess thereon. The lid holding device includes a pair of elongated rods, wherein each elongated rod is preferably configured as a J-shape. The elongated rods are parallel to one another and include a first end and a second end. The first ends are angled upwards and able to receive an inverted lid thereon so as to allow a user to avoid having to place the lid on a countertop. The lid holding device further includes a single mount having a pair of channels disposed thereon. The second end of the elongated rods are disposed within the channels in order to maintain a parallel position. The device can be secured to a support surface by inserting a fastener through the support surface and into the upper side of the mount.
US09480363B2
An bottle warming apparatus may be provided. The apparatus may include a bottle for storing food and fluids. The bottle may include a recessed portion and indentations positioned on opposite sides of the bottle. Additionally, the apparatus may include a bottle housing configured to receive the bottle. The apparatus may also include a heating element that is positionable into the recessed portion of the bottle. Furthermore, the apparatus may include a pressure-sensitive switch that activates the apparatus when the bottle exerts enough pressure against the switch as the bottle is positioned into the bottle housing. Heat may be generated by the heating element when the apparatus is activated and be utilized to warm the bottle. The apparatus may further include a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the bottle. A signal may be transmitted to instruct the apparatus to deactivate when an optimal temperature is reached.
US09480361B2
The present invention is directed to a check valve 10, an injection assembly 60, and a beverage preparation machine 100, which is integrated in the injection assembly 60. The check valve 10 of the present invention is made of a body with a first fluid outlet 21, and a plug member 30 that is movable inside the body 20. The plug member 30 has a fluid inlet 32 and a second fluid outlet 31 into a first cavity 11, wherein the fluid can exercise a pressure on a first surface 381 of the plug member 30 opposing the first fluid outlet 21. The fluid pressure can overcome the force of an elastic element 40, which biases the plug member 30 into a closed position. If the force of the elastic member 40 is overcome, the plug member 30 is moved into an open position. In the closed position a fluid path from the cavity 11 out of the first fluid outlet 21 is closed, whereas in the open position said fluid path is open. To move the plug member 30 from its initial closed position to its open position, a fluid pressure on the first surface has to be equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold.
US09480354B2
A garment hanger provides a hanger frame with a hook portion and two shoulder sections extending from a base of the hook portion toward opposite ends of a trouser rod that extends between the ends of the shoulder sections, at least one indicator rod substantially parallel to the trouser rod and extending between the two shoulder sections, indicia located on each indicator rod and providing information related to the usage of a garment, at least one indicator located on each indicator rod and adjustable to mark a portion of the information related to the usage of the garment, and a storage compartment for containing items related to the garment and providing access to storage space via a lid.
US09480353B1
A cup sleeve includes two opposing side walls, two opposing support brackets, and two opposing handles. The two opposing side walls are formed by folding a sheet of cardboard in half and joining two lateral edges of the sheet of cardboard, so that a beverage container can be placed between the side walls. The two opposing support brackets are respectively formed at the side walls. The two support brackets can be folded upwardly about their bottoms to extend above the top edges of the side walls. The two opposing handles are respectively formed at the two support brackets. The two handles can be folded outwardly about their bottoms to facilitate a user in taking the cup sleeve together with the beverage container. Moreover, the cup sleeve can provide the function of thermal insulation and heat preservation.
US09480342B2
The present invention is for a step stool to be used by a child, diminutive person or an adult of average height to gain vertical reach. The retractable step stool/access device is positioned by one's foot between an elevated, retracted position or a lowered, deployed step accessible position. Internal stored energy mechanisms can be employed to ease some of the physical effort required, especially by a child or diminutive person, to complete the deployment/retraction cycle with either of their feet. In the raised, retracted position, the step stool is elevated from contact with the floor and clear of the standing area for general usage and allowing access for cleaning and maintenance of the floor.
US09480338B2
A furniture system having a base frame, side pieces and a back portion, that assembles quickly and disassembles into a configuration that optimizes space when shipped.
US09480337B2
A disassemblable rocking chair including a back panel member, opposing armrests, a seat panel, a spring plate, and a base member is provided. The back panel member includes first connecting elements to connect to second connecting elements of the opposing armrests and to third connecting elements of the seat panel. The spring plate includes fourth connecting elements to connect to the third connecting elements of the seat panel and to fifth connecting elements of the base member. A closed region is defined below a first spindle connecting opposing sides of each opposing armrest. The seat panel includes a wall member perpendicularly connected to a front side of its horizontal seat member. A connection between the closed region on each opposing armrest, the wall member of the seat panel, and the back panel member conceals a connection between the seat panel and the base member below the seat panel.
US09480333B2
A lifting column, preferably for height-adjustable tables comprises a guide with three mutually telescopic members (1,2,3) and a motor driven spindle unit for bringing about the movement. The second member (2) of the guide is with a lower end secured to a lower end of the second spindle (6). The second spindle nut (8) co-operating with the second spindle (6) is with a bearing (18) with a rigid connection (28) fixed to a shaft stub (16) secured to an upper end of a drive tube (9). The shaft stub (16) is via a second bearing (20) secured to a mounting plate (23), by means of which the spindle unit is secured in the lifting column. Thus, the vertical load on the lifting column is led through the spindle unit around the guide (1,2,3). This enables a better and more optimum dimensioning of the guide (1,2,3) and the spindle unit, just as it is advantageous in terms of assembly and not least it enables a better implementing of a squeeze protection in the lifting columns.
US09480329B2
The invention relates to a brush parts holder (2) being slidable in segments with sliding elements (7) in corresponding executed circumferential elements (8) of a customary brush core (1) of a brush machine, mostly a snow brush machine. The brush parts holder (2) can have different embodiments for receiving brush parts (3). A possible embodiment can also be dovetail shaped with basic holders (12) with brush threads. The advantage of using brush parts holders (2) is, that the heavy brush cores need not to be dismounted for replacing brushes, this having economical advantages.
US09480327B2
A lanyard apparatus for a rolled product includes a flexible strap having first and second strap ends and a body portion between the strap ends. The first strap end is secured to the body portion at an attachment point to define a first loop. A hollow tubular member is installed over the body portion between a second strap end portion and the attachment point. The second strap end portion extends from the tubular member and has an opening sized to permit passage of the first loop therethrough to thereby define an openable second loop. The tubular member has a first arm, a second arm spaced apart from the first arm, a transverse part extending transversely between and connecting a lower first arm portion and a lower second arm portion, and an upper transverse portion extending transversely from an upper second arm portion and aligned with the transverse part.
US09480326B2
A hand-wearable camera harness is provided. The harness includes a plate member and a first aperture extending therethrough. The plate member has a first surface and a ring-shaped mounting portion fixedly coupled to the first surface. The ring-shaped mounting portion extends outwardly from the first surface and further extends circumferentially around the first aperture. The ring-shaped mounting portion has a top surface with a first plurality of grooves extending therein. The hand-wearable camera harness further includes a rotatable mounting bracket having a substantially circular-shaped base and at least first and second extension portions. The substantially circular-shaped base has a bottom surface with a second plurality of grooves extending therein.
US09480317B2
A convertible device that converts between an activity mat and a storage container to capture and store numerous articles. Upon reclosing the activity mat, the articles are recaptured into the storage container. The device includes walls and a base, webbing connected between each adjacent wall pair, and a joint connected between the base and walls so that they are foldable into a third configuration wherein the footprint of the folded device is roughly the size of the base. In the third configuration, the walls are stacked relative to the base. The convertible device may further include two zippers for releasably holding the walls in a rigid and upright position in the first configuration. The webbing can be inwardly biased such that when the walls are urged from the second to the first configuration, the webbing folds toward the interior of the convertible device.
US09480311B2
In a slide fastener, at least one stopping element including a resistance portion that increases sliding resistance by being brought into contact with an inner surface of a slider when the slider is sliding is locally disposed locally on an element row of a fastener stringer. Accordingly, the slider can be stopped at any position where the stopping element is disposed arbitrarily on the element row and an immobilized state of the slider can be maintained. By operating the slider with a force greater than the sliding resistance to the stopping element, the slider can be made to ride over the resistance portion of the stopping element and to slide along the element row.
US09480310B2
Media cord managing zipper systems in accordance with the present invention may comprise a zipper slider and a pull tab. Prongs may extend from the pull tab on opposing sides of a longitudinal axis of the pull tab. The prongs may be shaped to hold portions of a media cord in a cavity of the pull tab. The media cord managing zipper system may be incorporated into articles of clothing, such as jackets and sweatshirts.
US09480309B2
A fixturing apparatus that includes a housing defining an interior space and having a trapezoidal cross-section, a first end, and an opposing second end, and is formed to include an aperture extending therethrough from the first end to said second end.
US09480308B2
A four-point seat belt system for restraining a vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat is disclosed. The system includes a four-point seat belt restraint system mounted on a vehicle seat that includes a first lap belt portion having a back side and a second lap belt portion having a back side. A portion of at least one of the back side of the first lap belt portion or the back side of the second lap belt portion has a contour which substantially corresponds to the contour of the lap of the seated vehicle occupant. The contour is defined by a convex surface. Each of the buckle portion and the tongue portion may include a button release.
US09480295B2
Linked articles and a method for customizing the linked articles are disclosed. The linked articles comprise a first link matrix and a second link matrix comprising a first portion of the article and a second portion of the article, respectively. The first link matrix consists essentially of links of a first material and the second link matrix consists essentially of links of a second material.
US09480290B2
A protective apparel support (100) system is disclosed comprising a support frame configured to rest on the shoulders of a wearer, the support having a first shoulder member (104a), a second shoulder member (104b) and a shield (202) engagement portion. A shield (202) is selectively coupleable to the support and protective apparel (302) is coupled to the shield.
US09480275B2
The coated pet food product of the present invention has more appeal to a consumer and ease of access for a pet. The coated pet food product contains a edible core; wherein said edible core has a Moisture Content of from about 16% to about 92%.
US09480263B2
A skinning device for removing skin from an animal carcass has a housing, a manipulation arm extending from the housing, an cutting blade, a motor driven tooth roll mounted on the housing having plurality of tooth wheels arranged in axially spaced apart arrangement such that the space between adjacent tooth wheels has a pre-set distance. The tooth wheels have circumferentially arranged teeth projecting outwardly therefrom adapted to grab the skin with the circumferentially arranged teeth and pull it towards the cutting blade. The skinning device includes a support structure mounted on the housing arranged in proximity to the tooth roll, and is adapted to engage the skin while the skin is simultaneously being pulled off the carcass. Strippers are arranged in the space of pre-set distance and circumferentially surround at least a space portion where the arc-shaped contour essentially follows the tooth roll.
US09480257B2
Dithiopyr capsule suspension formulations, possessing a broad range of capsule wall thicknesses and diameters are disclosed. These capsules have decreased volatility and provide enhanced biological activity when compared with commercial dithiopyr in water formulations.
US09480253B2
The present application relates to the use of 3-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4-neopentyl-carbonyloxy-5,5-tetramethylene-Δ3-dihydrofuran-2-one for controlling insects from the family Psyllidae (psyllids).
US09480252B2
The present invention relates to a method of controlling weeds using mixtures of HPPD inhibiting herbicides and plant growth regulators. It also relates to mixtures of HPPD inhibiting herbicides and plant growth regulators per se, and compositions comprising the same.
US09480248B2
The invention comprises a device and method for impacting the behavior of invertebrates that infest wood, without the use of chemicals. In particular, the invention is useful for impacting the behavior of wood-boring invertebrates, which infest wood products, lumber and the woody portions of plants and trees. The invention utilizes acoustic (sonic) agents which may be optionally modulated with specific signals, to cause negative effects on the normal behaviors exhibited by wood-infesting invertebrates, which may result in the invertebrates being injured or killed, unable to reproduce, or caused to flee the wood that the invertebrates are infesting.
US09480243B2
A Fishing Lure Jig is formed firstly about a split ring or keychain ring that has a double wire portion and also a single wire portion. Thus, a fishing hook having a tightly wound rounded end threaded upon the single wire portion can be effectively stuck there so that it can not proceed up and over the double wire portion as the rounded end is too small to ride through both wires (the double wire portion) at the same time. Then a second hook is attached at its rounded end in the double wire portion and a connector hoop is also loaded thereon so that the first hook with the narrow rounded end is stuck between these two. A connection chain is attached to the connector hoop and a ball is attached to the opposite end thereof using a similar mechanism.
US09480240B2
Embodiments of a dog restraining apparatus comprise a dog collar and a collar positioning assembly. The collar is configured to attach to a leash at a location behind the dog's head when the collar is secured around the dog's neck. The collar positioning assembly includes an alignment strap having ends attachable to the collar at respective collar attachment locations such that the alignment strap is extendable across the dog's nose bridge when the dog collar is secured around the dog's neck The collar attachment locations may be adjustable along the collar. The alignment strap may have a continuous or non-continuous bead of elastomer disposed on its interior surface to frictionally engage the dog's nose. The collar positioning assembly may be readily detachable from, and re-attachable to, the collar. Attachment of the strap ends may be facilitated by intervening structures such as strap end loops, O-rings and releasable collar attachment loops.
US09480239B2
An animal feeder comprises a vertical portion having a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side. A first groove extends continuously through each of the left side, the front side, and the right side. At least a part of the back side is generally concave to facilitate the securement of the feeder to a tree. An angular portion of the feeder extends from the vertical portion at an angle. The angular portion has a mouth with a stop. The vertical portion and the angular portion collectively define a cavity configured for retaining animal feed. The cavity is accessible at least at the mouth. The back side comprises a channel, a first bracket, and a second bracket, each of which are collectively configured for securement of a T-post.
US09480237B2
A milking parlor for animals comprising at least one milking stall arranged to receive an animal in a predetermined milking position, teat cups arranged to be used in milking the animal in the milking stall, a teat cup carrier arranged to store the teat cups in the milking stall when they are not used, and at least one robot arm provided with at least one gripping member arranged to grip a teat cup in the teat cup carrier and attach the teat cup on the teat of an animal in the milking stall. The teat cup carrier stores the teat cups in a storing area located at least partly in front of the front legs of the animal with respect to the direction of the animal when it stands in the predetermined milking position in the milking stall.
US09480231B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV010962. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV010962, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV010962 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV010962 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV010962.
US09480227B1
A novel maize variety designated X08F129 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are produced by crossing inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant by crossing hybrid maize variety X08F129 with another maize plant are disclosed. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X08F129 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X08F129, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X08F129. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X08F129.
US09480225B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01052135. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01052135. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01052135 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01052135 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09480219B2
The herbicide-tolerant rice cultivar designated ‘CL152’ and its hybrids and derivatives are disclosed.
US09480218B2
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated AF3605, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line AF3605 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line AF3605, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line AF3605, and plants produced according to these methods.
US09480212B2
The invention relates to the field of Daucus carota, in particular to a new variety of carrot designated NUN 89849 CAC as well as plants, seeds and carrot roots thereof.
US09480210B2
The present invention deals with new type of broccoli plant suitable for the industrial manufacture of broccoli heads and florets. The invention relates to broccoli plants producing a head that is flat, comprises multiple individualized florets and protrudes above the leaves making it easy to harvest by machine. The invention further deals with methods and uses of the broccoli plants, heads and florets for the manufacture of broccoli processed and/or packaged food products.
US09480205B2
An agricultural baler of the rectangular type has a feeder of which the movement is directly derived from and synchronized with the movement of the reciprocating plunger.
