US09017039B2
The rotational frequency of a variable speed motor is set to a normal rotational frequency setting value (N1). A pressure variation range (ΔP) is detected based on a pressure detection value P, of a variable displacement pump, detected by a pressure detector. It is determined whether a determination that the detected pressure variation range (ΔP) is less than or equal to a pressure maintained state detection level (L1) has been continuously given for a period indicated by a timer setting value (T1). If the determination that the detected pressure variation range (ΔP) is less than or equal to the pressure maintained state detection level (L1) has been continuously given for the predetermined period, then it is detected that the current state is a pressure maintained state, and the rotational frequency of the variable speed motor is switched from the normal rotational frequency setting value N1 to a pressure maintaining rotational frequency setting value (N2(
US09017032B2
A rotor, such as a fan of a gas turbine engine, comprises blades 2 and annulus fillers 4 which extend between adjacent blades 2. Gaps 22 between each blade 2 and the adjacent annulus fillers 4 are sealed by sealing elements 8. The sealing elements 8 fit closely around the profile of the blade 2 and have annulus filler sealing surfaces 18 for sealing contact with the annulus fillers 4. The sealing elements 8 have low-friction blade sealing surfaces 12 so that, when the fan is rotating, centrifugal loading displaces the sealing elements 8 radially outwardly so that the annulus filler sealing surface 18 make sealing contact with the annulus fillers 4.
US09017030B2
A turbine engine airfoil structure including an airfoil adapted to extend across a gas passage, and a platform structure defining an endwall located at one end of the airfoil and positioned at a location forming a boundary of the gas passage. A saddle portion is associated with at least one airfoil surface of the airfoil, the saddle portion defining a contour having a first radially outer edge located on the at least one airfoil surface and a second radially inner edge located radially inwardly from the radially outer edge. The contour includes a curvature in a plane extending generally perpendicular to the at least one airfoil surface and passing through the saddle portion, the curvature being radially spaced from the endwall and defining an apex located between the radially outer and inner edges of the saddle portion.
US09017024B2
A method of restoring a gas turbine engine component includes repairing a turbine airfoil along a chordwidth dimension to rebuild a trailing edge of the turbine airfoil to near original dimensions. An eroded portion of the trailing edge of the turbine airfoil is removed and a filler material is deposited onto the trailing edge to produce a laser cladding. During the laser cladding process, a barrier member is inserted into a slot that extends through the trailing edge to prevent filler material from entering the slot and to act as a heat sink to remove heat from the trailing edge during the laser cladding process.
US09017023B2
An electronic device comprises a back plate, a fan and a coupling element. The fan includes a supporting base, a cover and a fan blade. The cover is disposed on the supporting base to form a fan blade accommodating space, the fan blade is disposed inside the accommodating space and is pivotally connected to the supporting base. In addition, the supporting base includes a coupling hole which is disposed inside the accommodating space. The coupling element passes through the coupling hole in order to have the supporting base installed on the back plate. Whereby, a bottom area of the fan is reduced by having both the coupling hole and the fan blade disposed inside the accommodating space, so that less space of circuit layout for a circuit board is occupied by the fan.
US09017021B2
An aeroengine fan casing is made of composite material including fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix. The casing is secured to at least one ring or ring sector that is situated on the inside face of the casing and that is mechanically connected to an equipment fastener part that is situated on the outside face of the casing, in particular for fastening an accessory gearbox.
US09017020B2
In order to increase the flexibility of the positioning of a stacked computer system within a data center, a removable fan unit is positioned within the stacked computer system. The removable fan unit includes a housing and a fan housing rotatably attached to the housing. The fan housing supports a fan that is electrically connected to a connector on a side of the housing of the removable fan unit. The connector of the removable fan unit may be electrically connected to a computer system-side connector. The fan housing may be rotated into at least two different orientations relative to the housing of the removable fan unit, such that the removable fan unit moves air through the stacked computer system in at least two corresponding directions.
US09017011B2
A blower having a blower housing having a cutoff and a top portion with an air outlet opening, a fan within the blower housing, the fan being adapted for rotation about a fan axis and having an outer diameter with a distance between the outer diameter of the fan and the top portion of the air outlet opening extending along a vertical line between the fan axis and the air outlet opening being less than seventy-five percent of the distance between the outer diameter of the fan and the cutoff of the blower housing extending along a line between the fan axis and the cutoff, and a motor having a stator and a rotor, the rotor being rotatably coupled to the stator for rotation about the fan axis, the rotor and fan being coupled such that the fan rotates with the rotor.
US09017006B2
Mobile apparatus, comprising a main frame (202) displaceable on displacing means; a sub-frame (203) which is rotatable around a vertical axis and which is mounted on the main frame and provided with a control unit; at least one operating arm (210) mounted on the sub-frame and an automatically movable lifting device provided on the main frame, which lifting device is adapted to be connectable to an agricultural attachment.
US09017004B1
A collapsible loading and transporting rack system for transporting a first vehicle on a second vehicle equipped with side rails. The system has a plurality of attachment rails, a plurality of support beams, a plurality of platform members, and a plurality of generally rectangular planar ramps. The rail bottom surface sets on top of a horizontal top surface, and the rail inside surface sets against a vertical inside surface of a side rail of a vehicle so equipped. The side stop tie down projects horizontally out and away from the horizontal attachment rail for securing the ramp in a horizontal position. The side stop tie down is an attachment point for securing a vehicle to the system.
US09016995B1
A fastener includes a cylindrical shaft, a screw head located at an uppermost portion of the cylindrical shaft and comprising a tool indentation therein, a threaded portion on the cylindrical shaft comprising a plurality of external threads, and a countersinking portion located between the threaded portion and the screw head and comprising a cutting section. The countersink portion is tapered from a first diameter equal to a diameter of the threaded portion to a second diameter that is equal to or larger than a diameter or a maximum width of the screw head. The countersinking portion is configured to form a countersink hole in a receiving material as the fastener is rotated and forced into the receiving material.
US09016989B2
A protective cap for a trailing edge of a rotor blade of a wind turbine for use during transportation, handling, or maintenance of the rotor blade is disclosed. The protective cap includes a body having a first leg, a second leg, and a cap member. The cap member connects the first and second legs. Further, the cap member may be configured to cover at least a portion of a trailing edge of the rotor blade and may be configured to provide a gap between an inner surface of the protective cap and the trailing edge. In addition, the first and second legs may resiliently engage the rotor blade.
US09016984B1
An underpinning pile assembly has a first pile with an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a second pile having a first portion and a second portion in which the first portion has an outer diameter less than an outer diameter of the second portion, and a ring affixed around the first portion of the second steel pipe. The ring has an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the second portion of the second steel pipe. The ring is releasably positioned over the first portion of the second steel pipe. A cable is affixed within an interior of the first steel pipe so as to extend through the interior of the second steel pipe. A plurality of additional steel pipes can be arranged in stacked relation upon an end of the second steel pipe opposite the first steel pipe.
US09016982B2
A system for recirculating lock water includes a sealable storage area located near a lock for receiving water from the lock. The storage area is large enough to house the lock water with excess space between a maximum water level and the ceiling. The system also includes at least one compressor connected to the storage area to create a vacuum to withdraw the water from the lock into the storage area.
US09016978B2
A method of repairing cracks in a paved surface includes identifying at least one crack in the surface that needs to be repaired. The crack is then filled with an asphalt sealer including approximately 40-55% by weight of slag sand.
US09016972B2
A structural frame assembly is provided that includes mechanically interlocking components. The frame assembly has rails that interconnect with each other at joints that include brackets that engage the rails and nuts that are held in cavities of the rails that are connected to slots that extend through outer surfaces of the rails. Bolts may extend angularly through bores of the bracket and the slots of the rails to operatively engage a nut being held in the cavity. Tightening the bolts may draw the nut angularly through the cavity in a manner that automatically self-aligns the brackets and rails to establish precise joints.
US09016971B2
An elastic suspension hinge for an automobile, to be fastened to a fastening portion of a structure of the automobile via a clamping mechanism including a fastening element, the hinge being of type that includes an inner sleeve. At least one of the ends of the inner sleeve is configured to engage by conical fitting with the free end of a bushing rigidly connected to the fastening portion of the structure and having a longitudinal passage.
US09016970B2
The technology disclosed provides a joint for connecting carrier units together so as to dissipate and absorb axial forces experienced by the carrier units. The joint may be comprised of a joint housing and an elastomeric insert. The housing may be comprised of a body portion and a head portion and the head portion may include an annular flange in which the elastomeric insert is configured to be secured. The elastomeric joint is capable of absorbing and dissipating horizontal, rotational, and vertical forces experienced by the carrier units in non-linear travel along a track.
US09016969B2
A coupling structure between a shift lever and a knob for a vehicle that includes an insert which is formed at a center thereof with an insert aperture and fixed within a knob, and of which a lower end is formed to protrude from the knob to the exterior. A shift lever rod is inserted into and coupled to the insert aperture and a skirt is formed to enclose outer peripheral surfaces of the shift lever rod and the insert. In addition, a plurality of elastic members are formed along the outer peripheral surface of the insert to protrude radially outward toward the knob by a predetermined angle and are formed to be elastically deformed and opened radially outward when the shift lever rod is coupled to the knob.
US09016967B2
Applicators are described suitable for the application of liquid to patient's skin. An applicator pad (3) is supported on a support flange (23) of an applicator housing (2), which receives a liquid cartridge (5). To moderate the rush of liquid on to the back of the applicator pad a flow distributor plate (6) is positioned on the rear position of the pad (3), restricting flow onto the pad to an annular slit opening around the plate (6). The front surface of the plate (6), opposing the pad (3), may have one or more grooves so that liquid can flow from the edge towards the center. Also disclosed, as an alternative, is the use of a projecting cantilevered tongue structure to distribute liquid across the rear surface of the sponge pad. The pad may have a hooked lobe shape for a front end of the applicator pad.
US09016961B2
A camera mount may include a base which may have a bottom portion and a top portion, a pair of opposing sidewalls that may be connected to and may extend upwardly from the base, and a platform that may be attached to the base. The platform may include a platform base, a connector member that may be connected to and may extend upwardly from a medial portion of the platform base, and a pair of opposing mounting walls that may be connected to and may extend upwardly from side portions of the platform base. The base may be adapted to be connected to a portion of footwear and the platform may be adapted to slidably engage a portion of a camera to retain the camera therein.
US09016959B2
The invention relates to an electro-optical connection module, including a housing, at least one printed circuit board provided in the housing, an optical engine provided on the printed circuit board, the optical engine including at least one of a receiver device configured to transform optical signals received into electrical signals and a transmitter device configured to transform electrical signals received into optical signals, an optical engine port, and an electrical engine port, a pluggable optical port, an optical patch cable assembly connecting the optical engine port and the pluggable optical port for optical signal transmission, and a pluggable electrical port connected to the electrical engine port for electrical signal transmission.
US09016957B2
An apparatus includes one or more optoelectronic transducers, driving circuitry, one or more cooling elements, and a light coupling module. The optoelectronic transducers are configured to convert between optical signals conveyed over optical fibers and respective electrical signals. The driving circuitry is configured to process the electrical signals. The cooling elements are configured to remove heat that is produced at least by the driving circuitry. The light coupling module is configured to couple the optical signals between the optical fibers and the optoelectronic transducers, and additionally serves as a baseplate for the cooling elements.
US09016947B2
Provided herein is an apparatus, including a stationary component and a rotatable component; a fluid between the stationary component and the rotatable component; a limiter shoulder of the stationary component; a flanged limiter bushing of the rotatable component; and a separating means for separating the limiter shoulder and the limiter bushing, wherein the separating means comprises the fluid.
US09016945B2
The plastic bag may include flexible thermoplastic sidewalls that have a pattern imparted onto them. The wrinkle pattern may be a plurality of linear ribs formed into the sidewall that may be arranged adjacent and parallel to one another. To impart the pattern to the sidewall, a thermoplastic web used to make the sidewall may be directed between a first cylindrical roller and a second cylindrical roller, each of which may have a plurality of spaced ridges extending about their peripheries. When the web is directed between the first and second rollers, the meshing of the ridges may form ribs into the web.
US09016944B2
A packaging device allowing for the distribution, storage and cooking of various food products, such as perishable or frozen food product(s). The packaging device includes a plurality of micro-perforations that may promote the extended shelf-life of the perishable food product and the maintenance of the quality of the perishable food product or be configured to maintain the integrity of a frozen food product. The packaging device also includes a venting system that allows the cooking of the perishable or frozen food products within the packaging device.
US09016940B2
A mobile patient positioning stand has a vertical rail allowing a shield structure to be moved up and down to different heights based on the height of anatomy of the patient desired to be imaged. The structure may be moved to position a shield of the structure at a height so that anatomy of a patient to be imaged is located within multiple image areas identified by markers on the shield. Then, an image detector holder and detector may be moved up and down to different heights behind the shield, based on the height of the markers. A source of radiation provides images at the multiple image areas. The multiple image areas may be connected by aligning stitching markers that may be on the shield, and are in the images. The aligning may be done by an automated computer software process that recognized patient anatomy and/or the stitching markers.
US09016936B2
A method of calibrating a temperature sensor of a chemical microreactor envisages: determining an airflow along a path in such a way as to cause a thermal exchange between the airflow and a chemical microreactor, which is provided with an on-board temperature sensor and is set along the path; and detecting a temperature in the airflow downstream of the microreactor, in conditions of thermal equilibrium.
US09016935B2
A wristwatch with capacitive touch zones including a case made of a non electrically conductive material, the case including a housing in which a battery is housed and which is closed by an electrically conductive battery cover. The electrically conductive battery cover is mounted on the watch case with interposition of an electrically conductive sealing gasket between the battery cover and the battery.
US09016929B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for mixing and controlling the temperature of laboratory vessel contents with an accommodating device in detachable connection with an exchangeable block for accommodating and controlling the temperature of laboratory vessels and with a drive by which the accommodating device can be set in a mixing motion, and with a temperature control device with a heat source or sink in heat-conducting connection with the exchangeable block at least through in each case at least one adjoining contact face firstly on the accommodating device and secondly on the exchangeable block, which is characterized in that the detachable connection is maintained by a spring element which, by virtue of its spring force, horizontally clamps together a first undercut between the accommodating device and the exchangeable block in at least one first direction.
US09016927B2
A clay mixing apparatus includes a mixing chamber, a rotor arranged within the mixing chamber, a drive unit arranged to rotate the rotor, an ejecting unit, a pressure reducing unit; and an exhaust flow path. The rotor includes a shaft rotated by the drive unit, an extruding member and a mixing member. The mixing member includes a plurality of arms and a plurality of blades arranged at tip ends of the arms. The exhaust opening is opposed, in a radial direction about the center axis, to a portion of the mixing member lying near the extruding member and/or a portion of the extruding member lying near the mixing member.
US09016922B2
An escalator, a moving walkway or an elevator cage includes at least one illuminable transparent panel. The illuminable transparent panel has a construction containing a plurality of layers. The two side surfaces of each layer are bounded in the area dimension thereof by an edge region. The layers of the construction are arranged with the side surfaces against one another. The layer sequence of the construction is defined, wherein a first layer is a first glass pane, a second layer is a first transparent polymer layer, a third layer is a second glass pane, a fourth layer is a transparent polymer material plate containing light-dispersing particles, a fifth layer is a third glass pane, a sixth layer is a second transparent polymer layer and a seventh layer is a fourth glass pane.
US09016921B2
A light emitting diode assembly includes: a light emitting diode (LED) printed circuit board (PCB) having a base layer, an insulating layer on the base layer and a circuit pattern layer on the insulating layer, the LED PCB including a plurality of through holes spaced apart from each other; and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) inserted into the plurality of through holes, respectively, from a bottom surface of the LED PCB, each of the plurality of LEDs including a lead contacting the circuit pattern layer.
US09016920B2
The present disclosure provides a backlight module and a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The backlight module includes a light guide panel (LGP), a lightbar, and a backplane. The LGP is arranged in the backplane, and the lightbar is arranged on a side of the LGP. The backlight module further includes heating devices that heat two opposite ends of the lightbar. When the lightbar operates, the heating devices emit heat to increase operating temperature of the two opposite ends of the lightbar to make the operating temperature of the two opposite ends of the lightbar to be close to or equal to operating temperature of middle of the lightbar.
US09016913B2
An illuminable component having a two-dimensionally extending decorative element which has at least one translucent region and at least one non-translucent region. A lighting source serves to illuminate the at least one translucent region. A light-filtering layer is arranged between the decorative element and the lighting source, the layer being integrally attached to a rear side of the decorative element by injection molding. A structure is provided that completely absorbs and/or scatters light when the lighting source is transported to the specified edge. As a result, leakage light at an edge of the component can be reliably avoided.
US09016910B2
A vehicular trim component with interior and exterior surfaces, the vehicular trim component comprising: an at least partially light-transmissive substrate having opposite first and second surfaces; an illumination source adjacent the second surface of the substrate, the illumination source actuatable between an illuminated state and a non-illuminated state; and a variably light-transmissive layer on the first surface of the substrate. The variably light-transmissive layer includes a non-light-transmissive opaque portion and a light-transmissive portion. The light-transmissive portion comprises one or more lines defined through the opaque portion and arranged to define visually perceptible indicia when backlit by the illumination source in its illuminated state. Each line is visually imperceptible to the naked eye from a distance of at least as close as approximately 3 feet from the trim component when the illumination source is in its non-illuminated state.
US09016908B2
Provided is an illumination device including a light emitting portion including a light source, an intermediate portion connected to the light emitting portion, a supporting portion connected to the intermediate portion and supporting the light emitting portion and the intermediate portion; a connecting portion connecting the light emitting portion and the intermediate portion to be rotatable with respect to each other, and another connecting portion connecting the intermediate portion and the supporting portion to be rotatable with respect to each other. The light emitting portion, the intermediate portion, and the supporting portion connected to the connecting portions may rotate with respect to each other based on the connecting portions to form a three-dimensional (3D) shape, and may be arranged in a single plane when the light emitting portion, the intermediate portion, and the supporting portion are unfolded based on the connecting portions.
US09016895B2
A lighting fixture utilizing light emitting diodes and easily reconfigurable lenses to provide customizable lighting patterns to more efficiently illuminate work or storage areas.
US09016888B2
A to a non-combustible, tactical flash device includes a non-spherical hollow main housing having a plurality of flat surfaces, adapted to hold internal functional components. The internal functional components include: (i.) an externally exposed activation component located on the main housing; (ii.) a power connected to the activation component and to a control chip; (iii.) the control chip also being connected to at least one speaker and at least one light source, the control chip including capabilities for delay of processing of other commands upon initiation of the activation component, and for subsequent processing of other commands including sound delivery to at least one speaker and/or light activation to at least one light source. Optionally, a beacon transmitter may also be included.
US09016884B2
A polarization illumination system 1000a according to the first invention of the present patent application includes an illumination means having light source means 8, polarizing means 10 for receiving and polarizing light emitted from the light source means, a birefringence medium 20 for receiving and double refracting the light emitted from the light source means and transmitted through the polarizing means. Illumination space S to which the light of the illumination means is illuminated has a polarized reflection object 60 that reflects an incident light in a way that the reflected light partly or fully polarized.
US09016875B2
The invention provides for compositions and process for fabricating an optical reflector constructed from biocompatible and bioresorbable silk fibroin proteins. For example, the silk retroreflectors may be built based on millimeter size microprism arrays to rotate the image plane of imaged cortical layers, thus enhancing the amount of photons that are detectable in the reflected direction when inserted in a sample to be analyzed, and ultimately increasing in contrast ratio in multiphoton microscopy. Such device can be used as a label-free, biocompatible, bioresorbable, implantable device for various applications ranging from medical imaging/diagnostics, drug/therapeutic delivery, to food chain safety and environmental monitoring.
US09016874B2
A projector being operated at a working surface is provided. The projector includes a casing, a light source module and a transparent blocking member. The casing has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is adjacent to the working surface and opposite to the second surface. The second surface has an opening. The light source module corresponding to the opening is disposed in the casing. The light source module can be assembled and disassembled through the opening. The transparent blocking member is disposed on the second surface and covers the opening.
US09016865B2
Illumination device includes a light source (101); an illumination optical system (102, 103, 104, 106, 107) that spatially splits each of the plurality of color light beams emitted from the light source, superimposes the split light beams of each of the plurality of color light beams, and emits the superimposed light beams to a display element (110); a reflective polarization plate (109) that is arranged between the illumination optical system (102, 103, 104, 106, 107) and the display element (110) and that transmits first polarized light and reflects second polarized light whose polarization state is different from that of the first polarized light toward the illumination optical system (102, 103, 104, 106, 107); a reflection element (105) that is arranged at a position where each of the plurality of color light beams is spatially split by the illumination optical system and that transmits the split light beams of each of the color light beams and reflects, of the split light beams of each of the color light beams that have been transmitted through the reflective polarization plate (109), each color light beam reflected by the reflective polarization plate toward the reflective polarization plate (109); and a phase plate (108) arranged between the reflection element (105) and the reflective polarization plate (109).
US09016864B2
A projection-type display system includes: a projection-type display apparatus that alternately switches images for the left eye and images for the right eye and projects the images onto an object; and an opening and closing control device that receives a control signal based on the display states of the images projected onto the object by the projection-type display apparatus and controls switching apertures of stereoscopic image viewing glasses corresponding to left and right eyes, wherein the projection-type display apparatus is connected to one end of a LAN cable and the opening and closing control device is connected to the other end of the LAN cable.
US09016856B2
A temple assembly of a pair of eyeglasses is coupled to a frame body without screws. The temple assembly of eyeglasses includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member. The first connecting member includes a lever arm portion and a latching portion extended by the lever arm portion along the direction distal from said frame body. The second connecting member includes an elastic portion and an engaging portion extended by the elastic portion along the direction distal from the frame body; wherein the latching portion detachably coupled to the engaging portion, the elastic portion approached elastically to the lever arm portion. Thereby, an end piece of the frame body is rotatably coupled between the lever arm portion and the elastic portion.
US09016854B2
A mount for spectacles includes a first front frame made of plastic and having respective lens-holding rims with a closed contour, to receive and support lens, and a second frame made of metallic material inserted inside the first frame and solidly fixed thereto, the second frame including respective portions in a closed ring shape and extending respectively along the outline of the corresponding lens-holding rim, the mount being produced by stratification of the plastics material of the first frame on the second frame, by applying at least one sheet of plastic material of the first frame on each of the front and rear opposite surfaces of the second frame. At least one section of the second frame, at the location of each lens-holding rim, has a profile extending longitudinally in a sinuous shape, substantially of serpentine configuration, permitting assembly/disassembly of the lens in the lens-holding rim exclusively by resilient deformation.
US09016849B2
An electromagnetic wave irradiation device includes an irradiator which irradiates electromagnetic waves onto a liquid droplet which has been adhered to a recording medium, an irradiation controller which causes the irradiator to irradiate the electromagnetic waves periodically such that a frequency of an irradiation period in which the electromagnetic waves are irradiated is a predetermined frequency, and a time setting unit which sets a time ratio obtained by dividing a length of an irradiation time by the irradiator in the irradiation period by a length of a termination time during which the electromagnetic waves are not irradiated by the irradiator in the irradiation period to be a value of greater than or equal to 0.2 and less than or equal to 2.
US09016845B2
An ink for an ink-jet recording apparatus contains water, a pigment, a resin, 1,3-propanediol, and an organic solvent. The resin has a weight-average molecular weight of 30,000 to 150,000. The content of the resin is 1.5% to 6.0% by mass with respect to the mass of the ink. The total content (P+Q) of the content of the glycerol (P) and the content of the 1,3-propanediol (Q) in the ink is 15% to 40% by mass with respect to the mass of the ink. The mass ratio (P/Q) is 0.25 to 1.00.
US09016844B2
Method and Apparatus for Reducing Ink Foaming in a Continuous Inkjet Printer The invention provides a method of and apparatus for reducing foam formation in the returned ink in a continuous inkjet printer. The returned ink is subjected to deceleration and is reduced in pressure, preferably by being directed into a sub-chamber which reverses the direction of flow and provides an elevated edge over which the ink overflows. The de-aeration facility is preferably incorporated in an ink service module.
US09016840B2
A liquid storage container (12, 112, 312, 412) is configured to store a liquid suspension (14) having a liquid vehicle (18) and suspended particles (16). The liquid storage container (12, 112, 312, 412) includes vertically stacked stories (30) and at least one shaft (32) interconnecting the stories (30).
US09016836B2
An ink jet printhead device includes a substrate and a plurality of thermal resistors on the substrate. Each thermal resistor includes first and second electrodes and a resistive layer extending therebetween. A polarity-changing driver is coupled to the plurality of thermal resistors and configured to change a driving polarity between the first and second electrodes of each of the plurality of thermal resistors.
US09016835B1
A printhead including a venting system and an actuator array, wherein each actuator may include an actuator air chamber. The venting system includes an air path that vents each actuator air chamber to the atmosphere. The printhead further includes a dryer configured to remove moisture from air within the air path. The dryer may include a passive desiccant, an active resistive heater, or both.
US09016817B2
A printing apparatus that is an inkjet printing apparatus includes a print head that includes a plurality of nozzles that eject liquid droplets, and prints output data onto a recording medium in a plurality of scans, a storage unit including number of storage areas, the number being determined based on a scheme of the scans, an intermediate data generating unit that generates intermediate data corresponding to an image to be output in each of the scans of the print head from input image data, an intermediate data storing processing unit that stores the intermediate data in different storage areas of the storage unit corresponding to the respective scans of the print head, and an output data converting unit that converts the intermediate data stored in the storage unit into the output data, and sends the output data to the print head.
US09016816B2
A method for operating an inkjet printer includes identifying a pattern of ink drops ejected from an inkjet with reference to image data for a printed image, identifying a waveform component for an electrical signal operating the inkjet to eject an ink drop in the pattern of ink drops with reference to at least a portion of the image data, and generating the electrical signal with the identified waveform component to eject the ink drop in the pattern of ink drops at a first velocity onto a first location of an image receiving surface.
US09016813B2
A rack-and-pinion mechanism includes a first rack and a second rack, a first pinion and a second pinion, and a timing bar. Each of the racks includes a first set of teeth provided longitudinally therealong. Each of the first pinion and the second pinion includes a second set of teeth provided circumferentially therearound. The first pinion and the second pinion are configured to rotate along the first rack and the second rack respectively through engagement of the second set of teeth with the first set of teeth. The timing bar includes a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end are configured to be coupled to the first pinion and the second pinion respectively so that the first and second pinions rotate as one. The first pinion is configured to be movable with respect to the timing bar along a longitudinal axis of the timing bar.
US09016812B2
A translatable support mechanism is provided. The translatable support mechanism includes a storage component, a pair of supports, and a pair of gear sets. The pair of supports and the pair of gear sets support the storage component such that the storage component is translatable between an open and closed position along a transverse direction.
US09016804B2
A brake system for a motor vehicle includes on at least one wheel, an electric-regenerative brake and a friction brake that can be hydraulically actuated by a first generator of brake pressure using a fluid, wherein the friction brake can be connected via an actuatable inlet valve to the first generator of brake pressure and via a first actuatable outlet valve to a pressure accumulator, so that a volume of fluid applied by the first generator of brake pressure can be diverted via the first outlet valve into the pressure accumulator. The first generator of brake pressure can be connected to the pressure accumulator via a further hydraulic connection having a second actuatable outlet valve. A method for operating a brake system is also disclosed.
US09016802B2
A bicycle rear hub includes a hub spindle, a drive part, a hub shell and a driving force measuring part. The drive part is rotatably supported on the hub spindle, and configured to receive a driving-force-input member. The hub shell is rotatably supported on the hub spindle and operatively coupled to the drive part for rotation by the drive part on the hub spindle. The driving force measuring part includes a first signal generating mechanism and a second signal generating mechanism. The first signal generating mechanism has a first magnet and a first coil. The second signal generating mechanism has a second magnet and a second coil. The second signal generating mechanism is axially aligned with the first signal generating mechanism in an axial direction of the hub spindle.
US09016794B2
A modular chair includes a lower support portion, a seat portion, and a back portion. The seat portion includes a front area having a retaining member which cooperates with a corresponding cross bar on the lower support portion, and a rear area including one or more slots therein. The back portion includes one or more protrusions, which are received in the slots of the seat portion, so that the seat portion is secured between the cross bar of the lower support portion via the retaining member and the protrusions of the back portion. The back portion is secured to the lower support portion via a latch mechanism accessible to a user.
