US09754767B2

Methods and systems for RF pulse reflection reduction in process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method includes (a) providing a plurality of pulsed RF power waveforms from a plurality of RF generators during a first time period, (b) determining an initial reflected power profile for each of the plurality of pulsed RF power waveforms, (c) for each of the plurality of pulsed RF power waveforms, determining a highest level of reflected power, and controlling at least one of a match network or the RF generator to reduce the highest level of reflected power, (d) determining an adjusted reflected power profile for each of the plurality of pulsed RF power waveforms and (e) repeating (c) and (d) until the adjusted reflected power profile for each of the plurality of pulsed RF power waveforms is within a threshold tuning range.
US09754765B2

An electrode having a first portion and a second portion is formed over a substrate to couple to a bias RF power. The first portion is configured to compensate for an electric field at the second portion to even out a distribution of an etching strength over a workpiece placed over the electrode.
US09754762B2

Provided are a device and a method allowing a crystal orientation to be adjusted with adequate throughput and high precision to observe a sample, regardless of the type of the sample or the crystal orientation. In the present invention, the method comprises: setting a fitting circular pattern (26) displayed overlaid so that a main spot (23) is positioned on the circumference thereof, on the basis of the diffraction spot brightness distribution in an electron diffraction pattern (22b) displayed on a display unit (13); setting a vector (28) displayed with the starting point at the center position (27) of the displayed circular pattern (26), and the end point at the location of the main spot (23) positioned on the circumference of the circular pattern (26); and adjusting the crystal orientation on the basis of the orientation and the magnitude of the displayed vector (28).
US09754751B2

Disclosed is a molded case circuit breaker including a case configured to accommodate an element for trip, an upper cover detachable attached to the case, a dial configured to include a fixing plate, which is provided to protrude along an outer circumference surface thereof, and a first stopper disposed under the fixing plate, a crossbar moved by the dial, a first dial fitting hole provided in the upper cover for the dial to be fitted into the first dial fitting hole, and a dial rotation adjusting unit provided in the first dial fitting hole and fitted between the fixing plate and the first stopper to guide a rotation of the dial, the dial rotation adjusting unit including a plurality of fitting grooves arranged at certain intervals. The first stopper is fitted into and fixed to the plurality of fitting grooves according to the rotation of the dial.
US09754750B2

A magnetic latching relay of a parallel type magnetic circuit, forming two parallel permanent magnetic circuits on the permanent magnetic circuit of a relay; one of the permanent magnetic circuits is used to provide adequate attraction to an armature, so that permanent magnetic attraction can achieve a balance of applied forces with the counter-force provided by a movable spring, so as to realize relay bistability or state transition more stably.
US09754749B2

A magnetic switch includes: a housing; a cylinder coupled to an inner side of the housing; a stationary contact arm coupled to the housing; a movable contact arm positioned to be movable within the housing and brought into contact with the stationary contact arm or separated therefrom; a coil assembly installed within the housing and configured to form a magnetic field when a current is applied thereto; a movable shaft coupled to the movable contact arm in an upper portion thereof; a fixed core inserted into the cylinder and surrounding the movable shaft; and movable cores fixed to the movable shaft and configured to press the movable shaft by a magnetic field formed by the coil assembly to move the movable shaft.
US09754748B2

A power generation switch comprising: a case; a core, a coil being wound around the core; a magnet magnetically connected with the core; a yoke in which the magnet is disposed; an elastic element that supports the yoke and elastically deforms so as to deviate a position of the magnet from the core; a switch element that is operated to be moved; and a yoke driving mechanism that moves the yoke so that upon an engagement of the switch element and the yoke being released, the yoke moves between a first position and a second position due to elastic force of the elastic element, wherein first magnetic flux is generated by the core and the magnet when the yoke is at the first position and second magnetic flux different from the first magnetic flux is generated by the core and the magnet when the yoke is at the second position.
US09754746B2

A driving circuit includes a relay driver for selectively connecting a relay coil with (a) a first current path between the relay driver and a relay voltage input or (b) a second current path between the relay driver and a ground connection. Another relay driver selectively connects the coil with (a) a third current path between the other relay driver and the relay voltage input or (b) a fourth current path between the other relay driver and the ground connection. The relay drivers may connect the coil between the second and third current paths for latching the relay, and between the first and fourth current paths for unlatching the relay. The driving circuit applies signals of opposite polarity and different magnitudes through the coil to latch and unlatch the relay. The signal for unlatching can be of lower voltage than the signal for latching the relay.
US09754737B2

A stored energy assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing and a mount coupled to the housing. The stored energy assembly includes: a ratchet assembly having: a first ratchet member, a second ratchet member, and a shaft extending through the first ratchet member and the second ratchet member, the shaft being structured to extend through the mount; a stored energy mechanism coupled to the shaft; at least one charging mechanism structured to charge the stored energy mechanism in order to store energy; and a clutch assembly including a link assembly cooperating with the first ratchet member and the second ratchet member in order to transmit energy from the charging mechanism to the stored energy mechanism.
US09754732B2

Energy storage arrangement with a rechargeable energy storage device, wherein the energy storage device includes a plurality of lithium-based storage elements. The energy storage device is composed of three lithium-based storage elements and one lithium titanate-based storage element, or four lithium-titanate-based storage elements and one lithium-based storage element, or three lithium-based storage elements and two nickel metal hydride-based storage elements.
US09754731B2

A method of producing an electrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell includes dispersing semiconductor nanoparticles on a transparent electrically conductive substrate, dispersing semiconductor nanofibers on the semiconductor nanoparticle layer, adsorbing onto all sides of the semiconductor nanofibers a first light absorption material, thereby sensitizing the semiconductor nanofibers, wherein the light absorption material has a first light absorption bandwidth, and depositing a second light absorption material in contact with and forming respective shells on the respective semiconductor nanofibers on which the first light absorption material is adsorbed, wherein the second light absorption material has a second light absorption bandwidth complementary to the first light absorption bandwidth.
US09754730B2

A capacitor assembly configured to effectively dissipate heat when exposed to a high ripple current is provided. The assembly includes a plurality of capacitor elements, each including an anode body and lead, a dielectric layer overlying the anode body, and a solid electrolyte. A metal cylindrical housing having a lid and base, where the lid has a diameter in an −x direction and the metal cylindrical housing has a height in a −z direction, defines an interior cavity within which the plurality of capacitor elements are arranged about a central axis running along the −z direction. The ratio of the diameter to the height of the base ranges from about 1.5 to about 20. Further, the metal cylindrical housing is hermetically sealed.
US09754725B2

A method for drying an electrode pair is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes preparing a positive electrode by applying a positive electrode material to a current collector; preparing a negative electrode by applying a negative electrode material to a current collector; preparing one set of an electrode pair made up of a positive electrode, a separator, and a negative electrode which are laminated in this order or preparing sets of electrode pairs, the sets being laminated, a separator being provided between the respective sets, each of the electrode pairs being made up of a positive electrode, a separator, and a negative electrode which are laminated in this order; accommodating the electrode pair(s) in a container; and drying the container in which the electrode pair(s) has been accommodated by use of the freeze-drying method.
US09754718B2

Described herein are improved configurations for an apparatus that may include a plurality of resonators electrically interconnected and arranged in an array to form a composite resonator for wireless power transfer, each one of the plurality of resonators may include a block of a magnetic material having a conductor wire wrapped around a cross section thereof to form at least one loop enclosing an area substantially equal to the cross section, wherein the plurality of resonators are may be oriented so that a dipole moment of each one of the plurality of resonators is aligned with a dipole moment of each other one of the plurality of resonators.
US09754714B2

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for a magnetic component. In accordance with an embodiment, a magnetic component comprises a base substrate defining a winding cup having a shape of a closed groove surrounding a hub. The winding cup defines a core space operable to receive a core therein. A first conductive pattern is disposed on at least a portion of the base substrate including the winding cup. A second substrate defines a second conductive pattern. The second substrate is coupled to the first base surface with the first conductive pattern in operable alignment with the second conductive pattern. The first and second conductive patterns are coupled in electrical communication so as to define one or more winding-type electric circuits surrounding the core space so as to induce a magnetic flux within the core space when the one or more electric circuits are energized by a voltage source.
US09754710B2

The compact for a magnetic core is manufactured by filling a soft magnetic powder in the die hole, pressing it to form a compact at a density ratio of the soft magnetic powder being 91% or more, and extruding it from the die hole. Before filling the soft magnetic powder to the die hole, a lubricating coating containing lubricating oil and molybdenum disulfide particles is formed on the inner surface of the die hole. It is more effective when further containing insulating ceramic particles. On the extrusion-sliding surface, the compact has a surface layer of the structure that molybdenum disulfide particles and the insulating ceramic particles are interposed between the soft magnetic powder particles, and insulation of soft magnetic powder particles in the surface layer is not destroyed by extrusion. This provides a powder magnetic core suitable for high frequency application.
US09754700B2

A power cable polymer joint includes a polymeric insulator tube including a cable insertion hole into which a stripped end portion of a power cable is inserted. The polymeric insulator tube includes an insulation including a polymer-based material, an embedded pipe including a metal and embedded on an inner peripheral surface of the insulation so as to face the end portion of the power cable, and a first semi-conductive portion including mainly a polymer-based material and covering an outer peripheral surface of the embedded pipe.
US09754696B2

In the field of resolution test charts for analysis of the resolution of X-ray tomography systems, a test chart comprises a substrate bearing X-ray absorbent zones, with widths and spacings to allow measurement of the system resolution. To avoid shadow effects when the X-ray illumination beam is divergent and when the absorbent zones have a large height/width ratio (from 2 to 5 for example), the absorbent zones in the diverse points of the pattern have a shape of which a general direction of elevation with respect to the surface of the substrate is rotated toward a point of convergence which is the same for all absorbent zones. The X-ray source is placed at the convergence point, eliminating shadow effects. The oblique elevation can be obtained by specific etching steps, or curvature of the substrate after fabrication of the absorbent patterns, or else by use of two superimposed partial test charts.
US09754694B2

A method for producing a reaction product containing 99mTC may include providing 100Mo-metal targets to be irradiated, irradiating the 100Mo-metal target with a proton stream having an energy for the induction of a 100Mo(p, 2n)99mTC core reaction, heating the 100Mo-metal target to over 300° C., recovering incurred 99mTc in a sublimation-extraction process with the aid of oxygen gas which is conducted over the 100 Mo-metal target forming 99mTc-Technetium oxide. Further, a device for producing the reaction product containing 99mTc may include a 100Mo metal target, an acceleration unit for providing a proton stream, which can be directed to the 100Mo-Metal target, such that a 100Mo(p, 2n)99mTC core reaction is induced upon irradiation of the 100Mo-metal target by the proton stream, a gas supply line for conducting oxygen gas onto the irradiated 100Mo-metal target to form 99mTC-Technetium oxide, and a gas discharge line to discharge the sublimated 99mTC-Technetium oxide.
US09754691B2

Device for the sealed connection between a first and a second closed space, with the first closed space comprising openings closed off by a door, comprising: first part (A) for securing two closed spaces, second part (B) for securing two doors and of unlocking one of the door, third part (C) for releasing the other door, fourth part (D) for opening a passage between the two closed spaces, a control ring (48) able to be put into rotation around a longitudinal axis (X), with the rotation of the control ring (48) actuating at least the second (B), third (C) and fourth (D), parts, and a device for actuating the control ring and first means.
US09754689B2

A radiation source reducing system and method for nuclear power plants whereby radiation source can be reduced are provided. The radiation source reducing system for nuclear power plants includes a dispersant injecting unit, which injects a dispersant into a coolant of a nuclear power plant coolant system. The dispersant is polyacrylic acid, and has an average molecular weight in a range of 16000 to 26000, inclusive.
US09754684B2

In an Error Correction Code (ECC)-based memory, a Single Error Correction Double Error Detection (SECDED) scheme is used with data aggregation to correct more than one error in a memory word received in a memory burst. By completely utilizing the Hamming distance of the SECDED (128,120) code, 8 ECC bits can potentially correct one error in 120 data bits. Each memory burst is effectively “expanded” from its actual 64 data bits to 120 data bits by “sharing” additional 56 data bits from all of the other related bursts. When a cache line of 512 bits is read, the SECDED (128,120) code is used in conjunction with all the received 64 ECC bits to correct more than one error in the actual 64 bits of data in a memory word. The data mapping of the present disclosure translates to a higher rate of error correction than the existing (72,64) SECDED code.
US09754676B2

A semiconductor device includes a memory circuit, a first FIFO, a second FIFO and an input/output circuit. The memory circuit outputs data. The first FIFO receives data from the memory circuit and outputs data synchronously with a first clock signal. The second FIFO receives data output from the first FIFO and outputs data synchronously with the first clock signal. The input/output circuit outputs data output from the second FIFO. The second FIFO is disposed in the vicinity of the input/output circuit than the first FIFO.
US09754668B1

In view of the neural network information parallel processing, a digital perceptron device analogous to the build-in neural network hardware systems for parallel processing digital signals directly by the processor's memory content and memory perception in one feed-forward step is disclosed. The digital perceptron device of the invention applies the configurable content and perceptive non-volatile memory arrays as the memory processor hardware. The input digital signals are then broadcasted into the non-volatile content memory array for a match to output the digital signals from the perceptive non-volatile memory array as the content-perceptive digital perceptron device.
US09754663B1

A voltage switching apparatus includes a plurality of high voltage switching circuits operable in response to a single control signal, and suitable for pumping a voltage level of a switching signal to a target level based on the voltage level of the switching signal and a common control unit suitable for generating the single control signal.
US09754659B2

A logic circuit in a system LSI is provided with a power switch so as to cut off the switch at the time of standby, reducing leakage current. At the same time, an SRAM circuit of the system LSI controls a substrate bias to reduce leakage current.
US09754652B2

In some examples, a nonvolatile storage element may be configured to store a state or value during a low power or powered down period of a circuit. For example, the nonvolatile storage element may include a bridge of resistive elements that have a resistive state that may be configured by applying voltages to multiple drive paths. A sense amplifier may be connected to the bridge in order to resolve a voltage differential associated with the bridge to either power or ground and, thereby determine the state associated with on the nonvolatile storage element.
US09754641B1

For a block of memory cells interconnected by single-ended bit lines, a sense amplifier receives the input from a single-ended bit line to determine the logic state of a selected memory cell connected to the single-ended bit line. The sense amplifier also receives a reference voltage generated from a base-emitter voltage of a emitter follower bipolar transistor. The base-emitter voltage is controllably divided by a voltage divider network with selectable resistive elements to tune the reference voltage.
US09754633B2

Memory short detection systems and methods include a power supply system with first power rail. A memory system includes a memory device connector that is configured to couple to a memory device and includes a first pin that is coupled to the first power rail and a second pin located adjacent the first pin. A short detection circuit is coupled to the first pin. The short detection circuit is configured to provide a first voltage from the first power rail, compare the first voltage to a first short detection voltage, and determine whether a short exists across the first pin and the second pin based on the comparing of the first voltage to the first short detection voltage. If a short is determined to exist across the first pin and the second pin, power is prevented from being provided to the memory device connector.
US09754632B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory system includes a substrate, a plurality of elements and an adhesive portion. The substrate has a multilayer structure in which wiring patterns are formed, and has a substantially rectangle shape in a planar view. The elements are provided and arranged along the long-side direction of a surface layer side of the substrate. The adhesive portion is filled in a gap between the elements and in a gap between the elements and the substrate, where surfaces of the elements are exposed.
US09754629B2

To allow a better coordination between an image creation artist such as a movie director of photography and the final viewer, via a receiving-side display and its corresponding image processing, a method of adding display rendering specification information to an input image signal (I) comprises determining descriptive data (D) that includes at least identification information for at least one luminance regime subset of pixels of an input image; and encoding the descriptive data (D) into an output description data signal (DDO), relatable to an output image signal (O) based upon an input image signal (I), of the descriptive data (D) in a technical format standardized to be intended for use by a receiving-side display to control its image processing for changing the color properties of its rendered images.
US09754622B2

The invention pertains in general to a latching mechanism for maintaining desired friction levels on an optical disc in an optical disc restoration device. In particular the invention pertains to devices, systems and methods for easily maintaining friction levels between pads and an optical disc in an optical disc restoration device for ease of adjusting friction settings during quality control, repair operation or when optimization settings are being set in an optical disc restoration device by a user.
US09754617B2

An apparatus comprises a slider having a trailing edge and a leading edge. A laser diode unit comprises a submount and a laser diode mounted to the submount. The submount includes a mounting surface affixed to a first surface of the slider at the trailing edge such that a first surface of the submount faces toward the leading edge of the slider. A thermally conductive material covers the first surface of the submount and at least a portion of the first surface of the slider. The thermally conductive material serves as a thermal conduction pathway between the submount and the slider.
US09754616B2

A computer program product for orienting a head includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable and/or executable by a controller to cause the controller to: determine a desired pitch for transducers for reading and/or writing to a magnetic tape; and cause a mechanism to orient a head to achieve the desired pitch. The array of a first of the modules is offset from the array of a second of the modules in a first direction parallel to the axis of the array of the second module such that the transducers of the first module are about aligned with the transducers of the second module in the intended direction of tape travel thereacross when the axes are oriented at an angle greater than 0.2° relative to a line oriented perpendicular to the intended direction of tape travel.
US09754595B2

A method of encoding a multi-channel 3-dimensional (3D) audio signal mixed with a multi-channel 3D object signal is provided. The method includes: obtaining a location parameter indicating a virtual location of the multi-channel 3D object signal on a multi-channel speaker layout based on a gain value of the multi-channel 3D object signal for each channel; and encoding the multi-channel 3D audio signal and the location parameter.
US09754592B2

A method of speech-enabling a human-to-machine interface comprises uniquely identifying a plurality of input fields and corresponding input field identifications (IDs) associated with a human-to-machine interface. The method further comprises mapping the input field IDs to grammar slot names to produce a speech-to-field mapping. The grammar slot names may be associated with speech-to-text rendering of speech expected to be received by a speech-to-text renderer configured to output representations of the speech having correspondence with the grammar slot names. The method also comprises enabling a flow of representations of speech to the input fields via the speech-to-field mapping. The input fields may include interactive elements displayed on a screen view including at least one of radio buttons, text fields, buttons, and drop down menus. The human-to-machine interface may include at least one of a webpage, interactive software program, computerized input form, graphical user interface, visual display, or audio interface.
US09754591B1

Features are disclosed for performing functions in response to user requests based on contextual data regarding prior user requests. Users may engage in conversations with a computing device in order to initiate some function or obtain some information. A dialog manager may manage the conversations and store contextual data regarding one or more of the conversations. Processing and responding to subsequent conversations may benefit from the previously stored contextual data by, e.g., reducing the amount of information that a user must provide if the user has already provided the information in the context of a prior conversation. Additional information associated with performing functions responsive to user requests may be shared among applications, further improving efficiency and enhancing the user experience.
US09754586B2

The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for identifying and assigning meaning to words not recognized by a vocabulary or grammar of a speech recognition system. In an embodiment of the invention, the word may be in an acoustic vocabulary of the speech recognition system, but may be unrecognized by an embedded grammar of a language model of the speech recognition system. In another embodiment of the invention, the word may not be recognized by any vocabulary associated with the speech recognition system. In embodiments of the invention, at least one hypothesis is generated for an utterance not recognized by the speech recognition system. If the at least one hypothesis meets at least one predetermined criterion, a sword or more corresponding to the at least one hypothesis is added to the vocabulary of the speech recognition system. In other embodiments of the invention, before adding the word to the vocabulary of the speech recognition system, the at least one hypothesis may be presented to the user of the speech recognition system to determine if that is what the used intended when the user spoke.
US09754584B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for recognizing keywords using a long short term memory neural network. One of the methods includes receiving, by a device for each of multiple variable length enrollment audio signals, a respective plurality of enrollment feature vectors that represent features of the respective variable length enrollment audio signal, processing each of the plurality of enrollment feature vectors using a long short term memory (LSTM) neural network to generate a respective enrollment LSTM output vector for each enrollment feature vector, and generating, for the respective variable length enrollment audio signal, a template fixed length representation for use in determining whether another audio signal encodes another spoken utterance of the enrollment phrase by combining at most a quantity k of the enrollment LSTM output vectors for the enrollment audio signal.
US09754573B2

According to some aspects, a cymbal system is provided comprising a metal plate, a transducer coupled to the metal plate and configured to detect an acoustic signal generated by a strike of the metal plate, and processing circuitry, electrically connected to the transducer, configured to determine a cymbal articulation for the strike of the metal plate based on the detected acoustic signal. According to some aspects, a method is provided comprising the steps of detecting an acoustic signal generated by a strike of a metal plate, and determining a cymbal articulation for the strike of the metal plate based on the detected acoustic signal.
US09754557B2

A source device includes an event processing unit processing an event which occurs in a remote sink device that communicates through a WLAN, a control unit setting an event management area of the sink device, and a determination unit determining whether the event transferred from the sink device has occurred in the event management area and outputting the event to the event processing unit when the event has occurred in the event management area.
US09754553B2

An electronic device and method of controlling a screen of an external electronic device are provided. The method includes connecting with the external electronic device; determining whether a screen control event for controlling the screen of the external electronic device is generated; and transmitting screen control information corresponding to the screen control event to the external electronic device, if the screen control event is generated.
US09754547B2

A display apparatus includes a plurality of display elements, signal lines which supply a signal voltage to be applied to the display elements, switching elements which are provided corresponding to each of the display elements and are configured to control conduction/non-conduction between the display elements and the signal lines by opening and closing, scanning lines configured to supply a control voltage to control the opening and closing of the switching elements, a plurality of auxiliary capacitor parts connected to each of the display elements, main wirings configured to supply a voltage to be applied to the auxiliary capacitor parts, one or a plurality of sub-wirings electro-statically coupled to the main wirings and a unit configured to apply the voltage to be applied to the auxiliary capacitor parts to the main wirings, and apply a voltage having a polarity reverse to that of the voltage to the one or plurality of sub-wirings.
US09754527B2

A flat display device includes a display panel. The display panel includes a unit pixel, the unit pixel having a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, a blue sub-pixel, and a white sub-pixel. The flat display device further includes a panel driving unit to drive the flat panel in a first driving period and a second driving period in an alternating manner to display a white image on the unit pixel. The panel driving unit generates first white unit data, to enable two of the red, green, and blue sub-pixels and the white sub-pixel to be driven in the first driving period. The panel driving unit generates second white unit data, to enable three of the sub-pixels, which include the sub-pixel not driven in the first driving period, to be driven in the second driving period.
US09754523B2

A power supply device includes a voltage range selector, a voltage level controller, and a power supply voltage generator. The voltage range selector generates a range selection signal to select a voltage control range. The voltage level controller generates a voltage level control signal based on a driving condition of a display panel. The power supply voltage generator generates a power supply voltage having a voltage level corresponding to the voltage level control signal within the voltage control range, and supplies the power supply voltage to the display panel.
US09754517B1

An oscillating design display is described. Such a design may include virtually any personalized design a customer may desire. By generation of a magnetic field from an induction coil, such a displayed design may be made to oscillate between two endpoints in a single plane of motion. Such an induction coil may be powered by solar energy.
US09754516B2

A color display fan deck which illustrates paint colors and a method for making the color display fan deck is described. The color display fan deck includes paper blades which has paint applied on each sized paper surface of each side of the blade. A plurality of planar swatch bearing blades is pivotally joined together at one end to form a deck or fan deck of paper blades painted on each side. The method includes sizing and painting a paper web on both sides with a water based paint having selected heat resistant pigments.
US09754503B2

Systems and methods are provided for evaluating a user's performance. A first mobile communications device is configured to capture first audio and visual data of a user's performance. The first audio and video data are analyzed by the first device during the user's performance to determine if audio and video quality requirements are met. A second mobile communications device is configured to capture second audio and visual data of the user's performance, the second visual data capturing a different field of view than the first visual data. The second audio and visual data are transmitted by the second device to a remote computing system. The transmitted data is analyzed at the remote computing system to determine if the user is receiving utilizing unauthorized material in the performance. A computer-based scoring system is configured to determine a score for the user's performance based on the first audio and visual data.
US09754499B2

A portable wireless data transfer and display device comprises a user interface, a communication module, a display, and a short-range wireless communication module configured to wirelessly receive vehicle data from a data acquisition device mounted inside a vehicle when in close proximity to the data acquisition device. The device is configured to accept inputs of driver information from a user, to send the vehicle data and the driver information through the communication module to a network device via a long-range wireless network, and to receive one or more work requests from the network device via the long-range wireless network. The device is configured to present the work request via the display, to accept an input from a driver responding to the work request, and to forward the input from the driver to the network device via the long-range wireless communication module and the long-range wireless network.
US09754491B2

The disclosed embodiments include methods and systems for providing a notification relating to a geographical boundary based on monitored sensor data collected by networked devices. The disclosed embodiments include, for example, a method for receiving, by one or more processors, a request to establish a first boundary around a first location. The method may also include monitoring, by the one or more processors, one or more triggering devices. The method may also include calculating, by the one or more processors, a first boundary extent delimiting the geographical area of the first boundary based on one or more boundary extent parameters. The method may also include detecting, by the one or more processors, whether at least one of the one or more triggering devices is located within the first boundary extent. The method may also include, when the at least one of the one or more triggering devices is detected within the first boundary extent, sending, by the one or more processors, a notification to a client device based on the determining.
US09754486B2

A safety information transmission method includes a step wherein a first portable terminal transmits the safety information to the vehicle-mounted terminal, a step wherein the vehicle-mounted terminal stores the safety information received from the first portable terminal, a step wherein the vehicle-mounted terminal transmits the safety information to another vehicle-mounted terminal by a vehicle-to-vehicle communication, a step wherein the vehicle-mounted terminal stores the safety information received from the other vehicle-mounted terminal by the vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and a step wherein any of the vehicle-mounted terminals transmits the safety information stored in the vehicle-mounted terminal to an information server via an access point when the vehicle-mounted terminals has reached a communication possible area of the access point, or transmits the safety information stored in the vehicle-mounted terminal to a second portable terminal when the vehicle-mounted terminal has become capable of communicating with the second portable terminal.
US09754478B1

Reducing nuisance notifications from building automation systems is described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a notification of an alarm from a building automation system, compare attributes of the alarm to attributes of alarms included in a database of suppressed alarms, refrain from transmitting a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in response to the attributes of the alarm matching attributes of any of the alarms in the database, and transmit a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in response to the attributes of the alarm not matching the attributes of any of the alarms in the database.
US09754470B2

An alarm (35) provided by a fall detection system (2) may be caused by an accidental drop of the system. Therefore prior to issuing the alarm the fall detection system a confirmation is needed that a potential fall originates from a fall detection system that is worn by a user (4). A fall of a fall detection system that is not attached to a user is characterized by the occurrence of one or more full rotations of the system. Said rotations are identified by analyzing the output signal of a magnetometer, and by detecting a periodicity in said output signal. The fall detection system (2) provides the alarm in dependence of an identified absence of at least one full rotation.
US09754468B2

A system, passenger train, method and software product for assisting a passenger to monitor luggage and eventually issue an alarm. The system includes a luggage compartment with an RFID reader in connection with a train server aboard of the train. The train server is provided with information about an RFID tag attached to a piece of luggage of a specific passenger, and the train server is provided with information about the mobile device of this specific passenger. Upon detection of a piece of luggage with a registered RFID tag the train server notifies the mobile device of the passenger associated with the RFID tag and requests the passenger to confirm deposit of the luggage. The RFID reader seizes to protect the RFID tag of the deposited piece of luggage, the train server notifies the mobile device of the passenger associated with the RFID tag.
US09754461B1

A method includes receiving identification information at a transaction machine, the identification information being associated with an account holder, accessing, using the identification information, activity profile information for the account holder, determining screen content for the transaction machine based on the activity profile information, and displaying the screen content to the account holder via a display screen of the transaction machine.
US09754460B2

A game machine includes: game medium release means that releases a plurality of game media to a determination area included in a game space based on an operation input from operation section; detection means that detects the occurrence or non-occurrence of a predetermined event at a plurality of determination points provided in the determination area, the predetermined event occurring due to a released game medium among the plurality of game media; and determination means that performs a win determination process based on the occurrence or non-occurrence of the predetermined event at the plurality of determination points provided in the determination area, the determination means determining that the player has won the game when a plurality of determination points among the plurality of determination points at which the predetermined event has occurred satisfy a winning condition.
US09754458B2

An electronic gaming machine has an electronic game controller and a display where game symbols are arranged in an array of predetermined groups, at least one of the groups displaying at least one special symbol in a first play of the game and a subsequent play. In the first play, the electronic game controller selects a first group to display the at least one special symbol and in the subsequent play, the electronic game controller selects a different group to the first group to display the at least one special symbol. A gaming method is also provided.
US09754457B2

An electronic gaming machine has an electronic game controller and a display where game symbols are arranged in an array of predetermined groups, at least one of the groups displaying at least one special symbol in a first play of the game and a subsequent play. In the first play, the electronic game controller selects a first group to display the at least one special symbol and in the subsequent play, the electronic game controller selects a different group to the first group to display the at least one special symbol. A gaming method is also provided.
US09754449B2

Gaming servers and methods for use in providing a random reward to multiple players are disclosed. One exemplary method includes randomly shuffling bonus values between each of the plurality of gaming machines participating in the random reward, wherein the random reward includes a trigger condition triggering the random reward, upon shuffling the bonus values between each of the plurality of gaming machines. The method further includes determining if the trigger condition is satisfied by one of the plurality of gaming machines, and in response to the trigger condition being satisfied, awarding, at the gaming server, the random reward based on a final bonus value randomly shuffled to the one of the plurality of gaming machines from amongst each of the bonus values at a time the random reward is triggered.
US09754444B2

In various embodiments, promotions are featured on mobile gaming devices.
US09754442B2

Disclosed is an electronic gaming machine that includes an electronic data store storing game data for a given game; an electronic 3D-enabled gaming display; and one or more processors. The processors are configured to: generate, with at least a three-dimensional graphics processor, game surfaces using the game data, each of the game surfaces for displaying at least one game symbol thereon; present a three-dimensional view of the game surfaces on the electronic display, the game surfaces arranged in layers such that a foreground game surface appears to be closer to the user than a background game surface; and in response to a game trigger event: remove at least one game symbol displayed on the foreground game surface from the game; and integrate at least one game symbol displayed on the background game surface into the game such that the integrated game symbol interacts with remaining game symbols displayed on the foreground game surface.
US09754441B1

A game system includes a server coupled with a database and an operator computer. The operator computer receives input from an operator to associate, through the database, a prize identifier and a winning tap number for a prize. A plurality of player devices coupled with the server through a telecommunication network display player interfaces including the prize identifier, winning tap number, and a defined tapping area. Each player device, in response to a tap in the defined tapping area, communicates a tap signal to the server. The server generates an assigned tap number for each tap signal. In response to determining that an assigned tap number matches the winning tap number, the server sends a winning signal to the sending device. The game system provides an advertising platform through sponsored prizes and paid advertising viewed by players to enable players to continue tapping for sponsored prizes.
US09754439B2

