US09672276B2

A multi-act creation user interface element that is displayed when a user instructs a computing system to initiate creation of a resource that has multiple associated creation processing acts. For each of some or all of the creation processing acts, the multi-act creation user interface element causes a set of one or more controls to appear, which the user may then enter creation information into. The multi-step creation user interface element persists creation information so entered so that the creation information is available for further creation processing acts.
US09672275B2

There is provided a technique capable of recommending more useful contents to a recommendation target user who is the current work user. A group of recommendation candidate contents is obtained from a similar work case similar to work by the recommendation target user. A relationship between an arbitrary user and the recommendation candidate contents is detected. Recommendation candidate contents having the detected relationship with the recommendation target user are recommended by priority from among the group of recommendation candidate contents.
US09672261B2

A workflow executed by an on-premise installation of the content management system can include a cloud workflow and an on-premise workflow relating to on-premise content retained in an on-premise repository managed by the on-premise installation of the content management system. A synchronization can be initiated between the on-premise content and a cloud copy of the on-premise content to reflect a change to either of the on-premise content or the cloud copy in the other of the on-premise content and the cloud copy. The cloud copy can exist at a location managed by a cloud-based installation of the content management system. Upon detection that the cloud workflow has been completed by the location using the cloud copy, a resumption of the on-premise workflow can be triggered using the synchronization between the on-premise content and the cloud copy of the on-premise content. Related systems, methods, products, etc. are described.
US09672259B2

Methods and systems to refine search results were described. The system communicates a first user interface to a mobile device that includes search results that include data items. The system receives a first request from the mobile device that includes an indication of at least one swiping motion that is applied across a touch-sensitive screen on the mobile device. The mobile device is associated with a previously selected refinement and corresponding value. The system filters the search results. The refined search results include a second plurality of data items based on the previously selected refinement and the corresponding value. The system generates a second user interface that includes the refined search results. The system communicates the second user interface, over the network, to the mobile device. The second user interface includes the refined search results that include the second plurality of data items to display on the mobile device.
US09672254B2

An approach is provided for creating a new document. Keywords specifying a subject matter of the new document are received. Metadata of documents is determined to match keyword(s) included in the received keywords and the documents are retrieved. Based on a section being created in the new document, a ranked list of the retrieved documents is generated. A selection of a document included in the ranked list is received. The selected document is added to the new document. The keywords are refined based on the added document. Based on the subject matter and the refined keywords, the new document is completed by repeating the steps of determining the metadata, retrieving the documents, generating the ranked list, receiving the selection, and adding the selected document.
US09672249B2

The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for performing JOIN value comparisons. One computer-implemented method includes converting, by operation of a computer system, a first value of a first data type into a second value of a second data type, wherein the first value is a value of a first attribute of a first table; converting, by operation of a computer system, the second value of the second data type into a third value of a third data type; converting, by operation of a computer system, a fourth value of the third data type into a fifth value of the second data type, wherein the fourth value is a value of a second attribute of a second table; converting, by operation of a computer system, the fifth value of the second data type into a sixth value of the first data type; and performing JOIN operations of the first table and the second table in response to determining that the first value equals the sixth value, and the fourth value equals the third value.
US09672248B2

A hybrid approach for performing a join in a database includes: obtaining a distribution of data values in a join column of an inner table; using the distribution, identifying one or more data ranges containing skew; for each data range identified as containing skew, performing, by the processor, the join operation using a skew specific join scheme; and for each data range not identified as containing skew, performing, by the processor, the join operation using a non-skew specific join scheme. One skew specific join scheme involves a compact array table, a highly populated array that represents the range of values that the inner table join column contains. One non-skew specific join scheme involves a compact hash table, an optimized hash table that allows high load factors with a small memory overhead. In combining multiple join techniques, joins may be performed more efficiently for skewed and non-skewed data.
US09672240B2

A mobile device initiates communication with a server through a location based service and sends a user generated submission and a geolocation to the server. The server identifies an incomplete entry in a geographic database based on the geolocation and generates a probe question for the incomplete entry. The probe question requests that a user visually inspect or photograph an object or area near the geolocation. The server analyzes the information provided by the user in order to update the geographic database.
US09672235B2

Methods and systems for partitioning and dynamically merging a database index are described. A database index includes a single first-level index partition stored in a data cache. As the first-level index partition in the data cache reaches a predetermined size, it is copied to secondary storage and a new index partition is generated in the data cache. When the number of index partitions in secondary storage reaches some predetermined number, the index partitions are merged to create a single index partition of a higher level in a hierarchy of index partitions having an exponentially increasing size with each increase in level within the hierarchy.
US09672234B2

Databases and methods for storing, processing and searching data in database tree structures are provided. More particularly, a method for processing data stored in database tree structures for use in data packet routing applications, and a method of searching a database containing data stored in a tree structure, using a search key, are provided. The tree structure includes a plurality of nodes. Data relating to a first node and a second node is stored in the database. The data includes a first node key and a second node key which is prefixed by the first node key. The tree structure is searched using a search key by traversing the second node and determining if the first node key has a prefix which matches the search key.
US09672230B1

The disclosed embodiments included a system, apparatus, method, and computer program product for optimizing the placement of data utilizing cloud-based IT services. The apparatus comprises a processor that executes computer-readable program code embodied on a computer program product. By executing that computer-readable program code, the processor extracts content from data and determines the context in which that data was generated, modified, and/or accessed. The processor also classifies the data based on its content and context, determines the cost of storing the data at each a plurality of locations, and specifies which of those locations the data is to be stored based on the classification of that data and the cost of storing that data at each of the plurality of locations.
US09672218B2

A method includes receiving information about a plurality of data chunks and determining if one or more of a plurality of back-end nodes already stores more than a threshold amount of the plurality of data chunks where one of the plurality of back-end nodes is designated as a sticky node. The method further includes, responsive to determining that none of the plurality of back-end nodes already stores more than a threshold amount of the plurality of data chunks, deduplicating the plurality of data chunks against the back-end node designated as the sticky node. Finally, the method includes, responsive to an amount of data being processed, designating a different back-end node as the sticky node.
US09672210B2

Aspects of the present invention relate to language translation systems for head-worn computers.
US09672207B2

A method, system, and non-transitory compute readable medium determining and discerning items with multiple meanings in a sequence of items including producing a distributed representation for each item of the sequence of items including a word vector and a context vector, partitioning the sequence of items into classes, for an item using a representative word vector of each class, calculating a cosine distance between the word vector of said item and the class representative vector, and producing a new sequence of items by modifying the distributed representation in the producing by replacing each occurrence of an item depending on the cosine distance calculated by the calculating.
US09672194B2

A method of dynamically presenting temporally ordered image events includes providing a pre-determined presentation rate and a corresponding pre-determined presentation period; using a processor to receive at irregular intervals a plurality of temporally ordered image events at an average image event rate less than the presentation rate; storing the received image events in an ordered list corresponding to the order in which the image events were received; accessing, according to a pre-determined rule, stored image events from the ordered list; sequentially presenting the accessed image events for the presentation period; and interrupting the sequential presentation of the stored image events when a new image event is received and presenting the received new image event for the presentation period and resuming the sequential presentation of the accessed image events.
US09672190B1

An approach to facilitating consideration-based non-player character counseling is provided. A non-player character counsel may be controlled within a game space to provide counsel content to users in exchange for virtual consideration purchased with real world money. For example, responsive to reception of adequate virtual consideration from a first user, the non-player character counsel may be controlled to provide a first set of counsel content to the first user in the game space. The first set of counsel content may be a subset of the counsel content provided by the non-player character counsel to the users in the game space. The counsel content may include instructions for and/or demonstrations of activities to be performed by a first character under control of the first user in the game space.
US09672185B2

Methods and systems for enumerating digital circuits in a system-on-a-chip (SOC) are disclosed. The method includes incrementing an enumeration value received from a previous enumerable instance to uniquely identify an immediately adjacent enumerable instance of a plurality of enumerable instances in a daisy chain configuration.
US09672183B2

One aspect of a multiple data type interface device can include a plurality of upstream ports, wherein at least two of the upstream ports are of a different type, a plurality of downstream ports, wherein at least one of the plurality of downstream ports is configured to connect to an external device, and one or more processors configured to detect a connection at one of the plurality of upstream ports, and route an upstream port signal associated with one of the plurality of upstream ports to the at least one of the plurality of downstream ports configured to connect to the external device when the connection is detected at the one of the plurality of upstream.
US09672179B2

An external display system for displaying data of an input operating interface comprises: a computer module comprising a host, a display and a keyboard; a mouse module comprising a sensor unit, a first USB transmission interface unit, a control unit and a switch unit; an external display module comprising a second USB transmission interface unit, a microprocessor, a storage unit and a display unit. Upon receiving the triggering signal, the mouse module sends a signal to the microprocessor via the host. The microprocessor retrieves the status non-video data or the setting non-video data, generates and displays a status video data and/or a setting video data on the display unit. Or the microprocessor retrieves and transfers the setting non-video data to the host, and the host generates and transfers the setting video data to the display.
US09672174B2

A data-processing apparatus includes: a plurality of processing blocks which is connected to a common bus; a memory which includes an address space having a plurality of banks; and a common bus arbitrating section which arbitrates an access request to access the memory, and controls data delivery through the common bus that receives the access request and is provided between the plurality of processing blocks and the memory. At least one processing block among the plural processing blocks is an exchange-processing block that performs exchange of an access order to access the banks in the memory when the communication of the data is performed between the memory and the processing block through the common bus. The exchange-processing block includes a data transfer control device that performs the exchange of the access order to access the banks by controlling the order of the data.
US09672160B1

A method, computer program product, and computing system for storing a plurality of frontend data chunks within a cache system. The plurality of frontend data chunks correspond to a plurality of backend data chunks stored within a data array. A device weight is determined for each of the plurality of backend data chunks. The device weight is indicative of the type of storage device upon which each of the plurality of backend data chunks is stored within the data array. A deletion score is assigned to each of the plurality of frontend data chunks. Each deletion score is based, at least in part, upon the device weight determined for its corresponding backend data chunk.
US09672157B2

A semiconductor device may include an active controller configured to count pulses of an active signal, and activate an active masking signal for masking an active operation when the counted number of the active signal is greater than predetermined activation times of the active signal during a predetermined bank active section.
US09672154B1

In aspects of determining memory access patterns for cache prefetch in an out-of-order processor, data is maintained in a cache when copied from system memory of a computing device, and load data instructions are processed to access the cache data. The load data instructions include incremental load data instructions and non-incremental load data instructions that access the data from contiguous memory addresses. The data is prefetched ahead of processing the load data instructions, where prefetch requests are initiated based on the load data instructions. A stride is calculated as the distance between the incremental load data instructions. Further, the stride can be corrected for the non-incremental load data instructions to correlate with the calculated stride. The corrected stride represents the data as a sequential data stream having a fixed stride, and prefetching the data appears sequential for both the incremental and non-incremental load data instructions.
US09672148B1

Methods and apparatus to provide application access to a flash device having page cache memory and storage class memory via a bus by mapping a user process virtual address space, wherein the process for the application resides on a host having a processor with direct cache-line access to the page cache memory, wherein the user process virtual address space includes at least a partial mapping of physical address windows for one or more separate flash devices.
US09672141B1

Technical solutions are described for facilitating a first computer program product to communicate with a second computer program product. The first computer program product invokes an application programming interface (API) function from an API of the second computer program product, where the first computer program product and the second computer program product use distinct programming languages. The solutions described herein initiate a record corresponding to the API function and invoke an interpreter that calls the API function in the second programming language. Upon receiving, from the interpreter, an indication that the API function has completed execution, result of the execution are obtained from the record and returned to the first computer program product.
US09672138B1

Technologies are disclosed herein for enabling communication between an application developer and application testers, and for facilitating application testing. An application to be tested may be modified during ingestion by an application store to include a testing component. When the application is executed by an application tester on a computing device, the testing component provides functionality for assisting the tester with the testing of the application. As one example, the testing component might provide on-screen instructions to the application tester to perform an operation or a sequence of operations in the application that have been defined by the application developer. The testing component might also facilitate direct communication between the application developer and the application tester through screen sharing, one or two-way video chat, text chat, and/or other mechanisms.
US09672126B2

System, method, computer program product embodiments and combinations and sub-combinations thereof for hybrid data replication are described. Aspects include identifying a type of database data replication, the type including a combination of replication approaches, and managing replication based on the identified type, including coordinated switching from one replication approach to another automatically with transactional consistency maintained among source and target databases.
US09672124B2

Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for establishing copy pairs from primary volumes to secondary volumes in multiple secondary storage systems for a failover session. For each of the copy pairs, data is mirrored from the primary storage system to the associated secondary storage system in the copy pair. A failure is detected at the primary storage system. Selection is made of a selected secondary storage system of the secondary storage systems in response to detecting the failure, wherein a plurality of the secondary storage systems are available for selection. The selected secondary storage system is indicated as a new primary storage system to which host requests are directed.
US09672120B2

Examples maintain consistency of writes for a plurality of VMs during live migration of the plurality from a source host to a destination host. The disclosure intercepts I/O writes to a migrated VM at a destination host and mirrors the I/O writes back to the source host. This “reverse replication” ensures that the CG of the source host is up to date, and that the source host is safe to fail back to if the migration fails.
US09672119B2

Machine implemented method and system for generating a disaster recovery copy of an expandable storage volume having a namespace for storing information for accessing data objects stored at a data constituent volume is provided. A transfer operation for transferring a point in time copy of the expandable storage volume from a first location to a second location is generated. Information regarding the expandable storage volume from the first location is retrieved and a destination expandable storage volume is resized to match components of the expandable storage volume at the first location. Thereafter, the point in time copy of the expandable storage volume from the first location to the second location is transferred and configuration information regarding the point in time copy is copied from the first location to the second location; a data structure for storing information regarding the transferred point in time copy of the expandable storage volume is updated.
US09672115B2

Techniques are disclosed for managing a cluster of computing nodes following a division of the cluster into at least a first and second partition, where the cluster aggregates local storage resources of the nodes to provide an object store, and objects stored in the object store are divided into data components stored across the nodes. In accordance with one method, it is determined that a majority of data components comprising a first object are stored within nodes in the first partition. It is determined that a majority of data components comprising a second object are stored within nodes in the second partition. Configuration objects are permitted to be performed on the first object in the first partition while denying access to the first object from the second partition, and on the second object in the second partition while denying access to the second object from the first partition.
US09672101B2

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to memory management, and more particularly to partitioning a memory based on memory attributes.
US09672100B2

A device manages the storage of data in at least one storage device of a first type and in a storage device of a second type, the at least one storage device of the first type being physically distinct from the storage device of the second type. The device partitions data to be stored into blocks of data, determines redundancies generated by an error detection code for each block of data, stores blocks of data in the at least one storage device of the first type, the storage device(s) of the first type being compliant with an avionic quality assurance level of a given quality level, and stores redundancies in the storage device of the second type, the storage device of the second type being compliant with an avionic quality assurance level that is higher than the avionic quality assurance level of the storage device(s) of first type.
US09672097B2

In one embodiment, a method comprising receiving, at a machine, a first message; operably connecting the machine to a device that comprises a temporary update; loading the update from the device; and mitigating the first message with the update before receiving a more permanent solution to the first message.
US09672094B1

Fault detection for an interconnect bus includes performing safety register validation including validating correct operation of a safety register in a slave circuit. The safety register is reserved for validation operations. Write bus validation is performed where, over an address range of the slave circuit, received write addresses within the address range are stored in the safety register of the slave circuit and read back by a master circuit for validation. Read bus validation is performed where, over the address range of the slave circuit, received read addresses within the address range are provided back to the master circuit for validation.
US09672088B2

A hardware device controller includes a controlling unit, a relay unit, and a watchdog timer. The controlling unit outputs a control signal to control a hardware device. The relay unit outputs, on the basis of the control signal, a control signal to the hardware device. When not receiving a first signal output from the controlling unit via the relay unit for a predetermined length of time or longer, the watchdog timer outputs a second signal. When the second signal is output, the controlling unit and the relay unit perform initialization process, and the hardware device stops driving.
US09672077B2

Access to a shareable resource between threads is controlled by a lock having shared, optimistic and exclusive modes and maintaining a list of threads requesting ownership of said lock. A shared optimistic mode is provided. A lock state descriptor is provided for each desired change of mode comprising a current mode in which a thread has already acquired the lock. When a thread acquires the lock in shared optimistic mode, other threads are allowed to acquire the lock in shared or optimistic mode. When a thread which acquired the lock in shared optimistic mode wants to acquire the lock in exclusive mode, other threads which have acquired the lock in shared or optimistic mode are prevented from acquiring the lock in exclusive mode until the thread which acquired the lock in shared optimistic mode and requested to acquire the lock in exclusive mode releases the lock.
US09672071B2

The current document is directed to an interface and authorization service that allows users of a cloud-director management subsystem of distributed, multi-tenant, virtual data centers to extend the services and functionalities provided by the cloud-director management subsystem. A cloud application programming interface (“API”) entrypoint represents a request/response RESTful interface to services and functionalities provided by the cloud-director management subsystem as well as to service extensions provided by users. The API entrypoint includes a service-extension interface and an authorization-service management interface. The cloud-director management subsystem provides the authorization service to service extensions that allow the service extensions to obtain, from the authorization service, an indication of whether or not a request directed to the service extension through the API entrypoint is authorized. Requests for service-extension URIs within the API entrypoint are processed by a cloud API entrypoint server that dispatches requests, in a predetermined order, to service-extension servers.
US09672068B2

Methods and systems of determining an optimum power-consumption profile for virtual machines running in a data center are disclosed. In one aspect, a power-consumption profile of a virtual machine and a unit-rate profile of electrical power cost over a period are received. The methods determine an optimum power-consumption profile based on the power-consumption profile and the unit-rate profile. The optimum power-consumption profile may be used reschedule the virtual machine over the period.
US09672067B2

A data processing system comprises a storage device, an interface module and a scheduler. The interface module is configured to dispatch a non-prioritized request via a first data path, and to transfer application-level information of an application via a second data path. The scheduler, coupled to the first and second data path, is configured to enable an access to the storage device according to the non-prioritized request and the application-level information respectively received from the first and second data paths.
US09672062B1

Systems and methods for batching memory page hints that may enable a hypervisor to reuse a particular memory page without copying the particular memory page to and from swap space. An example method may comprise: releasing, by a guest operating system, a plurality of memory pages in use by the guest operating system; adding, by the guest operating system, the memory pages to a set of memory pages; determining, by the guest operating system, that the set of memory pages satisfies a predetermined threshold quantity; and responsive to the determining, notifying a hypervisor that the memory pages released by the guest operating system are available for reuse by the hypervisor.
US09672061B2

Systems, methods, and software are described herein for operating a data management system, including executing an attached application and application data on a first virtual machine running a first operating system, separating the attached application and application data from the first virtual machine, and dynamically attaching the application and application data to a second virtual machine running an updated version of the first operating system.
US09672060B2

Exemplary embodiments provide techniques for managing VM migrations that use relatively simple and uncomplicated commands or APIs that can be executed through scripts or applications. Configuration and preparation for the conversion may be addressed by one set of command-lets or APIs, while the conversion itself is handled by a separate set of command-lets or APIs, which allows the conversion command-lets to be uncomplex and to require little input. Moreover, the architecture-specific commands can be largely abstracted away, so that the configuration and conversion processes can be carried out through straightforward general commands, which automatically cause an interface (e.g., at the conversion server) to call upon any necessary architecture-specific functionality. Still further, the information that must be entered by a user may be kept to a minimum, because the initial configuration information may be used by the system to automatically discover additional information that is needed to perform the conversion.
US09672057B2

The sending of an early notification when a guest migrates in a virtual machine system is described. A guest hosted by a computer system is migrating from a source hypervisor to a target hypervisor. During the migration, the source hypervisor stops transmission of outbound packets from the guest. A signal is sent to the target hypervisor after stopping the transmission and before completing migration of the guest. The signal requests that a notification containing network addresses of the guest be sent to network devices associated with the target hypervisor.
US09672055B2

An information processing system includes a first system and a second system. The first system and the second system each includes: hardware; a compensation section configured to provide execution environments for execution of a process using the hardware of the system to which the compensation section belongs; and a processing section configured to execute a predetermined process in the execution environments provided by the compensation section. The hardware of the first system and the hardware of the second system are different in nature from each other. The compensation section of one of the first system and the second system compensates for the differences between the hardware of the first system and the hardware of the second system to provide the processing section of the other with the execution environments which are not affected by the differences between the hardware of the first system and the hardware of the second system.
US09672054B1

Systems and methods for the management of migrations of virtual machine instances are provided. In response to a request to migrate a virtual machine instance, a migration manager may provide estimates regarding the requested migration before initiating the migration. During the migration process, the migration manager may report status or request instructions regarding the migration based on various determined migration events, thereby facilitating external control of the migration process.
US09672049B2

In some embodiments, a method for generating a mobile device's user interface is provided. The method may include: receiving, via the mobile device, input from a user of the mobile device, the input being related to a property for presenting dynamic context-dependent informational cues; determining a context; identifying a subset of a set of informational cues, the subset being associated with the context; and predominately presenting, via the mobile device, the identified subset to the user, the presentation being predominate as compared to any presentation of other informational cues in the set of informational cues, wherein the presentation accords with the received user input.
US09672044B2

A processor may efficiently implement register renaming and checkpoint repair even in instruction set architectures with large numbers of wide (bit-width) registers by (i) renaming all destination operand register targets, (ii) implementing free list and architectural-to-physical mapping table as a combined array storage with unitary (or common) read, write and checkpoint pointer indexing and (iiii) storing checkpoints as snapshots of the mapping table, rather than of actual register contents. In this way, uniformity (and timing simplicity) of the decode pipeline may be accentuated and architectural-to-physical mappings (or allocable mappings) may be efficiently shuttled between free-list, reorder buffer and mapping table stores in correspondence with instruction dispatch and completion as well as checkpoint creation, retirement and restoration.
US09672043B2

Techniques for managing instruction execution for multiple instruction streams using a processor core having multiple parallel instruction execution slices provide flexibility in execution of program instructions by a processor core. An event is detected indicating that either resource requirement or resource availability will not be met by the execution slice currently executing the instruction stream. In response to detecting the event, dispatch of at least a portion of the subsequent instruction is made to another instruction execution slice. The event may be a compiler-inserted directive, may be an event detected by logic in the processor core, or may be determined by a thread sequencer. The instruction execution slices may be dynamically reconfigured as between single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) instruction execution, ordinary instruction execution, wide instruction execution. When an instruction execution slice is busy processing a current instruction for one of the streams, another slice can be selected to proceed with execution.
US09672040B2

An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform static code analysis of a plurality of instructions comprising, for each instruction: determining whether a trace message is generated by the instruction; determining whether a size of the trace message generated by the instruction is dependent on a context; determining a size of the trace message generated by the instruction; and updating the context; and to perform determining a cumulative size of trace messages generated by the plurality of instructions.
US09672039B2

Register files for use in an out-of-order processor that have been divided into a plurality of sub-register files. The register files also have a plurality of buffers which are each associated with one of the sub-register files. Each buffer receives and stores write operations destined for the associated sub-register file which can be later issued to the sub-register file. Specifically, each clock cycle it is determined whether there is at least one write operation in the buffer that has not been issued to the associated sub-register file. If there is at least one write operation in the buffer that has not been issued to the associated sub-register file, one of the non-issued write operations is issued to the associated sub-register file. Each sub-register file may also have an arbitration logic unit which resolves conflicts between read and write operations that want to access the associated sub-register file in the same cycle by prioritizing read operations unless a conflicting write instruction has reached commit time.
US09672038B2

A scalable concurrent queue includes a central queue associated with multiple temporary queues for holding batches of nodes from multiple producers. When a producer thread or service performs an insertion operation on the scalable concurrent queue, the producer inserts one or more nodes into a batch in one of the multiple temporary queues associated with the central queue. Subsequently, the producer (or another producer) inserts the batch held in the temporary queue into the central queue. Contention between the multiple producers is reduced by providing multiple temporary queues into which the producers may insert nodes, and also by inserting nodes in the central queue in batches rather than one node at a time. The scalable concurrent queue scales to serve large number of producers with reduced contention thereby improving performance in a distributed data grid.
US09672037B2

A processor and method for fusing together an arithmetic instruction and a branch instruction. The processor includes an instruction fetch unit configured to fetch instructions. The processor may also include an instruction decode unit that may be configured to decode the fetched instructions into micro-operations for execution by an execution unit. The decode unit may be configured to detect an occurrence of an arithmetic instruction followed by a branch instruction in program order, wherein the branch instruction, upon execution, changes a program flow of control dependent upon a result of execution of the arithmetic instruction. In addition, the processor may further be configured to fuse together the arithmetic instruction and the branch instruction such that a single micro-operation is formed. The single micro-operation includes execution information based upon both the arithmetic instruction and the branch instruction.
US09672034B2

In-lane vector shuffle operations are described. In one embodiment a shuffle instruction specifies a field of per-lane control bits, a source operand and a destination operand, these operands having corresponding lanes, each lane divided into corresponding portions of multiple data elements. Sets of data elements are selected from corresponding portions of every lane of the source operand according to per-lane control bits. Elements of these sets are copied to specified fields in corresponding portions of every lane of the destination operand. Another embodiment of the shuffle instruction also specifies a second source operand, all operands having corresponding lanes divided into multiple data elements. A set selected according to per-lane control bits contains data elements from every lane portion of a first source operand and data elements from every corresponding lane portion of the second source operand. Set elements are copied to specified fields in every lane of the destination operand.
US09672023B2

A graphical user interface (GUI) for a unified software update display center is provided. The GUI includes a first display area for displaying a set of available security system software updates. The GUI includes a second display area for displaying a set of available non-security system software updates. The GUI includes a third display area for displaying a set of available application software updates. The GUI includes a single selection tool for installing all available security updates without installing any updates displayed in the second and third display areas. The GUI includes individual selection tools for installing individual updates displayed in the second and third display areas. The GUI includes a selection tool to receive further updates from a system update server and an application update server. The critical security updates are displayed with different display attributes or in different sections to distinguish them from other types of updates.
US09672020B2

Techniques are described herein that are capable of selectively loading precompiled header(s) and/or portion(s) thereof. A precompiled header is a complied (e.g., precompiled) representation of a header file. For instance, the compiled representation may be in an intermediate form that a compiler may process more quickly than the non-compiled header file. In one example, the precompiled header(s) and/or portion(s) thereof may be selectively loaded based on whether the precompiled header(s) and/or portion(s) thereof are referenced in a computer program. In another example, loading a portion of a precompiled header may be deferred until content of the portion is referenced in a computer program.
US09672019B2

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for a hardware and software system to automatically decompose a program into multiple parallel threads are described. In some embodiments, the systems and apparatuses execute a method of original code decomposition and/or generated thread execution.
US09672015B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for automatically determining configuration properties of a compiler. One of the methods includes determining that an executable of the newly created process is a compiler called by the build system to compile source code of a source code file. In response to the determining, a plurality of configuration properties of the compiler called by the build system are determined, the configuration properties including first properties of a plurality of built-in functions of the compiler, second properties of a plurality of built-in types of the compiler, or both. A compiler emulator is configured to emulate the behavior of the compiler called by the build system using the determined configuration properties. Access to the source code is provided to the compiler emulator configured using the determined configuration properties.
US09672014B2

A transparent network substrate system including at least one server module and at least one client module. The server module provides a selected functionality, such as moving an actuator, performing a mathematical operation, and receiving data from a sensor. Upon execution the server module's machine code writes information necessary to describe the selected functionality to memory. The information written to memory includes information necessary to invoke the server module functionality and may include types, members, and parameters. The client module searches the memory for the selected functionality; requests information from the server module; and invokes the functionality of the server module. Once invoked by the client the server module uses the information in memory for creating dynamic function calls.
US09672010B2

A universal modeling language (UML) analysis method may include importing a plurality of tool-specific UML models from a plurality of UML tools. The tool-specific UML models are in different tool-specific formats. The method may also include capturing snapshots, which may include text data and diagrams, of the plurality of tool-specific UML models. The method may also include translating each of the tool-specific UML models into a transformed UML model having a universal UML format. The translating operation may include extracting base data and one or more associated extended elements from the tool-specific UML model. The method may also include storing the transformed UML models within a UML tool database.
US09672008B2

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for a pausible bisynchronous FIFO. Data is written synchronously with a first clock signal of a first clock domain to an entry of a dual-port memory array and an increment signal is generated in the first clock domain. The increment signal is determined to transition near an edge of a second dock signal, where the second clock signal is a pausible clock signal. A next edge of the second clock signal of the second clock domain is delayed and the increment signal to the second clock domain and is transmitted.
US09672007B2

Provided is an arithmetic operation device including a plurality of shift registers each constituted by first to (N+1)th registers and a control unit configured to cause the shift registers to move stored values. The control unit causes the stored values to be output from a predetermined pair of registers constituting the first shift register while causing the stored values to move so that all combinations of a pair of stored values selectable from the stored values are output, and causes the stored values to be output from a predetermined pair of registers constituting the other shift register while causing the stored values to move.
US09671999B2

According to some aspects, a method for improving understandability of audio corresponding to dictation to assist a transcriptionist in transcribing the dictation is provided. The method comprises presenting a user interface to the transcriptionist, the user interface including at least one control that can be selectively set to one of a plurality of settings, receiving a selection of one of the plurality of settings via the at least one control, and compressing a dynamic range of at least a portion of the audio using at least one parameter value associated with the selected setting.
US09671985B2

An image forming apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect an object, a reception unit configured to receive an operation of a user, and a shifting unit configured to shift, if the detection unit detects an object, a power state of the image forming apparatus from a first power state to a second power state different from the first power state, and shift, if the reception unit receives an operation of a user, the power state of the image forming apparatus from the second power state to the first power state.
US09671982B2

A method of performing cloud printing is provided. The method may include generating a virtual apparatus corresponding to an image forming apparatus in a mobile device, receiving, by the mobile device, a job request for the virtual apparatus, and when the mobile device is connected to the image forming apparatus, transmitting the received job request to the image forming apparatus.
US09671978B2