US09016788B1
A combination lift chair and reclining chair having additional seating and reclining positions is provided with two separate motors and linkages enabling the chair back to be independently placed in various positions and the seat separately movable with the footrest and elevated once the footrest has reached full deployment using the same motor.
US09016786B2
The invention relates to an item of seating furniture comprising a seat, a column, a base, a spring device for cushioning the up and down movement of the seat and a pendulum device for inducing a pendular response of the column by means of the seat, and a device for automatically adjusting the pendular return force in accordance with the weight of a person occupying the seat.
US09016780B2
A seat structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle for an occupant to sit on. The seat structure includes an outer frame portion, left and right frame portions, a seat skin, recessed portions, and a cushion member. The frame portion includes a through-hole formed at least at a seating position for the occupant to sit on. The left and right frame portions are disposed along left and right side surfaces of the vehicle. The seat skin has elasticity and is fixed to the outer frame portion while predetermined tensile force is applied thereto. The seat skin is disposed to cover a portion facing the through-hole. The recessed portions are formed on the left and right frame portions and are recessed toward an inner side in a vehicle width direction. A cushion member is disposed between the left and right frame portions and the seat skin.
US09016764B2
A vehicle cargo bed accessory includes a vehicle cargo area with a bed floor, an accessory attachment track attached to the bed floor, a tailgate and a tailgate gap cover. The tailgate has a first end pivotally attached to a rear of the vehicle cargo area for pivoting movement between a closed position covering the tailgate opening and an open position exposing the tailgate opening. A gap is defined between a rear end of the bed floor and the first end of the tailgate. The tailgate gap cover is coupled to the accessory attachment track proximate the rear end and is movable to pivot between a horizontal orientation with the tailgate in the open position and an upright orientation with the tailgate in the closed position. The tailgate gap cover covers the gap.
US09016761B1
A shield for use in the interior of an automobile, attached on the side window pane or door frame, to prevent the ingress of snow, ice and the like when the driver or passenger opens the door; containing attaching means and an inwardly extended lip therefrom; the lip being positioned in a manner to flexibly contact the overhead or side panel when the automobile door is opened or closed.
US09016760B2
An all-terrain vehicle includes a seat extending in a vehicle width direction and capable of accommodating a driver and at least one passenger, and a door provided on a lateral side of a vehicle body and openable and closable for allowing the driver and the passenger to enter and exit the vehicle. The door is open at an upper part thereof so that in a side view of the vehicle, a face of the driver or passenger is visible from the outside. A top edge of the door has a first region overlapping the driver or the passenger and a second region other than the first region. The top edge is higher at the first region than at the second region.
US09016753B2
A tailgate gap cover is mountable to a vehicle, such as a pickup truck, so as to cover the gap between a truck bed and a tailgate surface. One edge of the gap cover is confined within an elongate mounting rail wherein the mounting rail is crimped at the opposite ends so as to prevent lateral movement of the cover. This mounting rail is secured directly to the truck bed to provide a rigid mount on the truck bed side of the gap. The opposite free edge of the cover overlies the tailgate includes connector formations or fastener structures which releasably snap onto corresponding connector formations or fastener structures on the tailgate.
US09016750B2
A vehicular storage system includes a frame coupled to an interior of a rear of a vehicle and a drawer, which is movably coupled to the frame. The drawer of the system is movable between a stowed position in which most or at least a substantial portion of the drawer is within the rear of the vehicle and a deployed position in which a substantial portion of the drawer is positioned rearward of the vehicle in a manner that makes the contents of the drawer accessible to a user outside of the vehicle. The drawer includes drop rails on opposing sides engageable with a pair of corresponding stationary frame rollers so that the drawer is movable along a path defined by the drop rails relative to the frame rollers of the frame.
US09016748B1
Interior door panel arrangements for motor vehicles are provided herein. In one example, an interior door panel arrangement comprises a door panel wall surrounding an interior volume and defines a door panel with an opening formed through the door panel wall. A storage compartment arrangement is operably coupled to the door panel wall and comprises a storage compartment bin that is configured to be advanced through the opening between a retracted position in the interior volume and an extended position outside of the interior volume.
US09016746B2
A train axle assembly includes a train axle, a ring assembly coaxially mounted on the train axle and a structure operatively engaged by the ring assembly and mounted on the train axle. The ring assembly has an outer diameter and a main section adjacent the outer diameter. The ring assembly includes a projection extending axially from the main section which is located at a diameter less than the outer diameter of the ring assembly. The projection has a portion of a diameter contacting the train axle so that the ring assembly is affixed to the train axle to provide resistance to relative rotation and axial movement between the ring assembly and the train axial.
US09016741B1
A system for lifting a vehicle via multiple slings comprises a vehicle not engineered with structural facility to withstand lifting forces, including a frame which unmodified will deform in response to vertically imposed lifting forces, frame reinforcing elements affixed to the frame at selected locations which are subject to lifting deformation, at least two lifting members at spaced-apart forward frame locations, at least two lifting members at spaced-apart rearward frame locations, and a plurality of elongate slings extending respectively between each lifting member and a common lifting vertex. Each lifting member has an enlarged lower base portion rigidly affixed to the frame and an upper lifting portion. The frame reinforcing elements resist deformation of the frame in response to vertically imposed lifting forces. The enlarged base portions of the lifting members apply forces over a correspondingly enlarged area of the frame and the reinforcing elements without deforming the frame.
US09016740B2
A vacuum-lifting device of variable configurations includes a first slat element, a second slat element, and four suction members. The first slat element is detachably fixed to the second slat element, and the first slat element intersects with the second slat element defining an intersection. A first slot is defined in the first slat element and a second slot is defined in the second slat element. Two of the four suction members are translatably secured in the first slot. The other two of the four suction members are translatably secured in the second slot.
US09016736B1
French doors that include a passive door and an active door are kept closed by a plate on a trim over a French door jamb having a flange at one of the sides. Holes in the plate allow it to be screwed into the trim. The flange retains the passive French door in place, but the screw in the hole over the active door can be removed to allow the plate to pivot about the remaining screw so the plate can be bent upward to allow the passive door to open under the flange.
US09016725B2
A publication including a plurality of pairs of pages, with the pair of pages comprised of a removable page and non-removable page. The removable page has a perforated edge, an adhesive edge opposite the perforated edge and a printable surface. The non-removable page has a printable surface. The pairs of pages are arranged such that alternate pages are removable and can be removed without harming the publication or the non-removable pages. The removable pages can be arranged to form an image larger than the publication itself and removable attached to a surface through the adhesive edge.
US09016717B1
A side curtain-roof airbag for a motor vehicle is provided. The side curtain-roof airbag includes a side chamber, a roof chamber, and a corner chamber located between said side and roof chambers. In addition, the corner chamber is separate from the side and corner chambers when the side curtain-roof airbag is in a deployed position. The corner chamber is separate from the side and roof chambers via a chamber wall. Also, the chamber wall may or may not have a plurality of vents such that the corner chamber is in fluid communication with the side and roof chambers.
US09016712B2
A ski binding device for fastening a boot on a ski is described. The device includes a toepiece and a heelpiece fixed to the ski and structured to selectively retain the boot. The heelpiece includes a turret and a hooking projecting appendix (“HPA”) that juts out from the turret towards the toepiece while remaining substantially parallel to a first reference axis. The HPA includes a latch element insertable through the turret and configured to move forwards and backwards with respect to the turret parallel to the first reference axis. The heelpiece includes a manually-operated command device structured to displace the latch element forwards and backwards on the turret to stably lock the latch element in an advanced position and in a retracted position.
US09016711B1
A trailer having a hitch assembly, intended to be used with a receiver on the towing vehicle, enables the vehicle/trailer pair to back up easily by locking the trailer's orientation relative to the towing vehicle. The vertical pivot axis (yaw) may be locked while the lateral (pitch) and longitudinal axes (roll) may remain free to rotate to allow for bumps and dips in the road. Furthermore a steerable suspension can be provided for many embodiments such as with an actuator receiving a signal from the back up wiring of the vehicle to change the mechanical constraints of the steering system upon receipt of the signal (such as to lock the position of a first tie rod connecting the wheels to the frame while freeing another, and possibly altering the angle of the wheels relative to the frame in the process). Meanwhile a toe-in effect of the wheels can be achieved by using multiple tie rods with a front tie rod bent rearwardly towards a rear tie rod.
US09016705B2
An axel mount for a leaf spring comprises a housing, an aperture, a support, and a mechanical stop. The support runs lengthwise on a shelf of the housing and has a length generally equal to a length of the housing. The mechanical stop is coupled to the support and reduces an amount of vertical deflection allowed to an associated leaf spring. Further, a windup preventer may be coupled to the support that prevents the leaf spring from entering a windup mode.
US09016704B2
Front-axle bracket (1) for motor vehicles, in which in each case two receptacles or recesses (5, 6) for the bearings for the swivel mounting of in each case one of two wheel control elements (7), such as the wishbone or A-arm, and the receptacles (18, 19, 20) for the securing of the front-axle bracket are provided as a premanufactured unit together with preassembled assemblies on the vehicle body, and at least some of the receptacles or recesses listed below for the securing of the steering mechanism (13) the securing of the stabilizer (15) the mounting of a hinged column (14), and the front-axle bracket is produced in the form of a light-metal component which is integral with said receptacles or recesses and connects them to one another.
US09016703B2
A suspension system for a heavy duty truck or trailer is disclosed as having a frame and including a first swing arm having a first elongated portion and a first mounting member having a central axis and coupled to the first elongated portion. The suspension assembly also includes a second swing arm including a second elongated portion and a second mounting member having a central axis and coupled to the second elongated portion. The second mounting member is coaxially aligned with the first mounting member to define an axis of rotation for the first swing arm and the second swing arm. The suspension assembly finally includes a connector coupled to at least one of the first mounting member and the second mounting member and a sway bar having a central axis, wherein the sway bar is coupled to the first swing arm and the second swing arm and positioned such that the central axis of the sway bar is coaxially aligned with the axis of rotation for the first swing arm and the second swing arm.
US09016698B2
A seal including a tubular carrier body (1) and two annular sealing elements (2, 3), wherein the carrier body (1) on both sides of its front face is respectively enclosed by one of the sealing elements (2, 3) on the side of its outer perimeter forming a seal. At least one of the sealing elements (2, 3) is made of a non-elastomeric high-temperature resistant sealing material.
US09016686B2
A sheet feeder includes a sheet accommodating section, a sheet loading plate, an operating plate, a sector gear, and a pressing member. The sheet loading plate is turnably supported on a bottom surface of the sheet accommodating section. The operating plate lifts up and down the sheet loading plate. The sector gear transmits drive power from a main body of an image forming apparatus to the operating plate. The pressing member is located at a first location when the sheet loading plate is positioned at the lying down position, and moves to a second location by rotation of the sector gear by a predetermined amount. The first location is a location where the pressing member comes in contact from above with the sheet loading plate at the lying down position, and the second location is a location where the pressing member retreats from the sheet loading plate.
US09016684B2
A banknote handling and transmission apparatus includes a drive roller, a driven structure, and a transmission device. The driven structure includes a mounting member and a first driven roller pivotally mounted to the mounting member. The transmission device includes a guiding panel, a bottom panel, a mounting portion secured to the guiding panel, and a transmission structure pivotally mounted to the guiding panel. A transmission channel is defined between the guiding panel and the bottom panel. The transmission apparatus includes a first transmission roller bearing against, and rotated by, the first drive roller, the first drive roller also forces the rotation of the first driven roller, to pick up deposited banknotes and move them squarely into the transmission channel.
US09016674B2
Disclosed herein is an active mount including a housing surrounding components within the active mount and providing and outer surface, and a core disposed at an inside upper portion of the housing inside having an upper portion protruding outward from the housing. Additionally, an insulator is connected to a lower portion of the core and extends radially outward. An actuating mechanism is disposed at a predetermined distance from a lower portion of the insulator and includes a vertically movable center. A driving unit is disposed horizontally outside of the actuating mechanism and is configured to apply a force for vertically moving the center of the actuating mechanism.
US09016671B1
An atomizing system tar generating an aerosol for inhalation research is disclosed. The atomizing system, in one embodiment, is capable of functioning efficiently at ultra-low liquid and low gas feed rates through the use of a 32 gauge feed line. This feed line reduces dead space in the atomizing system as well as the amount of highly toxic and/or expensive fluid needed to perform the research. An aerosol is generated in a consistent and repeatable manner by injecting fluid at a teed rate of 0.2-20 μl/min into a gas stream from a compressed gas source at a pressure of 30-60 psi. An adapter is used to connect a syringe containing the fluid to be tested to the 32 gauge feed line.
US09016663B2
A valve assembly includes a hydraulic subassembly with a valve member displaceable along a valve axis for controlling flow of fluid. The valve assembly also includes a solenoid subassembly for selectively displacing said valve member. The solenoid subassembly includes a metallic solenoid housing having an open end and a solenoid housing base. The solenoid subassembly also includes a solenoid coil assembly disposed within the solenoid housing, the solenoid coil assembly having a coil wound around a plastic spool defining a spool bore extending through the spool. The solenoid subassembly also includes a metallic solenoid housing cover closing off the open end of the solenoid housing and attached to the solenoid housing with a crimp connection. The solenoid subassembly also includes a metallic column disposed within and passing through the spool bore extending from the solenoid housing base to the solenoid housing cover.
US09016653B1
A molded equipment pad having a top deck, side walls, underlying reinforcing radial ribs, and underlying reinforcing arc-shaped ribs. The arc-shaped ribs may include a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the center of the equipment pad and that extend toward the side walls of the pad and a number of distributed circular hubs. Alternatively, the arc-shaped ribs may include a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the center of the equipment pad that end short of the side walls, a series of opposing arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the corners of the equipment pad, and a number of distributed circular hubs.
US09016649B2
A device is provided that is adapted for mounting on a vertical support, such as a stud at a construction job site, to hold a spool of wire off the floor, allowing the wire to be dispensed easily, yet providing sufficient drag on the reel to avoid excess unspooling of the wire. The device is adapted for mounting on a stud or comparable vertical support without the use of tools or fasteners so it can be moved quickly from location to location. The device is conveniently disassembled into two smaller assemblies for storage and transport to the job site.
US09016645B2
An adjustable mounting assembly has first and second mounting portions. The first mounting portion has an engagement arm with an adjustable end having first engagement teeth disposed about a first axis of rotation. The end portion has an adjustable second portion rotatable about the first axis of rotation, and having second engagement teeth that intermesh with the first engagement teeth to retain the second portion in an adjustable pan-position. The second portion has third engagement teeth disposed about a second axis of rotation angularly offset from the first axis of rotation. A second mounting portion is adjustably attached at an attachment portion to the first mounting portion, and the attachment portion has fourth engagement teeth disposed about the second axis of rotation that intermesh with the third engagement teeth to retain the second mounting portion is a selected tilt position.
US09016644B2
An attachment device is configured for attaching a children's accessory, such as a mobile or audio-visual device, to a children's support device, such as a crib or play yard. The attachment device may include a strap connected to a movable member that permits the position of the strap to be adjusted in order to secure the device to support structures having a variety of cross-sectional shapes and sizes. In addition, the attachment device may include one or more coupling features configured for removably securing the attachment device to a children's accessory.
US09016641B1
A bracket having a base having a mounting plate with upstanding flanges on opposite sides. The flanges each include an upper notch and a lower notch oppositely located therefrom. The lower notches are adapted for receiving a second member. An adapter has a second mounting plate and upstanding flanges extending from opposite sides of the second mounting plate. The flanges carry the first and second members. The first member is biased laterally by a spring to a fully outward position. The first member is movable between the fully outward position and an inward position. The second member is fixed laterally with respect to the flanges on the adapter. The upper and lower notches are positioned so their respective openings are closer than the outermost portions of the first and second members when the first member is in its fully outward position.
US09016639B2
In a fixation clip (10) for at least one line (18), with a frame (12) which defines a receiving space (14, 14a, 14b) for the line (18), into which space the line (18) can be introduced such that the frame (12) encloses the line (18) in circumferential direction, wherein an insertion opening (16, 16a, 16b) for the line (18) is provided at the frame (12), and with at least one swivel arm (22, 22a, 22b) mounted on the frame (12), which can be moved from a holding position, in which the line (18) is fixed in the receiving space (14, 14a, 14b), in a swivel direction (S) into an assembly position in which the line (18) can be introduced through the insertion opening (16, 16a, 16b) into the receiving space (14, 14a, 14b), a web (24) is provided, which with a first end is mounted on the swivel arm (22, 22a, 22b) and with a second end is mounted on the inside of the frame (12), wherein the web (24, 24a, 24b) includes at least one joint (34, 34a, 34b) and is folded in the assembly position.
US09016628B2
Assemblies, methods, and an apparatus for damping vibrational energy induced to a reinforced skin structure are disclosed. The reinforced skin structure includes an outer wall and at least one stringer coupled to the outer wall. The method includes providing a damping apparatus that includes a stiffening member configured to adjust at least one of a bending mode and a torsional twisting mode of the stringer and an energy dissipation member configured to dissipate vibrational energy of the stringer. The stiffening member includes at least two elongated members that are spaced a distance apart and at least one truss member that extends obliquely between the at least two elongated members. The damping apparatus is attached to the at least one stringer. The damping apparatus may be configured to dampen vibration in the range of between about 200-600 Hz.
US09016625B2
A floorboard for a reconfigurable floorboard system may include a substantially trapezoid shaped plate. An interlocking feature may be formed proximate an edge of at least three sides of the plate for interlocking with adjacent floorboards. Each interlocking feature may be formed to interlock with a mating interlocking feature formed at an edge of a side of at least one adjacent floorboard. A notch may be formed on an underside of the plate proximate each corner of the plate to contact a member of a floor grid to prevent movement of the floorboard.
US09016624B2
Disclosed herein is an asymmetric luggage stowage bin arrangement, with a pair of compartments attached to a single bin housing. The compartments being unequal in length, to optimize the storage capacity of the bin housing relative to the most common luggage dimensions on the market. In one form, the asymmetric luggage stowage bin arrangement is used as a retrofit to replace shelf-style luggage stowage compartments common to older style aircraft.
US09016605B2
A facility for grinding inorganic material include a roller press, a first static separator having an intake supplied with raw material, a dynamic separator having an intake connected to a first output of the first static separator, a ventilation circuit provided through the first static separator and the dynamic separator, and a second static separator having an intake that is connected to an output of the roller press. The first static separator includes two outputs, one for low-granulatory matter and one for larger granulatory matter, whereby the second output is connected to the roller press. The dynamic separator further includes a first output for particles having the desired granulometry and a second output for matter with larger granulometry connected to an intake of the roller press. The ventilation circuit participates in the separation, drying, and transport of low-granulometry particles.
US09016598B2
Disclosed is a nozzle rotation mechanism that is small in size, has a simple structure, and can accurately adjust the rotational direction of a nozzle tip. Also disclosed is a coating device provided with the aforementioned nozzle rotation mechanism. The nozzle rotation mechanism is provided with: a nozzle having a discharge outlet from which a liquid material is discharged; a nozzle unit having a channel that connects the nozzle and a liquid material supply source; a base member; and a rotation device that is provided on the base member and rotates the nozzle unit. The nozzle is disposed in the nozzle unit such that the centerline of the discharge outlet of the nozzle forms an angle with the rotational centerline of the nozzle unit, and the nozzle unit is removably mounted to the rotation device.
US09016591B2
High density metal or mineral particles, sized to be less than 10 microns, are compounded into a base plastic layer to form a compounded composite layer used to form the core layer of the card, any layer of the card or the entire card. The amount of high density particles compounded into the plastic layer is controlled so the card: (a) is at least twice as heavy as any standard PVC card; (b) can be manufactured using standard current plastic card equipment and tooling. (c) is not brittle; and (d) is electrically non-conductive whereby it is not subject to electrostatic discharge properties. The card can include RFID functionality integrated into the card body. The compounded composite layer does not interfere with the integrity of the data communication between an RFID chip packaged in an antenna module and coupled with an embedded booster antenna, and a contactless reader or terminal.
US09016587B1
A method and system for attaching a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to an ordinance is provided. By tailoring the packaged tag and electronics to accommodate existing ordinance body cavities the integrity of the bomb casing is maintained. Likewise, fin assemblies also remain intact and are mounted in a conventional manner to the tagged ordinance. Numerous ordinance types, to include the mark (MK) 80 series general purpose bombs and equivalents are compatible with the tagging method and system described herein. Set screw mounted tail assemblies of various fin configurations are readily assembled onto the metal body casings of tagged ordinances. A curved dipole antenna provides access to external query signals and transmission of tag locating signals. As described herein, tag antennas can mount between ordinance assembly parts, adding to the ease of retrofitting existing ordinance inventory for a RFID tag localizing system.
US09016583B2
The present invention provides a code reading device capable of associating various kinds of information with obtained data with ease simply by connecting the code reading device to a data holding device. A code reading device (1) includes a code reader (15) for reading code information, a memory (31), and a data processing control portion (32). The data processing control portion (32) stores code information read by the code reader in a code information storage area (311) of the memory (31), reads data from a data holding device when the data holding device is connected to the code reading device and stores the data in a data storage area (312) of the memory (31), and sends to a personal computer the data in the data storage area (312) in a state of being associated with the code information in the code information storage area (311) when the personal computer is connected to the code reading device.
US09016578B2
A reader for electro-optically reading a target in the presence of ambient light to be suppressed, includes a laser for emitting a laser beam, a scan component for scanning the laser beam across the target, a photodetector for detecting return laser light from the target to generate an information signal bearing information related to the target, and for concomitantly detecting the ambient light to generate an ambient light signal, and signal processing circuitry for measuring the ambient light signal, for processing both the information signal and the ambient light signal in one mode of operation when the measured ambient light signal is below a threshold, and for suppressing the ambient light signal and for processing only the information signal in another mode of operation when the measured ambient light signal at least equals the threshold.
US09016568B2
A reader device performs control to cause rates of transmission at the time of transmitting an authentication command to an IC chip included in a passport to be different from each other. Then, when the rates of transmission are caused to be different from each other, each of required times T1 and T2 required after transmitting the authentication command to the IC chip until receiving a response to the authentication command from the IC chip is measured. An operation time Tc required for execution of the authentication command in the IC chip is calculated on the basis of the required times T1 and T2 measured as described above, and, further, genuine/counterfeit judgment of the IC chip (genuine/counterfeit judgment of the passport is performed on the basis of the calculated operation time Tc.
US09016567B2
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for chopping up a gift card/code into smaller multiple gift card/codes. The system receives a request from a user to convert a closed-loop card/code having a value amount into two different closed-loop cards/codes and divides (or “chops up”) the closed-loop card/code into a first closed-loop card/code having a first value amount and a second closed-loop card/code having a second value amount, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount add up to no more than the value amount. The system offers the first closed-loop card/code and the second closed-loop card/code to one of the user and a third party.
US09016563B2
A patient support apparatus including a barrier, an optical detector, and a control system. The optical detector secured to the barrier and configured to detect indicia having a predetermined pattern. The control system includes a processor in communication with the optical detector, a transmitter in communication with the processor, and a memory unit in communication with the processor. The memory unit stores a unique identifier associated with the patient support apparatus. The processor receiving a signal from the optical detector indicative of data detected by the optical detector and performing a set of instructions in response to the optical detector communicating the data, the set of instructions performed by the processor including (i) linking the data with the unique identifier, and (ii) communicating the linked data and unique identifier to a network.
US09016559B2
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for arranging for shipping a package without the customer needing to generate or apply a shipping label, or any other information, to the package. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a carrier server and a carrier device. The carrier server may receive and store a smart code and shipping information associated with the package, which it may link together. The carrier device may capture the smart code from the package and send a request, including the smart code, to the carrier server for related shipping information. The carrier server may receive the request from the carrier device, retrieve the shipping information based on the smart code, and send the shipping information to the carrier device. The carrier device may receive the shipping information and generate a shipping label for the package based on the shipping information.
US09016558B2
An access opening closure device is provided for enabling passage of food or medication into a confined space without providing direct access from within the confined space to outside of the confined space. The device includes a housing assembly including a body and a cover, and a slide assembly including an access door and a frame. The body defines a receptacle and first and second openings. The housing assembly is pivotally coupled to the slide assembly and is movable from an operative position to a stowed, non-operative position.
US09016557B2
A container comprises a body having a bottom wall, opposed side walls, and opposed end walls foldably joined with one another for holding and shipping different products contained therein. Each of the opposed side walls includes a respective first and second locking member. Two separate self-locking support panels each of which comprises a respective third and fourth locking members formed therein to be engaged with the corresponding first and second locking members in an overlapping relationship. Each of the first and second locking members is defined by a first locking tab and a first U-shaped slot that is formed by indentation of the first locking tab toward interior of the body of the container.
US09016555B2
The present invention provides a flexible liner and bag-in-box container system comprising a collapsible container having a liner attached to the collapsible container, such that when the container is expanded from a collapsed state, the attached liner similarly expands. When the collapsible container is expanded, the liner may expand to substantially conform to the shape of the collapsible container. The liner may further comprise a filler fitting for receiving contents for filling the liner. The filler fitting may comprise one or more annular rings adapted to secure the filler fitting of the liner to an opening in the collapsible container. The collapsible container may be made of corrugated fiberboard. The collapsible container may further include tape having two adhesive sides for securing the collapsible container in an expanded state.
US09016552B2
Methods for forming a stacking interposer are provided that create a more compact and/or reliable interposer cavity. According to one method, a segmentation process that partially cuts a multi-cell, multi-layer PCB panel to a controlled depth along the internal walls/edges of a cavity region with each of the interposer cell sites defined within the PCB panel is used. The material within the cavity region is then removed (by routing) to a controlled depth to form the internal cavity for each interposer cell site. Pillars may then be removed from the PCB panel. As a result of the initial partial cuts of the internal walls of the cavity region, the corners of the cavities may have a square configuration for fitting over the top of a BGA/memory device (which has very square corners).
US09016550B2
A welding tool for friction welding a workpiece, the tool including: a probe having a core including a ceramic material, the probe having a surface coating including a metallic material covering at least part of a contact zone of the probe.
US09016548B2
A method and machine for producing welded reinforcing steel rod mats for use in the production of DIN-conforming reinforced concrete components having primarily no static loads, and to such a reinforcing steel rod mat, uses a welding device, one or more reinforcing steel rods, and one or more stay braces in the case of uniaxial reinforcing steel mats, positioned relative to each other with position control and optionally with position correction of the reinforcing steel rods to be welded together, and a reinforcing steel rod is welded in the area of at least one of the ribs thereof to a stay brace, or to another reinforcing steel rod in the area of at least one of the ribs of the rod.
US09016547B2
A tilt anvil assembly is disclosed which includes a center rod and a head assembly pivotally mounted to the center rod. The head assembly includes a housing, a post and an anvil plate. The head assembly is pivotally secured to the center rod and pivotal in relation to the center rod in discrete steps between a non-tilted position and a fully tilted position via a plurality of partially tilted positions. The head assembly is configured to maintain a partially tilted position.
US09016544B2
A surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge assembly having a plurality of rows of staple receiving slots and an anvil assembly having a plurality of rows of staple forming recesses. The staple cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly, or both have one or more attachment members overmolded thereon. A staple line reinforcement material is attached to the attachment members.
US09016541B2
The present disclosure relates to surgical fastener applying apparatus and the application of variable compression to tissue. More specifically, the presently disclosed surgical fastener applying apparatus act to limit the flow of blood through tissue immediately adjacent a cut-line formed therein to effectuate hemostasis, while maximizing the flow of blood through tissue more removed from the cut-line to limit unnecessary necrosis. In one embodiment, a surgical fastener applying apparatus is disclosed having a tool assembly coupled to a distal end thereof with first and second jaws respectively including an anvil and a surgical fastener cartridge. The surgical fastener cartridge includes, among other things, angled pushers that engage surgical fasteners of varying lengths.
US09016530B2
A method and apparatus for controlling a flow of a fluid through a valve. In one illustrative embodiment, an apparatus comprises an elongate member, an actuation device, and a valve body. The actuation device is configured to move the elongate member, which may be associated with the actuation device, between an open position and a closed position. The valve body is configured for attachment to the actuation device such that the elongate member is positioned within the valve body. Fluid that flows into the valve body from a fluid source is allowed to flow out of the valve body when the elongate member is in the open position.