A sanitized vending machine includes product and cup dispensing mechanisms, a cup separation mechanism, and an actuation mechanism. The product dispensing mechanism, holding product items, rotates through a product dispensing cycle to dispense them. The cup dispensing mechanism, holding a stack of cups, rotates through a cup dispensing cycle to dispense an empty cup to an intermediate location in a drop chute spaced above a final discharge location. Dispensing cycles occur in a predetermined sequence enabling the dispensed product items to be received in a dispensed empty cup and the cup dropped to the discharge location. The cup separation mechanism coordinated with operation of a cup stack holder device of the cup dispensing mechanism such that outer and inner cup separator devices of the cup separation mechanism function to separate a lowermost cup from a stack thereof rotated by the cup stack holder over a cup dispensing opening.
US09754438B2

A sanitized vending machine includes product and cup dispensing mechanisms and an actuation mechanism. The product dispensing mechanism, holding product items, rotates through a product dispensing cycle to dispense them. The cup dispensing mechanism, holding a stack of cups, rotates through a cup dispensing cycle to dispense an empty cup to an intermediate location in a drop chute spaced above a final discharge location. Dispensing cycles occur in a predetermined sequence enabling the dispensed product items to be received in a dispensed empty cup and the cup dropped to the discharge location. An access door locking mechanism is coupled to the actuation mechanism so as to maintain the access door in a locked condition and closed position from start of an actuation cycle to completion thereof whereupon the access door is converted to an unlocked condition permitting a user to open the access door and remove a cup with product items.
US09754437B2

Systems and methods for dispensing beverages are provided. In accordance with various embodiments, beverage vendors may maintain the quality associated with a branded beverage while permitting consumers to enjoy the personalized beverages. In one embodiment, a user input may select a beverage formulation. The beverage formulation may be a commercially available branded beverage. A second user input may be received that is configured to modify a concentration of an ingredient of the selected beverage formulation. The ingredient may be a sweetener, such as a sugar. In response to the adjusting the ingredient, a concentration of at least one second ingredient may be automatically adjusted to form a recipe of a modified beverage formulation. In one embodiment, the user input adjusts a natural sugar and, in response, the carbon dioxide concentration is automatically adjusted. In another embodiment, carbon dioxide and another acid may be adjusted.
US09754434B2

Systems and methods of the invention relate to reducing a number of jams that can occur in an automated teller machine with the employment of a moveable platen that increases a width of a channel for documents. A document analysis area can receive a document via a first transport path, wherein the document analysis area can include a channel in which the document travels to enable at least one scan component to capture an image of the document. The channel is created by one or more platen. The one or more platen can be movable to increase the width of the channel so as to allow documents to pass through the document analysis area without causing a jam or error for the automated teller machine.
US09754432B2

In an approach for enhancing physical security, a processor receives, via a wireless communication protocol, a first set of information from a first device associated with a first person. A processor compares the first set of information to a predefined rule, wherein the predefined rule specifies whether a lock can be engaged. A processor determines that the lock cannot be engaged, based on the first information and the predefined rule.
US09754419B2

Various of the disclosed embodiments provide systems and methods for acquiring and applying a depth determination of an environment in e.g., various augmented reality applications. A user may passively or actively scan a device (e.g., a tablet device, a mobile phone device, etc.) about the environment acquiring depth data for various regions. The system may integrate these scans into an internal three-dimensional model. This model may then be used in conjunction with subsequent data acquisitions to determine a device's location and orientation within the environment with high fidelity. In some embodiments, these determinations may be accomplished in real-time or near-real-time. Using the high-fidelity orientation and position determination, various augmented reality applications may then be possible using the same device used to acquire the depth data or a new device.
US09754418B2

There is provided an image processing device including: a data storage unit storing feature data indicating a feature of appearance of one or more physical objects; an environment map building unit for building an environment map based on an input image obtained by imaging a real space and the feature data, the environment map representing a position of a physical object present in the real space; a control unit for acquiring procedure data for a set of procedures of operation to be performed in the real space, the procedure data defining a correspondence between a direction for each procedure and position information designating a position at which the direction is to be displayed; and a superimposing unit for generating an output image by superimposing the direction for each procedure at a position in the input image determined based on the environment map and the position information, using the procedure data.
US09754417B2

Methods and systems for displaying a virtual object capture, via an image capturing device, images of a physical scene that includes a first marker and a second marker, wherein the first marker and the second marker are physical markers; associate a first virtual object with the first marker and a second virtual object with the second marker; track the position of the first marker and the position of the second marker in the captured images of the physical scene using a tracking device; detect an interaction between the first marker and the second marker based on the tracked position of the first marker and the tracked position of the second marker, wherein the interaction is detected when the first marker and the second marker are within a predetermined proximity of each other; and associate, in response to detecting that the interaction, a third virtual object with the first marker.
US09754414B2

Disclosed are methods of operating augmented reality (AR) contents, and a device and a system supporting the same. In one method, a real world image is captured using a camera in a portable device. A virtual space corresponding to the real world image is built, by partitioning image elements included in the virtual space into plural background objects and displaying the background objects. Augmented reality contents are generated by mapping one or more user contents onto the background objects. In other embodiments, location information of the portable device is used to obtain AR contents for enhancing captured images.
US09754410B2

Systems and methods for three-dimensional polygonal garment mesh deformation and/or layering for garment fit visualization. A deformation engine receives at least one garment mesh fitted to a template body mesh and deforms the garment mesh to a target body mesh according to a geometrical deformation algorithm. A layering engine receives plural garment meshes that are separately fitted to a target body mesh, and deforms the plural garment meshes according to an iterative layering process that deforms each individual garment mesh according to a layering order while preventing intersections between other garment meshes and the target body mesh.
US09754407B2

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for shading using a dynamic object-space grid. An object defined by triangle primitives in a three-dimensional (3D) space that is specific to the object is received and an object-space shading grid is defined for a first triangle primitive of the triangle primitives based on coordinates of the first triangle primitive in the 3D space. A shader program is executed by a processing pipeline to compute a shaded value at a point on the object-space shading grid for the first triangle primitive.
US09754395B2

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that displays performance data for a computing environment. During operation, the system first determines values for a performance metric for a plurality of entities that comprise the computing environment. Next, the system displays the computing environment as a set of nodes representing the plurality of entities. While displaying the nodes, the system displays a chart with a line illustrating how a value of the performance metric for the selected node varies over time, wherein the line is displayed against a background illustrating how a distribution of the performance metric for a reference subset of the set of nodes varies over time.
US09754394B2

Thumbnail images indicating images of a display layouts prepared in advance or created by the user are stored together with display layout data, and the thumbnail images are displayed as a list on a layout thumbnail bar in an analysis result display window on the display screen. The analyzer looks at the images so as to grasp the content of each display layout and then selects an appropriate thumbnail image. As a result, a screen in which chromatograms, mass spectrums, or the like are assigned to each of the regions in the graph display region is created in accordance with the selected display layout and displayed on a monitor screen.
US09754393B2

In the present invention, in a coordinate plane that receives an expression according to a first axis indicating a parameter that impacts a basic rate and a second axis indicating a parameter that impacts a metered power rate, a display unit (230) displays an image indicating coordinates indicating the use state of power received from a grid.
US09754387B2

A method for creating an energy series of images acquired using a multi-energy computed tomography (CT) imaging system having a plurality of energy bins includes acquiring, with the multi-energy CT imaging system, a series of energy data sets, where each energy data set is associated with at least one of the energy bins. The method includes producing a conglomerate image using at least a plurality of the energy data sets and, using the conglomerate image, reconstructing an energy series of images, each image in the energy series of images corresponding to at least one of the energy data sets.
US09754384B2

Disclosed are a method for compression, decompression and progressive transmission of spatial data and a device thereof. A compression method for spatial data comprises: according to a preset view control parameter, acquiring a compression parameter Z; according to the view control parameter, determining a reference point P; according to the compression parameter Z, converting the coordinate values of the coordinate points of the spatial data and the coordinate value of the reference point P into integers; and using the differences of the values resulting from conversion of the coordinate values of the coordinate points of the spatial data into the integers and the values resulting from conversion of the coordinate values of the reference point P into integers as compressed data. Also disclosed are a method for determining the maximum data bit for storing spatial data, a method for inserting incremental data, a method for compressing and decompressing incremental data and a device thereof. The present invention can solve the problems of a method for compression and progressive transmission of spatial data, such as large calculation amount, low efficiency, and incapability of guaranteeing correct display of spatial correlation among all the compressed spatial data.
US09754370B2

A mobile processing device system for patient monitoring data acquisition includes a repository of information. The information associates a particular patient monitoring device type for displaying a particular patient parameter with a particular text label identifying the particular patient parameter. A portable processing device includes an imaging device for acquiring image data representing an image presenting patient parameter data from the particular patient monitoring device type. An image recognition processor uses the information, for analyzing the image data to identify the particular text label identifying the particular patient parameter and a value of the particular patient parameter. An output processor communicates data representing the particular patient parameter and the value to a destination.
US09754362B2

The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program which highlight a main object more outstandingly.A tone curve adjustment unit performs tone curve adjustment on a target region of an input image signal (IN), and supplies an image signal subjected to the tone curve adjustment to a local level detection unit. The local level detection unit obtains a local level. A contrast adjustment unit performs adaptive contrast enhancement according to the local level from the local level detection unit. The present disclosure can be applied to an image processing apparatus which highlights a predetermined part of an image using the tone curve adjustment and the adaptive contrast adjustment, for example.
US09754357B2

A histogram generator generates a histogram that indicates a count of pixels of a designated color in association with coordinates along a basic axis of a screen, for frame image data obtained by filming a real space. A histogram smoother performs smoothing of the generated histogram. A three-dimensional coordinates generator selects a value associated with particular coordinates from among the counts indicated in the smoothed histogram, and performs depth value determination for a target object using the selected value.
US09754354B2

An information processing terminal displays a layout drawing that indicates a layout of targets on a display screen on a display unit. The information processing terminal includes a calculator that calculates an angle formed by one edge of borderlines in the layout drawing and one edge of the display screen and also has a display controller that rotates the layout drawing through the calculated angle so that the one edge of the borderlines in the layout drawing is made parallel to the one edge of the display screen and displays the rotated layout drawing on the display unit.
US09754350B2

Systems and methods of automatic image sizing are provided. An image is provided in a first frame within a first layout. A request to display the image in a second frame of a second layout is received, where the second frame is different than the first frame. Region data associated with the image is accessed. The region data corresponds to a prior edit to the image and indicates a portion of the image to be displayed in the second frame. The image is provided in the second frame using the region data such that the portion of the image is displayed in the second frame.
US09754345B2

Techniques related to graphics rendering including techniques for compression and/or decompression of graphics data by use of pixel region bit values are described.
US09754342B2

An apparatus and method for identifying sub-groups of execution resources for parallel pixel processing. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: determining X and Y coordinates for a pixel block to be processed; performing a first set of one or more modulus operations using even bits from the X and Y coordinates to generate a first intermediate result; performing a second set of one or more modulus operations using odd bits from the X and Y coordinates to generate a second intermediate result; comparing the first intermediate result and the second intermediate result to generate a final result; and using the final result to select a first set of processing resources from a set of N processing resources for processing the pixel block.
US09754341B2

The present disclosure relates to signal processing such as digital watermarking and data hiding. A sparse or dense digital watermark signal can be conveyed with a narrow-band absorption material corresponding to a center wavelength of a Point of Sale (POS) barcode scanner. The POS barcode scanner typically captures 2D imagery. Since the narrow-band absorption material absorbs over a narrow-band it is relatively imperceptible to the Human Visual System (HVS) but can be seen by the POS scanner.
US09754338B2

Particular embodiments described herein provide for a communication system that can be configured to receive a request for a service from a user, communicate to the user details about a specific service provider that will fulfill the requested service, determine a location of the user using a location module, and notify the user when the user is proximate to the specific service provider that will fulfill the requested service. Further, the communication system can be configured to notify the user when the user is not proximate to the specific service provider that will fulfill the requested service. In an example, the specific service provider is a transportation provider.
US09754337B2

The relative health of data storage drives may be determined based, at least in some aspects, on data access information and/or other drive operation information. In some examples, upon receiving the operation information from a computing device, a health level of a drive may be determined. The health level determination may be based at least in part on operating information received from a client entity. Additionally, a storage space allocation instruction or operation may be determined for execution. The allocation instruction or operation determined to be performed may be based at least in part on the determined health level.
US09754336B2

Gesture-based communication systems and methods for communicating with healthcare personnel are disclosed. According to an aspect, a system is disclosed that includes a movement detector configured to detect movement of muscle and to generate a wireless signal in response to detection of the muscle movement. The system also includes a base station in wireless communication with the movement detector, and configured to implement a predetermined action based on the wireless signal. The base station may be configured to interface with a healthcare call system such as in a hospital environment. The base station may control the healthcare call system to communicate a notification signal based on the wireless signal.
US09754335B2

A system for providing transportation services in a health care facility includes a communication network, a transportation services management system, one or more dispatcher devices, and one or more transport responder mobile devices. The transportation services management system stores and retrieves information relating to dispatches of transportation services jobs at one or more health care facilities. The dispatch devices exchange, with the transportation services management system, information relating to the transportation services jobs and display information to a transportation dispatch manager. The transport responder mobile devices exchange, with the transportation services management system, information relating to the transportation services jobs and display information to transport responders.
US09754332B2

A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium configured to anticipate travel by payment account holders without using payment transaction data.
US09754328B2

A social activity planning method includes the following operation. A database storing multiple candidate invitees with their geographical locations and interest scores towards a topic, and a social graph including vertices representing the candidate invitees and edges connecting two vertices representing mutual acquaintance of the associated candidate invitees is accessed. A social activity request including an invitation number, information about a social activity, and a familiarity condition for the social activity request is received. At least one feasible solution including the invitation number of the candidate invitees and meeting the familiarity condition is generated. A group of selected invitees are found based on the feasible solution and the information about the social activity.
US09754327B2

A method and apparatus for configuring social networking site (SNS) sharing functions is disclosed. The method comprises downloading an interface configuration file and user information related to at least one SNS; processing and storing the interface configuration file and the user information; and transferring at least one content file to the at least one SNS based on the configuration file and user information.
US09754325B1

Methods and systems for monitoring use and determining risks associated with operation of a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a virtual log of data regarding performance of the features in a non-test environment may be recorded during operation of the vehicle. This may include information regarding the vehicle, the vehicle environment, use of the autonomous operation features, and/or control decisions made by the features. The control decisions may include evasive maneuvers performed by the vehicle under the control of the features. The performance data in the virtual log may be used to determine risk levels associated with vehicle operation by the autonomous operation features. The risk levels may further be used to adjust an insurance policy associated with the vehicle.
US09754319B2

A source document framework for accounting systems is described. An apparatus may comprise an accounting application arranged for execution by the processor circuit, the ERP application comprising a source document framework component arranged to create a new source document type to add to heterogeneous source document types, and a source document process component arranged to process source documents of the heterogeneous source document types, with at least one of the heterogeneous source document types including a previous source document type arranged for use with process logic specific to the previous source document type, and process one or more source documents of the new source document type with the process logic specific to the previous source document type. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09754316B1

An electronic bidding service is described which substantially automatically acquires items for buyers in response to bidding information entered by the buyers. To function in this manner, the electronic bidding service makes use of an item authority. The item authority links items specified in different offers to master reference information associated with the items, thereby allowing the electronic bidding service to identify groups of offers which are selling the same or related item. In one case, a buyer can instruct the electronic bidding service to obtain a desired item from a specific offer. If this bid is unsuccessful, the electronic bidding service can extend the bidding procedure to one or more other offers that feature the same or related item. This extension is based on the master reference information.
US09754311B2

The invention provides methods and apparatus for detecting when an online session is compromised. A plurality of device fingerprints may be collected from a user computer that is associated with a designated Session ID. A server may include pages that are delivered to a user for viewing in a browser at which time device fingerprints and Session ID information are collected. By collecting device fingerprints and session information at several locations among the pages delivered by the server throughout an online session, and not only one time or at log-in, a comparison between the fingerprints in association with a Session ID can identify the likelihood of session tampering and man-in-the middle attacks.
US09754303B1

A system, apparatus, method, and computer program product are provided that receive first input via a console to configure a plurality of different combinations of performance parameters that correspond to a manner in which a service may be provided, wherein the console is configured to provide a plurality of other services. The system, apparatus, method, and computer program also publish a plurality of user-facing interfaces to a service request catalog as a plurality of different service offerings, wherein the plurality of different service offerings correspond to the plurality of different combinations of performance parameters for the service. Further, the system, apparatus, method, and computer program initiate the service in a manner that corresponds to one of the plurality of different combinations of performance parameters for one of the plurality of service offerings when that one of the plurality of service offerings is selected with second input received via the console.
US09754302B2

According to one described embodiment, a method is provided in which transaction information is determined. The transaction information is associated with (i) a buyer who has arranged to purchase a product from a central controller at a first price established between the buyer and the central controller and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the first price, without offering the product for sale to buyers at the first price. Information is transmitted that facilitates the acquisition of the product by the buyer, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer to the central controller. An amount based on the second price is provided to the merchant.
US09754292B1

Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for serving annotations are disclosed. When a contact of a user recommends an ad, the score of the ad may be boosted in an ad auction. The amount of boosting depends on contact affinity. Contacts with greater contact affinity may be more influential, and ads that are recommended by such contacts may have a higher click-through rate. The greater the affinity between the user and contact, the greater the boost to the ad score. Affinity may be measured by a weight value, which is determined by, for example, social network interactions, e-mail/instant messaging communications, and phone logs and contact lists.
US09754286B2

One or more embodiments of the disclosure include methods and systems that allows for improved user navigation within a group of content items. For example, a content navigation system can identify a content item within a group of content items to provide to a user in response to a user interaction. In some embodiments, the content navigation system can identify a content item to provide to the user based on one or more factors, such as a characteristic of a user interaction and a relevance of a content item. In addition, the content navigation system can strategically provide advertisement content items to a user by adjusting one or more factors with respect to advertisement content items.
US09754284B2

Disclosed is a system and method for displaying search results upon the occurrence or detection of an event and/or time-delay. The present provides a user with the ability to view search results upon satisfaction of an event trigger or specified time delay (e.g., a rule). The disclosed systems and methods enable features that allow a user to link a search query and/or a set or sets of results for the search query to a trigger, whereby upon detection and satisfaction of such trigger, the search (and/or related results) are displayed. Such trigger can be associated with, but not limited to, a calendar event, to-do list item, location, a product or contact person, among other types of event based information events.
US09754276B2

A method for providing a promotion to a user to do commerce at a physical location includes offering a right to a particular piece of digital content to the user as an incentive to a commercial transaction that occurs at least partly at the physical location, discerning that the user is located at the physical location, and in response to the discerning, interacting with the user to provide the digital content to the user on a mobile device associated with the user.
US09754275B2

A system and method are disclosed for applying a rebate or promotion associated with a transaction account. Offer information representing an offer for a promotion or rebate provided to a purchaser is received, and at least some of the offer information is processed to associate the purchaser with at least one transaction account. Account information representing the at least one transaction account associated with the purchaser is transmitted to a computing device associated with the first party. Transaction information representing a transaction associated with the offer information and the account information is received from a computing device associated with the first party or a second party, and is processed to associate the transaction with the transaction account associated with the purchaser and the promotion or rebate. The rebate or promotion is applied as a function of the transaction information.
US09754273B2

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates utilizing data within a network including numerous data communications. An interface that can receive data associated with a data communication within a network. An enterprise resource track (ERT) component that can generate context associated with the data communication and at least one resource to enable a second data communication to be efficiently directed to the at least one resource based on the generated context.
US09754264B2

A communication system comprising at least one electric appliance (2, 17, 18, 19, 20) and a server (1, 21). The appliance (2, 17, 18, 19, 20) is linked to the server (1, 21), relevant data of the appliance (2, 17, 18, 19, 20) is reproduced in the server (1, 21) and the latter can be connected to a call center (5) via the Internet. When a request is made, the call center can access the server (1, 21) or the appliance (2, 17, 18, 19, 20) and the desired appliance (2, 17, 18, 19, 20) function or status can be achieved by the remote action of the center.
US09754262B2

Particular embodiments provide recommendations based on community affiliation. In one embodiment, the method determines a query from a target user. A community in which the target user is a member is then determined. The community may include a plurality of members that have joined the community based on a common interest. User activity information is analyzed for at least a portion of the members of the community to determine a recommendation for the query. The user activity information is determined to be of interest to the target user based on the target user's membership in the community. For example, based on the user's membership in the community, recommendations as to what other members in the community liked can be correlated to the query for the target user. Thus, the recommendation may be provided to the user based on what other users in the community liked.
US09754260B2

Described herein are systems and computer-implemented methods for configuring a payment account in an account hierarchy using transaction codes that carry transaction information. The transaction codes carry sufficient information to help inform a decision of whether to lock the payment account so as to prevent an initiated transaction from completing. The decision can be fully-automated based on rules and/or intelligent machine analysis. The systems and methods can also seek, in real-time, authorization from an account administrator. The systems and methods can also allow the administrator to create a locking rule for the payment account. The administrator can be identified using the account hierarchy.
US09754255B1

The invention relates to authentication in mobile financial transactions, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of employing a location tracking function within a mobile device for the purpose of authenticating a user and a trusted transaction when this mobile device is configured to a mobile point-of-sale (POS) terminal. Authentication is primarily implemented by a secure element integrated within the mobile device based on comparison between captured geo-location data and some known information, such as a retailer address, this user's behavior pattern and shopping habit, that may be derived from the geo-location data. In the secure element, a secure memory stores a plurality of geo-location data from which a secure processor generates information concerning a behavior pattern or a shopping habit of the user. A V/A unit receives a real-time geo-location of the mobile device, and thereby, verifies the user or the trusted transaction according to the generated information.
US09754252B2

A system and method in accordance with example embodiments may provide a user-loadable stored value card. Additionally, a system and method in accordance with example embodiments may allow an institution to receive a user-loadable stored value card activation request from a sender, activate a user-loadable stored value card using the information received in the activation request, and provide card management capabilities to the sender.
US09754251B2

A system and method for coordinating processing of a funds transfer transaction between a transaction requestor and a transaction responder over a communications network. The transaction system comprises receiving a funds amount, requestor identification information, and responder identification information, such that at least one of the funds amount, the requestor identification information, or the responder identification information is encoded in symbology information embodied in a barcode. The system also decodes the symbology information into unencoded information using a coding scheme of the barcode and generates a funds transfer request for the funds transfer transaction, such that the funds transfer request has content including the unencoded information decoded from the symbology information. The system also sends the funds transfer request to a transaction processing system for subsequent settlement, as well as receives transaction confirmation messages.
US09754249B2

A data processing apparatus includes a first interface to which a device which reads data is connected, a second interface to which a terminal apparatus is connected, an identification information transmission unit that transmits identification information to the terminal apparatus, and a control unit that when the data read by the device is input to the first interface, determines an association of the device and the terminal apparatus based on a correspondence of the read data and the identification information transmitted to the terminal apparatus.
US09754247B2

An adaptable and extensible interface is described for connecting one or more point of sale (POS) applications to one or more at a wide variety of retail application is described. The interface may be embodied as a programmable state machine employing XML tiles to customize its operation reusable retail applications may be utilized as part of the interface approach.
US09754243B2

A situational and global context aware calendar, communications, and/or relationship management method and system is disclosed. The system is configured to receive non-calendaring related context information, and, based on that context information, to automatically determine one or more parameters of a meeting request.
US09754242B2

According to some embodiments, it may be detected that a deployment archive to be deployed to a runtime server includes first and second business process artifacts, wherein the first artifact supports versioning and the second artifact does not support versioning. A version identifier to be associated with the second artifact may then be calculated, and at least one prior version identifier of the second artifact, associated with at least one prior deployment of the deployment archive to the runtime server, may be determined based on information from a version history database. The deployment archive containing the first and second artifacts may then be deployed to the runtime server along with the prior versions of the second artifact associated with the determined prior version identifiers. A new version history may then be stored in the version history database by adding the newly calculated version identifier to the at least one determined prior version identifier.
US09754241B2

Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable media for providing a collaborative communication environment. The method embodiment comprises receiving user profiles, establishing a collaborative communication environment where a plurality of users simultaneously interact over a network, converting data to be sent to each user in a collaborative environment based on the respective user's profile, and presenting a localized experience to each user using the converted data.
US09754239B2

A process management system uses a radio frequency identification (RFID) detection system in the form of, for example, a phased array antenna based RFID detection system to track and manage material storage and flow in a manufacturing process or plant. The process management system operates in conjunction with the various machines that implement manufacturing stages or steps of the manufacturing process to assure that the correct materials and processing procedures are used at or on the various production machines of the process to produce a particular product as defined by a job number or job order. The process management system is thereby able to increase the efficiencies of the plant and to increase the quality of the plant production by reducing or eliminating waste, manufacturing errors and shipping errors in the production facility.
US09754235B1

Various embodiments of a system and method for authoritative item identification based on facility operations are described. Embodiments may include an authoritative item identification component configured to, for each particular item of multiple items in inventory of a materials handling facility, determine multiple identifiers for the particular item, where one or more of the multiple identifiers are electronically obtained from a unit of the particular item during operations of the materials handling facility. The authoritative item identification component may, for each of the multiple identifiers, determine a quantity of instances in which that identifier was electronically obtained from a given unit of the particular item. The authoritative item identification component may, based on a statistical analysis of the quantities, determine one of the multiple identifiers as being an authoritative identifier for the particular item. The authoritative item identification component may identify one or more units based on the authoritative identifiers.
US09754231B2

An approach that provides presence driven notification to a subscriber when a business process automation chain requires manual intervention is provided. In one embodiment, there is a notification tool, including a routing component configured to transmit a message to the subscriber based on data gathered relating to subscriber presence, location and preferences.
US09754226B2

Techniques for analyzing effectiveness of an urban area based on traffic patterns collected from route-oriented vehicles. A process collects sequences of global positioning system (GPS) points in logs and identifies geographical locations to represent the urban area where the route-oriented vehicles traveled. The process models traffic patterns by: partitioning the urban area into regions based at least in part on major roads, segmenting the GPS points from the logs into time slots, and identifying the GPS points associated with transporting a passenger in the route-oriented vehicles. The process models traffic patterns by projecting the identified GPS points onto the regions to construct transitions of the identified GPS points travelling between the regions. Then the process builds a matrix of the regions for each time slot in each day based on a number of the transitions. Each item in the matrix represents an effectiveness of a connection between two regions.
US09754212B2

An efficient fact checking system analyzes and determines the factual accuracy of information and/or characterizes the information by comparing the information with source information. The efficient fact checking system automatically monitors information, processes the information, fact checks the information efficiently and/or provides a status of the information.
US09754211B2

A decision tree methodology based uplift modeling approach, wherein one decision tree is developed simultaneously on test and control groups with the objective of maximizing the mean-difference in identified subsets within the data. The incrementality modeling approach discussed may be applied in any situation where an incrementality model is required to determine who among a group of users should be exposed to a treatment with the goal of receiving a positive response.
US09754206B1

Deep learning is used to identify a potential risk that a contract will be unenforceable due to a drafting error whereby one or more terms or phrases are ambiguous. The system involves mining and using existing classifications of data (e.g., from a litigation database) to train one or more deep learning algorithms, and then examining the internal electronic drafts of contracts with the trained algorithm, to generate a scored output that will enable enterprise personnel to be alerted to the ambiguity risks and take action in time to prevent the risks from resulting in harm to the enterprise.
US09754205B1

Deep learning is used to identify specific, potential risks to an enterprise (of which product liability is the prime example here) while such risks are still internal electronic communications. The system involves mining and using existing classifications of data (e.g., from an internal litigation database, or from external sources such as customer complaints, and/or warranty claims) to train one or more deep learning algorithms, and then examining the enterprise's internal electronic communications with the trained algorithm, to generate a scored output that will enable enterprise personnel to be alerted to risks and take action in time to prevent the risks from resulting in harm to the enterprise or others.
US09754190B1

System and method for image classification based on Tsallis entropy are provided. An image may be segmented to obtain image regions. The image regions may be analyzed to generate histograms. The histograms may be analyzed to compute Tsallis entropy values. The image regions may be associated with categories based on the Tsallis entropy values. Image regions associated with a first category may be classified to obtain classification information. The classification information may be transmitted to an external device. Information related to image regions associated with a second category may be transmitted to the external device. The external device may be configured to classify the image regions associated with the second category based on the transmitted information.
US09754185B2

A weight value used for a beamforming process performed on received signals in an ultrasound imaging apparatus is obtained with a small amount of computations and with a high degree of precision, even when a method of adaptive signal processing is employed.Multiple elements 401 receive ultrasound signals from a test subject, and the similarity operator 404 obtains the similarity between the received signals x(n). By using the similarity C(n) between the received signals obtained by the similarity operator 404, the adaptive weight operator 407 computes the adaptive weight w(n) in association with the similarity. The beamforming operator 408 uses the adaptive weight w(n) and the received signal x(n) to generate a beamforming output. The imaging processor 108 uses the beamforming output to generate image data. By way of example, the similarity operator 404 performs computations of the similarity in the time direction.
US09754183B2

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing additional information using image matching. The present invention provides a system for providing additional information using image matching, including: a image input unit configured to receive a video or an image input from a user terminal; a query image determination unit configured to determine a query image, i.e., a query target, from the video or image received from the image input unit; a feature point extraction unit configured to extract feature points of the query image determined by the query image determination unit, and to generate feature point information of the extracted feature points; a reference meta-information database configured to store a structure image identifier (ID) of a structure image of a structure on which an original image has been installed, structure image feature point information of the structure image, and additional information to be provided to the user terminal in association with the structure image ID; an image matching unit configured to determine a matching structure image ID by comparing the feature point information of the query image generated by the feature point extraction unit with the structure image feature point information stored in the reference meta-information database; and an additional information provision unit configured to provide the additional information stored in association with the structure image ID determined by the image matching unit to the user terminal, and a method using the same.
US09754181B2

The disclosure concerns processing of electronic images, such as hyperspectral or multispectral images (302) to determine an output color value for a component spectrum of a decomposed multispectral or hyperspectral image. A processor (120) first determines or accesses the component spectrum and a first color value for the component spectrum and receives an input color value for a pixel location in the image, wherein the component spectrum contributes to the pixel. The processor (120) then determines the output color value for the component spectrum based on the first color value for the component spectrum, the input color value and a utility score and stores the output color value for the component spectrum on a datastore (118). It is an advantage that the processor (120) receives a color value for a pixel location but the output color value is not exactly the received color value but one that is determined based on a utility score.
US09754179B2

The present disclosure can obtain a high-quality composite image by determining a suitable boundary when input images are sequentially stitched together to generate the composite image. An image generating apparatus 1 generates a composite image by stitching sequentially input images together. A difference value calculating section 15 calculates difference values by using the pixel values of a reference image and the pixel values of a target image that partly overlap the reference image. The difference values represent the relative relationship between the reference image and the target image. A boundary determining section 16 determines a boundary for stitching the reference image and the target image together by using the difference values calculated by the difference value calculating section 15. Then, an image compositing section 18 generates the composite image by stitching the reference image and the target image together based on the boundary determined by the boundary determining section 16.
US09754173B2