In one example of a method to access data, selected data stored in a virtual tape library (“VTL”) maintained in a selected format in a first non-tape storage medium is examined. One or more first directories and one more first files are identified within the selected data. One or more second directories, and one or more second files, comprising information identifying at least one of the one or more first files, are generated and are stored in a second non-tape storage medium. A request specifying at least one of the one or more second files is received from a device, and information identifying at least one of the one or more first files is retrieved from the specified second file. The at least one first file is accessed based at least in part on the information, and data from the at least one first file is provided to the device. Systems are also disclosed. Methods and systems to enable users without system administrator rights to access and store data in a backup storage system are also disclosed.
US09671976B2

A data management system for managing the storage of data on primary and secondary storage from a primary information source having original file content to be stored including: a data file stub stored on primary storage; a data file stored on secondary storage; and wherein: the data file stub comprises original file meta data and additional stub meta data relevant to the data file; the data file comprises the original file content and additional file meta data relevant to the data file stub; the additional stub meta data includes location and information relevant to locate and recover the data file; the additional file meta data includes information relevant to the location and content of the stub; the additional stub meta data and additional file meta data being so formed and arranged that the data to be stored may be accessed without stateful middleware.
US09671972B2

A method for data storage includes storing data in a group of analog memory cells by writing respective input storage values to the memory cells in the group. After storing the data, respective output storage values are read from the analog memory cells in the group. Respective confidence levels of the output storage values are estimated, and the confidence levels are compressed. The output storage values and the compressed confidence levels are transferred from the memory cells over an interface to a memory controller.
US09671965B2

Systems and methods for replicating data from a first site to a second site remote from said first site are described. An embodiment includes storing compressed data on a hard disk appliance, reading said data without decompressing said data, sending said data over a wide-area-network (WAN) in a compressed state, and storing said data on a second hard disk appliance remote from said first hard disk appliance in its compressed state without performing an additional compression operation.
US09671959B2

Tiered mass storage assemblies are presented. The mass storage assembly in one example includes a plurality of drive interfaces configured to couple to a plurality of storage devices, with each drive interface of the plurality of drive interfaces being configured to exchange digital data at a predetermined maximum interface throughput, one or more low-output storage drives coupled to one or more corresponding drive interfaces, with a low-output storage drive exchanging digital data using the predetermined maximum interface throughput, and one or more high-output storage drives, with each high-output storage drive of the one or more high-output storage drives being coupled to two or more drive interfaces and with a high-output storage drive exchanging digital data using two or more predetermined maximum interface throughputs of the two or more drive interfaces.
US09671951B2

A method for zooming screen, an electronic apparatus and a computer readable medium using the same are provided. The method is adapted to an electronic apparatus having a touch screen. Firstly, a zooming gesture is detected by utilizing the touch screen. Next, a screen object acted by the zooming gesture on the touch screen is searched. Afterwards, a specific part of the screen object and a screen edge of the touch screen are used as a reference to zoom all of objects displayed in a screen of the touch screen, such that a height of the specific part of the screen object is constantly maintained during zooming the screen.
US09671946B2

Content is displayed on a touchscreen display of a computing system such as an electronic book reader. The content is displayed according to a setting for a first attribute (e.g., level of brightness) and a setting for a second attribute (e.g., day mode or night mode). In response to sensing a motion proximate to the touchscreen, the setting for the first attribute is changed to a different value. In response to a value for the setting for the first attribute crossing a threshold value (e.g., while the motion is being performed), the setting for the second attribute is changed.
US09671944B2

Concepts and technologies are described herein for providing a range filter user interface with selectable range controls that toggle between inclusive and exclusive modes. The range controls visually indicate configuration in an inclusive mode or an exclusive mode. Upon selection of a range control, the range control switches between inclusive and exclusive modes, and provides visual indication of the current mode.
US09671937B2

An avionics system and method is provided that de-clutters an image on a cockpit display system on a host aircraft, thus increasing a pilot's situational awareness. The avionics display system comprises a processor and a display system. The processor is coupled to the display system, a user input device, and a plurality of sources of information layers. When the de-clutter process is enabled, a filter parameter is applied to a selected information layer, and a graphic display of the filtered information layer is provided. The adjustable filter parameter can be applied to any of the information layers displayed on the cockpit display system.
US09671936B2

A system and methods for facilitation of user interactions with an electronic device. A number of user interface methods are described and may be used alone or in combination with one another to present an enhanced interface to a user. A method of providing user interaction using a compact status indicator is described. A method for providing a virtual scroll wheel to a user for interaction with content sets is described. A method for allowing a user to dynamically modify a scalable user interface is described. A method for providing gesture based input to a user via a virtual gesture pad is described. A method of providing an interactive graphic search query interface is described. A method for indicating and selecting available content type is described.
US09671935B2

A touch panel device includes a display unit, a detector, and a controller. The display unit displays, on a display screen, a nautical chart (map), and a touch panel device symbol indicating a position of the ship on the nautical chart. The detector detects rotating operation that is touch operation of rotating around the touch panel device symbol over a predetermined angle while touching the touch panel device symbol. When the detector detects the rotating operation, the controller switches a display mode to a different display mode in which a reference azimuth defining a displaying orientation of the nautical chart is different.
US09671926B2

The present disclosure relates to a method and device for displaying a dynamic icon. The method comprises: detecting an icon display instruction; obtaining a dynamic icon resource pack corresponding to an icon to be displayed based on the icon display instruction; analyzing the dynamic icon resource pack to obtain an icon resource information and a dynamic description information; generating a dynamic icon based on the icon resource information and the dynamic description information; and displaying the dynamic icon. The method and device for displaying the dynamic icon provided by the present disclosure may generate the dynamic icon corresponding to each application program based on the dynamic icon resource pack provided by the application program, so that the icon has a dynamic effect.
US09671923B2

Disclosed herein are technologies for implementing a multi-view model for devices using a plurality of stack registers. In some implementations, front-stack and back-stack registers enable a user to keep multiple views simultaneously and facilitate fast switching from one view to another without losing any unsaved data in each view.
US09671904B2

An improved acoustic touch apparatus that has a logo or application icon applied on the back surface of a propagating substrate which can be viewed through the substrate and an acoustic element situated adjacent the logo or application icon that can compensate for phase velocity shifts of surface acoustic waves in propagating over the logo or application icon.
US09671902B2

The present invention discloses a liquid crystal display having touch function and a touch detection method thereof. The liquid crystal display comprises a display module and a touch module, and the display module and the touch module share a common electrode. The display module sequentially executes a plurality of operations of gate drive and gray scale drive in each frame. The touch module executes operations of touch detection as the display module executes a present operation of gate drive and gray scale drive and a voltage of the common electrode is in stable. With the aforementioned arrangement, the present invention is capable of reducing the interference of the display signals and the touch signals to improve the display quality and touch effect.
US09671899B2

In touch panel display device, a first touch electrode group has a first plurality of touch electrodes and a second touch electrode group has a second plurality of touch electrodes. A first current supplier circuit supplies a first current during a first current supply period to the first touch electrode group, and the second current supplier circuit supplies a second current during a second current supply period to the second touch electrode group. The sensing signal receiver circuit holds a first touch voltage for the first touch electrode group following the first current supply period, and holds the second touch voltage for the second touch electrode group following the second current supply period. The sensing signal receiver determines based on the first held touch voltage and the second held touch voltage, whether a touch occurred in each of the first touch electrode group and the second touch electrode group.
US09671896B2

According to an embodiment, an interface system includes a touch panel, a pattern detecting unit, and an identification information acquisition unit. The touch panel supports a multi-touch input. The pattern detecting unit detects a pressing pattern of a pressing portion having a predetermined shape that is provided on a mounted portion of a predetermined object to be mounted on the touch panel. The identification information acquisition unit acquires information indicated by the pressing pattern to be detected by the pattern detecting unit as identification information of the object mounted on the touch panel.
US09671895B2

A method and system for turning off an alarm of a mobile terminal, by presetting an area threshold value, includes automatically turning on the mobile terminal's screen when the alarm of the mobile terminal sets off and detecting if a touch signal is inputted. When a touch signal is inputted, calculating an area of a valid touch region in which a user touches the touchscreen and comparing the calculated area of the valid touch region with the area threshold value. If the area of the valid touch region is greater than or equal to the area threshold value, controlling the mobile terminal to turn off the alarm. If the area of the valid touch region is smaller than the area threshold value, the alarm of the mobile terminal keeps ringing.
US09671894B2

An input device for a control system of a vehicle includes at least one capacitive-sensing button, an actuation detection electrical circuit, a proximity sensor, a proximity temperature sensor, and a processor. In use, the capacitive-sensing button receives an actuation from a user. The actuation alters a capacitance value of the button. The detection electrical circuit comprises a threshold value and it outputs a button actuation signal when the capacitance value exceeds the threshold value. The proximity sensor generates a proximity signal when an object is provided near the capacitive-sensing button. The proximity temperature sensor provides a temperature measurement of the nearby area. The processor adjusts the threshold value to an adjustment value that is derived from the comparison signal.
US09671891B2

A method of controlling a mobile apparatus to display an end effect is provided. The method includes displaying at least one object on a first layer on a touch screen, converting the at least one object in response to a first gesture that converts the at least one object, detecting that the conversion for the at least one object is ended, and displaying an end effect, which represents a message saying that the at least one object to be converted does not exist anymore or represents additional information, on the touch screen.
US09671879B2

A controller is applied to a search manipulation system that allows a user to manipulate a dial and thereby specify a search direction and a search speed when sequentially searching several display objects for a targeted display object. The controller determines that a sudden reverse manipulation occurs when the dial is reversely manipulated to reverse the search direction at a reverse manipulation speed higher than or equal to a specified speed. When determining that the sudden reverse manipulation occurs, the controller performs a search at a search speed lower than a speed used for a search during which no sudden reverse manipulation occurs.
US09671878B2

A mobile phone comprises a display provided with a touch panel, etc. When an end portion of the touch panel is touched, a touch icon that indicates a touch position is displayed. Furthermore, if a distance between the touch position and the end portion of the touch panel becomes larger than a first threshold value, a cursor is displayed based on the touch position. This cursor moves if a touch position changes with a touch operation. At this time, if a moving amount of the cursor is large, an afterimage object that indicates the last position (locus) of the cursor is displayed. On the other hand, a moving amount of the cursor is small, the above-described afterimage object is not displayed.
US09671874B2

Systems and methods configured to facilitate multi-modal user inputs in lieu of physical input for a processing device configured to execute an application include obtaining non-physical input for processing device and the application, wherein the physical input comprises one or more of touch-based input and tilt input; processing the non-physical input to convert into appropriate physical input commands for the application; and providing the physical input commands to the processing device.
US09671872B2

The present disclosure provides a gesture recognition method, a gesture recognition system, a terminal device and a wearable device. The gesture recognition method includes: collecting action information about a user; recognizing the action information; inquiring an action instruction corresponding to the recognized action information from a personal action database of the user, a correspondence between the action information about the user and the action instruction being stored in the personal action database of the user; and executing an operation corresponding to the inquired action instruction.
US09671869B2

Systems and methods for recognizing an aimed point on a plane are provided. Images captured by one or more image sensor are processed for obtaining data obtaining data indicative of location of at least one pointing element in the viewing space and data indicative of at least one predefined user's body part in the viewing space; using the obtained data an aimed point on the plane is identified. In case it is determined that a predefined condition is met a predefined command and/or message is executed.
US09671860B2

A manipulation input device includes a master grip having a grip part and manipulation handles movably supported on the grip part, a spring configured to generate manipulation resistance in response to a displacement amount of the manipulation handles when the manipulation handles are manipulated, and a force magnitude adjusting unit configured to adjust the force magnitude of the manipulation resistance relative to the displacement amount.
US09671854B2

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a processor having a plurality of cores each to execute instructions, a non-volatile storage to store maximum peak operating frequency values each a function of a given number of active cores, a configuration storage to store frequency limits each corresponding to one of the maximum peak operating frequency values or a configurable clip frequency value less than the maximum peak operating frequency value. In turn, a power controller is configured to limit operating frequency of the cores to a corresponding frequency limit obtained from the configuration storage. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09671849B2

A power supply system is provided to control one or more power supply units associated with an information handling system. A first power supply unit and a second power supply unit are electrically coupled to the information handling system. A controller is provided in communication with both the first and second power supply units. The controller functions to select one of the first and second power supply units to electrically power the information handling system. The non-selected unit generates zero output.
US09671843B2

There is disclosed a system, computer program and method provided for enabling an energy hub for improved management and optimization of energy utilization (consumption, production and storage). In an embodiment, a computer-implemented energy hub management system comprises a micro energy hub configured to communicate with two or more energy components at a premises. An energy optimization engine has an energy component model for each energy component based on each energy component's operating characteristics, the energy optimization engine adapted to receive at least one input from the two or more energy components and an input from an external data source on any external energy utilization restrictions for the micro energy hub. In response to at least one input from the two or more energy components and any external energy utilization restrictions on the micro energy hub, the energy optimization engine is adapted to issue one or more control signals to at least one of the energy components at the premises to optimize energy utilization based on one or more optimization criteria.
US09671842B2

A control device for a plurality of distributed generators connected to a main grid, the control device including a load power measuring unit measuring power consumption of loads connected to the plurality of distributed generators, a distributed generator power measuring unit measuring power output from the plurality of distributed generators, a power flow reference value determining unit determining a power flow reference value of a power line connected to the main grid based on the power consumption and the power output from the plurality of distributed generators, and a mode control unit changing an operation mode of one of the plurality of distributed generators such that a flow power of the power line connected to the main grid maintains the power flow reference value.
US09671841B2

A system and method for temperature management of information handling systems includes network switching device including a control unit, one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the switch to a network, one or more tables stored in a memory coupled to the control unit, and a thermal sensor coupled to the control unit. The one or more tables include information associating each of the one or more ports with one or more threshold temperatures. The switch is configured to measure a temperature of the switch by the thermal sensor, compare the temperature with the one or more threshold temperatures, and adjust an operating state of the one of more ports based on the temperature and the one or more threshold temperatures. The network switching device may be a switch, a member of a stacked switch, a router, a bridge, a hub, and/or the like.
US09671829B2

A tablet computer including a main body and a keyboard. The main body includes a front side and a rear side, with a display screen on the front side. The keyboard is movable from a first position in which it projects outwardly from the front side of the main body to a second position to the rear of the main body.
US09671827B2

A driving assistance device includes a housing, a controller, a plug connector, and a power line. The controller is received in the housing and includes a microprocessor, a supply line, a signal line, and a storage module. The storage module is electrically coupled to the microprocessor. The plug connector is assembled within the housing, and electrically coupled to the microprocessor via the supply line and the signal line. The power line is electrically coupled to the supply line. The present disclosure further discloses a driving assistance system and a vehicle employing the driving assistance device.
US09671822B2

This invention relates to methods and devices for time transfer. The invention has particular application in the alignment of slave clocks to a master clock and dealing with packet delay variations. In embodiments of the invention, the slave clock uses the residence times measured by end-to-end transparent clocks to compensate for clock synchronization errors that arise due to variability in message transfer delays. Embodiments provide a simple linear approximation technique and a Kalman filter-based technique for estimating offset and skew of the slave clock.
US09671812B2

Apparatus and methods for temperature compensation of variable capacitors are provided herein. In certain configurations, an integrated circuit (IC) includes a variable capacitor array, an array biasing circuit that biases cells of the variable capacitor array to control the array's capacitance, and a bias voltage level control circuit that generates one or more temperature dependent bias voltages used by the array biasing circuit to bias the variable capacitor array's cells. The bias voltage level control circuit controls the one or more temperature dependent bias voltages to change with temperature so as to compensate the variable capacitor array for changes to capacitance arising from temperature variation.
US09671806B2

An exemplary method and apparatus are provided for operating a power grid that has decentralized control elements. The decentralized control elements are adapted to interact with each other, in particular by communication. At least a part of the power grid, a control element or the interaction between control elements, in particular the communication between control elements, is monitored. When a problem in at least a part of the power grid, the control element or the interaction between control elements, in particular a communication breakdown, is detected, a control element affected by the problem is triggered to work autonomously.
US09671803B2

Methods and apparatus for a dynamic bias generator are provided. In an example, a dynamic bias generator for a voltage regulator can include a slope generator and a peak detector coupled to the slope generator. In certain examples, the slope generator and the peak detector can receive a representation of output current of the voltage regulator and can adjust a bias control voltage at an output of the peak detector in response to a change in the output current of the voltage regulator.
US09671801B2

An apparatus and method for a system with improved power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) over a wide frequency range. The improved PSRR is achieved by negating the influence of the parasitic capacitance associated with the bias lines and the introduction of a regulated power supply with embodiments associated with providing a ripple free and regulated supply. With reduction of parasitic capacitance, and providing an ENABLE switch by a pre-regulated supply, the degradation of the PSRR is achieved. The embodiments include both n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs implementations, and a positive and negative regulated power supply voltage. With the combined influence of the utilization of the VREG supply, and the lowering of battery-to-bias line capacitance using design layout and improved floor planning an improved PSRR over a wide frequency distribution is achieved.
US09671800B2

A temperature corrected voltage bandgap circuit is provided. The circuit includes first and second diode connected transistors. A first switched compare circuit is coupled to the one transistor to inject or remove a first current into or from the transistor. The first current is selected to correct for curvature in the output voltage of the bandgap circuit at one of hotter or colder temperatures.
US09671799B2

In accordance with an embodiment, a power supply controller includes an error signal input configured to be coupled to a sensing node of a power supply, a control output configured to be coupled to a switch control circuit, and a control circuit having an input coupled to the error signal input. The control circuit is configured to provide a first variable limit signal if the error signal input is in a first range, and to adjust the first variable limit signal according to the error signal input.
US09671794B1

A safety valve control system may include a remotely operable control assembly, a first transducer, a valve assembly, and a compressor assembly in communication with the control assembly. The control assembly is operable to actuate the pump and valve assemblies to supply fluid to actuate the safety valve into open and closed positions, in response to one or more signals received from the first transducer. A method of operation may include maintaining the safety valve in an open or closed position while sensing a physical property with the control system; communicating a signal corresponding to the sensed physical property to the control system; and automatically closing or opening the safety valve in response to a comparison of the sensed physical property to a pre-set condition.
US09671791B1

Techniques for managing a flow of an unmanned vehicle within a space may be described. In particular, the unmanned vehicle may be determined as being location within the space. The space may be associated with metric that may be based on a plurality of other unmanned vehicles also located within the space. Pairs of location and time data may be computed for the unmanned vehicle. The pairs may represent a path for the unmanned vehicle to use within the space. The pairs of location data and time data computed based on data associated with the unmanned vehicle, data associated with at least one of the other unmanned vehicles, and the metric associated with the space. Once computed, the pairs may be provided to the unmanned vehicle.
US09671784B1

An autonomous vehicle detects a tailgating vehicle and uses various response mechanisms. A vehicle is identified as a tailgater based on whether its characteristics meet a variable threshold. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at slower speeds, the threshold is defined in distance. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at faster speeds, the threshold is defined in time. The autonomous vehicle responds to the tailgater by modifying its driving behavior. In one example, the autonomous vehicle adjusts a headway buffer (defined in time) from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle. In this regard, if the tailgater is T seconds too close to the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle increases the headway buffer to the vehicle in front of it by some amount relative to T.
US09671781B1

The present disclosure relates to a deployment system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In one aspect, an illustrative deployment system includes a communication system configured for receiving diagnostic data corresponding to an object included in a UAV, wherein the UAV has an expiration condition; and a logic module configured for (i) determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied based, at least in part, on the received diagnostic data, and (ii) responsive to determining that the expiration condition has been satisfied, initiating an action that includes sending to the UAV both (a) navigation data relating to a remedial facility, and (b) instructions to navigate to the remedial facility based, at least in part, on the navigation data.
US09671779B2

Methods and systems are provided for filtering lot schedules of a manufacturing facility. A first schedule is identified, in which the first schedule is a previously executed schedule. A processing device generates a pool of lots to be scheduled using information from the first schedule, in which the pool of lots is a subset of a plurality of lots associated with the first schedule. The processing device generates a second schedule using the pool of lots.
US09671776B1

A system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program and a method for determining, tracking, and anticipating risk in a manufacturing facility are presented. In example embodiments, the method includes obtaining operational data associated with a manufacturing facility. The method further includes accessing a risk data model corresponding to the manufacturing facility, and calculating a risk score based on the current operational data using the risk data model. The method further includes causing presentation of a user interface that includes a display of the risk score to provide a user with a measure of risk at the manufacturing facility.
US09671775B2

An actuator assembly is disclosed, which includes a power unit, an actuator powered by the power unit, the power unit being configured to provide a work motion of the actuator, a motion sensor, a timing unit for measuring an immobility time of the actuator, a safety unit for selectively placing the actuator assembly into an operational state and a safety state in which the work motion of the actuator can be prevented, the safety unit being configured to prevent the operational state of the actuator assembly in case the immobility time of the actuator exceeds a predetermined process safety time. The actuator assembly can include an activation unit configured to control the power unit to provide an activation motion of the actuator in case the immobility time exceeds a predetermined activation time.
US09671772B2

One embodiment provides an apparatus. The apparatus includes a contextual clothing controller. The contextual clothing controller includes clothing selection logic. The clothing selection logic is to identify a clothing article based, at least in part, on a predicted target clothing characteristic. The clothing selection logic is further to determine a location of the identified clothing article in a storage system.
US09671771B2

A method for checking an output signal of a timer module is provided, the timer module having at least one output module, at least one input module, and at least one logic module. The output signal to be checked is read in into the timer module via an input module in addition to its output via an output module, and in the input module, signal characteristics to be checked are determined for the output signal to be checked. Furthermore, the signal characteristics to be checked are read by the logic module from the input module and the signal characteristics to be checked are compared in the logic module to the predefined values for the signal characteristics.
US09671770B2

A circuit structure of a gas valve controls a first driver and a second driver, which respectively drive a main valve and a safety valve. The circuit structure includes a power switching circuit, a control circuit, a protection circuit, an abnormal voltage detection circuit, a first valve switching circuit, a second valve switching circuit, and a processor which is electrically connected to the aforementioned circuits. The processor receives abnormal signals outputted by the abnormal voltage detection circuit, and outputs signals to control the power switching circuit, the control circuit, the protection circuit, the first valve switching circuit, and the second valve switching circuit to control the first driver and the second driver. The main valve and the safety valve can be opened or closed in this way.
US09671768B2

A smart building management system manages a building for providing smart analyses and strategies. The management system connects with plural hardware devices in the building and receives the data and statuses replied by the hardware devices, and further analyzes the maintenance statuses and energy consumption statuses of the hardware devices. Then the management system gathers the statistics of the total energy consumption statuses of the building according to the energy consumption statuses of the hardware devices. The management system receives the requests of users through a graphic user interface. The management system plans an energy-saving strategy based on the maintenance statuses of the hardware devices and the requests of users, and adjusts the hardware devices depending on the energy-saving strategy. Therefore, the total energy consumption statuses of the building meet an energy-saving target set by users in advance.
US09671760B2

A portable terminal according to the present disclosure may include an information display part including a display screen displaying information and a battery; and a band part fastened to the information display part, wherein the band part includes a charging coil wirelessly receiving power to transfer the power to the battery.
US09671759B2

The time base includes an oscillator generating a periodic signal, a frequency divider circuit formed by a division chain defining several division stages and a circuit for adjusting the divided frequency by inhibiting, in each inhibition period of a plurality of successive inhibition periods, an integer number of clocking pulses at the input of a given stage of the division chain. The time base is arranged to produce, in each inhibition period, a first real number corresponding to the real number of clocking pulses that must be removed to be precise and the adjustment circuit is arranged to calculate, in each inhibition period, a second real number equal to the addition of the first real number and the fractional part of the second real number obtained in the preceding inhibition period, the integer part of this second real number defining the number of clocking pulses to be inhibited in each inhibition period.
US09671756B2

Timepiece sub-assembly including a balance spring stud arranged to be fastened to a balance cock, and a balance spring comprising an outer coil and an end plate of larger section than that of the outer coil, this stud including a housing arranged, in a first free state of the sub-assembly, to loosely contain the end plate with tangential mobility with respect to the outer coil, and, in a second immobilized state of the sub-assembly, to immobilize the end plate to which the housing is joined by a layer of adhesive covering a change-of-section shoulder and which forms a mechanical seal for the balance spring in a longitudinal direction of the housing, and the end plate includes an eye communicating with the layer in the second immobilized state.
US09671744B2

An image forming device includes: first and second photosensitive drums; first and second drum cleaners for removing waste developer on the first and second photosensitive drums respectively; first developer cartridge having a first waste developer chamber; a second developer cartridge having a second waste developer chamber; a belt in contact with the first and second photosensitive drums; a belt cleaner for removing waste developer on the belt; a belt waste developer conveyer for conveying the waste developer removed by the belt cleaner; a first conveyer for conveying the waste developer removed by the first drum cleaner; a second conveyer for conveying the waste developer removed by the second drum cleaner to the second waste developer chamber; and a third conveyer for conveying the waste developer conveyed by the first conveyer and the waste developer conveyed by the belt waste developer conveyer to the first waste developer chamber.
US09671743B2

An image forming apparatus including a conveying unit conveying a continuous paper; an image forming unit forming an image on an image carrier and printing the image on the continuous paper conveyed by the conveying unit; and a control unit controlling the image forming apparatus; wherein when a progress state of the image forming apparatus reaches a reference, the control unit performs a maintenance operation by forming an image for maintenance on the image carrier of the image forming unit, after interrupting the printing based on a job when the job is being executed, and when the job is to be executed, the control unit determines whether the progress state of the image forming apparatus exceeds the reference before the job is completed prior to the maintenance operation, and, when the progress state exceeds the reference, issues an alarm regarding the interruption of the printing based on the job.
US09671740B2

A print control apparatus includes a generating unit that generates clear-toner plane data based on gloss-control plane data, which contains a gloss control value for specifying a type of a surface effect being a visual or a tactile effect applied to the recording medium and for specifying a region to which the surface effect is applied in the recording medium, and clear plane data, which contains a density value for specifying a transparent image other than the surface effect; and an outputting unit that outputs the clear-toner plane data. When a region where the gloss control value is specified in the gloss-control plane data and a region where the density value is specified in the clear plane data overlap each other, the generating unit sets a value of the clear-toner plane data to the gloss control value or the density value, based on a predetermined condition.
US09671737B2

An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a conveyance unit, an intermediate roller unit, and a guide section. The intermediate roller unit includes an intermediate roller at a facing surface thereof that faces a sheet conveyance path. The conveyance unit includes a conveyance roller at a facing surface thereof that faces the sheet conveyance path. The guide section guides movement of the intermediate roller unit relative to the casing such that the conveyance roller pushes the intermediate roller in association with closing movement of the conveyance unit relative to the casing to close the intermediate roller unit relative to the casing.
US09671732B2

In an image forming apparatus including a fixing unit and a storage part, the fixing unit includes: two rollers forming a fixing nip part; a pressure adjustment mechanism varying fixing nip pressure; one driving input gear receiving: a rotational power in a first direction for driving the two rollers and a rotational power in a second direction for actuating the pressure adjustment mechanism; and a gear cover supporting, with a long hole, a bearing supporting a rotary shaft of the driving input gear. The gear cover has a convex part, and the storage part has a receiving part supporting the bearing of the driving input gear at time of insertion of the fixing unit. The receiving part has a concave part fitted with the convex part of the gear cover moving with respect to the bearing of the driving input gear at the time of insertion of the fixing unit.
US09671731B2

A fixing member is provided, including a release layer containing a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA), wherein a content of the perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether (PAVE) based on all PFAs in the release layer is 3.0 mol % or more and 5.8 mol % or less, and an elastic layer having an indentation elastic modulus EITs at a surface thereof and an indentation elastic modulus EITc at a position in a depth of 50 μm from the surface, EITs and EITc being measured at a temperature of 150° C., and EITs is larger than EITc and EITc being 17 MPa or more and 24 MPa or less.
US09671725B1

A transfer device includes a transfer unit including an image carrier that carries a toner image to be transferred to a transfer surface of a recording medium, a transfer member disposed on a non-transfer-surface side of the recording medium, and an opposing member disposed opposite the transfer member with the image carrier therebetween; a scraping member that scrapes adhering matter from a surface of the transfer member by contacting the surface; a first application unit that applies a voltage, for transferring the toner image, to the opposing member; and a second application unit that applies to the transfer member a voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the voltage applied by the first application unit.
US09671723B2

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; an intermediary transfer belt rotatable in a predetermined direction, a rubbing rotatable member provided between the secondary transfer portion and a cleaning blade with respect to the predetermined direction and configured to rub the belt; and a controller for controlling the belt such that after start of a both-side-printing mode operation in which the toner images are formed on respective sides of the recording material, the rotation of the belt is stopped at an end or interruption of the both-side-printing mode operation, and the belt is rotated in a direction opposite from the predetermined direction at least until a portion of the belt contacting the cleaning blade at the time of the stop of the rotation of the belt reaches a position opposing the rubbing rotatable member.
US09671722B2

A measurement apparatus for determining a measure for the solid content of a liquid toner. The liquid toner includes a carrier liquid with marking particles, and the solid content is the ratio of the mass of the marking particles divided by the mass of the liquid toner. The measurement apparatus includes a measurement space for receiving liquid toner. The measurement space includes at least one hydrostatic pressure sensor configured and arranged for measuring data representative for the hydrostatic pressure caused by the liquid toner at least one predetermined position in the measurement space. The measurement apparatus also includes a controller configured for receiving the measured data and for determining a measure for the solid content of the liquid toner based on the received data.
US09671715B2

An optical writing device performing optical writing onto a photoreceptor, including: a light-emitting unit including a plurality of light-emitting elements that form a plurality of element rows spaced from one another in a sub scanning direction, each of the light-emitting elements having a main scanning direction position differing from a main scanning direction position of any other one of the light-emitting elements; a plurality of signal output units, one for each element row, each outputting a light amount signal for each light-emitting element in a corresponding element row, each light amount signal indicating an amount of light to be emitted by a corresponding light-emitting element; and a plurality of drive units, one for each light-emitting element, each, when receiving a light amount signal for a corresponding light-emitting element, supplying a drive current in accordance with the light amount signal to the corresponding light-emitting element.
US09671714B2

A light scanning unit may include a light source to emit a light beam and a beam deflector to reflect and scan the light beam emitted from the light source in a main scanning direction. The light scanning unit may also include a beam detecting sensor to detect a horizontal synchronization signal by receiving a part of the light beam and may include a circuit board disposed in part of a trajectory of the light beam such that the light beam is incident on a first surface of the circuit board. The circuit board may include a through-hole formed in the circuit board in the trajectory of the light beam. The beam detecting sensor may be mounted to a second surface of the circuit board which is opposite to the first surface of the circuit board. The light beam may be incident on the beam detecting sensor via the through-hole.
US09671711B2