US09016527B2
Pump engines and pump assemblies include a metal free fluid or product flow path and a precompression feature integrated into a piston incorporated in the pump engine.
US09016521B2
A product dispenser package for storing a viscous product for personal use comprises a container including an interior chamber extending to a sealable opening, the interior chamber being structured and disposed for holding the viscous product, and whereby squeezing one's fingers against the container and directing one's fingers along the length of the container from the bottom end of the container towards the top end of the container forces the viscous product out of the interior chamber through the opening. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the relevant end of the dispenser package is folded over on itself to prevent inadvertent emission of the product. The folded segments may be sealed with a food grade adhesive or held together by a band sized for engaged receipt of the folded segments.
US09016520B2
A squirting toy is comprised of a cylindrical housing and a piston that slides within to force water into or out of the housing via a hole therein. The housing is encased within a shell creating a water impervious volume sufficient for the toy to float in water. The shell is soft, so that the gun is not a safety hazard when left floating in a swimming pool. Handles associated with one or both actuating portions of the squirting toy are provided for gripping and operating the squirting toy more effectively.
US09016514B2
A beverage container holder may include a base having an interior compartment configured to support a beverage, and a flexible tab having a lock button extending therefrom. It may further include a housing configured to be mounted to the base such that the beverage is located between the base and the housing. The housing can have a lock hole configured to receive the lock button and secure the housing to the base. The housing also can have a release button separate and spaced apart from the lock hole. The release button may be configured to selectively engage the flexible tab without contacting the lock button to indirectly release the lock button from the lock hole.
US09016509B2
A drip tray and base assembly for a beverage dispensing apparatus is disclosed. The drip tray and base assembly includes a base for supporting an urn in spaced apart relation above a support surface, such as a counter. The base typically has side walls and a top wall. A drip tray is provided for laying adjacent the base. The drip tray typically has an upper grill-like surface for receiving a cup, container or other receptacle thereon, as well as side walls and a floor. At least one of the side walls of the drip tray is configured with a drain extension for draining fluids accumulating on the floor of the drip tray. A coupling member with walls adapted to removably couple with the base is provided. Furthermore, a coupling member includes walls for removably and fluid sealingly coupling with the drip tray extension and with a drain line so as to carry fluid accumulating on the floor of the drip tray through the drip tray drain extension into a drain line.
US09016504B2
A tab is provided for a can end. The can end includes an end panel and a scoreline defining a tear panel in the end panel for providing an opening in the can end. The tab includes a body having first and second opposing ends, a nose portion located at or about the first end, a lift portion located at or about the second end, and a rivet receiving portion disposed proximate the nose portion. The rivet receiving portion includes a rivet hole. A first rivet extends outwardly from the end panel and fastens the rivet receiving portion of the tab to the can end. A second rivet extends outwardly from the end panel to cooperate with a portion of the body proximate the lift portion.
US09016503B2
A novel and unique container of a general clamshell configuration is provided. The hinge of the container of the present invention is particularly unique in that it not only provides a hinged connection between the lid and the base of the container for ease of use by the contents manufacturer during filling but is also breakable in different ways to provide a tamper-evident function without creating small parts that must be disposed of separately from the lid.
US09016502B2
A cap and gasket for a compressed gas cylinder arranged to operate with a gas cylinder having a neck with a top surface around a gas outlet and a side surface extending downwardly from the top surface. The cap may define an inner space to house the gasket and may be attached to the gas cylinder neck. The cap may restrain gasket movement, and define a volume in which the gasket can deform, when making a seal as a piercing element enters the inner space to contact the gas outlet.
US09016496B2
The present invention relates to a subsurface refuse collection system comprising an underground bunker (4), a refuse container (3), a deposit bin (1) and a cover (2) with automatic opening and closing which can be powered electrically using a solar system. The container (3) is collected by means of an automated crane (18) with automatic hitching to facilitate collection. The system is equipped with multiple devices to measure volume and weight of the refuse deposited in the deposit bin (1), for the purpose of system monitoring or improvements to the management of truck routes. It also includes a safety device to prevent accidental fails into the underground bunker during collection.
US09016494B1
An expandable item carrying device facilitates carrying items such as groceries and the like. The device includes a container having a bottom wall and a perimeter wall coupled to and extending upwardly from a perimeter edge of the bottom wall defining an interior space. A top edge of the perimeter wall defines an opening into the interior space. The perimeter wall has a pair of opposed ends sides and a pair of longitudinal sides extending between the opposed end sides. The longitudinal sides and the bottom wall are compactable along a longitudinal axis of the bottom wall. A primary handle comprises opposed ends coupled to a first one of the longitudinal sides of the perimeter wall.
US09016492B2
A crate includes a bottom, two end walls, and two side walls. The end walls and the side walls are configured to be foldable with respect to the bottom. The end walls and the side walls comprise respective latch elements engaging with each other to form a latch when the end walls and the side walls are in the unfolded state. A latch release mechanism is provided at the respective end walls or at the respective side walls, wherein the latch release mechanism and/or the latch elements on the respective walls are configured to be movable so as to extend at least partly above an upper edge of the crate for releasing the latch.
US09016485B1
A combination rack structure includes a predetermined number of support plates, connecting strips and side frames. Each of the support plates has a rectangular shape. Each of the connecting strips is provided with three holding grooves each longitudinally extended through each of the connecting strips. Each of the connecting strips has a periphery provided with elongate recessed portions each located between any two of the holding grooves. Each of the recessed portions is provided with a plurality of extensions which are perpendicular to an axial direction of each of the recessed portions and are spaced from each other with a proper interval. The extensions are used for holding and resting. Each of the side frames is bent to have a hexagonal shape. The support plates are combined with the connecting strips to construct a hexagonal rack.
US09016478B2
A magnetic drum separator (2), with a drum (6) rotatable about a rotational axis (4), a magnet arrangement (10) of a plurality of magnets (12) arranged in the interior (8) of the drum (6), a separation zone (18) in the exterior space (14) of the drum (6); a feed material (22) flows through the separation zone (18) and is there separable with the aid of a magnetic field (26) generated by the magnet arrangement (10), into a waste stream (30) and a recyclable material stream (28). A relative position (R) of at least one of the magnets (12) relative to the rotational axis (4) can be varied. A nominal magnitude (S) for a process value (78) on the drum separator (2) that is influenced by the separation behavior (32) is specified. At least one measurement device (74) detects an actual magnitude (I) of the process value (78), and a controller (82), which changes the relative position (R) of the at least one of the magnets (12), whereby the actual magnitude (I) is controlled to approach the nominal magnitude (S).
US09016476B2
The invention relates to a method of handling portions comprising a respective at least one slice, wherein the slices have been produced by slicing food products, wherein the portions are conveyed, in particular line-wise, one after the other in a main conveying stream along a conveying direction, wherein incomplete portions, in particular portions low in weight, are automatically recognized and/or classified, wherein incomplete portions are expelled from the main conveying stream and are supplied to a correction station in a correction stream, wherein incomplete portions are respectively completed by at least one single slice which is removed from a slice store with the aid of an automatic transfer unit and wherein completed portions are automatically channeled back into the main conveying stream.
US09016466B1
An apparatus for delivering limestone dust to the outlet of a unique dust discharge structure of a dust hopper (tank) particularly useful in dusting underground coal mine shafts wherein an air blower for pressurizing a dust/air mixture in the discharge structure is powered by a lagged roller engaged and rotatably driven by a conveyor belt and wherein the roller has ceramic tiles partially imbedded in its lagged surface.
US09016464B2
A tilting carrier assembly for a finishing process includes a load bar configured to convey a work piece relative to a work station. A skid is configured to receive the work piece. Each of a pair of links is pivotally coupled to the load bar at a first end and pivotally coupled to the skid at an opposite second end. A horizontal span between the first ends of the pair of links is substantially greater than a horizontal span between the second ends of the pair of links.
US09016460B2
The present disclosure provides systems, methods and assemblies comprising one or more tapered feed rolls. Tapered feed rolls may be used to change the rate and direction of workpiece travel along a processing line while retaining the workpieces in sequential order. Routing workpiece flow with tapered feed rolls may allow the workpieces to be tracked along one or more processing lines, and may reduce the operational space required for workpiece processing.
US09016451B2
A one-way clutch, including: a plurality of first ramps with respective first face surfaces orthogonal to an axis of rotation or forming a first acute angle with the first line. The clutch includes at least one wedge plate including a smooth second outer circumference and a first inner circumference with a plurality of second ramps with respective second face surfaces orthogonal to the axis of rotation in the radial direction or forming a second acute angle with the second line. The clutch includes an outer race including a second inner circumference. The outer race is rotatable with respect to the inner race in a circumferential direction. For relative rotation of the outer race in the direction, at least one, but not all, first face surfaces is in contact with second face surface. Rotation of the outer race in an opposite circumferential direction locks the inner and outer races.
US09016447B2
A piston (10) comprises a first pair of passive flow-control valves (18, 20) [namely, a first compensation valve (18) and a first rebound valve (20)], a second pair of passive flow-control valves (22, 24) [namely, a second compensation valve (22) and a second rebound valve (24)], and a flow-dividing solenoid valve (14) shiftable between a first operating position [in which it allows flow of a damping fluid between an upper chamber and a lower chamber of a shock absorber through the first pair of passive flow-control valves (18, 20) and second pair of passive flow-control valves (22, 24)] and a second operating position [in which it allows the flow of the damping fluid between the upper chamber and lower chamber through only the second pair of passive flow-control valves (22, 24)]. The solenoid valve (14) is normally open (i.e., it is normally kept in the first operating position).
US09016431B2
A load balancing descending device for controlling the descent of a user descending on a rope carrying a load is provided. The rope has a decreasing rope free end as the user descends. The load balancing descending device comprises a first plate and a second plate. A first pin is positioned between the first plate and the second plate with the first pin spacing the first plate from and pivotally connecting the first plate to the second plate and the combined first plate and second plate having a first side and a second side. A second pin is positioned between the first plate and the second plate with the second pin spaced from the first pin. An attachment mechanism is formed in the first side of the combined first plate and second plate for attaching a user and/or load. The rope is wrapped in a serpentine manner about the first pin and the second pin between the first plate and the second plate with the rope free end exiting the combined first plate and second plate from the second side. As the user descends the rope, the length and weight of the rope free end decreases thereby causing the load balancing descending device to rotate moving the rope free end in a general direction from the first side toward the second side and automatically balancing the weight of the user and load against the weight of the rope free end in order to maintain a controlled rate of descent.
US09016426B2
An exhaust treatment unit treats an exhaust gas from an engine of a work vehicle. The exhaust treatment unit includes a first exhaust treatment device, a second exhaust treatment device, and a bracket. The first exhaust treatment device and the second exhaust treatment device are attached to the bracket. The bracket includes an edge part having an attachment portion configured to be attached to a vehicle body frame of the work vehicle, and a main body part having a convex shape downwardly bulged from the edge part. A bottom part of the second exhaust treatment device is positioned below the attachment portion. A work vehicle preferably includes the exhaust treatment unit, the engine and the vehicle body frame.
US09016421B2
In a motorcycle having an air intake passage guiding an air flow to an internal combustion engine is formed between an upper surface of a front fender and a bottom plate of a front cowl covering a head pipe from the front and disposed just above a front wheel. The cooling performance of a heat exchanger disposed behind the front wheel and in front of an engine body is improved with a decrease in the air resistance by lowering the position of the front cowl. At least a part of an air intake duct is disposed above a front fender for supplying the air guided from an air flow inlet provided on the front end portion of a front cowl to an inlet system of an internal combustion engine. At least a part of the air intake duct forming a rear air intake passage is contained in the front cowl.
US09016410B2
The technology disclosed relates to a controller and a control method for a motorized vehicle, and in particular to the control of a motorized vehicle having at least a left wheel and a right wheel, the left wheel being driven by a left motor and the right wheel being driven by a right motor. In accordance with such motorized vehicles, linear motion of the vehicle is typically effected by driving the left motor and the right motor in the same direction, while spinning of the vehicle is typically effected by driving the left motor and the right motor in opposite directions. A typical example of such a motorized vehicle is an electric wheelchair.
US09016408B2
The invention concerns a drill bit, intended to be used with a down-the-hole drill and comprising a drill head (2) with a front surface provided with drill pins (3) and a shaft (4), whereby the shaft is narrower than the drill head and intended to be inserted in a manner that allows axial sliding into the end of a drill chuck that is a component of a down-the-hole drill and which shaft has a rear end part (6) that is somewhat thickened with a plane striking surface (7) against which a hammer piston (8) that is a component of the down-the-hole hammer drill is arranged to impact, that the drill head when viewed along its axial direction has a cylinder-shaped forward part (20) provided with cuttings channels (22), a rear cylinder-shaped part (21) that is located for the reception of drill cuttings at the same level or somewhat below the bottom (25) of the cuttings channels, whereby the diameter (D1) of the forward part is greater than the diameter (D2) of the rear part. In a drill bit that has high performance and a long useful life, and that is furthermore well-suited to be used for directed drilling, the cylinder-shaped forward part (20) of the drill head (2) has an axial length (L3) from the main plane of the front surface to a shoulder plane (26) located between the drill head (2) and the shaft (4) that is greater than the axial length (L4) of the cylinder-shaped rear part (21) of the drill head.
US09016406B2
A cutting insert for an earth-boring bit comprises a cemented carbide material. The cemented carbide material comprises a plurality of tungsten carbide grains, and a plurality of cubic carbide grains comprising at least one of titanium carbide, vanadium carbide, zirconium carbide, hafnium carbide, niobium carbide, tantalum carbide, mixtures thereof, and solid solutions thereof. The cemented carbide material also comprises a binder including at least one of cobalt, a cobalt alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, and an iron alloy. Embodiments of the cutting inserts are suitable for use on, for example, rotary cone earth-boring bits and fixed cutter earth-boring bits. A hybrid cemented carbide material comprising first regions of cemented carbide based on tungsten carbide and cobalt, dispersed in a continuous region of cemented carbide material comprising cubic carbides also is disclosed and is useful in cutting inserts of earth-boring bits.
US09016397B2
A suspending attachment attached to a cylindrical housing of an electric power tool whose output shaft protrudes from a housing distal end includes a ring-shaped distal end portion fitted to the housing distal end, lower retaining portions of which front ends are connected to the distal end portion and extending rearward along a housing lower-half outer surface with a space through which the housing does not radially come off, one upper retaining portion of which a front end is connected to the distal end portion and extending rearward along a housing upper-half outer surface with a space from each lower retaining portion, through which the housing does not come off, a hook portion extending from at least one of rear ends of the lower and upper retaining portions rearward of the housing, and a connecting member coupling the lower and upper retaining portions over a housing rear surface.
US09016380B2
A subsea connection assembly has a stab plate a first stab plate which carries a first plurality of couplers and a second stab plate which carries a second plurality of couplers for mating engagement with the couplers in the first plurality as the stab plates are moved together. The assembly includes a mounting plate, a support which is disposed for lateral movement in at least one direction relative to the mounting plate, and a pivot which allows tilting movement of the first stab plate relative to the support. The tilting and translational features accommodate many different possible trajectories of a pulling unit. In particular, the assembly tolerates a separating action which is oblique to the normal mating and demating direction.
US09016368B2
A system for use with a well having multiple zones can include multiple well screens which filter fluid flowing between a tubing string and respective ones of the zones, at least one optical waveguide which senses at least one property of the fluid as it flows between the tubing string and at least one of the zones, multiple flow control devices which variably restrict flow of the fluid through respective ones of the well screens, and multiple pressure sensors which sense pressure of the fluid which flows through respective ones of the well screens. A tubing string for use in a subterranean well can include at least one well screen, at least one flow control device which selectively prevents and permits substantially unrestricted flow through the well screen, and at least one other flow control device which is remotely operable, and which variably restricts flow through the well screen.
US09016360B2
Disclosed herein is a fixture structure for reusing an underground micro-seismic sensor, including: a sensor body configured to be inserted in a borehole and having a sensing portion for sensing micro seismic event; a first fixture portion formed at one surface of the sensor body; a second fixture portion coupled to the first fixture portion and configured to be fixed to a grouting member injected into the borehole; and a separation unit installed between the first fixture portion and the second fixture portion and configured to separate the first fixture portion and the second fixture portion from each other by external force.
US09016348B2
Presented is a gudgeon assembly that includes a gudgeon body, a first ball bearing, a second ball bearing, a gudgeon pin, a first spring plate, a second spring plate, and two springs. The gudgeon pin extends through the gudgeon body and is coaxial with the first and second ball bearings. The first spring plate is coupled to a distal portion of the gudgeon pin. The second spring plate defines an opening and is coupled to the second ball bearing. The opening is coaxial with the second ball bearing and the gudgeon pin. The two springs are coupled to the first spring plate and the second spring plate. Longitudinal axes of the two springs are coplanar and non-coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the gudgeon pin. The gudgeon pin, the first spring plate, and the second spring plate rotate together as a single unit and rotate independently of the gudgeon body.
US09016344B2
The present application provides a laminator table, wherein the table comprises a table top (8) with two opposite and parallel side edges (7), a horizontal guide rail (6) parallel to and at each of said side edges, and a roller (2) arranged above the table top, each horizontal guide rail (6) comprises a raising/lowering device (1) having a first and a second end, the first end connected to one of the two ends of the roller (2), the second end is connected to the horizontal guide rail (6), the raising/lowering device (1) is horizontally moveable along the guide rail (6) to which it is connected, wherein each raising/lowering device (1) comprises at least an attachment (4) for a wire (3), belt or chain, and that the raising/lowering devices (1) are connected via one or several wires (3,3′), belts or chains connected to said attachments (4) by a system of pulleys (5) or gears, wherein the pulleys (5) or gears are situated such that the wire (3,3′), belt or chain, at movement in a horizontal direction of a first raising/lowering device (1), will transfer force from said first raising/lowering device (1) to the second raising/lowering device and pull this second raising/lowering device in the same horizontal direction as the first.
US09016338B2
A pneumatic tire including at least four circumferential main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction and a plurality of rib-like land portions partitioned by the circumferential main grooves in the tread portion. Additionally, an outer side second land portion includes a zigzag narrow groove having a zigzag shape, extending in the tire circumferential direction, and dividing the outer side second land portion in the tire width direction; and a plurality of first sipes disposed at a predetermined pitch in the tire circumferential direction, extending from an edge portion on the outer side in the tire width direction of the outer side second land portion toward the inner side in the tire width direction, and terminating prior to the zigzag narrow groove, leaving a gap for ventilation.
US09016332B2
An apparatus for safety-compliant emptying and filling of a reagent container (24, 40) for a tissue processor (20) comprises a suction line (30, 42) for aspirating a reagent out of the reagent container (24, 40) and a delivery line (32, 44) for filling the reagent container (24, 40) with the reagent, a terminating opening (31, 43) of the suction line (30, 42) being spaced away from a terminating opening (33, 45) of the delivery line (32, 44).
US09016331B2
A method to prevent gelation of an uncured gelcoat composition during storage is described. The method includes applying a gelation inhibitor to the surface of a gelcoat composition in the container to prevent premature gelation. The gelation inhibitor additionally prevents the formation of a crust on the inner surface of storage container lids.
US09016327B2
A pipe assembly for a district heating network, comprising a first pipe, a second pipe and, surrounding the first pipe, a first insulating layer arranged to reduce heat transfer from the first pipe outwards in a radial direction, the first pipe being arranged for a first heat transfer medium flow and the second pipe being arranged for a second heat transfer medium flow. The pipe assembly comprises a heat transfer device arranged to transfer heat from an outer surface of the first insulating layer to the second pipe, and a second insulating layer arranged to reduce heat transfer from the heat transfer device and the second pipe outwards in the radial direction, the thermal conductivity of the heat transfer device being substantially better than the thermal conductivity of the first insulating layer and the thermal conductivity of the second insulating layer.
US09016324B2
A method to form a pipe system which meets level II fire endurance standard according to IMO A 18/Res.753 fire testing protocol, for use in oil, gas, exploration, refining and petrochemical applications is provided. In the pipe system, each pipe section comprises a plurality of layers, an inner layer in contact with the corrosive petroleum product comprising a thermoplastic material, a structural layer comprising a composite material, and an outer layer comprising a fire resistive material. The method comprises applying energy to join the corrosion resistant layers of the separate pipe sections together forming a joint, applying an external wrap around the joint and at least a portion of the composite structural layers of the at least two pipe sections, and bonding the external wrap to the joint and the composite structural layers by chemical curing, thermal treatment, or combinations thereof.
US09016321B1
The invention is a deployable culvert plug system having an elongated handle assembly with a hollow conduit, a distal end with a junction block in fluid communication with the conduit and a hinge assembly having a handle mounting plate, and a proximal end having a handle and a gas control valve for retaining a removable gas cylinder containing a pressurized gas. The gas control valve has valve trigger which selectively applies pressurized gas to the conduit. A bladder assembly having a bladder mounting plate is removably connected to the handle mounting plate, a bladder is attached to the bladder mounting plate, a check valve assembly allows pressurized gas to enter the bladder, and a hose selectively connects the check valve assembly to the junction block.
US09016313B2
A new method to deliver warm water to a bathroom by installing electric valve in the beginning of the hot line, instead of at the end. A new electronic faucet that may operated by remote control or electric switch.
US09016312B2
An apparatus for controlling the flow of a hydraulic pump of a construction machine according to the present disclosure includes: a pressure sensor detecting pressure signals corresponding to various control signal input values of the construction machine; a shuttle block including a plurality of shuttle valves dividing hydraulic lines connected with the pressure sensor into groups and extracting pressure oil of a hydraulic line under the highest pressure among hydraulic lines included in the corresponding group; auxiliary pressure sensors detecting the pressure of the pressure oil discharged from the shuttle block; electro proportional control valves in which opening rates are adjusted according to an applied signal and flows applied to signal lines are controlled to adjust discharge flows of main pumps; and a controller controlling the electro proportional control valves so that the opening rates of the electro proportional control valves are adjusted according to the magnitude of the pressure signal at the time of applying the pressure signal from the pressure sensor, wherein when the pressure sensor is judged as abnormal, the controller controls the operate rates of the electro proportional control valves to an opening rate corresponding to the magnitude of a signal outputted from the auxiliary pressure sensors.
US09016308B2
A portable DC powered fuel pump is encased in a housing that can mount adjacent the driver's window to provide fuel to an engine with a broken fuel pump. Several mounting means are disclosed including a groove in the bottom of the housing and/or drop down legs for the door panel combined with an L bracket to grab the windowsill. Various fuel supplies are shown ranging from a fuel hose from the gas fill port to an external plastic tank to an internal tank in a vented housing. Options include lights, fuel pressure adjustment, power source options, a handle and a heat cushion for temporary use in an engine compartment.
US09016306B1
A wall hydrant mounting device comprises a linear hollow conduit with a threaded connector at one end and an anchoring flange secured at the opposite end. The anchoring flange includes an anchoring section with an enlarged passageway connected to a hollow, cylindrical section. An adjustment cap fits within the enlarged passageway of the anchoring section. The adjustment cap contains a hollow cylindrical section in alignment with the hollow, cylindrical section of the anchoring flange. The wall hydrant mounting device is adapted for attachment of a water conduit to the threaded connector adjacent the end of the hollow conduit, and adapted for attachment of a wall hydrant to the threaded connector member. The wall hydrant is inserted through the adjustment cap, the hollow, cylindrical central section of the anchoring flange and through the hollow conduit fastened thereto.
US09016292B1
A system and method for cleaning and cooling solar panels are described. A solar tracker includes a main beam for supporting the solar panels, and nozzles coupled to the main beam. The main beam includes a water channel along its interior which supplies water to the nozzles. The nozzles are positioned to spray water on the collecting surfaces of the solar panels to clean and cool them. The solar tracker may also include gutters to reclaim used water. The solar tracker may include air ducts which direct air across the undersides of the solar panels to cool them.
US09016290B2
An apparatus for removing a layer of sediment which has settled on the bottom of a pond includes: a handle suitable for a person to hold; a vacuum unit connected to the handle, said vacuum unit having a first opening adapted for receiving material sucked into said opening and a second opening for material sucked into said vacuum unit to exit at a point outside said pond, said vacuum unit being submersible and supported by at least one wheel, said vacuum unit having an aperture formed therein for receiving a mixture of sediment and water from the bottom of the pond; a hose associated with said second opening, said hose being of at least about 8 feet in length and designed to deposit suctioned water to an area outside the pond; and a fitting associated with the first opening that precludes undesired sizes of debris from passing through.
US09016279B2
The system supplies oxygen for a flight crew member of an aircraft and has an oxygen source, an oxygen mask, and a circuit connecting the oxygen source to the oxygen mask. The system is integrated into an aircraft seat, which has at least one foot bearing a sitting surface and a back. The oxygen source may be a cylinder of gaseous oxygen under pressure. The oxygen mask can be housed in a compartment inside the sitting surface of the seat.
US09016276B2
Methods relating to the power management of positive airway pressure apparatus using a battery are disclosed herein. The methods, in various aspects, are adapted to prolong the delivery of a positive airway pressurized therapy when the positive airway pressure apparatus is operated under battery power.
US09016269B2
An outer blade cutting wheel comprising an annular thin disc base of cemented carbide and a blade section of metal or alloy-bonded abrasive grains on the outer periphery of the base is provided. The abrasive grains are diamond and/or cBN grains having an average grain size of 45-310 μm and a TI of at least 150. The blade section includes overlays having a thickness tolerance (T3max−T3min) of 0.001 mm to 0.1×T2 mm. The blade section has a roundness (ODmax/2−ODmin/2) of 0.001 mm to 0.01×ODmax mm.
US09016264B2
A cryogenic fuel system having a priming circuit for a machine is disclosed. The fuel system may have a tank, configured to hold a cryogenic fluid, and a pump. A first passage may connect the tank and the pump, and a second passage may be configured to hold a cooling fluid and be located to cool the first passage.
US09016254B2
An intake control device includes: an air cleaner disposed above an engine; a pair of right and left intake ducts projecting toward a front of a vehicle body from the air cleaner to take an outside air in the air cleaner; and a sensor unit coupled to a throttle cable extended from a throttle grip, and detecting an operation amount of accelerator, in which the sensor unit is disposed between the pair of right and left intake ducts at a position above the engine and below the air cleaner.
US09016245B2
A baffle for engine fluid cooling includes a fluid guide having a pair of side walls, a bottom wall, and a coolant fluid inlet. A channel receives a pair of heat exchangers such that one may be positioned proximate to or above a part of the bottom wall and the other may be positioned proximate to or above another part of the bottom wall. Some coolant entering the guide flows into the first heat exchanger and some coolant is passed under the first heat exchanger and subsequently into the second heat exchanger.
US09016240B2
A method for enhancing the production of aquatic organisms under cultivation, including the steps of exposing the aquatic organisms to a submerged illumination source inside water of a rearing unit; and maintaining illumination in the rearing unit for a rearing period.
US09016234B2
A mask holding device has a replaceable magnetic means, and a deposition apparatus for an organic light emitting device includes the mask holding device. The mask holding device is provided with magnets, and the magnets can be replaced as required so as to change the magnetic force of the mask holding device.
US09016222B2
A cargo tank for a liquefied gas carrier ship includes: a main wall surrounding a receiving space in which the liquefied gas is received; a panel assembly surrounding the main wall; and an outer wall surrounding the panel assembly. The panel assembly includes: a plurality of first thermal insulating panels; a plurality of first auxiliary walls; a plurality of second thermal insulating panels fixed on second surfaces of the first auxiliary walls; a bridge pad disposed between the second thermal insulating panels; and a second auxiliary wall located between the bridge pad and the first auxiliary walls. The first thermal insulating panel and the first auxiliary wall are adhered to each other, and a first stress dispersion region prevents the first auxiliary wall or the second auxiliary wall from being damaged due to thermal expansions or contractions of the first thermal insulating panels and the bridge pad.
US09016216B2
Methods of combustion include metering a substantially explosible powder into an oxidizing gas using a positive displacement powder dispersion device to suspend the powder in the gas and directing the powder in the gas to form a controlled stream of a moving explosible powder dispersion. In some embodiments, the method further includes igniting the dispersion with an ignition source to produce a stationary deflagrating combustion wave and sustaining combustion by continuing to meter the powder into the gas. In other embodiments, the method further includes adjusting a nozzle velocity of the dispersion to reflect properties of the dispersion to create a sustainable flame and igniting the dispersion to produce a stationary deflagrating wave of the dispersion. In other embodiments, the method further includes igniting the dispersion in a combustion area to produce a stationary deflagrating wave such that a conductive heat transfer from combustion brings the powder to combustion temperature.
