US09960481B2
Various embodiments provide an antenna hitch mount for securing an antenna, such as a satellite dish, to a vehicle. According to one embodiment, the hitch mount includes a hitch mounting portion, a plate, and an antenna mounting portion. The hitch mounting portion is configured to be inserted in to a hitch. The hitch mounting portion includes holes that are on opposite sides of the hitch mounting portion and are aligned with each other. The plate is used to couple the hitch mounting portion and the antenna mounting portion to each other. The antenna mounting portion is configured to support an antenna. Namely, an antenna is secured to the antenna mounting portion by a fastening device, such as a mast clamp.
US09960477B2
A device is provided that includes (a) an antenna that includes at least one conductor, (b) a housing that includes an inner-upper surface and an inner-lower surface separated by a first distance, (c) a battery disposed within the housing, where a base surface of the battery is proximate to the inner-lower surface of the housing, where a first portion of the battery has a height, which is substantially equal to the first distance, and where a second portion of the battery is of lesser height than the first portion of the battery such that space exists between the second portion of the battery and the inner-upper surface of the housing, and (d) where the one conductor is arranged over the second portion of the battery in the space, such that the one conductor and the battery do not contact one another, and where, as arranged, the antenna is capable of a far-field communication.
US09960475B2
A light emitting diode (LED) lighting device is provided. The device includes an LED light source assembly installed on the top of a heat sink body, and an LED driving and power supply unit configured to drive the LED light source assembly and provide electrical power for the LED lighting device. The device also includes a heat sink including the heat sink body and a heat sink covering, where the heat sink covering has an opening; and a plane including the highest point of the top of the heat sink body is higher than a plane including the opening of the heat sink covering. Further, the device includes a radio frequency (RF) antenna installed on periphery of the heat sink body. A plane that includes the highest point of the RF antenna is at the same level or lower than the plane that includes the highest point of the top of the heat sink body.
US09960473B2
A system comprises a differential phase shifter based on a differential coupled line coupler that can include a ground metal layer, a bottom metal layer and a top metal layer. The differential line coupler can include differential input lines comprising two metal stack layers (top and bottom), which are arranged diagonally, and the differential output lines are arranged in a complementary diagonal configuration. This layout configuration overcomes the asymmetry caused by the difference in metal layer thickness and width difference, as well as a periphery effect such as the distance to a ground plane or substrate. The proposed diagonal layout configuration balances the characteristic impedance and phase accumulation on each coupled wire of the differential coupled line coupler, which improves the performance of the phase shifter, e.g. lower insertion loss and wider phase tuning range.
US09960469B1
A power combiner/divider having a front end and a rear end and including a stepped main center conductor defining an axis and having portions with different outer diameters; an input connector having a center conductor, adapted to be coupled to a signal source, electrically coupled to the main conductor and having an axis aligned with the main conductor axis; a plurality of output connectors having respective axes that are perpendicular to the main conductor axis, the output connectors being radially spaced apart relative to the main conductor, the output connectors having center conductors; a plurality of nested cylinders proximate the front end and arranged with gaps defining at least three gaps providing coaxial transmission lines; and a plurality of nested cylinders proximate the rear end, one of which having apertures perpendicular to the main conductor axis receiving the center conductors of the output connectors, the nested cylinders proximate the rear end defining at least three gaps.
US09960460B2
An energy storage apparatus includes: an energy storage device; a spacer disposed on one side of the energy storage device in a first direction, the spacer including a pair of wall portions; and a measuring part for measuring a state of the energy storage device, the measuring part disposed on one side of the energy storage device in a second direction which intersects with the first direction. The wall portions include a first wall portion disposed on the one side of the energy storage device in the second direction and a second wall portion disposed on the other side of the energy storage device opposite to the one side of the energy storage device. The energy storage device is arranged at a position where a distance between the energy storage device and the first wall portion is set shorter than a distance between the energy storage device and the second wall portion.
US09960455B2
A device for preventing or extinguishing a fire in an electrochemical energy storage system comprising storage cells arranged in a storage housing, in particular lithium-ion cells, wherein a composition of expandable volume, containing a chemical compound for preventing or extinguishing a fire, is disposed with limited volume in one or a plurality of hollow spaces in or on the storage housing, and expansion of the volume of the composition can be activated by sensors.
US09960452B2
A method of producing a nonaqueous secondary battery includes: preparing an electrode body (S10); constructing a battery assembly with the electrode body and a nonaqueous electrolyte (S20); initially charging the battery assembly (S30); aging the battery assembly at 40° C. or higher (S40); adjusting an SOC of the battery assembly (S60), wherein, the adjusting the SOC is performed such that a residual capacity percentage of the battery assembly is 11.5% or more and 14% or less; self-discharging the battery assembly and measuring a voltage drop amount (S70); and determining a quality of the battery assembly based on the voltage drop amount (S80).
US09960450B2
To provide a flame retardant non-aqueous electrolyte solution for secondary batteries, with which a lithium ion secondary battery which is less likely to undergo thermal runaway and which is excellent in the high temperature storage properties can be obtained; and a lithium ion secondary battery using the non-aqueous electrolyte solution for secondary batteries.A non-aqueous electrolyte solution for secondary batteries, comprising an electrolyte salt and a liquid composition,which contains either one or both of monofluorophosphate anions and difluorophosphate anions derived from at least part of the electrolyte salt,wherein at least a lithium salt is contained as one type of the electrolyte salt, andthe liquid composition comprises at least one fluorine-containing solvent (α) selected from the group consisting of a fluorine-containing ether compound, a fluorine-containing chain carboxylic acid ester compound and a fluorine-containing chain carbonate compound, and a cyclic carboxylic acid ester compound. A lithium ion secondary battery using the non-aqueous electrolyte solution for secondary batteries.
US09960445B2
A redox flow battery that uses metal complexes with amino-alcohol ligands as the electroactive species in alkaline electrolytes to store electrical energy. The battery includes a first and a second electrolyte storage unit that each includes a metal complex selected from transition metals with an amino-alcohol ligand as an electroactive species in an alkaline electrolyte. Such solutions in these electrolyte storage units are each prepared by mixing stoichiometric amounts of a metal ion and an amino-alcohol ligand in water to form a metal-ligand mixture followed by adding an amount corresponding to 3-5 moles/liter of an alkaline electrolyte solution to each metal-ligand mixture to form a metal complex with the amino-alcohol ligand in the alkaline electrolyte to be used by a storage unit. As a result, the operational and maintenance costs of the redox flow battery are reduced while reducing the complexity of the manufacturing process.
US09960442B2
Process for separating electrode for membrane-electrode assembly of fuel cell and apparatus therefor
Disclosed are a process for separating an electrode for membrane-electrode assemblies of fuel cells from the decal transfer film and an apparatus for separating the electrode. In particular, during the electrode separating process, only an electrode is separated from the decal transfer film on which the electrode is coated, without any damage, by a freezing method for freezing the specimen on the deionized water surface, and thus, wasting the expensive MEA is prevented. Thus, mechanical properties of the pristine electrode can be rapidly quantified in advance, and therefore, long term durability evaluation period during developing MEA having excellent durability is substantially reduced.
US09960438B2
In one or more embodiments, a fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack including an anode and a cathode, a first conduit positioned to supply oxygen to the cathode, a second conduit positioned to supply hydrogen to the anode, and a third conduit positioned separate from the first and second conduits and to supply oxygen to the second conduit. The third conduit may be positioned to supply oxygen from the first conduit to the second conduit.
US09960435B2
A fuel-cell-stack manufacturing method, includes arranging an extension portion extended from a proximal end of a raised piece on one surface of a base material disposed so as to abut at least one of a cathode side separator and the anode side separator, and setting an interval between the anode side separator and the cathode side separator along a lamination direction so that deformation of the raised piece exceeds an elastic deformation region and enters a plastic deformation region, and is also in a region in which the proximal end moved due to the deformation does not come in contact with the cathode side separator or the anode side separator.
US09960426B2
An electrode material for a lithium-ion secondary battery of the present invention is secondary particles including inorganic particles represented by General Formula LiFexMn1-x-yMyPO4 and a carbonaceous film coating surfaces of the inorganic particles, in which an amount of carbon is 0.5% by mass to 2.5% by mass, a specific surface area is 10 m2/g to 20 m2/g, a first particle diameter (D90(a)) at which a cumulative volume percentage of a particle size distribution of secondary particles is 90% before an ultrasonic treatment is 20 mm to 40 mm, a second particle diameter (D90(b)) at which the cumulative volume percentage of the particle size distribution of the secondary particles is 90% after the ultrasonic treatment is 10 mm to 15 mm, and a ratio (D90(b)/D90(a)) of the second particle diameter (D90(b)) to the first particle diameter (D90(a)) is 0.3 to 0.5.
US09960425B2
A positive electrode material includes: a composite oxide of solid solution including Li2SnO3 and Li2NiαM1βM2γMnνO4-∈. α satisfies an equation of 0.50≤α≤1.35. β satisfies an equation of 0≤β<1.0. γ satisfies an equation of 0≤γ≤0.66. β and γ satisfies an equation of 0.33≤β+γ≤1.1. ν satisfies an equation of 0≤ν≤0.66. ∈ satisfies an equation of 0≤∈≤1.00. M1 represents at least one selected from Sn, Sb0.5Al0.5. M2 represents Sb.
US09960419B2
A positive active material including: a core comprising a metal oxide, a non-metal oxide, or a combination thereof capable of intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions or sodium ions; and a non-conductive carbonaceous film including oxygen on at least one portion of a surface of the core; a lithium battery including the positive active material; and a method of manufacturing the positive active material.
US09960412B2
The present invention is directed to a lithium secondary battery comprising an anode comprising an anode active material, a cathode comprising a cathode active material, and a polymer membrane, wherein the polymer membrane is disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the anode active material comprises a mixture of at least two kinds of lithium metal oxide particles having different mass median particle diameters D50, wherein the lithium metal oxide particles are secondary particles comprising primary particles, the mixture comprises first lithium metal oxide particles having a mass median particle diameter D50 of 1 nm to less than 3 μm, second lithium metal oxide particles having a mass median particle diameter D50 of 3 μm to 30 μm, and a mix ratio of the first lithium metal oxide particles to the second lithium metal oxide particles is 70:30 to 30:70.
US09960408B2
A secondary cell manufacturing method includes the steps of: disposing a cap including a magnetic body so as to cover a liquid injection hole provided in a lid member; disposing the lid member so as to cover an opening of an outer case; and bringing close to each other the magnetic body and a magnetic body that applies a magnetic force to the magnetic body, and so holding the position of the cap that is disposed to cover the liquid injection hole by the magnetic force applied from the magnetic body to the magnetic body.
US09960401B2
A wiring module to be attached to a battery module including a single cell group in which a plurality of single cells having positive and negative electrode terminals are lined up includes a connection member that is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and that electrically connects adjacent electrode terminals to each other and a voltage detection wire formed by coating a core wire made of aluminum or aluminum alloy with an insulation coating. An exposed core wire that is exposed at an end portion of the voltage detection wire is connected to the connection member by welding.
US09960399B2
A multi-functional battery separator comprises two or more active separator layers deposited from different polymer solutions to form a multilayered unitary structure comprising a free-standing film, a multiplex film on one side of a porous substrate, or separate films or multiplex films on opposite sides of a porous substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the cascade coating method is used to simultaneously deposit the active separator layers wet so that the physical, electrical and morphological changes associated with the polymer drying out process are avoided or minimized. The multi-functional separator is inexpensive to fabricate, exhibits enhanced ionic conductivity and ionic barrier properties, and eliminates gaps between individual layers in a separator stack that can contribute to battery failure.
US09960398B2
A power supply apparatus that supplies electric power to an external electrical device through a cable is provided with a battery pack, and a battery pack case that houses the battery pack. The battery pack case includes a case body having an opening through which the battery pack to be taken in and out, a cover member that liquid-tightly closes the opening of the case body, in which at least one of the case body and the cover member is formed with a ventilation hole so as to penetrate therethrough, and a filter apparatus that does not allow liquid to pass therethrough but allows gas to pass therethrough is provided in the ventilation hole.
US09960397B2
An electrochemical device including a housing and a stack of electrochemical cells in the housing. Each electrochemical cell includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, a separator located between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode and an electrolyte. The electrochemical device also includes a current collector located between adjacent electrochemical cells, an anode bus operatively connected to the anodes of the electrochemical cells in the stack and a cathode bus operatively connected to the cathodes of the electrochemical cells in the stack. The housing, the anode electrode, the cathode electrode, the separator, the anode bus and the cathode bus are non-metallic.
US09960396B2
An apparatus and battery system are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first panel, a first bus bar, and a second panel. The first panel includes a first upper surface and a first lower surface. The first upper surface includes a first cavity extending into the first upper surface towards the first lower surface. The first bus bar is within the first cavity. The second panel has a second lower surface in direct contact with the first upper surface. The second lower surface extends over a substantial portion of the first cavity.
US09960389B1
Polymeric films, which may be adhesive films, and display devices including such polymeric films, wherein a polymeric film includes: a first polymeric layer having two major surfaces, wherein the first polymeric layer includes a first polymeric matrix and particles. The first polymeric layer includes: a first polymeric matrix having a refractive index n1; and particles having a refractive index n2 uniformly dispersed within the first polymeric matrix; wherein the particles are present in an amount of less than 30 vol-%, based on the volume of the first polymeric layer, and have a particle size range of 400 nanometers (nm) to 3000 nm; and wherein n1 is different than n2.
US09960383B2
A display device in the present invention includes a display panel (320) which is provided with a display screen, a T-substrate (350) which is arranged in a predetermined range narrower than the display panel (320) at the back side of the display panel (320), first flexible printed circuit substrates (450) which extend downward from the upper end of the display panel (320) and are connected to the T-substrate (350), and second flexible printed circuit substrates (460) which extend upward from the lower end of the display panel (320) and are connected to the T-substrate (350) in order to achieve more reduction in thickness when the display panel and the circuit substrate are arranged together.
US09960379B2
Disclosed is a white organic light emitting device for enhancing emission efficiency and a color viewing angle or a color reproduction rate. The white organic light emitting device includes a first emission part between a first electrode and a second electrode, the first emission part having a first emission layer, a second emission part on the first emission part, the second emission part having a second emission layer, and a third emission part on the second emission part, the third emission part having a third emission layer. At least two emission layers of the first to third emission layers emit lights having a same color to enhance emission efficiency and a color viewing angle, and the at least two emission layers are adjacent to each other.
US09960367B2
A condensed cyclic compound represented by Formula 1: Ar1-L1-L2-Ar2 Formula 1 wherein in Formula 1, Ar1, Ar2, L1, and L2 are the same as described in the specification.
US09960366B2
Provided is an organic light emitting element that has high moisture resistance, is driven at a low voltage, has high efficiency, and has a long lifetime. Specifically, provided is an organic light emitting element, including: an anode; a cathode; and an organic compound layer arranged between the anode and the cathode, in which: the organic compound layer includes an organic functional layer; and the organic functional layer contains an organic compound represented by the following general formula [1].
US09960364B2
A compound represented by the following formula (1). In the formula (1), when Ar1 and Ar2 are the same substituents, as for all of the following pairs: Y1 and Y12, Y2 and Y11, Y3 and Y10, Y4 and Y9, Y5 and Y8, and Y6 and Y7, Y1 to Y12 of each pair are not the same as each other.
US09960360B2
An organic electroluminescent device including: an anode, a cathode, an emitting layer formed of an organic compound and interposed between the cathode and the anode, and two or more layers provided in a hole-injecting/hole-transporting region between the anode and the emitting layer; of the layers which are provided in the hole-injecting/hole-transporting region, a layer which is in contact with the emitting layer containing a compound represented by the formula (1); and of the layers which are provided in the hole-injecting/hole-transporting region, a layer which is interposed between the anode and the layer which is in contact with the emitting layer containing an amine derivative represented by the formula (2).
US09960358B2
An organic electroluminescence device having a layer of an organic light emitting medium which comprises (A) a specific arylamine compound and (B) at least one compound selected from specific anthracene derivatives, spirofluorene derivatives, compounds having condensed rings and metal complex compounds and is disposed between a pair of electrodes and an organic light emitting medium comprising the above components (A) and (B) are provided. The organic electroluminescence device exhibits a high purity of color, has excellent heat resistance and a long life and efficiently emits bluish to yellowish light. The organic light emitting medium can be advantageously used for the organic electroluminescence device.
US09960356B2
Provided are an organic electroluminescence device which has a high luminous efficiency, a low operating voltage and a long life and which is low in a voltage rise in operation and excellent in an ageing stability and has an aptitude in production by the wet process, and a lighting equipment and a display device which are prepared by using the same.The above organic electroluminescence device is constituted from organic layers including at least a light-emitting layer which are interposed between an anode and a cathode, wherein at least one layer of the above organic layers contains a blue phosphorescent organic metal complex having a structure represented by the following Formula (1) and a compound represented by the following Formula (H1):
US09960347B2
A method of making a magnetic random access memory device includes forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) on an electrode, the MTJ including a reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and a free layer; disposing a hard mask on the MTJ; etching sidewalls of the hard mask and MTJ to form a stack with a first width and redeposit metal along the MTJ sidewall; depositing a sacrificial dielectric layer on the hard mask, surface of the electrode, exposed sidewall of the hard mask and the MTJ, and on redeposited metal along the sidewall of the MTJ; removing a portion of the sacrificial dielectric layer from sidewalls of the hard mask and MTJ and redeposited metal from the MTJ sidewalls; and removing a portion of a sidewall of the MTJ and hard mask to provide a second width to the stack; wherein the second width is less than the first width.
US09960344B2
The invention relates to a method for producing the thin film made of lead zirconate titanate in a 111-oriented perovskite structure, comprising the following steps: providing a substrate having a substrate temperature above 450° C. and a lead target, a zirconium target, and a titanium target; applying the thin film by sputtering lead, zirconium, and titanium from the respective targets onto the substrate, wherein the total deposition rate of lead, zirconium, and titanium is greater than 10 nm/min, the deposition rate of zirconium is selected in such a way that the atomic concentration of zirconium with respect to the atomic concentration of zirconium together with titanium in the thin film is between 0.2 and 0.3, and the deposition rate of lead is selected to be sufficiently low, depending on the substrate temperature and the total deposition rate of lead, zirconium, and titanium, for an X-ray diffractometer graph of the 111-oriented lead zirconate titanate to have a significant peak value (19) in a diffraction angle range from 33 to 35.5°; and completing the thin film.
US09960336B2
An integrated circuit may include a substrate and a dielectric layer formed over the substrate. A plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements and a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements may be disposed within the dielectric layer that are connected in series while alternating between the p-type and the n-type thermoelectric elements. The integrated circuit may include first and second substrates each having formed thereon a plurality of thermoelectric legs of a respective type of thermoelectric material. The first and second thermoelectric substrates also may have respective conductors, each coupled to a base of an associated thermoelectric leg and forming a mounting pad for coupling to a thermoelectric leg of the counterpart substrate. In other embodiments, one or more substrates may have trenches formed therein to capture eutectic material that facilitates bonds between components from each of the substrates and prevent inadvertent short circuits that may occur between components of the circuit system.
US09960335B2
Cracking in a thermoelectric element made of a filled-skutterudite-type alloy is suppressed. A p-type thermoelectric element includes: a p-type thermoelectric conversion layer made of an alloy having a filled-skutterudite structure containing antimony; a p-side first metal layer that contains titanium simple substances and iron simple substances, and is laminated on the p-type thermoelectric conversion layer; and a p-side second metal layer that contains titanium simple substances, and is laminated on the p-side first metal layer.
US09960329B2
Methods and apparatus are provided to improve long-term reliability of LED packages using reflective opaque die attach (DA) material. In one novel aspect, a protected area surrounding edges of the LED is determined. The DA is applied to the determined protected area by a dispense process, a stamping process, or a screen printing process, such that the effect of temperature degradation is reduced. A heat distribution model is used to determine the protected area, which is between edges of the LED and a predefined isothermal line where the temperature is 1/e that of the temperature at edges of the LED. In another embodiment, the protected area is further based on a spreading ratio of the substrate size to the LED size. In another novel aspect, with multiple LEDs in the LED package, the spreading ratio is further based on pitch distances to the immediate adjacent LEDs and the substrate boundary.
US09960326B2
A light emitting device includes a base substrate having a recessed portion at a flat upper surface thereof. The recessed portion has an inner wall. A sealing member is provided in the recessed portion. The sealing member contains surface-treated particles, or particles coexisting with a dispersing agent. The particles have a particle diameter of 1 nm or more and 100 μm or less. The particles are made of an organic material or an inorganic material. The organic material and the inorganic material are free of a phosphor. The at least a part of an edge portion of the sealing member is a region located in the vicinity of an edge of the recessed portion which is a boundary between a surface of the inner wall and the flat upper surface. The at least one of the particles and aggregates of particles are unevenly distributed in the region.
US09960324B2
A light-emitting device including a substrate, a first light-emitting diode disposed on the substrate, a molding member encapsulating the first light-emitting diode, and luminophores dispersed in the molding member and including a surface-modified luminophore, in which the surface-modified luminophore includes a fluorinated coating and a fluoride luminophore including a manganese activator. The fluoride luminophore is selected from the group consisting of K2SiF6, Na2SiF6, Rb2SiF6, K2GeF6, Na2GeF6, and Rb2GeF6.
US09960321B2
A multi-layered contact to a semiconductor structure and a method of making is described. In one embodiment, the contact includes a discontinuous Chromium layer formed over the semiconductor structure. A discontinuous Titanium layer is formed directly on the Chromium layer, wherein portions of the Titanium layer extend into at least some of the discontinuous sections of the Chromium layer. A discontinuous Aluminum layer is formed directly on the Chromium layer, wherein portions of the Aluminum layer extend into at least some of the discontinuous sections of the Titanium layer and the Chromium layer.
US09960318B2
A light emitting diode includes a light emitting structure including first and second conductive type semiconductor layers, an active layer, a first electrode electrically connected to the first conductive type semiconductor layer, a current blocking layer disposed on a lower surface of the light emitting structure, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second conductive type semiconductor layer. The second electrode includes a first reflective metal layer adjoining the second conductive type semiconductor layer, and a second reflective metal layer covering a lower surface of the current blocking layer and a lower surface of the first reflective metal layer, and adjoining the second conductive type semiconductor layer. A contact resistance between the second reflective metal layer and the second conductive type semiconductor layer is higher than a contact resistance between the first reflective metal layer and the second conductive type semiconductor layer.
US09960308B2
A number of micro-sized rectangular dot-like n-type semiconductor regions 121 are created in a p-type semiconductor region which is a base body 11. Contact parts 14, each of which is in contact with one n-type semiconductor region 121 and almost entirely covers the same region, are mutually connected by a wire part 15 as a common cathode terminal. The n-type semiconductor regions 121 receives no light; their function is to collect carriers generated within and outside the surrounding depletion layers. Appropriate setting of the spacing of the n-type semiconductor regions 121 enables efficient collection of the carriers generated in the p-type semiconductor region while improving the SN ratio of the photo-detection signal by a noise-reduction effect due to a decrease in the p-n junction capacitance. Carriers originating from light of shorter wavelengths are barely reflected in the photo-detection signal. Thus, unfavorable influences of the shorter wavelengths of light are eliminated.
US09960300B2
The invention relates to flexible photovoltaic (PV) modules, and in particular to those having a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) glazing layer. The PVDF layer may be a monolayer or a multi-layer structure.
US09960297B2
Embodiments of the invention describe apparatuses, optical systems, and methods related to utilizing optical cladding layers. According to one embodiment, a hybrid optical device includes a silicon semiconductor layer and a III-V semiconductor layer having an overlapping region, wherein a majority of a field of an optical mode in the overlapping region is to be contained in the III-V semiconductor layer. A cladding region between the silicon semiconductor layer and the III-V semiconductor layer has a spatial property to substantially confine the optical mode to the III-V semiconductor layer and enable heat dissipation through the silicon semiconductor layer.
US09960294B2
The invention provides highly fluorescent materials comprising a compound of formula (I): The chromophores are particularly useful for absorption and emission of photons in the visible and near infrared wavelength range. The photo-stable highly luminescent chromophores are useful in various applications, including in wavelength conversion films. Wavelength conversion films have the potential to significantly enhance the solar harvesting efficiency of photovoltaic or solar cell devices.
US09960282B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is discussed. The method includes forming a gate electrode on a substrate, forming a gate insulating film over the substrate, depositing an In—Ga—Zn oxide over the gate insulating film while heating the substrate to a temperature of 200 to 300° C., an atomic percent ratio of Zn in the In—Ga—Zn oxide as-deposited being higher than that of In or Ga, heat-treating the deposited In—Ga—Zn oxide at a temperature of 200 to 350° C., thereby forming an active layer crystallized throughout an entire thickness of the active layer, and forming a source electrode and a drain electrode.
US09960276B2
The present invention provides an ESL TFT substrate structure and a manufacturing method thereof. In the ESL TFT substrate structure, an etch stop layer (5) includes a first via (51) and a second via (52) formed therein to correspond to two side portions of an oxide semiconductor layer (4). A drain terminal (6) is set in engagement with the oxide semiconductor layer (4) through the first via (51). A passivation protection layer (7) includes a through hole (72) formed therein to extend to and communicate with the second via (52). An electrode layer (8) is formed on the passivation protection layer (7) and has a side portion that is adjacent to the drain terminal (6) and is set in engagement with the oxide semiconductor layer (4) through the through hole (72) and the second via (52) to form a source terminal (81) and an opposite side portion that is extended in a direction away from the drain terminal (6) to form a pixel electrode (82). The ESL TFT substrate structure has a reduced channel length so as to provide the TFT with excellent electrical conduction performance and also to reduce the size of the TFT thereby increasing an aperture ratio of pixels and reducing difficult of pixel design.
US09960275B1
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an improved transistor with reduced parasitic capacitance. In one embodiment, the transistor device includes a three-dimensional fin structure protruding from a surface of a substrate, the three-dimensional fin structure comprising a top surface and two opposing sidewalls, a first insulating layer formed on the two opposing sidewalls of the three-dimension fin structure, a sacrificial spacer layer conformally formed on the first insulating layer, wherein the sacrificial spacer layer comprises an aluminum oxide based material or a titanium nitride based material, and a second insulating layer conformally formed on the sacrificial spacer layer.
US09960272B1
Embodiments are directed to a method and resulting structures for a vertical field effect transistor (VFET) having a reduced bottom contact resistance. A multilayered bottom doped region having alternating doped layers and doped sacrificial layers is formed on a substrate. One or more cavities are formed by removing portions of the doped sacrificial layers. A bottom contact is formed over the multilayered bottom doped region. The bottom contact includes one or more conductive flanges that fill the cavities.
US09960264B1
A high electron mobility transistor includes a first III-V compound layer, a second III-V compound layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode, a first moat, and a second moat. The second III-V compound layer is disposed on the first III-V compound layer. The source electrode and the drain electrodes are disposed above the first III-V compound layer. The gate electrode is disposed above the second III-V compound layer located between the source and the drain electrodes in a first direction. The second III-V compound layer includes a first region under the gate electrode. The first moat is at least partially disposed between the first region and the source electrode in the first direction. The second moat is at least partially disposed between the first region and the drain electrode in the first direction.
US09960256B2
Provided are approaches for forming merged gate and source/drain (S/D) contacts in a semiconductor device. Specifically, one approach provides a dielectric layer over a set of gate structures formed over a substrate; a set of source/drain (S/D) openings patterned in the dielectric layer between the gate structures; a fill material formed over the gate structures, including within the S/D openings; and a set of gate openings patterned over the gate structures, wherein a portion of the dielectric layer directly adjacent the fill material formed within one of the S/D openings is removed. The fill material is then removed, selective to the dielectric layer, and a metal material is deposited over the semiconductor device to form a set of gate contacts within the gate openings, and a set of S/D contacts within the S/D openings, wherein one of the gate contacts and one of the S/D contacts are merged.
US09960249B2
A method of substantially offsetting polarization charges in an electronic device having a heterobarrier comprising providing a substrate; providing at least one pair of stacks of semiconductor materials; one of the pair of stacks having one or more of spontaneous and piezoelectric polarity where the total polarization charge is opposite to the other of the pair of stacks; whereby due to the opposing polarities, the polarization is balanced and the pair of stacks operate to store electrical energy.
US09960248B2
Methods for forming a fin-based RF diode with improved performance characteristics and the resulting devices are disclosed. Embodiments include forming fins over a substrate, separated from each other, each fin having a lower portion and an upper portion; forming STI regions over the substrate, between the lower portions of adjacent fins; implanting the lower portion of each fin with a first-type dopant; implanting the upper portion of each fin, above the STI region, with the first-type dopant; forming a junction region around a depletion region and along exposed sidewalls and a top surface of the upper portion of each fin; and forming a contact on exposed sidewalls and a top surface of each junction region.
US09960235B2
A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a plurality of base regions of a second conductivity type formed on a first principal surface of the semiconductor substrate via a semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, and a plurality of source regions of the first conductivity type formed in the base regions. Each base region, in a top-down view from an angle perpendicular to the first principle surface, is of a polygonal shape. Each adjacent two of the base regions in the top-down view have two sides, one from each of the two base regions, that face each other across a portion of the semiconductor layer, the source region being formed at only one of the two sides.
US09960228B2
A wide gap semiconductor device comprises a first conductive-type semiconductor layer (32); a second conductive-type region (41), (42) that is provided on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer (32); a first electrode (1), of which a part is disposed on the second conductive-type region (41), (42) and the other part is disposed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer (32); an insulating layer (51), (52), (53) that is provided adjacent to the first electrode (10) on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer (32) and that extends to an end part of the wide gap semiconductor device; and a second electrode (20) that is provided between the first electrode (10) and the end part of the wide gap semiconductor device and that forms a schottky junction with the first conductive-type semiconductor layer (32).
US09960225B2
It is an object to improve performance of a power storage device, such as cycle characteristics. A power storage device includes a current collector and a crystalline semiconductor layer including a whisker, which is formed on and in close contact with the current collector. Separation of the crystalline semiconductor layer is suppressed by an increase of adhesion, whereby cycle characteristics in which a specific capacity of a tenth cycle number with respect to a first cycle number is greater than or equal to 90% is realized. In addition, cycle characteristics in which a specific capacity of a hundredth cycle number with respect to a first cycle number is greater than or equal to 70% is realized.
US09960218B2
An organic light-emitting display substrate, a manufacturing method therefor, and an organic light-emitting display device. The organic light-emitting display substrate comprises a base substrate and multiple sub-pixels that are located on the base substrate and that are arranged in an array manner. Each sub-pixel comprises an organic light-emitting layer. At least one blocking element is disposed between two adjacent sub-pixels that emit light of different colors.
US09960211B2
A pixel element structure is disclosed. The pixel element structure includes first, second, and third sub-pixel elements, each including a light-emitting region. At least one of the first, second, and third sub-pixel elements includes a light-transmitting region, where the light-emitting region includes an organic light-emitting diode light-emitting structure, and where the organic light-emitting diode light-emitting structure includes a first substrate, and a nontransparent anode, a pixel defining layer, an organic layer and a cathode, sequentially arranged above the first substrate.
US09960206B2
A light-emitting element wafer includes a supporting substrate, a luminescent layer that is formed of a semiconductor and has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface including a first electrode, the second surface including a second electrode, the second surface being arranged between the supporting substrate and the first surface, a junction layer that joins luminescent layer to the supporting substrate and is arranged between the supporting substrate and the second surface, a first inorganic film formed on the first surface, a second inorganic film formed between the junction layer and the second surface, an isolation trench portion that isolates elements and is formed to have a depth such that the isolation trench portion extends from the first inorganic film to the supporting substrate, and a third inorganic film that connects the first inorganic film and the second inorganic film.