An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of image forming units forming an image in the corresponding color by electrophotographic system; a high-voltage power supply circuit capable of generating a bias voltage; and a control unit that controls a first printing mode and a second printing mode, wherein in the second printing mode, the control unit performs such control that the photosensitive bodies provided on the image forming units not used in the second printing mode continuously rotate at a speed lower than a speed in the first printing mode, and/or such control that a bias voltage whose absolute value is less than an absolute value of a bias voltage in the first printing mode is supplied from the high-voltage power supply circuit to the processing components of the same type provided on the image forming units not used in the second printing mode.
US09671705B2

An electrophotographic photoconductor includes a conductive support; and a photoconductive layer that contains at least a charge generation material, a hole transport material, an electron transport material and a binder resin, and that is provided on the conductive support, wherein the photoconductive layer has an outermost layer that contains a charge generation material, a hole transport material, an electron transport material, a binder resin and a highly branched polymer that is obtained by polymerizing, in the presence of a polymerization initiator, a monomer having, in a molecule, two or more radically polymerizable double bonds and a monomer having, in a molecule, a long-chain alkyl group or an alicyclic group and at least one radically polymerizable double bond. The electrophotographic photoconductor exhibits superior operational stability and stably high image quality, without problems with image memory, a contact member, or image defects due to cracks caused by contamination by oils/fats or sebum.
US09671700B2

A digital exposure device including a GLV or a DMD. The digital exposure device also includes: a stage to support and move a substrate in a scan direction; an optical system disposed between the stage and the GLV or the DMD, to form a pattern on the substrate by modulating light received from the GLV or the DMD; and a control unit to control the a width of the pattern by a unit, the unit being obtained by dividing the width of the pattern by a natural number m, in the second direction.
US09671697B2

Pattern treatment methods comprise: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a patterned feature on a surface thereof; (b) applying a pattern treatment composition to the patterned feature, wherein the pattern treatment composition comprises a block copolymer and a solvent, wherein the block copolymer comprises a first block and a second block, wherein the first block comprises a unit formed from a first monomer comprising an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable group and a hydrogen acceptor group, wherein the hydrogen acceptor group is a nitrogen-containing group, and the second block comprises a unit formed from a second monomer comprising an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable group and a cyclic aliphatic group; and (c) rinsing residual pattern treatment composition from the substrate, leaving a portion of the block copolymer bonded to the patterned feature. The methods find particular applicability in the manufacture of semiconductor devices for providing high resolution patterns.
US09671693B2

A resist composition contains; (A1) a resin having a structural unit represented by the formula (aa) and at least one structural unit selected from the group consisting of a structural unit represented by the formula (a1-1) and a structural unit represented by the formula (a1-2); (A2) a resin which does not have the structural unit represented by the formula (aa) and which is insoluble or poorly soluble in aqueous alkali solution, but becomes soluble in aqueous alkali solution by the action of acid; and (B) an acid generator, wherein Raa1, Aaa1, Raa2, La1, La2, Ra4, Ra5, Ra6, Ra7, m1, n1 and n1′ are defined in the specification.
US09671686B2

Disclosed are an exposure method and a method of manufacturing a mask and a semiconductor device using the same, which minimize time taken by mask data preparation (MDP) to optimize a total exposure process and enhance a quality of a pattern by using an inverse solution concept, based on a multi-beam mask writer. The exposure method includes receiving mask tape output (MTO) design data obtained through optical proximity correction (OPC), preparing mask data, including a job deck, for the MTO design data without a data format conversion, performing complex correction, including proximity effect correction (PEC) of an error caused by an e-beam proximity effect and mask process correction (MPC) of an error caused by an exposure process, on the mask data, generating pixel data, based on data for which the complex correction is performed, and performing e-beam writing on a substrate for a mask, based on the pixel data.
US09671675B2

A stop apparatus includes blades each having a drive pin, a support member supporting pivot members of the blades, and a cam member having cams engaging with the drive pins. The blades form an aperture. The cam member includes cams of which the largest radial distances from the center of the aperture are different from each other. The blades include first blades and second blades. The radial distance from the center of the drive pins of the first blades and that of the drive pins of the second blades are different from each other in an open aperture state. The pivot members of the first and second blades are disposed at positions at a radial distance from the center shorter than the radial distance from the center of a drive pin having the longest radial distance from the center in the open aperture state among the drive pins.
US09671670B2

An electro-optic modulator imparts the information contained in an electrical signal traveling along a transmission line onto an optical carrier by using signal-related variations in the electrical signal's voltage to modulate the refractive index or absorption in an electro-optic material through which the optical carrier propagates. For optimal bandwidth and modulation efficiency, the microwave and optical waves should be matched in velocity. However, conventional microwave transmission lines have a microwave velocity that is somewhat higher than the optical group velocity in typical optical waveguides. Tuning a microwave transmission line's capacitance reduces the microwave velocity, but also reduces the impedance below the 50Ω impedance of most microwave components. Conversely, tuning the microwave transmission line's inductance makes it possible to match the microwave velocity to the optical group velocity over bandwidths of 100 GHz or greater while maintaining a microwave impedance of 50Ω.
US09671669B2

The invention relates to a device comprising a multilayered structure with a first portion and a second portion wherein the first portion is conceived to be rolled about a first roller, said device comprising a second roller for receiving the second portion for at least partially counteracting the effects of mechanical strain induced in the multilayered structure upon said rolling. The first roller is rotated in a first direction, whereby the second roller is rotated in a second direction. Preferably, the diameters of the first roller and the second roller are equal. Alternatively, the edge portions A, B of the multilayer structure are suitably interconnected by stoppers for preventing creeping.
US09671666B2

A color display apparatus includes a driving substrate, a color filter, a display layer and an adhesive. The color filter is faced to the driving substrate. The color filter includes a substrate and a filter layer, and the filter layer is disposed on the substrate and faced to the driving substrate. The display layer is disposed between the driving substrate and the color filter, and an orthographic projection of the display layer projecting on the filter layer is surrounded by a periphery boundary of the filter layer. An interval is existed between the orthographic projection of the display layer projecting on the filter layer and the periphery boundary of the filter layer. Besides, the adhesive is disposed between the display layer and the color filter, and a periphery boundary of the display layer and the periphery boundary of the filter layer are surrounded by the adhesive.
US09671649B2

A phase modulator for polarized light, comprising a first substrate with a first surface and a second substrate with a second surface, a liquid crystal layer between the two substrates and an electrode arrangement. The phase modulator is usable as a variable deflection grating, and liquid crystal materials which are currently conventional are usable for its production. A phase modulator has an out-of-plane angle of the liquid crystal molecules next to the two surfaces whose magnitude is greater than 0 but less than or equal to 45 degrees, and an electrode arrangement controllable such that an in-plane component of the liquid crystal molecule orientation is adjustable in an angle range of up to 180 degrees, and the rotation sense of the liquid crystal molecules next to the first surface is opposite to the rotation sense of the liquid crystal molecules next to the second surface.
US09671647B2

A curved display device includes: a display substrate curved along a first direction; an opposing substrate coupled with the display substrate and curved together with the display substrate; and a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules interposed between the display substrate and the opposing substrate, where the opposing substrate includes: a common electrode; and a first alignment layer disposed on the common electrode and which aligns a first portion of the liquid crystal molecules at a first pre-tilt angle, and the display substrate includes: a pixel electrode disposed in each of a plurality of pixel areas, where a slit is defined in the pixel electrode; and a second alignment layer disposed on the pixel electrode and which aligns a second portion of the liquid crystal molecules at a second pre-tilt angle, which is greater than the first pre-tilt angle.
US09671639B2

The presence or absence of touch is detected according to a difference of a capacitance caused by the presence or absence of a material that blocks the electric field formed between the detection electrode and the common electrode. The common electrode includes a plurality of divided electrode portions that is extended in a lateral direction and aligned with each other in a longitudinal direction. Each of the plurality of common lines is electrically connected to at least one of the divided electrode portions. The plurality of common lines is arranged in an area next to the common electrode in the lateral direction of the common electrode, arranged next to each other in a width direction orthogonal to a length thereof, is different in width from each other, and the width of the common lines is wider as the length is longer.
US09671630B2

Provided is a display device with a simplified configuration. The display device includes a display panel, a panel guide, a backlight unit, a front cover, and a back cover. The panel guide supports the display panel. The backlight unit emits light to the display panel. The front cover encloses an outer surface of the display panel. The backlight unit is stored in the back cover. The front cover includes a fixing portion formed thereon projecting toward the back cover, and the back cover includes a supporting portion projecting toward the backlight unit, to fix the front cover to the back cover.
US09671623B2

A removable attachment for eyeglasses. The attachment is held to the parent eyeglasses by magnets. The bridge of the attachment includes ball joints that allow the attachment to fold for storage while not in use, and also allow the lens units of the attachment to twist about a horizontal line with respect to the bridge thereby enabling the lens units to conform to misaligned parent lenses.
US09671621B2

A deformable membrane assembly comprises a deformable membrane (70) in contact with a body of fluid (90) and a selectively operable adjuster for adjusting the pressure of the fluid (90) for causing distension of the membrane (70) in accordance with a predefined form. The membrane is held peripherally by a bendable supporting member (50) that is coupled to a fixed support by at least three engaging members (82) at spaced locations round the supporting member (50). An engaging member (82) is provided at or proximate at least one point round the supporting member (50) where the profile of the supporting member (50) corresponding to the predefined form of the membrane (70) exhibits locally maximum or minimum curvature in the direction of distension of the membrane (70).
US09671615B1

In a near-eye optical display system comprising a waveguide and diffractive optical elements (DOEs) configured for in-coupling, exit pupil expansion, and out-coupling, a wide-spectrum imager generates imaging light that is in-coupled to the system with an input pupil having an extended field of view (FOV). Wide-spectrum imaging light impinges on the in-coupling DOE over a range of incidence angles. As chromatic dispersion in the in-coupling DOE causes different wavelengths to propagate with different angles, for a given input pupil incidence angle, at least a portion of the imaging light spectrum meets a critical angle condition that enables propagation with total internal reflection (TIR) in the waveguide without leakage to the outside. Thus, different parts of the imaging light spectrum can be used for different regions of the FOV.
US09671614B2

An eyepiece for a head wearable display includes a light guide component for guiding display light received at a peripheral location and emitting the display light at a viewing region. The light guide component includes an eye-ward facing surface having a reflection portion and a viewing portion, a folding surface oriented to reflect the display light received into the light guide component to the reflection portion of the eye-ward facing surface, and a first interface surface oriented to receive the display light reflected from the reflection portion of the eye-ward facing surface. A partially reflective layer is disposed on the first interface surface in the viewing region to reflect the display light through viewing portion of the eye-ward facing surface.
US09671609B2

A display device includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of light emitting members, an anti-moiré member spaced away from the plurality of light emitting members at about a first distance (d), and a frame member receiving the PCB such that the PCB is interposed between the anti-moiré and the frame member. The anti-moiré member includes a first layer disposed to face the PCB and having a first foil with a randomized pattern surface. The first distance (d) equals L/(2*tan (α)). The second distance (L) is a shortest distance between two adjacent light emitting members. Each of the array of light emitting members has a radiation angle α.
US09671603B2

An optical arrangement for positioning in a beam path of a light microscope, has an optical carrier, on which a first set of optical assemblies for generating structured illumination light of different orientations is arranged. The optical arrangement includes an adjustable deflection device provided for selectably deflecting a light beam to one of the optical assemblies and for deflecting one light beam coming from said optical assembly into the direction of a sample that is to be examined. The invention further relates to a light microscope having an optical arrangement according to the invention.
US09671592B2

A five-piece optical lens for capturing image and a five-piece optical module for capturing image, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, include a first lens with positive refractive power having an object-side surface which can be convex; a second lens with refractive power; a third lens with refractive power; a fourth lens with refractive power; and a fifth lens which can have negative refractive power, wherein an image-side surface thereof can be concave, and at least one surface of the fifth lens has an inflection point; both surfaces of each of the five lenses are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US09671584B2

A method for cooling an optical element for EUV applications is disclosed. Heat is transferred from the optical element to a heat sink, and, via a first feed line, a first cooling medium is introduced into a cooling channel in the heat sink, in such a way that the first cooling medium effects laminar flow through the cooling channel and in the process absorbs heat from the heat sink. After flowing through the cooling channel, the first cooling medium is discharged into a discharge line leading away from the optical element. A second cooling medium is introduced into the discharge line via a second feed line, and the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium, downstream of the second feed line at a location that is further away from the optical element than the cooling channel, are subjected to a force field introduced into the discharge line externally.
US09671576B1

A CWDM transceiver module includes: a substrate; a plurality of light sources disposed on the substrate; a spacer layer disposed above the substrate, a cavity being defined in the space layer to accommodate the light sources; a cap layer transparent to light emitted from the light sources and disposed on the spacer layer, a notch for assembling a waveguide being formed in the cap layer; a plurality of lenses disposed on the cap layer facing the light sources; reflector coating and filter coating disposed on surfaces of the cap layer; an active alignment element disposed on the cap layer; and a reflector disposed at bottom of the notch.
US09671574B2

An optical integrated circuit comprises optical waveguides, grooves formed by etching the upper cladding layer, the core layer and all or parts of the lower cladding layer close to a end section of the optical waveguide to intercept light transmitted through the core layer of the optical waveguide or to couple light into the core layer, a plurality of bonding pads formed around the groove, micro-mirrors and active optical elements. Such a PLC based optical integrated circuit and a method of manufacturing the same provides a low-cost manufacturing of optical integrated circuits and high quality mirrors for vertical optical coupling scheme.
US09671565B2

A two-part fiber optic collimator has a precision adjuster for controlling the position of a spring-biased lens carrier with respect to the collimator's body. An interchangeable fiber optic connector adaptor is attached to the collimator body for accurately positioning the end of a fiber optic cable in the collimator.
US09671556B2

Various embodiments may relate to an optoelectronic component device, including a first optically active structure, which is configured to provide an electromagnetic radiation, a measuring structure, which is configured to determine the luminance distribution of the electromagnetic radiation, wherein the measuring structure is configured to determine the luminance distribution in the first optically active structure, and wherein the measurement structure has a plurality of second optically active structures, wherein the plurality of second optically active structures are configured as optoelectric components and/or optoelectronic components, which receive the provided electromagnetic radiation.
US09671548B2

An optical waveguide serves for guiding illumination light. The waveguide has a waveguide main body for guiding the illumination light between a main body entrance region and a main body exit region. At least one coupling-out device is provided in the main body exit region. Via the coupling-out device, at least one coupling-out illumination light partial beam is coupled out from the illumination light emerging from the waveguide main body. This is done such that the coupling-out illumination light partial beam can be separated from the rest of the illumination light beam emerging from the waveguide main body. This results in a waveguide having improved possibilities for use when guiding illumination light.
US09671544B2

The present invention achieves a phase difference film that is excellent in wavelength dispersion property, in-plane retardation, and film thickness, by using a polymeric material (i) which is composed of at least one type of cellulose derivative having a specific alkoxyl group substitution degree D1 and a specific 2-naphthoyl group substitution degree D2 and (ii) which has a specific total 2-naphthoyl group substitution degree D3.
US09671542B2

Provided herein is a method for producing a nano polaroid film using a one-pack type or two-pack type blackening ink so that a single layer film may replace a conventional polaroid film generally produced by superposing various types of optical films, and especially, a method for producing a nano polaroid film consisting of one film and having excellent observability by coating a transparent nano pattern substrate with a functional ink that contains a blackening material, and then removing particles formed on protruding portions using an etching solution, and refilling the functional ink into grooves.
US09671539B2

The present invention provides a polarizing plate that includes a polarizer, and an optical film including an alignment layer, an optically anisotropic layer, and an optically isotropic acrylic polymer layer on at least one surface of the polarizer, in which the optically anisotropic layer is a layer formed by irradiating a polymerizable composition including a liquid crystal compound that is directly applied to the alignment layer with light to polymerize the liquid crystal compound, the acrylic polymer layer is a layer formed by curing a polymerizable composition including (meth)acrylate that is directly applied to a surface of the layer formed from the polymerizable composition including a liquid crystal compound, and the thickness of the acrylic polymer layer is larger than the thickness of the optically anisotropic layer. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a polarizing plate having a small thickness.
US09671535B2

A color filter substrate is disclosed. The color filter substrate includes a glass substrate, and an RGB color filter layer. The RGB color filter layer includes a plurality of optical filter columns, and each optical filter column includes a plurality of optical filter units in two colors. In addition, adjacent optical filter columns form an optical filter group, optical filter units of one of the colors in each optical filter group are arranged in a zigzag pattern, optical filter units arranged in the zigzag pattern are of different colors in adjacent optical filter groups, and the optical filter units are rectangular.
US09671528B2

There is provided an optical sheet which can prevent problems when it is superimposed on another member. The optical sheet includes: a sheet-like base layer; a light control layer having unit shaped elements arranged in a direction parallel to a sheet surface of the base layer; and a light diffusing layer disposed between the base layer and the light control layer. The light diffusing layer includes a binder resin portion and particles dispersed in the binder resin portion. The particles in the binder resin portion includes a single particle and an aggregate formed of aggregated single particles.
US09671526B2

An occupancy sensor detects the occupancy state of a monitored area. The occupancy sensor may be mounted in a standard junction box at various angles and one or more of the ultrasonic sensors may be disabled. The occupancy sensor includes a PIR sensor and one or more ultrasonic sensors. The sensor sensitivities and timeout settings may be programmed by a technician or user via an IR interface or via a network interface. The settings may be changed according to control system logic or some other factor such as date, time or room conditions. Setup of the sensor may also be performed via the IR interface or network interface. The occupancy outputs both a signal taking into account the timeout period as well as a raw data signal. The IR interface may be used to relay messages between a control system and external devices. Algorithms employed in the occupancy sensor allow for the occupancy sensor to process analog signals from sensors to determine the room state, enhance performance such as by reducing false trips, enhance energy savings and force sensors into vacancy or occupancy mode. The occupancy sensor additionally comprises a microphone. Sound can be required to qualify detection from another sensor and may be employed to prolong the occupancy state once it is established.
US09671519B2

Systems, methods, and devices for determining neutron-gamma density (NGD) measurement of a subterranean formation that is accurate in both liquid- and gas-filled formations are provided. For example, a downhole tool for obtaining such an NGD measurement may include a neutron generator, neutron detector, two gamma-ray detectors, and data processing circuitry. Neutron generator may emit neutrons into a formation, causing a fast neutron cloud to form. Neutron detector may detect a count of neutrons representing the extent of the neutron cloud. Gamma-ray detectors may detect counts of inelastic gamma-rays caused by neutrons that inelastically scatter off the formation. Since the extent of the fast neutron cloud may vary depending on whether the formation is liquid- or gas-filled, data processing circuitry may determine the density of the formation based at least in part on the counts of inelastic gamma-rays normalized to the count of neutrons.
US09671518B2

A multi-source neutron logging tool has been developed. The multi-source logging tool comprises axially aligned gamma and thermal neutron detectors on either side of a multi-neutron source. The multi-source neutron logging tool may be used to evaluate formations adjacent a borehole.
US09671514B2

There is provided an apparatus for positioning in water of seismic equipment towed by a survey vessel. The apparatus is made of an elongated body part for receiving a towed underwater cable. The body part is provided with wings and integrated wing flaps for stably holding the apparatus in the correct water position.
US09671508B2

The disclosed device for detecting the position and dose distribution of a therapeutic proton beam emitted in a pencil beam scanning mode comprises: a proton beam progressing position detection unit comprising a plurality of first optical fibers arranged along the first direction and a plurality of second optical fibers arranged along the second direction which is different from the first direction; and a proton beam dose distribution detection unit comprising a plurality of optical wavelength converter, each of which comprises an optical wavelength conversion disk and an optical wavelength-converting optical fibers arranged along the outer circumference of the optical wavelength conversion disk. The proton beam progressing position detection unit detects a proton beam progressing position through the arrangement of the first and second optical fibers, and the proton beam dose distribution detection unit detects a dose distribution of the proton beam progressing direction through a plurality of optical wavelength conversion disks.
US09671499B2

The effective use of weak GPS signals that are present in various environments enables an electronic device to pinpoint its location in such environments. The electronic device uses an antenna to perform sequential scanning in multiple directions for global positioning system (GPS) signals. The electronic device further analyzes GPS signals obtained from scanning the multiple directions to determine a number of acquired GPS satellites that provided the GPS signals. The GPS signals include code phases of the acquired GPS satellites. The electronic device then computes a location of the electronic device based on the code phases of the acquired GPS satellites when the number of acquired GPS satellites meets a threshold.
US09671498B2

A GPS receiving apparatus and a computer readable storage medium are described. According to one implementation, the GPS receiving apparatus includes a GPS receiving unit, a storage unit, a position measuring unit, a reception control unit, and a movement judging unit. The storage unit stores GPS information. The reception control unit starts reception operation with a first or second mode. In the first mode, the GPS receiving unit uses the stored GPS information. In the second mode, the stored GPS information is not used. The movement judging unit judges whether the apparatus is moved a predetermined distance or more from a previous measured position. When the movement judging unit judges that the apparatus is moved the predetermined distance or more, the reception control unit starts reception operation with the second mode.
US09671490B2

An optoelectronic device includes an optoelectronic component that generates or receives radiation, a frame and an optical element, wherein the frame extends in a vertical direction between a radiation passage side and a rear side; an opening, in which the component is arranged, is formed in the frame; the optical element covers the component in a plan view of the radiation passage side; and the optical element is a Fresnel lens or a Fresnel zone plate.
US09671489B1

An optical detection system for detecting an incident optical signal is described. The system includes an optical package adapted to collect the incident optical signal and directed it to a detector array that is coupled thereto. The array outputs electrical signals to be analyzed by a processor. The processor is adapted to iterate algorithms using the signals to calculate an incident angle of arrival for the incident optical signal and a range of the source of the optical signal to the system based on the angle of arrival calculation. The processor is further configured to discriminate the optical signal spectrally to calculate wavelengths thereof for false alarm rejection.
US09671487B2

A track test load device includes an inductor assembly with simulated track inductors simulating a rail track, a connector assembly for connecting the inductor assembly to a constant warning time device, and a multi-way-switch-assembly with a multi-way-switch with multiple switch positions. The multi-way-switch assembly is operably coupled between the inductor assembly and the connector assembly, wherein a switch position of the multi-way-switch corresponds to an operating mode of the track test load device. Furthermore, a track test load system and a method for testing a constant warning time device are disclosed.
US09671477B2

An inductive sensor (100) for a motor vehicle, includes: a field coil (101) designed to form an electromagnetic field, a coil (103) for measuring a magnetic field and designed to provide an output signal representative of the position of a metal target (102) in the magnetic field formed by the field coil (101), and at least two electric circuits (111) connected simultaneously in parallel to the terminals of the field coil (101), each electric circuit (111) including an inverter element (112) and a capacitive element (113), and forming, together with the field coil (101) an electric oscillator (110) designed to form an AC voltage at the terminals of the field coil (10) via electric resonance, the electric oscillators (110) being of the same resonance frequency.
US09671470B2

The present invention discloses a method for monitoring energy efficiency performance of a device, which comprises: connecting the monitored device, obtaining input energy and output energy of the monitored device in a period of time, and calculating an energy efficiency index of the monitored device; and obtaining an energy efficiency deviation based on a standard energy efficiency index of the monitored device, and determining a state of the monitored device based on the energy efficiency deviation. The present invention further discloses a apparatus for monitoring energy efficiency performance of a device. Using the method and apparatus described above, the fine assessment for the device performance can be implemented in a simple way.
US09671461B2

A test system for a semiconductor apparatus that includes a calibration board having first skew information therein and outputting a plurality of test signals, and a main board configured to perform first skew correction for correcting skews of the test signals based on the first skew information and perform secondary skew correction for correcting an I/O skew thereof using the plurality of test signals.
US09671457B2

A method comprises connecting a testing setup having a plurality of probes to a device under test having a plurality of vias, wherein a probe is aligned with a corresponding via of the device under test and conducting a plurality of via electrical characteristic tests through a conductive path comprising the vias, the probes and a plurality of conductive devices, each of which connects two adjacent probes, wherein the conductive devices are in the testing setup.
US09671452B2

A wafer inspection apparatus 10 includes a middle plate 22 that mounts a probe card 18 in which multiple contact probes 20 are provided; a drawer type table 21 in which the middle plate 22 is provided; a tester 15 to which the probe card 18 is mounted; and a transfer robot 17 that transfers the middle plate 22. The middle plate 22 includes a base 23 and multiple supports 24 protruding toward the probe card 18 to be mounted. A protruding height of each support 24 is equal to or higher than a protruding length of the contact probe 20 from the probe card 18. The probe card 18 is fastened to a probe card cover 29 when the probe card 18 is mounted on the middle plate 22, and the transfer robot 17 transfers the middle plate 22 from the table 21 to the tester 15.
US09671450B2

The disclosure is related to an array substrate, a display panel and a method for detecting the array substrate. The array substrate comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in an array. Each of the pixels comprises a plurality of sub-pixels arranged in sequence. Each of the sub-pixels is arranged opposite to a capacitor at an interval. Each sub-pixel comprises a sub-pixel electrode. At least one sub-pixel electrode comprises an extension portion. At least one extension portion of the sub-pixel electrode of the sub-pixel is arranged corresponding to the space between the adjacent sub-pixel and the capacitor corresponding to the adjacent sub-pixel.
US09671446B2

A noise detection circuit may include a divider configured to receive a clock signal and a clock bar signal, divide the clock signal and the clock bar signal, and generate a first divided signal and a second divided signal. The noise detection circuit may also include a noise detection reference block configured to reflect a power supply voltage level variation on the first divided signal and the second divided signal, and generate a first reference signal and a second reference signal, and a duty sensing circuit configured to generate first duty information and second duty information of the clock signal in response to the first reference signal and the second reference signal. The noise detection circuit may also include a detection circuit configured to generate a noise detection signal in response to the first duty information and the second duty information.
US09671443B2

A device and method of use for measuring the electrical charge of flying insects. The inventive device comprises measuring the charge induced by a flying insect and measuring the average of charge deposited on a metal screen due to the impact of multiple of insects on the screen.
US09671437B2

An overcurrent detection circuit includes a current detection resistor that generates a voltage in proportion to current flowing through a switching element and a comparator that compares the voltage detected via the current detection resistor and a reference voltage generated by a reference voltage generation circuit to thereby detect overcurrent flowing through the switching element. In particular, the reference voltage generation circuit includes: a first resistance voltage dividing circuit that resistance-divides a standard voltage by connecting, in series, two types of resistors having different temperature characteristics; a second resistance voltage dividing circuit that resistance-divides the standard voltage by connecting, in series, resistors having the same temperature characteristics; and an instrumentation amplifier that generates the reference voltage according to the difference between the divided output voltages of the first and second resistance voltage dividing circuits.
US09671432B2

The invention provides a sensor device comprising a nanowire electrode and a faradic shield, said faradic shield is adapted to prevent unwanted capacitive charging current in said sensor. The nanoelectrode device design with a metallic Faradic Shield layer significantly reduces the noise levels, increase the sensitivity of the sensors and allow measurements to be undertaken in less than 1 second.
US09671429B2

Some embodiments of the invention are directed to electrochemical fabrication methods for forming structures or devices (e.g. microprobes for use in die level testing of semiconductor devices) from a core material and a shell or coating material that (1) partially coats the surface of the structure, (2) completely coats the surface of the structure, and/or (3) completely coats the surface of structural material of each layer from which the structure is formed including interlayer regions. These embodiments incorporate both the core material and the shell material into the structure as each layer is formed along with a sacrificial material that is removed after formation of all layers of the structure. In some embodiments the core material may be a material that would be removed with sacrificial material if it were accessible by an etchant during removal of the sacrificial material.
US09671423B2

An electronic device includes a substrate, a lid which is bonded to the substrate, and a functional element which is provided between the substrate and the lid, in which the lid includes a penetration hole which penetrates a portion between an inner surface and an outer surface, the penetration hole includes a first hole portion and a second hole portion, a flat area of the second hole portion is set to be smaller than a flat area of the first hole portion, at least a part of an inner wall surface of the second hole portion substantially forms a right angle with respect to a bottom surface of the first hole portion, and the penetration hole is sealed with a sealing member.
US09671415B2

The current invention provides an improved immunoassay for the detection and determination of pyrrolidinophenone based designer drugs in hair and biological fluids (urine, blood, and oral fluid). The generic immunoassay is underpinned by novel, sub-family-specific antibodies, which display surprising sensitivity. The invention further describes substrates comprising an antibody that is specific to compounds of the pyrrolidinophenone family. Also described are the novel immunogens from which the antibodies are derived and kits incorporating the antibodies of the current invention.
US09671402B2

Methods, compositions, and kits for performing analyte detection in a lateral flow assay.
US09671397B2

The invention relates to a device for detecting analytes, including a plastic substrate at least partially covered by bonding polymers attached to the substrate in a non-covalent manner, said bonding polymers comprising a polysaccharide backbone provided with aromatic groupings and carboxylic acid groupings.
US09671391B2

Methods are disclosed for identifying activators and inhibitors of actions of interleukin-34 (IL-34) that are independent of the colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) receptor (CSF-1R) and play a role in development, homeostasis and disease.
US09671386B2

Improved methods of detecting thermal exposure are provided herein. The provided methods utilize initially dormant luminescent probes incorporated into a matrix to form a composite. When exposed to heat over a period of time, the luminescent probes are “activated” through a molecular transformation initiated by thermal energy. The activated probes exhibit a luminescent profile based on the extent of thermal exposure, thereby providing an indicator of the thermal exposure experienced by the matrix. When the composite is used to produce a structural component of a vehicle (e.g., an aircraft), the methods provide a convenient, large-area indicator of thermal damage experienced by the structural component.
US09671380B2