US09480203B2
A harvesting apparatus having a frame to be advanced over an area in which a crop is grown and a harvesting assembly on the frame configured to process severed crop. The harvesting assembly is configured to advance severed crop laterally to a delivery location between the laterally spaced sides of the frame and to and through a feed housing. A fluid delivery system discharges pressurized fluid to at least one of: a) facilitate severance of crop; and b) facilitate rearward advancement of severed crop. The fluid delivery system has at least a first pressurized fluid source through which pressurized fluid is delivered to laterally spaced outlets. A cleaning assembly has a first cleaning conduit assembly for directing pressurized fluid from the first pressurized fluid supply source in at least a first stream that repositions unusable crop and debris to reduce buildup thereof in the vicinity of the feed housing.
US09480198B2
A drawbar hitch mechanism has a fore-and-aft extending receiver, a gearbox assembly coupled to the receiver and a tongue assembly attached to the gearbox assembly. A first pivot mechanism couples the receiver with the gearbox assembly for side-to-side movement about a longitudinal axis of the receiver. A draft arm is configured to disperse draft loads between the tongue assembly and the receiver. A second pivot mechanism couples the gearbox assembly and the draft arm. The second pivot mechanism is oriented such that it pivots about an upright axis such that the gearbox assembly and second pivot mechanism enable pivoting movement of the tongue assembly relative the receiver.
US09480196B2
A vertical tine tiller that includes a chassis, an engine attached to the chassis, a handle assembly extending from the chassis to allow an operator to control the tiller, and at least two vertically oriented tine assemblies. Each of the tine assemblies include a plurality of tines attached to a plate, wherein the tine assemblies are rotatable about a vertical axis such that the tines of each tine assembly provide a grinding path and adjacent tine assemblies have at least partially overlapping grinding paths. The tines are removably connected to the plate.
US09485893B2
An electrical system includes an electrical module including a conductive plate, a casing having a bottom face mounted on a top face of the conductive plate while leaving at least a part of the top face revealed, a shielding including a body intended to at least partly cover the casing, and an electronic circuit board for controlling the components of the casing, intended to cover the shielding in order for the shielding to protect the electronic circuit board from the electromagnetic radiations emitted by the electrical components of the casing in their operation. The shielding further includes at least one tab made of a piece with the body of the shielding and extending downwards so as to come into contact with a respective revealed part.
US09485892B2
A flat wiring body module includes a flat wiring body, a containing member containing the flat wiring body, and a connector part. The flat wiring body includes a flat wiring body for power including a power circuit and a first flat board, a flat wiring body for non-power including a non-power circuit and a second flat board, and a flat wiring body for ground including a ground and a third flat board. The flat wiring body for power, the flat wiring body for non-power, and the flat wiring body for ground are stacked in a state where the flat wiring body for ground is arranged between the flat wiring body for power and the flat wiring body for non-power.
US09485878B2
The present invention relates to a substrate structure having electronic components and a method of manufacturing a substrate structure having electronic components and can reduce signal loss and internal resistance and improve process efficiency by bringing a first terminal of a first electronic component and a second terminal of a second electronic component in direct contact with each other or in direct contact with each other by solder to minimize a path between the electronic components.
US09485876B2
A method of manufacturing at least a portion of a printed circuit board. The method includes: applying a lamination adhesive on a first plural-layer substrate that includes a plurality of circuit layers with at least one first metal pad on a first side of the first plural-layer substrate; applying a protective film on the lamination adhesive; forming at least one via into the lamination adhesive to expose the at least one metal pad on the first side of the first plural-layer substrate; filling at least one conductive paste into the at least one via formed in the lamination adhesive; removing the protective film to expose the lamination adhesive on the first plural-layer substrate; and attaching the first plural-layer substrate with a second plural-layer substrate that includes a plurality of circuit layers with at least one second metal pad on a second side of the second plural-layer substrate.
US09485874B2
A package substrate and a method of fabricating the package substrate are provided. The package substrate may include an interposer having at least one conductive through via, a photo-sensitive dielectric layer formed on one side of the interposer, and at least one conductive via formed in the photo-sensitive dielectric layer and electrically connected to the conductive through via. By means of a photo lithography process with high alignment accuracy, at least one via with an extremely small diameter can be formed on the photo-sensitive dielectric layer and align with the conductive through via. Therefore, the conductive through via can have its diameter reduced as required, without considering the alignment with the at least one via. Accordingly, the interconnection density of the conductive through via on the interposer is increased.
US09485862B2
An electronic device has structures such as substrates and internal housing structures. The substrates may be rigid substrates such as rigid printed circuit boards and flexible substrates such as flexible printed circuits, flexible touch sensor substrates, and flexible display substrates. Carbon nanotubes may be patterned to form carbon nanotube signal paths on the substrates. The signal paths may resist cracking when bent. A flexible structure such as a flexible printed circuit may have carbon nanotube signal paths interposed between polymer layers. Openings in a polymer layer may expose metal solder pads on the carbon nanotube signal paths. A stiffener may be provided under the metal solder pads. Polymer materials in the flexible structure may be molded to form bends. Bends may be formed along edges of a touch sensor or display or may be formed in a flexible printed circuit.
US09485859B1
A flexible circuit board includes a first base layer, a circuit layer, a second base layer and a bonding layer. The circuit layer is coupled to a side of the first base layer and includes a linear signal line, two grounding lines located at two opposite sides of the linear signal line, and two hollow areas located between the linear signal line and the grounding lines. The bonding layer couples the second base layer to the circuit layer and defines a first opening corresponding to the linear signal line and communicating with the hollow areas of the circuit layer. The first opening of the bonding layer and the hollow areas of the circuit layer cooperatively define an air medium layer surrounding the linear signal line. A method for manufacturing the flexible circuit board is also provided.
US09485852B2
An arrangement for cooling subassemblies of an automation or control system is disclosed, wherein the subassemblies each comprise at least one printed circuit board (LP) having electronic components of different temperature sensitivity arranged thereon. The printed circuit board (LP) has at least one first portion for temperature-sensitive components and at least one second portion for temperature-insensitive components that generate waste heat. Interspaces are arranged between the first portion and the second portion, the interspaces each forming a thermally insulated trench. Means can be provided which keep away the heat over the temperature-sensitive components in a suitable manner and dissipate the waste heat from the printed circuit board (LP) before the heat reaches the temperature-sensitive components.
US09485851B2
Various embodiments described herein disclose systems, methods and/or devices used to dissipate heat generated by electronic components of an electronic assembly that further includes a first assembly rail, a top circuit board and a bottom circuit board. The first assembly rail includes a first card guide structure and a second card guide structure that are arranged on a first side of the first assembly rail near two opposite ends of the assembly rail. The top and the bottom circuit boards are mechanically coupled to the first and second card guide structures of the first assembly rail, respectively. The top circuit board is parallel to the bottom circuit board, and separated from the bottom circuit board by a predefined distance. The first assembly rail, the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board together form a channel there between for receiving a heat dissipating airflow.
US09485846B2
A structure for grounding an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for grounding an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and back side. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUV mask is grounded. The reflective surface of the EUV mask on a continuously moving stage is scanned by using the electron beam simultaneously. The moving direction of the stage is perpendicular to the scanning direction of the electron beam.
US09485839B2
A pressure activated illumination apparatus is provided. In some embodiments, a pressure activated illumination apparatus may comprise a pressure mat which includes a pressure switch configured to detect weight placed on the pressure mat; an illumination housing which comprises a light emitting element and is movable relative to the pressure mat; and a user control input configured to modulate the illumination of the light emitting element. The pressure mat may be in electrical communication with the illumination housing, and a light emitting element of the illumination housing may be configured to illuminate upon receiving an electrical communication from the pressure mat.
US09485830B2
When an LED lighting apparatus which is a lighter load than an incandescent lamp or halogen lamp is connected to a dimmer, a malfunction may occur. The invention prevents the occurrence of such malfunction without defeating the purpose of low power consumption of the LED lighting apparatus. More specifically, the LED lighting apparatus includes a rectifier circuit, a light-emitting circuit connected to the rectifier circuit and containing a single or a plurality of LEDs in which current begins to flow when an output voltage of the rectifier circuit exceeds a threshold voltage, and a bypass circuit having a bypass path for making the current flow to the rectifier circuit without passing through the light-emitting circuit, and a detecting unit for detecting the current flowing through the light-emitting circuit, and wherein when the current detected by the detecting unit exceeds a predetermined value, the bypass circuit shuts off the current flowing through the bypass path.
US09485829B2
Disclosed are an alternating current rectifying circuit and an alternating current rectifying method for driving an LED module. By using the present invention, stability of an output voltage can be improved, and luminous efficiency of the LED module can be improved.
US09485821B2
An LED lighting drive circuit supplies power for N groups of LED loads. The LED lighting drive circuit comprises N current paths, N groups of LEDs, and a constant current section. The LED lighting drive circuit enables the current of LED lamps to change in a sinusoidal half-wave form with the utility AC input, and keeps the current a constant effective value.
US09485820B2
A lighting device includes a power conversion unit, an impedance adjustment unit, a first control unit, and a second control unit. The power conversion unit is configured to convert input power to direct-current power used for a light source. The impedance adjustment unit is formed of a series circuit of a resistor element and a switch element and is coupled to the light source in parallel, relative to the power conversion unit. The second control unit is configured to cause the power conversion unit to operate, for each burst cycle, for an operation period which is not longer than the burst cycle, and increase and reduce the ratio of the operation period to the burst cycle. The first control unit is configured to make the switch element conductive for a predetermined adjustment period which is not longer than the operation period, during the operation period.
US09485819B2
A light-emitting element driver system has a power conversion circuit, a second switch and a control circuit, the power conversion circuit has a primary circuit, a transformer, a first rectified circuit and a second rectified circuit, the second rectified circuit provides a first signal, the second switch has a first terminal coupled to an output terminal of the first rectified circuit and a second terminal to provide a second signal, when a dimming signal is in a first state, the control circuit provides a first control signal to control the power conversion circuit based on the first signal, and meanwhile provides a second control signal to control the second switch based on the second signal.
US09485816B2
Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for driving dimmable load. The method includes detecting a dimming characteristic in an energy source from which a load draws a first energy according to the dimming characteristic. The dimming characteristic requires a second energy in addition to the first energy to be drawn from the energy source to sustain an operation of the energy source. The method further includes biasing a switch to consume the second energy. The second energy and the first energy are drawn from the energy source to sustain the operation of the energy source.
US09485806B1
A stabilized beverage container warming device holds and warms a beverage container or the like in a stable upright position. The device includes a housing coupled to a warming plate. The housing comprises a peripheral wall extending upwardly and around the warming plate defining an enclosure configured for receiving a cup therein resting on the warming plate. A base is coupled to the housing and configured for engaging a supporting surface wherein the enclosure is supported in an upright position.
US09485803B2
Radio-frequency (RF) integrated circuit (RFIC) chip(s) allow for the integration of multiple electronic circuits on a chip to provide distributed antenna system functionalities. RFIC chips are employed in central unit and remote unit components, reducing component cost and size, increasing performance and reliability, while reducing power consumption. The components are also easier to manufacture. The RFIC chip(s) can be employed in distributed antenna systems and components that support RF communications services and/or digital data services.
US09485795B2
Systems and methods may provide for implementing a proximity-based coupling service. In one example, the method may include detecting, utilizing a first communication protocol, the presence of a second device by a first device, initiating a wireless network utilizing a second communication protocol, wherein the first device is to serve as a software-enabled access point (SoftAP), and configuring the second device to join the wireless network utilizing the second communication protocol.
US09485792B2
Methods and systems for providing efficient communications between two mobile stations served by the same base station or relay station are provided. A base station maintains information identifying which mobile stations it is serving. When a connection is set up between two mobile stations, if they are both being served by the same base station, the base station forwards traffic directly between the two mobile stations without forwarding it on to higher level network entities.
US09485791B2
A wireless data connection may be established between a first vehicle and a second vehicle, the first vehicle driving ahead of the second vehicle. A forward camera of the second vehicle may obtain image data of a rear portion of the first vehicle and determine an identification number of the first vehicle from the obtained image data. The second vehicle may broadcast a data connection request which indicates at least a part of the determined identification number of the first vehicle.
US09485789B2
A method for requesting a connection setup of a connection between a terminal (302) and a node (304) of a radio access network (300) is described. The radio access network (300) supports a first access and a second access of the terminal (302) to the radio access network (300) for the connection. The method is executed by the terminal (302). The method comprises determining (314) whether to at least partially accept a network defined condition of the radio access network (300) associated with the first access, selecting (316), from the first access and the second access, the first access based on a result of the step (314) of determining, and requesting (320a, b), from the node (304), the selected first access for the connection. The method may enable an improved management of a quality of service by the radio access network in association with a connection between a terminal and the radio access network.
US09485781B2
Provided is a radio communication base station device which can obtain a maximum frequency diversity effect of a downstream line control channel. The device includes: an RB allocation unit (101) which allocates upstream line resource blocks continuous on the frequency axis for respective radio communication mobile stations by the frequency scheduling and generates allocation information indicating which upstream line resource block has been allocated to which radio communication mobile station device; and an arrangement unit (109) which arranges a response signal to the radio communication mobile station device in the downstream line control channels distributed/arranged on the frequency axis while being correlated to the continuous upstream line resource blocks according to the allocation information.
US09485780B2
Techniques for improving data rates at mobile terminals that are subject to periodic channel interruptions in a beyond-line-of-sight communication system are disclosed, including improved encoding and decoding systems that identify blockages and modify receiver operation during blockages to reduce data errors. In certain embodiments, encoding, symbol mapping, interleaving, and use of unique periodic identifiers function to enable a series of packets that may be received in a blockage impaired channel with reduced errors.
US09485776B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for operating multi-type beacons by a first terminal connected with a second terminal through wireless communication. The first terminal receives, from the second terminal, information required for allocating a beacon type. The first terminal selects a beacon type for the second terminal from predetermined beacon types based on at least one variable in the information. The at least one variable includes at least one of a channel condition of a communication link between the first terminal and the second terminal, a traffic period of the communication link, and a security level of transmission and reception data. Each variable includes a priority. The first terminal allocates a beacon to the second terminal based on the priority of each variable. The beacon has the beacon type. The beacon allocated to the second terminal is transmitted from the first terminal to the second terminal.
US09485775B2
The present invention is designed to execute adequate signaling even when individual user terminals perform communication to support separate types of communication, in MIMO transmission to use antennas having varying antenna configurations depending on the type of communication. A radio base station (200) has an antenna that has varying antenna configurations between at least two types of communication and that can transmit signals to all areas which the radio base station covers, in an antenna configuration to support at least one communication type 1, allocates radio resources to a downlink signal including capacities of a user terminal and a signal type to match a communication type, multiplexes a plurality of reference signals to be used in each communication type on the same resource block, generates precoding weights which allow the antenna to form a number of beams to match the communication type, and multiplies a downlink signal to supply to the antenna by the generated precoding weights.
US09485774B2
The transmission of stand-alone, aperiodic CSI reports from a UE in carrier aggregation in an LTE network is optimized. The coding rate is indirectly controlled by varying the number of RBs allocated for the CSI report transmission. Two sets of serving cells are established, and the payload of each set is approximated. For each allowable number of RBs and each payload size, a threshold SINR is determined and stored. An initial number of RBs is selected, based on the number of cells. The actual SINR is measured, and compared to the threshold SINR for the number of RBs and payload size. The number of RBs to be allocated is varied based on the comparison, by varying an index into an array of allowable numbers of RBs. Link adaptation is performed based on observed decoding errors, in an outer loop control algorithm that prevents wind up. An optimization for the particular case of one PCell and one SCell is also presented.
US09485770B2
Techniques for achieving high average spectrum efficiency in a wireless system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method of communicating with a wireless station comprising defining a plurality of beams to be generated by a beam-forming device, defining a set of beam groups wherein each beam group is a different subset of beams of the plurality of beams; repeatedly cycling through the set of beam groups by sequentially generating each group of beams among the set of beam groups; identifying a beam group among the set of beam groups which yields a best communication link with a wireless station; and scheduling communications with the wireless station to occur via the identified beam group when the identified beam group is being generated.