US09960200B1
The present application relates to a method to simplify the scribe line opening filling processes, and to further improve the surface uniformity of the conductive pad fabrication process. A passivation layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate, and a scribe line opening is formed through the passivation layer and the semiconductor substrate. To fill the scribe line opening, a first dielectric layer is formed within the scribe line opening over the conductive pad and extending over the passivation layer. The first dielectric layer is formed by a selective deposition process such that the first dielectric layer is formed on the conductive pad at a deposition rate greater than that formed on the passivation layer.
US09960199B2
An optical sensor device may include a set of optical sensors. The optical sensor device may include a substrate. The optical sensor device may include a multispectral filter array disposed on the substrate. The multispectral filter array may include a first dielectric mirror disposed on the substrate. The multispectral filter array may include a spacer disposed on the first dielectric mirror. The spacer may include a set of layers. The multispectral filter array may include a second dielectric mirror disposed on the spacer. The second dielectric mirror may be aligned with two or more sensor elements of a set of sensor elements.
US09960198B2
The present technology relates to solid-state image sensor and an imaging system which are capable of providing a solid-state image sensor and an imaging system which are capable of realizing a spectroscopic/imaging device for visible/near-infrared light having a high sensitivity and high wavelength resolution, and of achieving two-dimensional spectrum mapping with high spatial resolution. There are provided a two-dimensional pixel array, and a plurality of types of filters that are arranged facing a pixel region of the two-dimensional pixel array, the filters each including a spectrum function and a periodic fine pattern shorter than a wavelength to be detected, wherein each of the filters forms a unit which is larger than the photoelectric conversion device of each pixel on the two-dimensional pixel array, where one type of filter is arranged for a plurality of adjacent photoelectric conversion device groups, wherein the plurality of types of filters are arranged for adjacent unit groups to form a filter bank, and wherein the filter banks are arranged in a unit of N×M, where N and M are integers of one or more, facing the pixel region of the two-dimensional pixel array.
US09960195B2
The present invention provides method for manufacturing a TFT backplane and a structure of a TFT backplane. The method includes (1) forming a gate terminal (2) and a first metal electrode M1 on a substrate (1); (2) sequentially forming a gate insulation layer (3), a semiconductor layer, and an etch stop layer on the gate terminal (2), the first metal electrode M1, and the substrate (1) in a successive manner and applying a photolithographic operation to form an island-like semiconductor layer (4) and an island-like etch stop layer (5); (3) applying a photolithographic operation to patternize the island-like etch stop layer (5) and the gate insulation layer (3) to form a plurality of etch stop layer vias (51) and a gate insulation layer via (31); (4) forming source/drain terminals (6) and a second metal electrode M2; (5) forming a passivation protection layer (7); (6) forming a planarization layer (8); (7) forming a pixel electrode layer (9); (8) forming a pixel definition layer (10); and (9) forming a spacer pillar (11).
US09960184B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) wafer having a semiconductor substrate, a buried insulating layer positioned above the semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor layer positioned above the buried insulating layer. A shallow trench isolation (STI) structure is positioned in the SOI wafer and separates a first region of the SOI wafer from a second region of the SOI wafer, wherein the semiconductor layer is not present above the buried insulating layer in the first region, and wherein the buried insulating layer and the semiconductor layer are not present in at least a first portion of the second region adjacent to the STI structure. A dielectric layer is positioned above the buried insulating layer in the first region, and a conductive layer is positioned above the dielectric layer in the first region.
US09960179B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a conductive layer; electrode layers stacked on the conductive layer; an insulating body extending through the electrode layers; and a semiconductor layer positioned between the insulating body and the electrode layers. The plurality of electrode layers include a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer provided between the conductive layer and the first electrode layer, and a third electrode layer provided between the conductive layer and the second electrode layer, and the semiconductor layer has a first layer thickness between the insulating body and the first electrode layer, a second layer thickness between the insulating body and the second electrode layer and a third layer thickness between the insulating body and the third electrode layer. The first layer thickness is thinner than the second layer thickness, and the second layer thickness is thinner than the third layer thickness.
US09960166B2
Methods of operating semiconductor memory devices with floating body transistors, using a silicon controlled rectifier principle are provided, as are semiconductor memory devices for performing such operations. A method of maintaining the data state of a semiconductor dynamic random access memory cell is provided, wherein the memory cell comprises a substrate being made of a material having a first conductivity type selected from p-type conductivity type and n-type conductivity type; a first region having a second conductivity type selected from the p-type and n-type conductivity types, the second conductivity type being different from the first conductivity type; a second region having the second conductivity type, the second region being spaced apart from the first region; a buried layer in the substrate below the first and second regions, spaced apart from the first and second regions and having the second conductivity type; a body region formed between the first and second regions and the buried layer, the body region having the first conductivity type; and a gate positioned between the first and second regions and adjacent the body region. The memory cell is configured to store a first data state which corresponds to a first charge in the body region in a first configuration, and a second data state which corresponds to a second charge in the body region in a second configuration. The method includes: providing the memory cell storing one of the first and second data states; and applying a positive voltage to a substrate terminal connected to the substrate beneath the buried layer, wherein when the body region is in the first state, the body region turns on a silicon controlled rectifier device of the cell and current flows through the device to maintain configuration of the memory cell in the first memory state, and wherein when the memory cell is in the second state, the body region does not turn on the silicon controlled rectifier device, current does not flow, and a blocking operation results, causing the body to maintain the second memory state.
US09960163B2
A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. First, a substrate is provided, a first fin-shaped structure and a bump are formed on the substrate, and an insulating layer is formed on the bump and around the first fin-shaped structure. Next, a part of the first fin-shaped structure is removed, an epitaxial layer is formed on the first fin-shaped structure, part of the epitaxial layer is removed, and part of the insulating layer is removed to form a shallow trench isolation (STI) and a second fin-shaped structure protruding from the STI. Preferably, the second fin-shaped structure includes a top portion and a bottom portion, in which the bottom portion and the bump are made of same material.
US09960159B2
A monolithic bi-directional device provides bi-directional power flow and bi-directional blocking of high-voltages. The device includes a first transistor having a first drain formed over a first channel layer that overlays a substrate, and a second transistor that includes a second drain formed over a second channel layer that overlays the substrate. The substrate forms a common source for both the first transistor and the second transistor.
US09960158B2
A semiconductor device includes a multilayer structure including an n− i layer, a p anode layer formed on the front surface of the n− i layer, an n− buffer layer formed on the back surface of the n− i layer, an n+ cathode layer and a p collector layer formed on the back surface of the n− buffer layer or on the back surfaces of the n− i layer and the n− buffer layer such that the n+ cathode layer and the p collector layer are adjacent to each other in a plan view or adjacent portions thereof overlap each other in a plan view, a front surface electrode, and a back surface electrode. A vertical position in the multilayer structure of the n+ cathode layer in the multilayer structure differs from that of the p collector layer.
US09960157B2
Circuits and devices for bidirectional normally-off switches are described. A circuit for a bidirectional normally-off switch includes a depletion mode transistor and an enhancement mode transistor. The depletion mode transistor includes a first source/drain node, a second source/drain node, a first gate, and a second gate. The enhancement mode transistor includes a third source/drain node and a fourth source/drain node, and a third gate. The third source/drain node is coupled to the first source/drain node.
US09960156B2
An integrated semiconductor device is provided. According to an embodiment, the integrated semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a first surface with a normal direction defining a vertical direction, an opposite surface, a first area including a vertical power field-effect transistor structure, a second area including a three-terminal step-down level-shifter, and a third area including a three-terminal step-up level-shifter. A terminal of the vertical power field-effect transistor structure is electrically connected with one of the three-terminal step-down level-shifter and the three-terminal step-up level-shifter.
US09960143B2
A method for manufacturing an electronic component includes positioning a first surface of a first component facing a second surface of a second component in a first state. The first surface has a first pad having a first center. The second surface has a second pad having a second center. At least one of the first or second pads includes a metal member. The method includes melting the metal member and moving the first and second components until the melted metal member contacts both pads, moving at least one of the first or second components in a direction along the first surface, and solidifying the metal member in a second state. A first distance in a direction along the first surface between the first and second centers in the first state is longer than a second distance in the direction between the first and second centers in the second state.
US09960123B2
The present invention provides a method of forming a semiconductor structure. A wafer with a dicing region is provided, the dicing region comprises a central region, a middle region surrounds the central region, and a peripheral region surrounds the middle region. Next, an aligning mark is formed in the dicing region, wherein the aligning mark is a mirror symmetrical pattern and comprises a plurality of second patterns in the middle region and a plurality of third patterns in the third region, each third pattern has a plurality of lines and the lines comprises a plurality of inner lines which are formed by a sidewall image transfer (SIT) process.
US09960114B1
A method of forming a conductive via comprises forming a structure comprising an elevationally-extending-conductive via and a conductive line electrically coupled to and crossing above the conductive via. The conductive line comprises first conductive material and the conductive via comprises second conductive material of different composition from that of the first conductive material. The conductive line and the conductive via respectively having opposing sides in a vertical cross-section. First insulator material having k no greater than 4.0 is formed laterally outward of the opposing sides of the second conductive material of the conductive via selectively relative to the first conductive material of the opposing sides of the conductive line. The first insulator material is formed to a lateral thickness of at least 40 Angstroms in the vertical cross-section. Second insulator material having k greater than 4.0 is formed laterally outward of opposing sides of the first insulator material in the vertical cross-section. Additional method aspects, including structure independent of method of fabrication, are disclosed.
US09960112B2
A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a decoupling capacitor disposed on the substrate; a first connection pad vertically overlapping with the decoupling capacitor; a passivation layer exposing a portion of the first connection pad; and a first solder bump disposed on the first connection pad and covering a portion of a top surface of the passivation layer.
US09960111B2
A method for forming a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor structure is provided. The method includes providing a substrate and forming an interconnect structure over the substrate. The interconnect structure includes a top metal layer, and wherein the top metal layer includes a first portion and a second portion. The method includes forming an insulating layer on the first portion of the top metal layer; and forming a metal pad on the insulating layer. The metal pad includes a first portion and a second portion, the MIM capacitor is constructed by the first portion of the top metal layer, the insulating layer and the first portion of the metal pad, and the second portion of the metal pad directly contacts the first portion of the metal pad and the second portion of the top metal layer.
US09960106B2
A package includes a chip formed in a first area of the package and a molding compound formed in a second area of the package adjacent to the first area. A first polymer layer is formed on the chip and the molding compound, a second polymer layer is formed on the first polymer layer, and a plurality of interconnect structures is formed between the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer. A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor is formed on the second polymer layer and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of interconnect structures. A metal bump is formed over and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of interconnect structures.
US09960102B2
A semiconductor package includes a first semiconductor component, a second semiconductor component, and a connecting element. The first semiconductor component includes a first substrate, and a first bonding pad disposed adjacent to a first surface of the first substrate, and at least one conductive via structure extending from a second surface of the first substrate to the first bonding pad. The second semiconductor component includes a second substrate, a redistribution layer disposed adjacent to a first surface of the second substrate, and a second bonding pad disposed on the redistribution layer. The connecting element is disposed between the first bonding pad and the second bonding pad.
US09960098B2
An integrated circuit architecture that provides a path having relatively low thermal resistance between one or more electronic devices and one or more thermal structures formed on an insulator layer on a substrate. Independent parallel thermal conduction paths are provided through the insulator layer, such as a buried oxide (“BOX”) layer, to allow heat to flow from the substrate layer to a thermal structure disposed upon the BOX layer. In some cases, the substrate is a silicon substrate layer supporting the thermal structure and a heat source, such as an electronic device (e.g., power amplifier, transistor, diode, resistor, etc.).
US09960085B2
The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit with a work function metal layer disposed directly on a high-k dielectric layer, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the integrated circuit is formed by forming a first work function metal layer directly on a high-k dielectric layer. Then the first work function metal layer is patterned to be left within a first gate region of a first device region and to be removed within a second gate region of a second device region. Thereby, the first work function metal layer is patterned directly on the high-k dielectric layer, using the high-k dielectric layer as an etch stop layer, and the patterning window is improved.
US09960076B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming trenches filled with a sacrificial material. The trenches extend into a semiconductor substrate from a first side. An epitaxial layer is formed over the first side of the semiconductor substrate and the trenches. From a second side of the semiconductor substrate opposite to the first side, the sacrificial material in the trenches is removed. The trenches are filled with a conductive material.
US09960074B2
A method includes etching a semiconductor substrate to form trenches extending into the semiconductor substrate, and depositing a first dielectric layer into the trenches. The first dielectric layer fills lower portions of the trenches. A Ultra-Violet (UV) treatment is performed on the first dielectric layer in an oxygen-containing process gas. The method further includes depositing a second dielectric layer into the trenches. The second dielectric layer fills upper portions of the trenches. A thermal treatment is performed on the second dielectric layer in an additional oxygen-containing process gas. After the thermal treatment, an anneal is performed on the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.
US09960073B2
Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus and method which facilitate to improve uniformity of thin film material and also facilitate to control quality of thin film by the use of plasma forming space and source gas distributing space separately provided from each other, wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber; a substrate support for supporting a plurality of substrates, the substrate support rotatably provided inside the process chamber; and an electrode unit arranged above the substrate support and provided with the plasma forming space and the source gas distributing space, wherein the plasma forming space is spatially separated from the source gas distributing space.
US09960068B1
An assembly used in a process chamber for depositing a film on a wafer including a pedestal assembly having a pedestal movably mounted to a main frame. A lift pad rests upon the pedestal and moves with the pedestal. A raising mechanism separates the pad from the pedestal, and includes a hard stop fixed to the main frame, a roller attached to the pedestal assembly, a slide moveably attached to the pedestal assembly, a lift pad bracket interconnected to the slide and a pad shaft extending from the lift pad, a lever rotatably attached to lift pad bracket, a ferroseal assembly surrounding the pad shaft, and a yoke assembly offsetting a moment to the ferroseal assembly when the lever rotates. When the pedestal assembly moves upwards, the lever rotates when engaging with the upper hard stop and roller, and separates the pad from the pedestal by a process rotation displacement.
US09960063B2
An apparatus for transporting a substrate includes a base, a holding device which retracts relative to the base and holds multiple substrates in multiple stages, respectively, a detection device including three detection components such that the three detection components are positioned to detect peripheries of the substrates held by the holding device from different positions, respectively, and a control device including circuitry which estimates a position of the substrates based on detection result of the detection device, calculates an amount of shifting between a base position and an estimated position of the substrates, determines whether a calculated amount of shifting is within a threshold value, and executes transport of the substrates held by the holding device when the calculated amount of shifting is determined to be within the threshold value.
US09960058B2
A device and method for treatment of a substrate treatment surface of a substrate with a fluid by immersion of the substrate treatment surface into the fluid. The device includes: receiving means for receiving the fluid with an immersion opening and immersion means for immersion of the substrate treatment surfaces through the immersion opening into the receiving means, Rotation means are provided for rotation of the receiving means for at least predominant discharge of the fluid from the receiving means.
US09960055B1
In a mold die, a tip-end surface of each push-up pin provided on the rear surface side of a lower die cavity block and a part of the rear surface of the lower die cavity block with which the tip-end surface of each push-up pin is contacted are inclined in such a manner that a distance to a top surface of the lower die cavity block becomes longer towards the pot side where mold resin is supplied. When the lower die cavity block is returned to the initial position, the lower die cavity block is lifted while being slightly moved towards the pot block side. No gap is formed between a side surface of the pot block and a side surface of the lower die cavity block.
US09960024B2
In some implementations described herein, a collimator that is biasable is provided. The ability to bias the collimator allows control of the electric field through which the sputter species pass. In some implementations of the present disclosure a collimator that has a high effective aspect ratio while maintaining a low aspect ratio along the periphery of the collimator of the hexagonal array of the collimator is provided. In some implementations, a collimator with a steep entry edge in the hexagonal array is provided. It has been found that use of a steep entry edge in the collimator reduces deposition overhang and clogging of the cells of the hexagonal array. These various features lead to improve film uniformity and extend the life of the collimator and process kit.
US09960003B2
An apparatus is provided for generating X-ray radiation in an outer magnetic field, which may be generated by a magnetic field device. The apparatus includes a cathode configured to generate an electron beam and an anode configured to retard the electrons of the electron beam and generate an X-ray beam. The apparatus further includes a device configured to generate an electric field orientated from the anode in the direction of the cathode and substantially collinear to the outer magnetic field, wherein the cathode, as an electron emitter, includes a cold cathode that passively provides free electrons by field emission.
US09959994B1
A keyboard includes a base plate, a pressure sensing layer, plural key structures, a circuit board, a flexible layer and a controlling unit. The pressure sensing layer is disposed on the base plate and located under the circuit board. The flexible layer is disposed on the pressure sensing layer and located under the circuit board. While a key structure is depressed, a part of the key structure is penetrated through the circuit board to press the flexible layer, and a force is transmitted from the flexible layer to the pressure sensing layer. The controlling unit compares the force with a predetermined force value. According to the comparing result, the controlling unit generates a corresponding pressure sensing signal. Consequently, the use of a single key structure can achieve the functions of multiple keys.
US09959991B2
A keyswitch uses a magnetic attraction force produced between and by a fixed part, fixedly disposed relative to a base, and a movable part, movably disposed relative to the base, as a driving force for returning a keycap to its original position. The movable part is between the fixed part and the base. The keyswitch also uses a force transmission part disposed between the keycap and the movable part as an intermediate for transferring force from the keycap to the movable part. When a force for pressing the keycap downward overcomes the magnetic attraction force, the movable part moves toward the base and then triggers a switch.
US09959987B2
A switch device includes a housing having a case and a holding member, a moving member, a biasing member, a movable contact, a common fixed contact, a first switching fixed contact, a second switching fixed contact, extending portions, at least two terminal members, and resistors for obtaining the resistance value between two terminal members, and fixing portions to which the resistors are soldered. The holding member includes a bottom wall portion that covers the bottom of the case, and a holding wall portion holding the fixing portions. The holding wall portion is formed of a first synthetic resin material having heat resistance, and the bottom wall portion is made of a second synthetic resin material having a heat distortion temperature lower than that of the first synthetic resin material. A method for manufacturing a switch device includes a first molding step, a resistor mounting step, and a second molding step.
US09959977B2
Provided is an electrolysis solution for an electrolytic capacitor, having high spark voltage and excellent electric conductivity and heat resistance to spark voltage, and an electrolytic capacitor using the electrolysis solution. An electrolysis solution for an electrolytic capacitor including at least a silicone-based surfactant, colloidal silica, an electrolyte salt, and an organic solvent, and an electrolytic capacitor using the electrolysis solution. Containing the silicone-based surfactant makes it possible to prevent charge balance of the colloidal silica from being lost.
US09959976B2
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a ceramic body including dielectric layers and first and second internal electrodes disposed to face each other with respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween; and first and second external electrodes disposed on outer surfaces of the ceramic body, wherein the dielectric layer contains zirconium (Zr), a Zr content is 2×Zr/(Ba+Ca+Ti+Zr) based on an atomic ratio, a first crystal grain is composed of a core part having a Zr content of 3.0 at % or less and a shell part having a Zr content of 4.0 to 15.0 at %, and a number fraction of the first crystal grain to all crystal grains in the dielectric layer is 4% or more.
US09959971B1
The present disclosure discloses an inductor and a converter having the same. The inductor includes a magnetic core and a winding, the winding is provided within a window of the magnetic core, the winding includes a main body part and a sampling part, the main body part and the sampling part are connected in series, and a length ratio of the sampling part to the main body part is less than 2; wherein the main body part is formed of a low resistivity conductive material, the sampling part is formed of a low temperature coefficient conductive material, and a current flowing through the inductor is sampled across two ends of the sampling part. The inductor can obtain a current detection signal with high accuracy and low temperature drift with a compact structure, without increasing detection loss.
US09959969B2
Each of internal conductors includes an annular portion with two end portions and an extension portion extending along the one end portion from the other end portion and separated from the one end portion. An edge of the one end portion and an edge of the other end portion oppose each other. The internal conductors include two first internal conductors and a second internal conductor located between the first internal conductors in a first direction. The one end portion of at least one first internal conductor includes a first portion overlapping the edges of the two end portions of the second internal conductor and a second portion overlapping a region between the edges of the two end portions of the second internal conductor, when viewed from the first direction. The second portion is recessed at a side opposite to the region, as compared with the first portion.
US09959964B2
A thin film magnet (TFM) three-dimensional (3D) inductor structure may include a substrate with conductive vias extending through the substrate. The TFM 3D inductor structure may also include a magnetic thin film layer on at least sidewalls of the conductive vias and on a first side and an opposing second side of the substrate. The TFM 3D inductor structure may further include a first conductive trace directly on the magnetic thin film layer on the first side of the substrate and electrically coupling to at least one of the conductive vias. The TFM 3D inductor structure also includes a second conductive trace directly on the magnetic thin film layer on the second side of the substrate and coupled to at least one of the conductive vias.
US09959961B2
A permanent magnetic mask chuck is described herein. The permanent magnetic mask chuck includes a body with a plurality of permanent magnets positioned therein. The permanent magnets can then deliver a magnetic force to a mask to position and hold the mask over or on the substrate for further deposition.
US09959958B1
A PTC circuit protection device, includes: two PTC units, each of the PTC units including a first insulating layer, a first electrically conductive layer, a PTC polymeric layer, a second electrically conductive layer, a second insulating layer, a first electrode, a second electrode; an insulating bridge layer interconnecting the first insulating layers of the PTC units; and first and second gaps formed between the PTC units and located at two opposite sides of the insulating bridge layer.
US09959949B2
A LiBH4—C60 nanocomposite that displays fast lithium ionic conduction in the solid state is provided. The material is a homogenous nanocomposite that contains both LiBH4 and a hydrogenated fullerene species. In the presence of C60, the lithium ion mobility of LiBH4 is significantly enhanced in the as prepared state when compared to pure LiBH4. After the material is annealed the lithium ion mobility is further enhanced. Constant current cycling demonstrated that the material is stable in the presence of metallic lithium electrodes. The material can serve as a solid state electrolyte in a solid-state lithium ion battery.
US09959943B2
The method includes repairing a nuclear reactor, where the reactor includes one or more submerged lines welded to one or more support brackets. The method involves removing a damaged section of the one or more submerged lines, and replacing the damaged section without welding.
US09959934B2
A differential current sensing circuit architecture is used with an integrated circuit NVM memory block in which a selected memory cell and a related complementary memory cell are accessed at the same time for reading. The circuit architecture is used not only for normal operations for reading the logic states of a selected memory cell and its complementary memory cell after programming, but also for reading the logic states of a selected memory cell and its complementary memory cell before programming for the detecting of faults in memory cells.
US09959927B2
A memory device and method comprising a metal oxide material disposed between and in electrical contact with first and second conductive electrodes, and a voltage source configured to apply a plurality of voltage pulses spaced apart in time across the first and second electrodes. For each one of the voltage pulses, an amplitude of the voltage increases during the voltage pulse.
US09959920B2
A memory device includes a semiconductor layer with an in-plane polarization component switchable between a first direction and a second direction. A writing electrode is employed to apply a writing voltage to the semiconductor layer to change the in-plane polarization component between the first direction and the second direction. A reading electrode is employed to apply a reading voltage to the semiconductor layer to measure a tunneling current substantially perpendicular to the polarization direction of the in-plane polarization component. The directions of the reading voltage and the writing voltage are substantially perpendicular to each other. Therefore, the reading process is non-destructive. Thin films (e.g., one unit cell thick) of ferroelectric material can be used in the memory device to increase the miniaturization of the device.
US09959917B2
An output timing control circuit of a semiconductor apparatus may include a strobe signal generation path configured to control a latency and a delay time of an internal signal, and generate a strobe signal. The output timing control circuit may include a first detection block configured to detect a phase difference of the strobe signal and a clock signal, and control the delay time according to the detected phase difference. The output timing control circuit may include a second detection block configured to detect a latency difference of the strobe signal and the internal signal, and control the latency according to the detected latency difference. The internal signal may be generated according to a preset timing of a command received by the strobe signal generation path.
US09959913B2
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to performing logical operations using sensing circuitry. An example apparatus comprises an array of memory cells and sensing circuitry coupled to the array. The sensing circuitry is configured to perform a logical operation using a data value stored in a first memory cell coupled to a sense line as a first input and a data value stored in a second memory cell coupled to the sense line as a second input. The sensing circuitry is configured to perform the logical operation without transferring data via a sense line address access.
US09959912B2
A memory includes a memory cell, one bitline coupled to the memory cell, a sense amplifier coupled to the one bitline, a timing circuit configured to enable the sense amplifier during a read operation, a control circuit configured to enable the sense amplifier independent of the timing circuit, and a pull-up circuit configured to pull up the one bitline while the sense amplifier is enabled by the control circuit. The method includes enabling a sense amplifier in a read operation by a timing circuit. The sense amplifier is coupled to at least one bitline, and the at least one bitline is coupled to a memory cell. The method further includes enabling the sense amplifier independent of the timing circuit in a second operation and pulling up the at least one bitline by a pull-up circuit while the sense amplifier is enabled in the second operation.
US09959909B1
A hard disk drive (HDD) tray adapted to carry a HDD includes a base and a cover pivoted to the base. The base includes a bottom plate and two base lateral plates connected to the bottom plate. The cover includes a top plate and two cover lateral plates connected to the top plate. One of each of the cover lateral plates and the corresponding base lateral plate includes a first fixing member which is retractable, and the other includes a fixing hole corresponding to the first fixing member. The HDD is located between the base and the cover. When the cover covers the base, the first fixing members extend into the corresponding fixing holes to fix the relative location of the cover and the base. When the cover is pivoted upward relative to the base, each first fixing member is drawn back along an inner wall of the fixing hole to exit the corresponding fixing hole. A HDD rack assembly is also provided.
US09959904B2
A reproduction control apparatus comprises an instruction unit configured to give an instruction so as to move a reproduction position of time series data; and a control unit configured to perform, when there is an instruction from the instruction unit to move the reproduction position forward, control to move a current reproduction position forward by a first period in a case where a remaining time from the current reproduction position to a terminal end is longer than a total period of the first period and a second period, and to move the current reproduction position to a position that is the second period before the terminal end in a case where the remaining time is less than or equal to the total period and longer than the second period.
US09959901B1
An inspection method for a recordable optical disc includes focusing laser light on a recording layer and obtaining a data signal dependent on the laser light reflected by the recording layer. The inspection method also includes determining whether the optical disc includes a defect or not by identifying a first period every second period in the obtained data signal obtained, the first period being a period in which a signal level of the data signal is lower than a predetermined value, and each of the second periods corresponding to an ECC block, and outputting a result of the determination.
US09959892B1
Some embodiments of the present invention logically eliminate an end region of a user-data area of a magnetic storage tape during formatting (or re-formatting) of the tape, if the position error signal (PES) variance corresponding to the end region exceeds a threshold. An adjacent region, having a PES variance less than the threshold is designated as a new end region, thereby shortening the user-data area of the tape and extending its usable life.
US09959890B2
A magnetoresistive device that can include a magnetoresistive stack and an etch-stop layer (ESL) disposed on the magnetoresistive stack. A method of manufacturing the magnetoresistive device can include: depositing the magnetoresistive stack, the ESL and a mask layer on a substrate; performing a first etching process to etch a portion of the mask layer to expose a portion of the ESL; and performing a second etching process to etch the exposed portion of the ESL. The second etching process can also etch a portion of the magnetoresistive stack. The first and second etching processes can be different. For example, the first etching process can be a reactive etching process and the second etching process can be a non-reactive etching process.
US09959885B2
Method for user micro context recognition using sound signatures. The method includes: recording an environment sound sample from a microphone into a mobile device by a trigger stimulus; simultaneous to recording an environment sound sample, collecting hardware and software macro context data from available mobile devices; extracting a sound signature from the recorded sound sample based on sound features and spectrograms; comparing for similar patterns the recorded sound signature with reference sound signatures stored in a sound database; updating the sound database; checking if the recorded sound was recognized; performing a logical association between the sound label and the available macro context data; comparing for similar patterns the recorded context with a reference context stored in a context database; updating the context database; checking if the micro context was recognized; and returning to a mobile context-aware application the micro context label.
US09959883B2
The method and system for measuring low-noise acoustical impulse responses at high sampling rates of the present invention utilizes two exponential sine sweeps (ESSs) to measure the impulse responses. The first ESS is a quick sweep up to the Nyquist frequency to provide an estimate of the system response and sample the ambient noise. This measurement is used to algorithmically determine an appropriate pass-band of the system. A second, slower sweep through the pass-band alone is then executed and a corresponding band-pass filter is applied to the resulting output signal to suppress noise. The result is a measured impulse response with an improved signal-to-noise ratio and a much-reduced pre-response.
US09959882B2
Howling or oscillation in an in-vehicle communications system is prevented when the speaker gain or microphone gain is detected as giving rise to a loop gain equal to or greater than one for a particular frequency or band of frequencies or when the rate of gain of a frequency or band of frequencies increases at a rate that indicating howling will occur. Howling is prevented and not just stopped or suppressed, by adjusting the gain of all frequencies prior to the howling actually starting.
US09959881B2
A voice processing device includes: a sound pickup to receive sounds respectively from a plurality of locations; and circuitry to: identify, from the plurality of locations, a sound source location at which a sound source exists, as a current sound source location; specify at least one location of the plurality of locations other than the current sound source location, from at least one sound source location that has been identified as the sound source location during a past predetermined time period, as a specified source location at which a sound to be enhanced exists; enhance a sound from the current sound source location, and a sound from the specified source location; and output an audio signal including the enhanced sounds.
US09959879B2
A context-based arithmetic encoding apparatus and method and a context-based arithmetic decoding apparatus and method are provided. The context-based arithmetic decoding apparatus may determine a context of a current N-tuple to be decoded, determine a Most Significant Bit (MSB) context corresponding to an MSB symbol of the current N-tuple, and determine a probability model using the context of the N-tuple and the MSB context. Subsequently, the context-based arithmetic decoding apparatus may perform a decoding on an MSB based on the determined probability model, and perform a decoding on a Least Significant Bit (LSB) based on a bit depth of the LSB derived from a process of decoding on an escape code.
US09959877B2
A device includes a receiver and a decoder. The receiver is configured to receive stereo parameters encoded, by an encoder, based on a plurality of windows having a first length of overlapping portions between the plurality of windows. The decoder is configured to perform an upmix operation using the stereo parameters to generate at least two audio signals. The at least two audio signals are generated based on a second plurality of windows used in the upmix operation. The second plurality of windows has a second length of overlapping portions between the second plurality of windows. The second length is different from the first length.
US09959874B2
A method and a system for identity authentication are presented. In one example embodiment, audio data (e.g. a sound wave) may be received from a user. The audio data may be used to establish an identity of an entity to the user. The audio data may be stored at a storage location; and be presented to the user to establish the identity of the entity when the entity participates in an electronic communication with the user. In another example embodiment, a server (e.g., a web client or client application server) may present a plurality of audio files to a user; receive a user selection of selected audio data from the plurality of audio files; responsive to the user selection, the server may communicate, via a network, the selected audio data to another server. The selected audio data may be used as an identity authentication.