A method is presented for diagnosing a particulate matter sensing system, where the system includes a sensing element having two electrodes spaced from one another. The method determining at a first time during a cool-down event a first sensing element temperature and a resistance of the sensing element, and determining at a later second time during the cool-down event a second sensing element temperature and the resistance of the sensing element. The method further includes calculating a predicted sensing element resistance at the second sensing element temperature, based on the first sensing element temperature, the resistance of the sensing element determined at the first time, and a predetermined model of the resistance vs. temperature characteristics of the sensing element. A fault condition for the system may be indicated based on a comparison of the predicted sensing element resistance at the second sensing element temperature and a measured sensing element resistance.
US09671377B2

A TLC plate allows the separation and detection of target substances on one plate. The TLC plate is made up of a substrate, a separating medium layer stacked on the substrate, and a permeation layer discontinuously stacked on the separating medium layer and allows the permeation of a target substance separated in the separating medium layer, wherein the separating medium layer has a separating property for the target substance and an optical responsiveness for ultraviolet rays, and the permeation layer has an optical responsiveness different from that of the separating medium layer.
US09671375B2

A fluidic chip device configured for processing a fluid, wherein the fluidic chip device comprises a plurality of layers laminated to one another, wherein at least a part of the layers comprises a patterned section of an alternating sequence of bars and fluidic channels for conducting the fluid under pressure, the patterned section being configured for being displaceable in response to the pressure, and a pressure detector responding to the displacement of the patterned section by generating a detector signal being indicative of a value of the pressure.
US09671367B2

The invention relates generally to polymers and copolymers comprising N-vinylamide-type monomers, their preparation, and compositions, such as electrophoresis separation media, containing the same; to supports, such as capillaries, containing these polymers; and methods for separating a mixture of biomolecules, especially polynucleotides, using capillary electrophoresis. Separation media comprising such polymers yield advantageous performance in the analysis and separation of biomolecules by capillary electrophoresis.
US09671356B2

A technique of measuring energy of electrons excited by exposing a semiconductor material to solar ray is proposed. A surface layer having a negative electron affinity is formed on the surface of a semiconductor material. The semiconductor material is placed in a vacuum environment and exposed to solar ray. Photoelectrons emitted from the surface layer having the negative electron affinity are guided to an energy analyzer, and the energy of electrons excited by the solar ray is measured. Since the surface layer having the negative electron affinity is used, the photoelectrons are obtained from the electrons excited by the solar ray, and thereby energy measurement becomes possible.
US09671338B1

The present invention provides a water quality sensor for household appliance which is installed inside of a washing appliance, including a housing and a detecting module contained therein. The detecting module includes a light emitting element for emitting a detecting beam passing through the transparent panel, and a light receiving element for receiving a backscattered beam generated from the detecting beam and backscattered by the cleaning medium. The light emitting element and the light receiving element are positioned on a same plane of a circuit board parallel to the transparent panel, and the detecting beam emitted from the light emitting element is blocked by a sensor holder from being directly received by the light receiving element, such that the water quality sensor determines the water quality of the cleaning medium contained in the household appliance based on the backscattered beam.
US09671336B2

A device for detecting rain on a pane includes a camera (1) and an electrically drivable film (3) that actively emits light (h) as a light sheet (s). The camera and the film are arranged so that the camera can detect an image (i1, i2) of the light sheet that impinges on and is reflected by the pane. The signal detected by the camera correlates with light that has been emitted by the film, and reflected or scattered by the inner face (2.1) or outer face (2.2) of the pane and/or by a raindrop on the outer face of the pane.
US09671333B2

A laser gas analyzer includes a wavelength-variable laser having a wide wavelength-variable width, a light-split module configured to split an output light of the wavelength-variable laser into a measurement light and a reference light, a first gas cell into which gases to be measured are introduced, and the measurement light is made to be incident, and a data processor configured to obtain an absorption spectrum of each of the gases to be measured based on a reference signal related to the reference light and an absorption signal related to an output light of the first gas cell, and to obtain concentrations of the respective gases to be measured.
US09671323B2

A method and apparatus for determining the presence of foreign material on a substrate chuck. The method includes: placing a bottom surface of a substrate on a top surface of the substrate chuck; applying a lateral force in a direction parallel to a top surface of the substrate chuck to the substrate; when the substrate moves partially off or moves completely off the substrate chuck in response to the applying the lateral force then a defect is present between the top surface of the substrate chuck and the bottom surface of the substrate; or when the substrate remains completely on the substrate chuck in response to the applying the lateral force then a defect is not present between the top surface of the substrate chuck and the bottom surface of the substrate.
US09671313B2

A tire testing apparatus for testing a tire comprises a loading means for the tire (17), a measuring head (20, 22, 24) which is movable relative to the tire (17), and lower bearing elements (7) on which the tire (17) can be positioned in vertical position. To improve such tire testing apparatus, the tire testing apparatus comprises upper bearing elements (8) which are movable relative to the lower bearing elements (7) and which together with the lower bearing elements (7) form a holder for the tire (17). (FIG. 8c)
US09671309B2

A drainage apparatus for a filter device may include a housing and a solenoid valve arranged in the housing. A non-return valve may be arranged downstream the solenoid valve. A pressure sensor may be arranged between the solenoid valve and the non-return valve. The pressure sensor may be configured for pressure sensing in a chamber disposed between the solenoid valve and the non-return valve.
US09671306B2

An easy-to-use, installation-free water leak warning device having a sturdy hollow body enclosing essential functioning elements including a power source, an amplifier, a speaker, and portions of two electrodes. The water leak warning device is preferably small in size and may be placed at potential water leak or flooding spots. The essential functioning elements are operatively connected with conductive material so that when leaked water flows to where the device is located, an audible signal can be emitted to alert the user of the device to prevent further leakage and mitigate any damage.
US09671305B2

The invention relates to tire balancing compositions having improved balancing properties comprise a visco-plastic gel and solid bodies having an average smallest dimension in the range of 0.5-5 mm; preferably 1-4 mm, more preferably around 3 mm. When applied in a layer to the inside of a motor vehicle tire, the compositions act by allowing the solid bodies move through the gel and to concentrate in areas to counteract imbalances. The solid bodies preferably have an average ratio α between their smallest and their largest dimension of α≦2, more preferably α≦1.5, especially around 1. The visco-plastic gel preferably has a storage modulus (G′) between 1000 Pa and 25000 Pa at 22° C., a loss modulus (G″) smaller than the storage modulus, and a critical yield stress above 3 Pa at 22° C. The bodies may be shaped as prolate or oblate ellipsoids, cylinders, rectangular paralleipipeds, or spheres, or mixtures of such bodies; they may have an apparent specific gravity in the range of 500-3000 kg/m3, preferably 600-2000 kg/m3, in particular 700-1000 kg/m3, especially 800-900 kg/m3; they may be made from polyolefins, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, rubber or glass. The weight ratio between the solid bodies and the gel is from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, in particular from 2:1 to 3:1, such as from 1:1 to 1:2. The invention further concerns a tire balancing kit and a method for balancing automobile wheel assemblies.
US09671303B2

Methods and systems for provided for accurately estimating an engine intake or exhaust manifold pressure using a laser pressure transducer. Laser circuitry is coupled to a pressure sensitive diaphragm that is mounted to the engine manifold. Manifold pressure is inferred based on a deflection of the diaphragm, as estimated based on a timing between emission of a laser pulse into the diaphragm and detection of a reflected pulse from the diaphragm.
US09671302B2

A cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge includes an extended anode electrode and a cathode electrode surrounding the anode electrode along its length and forming a discharge space between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The vacuum gauge further includes an electrically conductive guard ring electrode interposed between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode about a base of the anode electrode to collect leakage electrical current, and a discharge starter device disposed over and electrically connected with the guard ring electrode, the starter device having a plurality of tips directed toward the anode and forming a gap between the tips and the anode.
US09671294B2

A semiconductor device including a temperature sensor includes a pull up circuit, a pull down circuit, a first additional current path, and a second additional current path. The pull up circuit is configured to generate a pull up current that contributes to generation of a first output current. The pull down circuit is operably coupled to the pull up circuit at an output node and configured to generate a pull down current that contributes to generation of a second output current. The first additional current path, when enabled, is configured to combine a first additional current with the pull up current to comprise the first output current. The second additional current path, when enabled, is configured to combine a second additional current with the pull down current to comprise the second output current. Respective enablement of the first additional current path and the second additional current path is complementary.
US09671285B2

A spectrometer comprises a substrate and a waveguide on the substrate, the waveguide including an elongate part and a tapered input for guiding electromagnetic radiation to the elongate part. The tapered input includes an input end for receiving the electromagnetic radiation and an output end coupled to the elongate part, the input end being wider than the output end. The spectrometer may further comprise a plurality of resonators coupled to the elongate part of the waveguide.
US09671282B2

An imaging device includes an exposure control unit, a determination unit, and an illuminance calculation unit. The exposure control unit is configured to control a plurality of exposure times. The determination unit is configured to determine whether or not saturation occurs using at least one data item of a plurality of data items obtained during the plurality of exposure times. The illuminance calculation unit is configured to calculate, if the determination unit determines that the saturation occurs, an illuminance using a data item different from the at least one data item used in the determination.
US09671281B2

An imaging system includes an imager housing having a primary aperture defining an optical axis. A primary lens is disposed over the primary aperture. A first focal plane array (FPA) is within the imager housing. A second FPA is within the imager housing. A digital micro-mirror device (DMD) is angled with respect to the optical axis and optically coupled to the primary lens to selectively reflect light entering the primary aperture to at least one of the first FPA or the second FPA.
US09671273B2

A measurement apparatus may include a holding hopper configured to receive a sample of granular material. The measurement apparatus may include a top barrier assembly coupled between the holding hopper and a sub-sample measurement chamber. The top barrier assembly may include a movable top barrier configured to be moved from a closed position to an open position to direct a sub-sample of granular material to flow from the holding hopper to the sub-sample measurement chamber. The measurement apparatus may include the sub-sample measurement chamber configured to couple to the holding hopper at a docked position to receive the sub-sample of granular material from the holding hopper. The measurement apparatus may include a separator actuator configured to separate the sub-sample measurement chamber from the holding hopper. The measurement apparatus may include one or more measurement sensors configured to measure one or more attributes of the sub-sample of granular material.
US09671256B2

A proximity sensor includes a body, a coil, a cap being cylindrical and having a bottom, a hollow housing, and a ring-shaped sealing member. The body includes the coil bobbin at a first end. The coil is wound around the coil bobbin. The cap is to be placed to a body so as to cover a coil bobbin. The housing includes, at a fist end, a circular-cylinder portion having an opening. The housing is to be placed to the body in such a manner that the cap protrudes from the opening. The sealing member is disposed between the outer peripheral surface of the cap and the inner peripheral surface of the circular-cylinder portion of the housing.
US09671254B2

Disclosed are systems, methods and apparatuses for detecting tampering with a utility meter. A method may comprise measuring a magnetic field created by a rotating magnet in the meter by a removal detector sensor in a solid-state register (SSR). In addition, the SSR may be configured to detect when the SSR is dislodged or removed from the utility meter. The sensor may comprise a register removal tamper alert. The tamper detection methods described herein provide improved techniques for preventing and deterring attempts to alter meters and steal utility-provided resources.
US09671251B2

A chain sensor comprising at least one coil and a device for measuring the chain elongation comprising two chain sensors and a control unit, are provided. In addition, a method of measuring the chain elongation of a chain with two chain sensors arranged along the chain in spaced relationship with one another is provided. The chain sensor comprises at least one first reluctance sensor. The first reluctance sensor has a magnetically conductive yoke body comprising a central leg and two yoke legs extending laterally thereto. The yoke legs are each provided with at least two teeth, the teeth of the yoke legs being adapted to be arranged in closely spaced relationship with a chain. The first reluctance sensor includes at least one permanent magnet.
US09671250B2

Sensor assemblies, electrical penetrator assemblies and associated methods are provided for monitoring operational characteristics of subsea rotating devices such as subsea motors and pumps. Pressure-compensated proximity sensors configured to withstand subsea pressures are disposed adjacent a subsea rotating shaft for directly monitoring a position of the rotating shaft during dynamic operation thereof. A sensor tip assembly includes a sensor cap and a sensing element therein configured to produce a signal indicative of a distance between the sensor cap and the rotating shaft. A substantially incompressible fluid is disposed within a fluid reservoir within a sensor housing, and fluidly communicates with the sensor cap such that at least a portion of an internal pressure within the sensor housing is applied to interior portions of the sensor cap. The sensor housing is configured such that the internal pressure increases in response to an increase in an external pressure of the sensor housing.
US09671245B2

According to an aspect, a display device includes a display unit that includes a dielectric material between two substrates that face each other and a plurality of pixel circuits that apply an electric field to the dielectric material according to an image input gradation for each of a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, and displays an image using the plurality of pixels; a capacitance detection unit that outputs a detection signal of a magnitude corresponding to a value of capacitance of the dielectric material; and a control device determines, on the basis of the detection signal from the capacitance detection unit, that the display is normal when a correlation value of the capacitance to the image input gradation is in a predetermined correlation.
US09671234B2

Embodiments may include determining a navigation route between an origination and a destination; the route may span multiple portions of a map. Embodiments may also include receiving an order of priority in which to receive the multiple portions of the map; the order may be generated based on distinct levels of expected signal strength for each of the multiple portions. For instance, within the order of priority, map portions associated with areas of low signal strength may be ranked higher than areas of higher signal strength. Embodiments may also include acquiring at least some of the portions of the map according to the order of priority, and generating a map display comprising the multiple portions of the map. For instance, map portions associated with areas of poor reception may be downloaded first whereas map portions associated with strong signal strength may be downloaded on-the-fly during route navigation.
US09671225B2

A method for determining a transverse gradient of a road surface, on which a two-wheeler travels, the two-wheeler having at least one wheel, whose rolling circumference changes as a function of an inclination of the two-wheeler relative to the road surface, an inclination of the two-wheeler relative to the road surface being determined from a variable, which depends on the rolling circumference of the at least one wheel, and the transverse gradient of the road surface being determined from the tilt of the two-wheeler and the inclination relative to the road surface. A corresponding device and a computer program product are also described.
US09671224B2

Methods and systems are described for determining the elevation of tracked personnel or assets (trackees) that can take input from mounted sensors on each trackee (including barometric, inertial, magnetometer, radio frequency ranging and signal strength, light and GPS sensors), external constraints (including ranging constraints, feature constraints, and user corrections), and terrain elevation data. An example implementation of this method for determining elevation of persons on foot is described. But this method is not limited to computing elevation of personnel or to on foot movements.
US09671219B2

A purpose of this invention is allow sensors to be placed at locations as close to a region of interest as possible, i.e. a few tenths of a millimeter from a probe, the target material and each other. The invention allows the user to reproduce and actively follow these locations from a remote location and at a distance, connected with to the locations with an arbitrary length of single mode optical fiber cable, and perform the sensor functions in a controlled environment using the sensor of choice without affecting the experiment.
US09671201B2

A shaped charge includes a charge case; a liner; an explosive retained between the charge case and the liner; and a primer core disposed in a hole in the charge case and in contact with the explosive, wherein at least one of the case, the liner, the primer core, and the explosive comprising a material soluble in a selected fluid. A perforation system includes a perforation gun, comprising a gun housing that includes a safety valve or a firing valve, wherein the safety valve or the firing valve comprises a material soluble in a selected fluid.
US09671192B2

The present invention is to provide a positioning control mechanism applied to an expandable baton including a first pipe provided with a clamping groove portion on two opposite inner walls thereof and a second pipe inserted into the first pipe and provided with shifting holes on two opposite wall surfaces thereof. The positioning control mechanism includes an activating mechanism and a releasing rod. The activating mechanism is formed by two activating blocks movably positioned in the shifting holes and hooked with each other to form a releasing hole therebetween. The releasing rod is mounted inside the first pipe and, when one end of the releasing rod is inserted into the releasing hole, the outer edges of the activating block can be retracted inwardly and is not inserted in the clamping groove portion, so the second pipe can be retracted into the first pipe and positioned to form a short-rod shape.
US09671191B1

Embodiments of a stabilizing camera mount apparatus having a mount assembly for mounting a camera to a bow, such as an archery bow. The mount assembly includes a camera mount with a plurality of springs and/or a dampening material interposed between a top plate and a bottom plate for providing a dampening effect that prevents the camera from excessive movement when the bow is moved by an individual.
US09671190B1

A hinged archery sight for a bow for shooting arrows includes a sight portion; a hinge portion for pivotally securing a front member of the hinged archery sight to a back member of the hinged archery sight when a bow string is disposed between the front and back members; and fasteners for securing the front and back members of the hinged archery sight to a bow string.
US09671187B2

A trigger module is particularly suited for use with firearms having an upper receiver and a lower receiver which are connected in an operable condition and may be separated to expose a trigger mechanism area in the lower receiver. The trigger module includes a module housing including a first side wall spaced apart from a second side wall. An automatic sear mount is included on the module housing and an automatic sear is pivotally secured to the module housing on the automatic sear mount. An automatic sear biasing element is also mounted on the module housing. One or more trigger mechanism mounts are also included on the module housing and a trigger mechanism is secured to the module housing on the one or more trigger mechanism mounts.
US09671179B2

A liquid-cooled-type cooling device includes a casing having a cooling-liquid inlet and a cooling-liquid outlet, and an outflow pipe connected to the cooling-liquid outlet. The casing includes a cooling-liquid outflow portion, and the cooling-liquid outlet is formed in a top wall of the cooling-liquid outflow portion. The outflow pipe has a bottom wall parallel to a portion of the top wall of the cooling-liquid outflow portion where the cooling-liquid outlet is formed. The bottom wall has a through hole for communication with the cooling-liquid outlet. A guide portion is provided on a portion of an upper surface of a bottom wall of the cooling-liquid outflow portion, the portion corresponding to the cooling-liquid outlet, so as to change, toward an upward direction, the flow direction of cooling liquid flowing into the cooling-liquid outflow portion. Thus, a flow resistance which cooling liquid undergoes when flowing out of the casing can be reduced.
US09671178B2

A plate fin heat exchanger includes a plate fin core having a plurality of plates defining a set of hot air passages extending from a hot air inlet region of the plate fin core to a hot air outlet region of the plate fin core and a set of cool air passages extending from a cool air inlet region of the plate fin core to a cool air outlet region of the plate fin core. The plate fin heat exchanger further includes a mounting flange circumscribing the cool air outlet region. At least a portion of the mounting flange has a plurality of heat transfer structures that extend into a flow path of cooling air exiting the cool air outlet region of the plate fin core.
US09671177B2

Plate-like fins have notches longer than a longitudinal axis of flat tubes that are placed in the notches. The plate-like fins also have bend portions that are located on projections projecting toward the edges more than the ends of the flat tubes, are formed by bending part of the plate-like fins, erect in a stacking direction in which the plate-like fins are stacked, and are in contact with adjacent ones of the plate-like fins. The height of the bend portions in the stacking direction is the length of a predetermined spacing.
US09671170B2

The present invention relates to a heat exchange device for exchanging heat between two fluids circulating through insulated conduits. In the preferred example the first fluid is a hot gas originating from an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, and the second fluid is a coolant liquid used for removing heat from the hot gas. The device according to the invention has a simple and cheap construction, lacking a shell, formed by a plurality of extruded aluminum profile segments attached by clad plates arranged perpendicularly giving rise to a very compact and light-weight configuration when it is in an operating mode.
US09671168B2

A heat exchanger arrangement, for example for an internal combustion engine, having a brazed radiator block (1) which has flow paths (10) formed from pairs of plates and has flow ducts (3) between the plate pairs (P), wherein in each case at least one plate (11) of each plate pair has a plate elongation (12), and wherein the brazed radiator block is arranged in a housing (2) and, at its circumference, is sealed off with respect to the housing. To improve the sealing action between the radiator block (1) and the housing (2), it is provided according to the invention that the plate elongations (12) are formed such that a prescribed dimension of the brazed radiator block (1) can be set by means of deformation of the plate elongations (12).
US09671167B1

This invention relates to a process for reducing the temperature of an effluent stream flowing out of a sterilization chamber. The process involves the use of a mixing tank and heat exchangers which provide for cooling the effluent to a temperature required by local drain or sewer requirements (e.g., below about 60° C.) while saving on the amount of cooling water needed to cool the effluent.
US09671160B2

A method of natural gas liquefaction includes at least two nitrogen refrigerant streams. Each stream undergoes a cycle of compression, cooling, expansion and heating, during which each of the nitrogen streams is expanded to a different pressure other than for the others of the at least two nitrogen streams, and,the heating occurs in one or more heat exchangers.The expanded nitrogen streams are in a heat exchanging relationship with a stream of the natural gas and with the one or more compressed nitrogen streams in at least one of the one or more heat exchangers. At least one expanded nitrogen stream is compressed as a side stream in a stage of a main nitrogen compressor so as to combine the compressed side stream with another compressed nitrogen stream after passing the nitrogen compressor stage.
US09671149B2

A refrigerator with a sterilization device. The sterilization device mounted at an upper surface of a storage chamber includes a housing formed, at a front surface thereof, with an ion outlet while being formed, at a base surface thereof, with an air inlet, an ion generating unit arranged in rear of the ion outlet to generate ions, a blast unit slantingly arranged at a position adjacent to the air inlet, and a guide portion formed to protrude at an upper surface of the housing which faces the blast unit, thereby enabling improvement in sterilization efficiency.
US09671146B2

Generally, apparatuses, systems, and methods are described to vent refrigerant vapor from the refrigerant pump line using a vent line, such as during priming of the pump and/or during a startup of the compressor, directed to a relatively reduced volute casing mass of the refrigerant pump, and/or directed to returning refrigerant to an economizer or chiller component other than the condenser.
US09671140B2

Technologies are generally described herein for electrocaloric effect heat transfer devices, methods, and systems that may be effective to efficiently transfer and distribute thermal energy from a heat source utilizing coordinated application of out of phase electric signals to adjacent heat transfer stacks coupled with a thermal distribution layer. Some electrocaloric effect heat transfer stacks may include alternating layers of electrocaloric effect material and thermal rectifier material. The out of phase electric signals produce electric fields that bias the electrocaloric effect material of one heat transfer stack to a hot phase, emitting thermal energy, while biasing the electrocaloric effect material of an adjacent heat transfer stack to a cold phase, absorbing thermal energy. The thermal distribution layer allows for thermal energy from the material in the hot phase to be distributed to the material of the adjacent stack in the cold phase rather than back to the heat source.
US09671135B2

A solar cooking appliance comprises a solar heat collector for collecting and storing solar heat. A first solid heat storage and conducting material for storing and conducting solar heat, the solid heat storage and conducting material is placed within the solar heat collector, the solar heat collector heats the solid heat storage and conducting material to a temperature higher than the water boiling temperature. A heat insulated solar cooking utensil is positioned outside of the solar heat collector, having a cooking utensil and a heat insulation. A second heat-transferring and conducting material connected thermally to the first solid heat storage and conducting material to the heat insulated solar cooking utensil for transferring solar heat.
US09671130B2

A water heater that can be operated with improved efficiency is provided. The water heater uses a thermally activated sorption heat pump to heat water stored in a tank. A sorbate is endothermically desorbed from a refrigerant, which in turn is released as a gas or vapor. The latent heat of condensing this refrigerant vapor to a liquid is transferred directly to the water in the tank. Ambient air is then used to vaporize the refrigerant liquid. The vapor refrigerant is then exothermically absorbed by the sorbate. The heat released by this absorption is transferred to the water in the tank using a heat transfer fluid. The cycle can then be repeated by desorbing the sorbate again to release the refrigerant as vapor. A heat source is used to provide heat energy to endothermically desorb the sorbate.
US09671122B2

A controller for an HVAC system, a compute-usable medium and an ERV are disclosed. In one embodiment, the controller includes: (1) an input terminal configured to receive feedback data from a first operating unit of the HVAC system, (2) an operation monitor configured to determine if the feedback data corresponds to a predetermined condition for the first operating unit and (3) a system director configured to operate a second operating unit of the HVAC system at a predetermined operating value corresponding to the predetermined condition and a number of occurrences of predetermined conditions associated with the first operating unit.
US09671116B2

A hot water supply system includes a hot water storage tank configured to store hot water, a plurality of temperature sensors that are installed in the height direction of the water storage tank and that detect temperatures at their installed positions, a main-unit-side hot water supply device that heats hot water in the hot water storage tank, a sub-unit-side hot water supply device, a main-unit-side control board equipped with control means that controls the corresponding hot water supply device, and a sub-unit-side control board. Signals sent from the temperature sensors are input in a distributed manner among the main-unit-side control board and the sub-unit-side control board, and each of the control boards are communicably connected to each other by a transmission line.
US09671103B2

An energy-saving and high brightness lighting fixture includes a light cover, a circular plate, a light-collecting lens, a housing body and an electronic device. The light cover is tubular with a plurality of heat sinks and a cooling tank. A circular plate is riveted with light cover's engaging portion, and an LED lamp is disposed on it. A light-collecting lens is disposed on the top of the light cover. A housing body's surface with fixture block and limiting strip, which housing body is inserted in the restricting groove by limiting strip and using fixture block to fix at ring groove of light cover. An electronic device has a main circuit board and at least one auxiliary circuit board, and electronic device can be inserted inside the light cover to reduce the volume and enhance the cooling effect.
US09671099B2

There are provided a light emitting device package and a method for manufacturing the same. The light emitting device includes: a plurality of barriers provided above a metal circuit board; a plurality of light emitting devices placed in a space between the barriers; and a lens unit provided at an upper side of the barrier. Accordingly, the plurality of light emitting devices can be conveniently seated as a module format, and a luminance can be increased. Also, an efficiency of heat sink can be increase.
US09671097B2

A reinforced wire for decorative lighting, the wire defining a central longitudinal wire axis and including: a longitudinally-extending reinforcing strand, the reinforcing strand comprising one or more fibers comprising a polymer material and defining a reinforcing-strand axis; a plurality of conductor strands wound about the reinforcing strand, each of the plurality of conductor strands defining a conductor strand axis; and an outer insulating layer adjacent to, and covering, one or more of the conductor strands. The reinforcing strand in cross section normal to the wire axis defines an asymmetrical shape.
US09671095B1

Technologies are described for a lighting system configured to be mounted with a ceiling support grid and a method of installation. The lighting system has a rectangular or square mounting frame configured to transform its outer perimeter from a first outer perimeter to a second outer perimeter, enabling it to be inserted into a ceiling grid and to be held therein. The lighting system has an LED light source configured to be held with the mounting frame.
US09671093B2

A holder (210) for holding a carrier (240) comprising solid state light emitters (242), a lighting module, a luminaire and a method of manufacturing a holder for a lighting module are provided. The holder (210) comprises a light exit window (214), a fastening element (212), a contact surface (226) and at least two hooks (220). The contact surface provides a stop position with which the carrier is in contact when the carrier is assembled in the holder. The at least two hooks are moveable between a clamping position and a sidewards position. When the holder is assembled to the carrier, i) and when said hooks are in the clamping position, said hooks are arranged for clamping the carrier between said hooks and the contact surface, and ii) when the holder is fastened to the mounting surface of the another object, said hooks are in the sidewards position, the sidewards positions is a position away from the carrier.
US09671079B2

A vehicular headlamp has a projection lens, a first light source disposed rearward of a rear focal point of the projection lens, a first reflector that reflects emitted light from the first light source above the first light source and toward the projection lens, a shield disposed such that a front end edge of the shield passes through a vicinity of the rear focal point to block a portion of reflected light from the first reflector, a second reflector that is disposed forward of the first reflector, and that reflects the emitted light from the first light source toward a position between the first light source and the shield, and a third reflector that is disposed between the first light source and the shield, and that reflects reflected light from the second reflector toward the projection lens by passing the reflected light below the shield.
US09671059B1

An adjustable stand system for a container includes a basket composed of a pliable material, the basket having a body that forms a cavity; an adjustable leg assembly having a plurality of legs; and a leg locking assembly. The leg locking assembly includes a member rigidly attached to the basket; a leg adapter configure to releasably engage with an adjustable leg of the adjustable leg assembly; and a pivot joint configured to pivotally engage the leg adapter to the member. A method includes securing the container to the cavity of the basket; and adjusting the height of the basket via the adjustable leg assembly.
US09671048B2

A manifold assembly has a manifold and can be located between a block and a plate, and serve as a stator for a valve or other component. The manifold, block or plate can have a plurality of ports either integral thereto or removably connected thereto, with the ports adapted to receive and sealingly engage with a tube having an inner tube layer, an outer tube layer, a sleeve, a tip portion, and a nut. Each of the nut, sleeve, inner and outer tubing layers, and tip portion have a passageway therethrough, with at least the passageways in the sleeve, tip portion, outer tube layer, and nut adapted to allow the inner tube layer to pass therethrough or extend over the inner layer. The ends of the tip portion and inner layer together can define a substantially flat surface which can form a seal in a flat-bottomed port of the manifold, block, or plate, which can be used in a component in an analytical instrument system, including for example a liquid chromatography system. The nut, tube, ferrule, and transfer tube or liner tube may comprise biocompatible materials. In addition, the nut may have a slot, such as a slot adapted to allow the tube and the nut to be easily and quickly separated or to allow a portion of the tube to be easily and quickly inserted in the nut.
US09671043B2

Systems and methods for unearthing, retrieving, and processing subsea tubulars can include engaging a cable to an end of a subsea tubular and a vessel, moving the vessel in a direction parallel to the axis of the tubular, and unearthing the tubular using the thrust of the vessel. Unearthed tubulars can be dragged to a remote location, retrieved to the surface for transport or processing. On-site processing can be performed using a tensioning device to continuously move a tubular into association with a cutting device, which severs a first portion of the tubular while a second portion remains engaged with the tensioning device.
US09671038B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a normally open valve, a normally closed valve, and a combination valve. The valves include a valve body with an inlet coupled to a fluid supply line, an outlet providing a service flow of fluid, a vent venting to atmosphere, a lower piston, a lower diaphragm, and a mechanical valve actuator. The mechanical valve actuator includes an upper piston, an upper diaphragm, a pilot piston with a bore and a plunger, and a spring. The spring is positioned either inside the pilot piston for the normally open valve or inside the upper piston for the normally closed valve. The valves are actuated based on a control fluid entering a system pressure port and exceeding a pressure set point in order to either open or close the valve.
US09671037B2