US09016207B2
A small, lightweight, and inexpensive gas generator for an airbag device. The gas generator for an airbag device according to the present invention includes: a deployment activating initiator that accommodates a predetermined amount of ignition powder and is activated by an impact on a vehicle; a main gas generating agent that generates a main gas for inflating an airbag when burned; a main gas generation chamber that accommodates the main gas generating agent; a secondary gas generation chamber that is provided in an interior of the main gas generation chamber and accommodates the initiator; and a secondary gas generating agent accommodated in the secondary gas generation chamber.
US09016205B2
An irritation body (100, 100′) is proposed, which is formed by at least two modules (101, 102). The upper module (101) serves for acceptance of an ignition head (1) with tilt lever (3) and comprises upper blow-out apertures (8, 9). The lower module (102) is intended for acceptance of an effect-charge (11) with the effect-charge (11) being integrated in a central chamber (10) of a module (102). The chamber (10) itself is functionally connected with the upper blow-out apertures (8, 9) and also with the lower blow-out apertures (12, 18, 19, 20) in the lower module (102). The chamber (10) in the lower module (102) can, depending upon module (102), be selected in different sizes, which produces, under concomitant volume variability, output variability with defined increase in output.
US09016202B2
Formulations for solvent-based flexographic or rotogravure inks, which are capable high-quality, defect-free printing at high speeds, contain flexographic ink resins solutions and solvent mixtures which are designed to maintain a dynamic solubility parameter in the ink as the dry state is approached during the printing process. The inks described show extremely high quality printing at linear press speeds above 1800 fee per minute (ca 0.549 km/min).
US09016201B2
Apparatus and method for applying a water-based emulsion of silicone fluid to a printed web required to be cooled, such that evaporative cooling of the web is promoted in addition to coating of said web with a silicone material. Water evaporated following the application of the silicone fluid to the web is recovered by condensation on the applicator(s) and reapplied to the web, thus economizing the amount of silicone fluid mixture necessary to provide both cooling and enhanced slip characteristics necessary for further handling and processing of the web. The condensation step is effected by containing the evaporated water from the web within a compact enclosure enveloping both the applicator(s) and the web, and optionally chilling said applicator(s) with a cooling medium, preferably water, by means of said cooling medium flowing through at least one of the applicators. In certain embodiments, in addition to condensing the evaporated water, the airborne silicone mist created in the coating step is captured and is returned to the fluid applicator.
US09016198B2
Printers, methods, and apparatus to filter imaging oil are disclosed. An example apparatus to filter imaging oil, includes adjacent electrodes and a switching circuit. The example switching circuit selectively generates an electrostatic field between the adjacent electrodes to cause particles suspended in the imaging oil between the adjacent electrodes to adhere to at least one of the adjacent electrodes, and generates an alternating electric field between the adjacent electrodes to cause the particles to be detached from the adjacent electrodes.
US09016182B2
A device and a method for cutting through the adhesive bead of panes that have been fixed by bonding is specified, said device having a base body on which at least one suction plate for fixing on a pane to be separated out as well as one motor-drivable coil for winding-on a separating wire are accommodated, wherein at least two guide rollers are held on the base body by means of extension arms at a distance which is adjustable in respect to each other. The device is preferably positioned approximately diagonally on the pane in such a manner that the guide rollers are situated on the outer ends of the extension arms in the vicinity of the corner regions of the pane.
US09016179B2
A positioning device for a turnable table of a saw machine having a pivot shaft that pivotally connects a pair of clamping units. A pressing member with an attachment portion for attaching to a coupling unit may be formed on each clamping unit. By manipulating a trigger of the coupling unit, the pair of clamping units can be driven to rotate a pair of corresponding clench members for selectively clamping or unclamping a base of the saw machine. Thereby, the turnable table can be secured in place upon adjustment.
US09016175B2
A torque-exerting device includes a clutch arranged between a handle and an axle. The handle includes a chamber defined therein by a wall. The clutch includes a movable element, a rotatable element, recesses and balls. The movable element is placed in the chamber in an axially movable manner. The rotatable element is placed in the chamber in a rotatable manner and secured to the axle. The rotatable element is in releasable engagement with the movable element. The recesses are defined in the movable element or the wall of the chamber of the handle. Each of the balls is partially placed in a respective one of the recesses and in contact with the wall of the chamber of the handle or the movable element.
US09016174B2
A ratchet wrench includes a reception hole defined through the function end of the wrench and a recess is defined in the inner periphery of the reception hole. A ratchet wheel is rotatably located in the reception hole. A pawl, a restriction member and a resilient member are received in the recess. The two ends of the resilient member respectively contact the pawl and the restriction member to bias the pawl to be engaged with the ratchet wheel. A restriction ring is located in the reception hole and has a rod extending therefrom, the rod extends into the recess. The restriction member is located between the rod and the inner periphery of the recess.
US09016173B1
A reaction arm for use with a torque generating device, the reaction arm including a reaction bar, and a body portion having a first internal diameter, and having formed on an internal surface thereof a female spline having a second internal diameter and a guide bushing having a third internal diameter, the first, second, and third internal diameter being distinctly sized.
US09016172B2
A hammer includes a handle, a head portion, and a striking mechanism. The head portion is connected with the handle and includes a metal strike element and a resilient strike element. A receiving space is defined between the two strike elements. The striking mechanism is located in the receiving space and includes a slide axle and a striking member. The striking member has a through hole for being slidably sleeved onto the slide axle. The striking member is slidable in the receiving space to alternatively strike one end of the head portion. Thereby, inertia striking force is provided by the striking member so that the hammer can be used to strike an object more easily.
US09016171B2
The present invention relates to a shock absorbing hammer whose head has housings filled with pellet assembly inside. The pellet assembly includes both rigid pellets and soft pellets to absorb shock from external striking force impacted on the head of the main frame.
US09016170B2
A combination five gallon bucket opener, includes a handle portion and a head portion, a first opener feature located in the head portion, the first opener feature having a plurality of engaging members and a bearing surface, at least one of the engaging members configured to receive a tab of a lid, at least one of the engaging members configured to engage a top surface of the lid, and a second opener feature located in the head portion, the second opener feature having at least one extended member configured to receive a cap, the at least one extended member having at least one feature defined therein to engage a corresponding feature on the cap.
US09016168B2
A steering wheel and associated control system to execute a corresponding algorithm, the steering wheel including a rim which is rotatable about a first axis to steer a vehicle, and a throttle dial disposed in a surface of the rim. The throttle dial controls a throttle of the vehicle and has a variable output to control an amount of the throttle in proportion to an amount the throttle dial is displaced from a nil output position. A similar brake dial is also provided, and is also disposed in the surface of the rim at another location, thus providing hand operation of a throttle and brake of a vehicle without having to remove one's hands from the steering wheel.
US09016155B2
A power transmission unit includes a first input shaft and a second input shaft which can be mutually driven by a motor shaft in opposite directions. A driven shaft can be coupled, depending on the desired sense of rotation of the driven shaft, to the first or to the second input shaft, and can engage with a first output shaft and with a second output shaft. The first output shaft can be directly coupled with the first input shaft via a first magneto-rheological clutch, and the second output shaft can be directly coupled with the second input shaft via a second magneto-rheological clutch. A magneto-rheological clutch includes a coil powered by wireless energy transmission between a sender connected to a stationary housing and a receiver rotating with the coil.
US09016153B2
An adjusting device for a vehicle component, in particular for the seat back of a vehicle seat, has a first and a second fitting part which are disposed along an axis of rotation. The relative position of the two fitting parts with respect to one another can be changed. A torque is transmitted by a drive to a gear which rolls on the second fitting part and thereby adjusts the second fitting part.
US09016144B2
Apparatus are provided for sensor assemblies and related medical devices. An embodiment of a sensor assembly includes a beam and a sensing element disposed on the beam. The sensor assembly also includes a structure to prevent deflection of the beam when a force applied to the sensor assembly is greater than a threshold value.
US09016141B2
A pressure compensated sensor assembly for determining loads near a drill bit may include a body member having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a sleeve member having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the sleeve member being coupled to the body member, a first gap having a thickness and a length dimension formed between the body member and the sleeve member, and one or more sensors coupled to the sleeve member. The one or more sensors may measure axial and torsional loads on the sleeve member without measuring parasitic strain induced on the body member.
US09016133B2
Various embodiments relate to a pressure sensor and related methods of manufacturing and use. A pressure sensor may include an electrical contact included in a flexible membrane that deflects in response to a measured ambient pressure. The electrical contact may be separated from a signal path through a cavity formed using a sacrificial layer and PVD plugs. At one or more defined touch-point pressure thresholds, the membrane of the pressure sensor may deflect so that the state of contact between an electrical contact and one or more sections of a signal path may change. In some embodiments, the change of state may cause the pressure sensor to trigger an alarm in the electrical circuit. Various embodiments also enable the operation of the electrical circuit for testing and calibration through the use of one or more actuation electrode layers.
US09016131B2
At least two sound pressure sensors in parallel with each other are inserted into a liquid to which waves are applied. The sound pressure sensors have a bar-like shape and the same sensitivity. In a first synchronized state waves detected by the sound pressure sensors are synchronized with each other. The sound pressure sensors are moved relative to each other in a longitudinal direction, to break the first synchronized state and then establish a second synchronized state in which the waves detected by the sound pressure sensors are again synchronized with each other. A wavelength of the detected waves is determined according to a quantity of the relative movement of the sound pressure sensors between the first and second synchronized states. The detection of a wavelength of waves applied to the liquid is usable to evaluate and control a total amount of dissolved gases in the liquid.
US09016126B2
Microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer and acceleration sensing methods. An example MEMS accelerometer includes a housing, a proof mass suspended within the housing by at least one torsional flexure, at least one planar coil on the proof mass that extends on both sides of an axis of rotation of the proof mass, at least one magnet oriented such that a north-south axis of the at least one magnet is oriented approximately orthogonal to the rotational axis of the proof mass, at least one pole piece located outside the coil, and at least one magnetic flux concentrator located inside the coil opposite the at least one of the at least one pole pieces. A method includes sensing a change in capacitance of a pickoff in the MEMS accelerometer and rebalancing the MEMS accelerometer by sending a current through the planar coil between the magnetic flux concentrator and the pole piece.
US09016124B1
An acceleration-triggered or shock-triggered, smart, tunable MEMS switch that may function as both a classic accelerometer and an acceleration threshold detector. A parallel element MEMS device has a stationary and a movable element forming a capacitor. Varying acceleration moves the movable member with respect to the stationary member, thereby changing the capacitance of the device. The capacitance varying may be used, in cooperation with appropriate circuitry, to provide a signal representative of instantaneous acceleration. By applying a biasing voltage, the movable element may be positioned in a predetermined fashion such that acceleration of a predetermined magnitude causes the movable element to pull in (snap down). The movable and stationary elements may function as a switch such that when the predetermined acceleration or shock level occurs, electrodes close, a current flows between the elements so that an external device such as an air bag may be activated.
US09016122B2
A dust-proof structure for a measuring tool, includes: a case provided with an opening formed through a surface opposed to a protection plate thereof; a solar panel accommodated in the case through the opening of the case; an intermediate panel pressing an outer circumferential portion of the solar panel against a bottom wall of the case; a display device disposed at an inward portion of the intermediate panel and opposed to the solar panel with a gap; a cover attached to close the opening of the case; a screw used to secure the cover and the intermediate panel to the case; and a temporary-fixing unit disposed between the intermediate panel and the case, the temporary-fixing unit temporarily fixing the intermediate panel to the case while the outer circumferential portion of the solar panel is pressed against the bottom wall of the case.
US09016118B2
A mounting structure for an electrical device includes a mounting portion and a containing portion. The mounting portion has a mounting surface and an outer surface. The containing portion has an inner surface with protrusions forming an indent, an outer surface, an insertion aperture, and a flow aperture.
US09016104B2
A process for producing a reference body (10) provided with a slot (17) as a test crack for the nondestructive testing of materials can be used flexibly and includes the following steps: a) a reference body (10) and a mask (11) provided with a slot pattern (12) are provided; b) the mask (11) is applied to the reference body (10); c) material is removed from the reference body (10) through the mask (11) with an abrasive water jet (16); and d) the mask (11) is taken off the reference body (10).
US09016099B2
Rolling mill bearings incorporate bearing bushings with pluralities of hydrostatic pad recesses, that are preferably in conjunction hydrodynamic bearings also formed within the bushing. Each recess has an isolated lubricant passage that is adapted for coupling to a separate isolated source of pressurized lubricant. In some embodiments herein, the isolated pressurized lubricant source is supplied by a dedicated outlet of a pressure pump. In this manner each hydrostatic pad recess has a dedicated pressurized lubricant supply that is not interrupted by loss of lubricant pressure events in other bearing pads or elsewhere within the rolling mill lubrication system.
US09016092B2
A glass for a magnetic recording medium substrate permitting the realization of a magnetic recording medium substrate affording good chemical durability and having an extremely flat surface, a magnetic recording medium substrate comprised of this glass, a magnetic recording medium equipped with this substrate, and methods of manufacturing the same. The glass is an oxide glass not including As or F.
US09016090B2
A method for manufacturing a plurality of glass microspheres comprises: melting a batch into a first glass melt in a melter system, processing the first glass melt into a second glass, pulverizing the second glass into a plurality of glass fragments, thermally processing the plurality of glass fragments into a plurality of glass microspheres, providing at least one of a plurality of redox reactions and a plurality of events in at least one of the first glass melt and a melt of the second glass, and the plurality of redox reactions and the plurality of events are induced by a plurality of redox active group (RAG) components.
US09016079B2
The invention provides a system for collection of thermal energy. The system comprises an energy collector, an energy reservoir, an energy collection medium enclosed in a loop allowing fluid flow of the energy collection medium between the energy collector and the energy reservoir in a forward flow from the energy collector and in a backward flow to the energy collector for transferring energy between the energy collector and the energy reservoir, a collector pump adapted to control a flow rate of the energy collection medium, and a reservoir temperature measuring device being adapted to measure a reservoir temperature of the energy reservoir. Furthermore, the system comprises at least one heat pump comprising a cold side, a warm side, and exchange means for exchange of thermal energy from the cold side to the warm side, the cold and warm sides being arranged to decrease the temperature of the energy collection medium in the backward flow by operation of the heat pump, and a control unit adapted to control the operation of the heat pump and thereby an exchange rate by which thermal energy is exchanged between the energy reservoir and the energy collection medium. The control unit is adapted to control the operation of the heat pump dependent on the measured reservoir temperature.
US09016072B2
Method for controlling a device that includes at least a compressor installation and/or a drying device and a heat recovery system. The heat recovery system absorbs heat from the compressor installation, and the device further includes a controller and device for determining one or more system parameters. The controller controls both the compressor installation and/or the drying device and the heat recovery system on the basis of the system parameters, so that the overall efficiency of the device is optimized.
US09016068B2
A gas turbine engine includes a combustor, a first turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor, a second turbine section in fluid communication with the first turbine section, and a mid-turbine frame located axially between the first turbine section and the second turbine section. An oil system includes a first oil system component that houses oil. A first connector mechanically connects the first oil system component to the mid-turbine frame.
US09016062B2
A method is disclosed for checking a valve on an exhaust gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine, wherein an exhaust gas flow exits the internal combustion engine, a first portion of said flow flowing through a turbine of the exhaust gas turbocharger into an exhaust gas system and a second portion flowing through the valve into the exhaust gas system, wherein said method includes the steps of varying a fuel-to-air ratio in a fresh gas supplied to the internal combustion engine, determining a residual oxygen content in the exhaust gas system, and determining that the valve is defective if a variation of the residual oxygen content occurs in a manner different than a predetermined manner of the variation of the fuel-to-air ratio in the fresh gas. A device for checking the valve can be integrated into an integrated engine control unit of the internal combustion engine.
US09016061B2
Disclosed is a pipe arrangement (1) comprising a pipe element (2) that is used to connect, in particular fluidically connect, a turbine outlet of one turbocharger (15) to a turbine inlet of another turbocharger (17). The pipe arrangement is characterized in that a first pipe section (8) of the pipe element (2) includes a first fastening device (14) for attaching a first turbocharger (15) as well as a second fastening device (20) for attaching the pipe element (2) to a first support element (21) of an internal combustion engine. Furthermore, a second pipe section (9) includes a third fastening device (16) for attaching a second turbocharger (17) as well as a fourth fastening device (24) for attaching the pipe element (2) to a second support element (25) of an internal combustion engine.
US09016048B2
An exhaust arrangement for an internal combustion engine. The exhaust arrangement includes a diffuser duct including a wall surface which diverges between an inlet and a first outlet. The arrangement further includes an auxiliary duct extending from a second outlet of the diffuser duct. The second diffuser duct outlet being located on the wall surface between the diffuser duct inlet and the first outlet. The auxiliary duct includes a heat recovery device configured to convert heat energy from exhaust gases passing through the auxiliary duct in use to mechanical or electrical energy.
US09016047B2
In one embodiment, a method for controlling nitrogen oxides in an exhaust gas received by an exhaust system, the exhaust system including a first selective catalytic reduction device, an exhaust gas heat recovery device and a second selective catalytic reduction device is provided. The method includes flowing the exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into the first selective catalytic reduction device, receiving the exhaust gas from the first selective catalytic reduction device into the exhaust gas heat recovery device and directing the exhaust gas to a heat exchanger in the exhaust gas heat recovery device based on a temperature of the internal combustion engine proximate moving engine components. The method includes adsorbing nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gas via a nitrogen oxide adsorbing catalyst disposed in the heat exchanger and flowing the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas heat recovery device into the second selective catalytic reduction device.
US09016043B2
A method for monitoring an exhaust after-treatment system that doses an exhaust treatment fluid held from a tank into an exhaust stream. The method includes determining a first temperature of the exhaust treatment fluid in the tank using a temperature sensor. If the first temperature of the exhaust treatment fluid is less than a predetermined temperature, a heater is activated to increase the first temperature of the exhaust treatment fluid. The increasing first temperature is then monitored relative to the predetermined temperature. Then, a second temperature when a phase change of the exhaust treatment fluid occurs is detected. The detected second temperature is then compared to the predetermined temperature to determine whether the exhaust treatment fluid is of sufficient quality, or to determine whether the temperature sensor is rational.
US09016036B2
A closure having two profile strips for an at least partially flexible container for connecting a first container to a second container in a manner sealed against the environment in a such a way that a closed docking position can be obtained. Further the closure provides for conducting a flow in a sealed manner against the environment in a flow direction through the closure from the first container into the second container in such a way that an open docking position can be obtained. According to the described system, the second container facing the first container is designed with an identical closure that engages in the closure of the first container in the open docking position and forms a channel for the flow in the flow direction together with the closure.
US09016035B2
A dunnage inserter system has one or more storage containers for storage of a plurality of dunnage pieces. A trolley and lift assembly travels horizontally along a longitudinal axis of an overhead beam. A dunnage holder is mounted to the trolley and lift assembly and moves horizontally along the overhead beam and moves vertically via a lift assembly. The dunnage holder can lift and hold one or more dunnage pieces for installation onto a metal sheet in the metal sheet container.
US09016032B2
A round baler is provided having a web wrap apparatus with a feeder transporting web to a bale chamber. The feeder has a lower fixed carrier and an upper pivotable feeder plate. In order to assure, that the web is caught, when it is transported by baling elements into the bale chamber, the feeder is provided with at least one partially or totally elastic web sheet extending toward the bale chamber and acting on a free portion of the web.
US09016030B1
Two embodiments of a metal door are described and shown. In one embodiment, the door includes a metal exterior panel member and a metal interior panel member. Insulation members are positioned between the upper end edges of the panel members, the first side edges of the panel members, the lower end edges of the panels and the second side edges of the panel members. The panel members are uniquely secured to the insulation members. A foam insulation is positioned between the panel members inwardly of the insulation members. In the second embodiment, each panel member is comprised of an upper metal frame member, a first metal side frame member, a lower metal frame member and a metal second side frame member. Insulation members are positioned between the frame members of the panel members. The second embodiment also includes cut-out areas for insertion of glass therebetween.
US09016027B1
A method of building insulated concrete walls by using concrete that exerts low hydrostatic pressure and a special stud that supports and secures simple rectangular shaped insulation boards used as stay-in-place forms on one side of the wall. The construction process begins with the vertical positioning of the studs and insulation boards on one side of the wall. Steel reinforcement is placed next to the insulation boards and low hydrostatic pressure producing concrete is cast against the reinforcement, the exposed part of the stud and the insulation board. As the concrete is placed it embeds the exposed part of the stud and when the concrete cures it causes the stud to be bonded to the concrete and sufficiently rigid to secure the insulation board and wallboard or other cladding that may be affixed to the stud.
US09016021B1
A pad stud assembly for securing a portion of a wall panel system to a wall and for selectively hanging a pad on the wall includes a pad stud and a pad stud receiving portion having an opening configured to receive a first portion of a fastener and a portion of the pad stud.
US09016020B1
Typical brick veneers are usually constructed aid of an adhesive and for attachment of the brick to a panel. The present invention allows for a mechanical installation of thin brick veneers using conventional brick materials and natural stone tiles. The present invention also allows for the construction of a water channel and a space for injecting foam insulation. The present invention allows for a quicker and simpler method of installation of brick veneer and reduces material costs while improving on conventional brick veneer functionality.
US09016014B2
The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for securing safing insulation in the gap formed between a spandrel and a slab. Additionally, the present invention eliminates the need for stiffening tees and/or stiffening brackets. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention utilizes a first portion of safing secured to spandrel insulation positioned in an exterior wall structure and a second portion of safing insulation positioned adjacent to the first portion of safing insulation and between the spandrel insulation and the slab. By fixedly securing the first portion of safing insulation to the spandrel insulation, any deformation of the spandrel insulation caused by the forces exerted by the compressed second portion of safing insulation on spandrel insulation results in the first portion of safing insulation moving with the spandrel insulation.
US09016010B2
The pane module is adapted to be installed in a window frame and comprises a pane element and a border element (91). The pane element includes at least two sheet elements (92, 94), such as sheets of glass, separated by one or more spacer members (93). The border element (91) is made by molding and surrounds the pane element, at least partially encasing the edge of at least one sheet element. In order to provide the pane module with a number of functionalities traditionally performed by the frame, the pane module comprises at least one functional face.
US09016004B2
A method of folding a mast or derrick and a folding mast apparatus having a back face and a pair of opposed sides with each of the opposed sides having a front leg and a back leg. The apparatus includes at least one spreader beam assembly extending across the back face and connecting the back legs of the pair of opposed sides. At least one pair of telescoping braces extends between the at least one spreader beam assembly and the back legs. A pair of mast folding cylinders, each of the cylinders extending between one back leg and the back face, moves the pair of opposed sides between an open, use position and a closed, transportation position.
US09015996B2
A tilt-up door for a building having an opening, a pair of substantially vertically juxtaposed members, cam surfaces extending laterally from the vertical members at the upper portion and a door sized to span the opening. The door can be pivotally coupled to carriages arranged for vertical movement along the vertical members and can have cam followers extending laterally from the upper portion of the door to contact the cam surfaces. An actuator or actuators can be connected to the carriages to move the carriages along the vertical members. When the actuator or actuators are operated to move the carriages vertically along the members the cam followers can move along the cam surfaces to tilt the door to a horizontal position as the door is moved vertically upward into an open raised position.
US09015991B2
Embodiments include but are not limited to modular living wall systems. A module of a modular living wall system may include a frame including a plurality of rails, each rail coupled to another rail by their respective ends, and a fabric arrangement mounted onto the frame and including a first fabric and a second fabric overlaying the first fabric, wherein the first fabric is a hydrophilic mat, and wherein the second fabric includes at least one opening exposing the first fabric and configured to receive a plant. The living wall system includes integrated irrigation. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09015990B2
A culture container includes a container and a cover. The container forms an opening at the top and an external threaded portion around the opening. The cover includes a main body and a flange extending from the main body. An internal threaded portion corresponding to the external threaded portion is formed on the internal surface of the flange. The cover forms a ventilation passage having an opening formed at a free end of the flange facing away from the main body. When the internal threaded portion is threaded with the external threaded portion so as to close the opening of the bottle, the interior of the bottle communicates with exterior via the ventilation passage. Thus, dust is prevented from falling into the bottle via the ventilation passage.
US09015989B1
An insect toxic bait dispenser has a top with multiple downwardly opening compartments in which toxic bait fluids may be retained by an underlying foil barrier. The top is supported on a base with posts positioned beneath the barrier. Base prongs extend into a top shaft with ledges at different heights, preventing part separation when the barrier is intact above the posts, and, when the top is closed on the base, piercing the foil seal and dispensing liquids into fluid retaining members held in base pockets. To use, a peripheral tear strip is removed from the base, permitting the top to descend on the base causing the posts to puncture the seal, compressing the fluid retaining members against the barrier to receive and dispense toxic bait liquid while retarding the rate of liquid evaporation. The top may be hinged to the base, or urged downwardly by a threaded cap.
US09015984B2
The present invention relates to a fishing rod assembly including a pair of fishing rods each having a fishing line connected thereto, and a jigging apparatus. The jigging apparatus has a v-shaped spreader bar with a first connection point and a second connection which are both upper in use and configured to operatively connect with respective ones of the fishing lines. An L-shaped elongate member pivotally connects to the spreader bar via a third connection point. The elongate member has a weight-connecting portion extending downwards, when in use, relative to the first connection point and the second connecting point, and a hook-connecting portion extending laterally outwards, when in use, relative to the weight-connecting portion. A weight operatively connects to the weight-connecting portion of the elongate member. A hook operatively connects to the hook-connecting portion of the elongate member.
US09015975B2
The invention relates to a messaging sign apparatus with informative indicia moveable articles that externally display information regarding patient care. The messaging sign apparatus includes a frame, a movable article positionable within the frame, and fastening member that is engageable with the moveable article. The frame includes an article receiving section on an inner body thereof and an article receiving opening on an outer surface and leading into the article receiving section, with the moveable article positioned in the article receiving section and moveable through the article receiving opening. The fastening member is arranged on the frame and engageable with the moveable article to secure the moveable article within the frame into different displaying position.
US09015973B2
A display card holder for use on support surfaces, such as golf carts includes a display card retaining sleeve and a sleeve holder. The sleeve holder includes an entrance slot having inwardly extending retention ridges which deform and thereby reduce vibration of the retaining sleeve. The sleeve holder may further include a mechanical locking mechanism for securing the sleeve in the sleeve holder.
US09015968B2
A counteracting thumb for an implement of a machine may include first and second structure support plates each having first and second planar portions connected by an intermediate curved portion to orient the planar portions at an obtuse angle relative to each other. A first end edge of the first plate may be connected to an inner surface of the second plate proximate a first end edge of the second plate, and second end edge of the second plate may be connected to an inner surface of the first plate proximate a second end edge of the first plate. Side plates of the thumb may be connected to an outer surface of the first plate, and teeth of the thumb may be connected to an outer surface of the second plate.
US09015959B2
Systems and methods for separating fluids from drill cuttings. Specifically, the invention relates to shakers that incorporate a vacuum system and methods of operating such systems to effect a high degree of fluid separation. The system and methods are effective across a variety of screen sizes, vacuum flows and vacuum designs.
US09015957B2
Disclosed is a clothes dryer comprising a drum rotatably disposed in a body; and a roller disposed below the drum, and configured to support the drum. The roller is mounted to a roller shaft by a ball bearing, and a contact portion of an outer circumferential surface of the roller contacting the drum is formed to be flat.
US09015954B2
A frame assembly for simulating topography of an existing wall portion provides points of adjustment behind a wallboard panel mounted to the frame assembly. In this manner imperfections in an existing wall can be replicated to facilitate cabinet or countertop installation.
US09015951B2
A razor cartridge has a housing, a guard located at a front of the housing and a cap located at a rear of the housing. A skin contact element is disposed in the housing partway between the guard and the cap. A skin contact plane defines a plane tangential to the guard and the skin contact element and a plane tangential to the skin contact element and the cap. One or more blades are located between the guard and the skin contact element, each of the blades having a cutting edge located at a distance y1 between 70 μm and 300 μm and at an angle α1 between 20° and 45° below the skin contact plane. One or more blades are located between the skin contact element and the cap, each of the blades having a cutting edge located at an angle α2 above or below the skin contact plane, wherein α2 is lower in magnitude than α1.