US09959868B1
Domain specific programming is facilitated through the use of a conversational interface using natural language commands from the user and natural language cues to the user. The natural language conversation provides the actual program and thus can be saved and edited for future use.
US09959864B1
In some implementations, systems and methods are capable of performing location-based voice query recognition. Audio corresponding to an utterance of the user and data indicating a location associated with a user are initially received. An initial transcription of the utterance is then obtained. A set of n-grams that are associated with a region are selected for each of multiple regions that are associated with the location. One or more additional candidate descriptions are generated for one or more of the multiple geographic regions. A representative transcription of the utterance is selected for one or more of the multiple geographic regions. The representative transcription is finally provided to an automated speech recognizer.
US09959863B2
A method, which is performed by an electronic device, for obtaining a speaker-independent keyword model of a keyword designated by a user is disclosed. The method may include receiving at least one sample sound from the user indicative of the keyword. The method may also generate a speaker-dependent keyword model for the keyword based on the at least one sample sound, send a request for the speaker-independent keyword model of the keyword to a server in response to generating the speaker-dependent keyword model, and receive the speaker-independent keyword model adapted for detecting the keyword spoken by a plurality of users from the server.
US09959860B2
Noises that are to be emitted by an aerial vehicle during operations may be predicted using one or more machine learning systems, algorithms or techniques. Anti-noises having equal or similar intensities and equal but out-of-phase frequencies may be identified and generated based on the predicted noises, thereby reducing or eliminating the net effect of the noises. The machine learning systems, algorithms or techniques used to predict such noises may be trained using emitted sound pressure levels observed during prior operations of aerial vehicles, as well as environmental conditions, operational characteristics of the aerial vehicles or locations of the aerial vehicles during such prior operations. Anti-noises may be identified and generated based on an overall sound profile of the aerial vehicle, or on individual sounds emitted by the aerial vehicle by discrete sources.
US09959845B2
The present inventive disclosures are generally directed to various improved versions of locking compensated nuts for fretted stringed musical instruments. Many embodiments are especially directed to improved locking compensated nuts that can be more-easily retrofitted into existing guitars and other stringed musical instruments without requiring any major reconfigurations or modifications of the base instruments, and some variations are directed to a detachably coupled tuner-mount device that will facilitate enhanced tuning capabilities because of improved vibrational communication between the instrument strings and the tuner. In addition, some improved locking compensated nuts described herein feature interchangeable compensated inserts to allow for easy adaption to alternate string sets.
US09959842B2
In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may be a device. The device receives content to be displayed on a screen of the device. The device generates a picture based on the content. The device sends the picture to an on-screen display driver bypassing a thin client operating system of the device. The device replaces at least a portion of pixel data in a frame buffer of the device with the picture. The pixel data is presented on the screen. The device transfers the pixel data in the frame buffer to a display driver of the device. The display driver generates display signals based on the pixel data.
US09959841B2
The disclosed subject matter generally relates to image presentation control methods and image presentation control apparatuses. The disclosed subject matter can comprise acquiring at least one piece of background information corresponding to the field of view of at least one eye of a user; adjusting, according to the at least one piece of background information, at least one presentation parameter corresponding to at least one image; and presenting, by means of near-to-eye presentation, the at least one image to the at least one eye according to the at least one presentation parameter that adjusted. In an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a presentation parameter corresponding to a to-be-presented image can be adjusted with reference to a content attribute of the image by analyzing a background environment feature of near-to-eye presentation.
US09959840B2
An apparatus, system, or method wirelessly sends an audio component of a multimedia channel to one or more wireless computing devices while a visual component of the multimedia channel is playing on a video monitor. The audio component may be packetized into data packets and broadcast via a network such that the data packets can be received and played by the wireless computing devices in synchronization with the visual component playing on the video monitor. A channel listing may inform the wireless computing devices what channels are available. A visual content that is not the visual component of the multimedia channel may be displayed on the wireless computing device while an audio component of the multimedia channel is streamed to the wireless computing device.
US09959834B2
Aspects of the present disclosure include a method and system for the delivery of virtual reality content that enables a more immersive experience to the user by adaptively changing display parameters of virtual reality content using resolution-defined projections. The resolution-defined projections are two-dimensional and virtual reality content agnostic. According to some aspects, the projections can be used to generate virtual reality content images and video that can be encoded and/or compressed for processing and transmission with lower or without increasing bandwidth requirements, and to be perceived of a higher resolution. Additional aspects include, the adaptive focus via the resolution-defined projections using the user's viewing direction and/or orientation, optimization data from a feedback loop and/or crowdsourcing data.
US09959833B2
A driver and an electronic device include a capacitor driving circuit and a capacitor circuit having a plurality of capacitors provided between a plurality of capacitor driving nodes and a data voltage output terminal. The capacitor driving circuit has a plurality of driving units that output capacitor driving voltages, and in the case where a capacitance of one of the plurality of capacitors is the highest, after a driving unit that drives that capacitor has outputted a capacitor driving voltage, the next driving unit outputs the next capacitor driving voltage.
US09959824B2
A flat panel display includes a display panel comprising a display area and a non-display area which is disposed on a outside of the display area and has at least one recess on one end side thereof; a driving substrate disposed on a rear surface of the display panel; and at least one connection member connected to the display panel and the driving substrate through at least one recess.
US09959820B2
An array substrate, display device and image display method. In this array substrate, among the sub-pixels two adjacent columns of sub-pixels are grouped together, and sub-pixels in different groups do not overlap each other; in each group, all of the sub-pixels are electrically connected with a same data line; each row of the sub-pixels corresponds to two gate lines, and in each row of the sub-pixels, two sub-pixels belonging to the same group are electrically connected with one of the two gate lines corresponding to this row of the sub-pixels respectively; thus, in the process of sequentially loading a gate scanning signal to each grid line within the display time of one frame, charging difference between rows of sub-pixels caused by the jump of voltage loaded on the data line may be reduced, whereby poor stripes present when a flat panel display is displaying a screen may be improved.
US09959819B2
An RGB to RGBW brightness compensation method and device is disclosed. The method includes: retrieving multiple gray scale values of RGB color RGB(x, y, z), wherein x, y, z are gray scale levels of red, green and blue sub-pixels of an RGB model, 0≤x, y, z≤1; multiplying the gray scale values of RGB color RGB (x, y, z) by N to obtain an enhanced gray scale values of RGB color RGB (Nx, Ny, Nz), wherein N is 4/3 and a minimum value selected from x, y, z is taken to represent a first conversion value W1; and obtaining multiple gray scale values of RGBW color RGBW (Nx−W1, Ny−W1, Nz−W1, W1) according to the enhanced gray scale values of RGB color RGB (Nx, Ny, Nz) and the first conversion value W1. Accordingly, a brightness of the RGBW model of a liquid crystal panel is compensated.
US09959803B2
A device and methods for content display are disclosed. In various embodiments, a method for content display comprises detecting at least one of an open area or a transparent area in a display cover coupled to an electronic device, setting a partial display-area on a display area of the electronic device in response to the detecting, where the partial display-area corresponds to the at least one of the open area or the transparent area, setting content to the partial display-area, displaying the content in the partial display-area.
US09959794B2
An electronic device, a processing method and a device are provided. The electronic device includes: a first and second display devices, an input device, a first component and a second component, a detection device configured to detect a relative position relation between the two components, a processing device is configured to control the first display device or the second display device in different cases to respond to operation data collected by the input device.
US09959791B2
A water display is described having different layers that each include a geometric shape. Water is provided to and drained from the display to vary the height of the water between the layers of the display. As the water height increases or decreases from one layer to another, pools of water assuming the geometric shapes formed in a given layer appear. The geometric shapes formed in a given layer appear. The geometric pools of water transform shapes as the water is raised or lowered.
US09959780B2
In an embodiment, movement-data is gathered with one or more sensors (e.g., accelerometers, GPS receivers, etc.) during a driver's driving session. A score may be calculated for the driving session, and the driver's progress is evaluated by a driver-evaluation system. A driving session report or graphical user-interface (GUI) is generated with a computer processor and displayed at a display device. The displayed report or GUI includes a graphic representing the driver's progress relative to historical data.
US09959779B2
The systems and methods taught herein are generally directed to a dynamic point referencing of an audiovisual performance for an accurate and precise selection and controlled cycling of portions of the performance. The dynamic point referencing can be used by a learning artist, for example, in analyzing or performing a portion of the work through an accurate and precise digital audio/video instructional method having the controlled cycling feature. Such systems and methods will be appreciated, for example, by musicians, dancers, and other enthusiasts of the performing arts.
US09959776B1
Systems and methods are provided for measuring a user's English language proficiency. A constructed response generated by a user is received, the constructed response being based on a picture. The constructed response is processed to determine a first numerical measure indicative of a presence of one or more grammar errors in the constructed response. The constructed response is processed to determine a second numerical measure indicative of a degree to which the constructed response describes a subject matter of the picture. The constructed response is processed to determine a third numerical measure indicative of a degree of awkward word usage in the constructed response. A model is applied to the first, second, and third numerical measures to determine a score for the constructed response indicative of the user's English language proficiency. The model includes first, second, and third variables with associated first, second, and third weighting factors, respectively.
US09959762B1
An apparatus and a method for warning in a vehicle generates a warning based on a distance in order to avoid a problem that may occur when a collision warning is generated based on only a time required for a collision. The method of generating a warning in a vehicle includes: obtaining a distance and a relative speed of the vehicle to a target vehicle ahead; obtaining a time required for a collision with the target vehicle from the distance and the relative speed; and generating a warning when at least one of a first condition in which the time required for the collision is equal to or less than a predetermined warning generation time and a second condition in which the distance is equal to or less than a predetermined warning generation distance is satisfied.
US09959760B2
A method for finding a parking space for a first motor vehicle includes determining a required minimum length of the parking space on which the first motor vehicle is parkable, scanning a length of the adjacent parking space through the second motor vehicle, and driving the first motor vehicle to the adjacent parking space bounded by the second motor vehicle when the length of the adjacent parking space corresponds to at least the minimum length. Related transmission devices and control systems are also provided.
US09959758B2
The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a vehicle locating system for locating at least a first parked vehicle situated where it potentially is difficult to find. The system determines an estimated geographical vehicle position of the at least first parked vehicle. The system furthermore determines—based on digital map data—that the estimated vehicle position is comprised in, or is in in the vicinity of, a multilevel parking area. Moreover, the system transmits a level request message to a user device associated with the at least first parked vehicle. The disclosure also relates to a vehicle locating system in accordance with the foregoing, and a computer program product comprising a computer program containing computer program code means arranged to cause a computer or a processor to execute the steps of the vehicle locating system discussed above, stored on a computer-readable medium or a carrier wave.
US09959753B2
A communication device, a communication and associated communication method are provided. The communication device is placed at a first moving device and the communication device includes a movement detection module, a transmitter, and a controller. The movement detecting module detects movement of the first moving device to obtain at least one first movement parameter at a first time point, and detects the movement of the first moving device to obtain at least one second movement parameter at a second time point latter than the first time point. The transmitter transmits the at least one first movement parameter. By estimating position of the first moving device at the second time point, the controller obtains an estimated internal movement parameter. The controller controls the transmitter to transmit the at least one second movement parameter selectively according to the estimated internal movement parameter and the at least one second movement parameter.
US09959750B2
A method of controlling a function of a mobile terminal is provided. The method includes placing the mobile terminal within a communication range of a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device previously registered in the mobile terminal, receiving identification information of the BLE device from the BLE device, extracting function information corresponding to the received identification information of the BLE device, and performing a previously set function corresponding to the extracted function information.
US09959744B2
A method and system for providing alerts for radio communications are provided. One or more keywords are generated based on one or more contextual parameters associated with a radio device. An audio stream is received at the radio device from a radio transmitter. One or more of the one or more keywords are detected in the audio stream, and an alert for the audio stream is provided to a user of the radio device.
US09959740B2
A method of controlling an electronic device that provides a reminder of a task is provided. The controlling method includes receiving an input of a content of a reminder target task, designating a related application that is linked with the reminder target task, and generating and storing the reminder target task of which the content is to be displayed using a predetermined event as a trigger.
US09959739B1
Disclosed is a system, method and an article for indicating wet/dry condition to a user. At least one sensor comprising a circuit of a processing unit, a switch and an antenna is positioned within a target area. The switch detects the target area with a dry condition or a wet condition. The switch arranges the circuit in an open circuit configuration or a closed circuit configuration based upon the detection of the dry condition or the wet condition respectively. The antenna transmits a communication signal, generated by the processing unit, to a wireless reader via the circuit arranged in the open circuit configuration or the closed circuit configuration. The wireless reader determines the dry condition or the wet condition in the target area based upon the receipt of the communication signal. The wireless reader notifies to a user the dry condition or the wet condition detected in the target area.
US09959733B2
Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for detecting falls and transmitting notifications. One embodiment includes a wearable device. The wearable device may include a first sensor configured to collect acceleration data, and at least one of a second sensor configured to collect pressure data or a third sensor configured to collect temperature data. The wearable device may also include an antenna and a processor. The wearable device may also include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive the acceleration data and at least one of the pressure data or the temperature data, process the acceleration data and at least one of the pressure data or the temperature data, and control, when the processor determines that a person falls, the antenna to transmit a signal.
US09959732B2
The present disclosure provides a method and a system for fall detection. Measurement signals are received from a plurality of sensors to monitor user activities, the plurality of sensors including a motion sensor for collecting motion information and a biomedical sensor for collecting physiological information. According to a signal processing sequence, whether the measurement signals meet multiple qualifying conditions for a fall incident is determined. The multiple qualifying conditions include: a condition evaluating at least the motion information, and a condition evaluating at least the physiological information. The method further includes: when the measurement signals do not meet the multiple qualifying conditions, continuing to monitor the user activities; and when the measurement signals meet the multiple conditions, determining that a fall incident has occurred, and sending an alert message to a designated contact.
US09959729B2
This application provides an alarming method and device, and relates to the field of communications. The method includes: obtaining a power of an audio signal; determining a transmit power value at least according to the power of the audio signal; broadcasting detection information according to the transmit power value, the detection information including the transmit power value; and alarming, in response to receiving alarming information fed back by another device according to the detection information, a user according to the alarming information. According to the method and device, a user is alarmed in time in a situation in which a risk may occur, and meanwhile an undesired effect of an environmental noise on the user listening to the audio signal in a safe situation is also avoided, thereby improving user experience.
US09959727B2
This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.
US09959715B2
A sleep inhibition assembly for inhibiting a driver from falling asleep includes a housing that may be manipulated. A vibration unit is coupled to the housing and the vibration unit vibrates the housing. The vibration unit may be placed in a mouth. Thus, the vibration unit may inhibit a driver from falling asleep.
US09959714B2
Systems and methods for minimal haptic implementation are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system includes: an actuator; and a control-circuit in communication with the actuator, the control circuit configured to: receive a haptic signal including a first bit indicating a power state; and transmit a power signal based on the haptic signal, the power signal configured to cause the actuator to operate at an actuation state at a fixed power.
US09959712B2
In some embodiments, the present invention provides for a computer-implemented method for conducting a game, having at least steps of: electronically receiving, by at least one specifically programmed computer processor, in real-time, game entries data representing game entries of players to participate in the game; where each game entry identifies a single playing instance of the game, having a plurality of drawing events; electronically determining, by the processor, in real-time, based on a game mode, a plurality of winning results for the plurality of drawing events respectively; electronically determining, by the processor, in real-time, a winning game entry, having selections which win each drawing event of the plurality of drawing events; and electronically recording, by the processor, in real-time, a portion of a jackpot to be distributed to a particular player associated with the winning game entry.
US09959711B2
A method for integrating game products with sale and dissemination of digital media to players includes providing for players to purchase digital media for download at a purchase price that enters the player into a game wherein the player's downloaded digital media determines whether or not the player has won in the game. The purchased downloads are downloaded from a library, wherein a number of the digital media are stored in the library in their original format, and a defined number of the digital media stored in the library are modified from their original format to include an auditory or visual indication of a winning lottery play. The players download and listen to or view their downloaded digital media to determine if they have purchased a winning digital media in the lottery game. Players losing in the lottery game may be provided a downloaded digital media in its original format.
US09959691B2
A latch release backup system for a latch assembly of a motor-vehicle door is provided with a key cylinder configured to receive a vehicle key and which is rotatably mounted to the motor-vehicle door, and a mechanical coupling arrangement mounted within the motor-vehicle door and operable to convert a rotation of the key cylinder into actuation of an actuation group of the latch assembly for causing latch release. The key cylinder defines an electrical interface socket designed to receive the vehicle key. An electronic control unit is mounted within the motor-vehicle door and is electrically connected to the electrical interface socket to receive identification information (Id) from the vehicle key when plugged into the electrical interface socket. The mechanical coupling arrangement is normally disengaged from the actuation group of the latch assembly, and the electronic control unit is configured to control selective engagement of the mechanical coupling arrangement to the actuation group of the latch assembly based on the identification information (Id) received from the vehicle key.
US09959689B2
A method is provided for interacting with audience members in an event, each of the potential attendees having available thereto a unique identifier. The method comprises creating, for an attendee, a unique ID (UID) on a mobile wireless device (MWD) by the steps of inputting to the MWD one of the unique identifiers, combining the obtained unique identifier with a UID time stamp at the time of creation of the UID; receiving with a server on a first wireless channel communications from the MWD; registering the UID at the physical location of the event; generating a visual query; displaying on the MWD response indicators; receiving at the server from the registered attendee a response, to the query over the first wireless channel; and storing in a database on the server the received response in association with the displayed query.
US09959674B2
Techniques for displaying navigation information on a mobile device are provided that include a method that includes obtaining an indication of a position and an indication of a direction associated with the mobile device, using the indication of the position, the indication of the direction, information regarding identities of POIs within a geographic region of interest, and information regarding areas associated with the POIs to determine at least one relevant POI, of the POIs, that is associated with the position and direction, and displaying at least one visual indication associated with each of the at least one relevant POI on the mobile device. The appearance of the at least one visual indication is dependent on at least one of a distance from the mobile device of the relevant POI associated with the visual indication or presence of a known physical barrier between the mobile device and that relevant POI.
US09959672B2
Techniques for dynamically subdividing a 3D mesh to enhance texture and color reproduction are provided. In embodiments, a high-resolution image of an object is received, where the high-resolution image is mapped to a 3D mesh of the object. The high-resolution image has a higher resolution than the 3D mesh. Degrees of color variation in the high-resolution image are detected. Weights are calculated for areas of the 3D mesh based on the degrees of color variation in the high-resolution image. One or more of the areas of the 3D mesh is subdivided based on the calculated weights. Color values from the high-resolution image are then assigned to the 3D mesh.
US09959669B2
A method and apparatus for rendering a computer-generated image using a stencil buffer is described. The method divides an arbitrary closed polygonal contour into first and higher level primitives, where first level primitives correspond to contiguous vertices in the arbitrary closed polygonal contour and higher level primitives correspond to the end vertices of consecutive primitives of the immediately preceding primitive level. The method reduces the level of overdraw when rendering the arbitrary polygonal contour using a stencil buffer compared to other image space methods. A method of producing the primitives in an interleaved order, with second and higher level primitives being produced before the final first level primitives of the contour, is described which improves cache hit rate by reusing more vertices between primitives as they are produced.
US09959665B2
A graphics processing unit (GPU) may include a triangle setup engine (TSE) configured to determine coordinates of a triangle, rotate coordinates of the triangle based on an angle. To rotate the coordinates, the TSE generates coordinates of the triangle in a rotated domain, and determines coordinates of a bounding box in the rotated domain based on the coordinates of the triangle in the rotated domain. The TSE determines a first plurality of parallel scanlines in the rotated domain, and a second plurality of parallel scanlines in the rotated domain. The first and second pluralities of scanlines are perpendicular. The TSE determines whether the bounding box coordinates are located within two adjacent scanlines. If the bounding box coordinates are located within the two adjacent scanlines, the TSE removes the triangle from the scene.
US09959661B2
Provide are a methods and devices for processing graphics data in a graphics processing unit (GPU). The method of processing graphics data includes receiving, at a processor, a difference of Gaussian (DOG) layer of an image, detecting, from the received DOG layer, a candidate DOG layer of the image as an intermediate layer, detecting at least one extreme point by comparing values of the candidate DOG layer with values of a previous DOG layer and a next DOG layer, and storing the at least one extreme point in a buffer.
US09959660B2
A device for image processing includes a first queue, a second queue, a cache, and a processor. The first queue is capable of receiving a first image tile. The processor is electrically connected to the first queue, the second queue, and the cache, respectively. The processor is capable of obtaining the first image tile from the first queue and obtaining mask information of the background mask corresponding to the first tile from the cache. The processor determines the relationship between the first image tile and the background mask based on the first image tile and the mask information so as to selectively transfer the first image tile to the second queue.
US09959649B2
It is an object to generate a desired composite image in which a motion area of a subject is correctly composited.A difference image between a base target and an aligned swap target is generated (S1021), and an extracted contour in the difference image is determined according to the active contour model (S1022). The inner area of the contour and the outer area of the contour are painted with different colors to be color-coded so as to generate a mask image for alpha blending (S1023). Using the mask image thus generated, the swap target that is aligned with respect to the base target is composited with the base target of the base image by alpha blending (S1024).
US09959643B2
Cache thrashing or over-accessing of a cache can be reduced by reversing the order of traversal of a triangle on different granularities. In the case where triangles are not grouped, the traverse order may be reversed on each triangle. In cases where triangles are grouped, the traversal order may be reversed with each group change. However, when motion is excessive, for example beyond a threshold, then the traversal order reversal may be disabled.
US09959637B2
The disclosure is related to a method and a computer apparatus for processing a border of a computer figure and merging the figure into a background image. In the method, a user interface is provided for the user to operate the computer figure through a touch screen. The computer figure is configured to be merged into a background image, or a specific image object. The computer figure is processed by performing a border-treatment algorithm when it is moved and combined with the background image. In the process of border-treatment, the graphic information of the background image is taken into consideration. The computer figure is allowed to be well merged into the background image by considering the background's graphic information when the images are combined. Therefore, a visual effect of fusing the images can be achieved.
US09959630B2
Systems and methods for viewing a scene depicted in a sequence of video frames and identifying and tracking objects between separate frames of the sequence. Each tracked object is classified based on known categories and a stream of context events associated with the object is generated. A sequence of primitive events based on the stream of context events is generated and stored together, along with detailed data and generalized data related to an event. All of the data is then evaluated to learn patterns of behavior that occur within the scene.
US09959626B2
The present invention discloses a three-dimensional depth perception method and apparatus with an adjustable working range. The method comprises: setting a working range mode from the external or by an adaptive adjustment, projecting encoded patterns into a corresponding working range by adjusting a driving current of a laser pattern projector driving circuit, adjusting a receiving camera focal length and a baseline distance, collecting a sequence of projected encoded images and feeding them into a depth perception module that adjusts control parameters for image preprocessing based on the working range mode, selecting, from a group of reference encoded images in coincidence with the working range mode to perform block-matching-based disparity computation and depth computation to the inputted encoded image sequence, and outputting a depth image sequence. A three-dimensional depth perception apparatus with an adjustable working range is implemented based on the method. The apparatus facilitates optimization and real-time implementation of the depth perception computation method and makes it adapted to different working ranges, thereby breaking through application limits of the existing three-dimensional depth perception apparatuses.
US09959625B2
The present invention provides a method for fast, robust and efficient BA pipeline (SfM) for wide area motion imagery (WAMI). The invention can, without applying direct outliers filtering (e.g. RANSAC) or re-estimation of the camera parameters (e.g. essential matrix estimation) efficiently refine noisy camera parameters in very short amounts of time. The method is highly robust owing to its adaptivity with the persistency factor of each track. The present invention highly suitable for sequential aerial imagery, particularly for WAMI, where camera parameters are available from onboard sensors.
US09959624B2
An in-vehicle system for identifying turn-only and shared turn lanes and identifying turn rules according to visual indicia captured from turn signs. An image apparatus configured to obtain image data including graphic data and/or text data from a roadway sign, as well as street light image data for an intersection on the roadway. The image data may be processed to detect a graphic image and/or text from the image data relating to the roadway sign. Street light image data may also be captured and processed to determine a street light status. An identification module may determine rules for turning on the intersection of the roadway based on the processed image data relating to the roadway sign, wherein the identification module is further configured to determine if the turn on the roadway is allowed based on the determined street light status.
US09959622B2
Technology related to an apparatus and method for supporting a diagnosis of a lesion is provided. The apparatus includes a standard image determiner to determine, as a standard image, an image where a region of interest (ROI) is detected among a plurality of images received from an image collecting device, a candidate image extractor to extract one or more candidate images with respect to the determined standard image, a comparison image selector to select one or more comparison images for supporting a diagnosis of the ROI from the one or more candidate images, and an interface to provide a user with an output result of the standard image and the one or more selected comparison images.
US09959620B2
Methods and systems for registering three-dimensional (3D) CT image data with two-dimensional (2D) fluoroscopic image data using a plurality of markers are disclosed. In the methods and systems, a lateral angle and a cranial angle are searched for and a roll angle is computed. 3D translation coordinates are also computed. The calculated roll angle and 3D translation coordinates are computed for a predetermined number of times successively. After performing the calculations, the 3D CT image data is overlaid on the 2D fluoroscopic image data based on the lateral angle, the cranial angle, the roll angle, and the 3D translation coordinates.
US09959614B2
A first concentration range, which is a concentration range of a region of interest, and an output concentration range are determined in an input image. A compression table for compressing a dynamic range of the input image is generated on the basis of the first concentration range and the output concentration range. The first concentration range is changed at a predetermined ratio with respect to the changed output concentration range to determine a second concentration range. A new compression table is generated on the basis of the changed output concentration range and the second concentration range. The dynamic range of the input image is compressed using the new compression table.
US09959612B2
Methods for characterizing atmospheric turbulence along an optical path from a laser transmitter to a laser receiver can include the steps of counting the number of laser speckles at the receiver imaging plane, and then finding Fried's parameter r0 using the counting result to characterize the turbulence along the path. Before counting speckles, images at the receiver image plane can be preprocessed by capturing the images. The captured images at the image plane can then be blurred and a threshold can be chosen so that only certain pixels in the image are further processed. The thresholding can be via Otsu's methods or via variants of a Gaussian fit. Kostelec's method can then be used to count speckles in the portions of the image that have made it through the thresholding step. Other counting methods could be used. Fried's can then be found using the speckle count.
US09959611B2
Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing a single crystal, the method includes: photographing an image of a boundary portion between the single crystal and a melt by a camera during a single crystal pull-up process according to a Czochralski method; comparing at least one pixel included in a left side region with respect to an extension line of a pull-up shaft of the single crystal and at least one pixel included in a right side region with respect to the extension line; and determining an abnormality in a luminance distribution of the image from a result of the comparing.
US09959608B1
In a computer-implemented method and system for capturing the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. The 3D scanner generates 3D data. A point cloud or 3D model is constructed from the 3D data. The point cloud or 3D model is then analyzed to determine the condition of the structure.
US09959604B2
The processing of RGB image data can be optimized by performing optimization operations on the image data when it is converted into the YCbCr color space. First, a raw RGB color space is converted into a YCbCr color space, and raw RGB image data is converted into YCbCr image data using the YCbCr color space. For each Y-layer of the YCbCr image data, a 2D LUT is generated. The YCbCr image data is converted into optimized CbCr image data using the 2D LUTs, and optimized YCbCr image data is generated by blending CbCr image data corresponding to multiple Y-layers. The optimized YCbCr image data is converted into sRGB image data, and a tone curve is applied to the sRGB image data to produce optimized sRGB image data.
US09959603B2
The present application discloses a method and a device for image processing. The method comprises: performing facial recognition on an image to be processed; determining a skin area to be processed in a facial area according to detection results; determining the locations of skin blemishes in the skin area to be processed; removing the skin blemishes in the facial area according to the determined locations of the skin blemishes in the skin area to be processed to obtain a processed image. The method and the device for image processing can modify people's skin in an image automatically, that is to say, both light-colored blemishes and obvious problems on the skin are removed. In contrast to the solutions for removing skin blemishes manually in various existing APPs for skin beautification, the method provided by the present application provides a better experience for users.
US09959599B2
A system for enhancing an image includes a cadence detection process that detects a cadence of a series of frames, a scene cut detection process that detects a scene cut of the series of frames, and a noise monitoring process that detects noise in the series of frames based upon the cadence detection process. The system also includes a temporal filtering process temporally filtering the series of frames wherein the temporal filtering is modified based upon the scene cut detection process and the noise monitoring process, and a spatial noise reduction process reducing spatial noise in the series of frames wherein the reducing spatial noise is modified based upon the modified temporally filtered frames and the noise monitoring process.
US09959598B2
Disclosed is an operation method of an electronic device. The operation method may include: acquiring a shared image from an image resource file; acquiring an auxiliary image by using a difference between the image resource file and the shared image; and generating a particular image based on the shared image and the auxiliary image. An operation method of an electronic device is not limited to the above method, and other embodiments are possible within the same or similar scope as the present disclosure.
US09959593B2
An apparatus includes a unified system/graphics memory and a memory controller. The memory controller is operative to receive client data access requests associated with one or more clients and a central processing unit (CPU) data access request associated with a CPU, to a plurality of memory channels for accessing the unified system/graphics memory. The memory controller is operative to provide access to the plurality of memory channels, in parallel, by the CPU and at least one client of the one or more clients. The memory controller is operative to prioritize the CPU data access request to the unified memory over the client data access requests to the unified memory and control the plurality of memory channels to access, in parallel, data for the CPU and data for the at least one client based on a request of the client data access requests and the CPU data access request.
US09959592B2
A method performed by a physical computing system, the method includes disabling a display refresh process of a video controller of the physical computing system if no active display device is connected to the physical computing system. A physical computing system includes a video controller comprising a rendering engine and a display refresh controller; a memory controller connected to a memory; and a display controller to determine whether an active display device is connected to the physical computing system; in which a display refresh process performed by the display refresh controller is disabled when no active display device is connected to the physical computing system.
US09959589B2
An image driving device includes a determining unit, and image processing unit, and a memory. The determining unit determines whether an input image is a moving image or a still image, and may be synchronized with an internal clock different from an external clock. The image processing unit may image-process at least one frame but less than all frames of the input image when the input image is determined to be a still image. The image processing unit may output the at least one image-processed frame as first image data, and the memory may store the first image data.
US09959580B2
In particular embodiments, a method comprising, by one or more computing devices, identifying, at a client device, one or more objects or references to the one or more objects embedded in a structured document displayed to a first user, accessing a social graph to determine if one or more second users having an association with the first user have accessed any of the one or more identified objects, and modifying, for at least one of the one or more identified objects, the structured document displayed to the first user to indicate that the at least one or more identified objects has been accessed by one or more second users.
US09959577B1
A document capture system may automatically capture documents and/or financial information for a user. The document capture system may capture and save documents a user views in a web browser. A user may visit various web sites to view financial data and a document capture plug-in module installed in the web browser may capture or save the viewed document. The document capture system may capture financial data while the user is visiting web sites normally—that is, not just when the user if visiting them particularly to collect financial data. The document capture system may be configured to automatically detect when the user views certain documents and may be configured to continually monitor the user's web activity in order to capture financial documents whenever the user visits certain sites. The document capture system may include a list of URLs representing web sites or documents that should be automatically captured.