A fuel cutoff valve includes: a casing main body having a valve chamber and a connecting hole to connect the valve chamber to the exterior of the fuel tank; a cover which has a pipe passageway which communicates with the exterior and which is connected to the connecting hole; a bottom member which has an induction chamber which has an opening portion through which liquid fuel and fuel vapor are allowed to flow and a distribution hole which communicates with the valve chamber; and a float configured to ascend and descend according to a fuel level in the fuel tank to close and open the connecting hole, wherein the bottom member has a guiding plate in the induction chamber, the guiding plate being formed into a shape of a recess portion which is oriented towards the opening portion in an axial section.
US09671036B2

Actuator for a valve, comprising a first piston, a first piston rod and a first fluid chamber for enabling movement of the first piston and the first piston rod. The actuator has a second piston, a second piston rod, the second piston rod being coaxially arranged with the first piston rod and radially enclosing at least a part of the first piston rod. A second fluid chamber is arranged for the second piston, for enabling movement of the second piston and the second piston rod. A first fluid channel is arranged in communication with each of the first and the second fluid chambers, for effecting, when fluid is introduced into the first fluid channel, movement of the first piston and the second piston. Also, a valve comprising such actuator is disclosed.
US09671035B2

The present disclosure provides a flow regulator capable of regulating flow resistance of a fluid by adjusting helical pitch of the flow regulator. The flow regulator comprises: a channel, a rod, and a helical coil. The channel has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for a fluid flowing in and out of the flow regulator, respectively. The rod has a fore end and a rear end opposite to each other. The fore end is inside the channel, and the rear end is closer to the fluid outlet than the fluid inlet. The helical coil winds around the rod, and the helical pitch of the helical coil is adjustable for regulating flow resistance of the fluid. The channel further has a narrowed section where part of the helical coil located therein substantially occupies an annular space between the rod and an inner wall of the channel.
US09671033B2

A method and apparatus for controlling a solenoid actuated inlet valve to a pump chamber of a piston pump. A control circuit energizes the solenoid to open the inlet valve in synchronism with the reciprocation of the piston and thereafter de-energize the solenoid to initiate closure of the inlet valve. The inlet valve is decelerated following de-energization of the solenoid thus effectively reducing engine noise attributable to the inlet valve.
US09671032B2

A method for characterizing a fluid control solenoid with current compensation is described. A current command is sent to the fluid control solenoid. The current command indicates a desired current value related to a desired fluid output pressure to be applied to the solenoid. An actual fluid output pressure is measured at a valve associated with the fluid control solenoid for the desired current value applied to the solenoid. An actual current received value at the fluid control solenoid is also measured. Post processing is then applied. A compensated current value related to the actual fluid output pressure is determined based on a difference between the current command and the actual current received value. Methods for dynamic current compensation are also described.
US09671030B2

A metallic seal assembly, a turbine component, and a method of regulating flow in turbo-machinery are disclosed. The metallic seal assembly includes a sealing structure having thermally-responsive features. The thermally-responsive features deploy from or retract toward a surface of the sealing structure in response to a predetermined temperature change. The turbine component includes the metallic seal assembly. The method of regulating flow in turbo-machinery includes providing the metallic seal assembly and raising or retracting the thermally-responsive features in response to the predetermined temperature change.
US09671023B2

A spacer and gasket assembly is shown for receipt between a static structure having a surface and fastener holes therethrough and a removable structure having a surface and fastener holes. The static structure and removable structure are engaged through a multiplicity of fasteners having a shaft diameter. The fasteners are adapted to apply a compression on the gasket between the static structure and the removable structure. The static structure and the removable structure have opposed, typically flat, facing surfaces. The spacer and gasket assembly comprising a substantially non-compressible spacer adapted for receipt between the static structure and the removable structure having a spacer thickness. A gasket has a sticky, deformable, flowable, elastomeric body and a skeleton having a skeleton thickness, the skeleton substantially integral with the body. The gasket has an uncompressed gasket thickness. The spacer and the gasket are adapted to be placed substantially between the facing walls of the static structure and the removable structure and the removable structure will compress and deform the gasket when the fasteners are torqued down.
US09671021B2

An arrangement of a biconical annular seal having a laid down V shaped cross-section, in an annular groove having a trapezoid shaped cross-section, a small base of the trapezoid corresponding to a cylindrical bottom of the groove and being radially inwardly open at a great base of the trapezoid. The seal includes a radially outer annular heel and two generally conical annular wings extending radially inwardly from the heel, an inner radial end of each wing being axially bearing against an associated wall of the groove. The seal is mounted in the groove such that the heel of the seal is located radially distal to a bottom of the groove.
US09671019B2

A piston ring having an outer running face, two flanks and an inner circumferential face is provided, the running face of which has profiling with a groove. The groove is arranged between two running face sections in relation to the cross section of the piston ring. The two running face sections are spaced apart from each other and substantially convexly curved and each have an apex. The groove has a periodically varying depth and a periodically varying width, and the number of periods of the course of the depth and the number of periods of the course of the width are equal.
US09671018B1

An improved gear shift mechanism for an auger gear drive which uses a hydraulic cylinder or other linear force means to push on one end of a rocker arm. This moves the rocker arm and the gear train between a first gear set and a second gear set. A biasing means is applied directly to the rocker arm by a spring or other device. The design eliminates adjustable linkages and the need adjustments in the field and allows for use of a simpler hydraulic cylinder than found in the prior art.
US09671009B2

A vehicle hydraulic system includes a transmission lube circuit, a variable displacement main pump having an inlet, and a variable displacement charge pump having an outlet and a pressure responsive displacement control unit. The system also includes a charge line communicating the charge pump outlet with the main pump inlet, a sensing line communicating the charge line with the displacement control unit, and a lube line communicating the charge pump outlet with the lube circuit. The lube line includes a fluid restriction. A hydraulic oil filter and a filter bypass valve are connected in parallel between the outlet of the charge pump and the charge line.
US09671008B2

An oil suction device including a primary suction port installed at an inflow end of a thin pipe for sucking oil in an oil storing section, and a third suction port formed in a gap between a first tapered surface and a second papered surface due to a relative movement of the thin pipe to the thick pipe. At a suction pressure of the oil pump less than a predetermined pressure, the oil suction device sucks only oil from the primary suction port, and at a suction pressure of the oil pump equal to or more than the predetermined pressure, air is sucked from the third suction port formed in a gap between the first tapered surface and a second tapered surface due to the relative movement of the thin pipe to the thick pipe.
US09671003B2

A multi-output differential gear apparatus includes a first differential gear having a first output gear and a middle gear, and second differential gear having a second output gear and a third output gear.
US09671001B2

The present invention is a clutch plate attached to the inner surface of the impeller and/or turbine of a torque converter. The clutch plate supports friction material that enables the engagement of the turbine and impeller in the form of a turbine clutch. The clutch plate acts to relieve strain on the impeller shell when engagement occurs. In addition, the clutch plate provides an enlarged vertical surface to hold additional friction material.
US09670992B2

A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft receiving torque of an engine, an output shaft outputting changed torque of the engine, a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, a fourth planetary gear set, a first rotation shaft selectively connected to a transmission housing, a second rotation shaft, a third rotation shaft selectively connected to the transmission housing, a fourth rotation shaft directly connected to the input shaft, a fifth rotation shaft, a sixth rotation shaft selectively connected to the second and fourth rotation shafts, a seventh rotation shaft selectively connected the second rotation shaft, an eighth rotation shaft selectively connected to the seventh rotation shaft, and directly connected to the output shaft, and six friction elements disposed to selectively connect the rotation shafts and selectively connect the rotation shafts with the transmission housing.
US09670991B2

A transmission for a vehicle may include a first input shaft selectively receiving power from an engine, a second input shaft continuously receiving power from the engine, a first output shaft and a second output shaft disposed in parallel to the first input shaft and the second input shaft, respectively, a first shift device configured to make a series of desired gear shift ranges between the first input shaft and the and the first output shaft and between the first input shaft and the second output shaft, and a second shift device configured to make duplicate gear shift ranges, which have a gear ratio identical to a gear ratio of one or more gear shift ranges of the series of gear shift ranges made by the first shift device, using the second input shaft.
US09670989B2

A driven hatch arrangement is provided, particularly a rear hatch arrangement, for a motor vehicle with a hatch and with a hatch drive for opening and/or closing the hatch, with the hatch drive comprising a motor with a motor shaft and a motor pinion and at least one planetary gear with a sun gear, planetary carriers with planetary rolling elements arranged on bearing pins, and an annulus, with the sun wheel of the planetary gear being formed by the motor pinion and a driven shaft being driven via the planetary gear, in which the motor pinion is slid onto the motor shaft.
US09670983B2

Embodiments of an isolator are provided, as are embodiments of a spacecraft isolation system employing a number of three parameter isolators. In one embodiment, the isolator includes a damper assembly and a thermal compensator external to the damper assembly. The damper assembly includes, in turn, a damper housing and a first hydraulic chamber, which is located within the damper housing and which is configured to contain a damping fluid. The thermal compensator includes a thermal compensator chamber, which is fluidly coupled to the first hydraulic chamber and which is configured to exchange damping fluid therewith during operation of the isolator. A thermal compensator bellows bounds an inner circumference of the thermal compensator chamber such that the bellows is externally pressurized when the first hydraulic chamber and the thermal compensator chamber are filled with the damping fluid.
US09670982B2

The invention relates to a pressure regulator in a shock absorber valve. The pressure regulator comprises an axially movable first valve part and a first seat, which are arranged in a valve housing in such a way that an adjustable flow opening is created between the parts. The flow opening is arranged to restrict a damping medium flow (q) and its flow opening size (s) is determined by a force balance on the first valve part. The force balance is principally or partially created by the sum of an actuating force (F) and the force (Fs) from a spring arrangement counter to the action of a counter holding regulator force (R). The spring arrangement comprises a first spring having a first spring constant (k1) and a second spring having a second spring constant (k2). The counter holding regulator force (R) is determined by the spring characters of both the first and the second spring, in which the first spring interacts with the actuating force (F) throughout the stroke (S1) and the second spring works in series with the first spring in an initial stroke (S3) close to the seat, in which the size of the initial stroke is determined by the working range of the second spring.
US09670980B2

A safety device for use in a fall arrest or fall safety system includes an energy absorber to absorb energy in the event of a fall or other impulse event. The energy absorber is a resilient element (such as a tolerance ring) providing an interference fit between a first component of the device and a second component of the device. In the event of a fall arrestor other impulse event, the first and second components effect movement relative to one another, the interference fit being overcome, and the resilient element/tolerance ring acting to resist the relative movement thereby absorbing energy.
US09670978B2

A vehicle brake circuit including a brake actuator, a manually operable valve, an electrically operable valve and a fluid reservoir for the supply of fluid to the actuator. The manually operated valve may be connected to the fluid reservoir either directly or indirectly through the electrically operable valve, when its position blocks a direct fluid connection with the fluid reservoir. The electrically operated valve controls activation or deactivation of the actuator except when the mechanically operated valve is in an unblocked position and overrides the electrically operated valves control of the actuator.
US09670977B2

A device comprising a connection plate having a first end and a second end and two or more spring arms connected to and extending from the second end of the connection plate at an angle and having a portion that extends back toward the connection plate, wherein the two or more spring arms, when moved during a brake apply, provide an axial force toward the connection plate. The device may be used within a brake assembly, which further includes a caliper; a support bracket having a leading end and a trailing end, wherein the leading end, the trailing end, or both, have one or more projections; a rotor extending through the support bracket; and two or more brake pads located within the support bracket on opposing sides of the rotor.
US09670976B2

A brake backing plate is provided in which a non-compressible core material is sandwiched between two sheet metal stampings to make a lightweight, composite brake backing plate. Each of the stampings has a textured face with a plurality of integrally formed piercing members. By rolling or pressing, the piercing members of the textured faces are fully embedded in the core material, and thus lock the stampings and the core material together.
US09670967B2

A clutch device for arrangement in a drive train of a motor vehicle between a drive unit and a gearbox, which comprises a clutch for optional torque transmission between the drive unit and the gearbox, a clutch input side to which a torque from the drive unit can be transmitted, and an electric machine allocated to the clutch input side, wherein an overrun to transmit the torque from the drive unit in only one rotational direction is arranged upstream of the clutch input side in relation to the torque transmission path.
US09670956B2

Slide assemblies that include at least an inner slide segment and an outer slide segment. Many of the slide assemblies also include an intermediate slide segment interposed between the inner slide segment and the outer slide segment. The outer slide segment is constructed from a bent piece of material having a substantially uniform wall thickness. The outer slide segment is formed to have a wall portion, an upper portion and a lower portion. Each of the upper portion and lower portion include two layers of the piece of material. A mounting assembly for a slide assembly includes at least one bracket having a first pin and a second pin movable relative to the first pin. The second pin can surround and slide upon the first pin and can be biased to a first position and movable to a second position relative to the first pin.
US09670947B2

A trim retainer assembly having a clip portion with a base and a molded housing having a keyhole and an opening. The keyhole in the doghouse is smooth for improved molding and elimination of tuning since there are no detents in the bore to tune or maintain. The base is provided with a pair of arms that are flexible and each arm having a self detent feature that passes through the opening in the housing to provide clip retention and, at the same time, float for tolerance variations is provided. The pair of arms also include nominal centering detents. The keyhole bore, opening, and clip portion provides clip detent, consistent retention effort, float, centering and anti-rotation.
US09670942B2

A separate hydraulic power pack for providing at least one user with an oil flow. The hydraulic unit includes a motor, a hydraulic pump driven by the motor, a tank, an oil inlet, an oil outlet, a heat exchanger, and a first conduit system for oil. The first conduit system connects at least the oil inlet, the heat exchanger, the oil tank, the hydraulic pump and the oil outlet. The heat exchanger is provided for liquid cooling of the oil. A cooling liquid inlet for connection to a cooling liquid source, a first cooling liquid outlet and a second conduit system for a cooling liquid.
US09670941B2

This disclosure includes hydraulic apparatuses and methods for redundant actuation of a hydraulic device. Some apparatuses include a hydraulic device having a first hydraulic actuator and a second hydraulic actuator, wherein each of the first and second hydraulic actuators comprises at least a first hydraulic cavity, a second hydraulic cavity, and a piston. Some apparatuses also include a controller coupled to the hydraulic device. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to receive hydraulic fluid from a fluid source via at least two parallel hydraulic lines coupled to the controller, select a first hydraulic line of the at least two parallel hydraulic lines, and transfer the hydraulic fluid from the selected first hydraulic line to a first cavity of the first hydraulic actuator to apply pressure to a first piston to actuate the hydraulic device.
US09670935B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a seal assembly including a first seal and a second seal, wherein the first seal and the second seal axially abut one another within a retaining bore of a compressor, and cooperatively form an outer radial contour of the seal assembly that is retained by the retaining bore.
US09670925B2

A variable displacement pump includes: an urging mechanism which includes two spring members; an electromagnetic switching valve which is arranged to connect the second control chamber and the discharge portion in an energized state, and to connect the second control chamber and the low pressure chamber in a deenergized state; and a control valve which is actuated by the pressure of the discharge portion, and which is arranged to decrease the pressure within the second control chamber when the pressure of the discharge portion becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure.
US09670924B2

According to one embodiment of the invention, a gerotor apparatus includes a first gerotor, a second gerotor, and a synchronizing system operable to synchronize a rotation of the first gerotor with a rotation of the second gerotor. The synchronizing system includes a cam plate coupled to the first gerotor, wherein the cam plate includes a plurality of cams, and an alignment plate coupled to the second gerotor. The alignment plate includes at least one alignment member, wherein the plurality of cams and the at least one alignment member interact to synchronize a rotation of the first gerotor with a rotation of the second gerotor.
US09670916B2

A compressor including a motor, a piston reciprocating by the motor, a crankcase having a middle wall portion formed with a communication hole, the crankcase housing the piston, a cylinder body secured to an inner surface of the middle wall portion, the cylinder body and the wall portion defining a cylinder chamber, and reciprocation of the piston increasing or decreasing a capacity of the cylinder chamber, and a cylinder head secured to an outer surface of the middle wall portion, the cylinder head and the middle wall portion defining an exhaust chamber communicated with the cylinder chamber through the communication hole.
US09670902B2

One or more blades for a wind turbine have at least one guide vane (20) having a vane leading edge (22) and vane trailing edge (23), arranged in such that the guide vane (20) is substantially placed over a blade surface (8) of a suction side (16) of the blade (1) and extends in longitudinal direction (5) at least partly along the surface (8) of the root segment (12), wherein a line between the vane leading edge (22), the longitudinal axis (5) of the blade (1) and the chord (3) form at least one starting angle (β), and further wherein a second starting angle (βII) in the transition portion (14) is greater than a first starting angle (βI) in the plain portion (13) and less than a third starting angle (βIII) in the profiled portion (15).
US09670890B2

A fuel injector comprises a supply means for high pressure fuel, an injection nozzle including a valve needle engageable with a valve needle seating to control fuel delivery from the injector, a first filling flow path providing flow from the supply means into a control chamber, and a control valve for controlling fuel pressure within the control chamber. The control valve comprises a control valve member slidable within a guide bore of a valve housing. The injector further comprises a drain flow path including a drain restriction and permitting flow from the control chamber to a second valve chamber when the control valve member is in a second state, and a second filling flow path permitting flow from a first valve chamber into the control chamber when the control valve member is in a first state, wherein the second filling flow path bypasses the drain restriction.
US09670887B1

The disclosure herein relates to devices for improving combustion engine performance. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to ionizing devices and their use in reducing emissions, improving fuel efficiency, improving power, reducing turbo lag, and reducing engine deposits in combustion engines that utilizes a computer to control the air/fuel mixture.
US09670885B2

A fuel apparatus includes a vapor passage for guiding evaporation gas in a fuel tank to a canister, a sealing valve for closing the vapor passage in normal condition to keep the interior of the fuel tank in a sealed state, a leak detection portion for detecting leak of the evaporation gas from the fuel tank in the sealed state to outside, and an opening control portion for opening the sealing valve when leak of the evaporation gas is detected. Alternatively, the fuel apparatus includes a bypass passage connecting an upstream portion of the vapor passage located upstream of the sealing valve and a downstream portion of the vapor passage located downstream of the sealing valve to each other to bypass the sealing valve, and a bypass valve provided in the bypass passage, for opening the bypass passage in the closed state when leak of the evaporation gas is detected.
US09670883B2

An engine includes an engine body, a DPF case therein, high pressure and low pressure EGR paths, and a supercharger. The high pressure EGR path is between exhaust and intake manifolds. An exhaust gas discharge path extends from the DPF case. An intake pipe extends from the supercharger air compressor. The low pressure EGR path is between the exhaust gas discharge path of the DPF case and the intake pipe. The low pressure EGR path includes a low pressure EGR cooler. An extending direction of a crankshaft defines a longitudinal direction. A flywheel exists on a rear side. A width direction of the engine body defines a lateral direction. The low pressure EGR path includes a rear path portion extending along a rear side of the engine body, and a side path portion extending along a lateral side of the engine body on a side close to the exhaust manifold.
US09670873B2

An engine system having a coolant control valve may include a cylinder block configured with cylinders, a cylinder head sitting on top of the cylinder block and comprising exhaust ports and intake ports configured to lead to the cylinders, an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler, a heater core, an oil cooler, or a radiator through which coolant circulates, and a coolant control valve configured to control a coolant supplied to the cylinder block, a coolant discharged from the cylinder block through the cylinder head, and a coolant supplied to the EGR cooler, the heater core, the oil cooler, or the radiator.
US09670872B2

An internal combustion engine (1) is designed so that the center axis P of a cylinder (4) is offset relative to a main journal part (2a) of a crankshaft (2). A bearing cap (17) is designed so that the side toward the cylinder center axis from a main bearing part (18) is secured to a bulkhead (7) by two fastening bolts (24a, 24c) while the side away from the cylinder center axis from the main bearing part is secured to the bulkhead by one fastening bolt (24b) and that the bearing cap securing force on the side toward the cylinder center axis from the main bearing part (18) is greater than the bearing cap securing force on the side away from the cylinder center axis.
US09670861B2

Embodiments for testing a humidity sensor are provided. One example method comprises indicating degradation of a humidity sensor based on a humidity sensor output and output from an intake gas composition sensor. In this way, output from the intake gas composition sensor may be used to determine if the humidity sensor is degraded.
US09670857B2

A method of controlling torque output of a power-plant during launch of a vehicle having a transmission with a manually-operated clutch is disclosed. The power-plant torque is varied based on clutch pedal and throttle pedal positions using a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control logic in an electronic fuel control system. The method includes setting power-plant idle speed, detecting clutch engagement without application of the throttle pedal, and raising power-plant torque after clutch engagement is detected. In each PID feedback loop, the method includes detecting actual power-plant speed and a rate of change in actual power-plant speed, and adjusting the raised power-plant torque in response to the determined rate of change in actual power-plant speed. The method additionally includes determining a difference between the set idle speed and the actual power-plant speed, and maintaining constant power-plant torque, if the difference between the set idle and actual power-plant speeds is within an acceptable range.
US09670855B2

A system and method are disclosed for controlling the temperature of an aftertreatment system, the method including interpreting an aftertreatment indicating temperature, determining that an engine fueling requirement is zero, and disengaging the engine from a transmission in response to the aftertreatment indicating temperature falling below a first threshold value and in response to the engine fueling requirement being zero, where the engine and the transmission comprise a portion of a vehicle powertrain. Alternatively, the method may include interpreting an aftertreatment indicating temperature, determining that an engine fueling requirement is zero, and performing a reduced air flow operation through the engine in response to the aftertreatment indicating temperature falling below a first threshold value and in response to the engine fueling requirement being zero.
US09670848B2

A variable compression ratio engine may include a variable chamber housing communicated with a combustion chamber of the engine, a variable chamber piston slidably disposed within the variable chamber housing, forming a variable chamber communicated with the combustion chamber within the variable chamber housing, forming a hydraulic pressure chamber between the variable chamber piston and the variable chamber housing, and having a leaking line for flowing oil leaked from the hydraulic pressure chamber, a connecting shaft connected to the variable chamber piston, and having an oil drain line for exhausting the oil in the leaking line is formed thereto, an oil supplier supplying oil to the hydraulic pressure chamber, and a compression ratio controller connected to the connecting shaft and controlling a relative position of the variable chamber piston.
US09670845B2

A hybrid turbomachine enclosure includes a plurality of walls interconnected to form an interior configured and disposed to receive a turbomachine, the plurality of walls including a first wall having a panel on frame construction and a hybrid wall including a first portion having a panel on frame structure and a second portion having a stiffened frame panel structure.
US09670838B2

A vehicle drive includes a speed change mechanism connected to a rotary electric machine; an output member connected to the speed change mechanism and wheels; an engagement device changes a state of engagement between an input member connected to an engine and the speed change mechanism; a hydraulic pump driven by the engine or the rotary electric machine; a first pressure control device that controls pressure supplied from the pump and supplies the pressure to the speed change mechanism; a second, separate hydraulic pressure control device that controls the pressure supplied from the pump and supplies the pressure to the engagement device; and a case that houses the rotary electric machine, speed change mechanism, engagement device, and pump. At least the engagement device is housed in a space formed by the case, and the second hydraulic pressure control device is provided at a part of the case forming the space.
US09670834B2

Various systems and methods for controlling dual wastegates via a single wastegate actuator are provided. In one example, a system comprises a first wastegate comprising a first wastegate valve, a second wastegate comprising a second wastegate valve, and a wastegate actuator coupled to each of the first and second wastegate valves to vary openings of the first wastegate valve and the second wastegate valve according to desired boost.
US09670831B2

Production of condensed water in an intercooler is suppressed. The apparatus comprises a high temperature system cooling water passage through which cooling water having a high temperature flows; a low temperature system cooling water passage which is a cooling water passage through which cooling water having a low temperature flows and which passes through at least the intercooler; two communication passages which communicate the high temperature system cooling water passage and the low temperature system cooling water passage, one of the communication passages through which the cooling water flows from the high temperature system cooling water passage toward the low temperature system cooling water passage, and the other through which the cooling water flows from the low temperature system cooling water passage toward the high temperature system cooling water passage; valves which are provided for the communication passages respectively; and a control unit which controls the valves provided for the communication passages respectively so that a temperature of the gas flowing out from the intercooler is higher than a dew point temperature.
US09670826B2

A self-igniting internal combustion engine includes at least one cylinder and a piston, which can be moved back and forth in the cylinder and which bounds a combustion chamber together with the cylinder and which has a piston recess facing the combustion chamber, said piston recess having flow cross-sections that vary in a circumferential direction of the cylinder and of the piston, and comprising an injector arranged centrally above the piston recess for injecting fuel into the piston recess, wherein the injector has a plurality of injection openings. In order to reduce the emissions and in particular the soot emissions of the internal combustion engine, at least some of the injection openings have different opening cross-sections, wherein the injection openings having the different opening cross-sections are directed at areas of the combustion chamber recess having different flow cross-sections.
US09670823B2

An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder block defining a cylinder, a cylinder head, and an exhaust manifold operatively connected to the cylinder head and configured to exhaust post-combustion gasses from the cylinder. The engine also includes a turbocharger having a turbine housing and configured to be driven by the post-combustion gasses from the exhaust manifold, to pressurize an airflow being received from the ambient, and to discharge the pressurized airflow to the cylinder. The engine additionally includes a cooling module arranged between the turbine housing and the cylinder head and defining a third coolant jacket configured to cool the turbine housing. A vehicle employing such an engine is also disclosed.
US09670822B2

An engine includes a cylinder block with first and second saw cuts intersecting a block face on opposed sides of a block bore bridge. A cylinder head has third and fourth saw cuts intersecting a head face on opposed sides of a head bore bridge. A gasket is placed between the block and the head. The gasket defines a cooling passage adapted to fluidly connect the first, second, third and fourth saw cuts and cool the interbore region of the engine. The cooling passage has an inlet and a pair of outlets.
US09670817B2

Methods and systems are provided for detecting NOx sensor degradation based on results from a NOx sensor self-diagnostic (SD) test. In one example, a method may comprise: determining that a nitrogen oxide (NOx) sensor is degraded if outputs received from the sensor via a CAN bus during a self-diagnostic test are outside a threshold range. Additionally, only outputs received from the sensor during a self-diagnostic (SD) test performed after a first completed SD test after a key-off event, where the outputs are generated under conditions where a temperature at the sensor is less than a threshold, and an oxygen concentration is within a threshold range may be used to determine if the sensor is degraded.
US09670809B2

A skinning apparatus and a method of skinning a porous ceramic. The apparatus includes an axial skinning manifold. The axial skinning manifold includes a curved adaptive pipe to flow cement in a circumferential direction from an inlet at a first position and through an adaptive opening along an inner bend of the curve through a land channel disposed along the inner bend. The land channel emits the cement at a constant velocity from a land opening extending proximate the first position to a second position spaced apart from the first position. The land outlet emits cement at a constant velocity around the outer periphery of the porous ceramic to dispose a uniform skin thereon as the porous ceramic moves axially relative to the land outlet.
US09670808B2

A separator for separating liquid droplets from an aerosol is provided, including a rotor arranged in a housing and including a plurality of parallel disks, a dirty gas inlet, a clean gas outlet, and an annular space between the rotor's circumference and the housing, wherein adjacent disks form an interspace therebetween, the radially outer area of the interspace opening into the annular space, and wherein one of the dirty gas inlet and the clean gas outlet communicates with the annular space and the other communicates with radially inner areas of the interspaces. The disks have flat disk bodies perpendicular to the rotor axis, and between adjacent disk bodies, there are a plurality of adjacent channels allowing passage of the gas to be cleaned. Each channel is curved and the radially outer channel wall forms an impaction and separation surface for the liquid droplets.
US09670806B2

A PCV valve that also monitors the flow of gases produced by use of a turbocharger. A spring biased plunger member is used to restrict and meter the flow of gases through the PCV valve. A nozzle member with a Venturi throat is used to allow back flow caused by use of a turbocharger. The nozzle member can be part of a module including a passageway member that can be closed by the plunger member.
US09670801B2

The present disclosure provides a cylinder deactivation engine which is configured to prevent abrasion on a pad portion of a valve opening/closing unit and improves reliability of the cylinder deactivation. The cylinder deactivation engine selectively performing deactivation of a cylinder may include: a cylinder deactivation apparatus including an inner body which contacts with a cam formed at a camshaft and makes a lever motion by rotation of the camshaft; and an outer body which moves together with the inner body by selectively latching to the inner body so as to open/close a valve; and a stopper integrally formed with a cam carrier disposed to surround a part of a lower portion of the camshaft and disposed between the camshaft and the outer body so as to function as a stopper for blocking the outer body which is pushed toward the camshaft by the valve.
US09670797B2

A vane structure includes a baffle movably mounted within an aperture, the baffle movable to control a cooling flow between a first cooling cavity and a second cooling cavity.
US09670787B2

The present invention relates to a Ti—Al-based heat-resistant member including a Ti—Al-based alloy which includes: 28.0 mass % to 35.0 mass % of Al; 1.0 mass % to 15.0 mass % of at least one selected from the group consisting of Nb, Mo, W and Ta; 0.1 mass % to 5.0 mass % of at least one selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn and V; and 0.1 mass % to 1.0 mass % of Si, with the balance being Ti and unavoidable impurities, in which a whole or a part of a surface of the Ti—Al-based heat-resistant member includes a hardened layer as a surface layer, the hardened layer having a higher hardness than an inside of the Ti—Al-based heat-resistant member, and the Ti—Al-based heat-resistant member has a hardness ratio (a hardness of the surface layer/a hardness of the inside) of 1.4 to 2.5.
US09670785B2

A cooling assembly for a gas turbine system includes a turbine nozzle having at least one channel comprising a channel inlet configured to receive a cooling flow from a cooling source, wherein the at least one channel directs the cooling flow through the turbine nozzle in a radial direction at a first pressure to a channel outlet. Also included is an exit cavity for fluidly connecting the channel outlet to a region of a turbine component, wherein the region of the turbine component is at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.
US09670784B2

Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: a base including: a casing having at least one exhaust aperture on an outer surface of the casing; and a core within the casing, the core having: a serpentine cooling passage; and at least one outlet passage fluidly connected with the serpentine cooling passage and the exhaust aperture, wherein the at least one outlet passage permits flow of a coolant from the serpentine cooling passage to the at least one exhaust aperture on the outer surface of the casing; and an airfoil connected with the base at a first end of the airfoil, the airfoil including: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side.
US09670774B2