US09015947B2
A method for locking a tire to a wheel rim, includes the steps of mounting a tubular tire locking element on the wheel rim, which tubular locking member is arranged with a valve, which valve is pushed through a hole in the rim; mounting a tire on the rim such that the tire encloses the tubular tire locking element and a pressure chamber is obtained between the tire locking element and the tire; pressurizing the tubular tire locking element via the valve such that it expands, whereby the beads of the tire are pressed against the flanges of the wheel rim; inserting a hollow needle through the tire and into the pressure chamber, which hollow needle is connected to a pressurized air source; pressurizing the pressure chamber to desired pressure, removing the hollow needle; and sealing the hole caused by the needle with sealing fluid or plug.
US09015940B2
A method of manufacturing a valve for an internal combustion engine, comprises: (i) a primary step of forging a bulging portion at one end of a rod material to form a generally disk-shape valve head of the valve having a tapered periphery; (ii) an thickness adjustment step of machining an excessively thick portion of the valve head; and (iii) a secondary step of forging a peripheral region of the valve head to create radial slip deformations therein to form a valve face of the valve head. In the step of thickness adjustment, only the front end of the disk-shape valve head is machined without harming dense grain flow lines induced in the tapered face (16a) in the primary forging while advantageously saving the valve material and reducing thickness adjustment time. In the secondary forging, the hardness of the valve face is further enhanced.
US09015930B2
Provided is a substrate holding unit that holds a pair of substrates that are aligned and layered, comprising a first holding member that holds one of the substrates; a plurality of members to be joined that are connected to the first holding member; a second holding member that holds the other of the substrates to face the one of the substrates; a plurality of joining members that exert an adhesion force on the members to be joined and are connected to the second holding member at positions corresponding to positions of the members to be joined; and an adhesion restricting section that restricts the adhesion force until the substrates are aligned.
US09015925B2
An armature assembly apparatus for assembling an armature of an electrical machine is provided. The armature assembly apparatus has an armature holding apparatus to hold a partially assembled armature such that a rotation axis of the armature is horizontal. The armature assembly apparatus has a rotating device for rotating the partially assembled armature about a rotation axis. The armature assembly apparatus also has a ring segment conveyance for conveying an armature ring segment to a mounting position relative to a free ring segment portion of the partially assembled armature.
US09015916B2
A method for the pressing of a press fitting, with a tube inserted into the press fitting, by way of a pressing tool, wherein the press fitting has an encircling bead in which an O-sealing ring is placed, wherein the tube ends within the press fitting and a first pressing is carried out within the bead, wherein, furthermore, a further pressing is carried out on the tube-insert side of the press fitting at a distance from the bead, the further pressing leading to press fitting and tube obtaining a conicity which prevents them being pulled off and runs in the same direction. Furthermore, the invention relates to a pressing tool suitable for carrying out the method. In order to further improve a method of the type under discussion, in particular for simplifying the handling over the course of the pressing operation, and in order to improve a pressing tool of the type under discussion, in particular in terms of handling while maintaining the functional reliability of the press connection winch is to be produced, it is proposed, in terms of the method, that the head is widened axially over the course of the pressing operation by being acted upon radially from the outside. In terms of the object, it is provided that the first pressing geometry, which is assigned to the bead, leaves the bead space at least in one direction for the axial widening of the bead.
US09015908B2
There is provided a liquid-tight slide fastener capable of sufficiently ensuring waterproof property regardless of where fastener elements are formed and capable of sufficiently ensuring attachment strength of the fastener elements to fastener tapes provided with liquid-tight layers. There is also provided a manufacturing method for the liquid-tight slide fastener. The liquid-tight slide fastener includes a pair of fastener tapes that include a pair of tape members, core sections respectively provided on opposing tape edges of the pair of tape members, and liquid-tight layers formed on one side of the pair of tape members; a pair of fastener element rows; and a slider. The liquid-tight layers are formed with gaps to the core sections in a width direction of the fastener tapes. The fastener elements are attached to the core sections.
US09015906B2
A cable tie includes a band of one material and a pawl of a different material. The pawl has a stem region and a securing region, wherein the securing region includes at least one barb and a stabilizing surface opposite the at least one barb. The band includes a head section and a tail section that may be inserted through the head section to secure a load. The head section includes a base section into which at least a portion of the stem region of the pawl is inserted, and an insertion channel to receive the tail section, wherein at least a portion of the pawl extends into the insertion channel. When a load is exerted to remove the tail section from the insertion channel, the barb engages the tail section and the stabilizing surface contacts a wall of the insertion channel to prevent bending of the pawl.
US09015898B2
An extraction cleaner for cleaning a floor surface includes a liquid distribution system and a liquid recovery system. The liquid recovery system includes a motor, and a motor cooling air pathway provides cooling air to the motor and removes heated cooling air from the motor. A duct system delivers heated motor cooling air to a supply tank of the extraction cleaner to heat liquid contained therein, and also drains liquid from the supply tank away from the motor.
US09015876B2
A waste water insert has a wall surrounding a vertical bore. A horizontal flange extends outwardly from the upper end of the wall and has a lip formed on its outer periphery. The horizontal flange of the waste water insert is super-imposed over the horizontal flange of a waste water strainer located in a bathtub, sink or the like. The wall of the insert extends downwardly through the cylindrical wall of the waste water strainer with the two walls being spaced from each other by virtue of the cylindrical wall of the insert having a smaller diameter than that of the strainer.
US09015875B2
A clamping device for mounting a sink to a counter, includes a clamp having a clamp body and a binding tab, a binding post for insertion through a first opening in the clamp body and into a hole in a surface of the sink adjacent to a clamped article, the clamp and binding tab connected to the post and extending away therefrom at least partially over an edge of the clamped article, and a clamp screw for insertion through a second opening in the clamp body and against a solid portion of the binding tab interposed between the clamp screw and the edge of the clamped article.
US09015864B2
A modular garment system includes an attachment system for attaching multiple garments together. In one embodiment, the garment system includes an upper body garment that is attachable to a lower body garment. The upper body garment includes a plurality of connectors that are aligned with a plurality of retaining members on the lower body garment. The retaining members on the lower body garment, for instance, may be placed on top of existing belt loops. The retaining members may include a flap, while the connectors may have a loop-like structure. In order to connect the upper body garment to the lower body garment, the flap may be inserted into the loop-like structure and secured to the lower body garment. The upper body garment can also include a draw cord that can be used to further secure the upper body garment against the lower body garment.
US09021609B2
An apparatus and method for verifying the integrity of firmware of an embedded system is provided. The apparatus for verifying the integrity of firmware of an embedded system includes a target integrity code obtainment unit for obtaining a target integrity code of firmware of the embedded system. A source integrity code obtainment unit obtains a source integrity code of source firmware. An integrity determination unit determines whether integrity of the firmware of the embedded system is maintained, by using the target integrity code and the source integrity code.
US09021607B2
A first user may provide protected content to a second user. The user accesses the rights required by the protected content and the rights held by the second user. If the rights of the second user are equal or greater to those required by the protected content, the first user may then provide the protected content to the second user. Additionally, methods and systems for presenting information regarding multiple categories of content are provided. In addition, methods and systems that suggest activities by a user in relation to content and determined affinity for content in relation to user contacts are provided. A user interface application is provided that operates to display status and/or historical information regarding content, suggested activities, and suggested contacts. The user can interact with the interface to access detailed information and to act on suggestions. In addition the user can interact with the interface to share content to other users, including users participating in real time communication sessions.
US09021602B2
An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding additional information into a digital information in an integral manner. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and device for data protection.
US09021592B2
A method and system for analyzing source code is disclosed. A computer identifies a call in a first source code to an application programming interface in a second source code. Responsive to identifying the call in the first source code to the application programming interface in the second source code, the computer determines whether a set of policies for calls to application programming interfaces includes a policy for calls to the application programming interface. Responsive to a determination that the set of policies for calls to application programming interfaces does not include the policy for calls to the application programming interface, the computer generates the policy for calls to the application programming interface and adds the generated policy to the set of policies for calls to application programming interfaces.
US09021588B2
A method for processing messages in a communication network, wherein messages are transmitted between network nodes of the communication network, which are each combined with test information that is verifiable to determine whether a corresponding message is admissible, where an admissible message leads to a positive test result and an inadmissible message leads to a negative test result. For at least one message that is provided for a respective network node, an action coupled to the message is performed from the respective network node in time a message is received in the respective network node without checking the test information combined with the message, wherein, upon execution of the action, the test information is verified by the respective network node and, when the test result is negative, at least one predefined measure is performed.
US09021586B2
Apparatus and methods are provided that prevent cross-site request forgery at one or more web servers. A proxy dynamically monitors web server responses to client requests for content having a selected characteristic, adds a hidden token to content identified as having the selected characteristic prior to serving the content to a requesting client, and stores a copy of the hidden token for later verification that client request content sent to a web server is authentic. The proxy monitors client request content sent to the one or more web servers for a selected characteristic, and allows client request content having the selected characteristic to be processed by a web server application only if the client request content includes a token previously provided by the proxy and only if the token has a value matching a stored token value for the respective client.
US09021585B1
A method of configuring a trusted security zone into a portable electronic device. The method comprises executing instructions on a processor of the portable electronic device that determine the state of a JTAG (JTAG) port of the portable electronic device, if the JTAG port is determined to be enabled, executing instructions on the processor preventing configuration of the trusted security zone into the portable electronic device, and if the JTAG port is determined to be disabled, configuring the trusted security zone into the portable electronic device, whereby a vulnerability to hacking the trusted security zone via an enabled JTAG port is reduced.
US09021582B2
This disclosure describes techniques of determining whether a symbol stream includes a pattern defined by a regular expression. As described herein, the regular expression may be represented using a non-deterministic finite automaton (NFA). A plurality of states in the NFA may be evaluated in parallel. These states may be associated with a plurality of symbol positions in a symbol stream. Evaluating a plurality of states and symbols in parallel may allow for faster determinations of whether the symbol stream includes the pattern defined by the regular expression.
US09021573B2
A method and a system are disclosed that enable an address at the edge router to be used to establish a multi-pipe virtual private network (MVPN) connecting controllers to multiple web enabled end user devices (EUDs) inside a security protected local area network (LAN). The EUDs connect to a central server (CS) outside the LAN during configuration establishing registration and identity (ID) for each EUD. Once the EUDs establish connection from inside the LAN, the CS is enabled to communicate with the EUDs using the address and ID provided during registration. The CS then acts as a facilitator establishing secure VPN connection between controllers in the cloud and the EUDs inside the LAN. CS further acts as a pass through for those LANs that do not allow direct connections to controllers outside the LAN. The CS continues to monitor the health of the overall system once connectivity is established.
US09021570B2
A system in which a first service providing apparatus, a second service providing apparatus, and at least one authentication apparatus cooperate with each other to provide a service by single sign-on to be used by a user, the second service providing apparatus comprises a management unit that manages belonging information for specifying a group to which the user belongs, and a transmission unit that transmits to the client terminal, when an instruction to provide a service by the first service providing apparatus is accepted from the user while providing a service by the second service providing apparatus, information for accessing the first service providing apparatus and the belonging information if the management unit manages the belonging information of the group to which the user belongs.
US09021565B2
A pre-registration procedure is utilized to create a user profile for a user of a multi-factor authentication (“MFA”) service. A client application installation procedure is utilized to install a client application on a computing device that is to be utilized as an authentication factor for the MFA service. A computing device enrollment procedure is utilized to enroll the computing device on which the client application was installed for the MFA service. A voice enrollment procedure is utilized to create a voice print for the user of the computing device that is to be utilized as an authentication factor for the MFA service. An authentication procedure is utilized to provide multi-factor authenticated access to a service, such as an online service that provides access to sensitive account information.
US09021551B2
An information processing apparatus includes a user information managing part that manages registered user information, an authentication part that performs user authentication using the registered user information managed by the user information managing part, an external authentication part that controls an external computer to perform authentication on user information input via an input interface and acquires authenticated user information from the computer when the input user information is successfully authenticated by the computer, and a registration part that registers the authenticated user information acquired by the external authentication part in the user information managing part as the registered user information.
US09021550B2
A computer-implemented method for executing a workflow is described, wherein the workflow comprises a set of individual activities, the method comprising the operations of deriving a global workflow access type and receiving a request to execute a workflow. Execution of access control based on the global workflow access type is performed. If access is allowable, the user is authorized to execute all activities belonging to the workflow. If access is not allowable, the user is rejected before executing the workflow.
US09021547B1
This disclosure is directed toward an integrated switching and routing security device that provides zone-based security directly between layer two (L2) interfaces of L2 bridge domains and/or layer three (L3) interfaces of L3 routing instances within the security device. The integrated switching and routing security device supports both switching and routing functionalities for packets on L2 and L3 interfaces, and supports security within and between L2 bridge domains and L3 routing instances. The integrated switching and routing security device configures L2 security zones for one or more L2 interfaces and configures L3 security zones for one or more L3 interfaces. The integrated switching and routing security device then applies security policies to incoming packets according to the L2 security zones and/or the L3 security zones associated with the incoming interface and an outgoing interface for the packets to provide end-to-end security within the security device.
US09021546B1
A computer-implemented method for workload security in virtual data centers may include (1) identifying a virtual data center that hosts a plurality of workloads sharing a common computing infrastructure, (2) identifying a workload within the plurality of workloads that is subject to a sensitivity assessment that pertains to an application of at least one security policy to at least one computing resource used by the workload, (3) performing the sensitivity assessment for the workload based at least in part on an attribute of an allocated resource within the common computing infrastructure provisioned to the workload, and (4) applying the security policy to the computing resource based at least in part on the sensitivity assessment for the workload. Various other methods, systems, and encoded computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09021545B2
In one embodiment, a first instruction prescribing a setting for a feature is defined. A second instruction prescribing a first action is defined. A third instruction prescribing a second action is defined. It is determined whether the feature is present in a computing device, and if present, whether the feature is set to the setting. The first action is initiated if the feature is present and not set to the setting. The second action is initiated if the feature is not present.
US09021542B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to receive a selection of media content that has finished being broadcast where the selection is of the previously broadcast media content, transmit a request for the media content, and receive the media content for presentation at the display device, where the media content includes a plurality of segments, where one or more of the segments is provided by each of a plurality of digital video recorders (DVR's) that have recorded the media content, where the DVR's are remote from the set top box, and where the plurality of segments are merged prior to presentation by the set top box. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09021541B2
Systems and methods are presented that permit an individual to share digital video between video devices using a cable television system. A first video device streams digital video to a cable headend, which transcodes it and stitches it with other video content, such as a menuing system. The headend then transmits the digital video to a second video device, such as a set top box, for display. The data stream may be controlled using a standard set top box remote control, and the system may be used without purchasing additional hardware or software, or configuring a wireless local area network.
US09021539B2
“Cradle-to-grave” treatment of leaks begins with technicians logging leakage signal strengths and GPS latitude and longitude coordinates in technicians' vehicles as the technicians go about their daily assignments. Leakage signal strengths and GPS latitude and longitude coordinates are then uploaded to a leakage server. The server calculates leak latitude and longitude coordinates and signal strengths. The system sends the leakage signal strengths and/or calculated leak latitude and longitude coordinates to technicians' vehicles, for example, as components of, or attachments to, work orders. The latitudes and longitudes are converted by GPS navigators in the technicians' vehicles to turn-by-turn directions to the calculated leak locations. The technicians drive to the leaks, identify and repair them, and close the work orders.
US09021536B2
A system and process is provided in which original video or dialog content is securely received from the content owner. Subtitle language data is derived, translated, stored and served on a separate database for synchronous playback with the content in video streaming, downloading or online TV following the activation of an option by the end user through a media player.
US09021533B2
Users of a method and apparatus to purchase (e.g., rent or buy) contents using a portable storage medium, via a network or the like. Contents purchased using embodiments of a method and apparatus may be developed to be automatically deleted or to be non-reproducible after being reproduced one time or after a predetermined period. Accordingly, users do not need to return borrowed or purchased contents. Also an owner of a contents rental shop may prevent contents from being unfairly reproduced. Further, user inconvenience due to the conventional manner in which users have to memorize information related to the contents and visit a rental shop to obtain desired contents may be avoided or decreased. Portable storage mediums or network resources of exemplary methods and apparatuses may be repeatedly used (e.g., without limitation), and thus may contribute to the saving of resources.
US09021528B2
A user interface allows for blending of television program choices from which a viewer may select, the blending representing options for linear and non-linear programming presented together within a single hierarchy of a designated category. The blending may further include managed content relevant to the designated category, where desired. Such designated categories may include television programming categories and/or content categories. The options for linear and non-linear programming may be presented together within a single screen of the user interface.
US09021521B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server comprising a memory to store executable instructions and a controller coupled to the memory. The controller, reponsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising presenting a graphical user interface enabling selectable advertisements or a selectable channel distribution service for delivery to a set top box, presenting filters for targeted delivery of advertisements to subscriber equipment based on information descriptive of the subscriber, selecting advertisements from an advertising server based on detected selections of advertisements or a detected channel distribution service preference, transmitting a globally unique identifier of the set top box to a billing server, initiating storage of the selectable advertisements at a remote advertisement delivery server, and presenting the selectable advertisements to the set top box. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09021518B2
Presented is a system that allows a user who subscribes to the system to avoid viewing commercials with unacceptable content (e.g. alcohol related, sexual content) during real-time television broadcasts. The system has a residential component consisting of a control unit having a user interface a local database and a specialized router, a remote processing component having monitoring stations where the monitored network feeds are processed, and a system DBMS component that stores channel and user information in real time. The control unit is connected to the internet, such as via a wireless connection on the user's network, to retrieve remotely-stored data obtained through monitored network feeds. The control unit retrieves real-time data associated with viewable content and applies logic to switch the viewing channel or signal source for display on the television. The monitored network feeds are viewed on the system's monitoring stations and the earliest feed for each monitored channel determines the channel content.
US09021516B2
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected crest factor associated with the media. The example method includes comparing the expected crest factor to a received crest factor to determine if spillover occurred. The received crest factor is received from the first meter. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
US09021509B1
Technologies are generally described for datacenter managed thread and multi-processing support. In some examples, a system may be provided for dynamic core allotment and provisioning within a server such that resources can be efficiently used to accomplish available work during lulls shorter than inter-server balancing time scales. A virtual machine manger (VMM) may enact core level provisioning and make optimal performance multi-processing information available via a virtual application programming interface (API) handler that receives and responds to messages sent to the VMM. The messages may not need to reach an external network and may therefore be exchanged at high speeds.
US09021508B2
The specification and drawings present a new method and software related product (e.g., computer readable medium, a computer, a computer memory or a laser recording disk) presented for: using a generic application programming interface (GAPI) for reading information, e.g., multi-application files (i.e., files created by two or more applications) stored in devices, e.g., computers, computer network devices/workstations, communication network devices, servers, memories (e.g., archives, backup repositories), etc.
US09021507B2
A method and computer program product for dynamic program integration is described. The method may comprise allowing, with at least one of a client electronic device and a server computer, selection of content in an original program. The method may further comprise applying a command sequence to the content. The method may also comprise copying the content on to a clipboard. Moreover, the method may activate a new program configured to handle the content. Additionally, the method may transfer the content from the clipboard to the new program and receive the content in the new program.
US09021503B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for coordinating application sate and communication mediums state. Embodiments of present invention provide a mechanism for a communication medium to provide a view of message content for a message (a peek) to an application along with the communication medium preventing further access to the message (a lock) until the application signals back how to handle the message. Thus, the communication medium indicates that the message is locked for the duration of processing at the application. Indicating that the message is locked significantly reduces the chance of the message being provided to another application (or another consumer of the same application) during the time the application is processing the view of message content.
US09021497B1
In a method for adjusting a Pause-loop exiting window value, one or more processors execute an exit instruction for a first virtual CPU (vCPU) in a virtualized computer environment based on the first vCPU exceeding a first Pause-loop exiting (PLE) window value. The one or more processors initiate a first directed yield from the first vCPU to a second vCPU in the virtualized computer environment. The one or more processors determine whether the first directed yield was successful. The one or more processors adjust the first PLE window value based on the determination of whether the first directed yield was successful.
US09021496B2
A method, system, and program for recording an object allocation site. In the structure of an object, a pointer to a class of an object is replaced by a pointer to an allocation site descriptor which is unique to each object allocation site, a common allocation site descriptor is used for objects created at the same allocation site, and the class of the object is accessed through the allocation site descriptor.
US09021484B2
Mechanisms are provided for comparing the performance of applications. An application log record associated with a first application is identified. Mappings between the application logs and underlying log record of environments are made for both the source and the target environments. Performance measurements are made based on both the application logs in the source and target environments are made and compared to each other by way of the mappings. A result of the comparison is output to thereby compare performance of the first application in the source environment with performance of a second application in the target environment.
US09021475B2
This disclosure describes a system for Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) pass-thru for network packet processing via a virtualized environment of a device. The system includes a device comprising a virtualized environment and a plurality of virtual machines having a virtual network interface for receiving and transmitting network packets. A driver for the physical network interface of the device creates a plurality of virtual devices corresponding to the physical network interface, which appear as a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) device to the virtualized environment. A virtual device of the plurality of virtual devices is assigned via the virtualized environment to each virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines. The virtual machine uses the virtual device assigned to the virtual machine, to receive and transmit network packets via the physical network interface of the device.
US09021469B2
Various embodiments provide a mechanism to allow end users to install web applications and websites onto their desktop. In accordance with one or more embodiments, client-side code can be utilized to allow developers associated with a website to define boundaries associated with user interaction, and have those boundaries enforced by a run-time engine. In at least some embodiments, developers can provide, through JavaScript code and/or HTML markup, various configurations for the creation of a start menu shortcut, navigation, and so-called jumplist integration.
US09021466B2
An electronic device with a prompting function is provided. The electronic device includes a storage module, a detecting module, a processing module, and a display module. The storage module stores contents associated with dialog boxes which are to be generated during using or installing applications and associated options of each of the contents, the associated options of each of the contents comprising preferred options and not preferred options. The detecting module obtains a content and the associated options of the content from a pop-up dialog box. The processing module compares the obtained content with the stored contents and determines a preferred option of the obtained content according to the stored associated preferred option if the obtained content matches one of the stored content. The processing module further changes the display state of the determined preferred option of the content.
US09021465B2
A method and system for providing guest software updates to a host computer system. The hypervisor in the host computer system downloads an update to guest software that runs on a virtual machine associated with the hypervisor. The hypervisor determines the content of the update to be sent to the virtual machine. The hypervisor then sends the content of the update to the virtual machine via a dedicated channel between the hypervisor and the virtual machine. Thus, a guest without external networking or even no network stack can be updated.
US09021464B2
Methods for correlating configuration change data to an application installation/removal event for a computer system are provided. Configuration change data records for the computer system are retrieved. The application installation/removal event is identified. Correlation criteria are determined. A plurality of the configuration change data records are automatically identified as being associated with the identified application installation/removal event based on the determined correlation criteria and a characteristic of the configuration change data records.
US09021463B2
A method, system and apparatus for management of push content is provided. An intermediation infrastructure mediates traffic from a push content server that is addressed to a computing device. The intermediation infrastructure enforces various policies such that, for example, unwanted communications are not pushed to the computing device.
US09021458B1
Embodiment are directed towards managing application delivery over a network. Change information that corresponds to changes to an application may be provided to a delivery pipeline. The change information may be verified in part based on a static analysis of the content of the change information, compiling, and unit testing. Reviewers may be notified to approve the change information. A version of the application that includes the change information may be generated. Acceptance testing may be performed that includes provisioning computing resources in an acceptance computing environment. And, deploying a version of application that includes the change information into the acceptance computing environment. If the acceptance testing passes, a shipping operation may be enabled pausing the delivery pipeline until an authorized user activates the shipping operation restarting the delivery pipeline and deploying the application to one or more computing environments.
US09021457B2
A computer-implemented method for updating a recovery operating system (OS) stored in a boot partition of a storage device. The method involves booting, via host operating system (OS) boot files stored in the boot partition, a host OS that is stored in a host partition of the storage device, receiving a request to update a recovery OS also stored in the boot partition, determining the recovery OS update requires additional storage space of size Z to be added to the boot partition, decreasing the size of the host partition by the size Z, increasing the size of the boot partition by the size Z, and updating the recovery OS.
US09021454B2
Methods and systems for optimizing generation of natively executable code from non-native binary code are disclosed. One method includes receiving a source file including binary code configured for execution according to a non-native instruction set architecture. The method also includes translating one or more code blocks included in the executable binary code to source code, and applying an optimizing algorithm to instructions in the one or more code blocks. The optimizing algorithm is selected to reduce a number of memory address translations performed when translating the source code to native executable binary code, thereby resulting in one or more optimized code blocks. The method further includes compiling the source code to generate an output file comprising natively executable binary code including the one or more optimized code blocks.
US09021449B2
A method of testing software may include accessing first software that includes multiple execution paths and concretely executing the first software using a test case associated with second software to traverse at least a first execution path of the execution paths. The method may also include capturing concrete execution results produced from concretely executing the first software to record the first execution path and symbolically executing the first software using a symbolic input based on the recorded first execution path.
US09021428B2
Tools and techniques support troubleshooting live application visuals, including transient markup expression issues in XAML or HTML. A LADRT module supports troubleshooting without pausing application execution to help inspect and modify visual construct properties, and to identify and alter source code pertaining to a selected visual construct. Changes are serialized back to the application program source code and reflected in real time in the executing application, without a rebuild. Markup annotation preserves pre-evaluation versions of markup expressions for binding, static resource identification, and custom purposes. Markup annotation also correlates visual constructs and source code. The LADRT module operates independently of debuggers, and may autoload with the application. Program project and source code changes are not required for troubleshooting capability.
US09021419B2
A system and method can support design pattern automation. A design environment, such as a design pattern automation platform, enables the definition of design patterns including the model entities and their relationships. The design pattern automation platform leverages the definitions and user input, and uses an intelligent method to automate the implementation of arbitrarily complex software design artifacts that realize the design patterns. The design pattern automation platform allows a user to specify a design pattern model that describes a design pattern. A user interface (UI) framework can consume the design pattern model and can render a set of UI pages that allow for user interaction with the design pattern. Furthermore, a pattern processor can combine the meta-model with user inputs from the UI framework and produce a set of entities or resources for the design pattern.
US09021417B2
A technique for identifying a minimum number of model elements associated with a model for generating a subset model of the model that includes receiving a model, a set of model elements and a set of dependency types associated with the model; assigning a collector component to each of the received model elements; locating a model element dependent on the received model element by one of the received dependency types; receiving from each collector a dependent model element, and for each dependent model element, determining whether the dependent model element has been collected by another collector with the same dependency type and updating a subset model list with the collected dependent model element to build a list of collected dependent model elements for generating a subset model in response to a negative determination.
US09021416B2
A code evaluation tool greatly reduces time, cost, and other resource expenditures needed to validate that an application implements desired functionality. The tool is a search, navigation and visualization tool that accepts high-level processing concepts as inputs to identify, rank, and return the code of a recommended application. A software developer may use the tool to validate that functional requirements are met by the recommended application. The tool provides an efficient way to improve the evaluation of application logic to validate that the application meets specified functional requirement and implements the desired high-level processing concepts.
US09021414B1
A method of designing a 3D Integrated Circuit, the method including: performing placement using a 2D placer, performing placement for at least a first strata and a second strata, and then performing routing and completing the physical design of said 3D Integrated Circuit.
US09021411B2
A first signal is transmitted through a first path. A computing device determines a signal propagation time of the first signal. The computing device transmits a second signal through a second path, wherein the second path includes the second signal traversing across at least one interconnecting structure. The computing device determines a signal propagation time of the second signal. The computing device determines a propagation time difference between the signal propagation time of the first signal and the signal propagation time of the second signal. The computing device adjusts a clock based on the determined propagation time difference.
US09021400B2
A navigation system for navigating a three-dimensional (3D) scene that includes a model or object with which a user can interact. The system accommodates and helps both novice and advanced users. To do this, the system allows a user to designate a point on a model and the system moves the view toward that point. A perspective scale is provided that shows the user the relative position of the current view from the starting point of the view to the surface point.