US09485765B2
To solve the above-mentioned problem, the method for transmitting and receiving a signal by user equipment (UE) through one or more cells, according to one embodiment of the present specification, comprises the steps of: receiving, from a base station, a first message indicating whether one or more cells usable by the UE are enabled; determining which cells to enable or disable on the basis of the first message; and enabling or disabling the selected cells. According to the embodiment of the present specification, by aggregating carriers amongst different base stations, a possibility for the UE to transmit and receive high-speed data through carrier aggregation can increase.
US09485746B2
Techniques are presented to optimize location classification accuracy for wireless devices. A controller in communication with one or more wireless access points receives measurement data associated with signals received at one or more wireless access points from a plurality of wireless clients. The controller classifies each of the measurement data associated with a corresponding client as indicative a location inside of a particular region or outside of the particular region. The controller determines information of an actual location for each of the clients and classifies the information of the actual location as indicating a location inside of the particular region or outside of the particular region. For a given client whose classification of the information of the actual location does not match the classification of the corresponding measurement data, the controller modifies the information of the actual location of the given client.
US09485744B2
Determining a time synchronization inaccuracy value between a first node and a second node. A PTP packet is received including Node IDs representing respective transport nodes along a first path, and from the second node Node IDs are obtained representing respective transport nodes along a second path. Furthermore, a first common node of the first path and the second path is determined. The time synchronization inaccuracy value between the first node and the second node is calculated. By including Node IDs in received PTP packets before forwarding them to a node, the node is enabled to determine a first common node. Thereby, the node may calculate relative time inaccuracy values with respect to the other access network nodes, which may be used to decrease inaccuracy time synchronization for co-ordination functions.
US09485731B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for performing a channel access by a station (STA) in a wireless communication system comprises the steps of: transmitting a first frame for a channel access request to an access point (AP); and receiving a second frame, which is a response to the channel access request, from the AP, wherein the first frame includes information indicating whether or not uplink data of the STA is present.
US09485726B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for dormant mode operation in a user equipment. During dormant mode, data transmission between the user equipment and network is suspended. For dormant mode operation, the user equipment determines whether to enter dormant mode, and sends, upon determining to enter dormant mode, a dormant mode entry message containing dormant mode time information to the network.
US09485720B2
A method for controlling identification of a cell in a communication system may be proposed. The method may include: setting a cell by using a first cell index in user equipment (UE); receiving, by the UE, a control signal indicating that a cell index is changed from the first cell index to a second cell index; and setting the cell by using the second cell index without releasing the cell by the UE.
US09485709B2
According to an example embodiment, there is provided a method comprising determining a barring class to which a user equipment belongs, and determining a value for a barring timer, wherein determining the value for a barring timer uses a value derived from a system frame number, SFN, in which the user equipment received an access barring parameter. The method may further comprise initializing the barring timer to the determined value, starting the barring timer and determining, while the barring timer is running, whether a group of user equipment to which the user equipment belongs is barred.
US09485705B2
A node transmits data based on a routing information table when receiving the data. The node determines whether a second candidate neighboring node of which flag information is true and to which the data has not yet been transmitted is present when the data transmission to a first candidate neighboring node fails. The node aborts retransmission of the data when no second candidate neighboring node of which the flag information is true and to which the data has not yet been transmitted is present.
US09485700B2
A data offloading method includes: receiving, by a macro base station, a measurement report sent by a user equipment; sending, by the macro base station according to the measurement report, an RRC connection reconfiguration message and an offloading configuration message to the user equipment and a small node respectively, so as to configure a user plane data transmission link between the macro base station and the user equipment, where the RRC connection reconfiguration message includes indication information that indicates that one direction of a duplex direction of a current transmission link is kept, and resource configuration information in the other direction; and performing, by the macro base station, user plane data transmission with the user equipment over the configured transmission link. The embodiments of the present invention are applicable to the field of communications technologies.
US09485696B2
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for switching networks in active mode are described herein. In one aspect a method of wireless communication is provided. The method includes communicating with a device over a first network. The method further includes monitoring for a second network during the communication with the device, the second network having a higher throughput than the first network. The method further includes determining an application usage history of the device. The method further includes selectively transitioning the communication from the first network to the second network based on a parameter of the first network, a parameter of the second network, and an application usage history of the device.
US09485693B2
A base station (12) and a method therein for adapting a triggering threshold for cell re-selection measurements performed by a mobile terminal (20) served by a macro cell (14). The macro cell (14) is supported by the base station (12), and the base station (12) and the mobile terminal (20) are comprised in a wireless communications network (10). The base station determines a serving cell signal strength threshold to be used for triggering cell re-selection measurements by the mobile terminal (20) in dependence on the availability of small cells (18a,18b) within or neighboring the macro cell (14). The base station (12) further transmits the determined serving cell signal strength threshold to the mobile terminal (20).
US09485683B2
A method for sensing measurement gap scheduling includes allocating a new supplementary carrier in a license-exempt spectrum by a radio resource management (RRM) entity in an evolved Node B (eNB); configuring a local cognitive sensing entity in the eNB by the RRM entity; configuring a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for cognitive sensing through radio resource control (RRC) signaling, the RRC signaling being generated by the eNB; configuring a local cognitive sensing entity at the WTRU by a dynamic spectrum management (DSM) entity; and signaling a start and a duration of a measurement gap to an enhanced sensing component.
US09485681B2
A user equipment (UE) for which an analog beamforming scheme is applied and a measuring method performed by the UE are provided. Also an access node (AN) and a method performed by the AN are provided. The measuring method performed by the UE comprising: transmitting, to a serving access node, a measurement request for measuring a neighboring access node that is working at a same frequency as the user equipment; receiving, from the serving access node, information related to a series of measurement time gaps; and after a delay, performing a measurement to the neighboring access node within the series of measurement time gaps.
US09485671B2
An inter-stage test structure for a wireless communication apparatus is provided. The wireless communication apparatus has a unit under test (UUT) and a next-stage component connected to the UUT through a signal wire. The inter-stage test structure is disposed on the signal wire and electrically connects the UUT to the next-stage unit component. The inter-stage test structure includes an upper board, a lower board, and an intermediate layer. The intermediate layer is disposed between the upper board and the lower board. The intermediate layer includes a first region and a second region defined thereon. The first region has an air cavity for generating an air impedance. The second region has an impedance adjusting cavity for generating an adjustable impedance. Accordingly, the inter-stage test structure can detect the condition of the UUT of the wireless communication apparatus based on the air impedance and the adjustable impedance.
US09485666B2
Disclosed are an available channel information sharing system and an available channel information sharing method, and an available channel information sharing system and an available channel information sharing method based on positional information and area information. The available channel information sharing system sharing available channel information for each unit region includes: a server; a white band device placed in the unit region; and a white band sensing device creating positional information and transmitting the created positional information to the server, receiving unit region information corresponding to the positional information from the server, and transmitting first available channel information based on channel information of a sensed broadcasting signal to the white band device.
US09485664B2
A 3GPP LTE protocol enhancement realizes the full benefit of proposed dynamic frequency sharing systems by enhancing current idle mode cell selection mechanisms to support Licensed Shared Access (LSA) cell selection of idle User Equipment (UE) when LSA frequency bands are reclaimed by incumbents. A paging message field, LSAUnavailable is transmitted by Evolved Node Bs for those UEs operating in an idle state. Paging message transmission is repeated for robustness. UEs are also enabled to immediately identify LSA unavailability when a paging message notification of LSA unavailability to idle UEs cannot be transmitted and/or received. A UE comprises a processor and transceiver configured to receive, on a Licensed Shared Access (LSA) frequency band, a paging message notifying the UE of (LSA) frequency band reclamation. The UE performs immediate cell reselection to vacate the reclaimed LSA frequency band and move to the UE operator's licensed primary Long Term Evolution frequency band.
US09485656B2
User equipment (UE) is configured to automatically detect the presence of an access point (AP) in any one of a plurality of venues and to transmit identification information to the AP to authenticate the UE. The venue receiving the authentication request transfers the authentication request and identification information to an authentication server to determine whether the US is a registered device. If the US was previously registered, it is automatically authenticated whenever it is carried inside a venue. The plurality of venues may be coupled to a Cloud network with the authentication information stored on the Cloud network. In this manner, whenever the UE enters any of the venues, the UE is automatically authenticated when it comes within range of any AP within any of the venues. The venue may use an application program interface (API) to provide advertising, coupons, web links, images, audio, video, streaming video, and the like to the UE. The venue may direct the UE to a website or provide a link to the website.
US09485640B2
According to one general aspect, a method of preemptively caching data within a mobile device may include detecting that a triggering event has occurred. The method may also include, in response to the triggering event, automatically performing an action associated with the triggering event, wherein the action includes retrieving anticipated data from a remote device. The method may include caching at least part of the anticipated data within a memory of the mobile device. The method may include receiving a request, from a user, for requested data, wherein the requested data includes at least a portion of the anticipated data. The method may include fulfilling at least part of the request for the requested data by retrieving the anticipated data portion of the requested data from the memory of the mobile device.
US09485637B2
A mobile device is employed to be a gateway device to transmit messages between end-users and a shared message board running on a remote sever. The gateway device runs a gateway application to implement the gateway function.
US09485631B2
A first radio has duplex communication with a second radio and a third radio, without using a base station by using a multiple-access protocol system. The first radio is configured to switch back and forth between being a master radio and a slave radio in the multiple-access protocol system. In some embodiments, time-division multiplexing is used as the multiple-access protocol system for the first radio, the second radio, and the third radio to communicate. In some embodiments, the master radio provides timing synchronization and/or assigns transmission slots for radios in the multiple-access protocol system.
US09485621B2
Method for monitoring the presence of a mobile station in at least one special area, wherein a radio communication defining device transmits one radio distinctive defining signal that define the special area by its coverage, the mobile station processes a signal received in order to determine whether or not it is defining signal and more precisely a distinctive one that defines the special area, the mobile station sends an updating signal to a mobile telephone network, the network routes the updating signal to special operating means that adapt the value of an operating parameter. According to the invention, the special area is associated to the mobile station by transmitting to the mobile station a checking data used by the mobile station for determining whether or not the defining signal received is distinctive defining signal.
US09485619B1
A mobile device position determination method includes: determining a plurality of bandwidths of a pilot signal corresponding to different times at which the pilot signal is received by a mobile device from a base station, the plurality of bandwidths of the pilot signal including a first bandwidth corresponding to a first time at which the pilot signal is received and a second bandwidth corresponding to a second time at which the pilot signal is received, the second time being after the first time; filtering the pilot signal using the second bandwidth; determining a positioning parameter from the pilot signal filtered using the second bandwidth; and determining a position of the mobile device using the positioning parameter.
US09485613B2
The present invention relates to a wireless pairing and tracking system for lost item searching, the system includes: a) an observing device (NODE Owner); b) at least one associating identifier device (NODE) with wireless or Radio Frequency (RF) link; c) at least one participating observing device; and d) a host apparatus; wherein the observing device (NODE Owner) and the participating observing device are implemented with suitable application software (NODE-APP) in association with the host apparatus; and wherein any lost identifier devices (LOST-NODE) is discovered by any participating observing device whenever the participating observing device comes near within Radio Frequency (RF) range of the LOST NODE.
US09485607B2
An apparatus for enhancing the security of short-range communication in connection with an access control device may be provided. The system includes a mobile device and an application executing thereon. The application is configured to store a user-defined authentication for permitting short-range communication with the associated access control device and configured to control access to a secure location. The authentication is related to an action of an end user of the mobile device. The application is configured to determine when the devices are in proximity to one another, detect a movement of a user of the mobile device, and permit short-range communication between the devices when the devices are in proximity to one another and the detected movement is substantially similar to the defined authentication. The permitted short-range communication is related to information for permitting the user to access the secure location.
US09485604B2
Systems and methods related to reducing a cost of operation and/or manufacture of wireless devices under appropriate conditions are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wireless node in a cellular communication network determines a configuration for a wireless device. In one particular embodiment, the wireless device is a Machine-Type Communication (MTC) device. The configuration includes at least one of a retransmission configuration and an advanced receiver configuration. The wireless device is then configured according to the configuration. In this way, the operation of the wireless device can be more cost efficient, particularly in terms of radio resource and energy efficiency, based on the conditions in which the wireless device is operated.
US09485602B2
Techniques for using software application-related metadata in near field communication transmissions
A computer-implemented method includes determining, at a first mobile device associated with a first user, whether a second mobile device is within range for near field communication (NFC). When in range, the method includes receiving, at the first mobile device, first data and second data from the second mobile device via an NFC transmission, the first data being based on input from a second user associated with the second mobile device, the second data being metadata indicating a software application configured to process the first data. When the first mobile device does not have the software application indicated by the second data, the method includes retrieving, at the first mobile device, the software application via a network. The method also includes providing, at the first mobile device, the first data to the first user via the software application.
US09485598B2
A method and a device for determining an amplitude noise and/or phase noise contained within a signal performs a quadrature mixing of the signal containing the amplitude noise and/or the phase noise into the baseband or intermediate-frequency band and an amplitude demodulation downstream of the quadrature mixing in order to determine the amplitude noise contained within the signal and a phase demodulation downstream of the quadrature mixing in order to determine the phase noise contained within the signal.
US09485593B2
This acoustic device can suppress a loss in sense of volume and sense of comfort. The acoustic device includes a vibration unit (10) including a piezoelectric element (101) that flexes and a panel (102) that vibrates by being bent directly by the piezoelectric element (101). The panel (102) includes a concavity (104), and the concavity (104) is contacted to a user's ear, causing the user to hear sound.
US09485587B1
In one embodiment, a speaker device assembly includes a first voice coil assembly moveable along an axis of a magnetic field of a magnetic core responsive to an induced current to facilitate pressure variations in a medium, and cause recoil vibration on a speaker device assembly structure. The speaker device assembly further includes a second voice coil assembly having a counter balance mass that accounts for at least a mass of the first voice coil assembly, and moveable along the axis of the magnetic field in a direction opposite the first voice coil assembly to attenuate the recoil vibration on the speaker device assembly structure, when the first voice coil assembly moves along the axis of the magnetic field.
US09485582B2
An edge has an inner circumferential portion connected to an outer circumferential portion of a diaphragm, and is made of an annular elastic deformation member. A frame is connected to an outer circumferential portion of the edge, and supports the diaphragm through the edge. A magnetic circuit displaces the diaphragm in a first direction that is a sound emission direction and in a second direction that is an opposite direction to the sound emission direction, and vibrates the diaphragm. In a region between the inner circumferential portion and outer circumferential portion of the edge, the edge includes a rib, which is protruded in the second direction, and limits a stroke of the diaphragm in the second direction.
US09485576B2
A loudspeaker drive circuit comprises an input for receiving an audio signal and a signal processor for processing the audio signal before application to the loudspeaker. The signal processor processes the audio signal to derive a loudspeaker drive signal which results in the loudspeaker membrane reaching its maximum displacement in both directions of diaphragm displacement.
US09485573B2
A helmet mounted communication system for use by teams includes a headset including any one of a speaker for projecting audio or a microphone for receiving audio, a mounting structure for mounting the headset in a helmet cavity of a helmet, and a biasing material between the headset and a cavity wall of the helmet cavity for floatably attaching the headset to the helmet in the helmet cavity.