US09959575B2
An insurance claim system that can display vehicle identification key information and vehicle option, package, engine, transmission, paint, production date information provided from multiple different sources. The system can perform a method that includes displaying at least one insurance claim with at least one vehicle description, a plurality of vehicle options, and a VIN field. A VIN is entered into the VIN field, which is decoded to determine vehicle information and vehicle option information. One or more vehicle options displayed by the client computer are selected with the vehicle option information, and the selected vehicle options are modified with supplemental vehicle options information provided by an OEM source. Modifying the vehicle options with the information provided by the OEM source improves the accuracy of the options information selected on the insurance claim page.
US09959572B2
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for coordinating processing of data by multiple networked computing resources include monitoring data associated with a plurality of networked computing resources, and coordinating the routing of data processing segments to the networked computing resources.
US09959570B2
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving a user account identifier of a content item suppression account and an identity of a user-specified content item, receiving an auction announcement message including the user account identifier and a request for allocation of a content item to a content inventory unit to be presented at the user device, determining a bid for presenting the content item in place of third-party content, transmitting the bid to the auction platform, transmitting the content item in response to the auction announcement message, receiving a message indicating that the content item has been presented in place of the third-party content and an auction price for presenting the content item in place of the third-party content, and reducing a stored account value associated with the user account identifier based on the auction price.
US09959569B2
Methods for generating and sharing a virtual body model of a person, created with a small number of measurements and a single photograph, combined with one or more images of garments. The virtual body model represents a realistic representation of the users body and is used for visualizing photo-realistic fit visualizations of garments, hairstyles, make-up, and/or other accessories. The virtual garments are created from layers based on photographs of real garment from multiple angles. Furthermore the virtual body model is used in multiple embodiments of manual and automatic garment, make-up, and, hairstyle recommendations, such as, from channels, friends, and fashion entities. The virtual body model is sharable for, as example, visualization and comments on looks. Furthermore it is also used for enabling users to buy garments that fit other users, suitable for gifts or similar. The implementation can also be used in peer-to-peer online sales where garments can be bought with the knowledge that the seller has a similar body shape and size as the user.
US09959561B2
A nutritional management system which comprises a processor, a memory, a first data store comprising a list of products, universal product codes associated with the products, and nutritional information associated with the products, a second data store comprising a physiological information profile for each of a plurality of different loyalty card users, an application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor the application accesses the second data store to read the physiological information profile of a loyalty card user, analyzes the physiological information profile based on objective nutritional guidelines set forth for physiological characteristics disclosed in the physiological information profile, searches the first data store to find products that satisfy the objective nutritional guidelines, transmits the products, receives a selection of one or more of the products, and promotes generating a personalized shopping list comprising selected products that is based on the physiological information profile.
US09959560B1
Transaction data of a first party and transaction data of a population are both analyzed to determine weighting and normalizing factors, which when applied to data operate to prioritize and personalize the data. The prioritization of the data is based on the analysis and results in use of the data in accordance with user preferences as evidenced in prior activities of the first party represented by the transaction data. In a navigation system, applying data prioritizations speeds performance of the system and eliminates duplicate or follow-on searches, and allows efficient selection of potential routes and destinations.
US09959557B2
A content server provides a client device with audio content including an audio advertisement, which is provided in response to receiving a request for digital audio content from a client device associated with a user. The content server obtains user information about the user and retrieves advertisement text received from an advertiser, which are used to generate a personalized text advertisement. The personalized text advertisement is generated according to an advertisement template specifying an ordered combination of text components. The personalized text advertisement includes the received advertisement text, user information text selected from the obtained user information, and template text. The client device is provided with an advertisement based on the personalized text advertisement and is configured to play an audio version of the personalized text advertisement. The audio advertisement is generated using a text-to-speech algorithm at the client device or at the content server.
US09959553B2
Methods of generating recommendations may include obtaining social network data from one or more network resources. Word relationships may be created between selected words in the social network data to produce relationship data. Advertisement or other asset recommendations may be generated for a target user by analyzing browse information of the target user to identify one or more words. Other words in the relationship data may be identified that are related to the words in the target user's browse information. One or more advertisements may be identified having at least one keyword that corresponds to the other words. At least a portion of these advertisements may be selected from a data repository to provide to the target user.
US09959549B2
Mental state data is gathered from a plurality of people and analyzed in order to determine mental state information. Metrics are generated based on the mental state information gathered as the people view media presentations. Norms, defined as the quantitative measures of the mental states of a plurality of people as they view the media presentation, are determined based on the mental state information metrics. The norms can be determined based on various viewer criteria including country of residence, demographic group, or device type on which the media presentation is viewed. Responses to new media are then compared against norms to determine the effectiveness of the new media presentations.
US09959546B2
A social networking system associates a financial account identified by a user with a user profile maintained by the social networking system for the user. The social networking system may compensate the user for associating the financial account with the user profile by crediting the identified financial account by an amount. The credit may be applied to subsequent purchases by the user at a vendor identified by the user. To simplify vendor selection, the social networking system may suggest one or more candidate pages associated with vendors to the user. Information in a transaction history of the financial account and in the user profile may be used to identify the candidate pages, allowing the user to select a vendor with which the user has previously transacted by selecting a candidate page associated with the vendor.
US09959536B1
A comparator can incorporate a hysteresis circuit to control when the output of the comparator changes between a high voltage signal and a low voltage signal. The comparator can receive a differential signal and can output either the high voltage signal or the low voltage signal. When the differential input signal is above a first threshold voltage, the output of the comparator can transition to the high voltage signal and when the differential input signal is below a second threshold voltage, the output of the comparator can transition to the low voltage signal. The hysteresis circuit of the comparator is used to adjust the first threshold voltage and the second threshold voltage required to transition the output of the comparator based on the present state of the output signal of the comparator.
US09959529B1
A customer device generates an order for purchasing one or more goods or services from a merchant. A list of the purchased items is stored in a data structure designated as a tab. The list is routed to a merchant device. The customer device is carried by a user to the merchant. When the user reaches the merchant, the customer device or merchant device can receive a request to add an additional item to the list of purchased items. The tab remains open and modifiable until the customer device or merchant device receives an input to close it. Payment for the goods or services listed in the modified tab is processed upon closing of the tab.
US09959519B2
A method and system for transit characteristic prediction. In one embodiment, a method may include determining respective transit latencies from a source location to a number of destination locations, and grouping the destination locations according to a similarity criterion into a number of subsets corresponding to respective geographical regions, where transit characteristics of locations grouped into a geographical region may each satisfy the similarity criterion. The method may further include determining a respective distribution associated with each of the geographical regions, where a given respective distribution correlates a given transit characteristic from the source location to a given geographical region with a respective surety factor, where the respective surety factor includes a cumulative probability that the given transit characteristic will be achieved. The method may also include dynamically updating the respective transit characteristic, the grouping of destination locations into geographical regions and the respective distributions dependent upon collecting empirical transit data.
US09959516B2
A disassembly procedure generating apparatus is configured to include: an assembly procedure editing unit that incorporates a new work element into an assembly procedure; an assembly procedure change monitoring unit that performs monitoring as to whether a new work element has been inserted into the assembly procedure; a disassembly procedure generating unit that generates, when a new work element is inserted into the assembly procedure, a disassembly procedure by using work elements of the assembly procedure into which the new work element has been inserted and by using information associating the work elements of the assembly procedure with work elements of the disassembly procedure; a disassembly procedure cost calculating unit that calculates a cost generated for the entirety of the disassembly procedure; and a procedure cost information displaying unit that displays, together with the assembly procedure, the disassembly procedure and the cost generated for the entirety of the disassembly procedure.
US09959515B2
There are provided a system, a method and a computer program product for generating an optimal preventive maintenance/replacement schedule for a set of assets. The method includes receiving data regarding an asset, said data including a failure rate function of said asset, a cost of preventative maintenance (PM) of said asset, a cost of an asset failure, and a cost of replacing an asset. An optimal number K of preventative maintenance time intervals tk and an indication of a possible replacement is computed and stored for each asset by minimizing a mean cost-rate value function with respect to an electrical age of the asset. A first PM schedule is formed without consideration of labor and budget resource constraints. The method further generates a second maintenance schedule for a system of assets by minimizing a deviation from the optimal PM time intervals subject to the labor and budget resource constraints.
US09959513B2
Systems and methods are disclosed associated with classifying, processing and interpreting information based on the aggregation and/or analysis of fact-based data events. Some implementations include associated notifications, reports and/or dispute resolution mechanisms.
US09959511B2
An automated seed treatment system is adapted for on-site operation at a retail seed distributor. A sealed seed-treater vessel is configured to apply a plurality of chemical treatments to a batch of seed based on a seed treatment recipe. A programmable system controller is electrically coupled to a pump controller of each of a plurality of pump-stations. The programmable system controller is configured to receive a material transfer indication from each of the plurality of pump-stations and issue commands to the pump controller of each pump-station in response to the seed treatment recipe. The programmable system controller is configured to collect operational data representing at least consumption of chemical from the chemical container at each of the pump-stations based on the corresponding material transfer indication during seed treatment and to provide the operational data to a remotely hosted information system located remotely from the site of the retail seed distributor and accessible to at least one third party that is distinct from the retail seed distributor.
US09959508B2
Systems and methods for providing inferences for use in prediction algorithms to mobile devices are disclosed. The mobile device detects an event and generates an event record that includes contextual information for the event. The event record is transmitted from the mobile device to a service provider system. The service provider system stores the event record on a cloud storage system. The cloud storage system uses the stored event records to generate inferences. The inferences are then passed to the service provider system. In turn, the service provider system provides the inferences to the proper mobile devices. The mobile devices then use the inference in prediction algorithms to generate prediction information that is used to configure applications provided by the device to operate in accordance with a predicted event.
US09959503B2
A social networking system receives messages from users that include hashtags. The social networking system may use a natural language model to identify terms in the hashtag corresponding to words or phrases of the hashtag. The words or phrases may be used to modify a string of the hashtag. The social networking system may also generate computer models to determine likely membership of a message with various hashtags. Prior to generating the computer models, the social networking system may filter certain hashtags from eligibility for computer modeling, particularly hashtags that are not frequently used or that more typically appear as normal text in a message instead of as a hashtag. The social networking system may also calibrate the computer model outputs by comparing a test message output with outputs of a calibration group that includes positive and negative examples with respect to the computer model output.
US09959496B2
A microprocessor-controlled system for monitoring a package or container to detect unwanted tampering, recording parameters related to the tampering, and optionally for initiating countermeasures in response to the tampering, is provided. Upon sealing the material within the container, a microprocessor arms the system and a clock function begins. An external contact point provides capability for the package sender to record the microprocessor serial number and sealing time. If the package is punctured, cut, or otherwise damaged in route, that event is recorded by the microprocessor, a reset function is activated for the next potential event. Upon receipt of the package, the receiver may interrogate the package and download the available event log. Knowledge of the package transit route provides for comparison with elapsed time and calculation of the location of any tampering or damage.
US09959488B2
A tape printer including a data receiving portion, a display control portion, and a print control portion is provided. The data receiving portion is configured to receive talk data containing plural pieces of speech related data along a time series, the speech related data including speech display texts from each of a first speaker and a second speaker. The display control portion is configured to control the display device so that the plural pieces of speech related data is arrayed and displayed in order of the time series along a tape length direction, and first and second speech related data respectively in relation to the first and second speaker contained in the talk data are displayed in mutually different forms. The print control portion is configured to control a printing head to form a plurality of print objects corresponding respectively to the plural pieces of speech related data.
US09959486B2
A single level machine-learnt classifier is used in medical imaging. A gross or large structure is located using any approach, including non-ML approaches such as region growing or level-sets. Smaller portions of the structure are located using ML applied to relatively small patches (small relative to the organ or overall structure of interest). The classification of small patches allows for a simple ML approach specific to a single scale or at a voxel/pixel level. The use of small patches may allow for providing classification as a service (e.g., cloud-based classification) since partial image data is to be transmitted. The use of small patches may allow for feedback on classification and updates to the ML. The use of small patches may allow for the creation of a labeled library of classification partially based on ML. Given a near complete labeled library, a simple matching of patches or a lookup can replace ML classification for faster throughput.
US09959481B2
An image processing apparatus for processing an image acquired by imaging a living body includes: a blood vessel candidate region extraction unit configured to extract a plurality of blood vessel candidate regions from the image; an identical blood vessel candidate region extraction unit configured to extract, from among the plurality of blood vessel candidate regions, a blood vessel candidate region group estimated to form a line shape when integrated, as an identical blood vessel candidate region; an evaluation value calculation unit configured to calculate one or more kinds of evaluation values for evaluating a likelihood that the identical blood vessel candidate region corresponds to an identical blood vessel; and a blood vessel region discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether or not the identical blood vessel candidate region forms an identical blood vessel region, based on the evaluation values.
US09959479B2
Image classification techniques are described for adjustment of an image. In one or more implementations, an image is classified by one or more computing device based on suitability of the image for adjustment to correct perspective distortion of the image. Responsive to a classification of the image as not suitable for the adjustment, suitability of the image is detected for processing by a different image adjustment technique by the one or more computing devices.
US09959476B2
A reading machine includes an image input device including a lens and a polarizer disposed over the lens, a flash and a second polarizer disposed over the flash. The image input device also includes a computing device coupled to the image input device for capturing images, the computing device, including a processor to execute instructions and a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to process the captured images to recognize features in the captured images.
US09959472B2
Disclosed is a parking assist system including a camera unit for photographing front or rear view of a vehicle, and a display unit for displaying a front or rear view image of the vehicle photographed by the camera unit, the system characterized by: a processor unit generating a first and second parking guide line, one being perpendicular to the other, at an area which is apart from the vehicle by a predetermined distance, and generating an estimated travel trajectory line based on steering angle information obtained from a steering angle sensor of the vehicle; and an overlay unit for overlaying the photographed front or rear view image of the vehicle on the first and second parking guide lines and the estimated travel trajectory line.
US09959471B2
A system for monitoring a patient in a patient area having one or more detection zones, the system comprising one or more cameras, a user interface, and a computing system configured to receive a chronological series of frames from the one or more cameras, identify liquid candidates by comparing a current frame with a plurality of previous frames of the chronological series, determine locations of the liquid candidates, identify thermal signatures of the liquid candidates, determine types of liquids of the liquid candidates based on the locations and thermal signatures of the liquid candidates, and generate an alert with the user interface corresponding to the determined types of liquids.
US09959469B2
An object display system according to an aspect of the present invention includes: management means for generating an object identifier capable of distinguishing an object apparatus to which the object identifier is assigned in a predetermined region; signal information transmitting means for transmitting the object identifier generated, to an object apparatus which is an originating apparatus selected from a plurality of originating apparatuses each sending a signal representing the object identifier; signal detecting means for detecting the signal representing the object identifier transmitted to the object apparatus as an object signal which is a signal to be sent by the object apparatus; identifying means for identifying an origination region from which the object signal is sent in a captured video; and display control means for outputting the video in which a mark is provided on the origination region identified in the video.
US09959462B2
A computer-implemented method and system are described for locating fingernails of a person's hand in an image. An approximate location of each fingernail in the image is determined. An approximate location of each of a plurality of digit-shape objects in the image is initialized based on the approximate locations of the fingernails, and initially refined based on respective digit-shape object models and corresponding functions. The approximate location of each fingernail sub-shape is further refined based on a respective fingernail model and its corresponding function.
US09959460B2
Provided are a re-wandering detecting device and method. The method includes: detecting an object and positional information about the object from an input image; determining whether the object wanders based on the positional information about the object; in response to determining that the object wanders, determining whether the object re-wanders by determining whether a database stores information about an object identical to the object detected from the input image; and providing information about wandering of the object according to whether the object re-wanders.
US09959455B2
A system for facial recognition comprising at least one processor; at least one input operatively connected to the at least one processor; a database configured to store three-dimensional facial image data comprising facial feature coordinates in a predetermined common plane; the at least one processor configured to locate three-dimensional facial features in the image of the subject, estimate three-dimensional facial feature location coordinates in the image of the subject, obtain the three-dimensional facial feature location coordinates and orientation parameters in a coordinate system in which the facial features are located in the predetermined common plane; and compare the location of the facial feature coordinates of the subject to images of people in the database; whereby recognition, comparison and/or likeness of the facial images is determined by comparing the predetermined common plane facial feature coordinates of the subject to images in the database. A method is also disclosed.
US09959453B2
A system for rendering a merged virtual 3D augmented replica of a 3D product image and a 3D model image of a body part. A 3D modeling engine transforms an acquired 2D image of a body part into a 3D augmented replica thereof. A GUI enables the merging, displaying and manipulating of the 3D product image and the 3D augmented replica of a body part.
US09959450B2
In an example embodiment, may be embodied in a data analysis apparatus comprises a control unit configured to provide data representative of a three dimensional image, the three dimensional image including at least a three dimensional coordinate space which includes at least one plane that divides the three dimensional coordinate space into at least two regions, a display unit configured to produce the three dimensional image based on the data representative of the three dimensional image, and an input unit configured to provide data representative of at least one of a movement and a position of the at least one plane. In other example embodiments, the present disclosure may be embodied in a data analysis server, a data analysis system, and/or a computer readable medium.
US09959449B2
A method for controlling unlocking includes the following operations. A finger of a user is scanned by a fingerprint recognition module of a mobile terminal to acquire a reference feature-point set of the finger when a touch operation on the fingerprint recognition module is detected. Match the reference feature-point set with M pre-stored template feature-point subsets. Unlock the mobile terminal when detecting that a current template feature-point set matches with the reference feature-point set.
US09959448B2
A method of identifying similar media items is described. The method include identifying a first multiplicity of fingerprints representative of content segments of variable duration for a first media item and a second multiplicity of fingerprints representative of content segments of variable duration for a second media item. The method further includes comparing, by a processing device, a first group of the first multiplicity of fingerprints to a second group of the second multiplicity of fingerprints to generate a first similarity score indicative of a similarity between the first group of fingerprints and the second group of fingerprints. The method also includes determining an alignment score for the first multiplicity of fingerprints and the second multiplicity of fingerprints using the first similarity score.
US09959447B2
The present invention provides a fingerprint recognition device, a display screen and a display device, which belong to the field of display technology and can solve the problem of high cost for conventional fingerprint recognition devices. The fingerprint recognition device of the present invention arranged at a light emitting side of a display panel includes a protection substrate, a glass base positioned under the protection substrate, a plurality of detecting electrodes formed on the glass base, capacitance being formed between the plurality of detecting electrodes and ridges or valleys of a fingerprint when touching occurs, and a control unit used to recognize the fingerprint based on the capacitance. The fingerprint recognition device of the present invention has a simple structure and a low cost.
US09959444B2
An input device for fingerprint sensing and proximity sensing includes a cover layer, where a top surface of the cover layer is configured to provide an input surface for a finger, a substrate having a cavity disposed below the cover layer, and a fingerprint sensor disposed below the cover layer and in the cavity of the substrate. A first adhesive layer is disposed between a top surface of the fingerprint sensor and a bottom surface of the cover layer in a fingerprint sensing area. A second adhesive layer is disposed between a top surface of the substrate and the bottom surface of the cover layer in a proximity sensing area.
US09959438B2
This invention is for tracking at least one plant. A method of this invention comprises: putting at least one seed or at least one stem in a corresponding at least one pot; positioning a corresponding at least one RFID tag with respect to the seed or stem in a manner, wherein the RFID tag comprises a strap; packaging a harvested material into a packaged product and attaching the RFID tag from the potted plant, or a product RFID tag that is associated with the plurality of tags to the packaged product; confirming a request for authorization by a RFID buy card; and after confirming ID information, transferring at least one product.
US09959433B2
A system and method of validating electronic encoded information from magnetic stripe card data transmitted as electronic stripe data includes a lump transmission stream. The lump transmission stream is read by at least two track channel readers each of which recognizes and reads only data corresponding to data to be read from a respective magnetic stripe represented in the lump transmission stream, which has data read from two tracks of magnetic card stripes. One track channel reader reads the first portion of the lump stream and discards the second portion of the stream, the second track channel reader reads the second portion of the stream and discards the first portion of the stream.
US09959432B2
Improved systems and techniques are disclosed for controlling the security states of anti-theft security systems such as product display assemblies using security fobs. According to an example embodiment, a manager security fob and another security fob that is to be authorized for use in controlling the security status of a product display assembly can interact with a system in accordance with a defined sequence to add the another security fob to an authorization list for the product display assembly. For example, the defined sequence can be a connection of the manager security fob with the system, followed by a disconnection of the manager security fob from the system, followed a connection of the another security fob with the system within a defined window.
US09959430B2
Systems and methods for detecting counterfeit integrated circuits are provided. One exemplary embodiment of a method can include: providing an integrated circuit for testing; and characterizing capacitive and inductive loading of the integrated circuit power for a specified frequency range; wherein the characterizing step further comprises applying a low level alternating current to a power pin while measuring for capacitance characterization conditions created by the integrated circuit's internal capacitance and inductance responses, wherein by sweeping the alternating current signal across a specified frequency range one or more capacitance related device signature can be created and used to identify a component as originating from a trusted source or not. A system can include components and machine readable instructions for operating the components using exemplary methods. Exemplary embodiments can include automated systems that can also be used with the device signature on a production line or in a supply chain verification location.
US09959423B2
A multi-tenant hosting system receives business data and tenant-identifying data, from a tenant. The data from multiple different tenants is stored on a single database, but the data corresponding to each tenant is partitioned by marketing the data with a partition identifier, within the database. Therefore, the hosting system only allows individual tenants to have access to their own data.
US09959421B2
A system and method for monitoring and diagnostics in an application server environment. A system can comprise one or more computers, which can include an application server environment executing thereon, together with a plurality of deployable resources configured to be used within the application server environment, and a plurality of partitions, wherein each partition provides an administrative and runtime subdivision of a domain. A diagnostic framework, such as a WebLogic Diagnostic Framework (WLDF) can also be provided, wherein the diagnostic framework is configured to perform at least one action from the group consisting of partition scoped logging, partition scoped monitoring, and partition scoped diagnostic imaging.
US09959420B2
A cloud-based platform (e.g., cloud-based collaboration and/or storage platform/service) is described that provides administrators with better visibility into content and activity across an enterprise account via advanced search tools and activity reports. Administrator tools are also provided that allow for actively managing content and passively monitoring content with real-time alerts sent to the administrator if usage of the cloud-based platform changes within the enterprise account. A reporting API is also supported by the cloud-based platform to permit the platform's activity logs to be retrieved by a third-party platform. Additionally, administrators are provided with the option to select two-step login verification of enterprise account users.
US09959406B2
The various embodiments herein disclose a system and method for detecting zero-day privilege escalation malware at host level. The method identifies whether a privileged escalation state is initiated and executed by a user or by a malware program. The method uses keystrokes, Mouse events along with OCR output extracted from recorded background screen image for checking if user has initiated the privilege escalation. If a new process starts automatically without any pattern in Key Strokes, Mouse Strokes and background screen, then the process is identified as zero-day privilege escalation malware.
US09959401B2
A system connected to an existing computer includes a unit for monitoring the screen and provides input, a storage unit that stores data that pairs screen buffer regions with authentication details, wherein the system learns new pairs via user training and presents stored authentication details when the screen buffer regions match a related stored region which is paired with a region of the screen, and a unit that determines which of stored passwords need to be presented to the system by a pattern matching of regions of screen pixels.
US09959398B1
System and a method to dynamically authenticate and optionally dynamically authorize a user at a user device or at a server, the method including: receiving a request from the user to access a service; determining contextual data associated with the user; determining, based on at least the contextual data, at least one rule from a rules database to authenticate the user; and authenticating the user based on the determined at least one rule, wherein the user is authorized to access the service based on the authentication.
US09959389B2
A system includes a parameter generation system to determine at least one parameter for an injection procedure (for example, a parameter of an injection protocol or an imaging system parameter), the parameter generator system includes a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to model propagation of a contrast medium injected into a patient including at least one of a non-linear saturation term in a peripheral venous compartment, at least one configurable transport delay term through at least one compartment, or an adaptation to model volumetric flow rate of blood and an effect thereof on the propagation of contrast medium after injection of contrast medium ceases. The physiologically based pharmacokinetic model can, for example, be discretizable.
US09959380B2
Methods for integrated circuit design are provided. In one embodiment, a method for determining a physical layout pattern includes accessing a layout pattern configuration graph. The graph includes layout pattern configurations meeting a circuit requirements. At least two of the layout pattern configurations are annotated with characteristics by analyzing sample layout patterns. An integrated circuit electrical design is partitioned into circuit design configurations. One of the circuit design configurations meets one of the circuit requirements. One of the layout pattern configurations is selected from the layout pattern configuration graph to meet the selected circuit requirements. In another embodiment, a method for determining a netlist for an integrated circuit electrical design is provided. In a further embodiment, a method for determining a tool configuration for a manufacturing process is provided.
US09959378B2
A method of designing an acoustic microwave filter in accordance with frequency response requirements comprises generating a modeled filter circuit design having a plurality of circuit elements comprising an acoustic resonant element defined by an electrical circuit model that comprises a parallel static branch, a parallel motional branch, and one or both of a parallel Bragg Band branch that models an upper Bragg Band discontinuity and a parallel bulk mode function that models an acoustic bulk mode loss. The method further comprises optimizing the modeled filter circuit design to generate an optimized filter circuit design, comparing a frequency response of the optimized filter circuit design to the frequency response requirements, and constructing the acoustic microwave filter from the optimized filter circuit design based on the comparison.
US09959373B2
Structural representation and facilitation of manipulation thereof via implicit vertex relationships
The disclosed embodiments relate to a representation of a structure/space as a collection of interrelated partitions whereby manipulation of the partitions causes an automated propagation of the manipulation through the other interrelated partitions as a function of the relationships therebetween. Each partition is defined by one or more vertices, the location(s) of which is/are specified either relative to an origin or relative to, i.e. as a function of, or dependent upon, the location of another vertex within the partition (intra-partition) or within another partition (inter-partition). Where the location of a vertex is moved, the change is propagated implicitly to all other vertices whose location is related, i.e. specified as a function of the modified vertex.
US09959372B2
A building information modeling (BIM) feedback system has at least one data system, a model presentation server system, a user device, and an information feedback database management system (DBMS). The data system receives objects posted by the model manager and then retrieves information of a building model and object mapping information, wherein the object mapping information records the relation between object identifications and the retrieved objects. Via the user device, a user views the building model and manipulates to generate feedback information, wherein the feedback information has an object data structure having the object identification and the parameters associated with the object which has the parameters to be updated. Based on the object mapping information, the information feedback DBMS requests the corresponding data system to update the parameters of the corresponding object according to the feedback information.
US09959368B2
A system for emulating a subject, to allow a user to interact with a computer generated talking head with the subject's face and voice; said system comprising a processor, a user interface and a personality storage section, the user interface being configured to emulate the subject, by displaying a talking head which comprises the subject's face and output speech from the mouth of the face with the subject's voice, the user interface further comprising a receiver for receiving a query from the user, the emulated subject being configured to respond to the query received from the user, the processor comprising a dialogue section and a talking head generation section, wherein said dialogue section is configured to generate a response to a query inputted by a user from the user interface and generate a response to be outputted by the talking head, the response being generated by retrieving information from said personality storage section, said personality storage section comprising content created by or about the subject, and said talking head generation section is configured to: convert said response into a sequence of acoustic units, the talking head generation section further comprising a statistical model, said statistical model comprising a plurality of model parameters, said model parameters being derived from said personality storage section, the model parameters describing probability distributions which relate an acoustic unit to an image vector and speech vector, said image vector comprising a plurality of parameters which define the subject's face and said speech vector comprising a plurality of parameters which define the subject's voice, the talking head generation section being further configured to output a sequence of speech vectors and image vectors which are synchronised such that the head appears to talk.
US09959364B2
Users consume a wide variety of content from various sources, such as videos accessible through websites. As provided herein, content recommendations that are contextually and/or semantically relevant to current content consumed by a user may be identified and provided to the user. For example, metadata for a video being watched by the user may be identified (e.g., terms extracted from a description, user reviews, a category, and/or other information). The metadata may be used to identify content recommendations based upon the metadata corresponding to terms grouped into a set of refined topic groupings of a graph comprising terms and relationships between terms extracted from a content corpus. The metadata may be matched to relevant terms within the set of refined topic groupings, and content recommendations comprising content corresponding to the relevant terms may be suggested to the user.
US09959360B2
A disclosure provides techniques for generating search results containing state links to applications. A method includes receiving a query containing one or more query parameters from a remote computing device and identifying a set of third party applications corresponding to the one or more query parameters. For each third party application, the method includes transmitting at least a subset of the one or more query parameters to a server associated with the third party application, receiving a response from the server associated with the third party application, and generating a state link to a native application version of the third party application based on the response. The method further includes providing the states links to the remote computing device.
US09959351B2
Systems and methods to identify values for a selected filter are described. The system receives a selection from a client machine. The selection identifies a filter that includes a first attribute-value pair that includes a first attribute and a first value, the first attribute-value pair being included in a concept query that was extracted from a query including at least one keyword that was received over the network from the client machine. The system further identifies filters responsive to receiving the selection, the identification of the filters being based on the first attribute and probabilities describing occurrences of attribute-value pairs in listings that respectively describe items that were previously transacted on a network-based marketplace, the filters including values. The system further generates a user interface including the values and search results that are identified based on the concept query and communicate the user interface to the client machine.
US09959341B2
In some embodiments, a system is provided comprising at least one processor programmed to process an input text to identify a plurality of semantic patterns that match the input text, wherein, for at least one semantic pattern of the plurality of semantic patterns: the at least one semantic pattern comprises a plurality of semantic entities identified from the at least one input text, and the plurality of semantic entities occur in a common context within the at least one input text. The at least one processor may be further programmed to use statistical information derived from training data to associate a respective weight with each semantic pattern of the plurality of semantic patterns.
US09959337B2
A cluster system includes an interface and a processor. The interface is to receive a request from a user associated with one of a plurality of shells. The processor is to determine a plurality of tasks to respond to the request; determine a local set of data and a shared set of data for a task of the plurality of tasks, wherein the local set of data is associated with the one of the plurality of shells; and provide the task, a local set indication, and a shared set indication to a worker associated with the task, wherein the local set indication refers to the local set of data and the shared set indication refers to the shared set of data.
US09959333B2
A method and system for providing unified access to data for multiple computing devices includes a system that associates multiple computing devices with a user of an information management system, assigns information management policies to data from the multiple computing devices within the information management system, and collects multiple data objects from the multiple computers. The system may generate a preview version of each collected data object, and provide at least one preview version of a collected data object to a computing device associated with the user. The system may also generate indexing information for each collected data object and distribute the indexing information with the preview version of the data object.
US09959313B2
A database management system has a query interface for receiving a query and a query executor for executing the received query. The query executor dynamically generates a task, and executes a plurality of tasks in parallel. In execution of each task, each time data is required to be read from a database, the query executor generates a task for acquiring the data, and in execution of the generated task, issues a data read request for reading the data from the database, to thereby shorten a time taken to execute each task.
US09959311B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a method wherein a natural language query is received from a user with an interface. An ontological representation of data in a database is received with an input port, including names of concepts and names of concept properties. Template rules are received with the input port, the templates rules being language dependent and ontology independent, the template rules including widely used constructs of a language. Rules are automatically generated with a rule generation engine with the ontological representation of the data in the database and the template rules to identify entities and relations in the natural language query. Entities and relations are identified with a processor, the entities and relations being identified in the natural language query with the rules. The structured data language query is generated with a query generation engine from the entities and relations.