A fluid pressure pulse generator comprises a stator having a body with a cylindrical bore and a fluid flow chamber comprising a lateral opening and an uphole axial inlet, and a rotor having a cylindrical body rotatably seated within the bore, a rotor head connected to the rotor body, and a fluid diverter comprising a fluid passage through the rotor body and a nozzle in the rotor head. A fluid passage has an opening on an outside surface of the rotor body and an outlet at an end of the rotor body. The nozzle has an inlet end communicable with a drilling fluid and an outlet end in fluid communication with the fluid opening. The flow area of the nozzle increases from the inlet to outlet end such that the velocity of the drilling fluid slows while from inlet to outlet end.
US09670772B2

The present invention concerns a method and a well string element for transmitting data in a well. The well string element (20c) includes an elongated body (80) that defines a through channel (110) and also includes a side pocket (92) that is open to ambient (91); and an acoustic modem (60) provided in the pocket (92) and configured to emit acoustic waves. The acoustic modem (60) is configured to receive electrical signals from one or more sensors (50, 52), transform the electrical signals into the acoustic waves and emit the acoustic waves into a wall (112) of the elongated body (80) when receiving an acoustic wake-up call from a device (70) outside the drill string element (20c).
US09670769B2

In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of computational modeling for tracking ball sealers in a wellbore is disclosed. The method may include, for a time step, calculating a number of ball sealers to inject into a wellbore, injecting the ball sealers, determining a length of the wellbore occupied by a fluid, and computing a spacing between each ball sealer in the length of the wellbore occupied by the fluid. The method may include calculating a first position of a ball sealer, determining a velocity the ball sealer, and computing a second position of the ball sealer. The method may include recording a number of active ball sealers and open perforations in the wellbore, calculating a ball sealer skin per division, and determining a fluid flow rate. The method may include selecting parameters for a stimulation operation in the wellbore based on the fluid flow rate.
US09670763B2

Methods are described to make strong, tough, and lightweight whisker-reinforced glass-ceramic composites through a self-toughening structure generated by viscous reaction sintering of a complex mixture of oxides. The present invention further relates to strong, tough, and lightweight glass-ceramic composites that can be used as proppants and for other uses.
US09670751B2

A sliding sleeve opens with a deployed ball and applied pressure and is subjected to reverse flow pressure. The sleeve has a housing and an insert. The housing defines a first bore and defines a flow port communicating the first bore outside the housing. The insert is disposed in the first bore of the housing and has a seat held in a first direction therein. The seat engages the deployed plug in the first direction, and the insert moves, by the applied pressure against the plug engaged in the seat, axially in the first direction inside the first bore from a closed position toward an opened position relative to the flow port. The seat is disengageable from the insert in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the reverse flow and is passable at least out of the insert.
US09670740B2

A drilling riser configured to convey drilling materials between a drilling vessel and a subsea wellhead. The drilling riser has an upper section, and a lower section coupled via a connector to the upper section. The lower section has a buoyant material for distributed passive buoyancy of the lower section. The overall drilling riser is neutrally or negatively buoyant, whereas the lower section is positively buoyant when decoupled from the upper section and coupled to the subsea wellhead.
US09670739B2

A gas lift valve system for a wellbore within a subterranean formation can include a power source that generates power, and a delivery system disposed within the wellbore and electrically coupled to the power source, where the delivery system delivers the power generated by the power source. The system can also include at least one gas lift valve assembly disposed within the wellbore and electrically coupled to the delivery system, where the at least one gas lift valve assembly receives the power from the delivery system, where at least one valve, when in a position other than a fully closed position, allows a control medium to flow from an inlet channel to an outlet channel, where the outlet channel empties into the cavity of the delivery system.
US09670733B1

Systems and methods for drilling multiple wells include a landing template, the landing template having at least two through bores. Each through bore extends from a first face of the landing template to an opposite second face of the landing template. A skirt conductor is secured to the landing template, the skirt conductor operable to be driven into a sea floor so that the landing template is proximate to a mudline. A bore separator guide has a drill bit guide sized to register with one of the through bores. The bore separator guide is moveable to align with each of the at least two through bores one at a time.
US09670729B2

A hydraulic impact hammer having a hammer housing and a hydraulic piston. The hammer housing has means for attaching a hydraulic rotator converter which has a hydraulic rotator for rotating a drill bit for drilling holes on a surface while the drill bit receives pounding action from the piston. The drill bit has surface portions dimensioned to mate with bushing assembles and a cutout region to loosely engage with the locking mechanism in the hammer housing. After the holes are drilled, the converter is released from the hammer housing so as to allow a hammer tool with a larger diameter to be used for pounding over the holes. The hammer tool also has surface portions dimensioned to mate with the bushing assembles and a cutout region to engage with the locking mechanism so that the hammer tool can receive pounding action from the piston for pounding over the holes.
US09670716B2

A sealing element for sealing joints and the intermediate space between an inner wall, an outer wall shell and a window frame includes (1) a first block-shaped sealing element section of a first flexible foam having a first indentation hardness and (2) a second web-shaped sealing element section which projects from an edge area of the first sealing element section, the second sealing element section including at least one sealing strip which is a second flexible foam having a second indentation hardness, the first indentation hardness being at least 1.5 times greater than the second indentation hardness.
US09670714B2

A method for manufacturing a laminated glass panel, which includes at least two glass substrates and at least one intermediate layer made of a polymeric material arranged between the substrates, the method including in the following order: the bending of the substrates; the controlled cooling of the substrates; and the formation of a laminated assembly that includes the substrates and the intermediate layer; the cutting of the laminated assembly straight through the entire thickness thereof along a line on one of the main surfaces thereof, the controlled cooling including general controlled cooling and local controlled cooling of an area that includes the cutting line, the local controlled cooling being faster than the general controlled cooling.
US09670709B2

The main door for the control of the access opening to a compartment, particularly a garage compartment, comprises: a fixed portion associable with the access opening of a compartment; a mobile portion including a leaf associated in a mobile way with the fixed portion; at least a pulley on which winds up a cable connected to the leaf and to a counterweight; an operating shaft of the pulley mounted on the fixed portion; a winding-unwinding device having a flexible element which can be wound and unwound which is associated with the top of the leaf; an electric motor mounted on the fixed portion and suitable for placing a driving shaft in rotation; and a transmission and distribution having a first electromagnetic clutch to transmit motion from the driving shaft to the operating shaft and a second electromagnetic clutch to transmit motion from the driving shaft to the winding-unwinding device.
US09670707B2

A door hinge having two hinge leaves joined together at a knuckle defining a hinge axis about which the leaves are relatively pivotal and top and bottom sheet-metal parts forming a housing surrounding one of the hinge leaves. Two rotatable adjustment spindles are each journaled in the housing, rotatable about respective axes extending in a first direction perpendicular to the hinge axis, and operatively threadedly connected to the one leaf so that rotation of the spindles moves the one leaf in a first direction perpendicular to the hinge axis. A base plate between the parts is formed with respective threaded hole receiving the spindles, the base plate being secured to the one leaf for movement of the one leaf in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction relative to the base plate.
US09670680B2

The present invention relates to the sector of building materials, and more specifically, to a floor connector and a floor with the floor connector. The floor connector includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part used to connect floors, and a supporting part arranged between the bottom surface of the first connecting part and the upper surface of the second connecting part for the purpose of supporting the first connecting part and the second connecting part. The floor includes a main body, a floor pedestal arranged under the main body, and a floor connector used to connect the main body and the floor pedestal. In this solution, the floor can be arranged without a keel, thereby significantly reducing the labor intensity during floor installation. Consisting of three parts, the floor features lightweight and simplification of installation procedure.
US09670677B2

A roofing granule can include a base particle having a base material and a layer covering the base particle of the roofing granule. The layer can has a first material and a second material that includes a metal carbonate, wherein the first and second materials include a same metal element, and the base material is different from the first material. In a process of forming the roofing granule, the layer can have pores. The process can include infiltrating a fluid into the pores of the layer while the base particle is present and adjacent to the layer, wherein the fluid includes a carbonate. The process can further include reacting the carbonate with a metal compound within the layer to form a metal carbonate within the layer. The roofing granules can be used in roofing products.
US09670676B2

A truss for incorporation into a building structure includes a fundamental component with at least one necked-down portion which changes the width or depth of the component. The fundamental component can be employed in joists, heels, and/or other joints for a roof truss.
US09670674B2

A clip assembly for a suspended ceiling having a ceiling panel and a runner comprises a top member and a bottom member. The top member has an upper wall for being secured to an overhead structure and a pair of lower spaced apart lateral walls downwardly extending from the upper wall. The lateral walls comprise respective outer surfaces and inner surfaces defining a channel therebetween. At least one inward fin extends from each of the inner surfaces into the channel in an upwardly sloped direction. The bottom member comprises a bottom end for being secured to the runner and opposite lateral surfaces therebetween. At least one outward fin extends from each of the lateral surfaces in a downwardly sloped direction that is complementary to the upward sloped direction of the at least one inward fin. The bottom member is inserted into the channel.
US09670673B2

A ceiling system including: a ceiling structure suspended in an interior space. The ceiling structure includes: a perimeter frame defining a central opening, the perimeter frame comprising a fabric gripping member; a support grid comprising a plurality of intersecting struts defining a plurality of grid openings, the support grid disposed within the central opening and coupled to the perimeter frame; a plurality of acoustic ceiling panels, each of the acoustic ceiling panels mounted to the support grid and disposed in one of the grid openings; and a tensioned fabric sheet having a perimeter portion that is engaged by the fabric gripping member of the perimeter frame, the tensioned fabric sheet located below the acoustic ceiling panels and covering the central opening.
US09670670B2

An HVAC duct or utilicore for substantially containing air flowing longitudinally therethrough has at least one wall comprised of a poured high thermal mass material with at least one pipe embedded therein during a pouring process, the at least one pipe for circulating a fluid throughout the at least one wall at a temperature that is different from an ambient temperature of the air flowing through the utilicore, for effecting heat transfer through the at least one wall between the fluid in the at least one conduit and the air flowing through the utilicore. A side wall of an elongate monolithic poured concrete building construction module, having a substantially planar main wall and at least one side wall extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis, having a pipe embedded therewithin, may form at least a portion of an element that defines the utilicore. A story-defining structure for a building may comprise a plurality of at least one of such construction modules, each module supported at least two points by a support structure, each module being oriented such that distal ends of the side walls thereof engage the support structure, the at least one side wall and the main wall defining an elongate arch, the modules being juxtaposed in parallel relation to define at least one elongate utilicore between the arches. The support structure may comprise one or more modules employed as substantially horizontal beams or substantially vertical columns or both.
US09670663B2

A seismic expansion joint cover assembly installed at an expansion gap between a first structural member on one side of a gap and a second structural member on the opposite side of the gap including a cover panel bridging the gap having at least one connector joining one edge of the cover panel to the first structural component to allow movement of the cover panel. The expansion joint cover assembly includes at least one slide support, which attaches to the second structural member, and which includes a track having a lift component located on the track to lift the cover panel. The expansion joint cover assembly also includes a rider assembly for engaging with the track of the slide support. One or more spring assemblies are attached to the second structural member and the cover panel. The expansion joint cover assembly is mechanically latched when the system is in the normal service position, but has the capability of becoming unlatched in response to large displacements.
US09670662B2

A marker has an anchor portion and a twisted portion, and the twisted portion has one or more reflective sides and is twisted about a length axis of the strip so that part of at least one of the reflective sides faces any view toward the marker. Or, a marker includes an anchor portion and a reflective portion, and the reflective portion contains a material that permits manual, plastic deformation to create a twist in the reflective portion. The marker when twisted may be attached to mark a location of a feature of a building in which insulation hides the feature but leaves the twisted portion of the marker exposed within an access space of the building.
US09670657B2

Disclosed is a water-saving sit-down toilet wherein the pressure of flushing water discharged from a cistern into the toilet is raised and a straight discharge pipe is used such that the toilet is flushed clean using a small amount of water, and, at the same time, excreta is smoothly discharged as the direct discharge tube is opened and closed by means of the water pressure and a permanent magnet and an electromagnet, and an appropriate amount of residual water is supplied to the toilet bowl such that odors are blocked from rising from a foul-water port into the toilet, and an odor removing unit sucks in odors emanating from the excreta and discharges same through the foul-water port such that the user can use the sit-down toilet without feeling any embarrassment.
US09670656B2

Quick release mechanisms for auger type cleanout tools are described. The mechanisms enable engagement and disengagement of a handle to an auger without the use of separate retainers or fasteners. Also described are auger type tools and related methods of use utilizing the quick release mechanisms.
US09670655B2

The present invention provides a valve assembly for a faucet that provides a rigid mounting for valve bodies.
US09670653B2

A cartridge type valve core structure of a water tap includes a cartridge casing and a valve core. The cartridge casing has an accommodation room therein. An outer wall of the cartridge casing is provided with a first engaging portion for connecting with the water tap. The valve core is disposed in the accommodation room. The valve core includes a control end, a water inlet end, a water outlet end, and at least one water room. The control end extends out of the cartridge casing from a top end of the accommodation room. The water inlet end extends out of the cartridge casing from a bottom end of the accommodation room. The water outlet end extends out of the cartridge casing from one side of the accommodation room. Through the aforesaid modular structure, the valve core can be mounted to the water tap quickly through the cartridge casing.
US09670643B2

An excavator bucket for an earth moving machine includes an interior bucket space formed by a curved rear wall and a pair of opposed sidewalls, with the bucket including a bucket box arranged onto the rear wall, in particular arranged on the outer surface of its top portion, which extends along a lateral axis of the bucket. The angle between at least one of the outer lateral sides of the bucket box and the rear wall of the bucket, in particular its top portion, is less than 90 degrees.
US09670642B2

A quick coupler for coupling an attachment, such as a digging bucket, to an evacuator machine. The quick coupler includes a first fixed jaw for a first coupling pin of the attachment. The quick coupler includes a latch cooperating with the first fixed jaw, which is moveable to a latched position for retaining the first coupling pin. A moveable jaw is provided that is able to slide, under power of a hydraulic ram, to a closed position retaining the second coupling pin. A locking arm assumes a locked position, while the latch assumes the latched position, preventing withdrawal of the moveable jaw from the closed position. Consequently, in the event of a hydraulic failure the locking arm simultaneously locks both the first attachment coupling pin, by means of the latch, and the second attachment coupling pin by means of preventing movement of the movable jaw from the closed position.
US09670638B2

A reinforced helical pile system suitable for use in seismically active areas incorporates steel fibers in the grout and a fiber reinforced polymer sleeve (casing). A low-friction driving assembly and low-friction sleeve couplings enable the sleeve to be drawn into the soil substantially without rotation, reducing power consumption and preserving the integrity of the casing.
US09670636B2

An aqua-robotic pollutant removing device includes a buoyant body, an electromechanical housing coupled to the buoyant body, and a pollutant absorbing belt coupled to the electromechanical housing and extending outward from the buoyant body. The electromechanical housing is constructed and arranged to rotate the pollutant absorbing belt.
US09670627B1

An apparatus and method for finishing or texturing a paved surface including one or more transition curves includes a finishing machine with a transverse frame including a series of flexibly connected frame members and one or more power transition adjusters. As the finishing machine proceeds through the transition curve, the control system and sensors of the finishing machine determine its position and the transverse curvature of the paved surface corresponding to its position. The control system may then adjust the position of accessories mounted to the transverse frame via a combination of raising or lowering the accessories relative to the paved surface and articulating the one or more power transition adjusters to adjust the shape of the transverse frame to conform to the transverse curvature of the paved surface.
US09670619B2

A cellulosic material contains a cellulose derivative, in which the cellulose derivative has a functional group capable of reversibly performing a redox reaction introduced thereinto. The cellulose derivative preferably has at least one of a ferrocene structure and a viologen structure as the functional group.
US09670616B2

Described herein are methods and systems for reducing, preventing, or eliminating wrinkles in a paper sheet during papermaking. The systems may include a dryer configured to dry a continuous paper sheet having a travel direction. The system may also include at least one roll configured to receive the dried continuous paper sheet. The systems may also include an air spreader located downstream of the dryer and upstream of the at least one roll. The at least one roll may include one or more calendering rolls. The air spreader may include a plurality of nozzles configured to expel a gas toward the dried sheet. The nozzles may be oriented in a direction at least partially opposed to the travel direction of the dried sheet.
US09670610B2

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method of detecting when a wall mounted drum type washing machine drops, slips, tilts or detaches from the wall, in which the apparatus includes a horizontality detecting sensor configured to output a sensor value corresponding to a horizontal inclination of a main body of a washing machine; a verticality detecting sensor configured to output a sensor value corresponding to a vertical inclination of the main body of the washing machine; and a controller configured to determine whether the main body of the washing machine has dropped, slips, tilts or detaches from the wall by receiving sensor values from the horizontality detecting sensor and the verticality detecting sensor, and blocking power to the washing machine when the main body of the washing machine dropped, slipped, tilted or detached from the wall.
US09670607B2

A slide needle, comprising a needle body, which has a needle hook with two spaced-apart lateral hook surfaces. A slide is movably arranged on the needle body between an initial position (I) and a stitch knock-over position (II). The slide has two slide blades. A hook hole on a free blade end of the slide blades is formed by inner hole surfaces. In the stitch knock-over position (II), each inner hole surface lies against an associated lateral hook surface of the needle hook at a contact location and the contact area between the slide and the needle hook is reduced in a height direction (H).
US09670599B2

A spinning position on an air-jet spinning machine has a yarn-forming element extending at least partially into the turbulence chamber; and air jets directed into the turbulence chamber to impart to the fiber strand a twist in the area of an intake mouth of the yarn-forming element. A guide arrangement for guiding the fiber strand is situated in the area of the inlet port of the turbulence chamber and comprises at least two guide sections spaced a distance apart from one another, their mutual spacing decreasing in at least some sections in the direction of conveyance of the fiber strand. The guide arrangement also comprises at least one central guide element, which extends at least partially between the guide sections in a section running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the draw-off channel and produces a deflection of the fibers of the fiber strand perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the draw-off channel.
US09670596B2

The present invention provides a production method for purified polysaccharide fibers in which carbon disulfide emission is suppressed while efficiently producing purified polysaccharide fibers having excellent strength, purified polysaccharide fibers produced by using the production method, a fiber-rubber complex using the purified polysaccharide fibers, and a tire having excellent tire characteristics using the fiber-rubber complex. The production method for purified polysaccharide fibers of the present invention is a production method for purified polysaccharide fibers of wet-spinning or dry-wet-spinning polysaccharide by bringing a polysaccharide solution obtained by dissolving a polysaccharide raw material in a liquid including an ionic liquid into contact with a solidification liquid including an ionic liquid, in which a concentration of the ionic liquid in the solidification liquid is 0.4% by weight to 50% by weight and the anionic moieties of the ionic liquid in the polysaccharide solution and the ionic liquid in the solidification liquid have one or more types selected from the group consisting of a phosphinate ion, a phosphate ion, and a phosphonate ion.
US09670595B2

A method for laying down a nanoweb of nanofibers from a centrifugal spinning process by a combination of an air flow field and a charging arrangement. Fibrous streams in the form of fibrils of molten polymer or polymer solution are discharged from a rotating member into an air flow field that is essentially parallel to the direction of discharge of fibrils at the point of discharge of the fibrils. The fibrous streams are attenuated and directed by means of the air flow field onto the surface of a collector to form a nanoweb. The fibrous streams are charged along all or at least a portion of their route from the point of discharge to the surface of the collector.
US09670594B2

In one instance, the invention provides a group III nitride crystal having a first side exposing nitrogen polar c-plane of single crystalline or highly oriented polycrystalline group III nitride and a second side exposing group III polar surface, polycrystalline phase, or amorphous phase of group III nitride. Such structure is useful as a seed crystal for ammonothermal growth of bulk group III nitride crystals. The invention also discloses the method of fabricating such crystal. The invention also discloses the method of fabricating a bulk crystal of group III nitride by ammonothermal method using such crystal.
US09670588B2

An electroplating apparatus that promotes uniform electroplating on the substrates having thin seed layers includes a convex anisotropic high resistance ionic current source (AHRICS), such as an electrolyte-permeable resistive domed plate. The AHRICS is positioned in close proximity of the substrate, so that a distance from the central portion of the AHRICS to the substrate is smaller than the distance from the edge portion of the AHRICS to the substrate. The apparatus further includes a plating chamber configured to hold the electrolyte and an anode. The apparatus further includes a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate. In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes a secondary (thief) cathode configured to divert ionic current from the near-edge region of the substrate.
US09670582B2

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) type processes for producing metal containing thin films comprise feeding into a reaction space vapor phase pulses of metal containing cyclopentadienyl precursors as a metal source material. In preferred embodiments the metal containing cyclopentadienyl reactant comprises a metal atom that is not directly bonded to an oxygen or halide atom. In other embodiments the metal atom is bonded to a cyclopentadienyl compound and separately bonded to at least one ligand via a nitrogen atom. In still other embodiments the metal containing cyclopentadienyl compound comprises a nitrogen-bridged ligand.
US09670580B2

In a method for depositing layers on one or more substrates arranged in a process chamber, at least one carbon-containing gaseous source material is used in at least one deposition step. During layer growth on the one or more substrates, parasitic coatings are also deposited on the wall surfaces of the process chamber. After removing the one or more substrates from the process chamber, a gas flow containing one or more cleaning gases is introduced into the process chamber and the process chamber is heated to a cleaning temperature. The parasitic coatings are transformed into volatile substances, which are removed from the process chamber with the gas flow. To remove a carbon-containing residue on the wall surfaces, an ammonia cleaning step is performed in which the carbon-containing residue reacts with ammonia to form a volatile compound which is removed from the process chamber with the gas flow.
US09670579B2

Described are methods of making silicon nitride (SiN) materials on substrates. Improved SiN films made by the methods are also included. One aspect relates to depositing chlorine (Cl)-free conformal SiN films. In some embodiments, the SiN films are Cl-free and carbon (C)-free. Another aspect relates to methods of tuning the stress and/or wet etch rate of conformal SiN films. Another aspect relates to low-temperature methods of depositing high quality conformal SiN films. In some embodiments, the methods involve using trisilylamine (TSA) as a silicon-containing precursor.
US09670578B2

An oxide sintered body which, when made into an oxide semiconductor thin film by sputtering, can achieve low carrier density and high carrier mobility, and a sputtering target using said oxide sintered body are provided. This oxide sintered body contains indium, gallium and zinc as oxides. The gallium content is 0.08 or more and less than 0.20 in terms of Ga/(In+Ga) atomic ratio, and the zinc content is 0.0001 or more and less than 0.08 in terms of Zn/(In+Ga+Zn) atomic ratio. This crystalline oxide semiconductor thin film is formed with the oxide sintered body as a sputtering target, and can achieve a carrier density of 8.0×1017 cm−3 or less and a carrier mobility of 10 cm2/V·s or greater.
US09670570B2

This invention relates to a high carbon steel rail with enhanced ductility comprising 0.65-1.4 mass % of carbon, 0.1-1.5 mass % of silicon, 0.01-0.4 mass % of manganese, 0.1-1.5 mass % of chromium, and 0.005-0.05 mass % of titanium, with additional allowances for Mo, Nb, V, Cu, M, Co, B, N, Ca, Mg, Zr, Al, and W, with the remainder comprising iron and the inevitable impurities, that displays a head surface hardness of at least 325 HB and a microstructure comprising at least 90% pearlite at a depth of between 2-20 mm below the rail head surface. The invention also relates to the process for manufacturing the high carbon steel rail with enhanced ductility.
US09670569B2

This is a cold-rolled steel sheet includes, by mass %, C: 0.02% to 0.4%, Si: 0.001% to 2.5%, Mn: 0.001% to 4.0%, and Al: 0.001% to 2.0%. The sum of the Si content and the Al content is 1.0% to 4.5%. An average pole density of an orientation group from {100}<011> to {223}<110> is 1.0 to 6.5, and a pole density of a crystal orientation {332}<113> is 1.0 to 5.0. A microstructure includes, by an area ratio %, 5% to 80% of ferrite, 5% to 80% of bainite, and 2% to 30% of retained austenite. In the microstructure, by an area ratio %, martensite is limited to 20% or less, pearlite is limited to 10% or less, and tempered martensite is limited to 60% or less.
US09670556B2

An apparatus for processing the skin side of a tubular fur where one or more scraping means are configured for being arranged in a first position away from a mandrel of the apparatus with a first distance in relation to the center axis of the mandrel, and in a third position where the scraping means are configured for being in contact with the skin side so as to process the skin side of the fur, where the one or more scraping means are furthermore configured for being arranged in a second predefined position being arranged between the first position and the third second position with a second predefined distance in relation to the centre axis of the mandrel, and the apparatus is configured for automatically releasing the scraping means from the second position towards the third position when predetermined criteria is complied with.
US09670554B2

Oligomers useful for determining the presence of Trichomonas vaginalis in a test sample.
US09670553B2

The disclosure provides methods for the use of gene expression measurements to classify or identify among 54 cancer types in samples obtained from a subject in a clinical setting, such as in cases of formalin fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) samples.
US09670552B2

The present invention relates to a kit and nucleic acid chip for diagnosing bladder cancer using a bladder cancer-specific marker gene. More particularly, the invention relates to a kit and nucleic acid chip for diagnosing bladder cancer, which can detect the promoter methylation of a bladder cancer-specific gene, the promoter or exon region of which is methylated specifically in transformed cells of bladder cancer. The use of the diagnostic kit or nucleic acid chip of the invention enables diagnosis of bladder cancer at an early stage of transformation, thus enabling early diagnosis of bladder cancer, and can diagnose bladder cancer in a more accurate and rapid manner compared to a conventional method.
US09670551B2

The present invention relates to a kit and nucleic acid chip for diagnosing bladder cancer using a bladder cancer-specific marker gene. More particularly, the invention relates to a kit and nucleic acid chip for diagnosing bladder cancer, which can detect the promoter methylation of a bladder cancer-specific gene, the promoter or exon region of which is methylated specifically in transformed cells of bladder cancer. The use of the diagnostic kit or nucleic acid chip of the invention enables diagnosis of bladder cancer at an early stage of transformation, thus enabling early diagnosis of bladder cancer, and can diagnose bladder cancer in a more accurate and rapid manner compared to a conventional method.
US09670542B2

Efficient methods are disclosed for the high throughput identification of mutations in genes in members of mutagenized populations. The methods comprise DNA isolation, pooling, amplification, creation of libraries, high throughput sequencing of libraries, preferably by sequencing-by-synthesis technologies, identification of mutations and identification of the member of the population carrying the mutation and identification of the mutation.
US09670534B2

Disclosed herein are methods for array assembly and detection. The methods can use an incubation chamber containing a suspension of nucleic acid targets, polymerase and a set of oligonucleotide probes bound to magnetic beads in a randomly dispersed state. Each probe can have a target binding domain that is complementary to a target nucleic acid, a closing domain with a sequence that is complementary to the sequence of the target binding domain, and a joining region between the binding domain and the closing domain, which is not complementary to the target nucleic acid. Method steps can include providing the incubation chamber, placing the incubation chamber in a magnetic trap, generating a magnetic field that induces the magnetic beads to migrate towards a substrate and, once in proximity to the substrate, to interact with each other repulsively and reorganize into arrays, and imaging the array.
US09670531B2

Provided herein are dynamic flux nucleic acid sequence amplification methods. The dynamic flux nucleic acid sequence amplification methods described herein are capable of amplifying nucleic acid sequences within a narrow temperature range. In some aspects, the disclosure provides for real-time dynamic flux nucleic acid sequence amplification methods.
US09670529B2

Described herein is a method for adding a counter sequence to the individual polynucleotide molecules of an initial nucleic acid sample. After addition of the counter sequence, the sample may be amplified and the number of initial target molecules in the sample can be estimated by counting the number of counter sequences associated with the amplified target molecules.
US09670528B2

A microfluidic device includes an input port for inputting a particle-containing liquidic samples into the device, a retention member, and a pressure actuator. The retention member is in communication with the input port and is configured to spatially separate particles of the particle-containing liquidic sample from a first portion of the liquid of the particle containing fluidic sample. The pressure actuator recombines at least some of the separated particles with a subset of the first portion of the liquid separated from the particles. The device can also include a lysing chamber that receives the particles and liquid from the retention member. The lysing chamber thermally lyses the particles to release contents thereof.
US09670527B2

Assays can be used to detect mutations found in neoplasms of the pancreas, as well as for other neoplasms and other uses. Nucleic acids can be captured from body fluids such as cyst fluids. Thousands of oligonucleotides can be synthesized in parallel, amplified and ligated together. The ligated products can be further amplified. The amplified, ligated products are used to capture complementary DNA sequences, which can be analyzed, for example by massively parallel sequencing.
US09670526B2

Methods and related products are disclosed that improve the probability of interaction between a target molecule and a nanopore by capturing the target molecule on a surface comprising the nanopore. The captured target molecule, the nanopore, or both, are able to move relative to each other along the surface. When the leader of the target molecule is in proximity with the nanopore, interaction of the target portion of the target molecule with the nanopore occurs, thereby permitting sensing of the target portion. Confining the target molecule and nanopore in this manner leads to significantly enhanced interaction with the nanopore.
US09670519B2

The present disclosure relates to methods of decreasing lactate production in cell culture using divalent transitional metallic salts. The present disclosure also relates to a method of producing polypeptide by adding divalent transitional metallic salt to the cell culture medium for reducing lactate accumulation followed by fermenting and recovering the polypeptide.
US09670517B1

The invention provides methods for the synthesis of long oligonucleotides, genes and gene fragments. The methods include the manufacture of genes or gene fragments that can be then inserted into a variety of vectors.
US09670508B2

The invention is a method of two-phase anaerobic digestion where monitoring and adjusting the nitrogen status (carbon to nitrogen molar ratio, i.e. C/N molar ratio or total or ammoniacal nitrogen content) enables maintaining optimum conditions during the process. The method improves the use of a variety of feedstock materials or facilitates monodigestion of one feedstock. Especially the introduction of nitrogen rich feedstock materials in the process is amended. A community of hydrolyzing and acidogenic microorganisms in the first phase digester performs ammonification i.e. release of organic nitrogen as ammonia. Nitrogen and phosphorus are removed and recovered from the digestate which then undergoes biogasification in the second phase of the process. Reject water from biogasification can be recycled within the process.
US09670503B2