US09485571B2
A method of manufacturing a microphone, a microphone, and a method of controlling the microphone are provided. The method includes forming a sound sensing module on a mainboard having a first sound aperture, to be connected with the first sound aperature and forming a cover having a second sound aperature that corresponds to the first sound aperature, mounted on the mainboard, and housing the sound sensing module. A first and second sound delay filters are formed in a space defined by the cover, to be connected with the second sound hole and thermal actuators are disposed at both sides of the first sound delay filter and move the first sound delay filter based on whether power is supplied. A semiconductor chip is electrically connected with the sound sensing module in the space and selectively operates the thermal actuators in response to signals from the sound sensing module.
US09485561B2
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to electronics powered by thermal energy. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to wireless headphones that are powered by thermoelectric generators. One embodiment provides a wireless headphone having a wireless audio device capable of generating an acoustic output from signals received through a wireless communication link, and a thermoelectric generator assembly configured to provide electrical power to the wireless audio device.
US09485557B2
A device accessory to produce high quality high volume sound, comprising a clip case for holding the mobile device and a speaker unit that provides high quality high volume sound produced from the mobile device. The clip case further comprises a base portion attached to a plurality of side walls and a first pivotal attachment means. An outer side of the base portion includes at least one magnet and a configured to hold a support means. At least one of the pluralities of side walls recess includes a pair of side magnets. The speaker unit comprises a pair of lower magnets, a support means magnet, a second pivotal attachment means, a pair of speaker side magnets, a charging port, an ON/OFF button, an indicator, at least one flat panel speaker having at least one carbon fiber board excited by a mini exciter positioned inside the speaker unit and a microphone.
US09485548B2
One or more aspects of the disclosure relate to various functions and processes related to routing of calls based on origination and/or destination information. In one aspect, a method may comprise receiving a request for a call session, and the request may include an indicator that may indicate whether to route a call based on origination and/or destination information of the call session. Based on the indicator, a routing element may determine whether the call session should be routed based on origination information and/or destination information.
US09485532B2
A method implemented on a multi-tuner receiver system coupled to a plurality of multimedia nodes is disclosed, comprising: monitoring user input on the multi-tuner receiver system; identifying a first channel which the user is likely to select based on the user input; and speculatively tuning to the first channel using a first tuner prior to the user selecting the first channel.
US09485531B2
A networked personal video recording (“PVR”) system couples a plurality of clients to one or more PVR media servers over a network. One or more PVR media servers include television tuners to tune television signals. A storage medium buffers the television signals to implement PVR functionality. For example, the PVR media server records television programs for clients. Clients are assigned to television tuners, and the clients display television programs received at the assigned tuner. The network transfers the buffered television signals to the clients.
US09485530B2
An apparatus for dispensing liquid, such as water, with the dispensing of the liquid associated with a media presentation, for example, a video presentation, viewable on a monitor of the apparatus by consumers proximate to the apparatus, including the consumer to whom the water is being dispensed, is disclosed. The media presentation begins upon the dispensing of the water, and continues until it is stopped or completes (ends).
US09485528B2
Methods and systems are also described herein for a media guidance application that generates for display content associated with preventing a user from terminating a service based on whether or not the user has purchased a particular number of media assets that are available only through the service. For example, in response to determining that a user, currently subscribed to a first service, has purchased a threshold number of media assets from the first service, the media guidance application may determine that it is unlikely that the user will terminate the use of the first service.
US09485526B2
By way of a non-limiting example, a server resource receives portions of a non-adaptive bit rate data stream. The server resource also receives portions of an adaptive bit rate data stream. The server resource interleaves the portions of the adaptive bit rate data stream and the portions of the non-adaptive bit rate data stream onto the multi-stream data channel. Thereafter, the server resource initiates transmission of the multi-stream data channel (which includes the adaptive bit rate data stream and the non-adaptive bit rate data stream) over a network such as a backbone or core network to a downstream resource such as a distribution resource. The distribution resource, in turn, transmits the adaptive bit rate data stream and the non-adaptive bit rate data stream to a group of multiple subscribers that have shared access to communication link in a cable network environment.
US09485511B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding a video and a method and apparatus for decoding a video. The encoding method includes: splitting a picture of the video into one or more maximum coding units that are coding units having a maximum size; encoding the picture based on coding units according to depths which are obtained by hierarchically splitting each of the one or more maximum coding units according to depths in each of the one or more maximum coding units, determining coding units according to coded depths with respect to each of the coding units according to depths, and thus determining coding units having a tree structure; and outputting data that is encoded based on the coding units having the tree structure, information about the coded depths and an encoding mode, and coding unit structure information indicating a size and a variable depth of a coding unit.
US09485498B2
A display apparatus includes a master/slave setting unit configured to execute at least one of setting of a master apparatus which displays a switching-display synchronization signal superposed on an image as a target to be displayed and setting of a slave apparatus which does not display the switching-display synchronization signal, a synchronization-signal superposition unit configured to superpose the switching-display synchronization signal on the image as the target to be displayed, when setting of the master apparatus is executed by the master/slave setting unit, and a display unit configured to display the image on which the switching-display synchronization signal is superposed by the synchronization signal superposition unit.
US09485492B2
Methods and apparatus for coding occlusion layers, such as occlusion video data and occlusion depth data in 3D video, are disclosed. A decoding method comprising the steps of: extracting an indicator representative of an original format for received occlusion data, the original format selected from one of a sparse occlusion data format and a filled occlusion data format; arranging 2D data, which is associated with the occlusion data, at location 0 in a reference picture list; decoding the occlusion data to produce decoded occlusion data; when the indicator indicates the sparse occlusion data format for the occlusion data, filling a non-occlusion area of the occlusion data with data indicative of a defined characteristic to produce decoded occlusion data; when the indicator indicates the filled occlusion data format for the occlusion data, replacing the occlusion data in a non-occlusion area of the occlusion data with sample values from a corresponding area of associated 2D data to produce decoded occlusion data; and outputting the decoded occlusion.
US09485483B2
An image sensor includes a pixel array, a micro lens array and polarizing filters. The pixel array includes a plurality of pixels. The micro lens array is disposed on the pixel array and includes a plurality of micro lenses. The micro lens overlaps a pixel group of the pixel array. The polarizing filter is disposed on the micro lens and includes a plurality of polarizing filters having at least two different polarizing phases. Accordingly, the accuracy and the reliability of the local auto white balancing may be improved.
US09485476B2
A system can include a first transmitter unit having a first communication engine that controls a first local network, where the first transmitter unit is positioned at a first location. The system can also include a first remote device communicably coupled, using the first local network, to the first transmitter unit. The system can further include a receiver unit having a second communication engine that controls a second local network, where the receiver unit is positioned at a second location. The system can also include a smart device having an application that is communicably coupled, using the second local network, to the receiver unit. The system can further include a bridge network that wirelessly communicably couples the first transmitter unit to the receiver unit. The first local network and the second local network are wireless networks.
US09485466B2
Some embodiments provide an architecture for establishing multi-participant video conferences. This architecture has a central distributor that receives video images from two or more participants. From the received images, the central distributor generates composite images that the central distributor transmits back to the participants. Each composite image includes a set of sub images, where each sub image belongs to one participant. In some embodiments, the central distributor saves network bandwidth by removing each particular participant's image from the composite image that the central distributor sends to the particular participant. In some embodiments, images received from each participant are arranged in the composite in a non-interleaved manner. For instance, in some embodiments, the composite image includes at most one sub-image for each participant, and no two sub-images are interleaved.
US09485458B2
A data processing method and a device are provided. The method includes: sending, by a first communication device, a video communication request to a second communication device; receiving a first response identifier corresponding to the video communication request, where the first response identifier is adapted to identify that the first communication device fails to communicate with the second communication device in response to the video communication request; and collecting message information according to the first response identifier and transmitting the message information to the second communication device. The type of the message information is one of video message information, audio message information, text message information and picture message information.
US09485449B2
A method for providing Graphical User Interface (GUI) for selecting a broadcast channel, and a broadcast receiving apparatus having the same are provided. The GUI for selecting a broadcast channel includes a keypad having a pointer to be moved by manipulation of a user on a remote control apparatus and keys selectable by the pointer, and then the user is able to input a preferred broadcast channel by using the keypad and the pointer. Accordingly, the user is able to input a preferred broadcast channel without using the number keys, so the number keys may be omitted in the remote control apparatus. As a result, miniaturization of the remote control apparatus is possible.
US09485448B2
A method of receiving a broadcast signal including a Non-Real-Time (NRT) service and a broadcast receiver are disclosed herein. A method of receiving a broadcast signal including an NRT service, the method comprises receiving a broadcast signal including first signaling information and second signaling information, identifying the NRT service based on the first signaling information, parsing the second signaling information to identify an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an NRT service signaling channel, receiving the NRT service signaling channel by accessing the IP address, and downloading a desired NRT service based on the NRT service signaling channel.
US09485432B1
A method and apparatus for zooming an image by a zoom factor wherein a first image without zoom and a second image with fixed optical zoom are processed to find a mapping between low resolution patches and high resolution patches that are then used for zooming the first image if the zoom factor is less than the fixed optical zoom else the mapping between low resolution patches and high resolution patches are used for zooming the second image with fixed optical zoom.
US09485430B2
An image processing device includes a generation unit that generates a first display image on the basis of image signals from an imaging element that includes first and second pixel groups at which a subject image is pupil-divided and formed, and a second display image to be used for focus confirmation; a parallax calculation unit that calculates a parallax between pixels of a first image and pixels of a second image; a display unit that displays images; and a display control unit, wherein the generation unit generates the second display image by arranging the first divided image, which is a first image part, and the second divided image, which is the second image excluding regions corresponding to the first divided image, to be shifted by amounts corresponding to the parallax in opposing directions in an intersectional direction intersecting a division direction.
US09485429B2
A capturing device includes an image sensor that generates an image signal by performing photoelectric conversion for light from a subject, a control unit that generates a setting value for setting a range where an image resulting from the image signal is cut, based on a first instruction input from a user, a setting value storage unit that stores the setting value generated by the control unit, an image conversion unit that reads the setting value from the setting value storage unit, and cuts a specific region specified by the setting value from the image and enlarges the cut region, when there is a second instruction input from the user, and an output unit that converts a signal of the image cut and enlarged by the image conversion unit into an image signal of a predetermined format and outputs the converted image signal.
US09485423B2
Images uploaded by users of a social networking system are analyzed to determine signatures of cameras used to capture the images. A camera signature comprises features extracted from images that characterize the camera used for capturing the image, for example, faulty pixel positions in the camera and metadata available in files storing the images. Associations between users and cameras are inferred based on actions relating users with the cameras, for example, users uploading images, users being tagged in images captured with a camera, and the like. Associations between users of the social networking system related via cameras are inferred. These associations are used beneficially for the social networking system, for example, for recommending potential connections to a user, recommending events and groups to users, identifying multiple user accounts created by the same user, detecting fraudulent accounts, and determining affinity between users.
US09485418B2
An image capture accelerator performs accelerated processing of image data. In one embodiment, the image capture accelerator includes accelerator circuitry including a pre-processing engine and a compression engine. The pre-processing engine is configured to perform accelerated processing on received image data, and the compression engine is configured to compress processed image data received from the pre-processing engine. In one embodiment, the image capture accelerator further includes a demultiplexer configured to receive image data captured by an image sensor array implemented within, for example, an image sensor chip. The demultiplexer may output the received image data to an image signal processor when the image data is captured by the image sensor array in a standard capture mode, and may output the received image data to the accelerator circuitry when the image data is captured by the image sensor array in an accelerated capture mode.
US09485413B2
An imaging device includes an imaging unit that receives light coming from a subject and thus generates electronic image data; a display unit that displays an image corresponding to the image data; an angle-of-view setting unit that an angle of view to be changed for the image displayed by the display unit according to a first signal input from the outside; and a control unit that starts control of change to a predetermined angle of view set by the angle-of-view setting unit according to a second signal different from the first signal.
US09485406B2
A focus detection apparatus is arranged to obtain image data of an object obtained by an imaging unit having a pupil division unit of a photographing optical system for forming an optical image of the object, obtain setting information of a focus detection mode of the photographing optical system, set a focus detection area set into a pixel array area of the imaging unit, by dividing a predetermined area into a plurality of division areas in accordance with the focus detection mode and arranging the plurality of division areas in accordance with a different positional relation, form focus detection information by using the image data of the set focus detection area, and generate a drive signal of the photographing optical system on the basis of the focus detection information.
US09485398B2
A device to capture an image includes a camera oriented to capture a first image of a subject and a display oriented to display a second image that is viewable by the subject. A backlight is coupled to the display to provide light that passes through the display toward the subject. An image processor is coupled to the camera and the backlight to adjust an amount of light provided by the backlight responsive to a quality of the first image. The light provided by the backlight may illuminate the subject and thereby improve the quality of the first image. The image processor may further adjust the amount of light provided by the backlight responsive to an ambient light level sensed by an ambient light sensor. The image processor may further adjust the second image to adjust an amount of light that passes through the display.
US09485396B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with an image sensor, a housing disposed at coupled to an upper surface of the PCB, a holder module spaced from a bottom surface of the housing at a predetermined distance, wound with a first coil at a periphery and including thereinside at least one or more lenses, a connecting portion disposed at coupled to an upper surface of the holder module and including a conductive pattern, a plate member coupled to a bottom surface of the holder module, and a plurality of wire springs connected at one end to the connecting portion and connected at the other distal end to the plate member.
US09485394B1
Machine vision inspection devices and machine vision methods for inspecting objects, such as objects with shiny surfaces. Device embodiments include an illumination housing with a central aperture and a specialized aperture cover. Use of the claimed device embodiments to inspect objects eliminates the void (dark spot) common to known machine vision inspection methods.
US09485390B2
The method includes creating: a first table defining conversion relationship from a signal of a first standard color to which limitation of a total amount of ink is not applied into a signal of a second standard color to which the limitation is applied; a second table defining conversion relationship from the signal of the second standard color into a first expansion color signal to which the limitation is applied; a third table defining conversion relationship from a color signal in a device-independent color space corresponding to the signal of the second standard color into a color signal in a device-dependent color space; and a fourth table (color profile) defining conversion relationship from a color signal in the device-independent color space corresponding to the signal of the second standard color into a second expansion color signal in the device-dependent color space by the third and second tables.
US09485388B2
An apparatus that corrects multivalued data after halftone processing and which includes a line input unit configured to input multivalued data of a correction line to be corrected among the multivalued data, a detection unit configured to convert multivalued data of a precedent line that precedes the correction line by N lines into dot data and to detect a dot in the precedent line, and a line correction unit configured to correct the multivalued data of the correction line based on a number of linked dots from the bottom-end edge, and the number of linked detected dots is the number of dots that are linked in a sub scanning direction from the correction line down to the bottom-end edge, and the bottom-end edge is an edge at which the density becomes lower in the sub scanning direction and the lower of density values represents the background color.
US09485386B2
A method for creating a scanner profile according to the present invention includes the steps of: by reading, by a scanner, a printed material of chart image data comprising a plurality of patches which are composed of C, M, Y, K values and differentiated in color and density from each other, acquiring a first color value for the patches; acquiring a K value for the patches of the chart image data; acquiring a second color value for the patches by color-measuring the printed material by the colorimeter; and creating a scanner profile describing a relationship of the second color value to the first color value and the K value, based on the acquired first color value, K value, and second color value for each of the plurality of patches.
US09485382B2
A light guide having: a splitting section dividing light derived from a light source into at least two beams of light; and at least two light guiding sections causing the light from the splitting section to propagate in a predetermined length direction, the light guiding sections being arranged side by side in a predetermined width direction with the splitting section disposed therebetween, wherein the light guiding section includes: a reflective section reflecting the light, the reflective section being provided along the length direction; and an emission surface emitting the light reflected by the reflective section as a linear beam of light, the emission surface being positioned opposite to the reflective section, and a cross section of the splitting section perpendicular to the length direction decreases in dimensions both in the width direction and a height direction.