US09021396B2
A user interface includes menu items arranged in a flower-like configuration. A number of menu items are peripherally arranged around a central item and mapped to selectable elements of an input device. Then, a display image including the menu is transmitted to a display. Subsequently, in response to a received selection, a corresponding action may be performed such as execution of a task, modification of the display image, and so on. In certain implementations, the menu items may be selected utilizing a cursor. The menu items may include a smaller portion located closer to the central item and a larger portion located further away. In still other implementations, the menu may also include a number of menu items that are not peripherally arranged around the central item. In response to a received selection, the menu items which are peripherally arranged around the central item may be altered.
US09021391B2
A method of re-executing a workflow and an image forming apparatus able to re-execute a workflow. The method of re-executing a workflow includes accessing a job history illustrating a result of executing one or more workflows, displaying the accessed job history, selecting a workflow to be re-executed from the displayed job history, and re-executing the selected workflow.
US09021385B2
Based on an output signal outputted from an input device, a plurality of selection objects having at least a part thereof displayed on a display area of a display device are moved relative to the display area. Among the moved plurality of selection objects, when an end-located selection object reaches a predetermined position of the display area, at least one of the plurality of selection objects displayed on the display area are transformed and displayed.
US09021375B2
A method, a computer program product, a computer system and a method for supporting an application. The method includes: starting an application having multiple possible states and multiple possible state transitions, the application having rules specifying computer screen display actions to be performed upon state transitions of the application; placing the application in a current display mode and displaying the current display mode on a computer screen; monitoring the state of the software application; upon a state transition of from a current state to a new state, the state transition not initialed by a user of the application, applying a rule associated with the state transition to determine a new display mode; changing a display mode of the application from the current display mode to the new display mode based upon the rules; and displaying the new display mode on the computer screen.
US09021371B2
System and method involving user interfaces and remote control devices. These user interfaces may be particularly useful for providing an intuitive and user friendly interaction between a user and a device or application using a display, e.g., at a “10 foot” interaction level. The user interfaces may be specifically designed for interaction using a simple remote control device having a limited number of inputs. For example, the simple remote control may include directional inputs (e.g., up, down, left, right), a confirmation input (e.g., ok), and possibly a mute input. The user interface may be customized based on current user activity or other contexts (e.g., based on current or previous states), the user logging in (e.g., using a communication device), etc. Additionally, the user interface may allow the user to adjust cameras whose video are not currently displayed, rejoin previously left videoconferences, and/or any of a variety of desirable actions.
US09021366B1
A method and computing system for receiving an indication of a first photo being uploaded to a web-based resource. A first capture date is determined for the first photo. A first object is associated with the first photo. The first object is positioned within a graphical representation of a calendar based, at least in part, upon the first capture date.
US09021362B2
A method for real-time capture of actual user experiences on a website, web application or mobile app includes receiving, in first servers, one or more beacons, each containing data items. Each beacon is generated in real-time from a user session. The data items are aggregated in one or more first sets of N data buckets associated with each of the first servers. Each of the first servers transmits the data items of each of the N data buckets to a second server over a network, which further aggregates the data items received in one or more sets of N data buckets corresponding to and identically configured as the data buckets of the first servers. The corresponding data contents of the one or more second sets of N data buckets is aggregated into one or more final sets of N data buckets used in generating a real-time analytic dashboard.
US09021358B2
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a stream of biometric imaging data of a patient; receiving medical data about the patient; receiving a video stream depicting a source of the biometric imaging data; receiving supplemental information selected from a group consisting of: a second video stream depicting a human, one or more use cases corresponding to the biometric imaging data, an image of anatomy comparable to the biometric imaging data; and preparing for simultaneous output to a graphical user interface on a single display screen: the biometric imaging data, the medical data, the video stream depicting a source of the biometric imaging data, and the supplemental information. Each of the biometric imaging data, the medical data about the patient, the video stream depicting a source of the biometric imaging data, and the supplemental information is simultaneously output in a unique region of the graphical user interface.
US09021357B2
A system and method for editing multimedia content. A server transmits multimedia content to a plurality of electronic devices. Each of the plurality of electronic devices enables a user to perform at least one action in relation to the multimedia content. A a voting engine gathers information concerning the actions performed by users in relation to the multimedia content transmitted to the electronic devices. In response to the information gathered by the voting engine, the multimedia content is modified based upon predefined criteria. The modified multimedia content is subsequently provided to later users.
US09021354B2
A user can make selections of one or more items, defined as a context, in a graphical user interface on a computer running software. The computer sends data to a connected wireless device, and the data is representative of the context. The wireless touch screen device displays one or more commands corresponding to the received context data and the commands can control the program on the computer. The wireless touch screen device then receives a user input on the wireless touch screen device to execute one of the one or more commands. The wireless touch screen device then sends the user command to the computer, wherein the computer executes the command and controls the program according to the user command. For example, this can allow remote control of a DAW, video-editing software, photo-editing software, and word processing software by a coupled wireless touch screen device.
US09021340B2
Error correction decoding is performed on a codeword where the codeword is unable to be successfully decoded. One or more bits in the codeword are selected to be replaced with an erasure. The selected bits in the codeword is/are replaced with an erasure to obtain a codeword with one or more erasures. Error correction decoding is performed on the codeword with one or more erasures.
US09021330B2
A mechanism for resilient transmission of a data stream D by associating sequential data stream portions with respective elements within an array of elements, defining and FEC encoding each of a plurality of element groups comprising non-sequential data stream portions, dividing the sequence of FEC blocks into a plurality of substreams, and associating each substream with a respective transmission channel.
US09021324B2
An arrangement including at least one path, at least one replica path, the at least one replica path corresponding to a respective path, a controller configured to use control information derived from the at least one replica path, at least one of the paths comprising a monitoring unit configured to provide monitor information to the controller, the controller being configured to modify the control information in dependence on the monitor information.
US09021317B2
Reporting and processing computer operation failure alerts, including deploying on a computer in a computing environment a plurality of alert reporting agents, the computing environment including a plurality of computers including a system management server that monitors the operating conditions of the other computers in the computing environment, the computer also including an alert generator configured to accept registrations of alert reporting agents, to generate alerts of present or pending failure, and to provide the generated alerts to registered alert reporting agents; registering the alert reporting agents with the alert generator; designating a primary alert reporting agent among registered alert reporting agents that communicate alerts to a same system management server; communicating a computer operation failure alert to all registered agents; and communicating, by the primary alert reporting agent only, the alert to the system management server.
US09021315B1
Architectures and techniques for uploading virtual machine (VM) images to a network-accessible computing platform from a client device while simultaneously performing error detection of the VM images at the client device. One technique can include transmitting a request from the client device to upload VM images. The technique can further include receiving an application from the computing platform and using the application to reconstitute the VM images from a first stream at the client device while performing error detection. The technique also includes using the application to upload the VM images from a second stream at the client device to the computing platform while performing the error detection.
US09021310B1
A policy-driven automatic network remediation service is described, which resides on the network and is triggered when a network fault is detected. Once triggered, the service automatically connects to network devices in the topological locale of the detected fault and collects diagnostic information from the affected area, running diagnostics which are appropriate to the fault type. The service can validate a set of preconditions prior to taking remedial action. For example, the service can empirically validate that the network topology is actually as expected and that automatic remediation would be safe and would not compromise network availability or redundancy. Diagnostic information can be recorded in a trouble ticket to support post-event auditing. Once the preconditions have been validated, the service can automatically take corrective action based on the type of the fault, such as shutting down an interface on a particular network device.
US09021309B2
A method is integrated into the local operating system of a test machine. The disclosed technique preferably uses a master copy of one or more data objects from a first location to create virtual data objects (e.g., files or folders) that appear to be part of a file system mounted to a test machine in a second location. This disclosure describes a “projection” method and computer program that enables access to a destination object at a target location immediately upon initiation of a copy command at a source location while a copy operation is carried out in a background manner.
US09021300B2
A method is provided for changing over from a primary home subscriber server (HSS) to a backup HSS in an IP network, said network having a plurality of call server control function (CSCF) (or application) servers, in which, after detection of a loss of connection between one of said CSCF (or application) servers and a primary HSS to which it is normally connected, the CSCF (or application) server connects itself to a backup HSS. The method also comprises the following steps: a) a predetermined broadcast device is informed of said loss of connection with said HSS; b) said broadcast device sends a predetermined fault message at least to the other CSCF (or application) servers that are normally connected to said primary HSS, said message containing the reference of said primary HSS; and c) said other CSCF (or application) servers connect themselves to said backup HSS.
US09021297B1
A method of operating a remote procedure call cache in a storage cluster is provided. The method includes receiving a remote procedure call at a first storage node having solid-state memory and writing information, relating to the remote procedure call, to a remote procedure call cache of the first storage node. The method includes mirroring the remote procedure call cache of the first storage node in a mirrored remote procedure call cache of a second storage node. The storage cluster includes the first storage node and the second storage node. The storage system includes the first storage blade and the second storage blade. A storage node and a storage cluster are also provided.
US09021294B2
A survey tool for use in a Recover to Cloud (R2C) replication service environment that determines configuration information automatically (such as through SNMP messaging or custom APIs) and stores it in a survey database. A Virtual Data Center (VDC) representation is then instantiated from the survey database, with the VDC being a virtual replica of the production environment including dormant Virtual Machine (VM) definition files, applications, storage requirements, VLANs firewalls, and the like. The survey tool determines the order in which the replicas are brought on line to ensure orderly recovery, by determining the order in which each machine makes requests for connections to other machines.
US09021292B2
Systems and methods are disclosed which relate to improving synchronization of clocks between a sender and a receiver communicating via an asynchronous serial interface. In a ring topology, a master device is connected to a plurality of slaves communicating using a bi-frequency encoded bit stream. A host device communicates with the master device using a non-return-to-zero data encoding. Each slave receives data from the master and sends it to the next slave in the ring unaltered unless the master indicates a requirement for a particular data, and transmits placeholder bits with a value of 0 around the ring. A particular slave can “fill-in” the placeholder bits with the information to be sent back to the master by inverting the placeholder bit. Clock synchronization between a receiving device and a transmitting device is improved using a fractional rate multiplier to generate a data sampling clock from a system clock. By adjusting the denominator, the sampling clock can be tuned to match the baud rate of the asynchronous serial data stream received from the transmitting device. Embodiments described include power management, data acquisition (DAQ), etc.
US09021290B2
A system and method of dynamically managing a power supply allocation for each one of the server blades in a blade server includes a blade server system having a blade chassis, multiple server blades coupled to the blade chassis, a power supply system coupled to the blade chassis, a chassis management module coupled to the blade chassis, wherein the blade chassis includes electrical and data communication interconnections between the server blades, the redundant power supply system and the chassis management module. The chassis management module includes computer readable media having program instructions for dynamically managing a power supply allocation for each one of the server blades.
US09021287B2
For example, a circuit arrangement is provided comprising a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal, a circuit having a low power mode, and a controller, configured to receive, when the circuit is in the low power mode, a request specifying that the circuit should return from the low power mode and trigger the circuit to return from the low power mode when the number of clock cycles of the clock signal since the reception of the request has reached a threshold value.
US09021263B2
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module receiving an access request regarding a data object, where the access request includes a data object identifier, requestor information, and addressing information. The method continues with the DS processing module determining a base key identifier based on the access request and determining content specific information based on the access request. The method continues with the DS processing module retrieving a set of base key slices utilizing the base key identifier and decoding the set of base key slices in accordance with an error encoding function to recover a base key. The method continues with the DS processing module generating an access specific key based on the recovered base key and the content specific information and executing the access request regarding the data object utilizing the access specific key.
US09021261B2
A handheld communications device is created with a touch sensitive display, a secure computing component, and a non-secure computing component. The secure component may comprise a secure CPU executing a secure operating system. The non-secure component may comprise a separate non-secure CPU executing a separate non-secure operating system. The touch sensitive display on the handheld communications device is divided into a secure portion and a non-secure portion such that information displayed in the secure portion is provided by the secure operating system, and information displayed in the non-secure portion is provided by the non-secure operating system. Similarly, data entered through the secure portion of the display is provided to the secure operating system, and data entered through the non-secure portion of the display is provided to the non-secure operating system.
US09021257B2
Secret information is encoded/distributed into distributed information according to access structure, a random number sequence corresponding to number of pieces into which the secret information is distributed is generated by randomly selecting polynomial coefficients, the coefficients are encoded/distributed into random number information according to access structure, a hash function whose hash values correspond to the random number sequence is generated, keys for which the hash function applies are selected so as to individually set data for checking whether restored secret information is being manipulated as number of pieces of check data corresponding to number of pieces into which the secret information is distributed, the distributed information is read, the secret information is restored; the random number information is read, the random number sequence is restored, the check data is read, and the restored secret information is judged as not being manipulated when the read check data satisfies the hash function.
US09021251B2
A communication network is operated by receiving traffic from a user device at a gateway device associated with a gateway service provider, which manages gateways to both secure and insecure networks. The gateway uses security policies to determine if traffic is destined to the secure or insecure network and applies appropriate policies which cause the traffic to be routed, dropped, or analyzed.
US09021244B2
Firmware in a UEFI-compliant computing device is used to administer and alter a Secure Boot process for the computing device while continuing to provide protection from unauthorized third-party code.
US09021242B2
A boot determining method of an electronic device is used to determine whether to boot the electronic device having at least one storage. The boot determining method includes: receiving a start signal; detecting an ambient temperature; detecting whether the at least one storage has a heating module; comparing the ambient temperature with a temperature threshold; reading storage information; determining type(s) of the at least one storage according to the storage information; and determining whether to boot the electronic device after receiving the starting signal, according to a determining condition. The determining condition includes the type(s) of the at least one storage; whether the environment temperature is lower than the temperature threshold; and whether each of the at least one-storage has the heating module.
US09021239B2
The disclosure relates to the implementation of multi-tasking on a digital signal processor. Blocking functions are arranged such that they do not make use of a processor's hardware stack. Respective function calls are replaced with a piece of inline assembly code, which instead performs a branch to the correct routine for carrying out said function. If a blocking condition of the blocking function is encountered, a task switch can be done to resume another task. Whilst the hardware stack is not used when a task switch might have to occur, mixed-up contents of the hardware stack among function calls performed by different tasks are avoided.
US09021232B2
There is provided a method of operating a multipath storage system, the method comprises: identifying a primary storage control port configured to be responsible for a given LBA range and a secondary storage control port configured to have secondary responsibility for the given LBA range; reducing, in a manner unaffecting respective inbound I/O operation, outbound I/O operation related to the given LBA range and occurring at the primary storage control port, thereby causing a situation requiring switching all respective I/O requests to an alternating path; analyzing responsive changes in outbound I/O operation related to the given LBA range and occurring at the secondary storage control port, and verifying operability of switching to the alternating path in accordance with the obtained results. Outbound I/O operation can be reduced with the help of a routine configured to identify inbound I/O requests directed to the given LBA range and to put these requests on hold for a delay period, thus giving rise to delayed I/O requests, wherein the delay period is configured to be long enough to enable switching to an alternating path.
US09021225B2
What is provided is an enhanced dynamic address translation facility. In one embodiment, a virtual address to be translated is first obtained and an initial origin address of a translation table of the hierarchy of translation tables is obtained. Based on the obtained initial origin, a segment table entry is obtained. The segment table entry is configured to contain a format control and access validity fields. If the format control and access validity fields are enabled, the segment table entry further contains an access control field, a fetch protection field, and a segment-frame absolute address. Store operations are permitted only if the access control field matches a program access key provided by any one of a Program Status Word or an operand of a program instruction being emulated. Fetch operations are permitted if the program access key associated with the virtual address is equal to the segment access control field or the fetch protection field is not enabled.
US09021224B2
A computer system and an access restriction method may be used to enable security and improve reliability. The computer system includes a first storage apparatus and a second storage apparatus. The first storage apparatus provides a first logical volume from/to which a host apparatus reads and writes data, and the second storage apparatus provides a virtual second logical volume obtained by virtualizing the first logical volume of the first storage apparatus to the host apparatus. The first path information relates to a path from the host apparatus to the second logical volume registered in the first storage apparatus in association with the first logical volume of the first storage apparatus. Reservation of and access to the first logical volume is granted only for a reservation request and access request with matching path information from the host apparatus.
US09021220B2
A method, system and computer readable medium that identify orphan storage and release the orphaned storage before application or system outages can result. More specifically, in certain embodiments, a method, system and computer readable medium periodically scan through common memory storage and identifies those areas that are no longer associated with a running task or have been allocated for longer than a running task with a matching task address. These areas are then identified as potentially orphaned storage locations.
US09021211B2
A coherent attached processor proxy (CAPP) participates in coherence communication in a primary coherent system on behalf of an attached processor external to the primary coherent system. The CAPP includes an epoch timer that advances at regular intervals to define epochs of operation of the CAPP. Each of one or more entries in a data structure in the CAPP are associated with a respective epoch. Recovery operations for the CAPP are initiated based on a comparison of an epoch indicated by the epoch timer and the epoch associated with one of the one or more entries in the data structure.
US09021209B2
A processing node tracks probe activity level associated with its cache. The processing node and/or processing system further predicts an idle duration. If the probe activity level increases above a threshold probe activity level, and the idle duration prediction is above a threshold idle duration threshold, the processing node flushes its cache to prevent probes to the cache. If the probe activity level is above the threshold probe activity level but the predicted idle duration is too short, the performance state of the processing node is increased above its current performance state to provide enhanced performance capability in responding to the probe requests.
US09021203B2
Various embodiments for improving data storage and retrieval performance, for a tiered storage environment having levels corresponding to storage performance, are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, reference count information of at least one data segment maintained in the tiered storage environment is used to determine which of the levels in the tiered storage environment the at least one data segment will be assigned. Those of the at least one data segment having higher reference counts are assigned to a higher performance level than those having lower reference counts.
US09021198B1
According to various embodiments, systems and methods are provided that relate to shared access to Storage Area Networks (SAN) devices. In one embodiment, a Storage Area Network (SAN) host is provided, comprising: a server component; a first host bus adapter configured to be connected to a SAN client over a first SAN; a second host bus adapter configured to be connected to a SAN storage device over a second SAN; and wherein the server component is configured to manage a data block on the SAN storage device, receive a storage operation request from the SAN client through the first host bus adapter, and in response to the storage operation request, perform a storage operation on the data block, the storage operation being performed over the second SAN through the second host bus adapter.
US09021187B2
A method and system is disclosed that remaps logical block addresses (LBAs) for defragmentation that is managed at the storage device level. The remapping may include sequentially remapping LBAs where individual files are remapped so that each file is referenced by sequential LBAs. The remapping of LBAs may be performed without changes to the physical location of data.
US09021183B2
According to one embodiment, a data storage apparatus comprises a channel controller, an encoding module, and a data controller. The channel controller is configured to control data input to, and output from, nonvolatile memories for channels. The encoding module is configured to generate encoded data for which an inter-channel error correction process, using data stored in each of the nonvolatile memories. The data controller is configured to manage the encoded data in units of logic blocks when the channel controller writes the encoded data in parallel to the channels, and to allocate parity data contained in the encoded data to one plane in each logic block.
US09021182B2
A flash memory for code and data storage includes a code memory array having fast read access and suitability for execute in place, a data memory array having the characteristics of low bit cost and high density storage, and a suitable interface to provide access to both the code and data. The code memory array may be a NOR array or a performance-enhanced NAND array. The memory may be implemented in a single chip package or multi-chip package solution.
US09021179B2
An abstraction for storage class memory is provided that hides the details of the implementation of storage class memory from a program, and provides a standard channel programming interface for performing certain actions, such as controlling movement of data between main storage and storage class memory or managing storage class memory.
US09021177B2
A method for using a single spare block pool in flash memory comprising: allocating a plurality of flash memory arrays, wherein each flash memory array comprises a plurality of flash memory blocks; within a main flash memory array: allocating a used block pool comprising a plurality of used blocks and allocating a main spare block pool comprising a plurality of spare blocks; within each of the other flash memory arrays: allocating a used block pool comprising multiple used blocks; allocating a minimum spare block pool comprising a minimum number of spare blocks; allocating the main spare block pool and each of the minimum spare block pools to a single spare block pool; transferring a spare block from the main spare block pool to one of the minimum spare block pools; and transferring a spare block from a first minimum spare block pool to a second minimum spare block pool.
US09021170B2
A pipeline communication system includes a master and a plurality of slaves configured to communicate with each other. Each of the plurality of slaves includes a memory, and is configured to generate a first ready signal and a second ready signal. The first ready signal is configured to be provided only to the master and the second ready signal is configured to be provided only to each of the plurality of slaves. The second ready signal is generated independent of the error check in each of the plurality of slaves.
US09021164B2
A NFC mimic device retrieves peripheral information from a peripheral, stores the peripheral information and then mimics the peripheral information to an information handling system so that a NFC device of the information handling system receives the peripheral information as if provided directly from the peripheral. The NFC mimic device supports automated setup a wireless interface between an information handling system and a peripheral, such as a projector.
US09021154B2
Provided are a device and computer readable storage medium for programming a memory module to initiate a training mode in which the memory module transmits continuous bit patterns on a side band lane of the bus interface; receiving the bit patterns over the bus interface; determining from the received bit patterns a transition of values in the bit pattern to determine a data eye between the determined transitions of the values; and determining a setting to control a phase interpolator to generate interpolated signals used to sample data within the determined data eye.
US09021138B2
Embodiments of the invention may improve the performance of multi-processor systems in processing information received via a network. For example, some embodiments may enable configuration of a system such that information received is distributed among multiple processors for efficient processing. A user may select from among multiple configuration options, each configuration option being associated with a particular mode of processing information received. By selecting a configuration option, the user may specify how information received is processed to capitalize on the system's characteristics, such as by aligning processors on the system with certain NICs. As such, the processor(s) aligned with a NIC may perform networking-related tasks associated with information received by that NIC. If initial alignment causes one or more processors to become over-burdened, processing tasks may be dynamically re-distributed to other processors.
US09021134B1
Techniques allow an intermediate (IM) device to transparently intercept and dynamically modify signaling messages being exchanged by a client and a server when negotiating setup and delivery of a multimedia stream from a streaming server. The techniques also allow an IM device to dynamically convert the real-time multimedia stream from a first transport layer protocol to a second transport layer protocol, and the reverse, based on the particular topology of the network including the presence and location of any security devices that may block the multimedia stream. The IM device may be configured to dynamically modify messages intercepted between the client and the server to change a transport layer protocol indicated by the messages from the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and the reverse, and convert a UDP data stream to TCP packets and inject the TCP packets into an established TCP session.
US09021132B2
An address translation device includes an address translation part containing information on correspondence between pseudo addresses and real addresses of a first network and a second network having respective address spaces independent of each other, the first network and the second network being connected by multiple address translation devices including the address translation device; an address translation request reception part configured to receive an address translation request with respect to a pseudo IP address contained in the address translation part; an address resolution response determination part configured to determine whether to respond to the address translation request in accordance with a predetermined rule based on the source address of the received address translation request; and a response part configured to respond to the address translation request based on the determination by the address resolution response determination part.
US09021130B1
Embodiments of the present invention present a method and apparatus for photonic line sharing for high-speed routers. Photonic switches receive high-speed optical data streams and produce the data streams to a router operating according to routing logic and produce optical data streams according to destination addresses stored in the data packets. Each photonic switch can be configured as one of a 1:N multiplexer or an M:N cross-connect switch. In one embodiment, optical data is converted to electrical data prior to routing, while an alternate embodiment routes only optical data. Another embodiment transfers large volumes of high-speed data through an optical bypass line in a circuit switched network to bypass the switch fabric thereby routing the data packets directly to the destination. An edge device selects one of the packet switched network or the circuit switched network. The bypass resources are released when the large volume of high-speed data is transferred.
US09021120B2
Technology is disclosed for migrating at least portions of a video streaming application to a cloud server. The migration is based on an optimization factor of a video streaming application. The optimization factor can be computed based on consumption of computing resources of the computing device. The video streaming application is a multi-threaded application in which a background thread performs tasks that may not require user interaction and a foreground thread performs tasks that may require user interaction. A service component of the video streaming application that obtains video streaming data from video servers is one example of the background thread. A user interface component that displays the video streaming data to a user via a user interface is an example of the foreground thread. If the optimization factor of the service component is below a predefined threshold, the service component is transferred to the cloud server for further processing.
US09021116B2
An information handling system includes a network switching device coupled to a network and a host processing system. The network switching device includes a physical link with an associated virtual link. The host processing system includes a virtual machine and a network interface device coupled to the physical link. The network interface device includes a virtual network interface associated with the virtual machine. The virtual link is associated with the virtual network interface such that communication between the network and the virtual machine is provided via the virtual link and the virtual network interface.
US09021105B2
Embodiments describe handling a communication session at a device, by executing a communication session handling program at the device, the communication session handling program comprising a communication session handling part for handling the communication session and an interfacing part for linking with a communication session control interface. An application executed at the device provides, to a user of the device, a communication session control interface for the communication session handled by the communication session handling part of the communication session handling program, the application linking with the interfacing part of the communication session handling program. On detecting that the application has ceased to provide the communication session control interface, the interfacing part of the communication session handling program links, without dropping the communication session, to a further communication session control interface provided at the device for continuation of the communication session handled by the communication session handling part.
US09021099B2
System and method for load balancing multiple file transfer protocol (FTP) servers to service secure FTP sessions having encrypted signals are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the system include multiple FTP servers coupled to a load balancing agent. Each of the multiple FTP servers is associated with a unique port range and the load balancer receives an encrypted data signal in a secure FTP session on a given port and uses a port range within which the given port falls to identify which of the multiple FTP servers a corresponding control signal of the secure FTP session was previously sent.
US09021095B2
Disclosed is an improved approach for implementing an on-demand scheduler in a mobile device and the structures to support realtime on-demand schedulers. A lightweight word-based structure is disclosed for storing scheduling-related data on the mobile device. Using this lightweight word-based structure enables on-demand and real-time scheduling. This type of lightweight structure also permits scheduling activities to be performed in a disconnected mode, which can then be later synchronized with the server to confirm the booking In addition to appointment scheduling, this technique can also be implemented for scheduling of any type of resource.
US09021091B2
Responsive to transactional middleware for a particular domain processing a particular transaction instance at a processing point specified in transaction telemetry standards as a tracking point along a flow of the particular transaction, a facility of the middleware accesses correlation data for the particular transaction instance in the particular domain and extracts application level context information about the particular transaction instance from the particular domain, wherein the transaction telemetry standards specify a same set of standards for application by each separate transactional middleware instance of a composite application. At least one facility of the transactional middleware creates a tracking event comprising the correlation data and the application level context information formatted into an event structure defined by the transaction tracking standards. At least one facility of the transactional middleware surfaces the tracking event in compliance with the transaction telemetry standards.
US09021081B2
A method for collecting individualized network usage data includes routing Internet communications between a plurality of local clients and a plurality of remote servers over a common data link between a router device and the Internet. For each of the plurality of clients, characteristics of that client's communications routed over the data link are monitored at the router device. A collection of statistics reflecting the monitored characteristics are maintained. From the router device, the collection of statistics are periodically communicated over the data link to an interested server.
US09021074B2
A method including analyzing one or more network interactions of a user. One or more servers associated with the one or more network interaction may be identified. A listing of at least a portion of the one or more servers may be rendered.
US09021062B2
A communication is established between a client device and a server device, where the server device executes one or more hosted virtual desktop (HVD) applications for the client device. A media data stream including at least one of audio content and video content is transmitted from the client device to the server device, where audio and video content of the media data stream is captured by one or more input devices at the client device and is utilized by an HVD application at the server device. In response to a request for the media data stream by a second application that is local to the client device or is operating at a remote device, transmission of the media data stream to the server device is selectively suspended or shared with the second application.
US09021060B2
A user interacts with content received from a remote server; content (e.g. feeds from social networking sites, advertisements) is received over a wireless network at a mobile telephone, which then automatically displays a specific item of the content on the mobile telephone, without the user explicitly requesting the display of that specific item of content. In response to the user selecting or highlighting the displayed specific item of content, the mobile telephone lists multiple options that, if individually selected, each initiate an associated action that corresponds to a particular way of responding to or interacting with the specific item of content.