The present invention provides hyperactive piggyBac transposons, in particular hyperactive piggyBac transposons from Trichoplusia ni (cabbage looper moth) that transpose at a higher frequency than wildtype. The invention also features integration defective piggyBac transposons. The piggyBac transposons and transposases can be used in gene transfer systems for stably introducing nucleic acids into the DNA of a cell. The gene transfer system can be used in methods, for example, but not limited to, gene therapy, insertional mutagenesis, or gene discovery.
US09670498B2

The present invention provides a transgenic alfalfa event KK 179-2. The invention also provides cells, plant parts, seeds, plants, commodity products related to the event, and DNA molecules that are unique to the event and were created by the insertion of transgenic DNA into the genome of a alfalfa plant. The invention further provides methods for detecting the presence of said alfalfa event nucleotide sequences in a sample, probes and primers for use in detecting nucleotide sequences that are diagnostic for the presence of said alfalfa event.
US09670492B2

Disclosed herein are antisense compounds and methods for decreasing PKK mRNA and protein expression. Such methods, compounds, and compositions are useful to treat, prevent, or ameliorate PKK-associated diseases, disorders, and conditions.
US09670491B2

The present invention is related to a nucleic acid, preferably binding to MCP-1, selected from the group consisting of Type 1A nucleic acids, type 1B nucleic acids, Type 2 nucleic acids, Type 3 nucleic acids, Type 4 nucleic acids and nucleic acids comprising SEQ ID NOs:87-115
US09670490B2

Some embodiments comprise methods, systems, and compositions to promote, improve and/or increase neuronal differentiation, oligodendrocyte differentiation, or neurological outcome or function in a patient in need thereof. Some embodiments also comprise the administration a composition comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of one or more of a group comprising microRNA-146a, a promoter of microRNA-146a expression, a microRNA-146a mimic, thymosin beta 4, and a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor to treat neurological conditions, disease, or injury in mammals, including in human beings.
US09670488B2

This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for reducing MET target RNA and protein levels via use of dsRNAs, e.g., Dicer substrate siRNA (DsiRNA) agents.
US09670482B2

The invention relates to a method for providing a multispecific peptide ligand comprising a polypeptide covalently linked to a molecular scaffold at three or more amino acid residues and capable of binding to two or more separate targets, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first repertoire of polypeptides, each polypeptide comprising two or more reactive groups capable of covalent linkage to a molecular scaffold, and at least one loop which comprises a sequence of two or more amino acids subtended between two of said reactive groups; (b) providing a second repertoire of polypeptides as described in (a); (c) joining at least one loop of one or more members of the first repertoire to at least one loop of one or more members of the second repertoire to form at least one polypeptide comprising two loops, and (d) conjugating the composite polypeptide(s) to a molecular scaffold at at least three amino acid positions.
US09670473B2

The present invention relates to a crystal. In particular the present invention relates to a crystal of the N-domain of ACE protein. The present invention also relates to methods, processes, domain specific modulators, pharmaceutical compositions and uses of the N-domain crystal and the structure co-ordinates thereof.
US09670470B2

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having phospholipase A activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
US09670469B2

The present invention relates to a novel uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferase, and particularly to a novel UDP-glycosyltransferase derived from ginseng and use thereof, a method for preparing glycosylated ginsenoside by converting protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenoside using the UDP-glycosyltransferase, a composition for converting the PPD-type ginsenoside into glycosylated ginsenoside, comprising the UDP-glycosyltransferase, a transformant or a culture thereof as active ingredients, a method for enhancing the expression of the UDP-glycosyltransferase using MeJA (methyl jasmonate), and a composition for enhancing the expression of the UDP-glycosyltransferase, which comprises MeJA as an active ingredient.
US09670466B2

Replicons of pestiviruses, in particular replicons of swine fever virus, are engineered to have a defective replication thereby having lost infectivity, and further containing a foreign gene. A replicon contains all the genetic information required for its replication, but lacks essential codons or all codons of at least one of the genes encoding the viral structural proteins E1, E2, Ems or C protein, and consequently cannot generate infectious virus particles. Particular replicons are generated with a mutated gene encoding a modified Npro protein that no longer controls the cell interferon-induction pathway. Another particular replicon lacks the genes encoding all the structural proteins, the p7 protein and the NS2 protein, and has cytopathogenic properties in transduced cells. The replicons provide a new vector system that can be used for vaccination, gene delivery and gene therapy applications in mammals, including humans, as naked RNA or packaged into any form of delivery vehicle.
US09670452B2

A stand for the collection of stem cells from a placenta is disclosed. The stand includes a base with an upper surface adapted to hold a placenta during stem cell collection, a back support, and an upper platform with a surface suspended above the base and adapted to hold the placenta during collection of stem cells. The stand is preferably composed of cardboard or a similar material and is foldable between a folded configuration and an assembled configuration. The back support is hinged to the base and can move between a position parallel to the base in the folded configuration and a position perpendicular to the base in the assembled configuration.
US09670451B2

Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and systems for using an air removal chamber as a control for a process in a cell expansion system. The air removal chamber may be mounted on a fluid conveyance assembly for use with the system. Fluid is pumped into a fluid containment chamber of the air removal chamber, in which the level of fluid in the fluid containment chamber may be monitored through the use of one or more sensors. The sensors are capable of detecting air, a lack of fluid, fluid, and/or a gas/fluid interface, e.g., an air/fluid interface, at measuring positions within the air removal chamber. Protocols for use with the system may include one or more stop conditions. In an embodiment, the stopping of a process is automated based on the detection of air, a lack of fluid, and/or a gas/fluid interface in the air removal chamber.
US09670450B2

A cultivation apparatus and a cultivation method of a culture such as a cell or tissue. Provided are an incubator unit for accommodating a culture and a lever that penetrates through the incubator unit and can move in circular arc around a fulcrum as a center, the fulcrum being set at a wall of the incubator unit or in the vicinity thereof, then displacement is imparted to the culture by operating the lever. Bending force can be acted on the culture (cell construct) such as a cell or tissue, so that without any increase or decrease of a culture fluid in the incubator unit, namely, without any increase or decrease of pressure to the culture fluid, displacement required for cultivation can be imparted to the culture in the incubator unit. By curving, continuous compression and extension are generated in a direction of thickness from a concave portion to a convex portion of the curving.
US09670449B2

A system and method are described for electroporating a sample that utilizes one or more sets of electrodes that are spaced apart in order to hold a surface tension constrained sample between the electrodes. The first electrode is connected to the lower body of the system while the second electrode is connected to the upper body. Both electrodes are connected to a pulse generator. Each electrode has a sample contact surface such that the first electrode and the second electrode may be positioned to hold a surface tension constrained sample between the two sample contact surfaces and the sample may receive a selected electric pulse.
US09670446B2

The present invention relates to large-scale bioreactors having at least two impellers, large-scale bioreactor systems and methods for the large scale cultivation and propagation of mammalian cells using these bioreactors.
US09670445B1

A microfluidics sensor package includes a microfluidics sensor die having an active surface, bond pads on the active surface, and an active area on the active surface. A standoff pattern is formed on the active surface to extend to a precise height above the active surface. A lid is mounted to the standoff pattern by a lid adhesive. By using the standoff pattern to precisely space the lid above the active surface, a microfluidics cavity between the lid and the active surface is precisely created allowing for precise control of fluid flowing through the microfluidics cavity. By precisely controlling the flow of fluid through the microfluidics cavity, accurate results, e.g., of the laboratory functions performed on the fluid, are provided.
US09670443B2

A method of forming an implantable tissue engineered construct, a bioreactor for forming a tissue engineered construct, and a tissue engineered construct itself are disclosed The method includes seeding a scaffold with cells to form a tissue construct; locating the tissue construct in a space defined by a tissue construct support element; locating the tissue construct support element within a bioreactor; and operating a load applicator of the bioreactor to apply a cyclical compressive mechanical load to the tissue construct, to stimulate the deposition of tissue matrix in the tissue construct, in which the tissue construct, the tissue construct support element and the load applicator are arranged so that the load applicator can at least initially contact both the tissue construct and the tissue construct support element, so that at least part of a total load generated by the load applicator is borne by the tissue construct support element.
US09670440B2

Disclosed herein are capsules for delayed release of an active ingredient contained therein, in particular water-soluble capsules for delayed release of water-sensitive, gas-generating compositions into an aqueous liquid medium. The delayed release capsules incorporate one or more gas-relief pinholes for gas-generating water-sensitive compositions contained in the capsules, such as inorganic bleach or other alkaline compositions intended for delayed release into a wash medium during a laundry cycle. The pinholes permit gas generated within the capsule due to exposure to environmental water vapor to escape from the capsule interior, preventing pressure build-up and capsule deformation during storage. The pinholes are sized to prevent or otherwise substantially limit the passage of liquids when submerged in a liquid medium (e.g., liquid water in an aqueous liquid medium). Related articles and methods for delivering the capsules in combination with a detergent or other laundry composition are also disclosed.
US09670422B2

The invention relates to a process for removing and recovering mercury, an impurity, from a hydrocarbon feedstream containing oxygen, such as introduced during hydraulic fracturing. Mercury is selectively removed to very low levels of concentration from fluid streams such as natural gas, cracked gas, hydrogen or naphtha by passage of the stream through an adsorbent bed containing particles of a zeolitic molecular sieve preferably having pore diameters of at least 3.0 angstroms and in which the zeolite crystallites are formed into an aggregate (cylindrical or beads) which contain ionic or elemental silver. These adsorbent particles maintain their capacity for removal of mercury despite the presence of oxygen.
US09670420B2

A method for producing a monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon of the present invention includes a cracking and reforming reaction step of obtaining a product containing a monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon having 6 to 8 carbon atoms by bringing a feedstock oil having a 10 volume % distillate temperature of 140° C. or higher and a 90 volume % distillate temperature of 390° C. or lower and a saturated hydrocarbon having 1 to 3 carbon atoms into contact with a catalyst for producing a monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon containing crystalline aluminosilicate, which is loaded into a fixed-bed reactor, and reacting the feedstock oil and the saturated hydrocarbon.
US09670419B2

A process for reducing coke formation during hydrocarbon upgrading reactions using a double-wall reactor comprising the steps of feeding a heated feed water to a shell-side volume of the double-wall reactor to produce a heat transfer stream, the double-wall reactor comprising an exterior wall and an interior wall, a reaction section volume, a heating element configured to heat the heat transfer stream, wherein heat is transferred from the heat transfer stream to the reaction section volume, feeding the hot water return exiting the shell-side volume through a filter; mixing the filtered water stream with a heated hydrocarbon feedstock; feeding the mixed stream to the reaction section volume in a configuration counter-current to the heat transfer stream; reacting the reaction flow stream at a reaction temperature, wherein the heat transferred to the reaction section volume is operable to maintain the reaction temperature above the critical temperature of water.
US09670413B2

Methods and apparatuses for thermally converting or pyrolyzing biomass are provided. In one embodiment, a method of thermally converting biomass includes introducing the biomass to a reactor feed chamber. The method provides for flowing a low oxygen gas into the reactor feed chamber to purge the reactor feed chamber and biomass of oxygen. The method also includes delivering the purged biomass to a thermal conversion reactor and thermally converting the biomass in the thermal conversion reactor.
US09670411B2

There is provided a liquid crystal device including an element substrate, a counter substrate which is arranged to face the element substrate, a liquid crystal layer which is arranged between the element substrate and the counter substrate, and inorganic alignment films which are arranged between the element substrate and the liquid crystal layer and between the counter substrate and the liquid crystal layer. A silane compound film with which a fullerene is modified is arranged to cover the inorganic alignment film.
US09670410B2

Provided is a liquid crystal composition. The liquid crystal composition includes 1 to 50 wt % of an achiral smectic liquid crystal, and a remaining amount of a nematic liquid crystal. The nematic liquid crystal includes a negative nematic liquid crystal.
US09670406B2

The present invention relates to a zinc sulphide phosphor and to a process for producing same. The invention further relates to a security document or document of value, to a security feature and to a method for detecting same. The phosphor according to the invention can act as electroluminescent phosphor and thus be excited by an electrical field, and this can result in emission of electroluminescent light in the blue and/or green color region of the visible spectrum. The phosphor can moreover be excited by UV radiation in the wavelength range than 345 nm to 370 nm, and can thus emit photoluminescent light in the blue color region of the visible spectrum. The phosphor can moreover be excited by UV radiation in the wavelength range from 310 nm in 335 nm, and can thus emit photoluminescent light in the green color region of the visible spectrum.
US09670405B2

A production method of a phosphor includes firing a starting material mixture in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature range between 1,500° C. inclusive and 2,200° C. inclusive. The starting material mixture is a mixture of metallic compounds, and is capable of constituting a composition including M, A, Al, O, and N (M is Eu; and A is one kind or two or more kinds of element(s) selected from C, Si, Ge, Sn, B, Ga, In, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Gd, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, Ta, and W) by firing.
US09670403B2

A fluoride fluorescent material, comprising: a fluoride particles having a chemical composition represented by the formula (I): A2[M1−aMn4+aF6]  (I) wherein A is at least one cation selected from the group consisting of K+, Li+, Na+, Rb+, Cs+ and NH4+; M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of elements from Group 4 of the periodic table and elements from Group 14 of the periodic table; and variable a satisfies 0
US09670402B2

Gellable treatment fluids may have their gel times modified by using a polymer mixture therein that contains two or more polymers having disparate average molecular weights. Methods for treating a subterranean formation using such gellable treatment fluids can comprise providing a gellable treatment fluid comprising a polymer mixture and a crosslinking agent, introducing the gellable treatment fluid into a subterranean formation, and allowing the gellable treatment fluid to form a gel in the subterranean formation. The polymer mixture comprises a base polymer and an addend polymer, where the base polymer and the addend polymer each comprise an acrylamide monomer unit or a derivative thereof and have different average molecular weights, such that a molecular weight distribution of the polymer mixture contains at least two local maxima.
US09670399B2

Acidizing fluids may be formulated to minimize the detrimental effects of precipitation during an acidizing operation by promoting production of precipitates from a subterranean formation. Methods for acidizing a subterranean formation can comprise: providing an acidizing fluid comprising a stabilized microemulsion carrier fluid, a chelating agent, and an acid source; introducing the acidizing fluid into a subterranean formation; at least partially dissolving a surface in the subterranean formation with the acidizing fluid, thereby forming a spent fluid; and producing the spent fluid from the subterranean formation.
US09670396B2

A method, system, and composition for producing oil from a formation utilizing an oil recovery formulation comprising a surfactant, an ammonia liquid, an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate, a polymer, and water are provided.
US09670394B2

A method for drilling a wellbore into a formation uses a mixed metal-viscosified drilling fluid including at least 1% potassium salt and/or at least 0.05% calcium sulfate; circulating the drilling fluid through the well; and drilling into a formation. An anionic thinner may be added if the clay concentration of the drilling fluid reaches a problematic level to adversely affect pumpability of the fluid.
US09670383B2

The present invention relates to a laminate comprising at least three layers, paper/polyethylene/polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is directly coated on the polyethylene surface, with no adhesive layer or the like being interposed, and the polyethylene terephthalate layer has heat sealability; and a method for producing a laminate having polyethylene coated on at least one surface of a paper substrate, the method involving extrusion laminating polyethylene terephthalate onto a surface of the polyethylene, wherein an air gap expressed as the distance from a lip opening of a die to the polyethylene surface is 25 cm or less.
US09670382B2

The base film of the invention is a base film of a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet for laminating onto a semiconductor wafer composed of: (A) a layer of a cured product in which a composition including a polyether polyol urethan(meth)acrylate oligomer and an energy ray curable monomer is cured by energy ray irradiation, and (B) a thermoplastic resin layer. The present invention, by using a surface protection sheet, protects a circuit side of a wafer with bumps, prevents collapse of bumps on the circuit side when grinding the back surface, and prevents generation of dimples or cracks on the grinding surface.
US09670381B2

The present disclosure provides an ink jet print head face plate. The ink jet print head face plate includes a face plate; and a siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer disposed on the face plate. The siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer is a polymerization product of a mixture including from about 2 to about 12 alkoxysilane precursor materials, wherein at least one of the alkoxysilane precursor materials is a hydrophobic alkoxysilane precursor material; and at least one of the alkoxysilane precursor materials is an aromatic alkoxysilane precursor material. The siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer is insoluble in solvents selected from the group consisting of ketones, chlorinated solvents and ethers.
US09670372B2

An inkjet ink composition including one or more volatile organic solvents and one or more colorants, said ink being characterized in that it includes one or more humectants and a terpene phenolic resin.
US09670368B2

A single coating composition providing both anti-bacterial and anti-fouling functions when applied to a product and a method of preparing same. The composition includes a fluorine-based substituent according to the following Formula 1 and at least one ammonium-based substituent according to the following Formula 2: CF2OCF2CF2OpCF2Oq  [Formula 1] wherein p and q each independently is an integer of 1 to 100, CH2—C(CH3)(COOCH2CH2+N(CH3)2(CH2CH2)xCH3)  [Formula 2] wherein x is an integer of 1 to 20.
US09670356B2

A matrix material for a carbon fiber-reinforced composite comprises a matrix resin as a resin component. The matrix resin contains both a first epoxy resin and a second epoxy resin or only the first epoxy resin, further contains a third epoxy resin, and has an average epoxy equivalent weight of 109 to 162. The first epoxy resin contains a polyfunctional glycidylamine-type epoxy resin. The second epoxy resin contains at least one of a p-aminophenol-type epoxy resin and a tetramethylbiphenol-type solid epoxy resin. The third epoxy resin contains a bisphenol A-type epoxy resin having a weight-average molecular weight of 8000.
US09670353B2

The present disclosure provides a composition comprising or obtained from a reaction mixture comprising a first propylene-based polymer, an olefin block copolymer, and a cure component. The cure component comprises (i) a second propylene/α-olefin copolymer, (ii) a scorch retardant, and (iii) a crosslinking agent.
US09670341B2

The present disclosure provides reinforcing filler-containing rubber compositions suitable for use in tires, and particularly in tire treads. These rubber compositions comprise a metal carboxylate. The metal carboxylate provides improved processability to the rubber compositions in the form of a reduced Mooney viscosity. In certain exemplary embodiments, these rubber compositions containing the metal carboxylate also have an enhanced elastic modulus (also referred to as the G′). Further, in certain of the enhanced elastic modulus embodiments, the rubber compositions containing the metal carboxylate also have decreased hysteresis loss.
US09670339B1

The invention relates to the use of at least one mixed mineral organoclay rheology additive in a liquid composition comprising at least one epoxy resin, the additive comprises or consists of a quaternary alkyl-ammonium salt treated mineral clay mixture prepared by forming an aqueous hormite clay slurry (a), forming an aqueous smectite clay slurry (b), combining the aqueous hormite clay slurry (a) with the aqueous smectite clay slurry (b) to form a combined clay slurry (c), treating the combined clay slurry (c) with one or more quaternary alkyl-ammonium salts, and separating the produced quaternary alkyl-ammonium salt treated mineral clay mixture from the aqueous medium. The invention also relates to a process for producing a mixed mineral organoclay rheology additive and the use of the thus produced additive as a thickening agent in liquid compositions.
US09670336B2

We provide a method for producing a rubber composition that includes a rubber component (A) including natural rubber, at least one filler (B) selected from an inorganic filler and carbon black, and a hydrazide compound (C), the method comprising compounding in an optional preliminary compounding stage and a plurality of compounding stages, and adding the hydrazide compound (C) and kneading in the preliminary compounding stage and/or a first compounding stage, the hydrazide compound (C) being represented by general formula (I): R—CONHNH2, where R represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having from 3 to 30 carbon atoms, or an aryl group. We also provide a rubber composition produced with this method.
US09670334B2

A shear thickening formulation and composite material employing the same are provided. The shear thickening formulation includes inorganic particles and polyethylene glycol. The inorganic particles and the polyethylene glycol have a weight ratio of 3 to 4. The inorganic particles can be silica, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, nano diamond, or a combination thereof.
US09670331B2

The density of rigid foamed articles made by the thermal decomposition of a blowing agent in a vinyl chloride polymer is reduced by the use of a tin based blowing agent activator(s). The tin based activator also reduces the activation temperature of a chemical blowing agent, allowing for more optimal evolution of gas during plastic processing. Dibutyl tin oxide or tin maleates are superior activators of vinyl chloride polymer blowing agents.
US09670326B2

The present invention is: a curable composition comprising a component (A) and a component (B) in a mass ratio (component (A):component (B)) of 100:0.1 to 100:50; a cured product obtained by curing the curable composition; and a method for using the curable composition as an optical device-securing adhesive or an optical device sealing material. The component (A) is a silane compound polymer that is represented by a formula (a-1) (where in the formula: R1 is a group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, Z is a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom, m is a positive integer, and n and o are independently 0 or a positive integer, provided that a plurality of R1 are either identical or different, and a plurality of Z are either identical or different), and the component (B) is a silane coupling agent that comprises a sulfur atom-containing functional group in its molecule. (R1SiO3/2)m(R1SiZO2/2)n(R1SiZ2O1/2)o  (a-1)
US09670325B2

Polyimides containing a backbone with at least one nanoparticle component and made from oligomers having endcaps that are difunctional or a mix of di- and monofunctionality are provided. The endcaps may be nadic or phenylethynyl. The backbone may be wholly inorganic or made from a mixture of inorganic and organic groups. The oligomers may be created in-situ using standard polymerization of monomeric reactants chemistry using a solvent or may be provided as a pre-imidized compound that may be either a solid or liquid. It is believed that the nanoparticle component of the polymer backbone provides superior thermo-oxidative stability verses unmodified organic backbones. It is further believed that providing difunctional or a mixture of di- and monofunctional endcaps allows for increased crosslinking to provide improved strength and stiffness verses wholly monofunctional endcapped oligomers for polyimides. The nanoparticle is part of the backbone of the polymer and not solely a pendant group.
US09670316B2

Provided is an aromatic polycarbonate resin molded body, which is obtained by molding a resin molding material containing an aromatic polycarbonate resin (A), in which: the molded body has a thin-walled portion having a thickness of 0.5 mm or less; the molded body has an o-hydroxyacetophenone content of 1 ppm by mass or less and a nitrogen atom content of 15 ppm or less; and the molded body is free of an absorption maximum in a wavelength range of from 500 nm to 600 nm.
US09670306B2

The present invention relates to curable liquid coverlay compositions comprising polyamideimide resins for use in curable compositions for use as protective coverlay coatings for metal clad laminate materials in electronic components, such as flexible circuit boards. In particular, the invention relates to liquid coverlay compositions comprising polyamideimides having a terminal isocyanate group blocked by a thermally-dissociatable isocyanate-blocking group and the use of such compositions in preparation of flexible electronic components.
US09670304B2

The present invention relates to a novel composite for preventing ice adhesion. A superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic surface with a hydrophobic, low freezing point liquid adsorbed onto surface asperities results in a durable, renewable anti-icing surface. The preparation method for novel icing and rain protecting surface is disclosed.
US09670301B2

Problem: To provide a novel copolymer capable of use as a surface treatment agent which is safe and does not generate hydrogen, which has good compatibility with other cosmetic raw materials so as to be able to improve compounding stability of a cosmetic, which contributes to good water resistance, sebum resistance, gloss, feel, hair attachment ability, skin attachment ability and the like of a cosmetic, which further may be used for treatment of powders of a wide range of cosmetics, and which nearly entirely suppresses the occurrence of dispersion failure on the skin.Resolution Means: A copolymer comprising: (A) an unsaturated monomer having a carbosiloxane dendrimer structure; and (B) an unsaturated monomer having at least one hydrophilic group in the molecule. A content of the unsaturated monomer having the carbosiloxane dendrimer structure is in the range of 35 to 50% by mass of the total monomer units of the copolymer. The present invention is also a liquid composition, surface treatment agent, and powder composition including such a copolymer, as well as a cosmetic raw material containing such components.
US09670299B2

A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of: (i) polymerizing monomer with a coordination catalyst to form a reactive polymer; and (ii) reacting the reactive polymer with a nitroso compound.
US09670296B2

Silica-coated alumina activator-supports, and catalyst compositions containing these activator-supports, are disclosed. Methods also are provided for preparing silica-coated alumina activator-supports, for preparing catalyst compositions, and for using the catalyst compositions to polymerize olefins.
US09670288B2

Methods for treating neurodegeneration, e.g., sensorineural hearing loss, or a demyelinating disease, using bisphosphonates, ERK kinase inhibitors, and osteoprotegerin (OPG) proteins or nucleic acids.
US09670281B2

The present disclosure provides binding-triggered transcriptional switch polypeptides, nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the binding-triggered transcriptional switch polypeptides, and host cells genetically modified with the nucleic acids. The present disclosure also provides chimeric Notch receptor polypeptides, nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the chimeric Notch receptor polypeptides, and host cells transduced and/or genetically modified with the nucleic acids. The present disclosure provides transgenic organisms comprising a nucleic acid encoding a binding triggered transcriptional switch polypeptide and/or a chimeric Notch receptor polypeptide of the present disclosure. Binding triggered transcriptional switch polypeptides and chimeric Notch receptor polypeptides of the present disclosure are useful in a variety of applications, which are also provided.
US09670279B2

Novel anti-cancer agents, including, but not limited to, antibodies and immunoconjugates, that bind to human folate receptor 1 are provided. Methods of using the agents, antibodies, or immunoconjugates, such as methods of inhibiting tumor growth are further provided.
US09670277B2

This application discloses ophthalmic formulations and methods for treating inflammatory disease and conditions of the ocular surface with one or more C—C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7) antagonists. The compositions may be formulated for subconjunctival or topical administration to the eye and are effective in the treatment of inflammatory disease and conditions of the ocular surface.
US09670275B2

The present invention relates to biological materials against HGF and more in particular to polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding such polypeptides; to methods for preparing such polypeptides; to host cells expressing or capable of expressing such polypeptides; to compositions and in particular to pharmaceutical compositions that comprise such polypeptides, for prophylactic, therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. In particular, the biological materials of the present invention inhibit binding of HGF to its receptor c-Met.
US09670270B2

Minicells are used to deliver biologically active compounds including radioisotopes, polypeptides, nucleic acids, small molecules, drug molecules, and chemotherapeutic agents. In some cases, the minicell displays ligands or binding moieties that target the minicell to a desired host cell.
US09670259B2

The present invention is directed to methods and compositions comprising G-protein-coupled receptor kinase interacting protein-1 (GIT1) inhibitors that are suitable for inhibiting angiogenesis in a subject and treating related conditions.
US09670257B2

The present invention provides a method for producing peptides by recombinant means. The peptides are expressed as part of a fusion protein comprising the target peptide and an engineered intein. The invention also provides the engineered inteins, fusion proteins comprising these, and DNA constructs coding for these fusion proteins. Upon thiol-induced cleavage of the fusion protein the carboxy-terminal a-thioester of the target peptide is obtained. The carboxy-terminal α-thioester can in principle react with any nucleophile and the strategy therefore allows a wider range of carboxy-terminal modifications such as chemical ligation, bioconjugation, or amidation. The engineered inteins of the present invention are minimized in size and has a cysteine mutation in the position corresponding by alignment to position 3 of Mxe GyrA intein (SEQ ID NO:1) leading to increased expression levels of the fusion protein and higher yields of the isolated target peptide, thus making the method of the invention suitable for production scale.
US09670256B2

The present invention relates to peptide fragments which have one or more shared and/or similar amino acid sequences to amino acid sequences of specific portions of the 14 kDa protein of S. mansoni (SM14) or related FABPs (Fatty Acid Binding Proteins), the peptide fragments functioning as continuous or discontinuous epitopic regions of the molecule or mimicking its biological activity. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for constructing active peptide fragments, peptide fragments, immunogenic compositions and diagnostic kits using peptide fragments.
US09670255B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mutant streptavidin with a reduced affinity for natural biotin, and also to provide a modified biotin having a high affinity for the mutant streptavidin with a reduced affinity for natural biotin. According to the present invention, there is provided a reagent kit for use in treatments or diagnoses, which comprises: (a) a mutant streptavidin with a reduced affinity for natural biotin or biocytin; and a modified biotin having a high affinity for the above-described mutant streptavidin.
US09670253B2

The invention provides compositions, methods, and kits for the treatment or prevention of viral infections. The polyvalent (e.g., 2-valent) vaccines described herein incorporate computationally-optimized viral polypeptides that can increase the diversity or breadth and depth of cellular immune response in vaccinated subjects.
US09670252B2

The present invention relates to fusion proteins for the expression of G-protein coupled receptor proteins (GPCR) with the fusion partners, as inserted fragments, from mammalian cells. The fusion partners are from a fragment of APJ protein (“the APJ protein fragment”) or a fragment with homology of more than 90% similarity to the APJ protein fragment; or a fragment of RGS16 protein (the “RGS16 protein fragment”) or a fragment with homology of more than 90% similarity to the RGS16 protein fragment; or the fragment of DNJ protein (the “DNJ protein fragment”) or a fragment with homology of more than 90% similarity to DNJ protein fragment. The fusion expression of GPCR with the above mentioned fusion partners can improve the protein yield and stability when purified from cells. Therefore, these fusion protein partners can be widely used for the study of GPCR proteins.
US09670250B2

The present invention includes a novel class of highly specific protease inhibitors. In one embodiment, the inhibitors of the invention are α-helical in structure. In another embodiment, the present invention represents the first demonstration of a highly specific cysteine protease inhibitor.
US09670244B2

This invention relates, for example, to synthetic oxysterols. Also described are methods for using the compounds, including treating subjects in need thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions and kits for implementing methods of the invention.
US09670235B2

The invention relates to (among other things) oligomer-foscarnet conjugates and related compounds. A conjugate of the invention, when administered by any of a number of administration routes, exhibits advantages over previously administered un-conjugated foscarnet compounds.
US09670226B2

The invention provides novel compounds and compositions for inhibiting IKKα/β, including treating disorders associated with IKKα/β activity, including cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, with a compound of structure:
US09670221B2

The present invention relates to novel compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and to their use in therapy.
US09670216B2

The present specification discloses cannabinoid-2 agonists, compositions comprising such cannabinoid-2 agonists, and methods of treating an individual suffering from a disease by administering compositions comprising such cannabinoid-2 agonists.
US09670208B2

Compounds of Formula I or a stereoisomer, tautomer or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof are provided, which are useful for the treatment of diseases. Methods of using compounds of Formula I or a stereoisomer, tautomer or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis, prevention or treatment of such diseases, or associated pathological conditions are disclosed.
US09670204B2