US09485376B2
Conventionally, during a copy operation, certain advanced mode settings make the extraction of additional security information impossible. In order to solve this problem, the print control apparatus includes: determining unit for determining an interval between a pattern element and a pattern element adjacent to the pattern element from the received image data; and control unit for performing a control so as to scale the image at a magnification specified by a user and have the scaled image printed by a printing apparatus when the product of the magnification specified by the user and the interval determined by the determining unit falls within a predetermined range, and configured to terminate or interrupt the printing of the image by the printing apparatus when the product of the magnification specified by the user and the interval determined by the determining unit does not fall within the predetermined range.
US09485375B2
An imaging device includes: an imaging unit that captures page images; an operation unit configured to receives a command from outside to select a left page imaging mode in which left page images among the page images are sequentially captured in accordance with page turning, and a command from outside to select a right page imaging mode in which right page images among the page images are sequentially captured in accordance with page turning; a control unit that causes the imaging unit to perform imaging of the page images that correspond to the imaging mode selected via the operation unit; and an output unit that outputs the page images captured by the imaging unit.
US09485371B2
An information processing apparatus includes: a storage configured to store an external program for determining print data; a network interface performing wireless communication with an image recording apparatus, and a controller configured to execute: acquisition processing of acquiring the determined print data and program identifying information of the external program from the external program; readout processing of, when the first setting value associated with the acquired program identifying information is stored in the storage, reading out the first setting value; preview display processing of generating a preview image according to the first setting value and displaying the preview image; first reception processing of receiving a first touch operation of instructing execution of the recording processing; and output processing of, when the first touch operation is received, transmitting, to the image recording apparatus through the network interface, recording instruction information.
US09485360B2
A system and method for handling a call made to a contact center after a prior call from the same caller was disconnected. In exemplary embodiments, a caller who was connected to an agent during the previous call may be placed in a routing path for the same agent, a caller who had provided information to the system during the previous call may not be required to provide the information again, and a caller who was in a routing path waiting for an agent may be placed ahead of other callers who have spent less time in the routing path.
US09485359B2
A call handling platform receives a call placed by a caller, collects data points based on the caller's interaction with an interactive voice response module, and computes an experience score for the caller using the data points. The call handling platform compares the experience score to a predetermined first threshold that indicates a first level of caller satisfaction. The call handling platform determines whether an option is enabled for recording screen captures of a display screen coupled to a machine used by a human agent. Upon determining that the caller has a lower level of satisfaction than the first level of satisfaction, the call handling platform routes the call to a human agent. Based on determining that the option for recording screen captures is enabled, the call handling platform initiates recording of screen captures of a display screen coupled to a machine used by the human agent.
US09485355B2
A communication device and method for providing an automatically initiated outgoing communication as an incoming communication are provided. Outgoing communication is automatically initiated via a communication interface of the communication device. After the outgoing communication is initiated, an indication of the outgoing communication is provided at the communication device, such that the outgoing communication is provided as an incoming communication at the communication device.
US09485354B1
Identifying call features and associations to detect call traffic pumping and take corrective action
A system and method for monitoring telephone calls to detect call traffic pumping activity and take corrective action is described. The system receives a group of training telephone calls having associated call audio content and associated information, and the system analyzes the training telephone calls to generate and store a classification model that correlates call features and associations with a probability of call traffic pumping activity. The system receives a subsequent monitored telephone call to be analyzed. The system analyzes the monitored telephone call to identify features present in the audio content of the monitored telephone call and other associated information. The system then compares the features and associated information to the stored classification model in order to determine a probability that the monitored telephone call is associated with call traffic pumping activity. If the assessed probability of call traffic pumping activity exceeds a threshold, the system takes appropriate corrective action, such as terminating or flagging the monitored call.
US09485353B2
The present invention refers to a method and device for detecting a bridged tap within a telecommunication line. In order to reliably detect bridged taps of different types, in particular wire pair bridged taps and single wire bridged taps, and/or to determine a type of each detected bridged tap the method includes determining first transfer function data that characterize an actual transfer function of the telecommunication line; detecting the bridged tap depending on the first transfer function data; simulating the telecommunication line based on a result of the detecting; and identifying the type of the bridged tap by comparing results of the simulating with the first transfer function data.
US09485352B2
A system and method for recording analog signals exchanged between a telephone device and a VoIP device, capturing packets exchanged between the VoIP device and an IP network, determining analog time values corresponding to analog characteristics of the analog signals, determining digital time values corresponding to digital characteristics of the packets, determining a common reference time for the analog time values and digital time values and determining a processing delay based on the analog time values and the digital time values.
US09485345B2
Improved methods for utilizing 911 services, for implementing 911 dispatch protocols, and for measuring vital signs of a human, all by accessing mobile phone sensors and applications, are disclosed. Vital signs such as heart rate, breathing rate, breathing distress, and blood pressure can be measured using mobile phone sensors and applications. A method for differential estimation of blood pressure involves the synchronization of time between two mobile phones, locating an appropriate position for one cell phone and recording heart sounds, and recording video data from the finger tip of the subject using the other mobile phone.
US09485343B2
Apparatus and methods are described herein for sorting messages sent and received, for example in a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN), according to whether the receiving device is within a radially defined region of space. The space may be defined by one or more parameters set by the sending device. A wireless PAN may define the range of peer-to-peer transmission and reception of radio waves between at least two wireless devices. Location and orientation information may be transmitted by a communication device and combined with user and/or software defined boundary limits to filter short range wireless messages.
US09485338B2
An accessory unit for use with an electronic device is described. Accessory unit includes a front flap and a rear cover. The rear cover includes a recessed portion that defines a chamber and a lip portion. The chamber is configured to receive a consumer electronic device, and the lip portion is configured to hold the consumer electronic device therein by an interference fit that exposes substantially all of a display portion of the consumer electronic product. The front flap can include segments formed from panels with folding regions therebetween, which allow the front flap to fold. Further, an end region of the front flap pivotally couples the front flap to the rear cover, such that the front flap may be moved between open and closed configurations. The front may include magnetic elements.
US09485331B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a program switching method, apparatus, and media server. A content identifier of a target program is obtained directly, and a message for triggering a media server to transmit data is sent to the media server, so that the media server switches a time-shifted program. In the process of switching the time-shifted program, no signaling for tearing down and reestablishing a communication connection and media transmission channel is generated. The technical solution provided by embodiments of the present invention solves the problem in the prior art that a lot of signaling interactions and a long switching time are needed during the switching of a time-shifted program, thereby reducing the switching time of the time-shifted program, improving switching efficiency, and improving user experience.
US09485330B2
A browser operation and control method is provided for a server and a client having a browser. The server receives a query request message from the client, and the query request message contains a character string converted by the client from voice information inputted by a user of the client. The server obtains control information for operating the browser based on the character string in the query request message, and the control information indicating one of a plurality results provided by the server including a direct URL based on the character string, a direct operation command based on the character string, and a search result page based on the character string. The server sends a query response message containing the control information to the client such that the client operates the browser based on the control information in response to the voice information inputted by the user.
US09485329B1
The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a method that includes providing instructions to an administrative device for presenting an administrative interface. The administrative interface includes user input controls for selecting conditions for inclusion of content in a section of a user interface. The method includes receiving one or more selections of the user input controls. The selections include the conditions for inclusion of content in the section of the user interface. The conditions include types of actions requested by an account associated with the user interface. The method includes receiving a request for the user interface from a client device. The method includes selecting a subset of the content for inclusion in the section of the user interface based on the conditions and the type of action. The method includes providing instructions to the client device for presenting the user interface.
US09485326B1
A method includes receiving a plurality of requests, determining a plurality of first bank identifiers specifying respective physical memory banks, and selecting, based at least on the first bank identifiers, a first set of requests to be processed according to a scheduling hierarchy. Selecting the first set of requests includes prohibiting any two requests from being associated with a same first bank identifier. The method also includes processing, during a single processing cycle, ones of the first set of requests at respective nodes within a single level of the scheduling hierarchy. The method also includes, responsively at least to processing ones of the first set of requests at respective nodes within the single level of the scheduling hierarchy, selecting a queue, and, responsively at least to selecting the queue, causing one or more packets corresponding to a traffic class associated with the queue to be sent to an egress port.
US09485324B2
A broker may be used as an intermediary to exchange messages between producers and consumers. The broker may store and dispatch messages from a physical queue stored in a persistent memory. More specifically, the broker may enqueue messages to the physical queue that are received from producers and may dispatch messages from the physical queue to interested consumers. The broker may further utilize one or more logical queues stored in transient memory to track the status of the messages stored in persistent memory. As messages are dispatched to and acknowledged by interested consumers, the broker deletes acknowledged messages from the physical queue. The messages deleted are those preceding a physical ACKlevel pointer that specifies the first non-acknowledged message in the physical queue. The physical ACKlevel pointer is advanced in the physical queue based on the relative position of corresponding logical ACKlevel pointers maintained by the logical queues.
US09485315B2
A method and system for generating and displaying a customized activity stream are provided. The method includes receiving a query from a client node; receiving at least one user-related parameter and at least one client node-related parameters; receiving unstructured data collected from a plurality of data sources; generating a plurality of contextual activity streams respective of the received unstructured data and the received query; generating a customized singular activity stream respective of the at least one user-related parameter and the at least one client node-related parameter, wherein the customized singular activity stream include a plurality of data items from one or more of the plurality of contextual activity streams; and causing a display of the customized singular activity stream over the client node.
US09485308B2
Examples described herein include a data migration system for migrating data between different data storage environments. The data migration system creates a first volume on a first storage system, and creates a logical unit within the first volume. The data migration system then creates a virtual volume on a virtual storage system associated with a second storage system, wherein data stored in the virtual volume is backed by the logical unit on the first storage system. The data migration system then replicates, on the virtual volume, a set of data stored on the second storage system. Upon replicating the set of data onto the virtual volume the virtual storage system may automatically create a copy of the corresponding data in the logical unit of the first volume.
US09485300B2
Methods and apparatus for managing file distribution between publishing and subscribing devices are provided. At a transporter system, a publish request for publishing a version of the dataset is received from a publisher device, wherein the publish request has a predefined format that includes an identity of the dataset, an identity of the version of the dataset, and an identity of a location for the version of the dataset. The transporter system updates a registry to associate the dataset with the identity of the dataset, version, and location, and the transporter system automatically publishes the dataset to any subscribers devices that have previously sent subscribe requests for such dataset to the transporter system.
US09485299B2
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a gateway for delivering scalable media files from a web server to a client in a manner that allows dynamic thinning. The gateway includes a control module for receiving a request for a scalable media file, forwarding the request to a web server, receiving the scalable media file from the web server using a first protocol, transmitting a redirect message to the client, and receiving a streaming request from the client in response; a packet processor for packetizing the scalable media file to produce raw scalable media packets; an encapsulation module for encapsulating the raw scalable media packets using a second protocol to produce encapsulated scalable media packets; and an output module for streaming the encapsulated scalable media packets to the client in response to the streaming request. The gateway may also include a module for thinning the raw scalable media packets prior to encapsulation.
US09485286B1
A sharing service receives a request to store a media item stored on an electronic book reader device for sharing with one or more other content rendering devices. In response, the sharing service associates a pass phrase with the request. The sharing service then provides the media item to those devices (e.g., eBook reader devices) that provide the pass phrase to the sharing service within a predetermined amount of time.
US09485285B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for assisting the authoring of posts to an asymmetric social network. In one aspect, a method performed by a system of one or more data processing devices includes receiving, at the system, an identification of an electronic document that is available on the Internet, the system identifying image content in the electronic document, the system filtering the identified image content, the system triggering presentation of the filtered image content to an author of a post to an asymmetric social network, the system receiving a selection of a first image from amongst the presented image content, and the system adding the first image to a post to the asymmetric social network.
US09485281B2
A SOAP-SIP adapter 2 establishes a session with the terminals 5b and 5c in accordance with a SIP. At this time, the SOAP-SIP adapter 2 sends an INVITE message including its own IP address and port number to the terminals 5b and 5c. Each terminal 5b, 5c sends a 200 OK including its own IP address and port number to the SOAP-SIP adapter 2. The SOAP-SIP adapter 2 stores correspondingly the IP address and port number of each terminal 5b, 5c in a memory. The SOAP-SIP adapter 2 transfers a media stream received from each terminal 5b, 5c to the destination of the corresponding IP address and port number by referring to the memory. Also, a pseudo RBT is sent to the terminal A5b from establishing the session with the terminal A5b till establishing the session with the terminal B5c to prevent a silent state.
US09485278B2
A device may include an interface to send authentication information to a plug-in, where the authentication information is related to a client device. The interface may send a policy identifier to the plug-in, where the policy identifier identifies a policy, and may receive a policy result from the plug-in, where the policy result is produced using the authentication information and a policy requirement identified by the policy identifier, and where the policy result identifies whether the client device complies with the policy.
US09485274B2
Systems, methods, and computer storage media for traffic segmentation in prevention of DDoS attacks are provided. Data associated with one or more users of a particular service or network is collected. Properties associated with the data are identified. In embodiments, the properties are shared with one or more related services. One or more requests are received for the service or related services. The legitimacy of the one or more requests is predicted.
US09485272B1
The disclosed computer-implemented method for estimating confidence scores of unverified signatures may include (1) detecting a potentially malicious event that triggers a malware signature whose confidence score is above a certain threshold, (2) detecting another event that triggers another signature whose confidence score is unknown, (3) determining that the potentially malicious event and the other event occurred within a certain time period of one another, and then (4) assigning, to the other signature, a confidence score based at least in part on the potentially malicious event and the other event occurring within the certain time period of one another. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09485257B2
Embodiments described herein provide techniques for atomically updating a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM)-based access control list (ACL). According to one embodiment, a current version bit of the ACL is determined. The current version bit indicates that a rule in the ACL is active is the version flag in the rule matches the current version bit. Through these techniques, a first set of rules can be modified to create a second set of rules (e.g., by insertions, deletions, and replacements, etc.).
US09485252B2
Apparatuses, methods and systems for virtualizing a reprogrammable universal integrated circuit chip
Apparatuses, methods, and systems are provided for virtualizing a reprogrammable universal integrated circuit chip (UICC) in a connected device's operating system. In one embodiment, an integrated cellular modem in the connected device is configured to use a simple protocol to communicate with the reprogrammable UICC. The protocol may be implemented in a way that allows cellular modem vendors to easily support such functionality and allow original equipment manufacturers to upgrade connected devices already deployed in the field.
US09485251B2
A method of authenticating users to reduce transaction risks includes indicating a desire to conduct a transaction and determining whether the transaction requires access to protected resources. Moreover, the method determines whether inputted information is known, determines a state of a communications device when the inputted information is known, and transmits a biometric authentication request from a server to an authentication system when the state of the communications device is enrolled. Additionally, the method includes validating the communications device, capturing biometric authentication data in accordance with a biometric authentication data capture request with the communications device, biometrically authenticating the user, generating a one-time pass-phrase and storing the one-time pass-phrase on the authentication system when the user is authenticated, comparing the transmitted one-time pass-phrase against the stored one-time pass-phrase, and granting access to the protected resources when the transmitted and stored one-time pass-phrases match.
US09485249B2
A computer, such as a Windows-based PC (10), has associated with it a Subscriber Identity Module (or SIM) (12), such as of the type used in a GSM cellular telephone system. The SIM (12) can be authenticated by the telephone network (16), in the same way as for authenticating SIMs of telephone handset users in the network, and can in this way authenticate the user of the PC (10) or the PC (10) itself. Such authentication can, for example, permit use of the PC (10) in relation to a particular application (22) which is released to the PC (10) after the authentication is satisfactorily completed. The application may be released to the PC (10) by a third party after and in response to the satisfactory completion of the authentication process. A charge for the session can be debited to the user by the telecommunications network and then passed on to the third party.