A smart parking assist apparatus and method are provided. The smart parking assist apparatus operates a smart parking assist function after a vehicle stops and searches a parking slot using a plurality of imaging devices. In addition, the searched parking slot is set to a target parking slot and parking slot information regarding the target parking slot is output. The apparatus recognizes a parking line of the target parking slot and an object adjacent to the target parking slot and sets a parking reference line based on the recognized information, after the parking slot information is output. The vehicle is then operated to be parked in the target parking slot based on the parking reference line.
US09754170B2

Systems and methods for replacing original media bookmarks of at least a portion of a digital media file with replacement bookmarks is described. A media fingerprint engine detects the location of the original fingerprints associated with the portion of the digital media file and a region analysis algorithm characterizes regions of media file spanning the location of the original bookmarks by data class types. The replacement bookmarks are associated with the data class types and are overwritten or otherwise are substituted for the original bookmarks. The replacement bookmarks then are subjected to a fingerprint matching algorithm that incorporates media timeline and media related metadata.
US09754169B2

Merchandise management is implemented by recognizing a piece of merchandise in an image on a video in real time. A piece of merchandise and m-number of first local feature which are respectively 1-dimensional to i-dimensional feature vectors are stored after being associated with each other, n-number of feature points are extracted from an image on a video captured by an imaging unit, n-number of second local feature which are respectively 1-dimensional to j-dimensional feature vectors are generated, a smaller number of dimensions of the number of dimensions i and the number of dimensions j is selected, and a recognition that the merchandise exists in the image on the video is made when it is determined that a prescribed proportion or more of the m-number of first local feature of the selected number of dimensions correspond to the n-number of second local feature of the selected number of dimensions.
US09754159B2

A spherical content capture system captures spherical video content. A spherical video sharing platform enables users to share the captured spherical content and enables users to access spherical content shared by other users. In one embodiment, captured metadata or video/audio processing is used to identify content relevant to a particular user based on time and location information. The platform can then generate an output video from one or more shared spherical content files relevant to the user. The output video may include a non-spherical reduced field of view such as those commonly associated with conventional camera systems. Particularly, relevant sub-frames having a reduced field of view may be extracted from each frame of spherical video to generate an output video that tracks a particular individual or object of interest.
US09754153B2

The present invention provides a method for image processing, a corresponding apparatus and a computer program product. The method comprises performing face detection of an image, obtaining a coarse face segmentation region of at least one face and a contour edge of the at least one face based on the face detection; and adjusting the coarse face segmentation region based on the contour edge to obtain a fine face segmentation region. By using the method, corresponding apparatus and computer program product of the present invention, the coarse face region in an image can be precisely segmented, which provides a good basis for the subsequent image processing based on the fine face segmentation region.
US09754148B2

An image correction apparatus includes a correction amount calculating unit which calculates, in response to a position of a hand on an image, a correction amount for placing the hand to face an imaging unit included in an image acquiring unit for generating the image; and a correcting unit which corrects an estimated coordinate representing a position of a point in a real space corresponding to each pixel included in a region in which the hand is captured in the image in accordance with the correction amount, and projects each of the points after the correction on a corrected image to generate the corrected image.
US09754131B2

A system and method are disclosed for rendering published documents tamper evident. Embodiments render classes of documents tamper evident with cryptographic level security or detect tampering, where such security was previously unavailable, for example, documents printed using common printers without special paper or ink. Embodiments enable proving the date of document content without the need for expensive third party archival, including documents held, since their creation, entirely in secrecy or in untrustworthy environments, such as on easily-altered, publicly-accessible internet sites. Embodiments can extend, by many years, the useful life of currently-trusted integrity verification algorithms, such as hash functions, even when applied to binary executable files. Embodiments can efficiently identify whether multiple document versions are substantially similar, even if they are not identical, thus potentially reducing storage space requirements.
US09754127B2

An apparatus, a method and a product for transferring security-critical medical data records via a public network are disclosed. In order to be able to transmit security-critical data sections in pseudonymized form, a pseudonymization function is adaptively applied to the data records. The pseudonymization function is in each case calculated dynamically on the basis of a processing context that has been read in and that takes account of the planned user role, the planned intended use of the data processing and an application context.
US09754122B1

Technologies are described herein for isolating tenants executing in a multi-tenant software container. Mechanisms for resource isolation allow tenants executing in a multi-tenant software container to be isolated in order to prevent resource starvation by one or more of the tenants. Mechanisms for dependency isolation may be utilized to prevent one tenant executing in a multi-tenant software container from using another tenant in the same container in a manner that requires co-tenancy. Mechanisms for security isolation may be utilized to prevent one tenant in a multi-tenant software container from accessing protected data or functionality of another tenant. Mechanisms for fault isolation may be utilized to prevent tenants in a multi-tenant software container from causing faults or other types of errors that affect other tenants executing in the same software container.
US09754117B2

The invention relates to a system for providing an automated security management framework for an enterprise based on the enterprise's operations, infrastructure, and user-based processes, as well as industry-specific rules and regulations associated with the enterprise. The system is configured to generate recommendations or instructions based on correlation of enterprise's operations, infrastructure, and user-based processes with industry-specific rules and regulations. The recommendations or instructions are then provided to a user associated with the enterprise so as to facilitate actions to be taken to address a potential security threat.
US09754112B1

An example process includes: identifying, by one or more processing devices, candidate code in executable code based on a static analysis of the executable code, where the candidate code includes code that is vulnerable to attack or the candidate code being on a path to code that is vulnerable to attack, where information related to the attack is based, at least in part, on the candidate code; customizing, by one or more processing devices, a healing template based on the information to produce a customized healing template; and inserting, by one or more processing devices, the customized healing template into a version of the executable code at a location that is based on a location of the candidate code in the executable code, where the customized healing template includes code that is executable to inhibit the attack.
US09754110B2

An illustrative embodiment of a computer-implemented process for configuring configuration settings authenticates a user of a predetermined system to form an authenticated user and obtains configurable configuration settings associated with the authenticated user for the predetermined system to form obtained settings. The obtained settings are used in a further portion of a power-on process to configure the predetermined system, whereby configuring the predetermined system alters available resources and associated resource consumption of the predetermined system subject to the obtained settings.
US09754108B1

Disclosed are an apparatus and method of verifying an application installation procedure. One example method of operation may include receiving an application at a computer device and initiating the installation of the application on the computer device. The method may also provide executing the application during the installation procedure and creating a hash value corresponding to the executed application data. The method may further provide storing the hash value in memory and comparing the hash value to a pre-stored hash value to determine whether to continue the installation of the application.
US09754102B2

A system and method for managing pestware on a protected computer is described. The method in one variation includes monitoring events during a boot sequence of the computer; managing pestware-related events before native applications can run and after a kernel is loaded; managing pestware-related events when native applications can run; and scanning a registry of the computer for pestware when native applications can run. In variations, a pestware management engine is initialized after an operating system of the protected computer is initialized and the pestware management system both receives an event log of the monitored events and compiles the set of behavior rules utilized by kernel-level monitor.
US09754101B2

A proposed password is decomposed into basic components to determine and score transitions between the basic components and create a password score that measures the strength of the proposed password based on rules, such as concatenation, insertion, and replacement. The proposed password is scored against all known words, such as when a user is first asked to create a password for an account or access. The proposed password can also be scored against one or more previous passwords for the user, such as when the user is asked to change the user's previous password, to determine similarity between the two passwords.
US09754093B2

Input streams are automatically and continuously evaluated in a passive manner from sensors and resources of a device. The streams are weighted and aggregated to produce single confidence values. A current single confidence value is used to passively authenticate a user for access to the device or to one or more resources of the device when the user attempts access.
US09754092B2

One or more embodiments of the invention provide access to a work environment in a mobile device from a lock screen presented by a personal environment of the mobile device, wherein the work environment is running in a virtual machine supported by a hypervisor running within the personal environment and wherein the personal environment is a host operating system (OS) of the mobile device. The host OS receives an authentication credential from a user in response to a presentation of the lock screen on a user interface (UI) of the mobile device and then determines whether the authentication credential is valid for the personal environment or the work environment. If the authentication credential is valid for the personal environment, access is enabled only to the personal environment. If the authentication credential is valid for the work environment, access is enabled to both the personal environment and the work environment.
US09754088B2

An information processing system includes an information processing device, and an electronic device to utilize a service provided from the information processing device. A service delivery unit provides the service for the electronic device. An information management unit manages license information of the service, generates use permission information and sends the generated use permission information to the electronic device. An execution management unit manages an execution request of the service specifying the use permission information of the service. An execution unit determines whether to have a use authority of a function of the electronic device utilized by the service based on contents of the license included in the use permission information of the service and executes the service by utilizing the function of the electronic device upon determining that the use authority of the function of the electronic device utilized by the service is present.
US09754083B2

An apparatus (102, 104) and method for generating a formatted clinical study report (206) by analyzing submitted clinical study data (150) based on semantics and maximum entropy analysis at a server (104). Sections of the formatted clinical study report are identified in the submitted data (111) using semantics analysis and maximum entropy analysis (204). The identified sections are formatted and output as the formatted clinical study report (206). The formatted clinical study report (206) may be reviewed and edited after generation by a user interfacing with the server (104).
US09754079B2

A method that includes configuring a first and a second identification band with unique serial numbers, each of said bands being connected to a signal cable attached to a sensor is provided. The first identification band is securely fixed to a first location on the patient and the second identification band is securely fixed to a second location on the patient. The first and second identification bands are connected with a bridging band. The signal cable is connected to a diagnostic test monitoring system and the patient's oxygen saturation is monitored. The first and second identification bands are configured to evidence tampering when removed.
US09754076B2

A computer processor may receive medical data including a report and an image. The computer processor may analyze the report using natural language processing to identify a condition and a corresponding criterion. The computer processor may also analyze the image using an image processing model to generate an image analysis. The computer processor may determine whether the report has a potential problem by comparing the image analysis to the criterion.
US09754075B1

In an aspect, a method of monitoring one or more symptoms of a person include repeating, over a period of time, the steps of: selecting, by the person, one or more symbolic representations corresponding to one or more symptoms from a predefined set of symbolic representations presented to the person; and electronically recording data regarding the one or more symbolic representations selected by the person such that the data is electronically accessible later for generating a history of the symptoms of the person over the period of time. The one or more symbolic representations corresponding to one or more symptoms is selected using an electronic device having a component for displaying the predefined set of symbolic representations that is coupled to a user input for receiving the selection of the one or more symbolic representations by the person.
US09754074B1

A smart placement module determines components of received medical data, such as medical reports and image montages, to forward to one or more secondary location, such as an EMR system, based on smart placement rules that are established by a user that receives the medical data, such as a referring doctor. Thus, the smart placement module decreases or removes the need for the receiving user to manually select and transfer certain medical data for storage at the EMR system. Accordingly, the receiving user, and other authorized EMR system users, may have prompt access to the medical data via their respective connections to the EMR system. In one embodiment, the smart placement module transmits a patient identification file that is usable by the receiving EMR system to allow the EMR system to associate received medical data with other data regarding a respective patient.
US09754070B2

Systems and techniques for computing a timing effort metric are described. According to one definition, the computed timing effort metric indicates a level of difficulty of fixing a timing violation associated with a timing path between two circuit objects in a circuit design layout.
US09754069B2

Embodiments perform static timing analysis using a digital representation of a circuit. The digital representation of the circuit includes multiple instances of a cell in a hierarchical cell block circuit. Timing context information is determined for each instance of the cell included in the circuit. A merged timing context information is determined to bound and cover each of the plurality of instances of the cell. A slack estimate is determined for a pair of ports for each instance of the cell. The instance with the smallest slack estimate is identified. A slack estimate for a pair of ports of the cell is determined based on the merged timing information of the cell. A timing credit is determined for the pair of ports based on the slack of the instance with the smallest slack and the slack estimate from the bound information for the pair of ports.
US09754066B2

A semiconductor design apparatus computes a consumption current in a macro cell region in the semiconductor device. A first region is defined to be a first shape and size on an upper surface on at least one end of a one-side end portion of the macro cell region based on the consumption current in the macro cell region and an allowable current per via that connects a power supply layer and the macro cell region to each other. A second region is defined as a second shape and size on the upper surface of the macro cell region based on the first region. The apparatus determines an arrangement of the macro cell region and the power supply layer based on the second region and determines the arrangement of vias in the second region based on the arrangement of the macro cell region and the power supply layer.
US09754063B2

Reducing dynamic clock skew and/or slew in an electronic circuit is provided by: referencing a layout database and/or netlist of a design for the electronic circuit; identifying a set of neighboring buffer pairs with active buffers and adjacent sub-meshes, which are connected by a shorting bar; for each neighboring buffer pair of the set: placing a dummy buffer for each of their active buffers in the adjacent sub-meshes close to the active buffers; routing an input of a first dummy buffer located in a first sub-mesh to an output of an active buffer in a second sub-mesh; routing an input of a second dummy buffer located in the second sub-mesh to an output of an active buffer in the first sub-mesh; and connecting inputs of the first and second dummy buffers to the shorting bar.
US09754062B2

A method of implementing timing adjustments across a transparent latch of an integrated circuit, a system, and a computer program product are described. The method includes obtaining initial input timing slack and input potential power savings at an input and an initial output timing slack and output potential power savings at an output of the transparent latch. The method also includes adjusting a cycle boundary of the transparent latch to obtain a new input timing slack at the input and a new output timing slack at the output of the transparent latch, wherein the new input timing slack is greater than the initial input timing slack based on the input potential power savings being greater than the output potential power savings and the new output timing slack is greater than the initial output timing slack based on the output potential power savings being greater than the input potential power savings.
US09754061B2

A method of programming a FPGA, wherein the FPGA comprises an array of macrocells, each comprising at least a configurable hardware block and a configurable interconnection network, the method comprises the steps of: providing a high-level configuration file containing: first data defining a set of macrocells and their relative positions; second data defining a configuration of the hardware blocks of the macrocells; and third data defining interconnections between the macrocells; wherein said high-level configuration file contains neither data defining an absolute position of the macrocells within the FPGA, nor local routing information fully defining a configuration of their interconnection networks; converting said high-level configuration file into a bitstream file; and uploading the bitstream file into the FPGA. A semiconductor chip comprising a FPGA and a device configured for programming the FPGA are provided.
US09754051B2

A method, system and computer program product for improving the quality of the posts in a social network. A topic of a post to a social network environment is identified using natural language processing. The tense of the post directed to the identified topic is detected using natural language processing. The post is transformed to a suggested post of a second tense directed to the same topic to the user using natural language processing. A suggested message to be posted by the user to the social network in a third tense (e.g., past tense) based on the posts directed to the identified topic in the first and second tenses (e.g., future and present tenses) is generated using natural language processing thereby forming a past/present/future pairing of posts. By forming a past/present/future pairing of posts, a more complete and understandable view of the user's personal history may be obtained.
US09754050B2

Path-decomposed trie data structures are described, for example, for representing sets of strings in a succinct manner while still enabling fast operations on the string sets such as string retrieval or looking up a string with a specified identifier. A path-decomposed trie is a trie (tree data structure for storing a set of strings) where each node in the path decomposed trie represents a path in the trie. In various embodiments a path-decomposed trie data structure is represented succinctly by interleaving node labels and node degrees in an array and optionally by compressing the node labels using a static dictionary. Node labels may be string characters and a node degree may be a number of children of a node. In some embodiments a path-decomposed hollow trie data structure is used to provide a hash function for string sets.
US09754043B2

In one embodiment, a client application renders a structured document in a graphical user interface, determines whether a select place marker element in the structured document is viewable within the graphical user interface; if the select place marker element is viewable, the client application retrieves and render the data object associated with the place marker element.
US09754032B2

Methods, systems and computer program products for operating a plurality of nodes within a network are provided. Using a monitoring node, a subgroup of the plurality of nodes is monitored, the subgroup including the monitoring node and a non-monitoring node. The non-monitoring node is configured to not manage a distributed database distributed among all monitoring nodes of the plurality of nodes, other non-monitoring nodes of the plurality of nodes, and the monitoring nodes of the plurality of nodes and is configured to not store replicated data from other ones of the plurality of nodes.
US09754031B2

A method includes receiving landing page information from a content provider, the landing page information being representative of one or more graphical aspects of a landing page associated with the content provider, generating a landing page image representative of the landing page based at least in part on the landing page information, the landing page image being different from the landing page, specifying an association between the landing page image and a content item associated with the content provider, generating a control for presentation along with the content item that, when activated, causes the display of the landing page image providing, in association with a resource, the content item in combination with the control.
US09754025B2

Collections of music and other items, related by time, location, genre, and artist, and that are registered in a data model to provide a foundation for their curatorship, discovery, and procurement are accessed by analyzing captured sound and seeking a match based on an acoustic fingerprint. As a result of said match, a map through the history and culture of music is created for display. The map is created in an embodiment by a series of choices, where a choice is a combination of any of time, place, genre, and artist. Both expert and regular individual curators can define the maps; or the maps can be defined algorithmically. Based upon said matches, one or more animated murals depicting a fundamental combination of any of time, place, genre, and artist are provided to a user via a user interface for the navigation of music, its history, and culture.
US09754024B2

A voice retrieval apparatus executes processes of: obtaining, from a time length memory, a continuous time length for each phoneme contained in a phoneme string of a retrieval string; obtaining user-specified information on an utterance rate; changing the continuous time length for each obtained phoneme in accordance with the obtained information; deriving, based on the changed continuous time length, an utterance time length of voices corresponding to the retrieval string; specifying a plurality of likelihood obtainment segments of the derived utterance time length in a time length of a retrieval sound signal; obtaining a likelihood showing a plausibility that the specified likelihood obtainment segment is a segment where the voices are uttered; and identifying, based on the obtained likelihood, an estimation segment where, within the retrieval sound signal, utterance of the voices is estimated, the estimation segment being identified for each specified likelihood obtainment segment.
US09754018B2

At least some embodiments described herein refer to the user of a rendering interpreter that receives data object(s) from code executing within a restricted environment container (such as an IFrame). The restricted environment container prevents the code from adversely impacting the performance and consistency of the user interface system as a whole, and also prevents the code from adversely impacting the performance of code running in other restricted environment containers.
US09754015B2

A data processing system employs a pre-processing step to create a simplified view of a received entity graph. During the pre-processing step, only the objects and the attributes of those objects within the graph that are required for data processing are selected. Pruned source and target objects are generated by omitting those attributes that are not required for processing. The pruned objects are included in the simplified view that enhances system performance.
US09754013B2

An event-related media management system contextualizes media content. The event-related media management system associates media content with contextual event-related data to associate the media content with the events and information about the events. The contextual event-related data can then be used to provide access to the media content, such as through relevant search results or by presenting the media content in organized displays for contextual browsing and navigation. In some embodiments the event-related media management system generates contextualized media content for contextual search, discovery, and advertising.
US09754007B2

The present disclosure includes a method for transferring checkpoint information of a primary virtual machine from a primary host to a secondary host that includes, by the primary host, capturing checkpoint information from the primary virtual machine to a primary holding buffer on the primary host, generating a first number of partition state records from the checkpoint information, transmitting the first number of partition state records to the secondary host, receiving acknowledgements from the secondary host for a second number of partition state records, and tracking the second number of partition state records acknowledged by the secondary host.
US09754006B2

A cache module responds to an operation request, from a front end, for long relation chain data of a user, and synchronously sends a modification request in the operation request to a receiving module; the receiving module receives the modification request from the cache module, and synchronously stores the modification request into an operation log file of a storage device; a saving module reads the modification request in the operation log file of the receiving module, and modifies the long relation chain data in a database (DB) according to the read modification request.
US09754004B2

An improved technique involves delivering asynchronous notifications of state changes of components of a data storage system by querying a database whose entries contain event descriptors along with a sequentially generated identifier value. In response to a state change of a component, a database server receives a state change indication and updates an entry in the database by recording the state change and generating a new identifier value. A management server running management software then detects state changes by noting the largest generated identifier value from a previous query and queries all entries in the database having an identifier value larger than that previous value. The layers of the management software that subscribe to state change indications of various components may then access those entries as needed.
US09753999B2

A method implemented by a computer network includes storing a database table in a distributed database resident on the computer network. The database table is represented with append-only files, where each append-only file stores data in a logical representation that is independent of the physical representation of the data at a node of the computer network. Data in the append-only files are repartitioned across nodes in the computer network to form repartitioned files. Information about a mapping between the append-only files and the repartitioned files is maintained.
US09753994B2

System and methods for rapid generation of attribute driven temporal clustering are provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a data storage device and a server. The data storage device may be configured to store a database comprising a plurality of records. The system may also include a server in data communication with the data storage device. The server may be suitably programmed to receive a first attribute and a second attribute, search a database stored on a data storage device to obtain a first group of records associated with the first attribute, search the first group of records to obtain a second group of records associated with the second attribute, determine a temporal relationship between a first index date of a first attribute and a second index date of the second attribute, and generate an output comprising a graphical representation of the temporal relationship.
US09753985B2

A configuration settings datastore is partitioned into data groups. Each data group includes a set of configuration settings, a set of membership criteria, and a weight. A request is received for configuration settings for a networked device, the request including a set of parameters associated with the networked device. A set of desired configuration settings are selected from the datastore based on the sets of membership criteria, the set of parameters, and the weights of the plurality of data groups. The desired configuration settings are then transmitted to the networked device.
US09753984B2

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for decompressing data in a database system. A query is received, which pertains to a subset of data within a compressed set of data. One or more decompression strategies are evaluated using a cost model. The cost model includes an estimated filter factor. A low cost decompression strategy is selected based on the results of the evaluation of the one or more decompression strategies. One or more bytes representing the requested subset of data are located within the compressed set of data. Only a portion of the compressed data that corresponds to the subset of data is decompressed, using the selected decompression strategy, while leaving the remaining set of data in a compressed state.
US09753981B2

A query is received by a database server from a remote application server. The query is associated with a calculation scenario that defines a data flow model that includes one or more calculation nodes. The calculation nodes each define one or more operations to execute by a calculation engine on the database server. Thereafter, the database server instantiates a runtime model of the calculation scenario by accessing a local settings object stored with the calculation scenario that specifies local settings for the calculation scenario. Subsequently, the database server executes the operations defined by the calculation nodes of the instantiated calculation scenario to result in a responsive data set. The data set can then be provided by the database server to the application server.
US09753979B2

A tool for combining common processes shared by at least two or more sub-queries within a query is provided. The tool determines the query with the at least two or more sub-queries. The tool determines whether one or more sub set relationships are shared between the at least two or more sub-queries. Responsive to a determination that one or more sub set relationships are shared between the at least two or more sub-queries, the tool determines an order class for the at least two or more sub-queries based on the one or more sub set relationships. The tool determines an access path for the query. The tool executes the access path during run-time for data accessing.
US09753973B2

A method and a system of searching note items by mobile terminals. The method includes the following steps: when marking a note item, detecting a gesture input from a touchscreen or choosing a gesture which has been input, and saving the gesture and the corresponding relation between the gesture and the note item into a memory; when a note item needs to be searched, detecting a gesture input from the touchscreen, and according to the input gesture, searching a matching gesture from the gestures saved in said memory, if the matching gesture is found, then displaying each note item corresponding to the matching gesture according to said corresponding relation. A custom gesture is created as a marker for a note item and the matching note item is displayed according to the input gesture when searching the note item.
US09753969B2

Systems and methods for updating a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS) database are disclosed. The systems request, by way of the first wireless communications device communicating by way of an avionics data transfer protocol, an update to the TAWS database, where the request is based upon flight path data, and receive and accept, by way of the first wireless communications device and by way of the avionics data transfer protocol and in response to the request, the update to the TAWS database.
US09753958B2

Systems, methods, and computer-readable and executable instructions are provided for providing a device agnostic active/active data center. Providing a device agnostic active/active data center can include receiving user communication assigned from a content delivery network (CDN) provider. In addition, providing a device agnostic active/active data center can include determining a designated database for the user communication. Furthermore, providing a device agnostic active/active data center can include assigning a destination address to the designated database for the user communication.
US09753952B2

An image information management system includes: a storage medium on which peculiar information is stored; a reading device which reads the peculiar information stored on the storage medium; an image imaging device which shoots a video of a vicinity of a place at which the reading device is provided when the peculiar information stored on the storage medium is read by the reading device; and a processing device which associates, with the peculiar information, image information shot with using the imaging device in a constant time including a time point at which the reading device reads the peculiar information, and registers them in a storage unit. The image information management system reads the peculiar information stored on the storage medium, and associates the peculiar information with the picture information to store them in the storage unit. Then, based on the peculiar information, the image information management system chooses the picture information associated with the peculiar information and stored on the storage unit, and displays it on a display.
US09753946B2

Architecture that improves the quality of RevIP databases using search engine query logs and other location information sources and finds IP addresses that share multiple locations (indicative of large Internet gateways). A ground truth dataset is generated with mappings of IP addresses to locations and IP ranges to locations which are known to be correct. Additionally, the architecture can determine which types of queries and SERP page blocks (page sections) are location aware. Location information can be extracted from user queries and the most-frequently-used locations aggregated per IP address. Dominant locations can be aggregated, mapped to existing RevIP database IP address ranges and replaced. The updated RevIP database can be evaluated against the ground truth dataset. RevIP IP address ranges can be split and combined to improve the overall performance of the RevIP database.
US09753939B2

A data synchronization method for a multi-level associative storage architecture includes: receiving, by a master module, a request of an external write operation, writing data into a write buffer of the master module, and recording a digit sequence according to the write operation on the write buffer of the master module; flushing data from the write buffer to solid-state disk (SSD) files when a data amount in the write buffer of the master module reaches a threshold; recording, by the master module, a digit sequence for a flush operation; separately synchronizing, by the master module, the write operation and the flush operation to a slave module according to orders of digits in different digit sequences; and receiving, by the slave module, the synchronous write operation and synchronous flush operation, and separately synchronizing the data of the master module to corresponding locations of a local write buffer and local SSD files.
US09753932B1

A facility for snapshot space accounting for a storage system, such as a filesystem is disclosed. The facility enables users to quickly and easily determine the amount of storage space that would be released or recovered if a snapshot were to be purged. The facility may work in conjunction with, or as part of, a snapshot service. The facility maintains an expiration data structure and a count data structure and uses these data structures in implementing the disclosed snapshot space accounting techniques. The expiration data structure represents the life cycle of each snapshot element maintained by the facility while the count data structure represents, for pairs of snapshots, the size of the information stored in the snapshot data that expired and that spans the corresponding pair of snapshots.
US09753918B2

A speech translation system and methods for cross-lingual communication that enable users to improve and customize content and usage of the system and easily. The methods include, in response to receiving an utterance including a first term associated with a field, translating the utterance into a second language. In response to receiving an indication to add the first term associated with the field to a first recognition lexicon, adding the first term associated with the field and the determined translation to a first machine translation module and to a shared database for a community associated with the field of the first term associated with the field, wherein the first term associated with the field added to the shared database is accessible by the community.
US09753913B1

Systems and methods may provide proactive news analytics based on integrated prediction statements. Users may extract and collect conditional statements from research reports. A compiled list based on the processing/linking of statements for signal generation may then be created. Similarly, a list of counter statements that are assigned a conflict rating that specifies how much agreement/disagreement on a specific topic exists for the counter statement and the statement itself may be created. The custom library may have semantic capabilities to justify conditional statements in order to capture meaning and identify supporting news related to the statement. When a relevant event is detected that relates to a conditional statement, expected conclusions are linked, and customized indexes are calculated to allow for analysis of the relevant event.
US09753910B2

A spreadsheet includes a native spreadsheet object that represents a person. The person object may be used within a spreadsheet just as any other spreadsheet objects are utilized. For example, the person object may be integrated with spreadsheet formulas and other spreadsheet objects such as charts, tables, pivot tables, sheets, and the like. Spreadsheet formulas may perform operations specific to a person object (e.g. send message, get contact information, get status, get other person specific information, sort, and the like). Common actions may be associated with the person object, such as initiating communication with the person represented by the person object (e.g. phone call, email, text message, collaboration invite, and the like). Social networking information may also be associated with a person object. For example, social networking posts may be included within a spreadsheet, a user may post to a social network from the spreadsheet, and the like.
US09753901B1

Systems and techniques are provided for detecting columns of an electronic page based on a render of the electronic page and identification of one or more columns based on the render. A column of interest may be identified based on detecting the one or more columns based on a physical position of the column, a column size, and/or the content within the column. The column of interest may be used to index or categorize the electronic page as the most relevant information corresponding to the page may be contained in the column of interest.
US09753896B2

A computer-implemented system and method for flexibly taking actions upon activation of rule-based triggers are provided. A collection of documents is stored in a storage device within a computing environment. An activity of a user performed on a document from the collection is observed. At least one of an application, operation, key word, time, place, project, topic, different document from the collection, and different user is identified. A connection associated with the user is determined to at least one of the application, operation, key word, time, place, project, topic, different document from the collection, and different user based on the observed activity. A rule based on the connection and the observed activity is defined. The rule and a corresponding action are stored as a trigger. Rule satisfaction by at least one of a further activity, event, and stimuli activates the trigger, which causes performance of the corresponding action.
US09753888B2

An information processing device includes a receiving unit configured to receive a request to acquire a content to be shared among a plurality of client terminals attending a conference, from at least one of the plurality of client terminals; a determining unit configured to use first information to determine whether the content is allowed to be provided in response to the request from the at least one of the plurality of client terminals, the first information being used for attending the conference during the conference and used for acquiring the content at times other than during the conference when the content is allowed to be provided; and a providing unit configured to provide the content to the at least one of the plurality of client terminals which is a source of the request, when a result of the determination is that the content is allowed to be provided.
US09753880B1

The disclosure generally relates to a PCIe switch that includes a selectively transparent bridge that selectively allows transactions to traverse between multiple PCIe domains without the encumbrance of each root complex entity requiring knowledge of the selectively transparent bridge. The bridge that enables the transactions is invisible to the root complex entity in a host and drive switch domain of the PCIe switch. No address translation of the transactions is required because the drive switch domain address map is a subset of the host switch domain address map. The bridge allows for extremely low latency transactions between host systems and storage drives because the bridge allows the storage drive to read the Direct Memory Access (DMA) Scatter-Gather List (SGL) directly from host memory. The bridge also allows I/O data reads and writes from the storage drive directly to the host memory without store and forward within a RAID controller's memory.
US09753879B2

A switching apparatus to adapt an interface for multi-functional use includes a signal source, a display unit, a control unit, and a connector. The signal source includes a first power output and a data output. The display unit includes a power input and a data input. The control unit includes a switching chip having a control signal input, a first data pin, a second data pin, and a third data pin. The connector includes a second power input, a second power output, and a data output. The control signal input receives a switching signal. When the second data pin communicates with the first data pin according to the switching signal, the first power output is electrically coupled to the second power input, the signal source provides power for an electronic device connected with the connector.
US09753878B2

A system of extending functionalities of a host device using a smart flash storage device comprises the host device having a host interface and configured to perform a specific function to generate a first set of data. The host device is coupled with a flash storage device. The flash storage device is configured to conform to a flash memory interface. A set of data generated by the host device is to be stored in flash memory storage of the flash storage device. A processor of the flash storage device is configured to run one or more user applications to process the set of data. The processor is to operate using power supplied by the host device.
US09753871B2