US09959308B1
Non-blocking processing of federated transactions may be implemented for distributed data partitions. A transaction may be received that specifies keys at data nodes to lock in order to perform the transaction. Lock requests are generated and sent to the data nodes which identify sibling keys to be locked at other data nodes for the transaction. In response to receiving the lock requests, data nodes may send to lock queues indicating other lock requests for the keys at the data node. An evaluation of the lock queues based, at least in part, on an ordering of the lock requests in the lock queues may be performed to identify a particular transaction to commit. Once identified, a request to commit the identified transaction may be sent to the particular data nodes indicated by the sibling keys in a lock request for the identified transaction.
US09959301B2
In an embodiment, a method comprises receiving a first record comprising one or more first fields from a first source computer; in response to determining that the first record is a first type and a first node is associated with the first type, sending the first record to the first node to be processed; receiving a second record comprising the one or more first fields and one or more second fields from a second source computer; in response to determining that the second record is a second type and a second node is associated with the second type, sending the second record to the second node; in response to determining that the second type is a first subtype of the first type, sending the second record to the first node to be processed, without suspending the first node.
US09959296B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing suggestions within a document. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining textual input provided to a document editing application by a user device, the textual input being provided to the document editing application for inclusion in a document; identifying performance measures associated with the current editing session for the document, each performance measure being based on session data obtained from the user device during a document editing session, the session data being for the textual input and prior text that was included in the document prior to the textual input; providing the performance measures as input to a suggestion model that was trained using historical performance measures identified in performance logs for historical document editing sessions of users; and throttling textual suggestions during the current editing session based on the output of the suggestion model.
US09959295B1
Systems and processor-implemented methods of S-expression based computation of lineage and change impact analysis. An SQL expression is converted into an S-expression tabular structure. A function table including a plurality of functions associated with S-expression tabular structure tabulated against at least one of a function name, a derived column and a derived table and an argument table including plurality of arguments associated with the S-expression tabular structure tabulated against at least one of an argument type, a function identifier linking the arguments to the function table, a computed from function, a reference to entity or a literal value, is generated based on the S-expression tabular structure. At least one of lineage or change impact analysis for an entity is determined based on the function table and the argument table, where lineage provides a provenance of the entity or attribute from a source entity or a source attribute.
US09959289B2
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: determining a navigation component based on comparing a traversal content to a stored content for identifying an object type; determining a content discrepancy based on the navigation component present in the traversal content but unidentified in the stored content; and generating a content filler with a control unit based on the content discrepancy for presenting on a device the navigation component missing in map information.
US09959288B2
A planning indication directed to a declaratively-described operation and a target MPP database is received where the operation includes multiple mid-operation states and the operation includes, for each state in the plurality of states, those types of devices in a MPP database which would be affected by that state if the operation were performed, including a first set of affected device types and a first mid-operation state. In response to receiving the planning indication, affected device(s) in the target MPP database which would be affected by the first mid-operation state if the operation were performed are determined without performing the operation on the target MPP database. This determination is based at least in part on the first set of affected device types included in the operation. The first mid-operation state and the affected devices are indicated in a display.
US09959287B2
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to architectures, methods and systems and structures that facilitate the sharing and synchronization of electronically stored files among and between cloud entities and a number of computers, systems, devices and/or users. One particular exemplary aspect includes the mapping and/or translation of files electronically stored in a cloud file system when synchronized and/or shared with client computer systems.
US09959281B2
A computer-implemented method is provided in one general embodiment for concurrent file and object protocol access. The method includes receiving a notification that indicates storage of an object by an object-based client, and creating a clone of the object. Also, the method includes providing a file-based client access to the clone of the object. Further, the method includes, after the file-based client has finished modifying the clone of the object, replacing the object with an updated object based on the modified clone of the object. The file-based client is provided access to the modified clone of the updated object. After the file-based client has finished modifying the modified clone of the updated object, the updated object is replaced with an additional object based on the modification to the modified clone of the updated object.
US09959270B2
A method for determining the prosody of a tag question in human speech and preserving said prosody as the human speech is translated into a different language.
US09959262B2
A method and system to dynamically display a presentation of a time duration are described. The method includes receiving comments associated with the presentation, the comments arranged in a first ordering. The method also includes identifying a time reference comment among the comments, the time reference comment including a time reference, the time reference referencing a time instant within the time duration of the presentation, and dynamically changing a display of the comments from the first ordering to a second ordering at the time instant.
US09959261B2
A method of displaying a three-dimensional (3D) image by using a display apparatus includes generating an annotation related to a point of the 3D image and determining an image depth of the annotation, and displaying the annotation with the 3D image based on the image depth of the annotation, in which the annotation comprises at least one point or area of the 3D image.
US09959259B2
Some embodiments provide a method of analyzing an unstructured document. The method receiving the unstructured document that includes a number of primitive graphic elements, each of which is defined as a single object in the unstructured document. The unstructured document has a drawing order that indicates the order in which the primitive graphic elements are drawn when the unstructured document is displayed. The method identifies positional relationships between successive primitive graphic elements in the drawing order. Based on the positional relationships, the method defines a single structural graphic element from several of the primitive graphic elements.
US09959254B2
Embodiments are directed to computing, by an apparatus comprising a processing device, an identifier (ID) for an element in a page using an algorithm responsive to encountering the element a first time, causing, by the apparatus, the ID to be stored in a storage device, encountering, by the apparatus, the element a second time, determining, by the apparatus, that the element is encountered the second time, and responsive to determining that the element is encountered the second time, representing, by the apparatus, the element by the ID at the time of the second encounter by retrieving the ID from the storage device.
US09959253B2
Particular embodiments receive a search request and identify matching users associated with group information corresponding to the search request. Examples of group information include group ID, name, description of the group, and members of the group. Profile information is retrieved for each of the one or more matching users. Information to display a web page may be sent in response to the search request. The information to display the web page comprises the profile information and the group information for at least one of the one or more matching users. The web page may also include content associated with matching users (e.g., multimedia content, social networking content). Particular content may be designated as featured content based on the popularity of the content.
US09959244B2
Controller coupled to a mobile communications environment including at least one of a public and a private network and method of controlling a mobile device in the mobile communications environment. The controller includes a receiver that receives data about network operating parameters at specific locations within the at least one of a public and private network, a processor that evaluates the data about the network operating parameters at the specific locations based upon rules for the mobile device, and a transmitter that sends advisories to a mobile device located within a predetermined proximity to one of the specific locations about the network operating parameters.
US09959234B2
Methods and systems are disclosed which may provide MultiGig capability to a system where a physical layer device (PHY) or a network device does not have the capacity to support all available line speeds while operating in a single system-interface mode between MAC and PHY devices.
US09959231B2
A data bus coupler has a primary bus connection for a primary bus and a plurality of secondary bus connections each for a terminal. The coupler includes a slave unit connected to the primary bus connection and a master unit connectable to the secondary bus connections and configured for sending telegrams to and receiving telegrams from the secondary bus connections, and a control unit. Communication switching means, under control of the control unit, connect each secondary bus connection to/from the master unit.
US09959228B2
A method for group matching electronic devices includes entering a system for group matching, activating an automatic group matching mode of a master electronic device and generating a master automatic matching identification code, activating a group matching mode of a slave electronic device and generating a function software automatic matching code and a slave automatic matching identification code, sending out the master automatic matching identification code to the slave electronic device, writing the interface code of the master automatic matching identification code into the wireless module of the slave electronic device, setting up a function software of the master electronic device having the function software automatic matching code as the function software for controlling an operation of the slave electronic device, and completing the automatic matching between the wireless modules of the master and slave electronic devices.
US09959211B2
The memory control unit includes a descriptor fetch block suitable for fetching a descriptor from a volatile memory; an instruction fetch block suitable for fetching an instruction set from an instruction memory through an address information, wherein the instruction fetch block obtains the address information from the instruction memory through an index information included in the fetched descriptor; and a memory instruction generation block suitable for generating a memory instruction by combining a descriptor parameter value included in the fetched descriptor to the fetched instruction set.
US09959210B2
In various embodiments, a storage device includes a magnetic media, a cache memory, and a drive controller. In embodiments, the drive controller is configured to establish a portion of the cache memory as an archival zone having a cache policy to maximize write hits. The drive controller is further configured to pre-erase the archival zone, direct writes from a host to the archival zone, and flush writes from the archival zone to the magnetic media. In embodiments, the drive controller is configured to establish a portion of the cache memory as a retrieval zone having a cache policy to maximize read hits. The drive controller is further configured to pre-fetch data from the magnetic media to the retrieval zone, transfer data from the retrieval zone to a host upon request by the host, and transfer read ahead data to the retrieval zone to replace data transferred to the host.
US09959207B2
A sorted key-value store is implemented using a write-back cache maintained in memory, a B-tree data structured maintained in disk, and a logical and physical log for providing transactions. The logical log and write-back cache are used to answer client requests, while dirty blocks in the write-back cache are periodically flushed to disk using the physical log.
US09959206B2
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes first and second memories, and a controller configured to switch between first and second modes, search whether data of a logical address associated with a read command is stored in the first memory in the first mode, and read the data from the second memory without searching whether the data of the logical address associated with the read command is stored in the first memory in the second mode.
US09959203B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for managing storage devices. In some implementations, a memory controller receives a logical write request over a logical interface that the memory controller provides for accessing a non-volatile storage device. The logical write request indicates a logical address at which to write data to the non-volatile storage device. In response to receiving the logical write request, the memory controller sends a write request event to a host system. The memory controller receives a physical write command from the host system over a physical interface that the memory controller provides for accessing the non-volatile storage device. In response to receiving the physical write command, the memory controller stores the data in the non-volatile storage device according to the physical write command.
US09959201B2
Embodiments for automated testing of a virtualization management system are described. According to one aspect, a method includes generating a test case including a plurality of instances of commands and sending the test case to a plurality of interfaces supported by the virtualization management system. The method also includes generating a response file corresponding to each command in the test case. The method also includes comparing results from each interface to an instance of a command and in response to the results from each interface being identical, storing, the results in the response file corresponding to the command. The method also includes reporting an error in response to the results from each interface of the virtualization management system not being identical. The present document further describes examples of other aspects such as systems, computer products.
US09959195B2
An agent installed on application server having a WSGI web application dynamically instruments that web application. The agent may modify the application via instrumentation such that it can be monitored without specific details of the WSGI application framework. A configuration file may be modified upon detecting a call to the application configuration file through a gateway interface that receives the call. After modifying the configuration file, the modified configuration file is executed in response to the call. Additionally, for subsequent calls to that particular web application, the WSGI gateway will call the modified WSGI configuration file for execution instead of the original WSGI file.
US09959194B1
Inserting memory snapshots during indexing of a trace for responsive trace replay. A method includes identifying a plurality of points of interest in execution of executable entit(ies) whose execution is traced in first data stream(s). Based on the first data stream(s), a traced section of execution of the executable entit(ies) preceding each point of interest is replayed. During replay of each traced section of execution, memory addresses that are accessed by the executable entit(ies) during replay of the section, and a most recent value encountered at each memory address, is tracked. Second data stream(s) are recorded, which includes recording a plurality of memory snapshots in connection with the plurality of points of interest into the second data stream(s). Each memory snapshot summarizes memory addresses and values encountered in at least one section of execution preceding each point of interest.
US09959190B2
Apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that enable a portable computing device such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, to capture one or more codes for one or more corresponding components positioned in proximity to the portable computing device, and to convey the one or more codes to a management system. Upon receiving the one or more codes, the management system can be configured to convey, to the portable computing device, an identification and a status of each of the one or more components. The portable computing device can then present the status of the one or more components on a display.
US09959176B2
Systems and methods for failure recovery in shared storage operations. An example method comprises: acquiring a lock with respect to a storage domain comprising a specified disk image; creating a transaction marker associated with the disk image; creating a component of a new volume associated with the disk image; destroying the transaction marker; and releasing the lock with respect to the storage domain.
US09959175B1
Systems and methods for a backing up and/or restoring data in a cloud based application are provided. Objects that are deleted in bulk are restored in bulk. The relationships between the objects that were deleted are determined at the time of backup and used during the restore process. The restored objects have the same relationships as the original objects even when the objects are not identical. The restore process accounts for data or information in the objects that cannot be restored or that is assigned by the web application to which the objects are restored.
US09959172B2
A data processing device, comprising a processing unit and a test control unit connected to the processing unit, is described. The processing unit and the test control unit are arranged to: start a logic test of the processing unit; detect a test abort event; and, in response to the test abort event, perform an event response action which comprises aborting the logic test and booting the processing unit, said booting including executing an event handling routine. The event response action may comprise setting a reset vector to an address of the event handling routine. System availability may thus be improved. In particular, the delay between capturing an asynchronous signal and responding to it may be reduced. The test abort event may, for example, be an asynchronous event having certain pre-defined characteristics.A method of operating a data processing device is also described.
US09959169B2
A computing device includes an interface configured to interface and communicate with a dispersed storage network (DSN), a memory that stores operational instructions, and a processing module operably coupled to the interface and memory such that the processing module, when operable within the computing device based on the operational instructions, is configured to perform various operations. A computing device identifies data slices (EDSs) of pillar width (associated with data object) to be stored within a pillar width number of a plurality of storage units (SUs). The computing device the identifies head SUs among the pillar width number of the SUs such that, based on a ring arrangement, each set of EDSs is distributedly stored among the ring arrangement of the pillar width number of the SUs starting with its respective head EDS at a respective head SU and ending with a last tail EDS at a respective last tail SU.
US09959162B2
A management computing device receives, from a target computing device located within a remote network, an event generated at the target computing device resulting from an issue at the target computing device. The management computing device determines a remediation process to resolve the issue at the target computing device in an automated manner. The management computing devices executes the remediation process in conjunction with a software agent running on the target computing device to resolve the issue in the automated manner.
US09959160B2
An improved method provides fault handling in a distributed IT environment. The distributed IT environment executes a workflow application interacting with at least one application by using interface information about the at least one application. In response to receiving a first instance of a fault response, a fault handler performing a first lookup of a fault handling policy corresponding to the fault response within a fault handling descriptions catalog. The fault handler loads a first one or more fault handling descriptions that are pointed to by the fault handling policy in order to continue execution of the workflow application. After a second instance of the fault response, the fault handler performs a second lookup of the fault handling policy which now points to a second one or more fault handling descriptions which are loaded in order to continue execution of the workflow application.
US09959152B2
A system for determining a quota comprises an input interface, a candidate quota determiner, one or more quota modification determiners, and an output interface. The input interface is for receiving a quota request for an activity and receiving an estimation or an actual measurement of one or more operating parameters. A candidate quota determiner is for determining a candidate quota amount based at least in part on candidate quota parameters. The one or more quota modification determiners are for determining one or more quota modifications based on the estimation or the actual measurement of the one or more operating parameters. The output interface for providing a final quota amount based at least in part on the candidate quota amount and the one or more quota modifications.
US09959149B1
A method for operating a server farm with a plurality of servers operably connected with each other includes: receiving a job request of a computational task to be handled by the server farm; determining, from the plurality of servers, one or more servers operable to accept the job request; determining a respective effective energy efficiency value associated with at least the one or more servers; and assigning the computational task to a server with the highest effective energy efficiency value. The effective energy efficiency value is defined by a service rate of the respective server divided by a difference between an energy consumption rate value when the respective server is busy and an energy consumption rate value when the respective server is idle. The present invention also relates to a server farm operated by the method.
US09959146B2
Examples may include techniques to a schedule a workload to one or more computing resources of a data center. A class is determined for the workload based on a workload type or profile for the workload. Predicted operating values for at least one of the one or more computing resources is determined based on the class and the predicted operating values are used as inputs in at least one scoring model to evaluate the workload being supported by the at least one of the one or more computing resources. The workload is then scheduled to the at least one or more computing resources based on the evaluation.
US09959145B1
Users are allowed to communicate with a server via a local client even when the server experiences an abnormal peak of traffic. The local client is configured to send a new connection request only after a specified time interval passes from a previous connection. The local client presents content, such as a game, that makes it appear to the user as if the user is interacting with the server while the local client is waiting for reconnection to the server. The user interactions during the time interval are locally stored and later provided to the server for further process.
US09959142B2
One dynamic task scheduling method includes: receiving a task, wherein the task comprises a kernel and a plurality of data items to be processed by the kernel; dynamically partitioning the task into a plurality of sub-tasks, each having the kernel and a variable-sized portion of the data items; and dispatching the sub-tasks to a plurality of computing devices of a heterogeneous computing system. Another dynamic task scheduling method includes: receiving a task, wherein the task comprises a kernel and a plurality of data items to be processed by the kernel; partitioning the task into a plurality of sub-tasks, each having the kernel and a same fixed-sized portion of the data items; and dynamically dispatching the sub-tasks to a plurality of computing devices of a heterogeneous computing system.
US09959135B2
A method is provided for designing and optimizing a pattern by considering heterogeneous cloud environments. Building blocks within the pattern can be deployed into different cloud environments and different cloud providers, depending on where the pattern fits users need best. Further, building block configuration within the pattern can be optimized by target environments, along with runtime bursting among multiple environments.
US09959134B2
A hypervisor receives a notification from a source virtual machine that provides network function virtualization (NFV) support to execute a VM function component to send a request to a virtual processor. The VM function component identifies a physical processor associated with the virtual processor, and adds the request to a memory space associated with the physical processor.
US09959128B2
A system may include a digital sensor system including a sensor element and a digital interface. The digital interface may provide a wake-up signal based on a sensing action being performed by the sensor element after a predefined event is detected by the digital sensor system. The system may include a microcontroller to receive the wake-up signal provided by the digital interface, and wake from a sleep mode based on receiving the wake-up signal provided by the digital interface.
US09959115B2
An automatic documentation generation and management system and method, for documenting configurable systems such as complex software applications and hardware systems is disclosed. The method retrieves configuration parameters from the configurable system and utilizes them to automatically generate an explanatory document specific to the configured system. The invention also discloses a documentation appliance system, which is a dedicated documentation server coupled to the configurable system via a communication network, preferably via an Intranet. In yet another alternative, the invention may be practiced by integrating code for automatic documentation generation within the configurable system program.
US09959113B2
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for managing versions of a software package in a development environment. A package distribution module can interface with a set of stages of the development environment to manage the development of multiple versions of software packages. The package distribution module can establish access rights of entities to advance appropriate versions of the software packages to appropriate stages of the development environment. One or more versions of the software packages can be advanced or moved to other stages of the development environment according to the access rights. The package distribution module can establish new access parameters of software packages in response to the one or more versions advancing or moving to other stages, such that appropriate entities have access to advance appropriate versions. The package distribution module can provide production versions of software packages to a package manager for distribution to target machines.
US09959110B2
An optical transceiver is programmed by downloading firmware data from a remote provider onto a computing device local to the transceiver and electronically writing data derived from the downloaded firmware data onto the transceiver using a hardware device connected electrically to the computing device, the transceiver being electrically connected to the hardware device.
US09959108B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for distributed data management. One of the methods includes converting a standard specification for a software package into a custom specification for a software deployment tool that deploys the software package on one or more distributed computing systems, parsing source files and corresponding configuration files to determine configuration parameters and custom values, writing the determined configuration parameters into a custom template, and updating the custom specification with the determined custom values for the configuration parameters and information associated with the custom template.
US09959107B2
A method and an apparatus for updating an application are provided. An electronic device activates an automatic update of an installed application, designates the application as one group of one or more groups distinguished according to an update period. The electronic device controls to update the application after a time point of an update period corresponding to the designated group.
US09959105B2
A platform executing on a computer system identifies a capability to be used by an application based on an application descriptor for the application and determines a component that provides the capability based on a component descriptor of the component. The platform identifies an additional capability to be used by the component based on the component descriptor and determines an additional component that provides the additional capability. The platform determines that the application descriptor further specifies that the application will use the additional capability provided by the additional component and determines that a single instance of the additional component will provide the additional capability to both the application and the component. The platform then groups the application, component, and additional component for deployment based on constraints associated with the application, component, and additional component.
US09959100B2
A system builds an application. The system receives, by a build server, from an application development server, metadata information of the application and a build request to build the application. The system generates binaries of the application by overlaying the metadata information on binaries of a pre-compiled application. The system then signs the binaries of the application to generate signed binaries of the application, and sends, to the application development server, a corresponding signature and one or more files modified by the signing of the binaries of the application. In one embodiment, the build server stores, on a storage appliance, the corresponding signature, the one or more files modified by the signing of the binaries of the application, and the metadata information of the application.
US09959099B2
Methods and system are disclosed that instantiate an on demand functionality for a layer in a multilayered system. In one aspect, a framework integrated with the multilayered system may receive a request to create a root function. The root function may be associated with common functionalities or specific functionalities. Based on parameters associated with the layers and attributes associated with data flow paths between the layers, a layer to deploy the root function may be determined. Upon deploying the root function, sub functions may be created in the determined layer by the framework. The sub functions may be configured common functionalities or specific functionalities by the framework. A function model including the root function and the sub functions may be generated. The function model may be instantiated to provide an on demand functionality or an on demand application.
US09959098B1
A system and methods for dynamically creating spreadsheet workbooks at runtime on a computing device from a set of pre-defined spreadsheet modules. Each spreadsheet module has an associated interface definition, allowing users more easily to combine multiple modules into more complex spreadsheet applications. Interfaces are defined using a Spreadsheet Interface Definition Language (SIDL) which enables spreadsheet models to be defined independent of their implementation. Modules can be either pre-constructed as spreadsheet workbooks, or dynamically created at run time from module definitions.
US09959092B2
An apparatus and method for generating a sum of floating-point input values are provided. To sum the values multiple partial sum floating-point values are maintained and the partial sum to which an input value may be added is selected by a least significant portion of the exponent of the input value. If the exponent of the input value is equal to the exponent of the value stored in the selected partial sum a mantissa sum of the input value and stored partial sum value replaces the mantissa value of the selected partial sum value. If the exponent of the input value is larger than the exponent of the value stored in the selected partial sum the selected partial sum value is replaced with the input value. An associative and deterministic summation is thus provided.
US09959091B2
A method identifies a floating point implementation of a polynomial that is accurately evaluable. The method comprises determining whether the polynomial has an allowable variety defined by a plurality of sub-varieties, and, if so, partitioning the input domain of the polynomial into a plurality of sub-domains about the sub-varieties. A floating point precision is then identified for each input to the polynomial falling within each sub-domain based on the location of the input within the sub-domain (e.g. how far away the input is from the sub-variety associated with the sub-domain). A floating point implementation for the polynomial is generated so that an input to the polynomial is evaluated using floating point components having the precision identified for the input.
US09959088B2
The present invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications systems and methods. More specifically, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for identifying and/or distributing music and other types of useful information for users in a very simple and convenient manner. A variety of systems and methods are disclosed which provide users with quick and convenient access to various forms of information, such as, for example, audio information including music and news items as well as coupons and other information. The systems and methods allow users to store data representative of a time of transmission and preferably a source of transmission so that data of interest may be identified for ordering an/or downloading.
US09959077B2
Data words written to an SSD device, or other device or output data stream, may be randomized using a seed based on physical addressing information, such as a page address, column address, and a cycle count for the page address. This enables the storage and de-randomization of variable length data blocks stored at random locations within a page without requiring storage of additional data, which would make recovery impossible if lost in prior approaches. The page address, column address, and block address are physical attributes of the storage location for the data word and do not need to be saved and therefore will not be lost making recovery of the seed always possible. The cycle count can be saved and, if lost, limited trials with range of cycle counts can be exercised to de-randomize the data word and decoding may be used to determine whether descrambling was successful.
US09959063B1
Described embodiments provide systems and processes for performing data migration in a storage system. One or more consistency groups are migrated from at least one source device to at least one target device in the storage system. The consistency groups are replicated from the source device to the target device by an asynchronous data replication operation from the source device to the target device and one or more synchronous data replication operations from the source device to the target device if data stored on the source device is changed. The consistency groups are operated on the source device and the target device in an active-active mode, wherein the source device and target device are active and accessible by host devices. Replicated consistency groups are determined to include in a cutover operation that is performed by deactivating the at least one source device associated with the included consistency groups.
US09959057B2
A computer determines an intrinsic read speed and an intrinsic write speed associated with a first disk and a second disk. The computer receives a request to read a portion of data, wherein the portion of data is stored redundantly on both the first and second disk. The computer identifies a first latency associated with reading the portion of data from the first disk, where the first latency is based on at least the intrinsic read speed and the intrinsic write speed associated with the first disk. The computer identifies a second latency associated with reading the portion of data from the second disk, wherein the second latency is based on at least the intrinsic read speed and the intrinsic write speed associated with the second disk. The computer determines that the first latency exceeds the second latency. The computer selects the second disk to read the portion of data.
US09959054B1
A technique is directed to cleaning a log structure. The technique involves identifying extents (e.g., a contiguous segment of 8 MB) to reclaim from a first storage tier of a set of storage tiers containing the log structure. The technique further involves performing a tier selection operation to select a target storage tier from the set of storage tiers based on a utilization measure of the log structure. The technique further involves, after identifying the extents to reclaim and performing the tier selection operation, storing data from the identified extents into a new extent of the target storage tier and freeing the identified extents. Such a technique combines log cleaning and tiering into a single operation thus placing less stress on storage devices (e.g., less wear on flash memory, etc.), consuming fewer system resources, and providing better performance.
US09959043B2
Performing a non-disruptive upgrade of data in a storage system that includes a plurality of storage devices and a storage controller, including: creating new data in a new data format, wherein the new data includes a reference to old data in an old data format, wherein system software in the storage system can utilize data in the new data format and the old data format; determining that a portion of the volume has changed; and responsive to determining that the portion of the volume has changed, updating the new data to include a reference to old data associated with a portion of the volume that precedes the changed portion of the volume, new data associated with the changed portion of the volume, and a reference to old data associated with a portion of the volume that follows the changed portion of the volume.
US09959038B2
In general, this disclosure describes techniques for providing a mechanism for facilitating text entry by a user interacting with a graphical keyboard displayed at a presence-sensitive screen of a computing device. For example, a computing device having a presence-sensitive screen and a housing, the housing further having a plurality of touch sensors, receives touch input at the touch sensors. The computing device determines a usage mode, based on the touch input. The computing device also displays, based on the usage mode, a graphical keyboard at the presence-sensitive screen. If the usage mode is a one-handed usage mode, a unitary graphical keyboard is displayed. If the usage mode is a two-handed usage mode, a split graphical keyboard is displayed.
US09959021B2
A map server includes a user list obtaining module configured to obtain a user list in a 3×3 grid; a distance queue generating module configured to obtain distances between users and a current user in the user list, and generate two distance queues corresponding to preset distance ranges according to the distances, the distance queue including users in the user list whose distances from the current user are in a corresponding distance range; a visual field list generating module configured to select users from the distance queue into a visual field list according to a weight corresponding to the distance queue. Further, a visual field controlling method and system, and a computer storage medium, may be used to classify users in the 3×3 grid into distance queues using distance ranges, and select users into the visual field list according to the weight, thereby reducing pressure of the server.
US09959015B2
In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting a first node in the tree to be pinned, the system displays a first detail panel for the first node, wherein the first detail panel displays state information for the first node, wherein the state information is frozen at the time of pinning. Moreover, in response to the user selecting a second node in the tree to be pinned, the system displays a second detail panel for the second node, wherein the second detail panel displays state information for the second node, wherein the state information is frozen at the time of pinning. Note that the first detail panel is displayed concurrently with the second detail panel to facilitate comparing state information between the first and second nodes.
US09959012B2
Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems and, more particularly, certain exemplary embodiments relate to jukebox systems that incorporate digital downloading jukebox features along with karaoke jukebox and/or photobooth features. A combined karaoke/photobooth/jukebox may enable more integrated performance-like experiences in an in-home or out-of-home location or venue. By leveraging vast audio media libraries, trusted rights-respecting network infrastructure, and on-site image/video capturing from integrated recorders and/or remote portable devices, a more sociable experience may be created for karaoke jukebox patrons, e.g., where custom content can be generated and shared in a safe and legally appropriate manner.
US09958993B2
Embodiments described herein include a method for operating an input device by applying a charge voltage to a sense element through a first transistor that is between the sense element and a column output line and a first switch that is between the column output line and a drive voltage. The method also includes storing an electric charge on the sense element, wherein the electric charge comprises a magnitude corresponding to a feature of an input object. The method also includes driving a gate terminal of the first transistor low and disconnecting the charge voltage via the first switch. The method further includes transferring the electric charge to a feedback capacitor.
US09958992B2
A touch screen panel includes a touch substrate, and a sensing electrode on the touch substrate, the sensing electrode recognizing a touch of a user and having a first sensing insulation layer on the touch substrate, the first sensing insulation layer having a first refractive index, a second sensing insulation layer on the first sensing insulation layer, the second sensing insulation layer having a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index, and the second sensing insulation layer including metal, and a sensing transparent conductive layer on the second sensing insulation layer.
US09958983B2
A mobile terminal includes a display; a touch sensor coupled to the display, the touch sensor including a first sensor and a second sensor; a driving unit configured to supply power to drive the display; and a touch controller configured to: cause the driving unit to enter an inactive state when a lighting of the display is turned off; recognize a touch input applied to the display by sensing, via the first or second sensor, the touch input applied while the lighting of the display is off; cause the driving unit to enter an active state in response to the touch input, the active state maintained while the lighting of the display is on; and obtain touch coordinates of the touch input using input from both the first sensor and the second sensor together when the driving unit enters the active state.
US09958975B2
A touch sensing device includes a touch screen coupled with a display panel including data lines, gate lines crossing the data lines, and pixels arranged in a matrix form, and a touch sensing circuit which supplies a driving signal to lines of the touch screen and senses a touch input. The touch sensing circuit detects an optimum sensing time, in which changes in a voltage change of the gate lines are maintained within a previously determined allowable range, in a touch screen drive period in which data is not written to the pixels of the display panel. The touch sensing circuit supplies the driving signal to the lines of the touch screen only in the optimum sensing time of the touch screen drive period.
US09958974B2
The present disclosure provides a touch substrate, its manufacturing method and a display device. The touch substrate includes a base substrate provided with a plurality of via-holes, a first electrode arranged at a first surface of the base substrate and covering the plurality of via-holes, and a plurality of second electrodes arranged at a second surface of the base substrate opposite to the first surface and each located at a position corresponding to a touch region. An elastic conductor is arranged in each via-hole so as to electrically connect the first electrode to at least one of the second electrodes in the case that the base substrate is being pressed. Each second electrode corresponds to at least one elastic conductor. The first electrode is connected to a bias voltage input end, and the second electrodes are each connected to a respective detection signal output end via a respective detection line.
US09958971B2
An information processing apparatus includes a display, a touch panel, a sensor, and a controller. The display has a screen. The touch panel is configured to detect contact. The sensor is configured to detect an inclination. The controller is configured to determine whether contact is detected by the touch panel, and control display of an image displayed on the screen based on the inclination detected by the sensor in a period of time from detection of contact by the touch panel to release of the contact.
US09958968B2
An input and output operation device includes an actuator 165 including an operation unit 850; a movable unit having the operation unit and at least one attraction magnet mounted thereon and including a concaved portion in a part thereof; a secured unit including a convexed spherical surface loosely engageable with at least one magnetic member and the concaved portion of the movable unit, the convexed spherical surface being point-contactable or line-contactable with the concaved portion of the movable unit by a magnetic attraction force, the secured unit supporting the movable unit such that the movable unit is freely rotatable as centered around a spherical center of the convexed spherical surface; a first driving unit rotating the operation unit as centered around an X-axis passing the spherical center; a second driving unit rotating the operation unit as centered around a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis; a third driving unit rotating the movable unit as centered around a Z-axis that is perpendicular to the X-axis and the Y-axis and is a central axis of the operation unit; and a detector detecting a first rotation angle and a second rotation angle of the operation unit around the X-axis and the Y-axis; and also includes a detection circuit unit 360 generating first and second rotation angle signals; a control computation processing unit 94 generating first and second target rotation angle signals; and a driving circuit unit 350 generating a signal usable to drive the first and second driving units.