US09485243B2
A master beacon device emits a data packet that is received and retransmitted by servant beacon devices in a wireless mesh network that enables the beacon devices to detect the received signal strength indicator (“RSSI”) of beacon devices in proximity. Each servant beacon device transmits survey data packets comprising the RSSIs and hardware identifiers of proximate beacon devices to the master beacon device, which constructs a first virtual map of the mesh network. At a later time, each servant beacon device transmits authentication data packets, which are retransmitted, each retransmitting beacon inserting an RSSI and hardware identifier of the beacon device from which the authentication data packet was received, until they reach the master beacon device, which constructs a second virtual map of the mesh network. The master beacon device compares the first virtual map to the second virtual map to determine if the network is secure.
US09485242B2
In order to prevent unauthorized access to information, a system may analyze and may selectively store the information provided based on requests from users that are not unauthorized to access the information. In particular, the system may receive a request for information associated with a document (such as a web page) from an authorized user, either in real-time (i.e., during live or online operation of the system) or offline (in which case the system may operate as a proxy for a live feed of requests). In response, the system may provide or replay the request, but may include the credentials of an unauthorized user. Then, the system may analyze the response to the request to determine if the response is substantive (i.e., includes information). If yes, the system may store the response for use in subsequent analysis and to guide remedial action.
US09485239B2
Leveraging an established authenticated session in obtaining authentication to a client application includes receiving a request for access to a client application requiring authentication of a requestor and determining whether there exist characteristics of leverageable authentications corresponding to established sessions having an authenticated state at a time of the determination. When the determination reveals characteristics of at least one leverageable authentication corresponding to an established session, and attempt is made to obtain access for the requestor to the client application based on the at least one leverageable authentication, and the requestor is provided with a notification related to the 1 attempt to obtain access for the requestor to the client application.
US09485237B1
Disclosed are various embodiments that perform confidence-based authentication of a user. An identification of a user account is obtained from a user, and a minimum confidence threshold is determined. Multiple authentication challenges are presented to the user. Responses are obtained from the user to a subset of the challenges, with each response having a corresponding authentication point value. A confidence score is generated for the user, where the confidence score is increased by the respective authentication point values of the correct responses. The user is authenticated as being associated with the user account in response to determining that the confidence score meets the minimum confidence threshold.
US09485226B2
A method of performing a cryptographic operation using a cryptographic implementation in a cryptographic system, including: receiving, by the cryptographic system, an identifying string value; receiving, by the cryptographic system, an input message; performing, by the cryptographic system, a keyed cryptographic operation mapping the input message into an output message wherein the output message is the correct result when the identifying string value equals a binding string value.
US09485225B2
A method is provided for defining a filtering module between a first module processing information with a first sensitivity level, and a second module processing information with a second sensitivity level connected, in parallel with the filtering module, by a cryptographic module. The method includes defining a set of filtering rules in a language that can be compiled, defining the properties of messages whereof transmission is allowed between the first and second modules; validation processing the predefined set of rules, validating that a transmission authorization or refusal has in fact been provided by applying the set of rules to any information that may be provided at the input of the filtering module; compiling the predefined set of rules; and integrating the compiled set of rules into a rules database of the filtering module.
US09485221B2
Programmable devices selectively allocate file content portions between cloud and secured hardware device storage mediums. A confidential portion of a first file is stored as a second file on a first device, and a remainder portion of content of the first file that is different from the confidential portion and is not designated as confidential is stored on a cloud storage system. A uniform resource indicator is generated that includes a routing identifier to the first device, and a section routing identifier to the second file stored on the first device. A revised version of the first file is stored to the cloud storage system wherein the confidential portion of the first file is replaced with the generated uniform resource indicator within the revised version of the first file at a location of the confidential portion within the content of the first file.
US09485212B1
A method for managing computer based messaging involves monitoring messages transmitted within a messaging system over time; identifying related messages; and automatically analyzing the related messages using natural language analytics. The analyzing is based upon: subject of, sentiment within, and context of, each of the related messages, and frequency of transmittals of the related messages. The analyzing involves assigning at least: a first value based upon sentiment, a second value based upon content, and a third value based upon frequency, and calculating a score for the related messages as a function of the first value, second value and third value, comparing the score to a pre-specified threshold value; and when the score exceeds the pre-specified threshold value, automatically generating and issuing at least one of: (i) a summary of the related messages, (ii) a timing based notification message, or (iii) a content-based notification regarding a score inflection point.
US09485207B2
Embodiments related to a message processing system are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a computing system may include receiver logic to receive a message addressed to a user; analysis logic to determine whether a message collection, including the received message, has a common theme (e.g., a common sender or common content); modality logic to identify a messaging modality associated with each of the messages in the message collection; criteria logic to determine whether the message collection satisfies modality criteria (e.g., the messages represent at least two different messaging modalities); and notification logic to provide a notification of the message collection in response to determining that the message collection has a common theme and satisfies the modality criteria. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
US09485205B2
A method, system and computer program product are disclosed for user initiated rule based restrictions on sending messages from a sender to a receiver in a communications network. The receiver establishes a set of rules for the sender that allows the sender a limited number of defined messages events with the receiver. The defined message events may be messages or message sessions. When the sender attempts to send a message to the receiver, it is determined whether a message session currently exists between the sender and the receiver. If a current session exists, the rules set by the receiver are used to determine if the message is allowed to be sent to the receiver. If a session does not currently exist, the rules are used to determine whether a new session is allowed. If a new message session is allowed, a new session is established, and the message is sent to the receiver during the new session.
US09485203B2
A method and system for attaching a scan to an email reply utilizing a mobile communications device and any standard email client. A scan-to-email attachment module can be configured in association with the mobile communications device. A contact address can be added to a list of email contacts available via the mobile communications device. The contact address can be added by the user to a reply-to email as an additional address utilizing the mobile communications device so that a scan document can be sent as an attachment to an email address listed in the reply-to email. A server monitoring the contact address can be polled by the scan-to-email attachment module and a scan request initiated with respect to a scanner. An email client on the mobile communications device sends the scan document as an attachment to an email address listed in the reply-to email composed by the user. A fresh email can also be composed and the contact address can be added so that the email containing the scan document can be sent to the recipients.
US09485200B2
Described embodiments process data packets received by a network switch coupled to an external buffering device. The network switch determines a queue of an internal buffer of the network switch associated with a flow of the received packet and determines whether the received packet should be forwarded to the external buffering device. If the received packet should be forwarded to the external buffering device, the network switch sets an external buffering active indicator indicating that the network switch is in an external buffering mode for the flow, tags the received packet with metadata, and forwards the packet to the external buffering device. The external buffering device stores the forwarded packet in a queue of a memory of the external buffering device corresponding to the tagged metadata of the forwarded packet. The network switch processes packets stored in the internal buffer of the network switch.
US09485196B1
In general, techniques are described for steering data traffic for a subscriber session from a network interface of a wireless access gateway to an anchoring one of a plurality of forwarding units of the wireless access gateway using a layer 2 (L2) address of the data traffic. For example, a wireless access gateway for a wireless local area network (WLAN) access network is described as having a decentralized data plane that includes multiple forwarding units for implementing subscriber sessions. Each forwarding unit may present a network interface for sending and receiving network packets and includes packet processing capabilities to enable subscriber data packet processing to perform the functionality of the wireless access gateway. The techniques enable steering data traffic for a given subscriber session to a particular one of the forwarding units of the wireless access gateway using an L2 address of the data traffic.
US09485194B2
Access switches in a switching system may use virtual aggregated links. When a link between an aggregation switch and an access switch fails, the link failure may be reflected in the virtual aggregated link and data traffic to another access switch may be switched away from the failed switch. A forwarding table in the access switch stores a number of entries that each define a correspondence between destination addresses and an output identifier for the switch. At least a first output identifier includes an aggregated link that represents a first set of possible output links. At least a second output identifier includes a virtual aggregated link, associated with a second network switch that represents a second set of possible output links. Destination addresses in the forwarding table for the virtual aggregated link correspond to network devices connected to the second network switch.
US09485178B2
In general, in one aspect, the disclosures describes a method that includes receiving multiple ingress Internet Protocol packets, each of the multiple ingress Internet Protocol packets having an Internet Protocol header and a Transmission Control Protocol segment having a Transmission Control Protocol header and a Transmission Control Protocol payload, where the multiple packets belonging to a same Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol flow. The method also includes preparing an Internet Protocol packet having a single Internet Protocol header and a single Transmission Control Protocol segment having a single Transmission Control Protocol header and a single payload formed by a combination of the Transmission Control Protocol segment payloads of the multiple Internet Protocol packets. The method further includes generating a signal that causes receive processing of the Internet Protocol packet.
US09485165B2
According to another embodiment of the invention, TWAMP path discovery is performed to determine a sequence of IP addresses of a forward direction TWAMP E2E path to be traversed by two different TWAMP test sessions between a Sender and a Reflector. Then, additional TWAMP test request packets are transmitted for the different TWAMP test sessions; and TWAMP test reply messages are received responsive to respective ones of the TWAMP test request packets. Responsive to the TWAMP test reply messages, a PM is determined that is specific to the different sequences of IP addresses of the forward direction TWAMP E2E paths traversed by the two different TWAMP test sessions.
US09485164B2
Various embodiments of the present invention relating to a subscriber fairness solution are disclosed. The subscriber fairness solution contemplates a variety of improved techniques for using a flow-based statistical collection mechanism to monitor subscriber usage across various attributes (e.g., subscriber byte count, flow count, etc.) and maintain subscriber usage information for different time frames. In embodiments, the subscriber fairness solution includes a detection phase and a mitigation phase. In the detection phase, “outliers,” or subscribers who are using more than their fair share of network resources, are identified. In the mitigation phase, appropriate action is taken to resolve the constraints on the network resources, caused by these outliers. The subscriber fairness solution may be embodied in hardware, software, or a composite approach of both hardware and software.
US09485163B1
As disclosed herein a method, executed by a computer, includes determining, by a processor, that a first node of a HA cluster is unable to communicate with a second node of the HA cluster, and initiating, by a processor, by the first node, a handshake operation with a connected client, wherein the handshake operation comprises requesting that the client determine a status of the second node and receiving, from the client, a response indicating the status of the second node. The method further includes accepting, by a processor, new requests in response to determining that the second node is unavailable, and requesting, by a processor, restoration of communications between the first node and the second node in response to determining that the second node is available. A computer system and computer program product corresponding to the above method are also disclosed herein.
US09485162B2
The disclosure provides a method for measuring a frame loss ratio. A first end acquires a frame number of a received current measurement reply frame and a frame number of a received previous measurement reply frame, and judges whether the difference between the frame number of the current measurement reply frame and the frame number of the previous measurement reply frame is 1; if the difference is 1, the first end calculates the frame loss ratio according to count information carried in the current measurement reply frame and the previous measurement reply frame; and if the difference is greater than 1, the first end calculates the frame loss ratio according to the count information carried in the current measurement reply frame and the previous measurement reply frame and the difference.
US09485157B2
In one embodiment, a network node provides a time slotted channel hopping (TSCH) schedule to one or more child nodes of the network node. The TSCH schedule includes one or more mandatory routing protocol report time slots. The network node receives routing protocol reports from the one or more child nodes according to the TSCH schedule. The network node aggregates the received routing protocol reports into an aggregated routing protocol report. The network node provides the aggregated routing protocol report to a parent of the network node during a time slot that is subsequent to the one or more mandatory time slots for the one or more child nodes.
US09485155B2
A device includes a memory, flow table logic, sampling logic, and a processing unit. The memory is configured to store a flow table that stores, as a number of entries, statistics regarding a number of data flows. The flow table logic is configured to generate records corresponding to data flows for which entries are created in the flow table or removed from the flow table. The sampling logic is configured to select one of the data flows for sampling and sample initial data units for the one of the data flows. The processing unit is configured to receive the records generated by the flow table logic, receive the initial data units sampled by the sampling logic, analyze the initial data units to generate analysis results, correlate the records and the analysis results associated with a same one of the data flows, and store the correlated records and analysis results.
US09485148B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch system. The switch includes a port to couple to a second switch and a control mechanism configured. During operation, the control mechanism receives from the second switch a set of configuration information. Based on the received configuration information, the control mechanism invites the second switch to join a virtual cluster switch.
US09485147B2
A virtual network auto-discovery and auto-configuration method and device thereof are provided. The method includes a tenant end system automatically discovering network virtualization edges (NVEs), the NVE initiating a VN identity authentication of the tenant end system, and the NVE automatically configuring a VN forwarding table of the VN after the tenant end system passes the VN identity authentication. The method and device solve the technical problem that virtual network configuration efficiency is low due to manually configuring the virtual network, and achieve the technical effect of improving the virtual network configuration efficiency.
US09485135B1
An example method includes selecting, by a network device, a remote LFA next hop as an alternate next hop for forwarding network traffic from the network device to a destination, wherein the selected remote LFA next hop provides node protection to a primary next hop node on the shortest path from the network device to the destination. The method includes, for each candidate remote LFA next hop, performing a forward shortest path first (SPF) computation having the respective candidate remote LFA next hop as a root to compute a path segment between the respective candidate remote LFA next hop and the destination, wherein each of the candidate remote LFA next hops is the egress of a respective potential repair tunnel between the network device and candidate remote LFA next hop, and selecting the remote LFA next hop based at least in part on the computed path segments.
US09485134B2
A method, system and computer program product for managing system management agent configurations which include agent system management programs and program parameters in a distributed environment. A configuration management server sends upon request from the agents installed on the distributed system a description of their configuration. To this effect, the configuration management server maintains a database storing the agent configuration information, this database being usually updated by a system management administrator. The agents get from the server the list of peer distributed systems having the same agent configuration and their configuration from one distributed system of the list or obtain an agent configuration directly from the configuration management server if the peer distributed systems have modified their configuration. The agents advise the system management server when a new configuration has been installed.
US09485126B2
A method and apparatus for producing a transmission of constant envelope on a carrier signal. All possible combinations of all component codes for phases for producing the transmission are defined. Desired component code powers and desired intercode phases between all pairs of component codes are also defined. Still further, a portion of variables of a search process to reduce a number of variables searched by the search process is defined. Even further, deltas and weight variations for standard differences in a Jacobian matrix for use in the search process are defined. Penalty factors to evaluate an objective function of the search process are also defined. The search process is performed.
US09485119B1
The present invention is directed to data communication. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide an offset correction technique for a SERDES system. A CTLE module for receiving input data signal is set to an isolation mode, and one or more sense amplifiers perform data sampling asynchronously during the isolation mode. During the isolation mode, CLTE(s) that are not directly connected to the sense amplifiers are shut. Data sampled during the isolation mode are used to determine an offset value that is later used in normal operation of the SERDES system. There are other embodiments as well.
US09485112B2
A home control gateway and a gateway control method are provided. The home control gateway includes a gateway management module, a storage module, and first and second communication circuits. The gateway management module includes a plurality of switches and a user interface for controlling the switches. The first communication circuit receives an incoming called-signal via a mobile phone network. The gateway management module opens a first switch when an incoming called-number corresponding to the incoming called-signal is identical to a pre-stored phone number in the storage module. The second communication circuit receives a connection request for accessing the user interface and instructing to open a second switch via a local area network, where the gateway management module opens the second switch in response to the connection request. The gateway management module activates a home control function corresponding to the second switch when the first and second switches are both opened.
US09485109B2
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus may be a UE. The UE monitors a first component carrier and at least one second component carrier of a plurality of aggregated component carriers for a service and configuration information associated with the service. The UE receives the service concurrently via the first component carrier and the at least one second component carrier. At least one of the first component carrier or the at least one second component carrier carries the service via broadcast.