A bridge for coupling a requesting interconnect and a serving interconnect connected to a number of coherent units in a computer system includes a first interface configured to receive a read request and a number of dependent write requests that the read request depends on from the requesting interconnect; and an issuer configured to issue the received number of dependent write requests to the serving interconnect and for issuing the received read request to the serving interconnect after issuing the number of dependent write requests and before receiving write acknowledgments for the issued dependent write requests from the serving interconnect.
US09753862B1

A data processing system includes an upper level cache memory and a lower level cache memory employing different replacement policies. The lower level cache memory provides a respective one of a plurality of counters for each of a plurality of cache lines in a particular congruence class. The lower level cache memory initializes a counter value for a cache line in the particular congruence class that was castout from the upper level cache memory based on an indication of whether the cache line was accessed in the upper level cache memory following installation in the upper level cache memory. The lower level cache memory selects a victim cache line from among the plurality of cache lines in the particular congruence class for eviction from the lower level cache memory by reference to counter values of the plurality of counters.
US09753860B2

Embodiments relate to managing page table entries in a processing system. A first page table entry (PTE) of a page table for translating virtual addresses to main storage addresses is identified. The page table includes a second page table entry contiguous with the second page table entry. It is determined whether the first PTE may be joined with the second PTE based on the respective pages of main storage being contiguous. A marker is set in the page table for indicating that the main storage pages identified by the first PTE and second PTEs are contiguous.
US09753855B2

A method is provided for facilitating operation of a processor core coupled to a first memory containing executable instructions, a second memory faster than the first memory and a third memory faster than the second memory. The method includes examining instructions being filled from the second memory to the third memory, extracting instruction information containing at least branch information; creating a plurality of tracks based on the extracted instruction information; filling at least one or more instructions that possibly be executed by the processor core based on one or more tracks from a plurality of instruction tracks from the first memory to the second memory; filling at least one or more instructions based on one or more tracks from the plurality of tracks from the second memory to the third memory before the processor core executes the instructions, such that the processor core fetches the instructions from the third memory.
US09753854B1

Managing data in a computing system comprising a plurality of cores includes: assigning an address within a memory address space for access by one of a plurality of memory controllers coupled to different respective cores based on a designated portion of the address. The designated portion is selected to exclude one or more highest order bits and bits that correspond to a cache line associated with the memory address. In response to a memory access request at one of the cores to access data stored at the address, the system determines which of the plurality of memory controllers to which the memory access request is to be directed based on the designated portion of the address.
US09753853B2

Methods and systems for managing caching mechanisms in storage systems are provided where a global cache management function manages multiple independent cache pools and a global cache pool. As an example, the method includes: splitting a cache storage into a plurality of independently operating cache pools, each cache pool comprising storage space for storing a plurality of cache blocks for storing data related to an input/output (“I/O”) request and metadata associated with each cache pool; receiving the I/O request for writing a data; operating a hash function on the I/O request to assign the I/O request to one of the plurality of cache pools; and writing the data of the I/O request to one or more of the cache blocks associated with the assigned cache pool. In an aspect, this allows efficient I/O processing across multiple processors simultaneously.
US09753844B2

Systems and methods for demonstrating a replacement information management software for a computing system. The methods may include determining if existing information management software is installed in the computing system. The methods may include identifying computing devices of the computing system using information from the existing information management software. The methods may include simulating the replacement information management software with characteristics of the identified computing devices to enable a user to experience the replacement information management software prior to committing to installing the replacement information management software in the computing system. The methods may include automatically installing the replacement information management software. Other implementations are disclosed.
US09753841B1

According to a computer-implemented method, a determination is made of content of an inbound request that is received at a composite software application from a client. The composite software application utilizes features from an application component that is deployed independently from the composite software application. A determination is made of content of an outbound request that is transmitted from the composite software application to the application component, with the outbound request being triggered by the inbound request. A determination is also made of content of a response to the inbound request that is transmitted from the composite software application to the client. The content of each of the inbound request, the response to the inbound request, and the outbound request are recorded in a repository as a baseline test case for regression testing of the composite software application.
US09753839B2

A method and a computer system include a protocol evaluation engine that evaluates a test script. The method includes receiving a test script and requirements, developing a set of protocol evaluators, evaluating the test script by comparing the protocol evaluators with the test script, determining a final score for the evaluator for the test script and generating a group score for a plurality of test scripts for identifying a tester for the test script based on the group score. The computer system includes a process and memory and processor executable instructions to carry out the above method.
US09753834B1

The example embodiments are directed to an automated cloud platform certification process. In one example, the method includes receiving a request for adding an application to the cloud platform, executing the application and performing an automated certification process based on the executed application. According to various embodiments, the automated certification process may include verifying an output of the executed application, verifying an impact of the executed application on the cloud platform is below a predetermined threshold, and verifying the executed application satisfies applicable coding guidelines. The application may be stored or launched on the cloud platform following successful certification.
US09753831B2

A method and system for dynamically managing memory in a computing environment using a control monitor. The control monitor (e.g., a virtual machine monitor or operating system kernel) includes a nomination module configured to collect memory statistics associated with at least one memory node. Based on the memory statistics, the control monitor detects one or more first pages accessed from a remote memory node at or above an access threshold. The nomination module nominates, via a communication to at least one of a scheduler module and a memory manager of the control monitor, the one or more first pages for migration to the remote memory node.
US09753822B1

Individual transport connections within a dual-star fabric connected multi-node storage system are disabled in response to associated failures due to faulty hardware or temporal congestion. Each configured IB transport connection is monitored for viability and, upon failure, removed from the pool of available resource. Following failure restoration the resource is tested to ensure proper functionality and then restored to the pool of resources. Mappings associated with the transport connections are maintained while the connections are disabled.
US09753816B2

According to certain aspects, a method can include electronically accessing, by a storage manager, a stored synchronization policy specifying at least a first folder associated with a first computing device and a second folder associated with a second computing device; identifying a first file stored in the first folder as a candidate for synchronization; receiving an indication as to a location of the first computing device and the second computing device; in response to a determination that the first computing device is not located within a geographic region, electronically generating and transmitting instructions to the first computing device to remove the first file from the first folder; and in response to a determination that the second computing device is located within the geographic region, electronically generating and transmitting instructions to cause transmission of the first file to the second computing device for storage in the second folder.
US09753815B1

A system, method, and computer readable medium for consistent and transparent replication of multi process multi threaded applications. The computer readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system. Primary applications runs on primary hosts and one or more replicated instances of each primary application run on one or more backup hosts. Replica consistency between primary application and its replicas is provided by imposing the execution ordering of the primary on all its replicas. The execution ordering on a primary is captured by intercepting calls to the operating system and libraries, sending replication messages to its replicas, and using interception on the replicas to enforce said captured primary execution order. Replication consistency is provided without requiring modifications to the application, operating system or libraries.
US09753814B1

In one example, a method is provided for backing up client data at a datacenter. Initially, an incremental backup is received from a client and stored at the datacenter. Next, a table of contents for the incremental backup is created, and differences identified between the incremental backup and a dataset previously stored at the datacenter. The offsets imposed by any new or modified blocks present in the incremental backup can then be identified and recorded, and used to identify respective data ranges in the incremental backup for any new and modified blocks, which data ranges can then be recorded. Next, a reference block can be created for each block of the previously stored dataset that was not modified in the incremental backup. The reference block can then be stored at the datacenter in association with the incremental backup.
US09753808B2

A data processing device includes a digital data processing unit and a control unit. The digital data processing unit includes a computing unit that computes digital data and a power source management unit that transceives commands with the computing unit and manages a power supply to the computing unit. The control unit controls a user interface unit that provides a user interface function. The control unit diagnoses an operation of the digital data processing unit by monitoring a transfer state of the commands between the computing unit and the power source management unit. When determining an abnormality occurrence in the operation of the digital data processing unit, the control unit resets all parts of the digital data processing unit or a part of the digital data processing unit without interrupting an operation of the user interface unit.
US09753800B1

A communication network operations center (NOC) management system. The system comprises a network equipment performance data store, an equipment fault data store, an equipment inventory data store, an equipment trouble history data store, and a knowledge data store. The system further comprises a computer system that executes a NOC management application. The NOC management application opens new network equipment trouble cases and analyzes the trouble cases based on data in the data stores. Based on the analysis, the application identifies an information pattern shared by the new trouble case and a resolved trouble case stored in the history data store. The application automatically executes a control command on a network equipment item identified in the new network equipment trouble case based on a resolution action identified in the resolved trouble case stored in the history data store with the shared information pattern.
US09753791B2

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product which capture and use analytics data relating to the internal activity of software programs executing in a message-passing runtime environment, such as that provided by Objective-C. The invention exploits the well documented interfaces of these environments together with their dynamic runtime capabilities to insert data collection and analysis code into an application without modification of the target application.
US09753783B2

Provided are a system and method for accelerating a mapreduce operation. The system for accelerating a mapreduce operation includes at least one map node configured to perform a map operation in response to a map operation request of a master node, and at least one reduce node configured to perform a reduce operation using result data of the map operation. The map node includes at least one map operation accelerator configured to generate a data stream by merging a plurality of data blocks generated as results of the map operation and establish a transmission channel for transmission of the data stream, and the reduce node includes at least one reduce operation accelerator configured to receive the data stream from the map operation accelerator through the transmission channel, recover the plurality of data blocks from the received data stream, and provide the recovered data blocks for the reduce operation.
US09753776B2

A computer system may determine a mode for a processor. The processor may support SMT, and it may have a first hardware thread with a first architected resource and a second hardware thread with a second architected resource. The computer system may determine that the processor is in a reduced-thread mode. The computer system may determine that the first hardware thread is a primary hardware thread that is active in the reduced-thread mode, and that the second hardware thread is a secondary hardware thread that is inactive in the reduced-thread mode. The computer system may disable the second hardware thread. The computer system may enable the first hardware thread to access the second architected resources.
US09753774B2

A request is received from a web-based programmatic resource executing within an application that is installed on the computing device. From the request, one or more functional resources of the computing device are identified. The functional resources are not otherwise accessible to the web-based programmatic resource executing within the installed application on the computing device. A task is performed using the identified one or more functional resources.
US09753769B2

An apparatus and method for sharing a function logic between functional units and a reconfigurable processor are provided. The apparatus for sharing a function logic may include a storage which is configured to store data which is received from two or more functional units in order to share one or more function logics, and an arbitrator which is configured, based on a scheduling rule, to transmit the data stored in the storage into the function logic.
US09753751B2

Processing data includes: receiving units of work that each include one or more work elements, and processing a first unit of work using a first compiled dataflow graph (160) loaded into a data processing system (100) in response to receiving the first unit of work. The processing includes: analysis to determine a characteristic of the first unit of work; identifying one or more compiled dataflow graphs from graphs stored in a data storage system (107) that include at least some that were compiled for processing a unit of work having the determined characteristic; loading one of the identified compiled dataflow graphs into the data processing system (100) as the first compiled dataflow graph (160); and generating one or more output work elements from at least one work element in the first unit of work.
US09753749B2

A method and information handling system configured to obtain legacy client information handling system performance data of a legacy client information handling system, to identify legacy client information handling system performance constraints, to receive legacy client information handling system configuration parameter values, information handling system configuration parameter values comprising motherboard configuration parameter values and component configuration parameter values, to identify replacement client information handling system performance enhancements relative to the legacy client information handling system performance constraints based on improved replacement client information handling system capabilities and capacities relative to legacy client information handling system capabilities and capacities, to determine replacement client information handling system configuration parameter values based on the legacy client information handling system configuration parameter values and the replacement client information handling system performance enhancements, and to apply settings of the replacement client information handling system configuration parameter values.
US09753743B2

A common action flow for an application is identified by processing session data maintained for a plurality of users to identify a plurality of action flows. Each action flow represents a series of actions taken by one of the users navigating the application's user interface during a session. A data structure is generated from the plurality of action flows. That data structure is indicative of a plurality of candidate sub-flows. The data structure is analyzed to identify a selected one of the candidate sub-flows repeated in multiple ones of the plurality of action flows. That identified sub-flow is the common action flow. Data representative of the identified common action flow can then be communicated.
US09753737B2

In various embodiments, application development tools can allow developers to control whether or not an attribute of a view object is displayed by declaratively associating a data security privilege with the attribute. Associating a data security privilege with the attribute can be done by adding a specially named custom property on the view object attribute. Modifications to a base class can provide any necessary support to retrieve the privilege and determine whether a current user is allowed to view the attribute for the current record/row. If the user is authorized to view the attribute for the current record/row, then the attribute value is returned and displayed. Otherwise, redacting information, such as “*****” can be returned and displayed.
US09753733B2

Methods, apparatuses, and processors for packing multiple iterations of a loop in a loop buffer. A loop candidate that meets the criteria for buffering is detected in the instruction stream being executed by a processor. When the loop is being written to the loop buffer and the end of the loop is detected, another iteration of the loop is written to the loop buffer if the loop buffer is not yet halfway full. In this way, short loops are written to the loop buffer multiple times to maximize the instruction operations per cycle throughput out of the loop buffer when the processor is in loop buffer mode.
US09753717B2

Techniques for concurrently upgrading one or more software applications hosted by one or multiple hosts. Checkpoint data associated with the upgrade processes executing on the multiple hosts may be generated during the overall upgrade operation. The checkpoint data may be stored in a shared storage that can be accessed by the upgrade processes. A reporting tool may generate a timing report using the checkpoint data. The timing report may indicate execution timing data of all hosts executing the upgrade processes such as the total time spent for each upgrade process, when an upgrade process started execution, when an upgrade process stopped and/or completed execution, and the like.
US09753712B2

The management of applications in a computing environment often involves a significant number of computing operations, such as acquiring the application, deploying data objects in various locations, and configuring the application with respect to the deployed device. Conventional computing environments may provide inadequate support throughout a typical application life cycle, especially for a computing environment distributed across many devices. Instead, the computing environment may be represented in a deployable object hierarchy that may be distributed to various devices. An application management service may therefore be provided to install representations of the application in the object hierarchy, and to support many other aspects of the application life cycle, such as application discovery, sharing, updating, and removal. The devices may therefore provide the applications of the computing environment to the user in a consistent manner with reduced manual management among the devices comprising the computing mesh.
US09753703B2

Disclosed are database systems, methods, and computer program products for generating identifiers for user interface elements of a web page of a web application. In some implementations, a server of a database system analyzes a copy of source code for a first web page. The first web page may comprise user interface elements capable of being generated from the source code. The server identifies one or more of the user interface elements of the first web page as not having a unique identifier or as having a dynamically generated identifier. The server generates, for each identified user interface element, a further unique identifier to be associated with the respective identified user interface element. The server generates edited source code comprising one or more further unique identifiers for the identified one or more user interface elements. The server stores the edited source code in a database of the database system.
US09753699B2

A selection in a browser can be mapped back to a corresponding location range in one or more source files that generated the selection. A selection in a source file can be mapped to the corresponding location range in the browser's DOM. The selection in the browser can be mapped to a location range in a block list generated from the DOM. The location range in the DOM's block list can be mapped to a corresponding location range in a block list generated from the fetched file received from a web server. The location range in the fetched file's block list can be mapped to a particular location in the particular source file responsible for generating the selection in the browser. The selection in the browser and the source file can be displayed concurrently, the source file scrolled to the location range corresponding to the selection in the browser.
US09753697B2

Markup language documents including server side scripting code using PHP syntax are executed efficiently in response to requests received by a server. The processing of the markup language document results in generation of a transformed markup language document that is returned in response to the request. The server side script code is input to a compiler that generates C++ code (or code in any object-based language based on C language) implementing the functionality of the server side script code. The C++ code is compiled to generated object code which is executed in order to process the markup language document. The generated C++ code includes functionality supported by PHP language including redeclaration of functions, dynamic variables, global variables, and the like. The generated C++ code invokes memory allocation code that allocates and deallocates objects obtained by instantiating the generated C++ classes.
US09753695B2

A datapath circuit may include a digital multiply and accumulate circuit (MAC) and a digital hardware calculator for parallel computation. The digital hardware calculator and the MAC may be coupled to an input memory element for receipt of input operands. The MAC may include a digital multiplier structure with partial product generators coupled to an adder to multiply a first and second input operands and generate a multiplication result. The digital hardware calculator may include a first look-up table coupled between a calculator input and a calculator output register. The first look-up table may include table entry values mapped to corresponding math function results in accordance with a first predetermined mathematical function. The digital hardware calculator may be configured to calculate, based on the first look-up table, a computationally hard mathematical function such as a logarithm function, an exponential function, a division function and a square root function.
US09753685B2

An information processing apparatus includes a log storage and a log deleting unit. The log storage stores log information in a memory. The log information indicates a history of a process in an image forming apparatus which forms an image on recording material. The log deleting unit deletes log information from the memory among pieces of log information stored in the memory. The deleted log information satisfies a predetermined condition. The log deleting unit does not delete log information related to an abnormality occurring in the image forming apparatus, even when the log information related to the abnormality satisfies the predetermined condition.
US09753681B2

An information processing apparatus displays data that is saved by an external information processing apparatus, identifies an image forming device by short-range wireless communication, and acquires compatibility information indicating whether or not the image forming device is compatible with a print method for acquiring the data from the external information processing apparatus and printing based on the data. An information processing apparatus transmits instructional information for acquiring the data designated by a user from the external information processing apparatus and printing based on the data to the image forming device, if the compatibility information indicates that the image forming device is compatible with the print method.
US09753663B1

Storing recovery data includes providing chunks of data to a remote destination, where each chunk of data represents data written before a first time and after a second time and where the second time for one of the particular chunks corresponds to a first time for a subsequent one of the particular chunks, providing synchronous data to a local destination, and providing an indicator to the local destination in connection with creation of a new chunk of data for storage at the remote destination. The local destination may maintain a plurality of maps, where each of the maps associates synchronous data being provided thereto with a specific chunk of data. In response to receiving an indicator in connection with creation of a new chunk of data, the local destination may point to a new map. There may be two maps or more than two maps.
US09753661B2

A system and method for combining the execution of a query with other operations, such as a data retention scan, in a storage device, when the execution of the query is not time-sensitive. The storage device may be connected to a host, and may operate during intervals of time in a power save mode. When a query is received by the host that is not time-sensitive, the query may be stored in the host or in the storage device until such time as the device would otherwise return to a normal operating mode, and then the query may be executed. Such delayed execution may enable the sharing of read operations for the query with read operations used, for example, for the execution of other queries or for a data retention scan.
US09753657B2

A storage device with a charge trapping (CT) based memory may include improved data retention (DR) performance. The CT memory may be 3D memory that uses a charge storage layer for storing charge may have unique data retention behavior. Memory blocks using a charge storage layer may be dynamically detected and reconditioned and re-programmed to improve memory characteristics, such as data retention. The reconditioning may include a dedicated erase cycle for a block that improves the data retention.
US09753656B2

The disclosure provides a data synchronization system, apparatus and method. A primary memory area is created at a destination end apparatus, and an incremental synchronization process is performed. A source end apparatus records a log for a write operation, including operation information and a sequence number for the operation. A latest destination-end write operation sequence number is recorded. The source end pushes in real-time write operation information corresponding to a source-end write operation sequence number greater than the latest destination-end sequence number to the destination end if a latest source-end write operation sequence number is greater than the latest destination-end sequence number. The destination end apparatus performs a write operation on the primary memory area according to the write operation information, records a write operation sequence number of the primary memory area and sends a latest write operation sequence number of the primary memory area to the source end apparatus.
US09753651B2

A memory system includes a memory controller, a first memory module and second through k-th memory modules. The first memory module is directly coupled to the memory controller without any other memory modules communicatively coupled therebetween, through a first memory bus, and the first memory module exchanges first data with the memory controller. The second through k-th memory modules are coupled to the first memory module with a multi-drop connection through a second memory bus and the second through k-th memory modules exchange second data with the memory controller via the first memory module.
US09753650B2

According to a storage system, method, and apparatus for processing an operation request provided by embodiments of the present invention, a controller directly encapsulates a SCSI protocol operation request into an Ethernet operation request packet at the MAC layer instead of using the TCP/IP protocol layer and a disk enclosure decapsulates the Ethernet operation request to obtain the SCSI protocol operation request and sends the SCSI protocol operation request to a target disk, thereby reducing layers of encapsulation, reducing a processing delay of the storage system, and improving performance of the storage system.
US09753642B2

A method includes generating a display associated with a web-based application interface. The display includes a plurality of features. The method also includes associating each of the plurality of features with at least one first key selection. A user can navigate to one of the features using the at least one first key selection associated with the feature. The method further includes establishing at least one second key selection. The user can navigate within one of the features using the at least one second key selection. In addition, the method includes communicating the display for presentation to the user.
US09753640B2

A communication apparatus includes a display input unit having a display screen and an input unit for receiving an operation relative to the display screen; a control unit configured to control the display input unit so that destination information of a transmission destination is obtained; and a communication unit configured to transmit data to a destination specified with the destination information. The control unit displays a first key correlated to one letter on the display screen. The control unit displays a text input screen on the display screen so that the control unit receives an operation of inputting one letter when the control unit receives an operation of specifying the first key. The control unit obtains a text string formed of the one letter correlated to the first key thus specified and the one letter thus input as the destination information.
US09753639B2

An electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface displays, on the display, an affordance corresponding to respective content at a respective size and detects a gesture that includes an increase in intensity of a contact followed by a subsequent decrease in intensity of the contact. In response to the increase in intensity, the device decreases a size of the affordance below the respective size. In response to the subsequent decrease in intensity: when a maximum intensity of the contact is above a content-display intensity threshold, the device ceases to display the affordance and displays at least a portion of the respective content; and when a maximum intensity of the contact is below the content-display intensity threshold, the device increases the size of the affordance to the respective size and forgoes displaying the respective content.
US09753633B2

An information processing apparatus includes a display, a detector, a setting unit, an approaching display unit, and an element processor. The display displays an image including one or more elements on a display region of the display. The detector detects an operation in the display region. In response to detection of a first operation including specifying a specified point in the background, the setting unit sets a first region that is the entirety or a portion of the display region in accordance with the first operation. The approaching display unit displays element information relating to a first element displayed in the first region at a position closer to the specified point than the first element prior to detection of the first operation. In response to detection of a second operation on the element information, the element processor executes a process corresponding to the second operation on the first element.
US09753632B2

Disclosed are a mobile terminal and a control method thereof. The mobile terminal includes a sensing unit, a display unit and a controller. The sensing unit senses a user's sight line. The display unit displays screen information. The controller controls the screen information output on the display unit, based on sight line information corresponding to the sensed user's sight line. When a user's gesture on the display unit is sensed at a time point corresponding to that when the user's sight line is sensed, the controller limits control of the screen information based on the sight line information.
US09753630B1

A card stack navigation interface provides an aesthetic arrangement of items that are available for selection by a user. When a user selects a stack, such as a column of items in a grid, the items in the selected column may be represented by a more complete and/or larger representation. For example, the items may be shown as images on a grid, but when selected (revealed) by the user via a column, the items in the column may include additional information such as a title, a description, a larger image, and so forth. In addition, a navigation bar may be visually associated with the grid to show a location of content of the grid with respect to all of the content, to enable a user to move to a new location in the content, or for other reasons.
US09753629B2

A display device can include a communication unit to receive first data from the external device; a display unit to display first screen information based on the first data; and a control unit to receive an content selection and transmit location information corresponding to the selected content to the external device for executing a function, and receive second data from the external device that is based on the executed function, and display second screen information based on the received second data, in which the first data is related to contents displayed in the external device before receiving the location information, the second data is related to contents displayed in the external device after receiving the location information and executing the function based on the location information from the external device, the location information includes coordinate information that are coordinates of the selected content in the displayed first screen information.
US09753626B2

A method and a device for providing content are provided. The device includes a display configured to display content, and an interface configured to receive a first input that selects a part of the displayed content, and a second input that requests to change a size of the displayed content. The device further includes a controller configured to control the display to display the selected part of the displayed content and an unselected part of the displayed content by changing a size of the selected part and a size of the unselected part to be different from each other, in response to the interface receiving the second input.
US09753618B1

In some implementations, program data for a program is used to provide interactive content to an application that runs on mobile computing devices. The program includes a sequence of multiple segments each corresponding to different time periods, multiple selectable tracks and multiple levels within each track. The program data indicates rules for the program that are used to vary the interactive content provided to different users. The program data is used to identify a rule that correspond to a current segment, a current track, and a current level in the program for a particular user. A trigger and one or more conditions specified by the identified rule is be determined to be satisfied, and in response, content specified by the identified rule is provided for display on the mobile computing device associated with the particular user.
US09753616B2

The present invention concerns a method, an apparatus and a computer-readable storage means for adjusting at least one parameter, which can be used for enhancing the user experience of adjusting parameters, especially of adjusting parameters in common audio software through a system of assignable rotary encoders with capacitive-sensing knob caps and a parameter type aware software. The invention especially enables a quick adjustment of several parameters by use of rotary encoders.For this purpose, a method is proposed, where at least two touch sensitive input elements are provided for adjusting the at least two parameters, at least one of the at least two touch sensitive input elements is selected by contacting it with at least a first part of the human body, and the at least one parameter, which is assigned to the contacted touch sensitive input elements, is adjusted by operating, with at least a second part of the human body, at least one input element different from the contacted touch sensitive input elements.
US09753613B2

A display control device includes an operation-display unit and a controller. The operation-display unit hierarchically displays multiple functions using multiple screens and accepts an operation performed through an approach or touch of an object. The controller performs control so that, when the object approaches a function displayed on an original screen, a next screen associated with the function selected as a result of the approach of the object is temporarily displayed using a display mode corresponding to a relationship between the original screen and the next screen.
US09753610B2

An in-vehicle apparatus and a control method of an in-vehicle apparatus, which is applied to a multimedia terminal having, for example, a function of navigation equipment and a function of video playback so as to improve usability to a user in a case of accepting an operation through a touch panel and a remote commander. A touch panel menu screen suitable for an operation through a touch panel and a remote commander menu screen suitable for an operation through a remote commander are switched to be displayed so as to accept an operation by a user.
US09753608B2

A user interface overlay is presented over a native graphical user interface (GUI) of a device. By way of example, the overlay can include a graphical presentation layer (GPL) that can selectively mask and/or expose functionality of the native GUI of the device. In addition, the GPL can bundle disparate portions of native functionality in accord with one or more logical associations between a title, tag, application, purpose, type, or like qualifier, associated with the disparate portions. In addition, user preferences and device/network intelligence components can dynamically customize portions of the GPL to match a location, locale, mood, or setting or like situational context of a device and/or user.
US09753602B2

Systems and method are provided for providing a playlist transport bar. The playlist transport bar provides an overlay which graphically represents assets (e.g., programs) of a playlist in a manner that enables a user to simultaneously ascertain a playback position within the playlist and a particular asset. The playlist transport may include asset regions which each correspond to an asset in a playlist and a position indication region which may provide information relating to a playback position.
US09753585B2

In some examples, a projector is controlled to project an image content onto a projection surface in a region defining a display area. Captured images are received that are captured by at least one optical sensor of the projected image content on the projection surface. In the captured images, user touches of a plurality of designated locations of the projected image content on the projection surface are detected. A position of an interaction area based on the detected user touches is determined, and, based on the determined position of the interaction area, it is determined whether the display area and the interaction area coincide.
US09753582B2

A processing system for position-filtering includes a sensor module and a determination module. The sensor module includes sensor circuitry coupled to sensor electrodes, and is configured to transmit transmitter signals and receive resulting signals with at least a portion of the sensor electrodes. The determination module is configured to determine first positional information for an input object in a sensing region based on the resulting signals, the first positional information including a detected displacement of the input object from a preceding frame, and determine second positional information from the first positional information. The second positional information includes a revised displacement determined by applying a correction factor to the detected displacement, the correction factor being based on a number of frames of the input object being detected in the sensing region, a noise scale, and a finger scale. The determination module is further configured to report the second positional information.
US09753578B2

A touch sensing method for a touch panel is provided. The touch sensing method includes following steps. First, a plurality of sensing values of a plurality of sensing points are received so as to calculate a plurality of sensing difference values according to the sensing values. Next, a touch threshold value is determined according to at least one (e.g., a maximum one) of the sensing difference values. Then, the sensing difference values are compared with the touch threshold value to determine the coordinates of the touched ones of the sensing points according to the comparison result.
US09753573B2

An apparatus and a method for processing a split view in a portable device. The method of processing a split view in a portable device, includes: displaying a plurality of applications as a split view corresponding to split display regions of a display unit; displaying an input panel on a display region of an application of the plurality of applications that did not call for the input panel when the input panel is called; and processing data input through the input panel by an application calling the input panel.
US09753572B2

The embodiment of the present invention provides a touch panel, a method for manufacturing the touch panel and a touch display device. The touch panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate which is cell-assembled with the first substrate. A surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate is provided with a first touch electrode having a planar shape and a surface of the second substrate facing the second substrate is provided with a plurality of second touch electrodes and each of the second touch electrodes includes a strip electrode base and a plurality of electrode projections provided on the strip electrode base. Upon no touch operation being generated on the touch panel, all the electrode projections are insulated from the first touch electrode; upon a touch operation being generated on the touch panel, the electrode projections on the touch point is contacted with the first touch electrode.
US09753571B2

A touch panel structure includes: a transparent substrate; a shield layer on one face of the transparent substrate; a touch electrode layer on the face of the transparent substrate, a part of the touch electrode layer extending to a face of the shield layer distal from the transparent substrate; a lead layer on the face of the shield layer; an integrated circuit in the non-touch section on the face of the shield layer and electrically connected to the touch electrode layer and the lead layer; and a flexible circuit board electrically connected to lead layer. The number of the connection pins at the electrical junction between the flexible circuit board and the lead layer is reduced. When assembled with the mechanism, the possibility of interference between the flexible circuit board, the integrated circuit and the mechanism is minimized to avoid poor contact of the integrated circuit.
US09753570B2

A processing system comprises a sensor module and a determination module. The sensor module comprises sensing circuitry coupled to sensor electrodes of a sensor electrode pattern. The sensor module is configured to: drive a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of the sensor electrode pattern; receive first resulting signals from the first sensor electrode; and receive second resulting signals from a second sensor electrode of the sensor electrode pattern. The second resulting signals comprise effects corresponding to the modulated signal, and the first resulting signals and the second resulting signals are simultaneously received. The determination module configured to determine a change in capacitive coupling between an input object and the first sensor electrode based on the first resulting signals and a change in capacitive coupling between the first and second sensor electrodes based on the second resulting signals.
US09753568B2

Sensors incorporating piezoresistive materials are described. One class of includes conductive traces formed directly on or otherwise integrated with the piezoresistive material.
US09753566B2

According to one embodiment, a device includes a first acquisition processing module, a touchscreen display, a display processing module, a second acquisition processing module, and a request processing module. The first acquisition processing module acquires first content from a first delivery device. The display processing module displays content based on the first content on the touchscreen display. The second acquisition processing module acquires second content from a second delivery device based on data included in the first content, when a predetermined operation is executed for the touchscreen. The request processing module requests an output processing device corresponding to the second content to execute output processing based on the second content.
US09753562B2