US09021055B2
Arrangements for enforcing a nonconforming web service policy document are presented. A request for a web service policy document may be received by a web service. A conforming web service policy document may be generated using the nonconforming web service policy document. The nonconforming web service policy document may comprise one or more functions unsupported by the web service description language. The conforming web service policy document may be transmitted to the web service client. The nonconforming web service policy document may be enforced by the web service, wherein the functions that are unsupported by the web service description language standard modifies enforcement of the web service policy document by the web service computer system. The conforming web service policy document may comprise sufficient information for the web service client computer system to comply with the nonconforming web service policy document.
US09021051B1
Data objects may be selectively retrieved from a network service such that a network data object corresponding to a cached data object may be retrieved responsive to a determination that a network-object hash associated with the network data object and a cache-object hash associated with the cached data object do not match. In some implementations, a network-object hash associated with a network data object at the network service may be generated. The network-object hash may be provided to a client device. The client device may have non-transient electronic storage media that store a cache that includes a cached data object that corresponds to the network data object. A request from the client device may be obtained. Initiation of the request by the client device may be responsive to a determination that the network-object hash and a cache-object hash associated with the cached data object do not match.
US09021048B2
Systems and methods for caching adapted for mobile application behavior and network conditions are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of determining cacheability of content received for a client on a mobile device by tracking requests generated by the client at the mobile device to detect periodicity of the requests generated by the client, tracking responses received for requests generated by the client to detect repeatability in content of the responses, and/or determining whether the content received for the client is cacheable on the mobile device based on one or more of the periodicity in the requests and the repeatability in the content of the responses.
US09021041B2
An on-line support system providing a persistent chat system and a database of knowledge articles organized in a tree-based hierarchy. The on-line support system merges the utility of a communication system with a knowledge navigation system. Knowledge can be accumulated through text, voice and image communications by a user in a common environment, and these communications are preserved and organized for future reference.
US09021031B1
A system and machine-implemented method for selectively setting the availability of a user with respect to one or more contacts within an messaging service, the method comprising receiving an indication of a user entering a selective availability mode while the user is logged into an messaging service, wherein the messaging service maintains a list of a plurality of contacts associated with the user and setting the availability status of the user to unavailable at the messaging service with respect to the plurality of contacts in response to the detection, such that the plurality of contacts are prohibited from communicating with the user through the messaging service, while the user remains logged into the messaging service.
US09021024B1
An information system that provides information exchange and application services based on the location and relationships between a landmark client and a service user client. The information service system first builds up direct referral link between a landmark client account and a declared landmark location. The landmark account stores information and applications associated to the landmark client. A service user connects to the information service system via a user client account that stores information and applications associated to the user client. The information service system determines a relationship between the landmark client and the user client using the location and navigation data of the clients as well as their identity and configuration information. The service next builds up information exchange and system control connections between the landmark client and the service user client according to their specified information access and usage rules under prescribed relationship situations.
US09021011B2
A computer or microchip including a master controlling device, network communication components, one or more microprocessors and RAM, an internal hardware firewall located between a protected portion that is protected by the internal hardware firewall and a network portion. The internal hardware firewall denies access to at least the protected portion of the computer or microchip from the network. The firewall permits unrestricted access by the network to the network portion so that processing operations other than network communications and firewall operations conducted with the network are executed by microprocessors and RAM in the network portion. The master controlling device has preemptive control of the microprocessors and RAM in the network portion including erasure of at least a part of the random access memory (RAM) prior to the use of the network portion of the computer or microchip by the user or the operating system.
US09021002B2
A sine wave generator for a Direct Digital Synthesizer (DDS) converts a digital phase input into a digital sine wave output. Sine values and slopes are stored in read-only memory (ROM) for coarse upper phase bits in a first quadrant. A quadrant folder and phase splitter reflects and inverts values from the first quadrant to generate amplitudes for all four quadrants. Each sine value and slope is stored for a range of lower phase bits. A Delta bit separates upper and lower phase bits. Delta conditionally inverts the lower phase bits, the sine value, and the final polarity. A reduced AND logic array multiplies the slope by the conditionally inverted lower phase bits. A reconstructed ADD logic array then adds the conditionally inverted sine value. The conditionally inverted polarity is added to generate the final sine value. Sine generation logic is streamlined with conditional inversion based on the Delta bit.
US09020999B2
A method for computer-implemented unit-conversion method, the method comprising identifying a first numerical value in a first system of units displayed on a computing device, converting the first numerical value in the first system of units into a second numerical value, and displaying the second numerical value and the second system of units on the computing device.
US09020998B2
Apparatus comprising an input connected to receive an input signal, a lookup table comprising a plurality of input entries and first and second output entries for each input entry. The look up table receives the input signal and returns a lower input entry, an upper input entry, the second output entry for the lower input entry, and the first output entry for the upper input entry. A first subtractor subtracts the lower input entry from the input signal to produce a first difference. A second subtractor subtracts the input signal from the upper input entry to produce a second difference. First and second multipliers multiply the first and second differences by the first output entry for the upper input entry and the second output entry for the lower input entry, respectively, to produce first and second products. An adder adds the first and second products to produce an output signal.
US09020997B2
A method and service for establishing a web-based network that includes an enterprise locking service. The enterprise locking service is able to coordinate multiple, cooperating applications that need to ensure that one and only one user is modifying a database record at a given time. These database records may be stored in multiple databases having potentially different database record locking protocols. Through monitoring and tracking of requests for database locks, the enterprise locking service is also able to determine database usage trends under various metrics.
US09020995B2
A method of data storage and retrieval using a relational database can include defining a first table in a relational database including a plurality of entries having a first value for a first field. A second table in the relational database including a plurality of entries can be defined. Each of the plurality of entries in the second table can specify an additional value for the first field of a corresponding entry in the first table. Responsive to a query, a data item selected from at least one of the plurality of entries in the first table can be presented.
US09020993B2
A request is received to store a file in a storage device, wherein the storage device deems the file discardable. The file is marked as a discardable file. A controller determines a download condition associated with the request to store the discardable file in the storage device and determines whether to delay a download to the storage device of the discardable file based on the determined download condition. The controller manages the download of the discardable file to the storage device based on the determination of whether to delay the download of the discardable file to the storage device. The controller manages the storage of the downloaded discardable file in the storage device based on the marking of the file as a discardable file.
US09020990B2
A system and method are provided for verifying data copies and reverifying the copies over the life span of media according to a verification policy. Characteristics of media and use of media are tracked to provide metrics which may be used to dynamically reevaluate and reassign verification policies to optimize media usage. Copies that fail verification operations may be repaired by repeating a storage operation for recent copies or by substituting a close temporal copy of the failed copy.
US09020985B2
A method and system for automatically and transparently managing a directory in a database system to preferentially use of objects in an in-memory database instead of copies of the objects in disk-based databases, in order to speed up application response times. The methods and systems selectively add or update LDAP entries to leverage advantage of the database objects in the in-memory database, so that the LDAP entries point to the in-memory database instead of disk-based databases.
US09020983B2
The invention provides an address list system and a method for implementing an address list. The system includes at least one data input end and at least one inquiry end. The data input end includes a first input unit, a first data processing unit, a first storage unit and a transmitting unit. The inquiry unit includes a receiving unit, a second storage unit, a second data processing unit and an inquiry unit. The address list information of the inquiry end is displayed in a tree structure. In accordance with the address list implementation method, address list information is input at the data input end to form and store data files having uniform format. Data is prepared at the data input terminal. The data input terminal interacts with the inquiry terminal to update data files of a uniform data format in the inquiry terminal. A tree-like address list is formed at the inquiry terminal.
US09020956B1
Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods of selecting content for presentation to a viewing user. In general, in some implementations, a data processing system identifies a topic for a document requested by a user, determines a confidence score for a correlation between the topic and the document, determines a sentiment score for a sentiment towards the topic, and determines, for a candidate content item, a predicted acceptance score based on the confidence score, the sentiment score, and acceptance history data for the candidate content item. The data processing system selects a candidate content item for presentation to the user based, at least in part, on the predicted acceptance score.
US09020952B2
Presented are systems and methods for creating a set of signatures including acquiring a data set and converting the data set into a plurality of data matrices. The system determines a prime number and determines a plurality of primitive roots to the prime number. The system calculates a template matrix using a first and second primitive root, of the plurality of primitive roots, and selects a data matrix property of interest. The system calculates a first hash function for each of the data matrices to create a first signature for each data matrix such that a main set of signatures is formed, wherein the first hash function is calculated using said property of interest, the prime number, and the template matrix. The system generates a main set of signatures based on the first hash functions, wherein the main set of signatures comprises a first signature for each data matrix.
US09020951B2
In response to a search query having a search term received from a client, a current language locale is determined. A state machine is built based on the current language locale, where the state machine includes one or more nodes to represent variance of the search term having identical meaning of the search term. Each node of the state machine is traversed to identify one or more postings lists of an inverted index corresponding to each node of the state machine. One or more item identifiers obtained from the one or more postings list are returned to the client, where the item identifiers identify one or more files that contain the variance of the search term represented by the state machine.
US09020943B2
Disclosed are method(s), system(s), and computer program product(s) for automatically categorizing a defect into a category based at least on a keyword related to the defect. The method identifies information regarding the defect and identifies additional information related to categorizing the defect. The method identifies a keyword and determines whether the defect may be categorized into a category using the keyword. The method further comprises determining if the result of categorization is deterministic. In some embodiments, the method or the system further comprises associating a first score for categorizing the defect into the category based on the keyword and a second score for categorizing the defect into the category based on another keyword. In some embodiments, the method or the system further comprises identifying or determining a relationship between the first score and the second score with respect to the first category for the defect.
US09020938B2
A method includes: generating profile data for users including a first user, the profile data related to contacts or persons used in messages to or from each user; generating, via a server platform, parameters corresponding to the profile data for ranking contacts or persons; and transmitting the parameters to client devices to allow each client device to determine ranks of contacts or persons in the profile data based on the parameters and a function that uses the parameters.
US09020936B2
A system that facilitates ranking search results returned by a search engine in response to receipt of a query is described herein. The system includes a receiver component that receives categorical metadata pertaining to an item and categorical metadata pertaining to the query and a computation component that computes at least one of a document feature pertaining to the item, a query feature pertaining to the query, or a document-query feature pertaining to the item and the query based at least in part upon one or more of the categorical metadata pertaining to the item or the categorical metadata pertaining to the query. The system also includes a ranker component that selectively places the item in a particular location in a sequence of items based at least in part upon the at least one of the document feature, the query feature, or the document-query feature.
US09020925B2
In one embodiment, a method searches a plurality of application marketplaces for applications where each application marketplace includes a plurality of applications available for download to a mobile device. The method then compares a set of applications in different marketplaces to determine certified instances of applications and uncertified instances of applications. Information is stored for the certified instances of the applications that are found in different marketplaces in a database. The method indexes the information for the certified instances of the applications in the database and stores an index based on the indexing. The index is used to provide a search result for a search query for an application.
US09020913B2
Techniques for providing at least one user access to one or more documents in a collaborative computing environment in accordance with a search engine are provided. The user is presented with search results, wherein the search results comprise at least one document comprising at least one portion to which the user has no access. A request from the user for access to the at least one document is received. A supervising entity is then notified of the user request to access the at least one document. An instruction from the supervising entity is then received. In accordance with the received instruction, the user is granted access to the at least one document.
US09020909B2
Techniques and mechanisms are provided to instantly clone active files including active optimized files. When a new instance of an active file is created, a new stub is generated in the user namespace and a block map file is cloned. The block map file includes the same offsets and location pointers that existed in the original block map file. No user file data needs to be copied. If the cloned file is later modified, the behavior can be same as what happens when a de-duplicated file is modified.
US09020908B2
A computer determines that the type of one or more of a relational operator and operands of a relational expression originated in a first type system, and determines the sign of at least one of the operands. The computer rewrites the relational expression based on the sign of at least one of the operands, sends the rewritten relational expression for evaluation in a second type system, and receives the evaluated rewritten relational expression after evaluation in the second type system. The computer can rewrite the relational expression by generating a group of terms joined disjunctively, as well as by generating a group of conjunctive terms joined disjunctively.
US09020897B2
A computer system with read/write access to storage devices creates a snapshot of a data volume at a point in time while continuing to accept access requests to the mirrored data volume by copying before making changes to the base data volume. Multiple snapshots may be made of the same data volume at different points in time. Only data that is not stored in a previous snapshot volume or in the base data volume are stored in the most recent snapshot volume.
US09020896B1
A computer-implemented method for simplifying data restoration using resource types. The method may include (1) receiving a request from a user to perform a data restoration operation, (2) providing a graphical user interface that presents to the user a plurality of resource types that can be restored by the user, (3) receiving, from the user via the graphical user interface, a selection that identifies a resource type that the user desires to restore, (4) presenting, to the user via the graphical user interface, at least one backup set associated with the identified resource type from which the user may restore data, (5) receiving, from the user via the graphical user interface, a selection that identifies a backup set that the user desires to restore, and (6) restoring data from the identified backup set. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09020890B2
Techniques for providing data preview before recalling large data files are disclosed. In one aspect, a data file is made accessible while being offline by converting the data file from a native format to a preview format, storing the data file in the preview format in a primary storage that is locally available and moving, after the conversion to the preview format, the data file in the native format to a secondary storage. When a viewing request is received for the data file, the data file in the preview format is displayed to fulfill the viewing request.
US09020879B2
A system includes a memory operable to store one or more classification rules. The system also includes a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to retrieve one or more data elements from a data source. The processor is further operable to identify a structured data element among the one or more data elements. The processor is further operable to parse the structured data element using one or more filter processes to produce a plurality of tokens. The processor is further operable to classify the plurality of tokens based at least in part on the one or more classification rules and an ontology, which includes a plurality of concepts and a plurality of relationships between the concepts. The processor is further operable to generate a knowledge assertion, which includes the plurality of classified tokens and one or more relationships between the classified tokens.
US09020867B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to a function-level simulator for modeling a neurosynaptic chip. One embodiment comprises simulating a neural network using an object-oriented framework including a plurality of object-oriented classes. Each class corresponds to a component of a neural network. Running a simulation model of the neural network includes instantiating multiple simulation objects from the classes. Each simulation object is an instance of one of the classes.
US09020866B1
Approaches are described for ranking multiple products or other items, such as products obtained in response to a search request submitted to a server. The ranking system determines a ranking score for the products based on both data available online and item data that must be computed offline due to longer computation time or unavailability of data. The ranking score can be used to rank the products and determine which products are the most relevant to the user. A hybrid boosting method is used to first train an online ranking function to produce an online ranking score for the item. In the second phase, an offline ranking function is trained to produce a second ranking score for the item. The online rank score is combined with the offline rank score at query time to produce a combined rank for the items in the search results.
US09020863B2
An information processing device includes: a clustering standard selection unit selecting a clustering standard, from clustering standards categorizing items into a plurality of clusters, including a first number or more known type clusters in which the probability that an item belonging to a cluster is known to a user is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and a second number or more unknown type clusters in which the probability is equal to or less than a second threshold value which is less than the first threshold value; and an exhibit control unit controlling the exhibit of a cluster or an item based on the selected clustering standard.
US09020862B2
A method and system for computer question-answering. The method includes: receiving a plurality of the questions to be trained, and obtaining a candidate answer set for each question; determining part of the questions to which the candidate answer sets include correct answers, and using first feature sets of the candidate; obtaining a first mathematical model, which is used to compute a first confidence degree that the candidate answer is a correct answer; computing first confidence degrees of the candidate answers of all the questions to be trained, and for each question, extracting a second feature set related to the first confidence degrees and the first feature set; and obtaining a second mathematic model, which is used to compute a second confidence degree that the candidate answer is a correct answer based on the second feature set.
US09020861B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for utilizing predictive models from an application scripting language.
US09020858B2
Preventing fraud during an offline transaction by encoding a randomly-generated card verification code onto a smart card. The verification code is transmitted to a contactless device during each transaction, wherein it is cross-referenced with the account number to ensure presence of the card. Also, every transaction record is signed by an access key resident on the contactless device and certified by a signing key resident on a remote system. Funds may be deposited onto the card when the contactless device creates a deposit request, signs the request using an access key and transmits it to the remote system, which in turn processes the request and certifies it with a signing key. Funds may be withdrawn when the contactless device creates a withdrawal record and signs it using an access key. The remote system verifies the signatures and certifies the records using a signing key when the records are later transmitted.
US09020854B2
One embodiment of the invention includes a system comprising: a personal digital key and a computer readable medium that is accessible when authenticated by the personal digital key.
US09020849B2
An MRI system center is connected to a plurality of MRI systems for visualizing the interior of a subject to be examined using a magnetic resonance phenomenon, through an electronic communication line. The MRI system center receives data of a log file on which a use state of the MRI systems is recorded or use-state data extracted from the log file, from the MRI systems through a communication control unit. A database unit stores the data of the log file or the use-state data. An analysis unit analyzes the data of the log file or the use-state data received within a given period of time.
US09020840B2
Systems and methods for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements are provided. A method for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements, comprises acquiring a request for the service solution from a consumer via a conversational interface, and issuing a query to a service knowledge base to obtain a set of service knowledge representation items from the service knowledge base and analyzing each service knowledge representation item to determine whether a custom-fit service solution can be developed.
US09020839B1
Systems and methods are disclosed that use social networking profiles of users to generate personalized content of display pages. The personalized content may be generated using profile data retrieved via an application program interface of a social networking system, and may be presented on the display pages of a distinct system, such as a site that hosts an electronic catalog of items. The personalized content may include features that allow a user to indicate a like or preference for an item and that can be customized based on, e.g., the extent of the user's social network or the influence the user has over other potential users of the catalog system. Systems and methods are also disclosed that use the social networking profiles to generate personalized messages that can be posted to social network contacts of the user to provide information about items for which the contacts may be interested.
US09020832B2
The invention relates to a system and method of gathering and analyzing data from device operators aiming their image capture devices and thereby creating a line of sight to an object of interest, for example through the process of obtaining photographs, videos or other digital images of an event or geographical location, where the real-time or embedded location, compass heading, and time data from each of a plurality of image providers are communicated from the plurality of image-capture devices to one or more servers for statistical analysis of the proportionate amount of providers focusing on each image target or sub-target at the event or location.
US09020827B2
A dialysis system includes: a portable device configured to be carried by a patient and to read a marking displayed on a dialysis fluid container, the device obtaining data concerning at least one of a dialysis fluid type and a dialysis fluid volume from the marking; the device defined dialysate dwell time, alert patients for the next exchange and further configured to transfer the data to a computer; and wherein the computer is configured to use the data to track therapy progress of the product.
US09020817B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for using speech to text for detecting commercials and aligning edited episodes with transcripts. A method includes, receiving an original video or audio having a transcript, receiving an edited video or audio of the original video or audio, applying a speech-to-text process to the received original video or audio having a transcript, applying a speech-to-text process to the received edited video or audio, and applying an alignment to determine locations of the edits.
US09020804B2
An alignment method includes, for a source sentence in a source language, identifying whether the sentence includes at least one candidate term comprising a contiguous subsequence of words of the source sentence. A target sentence in a target language is aligned with the source sentence. This includes developing a probabilistic model which models conditional probability distributions for alignments between words of the source sentence and words of the target sentence and generating an optimal alignment based on the probabilistic model, including, where the source sentence includes the at least one candidate term, enforcing a contiguity constraint which requires that all the words of the target sentence which are aligned with an identified candidate term form a contiguous subsequence of the target sentence.
US09020803B2
A method, system, and computer program product for creating confidence-rated transcription and translation are provided in the illustrative embodiments. An input is provided in a first form to a set of transcription applications. A set of transcriptions is received. A first and a second set of confidence ratings are assigned to a first and a second transcription, respectively. The confidence-rated first transcription and the confidence-rated second transcription are combined and provided to a set of translation applications. A set of translations is received. A third and a fourth set of confidence ratings are assigned to a first and a second translation, respectively. The confidence-rated first and second translations are combined and presented.
US09020799B2
A method a system and method for optimizing the power distribution between a fuel cell stack and a high voltage battery in a fuel cell vehicle. The method includes defining a virtual battery hydrogen power for the battery that is based on a relationship between a battery power request from the battery and an efficiency of the battery and defining a virtual stack hydrogen power for the fuel cell stack that is based on a relationship between a stack power request from the fuel cell stack and an efficiency of the fuel cell stack. The virtual battery hydrogen power and the virtual stack hydrogen power are converted into polynomial equations and added together to provide a combined power polynomial equation. The combined power polynomial equation is solved to determine a minimum of the fuel cell stack power request by setting a derivative of the virtual stack hydrogen power to zero.
US09020793B2
A method, a system and a program storage device for predicting a property of a fluid, such as fluid production from a subterranean reservoir containing heavy oil entrained with gas is described. The method includes developing a baseline correlation of gas relative permeability krg versus gas saturation Sg. A capillary number dependent correlation is determined capturing the relationship between at least one of critical gas saturation Sgc and capillary number Nca and gas relative permeability krgro and capillary number Nca phased upon a plurality of depletion rates. Capillary numbers Nc are calculated for a plurality of cells in a reservoir model representative of the subterranean reservoir. The baseline correlation is then adjusted to comport with at least one of Sgc and krgro selected from the capillary number dependent correlation to produce a plurality of corresponding adjusted baseline, correlations. Gas relative permeabilities krg for the plurality of cells are selected from the corresponding adjusted baseline correlations. A reservoir simulation is then run utilizing the selected relative permeabilities krg to predict a property of at least one fluid in a subterranean reservoir containing heavy oil entrained with gas.
US09020783B2
A method, apparatus, system, and computer readable medium provide the ability to manipulate a terrain in a drawing. A composite object of the terrain is obtained in a CAD BIM application. The composite object is a combination of sub-objects that each define a geometry that is part of the terrain. Each of the sub-objects is drawn on a separate corresponding drawable interface instance. A sub-object is selected and in response, the selected sub-object is displayed in its corresponding drawable interface instance. The selected sub-object is directly modified, in canvas, using the drawable interface instance. In response to the modification, the terrain is dynamically updated and displayed.
US09020775B2
Provided is an apparatus for measuring a shape and area of a ship block, which may accurately recognize a piling location of a ship block by measuring a shape and area of the ship block piled up in a yard. The apparatus for measuring a shape and area of a ship block includes a direction angle sensor, a range finder, a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and a block shape and area measuring system. The block shape and area measuring system includes a block shape and area measuring server, a vector calculating module, a coordinate calculating module, a shape and area extraction module and a memory module.
US09020767B2
A monitoring system includes a transducer coupled to an outer surface of a tank wall. The transducer is oriented to transmit a first signal through the tank wall. An intermediate reflective surface is positioned within the fuel storage tank. The intermediate reflective surface is oriented to produce a first reflected signal associated with the first signal. A controller is programmed to calculate a fuel level based on at least the first signal and the first reflected signal.
US09020766B2
This invention encompasses embodiments for multi-modal integrated simultaneous measurement of various aspects of fluids contained in circulating systems such as automotive reciprocating engines and vehicle transmissions. These circulating systems perform constant internal lubrication, and heat and contaminant removal to protect the internal moving parts from the inherent friction and damage in normal operation. Most commonly this is achieved with fluids based on hydrocarbon and/or related synthetics, which, over time, can lose their protective properties, and vary in their performance or breakdown/decay due to internal and external events. Several components within the lubricant fluid can be measured and can provide insight into the efficacy of the system to perform its designed mission. Described herein is a real-time, simultaneous, integrated, multi-modal sensor system for early warning notification that can be further enhanced using specifically designed nanoparticles that can be introduced into the system, engineered to specifically bind with the contaminants and/or undergo an irreversible state change upon certain experienced conditions to both increase the detectability as well as provide for a framework to improve filter performance.
US09020764B2
The concept underlying the invention is the development of a generic method for the detection and identification of gases in airplane interior spaces and an associated device, which is small and manageable, has a simple design, and allows the immediate and simultaneous detection and identification of the gases to be examined. This is achieved in that the supply air of the airplane interior space (20) is fed to a measuring device (1) and the measurement results of the measuring device (1) are analyzed by means of mathematical methods. Such methods and the associated devices for the detection and identification of gases in airplane interior spaces are used in order to spot and verify gases, particularly odors and explosive gases and/or gases harmful to people's health.
US09020761B2
Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for defining travel paths in parking areas. In one embodiment, travel paths in parking areas can be defined by connecting street networking connection points within the parking areas. In another embodiment, such defined travel paths can be merged with actual paths traveled by vehicles in the parking areas.
US09020759B2
A technique for manipulating precalculated routes on a screen is described. One aspect of the method comprises the steps of detecting a selected screen position (P) and a time period (t) of a selection operation at the screen position (P), modifying weights of the road segments in dependence on the detected screen position (P) and the time period (t), and calculating a route, manipulated in relation to the precalculated route, on the basis of the modified weights.
US09020754B2
A method and apparatus for predicting the arrival time of a transit vehicle at a transit stop of a transit route is presented. The arrival time is predicted using historical location information of a plurality of vehicles that have previously traveled the route, location information of several of the most recent vehicles that have arrived at the stop, and current location information of a particular vehicle currently traveling the route. Values such as average arrival times and arrival time errors or variances are determined from the historical and recent location data. These values are used with the current location information to predict the arrival time of the particular vehicle.
US09020749B2
A host-vehicle risk acquisition device includes a host-vehicle path acquisition portion that acquires a path of a host-vehicle, and an obstacle path acquisition portion that acquires a plurality of paths of an obstacle existing around the host-vehicle. A collision risk acquisition portion acquires an actual collision risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle when the host-vehicle is in a travel state based on the path of the host-vehicle and the plurality of paths of the obstacle. An offset risk acquisition portion acquires an offset risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle in an offset travel state, which is offset from the travel state of the host-vehicle.
US09020746B2
An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle-mounted information processing apparatus capable of specifying the position of another vehicle with high accuracy using information related to the distance between another vehicle and an intersection point. The vehicle-mounted information processing apparatus includes: a map information storage unit (11) that stores map information including position information of a road and an intersection point; an inter-vehicle communication unit (4) that acquires various kinds of information using inter-vehicle communication with another vehicle; an another-vehicle GPS information acquiring unit (13) that acquires GPS information related to the position of another vehicle and acquires first reference intersection point distance information related to a distance between another vehicle and a first reference intersection point which is recognized by another vehicle as an intersection point that is in front of another vehicle and is closest to another vehicle, through the inter-vehicle communication unit (4); and an another-vehicle position specifying unit (16) that specifies the position of another vehicle on the basis of the GPS information, the map information, and the first reference intersection point distance information.
US09020740B2
A system includes a sump, a pump having a steady-state speed, a fluid component that receives the fluid from the fluid pump, and a controller. The controller detects a soak condition of the system in which the pump load is low as fluid is moved into vacated fluid passages. The steady-state speed of the pump is temporarily increased by adding a calibrated overspeed value to the steady-state speed, for a calibrated duration. The controller reduces the pump speed to the steady-state speed after the calibrated duration has elapsed. A method includes detecting the soak condition and temporarily increasing the steady-state speed via the controller by adding the calibrated overspeed value to the steady-state speed, for a calibrated duration, when the soak condition is detected. A control system includes a processor and storage medium having instructions embodying the method, with detection of the soak condition provided via measurement of fluid temperature.
US09020714B2
For each engine operation state to which a variable cylinder engine can be switched, a fuel consumption amount to be consumed to generate a driving force required to maintain a current traveling state of a vehicle for each of a current gear and a new gear after a possible shift-up is calculated. An automatic shift control of shifting up to the new gear is performed in a condition that a calculated fuel consumption amount of the new gear after the possible shift-up is smaller than a calculated fuel consumption amount of the current gear. In this way, the fuel consumption amount can be optimally reduced and the shift control can be performed without degrading the traveling performance, even in the vehicle equipped with the variable cylinder engine.
US09020707B2
Disclosed is a hybrid-type construction machine equipped with a swing hydraulic motor 27 and a swing electric motor 25 in combination to save energy, the construction machine ensuring high operability of a swing body 20 and providing high energy efficiency. In accordance with the amount of manipulation of a swing control lever 72, the construction machine changes a rate of a torque of the swing electric motor 25 with respect to that of the swing hydraulic motor 27. The construction machine also controls a relief pressure and the torque of the swing electric motor 25 in accordance with the amount of manipulation of a swing control lever 72, a pressure of the swing hydraulic motor 27, and a rotating speed of the swing electric motor 25.