US09485102B2
A close-range mutual authentication system is described. A method may comprise receiving encoded connection information at a close-range input device of a client mode electronic device from a server mode electronic device; decoding the encoded connection information into one or more connection elements; establishing a communication connection with the server mode electronic device utilizing the connection elements; receiving authentication information at the client mode electronic device via the communication connection; authenticating the server mode electronic device to the client mode electronic device utilizing the authentication information; and generating one or more authentication elements responsive to authentication of the server mode electronic device for presentation via a close-range output device of the client mode electronic device, the one or more authentication elements configured to confirm authentication of the client mode electronic device to the server mode electronic device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09485097B2
There is provided an electronic pen device configured to be used with a remote secure server for registering handwritten signatures, the secure server comprising an authentication database storing authentication information in connection with pre-registered users and a signature registration database for registering handwritten signatures, the electronic pen device comprising: an input/output (I/O) interface; a memory; a tip and capturing means connected thereto for capturing handwritten signatures; a network interface adapted to be connected to a data network, and a processing unit connected to the I/O interface, to the capturing means, to the memory and to the network interface. As another aspect of the invention, there is further provided a system for registering handwritten signatures. As another another aspect of the invention, there is further provided a method of authenticating handwritten signatures. As a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of signing a document by a plurality of contracting user. As a further further aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic pen device configured to be used with a remote server for archiving handwritten information.
US09485095B2
Client control may be provided. First, content may be encrypted using an actual key. Then an identifier corresponding to a client device may be received and a transformation may be performed on the actual key and the identifier to produce a transmitted key. The transmitted key and the encrypted content may then be sent to the client device where it may be received. The client device may then receive the identifier corresponding to the client device and perform a reverse transformation on the transmitted key using the identifier to produce the actual key. The content may then be decrypted with the actual key.
US09485094B1
Various embodiments of the invention allow to take advantage of the natural statistical variation of physical properties in a semiconductor device in order to create truly random, repeatable, and hard to detect cryptographic bits. In certain embodiments, this is accomplished by pairing mismatch values of PUF elements so as to ensure that PUF key bits generated thereform remain insensitive to environmental errors, without affecting the utilization rate of available PUF elements.
US09485093B2
Systems, methods, and devices for pairing devices in a wired network are provided. One method includes receiving configuration request signals at multiple devices. The method further includes exchanging public keys between two devices, generating a shared key using the public keys, determining a protected channel key using the shared key, and establishing a protected channel between the devices using the protected channel key. The method further includes transferring privacy credentials from one device to the other using the protected channel and using the privacy credentials to pair another device to the network.
US09485092B2
A transaction device for establishing a shared secret with a point of interaction (POI) over a communications network to enable encrypted communications between the transaction device and the point of interaction, the device comprising: an input arranged to receive communications from the point of interaction; a processor arranged to generate a first communication according to a Diffie-Hellman protocol; an output arranged to send the first communication to the point of interaction; wherein the processor is arranged to apply a randomly generated blinding factor, r, when generating the first communication and wherein, in response to receiving a second communication from the point of interaction at the input, the second communication having been generated according to the Diffie-Hellman protocol, the processor is arranged to apply the randomly generated blinding factor and generate a shared secret according to the Diffie-Hellman protocol in dependence on data contained within the second communication.
US09485080B1
Methods, apparatus, and systems for clock calibration are disclosed. A method for clock data recovery circuit calibration includes configuring a first clock recovery circuit to provide a clock signal that has a first frequency and that includes a single pulse for each symbol transmitted on a 3-wire, 3-phase interface, and calibrating the first clock recovery circuit by incrementally increasing a delay period provided by a delay element of the first clock recovery circuit until the clock signal provided by the first clock recovery circuit has a frequency that is less than the first frequency and, when the first clock recovery circuit has a frequency that is less than the first frequency, incrementally decreasing the delay period provided by the delay element of the first clock recovery circuit until the clock signal provided by the first clock recovery circuit has a frequency that matches the first frequency.
US09485079B2
A frequency divider comprises a signal generation stage arranged to employ a clock at a clock frequency to provide a first reference signal and a second reference signal, the second reference signal corresponding to the first reference signal delayed by half a period of the clock signal. A synchronization stage is arranged to generate an output signal having an output frequency divided from the clock frequency by switching between the first reference signal and the second reference signal once per cycle of the output signal.
US09485062B2
A method for configuring communication in a wireless communication system includes obtaining, at a first network node, information indicating a plurality of candidate subframes for downlink transmissions to a wireless communication device in a first cell served by the first network node. Each candidate subframe satisfies a candidate condition that relates to transmissions in a second cell during that subframe. The method also includes determining, based on the obtained information, a number of copies of an uplink transmission a wireless communication device should transmit in consecutive uplink subframes so that a downlink transmission related to the uplink transmission will occur during one of the candidate subframes. Additionally, the method includes configuring the wireless communication device to transmit the determined number of copies of the uplink transmission in consecutive subframes.
US09485049B2
An optical system may include optical transmitters to provide respective optical signals. Each of the respective optical signals may provide one or more carriers in an optical channel. The optical channel may include multiple carriers associated with the respective optical signals. First and second carriers, of the multiple carriers, may have a particular carrier space width. The particular carrier space width may include a frequency error associated with one or more optical signals of the respective optical signals. The optical system may include a control system to determine the frequency error and cause one or more of the optical transmitters to adjust the particular carrier space width based on the adjusted frequency error.
US09485042B2
A transmitting and receiving apparatus and method for separating multiple broadcast signals from each other in a terrestrial cloud broadcast system are provided. A terrestrial cloud broadcast signal transmitting apparatus may include a plurality of transmitters for transmitting a plurality of terrestrial cloud broadcast signals, wherein each of the plurality of transmitters includes, an encoder encoding input data to generate a code word and a scrambler scrambling the generated code word using a scramble sequence uniquely allocated for each transmitter so that the plurality of terrestrial cloud broadcast signals are distinguished from each other.
US09485033B2
Signal processing means includes carrier compensation means for compensating for a phase difference and a frequency difference between signal light and local light in relation to two polarization signals, so as to generate two carrier compensated signals, symbol determination means for demodulating the two carrier compensated signals on the basis of a signal arrangement of multi-value modulation, symbol rough-determination means for demodulating the two carrier compensated signals on the basis of a signal arrangement in which the number of multi-values of the multi-value modulation is reduced, selection means for selecting either of an output of the symbol determination means and an output of the symbol rough-determination means, and coefficient setting means for updating filter coefficients of polarized wave separation means by using an output selected by the selection means.
US09485028B2
An optical transmitter has a modulator for modulating data onto an optical signal for transmission to the receiver, the modulated signal having components at one or more constellations of points of different amplitudes and phases. The modulator is tunable such that distortions of the points of the one or more constellation can be tuned, and a tuning controller is provided for receiving a feedback signal from the receiver indicating a distortion measured at the receiver, and for tuning automatically the modulator to adjust the modulation based on the received feedback signal to pre-compensate for the measured distortion. Such pre-compensation can reduce the amount of distortion in the transmission system and thus enable more transmission capacity, without the need for a complex transmitter.
US09485022B2
A switched wireless system is used to increase the range of peer-to-peer communications. The optically-switched fiber optic communication system includes a head-end unit (HEU) having a switch bank. Cables couple the HEU to one or more remote access points in different coverage areas. The switch bank in the HEU provides a link between the remote access points in the different coverage areas such that devices in the different cellular coverage areas communicate with each other, such as through videoconferencing. By using the switched communication system, the range and coverage of communication between devices may be extended such that devices in different coverage areas and devices using different communication protocols can communicate.
US09485012B2
An optical transmitter may include one or more lasers configured to provide a primary optical signal having a primary wavelength and a secondary optical signal having a secondary wavelength to a modulator via corresponding first and second modulator inputs. The modulator may combine the primary and secondary optical signals into a combined optical signal and modulate, with an electrical signal, the combined optical signal to provide a modulated optical signal to an optical filter. The optical filter may be configured to separate, from the modulated optical signal, a modulated primary optical signal having the primary wavelength and a modulated secondary optical signal having the secondary wavelength and provide the modulated primary optical signal to a primary optical link and the modulated secondary optical signal to a secondary optical link.
US09485009B1
An antenna system is provided. The antenna system includes a planar array of antenna elements configured to operate as an array having a plurality of receive (Rx) antenna elements for receiving a signal in a first frequency band and a plurality of transmit (Tx) antenna elements for transmitting a signal in a second frequency band. The Rx antenna elements and the Tx antenna elements are interleaved in a pattern such that total Tx power leakage is distributed among the plurality of Rx antenna elements. Furthermore, each Rx antenna element is provided with a high dynamic range amplifier (HDRA) for amplifying a receive signal and filtering any Tx power leakage at each Rx antenna element.
US09484997B2
A Network Node, a UE operable in a MIMO system and respective methods performed by the Network Node and UE are provided for determining a precoder of a Codebook to use for transmissions to the UE. The Network Node includes at least two transmitting antennas corresponding to two individual Ranks. The Network Node determines which precoders the UE shall evaluate, and transmits, to the UE, the determined precoders the UE shall evaluate. The Network Node receives, from the UE, a PMI, associated with one of the determined precoders, which the UE requests the Network Node to use for transmission to the UE; and the Network Node transmits, to the UE, data using the requested precoders.
US09484992B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting a signal using a polarimetric antenna to a reception apparatus in a wireless communication system are disclosed. The method includes generating a first matrix using a radiation pattern of the polarimetric antenna, calculating a second matrix that maximizes channel capacity, determining an antenna virtualization matrix by Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) based on the first and second matrices, and transmitting a signal to the reception apparatus using the antenna virtualization matrix.
US09484991B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of wireless communication via multiple antenna assemblies. For example, a device may include a wireless communication unit to transmit and receive signals via one or more quasi-omnidirectional antenna assemblies, wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit, via each quasi-omnidirectional antenna assembly, a plurality of first transmissions, to receive, in response to the first transmissions, a plurality of second transmissions from another device via one or more of the quasi-omnidirectional antenna assemblies, and, based on the second transmissions, to select at least one selected transmit antenna assembly for transmitting to the other device and a selected receive antenna assembly for receiving transmissions from the other device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09484987B2
An information processing apparatus includes a first communication unit, a second communication unit, and a communication-apparatus-side controller. The first communication unit performs wireless communication with plural terminal apparatuses, the number of which is less than or equal to a predetermined maximum number of connections. The second communication unit performs wireless communication with a connection-requesting terminal apparatus that newly attempts to perform wireless communication with the first communication unit. The communication-apparatus-side controller switches the wireless communication via the second communication unit to wireless communication via the first communication unit, the wireless communication via the first communication unit being performed using a dedicated line prepared in advance.
US09484986B2
A first mobile consumer electronic device comprises a broadband near-field communications (BNC) transceiver and is configured to operate as a main processing unit for a second mobile consumer electronic device that is configured as a thin-client. The first mobile consumer electronic device may capture, via the BNC transceiver, a signal over a range of frequencies that spans multiple frequency bands which are licensed by a regulatory authority. The first mobile consumer electronic device may process the captured signal to determine which of the multiple frequency bands are not currently in use by other devices. The first mobile consumer electronic device may select a plurality of the frequency bands. The first mobile consumer electronic device may transmit, via the BNC transceiver, a signal over the selected plurality of frequency bands at a determined strength, where the signal carries video data destined for the second mobile consumer electronic device.
US09484977B2
The present invention is a novel and useful RF transformer based transmit/receive (TX/RX) integrated RF switch. In one embodiment of the invention, the TX/RX RF switch circuit is based on the use of an RF transformer which functions as (1) the PA output transformer during TX mode and (2) as a series inductance in an LNA matching network during receive mode. Thus, the RF transformer plays a dual function or role. Antenna diversity is achieved by having multiple antennas each having an associated antenna switch connected to the output transformer. The TX/RX switch of the invention reduces the number of switches required for antenna diversity to a minimum and minimizes RF losses in the system. The TX/RX switch is suitable for use with modern wireless communication standards such as DECT, 802.11 WLAN, Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc. The configuration of the TX/RX circuit permits the use of common, relatively low cost semiconductor fabrication techniques such as standard CMOS processes.
US09484975B2
A microwave backhaul system may comprise a monolithic integrated circuit comprising an on-chip transceiver, digital baseband processing circuitry, and auxiliary interface circuitry. The on-chip transceiver may process a microwave signal from an antenna element to generate a first pair of quadrature baseband signals and convey the first pair of phase-quadrature baseband signals to the digital baseband processing circuitry. The auxiliary interface circuitry may receive one or more auxiliary signals from a source that is external to the monolithic integrated circuit and convey the one or more auxiliary signals to the digital baseband processing circuitry. The digital baseband processing circuitry may be operable to process signals to generate one or more second pairs of phase-quadrature digital baseband signals.
US09484972B2
There is provided a reception device including first and second reception circuits configured to receive transmission signals, a first oscillation circuit configured to generate a differential signal having a predetermined frequency on the basis of an oscillation signal acquired from a connected crystal oscillator, and to supply the generated differential signal to the first reception circuit as a reference frequency signal, and a second oscillation circuit configured to be supplied with an oscillation signal having one of phases in the differential signal acquired by the first oscillation circuit, to generate a differential signal having a predetermined frequency on the basis of the supplied oscillation signal, and to supply the generated differential signal to the second reception circuit as a reference frequency signal.
US09484969B2
Values representative of modulation signal components are extracted from a modulated signal. The modulated signal contains a modulation signal. A periodic time segment sequence is defined having at least four ordered time segments. Multiple sets of signal values are acquired from the modulated signal. For each signal value, a difference in the modulated signal during each of two of the ordered time segments is acquired, as the signal value. The two ordered time segments differ in their order within the sequence by half of the number of ordered time segments in the sequence. Each set is acquired over multiple repetitions of the periodic time segment sequence. Each set is acquired during different ordered time segments than each other set. Each signal value is representative of a modulation signal component.
US09484967B1
An embodiment includes a receiver circuit, a feedback circuit and a control circuit. The receiver circuit is configured to receive each data bit of a plurality of data bits. The feedback circuit is configured to measure a first interference level generated by a first data bit of a first subset of the plurality of data bits on a second data bit of the plurality of data bits to generate one of a first plurality of feedback values. The feedback circuit is also configured to measure a second interference level generated by a third data bit of a second subset of the plurality of data bits on a fourth data bit of the plurality of data bits to generate one of a second plurality of feedback values. The control circuit is configured to determine a duty cycle dependent upon a comparison of the first plurality to the second plurality.
US09484960B1
The present invention is directed to data communication systems and methods thereof. According to various embodiments, the present invention provides a communication with a reconfigurable forward-error-correction (FEC) module. The FEC module processes data received from two or more communication lanes, and depending on the mode of operation, the FEC module can combine data from the two or more communication lanes and perform error correction on the combined data, or the FEC module can processes data from the two communications lanes separately and perform error correction independently for the each of the data communication lanes. There are other embodiments as well.
US09484954B1
Methods and apparatus to parallelize data decompression are disclosed. A method selects the initial starting positions in a compressed data bitstream. A first one of the initial starting positions is adjusted to determine a first adjusted starting position by decoding the bitstream starting at a training position in the bitstream. The decoding includes traversing the bitstream from the training position as though first data located at the training position is a valid token. The first decoded data generated by decoding a first segment of the bitstream starting from the first adjusted starting position is output. The first decoded data is merged with second decoded data generated by decoding a second segment of the bitstream. The decoding of the second segment starting from a second position in the bitstream is performed in parallel with the decoding of the first segment. The second segment precedes the first segment in the bitstream.