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for connectivity. In one aspect there is provided a method. The method may include detecting, at a first device including a touch screen sensor and a first short-range transceiver, an object proximate to the touch screen sensor; generating a touch profile representative of the detected object; comparing the generated touch profile to one or more reference touch profiles representative of one or more reference objects corresponding to one or more devices to determine whether the detected object corresponds to at least a second device including a second short-range transceiver; and initiating, by the first device via the first short-range transceiver, a connection establishment to the second device including the second short-range transceiver, when the comparing determines the detected object matches a reference object representative of the second device. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
US09753559B2

An apparatus is provided. There is an input terminal that is configured to receive an input signal from a optical receiver and an output terminal. First and second integrators are coupled between the input and output terminals. In the second integrator, there is a current source that is coupled to the input terminal, a first resistor that is coupled to the output terminal, and a second resistor. Also, there is an amplifier having a first input, a second input, and an output, where the first resistor is coupled to the first input of the amplifier and where the second input of the amplifier is configured to receive a reference voltage. A transistor is coupled between the current source the second resistor and is coupled to the output of the amplifier at its gate. A capacitor is also coupled between the first input of the amplifier and the second resistor.
US09753558B2

A pointing device, display system, and method of operation to allow the detection of a point on an image plane at which the pointing device is pointing.
US09753554B2

Techniques are provided which facilitate mobile applications displaying advertisements on a larger screen space without worrying about screen clutter or interference with application functionality. Motion events are triggered once a computerized device detects a threshold magnitude of tilt along a first, second, and/or third coordinate axis. A graphical display is presented to the user which includes at least one advertisement. Several embodiments of the graphical display include a three-dimensional object and full-screen display which are maintained so long as a magnitude of tilt of the computerized device is detected.
US09753552B1

Disclosed are methods, computer-readable media and systems for locking an orientation of content on a display to prevent automatic and inadvertent orientation changes. An orientation lock module receives input from a user and presents a lock control for a pre-determined time. When locked, orientation of content on the display remains unchanged regardless of motion. When unlocked, orientation of content on the display may automatically change in response to detecting a motion.
US09753550B2

The present disclosure is related to an optical encoder which is configured to provide precise coding reference data by feature recognition technology. To apply the present disclosure, it is not necessary to provide particular dense patterns on a working surface or any reference object with particular markers. The precise coding reference data can be generated by detecting surface features of the working surface.
US09753547B2

An interactive displaying method, a control method and an apparatus for achieving displaying of a holographic image are provided. The interactive displaying method comprises: scanning a 3D space by controlling signal transmitters arranged in a matrix to transmit signals; determining a target object in the 3D space; and determining a first position of the target object and displaying a viewable image corresponding to the target object at a second position of a display region. The control method comprises: scanning a 3D space by controlling signal transmitters arranged in a matrix to transmit signals; determining a gesture operation of a target object; determining the gesture; and executing a control operation corresponding to the gesture. The apparatus comprises a display unit, a signal detecting unit, a position determining unit and a display control unit.
US09753543B2

A terminal wearable by a user and a control method thereof are provided. The terminal includes: a body configured to wrap at least one region of a wrist and detachably formed; a sensing unit disposed in one surface of the body and configured to sense a movement of at least one of tendons passing through the wrist and the wrist; and a controller configured to generate a control signal for controlling an external device to execute a function previously matched to the sensed movement of the at least one of the tendons and the wrist.
US09753527B2

One disclosed method includes registering a graphics buffer with a kernel running on a first processor, storing the registered graphics buffer in memory initially without drawing the graphics buffer to a display, and passing the registered graphics buffer to a kernel display driver directly to draw the graphics buffer to the display, in response to a trigger. The method may further include informing a second processor of the registered graphics buffer and receiving the trigger by the kernel as a message from the second processor. The first processor may receive the trigger as a wake command from the second processor while the first processor is in sleep mode. A partial resume of the kernel is then performed while preventing activation of user space on the primary processor, and the graphics buffer is drawn on the display without using an operating system graphics pipeline of the user space.
US09753518B2

An electronic apparatus and a display control method are described. The electronic apparatus includes a first display unit having a first visible part for displaying a first image; a first detecting unit for detecting a first parameter for indicating a relative distance between a target object and the first visible part; and a processing unit for generating an image to be displayed and for controlling the display of the first display unit according to at least the first parameter. When the first display unit is in a first state, if the relative distance is less than or equal to a threshold distance according to the first parameter, the processing unit controls the first display unit to switch from the first status to a second state, and the power consumption of the first display unit in the first state is lower than a power consumption in the second status.
US09753513B2

In an actuating drive (1), an electronic controller (2) and a data bus interface (5) are configured in such a way that, as an alternative to supply via a power supply connection (4), the electronic controller (2) can be supplied via a data bus interface (5) if the power supply connection (4) is voltage-free.
US09753509B2

An imaging apparatus for a thermal analyzer is configured to image a heated sample inside a thermal analyzer main body section from an observation window provided in the thermal analyzer main body section. The imaging apparatus is provided with: an imaging device that is provided with a lens housing and a main body section; a holding section configured to hold the imaging device to have an orientation in which the lens housing is oriented toward the observation window, and the main body section is positioned on the opposite side of the observation window across the lens housing; and a cooling fan configured to provide airflow inside the holding section. The holding section is provided with a cooling air passage having an intake portion and an exhaust portion. At least a portion of the lens housing is arranged in the cooling air passage to be cooled by the airflow provided by the cooling fan.
US09753505B2

An expansion card securing device comprises a frame, a securing member, an elastic member, a pivot and an operating member. The frame has a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion. The securing member has a shaft portion and a securing portion. The securing portion is connected with the shaft portion. The shaft portion has two salient portions protruding from the securing portion. The shaft portion is pivotally connected with the frame via the two salient portions. The securing portion is engaged with the first engaging portion. The elastic member is sleeved at the salient portion closer to the second engaging portion. Two ends of the elastic member abut the securing portion and the frame, respectively. The operating member has a rotating portion and an operating portion. The operating portion is connected with the rotating portion and is engaged with the second engaging portion. The rotating portion is pivotally connected with the salient portion closer to the second engaging portion via the pivot and abuts the side wall having the second engaging portion of the frame.
US09753501B2

An electronic device includes a substrate, a structure arranged near the substrate and includes at least one electronic component, a conductive structure provided in the electronic device, and a conductor arranged in the structure, grounding the conductive structure to a ground of the substrate. Electronic components spaced within the electronic device are electrically connected to each other using the existing structure to be installed, so that a mounting space for preparing an electrical connector is prevented from being wasted, thereby making the electronic device slim. The embodiments according to the present disclosure can reduce the number of assembling processes and manufacturing costs.
US09753497B2

Disclosed are an electronic apparatus and a connecting device. The electronic apparatus includes a body; a supporting frame located at a back face of the body; a connecting device through which the supporting frame is rotatably connected with the body so that the supporting frame is unfolded by a predefined angle relative to the back face of the body and that the body is supported on the support surface through the supporting frame; the connecting device including: a first connecting part connected with the supporting frame; a second connecting part connected with the body; a rotary shaft; a first damping element; a second damping element; wherein in the case that the supporting frame is rotated, relative to the back face of the body, by the predefined angle around the rotary shaft in a first direction through the connecting device, the first damping element of the connecting device provides a first damping force against rotation in the first direction; in the case that the supporting frame is rotated, relative to the back face of the body, by the predefined angle around the rotary shaft in a second direction through the connecting device, the second damping element of the connecting device provides a second damping force against rotation in the second direction, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the first damping force is different from the second damping force.
US09753493B2

The invention refers to a Holder having grip means for a detachable tablet computer or the like with a screen, said holder having a frame, which comprise holder means for reception of said tablet computer. The holder is provided for controlling a machine and comprises a hand grip side or hand grip side portion with buttons or sensors, which are provided for operating a machine by means of said tablet computer mounted thereon and which are able to be activated through finger touch/contact of said holder in order to communicate with certain functions of said tablet computer and/or of the machine which it is arranged to control. Said machine could be an agricultural implement, like a seed drill or the like.
US09753485B2

A data processing method and apparatus are provided. The data processing apparatus includes a converter module and a control module. The converter module receives a clock signal through a pin, and decides a bit value of the first data according to a length of a corresponding period of the clock signal. The control module determines whether to perform a bit writing operation for writing the bit value into a memory according to the clock signal and the first data.
US09753484B1

A SAT filter builder and method for building a SAT filter is provided. Hash functions are utilized to map elements of a domain subset to a set of literals which are in turn used to create a set of equations. These equations are conjoined to provide a satisfiability instance. The satisfiability instance is provided to an equation solver and the solution is provided to an array to build the filter. A query tool is also provided which allows the filter built by the SAT filter to test an element for set membership. The query tool utilizes the same hash functions used by the SAT filter builder to map the element to be tested to a set of literals. These literals are used to create an equation. The solution identified by the SAT builder tool is then provided to the equation created by the query tool and set membership is determined by determining whether the equation provided by the query tool is satisfied by the solution provided by the SAT filter builder.
US09753479B2

A pre-driver circuit generates a driver bias signal based on a swing command, a driver impedance characteristic, and an input signal. A driver receives the driver bias signal and generates, in response, a driver signal having a swing and having an output impedance corresponding to the bias signal. Optionally, the driver receives power from a switchable one of multiple supply rails, according to the swing. Optionally, the driver has voltage controlled resistor elements and the driver bias signal is generated based on the swing command and a replica of the driver voltage controlled resistor elements.
US09753473B2

Aspects of the present invention include a low-dropout (LDO) linear power supply system. The system includes a pass-element configured to generate an output voltage at an output based on an input voltage. The system also includes a compensation amplifier stage coupled to the output and configured to provide frequency compensation and provide a desired frequency response of the output voltage. The system further includes a gain amplifier stage interconnecting the compensation amplifier stage and the pass-element and configured to provide DC gain scaling to generate the output voltage substantially proportional to the input voltage within a given range of the input voltage.
US09753472B2

Systems and methods relate to extending life of a low-dropout (LDO) voltage regulator. A differential amplifier of the LDO voltage regulator includes switches that can be selectively turned on or off. When the LDO voltage regulator is bypassed or turned off (or not active), a first switch is turned on to selectively couple gates of a first input transistor and a second input transistor of the differential amplifier, to maintain the gates at a same voltage. The first switch is turned off to decouple the gates when the LDO voltage regulator is active. Further, a second switch can be turned on or off to selectively couple or decouple, respectively, the gate of the second input transistor to an output voltage of the LDO voltage regulator, based on whether the LDO voltage regulator is active or not active, respectively.
US09753471B2

Various circuits and methods are disclosed for generating a regulated voltage. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus includes a voltage regulation circuit including a transistor having a channel between source and drain nodes and a gate for affecting current passing through the channel. The voltage regulation circuit configured and arranged to generate, from a voltage source, a regulated voltage at an output node. The voltage regulation circuit exhibits a transfer function having a pole-frequency that varies in response to changes in the current passed by the transistor. The apparatus also includes a current control circuit connected to the voltage regulation circuit, and configured to adjust current provided to the output node to maintain a relatively constant current through the transistor.
US09753467B2

A tangible non-transitory computer readable medium may include instructions to analyze a first signal indicative of a speed of a turbine system and transform the first signal into a second signal. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium may also include instructions to transmit the second signal to control a speed of the turbine system by actuating a field device. Actuating the field device may include controlling a fluid level in a torque converter mechanically coupled to the turbine system, and the speed may be below a minimum setpoint of the turbine system.
US09753459B2

In a method for operating a motor vehicle which is configured to autonomously drives to a predefined travel destination, a driver's line of view is detected, and the autonomous driving operation is influenced as a function of the detected driver's line of view.
US09753447B2

It is possible to easily change CAM tables, which are used for executing an electronic CAM operation. A CAM computation program performs an electronic CAM operation, using a CAM table that is an array in which displacements of a slave axis of an electronic CAM are associated with phases of a master axis of the electronic CAM. A CAM table generating program receives input of a CAM definition variable that defines an electronic CAM operation to be realized by a motion control, and generates a CAM table in which a CAM curve is stored as an array corresponding to the inputted CAM definition variable. A microprocessor performs a CAM computation program using the CAM table. If the microprocessor receives the input of the CAM definition variable, the microprocessor performs the CAM table generating program to generate the CAM table, and stores the generated CAM table into the main memory.
US09753436B2

One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device includes an enclosure having a sidewall with a button aperture defined therethrough, a display connected to the enclosure, a processing element in communication with the display. The device also includes a sensing element in communication with the processing element and an input button at least partially received within the button aperture and in communication with the sensing element, the input button configured to receive two types of user inputs. During operation, the sensing element tracks movement of the input button to determine the two types of user inputs.
US09753435B2

A visual metronome for use with a drum kit, including circuitry for generating a succession of light signals according to a selected flashing pattern defined by frequency and duration. A circuit splitter is in operative communication with the metronome for multiplying the light signals. A plurality of individual light emitting components are in operative communication with the circuit splitter, the light emitting components being mounted to individual components associated with the drum kit to simultaneously display the flashing pattern corresponding to the multiplied light output signals at locations visible to a user of the drum kit. A plurality of cables extend between the circuit splitter and respective light emitting components. The light emitting components can each further include a different color in order to provide enhanced visibility in various stage lighting situations. A power supply communicates the metronome, including any of a battery or a 9V power outlet plug.
US09753434B2

Facilitate operations to release a bezel from a rotation prevented state and to rotate the bezel and avoid erroneously releasing the rotation prevented state. A timepiece includes a restrictor having engaging teeth and being movable between a restricted position and a release position by engaging/disengaging the engaging teeth with teeth of the bezel. The timepiece also has a holding mechanism holding the restrictor between a held state, i.e., restricted position and a non-held state. i.e., the release position. The holding mechanism includes two push-buttons and a release mechanism including a spring bar and engaging hole. The release mechanism switches the restrictor to the non-held state irrespective of a continuance of applying the pressing operation forces after the pressing operation forces are applied simultaneously to the two push-buttons.
US09753433B2

A mechanical component includes a component main body having a through-hole through which a shaft member is passed, and a forcing-in portion made of metal material formed on the inner surface of the through-hole and fixed to the shaft member through the forcing-in of the shaft member. The component main body has a retaining recess and the forcing-in portion fills the inner space of the retaining recess so that the retaining recess constitutes an anchor structure regulating displacement of the forcing-in portion with respect to the component main body.
US09753429B2

A fixing apparatus including a flexible belt having a heat generating layer, an outer ring provided on one edge side of the belt and along an outer peripheral surface of the belt, the outer ring being electrically connected to the heat generating layer, an inner ring provided on the one edge side of the belt and along an inner peripheral surface of the belt to face the outer ring through the belt, and a power supply unit that is electrically connected to the outer ring and that feeds power. A difference obtained by subtracting a diameter of the inner ring at a normal temperature from a diameter of the inner ring at a fixing temperature is equivalent to or larger than a difference obtained by subtracting a diameter of the outer ring at the normal temperature from a diameter of the outer ring at the fixing temperature.
US09753415B2

An application voltage to a conveyance auxiliary roller is controlled to have a polarity opposite to a charged polarity of toner before a front end of a sheet makes contact with the conveyance auxiliary roller, and the application voltage to the conveyance auxiliary roller is switched to a ground voltage before a rear end of the sheet is separated from the conveyance auxiliary roller after being separated from a conveying belt.
US09753406B2

A process unit has an image carrying unit having an image carrying member configured to be rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction, and a developing agent removing member, a developing unit having a developing agent carrying member configured to be rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis, and a waste developing agent collecting unit configured to collect the developing agent removed by the removing member from the image carrying member. The waste developing agent collecting unit is arranged on one side in the first direction with respect to the developing unit such that the waste developing agent collecting unit faces the developing unit, and the developing unit is connected to the waste developing agent collecting unit such that the developing unit being movable in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the waste developing agent collecting unit.
US09753405B2

A toner container is removably mounted in a housing of an image forming apparatus. The toner container contains a toner and has a stirring member for stirring the toner. An electric motor drives the stirring member. A storage device stores a required load value set for the toner container. A load detecting section includes an electric current sensor that measures a drive electric current of the electric motor. The load detecting section detects an actual load value of the electric motor in driving of the stirring member based on the drive electric current measured. A determination section compares the actual load value detected by the load detecting section with the required load value stored in the storage device and determines whether or not the actual load value coincides with the required load value to determine whether or not the toner container mounted in the housing is a genuine product.
US09753400B2

A developer cartridge assembled to a developing device defining therein a developing chamber. The developer cartridge includes a first accommodating portion, and a first agitator. The first accommodating portion accommodates therein a developing agent and is positioned beside the developing device. The first accommodating portion includes a first wall part neighboring the developing device. The first wall part is formed with a first through-hole and a second through-hole. The first through-hole is open diagonally downward from the first accommodating portion to the developing device. The second through-hole is open diagonally upward from the first accommodating portion to the developing device. The first through-hole and the second through-hole allow communication between an interior of the first accommodating portion and the developing chamber. The first agitator is rotatably disposed in the first accommodating portion and in sliding contact with the first wall part in a vertical direction.
US09753399B2

An image forming apparatus includes a toner container information storage section, a toner container information acquisition section, a toner container information readout section, a number-of-refills comparing section, a genuine product determining section, and a toner container information update section. The toner container information acquisition section is configured to acquire an identification code and a number of refills from a toner container. The number-of-refills comparing section is configured to read out, based on the acquired identification code, the number of refills of the corresponding toner container from the toner container information storage section and determine whether or not the number of refills acquired from the toner container is smaller than the read number of refills. If the number of refills acquired from the toner container is smaller than the read number of refills, the genuine product determining section determines that the toner container is a non-genuine product.
US09753398B2

An image forming apparatus including: an image formation unit including an accumulation unit accumulating toner, and forms an image based on image data using the accumulated toner; a measurement unit measures toner density of an developer in the accumulation unit; a replenishment unit replenishes toner to the accumulation unit from an attached container; a first determination unit determines a first value based on the image data; a second determination unit determines a second value based on the measurement result of the measurement result; a third determination unit determines a third value by accumulating the second value; and a controller controls the replenishment unit based on the first value, the second value, and the third value, wherein in a case where the container has been replaced, the third determination unit changes the third value into a predetermined value before the difference is determined by the second determination unit.
US09753397B2

An image forming apparatus includes: a first optical head group including first optical heads arranged in a sub-scanning direction; a second optical head group including second optical heads arranged in the sub-scanning direction and overlapping the first optical head group in a main scanning direction; a detector that detects displacement amounts between the first optical heads and the second optical heads; and a controller that performs registration based on the detection by the detector. The controller performs, with one of the first optical heads as a reference, registration on the other first optical heads, performs, with one of the second optical heads as a reference, registration on the other second optical heads, and performs registration between the first optical head group and the second optical head group based on a displacement amount between one of the first optical heads and one of the second optical heads.
US09753392B2

An image carrier unit includes an image carrier, a charging device, and a unit housing. The charging device is attachably/detachably held in the unit housing, and electrically charges a surface of the image carrier. The unit housing integrally holds the image carrier and the charging device. The unit housing includes a light shielding member disposed at a first position at which the light shielding member blocks charge elimination light shone onto the image carrier from a charge elimination device provided on a side of the image forming apparatus such that the charge elimination light does not reach the charging device, the first position overlapping with an attachment-detachment path of the charging device. When detaching the charging device from the unit housing, the light shielding member moves from the first position to a second position retracted from the attachment-detachment path of the charging device.
US09753387B2

A toner includes a base particle including a polyester resin and a colorant. A sea-island structure is observed by a transmission electron microscope (TEM) in a cross-sectional image of the toner. The island structure includes the colorant and has an average diameter of from 0.2 μm to 1.0 μm, and the number of the island structure is from 5 to 30.
US09753379B2

Inspection apparatus (100) is used for measuring parameters of targets on a substrate. Coherent radiation follows an illumination path (solid rays) for illuminating target (T). A collection path (dashed rays) collects diffracted radiation from the target and delivers it to a lock-in image detector (112). A reference beam following a reference path (dotted rays). An acousto-optical modulator (108) shifts the optical frequency of the reference beam so that the intensity of radiation at the lock-in detector includes a time-varying component having a characteristic frequency corresponding to a difference between the frequencies of the diffracted radiation and the reference radiation. The lock-in image detector records two-dimensional image information representing both amplitude and phase of the time-varying component. A second reference beam with a different shift (110) follows a second reference path (dot-dash rays). Interference between the two reference beams can be used for intensity normalization.
US09753372B2

A radiation source generates extreme ultraviolet radiation. The radiation source comprises a plasma formation site located at a position in which a fuel will be contacted by a beam of radiation to form a plasma. A receiving structure is provided to trap debris particles on its surface that are generated with the formation of the plasma. The receiving structure has a rod-shaped heater element for heating the receiving surface, the device preventing large droplets of fuel from forming on the receiving surface. Instead, the trapped fuel is melted off the receiving surface.
US09753370B2

Multiple-pattern forming methods are provided. The methods comprise: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate comprising one or more layers to be patterned; (b) forming a photoresist layer over the one or more layers to be patterned, wherein the photoresist layer is formed from a composition comprising: a matrix polymer comprising an acid labile group; a photoacid generator; and a solvent; (c) patternwise exposing the photoresist layer to activating radiation; (d) baking the exposed photoresist layer; (e) contacting the baked photoresist layer with a first developer to form a first resist pattern; (f) treating the first resist pattern with a coating composition comprising an expedient for switching solubility of a sidewall region of the first resist pattern from soluble to insoluble with respect to a second developer that is different from the first developer; and (g) contacting the treated first resist pattern with the second developer to remove portions of the first resist pattern, leaving the solubility-switched sidewall region to form a multiple-pattern. The methods have particular applicability to the semiconductor manufacturing industry for the formation of fine lithographic patterns.
US09753369B2

Disclosed is a developer, one that does not cause pattern collapse during the formation process, for the formation of a fine pattern and a method for pattern formation using the developer. A developer used in a lithography process includes a polymer for forming a dry-etching mask and an organic solvent. The polymer is preferably a curable resin different from a curable resin forming a resist film. The developer is preferably used after exposure of the resist film. The organic solvent in the developer is preferably butyl acetate or a mixed solvent of butyl acetate and an alcohol, or 2-pentanone or a mixed solvent of 2-pentanone and an alcohol. Also disclosed is a method for producing a semiconductor device.
US09753365B2

The present disclosure provides a mask plate, belongs to the field of display technology, and can maintain a uniform exposing interval, so that the exposure pattern has a uniform deformation amount and pattern size. A mask plate comprises opaque regions and transparent regions, and spacers of the same height are arranged in the opaque regions. Another mask plate comprises active regions and dummy regions, and spacers of the same height are arranged in the dummy regions. The present disclosure can be applied in a process for fabricating a color film substrate.
US09753363B2

A modeling technique is provided. The modeling technique includes inputting tool parameters into a model and inputting basic model parameters into the model. The technique further includes generating a simulated, corrected reticle design using the tool parameters and the basic model parameters. An image of test patterns is compared against the simulated, corrected reticle design. A determination is made as to whether δ1<ε1, wherein δ1 represents model vs. exposure difference and ε1 represents predetermined criteria. The technique further includes completing the model when δ1<ε1.
US09753355B2

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an arrangement comprising, a volitant body comprising at least one actuator; a control unit for controlling said actuator; and a mechanical arrangement for operationally connecting said volitant body to a reference point remote from said volitant body. There is further provided a corresponding method for operating such an arrangement.
US09753345B2

A mother substrate for a display device includes: a first mother substrate and a second mother substrate including a plurality of panel regions and facing each other; a first contact electrode and a second contact electrode on the first mother substrate; a common electrode, a first voltage application electrode and a second voltage application electrode separated from each other and on the second mother substrate; and a liquid crystal layer between the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate. The first voltage application electrode is connected to the first contact electrode, and the second voltage application electrode is connected to the second contact electrode. The first voltage application electrode is applied with a first voltage, and the second voltage application electrode is applied with a second voltage different from the first voltage.
US09753342B2

The invention discloses a color filter array substrate, a display device, and a manufacturing method of the color filter array substrate. The color filter array substrate comprises a substrate, a thin film transistor array formed on the substrate, and a color filter formed on the thin film transistor array, wherein the color filter array substrate further comprises a black matrix formed on the color filter, and a planarization layer formed on the black matrix. In the invention, position of the black matrix in the color filter array substrate is changed, and the planarization layer is formed on the black matrix, so that the black matrix is isolated from the first and second electrode layers, thus the black matrix is effectively prevented from affecting the electric field between the first and second electrode layers.
US09753340B2

In a display device that a terminal of a display panel is connected to bumps of the driver IC via an ACF, the driver IC includes input-side and output-side bump arrays arranged along mutually facing long sides. In configurations of the driver IC, a width A of a short side thereof ≧1.45 mm, a thickness thereof B ≦0.20 mm, a dimension C between input-side and output-side bumps ≧1.10 mm, a length D of each bump ≧98 μm, a minimum dimension F between the bumps ≦15 μm, a number of arrays G of the output-side bump ≧2 (two arrays) and a particle size E of a conductive particle contained in the anisotropic conductive film ≦3.5 μm, not more than six configurations are included.
US09753334B2

Provided are a display device and a method of manufacturing the same. The display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate and separated from the first substrate, a plurality of liquid crystal parts disposed between the first and second substrates, and separated in a horizontal direction from each other, spacers for separating the liquid crystal parts between the first and the second substrates, and immobilization patterns disposed in each of the liquid crystal parts, and including an optically active material.
US09753329B2

A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display panel including an array substrate, an opposite substrate and a liquid crystal layer, a first polarizing plate disposed on an outer surface of the array substrate and including a first transmission axis, a second polarizing plate disposed on an outer surface of the opposite substrate and including a second transmission axis, a phase difference film disposed between the second polarizing plate and the liquid crystal layer, and a backlight unit providing light to the first polarizing plate. The phase difference film has an in-plane retardation value of about 120 nm to about 150 nm and a thickness retardation value of about 240 nm to about 300 nm.
US09753328B2

Provided are TFT-LCD panel, method for preparing the same, and TFT display device. The TFT-LCD panel includes an upper polarizer, a positive birefringence polymer substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a negative birefringence polymer substrate and a lower polarizer, wherein the positive birefringence polymer substrate and the negative birefringence polymer substrate locate at an upper side and an lower side of the liquid crystal layer respectively, the upper polarizer locates at an upper surface of the positive birefringence polymer substrate, the lower polarizer locates at a lower surface of the negative birefringence polymer substrate; the positive birefringence polymer substrate and the negative birefringence polymer substrate are equals in a birefringence retardation in an original birefringence state, and are equals in a birefringence retardation of in the photo-elasticity birefringence state. The TFT-LCD panel of the present disclosure may avoid generating light leakage in dark, and improve homogeneity in dark.
US09753322B2

A liquid crystal display is provided. The liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a first base substrate, a bump protruded from the first base substrate and an electrode having a shield electrode part and a common electrode part. The shield electrode part covers the bump. The second substrate includes a second base substrate and a spacer protruded toward the bump of the first substrate. A combined structure of the spacer and the bump supports the first and second substrates.
US09753321B2

Disclosed are a color filter substrate and the manufacturing method thereof. The color filter substrate comprises: a substrate (1); a black matrix (3) and a color pixel layer (4, 5, 6) formed on the substrate (1); and a transparent thermally conductive layer (2) disposed between the substrate (1) and the black matrix (3) and between the substrate (1) and the color pixel layer (4, 5, 6).
US09753317B2

An electronic device is provided with a display such as a liquid crystal display. The display has a layer of liquid crystal material sandwiched between an upper display layer such as a color filter layer and a lower display layer such as a thin-film-transistor layer. An upper polarizer is formed on the upper surface of the color filter layer. A lower polarizer is formed on the lower surface of the thin-film-transistor layer. To protect display layers such as the color filter layer and the thin-film-transistor layer, a coating is deposited on a peripheral edge of the display layer. A laser is used to cut through portions of the polarizer that overhang the display layer while also cutting through the coating on the peripheral edge of the display layer. Following laser trimming operations, the coating is flush with an edge surface of the polarizer.
US09753316B2

A supporting base includes a bottom plate and a plurality of stepwise supporting structures connected with and raised up from a plurality of side edges of the bottom plate. Each stepwise supporting structure includes a plurality of raising segments and at least one supporting segment. The plurality of raising segments and the at least one supporting segment are alternately arranged. The at least one supporting segment is substantially parallel to the bottom plate. The lowest raising segment has a bottom end connected with one of the side edges of the bottom plate. A thickness of at least one of the at least one supporting segment is greater than that of at least one of the plurality of raising segments. A display device using the support base is also provided to improve assembling efficiency and reduce cost.
US09753314B2

A display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image, a lower receiving container comprising a bottom portion and a side wall and accommodating the display panel and a mold frame integrally formed with the lower receiving container, extending along the side wall of the lower receiving container, and comprising a plurality of groove portions extending from an inner surface of the mold frame toward an outer surface of the mold frame.
US09753310B2

A method for producing polarized eyewear is disclosed, which includes providing a polarizing film or a blank of the eyewear having a polarizing film, whereby the polarizing film is made of a substrate film and a polarizing agent; dipping the polarizing film or the blank with the polarizing film into a solvent; and dissolving the polarizing agent from the polarizing film.
US09753304B2

A device for retaining eyewear is disclosed. The device comprises one or more tethers rotatably coupled to a plurality of temple fasteners, the temple fasteners coupled to the temples of eyewear disposed on the ears of a user. More specifically, the device can further comprise a plurality of positioning members configured to couple with and rotate within a temple fastener to allow a tether coupled to the rotating position member to rotate relative to the head and neck of the user. The at least one tether can be disposed in various fixed positions relative to the head and neck of the user as well as relative to the eyewear.
US09753300B2

An SMA actuation apparatus (1) comprises a support structure (4) on which a movable element (2) is supported. Four SMA actuator wires (11-14) are connected at their ends to one of the support structure (4) and the movable element (2) and being hooked over a respective connector (7) connected to the other. Pairs of the SMA actuator wires (11-14), on contraction, to drive movement of the movable element (2) relative to the support structure (4), through the respective connectors (7), in opposite directions in said plane (XY), that are orthogonal as between the pairs. Each connector (7) is compliant laterally to the direction in which the respective SMA actuator wire (11-14) drives movement of the movable element (2) relative to support structure (4).
US09753296B2

In an illumination system (12, 13) for a scatterometer, first and second spatial light modulators lie in a common plane and are formed by different portions of a single liquid crystal cell (260). Pre-polarizers (250) apply polarization to first and second radiation prior to the spatial light modulators. A first spatial light modulator (236-S) varies a polarization state of the first radiation in accordance with a first programmable pattern. Second spatial light modulator (236-P) varies a polarization state of the second radiation accordance with a second programmable pattern. A polarizing beam splitter (234) selectively transmits each of the spatially modulated first and second radiation to a common output path, depending on the polarization state of the radiation. In an embodiment, functions of pre-polarizers are performed by the polarizing beam splitter.
US09753295B2

The disclosure provides apparatus and methods of manufacture pertaining to a layered artwork that provides the illusion of depth, or three-dimensional volume, and that shifts in color and spatial relationships as a viewer moves in relation to the artwork or as the light cast upon the artwork changes in intensity, angle, and/or color. The layered artwork may include a base image reproduced on a rigid substrate and at least one top image reproduced on one or more translucent substrates. The translucent substrates may be suspended above the rigid substrate such that a viewer sees both the base and top images when viewing the artwork. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US09753294B2