US09958962B2
A 3D pointing device and a method are disclosed to control an object on a surface and to improve the user experience when the user moves the object beyond the limits of the surface where the object can no longer be visualized. The user experience is enhanced by defining the behavior of a cursor in a margin around the screen.
US09958954B2
Systems and methods for calibrating a photoluminescent indicia-based digitizer system with a display, the photoluminescent indicia uniquely identifying local areas of a substrate.
US09958953B2
A method for state tracking based gesture recognition engine for a sensor system has the steps of: defining a plurality of sequential states of a finite-state machine, determining a Sequence Progress Level (SPL) for each state, mapping a state probability distribution to a (single) SPL on run-time, and utilizing the mapped SPL estimate as an output value of the sensor system.
US09958946B2
User input in the form of image data is received from a user via a natural user interface. A vector difference between an adjustment start position and a current position of the user input is calculated. The vector difference includes a vector position and a vector length. The vector position is compared to stored rail data, and the vector length is compared to a stored threshold length. The rail data describes a plurality of virtual rails associated with an application. Based on the comparisons, the user input is matched to one of the plurality of virtual rails and a notification describing the matching is provided to the application. The application, thereupon, transitions from a first command to a second command corresponding to the matching virtual rail without receiving any explicit termination gesture for the first command from the user.
US09958945B1
A linear vibration actuator is provided, comprising a movable structure, a coil and an elastic suspension system. The elastic suspension system comprises a first and a second elastic sheets, and the first and second elastic sheet respectively comprising a first and a second fixed portions, a first and a second suspension portions, and a first and a second engaging portions. Both first and second suspension portions comprise a bend with an angle greater than 90°. The elastic suspension system enables the simple harmonic motion of the movable structure approximating a parallel motion to improve vibration effect without increasing current outputted to the coil, so as to reduce temperature and power consumption of the present invention. As a result, the present invention is able to provide superior vibration effect to portable electronic product and solve the overheating and power consumption problems.
US09958942B2
The present invention relates to a wearable device and a method for determining a position of at least one finger of a hand relative to a predetermined reference point comprising a sensor unit in the palm of the hand comprising at least one sensor, a logic unit in operative engagement with a computer device and configured to generate a position signal based on the registered finger position, and to interpret and convert the signal to a command to be processed by the computer device, a housing at least partly enclosing the sensor unit and an attachment member. The wearable device is characterized in that the sensor is at least one image sensor directed towards a respective distal end of the at least one finger and configured to determine the position of the finger in relation to the wearable device.
US09958941B2
A method for mapping an input device to a virtual object in virtual space displayed on a display device is disclosed. The method may include determining, via an eye tracking device, a gaze direction of a user. The method may also include, based at least in part on the gaze direction being directed to a virtual object in virtual space displayed on a display device, modifying an action to be taken by one or more processors in response to receiving a first input from an input device. The method may further include, thereafter, in response to receiving the input from the input device, causing the action to occur, wherein the action correlates the first input to an interaction with the virtual object.
US09958938B2
A method includes detecting, by a camera of a mobile device, a face of a user of the mobile device. The method includes determining a sequence of video images of the face and applying three dimensional (3D) modeling to the sequence of video images of the face to create a 3D model of the face. The method includes identifying rotational movement of the mobile device. The method includes tracking the face to identify rotational movement of the face based on the 3D model of the face, and adjusting the tracking of the face based on the 3D model of the face and rotational movement of the mobile device.
US09958936B2
According to one embodiment, a display device includes a display unit, an optical unit, and a reflector. The display unit includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a first plane. The display unit emits light including image information. At least a portion of the light emitted by the display unit is incident on the optical unit. The optical unit includes a first optical element. A travel direction of the at least the portion of the light is modified by the first optical element. The reflector reflects the at least the portion of the light modified by the first optical element. A perpendicular direction perpendicular to the first plane is non-parallel to an optical axis of the first optical element.
US09958926B2
A non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) is used in a computer system to provide instant responses to sleep state transitions. The computer system includes a processor coupled to an NVRAM, which is accessible by the processor without passing through an I/O subsystem. The NVRAM is byte-rewritable and byte-erasable by the processor. In response to a request to enter a powered sleep state, the computer system converts the powered sleep state into a powered-off sleep state with system memory context stored in the NVRAM. The powered sleep state is defined as a state in which power is supplied to volatile random access memory in the computer system, and the powered-off sleep state is defined as a state in which power is removed from the volatile random access memory. In response to a wake event, the computer system resumes working state operations using the system memory context stored in the NVRAM.
US09958918B2
A semiconductor device includes: a processing core having a plurality of sub cores, a plurality of power rails spanning from a first sub core to a second sub core of the plurality of sub cores, the plurality of power rails configured to provide an operating voltage to each of the first sub core and the second sub core, and a plurality of cells defining a boundary between the first sub core and the second sub core, each of the cells providing a discontinuity in a respective power rail, wherein the discontinuity includes a break in the respective power rail in more than one layer of the semiconductor device.
US09958914B2
A solid state drive apparatus includes a housing having a first accommodation space and a second accommodation space; a substrate mounted in the first accommodation space, wherein at least one non-volatile memory chip is mounted on the substrate; and a heat dissipation member mounted in the second accommodation space and including an isolation barrier that defines a boundary between the second accommodation space and the first accommodation space and a plurality of fin portions that extend from the isolation barrier away from the first accommodation space, wherein a plurality of through air holes are provided in a side of the housing adjacent the second accommodation space.
US09958906B2
A support stand leg is pivotally supported by a leaf spring relative to a back cover of a computer device or a computer device case. The support stand leg is pivotal between a retracted position against the back cover and an extended position. The leaf spring urges the support stand leg towards the retracted position.
US09958904B2
The present disclosure describes a wearable computing device (WCD) in the form of a ring that can be worn on the finger of a human user.
US09958898B1
A mobile information handling system comprising a chassis having a processor, a memory, and a wireless interface with a display screen operatively coupled to the chassis and the chassis having a spring, such as shape memory foam pads, internally mounted thereon and compressed between the chassis and the display screen and a mechanical connector fittingly engaging an access side of the chassis with the display screen, wherein the mechanical connector maintains pressure on the spring by holding the display screen in a closed position and an access seam at the edge of the display screen is operable to open due to a counter force exerted by the spring when the mechanical connector is disengaged from the display screen.
US09958893B2
Methods and systems are provided for enabling wireless control by use of portable power supply systems with embedded communication components. A power supply component, which is operable to store and discharge power, and which may be configured for use in a first device to supply power thereto in portable manner, may be configured to determine data associated with the power supply component. The data may comprise information relating to one or more conditions associated with use of power stored in the power supply component, in conjunction with operation of the first device. The power supply component may comprise a communication element, for wirelessly communicating messages to a second device that is physically separate from the first device, to control at least part of operations of the second device. Controlling operations of the second device may comprise activating or deactivating the second device based on use of power by the first device.
US09958889B2
The present disclosure relates to a voltage regulation circuit including a first transistor connected between an input of voltage to be regulated and an output of a regulated voltage. A first regulation loop controls the first transistor according to a difference between a reference voltage and a first feedback voltage derived from the regulated voltage. A second transistor is connected in series between the first transistor and the output. A second regulation loop controls the second transistor according to a difference between the reference voltage and a second feedback voltage derived from the regulated voltage. The second regulation loop is active in low and high power regulation modes. A switch circuit forces the first transistor into an on state in a low power regulation mode.
US09958884B1
A method includes, in at least one aspect, determining a relative delay of a signal path with respect to a timing budget; determining that the signal path is active; determining a value of a voltage being supplied to the signal path; and causing an adjustment in the voltage being supplied to the signal path based on the relative delay, the signal path being active, and the value of the voltage being supplied to the signal path.
US09958880B2
A gas-over-oil actuator system for use with a valve in a natural gas pipeline. The system includes a gas-over-oil actuator and a wireless position monitor operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator. The wireless position monitor includes an integral opened spool valve and is adapted to be communicatively coupled to a remote workstation via a wireless network and a wireless gateway. At least one switching relay is operatively coupled to the gas-over-oil actuator and the wireless position monitor. Upon receiving a wireless command from the remote workstation, the wireless position monitor drives a pressure signal from the opened center spool valve to the at least one switching relay to manage high pressure supply to the gas-over-oil actuator and move the valve to a desired position.
US09958879B2
A gas pressure regulator (10) is disclosed, comprising a body (12) fitted with a gas inlet stem (14), at a first end of the body (10), for receiving gas from a gas source at a first pressure, and a gas outlet stem or adaptor (16) at a second end of the body (10), for supplying gas at a desired pressure at the gas outlet stem (16). A pressure adjusting mechanism (18) is provided to enable a user to adjust and set the desired pressure, the pressure adjusting mechanism (18) comprising a movable piston arrangement (20). The gas pressure regulator (10) further comprises gas regulating means (22), to regulate gas flowing out of the gas outlet stem (16) to achieve the desired pressure set by the user. The gas regulating means (22) is securely fitted within the body (12) so as to be located within a gas flow path between the gas inlet stem (14) and the gas outlet stem (16), the gas regulating means (22) comprising an encapsulated valve (24) with a lever (26) that can be actuated by the movable piston arrangement (20) of the pressure adjusting mechanism (18).
US09958875B2
An autonomous aerial system for delivering a payload to a waypoint. The autonomous aerial system may comprise an aerial vehicle to transport the payload to the waypoint and an onboard supervisory control system operatively coupled with the aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle may be configured to navigate to the waypoint and to land at a designated touchdown zone within a landing zone at the waypoint. The onboard supervisory control system having a processor operatively coupled with a non-volatile memory device and a sensor package. The processor may be configured to generate flight control signal data based at least in part on data received via the sensor package, the sensor package configured to (1) dynamically sense and avoid obstacles along a flight route to the waypoint, and (2) perceive physical characteristics of the landing zone. The processor may be configured to autonomously navigate the aerial vehicle to the waypoint and to determine whether to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone based at least in part on physical characteristics of the designated touchdown zone perceived via said sensor package.
US09958872B2
A method, system, and/or computer program product controls operations of a vehicle based on a condition of cargo being transported. One or more processors receive output from cargo sensors and cameras on a first cargo vehicle. The processor(s) determine that the cargo has shifted beyond a calculated risk amount in the first cargo vehicle based on the output from the cargo sensors and cameras based on historical trips. The processor(s) determine that the movement of the first cargo vehicle has caused the cargo to shift beyond the calculated risk amount in the first cargo vehicle, and instructs a second cargo vehicle to adjust operations of the second cargo vehicle based on determining that the movement of the first cargo vehicle has caused the cargo to shift beyond the calculated risk amount in the first cargo vehicle.
US09958869B1
A system and method is provided for identifying an object along a road, where the object may be represented by a bounding box, and projecting a set of obstacle points within the bounding box corresponding to the identified object. In one aspect, a two-dimensional plane oriented perpendicular to a direction of the movement of the vehicle may be identified. In another aspect, the areas of the plane that may be occupied based on the set of obstacle points may be determined to generate a contour of the identified object. Thereafter, the height profiles of the identified object and the vehicle may be determined and identified, respectively. Based on the height profiles, a minimum clearance may be determined.
US09958868B2
A moving object controller efficiently generates an environmental map and performs highly accurate state estimation in a short time to appropriately control a moving object. An observation obtaining unit obtains observation data from an observable event. A landmark prediction unit generates a landmark prediction signal including predictive information about a landmark at a current time. A landmark detection unit detects information about the landmark at the current time, and generates a landmark detection signal indicating the detection result. A state estimation unit estimates an internal state of the moving object to obtain data indicating an estimated internal state of the moving object at the current time, and estimates the environmental map based on the landmark detection signal to obtain data indicating an estimated environmental map at the current time.
US09958861B2
Provided is a production control system of a factory including: a plurality of machines; an air conditioner; a power computation unit for monitoring power consumption of an entire factory; a temperature information generation unit for generating information on temperature inside the factory; wherein running status and processing condition of the machines and running status of the air conditioner are controlled to produce the products dictated by the production plan by a delivery deadline; and a machine learning unit that learns a relationship of operational status including the running status and the processing condition of the machines and the running status of the air conditioner to environmental status including production completion time according to the operational status, the temperature inside the factory, and the power consumption of the factory, and outputs operational status that brings the environmental status to a desired condition in accordance with the production plan.
US09958848B2
Systems are provided for a “loadable module” architecture for industrial controllers in which new control program modules which provide updated functions or features may be loaded to extend or modify the underlying operating system and/or other services without updating the firmware and without disrupting or otherwise compromising the ability of the industrial controller to maintain continuous control over the controlled process. Control program modules and libraries may be delivered to the industrial controller in object code format and an embedded linker in the industrial controller may be used to efficiently create fully linked and executable files locally. Loadable libraries may be provided to the industrial controller during runtime to extend functionality and/or provide desired fixes. As a result, a system is provided that is more efficient and that enables significant flexibility in adding new capabilities.
US09958847B2
A method and apparatus for generating consumer electronics using a Universal Box Build (UBB) are disclosed herein. The method may include entering specifications of a product comprised of a printed circuit board (PCB), additional components (such as Central Processing Units (CPUs), memory modules, and heatsinks) into a chassis module, inserting a set of required components in the UBB, and generating the PCB assembly based on the entered specifications, wherein a robot is operatively connected to the interface module to automatically generate a product assembly.
US09958843B2
A management system has a topology display screen of a management target system with an area, where icons of system components are typically displayed in the related art, which is embedded and displayed with a graph of a monitor value of the system component. A band having a predetermined width is displayed to show a relation between system display objects indicating the system components. The width of the band is determined by the number of requests which are transmitted or received by the system components. When a time-sequential graph of the monitor value of a system component is displayed, a vertical bar which can be operated by an input/output device is displayed in the graph. When the operation of the vertical bar is detected, an icon indicating integrity of the management target system at a time indicated by the vertical bar is displayed in the vicinity of the vertical bar.
US09958838B2
A method for controlling an electrical actuator is disclosed. The method may include driving an electrical actuator at a power level during each of a plurality of actuation attempts and determining whether the electrical actuator actuated during each of the plurality of actuation attempts. The method may also include counting a number of failed actuation attempts, counting a number of successful actuation attempts. In addition, the method may include adjusting the power level based on at least one of the number of failed actuation attempts and the number of successful actuation attempts, and driving the electrical actuator at an adjusted power level.
US09958831B2
A watch or movement including a timepiece resonator movement including two RCC flexural pivots mounted in series about an intermediate rotary support and having the same virtual pivot axis, each including two straight flexible strips of the same length, whose clamping points opposite to this pivot axis are at the same distance with respect to this axis, and which define linear directions, forming angles, in pairs, with this virtual pivot axis, whose value expressed in degrees is comprised between: 109.5+5/[(D/L)−(2/3)] and 114.5+5/[(D/L)−(2/3)], or more particularly between 107+5/((D/L)−(2/3)) and 112+5/((D/L)−(2/3)).
US09958828B2
A system for acquiring images by means of heterodyne digital holography comprises an image sensor having at least one photodiode coupled to an oversampling analog-digital converter.
US09958825B2
A drum cartridge, to which a developer cartridge containing toner therein and including a memory medium with an electric contact is detachably attached, is provided. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum; a drum frame to receive the developer cartridge; a lock lever configured to lock the developer cartridge to the drum frame; a first drum contact configured to be in contact with the electric contact in a state where the developer cartridge is locked to the drum frame; and a spring configured to urge the first drum contact toward the electric contact. In the state where the developer cartridge is locked to the drum frame, the first drum contact is pressed toward the electric contact by an urging force of the spring.
US09958823B2
A device disposed opposing an image bearer includes a roller to rotate while contacting a surface of the image bearer, a rolling bearing fitted around a shaft located at an end of the roller in an axial direction of the roller, a frame to house the roller, and a bearing support removably attached to the frame. The rolling bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, and a rolling element disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring. The bearing support holds, from an outer-ring side, the rolling bearing interposed between the bearing support and the frame. The bearing support includes a receiving portion to contact the outer ring of the rolling bearing and bias the rolling bearing toward the frame in a direction in which the rolling bearing is interposed between the bearing support and the frame.
US09958820B2
In a front/back reversing unit, a base metal sheet having rollers attached thereon is engaged with a rotation spindle fixed to a fitting such that the base metal sheet is rotatable in a horizontal direction. When an operation of rolling up a print target medium is started and if winding tension with respect to the print target medium to be wrapped around a winding shaft becomes unbalanced, the front/back reversing unit rotates in accordance with the winding tension so as to balance the winding tension. Then, when the winding tension applied to the print target medium becomes balanced, the front/back reversing unit is returned to its original position by an elastic member, and the roller of the front/back reversing unit and the winding shaft become substantially parallel to each other.
US09958814B2
An image forming apparatus includes first and second feeding units for feeding a recording material while nipping the recording material; a guiding member for guiding the recording material passed through the first feeding unit toward the second feeding unit; a measuring unit for measuring a time required for the recording material to pass from a first point to a second point provided downstream of the first point with respect to a recording material feeding direction; and a discriminating unit for discriminating stiffness of the recording material on the basis of a measurement result of the measuring unit. The guiding member is flexed and is in a non-overlapping state with a virtual line connecting a first nip where the first feeding unit nips the recording material and a second nip where the second feeding unit nips the recording material.
US09958812B2
The intermediate transferring belt is to be mounted in an electrophotographic image-forming apparatus. The intermediate transferring belt includes the following, in sequence, a substrate; an elastic layer; and a surface layer. The surface layer has an elongation of 5% or more and a stress of 5MPa or more at an elastic limit determined by a stress-strain curve obtained according to JIS K7161.
US09958807B1
A toner cartridge comprises a tubular body, a sliding base, a swinging member and a returning member. A first end of the tubular body provides with an arc-shape rail and an imaginary axis. The sliding base is slidable along the rail. The swinging member includes a pivotal portion pivotally connected with the sliding base, an inner end portion, and an outer end portion that is farther from the imaginary axis than the pivotal portion is. The swinging member is swingable between an inward position and an outward position relative to the sliding base. The returning member is connected with the swinging member and applies a force returning the swinging member to the inward position. Accordingly, the toner cartridge can be rotated into positioned actually, so as to engage with an electronic image forming apparatus successfully, and a lock mechanism of the electronic image forming apparatus can be released actually.
US09958796B2
An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an intermediate layer, a photosensitive layer, and a surface layer laminated on a conductive support in this order, wherein a cured product of a polymerizable monomer contains an electron transport agent and n-type metal oxide fine particles to which a reactive organic group is bonded in the surface layer.
US09958789B2
Disclosed is a method of determining a correction for measured values of radiation diffracted from a target comprising a plurality of periodic structures, subsequent to measurement of the target using measurement radiation defining a measurement field. The correction acts to correct for measurement field location dependence in the measured values. The method comprises performing a first and second measurements of the periodic structures; and determining a correction from said first measurement and said second measurement. The first measurement is performed with said target being in a normal measurement location with respect to the measurement field. The second measurement is performed with the periodic structure in a shifted location with respect to the measurement field, said shifted location comprising the location of another of said periodic structures when said target is in said normal measurement location with respect to the measurement field.
US09958788B2
A lithographic reticle is illuminated to transfer a pattern to a substrate, inducing distortions due to heating. The distortions are calculated using reference marks in a peripheral portion of the reticle and measuring changes in their relative positions over time. A plurality of cells are defined for which a system of equations can be solved to calculate a dilation of each cell. In an embodiment, each equation relates positions of pairs of marks to dilations of the cells along a fine (s, s1, s2) connecting each pair. Local positional deviations can be calculated for a position by combining calculated dilations for cells between at least one measured peripheral mark and the position. Corrections can be applied in accordance with the result of the calculation. Energy may be applied to the patterning device (for example by thermal input or mechanical actuators) to modify a distribution of the local positional deviations.
US09958782B2
Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for performing immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. Embodiments of apparatus described herein include a chamber body defining a processing volume. Electrodes may be disposed adjacent the process volume and process fluid is provided to the process volume via a plurality of fluid conduits to facilitate immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. A post process chamber for rinsing, developing, and drying a substrate is also provided.
US09958777B2
A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a sulfonium salt capable of generating fluorinated aminobenzoic acid offers a satisfactory dissolution contrast and minimal LWR independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.
US09958764B2
A projector includes a polarization changing mechanism and a polarized beam splitter. The polarization changing mechanism is movable. A first polarized beam is configured to pass or not pass through the polarization changing mechanism. The first polarized beam transforms into a second polarized beam when the first polarized beam passes through the polarization changing mechanism. The polarized beam splitter has a light splitting surface. The first polarized beam enters the polarized beam splitter and is guided by the light splitting surface to travel in a first direction, when the first polarized beam does not pass through the polarization changing mechanism. The second polarized beam enters the polarized beam splitter and is guided by the light splitting surface to travel in the first direction or a second direction, when the first polarized beam passes through the polarization changing mechanism and transforms into the second polarized beam.
US09958755B2
An electronic device includes a casing, a supporting member, a sliding lid and an elastic member. The casing has a window. The supporting member is in the casing and has a through hole. The sliding lid is slidably disposed on the supporting member so that the sliding lid is slidable between an opened position and a closed position. The through hole is connected to the window when the sliding lid is located at the opened position, and the sliding lid is located between the through hole and the window when the sliding lid is located at the closed position. The elastic member is located on the same side of the sliding lid and the supporting member. One end of the elastic member is disposed on the sliding lid, and another end of the elastic member is disposed on the supporting member.
US09958742B2
The present application relates to an optical element. The exemplary optical element may have a variable transmittance by whether an external signal is applied or not. Also, since the optical element may apply the external signal by using a composite layer having a low transmittance to light in an infrared region, the optical element may block heat, and save energy. Such an optical element may be usefully employed in various optical devices, for example, a sunroof.
US09958741B2
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate unit, a second substrate unit, and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate unit includes a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode. The second pixel electrode is adjacent to the first pixel electrode in the first direction. The second pixel electrode is light-reflective. The second substrate unit includes a counter electrode. The counter electrode is light-transmissive. The liquid crystal layer is provided between the first substrate unit and the second substrate unit. The first pixel electrode includes a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion. The first electrode portion is light-reflective. At least a portion of the second electrode portion is provided between the first electrode portion and the second pixel electrode. A light reflectance of the second electrode portion is lower than a light reflectance of the first electrode portion.
US09958734B2
In a liquid crystal display device including a TFT substrate and a counter substrate, when an organic passivation film is not formed in the TFT substrate, the distance between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate in the display area of a liquid crystal display panel is provided by a cylindrical spacer. Also, the distance in the area where pixels, scan lines, and image signal lines are not formed within the liquid crystal display panel is provided by the cylindrical spacer. In this case, it is necessary to form a mount. The layer structure of the mount is the same as that of the TFT substrate with which the cylindrical spacer in the display area comes into contact. This makes it possible to equalize the distance of the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel without an increase in production cost, and to prevent uneven brightness or color.
US09958724B2
A method of forming a photoresist layer includes: forming alignment electrodes on a base; mixing color QRs and photoresist to form a mixed material; coating the mixed material on the base; applying the base coated with the mixed material with positive and negative voltages so that the long axes of the color QRs align horizontally under the effect of the horizontal electric fields generated by the alignment electrodes; vacuum-drying the base coated with the mixed material to enhance the viscosity of the photoresist; interrupting electricity at a designated point to form a photoresist layer, wherein the long axes of QRs remain aligned horizontally; the color film substrate includes color resist films; when a backlight source emits blue light to the color film substrate, a color filter is disposed on top of the red color film to filtrate the blue light.
US09958714B2
A manufacturing method of a bottom chassis includes providing a base plate having a flexibility and a first rigidity through a press molding process, providing a bent-maintaining member having a second rigidity greater than the first rigidity and being curved in a first direction through an extrusion molding process, and coupling the base plate to the bent-maintaining member.
US09958710B1
A method may include generating a laser light beam with a laser source, splitting the laser light beam into a first front side beam and a back side beam for a back side of an ion trap using a first beamsplitter, directing the front side beam to a second beamsplitter using an input telescope, and splitting the first front side beam into a plurality of second front side beams directed to a common acousto-optic medium using a second beamsplitter. The common acousto-optic medium may have a respective plurality of electrodes coupled to the common acousto-optic medium for each of the second front side beams. The method may further include directing the plurality of second front side beams to a front side of the ion trap using an output telescope, and generating a respective RF drive signal for each of the plurality of electrodes using a plurality of RF drivers.
US09958708B1
The present application is directed to a method of short pulse generation. The method includes the step of creating, via electrical circuitry in a master oscillator, a square wave pulse with a predetermined pulse repetition rate. The method includes the step of retiming the square pulse with a clock. The method includes the step of recovering an electrical signal from the retimed square pulse. Further, the method includes the step of sending the recovered electrical signal to a modulator for modulating an optical signal.
US09958702B1
An eyeglasses assembly structure having a nose support is disclosed herein. It comprises a frame having an assembly holder disposed in a middle bottom portion thereof, wherein the assembly holder is provided with a receiving slot, and the receiving slot is provided with a first inner surface having a protrusion thereof and a second inner surface having a recess thereon; and a nose support having an inserting part for inserting into the receiving slot of the assembly holder of the frame, wherein the inserting part is provided with a first outer surface having an engaging slot for correspondingly engaging with the protrusion and a second outer surface having an engaging block for correspondingly engaging with the recess.
US09958697B2
A stereoscopic image apparatus that is capable of minimizing loss of optical energy and improving quality of a stereoscopic image is disclosed. The stereoscopic image apparatus includes a polarizing beam splitter to reflect or transmit incident light based on polarization components of the light to split the light in at least three different directions, a reflective member to reflect the light reflected by the polarizing beam splitter to a screen, at least one modulator to modulate the light reflected by the reflective member and the light transmitted through the polarizing beam splitter, and a refractive member disposed in an advancing direction of light to be incident upon the polarizing beam splitter to refract the light to be incident upon the polarizing beam splitter.
US09958692B2
The invention provides an autostereoscopic display device having an adjuster for adjusting the direction of a light beam (5). The adjuster (1) has an off-state and on-state and comprises a stack (10) of layers. The stack (10) comprises a first solid material layer (100) having a first optic axis (111), a second solid material layer (200) having a second optic axis (211), and switchable birefringent twisted nematic liquid crystal material (30) or chiral nematic liquid crystal material. Further, the stack includes a first interface (130) between the first solid material layer (100) and birefringent material (30) and a second interface (230) between the second solid material layer (200) and birefringent material (30). In the off-state, the birefringent material (30) at the first interface (130) is configured to have an optic axis parallel to the first optic axis (111) and the birefringent material (30) at the second interface (230) is configured to have an optic axis parallel to the second optic axis (211). In the on-state, the birefringent material (30) at the first interface (130) is configured to have an optic axis perpendicular to the first optic axis (111) and the birefringent material (30) at the second interface (230) is configured to have an optic axis perpendicular to the second optic axis (211).
US09958691B2
A multi-view display device is provided, and the multi-view display device at least comprises a projector, a first lens set, and a second lens set. The projector contains a scan-lamp image, and the projector slants an incident ray corresponding to the scan-lamp image with a first angle. The first lens set receives the slanted incident ray and refracts that. The second lens set is slanted with the first angle, and the second lens set receives the slanted incident ray which is refracted by the first lens set and refracts that again, so as to expand a view area of the multi-view display device.
US09958690B2
An autostereoscopic display screen includes a light-deflecting component and a double-sided lenticular lens. The light-deflecting component is configured to deflect the light beam towards a plurality of directions. The double-sided lenticular includes a first cylindrical lens array, a second cylindrical lens array, and a central portion. The first cylindrical lens array faces towards light-deflecting component. The first cylindrical lens array includes first cylindrical lenses, and each of the first cylindrical lenses has a first length A in a first axial direction. The second cylindrical lens array faces away from the light-deflecting component. The second cylindrical lens array includes second cylindrical lenses, and each of the second cylindrical lenses has a second length B in the first axial direction. The first length A is greater than the second length B. The central portion is disposed between the first cylindrical lens array and the second cylindrical lens array.
US09958687B2
An apparatus of structured light generation is equipped with a light source and a lens unit. The lens unit is installed in a compact housing of the apparatus of structured light generation. Moreover, the lens unit constructed two different optical path lengths within the housing. By the lens unit, light beams from the light source are collimated and converted into linear light beams. The linear light beams are locally overlapped or globally overlapped. Consequently, the light beam from the light source is shaped into a linear structured light or a linearly-overlapped structured light for detection.
US09958657B2
A one-piece optical element for focusing an input bundle of collimated rays around an optical axis in a focal region around a focal point. The optical element is bounded on the entry side by a truncated cone centered relative to the optical axis with a top surface pointing toward the light entry and bounded on the exit side by a cone with a cone tip pointing toward the light exit on the optical axis and a rotationally symmetric aspheric boundary surface arranged around the cone. The cone is formed as a complementary cone to the truncated cone. The aspheric boundary surface is formed as a partial surface of the convex surface of a plano-convex aspheric converging lens with a focal point located behind the light exit of the optical element on the optical axis. The lateral surfaces of the truncated cone and of the cone are formed reflecting inwardly and spaced apart along the optical axis so that the approximately collimated input bundle is directed from the inner side of the lateral surface of the cone to the inner side of the lateral surface of the truncated cone.
US09958656B2
A zoom lens includes a front unit having a negative refractive power and a rear unit having a positive refractive power, which includes an aperture stop, and the front unit includes a first lens having a negative refractive power, and the first lens has a meniscus shape of which a convex surface is directed toward the object side, and the rear unit includes a first lens unit A and a second lens unit B, and at the time of zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the front unit and the rear unit changes.
US09958655B2
A projection lens system includes a first lens group including a 1a-th lens group having a negative refractive power, a 1b-th lens group having a positive or negative refractive power, and a 1c-th lens group having a positive or negative refractive power. During a zoom, the first lens group remains stationary on an optical axis. During a focus from a remote distance side to a close distance side, the 1a-th lens group remains stationary on the optical axis while the 1b-th and 1c-th lens groups move toward the enlargement conjugate side along different loci respectively. Conditional formula −4.7
US09958652B2
The imaging optical system makes magnification conjugate side and reduction conjugate side predetermined positions conjugate to each other and forms an intermediate image conjugate to both the predetermined positions. The optical system includes a magnification side positive lens as a first lens disposed on the magnification conjugate side further than an intermediate imaging position, a reduction side positive lens as a third lens disposed on the reduction conjugate side further than the intermediate imaging position, and a negative lens as a second lens disposed between these positive lenses. Conditions of 5<ν2−ν1<80, 5<ν2−ν3<80, 0.03
US09958650B1
An optical-lens-set includes a first lens element of positive refractive power, a second lens element of an image surface with a concave portion near the optical-axis, no air gap between a third lens element and a fourth lens element, at least one of an object surface and an image surface of a fifth lens element being aspherical, both an object surface and an image surface of a sixth lens element being aspherical so that the total thickness ALT of all six lens element, the distance TL from an object surface of the first lens element to the image surface of the sixth lens element and total five air gaps AAG satisfy ALT/AAG≤4.5 or TL/AAG≤5.5.