US09484951B2
A digital information encoder including a divider configured to divide a block of information into a plurality of sub-parts, an initial bit allocator configured to perform an initial allocation of bits to a KTH sub-part of said plurality of sub-parts, a processor configured to compute an estimated number of bits for encoding said KTH sub-part, and a bit allocation adjuster configured to obtain an adjusted bit allocation for said KTH sub-part by adjusting said initial allocation of bits to said KTH sub-part based, at least in part, on said estimated number of bits, wherein the encoder encodes said KTH sub-part using said adjusted bit allocation for said KTH sub-part.
US09484950B1
Methods and apparatuses embodied in delta sigma domain digital signal processing circuits that perform linear operation of delta sigma modulated bit stream, including adding, coefficient multiplication, and compressing. The digital processing circuits perform on-the-fly processing to generate a continuous output delta sigma bit-stream based on the continuous input delta-sigma modulated bit-streams and the input binary coefficients. The on-the-fly bit-stream processing circuit is realized via digital delta sigma modulators with input coefficient multiplexers, feedback multiplexers, and toggling multiplexers.
US09484944B2
In one embodiment, a circuit comprises first and second capacitors configured to receive a sense current in first and second modes, respectively. A comparator is coupled to the first capacitor to compare a voltage of the first capacitor to a reference voltage and generate a count signal in response to the voltage of the first capacitor reaching the reference voltage in the first mode. The comparator is coupled to the second capacitor to compare a voltage of the second capacitor to the reference voltage and generate the count signal in response to the voltage of the second capacitor reaching the reference voltage in the second mode. A reset circuit discharges the first capacitor in the second mode and the second capacitor in the first mode in response to the count signal. A counter increments a count of a number of occurrences of the count signal.
US09484943B2
A Digital-to-Analog Converter contains a digital shift register and a digital multiplexer. During each input signal clock period, the Digital-to-Analog Converter is multiplexed in time to perform multiple conversions on samples stored in the shift register. In this way, a weighted average of several signal samples is calculated, which corresponds to a FIR filter operation. Errors due! to Quantization Noise, INL or DNL undergo the same FIR filter characteristic.
US09484934B1
A delay lock loop is provided. A delay unit includes a delay factor and delays a first clock signal to generate a second clock signal according to the delay factor. An elimination unit delays a third clock signal to generate a fourth clock signal. A phase detection unit is coupled to the delay unit and the elimination unit and generates an indication signal according to a phase difference between the second and fourth clock signals. A control unit is coupled to the phase detection unit and the delay unit. The control unit controls the delay unit according to the indication signal to adjust the delay factor. When the delay factor is equal to an initial value, an initial time difference occurs between the first and second clock signals. A time difference between the third and fourth clock signals is equal to the initial time difference.
US09484933B2
A device for generating at least one frequency-stable periodical signal, including: a generator configured to generate at least one first periodical signal with frequency spectrum that includes at least two lines at different frequencies fa and fb; a first switchable injection-locked oscillator configured to receive at an input the first periodical signal and to be locked, in a first state, to the frequency fa, and in a second state, to the frequency fb, as a function of a value of at least one control signal applied at the input of the first switchable injection-locked oscillator.
US09484931B2
A delay locked loop (DLL) circuit may include: an input clock control unit suitable for transmitting first and second internal clocks generated based on an external clock, and controlling transmission of the second internal clock based on a clock control signal which is activated during a predetermined period; a clock delay unit suitable for generating a first delay locked clock by delaying the first internal clock by a delay time required for locking, and generating a second delay locked clock by delaying the second internal clock based on the clock control signal; and an output clock control unit suitable for outputting the first delay locked clock and the second delay locked clock during a period in which the clock control signal is activated.
US09484926B2
A semiconductor circuit device includes an oscillation circuit, an output circuit that outputs a signal output from the oscillation circuit, a temperature sensing element, a characteristic adjustment circuit that adjusts characteristics of the oscillation circuit on the basis of a signal output from the temperature sensing element, a first wiring via which power is supplied to the output circuit, and a second wiring via which a reference voltage is supplied to the output circuit in which at least one of the first wiring and the second wiring overlaps the temperature sensing element in a plan view.
US09484914B2
An anti-trapping method and a corresponding apparatus for a vehicle door that can be adjusted between an open position and a closed position along an adjustment path by an adjustment motor. First, a proximity sensor is used to monitor an adjustment path region ahead of the vehicle door for the presence of an obstacle during a closing movement of the vehicle door. The closing movement is stopped or reversed when an obstacle is identified in the adjustment path region. Second, when the obstacle is identified during the closing movement of the vehicle door, an additional emergency measure is taken at least when the vehicle door is already closed down to a remaining gap having size does not exceed a prespecified threshold value, and when the presence of the obstacle within this remaining gap is detected.
US09484910B2
A power-on reset (POR) circuit includes an RC circuit; a Schmitt trigger, an inverter, and a first PMOS tube. A power supply voltage charges a capacitor through the RC circuit. When a voltage of the capacitor reaches a first threshold, the Schmitt trigger reverses, a first level is output. The POR circuit includes a discharge circuit used to detect a glitch of the power supply voltage, and output a first signal to an input end of the Schmitt trigger when the glitch is detected. The first signal allows the Schmitt trigger to reverse again to output a second level, so as to turn off the first PMOS tube through the inverting amplifier. When the power supply voltage rises along an oblique line again, the Schmitt trigger reverses, and the first level is output, so as to reset the system where the circuit is.
US09484907B2
A device for controlling at least one transistor is disclosed. The device includes the transistor, which includes a control electrode and two other electrodes, a main control circuit connected to the control electrode of the transistor and configured to control the state of the transistor in a main operating mode, and an auxiliary control circuit configured to inject, in an auxiliary operating mode. An auxiliary current opposed to the current flows between the main control circuit and the control electrode of the transistor.
US09484904B2
A gate-boosting transmission gate includes an input node and an output node. An n-channel transistor has a first source/drain terminal connected to the input node and a second source/drain terminal connected to the output node, the n-channel transistor having a low threshold. A p-channel transistor has a first source/drain terminal connected to the input node and a second source/drain terminal connected to the output node, the p-channel transistor having a very low threshold.
US09484892B1
An integrated circuit compensates for circuit aging by measuring the aging with an aging sensor and controlling a supply voltage based on the measured aging. The operating environment for the aging sensor can be set to reduce impacts of non-aging effects on the measured aging. For example, the operating environment can use a temperature inversion voltage. An initial aging measurement value which is the difference between an initial aged measurement and an initial unaged measurement can be stored on the integrated circuit. A core power reduction controller can use the measured aging and the stored initial aging measurement value to update a performance-sensor target value and then perform adaptive voltage scaling using the using the updated performance-sensor target value.
US09484885B2
A method for manufacturing an elastic wave device includes a step of preparing a supporting substrate, a step of forming a high-acoustic-velocity film on the supporting substrate and in which an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating therein is higher than an acoustic velocity of an elastic wave propagating in a piezoelectric film, a step of forming a low-acoustic-velocity film on the high-acoustic-velocity film and in which an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating therein is lower than an acoustic velocity of a bulk wave propagating in the piezoelectric film, a step of forming the piezoelectric film on the low-acoustic-velocity film, and a step of forming an IDT electrode on a surface of the piezoelectric film.
US09484882B2
An acoustic resonator structure comprises a substrate having an air cavity, an acoustic stack disposed over the substrate and comprising a piezoelectric material disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode, and an acoustic reflector disposed over the substrate and comprising a single pair of acoustic impedance layers configured to reflect acoustic waves produced by vibration of the acoustic stack, wherein at least one of the acoustic impedance layers comprises a temperature compensating material.
US09484880B2
Disclosed is an impedance matching device. Variable devices of the impedance matching device installed in a mobile terminal, such as a portable terminal, are configured to have a MEMS structure. The MEMS structure and other components are integrated as one package, so the manufacturing cost is reduced and the manufacturing efficiency is improved.
US09484875B2
An active attenuator is disclosed. The attenuator includes a divider to divide an input signal into two signals, a phase shifter to shift a phase of one of output signals of the divider, and a combiner to combine an output of the phase shifter with another of output signals of the divider. The phase shifter includes a coupler and two reflectors, or two amplifiers to cause a phase difference between two signals.
US09484872B1
An amplifier circuit may include an input amplification stage comprising a first amplifier having first and second differential inputs and a first output, and a second amplifier having first and second differential inputs and a second output. The amplifier circuit also includes an output amplification stage having first and second inputs respectively coupled to the first and second outputs of the input amplification stage, and an output configured to supply an output voltage based upon the input voltage by an amplification factor. The amplifier circuit comprises a feedback stage with a common-mode control stage configured to implement a comparison between the first differential voltage and the second differential voltage, and a reference voltage, and generate respective regulation currents on the first and second inputs of the output amplification stage to compensate for a common-mode variation of the first differential voltage and the second differential voltage.
US09484849B2
A method for determining a reserve torque in an electronically-switched drive mechanism, specifically a pulse motor for a headlamp beam adjustment system, based upon a parameter in an essentially linear relationship to a back electromotive force of the drive mechanism. Whereby, for the determination of the back electromotive force-related parameter, the variation in the drive current is determined in relation to a change interval.
US09484842B2
A generator includes a disc shaped first unit, a disc shaped second unit and an axle. The first unit includes a substrate layer, a double complementary electrode layer and an electrification material layer. The electrode layer includes a first electrode member and a second electrode member. The first electrode member includes evenly spaced apart first electrode legs extending inwardly. The second electrode member is complementary in shape to the first electrode member. The legs of the first electrode member and the second electrode member are interleaved with each other and define a continuous gap therebetween. The electrification material includes a first material that is in a first position on the triboelectric series. The second unit defines elongated openings and corresponding elongated leg portions, and includes a second material that is at a second position on a triboelectric series, different than the first position.
US09484840B2
A power inverter combination includes a half-bridge power inverter including first and second semiconductor power switches receiving input power having an intermediate node therebetween providing an inductor current through an inductor. A controller includes input comparison circuitry receiving the inductor current having outputs coupled to first inputs of pulse width modulation (PWM) generation circuitry, and a predictive control block having an output coupled to second inputs of the PWM generation circuitry. The predictive control block is coupled to receive a measure of Vin and an output voltage at a grid connection point. A memory stores a current control algorithm configured for resetting a PWM period for a switching signal applied to control nodes of the first and second power switch whenever the inductor current reaches a predetermined upper limit or a predetermined lower limit.
US09484833B2
The present invention discloses a system and a method for controlling PCS voltage and frequency, wherein the system comprises a reference voltage converter, a phase-locked loop, a grid-side voltage converter, a voltage transformer, a first proportional integral controller, a second proportional integral controller, a coordinate converter and a SVPWM generator; a reference voltage converter is connected to an output terminal of a the phase-locked loop, and the output terminal of the phase-locked loop is further connected to a grid-side voltage converter; the grid-side voltage converter is connected to a high-voltage side of an isolating transformer of the electric grid via the voltage transformer; two output terminals of the grid-side voltage converter are respectively connected to the coordinate converter via two proportional integral controllers; an output terminal of the coordinate converter is connected to the SVPWM generator; an output terminal of the SVPWM generator is connected to a power switch of the electric grid. A PWM control signal for controlling the power switch of the electric grid is generated by the reference voltage converter, the phase-locked loop, the grid-side voltage converter, the voltage transformer, the two proportional integral controllers, the coordinate converter and the SVPWM generator. The system and method for controlling PCS voltage and frequency according to the invention have the advantages that the PCS can realize voltage and frequency buildup in an off-grid state and can stably output an expected voltage and frequency.
US09484830B2
A five-level rectifier includes at least one phase bridge arm that includes an upper-half and a lower-half bridge arm circuit modules. The upper-half bridge arm circuit module includes a first power semiconductor switch unit, a second power semiconductor switch unit, a first diode unit, a second diode unit, a first connecting busbar, a first insulated wire and a first transfer busbar; the lower-half bridge arm circuit module includes a third power semiconductor switch unit, a fourth power semiconductor switch unit, a third diode unit, a fourth diode unit, a second connecting busbar, a second insulated wire and a second transfer busbar. The two modules are disposed side by side and facing each other.
US09484822B2
A control circuit for use in a power converter includes a drive signal generator coupled to generate a drive signal to control switching of a switch to regulate an output of the power converter. An event detection circuit is coupled to the drive signal generator to indicate if a switching period of one switching cycle of the drive signal exceeds a threshold switching period. An event counter circuit is coupled to the event detection circuit to render dormant the drive signal generator if the event detection circuit indicates a period of a switching cycle of the drive signal exceeds the threshold switching period for a threshold consecutive number of switching cycles.
US09484819B2
A regulator device includes: a plurality of regulators that are equipped in parallel between a power input terminal and a power output terminal and converts a power inputted from the power input terminal to output to the power output terminal; a dummy load circuit that is coupled to a power output system different from a power output system to the respective power output terminal of the plurality of regulators; a selector that selects a regulator to carry out an output to the power output terminal and a regulator to carry out an output to the dummy load circuit among the plurality of regulators; and a controller that obtains conversion efficiency characteristic information representing a characteristic of power conversion efficiency relative to a current flowing in the dummy load circuit for the regulator to carry out an output to the dummy load circuit.
US09484813B2
A boost converter includes an inductor configured to have one terminal connected with an input power source; a switching element configured to be connected between another terminal of the inductor and a reference potential terminal; a rectifier configured to be connected between the other terminal of the inductor and an output terminal; and a controller configured to boost a voltage of the input power source using the inductor by applying a duty drive to the switching element in a switching cycle so that a command value of a current to be flowing into the inductor is equivalent to an average value of a current flowing into the inductor during an off period during which the switching element is duty-off in the switching cycle, and to have the voltage output from the output terminal.
US09484800B2
A soft-start circuit for a switching regulator (e.g., a buck converter) in which the soft-start circuit supplies a DC ramp voltage to the switch regulator's pre-driver such that the pulsed gate voltage supplied to power switch during the initial soft-start operating phase includes a series of pulses having amplitudes that respectively gradually change (e.g., sequentially increase from 0V to the system operating voltage), whereby the regulated output voltage passed from the power switch to the load is gradually increased at a rate that prevents voltage overshoot and inrush current. The DC ramp voltage is generated, for example, by a current source that begins charging a capacitor at the beginning of the initial soft-start operating phase. This arrangement allows a constant-frequency ramp signal generated by a single oscillator to be shared by multiple switch regulators that are fabricated on an IC chip.
US09484799B2
To reduce in-rush currents into a switched capacitor DC/DC converter and detect voltage and current faults, a converter controller is housed along with a current limit series transistor and fault detection circuitry. The series transistor is controlled to limit the in-rush current to a predetermined maximum level during start-up. If the duration of the current limit level, or the time for Vout to achieve a target voltage, exceeds a first threshold time, a first fault detector in the package shuts off the series transistor. During steady state operation, if the input current reaches the limit for a second threshold time or if Vout extends outside a certain range for the second threshold time, a second fault detector in the package shuts off the series transistor.
US09484798B2
A power control device and an image forming apparatus including the same are disclosed. A power control device meets the need for low power consumption by minimizing standby power consumption in a plug-on state of an electronic apparatus, and meets the safety requirements by increasing a discharging rate of an X-cap or an E-cap in a plug-off state. The power control device includes a first capacitor charged by AC power during input of the AC power, a rectifier converting the AC power to DC power, a second capacitor disposed at an output of the rectifier, and a discharge circuit including at least one discharge resistor, and a first switch and a second switch configured to be alternately turned on/off in response to supply and interruption of the AC power, and discharging at least one of the first and second capacitors via the at least one discharge resistor, in response to turn-off of the first switch and turn-on of the second switch.