Moving pictures, as exemplified by ordinary television programming, are viewed stereoscopically when viewed using a special eyewear apparatus which includes a prismatic lens construction. The three dimensional effect is produced by the design of the eyewear to redirect the visual tracking of one or both eyes away from the normal convergent angle used when viewing display screens to a wider angle, which is normally associated with viewing objects at a greater distance that the display screen. This causes the eyes to perceive two distinct views of the single picture on the screen, which are interpreted by the viewer's brain, not as two laterally displaced pictures, but as a single picture with elements of depth, or a 3D picture.
US09753293B2

A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes a supporting member having a containment structure configured to contain a two-dimensional (2D) display terminal for displaying a parallax image. The display apparatus also includes a transflective device configured to face a display surface of the 2D display terminal and to transmit and reflect light from the displayed parallax image. Further, the display apparatus includes a connecting mechanism configured to connect the supporting member with the transflective device, wherein the containment structure includes an installation part configured to install a light-splitting device; an area of the light-splitting device is greater than or equal to an area of the display surface; and a three-dimensional (3D) image to be viewed is formed after the light from the parallax image displayed by the 2D display terminal is separated by the light-splitting device and transmitted and reflected by the transflective device.
US09753292B2

Provide is a stereoscopic display device that is capable of, while preventing the crosstalk ratio from deteriorating, increasing the brightness during 3D display, switching 2D display and 3D display without decreases in the resolution, and achieving a switching response speed at the same level as that in the parallax barrier method. A switching liquid crystal panel (14) includes: a pair of substrates (28, 30); a liquid crystal layer (32) sealed between the substrates in pair (28, 30); a common electrode (38) formed over an entirety of an area where a parallax barrier (48) is realized on the substrate (30); and a plurality of drive electrodes (34) formed on the substrate (28), the drive electrodes (34), in collaboration with the common electrode (38), forming light-shielding parts (44) when a voltage is applied thereto, wherein the transmission parts (46) has an opening width that is equal to or greater than an opening width of the pixels (26) in a direction in which the transmission parts (46) and the light-shielding parts (44) are arrayed alternately.
US09753291B2

An antistatic film includes a substrate, a lower coating layer positioned on the substrate and including a conductive material, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), and silsesquioxane (SSQ), and an upper coating layer positioned on the lower coating layer and including the conductive material and tetraethyl orthosilicate.
US09753278B2

The present invention employs an actuator including: a movable portion connected to a reflecting member having a reflective surface; a movable comb electrode disposed at a distance from the reflecting member, supported by the movable portion, and extended in a direction parallel to the reflective surface; a stationary comb electrode supported by a supporting portion, extends in the direction parallel to the reflective surface, and disposed alternately with the movable comb electrode; and a voltage controller that applies a voltage to the movable comb electrode and the stationary comb electrode to displace the movable comb electrode and the movable portion in a direction normal to the reflective surface. A portion that supports the movable comb electrode and a portion that supports the stationary comb electrode are disposed such that the movable comb electrode and the stationary comb electrode pass each other.
US09753273B2

A method for manufacturing a freestanding film having at least one population of through holes cumulatively totaling at least 1% of the film area, wherein the standard deviation of hole diameters is less than 25% and a thickness less than 25 micrometers, The film provides a carrier substrate, a photo-curable material, a release agent and deposits a photo-curable material on the substrate, selectively curing the material and leaving uncured material in the pattern of holes, dissolving away the uncured material and removing the cured material from the carrier. Methods and apparatus are described.
US09753269B2

An endoscope includes: an endoscope distal end rigid member; an objective optical system fixing frame; a moving frame; a wire unit including a rigid shaft portion; a wire unit connecting projection portion configured such that a flange having a diameter larger than the rigid shaft portion is screwed to a distal end face side; a first wire unit insertion hole through which a flange of the rigid shaft portion can pass in a state that screwing to the wire unit connecting projection portion is canceled; a lid member; a second wire unit insertion hole configured to be coaxial with a center axis of the first wire unit insertion hole, and through which the flange of the rigid shaft portion can pass; and a sealing member.
US09753268B2

Provided are a reticle unit that can secure excellent visibility of a reticle regardless of the background and an optical instrument including the reticle unit. A reticle unit 30 used in an optical instrument such as a rifle scope 50 includes: a reflector 32 provided with a concave portion 32b on one of surfaces of a plate-like optical member, wherein at least part of a side surface of the concave portion 32b is a reflection surface 32c; a light source 33 that is arranged laterally to the reflector 32 and that emits light; and a light collector 34 that is arranged between the light source 33 and the reflector 32 and that collects the light from the light source 33 to guide the light to the reflection surface 32c, wherein at least part of the light incident on the reflection surface 32c is totally reflected by the reflection surface 32c and emitted from the other surface of the reflector 32.
US09753264B2

Disclosed is a novel solar collecting assembly that in which more than one mirror and/or photovoltaic is linked mechanically so that many mirrors share a few actuators, rather than equipping each mirror with individual actuators. One example includes a set of structures, such as poles or pipes. Each of the support structures has a first end and a second end, and each of the support structures is associated with at least one solar collecting assembly. A first set of cables is arranged to move the solar collecting assemblies in a first direction, each of the first set of cables includes a set of first alignment fittings disposed thereon. The first end of each of the solar collecting assemblies is attached to one of the first alignment fittings in the first set of cables. A second set of cables arranged to move the solar collecting assemblies in a second direction.
US09753252B2

A camera lens is disclosed and includes a first lens with positive refractive power, whose object side surface and image side surface are both aspheric surfaces; an aperture; a second lens with positive refractive power, whose object side surface and image side surface are both aspheric surfaces; and a third lens with negative refractive power, whose object side surface and image side surface are both aspheric surfaces. Specific conditions are satisfied.
US09753249B2

A imaging lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element has negative refractive power. The second lens element has positive refractive power. The third lens element has positive refractive power. The fourth lens element has positive refractive power. The fifth lens element has positive refractive power. The sixth lens element has negative refractive power. The imaging lens assembly has a total of six lens elements.
US09753245B2

An optical lens device forms a condenser lens having a first lens of a positive focal length and a second lens of a negative focal length. The first and second lenses are stacked with their optical axis aligned. The first lens has a lens section, edge section and glass member having a linear expansion coefficient smaller than that of the lens section and the edge section to suppress shape change of the first lens due to temperature change of the first lens. The second lens, which is stacked with the first lens, is used for offsetting a change of the positive focal length generated in the first lens when the temperature varies. The glass member having a small linear expansion coefficient suppresses that shape change of the first lens which is not compensated by the second lens.
US09753244B2

A positioning mechanism for aligning an optical device and an image sensor is disclosed. The positioning mechanism includes a base operable with a support for an image sensor, a tube operable with an optical device, and an adjuster disposed between the base and the tube. In one aspect, the adjuster is positionable relative to the base in a translational degree of freedom and two rotational degrees of freedom. In another aspect, the tube is positionable relative to the adjuster in two translational degrees of freedom, and a rotational degree of freedom.
US09753240B2

A fiber optic module mounting assembly can include a surface defining an opening and a module holder. The module holder includes a body defining a channel. The body has a cross-sectional shape closely corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the opening defined by the surface. The module holder creates a snap or friction fit with the surface when the module holder is received within the opening of the surface, thereby coupling the module holder to the surface. The mounting assembly also includes a module comprising a housing having a cross-sectional shape closely corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the channel of the module holder, and an optical component within the housing. The module is configured to be received within the channel defined by the body of the module holder.
US09753235B2

Gradient index (GRIN) lens holders employing groove alignment feature(s) and total internal reflection (TIR) surface, and related components, connectors, and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the GRIN lens holder contains one or more internal groove alignment features configured to secure one or more GRIN lenses in the GRIN lens holder. The groove alignment features are also configured to accurately align the end faces of the GRIN lenses. The GRIN lens holders disclosed herein can be provided as part of an optical fiber ferrule and/or a fiber optic component or connector for making optical connections. A fiber optic connector containing the GRIN lens holders disclosed herein may be optically connected to one or more optical fibers in another fiber optic connector or to an optical device, such as a laser-emitting diode (LED), laser diode, or opto-electronic device for light transfer.
US09753234B2

A protective caddy for the installation of an optical fiber cable in optical fiber ducting which temporarily protects a duplex optical fiber cable assembly for an optical fiber duplex connector during insertion of the assembly into a length of ducting. The duplex optical fiber cable assembly comprises a duplex optical fiber cable and a pair of optical fiber connector sub-assemblies. The protective caddy comprises a pair of receptacles, each for receiving one of the optical fiber connector sub-assemblies. Each receptacle has a recess for protectively receiving the termination end of one of the optical fiber ferrules. In use, both the duplex optical fiber cable and the pair of optical fiber connector sub-assemblies are held to the elongate body so that the termination ends are protected by the recesses during insertion of the protective caddy and duplex optical fiber cable assembly into the length of ducting.
US09753230B2

A connector for subsea use is provided. The connector includes a first and a second connector part adapted to be made at subsea. A first coupling portion is arranged in the first connector part and a second coupling portion is arranged in the second connector part. The first and second coupling portions are configured to be brought into engagement for establishing an electrical or optical connection when the first and the second connector part are mated. The connector further includes a first protection assembly which forms part of the first connector part. The first protection assembly is configured to prevent the exposure of the first coupling portion to seawater when the connector is unmated and deployed subsea. A second protection assembly, which forms part of the second connector part, is configured to prevent the exposure of the second coupling portion to seawater when the connector is unmated and deployed subsea.
US09753218B2

The semiconductor device comprises a substrate (1) of semiconductor material, a dielectric layer (2) above the substrate, a waveguide (3) arranged in the dielectric layer, and a mirror region (4) arranged on a surface of a mirror support (5) integrated on the substrate. A mirror is thus formed facing the waveguide. The surface of the mirror support and hence the mirror are inclined with respect to the waveguide.
US09753217B2

Electro-optical circuit boards may include one or more recesses to provide stress relief between multiple layers of the electro-optical circuit boards during variations in applied temperature. The one or more recesses may be included in the substrate and/or the optical layer of the electro-optical circuit boards. The one or more recesses may also contain a compliant material disposed therein to improve the flexibility of the substrate and/or the optical layer. For example, the compliant material may disperse thermal expansion stress within the electro-optical circuit board.
US09753212B2

Light-emitting quantum dot films, quantum dot lighting devices, and quantum dot-based backlight units are provided. Related compositions, components, and methods are also described. Improved quantum dot encapsulation and matrix materials are provided. Quantum dot films with protective barriers are described. High-efficiency, high brightness, and high-color purity quantum dot-based lighting devices are also included, as well as methods for improving efficiency and optical characteristics in quantum dot-based lighting devices.
US09753194B2

A display device includes a first substrate, and a second substrate opposing the first substrate and including a color filter layer. The color filter layer includes a red color filter, a green color filter and a blue color filter. The red color filter includes a first fluorescent dye and a first nanoparticle, and illustrates red color. The green color filter includes a second fluorescent dye and a second nanoparticle and illustrates green color. The blue color filter includes a third fluorescent dye and a third nanoparticle and illustrates blue color. Each of the first to third nanoparticles has a non-spherical shape and has maximum extinction at the first wavelength, the second wavelength and the third wavelength. The first wavelength is greater than the second wavelength, and the second wavelength is greater than the third wavelength.
US09753192B2

A reflector that is used for adjusting a radiation direction of a radiation unit in a position detection apparatus that performs a process based on a detected position of reflected light of light radiated from the radiation unit includes a first reflection surface that reflects the light radiated from the radiation unit, and a second reflection surface that intersects with the first reflection surface and reflects the light radiated from the radiation unit.
US09753190B2

An optical device includes a support structure configured to retain an optical element using a cured adhesive composition that is disposed between a surface of the support structure and a surface of the optical element, wherein a structured optical particulate material is dispersed throughout the cured adhesive. The structured optical particulate material redirects curing radiation via a scattering mechanism to facilitate curing of portions of the adhesive compositions that cannot be directly exposed to the radiation, thereby facilitating rapid and more thorough curing than could otherwise be achieved without the structured optical particulate material.
US09753185B2

A metamaterial control device is provided for controlling electromagnetic radiation. The device uses a light-guide film (LGF), with the LGF being capable of receiving light emission along an edge. The device includes a substrate disposed on a non-edges surface of the LGF, electromagnetic cellular structures that are controllable, and an optically sensitive component within some or all cells. The substrate is composed of metamaterial and having an interface that corresponds to an extractor on the non-edge surface for scattering light therefrom. Alternatively, the substrate can constitute the LGF itself. The cell structure is disposed around the extractor. The optically sensitive component is disposed to cover the extractor. The component changes in response to receiving the light from the extractor and changes in response to intensity of the light.
US09753182B1

A UV dosimetry system comprises a wearable unit and a mobile computing device. The wearable unit measures the UV irradiance intensity and wirelessly communicates with the mobile computing device. The UV dosimetry system supports multi-user control and can link one mobile computing device with multiple wearable units. The UV dosimetry system processes the measured UV irradiance intensity to calculate the UV index (UVI) and the sensor site specific UV dose. It can also calculate the total absorbed UV dose and vitamin D production by taking into account user specific factors. The UVI data measured by a plurality of UV meters such as the disclosed UV dosimetry system are crowd sourced to a remote server together with the location and time data of the measurement. The remote server excludes invalid UVI measurement and generates UVI maps showing time-varying distribution of UVI data at different locations.
US09753178B2

An example method for stabilizing a sensor component includes: positioning the sensor component relative to a support with retaining members in contact with the sensor component, a first of the retaining members being a resilient biasing member and a second one of the retaining members being an adjustable retaining member; adjusting the adjustable retaining member to reposition the sensor component and deform the resilient retaining member; immobilizing the sensor component with an additional, rigid retaining member in contact with the sensor component; and filling a space between the sensor component and the support with a glue. An example holder of a sensor component includes support members; retaining members adapted to cooperatively adjustably retain the sensor component support members; and an additional, rigid retaining member adapted to cooperate with other retaining members to fixedly retain the sensor component.
US09753169B2

Machinery and methods are described whereby a free flying, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) can safely capture and take on board lightly managed seismic sensor devices (payload) while they are in-transit via a surface vessel in a (deep) water column. ROV payload can be replenished without the need for the ROV to return to the surface vessel to receive additional payload and to do so without the need for heavy launch and recovery machinery. The reverse process of returning payload from the ROV to the surface vessel is also disclosed.
US09753157B2

The invention relates to a radiation detector (100′) and a method for detecting radiation, particularly for detecting X-rays (X) in a CT imaging apparatus (1000′). According to a preferred embodiment, the radiation detector (100′) comprises a conversion element (110) for converting incident radiation (X) into electrical signals which are read out and processed by a readout circuit (120). A heating device comprising the heat source (135′) of a Peltier element is provided with which the conversion element (110) can controllably be heated in order to reduce negative effects, e.g. of polarization, on image accuracy, wherein the heat sink (137′) of the Peltier element is oriented towards the readout circuit.
US09753151B2

A photon detector having an optical transparent plate and photodiode array interconnected by an optical light guide array. The optical light guide array including elements providing a transmission line between the optical transparent plate and the photodiode array, where the position of one or more optical light guide elements is formed to adjust for a miss-registered photodiode individual element. A method for assembling the photon detector includes depositing a non-wetting film on opposing surfaces of the optical transparent plate and/or photodiode array, altering the deposited non-wetting film in regions of individual photodiode elements, dispensing an optical coupler adhesive on the optical transparent plate and photodiode array to form adhesive beads, aligning the opposing surfaces, assembling the opposing surfaces so that the corresponding optical coupler adhesive beads contact each other, and curing the optical coupler adhesive to form a structurally merged photon detector having optical light guide elements.
US09753144B1

A system and method for correcting bias and angle misalignment errors in the angle rate and acceleration outputs from a 6-DOF IMU mounted to a vehicle. The method includes providing velocity and estimation attitude data in an inertial frame from, for example, a GNSS/INS, and determining an ideal acceleration estimation and an ideal rate estimation in a vehicle frame using the velocity and attitude data. The method then determines the IMU bias error and misalignment error using the ideal acceleration and rate estimations and the angle rate and acceleration outputs in an IMU body frame from the IMU.
US09753140B2

Systems and method for imaging through scattering media. One example of an imaging system includes an illuminator configured to produce a structured illumination pattern and to direct the structured illumination pattern into an imaging field through a scattering medium, a camera configured to receive reflections of the structured illumination pattern from an object in the imaging field and to provide corresponding image data, a master oscillator coupled to the illuminator and to the camera and configured to modulate the structured illumination pattern and to clock the camera so as to time gate the reflections of the structured illumination pattern and provide signal timing data, and a processor coupled to the camera and received to receive and process the image data and the signal timing data to produce an image of the object.
US09753135B2

Some embodiments of the invention relate to a hand-held distance-measuring device, comprising a housing, a distance-measuring unit for measuring distances to spatial points along an emission direction in a space, an evaluating component, a dimensionally stable referencing support, and an angle-determining unit for determining an angle of rotation (a, between the housing and the referencing support. In some embodiments, the housing and the referencing support are designed in such a way and coordinated with each other in such a way that the referencing support can assume a passive position, in which the referencing support is inserted into an recess of the housing or is fastened such as to lie flatly against the housing. In some embodiments, the referencing support can assume a referencing position in which the referencing support is connected to the housing at a first end of the referencing support by means of a joint.
US09753133B2

The present inventive concept relates to an apparatus and method for multiplexing tracking information output from a plurality of tracking radar systems that are operated upon testing the flight of guided weapons, converting the multiplexed tracking information into a single PCM stream signal, and processing the tracking information together with telemetry data in an integrated manner, thus enabling the tracking information to be simply and economically utilized for test control and measurement tasks. The apparatus for converting multi-channel tracking information for integrated processing of flight data, includes a signal receiver for receiving pieces of tracking information from tracking radar systems through a plurality of input channels, a programmable semiconductor for multiplexing the pieces of tracking information, and converting the multiplexed tracking information into a data stream-type Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) frame, and a line driver for outputting the PCM frame to another piece of equipment.
US09753131B2

A motion tracking system makes use of a number antennas to transmit and receive radio frequency signals that are reflected from objects (e.g., people) in the environment of the system, which may include one or more rooms of a building, the interior of a vehicle, etc., and may be partitioned, for example, walls or cloth sheets. In general, the objects in the environment include both fixed objects, such as chairs, walls, etc., as well as moving objects, such as but not limited to people. The system can track people, who may be moving around a room, or may be relatively stationary, for instance, sitting in a chair of lying in bed, but may nevertheless exhibit breathing motion that may be detected. The system may detect body or limb gestures made by the people in the environment, and detect physical activity including detection of falls.
US09753127B2

A measurement apparatus measuring a flight time of a search wave corresponding to a time after the search wave is emitted and before a reflected wave is received is provided. The measurement apparatus includes a transceiver, a memory portion, a sampling portion, a measurement portion, and a determination portion. The transceiver emits the search wave and receives the reflected wave. The sampling portion generates a sampling data and causes the memory portion to store the sampling data. The sampling portion includes a first processing unit and a second processing unit. The first processing unit causes the memory portion to store the sampling data as a first signal data. The second processing unit causes the memory portion to store the sampling data as a second signal data. The measurement portion measures the flight time and generates a measurement value of the flight time. The determination portion determines a sampling period.
US09753120B2

The disclosure provides a radar apparatus fur estimating a distance of the one or more obstacles in a range of interest. The radar apparatus includes a local oscillator that generates a first ramp segment having a first start frequency. A frequency shifter receives the first ramp segment and generates a transmit signal and a mixer signal. The transmit signal is scattered by a one or more obstacles in the range of interest to generate the scattered signal. A mixer mixes the scattered signal and the mixer signal to generate a non-zero IF signal which is filtered to generate a filtered non-zero IF signal. An ADC (analog to digital converter) samples the filtered non-zero IF signal to generate a valid data. A DSP (digital signal processor) processes the valid data for estimating the distance of the one or more obstacles.
US09753118B2

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for wireless communication. More particularly, aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to techniques for wireless communications by a first apparatus comprising a first interface for obtaining, via at least one receive antenna, first and second training signals transmitted from a second apparatus via at least first and second transmit antennas having different polarizations, and a processing system configured to determine, based on the first and second training signals, one or more characteristics for different transmit-receive antenna pairs, each pair comprising one of the first and second transmit antennas and the at least one receive antenna, and generate, based on the one or more characteristics, a parameter indicative of a rotation of the first apparatus relative to the second apparatus.
US09753111B2

A system and method determines an isocenter for an imaging scan. The method includes receiving, by a control panel, patient data generated by at least one sensor, the patient data corresponding to dimensions of a body of a patient. The method includes generating, by the control panel, model data as a function of the patient data, the model data representing the body of the patient. The method includes receiving, by the control panel, a target location on the model data, the target location corresponding to a desired position on the body of the patient for performing the imaging scan. The method includes determining, by the control panel, an isocenter for the imaging scan as a function of the target location.
US09753072B2

A method is provided that includes setting up a composite material structure under test (SUT) between a transmit coil and a receive coil. The transmit coil is driven with a RF signal over a plurality of frequencies, thereby causing the transmit coil to produce a magnetic field that by magnetic coupling through the SUT induces a voltage in the receive coil. The voltage in the receive coil is measured, and from the voltage, a measurement of attenuation of the RF signal caused by the SUT between the transmit coil and receive coil is produced. And an effective conductivity of the SUT is calculated from the measurement of attenuation.
US09753071B1

A method for obtaining improved resolution pulsed radio frequency (RF) measurements with phase coherence for a device under test (DUT) using a vector network analyzer (VNA) includes generating a pulsed RF test signal, transmitting the pulsed RF test signal to the DUT and receiving a signal from the DUT at the VNA in response to the pulsed RF test signal. An intermediate frequency (IF) signal is generated using a local oscillator (LO) signal. A phase of the LO signal is shifted by a prescribed amount while generating the IF signal. The IF signal is then sampled over multiple pulses and measurements are constructed from the measurements. A discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is then applied to the constructed measurements.
US09753070B2

In an evaluation method for a capacitive contact sensor with at least one transmitting and at least one receiving electrode, which are able to be brought into a capacitive coupling, —at the at least one receiving or sensor electrode a measurement signal is tapped, which represents the temporal course of the coupling capacitance between the at least one transmitting electrode and the at least one receiving electrode and the temporal course of the capacitive load of the sensor electrode, respectively, —a reference signal is created from the measurement signal, and —at least one detection signal is created, when the reference signal meets at least one detection criterion. An evaluation device may be coupled with at least one transmitting electrode and at least one receiving electrode or with at least one sensor electrode of the capacitive contact sensor and is adapted to carry out the above evaluation method.
US09753067B2

A method and an apparatus for determining a phase and a frequency of an electric quantity being associated with an operation of an electrical device are described. The method comprises extracting a fundamental component of the electric quantity, calculating a positive sequence component of the electric quantity based on the extracted fundamental component, and determining the phase and the frequency of the electric quantity based on the calculated positive sequence component.
US09753065B2

Methods and systems for a wideband CMOS RMS power detection scheme may comprise: a first circuit including a first metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor having a gate for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal and having a drain for outputting a first current that is proportional to a square of a voltage of the RF signal in response to receiving the RF signal; and a second circuit connected to the first circuit, the second circuit comprising a second MOS transistor biased in a triode region and having a source for receiving the first current from the first circuit. The second circuit may output a voltage proportional to a power of the RF signal received by the first circuit, the output voltage being a function of the first current and a channel resistance of the second MOS transistor.
US09753061B2

A current sensing device (1) for producing a voltage indicative of an alternating current flowing in a conductor (2) comprises a support element (5) within which a carrier element (11) is located. The carrier element (11) comprises a primary substrate (12) which is formed into a multi-channel arcuate configuration defining a plurality of longitudinally extending channels (13) with side walls (16) on which planar coils (17) are formed on respective opposite first and second major surfaces (14,15) of the primary substrate (12). The carrier element (11) is located and retained in the multi-channel arcuate configuration in a primary retaining recess (38) in the support element (5) with the planar coils (17) defining planes which extend radially from a main central axis (6) defined by the support element (5). The planar coils (17) are connected in series so that the voltages produced in the coils by the alternating current flowing in the conductor (2) are summed in phase and the sum of the respective voltages is produced across terminals (20,21) of a first output port (19). Capacitive plates of a capacitor may also be formed on the first and second major surfaces (14,15) of the primary substrate (12) or on a separate substrate in order to produce a signal indicative of the alternating voltage in the conductor (2).
US09753055B2

An optical module for use in a motion responsive system includes a support and a proof mass mechanically coupled and displaceable relative to the support along at least one sensing axis in response to a motion experienced by the support. The module also includes an optical monitoring assembly for monitoring the proof mass with an optical beam impinging on the proof mass, the beam including a plurality of dedicated spectral components. The module further includes an optical spectral filter including a plurality of filtering regions, each being associated with a corresponding dedicated spectral component and having a spectral profile including a distinct dedicated filtering band encompassing the spectral component, such that a displacement of the proof mass along the at least one sensing axis produces, after filtering of the beam, a change in optical power of the spectral components indicative of the motion experienced by the support.
US09753049B1

A light beam or other electromagnetic medium is emitted, guided, and received, all within a unitary system frame. The beam retains its characteristics regardless of position or motion of the frame in which it propagates. The beam retains its position in space relative to the detection of motion of the frame. Because the frame and the beam emitted within it are in the same frame of reference, characteristics of their motion are compared to determine parameters including system velocity and planetary velocity which is useful in navigation. Position, orientation, displacement, velocity of an object in motion, and changes in these parameters relative to previous values thereof, are derived from information provided within and directly by the motion of the unitary system itself.
US09753043B2

A method of data interpretation from a multiplex cancer assay is described. The aggregate normalized score from the assay is transformed to a quantitative risk score quantifying a human subject's increased risk for the presence of cancer as compared to the known prevalence of the cancer in the population before testing the subject.
US09753041B2

The present invention provides non-invasive diagnostic methods and kits for determining and/or monitoring oral health and glycemic control in subjects with Type 1 diabetes.
US09753040B2

The polynucleotide construct of (1) or (2) below is used to perform ribosome display, CIS display and/or mRNA display in order to screen a Fab against an antigen of interest: (1) a polynucleotide construct which monocistronically comprises a ribosome-binding sequence, Fab first chain-coding sequence, linker peptide-coding sequence, Fab second chain-coding sequence and scaffold-coding sequence in this order, and further comprises at its 3′-end a structure necessary for maintaining a complex with the Fab encoded by itself; and (2) a polynucleotide construct which comprises a Fab first chain-expressing cistron and a Fab second chain-expressing cistron each containing a ribosome-binding sequence, a Fab first chain-coding sequence or Fab second chain-coding sequence, and a scaffold-coding sequence in this order, the first Fab-expressing cistron further comprising at its 3′-end a ribosome stall sequence, said Fab second chain-expressing cistron further comprising at its 3′-end a structure necessary for maintaining a complex with the Fab encoded by itself.
US09753038B2

This invention provides: a method for detecting a cancer, comprising measuring the expression of a polypeptide having binding reactivity through antigen-antibody reaction with an antibody against CAPRIN-1 having the amino acid sequence shown in any even-numbered SEQ ID NO of SEQ ID NOs: 2 to 30 in the Sequence Listing in a biological sample; a method for detecting a cancer which involves determining the presence and the amount of CAPRIN-1 in a sample of a cancer patient in order to determine the administration of a CAPRIN-1-targeting drug to the cancer patient; and a drug and a kit for the diagnosis of a cancer, comprising an anti-CAPRIN-1 antibody.
US09753036B2

The present invention is concerned with a novel antigens associated with human tumors, including carcinomas of the colon or lung, as well as novel monoclonal antibodies which specifically bind to said antigen. The antibodies bind to normal human cells to a much lesser degree than to tumor cells. The antigens include 100 kDa glycoprotein that has a colorectal cancer membrane bound and a soluble form, has a UV absorbance peak at about 228 nm, an isoelectric point of about 3.5 to 4, a sialic acid content of about 20%, and does not substantially bind to an antibody specific for ACT. The antibodies find use both in methods such as the detection of malignant cells associated with tumors and in monitoring therapeutic treatment of humans with tumors.
US09753035B2

The present invention relates to DNA sequences from regions of copy number change on chromosome 20. The sequences can be used in hybridization methods for the identification of chromosomal abnormalities associated with various diseases.
US09753029B2

The present invention provides a method and microfluidic immunoassay pScreen™ device for detecting and quantifying the concentration of an analyte in a liquid sample by using antigen-specific antibody-coated magnetic-responsive micro-beads. The methods and devices of the present invention have broad applications for point-of-care diagnostics by allowing quantification of a large variety of analytes, such as proteins, protein fragments, antigens, antibodies, antibody fragments, peptides, RNA, RNA fragments, functionalized magnetic micro-beads specific to CD4+, CD8+ cells, malaria-infected red blood cells, cancer cells, cancer biomarkers such as prostate specific antigen and other cancer biomarkers, viruses, bacteria, and other pathogenic agents, with the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of bench-top laboratory-based assays.
US09753027B2

The present disclosure relates to a cantilever sensor, and a biosensor having the same, wherein the cantilever sensor including a slit formed on a flat board and a cantilever formed by the slit, a first electrode formed on the cantilever, and a second electrode formed on the flat board countered to the first electrode about the slit, wherein the electrodes are formed on the cantilever sensor having the slit, whereby sensing can be conducted by an electric method, through which the sensor can be effectively miniaturized.
US09753024B2

An apparatus for determining blood clotting capacity comprises an actuator to cyclically move a member within a sample of blood received in a well in a tray and one of a deflection sensor and a position sensor to determine the position of the wetted member upon being acted upon by the actuator. The theoretical position of the wetted member, as determined using a known actuator force and wetted member physical data, is compared to the sensed deflection or position of the wetted member, and the resistance to movement of the wetted member caused by the blood is determined and correlated to a clotting capacity.
US09753023B2

Methods and systems are provided for measuring single and multi-cell inside-out and/or outside-in forces on a nanofiber grid. Single and multi-cells are deposited on, or migrate onto the nanofiber grid where the cell or cells are in contact with at least one fiber of the nanofiber grid and forces generated by the cells are observed and measured using deflection sensing methods. Furthermore, analyte-testing platforms using the nanofiber grid are described herein. Also provided are methods and apparatus including automated analyte-testing platforms using the nanofiber grid.
US09753020B2

A gas sensor element has a protection layer smaller in heat capacity than a conventional protection layer formed by a dipping process. A gas sensor includes the gas sensor element. The gas sensor element is manufactured by a method of manufacturing. The gas sensor element includes at least one space formed between a protection layer and an element body. The space is positioned over at least one of four vertexes of a forward end of the element body at a location at which the thickness of the protection layer is likely to become small. Therefore, it is possible to restrain breakage of the vertexes of the forward end of the element body which could otherwise result from thermal shock stemming from adhesion of water. The protection layer of the gas sensor element can be reduced in thickness and thus in heat capacity as compared with a conventional protection layer.
US09753019B2