US09958641B2
An optical image capturing system is provided. In the order from an object side to an image side, the optical image capturing system includes a first lens with positive refractive power; a second lens with refractive power; a third lens with refractive power; and a fourth lens with refractive power; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the four lens elements is aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US09958631B2
A cable management structure (100, 200, 300) for an optical fiber distribution rack (10) is disclosed. In one aspect, the cable management structure (100) supports cables extending from an optical fiber distribution element (50) supported by the rack (10). In one embodiment, a plurality of first cable support guides (102a) are vertically aligned along a first plane (190) while a plurality of second cable support guides (102b) are vertically aligned along a second plane (192). As presented, the first cable support guides (102a) are offset from the second cable support guides (102b) such that the first plane (190) is horizontally recessed from the second plane (192). In one embodiment a side channel frame (130) is provided to support the cable support guides (102). In another embodiment, the optical fiber distribution element (50) is provided with linearly spaced mounting arrangements (60) configured for engagement with cable support guides (202, 302).
US09958630B2
The present invention relates to an optical fiber organizer (1) comprising at least one fiber storage means (4, 10, 19), a first support (3) for supporting the storage means, whereby the storage means (4, 10, 19) are rotatable connected to the first support (3), a second support (2) with at least one cable termination retention means for securing an incoming or outgoing cable having at least one optical fiber, characterized by the first support (3) being rotatably connected to the second support (2).
US09958618B2
A method for assembling an optical fiber connector is disclosed. According to the method, an optical fiber including strips is provided. The optical fiber connector including a fiber fastening device and a housing is provided. The optical fiber is put in the fiber fastening device and the strips are fixed on the fiber fastening device. Finally, the fiber fastening device is inserted into the housing.
US09958613B2
A light divider includes a light guide having first and second surfaces that reflect light incident on the guide and cause the light to propagate through a portion between the first and second surfaces. A first light dividing layer on the second surface reflects part of the light having propagated through the guide and transmits part thereof so that the light is divided into light fluxes. A first transparent piece on the second surface in a position where the light that the first light dividing layer has transmitted is incident, the first transparent piece having a first reflection surface that reflects the incident light, a second transparent piece that is provided on the second surface in a position where the light reflected off the first light dividing layer and reflected off the first surface is incident, the second transparent piece has a second reflection surface that reflects the incident light.
US09958612B2
In order to prevent a signal which a terminal station does not require from being intercepted by the terminal station without greatly changing the power of optical signals to be transmitted from a node to the terminal station, a node device is provided with: a first optical unit which outputs a first optical signal received from a first terminal station and addressed to a second terminal station, and a second optical signal received from the first terminal station, addressed to a third terminal station, and having a different wavelength band from the first optical signal; and a second optical unit to which the first and second optical signals outputted from the first optical unit are inputted, and which shifts the frequency of the first optical signal by a predetermined amount to create a fourth optical signal, passes the second optical signal without any change, couples the second and fourth optical signals, and transmits a resultant signal to the third terminal station.
US09958610B2
An optical fiber stripper includes handles, two stripping blades and an optical fiber positioning reference block, on which optical fiber jacket stripping sub-channel, covered wire/cable jacket stripping sub-channel, and bare fiber coating stripping sub-channel are disposed in parallel, and the stripping blade, respectively, contains optical fiber jacket stripping port, first port, and sharp-angle port. The present invention can be used to strip various layers through the ports on the stripping blades, to ensure that the optical fiber is not broken when stripping optical fiber, and to prevent optical fiber surface from attaching to debris, so that the optical fiber jointing efficiency is improved greatly.
US09958608B2
A method of fabricating an optical device includes forming on a semiconductor substrate a first optical cavity, a second optical cavity, a first light guide and a second light guide. The first light guide has an input, and is optically coupled to the first optical cavity by a first coupling strength. In addition, the first light guide is optically coupled to the second optical cavity by a second coupling strength. The second light guide has an output, and is coupled to the second optical cavity by a third coupling strength. The first coupling strength is greater than the second coupling strength, and the third coupling strength is greater than the second coupling strength.
US09958603B2
An optical fiber for an optical fiber sensor and a chemical sensor using the same are disclosed. The optical fiber includes a core area, and a suspended cladding area formed around the core area and having at least one cladding hole. The core area has at least one core hole for reducing an effective refractive index of the core area. The optical fiber and the chemical sensor using the same may have improved measurement sensitivity by increasing an evanescent field fraction of existing suspended core fibers.
US09958597B2
Disclosed is display device that includes a display panel including a display surface shaped in a curve. The display surface is defined at an upper side of the display panel. A backlight unit is disposed at a lower side of the display panel. The backlight unit includes a light guiding plate bent along the bending axis. The light guiding plate includes an exit surface parallel with the display surface. The backlight units include a back surface facing the exit surface, and a plurality of connection sides connecting the exit surface with the back surface. At least one of the connection sides defines an incident surface. A circuit board is bent along the bending axis. A plurality of light emission units are electrically connected to the circuit board. The plurality of light emission units emits light to the incident surface. The bending axis is parallel to the incident surface.
US09958596B2
A display device that includes a display panel, a multilayer light guide plate structure, and a light source is provided. The display panel has a display surface. The multilayer light guide plate structure is located on the display surface of the display panel. The multilayer light guide plate structure has a light incident surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and the multilayer light guide plate structure includes a plurality of light guide plate layers stacked together. The light source is located beside the light incident surface of the multilayer light guide plate structure and has a light emitting surface. A multilayer light guide plate structure and a front light module are also provided.
US09958591B2
A backlight module includes a light guide plate having a bottom surface, a light emitting surface, a first light incident surface, and microstructures. Each microstructure recesses into or protrudes from the bottom surface and has a first and a second surfaces. The first and the second surfaces of at least one of the microstructures are located on two sides of a first reference plane parallel to the first light incident surface. A section-line of each first surface on a second reference plane perpendicular to the first light incident surface and perpendicular to the light emitting surface is a straight line. A first angle between each first surface and a third reference plane parallel to the light emitting surface in the light guide plate is between 0 degrees and 20 degrees, and a thickness of each microstructure is between 0 micrometers and 20 micrometers.
US09958590B2
Provided are: a light source device which can reduce the amount of light that escapes from a light-entering surface of a light guide plate in an edge light-type light source device, and which can maintain high display quality; and a display device employing the light source device. The light source device comprises a light guide plate having a rectangular shape, and a substrate having a strip shape on which light emitting diodes are mounted on a surface that faces a side surface of the light guide plate. A plurality of peripheral walls are provided on the substrate so as to enclose at least one of the light emitting diodes. Each of the plurality of peripheral walls has a light reflective inner surface and has a height equal to or greater than the facing distance between the light guide plate and the substrate.
US09958588B2
A display in a portable information handling system may have a narrow or no border. A light guide for display light enhancement used to illuminate the display may be formed with concave indentations at a first face that receives light from a light source, such as a string of light emitting diodes. The concave indentations may improve the homogeneity of light transmitted by the light guide. The light guide may further have a light diffusive surface treatment at the first face.
US09958578B2
The invention provides a material including a first siloxane macromer shown as formula (I): in which R1, R2 and R3 are C1-C4 alkyl groups, R4 is C1-C6 alkyl group, R5 is C1-C4 alkylene group, R6 is —OR7O— or —NH—, R7 and R8 are C1-C4 alkylene groups and m is an integer of 1-2, n is an integer of 4-80; a second siloxane macromer shown as formula (II): in which R9, R10 and R11 are C1-C4 alkyl groups, R12, R13 and R15 are C1-C3 alkylene group, R14 is a residue obtained by removing NCO group from an aliphatic or aromatic diisocyanate, and o is an integer of 4-80, p is an integer of 0-1; q is an integer of about 1-20; at least one hydrophilic monomer and an initiator.
US09958577B2
This invention includes a wettable biomedical device containing a high molecular weight hydrophilic polymer and a hydroxyl-functionalized silicone-containing monomer.
US09958568B2
A method and system for active cancellation of transient signals and dynamic loop configuration for geophysical exploration is disclosed. The method includes controlling a transmitter to transmit a waveform in a frequency spectrum during an on-time. The transmitter includes a plurality of turns of wire. The method also includes controlling a plurality of switches to direct an electrical signal through the plurality of turns of wire. The plurality of switches electrically coupled to the plurality of turns of wire. The method further includes controlling a switch of the plurality of switches to direct a first portion of a transient current in an opposite direction from a direction of a second portion of the transient current during an off-time.
US09958563B2
A solid scintillator member is provided in the internal space of a container. The scintillator member is an aggregate of a plurality of pellets. The internal space also confines a gas produced through the vaporization of a liquid sample containing a radioactive substance. When radiation emitted from a plurality of particles within the gas reaches the scintillator member, light is generated. That light is detected by a pair of photomultipliers. A plurality of particles may be produced outside of the container and introduced into the container.
US09958554B2
The invention relates to a detection apparatus for detecting radiation. The detection apparatus comprises a GOS material (20) for generating scintillation light depending on the detected radiation (25), an optical filter (24) for reducing the intensity of a part of the scintillation light having a wavelength being larger than 650 nm, and a detection unit (21) for detecting the filtered scintillation light. Because of the filtering procedure relatively slow components, i.e. components corresponding to a relatively large decay time, of the scintillation light weakly constribute to the detection process or are not detected at all by the detection unit, thereby increasing the temporal resolution of the detection apparatus. The resulting fast detection apparatus can be suitable for kVp-switching computed tomography systems.
US09958546B2
A laser rangefinder includes: a MEMS mirror that changes a traveling direction of laser light; a first photodetector that reflects a portion of the laser light directed in a predetermined direction by the MEMS mirror and receives another portion of the laser light; a second photodetector that receives first reflected light that is reflection of the laser light from a target object outside an enclosure and second reflected light that is reflection of the portion of the laser light from the first photodetector; and a signal processor that calculates a distance from the laser rangefinder to the target object by subtracting, from a first distance from the laser diode to the target object calculated using the first reflected light, a second distance from the laser diode to the first photodetector calculated using the second reflected light, and calculates a direction of the target object with respect to the laser rangefinder.
US09958539B2
The present invention regards a method of operation of a real aperture radar system for surveillance of the Earth's surface, said real aperture radar system being installed on a space vehicle/platform that moves in a direction of flight and comprising a transceiving antenna, or a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna, which is/are electronically steerable. All the radar pulses are transmitted: with a predefined pulse repetition frequency and a predefined timing of the scanning cycle such that to guarantee a complete coverage of each of the N swaths parallelly to the direction of flight; and by using a frequency agility technique.
US09958524B2
A probe calibration device that includes a first offset element having a substantially rectangular first aperture. The probe calibration device includes a tuned pass element disposed adjacent to the first offset element. The tuned pass element has a non-rectangular second aperture. The probe calibration device includes a second offset element disposed adjacent to the tuned pass element and on a side opposite the first offset element. The second offset element has a substantially rectangular third aperture. The probe calibration device includes a backing element disposed adjacent to the second offset element. The first offset element, the tuned pass element, the second offset element and the backing element form a cavity.
US09958517B2
A shoulder coil for a magnetic resonance imaging device includes a bottom part and one or more top part elements that may be moved relative to the bottom part. The one or more top elements each have at least one coil therein.
US09958509B2
Provided herein is a charger having a battery diagnosis function. The charger is connected between an input power supply supplying an input voltage and a battery and charges the battery with the input voltage. The charger includes a full-bridge-circuit connected to the input power supply and comprising a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, and a fourth switch, a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein the primary winding is connected to the full-bridge-circuit to transform the input voltage received from the full-bridge-circuit and transmits the voltage to the secondary winding, and a rectifying circuit comprising a fifth switch and a sixth switch, connected between the secondary winding and the battery, and rectifying the voltage received from the transformer to charge the battery, or transmitting power in two directions for diagnosing a state-of-health of the battery.
US09958507B2
A battery monitoring system and method are disclosed. A battery monitor compares data in parallel register files. If voltage deviation above a certain threshold is detected in one register file, the system generates an alert that a fault exists upstream in the system. In order to better detect errors, the system may intentionally alter the voltages on the batteries to be monitored.
US09958497B2
A testing pluggable module includes a pluggable body extending between a front end and a mating end defining a mating interface with a communication connector of a receptacle assembly. The mating end is receivable in a module cavity of the receptacle assembly to mate with the communication connector. The pluggable body has an exterior forward of the mating end. The testing pluggable module includes an internal circuit board held in the pluggable body having a testing circuit operating at least one testing function. The testing pluggable module includes a user interface on the exterior of the pluggable body. The user interface has an input configured to operably control the at least one testing function of the testing circuit.
US09958487B2
A method of monitoring a process of powering an electronic device through a cable assembly is proposed. The cable assembly comprises a cable which is connected between a power supply and the electronic device. The method comprises generating a synchronization signal, generating a test signal based on the synchronization signal and applying the test signal to one end of the cable, detecting a response signal at the one end of the cable, the response signal resulting from applying the test signal to the cable assembly, and determining, based on the response signal and the synchronization signal, a first and a second quantity indicative of a real part and an imaginary part of the impedance of the cable assembly, respectively. Further, an apparatus for monitoring a process of powering an electronic device through a cable assembly is proposed.
US09958486B2
A circuit for detecting a knee of waveform is disclosed in the present invention. The circuit detects the knee and a total oscillation time of a voltage waveform as a load switch of load circuit is turned off. In the circuit, a filter filters the voltage waveform to transmit a reference voltage to a first and a second comparator. When the first and the second comparator determine that the voltage waveform achieves a sum of the reference voltage and a set voltage, the first and the second comparator transmit a first and a second signal to a knee detection module. When the knee detection module receives the first signal rather than the second signal in an oscillation time, or receives the second signal rather than the first signal in the oscillation time, the knee detection module records the knee and trigger a time recorder computes the total oscillation time.
US09958472B2
A low-noise and high-sensitivity inertial sensor is provided.On the assumption that a movable portion VU1 and a movable portion VU2 are formed in the same SOI layer, the movable portion VU1 and the movable portion VU2 are mechanically connected to each other by a mechanical coupling portion MCU even while these movable portions are electrically isolated from each other. Thereby, according to a sensor element SE in the invention, it is possible to further suppress a shift between the capacitance of a MEMS capacitor 1 and the capacitance of a MEMS capacitor 2.
US09958469B2
An automated method of isolating and analyzing an analyte using a form-locking gripping mechanism. An analytical system comprising consumables and a handler, wherein the handler and consumable interact with a form-locking gripping mechanism are also included.
US09958467B2
Provided is a method for supplementing a sample with specific information. This method includes the following steps: intrinsically marking a sample by adding a chemical marker having a defined composition to the sample; storing data reflecting the composition of the chemical marker and information assigned to the chemical marker, wherein this marker-assigned information is not related to the composition of the chemical marker itself; analyzing the sample with an analysis method, wherein the analysis method is suited to detect the composition of the chemical marker, to obtain a marker-related result; comparing the marker-related result with the stored data; and assigning the marker-assigned stored information to the sample based on the preceding comparison.
US09958463B2
The present invention relates to a method for detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in body fluids, preferably in blood and lymph.In particular, the method for detecting circulating tumor cells in a body fluid comprises a step of detecting a change in pH and/or in a concentration of at least one molecule selected from lactic acid, lactate ions and protons within an isolated volume of said body fluid in which a cell has been encapsulated.
US09958458B2
The present disclosure provides methods for predicting a patient's response to biglycan therapy for diseases or conditions associated with an abnormal level or activity of biglycan; disorders associated with an unstable cytoplasmic membrane, for example, due to an unstable dystrophin associated protein complex (DAPC); disorders associated with abnormal synapses or neuromuscular junctions, including those resulting from an abnormal MuSK activation or acetylcholine receptor (AChR) aggregation. Examples of such diseases include muscular dystrophies, such as Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy, Becker's Muscular Dystrophy, neuromuscular disorders and neurological disorders. This application also provides combination therapeutics, such as a biglycan therapeutic and a utrophin therapeutic.
US09958449B2
The present invention relates to methods and compounds for enzyme-mediated amplification of target-associated signals for visualization of biological or chemical targets in samples, wherein the targets are immobilized, in particular the invention relates to the oxidoreductase-mediated signal amplification for visualization of targets in samples comprising cells. The methods of the invention are particular useful for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of biological markers relating to medical diagnostic and therapy.
US09958447B2
The invention provides a method of detecting the presence or absence of a disease in a patient wherein said disease is accompanied by deficient levels of S-adenosylmethionine comprising: identifying a patient that is suspected of having said disease or is at risk of having said disease; obtaining a biological sample from said patient; determining the level of S-adenosylmethionine in said biological sample using an antibody derived from a hapten analog of S-adenosylmethionine; and correlating the level of S-adenosylmethionine in said biological sample with the presence, absence, or severity of said disease. The invention also provides methods for measuring SAH which is used to determine the methylation index (ratio of SAM/SAH) in biological fluids which is indicative of the health status of an individual. Additionally, the invention includes test strips which are useful for determining S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine.
US09958446B2
Disclosed is a therapeutic method including administering a TIM-3 antibody or its TIM-3 binding fragment to a subject who is suspected to be suffering from blood tumor and in whom TIM-3 has been expressed in a Lin(−)CD34(+)CD38(−) cell fraction of bone marrow or peripheral blood or a subject who has been received any treatment for blood tumor. Conceived diseases include those diseases which can be treated through the binding or targeting of the TIM-3 antibody or its TIM-3 binding fragment to blood tumor cells (AML cells, CML cells, MDS cells, ALL cells, CLL cells, multiple myeloma cells, etc.), helper T cell (e.g., Th1 cells, Th17 cells), and antigen-presenting cells (e.g., dendritic cells, monocytes, macrophages, and cells resembling to the aforementioned cells (hepatic stellate cells, osteoclasts, microglial cells, intraepidermal macrophages, dust cells (alveolar macrophages), etc)).
US09958445B2
A solid-phase support, formed by binding a chain polymer at least to the surface, wherein the chain polymer is a block polymer comprising a first block constituted from repetitions of a hydrophilic structural unit and a second block constituted from repetitions of a structural unit having a reactive functional group, a content ratio of the number of moles “a” of the reactive functional group contained in the chain polymer and the number of moles “b” of the whole structural unit contained in the chain polymer, (a/b), is from 0.03 to 0.25, and a density of the chain polymer occupying the surface of the solid-phase support is 0.1 polymers/nm2 or more.
US09958442B2
A sensor comprising an electronic circuit electrically coupled to a type III-V semiconductor material, for example indium arsenide (InAs) and an antibody contacting the type III-V semiconductor material. The sensor produces measurable N changes in the electrical properties of the semiconductor upon antibody-antigen binding events. Electrical properties measurable by the electronic device may include resistivity, capacitance, impedance, and inductance. A method of detecting an antigen using sensors of the invention. A method of detecting a reaction of an analyte to a stimulus using sensors of the invention. Sensor arrays comprising multiple sensors of the invention.
US09958438B2
A flow cell unit to be docked against a flat lid surface to form a closed flow cell arrangement, the flow cell unit comprising a top surface with protruding walls of elastic material defining three or more adjacent elongated flow channels, each flow channel comprises a first fluid port and a second fluid port, wherein the walls separating adjacent flow channels comprises a valve section of reduced height, thereby allowing selective opening and closing of a flow path transverse to the elongated flow channels by controlling the docking force between flow cell and the lid surface to an open docking state and a closed docking state respectively.
US09958433B2
A method and system of in vitro developmental toxicity testing comprising the steps of micropatterning an extracellular matrix; growing embryonic stem cells on the micropatterned extracellular matrix in the presence of mesoendodermal induction and testing for change of the geometrical mesoendoderm structure in the presence or absence of a test compound wherein (1) a decrease in mesoendodermal differentiation and/or (2) a change in morphology of the geometrical mesoendoderm structure in the presence of the test compound compared to cells in the absence of the test compound indicates that the test compound is a developmental toxic agent.
US09958423B2
The present invention relates to a method for simulating a chromatographic run on a chromatograph (5) with a computation device (3) comprising at least one processor (7) and an associated digital memory (9), wherein the chromatographic run uses a mobile phase (31) comprising a mixture of at least two eluent constituents having different chromatographic properties and forming an eluent profile (33). The invention also relates to a computer program for performing the method, and an apparatus comprising a computation device and a chromatograph for performing the method.
US09958422B2
This disclosure provides methods and devices for quantitating, separating and/or detecting water in a liquid, gas or solid sample comprising one or more chemicals, the method comprising: providing the liquid, gas or solid sample comprising water and the one or more chemicals; and exposing said liquid, gas or solid sample to at least one solid support including at least one dicationic and/or tricationic species of Formula I or II adsorbed, absorbed or immobilized on the solid support.
US09958420B2
A method for efficiently achieving full-matrix ultrasonic data capture which includes the steps of providing an ultrasound array apparatus, the ultrasound array apparatus further comprising a probe, collecting data over a plurality of inspection locations, generating a plurality of data matrices, each of the data matrices reflecting data collected at the locations, and collecting, initially, a subset of a quantity of data needed for reconstruction of each of the inspection locations. In the method, as the probe moves from collection location to collection location, a data matrix at a prior collection location is gradually filled in as the probe moves to subsequent collection locations. In certain embodiments physical scanning of a probe with few elements is replaced by electronically scanning using an array with many elements.
US09958414B2
Methods and apparatus relating to FET arrays including large FET arrays for monitoring chemical and/or biological reactions such as nucleic acid sequencing-by-synthesis reactions. Some methods provided herein relate to improving signal (and also signal to noise ratio) from released hydrogen ions during nucleic acid sequencing reactions.
US09958412B2
A gas sensor element having a porous protective layer with excellent water repellency. Provided is a gas sensor element having a detection portion, which has a stack of a solid electrolyte body having a pair of electrodes on opposite sides thereof and a heat generating body including a heat generating source, and a porous protective layer formed around the detection portion. The porous protective layer has thermal conductivity λ in the range of 0.2 to 5 W/mK, and has λCpρ, which is the product of the thermal conductivity λ(W/mK), density ρ(g/m3), and specific heat Cp(J/gK), in the range of 5.3×105 to 2.1×107 WJ/m4K2.
US09958410B2
Biosensor system measurement devices used to determine the presence and/or concentration of an analyte in a sample include normalized calibration information relating output signal or signals the device generates in response to the analyte concentration of the sample to previously determined reference sample analyte concentrations. The measurement devices use this normalized calibration information to relate one or more output signals from an electrochemical or optical analysis of a sample to the presence and/or concentration of one or more analytes in the sample. The normalized calibration information includes a normalization relationship to normalize output signals measured by the measurement device of the biosensor system and at least one normalized reference correlation relating normalized output signals to reference sample analyte concentrations.
US09958397B1
Processes for sensing a variety of toxic chemicals and/or processes for determining the residual life of a filter or filtration system are provided. Exemplary process for sensing a toxic chemical include contacting a toxic chemical, or byproduct thereof, with a sorbent that includes a porous metal hydroxide and a transition metal reactant suitable to react with a toxic chemical or byproduct thereof. The sorbent is contacted with the toxic chemical or byproduct thereof for a sampling time. A difference between a post-exposure colorimetric state of the sorbent and a pre-exposure colorimetric state of the sorbent or control is determined to thereby sense exposure to, or the presence of, the toxic chemical or byproduct thereof.
US09958393B2
The invention relates to a system for acquiring discontinuous emission spectra data, whereby the data is analyzed by a multivariate statistic model or equivalent model, such as principal component analysis and the use of the system for flow cytometry.
US09958387B1
In a computer-implemented method and system for capturing the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. The 3D scanner generates 3D data. A point cloud or 3D model is constructed from the 3D data. The point cloud or 3D model is then analyzed to determine the condition of the structure.
US09958385B2
Angle-resolved reflectometers and reflectometry methods are provided, which comprise a coherent light source, an optical system arranged to scan a test pattern using a spot of coherent light from the light source to yield realizations of the light distribution in the collected pupil, wherein the spot covers a part of the test pattern and the scanning is carried out optically or mechanically according to a scanning pattern, and a processing unit arranged to generate a composite image of the collected pupil distribution by combining the pupil images. Metrology systems and methods are provided, which reduce diffraction errors by estimating, quantitatively, a functional dependency of measurement parameters on aperture sizes and deriving, from identified diffraction components of the functional dependency which relate to the aperture sizes, correction terms for the measurement parameters with respect to the measurement conditions.
US09958375B2
A microparticle sorting apparatus includes a detection unit which detects microparticles flowing through a flow path; an imaging device which images a droplet containing the microparticles which is discharged from an orifice provided on an edge portion of the flow path; a charge unit which applies a charge to the droplets; and a control unit which determines a delay time as from a time that the microparticles are detected by the detection unit to the time at which a number of bright spots in a standard region, which is set beforehand, of image information imaged by the imaging device reaches the maximum, making it possible for the charge unit to apply a charge to the microparticles once the delay time has lapsed after the microparticles are detected by the detection unit.
US09958372B2
A particle detection apparatus includes a plurality of photodetectors that detect reaction light generated at a particle irradiated with inspection light and generate electric signals in respective channels; pulse detectors that detect pulses of the electric signals in the respective channels; a correlating unit that correlates the pulse of the electric signal in a reference channel being a channel having a highest signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, with the pulse of the electric signal in a channel other than the reference channel generated within a predetermined time difference range with respect to the pulse of the electric signal in the reference channel; and an attribute specifying unit that specifies an attribute of the particle on the basis of the correlated pulses of the electric signals.
US09958368B2
A rotary rheometer is disclosed that includes improved control logic. This logic can provide continuously sampled force control logic, compliance control logic, adaptive control logic, anti-windup logic, and/or inertial correction logic.
US09958365B2
A method for determining material parameters includes applying a character grid over a planar sample, clamping the planar sample in a frame in accordance with directions of orthotropy of the planar sample; collecting a first set of data that describes a first position of the character grid; applying predetermined normal and shear stresses to the planar sample thereby bringing the planar sample into a deformed state and changing the position of the character grid; collecting a second set of data that describes a second position of the character grid, determining a relative position change of the character grid by correlating the collected first set of data and the second set of data; determining a relative displacement and a current distortion state of the planar sample; determining a deformation equilibrium of the deformed state of the planar sample; and calculating the material parameters from the deformation equilibrium.
US09958363B2
A method for removing an ionic liquid from an aqueous sample is provided. In some embodiments, the method includes: (a) combining an aqueous sample including an ionic liquid with an ion exchanger composition including an ion exchanger counterion to produce a solution including a fluorous salt of the ionic liquid, where at least one of the ionic liquid and the ion exchanger counterion is fluorinated; (b) contacting the solution with a fluorous affinity material, thereby removing fluorous salt from the solution and producing an aqueous eluate; and (c) collecting the aqueous eluate. In certain embodiments, the method further includes: contacting a cell with an ionic liquid composition to lyse the cell and produce an aqueous sample; and contacting the aqueous sample with a reverse phase substrate, thereby adsorbing proteins and/or lipids of the cell on the substrate. Compositions, kits and systems for practicing the subject methods are also provided.
US09958361B2
A test device for analyzing fluid samples. The test device includes a planar support member for supporting reagent pads, and a handle attached to, or for attaching to the planar support member. The test device can be treated with a fluid sample by disposing a fluid sample on the reagent pads. The fluid sample can be disposed onto the reagent pads by the handle, or by dipping the test device into the fluid sample.
US09958358B2
An imbedded control system is disclosed for use with an engine having a cylinder liner and a seal. The control system may have at least one sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a combustion process occurring inside the cylinder liner, and a controller in communication with the sensor. The controller may be configured to determine an amount of heat generated inside the cylinder liner based on the signal and a combustion model of the engine, to determine a heat flux through the engine based on the amount of heat and a heat flux model of the engine, and to determine a temperature at the seal based on the heat flux and a thermal model of the cylinder liner. The controller may also be configured to track a time at the temperature, and to determine a damage count of the seal based on the time at the temperature.
US09958356B2
In a process for testing the powertrain of vehicles that are at least in part electrically driven, the voltage supplied to the powertrain is controlled by a controller coupled with a simulation system for the energy storage system in a way that the voltage acts dynamically as for a real energy storage system. The controller is designed with a model based controller design method, with a load model of the powertrain being used in the model of the controlled system.
US09958351B2
A pressure sensing system provides signals representative of a magnitude of pressure at a selected site. A sensor module includes a first transducer producing a first signal having an associated first response to pressure and strain applied to the sensor module and a second transducer producing a second signal having an associated second response to pressure and strain applied to the sensor module. A calculated pressure, a bending pressure error and a bend-compensated pressure are computed in response to the first signal and the second signal.
US09958350B2
A pressure-measuring cell having a ceramic measuring membrane and a ceramic counter body, wherein the measuring membrane is joined to the counter body in such a way that a pressure chamber is formed between the measuring membrane and the counter body. The pressure-measuring cell also has a capacitive transducer for detecting a pressure-dependent deformation of the measuring membrane, which capacitive transducer has at least one membrane electrode arranged on the measuring membrane and at least one electrode on the counter body side, wherein according to the invention at least one membrane electrode comprises a titanium oxide.
US09958342B2
Provided is a noninvasive measuring method for rapid temperature variation under a DC excitation magnetic field, comprising: (1) positioning ferromagnetic particles at a measured object; (2) applying a DC magnetic field to area of the ferromagnetic particles enabling the ferromagnetic particles to reach saturation magnetization state; (3) obtaining steady temperature T1 of the measured object at room temperature, and calculating initial spontaneous magnetization M1, of the ferromagnetic particles according to the steady temperature T1; (4) detecting amplitude A of a magnetization variation signal of the ferromagnetic particles after temperature of the measured object varies, and calculating temperature T2 after change according to the amplitude A of the magnetization variation signal; and (5) calculating temperature variation ΔT=T2-T1 according to the temperature T2 after change and the steady temperature T1. The present invention can realize noninvasive temperature measurement with high speed and high accuracy so as to resolve technical problems of low speed and low precision.
US09958341B2
A method can include, in response to a power supply voltage transition, setting a temperature window to a first temperature range by operation of a temperature circuit formed on a semiconductor device. In response to a temperature of the semiconductor device being determined to be outside of the first temperature range, changing the temperature range of the temperature window until the temperature of the semiconductor device is determined to be within the temperature window.
US09958336B2
The invention relates to a temperature probe which comprises a functional ceramic probe element and a ceramic housing. The probe element is mounted in the ceramic housing so that at a face of the probe element has direct and form-fitting contact with the ceramic housing. The invention further relates to a method for producing a temperature probe.
US09958332B2
Various techniques are disclosed for bolometer circuits and related methods for thermal imaging in a difference domain, where each pixel value represents a difference in incident IR radiation intensity between adjacent bolometers. For example, a bolometer circuit may include an array of bolometers each configured to generate a pixel signal in response to a bias and incident infrared radiation. Each column of the bolometer array may comprise an amplifier, a first plurality of switches each configured to selectively provide a supply voltage to a respective one of bolometers of the each column, a second plurality of switches each configured to selectively route a difference of the pixel signals of a respective adjacent pair of the bolometers of the each column to an input of the amplifier, and a third plurality of switches configured to selectively provide a common voltage to a respective one of the bolometers of the each column.
US09958326B2
A spectrometer and a spectrometer module are provided. The spectrometer includes a bandpass filter including a photonic crystal layer having a reflection wavelength or a transmission wavelength that varies based on an electrical stimulation, the bandpass filter being configured to filter light. The spectrometer further includes a photodetector configured to detect the filtered light.