The present invention discloses compounds according to Formula I: Wherein R1a, R1b, R2, R4, R5, R6a, R6b, R7, R8, W, X, Cy, and the subscript a are as defined herein. The present invention relates to compounds inhibiting autotaxin (NPP2 or ENPP2), methods for their production, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same, and methods of treatment using the same, for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of diseases involving fibrotic diseases, proliferative diseases, inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, dermatological disorders, and/or abnormal angiogenesis associated diseases by administering the compound of the invention.
US09670196B2

The invention provides certain thiazole-substituted aminoheteroaryl compounds of the Formula (I) (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein ring R1, R2, R3, R4, ring A, and the subscripts n1, n2, and r are as defined herein. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and methods of using the compounds for treating diseases or conditions mediated by Spleen Tyrosine Kinase (Syk).
US09670194B2

The invention relates to the preparation and use of new aminopyrimidine derivatives as drug candidates in free form or in pharmaceutically acceptable salt form and formulations thereof for the modulation of a disorder or disease which is mediated by the activity of the PI3K enzymes. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising such compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of disorders or diseases, such as disorders of immunity and inflammation in which PI3K enzymes play a role in leukocyte function, and hyperproliferative disorders associated with PI3K activity, including but not limited to leukemias and solid tumors, in mammals, especially humans.
US09670190B2

The present invention relates to novel pyridine or pyrimidine derivatives, processes for preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as pharmaceuticals as modulators of chemokine receptors. The invention relates specifically to the use of these compounds and their pharmaceutical compositions to treat disorders associated with chemokine receptor modulation.
US09670184B2

The present invention relates to an amorphous allisartan isoproxil which is an angiotensin II receptor blocker with good flowability and a large bulk density and with no obvious electrostatic phenomenon; the find of the amorphous allisartan isoproxil can effectively reduce the generation of dust pollution during the production, thereby providing convenience the production of allisartan isoproxil. The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition containing the amorphous allisartan isoproxil. The pharmaceutical composition is highly stable, and allisartan isoproxil formulation prepared from the pharmaceutical composition can effectively ensure the quality of the drug.
US09670176B2

The invention discloses a process for the preparation of Zileuton of formula I by employing acetic acid-1-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-ethyl-ester of formula-III as an intermediate.
US09670175B2

Disclosed herein are mono or di-succinate compounds where one or both of the acid groups in the succinate core are protected in the form of biologically labile moieties, and the use of said compounds to enhance mitochondrial function. The compounds may be of formula (I) wherein R1 is H or an optionally substituted alkyl group or a group of formula (II) and R2 is independently a group according to formula (II) where formula (II) is as defined 10 herein.
US09670171B2

A process for preparing (E)-(5,6-dihydro-1,4,2-dioxazin-3-yl)(2-hydroxyphenyl)methanone O-methyl oxime (13) or (Z)-(5,6-dihydro-1,4,2-dioxazin-3-yl)(2-hydroxyphenyl)methanone O-methyl oxime (15) which includes: (a) reacting compound (10) with an alkyl nitrite in the presence of an acid to form compound (11A) or reacting compound (10) with an alkyl nitrite in the presence of a base to form compound (11B); (b) reacting compound (11A) with 2-haloethanol to form compound (12A) or reacting compound (11B) with 2-haloethanol to form compound (12B); and (c) reacting compound (12A) with a base to form compound (13) or reacting compound (12B) with a base to form compound (15).
US09670169B2

An improved process for the preparation of Efavirenz which avoids the distillations of the solvents is provided.
US09670155B2

The present invention relates to a compound of formula (3Z,5S)-5-(hydroxymethyl)-1-[(2′-methyl-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)carbonyl]pyrrolidin-3-one O-methy19243-yloxime, and/or an active metabolite thereof having antagonist action at the oxytocin receptor and/or vasopressin V1a receptor, to processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use.
US09670150B2

The present invention relates to (2-ureidoacetamido)alkyl derivatives, processes for preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as pharmaceuticals as modulators of the N-formyl peptide receptor 2.
US09670142B2

Compounds of the formula I in which R1, R4, R6, R, X1, X2, X3, X4, q and W have the meanings indicated in claim 1, are inhibitors of fatty acid synthase, and can be employed, inter alia, for the treatment of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, central nervous system injury and different forms of inflammation.
US09670114B2

Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for reforming of hydrocarbons including recovery of products are provided. In one example, a method comprises separating a reforming-zone effluent to form a net gas phase stream and a liquid phase hydrocarbon stream. The net gas phase stream is compressed, partially condensed and cooled to form a partially condensed, compressed net gas phase stream. The partially condensed, compressed net gas phase stream is separated to form an intermediate gas phase stream. The intermediate gas phase stream is cooled to form a cooled intermediate gas phase stream. The liquid phase hydrocarbon stream is cooled to form a cooled liquid phase hydrocarbon stream. The cooled intermediate gas phase stream is contacted with the cooled liquid phase hydrocarbon stream to form an H2-rich stream and a cooled second intermediate liquid phase hydrocarbon stream that is enriched with C3/C4 hydrocarbons.
US09670113B2

Natural gas and petrochemical processing systems including oxidative coupling of methane reactor systems that integrate process inputs and outputs to cooperatively utilize different inputs and outputs of the various systems in the production of higher hydrocarbons from natural gas and other hydrocarbon feedstocks.
US09670109B2

The invention provides a method of alkene metathesis comprising contacting at least a first alkene, which is cardanol and/or anacardic acid, with an alkylidene ruthenium alkene metathesis catalyst comprising two ligands P1 and P2, which may be the same or different and of formula P(R1)3, in which P is a phosphorus atom coordinated to the ruthenium ion and each R1 is independently an optionally substituted alkyl or alkoxy group; or two R1 groups within one P1 or P2 ligand constitute an optionally substituted bicycloalkyl.
US09670108B2

Bisphosphites having a central 2,3′-biphenol unit are useful for catalyzing hydroformylation.
US09670079B2

Glycine is an organic compound that can be used in the making of a synthetic acid that obviates all the drawbacks of strong acids such as hydrochloric acid. The new compound is made by dissolving glycine in water, in a weight ratio of approximately 1:1 to 1:1.5. The solution is mixed until the glycine is essentially fully dissolved in the water. Once dissolution is complete, hydrogen chloride gas is dissolved in the solution to produce the new compound, which can be referred to as hydrogen glycine. Also disclosed is a method for adjusting the pH of a fluid, the method comprising adding an effective amount of a solution to the fluid for adjusting the pH thereof to a desired level, wherein the solution is prepared by mixing glycine in water to form a glycine solution; and adding hydrogen chloride to the glycine solution.
US09670070B2

A collapsible water filter has a telescopic container and a filter cartridge. The telescopic container has a telescopic segment and a connection segment, and the telescopic segment having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The telescopic segment defines a holding space, and the holding space has a first opening adjacent to the first end of the telescopic segment. When the first end and the second end of the telescopic segment are under a force such that the first end and the second end approach each other, the volume of the holding space is reduced. When the first end and the second end of the telescopic segment are under a force such that the first end and the second end move away from each other, the volume of the holding space is increased.
US09670051B1

A draining device for the primary purpose of completely draining unused contents that frequently remain trapped inside various containers due to an inadequate way to sufficiently remove them. This draining device comprises an upper enclosure, a base abutment and a support bracket with a first end and a second end that is attached to the upper enclosure and the base abutment. When the upper enclosure and base abutment are in an opened, perpendicular position to their adjoining support bracket, an inverted container is placed through the upper enclosure and lowered until the lid extends through, or it rests upon the base abutment. Thus, the remaining contents are collected at the inverted container's cap or lowermost section for additional usage until the remaining contents are completely utilized and the container is thoroughly depleted.
US09670050B1

A thermoelectric wine pouch cooler/dispenser apparatus powered by household current has a thermally insulated cabinet that sits on a countertop or other flat surface and has a thermoelectric cooling system. The cabinet has at least one thermally insulated compartment that receives a removable bag support housing containing a collapsible flexible wine-filled bag from a “bag-in-box” wine container and its dispensing valve. The bag support housing includes a spring biased plate to facilitate emptying of the contents of the bag. The temperature of each compartment is individually controlled by a digital temperature controller and a thermoelectric cooling assembly which includes a fan and a cold plate engaged on a thermally conductive heat transfer block at the top of each compartment which engages the bag support housing.
US09670043B2

A corkscrew includes a main body, a grip moveably connected with the main body, a lever moveably connected with the main body, a worm operably connected with the lever, and a wrapper cutter detachably connected with the main body. The grip and the main body define a space configured to receive a neck of an associated bottle, such as a wine bottle. The worm connects with the lever such that movement of the lever results in movement of the worm. The wrapper cutter includes a cutting element for cutting a wrapper surrounding the neck of the associated bottle.
US09670035B2

A belt and a method for manufacturing a belt is provided. The belt includes a plurality of lengthwise-extending tension members and a jacket. The jacket substantially retains the plurality of tension members. The jacket has a first side region, a second side region, and a center region between the first and second side regions. The first and second side regions of the jacket are more fire retardant than the center region of the jacket.
US09670026B2

A reading apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read a document, a feeding tray on which the document to be read by the reading unit is stacked, a feeding roller that feeds the document from the feeding tray to a position where the document is read by the reading unit, a feeding pressure plate that presses the document against the feeding roller so that the document is pinched between the feeding roller and the feeding pressure plate, and a discharge roller that discharges the document read by the reading unit to underneath the feeding pressure plate, wherein a position of the discharge roller moves depending on a number of documents pinched between the feeding roller and the feeding pressure plate.
US09670023B2

A sheet-like medium temporary storage device includes a storage coiling block, configured to reel up and store sheet-like medium and being a circular roller with a cavity at the center; a thin coiling tape, having one end fixedly connected to an outer surface of the storage coiling block and configured to reel up the sheet-like medium and wind the sheet-like medium around the storage coiling block; a recycling coiling block, configured to reel up and recycle the thin coiling tape, wherein another end of the thin coiling tape is fixed to an outer surface of the recycling coiling block; and a power motor arranged in the cavity and configured to drive the storage coiling block to rotate and control the recycling coiling block to rotate. One end of the cavity is opened, and at least two air disturbance vanes are uniformly arranged at another end of the cavity.
US09670008B2

The present disclosure suggests a conveyor system. A conveyor system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of transportation modules; a front conveyer including a multiplicity of conveyors, which are driven at a first speed, arranged side by side to be in parallel to each other and configured to transfer the transportation modules; and a central conveyor driven at a second speed, provided adjacent to an end portion of the front conveyor and configured to transfer the transportation modules transferred from the front conveyor.
US09670005B2

A self cleaning apparatus for a belt conveyor. The self cleaning apparatus comprises a rotor positioned adjacent to an outer side edge of the return conveyor portion of the belt, and a rotor housing received about the rotor. The rotor housing has an intake and a discharge, with the intake receiving and directing material on the upper surface of the return conveyor portion to the rotor as the belt rotates. Rotation of the rotor causes the directed material to be propelled by the rotor through the discharge and to be deposited onto the upper surface of the loaded conveyor portion.
US09670002B2

A conveyor device includes: a first conveyor unit including a first supporting-and-conveying unit configured to convey the object; a turning unit configured to turn the first conveyor unit to change a traveling direction of the object; and a second conveyor unit including a pair of second supporting-and-conveying units provided adjacently to the first conveyor unit and configured to convey the object. The pair of the second supporting-and-conveying units and a driving-force transmitting unit configured to transmit driving force to the pair of the second supporting-and-conveying units are provided outside turning areas of the first conveyor unit in plan view. The first conveyor unit and the second conveyor unit are disposed so that a conveying area of the object in the second conveyor unit and the turning areas of the first conveyor unit overlap each other in plan view.
US09669999B2

A transmission and positioning mechanism includes a guiding assembly, a driving assembly and a positioning assembly. The guiding assembly includes two sliding rails, a transmission belt, a plurality of sliding members. The sliding members are slidably disposed on the sliding rails. The positioning assembly includes a transmission rod, a positioning rod connected to the transmission rod, a positioning block sleeved on the positioning rod, a driving rod sleeved on the transmission rod. The driving rod defines a spiral slots and at least one limiting slot. The driving assembly is connected to the positioning assembly and rotates the transmission rod, the positioning rod and the driving rod, the spiral slot engages one of the plurality of the sliding members to move other sliding members to the at least one limiting slot and the positioning blocks, and the at least one limiting slot and the positioning blocks latch the sliding members.
US09669998B2

A conveyor system, is provided having a continuous looped conveyor belt having first and second conveyor belt portions, first and second opposite ends, and having first and second direction reversing members disposed at the first and second opposite ends. Each of the first and second conveyor belt portions also has an upper surface, and a lower surface. A series of regularly spaced followers are provided on the belt, and these followers are moved by a conveyor belt drive mechanism comprising at least one rotational drive member which is positioned in, and which rotates in, a plane which is parallel to the upper or lower surfaces of the first or second conveyor belt portions. The rotational drive member includes a series of teeth on the drive member. When rotated, the teeth releaseably engage with the followers on the belt to provide a low profile conveyor drive system.
US09669996B2

A control portion is configured to execute a preliminary movement process of causing a movement mechanism to execute a preliminary movement operation of moving the movement support body with an imaging device attached thereto to a preliminary target stop position that is preset as a target stop position and stopping the movement support body at the preliminary target stop position; an imaging process of causing the imaging device to image an imaging target location in a state in which the movement support body is stopped at the preliminary target stop position; an offset amount calculation process of calculating, based on a captured image obtained by the imaging process, a positional offset amount of the movement support body in a front-rear direction and a lateral direction from a proper position of the movement support body; and a correction process of correcting the preliminary target stop position based on the positional offset amount calculated by the offset amount calculation process and setting the target stop position.
US09669992B2

A mold includes a forming insert that includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion includes a sidewall segment and a heel segment extending from a bottom of the sidewall segment. The sidewall segment has a sidewall radius, and the heel segment has a heel radius that is less than the sidewall radius. The lower portion extends axially downward from the upper portion to define a base cavity. A forming base is positionable within the base cavity. The rim has a rim radius that is less than the heel radius and the step has a step radius that is less than the rim radius.
US09669990B2

A sleeve for a cable spool having a cylindrical drum 8 and a pair of opposing end flanges. The sleeve includes a plurality of sleeve portions 7. Each sleeve portion 7 includes a body portion 10 for supporting cable thereon. The sleeve portions 7 are positionable on the cable spool such that the body portions 10 collectively define a cable support surface around the cylindrical drum 8, the cable support surface having a diameter greater than the cylindrical drum 8.
US09669989B2

Combination medicine containers and dispensers are shaped similar to or generally the same as standard prescription medicament containers but are configured to dispense one medicament at a time through easy manipulation of integral dispensing means. Each combination medicine container and dispenser has a bottle, a cap, and an integral dispensing mechanism that cooperate with one or more structures of the bottle and/or cap to dispense one medicament at a time from the container. In one form, the combination medicine container and dispenser is designed to allow a user to dispense a single medicament through properly applied pressure. In another form, rotation of one or more components provides dispensing of a single medicament.
US09669984B2

An apparatus and a method to hold a patterning device configured to impart a beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section. The apparatus includes a base configured to support the patterning device and an inner cover couplable to the base. The inner cover includes a restraining mechanism that, upon an application of a force external to the inner cover, is configured to provide an in-plane force to the patterning device to restrain movement of the patterning device, the in-plane force being substantially parallel to a patterning surface of the patterning device.
US09669978B2

A combination gift card holder and message delivery package facilitates the identification of a gift card contained within the package while presenting the recipient with an accompanying message prior to fully revealing the gift card. In two embodiments of the package includes first, second and third panels. The first and second panels are connected with one another along a common edge and are pivotable with respect to each other. Similarly, the third panel and the second panel are connected with one another along a common edge. On both embodiments the second and third panels have cutouts therein. The gift card is positioned in the package between the second and third panels thereby exposing a portion of a front surface of the gift card through the cutout in the third panel and exposing a portion of a rear surface of the gift card through the cutout in the second panel. In this way, the package at least partially conceals the gift card while exposing an identification marking thereon.
US09669973B2

Double container includes: inner layer body provided with upper opening; outer layer body accommodating inner layer body and including mouth portion provided with aperture; and dispensing cap provided with content dispensing spout and fitted to mouth portion. Double container further includes: inside plug provided with dispensing passage and fitted to upper opening; and check valve configured to open and close dispensing passage. Dispensing cap has a cylindrical wall, and cylindrical wall has a lower end portion fitted to an outer circumferential surface of outer layer body to provide vent region inside dispensing cap. Throttle passage is provided in a passage extending from ambient air introducing hole through vent region to aperture.
US09669958B2

A sustainable packing system is provided comprising a first fiberboard having a substantially flat surface for accepting a first item and at least one scored line for facilitating folding of the first fiberboard, the first fiberboard adapted to form a closed wall; and a second fiberboard adapted to be frictionally secured within the closed wall of the first fiberboard, having a substantially flat surface for accepting a second item and at least one scored line for facilitating folding of the second fiberboard to form a closed wall. A packaging method is also provided comprising the steps of providing a fiberboard having a substantially flat surface; scoring lines in the fiberboard to facilitate folding; wrapping a first item around the fiberboard; and folding the fiberboard forming a closed wall.
US09669940B1

A present novel and non-trivial system, device, and method for reducing image generating latency of an image presented on a display unit are disclosed. An image processing unit (“IPU”) may receive the image data set; receive (1) first navigation data of a first time from which second navigation data of the second time is determined or (2) second navigation data of a second time; receive third navigation data of the second time; compare the second navigation data with the third navigation data; and select a subset of the image data set in response to the comparison. Differences arising from the comparison, if any, may be used in determining the location and/or rotation of a cropping frame that selects the subset and forms a cropped image which is then provided to a display system, whereby the image represented in the subset is presented to the viewer.
US09669934B2

The invention proceeds from a seat fastening for fastening a seat, in particular an aircraft seat, to a fastening rail, with at least one base body, which is provided at least for a vertical fastening in the fastening rail, and with at least one horizontal-fastening element, which is slidable with respect to the base body at least between a locking position and an unlocking position.It is proposed that the seat fastening comprises at least one locking device, which is provided to fixate the at least one horizontal-fastening element in the unlocking position.
US09669931B2

A method for operating a control panel of an aircraft includes: sending display data from a control panel to a central controller of the aircraft, the display data including values to be displayed on a display screen of the control panel; loading, in the central controller, a display template from a central data storage, the display template including information for layouting the display data; generating a display page for the control panel in the central controller by merging the display data and the display template; sending the display page to the control panel; and displaying the display page on a display screen of the control panel.
US09669925B2

A flapping wing driving apparatus includes at least one crank gear capstan rotatably coupled to a crank gear, the at least one crank gear capstan disposed radially offset from a center of rotation of the crank gear; a first wing capstan coupled to a first wing, the first wing capstan having a first variable-radius drive pulley portion; and a first drive linking member configured to drive the first wing capstan, the first drive linking member windably coupled between the first variable-radius drive pulley portion and one of the at least one crank gear capstan; wherein the first wing capstan is configured to non-constantly, angularly rotate responsive to a constant angular rotation of the crank gear.
US09669918B1

Aspects of the disclosure relate to techniques for manufacturing a balloon envelope including a duct for high altitude balloons. In one example, a first sheet of material may be provided. A premade duct may be arranged at least partially on the first sheet of material. The duct may include a first substance on an internal surface. A second sheet of material may be arranged over at least a portion of the duct. A heat sealing device may be applied to the second sheet of material to heat seal the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material. The heat sealing device may be applied over at least a portion of the duct in order to seal external surfaces of the duct to each of the first and second sheets of material and form a balloon gore. The first substance may keep the duct from being sealed to itself.
US09669913B1

A water propulsion assembly operatively connected to a watercraft moving on or through a body of water, may produce a propulsive force by sweeping fins in an oscillating motion in a generally transverse direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the watercraft. The fins may be rotatable about a first axis coplanar to the center longitudinal axis of the watercraft. Drive members rotatable about a second axis that is canted relative to the first axis may be operatively connected to the fins. The oscillatory motion of the fins may be controlled by torque applied at the canted second axis by reciprocating the drive members in a plane generally parallel to the center longitudinal axis of the watercraft. The oscillating fins may provide a propulsive force during both oscillating directions of the fins as they sweep back and forth.
US09669911B2

A first stage pressure regulator is provided. A valve body has an inlet and an outlet that define a pressure chamber therebetween. The valve body defines a pressure compensation chamber having an opening fluidly communicating the pressure compensation chamber with the surrounding water. The first stage pressure regulator comprises an inlet tubular union removably received into the inlet. A removable high pressure orifice body defines an orifice therethrough. The orifice body is carried by the valve body proximate the inlet. A valve seat is within the valve body.
US09669905B1

A fin with a unique design for use with surfboards.
US09669900B2

A chain tensioning device includes a main body, a chain guide and a rotary fluid damper unit. The chain guide is pivotally coupled to the main body to rotate around a rotational axis with respect to the main body. The rotary fluid damper unit is operatively connected between the main body and the chain guide to provide rotational resistance to the chain guide around the rotational axis. The rotary fluid damper unit includes at least one primary flow limiting valve and at least one support member. The primary flexible valve portion of the at least one primary flow limiting valve is configured to flex and contact the at least one support member to form a primary flow path between a free end of the primary flexible valve portion of the at least one primary flow limiting valve and the other of the first and second members.
US09669897B2

The wheel (1) for pedal-assisted bikes comprises: a fixed structure (2) having attachment means for the attachment to the frame (T) of a bike (B) with a driving pedal crank (P); a circle element (10, 11, 12) mounted on the fixed structure (2) in a revolving way around a main rotation axis (A); a propulsion disk (13) mounted on the fixed structure (2) in a revolving way and drivable in rotation by the driving pedal crank (P); motion transmission means (15, 16) for the transmission of the rotational motion from the propulsion disk (13) to the circle element (10, 11, 12), which comprise at least a first detection device (16) suitable for detecting the driving torque transmitted to the circle element (10, 11, 12) from the propulsion disk (13); an electric motor (54, 55) associated with the fixed structure (2) and suitable for cooperating with the propulsion disk (13) to motorize the circle element (10, 11, 12); and a processing and control unit (57, 58) operatively connected to the first detection device (16) and to the electric motor (54, 55) and suitable for controlling the activation of the electric motor (54, 55) according to the driving torque detected by the first detection device (16); wherein the first detection device (16) comprises: a measuring element (61, 62) which is subject to a stress condition due to the effect of the driving torque transmitted to the circle element (10, 11, 12) by the propulsion disk (13); and at least a measuring sensor (63) which is arranged in correspondence to the measuring element (61, 62) and which is suitable for detecting the stress condition of the measuring element (61, 62) and for producing a corresponding electronic signal which can be processed by the processing and control unit (57, 58).
US09669891B2

A bicycle (1,51,61,81,91) for children that can “grow” with the child. The bicycle comprises a frame (3,53,63,83,93) having a seat-tube (5). The frame has a front wheel (11), a rear wheel (13), a pair of handlebars (19), and a saddle (15) having a seat-post (17) for insertion into the seat-tube. The bicycle comprises a detachably mounted drivetrain (27) for releasable engagement of the frame to allow conversion of the bicycle to a balance bicycle or a pedal bicycle. Furthermore, the bicycle frame itself is height-adjustable to allow adjustment of the seat tube's (5) height above ground and reach-adjustable to allow adjustment of the distance between the saddle (15) and the handlebars (19). By providing such a bicycle, the bicycle will be convertible from a balance bicycle to a pedal bicycle and will also have a frame that is adjustable in height and reach. This bicycle will be suitable for a wide range of child heights and cycling abilities.
US09669881B2

An axle support for a motor vehicle is provided. The axle support includes an at least approximately planar fiber composite reinforcing element which is secured to individual supports of the axle support. The reinforcing element is multi-layered, with a lower and an upper cover layer and at least one intermediate layer extending analogously to the cover layers over the entire surface. Continuous fiber strips having directionally oriented fibers which are narrow relative to the cover layers are introduced above and below the intermediate layer.
US09669880B2

A structural component for a body of a passenger car includes a first component having a first material property, a second component having a second material property different from the first material property, and a third component arranged between the first component and the second component and having a first connection area with the first material property and a second connection area with the second material property. The third component is connected to the first component via the first connection area and to the second component via the second connection area, thereby attaching the first component to the second component by way of the third component.
US09669870B2

An active front steering (AFS) system for a vehicle is disclosed. The AFS system generates a first pinion angle using a steering angle from a steering angle sensor and using an AFS gear ratio corresponding to a vehicle speed. The AFS system generates a second pinion angle corresponding to a steering angle speed. The AFS system generates a pinion angle for steering the vehicle based on the first pinion angle and the second pinion angle.
US09669868B2

An operation unintended by a helper due to an incorrect operation or the like by an operator is prevented. An electric mobility includes a manual operation unit, a wireless operation unit, and a control unit that controls a driving wheel on the basis of either a first command signal output by the manual operation unit or a second command signal output by the wireless operation unit. The control unit sets a first control mode enabling an operation of the electric driving wheel by the manual operation unit and a second control mode disabling an operation of the electric driving wheel by the manual operation unit on the basis of a wireless signal transmitted from a wireless terminal.
US09669846B2

A railcar truck and adapter pad system for placement between a roller bearing and side frame pedestal roof of a three-piece railcar truck. Many different features of the pad and/or the adapter-pad interface are configured to improve stiffness characteristics to satisfy both curving and high speed performance of the railcar truck.
US09669839B2

In a method for detecting the road condition for a vehicle, the following steps are performed: a vehicle dynamics variable describing the dynamics of the motor vehicle is detected while the vehicle is driving; the vehicle dynamics variable is subjected to a frequency analysis; and a road condition variable describing the instantaneous roughness of the roadway surface is ascertained as a function of the frequency analysis of the vehicle dynamics variable.
US09669838B2

Using sensors of a first and second sensor type first and second sensor data are detected and items of information describing identical objects and/or object attributes are allocated to one another in the first and second sensor data. The first and second sensor data are encumbered by first and second ambiguities. Values of the second encumbering ambiguities are at least as great as values of the first encumbering ambiguities. A comparison of the first and second encumbering ambiguities of items of information describing identical objects and/or object attributes takes place. In the case of values of substantially the same size, the items of information describing identical objects and/or object attributes are allocated to one another in the first and second sensor data. In the case of values which are not of substantially the same size the items of information describing identical objects and/or object attributes are confirmed or discarded.
US09669836B2

An autonomous driving device includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a value corresponding to a steering operation during an autonomous driving, and a control unit configured to perform the autonomous driving and to control switching of a driving state between the autonomous driving and a manual driving. In a case where a first value corresponding to the steering operation is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and a second value corresponding to the steering operation before the driving state is switched from the autonomous driving in progress to the manual driving is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, the control unit decelerates the vehicle and switches the driving state from the autonomous driving in progress to the manual driving.
US09669834B2

A regenerative control device for a hybrid vehicle includes a regenerative braking power control unit prohibiting or limiting execution of first regenerative braking to charge the battery with power generated by the regenerative power generation of the traveling motor generator during deceleration when it is determined that it is necessary to restrict charging of the battery. Under condition where the execution of the first regenerative braking is prohibited or limited, the regenerative braking power control unit causes second regenerative braking to transmit rotary driving power to the engine by rotating the power generation motor generator by the power generated by the regenerative power generation, to be executed when the operation unit is set to a regeneration level in an increasing direction, and causes the second regenerative braking to be stopped when the operation unit is set to a regeneration level in a decreasing direction.
US09669812B2

A microcomputer o n EPS performs failure diagnosis of a motor or a motor driving circuit after an ignition switch is turned on and before an ECU starts control of power supply to the motor. When an angular velocity of the motor rotatable with a steering wheel is greater than a predetermined value, the failure diagnosis is not made. Thus, a period from the turn-on of the ignition switch to the start of current supply control is shortened.
US09669811B2

A planning system and method determine handling parameters of one or more of a route or a vehicle system at different locations along a length of the vehicle system having plural vehicles traveling together along the route. The system and method also determine asynchronous brake settings for two or more of the vehicles in the vehicle system based on the handling parameters that are determined. Brakes of the two or more vehicles are controlled according to the asynchronous brake settings.
US09669806B2

A window wiper includes an elongated profile of waterproof flexible material having a base extending under weather stripping for a side vehicle window, a support connected along the base to extend above the weather stripping, a cover connected along the support and extending over the base for covering at least some of the weather stripping and a wiper portion connected along the support and having a resilient wiper area for pressing against the window. A length of adhesive tape is connected along the profile and extends over the base for adhering to the weather stripping to fix the window wiper to the weather stripping.
US09669778B2

Clamping members (12) are assembled to each side portion of a vehicle floor panel (11). Each clamping member (12) has a base portion (13). The base portion (13) has a wire harness holding portion (15), a sandwiched supporting piece (16), and a clip (24). The wire harness holding portion (15) receives a wire harness (14). The base portion (13) is assembled to the floor panel (11) by the clip (24). The sandwiched supporting piece (16) is formed such that its thickness decreases toward the distal end. The distal end of the sandwiched supporting piece (16) is held between an opening trim (29) and the floor panel (11).
US09669776B2

There is provided an adapter plate assembly for mounting a license plate to a connector portion of a vehicle. The assembly includes a rectangular adapter plate having a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions adjacent to respective corners thereof. The protrusions are configured to abut and support the recessed rear of the license plate. The assembly includes a plurality of outer apertures that at least partially extend through the protrusions and align with the outer apertures of the license plate. The assembly includes a plurality of inner apertures extending therethrough. The inner apertures are positioned inwards from the protrusions and align with inner apertures of the connector portion. The assembly includes a plurality of fasteners configured to extend through respective ones of the outer and inner apertures. The license plate couples to the adapter plate and the adapter plate coupling to the connector portion of the vehicle thereby.
US09669769B2

A bicycle carrier system for vehicles may include guide rails provided on a bumper back beam, a carrier device connected to the guide rails and configured to slide along the guide rails to be withdrawn from and received in the bumper back beam, a first driving device disposed on the carrier device and connected to the guide rails to move the carrier device along the guide rails, tilting devices configured to selectively connect the guide rails and the carrier device to each other and to release connection between the guide rails and the carrier device so as to tilt the carrier device from the guide rails when the carrier device is moved to a designated level or higher during withdrawal of the carrier device according to operation of the first driving device, and a communication control module.
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