Apparatus and methods in accordance with one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention are used to measure nitric oxide in a fluid, and each includes a sample injection port; a pump; a measurement chamber; an electromagnetic radiation source; one or controls and user interfaces; and a cartridge. The cartridge includes a sample chamber; an electromagnetic radiation and heat chamber; and a gas permeable membrane. The cartridge preferably is single-use and disposable. Further apparatus and methods in accordance with other alternative embodiments, and additional inventive aspects and features, are disclosed related to measuring nitric oxide in a fluid.
US09753018B2

The invention provides a method of improving an antioxidant effect in a redox pathway that involves selenium in a subject, an in vitro method of inhibiting oxidation in a cell or tissue, and an in vitro method of promoting proliferation of a cell, by use of a selenium-containing compound of chemical formula 1:
US09753016B1

A multimode ultrasonic probe tip and transducer integrated into a micro tool, such as a nano indenter or a nano indenter interfaced with a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) is described. The tip component may be utilized to determine mechanical properties or characteristics of a sample, including for example, complex elastic modulus, hardness, friction coefficient, and strain and stress at nanometer scales and high frequencies. The tip component is configured to operate at multi-resonant frequencies providing sub-nanometer vertical resolution. The tip component may be quasi-statistically calibrated and contact mechanics constitutive equations may be utilized to derive mechanical properties of a sample. Contact mechanical impedance and acoustic impedance may also be compared.
US09753013B2

A system and method comprising a charger for ionizing aerosols; a spectrometer coupled to the charger and operable to select for a predetermined particle size; a porous charge collector coupled to the spectrometer, and a MEMS electrometer. In some embodiments the charge collector may be a metal frit electrically coupled to the electrometer. The electrometer may include a comb drive actuator coupled to a moving shuttle supported on flexures.
US09753012B2

Method and device for identifying gases and/or ion mobility spectrometer and method for offsetting residual humidity are provided. The object of the invention is to develop a generic method for offsetting residual humidity in an ion mobility spectrometer and a related device, which has a simple structure and which fully exploits the reduced diffusion. This is achieved by a variable drift chamber drift gas velocity, which leads to differing penetration depths of the humidity into the drift chamber, and thus to variable residual humidities in the drift chamber. Methods of this type and the associated devices for detecting and identifying gases are used to recognise and identify chemical compounds, in particular explosive materials or material compounds and/or those which are damaging to health, and which must be identified in very low concentrations.
US09753006B2

A sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having first pointed nodes extending into a channel from a first side of the channel. Second pointed nodes extend into the channel from a second side of the channel, which is opposite the first side. The second pointed nodes being self-aligned to the first pointed nodes on the opposite side of the channel. The first pointed nodes and the second pointed nodes are connected to a circuit to detect particles in the channel.
US09753001B1

A nanostructure device is provided and performs dual functions as a nano-switching/sensing device. The nanostructure device includes a doped semiconducting substrate, an insulating layer disposed on the doped semiconducting substrate, an electrode formed on the insulating layer, and at least one polymer nanofiber deposited on the electrode. The at least one polymer nanofiber provides an electrical connection between the electrode and the substrate and is the electroactive element in the device.
US09752992B2

Field curvature of an optical system is modified based on topography of the surface of a wafer such that an image of each of the segments of the surface is in focus across the segment. The wafer may be non-planar. The optical system may be a multi-element lens system connected to a controller that modifies the field curvature by changing position of the lens elements. The wafer may be held by a chuck, such as an edge grip chuck. Multiple optical systems may be arranged across a dimension of the wafer.
US09752990B2

A low powered system for providing sufficient current to a fuel control mechanism drive. The system may have a fuel control mechanism pick circuit that has an energy storage mechanism for providing a large amount of current for a short time to the fuel control mechanism drive. A safety switch may be enabled with a special signal to let current flow to the fuel control mechanism drive to operate a corresponding fuel control mechanism for controlling fuel to a pilot light or heating element. The pilot light or heating element may provide heat to a thermoelectric source that generates electrical power from the heat. The electrical power may go to a single DC-to-DC converter and voltage clamp for providing a voltage source to a microcontroller and other circuits of the system. The pick circuit may prevent a harmful reverse flow of current from the storage mechanism to the thermoelectric source.
US09752977B2

A corrosion sensor for detecting the action of corrosive media on a metallic component when the sensor is mounted in the vicinity of the metallic component in use is disclosed. The sensor includes an electrically conducting corrodible element mounted on a non conducting substrate, the corrodible element being covered with a protective coating such as paint adapted to protect the corrodible element from corrosive media. The protective coating defines a temporary feature such as a paint defect which extends across the corrodible element and is designed to permit attack on the corrodible element by corrosive media after a predetermined period of time. The corrodible element comprises a pair of spaced tracks extending generally in a longitudinal direction and a series of corrodible tracks, each corrodible track extending generally in a lateral direction and forming an electrical connection between the spaced tracks. The temporary feature extends longitudinally, in the space between the pair of tracks, across a number of the corrodible tracks whereby to permit a corrosive attack on a number of the corrodible tracks after the predetermined period of time.
US09752965B2

Sampling systems for use on production lines with the capability to measure chemical components of a gas, vapor, or liquid sample taken from a product on the line and at a faster rate than the individual sensors alone are capable of. In one embodiment, the system detects the presence of insoluble hydrocarbons in the gas vapor present inside refillable water bottles that have been returned by the consumer. Each sampling system—apparatus—comprises two or more sub-systems each comprising: one or more sensors for performing a measurement of interest on a gas, vapor, or liquid sample, valves and a pump for directing the flow of samples, optionally an enclosed volume to hold the sample, and all under the direction of a control system. The sampling system also automatically acts on the measurement to detect when defective goods have reached a point where they can be ejected from the production line.
US09752960B2

A system and method for anomaly detection is provided. The system (100) and method (200) include utilizing one or more processors, such as in a server, for receiving (108) operational and dynamics data (104) from sensors associated with devices (102), filtering the data, establishing a set of baseline dynamics data and eliminating data dependencies (110). The system and method further include generating an expected level of data variation (112), identifying an anomaly based on a deviation of the device data from the baseline data normalized by the expected level of data variation (114), optionally correlating an anomaly with potential causes, and providing an output indicating an anomaly (116).
US09752959B2

An acoustic transceiver is implemented for measuring acoustic properties of a gas in a turbine engine combustor. The transceiver housing defines a measurement chamber and has an opening adapted for attachment to a turbine engine combustor wall. The opening permits propagation of acoustic signals between the gas in the turbine engine combustor and gas in the measurement chamber. An acoustic sensor mounted to the housing receives acoustic signals propagating in the measurement chamber, and an acoustic transmitter mounted to the housing creates acoustic signals within the measurement chamber. An acoustic measurement system includes at least two such transceivers attached to a turbine engine combustor wall and connected to a controller.
US09752957B2

A fuel system pressure tester for motorcycles adapted to be connected in-line with a fuel tank female fitting and a fuel line male fitting, has a fitting body, a first fitting for connection with the fuel tank fitting with an internal, normally closed valve, a second fitting for connection with the fuel line fitting, a pressure gauge, and a manually operated valve with a valve actuating element and a connection for a fuel hose. The fitting body has an internal passageway connecting the first fitting, the second fitting, the pressure gauge, and the manually operated valve. A method of testing a fuel system of the motorcycle involves connecting the pressure tester to the fuel tank by connecting the male tester fitting with the fuel tank female fitting, and connecting the female tester fitting with the fuel line male fitting, energizing the in-tank fuel sending unit, and reading pressure within the tester indicated by the pressure gauge.
US09752946B2

A pressure transmitter assembly for measuring a process pressure of an industrial process includes a pressure sensor configured to sense the process pressure. A process coupling couples the pressure sensor to the industrial process. In one example configuration, a phase change material carried in the process coupling is configured to reduce heat transfer from the industrial process to the process variable sensor by changing phase in response to heat from the industrial process. In another example configuration, a thermocouple electric cooling element is coupled to the process coupling and configured to conduct heat away from the coupling in response to an applied electric current.
US09752939B2

A measuring device and method according to the invention for registering an ambient temperature Ta of a medical machine including a measuring housing, which is arranged on an outer wall of the machine and in which at least one temperature sensor remote from the machine and at least one temperature sensor (16, 16′) near to the machine are held, wherein the at least one temperature sensor remote from the machine registers a first temperature T1 and the at least one temperature sensor near to the machine registers a second temperature T2, and an evaluation apparatus configured to establish the ambient temperature Ta using a difference between the first temperature T1 registered by the at least one temperature sensor remote from the machine and the second temperature T2 registered by the at least one temperature sensor near to the machine.
US09752936B2

In a temperature sensor, two seal members seal the open opposite ends of a cladding member (a forward end and a rear end), so that water absorption by an insulator of a sheath member can be restrained. The seal members are formed to have an insulation resistance equal to that of a conductor-fixing material. Therefore, even when the temperature sensor is used in a high-temperature environment, the insulation performance of the seal members does not become lower than the insulation performance of the conductor-fixing material, so that the formation of a leakage current path can be suppressed. According to the temperature sensor, the electrical property of a temperature sensitive element can be sensed accurately, and a reduction in the accuracy of temperature sensing can be restrained.
US09752928B2

An image sensor pixel the conformist single pixel of a larger array. The image sensor pixel can be a large one, such as larger than 100 μm. The image sensor pixel has readout notes on multiple sides thereof, e.g. on to work for sides, that are symmetrically located on the pixel. The readout notes are simultaneously read out to read out a part of the image from the pixel.
US09752922B2

A scale and associated method automatically identify when a food product pricing scale is in an offline condition and changes a color condition on the scale display to alert scale operators of the offline condition.
US09752917B2

A microwave barrier (10) is provided which has a first microwave unit (14a) having a microwave transmitter and a first antenna (16a) for transmitting a microwave signal and which has a second microwave unit (14b) having a microwave receiver and a second antenna (16b) for receiving the microwave signal and which also has an evaluation unit which is configured to recognize from the received microwave signal whether an object (17) is located on the microwave path (12) between the first microwave unit (14a) and the second microwave unit (14b). In this respect, the first microwave unit (14a) and the second microwave unit (14b) each have a radio frequency transceiver to transmit and to receive microwave signals and the radio frequency transceiver is part of an integrated digital module for wireless communication.
US09752910B2

A sensor system is provided for determining at least one parameter of a fluid medium flowing through a channel, in particular an intake air mass flow of an internal combustion engine. The sensor system includes a sensor housing, in particular a plug-in sensor which is introduced or is introducible into a flow tube, in which the channel is formed, and at least one sensor chip which is situated in the channel for determining the parameter of the fluid medium. The sensor housing has an inlet into the channel which points counter to a main flow direction of the fluid medium, and at least one outlet from the channel in a surface of the sensor housing. The surface of the sensor housing has multiple recesses upstream from the outlet viewed in the main flow direction.
US09752909B2

A thermal type air flow meter that is capable of suppressing deformation of a base member at the time of molding is disclosed, to thereby secure dimension accuracy and reduce an influence of a dimension change on measuring accuracy. The meter includes a housing member placed in an intake passage of an internal combustion engine, and a base member fixed to the housing member and includes a secondary air passage into which part of air passing through the intake passage flows. The base member is a plate-like resin molded component formed of a synthetic resin material and includes a reinforcing structure integrally formed between a board fixing part to which a circuit board is fixed; and a secondary passage constituting part formed at a leading end part of the board fixing part, the reinforcing structure enhancing strength of the base member.
US09752906B2

A base (41) includes a plurality of flow channels (33, 34) and detection sections (531, 541) for detecting the flow volumes of fluids flowing in the flow channels (33, 34). In the base (41), a blocking section (57) for blocking heat conduction between the flow channels (33, 34) is provided between the flow channels (33, 34). The blocking section (57) is configured of groove (58) formed in the base (41).
US09752900B2

A capacitive transducer includes first and second fixed outer plates, each having fixed electrodes positioned on inner surfaces, and a center plate assembly positioned between the fixed outer plates. The center plate assembly includes a top center plate and bottom center plate. The top and bottom center plates each have an inner section, an outer frame positioned outward of a perimeter of the inner section, a set of springs connecting the outer frame to the inner section, and a center electrode positioned on an outer surface of the inner section. The set of springs has thickness less than each of the inner section and the outer frame. The center electrodes of the top and bottom center plates are connected to become electrically one electrode.
US09752896B2

A position sensing system including a waveguide positioned adjacent to a quantity of soft or semi-soft magnetic material is described. A magnet, movable relative to the waveguide and magnetic material, closely positioned to the magnetic material and configured to generate a local magnetic field sufficient to locally saturate the magnetic material. The saturated magnetic material operates to change the characteristic impedance of the waveguide at the point of saturation, which causes signals to be reflected at the point of impedance discontinuity. A signal generator for communicating a first signal to the waveguide and a signal receiver for receiving the first signal and/or the reflected signal and a position sensing processor or circuit for determining the position of the waveguide relative to the magnet based on the first signal and the reflected signal are described.
US09752888B2

The present invention relates to a method of computing the result of a moving range query and the locations of safe exits in a road network and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus that receive a range query request from a moving client terminal and that provide a range query result, a safe region in which the range query result is maintained, and the locations of safe exits. The present invention provides a method in which a server provides a first query processing result and information about a safe region that provides a range query result identical to the first query result, thereby minimizing communication between a server and a client terminal when the client terminal is located in the safe region.
US09752881B2

A method and apparatus for locating points of interest using an ad-hoc network is provided. An exemplary method includes establishing an ad-hoc network between mobile devices and fixed location devices, wherein the fixed location devices are associated with points of interest. A distance from a mobile device to a point of interest is determined based, at least in part, on the number of hops between the mobile device and other mobile devices to reach the point of interest. A direction to the point of interest is determined based, at least in part, on the number of hops between mobile devices proximate to the mobile device and the point of interest.
US09752876B2

A direction detecting apparatus provided at a known position from a lower end of a supporting pole, comprising an image pickup device with an optical axis orthogonal to an axis of the supporting pole and an arithmetic processing part for calculating based on an image from the image pickup device, wherein the image pickup device acquires an image so as to include an object for which a direction is to be detected, wherein the arithmetic processing part calculates and detects a direction and a tilt of the object from a relation between a position of the object in the image and an optical axis of the image pickup device.
US09752870B2

An information processing apparatus for generating a projection pattern used in three-dimensional measurement of a target object, comprising: determination means for determining a projection code string for generating the projection pattern based on distance information of the target object which is obtained in advance; and generation means for generating a pattern image of the projection pattern based on a projection code string determined by the determination means.
US09752861B2

In one embodiment, a flexible strain sensor includes a flexible substrate having a top surface and a layer of piezoresistive amorphous carbon formed on the top surface of the substrate.
US09752856B2

A protective collapsible shield is provided. The protective collapsible shield may include a first panel, a second panel and a third panel. The first and second panels each have a rectangular protrusion or lip extending from a bottom edge. The third panel includes slots for housing the first panel and the second panel. The third panel further includes snapping straps for securing the first and second panels in the slots when the protective collapsible shield is in a retracted state. The third panel further includes multiple locking mechanisms. Each of the locking mechanisms includes a cylindrical rod, a handle fastened to the cylindrical rod and a housing for receiving the cylindrical rod. The locking mechanisms engage with the first and second rectangular protrusions to secure the first and second panels in the slots when the protective collapsible shield is in an extended state.
US09752848B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide significant firearm recoil force reduction and can be integrated within a traditional firearm stock. Such recoil shock absorbers include a body assembly, plunger assembly, and return spring. The body assembly includes a shock tube, cylinder end, and accumulator. The shock tube includes an opening at its distal end, the cylinder end is rotably coupled to the shock tube, and the accumulator is coupled to the cylinder end. The cylinder end can be selectably/adjustably aligned with the shock tube opening, resulting in a selectable/adjustable orifice and a pathway from the shock tube to the accumulator. The plunger assembly is slidably coupled to the body assembly and includes a piston. The piston and the shock tube are in slidable relation such that when the plunger assembly is introduced into the body assembly the piston is introduced into the shock tube.
US09752843B2

A versatile hunting bow with a circular rotatable handle mounted on a circular frame of the riser of the bow. The riser is skeletonized and has an asymmetrical shape. The archers can rotate and adjust the orientation of the handle to their natural wrist position. The outer wall of the circular handle has a series of parallel thread cuts that match with the thread cuts on the inner wall of the circular frame of the riser. Two limbs are connected and secured to the riser through limb bolts. When limb bolts are tightened, the geometry of the riser and the arrangement of the limbs create tensions that slightly distort the shape of the riser. The distortion prevents the thread cuts from moving along each other. Thus, the handle is no longer able to rotate when the limb bolts are tightened and the handle is locked.
US09752835B2

Unitary heat exchangers having integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tubes and heat exchange systems including the same are provided. The unitary heat exchanger comprises an inlet plenum and an outlet plenum and a plurality of integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tubes. The plurality of integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tubes extend between and are integral with the inlet and outlet plenums to define a heat exchanger first flow passage. Each integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tube comprises a tubular member and a plurality of integral heat transfer fins extend radially outwardly from at least one portion of the tubular member. The tubular member has a proximal tube end and a distal tube end and comprises a tubular wall having an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface.
US09752827B2

The present disclosure provides a distillation tower that may include a stripper section constructed and arranged to separate a feed stream at a temperature and pressure at which the feed stream forms no solid; a controlled freeze zone section constructed and arranged to separate the feed stream at a temperature and pressure at which the feed stream forms a solid; a melt tray assembly in the controlled freeze zone section that includes a liquid; an underflow weir in the controlled freeze zone section that alters a flow of the liquid in the melt tray assembly; an overflow weir in the controlled freeze zone section that works with the underflow weir to alter the flow of the liquid in the melt tray assembly and is adjacent to the underflow weir; and a covering element in the controlled freeze zone section that is connected to and extends from the underflow weir.
US09752821B2

A storage member vertical adjustment mechanism for an appliance includes a concealed vertical track system that is positioned within an appliance cabinet. The vertical track system includes a retaining member and a concealing flange that extends parallel with and conceals the retaining member with an adjustment region defined therebetween. A storage member has an engagement structure that cooperatively engages the adjustment region. The engagement structure includes a laterally-extending vertical flange that engages the concealing flange and the retaining member in a vertical adjustment state and alternatively engages the retaining member in the vertically secured positions. The retaining member and the concealing flange laterally support the laterally-extending vertical flange within the adjustment region such that the engagement structure of the storage member is selectively inserted and removed from the adjustment region through one of the top and bottom receiving apertures of the adjustment region.
US09752820B2

A refrigerator equipped with a water tank that is easily accessible to a user and a method of using the same. A water dispenser is installed on the front side of a refrigerator. A water tank coupled to the water dispenser is detachably installed on a lower inner inside of a refrigerator door such that a user can conveniently observe the state of the water tank and access the water tank for maintenance and refill thereof.
US09752819B2

A refrigerator includes a rotating bar configured to seal a gap between one pair of doors. The rotating bar includes a case provided with an accommodating space; a cover to cover the accommodating space, and having heat conduction blocking parts at both sides thereof; a heat insulation member accommodated in the accommodating space; a metallic plate positioned between the heat conduction blocking parts; and a heat generating member configured to be attached to a rear surface of the metallic plate. An insertion protrusion with an inclined surface is configured to be downwardly movable when the inclined surface is collided with the guide part. Sealing members made of rubber are disposed at vertical end portions of the rotating bar, the sealing members to cover gaps formed at the vertical end portions of the rotating bar when the first door is closed.
US09752813B2

A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold with an icemaking cycle having a liquid to ice phase change. A thermoelectric device has a cold side and a warm side. A controller is in operable communication with an input to the thermoelectric device. A sensor is in operable communication with the input to the thermoelectric device and the controller. A feedback response from the input to the thermoelectric device monitors the liquid to ice phase change of the icemaking cycle.
US09752810B1

A temperature sensing system for refrigeration and related methodology. The system has a refrigeration unit containing one or more food products, a temperature sensor disposed in the refrigeration unit. The temperature sensor is in communication with a remote computing device that is configured to calculate thermal data pertaining to said one or more food products. The remote computing device in communication with a temperature monitor that receives real-time temperature information from the temperature sensor. The monitor includes an alarm function that is activated if temperature inside said refrigeration unit causes a rise of the actual product temperature above a specified threshold such as 41° F. while noting the time remaining to return the product temperature to a safe level within the government specified 4 hour limit.
US09752799B2

A solar energy reflector (1) comprises a mirror (5) with no copper layer laminated to a supporting sheet (7) by means of a bonding material (6). The edges of the mirror (5) are provided, at least on a portion forming the major part of their height and closest to the metallic sheet, with an edge protection (8) made of a material comprising silicone, polyurethane and/or acrylic and the material forming the edge protection (8) is different from the bonding material (6).
US09752795B2

An indoor unit including a heat exchanger that cools indoor air sucked through a suction port, a cross flow fan that enables the indoor air to be sucked through the suction port, and enables cold air cooled by the heat exchanger to be discharged into a room through a discharging port, a drainage tray unit that is disposed below the heat exchanger to collect condensate water generated in the heat exchanger, and a blade that is rotatably coupled to the drainage tray unit to open the discharging port, and whose rotary shaft is formed in an upper portion of the discharging port. The drainage tray unit includes a guide unit that prevents the cold air from being discharged to an upper side of the blade so that the cold air is discharged to a lower side of the blade when the blade is opened.
US09752784B2

A power control circuit includes first and second electrical power terminals connected across a source of electrical power. A heating element is connected to the first terminal. A heating element controller is connected in series with the heating element, between the heating element and the second terminal. The controller is configured to control a temperature level of the element, and includes a control input configured to receive a range of temperature settings, and an OFF command for the element. The controller includes an ON/OFF switch to disconnect the element from the second terminal, and a temperature level control switch to intermittently connect/disconnect the element to the second terminal. A jumper wire series-connects the ON/OFF switch to the temperature level control switch. The ON/OFF switch, the jumper wire, the temperature level control switch, and the element are electrically connected in series.
US09752780B2

Described is an abradable component for a gas turbine engine that includes a base having an outboard side which receives a supply of cooling air in use and an inboard side with a plurality of walls thereon. The walls intersect one another to define an abradable network of open faced cells on a gas washed surface thereof, and at least one of the walls includes one or more through-holes for providing a flow of cooling air from the outboard side to the gas washed surface of the abradable network of open faced cells, when in use.
US09752778B2

A wood pellet stove operable to mount to a wall includes a combustion chamber, a combustion chamber door, and a hopper. The combustion chamber has a front, back, and side. The combustion chamber door is in the front of the combustion chamber. The hopper is mounted at the side of the combustion chamber. The bottom of the hopper is below a top of the combustion chamber, and a top of the hopper is substantially coplanar with the top of the combustion chamber. The stove may also include a sight glass or fuel level monitoring system for determining a fuel level of the hopper without opening the hopper.
US09752776B2

A pressure vessel includes a pump having a passage that extends between an inlet and an outlet. A duct at the pump outlet includes at least one dimension that is adjustable to facilitate forming a dynamic seal that limits backflow of gas through the passage.
US09752774B2

A fuel nozzle for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a body defining an axial direction and a radial direction, an air passageway defined axially in the body, and a fuel passageway defined axially in the body radially outwardly from the air passageway. The air passageway has a swirl-inducing relief defined at an exit lip of an outer wall of the air passageway. A gas turbine engine and a method of inducing swirl in an air passageway of a fuel nozzle of a gas turbine engine are also presented.
US09752766B2

An air cooled horticulture lamp fixture for growing plants in confined indoor spaces. The fixture seals the lamp and heat generated by the same to a reflector interior. Flow disruptors create turbulence in a cooling chamber thereby enhancing thermal transfer into a cooling air stream that flows over and around the reflector's exterior side thereby convectively cooling the lamp using the reflector as a heat sink. The lamp is effectively maintained at operational temperatures and the fixture housing is insulated from the hotter reflector by a gap of moving cooling air, allowing improved efficiencies of the lamp bulb in confined indoor growing spaces.
US09752758B2

An illumination apparatus includes a light-emitting element, a first lens, and a second lens. A first incident surface of the first lens faces the light-emitting element, and guides a light beam from the light-emitting element to a radiation port. A second incident surface of the first lens guides a light beam not passing through the first incident surface to a direction toward the outer periphery of the first lens. A first reflection surface of the first lens reflects a light beam from the second incident surface to guide the light beam to the radiation port.
US09752756B2

A lighting device is provided that includes an LED and an NIR filter for a control panel or a display, which does not interfere with a night vision device. The light of the LED is in an area of u′>0.19 and v′>0.46 of the u′v′ diagram of the CIE-LUV chromaticity diagram. The NIR filter exhibits descending light transmittance between 500 nm and 800 nm. The thickness of the NIR filter is chosen so that a sufficient blocking effect is provided in a range of wavelengths between 600 nm and 800 nm, so that the color coordinates of the filtered useful light are in an area with a radius of 0.04 around coordinates u′=0.19 and v′=0.49 of the u′v′ diagram.
US09752750B2

A light flux controlling member includes a concavity on which light is incident on, a light control/emission surface that controls a traveling direction of light incident on the concavity, and a back surface that extends in a radial direction from an opening rim part of the concavity. One of a grid convex part which arranges a plurality of strips of convex parts in a grid pattern and a grid concave part which arranges a plurality of strips of concave parts in a grid pattern is formed in the back surface. A method of manufacturing the light flux controlling member includes forming one of the grid convex part and the grid concave part integrally with a main body of the light flux controlling member by integral molding using a mold having a shape corresponding to one of the grid convex part and the grid concave part.
US09752741B2

Various components for artificial candles and other lighting devices are described that can be used to create a realistic flame effect in the devices. The devices include a flame element that extends upwardly from a housing. A light source can be disposed with respect to the flame element such that the flame element is illuminated. A variety of drive mechanisms could be disposed within the body of the device that can cause movement of the flame element with respect to the housing. The flame element can be coupled to a housing or mounting bracket of the device using various components to suspend the flame element within the housing.
US09752739B2

An emergency lighting assembly is provided having a housing with one or more adjustable lamp assemblies for aiming the light at selected areas. The lamp assembly is mounted in the housing by a ball and socket arrangement. The lamp assembly has a substantially spherical shape with a front section made of a heat conducting material and a rear section made of a plastic material. The front section has an opening on a front side having a lens and a base spaced from the front side supporting the light source. The light source in one embodiment is an LED which is coupled to the front section to conduct heat from the LED away from the LED and the housing. The rear section has an opening in the rear side that receives a fixed stop member to limit pivoting movement of the lamp assembly with respect to the housing. The rear section also includes a projection oriented to contact the stop member to limit rotation of the lamp assembly with respect to the housing.
US09752731B2

Systems and related methods for conserving various resources, such as, but not limited to, water, laundry chemicals, natural gas, electricity, linen, labor, and wear on equipment (e.g., a solenoid valve of a commercial washing machine drain line). The inventor has spent the past 14 years in the industrial chemical field, allowing him to access and service commercial washing machines, and has discovered that drain issues relative to such commercial washing machines result in enormous losses to such institutions that process a large volume of laundry. Such typical institutions include, but are not limited to, hotels, hospitals, prisons, universities, colleges, laundries, and nursing homes. By replacing a portion of the opaque drain pipe section between the valve and the floor drain, operators and technicians can quickly determine if a leak is occurring, and take corrective action. An access port may also be provided to test characteristics of discharged wash water.
US09752730B2

A dialysis machine includes an ultrafiltration pump that pumps fluid from a pump inlet to a pump outlet, and a calibration fluid container. The container including a bottom, an upstanding sidewall, a container inlet and a container outlet, the bottom and the upstanding sidewall defining a container interior. The container may be to the atmosphere. At least the container outlet being disposed in the sidewall proximate to the bottom. The first end of a first hose is fluidly coupled to the pump inlet, and the second end of the first hose is removably, fluidly coupleable to the container outlet. The first end of a second hose is fluidly coupled to the pump outlet, and the second end of the second hose is removably, fluidly coupleable to the container inlet. In this way, a calibration process may be performed when the second ends of the first and second hoses are fluidly coupled to the container outlet and the container inlet, respectively.
US09752727B2

A system for dispensing a cryogenic fluid includes a bulk tank containing a supply of cryogenic fluid. A heating circuit includes an intermediate tank and a heating device and has an inlet in fluid communication with the bulk tank and an outlet. A bypass junction is positioned between the bulk tank and the inlet of the heating circuit. A bypass circuit has an inlet in fluid communication with the bypass junction and an outlet so that a portion of cryogenic fluid from the bulk tank flows through the heating circuit and is warmed and a portion flows through the bypass circuit. A mixing junction is in fluid communication with the outlets of the bypass circuit and the heating circuit so that warmed cryogenic fluid from the heating circuit is mixed with cryogenic fluid from the bypass circuit so that the cryogenic fluid is conditioned. A dispensing line is in fluid communication with the mixing junction so that the conditioned cryogenic fluid may be dispensed. Warmed cryogenic fluid remaining in the heating circuit after dispensing is directed to the intermediate tank and used to warm cryogenic fluid directed through the heating circuit.
US09752724B2

Hands-free electronic devices and electronic functions that can be worn on the surface of the body in a biologically fit manner are described. The embodiments provide a convergence between electronic products, and biological, anatomical, and biomechanical aspects of the human body while providing hands-free and interchangeable wearable electronic apparatuses that can interact with human senses and physiology of a human body in a practical manner.
US09752723B2

A display support device includes a hollow hanging arm having a movable end portion, and a pressure cylinder movably disposed in the hanging arm and including a fixed rod that extends through a cylinder body thereof and that has an open end, and a control pin extending through the open end and having an end surface. A control unit is operable to control the control pin between a locking position, in which the end surface is flush with the open end and the cylinder body is immovable relative to the fixed rod, and an unlocking position, in which the end surface is spaced apart from the open end and the cylinder body is movable relative to the fixed rod. A carrier unit is pivotally connected to the movable end portion.
US09752714B2

A releasable valved coupler and a method of producing and using such a coupler including a coupler body having a first valve element and a coupler insert having a second valve element, wherein a first valve tip of the first valve element can engage a second valve tip of the second valve element upon insertion of the coupler insert inside of a tubular chamber of the coupler body, whereby the first valve element disengages a first valve seat and the second valve element disengages a second valve seat to open a flow path through the coupler. By moving the coupler body and the coupler insert in outward opposed axial directions, the first and second valve tips can disengage, correspondingly engaging the first valve element with the first valve seat and engaging the second valve element with the second valve seat to close the flow path through the coupler.
US09752713B2

This female quick-connect coupling element comprises balls for locking a male element in a coupled configuration, positioned in radial housings of a body and able to protrude radially in an insertion channel, and an actuating member mobile between a first position, in which the male element is locked in the female element in coupled configuration, and a second position, in which the male and female elements are in uncoupled configuration. The female quick-connect coupling element comprises an intermediate locking ring, mobile in translation between a rear position, in which an internal wall of the intermediate ring maintains the locking balls protruding in the insertion channel, and a front position of the front side of the female element, in which the locking balls are free to be pushed back opposite the longitudinal axis of the female element under the action of the actuating member.
US09752707B2

The present invention thus provides a double-jacketed lay-flat fire hose having an inner tube for conveying fluid, an inner jacket surrounding the inner tube and an outer jacket surrounding the inner jacket. The outer jacket is made of an abrasion-resistant woven fabric material that includes four longitudinal, spaced-apart and generally parallel stripes formed each of a bundle of longitudinally aligned filament yarns. This outer jacket is less prone to trapping air between the outer jacket and the inner jacket.
US09752701B2