US09958318B2
The invention provides an apparatus and method for checking the integrity of visual display information and has particular application to checking images displayed in an automotive vehicle, such images containing safety critical information. The image intensity is checked only to an extent commensurate with a human being able to interpret its correct meaning. Hence, images which are defective in some way yet still recognisable by the human eye are not classified as failures. In one embodiment, a part of the image containing safety critical information is segmented into smaller areas and the luminance of pixels in each segmented area is compared with a threshold brightness level and a threshold darkness level. A histogram for each area is generated and compared with a reference.
US09958316B2
The invention proposes a system for measuring a resonance frequency of a tube. The system comprises: an oscillating unit (21) for oscillating the tube at a plurality of oscillation frequencies, respectively; a detecting unit (22) for detecting a time delay of transmitting a pressure pulse from a first position to a second position in the tube when the tube is oscillated at each oscillation frequency, wherein, when the tube is oscillated at each oscillation frequency in a specific oscillation frequency range of the plurality of oscillation frequencies, the detecting unit (22) detects a variation of the time delay—a determining unit (23) for determining a maximal variation of the time delay when the tube is oscillated at the oscillation frequencies in the specific oscillation frequency range; and—an indicating unit (24) for indicating an oscillation frequency corresponding to the maximal variation of the time delay, being a resonance frequency of the tube.
US09958305B2
A gas sensor device of the present invention, aiming sufficient correction results of an internal combustion engine under different operation conditions, includes a concentration sensor for measuring the concentration of gas and a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of the gas. The gas sensor device also includes a measuring chamber incorporating the concentration sensor and the pressure sensor, and a processing circuit unit that adjusts a signal of the concentration sensor using a signal of the pressure sensor. The processing circuit unit may preferably be provided with a response speed adjusting unit that brings the response speed of a detected signal of the pressure sensor close to the response speed of a detected signal of the concentration sensor.
US09958291B1
A system and method may be used to control a plurality of services for one or more facilities. A data store may receive a first meter catalog that identifies a first meter, and a second meter catalog that identifies a second meter. The data store may also receive first and second meter readings from the first and second meters. The first and second meter readings may be indicative of provision of services to the one or more facilities. A processor may automatically process the first and second meter readings to provide first and second processed meter readings that are more readily understood by a user. A display screen may display the first and second processed meter readings. An input device may receive user input that establishes control and/or user reporting related to provision of the services.
US09958288B2
The subject disclosure is directed towards resolving an uncertain transportation context by suggesting one or more potential diversions. An automated routing system may generate routing information that includes map data as well as a location of a diversion having an expected cost in compliance with the uncertain transportation context. Such a diversion may be a waypoint that satisfies one or more user needs given an unknown/uncertain destination.
US09958284B2
In some implementations, a computing device receives a start location and a destination location, determines routes between the start location and the destination location, identifies stop signs and stop lights along the determined routes, determines delays attributable to stop signs or stop lights along the determined routes, determines travel times for routes based on the delays attributable to stop signs or stop lights along the determined routes, and presents a suggested departure time determined based on the stop sign and stop light information.
US09958270B2
A sensing device comprising a micromechanical gyroscope, the gyroscope comprising an improved sensing device with a micromechanical gyroscope, where the resonance frequency of the first mechanical resonator and the resonance frequency of the second mechanical resonator are adjusted to essentially coincide. The device comprises a feed-back loop connected to the second mechanical resonator, the quality factor of the combination of the feed-back loop and the second mechanical resonator being less than 10. More accurate sensing is achieved without essentially adding complexity to the sensor device configuration.
US09958266B2
A chromatic point sensor (CPS) system is provided, which compensates for potential errors due to input spectral profile intensity inconsistencies that arise when driving a CPS illumination source using different power levels. The CPS system includes an optical pen comprising a confocal optical path including a chromatically dispersive element and configured to focus different wavelengths at different distances proximate to a workpiece surface to be measured, an illumination source, and CPS electronics. The CPS electronics include: an illumination source control portion configured to drive the illumination source using different power levels; a CPS wavelength detector comprising a plurality of pixels distributed along a measurement axis of the CPS wavelength detector to provide output spectral profile data; and a power level spectral compensation portion configured to compensate the output spectral profile data to remove or reduce potential errors due to input spectral profile intensity inconsistencies that arise when driving the CPS illumination source using the different power levels.
US09958258B2
Portable device for contactless measurement of a size, such as the diameter, of small and medium sized objects, such as wires, bars or tubes, even in movement, which comprises a light beam generator (1), two light beam deflector elements (2, 4) located opposite each other, a measuring region (3), an enlarging lens (5), a light beam splitting device (6). The light beam is split into two parts to form two separate images of the object (14) to be measured, being perceived by two linear image sensors (7.1, 7.2) and processed by two electronic circuits (8.1 and 8.2) and by an electronic processing component (9).
US09958250B2
A method and an arrangement is provided for determining the location and/or speed of an object configured to move along a controlled trajectory, in connection with which object is fitted a measuring device measuring at least the magnetic field acting on the object in its different locations, which measuring device comprises a device configured to measure the magnetic field, from the measuring data received from which device a magnetic footprint describing the magnetic field acting on the object in its different locations is formed, which magnetic footprint is recorded in connection with a teaching run, or with self-learning, for later use. The location of the object after a teaching run is determined by measuring in essentially real-time in the direction of the three coordinates X, Y, Z of the magnetic field acting on the object moving along a controlled trajectory and by comparing the measurement results to a magnetic footprint recorded in advance and also by deducing as a result of the comparison the exact location of the object on its path of travel.
US09958248B2
A high spot material gauging device applies high spot detection material in multiple depths to provide a basis for correctly determining a depth of material to be removed to produce a planar surface. The device includes a block having a planar first face. Each of a plurality of channels extends into the first face of the block. Each channel has a planar bottom surface parallel to the face of the block. The bottom surface of each channel is a unique respective depth measured transversely from the face of the block such that each channel is configured for applying a unique thickness of high spot material onto a planar control surface.
US09958235B2
Adjusting apparatus for setting a rifle scope, and rifle scope equipped with the adjusting apparatus
An adjusting apparatus for setting a rifle scope has a manually actuable adjusting element which is mounted such that it can be rotated about a rotational axis relative to a base. A latching device is arranged between the base and the adjusting element and has latching depressions which are distributed about the rotational axis over the circumference. A first latching element lies opposite one of the latching depressions and is dependent on the rotary position of the adjusting element relative to the base. A locking device has a manually actuable locking element which can be moved from a released position into a locked position, the locking element being coupled to the first latching element via an actuating drive. The first latching element is fixed in the latching depression which lies opposite in each case in the locked position by means of the actuating drive.
US09958228B2
Disclosed herein are apparatuses, systems, methods, and machine readable media for activating a portable camera in response to the activity of a firearm, and for implementing and using a system for identifying an individual who discharged a firearm, and for recording, assessing, identifying, and transmitting information related to the firing of a firearm, and for monitoring the status of an implement at a mount, and for using a charging device for delivering electrical power to components of a firearm. A communications channel may be established between a firearm telematics sensor and a video camera, sometimes by means of intermediary devices. A communications channel may be established between a mount (e.g., holster) telematics device and local and/or remote monitoring service components, sometimes by means of intermediary devices. When the telematics sensor detects that its associated firearm is removed from its holster, or in motion, or being discharged, it may signal the camera to initiate recording. When the telematics device detects that its associated firearm is removed from its holster, the change in status can be reported to the local and/or remote system.
US09958215B2
A heat transfer surface for a heat exchanger has a corrugated member having parallel spaced apart ridges and planar fin surfaces extending the ridges. Tabs are formed in the planar fin surfaces for forming counter-rotating vortices in the fluid flowing over the heat transfer surface, the tabs being lifted out of the surface of the planar fin surface and extending into or nesting within the openings formed by the corresponding tabs in the adjacent planar fin surface so as to achieve high fin density.
US09958209B2
A permanent magnet-type molten metal stirring device includes: a support body that can suppress heat transfer from molten metal; a magnetic field unit provided above the support body and including a permanent magnet allowing magnetic force lines to vertically extend in the molten metal; and a drive unit provided below the support body and driving the molten metal with an electromagnetic force generated by the magnetic force lines and current allowed to flow through the molten metal by the drive unit. The drive unit includes: a cylindrical drive main body mounted on a lower portion of the support body and including a passage formed therein and laterally extending in a longitudinal direction, and a pair of electrodes provided at positions opposed to each other along a width direction via the passage, the pair of electrodes allowing current intersecting the magnetic lines of force in the molten metal.
US09958208B2
Control process for a furnace for baking carbon anodes comprising: longitudinal hollow partitions in each of which a flow of hot baking gas may circulate, hollow partitions together defining cells to receive the anodes to be baked, and a heating system rotating in relation to the hollow partitions comprising an upstream blowing ramp blowing air into the various partitions, a downstream suction ramp sucking gas from the various partitions and at least one heating ramp. This process comprises a natural pre-heating phase of the partitions and anodes which release combustible, volatile matter which burns inside the hollow partitions as a degassing in a natural pre-heating zone of the furnace downstream of the heating ramp. According to the invention, gas flows circulating in the hollow partitions are modified so as to control gas flows passing through a first natural pre-heating zone from gas flows leaving a second natural pre-heating zone to control the location of the degassing front.
US09958204B2
A system for treating objects includes a device for tempering objects in which a tempering tunnel having at least one air outlet and at least one air inlet is arranged in a housing. At least one heating unit, in which a hot primary gas flow can be generated, is assigned to the tempering tunnel, wherein the hot primary gas can be guided into a circulating air heat exchanger, in which air from the tempering tunnel can be heated by hot primary gas as circulating air, which can be fed back to the tempering tunnel in a circuit via the at least one air inlet. The heating unit is coupled in the manner of a combined heating and power plant to an electric generator in such a way that electrical energy is produced during operation of the heating unit.
US09958187B2
An active cooler having an insulated five sided box having an inner chamber, the box has an openable lid hingedly attached to the upper edge of the box, a temperature sensor in the inner chamber for detecting temperature readings of the inner chamber when the lid is closed, a peltier cooling element operably engaged to the inner chamber to remove heat, a voltage regulator operably connected to the sensor to change the cooling element in response to temperature readings from the sensor, and a wireless transmitter connected to the temperature sensor for transmission of temperature readings and detection of pre-determined temperatures. The cooler may also have a program that is operated by an onboard computer to generate temperature and time related data, transmit the data via cell phone, internet, or local area and interact with hand held devices via specialized application software.
US09958180B2
In some embodiments, security and/or automation systems, collectively referred to as automation systems, may offer a user the comforts of automatically controlling HVAC settings based at least in part on an alarm. The automation system may provide automatically meet desired HVAC conditions at select times and provide a more comfortable living situation. In some embodiments, the increased comfort level may enable or ease household activities. For example, if a person sleeps with a cooler temperature, it may be harder for the person to get out of bed. But an automated HVAC system may adjust the temperature such that when a person desires to wake up, the temperature is comfortable and may ease a transition from day to night.
US09958172B2
One aspect provides a dehumidifier that has a dehumidifying circuit and includes an evaporator, a first portion of a condensing circuit, and a first blower configured to direct a first air stream along a first flow path and through the evaporator and the first portion of the condensing circuit, for reducing the humidity of the first air stream. The dehumidifier also comprises a heat removing circuit, comprising a second blower configured to direct a second air stream along a second flow path and through a second portion of the condensing circuit for removing heat from the second portion of the condensing circuit. The first and second condensing circuits are fluidly coupled.
US09958165B2
A home appliance with maintop gas control includes a gas control apparatus including a pressure regulator for receiving gas from a gas facility and distributing gas within the home appliance, the pressure regulator defining a gas conduit having a gas inlet, at least one gas outlet, and a valve disposed intermediate the gas inlet and at least one gas outlet, the valve including a valve stem configured for movement along an axis to open and close the valve; and a valve actuator including a drive element disposed remotely from the valve, the drive element being a rotary drive element operatively engaged with the valve stem for moving the valve between an open position and a closed position; and a mechanical link assembly disposed intermediate the valve stem and the drive element for converting rotary movement of the drive element into linear movement of the valve stem.
US09958155B1
A regenerative thermal oxidizer purifies a polluted gas by oxidizing a volatile organic compound (VOC) contained in the polluted gas at a high temperature by using an amount of heat of the polluted gas.
US09958153B2
In a low NOx boiler of the present invention, a high-temperature reductive combustion zone is provided to an upper portion of a rectangular combustion chamber, and a second-step combustion zone is provided to a middle stage of the combustion chamber. A wall provided below the second-step combustion zone is tapered to narrow the combustion chamber, with a taper angle of approximately 35° or so, relative to a vertical line. An ash discharge port is provided to a furnace bottom portion, and a gas outlet port communicated with a rear pass is provided to a lower side face of the second-step combustion zone. This rear pass is connected with a further post-treatment step, via a super-heater tube and an economizer.
US09958139B2
An illumination apparatus which uses laser light emitted by a light source is provided. The illumination apparatus includes a housing which is tubular, internally includes an optical path for the laser light, and includes a first end surface having an opening through which the laser light passing through the optical path is released. A light emitter is opposed to the opening, receives the laser light released through the opening, converts the laser light into light having a different wavelength of a predetermined color, and emits the light. A cap is removably attached to a first end portion of the housing and through which the light emitted by the light emitter is released. A shutter opens the optical path when the cap is attached to the housing and closes the optical path when the cap is detached from the housing.
US09958129B2
The invention relates to an optical module comprising a radiator having one or more heat dissipation surfaces, a fan capable of conveying air onto the heat dissipation surface, and a light source supported by the radiator. The principle characteristic of a module according to the invention is the radiator is formed from folded metal sheets, the fan being secured to the radiator by securing means provided in the folded metal sheet.
US09958126B2
A laser headlight optical module is disclosed herein and comprises a laser light source, a convex lens, a substrate, a mirror set, supporting rods, and a driving member. The laser light source generates a laser light and the convex lens is located at a transmitting path of the laser light generated from the laser light source and configured to focus the laser light. Yellow fluorescent powders are coated on the substrate. The mirror set is located at a transmitting path of the laser light reflected from the substrate with the phosphor layer. The supporting rods are located behind the mirror set to support the mirror set. The driving member is located behind the mirror set and connected with the supporting rods. The driving member drives the supporting rods to change a light reflective surface of the mirror set to vary an optical field.
US09958117B2
The invention relates to a tube (42) for a semiconductor tubular lamp (41), which tube has at least one holding projection for holding at least one printed circuit board (5) on the inside of the tube, wherein the tube (42) is a glass tube, and the at least one holding projection is an inwardly bulging, reshaped burling region (43-46) of the tube (42). A semiconductor tubular lamp (41) has a tube (42) and at least one printed circuit board (5) fitted with a semiconductor light source (6), which is accommodated in the tube (42) and is held transversely to a longitudinal direction (L) of the tube (42) by means of at least one burling region (43-46) in a form-fitted manner. A method serves to produce a tube (42), wherein the tube (42) is provided, locally heated, and pressed inwardly at the at least one locally heated point for generating the at least one burling area (43-46). The invention is in particular applicable to LED retrofit lamps for fluorescent lamps, in particular for replacing conventional tube lamps or flashlights of type T5 or T8.
US09958106B2
The present invention relates to an insulating material protective cover for a valve unit. The insulating material protective cover for a valve unit, according to the present invention, comprises: a first split body including a first plate, first finishing chassis respectively coupled to both end portions of the first plate in the widthwise direction, and second plates perpendicular to the first plate and respectively coupled thereto; a second split body including a third plate, second finishing chassis respectively coupled to both end portions of the third plate in the widthwise direction, and fourth plates perpendicular to the third plate and respectively coupled thereto; and a third split body including a fifth plate, a second finishing chassis coupled to a first end portion of the fifth plate in the widthwise direction, a first finishing chassis coupled to a second end portion of the fifth plate in the widthwise direction, and a sixth plate perpendicular to the fifth plate and coupled thereto.
US09958103B1
The present invention includes an inner anticorrosive and abrasive resistant coating (10) for steel pipes (1) used for the transport of fluids. The coating includes: a layer of epoxy resin (2) having free hydroxyl groups, which are applied directly to the inside 1a of the steel pipe (1); a layer of thermoplastic adhesive (3) applied directly onto the layer of epoxy resin; and a layer of 12-Aminododecanoic acid lactam with the formula (C12H23NO), which is applied directly onto the layer of adhesive.
US09958094B2
A method and system certifies a joint between a first threaded element having a first shoulder and a second threaded element having a second shoulder and the equipment used to tighten the connection. The method tightens to a first position at which the first shoulder abuts the second shoulder. Marks are made that are aligned across the first element and the second element corresponding to the first position. The connection is loosened and then tightened to a second position complying with a predetermined tightening specification. The distance beyond the marks for the first position is measured to verify that it is within acceptable tolerances. If acceptable the connection and/or the tightening equipment can be certified.
US09958093B2
Provided is a flexible hose assembly having a flexible tube for conveying fuel through a first fuel passage formed interiorly of the flexible tube and a flexible hose surrounding the flexible tube and forming therewith a second fuel passage. The flexible tube provides internal support for the flexible hose while also allowing for flow of fuel through the second fuel passage and the fuel passages are separate from one another along a length of the flexible hose assembly. When one of the fuel passages is in a low flow or no flow condition, fuel flowing through the other of the fuel passages acts to cool the fuel passage in the low flow or no flow condition to prevent stagnant fuel in the passage from heating up and coking.
US09958092B2
In a diaphragm bellows, diaphragms that follow one another are welded together alternately in region of their inner and outer edges. At least one guide part is provided for guiding on a surface of a rod passing through an inner through-opening in the diaphragm bellows or of a tube surrounding the diaphragm bellows. The at least one guide part is made of sheet metal and has a holding portion which, in the case of guiding on a rod, is located, in a region of an outer edge, between adjacent diaphragms and is welded to the adjacent diaphragms and, in the case of guiding on a tube, is located, in the region of an inner edge, between adjacent diaphragms and is welded to the adjacent diaphragms. The holding portion is connected to a guide portion for guiding on the surface of the rod or of the tube.
US09958091B1
A corrugated pipe includes a corrugated pipe body circumscribing a hollow conduit and including alternating ribs and valleys extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end thereof. An electrically conductive wire is embedded in the corrugated pipe body, so that the wire spans adjacent ribs and valleys and extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis between the first and second ends.
US09958085B2
A motion conversion device including a body, a first double-acting cylinder movable along a first axis and a second double-acting cylinder movable along a second axis angled relative to the first axis. The body includes several bores which form a closed circuit and house the first and second double-acting cylinders. Movement of the first double-acting cylinder along the first axis hydraulically or pneumatically pushes the second double-acting cylinder along the second axis. Also disclosed is a valve incorporating a motion conversion device with angled double-acting cylinders for moving a closure member between an open position and a closed position, and a method for opening and closing a valve by way of angled double-acting cylinders.
US09958079B2
A device for a plumbing installation, the device, for example, may be a valve, such as valve (1), or a fluid flow meter (6), and has a casing (10) that is hydraulically formed from metal tubing so as to have a wall surrounding a void interior. The casing (10) is provided with one or more formations, such as shoulders (64) and (65) and at least one inlet opening (14) and at least one outlet opening (18). A cartridge (12) is at least partly located in the void interior of the casing (10). The cartridge (12) has at least two openings, being a first opening (20) and a second opening (22). Seals (46), (48) and (50) are provided between the casing (10) and the cartridge (12). The cartridge (12) is accommodated in the casing (10) by the one or more formations of the casing (10). The cartridge (12) is provided with the operational components of the device (1). The inlet opening (14) of the casing (10) and the first opening (20) of the cartridge (12) are in fluid communication. Similarly, the second opening (22), of the cartridge (12) and the outlet opening (18) of the casing (10) are in fluid communication. A fluid flow path is thereby created through the device (1) from the inlet opening (14) of the casing (10), through the cartridge (12), to the outlet opening (18) of the casing (10).
US09958077B2
A gas purge valve (20) comprising a housing (22) configured with float chamber (40) extending between a fluid inlet port (36) and a fluid outlet port (38), the float chamber accommodating a float-activated valve assembly (50) axially displaceable within the float chamber. The valve assembly comprising at least a kinetic sealing component (54) being axially displaceable within the housing between at least a closed position sealingly engaging a sealing seat (48) of the fluid outlet port, and an open position in which it is disengaged from the sealing seat. The fluid inlet port is in flow communication with the float chamber through a fluid inlet path configured with a fluid flow regulator (100) configured with a fluid discharge flow path (102). The arrangement is such that the minimal diameter of the fluid discharge flow path is greater than the diameter of at least a lower portion of the valve assembly.
US09958058B2
The bar-end electric actuation device of a bicycle gearshift, comprising a body suitable for being mounted at an end of handlebars facing forwards in the direction of travel (X) of the bicycle and a first and a second electric actuation member acting on respective electrical contacts which are mounted in the body and are suitable for controlling gearshifting, upwards and downwards respectively. The first and the second electric actuation member are faced by said body according to a respective facing direction, angularly spaced apart by an angle (α) that is between 60° and 130°. Moreover, the body is suitable for being positioned externally around the end of the handlebars, leaving free access to the inside of the end itself.
US09958054B2
A transmission has a float level sensor in a fluid sump of the transmission case. A shield having a first panel and a second panel connected to and generally perpendicular with the first panel. The first panel cooperates with a first wall of the transmission case in the sump. The second panel cooperates with a second wall and a bottom wall of the transmission case in the sump. The first and second panels are adapted to cooperate with the first wall, the second wall, and the bottom wall of the transmission case to form a generally stagnant well within the fluid sump surrounding the fluid level sensor to decrease fluid motion adjacent to the sensor. The generally stagnant well and the sump are in fluid communication with one another.
US09958052B2
A system includes a gear unit, the gear unit including at least one housing cover, a sensor unit, on which sensors are provided, being provided on the housing cover, the sensors being connected at least electrically to an evaluation unit.
US09958050B2
A belt pulley for a gear mechanism, in particular for a steering gear, having a cylindrical body having an outer surface on which a toothing made of a plastic material is provided, and a fastening flange which is provided with fastening openings, is characterized in that the toothing is configured integrally with the cylindrical body.
US09958035B2
A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle, the planetary gear train may include an input shaft receiving power from an engine, an output shaft outputting shifted power of the engine, a first planetary gear set including first, second, and third rotating elements, a second planetary gear set including fourth, fifth, and sixth rotating elements, a third planetary gear set including seventh, eighth, and ninth rotating elements, a fourth planetary gear set including tenth, eleventh, and twelfth rotating elements, and six control elements which are disposed at positions where at least one of the rotating elements is selectively connectable with another of the rotating elements or disposed at positions where rotating elements are selectively connectable to a transmission housing.
US09958033B1
A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle provides at least ten forward speeds and one reverse speed by operating rotational elements of five planetary gear sets by controlling three clutches and three brakes. The planetary gear train further includes input and output shafts, and nine shafts. In particular, two shafts selected from the nine shafts are selectively connected to a transmission housing via the corresponding brakes, and also respectively connected to a corresponding rotation element of third and fourth planetary gear sets that is unconnected to another rotational element selected from the rotational elements of the five planetary gear sets.
US09958025B2
A structure for attaching a cooling fan includes: a fan attachment plate interposed between a ventilation cover of a servomotor and the cooling fan and having a cut-out hole; and a tubular vibration-proof member supported by the cut-out hole of the fan attachment plate and fixed to the ventilation cover.
US09958015B2
A rolling-element telescoping shaft assembly for connecting a driveshaft and transmitting a torque includes an outer shaft member extending along a longitudinal axis and defines an interior bore and inner surface. An inner shaft member is at least partially disposed within the bore and telescopically moveable relative thereto along the axis and defines an outer surface. Rolling-element outer grooves are arranged in the inner surface, distributed around the axis, and functional (i.e., used for transmitting a torque). Outer recesses are defined between the outer grooves and define a shorter distance between adjacent torque-transmitting outer grooves. Rolling-element inner grooves are defined on the outer surface and distributed around the axis. Rolling elements are rollingly arranged in the outer and inner grooves and rollingly engage the outer and inner shaft members during telescoping movement of the shaft assembly to reduce friction therebetween.
US09958010B2
A sliding component, which can seal and lubricate at the same time by reducing the amount of leakage of sealed fluid further while preventing torque increase and local wear, is characterized in that an extremely shallow step of circular shape is provided on a sealing face of one of a pair of sliding parts that slide against each other in such a way that the step is positioned on the low-pressure fluid side (atmosphere side) of this sealing face and also set lower than the sealing face, and that pumping grooves acting to push back toward the high-pressure fluid side (sealed fluid side) the fluid that tends to leak from the sealing face toward the low-pressure fluid side (atmosphere side) are provided on the surface of the extremely shallow step.
US09958005B2
An oil-lubricated bearing device comprises: a rolling bearing including an inner ring, an outer ring, rolling bodies, and a holder; a tapered member; a lubricant storage disposed on a side provided with the tapered member with respect to the inner ring; and a contact portion. The holder includes pockets each formed with outer and inner ring side openings and configured to hold a corresponding one of the rolling bodies, a lubricant scraping portion formed at an inner peripheral surface of each of the pockets and configured to scrape lubricant adhering to a surface of each of the rolling body, and a second inclined surface formed at an outer peripheral surface portion of the holder adjacent to the outer ring side opening and rising with a slope toward the lubricant storage.
US09958002B2
A dust-proof safety hook contains: a body, a connection shaft, a returning element, a housing sleeve, a resilient element, a rotary sheath, and a positioning bolt. The body includes an accommodation space, an opening, a first segment, and a second segment. The connection shaft includes a first part and a second part, and the returning element is mounted between the body and the connection shaft. The housing sleeve includes a slot which has a limiting portion and two notches. The resilient element is fitted with the connection shaft, and the rotary sheath includes a through orifice and a cut. The positioning bolt is inserted into the through orifice of the rotary sheath and the limiting portion of the slot of the housing sleeve, such that the rotary sheath moves along the slot of the housing sleeve by way of the positioning bolt.
US09958001B2
An elastic press-lock structure has a ring-shaped member and a connection assembly. The ring-shaped member is defined an elongated hole. The connection assembly is passed through the elongated hole of the ring-shaped member and detachably connected with the ring-shaped member. The connection assembly is pressed with a pressing force to deflect toward a first direction with an axle which is a predetermined position of the elongated hole so that the connection assembly is limited by the ring-shaped member which is deformed and the then the connection assembly is reset toward a second direction opposite to the first direction by a restoring force generated by the connection assembly while the pressing force is released.
US09957998B2
A hardware apparatus includes a washer/nut member and a cap. The washer/nut member includes a plurality of outer surfaces disposed in a hexagonal shape, an inner cylindrical surface disposed radially internal to the plurality of outer surfaces, an intermediate cylindrical surface disposed radially between the plurality of outer surfaces and the inner cylindrical surface, and an annular surface disposed radially between the inner cylindrical surface and the intermediate cylindrical surface. The cap is disposed within the intermediate cylindrical surface, and the inner cylindrical surface is configured to contact a shaft portion of a bolt and the annular surface is configured to contact a head portion of the bolt.
US09957995B2
The invention relates to a power-operated tightening nut (1) for axially tightening a fastening bolt, using an adjusting system (1) for adjusting the tightening force acting on the fastening bolt (2). The invention further provides an integrated display (24) for displaying the tightening force acting on the fastening bolt (2).
US09957994B2
A screw includes a shank, a first thread, and a second thread. The shank includes a screw-in portion, a head portion, and a straight rod portion between the screw-in portion and the head portion. The first thread surrounds the shank spirally and includes an upper thread portion formed around the straight rod portion, a lower thread portion formed around the screw-in portion, and a middle thread portion continuously connected between the upper and lower thread portions. A plurality of serrate cutting teeth is provided on the middle thread portion of the first thread. The second thread is helically formed around the screw-in portion of the shank and includes a plurality of thread convolutions spaced from thread convolutions of the lower thread portion of the first thread. The screw can be quickly driven into articles to be joined without degradation of binding capacity between the screw and the articles.
US09957993B2
A screw recess and driver combination that comprises the use of varying frustums of differing cones to provide driver/recess contact faces that are elliptical.
US09957989B2
A swivel nut assembly is configured to adaptively secure a first component to a second component. The swivel nut assembly includes a socket nut including a first portion having a first internal threading, and a second portion defining a swivel chamber. A swivel connector includes a ball having a first external threading. The swivel connector is moved into the swivel chamber via the first external threading threadably engaging the first internal threading to move the ball into the swivel chamber. The ball is rotationally captured within the swivel chamber after the ball is moved into the swivel chamber.
US09957976B2
There is presented a casing arrangement for a gas turbine engine. The casing arrangement includes a plurality of tip treatment bars extending between a pair of spaced-apart annular supports, with each tip treatment bar being elongate and supported at each end by a respective support such that each end of the bar is received within an opening formed in the respective support. At least the ends of each tip treatment bar are tapered in transverse cross-section so as to have a wedge-shaped profile, and the openings in the supports have a complementary tapered shape for receipt and retention of the bar ends therein.
US09957975B2
Provided is an improved architecture for rotary kinetic fluid motors and pumps, in which working fluid gains or loses pressure by flowing through an alternating sequence of radial-flow impellers and radial-flow fluid vortices, the impellers and fluid vortices all rotating around a single axis and in a common direction at staggered speeds, each vortex being the product of rotating fluid that is flowing radially through a bladeless annular volume.
US09957967B2
A direct-current fan control chip comprises a magnetoresistive sensor, a controller, a driver and a substrate. The magnetoresistive sensor, the controller and the driver are integrated on the substrate. The sensing direction of the magnetoresistive sensor is perpendicular to or parallel to the surface of the direct-current fan control chip. The magnetoresistive sensor provides the controller with a rotor position signal, a rotor speed signal, and rotor a rotation direction signal for the controller. The controller outputs a control signal to the driver according to the received signals. After receiving the control signals, the driver outputs a drive signal. This control chip has the advantages of good temperature stability, good frequency response and so on.
US09957965B2
A fan includes a motor part, an impeller fixed to the motor part, a housing, and a first circuit board mounted with electronic components. The motor part includes an armature having coils, and a second circuit board connected to the coils and the first circuit board. The housing surrounds outer peripheries of the motor part and the impeller. The housing includes an intake port which is an upper opening of the housing, an exhaust port which is a lower opening of the housing, a flange portion enlarged radially outward from an outer circumferential surface of the housing, and a circuit board fixing portion protruding from the outer circumferential surface and making contact with the first circuit board. The first circuit board is disposed spaced apart from the outer circumferential surface, positioned radially inward of a radial outer edge of the flange portion, and arranged to extend in an axial direction.
US09957964B2
An article of manufacture having a nominal airfoil profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z set forth in a scalable TABLE 1, wherein the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z are non-dimensional values convertible to dimensional distances by multiplying the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z by a number, and wherein X and Y are coordinates which, when connected by continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each Z height, the airfoil profile sections at each Z height being joined with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
US09957963B2
Scroll members for scroll compressors made from one or more near-net shaped powder metal processes, either wholly or partially fabricated together from sections. In certain variations, the involute scroll portion of the scroll member has a modified terminal end region. The terminal end region may include an as-sintered coupling feature comprising a tip component that forms a contact surface for contacting an opposing scroll member during compressor operation. The tip component can be a tip seal or a tip cap received by the as-sintered coupling feature. The tip cap may be sinter-bonded or otherwise coupled to the terminal end region. In other variations, a terminal end region may comprise a second material including a tribological material that forms a contact surface. Methods of making such scroll members for scroll compressors are also provided.