The valve operator assembly is provided includes a housing, an input member rotatably mounted, and a transmission mechanism including a translating element and a rotating element connected to the input member, said transmission mechanism being adapted to convert applied rotation of the input member into axial translation of said translating element.The assembly further includes a locking mechanism provided with a casing mounted on the transmission mechanism and/or the housing, with a freewheel including a plurality of locking members mounted in radial contact with the transmission mechanism and with the casing, and with friction means axially disposed between the casing and the housing and mounted in axial contact with said housing. The friction means, the freewheel and the casing cooperate together to lock the transmission mechanism with the housing in a static position of said assembly.
US09752692B2

A check valve including a valve body and a flapper assembly, the valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, an interior cavity, and a port in the interior cavity; the flapper assembly movable between an open position, providing fluid communication between the inlet and outlet, and a closed position, isolating the inlet from the outlet, the flapper assembly including a resilient body and a spring assembly, the spring assembly configured to bias the flap portion of the resilient body towards the closed position, the spring assembly including a spring and a backing plate mounted on opposite surfaces of the resilient body and configured to increase the stiffness of the intermediate portion of the resilient body.
US09752685B2

A flow rate control apparatus includes a valve mechanism capable of controlling a flow rate of a pressure fluid that flows from a second port to a first port. Second stopper walls are formed on a seating section of a needle valve constituting the valve mechanism and which is capable of advancing and retracting in an axial direction. In addition, in a total valve-closed state when the seating section of the needle valve is seated on a seat of a first body, the second stopper walls come into abutment and are stopped in a circumferential direction of the needle valve with respect to first stopper walls of the first body.
US09752680B2

A high pressure vessel sealing ring formed by an annular body made up of at least two parts, a polymer gasket and a sealing gasket, wherein the ring is in contact with the surface of a high pressure lid and with the surface of a vessel and includes at least a first part coupled by means of a mechanical stop to a second part which is concentric to the first part, where the radius of the second part is of the same or different size with respect to the radius of the first part.
US09752679B2

A cylindrical seal apparatus according to one embodiment includes a split spring ring and a split seal ring supported in a groove for example defined in a piston. The split spring ring in a tensioning condition presses against a tapered annular inner surface of the split seal ring to create a radial pre-load and an axial pre-load to the slit seal ring to establish a primary sealing contact between the seal ring and a cylinder, and a second sealing condition between the seal ring and a lower-pressure side of the groove, before the working fluid pressure is built up.
US09752676B2

A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a first motor, a second motor, a first planetary gear mechanism, a second planetary gear mechanism, a battery, and an electronic control unit. The first planetary gear mechanism includes a first rotating element, a second rotating element, and a third rotating element. The internal combustion engine is coupled to the second rotating element. The second planetary gear mechanism includes a fourth rotating element, a fifth rotating element, and a sixth rotating element. A brake is connected to the fifth rotating element. The electronic control unit is configured to turn on the brake at a time of high-vehicle-speed ignition-off of the hybrid vehicle such that the fifth rotating element is in a rotation stop state. The high-vehicle-speed ignition-off is that an ignition is off while the hybrid vehicle is traveling at a predetermined vehicle speed or higher while operating the internal combustion engine.
US09752674B2

An automotive transmission includes a shift lever configured to move in one direction to select a shift stage. a housing formed to enclose one side of the shift lever; and a transmission sensing module positioned inside the housing to sense at least one of the transmission modes or the shift stages which are selected by the shift lever, wherein the transmission sensing module includes, a printed circuit board, at least one component configured to include a connection terminal electrically connected to the printed circuit board and to be operated depending on the selected transmission mode or shift stage, at least one component operated depending on at least one of the selected transmission modes or the shift stages and a cover part configured to be coupled with one surface of the printed circuit board and apply a pressure to the connection terminal to adhere to the printed circuit board.
US09752670B2

A mechanical system, forming a cam follower or a rocker arm, and comprising a support element, a pin extending between two opposite ends along a first axis and supported by the support element, and a roller movable in rotation relative to the pin around the first axis and adapted to roll on a cam. The support element includes at least a first part and a second separate part which, when fitted together, together delimit a lubricating groove on an external surface of the support element.
US09752667B2

A torque converter is provided that includes an impeller having an impeller shell with a first surface, an axially displaceable turbine-piston hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller and including a turbine-piston shell and a turbine-piston flange with a second surface, and a clutch plate interposed between and axially displaceable relative to at least one of the first and second surfaces. The turbine-piston is axially movable relative to the impeller to move the second surface of the turbine-piston flange towards and away from the first surface for positioning the torque converter into and out of a lockup mode in which the first and second surfaces and the clutch plate surfaces frictionally interlock with one another so that the impeller is mechanically locked to and non-rotatable relative to the turbine-piston.
US09752664B2

An actuator includes M supports to support the rotary shaft, M being an integer equal to or more than 2; and M speed reducers. The Nth support out of the M supports is located at the opposite side of the moving body across the (N−1)th support, N being an integer which is equal to or more than 2 and equal to or less than M. The first speed reducer is connected to the moving body and the first support, receives a movement of the moving body in the axial direction as an input and drives the first support with a reduced drive force that is reduced from the input, and the Nth speed reducer is connected to the (N−1)th support and the Nth support, receives a movement of the (N−1)th support in the axial direction as an input and drives the Nth support with a reduced drive force.
US09752659B2

A multi-stage transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft; an output shaft; first to fourth planetary gear devices transmitting rotary force between the input and output shafts, each of them having three rotary elements, and at least six shifting elements connected to the rotary elements of the planetary gear devices; wherein a first rotary element of the first planetary gear device is variably connected to a first rotary element and a third rotary element of the second planetary gear device, a second rotary element is continuously connected to the input shaft and variably connected to the first rotary element of the second planetary gear device, and a third rotary element is installed to be fixable by any one of the shifting elements and continuously connected to a third rotary element of the third planetary gear device.
US09752657B2

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 including first, second, and third rotation elements, a second planetary gear set including fourth, fifth, and sixth rotation elements, a third planetary gear set including seventh, eighth, and ninth rotation elements, a fourth planetary gear set including tenth, eleventh, and twelfth rotation elements, and seven friction elements disposed between at least one rotation element among the twelve rotation elements and another rotation element or the input shaft, or between at least one rotation element among the twelve rotation elements and a transmission housing.
US09752646B2

A damper device is disposed between an engine and a transmission and has a torque distribution mechanism that is provided with a first input element connected to the engine, a second input element connected to the engine via an elastic member, a first output element connected to the transmission, and a second output element connected to the transmission. The damper device further has a first clutch that is disposed between the first output element and the transmission, and is switched between an engaged state of connecting the first output element to the transmission and a released state of disconnecting the first output element from the transmission, and a second clutch that is disposed between the second output element and the transmission, and is switched between an engaged state of connecting the second output element to the transmission and a released state of disconnecting the second output element from the transmission.
US09752644B2

Provided is a non-adhesive type vibration reduction apparatus comprising: a support; a body; and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is coupled in a non-adhesive manner in which an adhesive is not used, thereby preventing a separation of and reducing a damage of an elastomer which result from a weakening of an adhesive force.
US09752642B2

Embodiments are directed to tunable damper embodiments and methods of using the same for damping resonant and non-resonant vibrations present within an object that the tunable damper is secured to. In some cases, the tunable damper may be tuned before, during or after being secured to an object.
US09752639B2

A shear thickening fluid having a controlled stress response, in which various stress response characteristics, including, an onset stress, a boundary stress and a fractures stress, can be controlled. The stress response characteristics controlled by the controlled properties of the shear thickening fluid, including the viscosity of a fluid medium, the mechanical properties of the suspended particles and the mechanical properties of the fluid boundary.
US09752638B2

An electromechanical shock absorber (10) for dampening vibrations generated during rotation of the drum of a washing machine is disclosed. The absorber has a tubular body (11) and a piston (12) telescopically movable with respect to said tubular body (11). A first clamp (20) and a second clamp (21) are disposed within the tubular body (11) and are rotatably connected to each other at their first ends (20a, 2a). One or more friction elements (14) is located in between the piston (12) and the two clamps (20, 21) for producing, during operation, frictional dampening when said piston (12) moves telescopically with respect to the body (11). The body has a window (25) which is formed on said tubular body (11) and through which the second ends (20b, 21b) of the first and second clamps (20, 21) protrude outside said tubular body (11).
US09752629B2

A centrifugal clutch assembly. The clutch assembly has a cover adapted for connecting to a driving member extending along a central axis and a pressure plate coaxially mounted on the cover for axial movement relative to the cover. The assembly includes a friction disc adapted for connection to a driven member coaxially mounted adjacent the pressure plate. The assembly has a lever support mounted on and having a hardness greater than the pressure plate. The clutch assembly includes a lever pivotally mounted on the lever support and reacting against the cover to move the pressure plate into and out of engagement with the friction disc. The lever is shaped to apply more clamping force to the pressure plate as the clutch assembly turns faster about the central axis.
US09752628B2

A self-locking clutch mechanism comprising a base, an output member journalled to the base, a first spring engaged between the base and the output member, the first spring exerting a first spring force in a first direction, a clutch spring engaged with an intermediate member and frictionally engaged with a base cylindrical surface, an input member rotationally engaged with the base, the input member intermittently engagable with the clutch spring through a control member such that the clutch spring is temporarily released from the base cylindrical surface upon a rotary movement of the control member in a first direction, the intermediate member rotates upon release of the clutch spring from the base cylindrical surface, and a second spring engaged between the intermediate member and the output member, the second spring exerting a second spring force opposite the first spring force.
US09752627B2

The present invention relates to a clutch arrangement for coupling a first clutch section to a second clutch section. The clutch arrangement has at least one pin-shaped shift element mounted so as to be movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis thereof by the first clutch section between an engaged position, in which the two clutch sections are coupled for conjoint rotation by means of the shift element, and a disengaged position, in which the two clutch sections are decoupled from one another. Also provided is a spring, which acts at least indirectly on the shift element and preloads the latter in the direction of the engaged or disengaged position, whereas an electromagnet serves to move the shift element counter to the preloading effect of the spring in the energized state.
US09752619B2

A double row ball bearing includes: an outer ring; an inner ring; a plurality of first balls disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring to form a first ball row; a plurality of second balls disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring to form a second ball row having a pitch circle diameter larger than that of the first ball row; an annular first cage having a plurality of first pockets in which the first balls are held; an annular second cage having a plurality of second pockets in which the second balls are held; and an annular portion that covers, together with the outer ring, a portion of each second ball held in the second pocket from the radially outside, the portion being exposed on the outside of the second pocket and oriented radially outward.
US09752608B2

The invention relates to a mounting system for mounting a component on a support of a motor vehicle. The mounting system comprises a first fixing device for fixing the component without tools in a first region of the component and a second fixing device for fixing the component without tools in a second region of the component. The first fixing device includes a snap closure for fixing the first region of the component in three linearly independent directions, and the second fixing device includes a rail for fixing the second region of the component so as to be displaceable in one direction on the support.
US09752605B2

A load release means for a telescopic prop, the load release means comprising: an inner member with at least one threaded portion; a striking collar with threaded internal bore configured to threadedly engage with the threaded portion of the inner member through a thread interface; and, locking means to releasably secure said striking collar on said inner member, whereby, in use, when an applied load V acts directly on the thread interface, the component force S of the applied load V provides most or all of the striking torque such that when the locking means is released little to no external torque is required to be applied to the striking collar to strike the striking collar.
US09752594B2

A motor of a ceiling fan includes a stator, a rotor, and a base. The stator has a shaft and a core. The rotor has a first housing rotatably coupling with the shaft. The base has a second housing firmly connecting with the stator. The core of the stator is positioned between the first and second housings, an air channel communicates the inside and the outside of the motor, and the first housing is able to rotate relative to the second housing for generating an air current inside the motor and guiding the air current out of the motor via the air channel.
US09752588B2

An assembly that includes an impeller having an upper face, a lower face, and a central bore sized and shaped to mate with a connecting end of a shaft. The central bore is defined by a plurality of ledges that each include a cement groove, and channels disposed between the ledges. The connecting end includes a plurality of slots, and extended grooves disposed between the slots. Each extended groove includes an end that extends perpendicular to the length of the extended groove. In application, the plurality of ledges frictionally communicate with the outer surface of the shaft. The plurality of channels of the impeller align with the plurality of grooves of the shaft defining passages that provide a tunnel for entrainment of particles entering the impeller. The cement grooves of the impeller further align with and receive the extended grooves and ends of the shaft resulting in a stronger connection between the shaft and impeller.
US09752574B2

A cooling and lubricating arrangement of tribological contact areas is disclosed. The arrangement includes tribological contact areas that slide over one another, of which at least one contact area has a surface contour with surface depressions in which a lubricant is stored. The surface contour forms a number of elongate grooves, the gap heights of which, at least in respect of respectively two adjacent grooves, are preferably different.
US09752567B2

A tubing pump apparatus is provided. In the tubing pump apparatus, bearing members are integrally formed through engagement, whereby a first shaft of a support plate is rotatably supported by a first bearing portion of one bearing member, and a second shaft of the support plate is rotatably supported by a second bearing portion of another bearing member arranged side by side with the bearing member. By further adding a bearing member, the first shaft of the support plate provided adjacent thereto is rotatably supported by the first bearing portion of the bearing member, and the second shaft is rotatably supported by a second bearing portion of the other bearing member. In this construction, it is possible to arrange side by side a plurality of tubing pumps in the axial direction of the support plates so that it is possible to achieve a reduction in the size of the whole.
US09752562B2

A resistively heated shape memory polymer device is made by providing a rod, sheet or substrate that includes a resistive medium. The rod, sheet or substrate is coated with a first shape memory polymer providing a coated intermediate unit. The coated intermediate unit is in turn coated with a conductive material providing a second intermediate unit. The second coated intermediate unit is in turn coated with an outer shape memory polymer. The rod, sheet or substrate is exposed and an electrical lead is attached to the rod, sheet or substrate. The conductive material is exposed and an electrical lead is attached to the conductive material.
US09752559B2

The present subject matter directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine having at least one rotatable aerodynamic surface feature configured thereon. The rotor blade assembly includes a body shell including a pressure side surface and a suction side surface extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The aerodynamic surface feature is disposed adjacent to the pressure side surface, the suction side surface, and/or both. In addition, the surface feature may have a generally airfoil-shaped cross section. As such, an actuator can be configured at least partially within an internal volume of the surface feature, the actuator being configured to rotate the surface feature relative to the body shell.
US09752558B2

A flywheel includes a shaft a rotor attached to the shaft. The rotor rotates using the shaft as a central axis. The rotor includes at least one magnet along an outer circumferential surface thereof, at least one coil spaced apart from the rotor in a radial direction. The coil may form a magnetic field that exerts a magnetic force on the magnets when current is supplied to the coil by an electric circuit, thus mitigating fluctuations in rotation of the rotor.
US09752547B2

An electrical system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine with start/stop capability includes a primary battery connectible to an engine starter motor; a secondary battery, an alternator, and an electrical load in parallel with one another and selectively connectible in parallel with the primary battery by a charge switch; in parallel with the secondary battery, a DC/DC converter in series with a third electrical energy source; and a bypass switch operable to selectively bypass the DC/DC converter. The bypass switch allows for selective bypassing the DC/DC converter and charging/discharging of the third electrical energy source during start/stop operation, to ensure a sufficient voltage level over the additional vehicle electrical loads when the internal combustion engine and consequently the alternator are not running.
US09752546B2

An apparatus for starting an engine, including an inertia-engagement-type starter. In the apparatus, a starter-characteristic switching mechanism is configured to switch an output characteristic of the starter between a plurality of output characteristics including at least a low-torque high-speed characteristic and a high-torque low-speed characteristic, where the output characteristic of the starter is hereinafter referred to a starter characteristic. A timing controller is configured to control when the starter-characteristic switching mechanism switches the starter characteristic such that the starter characteristic is set to the high-torque low-speed characteristic from initiation of actuation of the starter at least until a pinion successfully meshes with a ring gear, and after the pinion has successfully meshed with the ring gear, the starter characteristic is switched from the high-torque low-speed characteristic to the low-torque high-speed characteristic at which the engine is cranked by the starter.
US09752545B2

In a fuel injection control apparatus, an injector is driven to open its valve by supplying a coil of the injector with a current during a high-level period of a power supply command signal outputted from a microcomputer. A valve-closing time of the injector is detected based on a coil current, which decreases from a fall time of the power supply command signal. By comparing the coil current with plural equally-divided comparison threshold values by comparators, times are detected when the coil current decreases to the comparison threshold values, respectively. The valve-closing time is detected based on time differences among the detected times.
US09752543B2

A fuel tank includes a tank main body having an opening, a pump unit mounted to a mounting position on a bottom of the tank main body through the opening and having a fuel pump and a pump retaining member retaining the fuel pump and, and a guide means configured to guide the pump unit from an opening side of the tank main body to the mounting position on a bottom side of the tank main body. The guide means includes a guide rail provided on the tank main body and a slider provided on the pump unit. The slider is configured to be slidably engaged with the guide rail.
US09752529B2

A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, wherein the internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection valve injecting fuel directly into a cylinder. The control apparatus includes an ECU. The ECU is configured to execute a divided injection control to inject fuel from the fuel injection valve by a plurality of partial lift injections. The ECU is configured to execute a division number reduction control when the value of a spray shape parameter representing spray shape fluctuation is greater than a division number reduction determination value. The division number reduction control is control to reduce the number of partial lift injections in one engine cycle and to lengthen an injection time of each of the partial lift injections.
US09752527B2

A fuel injection device includes: a current control section which turns off a current which is applied by a current output section such that a timing at which fuel injection of a fuel injection section is ended becomes a timing coinciding with a timing at which fuel injection is ended in a case where a current is turned off from a predetermined current amount at which continuation of the fuel injection of the fuel injection section becomes possible, in a case where a fuel injection ending request timing of the fuel injection section is in a time domain in which a current which is applied by the current output section changes transiently.
US09752518B2

A method for the load-dependent opening and closing of a blow-off valve flap of an internal combustion engine with a turbocharger is provided, in which by at least one detector on an internal combustion engine inlet side, at least one air pressure value, one air mass flow value and/or an opening position of a valve of the suction pipe are detected and transmitted to a control device. By the control device from the received values a current load of the internal combustion engine is determined, and by the control device based on the determined current load of the internal combustion engine and/or of the turbocharger, control inputs for an actuator of the blow-off valve flap are generated and transmitted to the actuator. The blow-off valve flap is completely opened, partially opened, minimally opened or closed and held in the respective position by the actuator dependent on the current load.
US09752513B2

Embodiments relate to valves comprising a member such as a plate or poppet, that is moveable relative to a stationary seat. The state of the member may be maintained against opposing forces with relatively little expenditure of energy. According to one embodiment, a poppet displaced from seating in the valve seat, may be held in position against opposing forces tending to close the valve, until a desired flow of gas through the valve has taken place. The poppet may then be released as desired, such that those opposing forces serve to passively close the valve. The valve may be secured in position utilizing mechanical, magnetic, electromagnetic, pneumatic, electrostatic, or hydraulic approaches. Valve embodiments may be particularly suited to controlling gas flows for compression and/or expansion in an energy storage system.
US09752506B2

A device for connecting a fixed turbine engine portion and a distributor foot of a turbine engine turbine is provided. The device includes a ring-shaped body adapted so as to be connected and secured to the fixed turbine engine portion, and two ring-shaped upstream and downstream brackets secured to the body, both brackets being adapted so as to clamp the foot of the distributor. At least one bracket is interrupted by forming an expansion or retraction slot, the slot allowing an expansion of the bracket tending to close the slot or retraction of the bracket tending to further open the slot, under the effect of a difference in internal temperatures of the device.
US09752501B2

The invention relates generally to electrical power systems, including generating capacity of a gas turbine, and more specifically to pressurized air injection that is useful for providing additional electrical power during periods of peak electrical power demand from a gas turbine system power plant, as well as to inlet heating to allow increased engine turn down during periods of reduced electrical demand.
US09752490B2

An apparatus and method for an exhaust retention system is disclosed.
US09752485B2

An exhaust gas energy recovery system includes a power plant and a volumetric fluid expander. The power plant has an exhaust gas outlet for conveying an exhaust gas stream at a first pressure. The volumetric fluid expander includes a housing and an output shaft. The housing has an inlet and an outlet, and the housing inlet is in fluid communication with the exhaust gas outlet. The volumetric fluid expander generates useful work at the output shaft by expanding the exhaust gas stream to a second pressure lower than the first pressure generally without reducing the volume of the exhaust stream as the exhaust stream moves from the housing inlet to the outlet.
US09752483B2

A method of operating a dosing device. A dosing valve is provided with low-pressure and high-pressure chambers delimited by a piston whose travel is limited to a predefined maximum stroke. A pump operates to deliver the liquid at pre-delivery pressure. The dosing valve actuates under direction of a control unit by opening a 2/2 directional valve to direct the pumped liquid into the low-pressure chamber, and in response, the piston initiates a stroke. The liquid is injected from the high-pressure chamber into the exhaust-gas stream during the stroke of the piston, and the injection stops when the piston reaches maximum stroke. The control unit holds the directional valve open for longer than the piston requires to perform its maximum stroke so that the dosing valve delivers a predetermined volumetric dose of the liquid into the exhaust-gas stream, the predetermined volumetric dose corresponding directly to the maximum stroke of the piston.
US09752482B2

The invention relates to a device for storing and delivering an aqueous additive for catalytic exhaust-gas denitrogenization in a motor vehicle. The device comprises a storage vessel (1) enclosing a storage volume (2), comprises at least one delivery pump (8) for the additive, and comprises means for heating at least parts of the storage volume (2), wherein the device is characterized in that the storage vessel (1) is at least partially of double-walled form.
US09752481B2

A system includes a prime engine connected to a prime engine exhaust stack that receives prime engine exhaust, a mixing duct section connected to the prime engine exhaust stack, a head-end power (HEP) generator connected to an HEP generator exhaust pipe that receives HEP generator exhaust, a single urea injector, and a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. The HEP generator exhaust pipe is connected to the mixing duct section, and the single urea injector injects urea into the HEP generator exhaust pipe upstream of the mixing duct section. The HEP generator exhaust and prime engine exhaust merge in the mixing duct section to form a merged exhaust that is received by the SCR system.
US09752477B2

A honeycomb structure including a honeycomb structure body, first plugging portions, and second plugging portions. The honeycomb structure body has a porous partition wall. The first plugging portions are disposed at an outflow side end face of inlet cells and an inflow side end face of outlet cells. The inlet cells are the predetermined cells of the honeycomb structure body. The outlet cells are the residual cells of the honeycomb structure body. The second plugging portions are not fired. The first plugging portions form a checkered pattern at the inflow side end face and the outflow side end face. The number of the second plugging portions is within 3% of the number of cell open ends where the first plugging portions are not formed, on both end faces of the honeycomb structure body.
US09752470B2

A system and method is provided for an at least partially variable valve drive in an internal combustion engine. In one example, the at least partially variable valve drive comprises a hydraulically adjustable actuating device which may be charged with pressurized oil via an oil pressure line which branches off from an oil circuit.
US09752467B2

A variable valve device for an internal combustion engine for varying operating characteristics of engine valves by changing a relative rotational phase of a camshaft to a timing sprocket has an electric motor that rotates the camshaft relatively to the timing sprocket, a cover member provided to cover a front end section of the electric motor, and an angle sensor that detects a rotational angle position of a motor output shaft. The angle sensor includes a detected unit provided inside of a top end section of the motor output shaft and a detecting unit provided on the cover member so as to be opposed to the detected unit through a minute clearance. A metal disk-shaped reinforcing plate is molded and fixed inside of a cover main body of the cover member mainly formed of a synthetic resin material, thus enhancing the entire rigidity of the cover main body.
US09752466B2

A continuous variable valve duration apparatus includes a camshaft, a plurality of wheels mounted to the camshaft, of which a wheel key is formed thereto respectively, a plurality of cam portions of which a cam and a cam key are formed thereto respectively, of which the camshaft is inserted thereto, of which relative phase angle with respect to the camshaft is variable, a plurality of inner brackets connected with the each wheel key and the each cam key, a slider housing of which the each inner bracket is rotatably inserted thereto, and rotatably configured around a hinge bracket connected to a cylinder head and a control portion selectively moving the slider housings to change relative position of a rotation center of the inner brackets.
US09752460B2

Embodiments of the invention generally provide a heat engine system, a method for generating electricity, and an algorithm for controlling the heat engine system which are configured to efficiently transform thermal energy of a waste heat stream into electricity. In one embodiment, the heat engine system utilizes a working fluid (e.g., sc-CO2) within a working fluid circuit for absorbing the thermal energy that is transformed to mechanical energy by a turbine and electrical energy by a generator. The heat engine system further contains a control system operatively connected to the working fluid circuit and enabled to monitor and control parameters of the heat engine system by manipulating a power turbine throttle valve to adjust the flow of the working fluid. A control algorithm containing multiple system controllers may be utilized by the control system to adjust the power turbine throttle valve while maximizing efficiency of the heat engine system.
US09752451B2

An ACC system and method of using such for changing a turbine blade to BOAS gap on an aircraft engine is disclosed. The ACC system may comprise a first ring, a first supply line and a first flow control assembly. The first ring may be configured to substantially encircle a portion of a case assembly that is disposed around an aircraft engine turbine. The first ring may include a plurality of segments that each define a chamber, an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports. At least a portion of the outlet ports may be configured to be disposed adjacent to the case. The first supply line may be operatively connected to a first segment of the plurality of segments. The first flow control assembly may be operatively connected to the first supply line and configured to meter the flow of cool air into the first segment.
US09752447B2

A gas turbine engine combustor configured to cool a first vane platform by directing airflow through an aft combustor rail is disclosed. In various embodiments, a gas turbine engine combustor may comprise an aft combustor rail connected between an outer wall of an outer liner and an aft heat shield panel, and a plurality of holes in the aft combustor rail. The aft combustor rail may be positioned near an outer vane platform of a first vane stage of a turbine. Further, the plurality of holes may be designed to focus pass-through airflow onto the outer vane platform. In various embodiments, each hole of the plurality of holes may be angled between 20°-90° relative to the aft combustor rail. Additionally, the plurality of holes may be angled to converge the airflow to a focused area, such as a leading edge vane airfoil of the first vane stage.
US09752446B2

An airfoil of a turbine engine may have internal passages to permit the travel of cooling air through the airfoil. Multiple airfoils may be formed together in a stator vane assembly, and cooling air may be directed through the stator vane assembly. The stator vane assembly may be mounted to an engine structure to carry structural loads experienced by the stator vane assembly. Buttresses may be formed in the stator vane assembly, such as beneath each airfoil of the stator vane assembly, and extending into a passage permitting the travel of cooling air through the airfoil. The buttresses may enhance the strength and stability of the stator vane assembly by facilitating the transmission of structural loads to an engine structure. A channel may be defined through one or more buttress to enable the passage of cooling air into the airfoils, and yet allow the buttresses to carry structural loads.
US09752445B2

Coupled turbine vanes having an axis are produced by arranging a plurality of first fabrics of ceramic fibers in radial directions relative to the axis to constitute a plurality of vane sections, arranging a second fabric of the ceramic fibers in a circumferential direction relative to the axis, connecting the first fabrics with the second fabric by bending first ends of the first fabrics to lay them on the second fabric in parallel, and impregnating the plurality of first fabrics connected with the second fabric with the matrix.
US09752444B2

An erosion shield for a wind turbine blade is described, the erosion shield having a plurality of layers of erosion resistant material. The layers of erosion resistant material have an adhesive bond strength between adjacent layers less than the cohesive tensile strength of the layers, such that the outer layers of erosion resistant material are arranged to peel away or delaminate from the erosion shield under the action of the wind once the particular layer is ruptured or eroded. This dynamic removal of the outer layers of the erosion shield provides for increased shield lifetime, and a reduction in the maintenance operations required for a wind turbine blade having such an erosion shield.
US09752440B2

A component for a turbine engine includes a substrate that includes a first surface, and an insert coupled to the substrate proximate the substrate first surface. The component also includes a channel. The channel is defined by a first channel wall formed in the substrate and a second channel wall formed by at least one coating disposed on the substrate first surface. The component further includes an inlet opening defined in flow communication with the channel. The inlet opening is defined by a first inlet wall formed in the substrate and a second inlet wall defined by the insert.
US09752439B2

An airfoil arrangement of a turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes adjacent airfoils including pressure and suction sides extending in a radial direction from a 0% span position to a 100% span position. The airfoils have a relationship between a gap/chord ratio and span position that defines a curve with a gap/chord ratio having a portion with a negative slope.
US09752428B2

Various embodiments include apparatus and methods to operate a measurement process in a borehole that uses a symmetric sensor structure or a sensor structure operable to mimic a symmetric sensor structure to provide structural compensation. Apparatus and methods can include a data processing unit to generate compensated signals based on the measurement signals and to determine formation parameters using the compensated signals. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09752425B2

A carrier rod having at least one recess extending along at least part of the length of the rod, in which recess a optical fiber assembly for monitoring strain, temperature and/or other physical parameters is arranged, which optical fiber assembly is along at least part of its length bonded within the recess. The carrier rod can be used in a system or a method of monitoring deformation and other characteristics of a casing or other tubular or cylindrical well equipment in a well traversing an underground formation.
US09752416B2

An open water capture device comprising a structure, wherein the structure comprises an open bottom, a top, and one or more injection primary ports.
US09752415B2

A running tool configured to insert and set a retrievable subsea unit (RSU) into a subsea tree includes a frame having a lock configured to lock and unlock the running tool with respect to the subsea tree, a drive configured to lower or lift the RSU with respect to an accommodation space of the subsea tree, and a module lock configured to releasably lock the RSU to the drive.
US09752406B2

A wellbore plug isolation system and method for positioning plugs to isolate fracture zones in a horizontal, vertical, or deviated wellbore is disclosed. The system/method includes a wellbore casing laterally drilled into a hydrocarbon formation, a wellbore setting tool (WST) that sets a large inner diameter (ID) restriction sleeve member (RSM), and a restriction plug element (RPE). The RPE includes a first composition and a second composition that changes phase or strength under wellbore conditions. After a stage is perforated, RPEs are deployed to isolate toe ward pressure communication. The second composition changes phase to create flow channels in the RPE during production. In an alternate system/method, the second composition changes phase or strength thereby deforming the RPE to reduce size and pass through the RSM's. The RPEs are removed or left behind prior to initiating well production without the need for a milling procedure.
US09752403B1

An apparatus for remediating water wells comprises a plurality of retractable cutting blades suitable for cutting openings in a well casing. The retractable cutting blades and corresponding drive mechanism are organized to be lowered through a well casing. At certain depths, the retractable blades are extended to cut openings in the well casing. The apparatus also includes inflatable retention elements both above and below the retractable blades to create a fluid seal within the well casing. A solidifying, waterproof slurry is injected to flow through the openings via a slurry delivery mechanism, and thereby create a waterproof barrier outside the well casing at the level of a waterproof confining soil layer.
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