US09020705B2
A configuration is adopted where elastic members made of expanded rein beads and having a size covering air cushions are disposed between a skin member and the air cushions of a human body supporting device. By arranging a plurality of elastic members made of expanded rein beads and in a stacking manner, preferably, arranging two elastic members made of expanded resin beads, spring constants of the elastic members obtained from load-deflection characteristics when they are pressed to a deflection amount of 1 mm by a pressing plate with a diameter of 30 mm being higher than that of the air cushion and being different from each other, a biological signal can be transmitted to the air cushions without damping the biological signal, though the elastic members made of expanded rein beads and are provided.
US09020694B2
A bicycle-use measuring apparatus includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to be installed on a bicycle having a rotating part. The controller is operatively connected to the sensor. The controller adjusts a detection frequency of the sensor in accordance with changes in a rotational state of the rotating part.
US09020692B2
A diagnostic apparatus of a hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an electricity storage device, a motor generating a driving force for a vehicle travel using at least electricity from the electricity storage device, a diagnostic unit diagnosing a vehicle state when an output of the internal combustion engine is zero, a state detection unit detecting a state of the electricity storage device, a remaining time acquisition unit acquiring a remaining time required until diagnostic completion, when the vehicle state is diagnosed by the diagnostic unit, a determination unit determining whether or not the diagnosis of the vehicle state is continued by the diagnostic unit, based on the state of the electricity storage device and the remaining time when the vehicle state is diagnosed by the diagnostic unit, and a control unit that controls continuation or stop of the vehicle state diagnosis according to the determination result.
US09020685B2
In the disclosed method of measuring contact failure and contact failure measuring device, the magnitude of the excessive response fluctuation of the inductive magnetic field around a harness under measurement when an external force is applied to a terminal fitting part of the harness is detected by a magnetic sensor, and the result is displayed as an index of the quality of the contact state of the terminal fitting part.
US09020682B2
An autonomous mobile body includes a laser range sensor and an electronic control device. The electronic control device includes a storage unit that stores a size D2 of the autonomous mobile body, a width identification unit that identifies a spatial size D1 in a width direction of a passage which is a region where the autonomous mobile body can move, a calculation unit that calculates a size D8 of an interfering obstacle in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a moving target direction on a road surface based on obstacle information, an action selection unit that selects a stopping action or a retreat action based on the spatial size D1, the size D2 of the autonomous mobile body, and the size D8 of the interfering obstacle, and a mobile control unit that controls the autonomous mobile body to stop when the stopping action is selected and control the autonomous mobile body to retreat when the retreat action is selected.
US09020677B2
A control apparatus for a vehicle including a second clutch capable of switching between input and output shafts connecting state in which a motor-generation is connected. The control apparatus drives the wheels by the motor-generation so a torque transmitted to the wheels does not fluctuate in case the gear shift is executed to the transmission when is in the output shaft connecting state of the second clutch, and synchronizes the input and output shafts at the gear shift by the motor-generation in case the gear shift is executed to the transmission when the second clutch state is in the input shaft connecting state. The second clutch state is switched to the output shaft connecting state when a drive power to the vehicle is equal or less than a value. The second clutch state is switched to the input shaft connecting state when the drive power is greater than the value.
US09020676B2
A method and a system that control a drive torque of a vehicle in which there is a change in a torque of a predetermined magnitude when drive power of the vehicle enters a zone in which a predetermined maximum output is generated to allow a driver to feel that the drive power of the vehicle enters the maximum output zone during traveling. The method may include calculating, by a controller, a drive request torque of a vehicle and calculating drive power displayed on a drive power gauge of an instrument cluster based on the calculated drive request torque. In addition, the method may include adding, by the controller, a predetermined additional torque to the drive request torque when the calculated drive power displayed on the drive power gauge enters a predetermined zone of the drive power gauge.
US09020674B2
A regenerative braking system for a vehicle utilizing diversion of energy for efficient use or maintaining consistent vehicle performance. The regenerative braking system includes a generator for producing regenerative energy during slowing and includes switches connected to a battery and a plurality of devices. A processor is connected with the battery and the switches for controlling the configuration of the switches based on a characteristic of the battery. If the battery has a state of charge exceeding a predetermined threshold, the processor controls the switches to route the regenerative energy to the other devices. The processor also controls the switches to provide regenerative energy to specific devices where it may most desirably be utilized. Heating and cooling units of the vehicle may be alternatively or simultaneously connected to receive the regenerative energy for providing consistent vehicle slowing performance when the battery state of charge exceeds the predetermined threshold.
US09020668B2
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for air conditioning a vehicle interior using a battery charge control of an electric vehicle, which can improve the cooling/heating performance by setting a start-up time of the electric vehicle and supplying heat generated from a battery during charge and its latent heat to the vehicle interior during initial start-up of the vehicle.
US09020667B2
An empty-load device feedback arrangement for a train with the railcar having an air brake arrangement with an one air-operable braking assembly, the arrangement including: an empty-load device having: at least one sensor arrangement to sense a load associated with the railcar; a braking assembly input exhibiting a delivered air pressure; a regulation arrangement to regulate air pressure; and a braking assembly output exhibiting a regulated air pressure; and a pressure sensor to: sense the regulated air pressure of the air being delivered to the air-operable braking assembly; and generate a regulated air pressure signal. An air brake arrangement is also disclosed.
US09020661B2
According to a vehicle controller, when a communication control unlit (13) of a vehicle controller (1) acquires a variable control parameter from a server (5) via the Internet (4), the variable control parameter is stored in a write-enabled storage unit (11), and the user can change to a desired vehicle driving state on the basis of the variable control parameter. A fixed control parameter set as a default value and adapted for initializing the vehicle driving state is stored in a non-write-enabled storage unit (12). If an emergency stop button (16) is pushed or a vehicle-information-acquiring unit (17) acquires driving error detection information when the vehicle is driving on the basis of the variable control parameter, the vehicle immediately switches to a safe driving state according to the fixed control parameter.
US09020659B2
A vehicle and a method of controlling a dynamometer mode operation of a vehicle that includes requesting the dynamometer mode; monitoring for at least one non-dynamometer vehicle operating condition; if at least one of the non-dynamometer vehicle operating conditions is detected, prohibiting dynamometer mode; and if none of the non-dynamometer vehicle operating conditions is detected, operating the vehicle in dynamometer mode.
US09020658B2
A system for detecting a mass tamper event affecting a vehicle mass record for a vehicle being monitored includes a body bounce frequency estimator configured to estimate body bounce frequency for the vehicle and a mass estimator configured to estimate a vehicle mass, m, according to the equation (I), where k is a constant relating to a suspension system in the vehicle and ωb is the estimated body bounce frequency. A first comparator compares the estimated vehicle mass value with an alternative vehicle mass value and identifies a mass tamper event when the estimated vehicle mass value differs from the alternative vehicle mass value by more than a pre-determined amount. An interface communicates mass tamper event data to a remote device. A system and method for recording vehicle mass data are also provided. m = k ω b 2 ( I )
US09020656B2
A thermal state within an information handling system enclosure is managed within predetermined constraints by estimating thermal energy introduced to the enclosure by power dissipation to electronic components and thermal energy removed from the enclosure by a cooling airflow generated by a fan. A desired bulk temperature of a cooling airflow is attained at a predetermined position in an enclosure by selecting a fan speed and power allocation to the components that conserves energy within the enclosure at a predetermined thermal state.
US09020651B2
A prediction device for predicting a prediction interval being a time interval predicted with a high possibility of appliance utilization starts includes: an evaluation unit calculating, using utilization interval history data, an evaluation value for determining a prediction scheme for each appliance; a determination unit, based on the evaluation value at least for each appliance, determining at least one of a first and a second prediction scheme as the scheme of the prediction interval for the appliance, the first prediction scheme using a property that the appliance is utilized in a predetermined cycle, and the second prediction scheme using a property that the utilization of a second appliance being the appliance is started in a period from a start or an end of utilization of a first appliance being another appliance to a passage of a predetermined time; a prediction unit predicting a prediction interval according to the determined scheme.
US09020647B2
A system and method for calibrating a set-point for climate control includes a sensor network having a plurality of sensors configured to report a climate condition. A database is configured to receive reports from the sensors and generate one or more profiles reflecting at least one of historic climate control information and occupant preferences. A controller is configured to receive information from the profiles to generate a set-point based upon an optimization program. The optimization program is implemented to balance competing goals to generate the set-point for controlling climate control equipment in accordance with the set-point.
US09020631B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for consolidating multiple pickings of an item to fulfill multiple shipments into a single picking of the multiple items. A determination is first made whether a metric representing a plurality of shipments exceeds a threshold, wherein individual ones of the plurality of shipments are mapped to corresponding ones of a plurality of item locations in a fulfillment center. The plurality of shipments are then remapped to an individual one of the plurality of item locations in response to a determination that the metric exceeds the threshold. Finally, a picking of the items is initiated.
US09020630B2
A servo transfer press system generates a press phase signal and a transfer phase signal that are synchronized with a master phase signal, performs a press operation according to a reference press motion based on the press phase signal, and performs a transfer operation according to a reference transfer motion based on the transfer phase signal. The servo transfer press system includes a reference interference diagram generation section, a reference interference diagram storage section, an operation interference diagram generation section, an interference presence/absence comparison-determination section, and a phase signal relative relationship adjustment section, and performs a transfer press operation while avoiding interference by performing an automatic phase signal adjustment when a motion has been changed.
US09020628B2
This invention pertains to machinery and methods for cutting a workpiece utilizing a cutting tool at least two parts having prescribed shapes from a metal plate comprising the steps of: identifying each of the parts by one or more contour lines; cutting a workpiece along one of the identifying contour lines into one of the parts; creating at least one path diversion, wherein the diversion has an associated bounded region or opportunity; cutting the workpiece along a contour line associated with the opportunity; resuming the cutting of the part along the identifying contour line with minimal damage to the part being cut; finishing the cutting of the part and then moving the cutting tool to the opportunity and hence to an associated adjacent identifying contour line and then repeating the process until all parts have been manufactured.
US09020623B2
Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide an infrared signal are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an infrared provider to receive a first signal from a first device. The first signal is analog and representative of a command. The example infrared provider is to linearly manipulate the first signal in analog form, wherein the manipulated signal remains analog. The example infrared provider is to relay the manipulated signal to a second device. The relayed manipulated signal is representative of the command and is indistinguishable from the first signal.
US09020621B1
A network based processing element for processing audio information improves the understanding of speech or music for intended listeners based on an identifier. The processing involves performing a media enhancement function, where a parameter affecting the utilization or performance aspects of the media enhancement function are dependent upon the identifier. A “media enhancement server” (MES) is included, whereby the audio of a telephone call, video call, multimedia program or other stream to be heard by a specific listener is processed using a personalized audio enhancement parameter to enhance the audio signal such that the listener will enjoy a benefit, such as better comprehension of the information, reduced listening effort, and more listening comfort during the call. The personalized parameters are stored and retrieved based upon the identifier, and used within the MES. The audio portion of the call or stream could be speech, music, or a combination.
US09020619B2
Example methods and apparatus to a controller of a local control loop having a field device and a sensor configured in a closed-loop control system are disclosed. The controller is wirelessly coupled to a control system wherein the controller and the control system execute complementary control over the field device.
US09020610B2
Electrode systems that may be used with implantable medical devices such as a pacemaker, in addition to one or more conventional electrodes, include a shunt electrode. Under ordinary conditions, the shunt electrode has very little effect upon the operation of the electrode system. When high frequency current is delivered to the electrode system, however, the electrode system shunts a large share of the high frequency current to the shunt electrode. The shunt electrode, which includes a conducting material surrounded by an insulating layer, dissipates heat that may be caused by the high frequency current.
US09020608B2
In one embodiment, a paddle-style lead for implantation in the epidural space through an insertion tool, the paddle-style lead comprises: a paddle structure that comprises: (i) a frame of rigid material, the frame comprising a spring member adapted to bias the frame to assume a first width and a first length, the frame being adapted to elongate to assume a second width and a second length under application of a compressive force; and (ii) elastic material disposed across an interior surface area defined the frame, wherein a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of electrical traces are provided on the elastic material, wherein the plurality of electrical traces are electrically coupled to a plurality of lead conductors and the plurality of electrodes; wherein the plurality of electrical traces comprises a plurality of alternating curves that elongate when the elastic material is stretched.
US09020600B2
Methods, devices, and kits comprising a magnetic system for automation of blinking, or to provide temporary or permanent assistance with opening or closure of the eyelids to treat disorders of the eyelids, including lagophthalmos and ptosis.
US09020598B2
Non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation devices and magnetic stimulation devices are disclosed, along with methods of treating medical disorders using energy that is delivered noninvasively by such devices. The disorders comprise migraine and other primary headaches such as cluster headaches, including sinus symptoms that resemble an immune-mediated response (“sinus” headaches), irrespective of whether those symptoms arise from an allergy that is co-morbid with the headache. The disclosed methods may also be used to treat other disorders that may be co-morbid with migraine headaches, such as anxiety disorders. In preferred embodiments of the disclosed methods, one or both of the patient's vagus nerves are stimulated non-invasively. In other embodiments, parts of the sympathetic nervous system and/or the adrenal glands are stimulated.
US09020580B2
Devices and approaches for monitoring time based photo active agent delivery or photo active marker presence in an eye. A monitoring system is provided for measuring the presence of a photo active marker by illuminating the eye so as to excite the photo-active marker and then observing characteristic emission from the photo active marker. Example systems incorporate Scheimpflug optical systems or slit lamp optical systems to observe cross sectional images of an eye to monitor instantaneous distribution, diffusion pattern, and rate of uptake of a photo active agent applied to an eye. Systems and methods further allow for utilizing the monitored distribution of photo active agent in the eye as feedback for a cross-linking system.
US09020577B2
Disclosed are systems, methods, devices and products to identify suitable donor sites for harvesting bone-cartilage grafts and to implant such bone-cartilage grafts. In some embodiments, a method includes providing a computer having access to a donor database, the donor database comprising information on each of a plurality of donor joint sites of the body, receiving first data relating to a defect of a joint of a patient, the defect comprising an area of bone, a portion of which includes at least one of, for example, missing and/or damaged cartilage, and identifying, based on the first data, at least one donor site from the donor database of joints for harvesting a graft of bone and cartilage to repair the defect.
US09020575B2
A apparatus includes an acquisition unit to acquire magnetic resonance data in every data group, a unit to control the acquisition unit to collect the data for one or a plurality of data groups during a collection period which is set based on a starting time phase of a cardiac cycle of the subject, a unit to determine the data among the data acquired by the acquisition unit as ineffective data if at least a part of it is related to a data group acquired during an ineffective period, and as effective data if all of it is related to a data group acquired during a period other than the ineffective period, the ineffective period being set based on an ending time point of the cardiac cycle in which the data is acquired, and a unit to reconstruct an image regarding the subject by using the effective data.
US09020559B2
A method for direct sampling of a plurality of radio bands, including a step of receiving a first radio band via a first interface and at least one additional radio band via at least one additional interface, the first radio band and the at least one additional radio band each being associated with different frequency ranges, and the first radio band or the at least one additional radio band being a DAB band. Furthermore, a selection signal is received via an interface, the selection signal indicating whether further processing of the first radio band and/or the at least one additional radio band takes place. Depending on the selection signal, the first radio band is sampled at a common sampling frequency and/or the at least one additional radio band is sampled at the common sampling frequency.
US09020550B2
The present invention presents methods providing for system resource-efficient radio resource allocation of mobile terminals. The methods may include generating a first scheduling message including first scheduling information indicative of at least a first radio resource allocated to a first mobile terminal. The methods may also include generating a second scheduling message including second scheduling information, which, when combined with said first scheduling information, is indicative of a second radio resource allocated to a second mobile terminal. The methods may further include transmitting said first scheduling message to said first and second mobile terminals using a first robustness level, and transmitting said second scheduling message to said second mobile terminal using a second robustness level. Related network nodes and mobile terminals are also provided.
US09020538B1
This disclosure relates to a system configured to display current surf information to a user on a device worn by the user, track physical surfing activity of the user across multiple surf sessions, and/or alert the user when current surf conditions match previously highly rated surf conditions and/or any user selected criteria based on surf/weather forecast data. The system may comprise a first device (a watch) worn by the user, a second device (the user's smartphone) associated with the user but physically separate and unconnected from the first device, external resources, and/or other components.
US09020530B2
A system, method, service and mobile device are disclosed for providing a location of the mobile device. The invention utilizes a mobile phone with a global positioning system (GPS) module which is located in a wireless network. A third party device is able to submit a location query to a mobile telephone service operator (MTSO). This location query includes the mobile phone's telephone number. Using the telephone number, the MTSO determines the base station with which the mobile phone is associated. The location query is then forwarded to the mobile phone via the base station. The mobile phone collects the GPS data from the GPS module and forwards the GPS data to the base station. The base station converts the GPS data to location information and forwards the location information to the third party device via the MTSO.
US09020520B2
A method and apparatus for reducing an effect of user interference on other users in an uplink of a radio access network using interference suppression. A user, for example, the user experiencing the highest interference, is selected from a plurality of users using the radio access cell. A perceived Rise over Thermal value for the user after interference suppression is predicted in the event that scheduling grants to an interfering user in the radio access network are altered. On the basis of the prediction, scheduling grants to the interfering user are altered, thereby reducing the interference for the selected user.
US09020518B2
In a closed-loop wireless communication system, a codebook-based feedback mechanism is provided where each codeword indicates a particular profile to be used to provide a target performance measure (e.g., bit error rate or spectral efficiency) for the transmission channel. This may be accomplished by using a multi-stage quantization process to construct the codewords as a plurality of transmission parameters specifying a MIMO transmission scheme, precoding vector or matrix, power allocation in space/time/frequency, modulation and channel code.
US09020508B2
A mobile communication system including: a terminal, a movement-origin base station to which the terminal connects before movement of the terminal; a movement-destination base station to which the terminal connects after movement of the terminal; and a higher-order apparatus that has the movement-origin base station and the movement-destination base station under its control. Control information for voice encoding is set in advance in the movement-origin base station and the movement-destination base station, the movement-origin base station includes the control information of its own station in a first message and transmits the first message to the higher-order apparatus, and the higher-order apparatus includes the control information of the movement-origin base station in a second message and transmits the second message to the movement-destination base station.
US09020502B2
Management of user equipment (UE) proximity indications to femto access points is provided using out-of-band (OOB) signals. To obtain OOB identification information on the femto access point, the UE determines the OOB identification information when in proximity to cells neighboring the femto access point. This OOB information is stored in a search information database (SID) of the UE and related to in-band information on the femto access point. To later determine proximity to the femto access point, in response to detecting its presence within a fingerprint area around the femto access point, a search for the femto access point is triggered using the OOB radio resources and OOB identification information associated with the femto access point in the SID. When the UE detects the femto access point using the OOB radio resources, the UE transmits a proximity indication to its serving base station over the in-band radio link.
US09020499B2
A method and apparatus for fast cell selection by a mobile wireless device. The mobile wireless device detects when a first wireless cell fails a set of stored suitability criteria and searches for and locates a set of candidate wireless cells to associate with. The mobile wireless device measures at least one received signal metric for each candidate wireless cell in the set of candidate wireless cells. When a candidate cell in the set of candidate wireless cells is identically the first wireless cell, the mobile wireless device evaluates the suitability of the candidate wireless cell using the stored set of suitability criteria for the first wireless cell and the measured at least one received signal metric for the candidate wireless cell. The mobile wireless communication device associates with the candidate wireless cell when the candidate wireless cell meets the stored set of suitability criteria.
US09020496B2
In a system for testing a mobile communication device under test, a calculation part calculates, before a control part starts processing according to a designated measurement sequence, a total value of a data amount to be acquired as an analysis target by a transmission/reception unit in the designated measurement sequence. A determination part determines whether the calculated total value of the data amount exceeds a permissible value which has been set in advance according to a predetermined capacity of a reception data memory. If the determination part determines that the calculated total value exceeds the permissible value, the control part displays the determination result on the display unit.
US09020495B2
Method and arrangement in a base station, a user equipment and a positioning node, for sending, and obtaining, respectively, a value of a propagation delay of a signal. The signal is sent to the base station from a user equipment. The base station and the user equipment are comprised within a wireless communication system. Also, the base station and the user equipment are adapted to exchange wireless signals. The method is characterized by the step of receiving a signal sent from the user equipment. The method is further characterized by the step of measuring the value of the signal propagation delay of the received signal. Still further, the method is characterized by the step of sending the measured value to the equipment and/or to a positioning node comprised within the wireless communication system.
US09020483B1
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for setting voice and data priority using a registration message. According to some embodiments, a processor that executes a voice and data priority application can determine a class of device associated with a communication device, a capability indicator that indicates if the communication device is capable of transmitting data communications and if the communication device is capable of transmitting voice communications, and a priority indicator that indicates if data communications are to be prioritized over voice communications for the communication device. The processor also can generate a voice and data priority indicator that indicates the class of device, the capability indicator, and the priority indicator, and save the voice and data priority indicator at a memory associated with the communication device. The communication device can be configured to generate a registration message that includes the voice and data indicator when registering with a network.
US09020480B2
According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus for configuring a mobile electronic device are provided. The method comprises storing, in a memory of a provisioning server, a plurality of service records and one of a plurality of operation type parameters in association with each service record; receiving, at the provisioning server, a registration request for the mobile electronic device, the registration request including one or more identifiers identifying ones of the service records that are maintained in the mobile electronic device; selecting, based on the received identifiers and the operation type parameters, at least one service record for transmission; and, transmitting the at least one selected service record.
US09020477B2
Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device that is roaming outside of its native service area make use of a mobile roaming termination service. The mobile roaming termination service causes the native mobile telephony service provider that provides service to the mobile telephony device to forward incoming telephony communications directed the native telephone number of the mobile telephony device to a forwarding access number. The mobile roaming termination service receives telephony communications directed to the forwarding access number, and then terminates the telephony communication to the mobile telephony device via any one of multiple different methods.
US09020472B2
A system and method for creating teleconferences that leverage social networking websites and messaging thereof. The system includes a teleconferencing website hosted on a server for scheduling a teleconference in response to user input, and for generating a message for display on a social networking website. The message includes information about the teleconference and a link to one or more invitees to the teleconference. The system further includes an interactive voice response system for hosting the teleconference to connect at least some of the one or more invitees to the teleconference. The system further includes a client application running on a mobile device associated with each of the at least some of the one or more invitees. The client application receives a notification of the teleconference from the social networking website, and includes a control interface to enable an associated invitee to join the teleconference.
US09020468B2
In one example of masking phone numbers, a roster of changeable phone numbers may be assigned to a target phone, a presence of the target phone may be registered to a local cell site, a request for one of the changeable phone numbers that is assigned to the target phone for a current time frame may be received, and a phone call that is intended for the target phone may be facilitated using an assigned one of the changeable phone numbers that is assigned to the target phone for the current time frame.
US09020467B2
A method and system for completing the authentication process of a user device in a second communication network (such as Wi-Fi or WiMAX) utilizes the user credential (such as a SIM card, a USIM card, or a RUIM card) of a first communication network (such as GSM, CDMA, EDGE, or LTE). A client, such as a software module, executes on the wireless device. An authentication platform retrieves the SIM card credential information in the first communication network and passes the information to the authentication platform of the second communication network, thereby granting the client access to the second communication after the authentication platform validates with the first communication network.
US09020465B2
There is provided a cause a reception of information from a second device, wherein the information indicates a need to utilize the network capacity of the apparatus by the second device; detect an identifier of the second device in order to enable identification of the second device; determine whether or not to allow the second device to utilize the network capacity on the basis of the identification; upon deciding to allow the second device to utilize the network capacity of the apparatus, cause transfer of data between the second device and an accessed network, wherein the network is accessible with a specific subscriber identity module, SIM, of the apparatus; determine predetermined at least one characteristic related to the data transfer of the second device; cause transmission of information indicating the at least one characteristic to an entity responsible of invoicing data transfers with respect to the specific SIM.
US09020464B2
Disclosed techniques limit or reduce the amount of data for which a subscriber may be charged that may not actually be received at the subscriber's mobile device. A counter may be started when a node has data to be delivered to a mobile device. The node may send the data through a radio access network for delivery to the mobile device and record an amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes while running the counter, until the counter reaches a predetermined value. When the counter reaches the predetermined value, if no traffic channel has been set up with the mobile device, the node will stop recording the amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes.
US09020462B2
A wireless communications device can be triggered by a user in a duress situation to provide to a predetermined recipient, or to a monitoring service, a duress message containing emergency-response information, such as GPS coordinates, a photograph and/or an audio clip to facilitate an emergency response to the duress situation. The wireless device can periodically send follow-up duress messages to provide updated GPS data, photos or other information. The wireless device monitoring can also reply to specific queries from the monitoring service to provide requested information that would be most useful to the recipient attempting to coordinate an emergency response. In the event that the device is outside data packet coverage, the duress message can be transmitted using an alternate mode of communication such as SMS or MMS. If no mode of communication is available, the device stores the duress message until communications are possible.
US09020456B2
A wake-up function is provided for a low power radio. The radio includes: an antenna, a rectifier, and a comparator. The rectifier is configured to receive an RF signal from the antenna and generates an output having a magnitude that decreases in the presence of the RF signal. The comparator compares the output from the rectifier to a reference signal and outputs an activation signal for another radio component. In response the activation signal, the radio component will transition from a low power consumption mode to a higher power consumption mode. In this way, the rectifier and comparator cooperatively operate to perform a wake-up function in the presence of an RF signal.
US09020453B2
A radio frequency (RF) power amplifier system or transmitter includes one or more power amplifiers and a controller that is configured to adjust amplitudes and phases of RF input signals of the one or more power amplifiers and supply voltages applied to the one or more power amplifiers. In embodiments where multiple power amplifiers are used, a combiner may be provided to combine outputs of the power amplifiers.
US09020450B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first block configured to decompose an input signal into a positive component and a negative component. The apparatus further includes a second block configured to generate a mixer positive driver component from the positive component and a mixer negative driver component from the negative component and input the mixer positive driver component and the negative driver component into a mixer for a wireless transmitter.
US09020422B2
A system includes a plurality of stations capable of communicating with each other. A station of the system may comprise multiple antenna subassemblies and a receiver coupled to the subassemblies. The station is operable to activate one or more of the subassemblies to determine a direction of a first incoming signal, and to then activate another one or more of the subassemblies to receive a second incoming signal from substantially the same direction. Alternatively, the station may comprise multiple antenna subassemblies and a receiver coupled to the subassemblies and operable to activate each of the subassemblies for a respective interval to service at least one respective transmitting station covered by the activated subassembly during the interval.
US09020412B2
A curl correcting device includes a first roller, a second roller and a supporting unit. The supporting unit includes a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path. The first roller is rotated about a first rotary shaft and elastically deformable. The second roller is rotated about a second rotary shaft and elastically deforms the first roller by being pressed against the first roller, thereby forming a curved nip portion between the first and second rollers. The supporting unit is rotatable about a third rotary shaft and rotatably supports the first and second rollers. The first conveyance path communicates with the sheet conveyance path by the supporting unit being arranged at a first position about the third rotary shaft. The second conveyance path communicates with the sheet conveyance path by the supporting unit being arranged at a second position about the third rotary shaft.
US09020411B2
A toner recovery device includes a toner recovery container that recovers toner; and a toner conveying shaft member that is provided inside the toner recovery container and conveys toner in a axial direction of the toner conveying shaft member by the rotation around a rotational axis of the toner conveying shaft member and that has a spiral groove formed around the rotational axis and an outer peripheral surface whose distance from the rotational axis is variable.
US09020410B2
An image heating apparatus includes first and second rotatable members for forming a nip for heating therein a toner image on a sheet; an endless belt for contacting an outer surface of the first rotatable member and heat the first rotatable member; first and second rollers provided inside the endless belt and to rotatably support the endless belt; first and second bearings for rotatably supporting the first and second rollers; an elastic member contactable to the first bearing and to the second bearing and for urging the first roller and the second roller in directions away from each other; and a preventing member for preventing the elastic member from moving in directions of expansion and contraction thereof when the elastic member is out of contact with the first bearing and the second bearing.
US09020405B2
A doctor blade assembly for the developer unit of an electrophotographic imaging system. The doctor blade assembly includes a blade member having a first longitudinal edge for contacting a developer roll of an imaging system; a bracket member operatively connected to the blade member; and at least one bias member having a first end portion along a first longitudinal end portion of the bracket member and a second end portion contacting a distal portion of the blade member so as to present a force thereon. The force presented by the bias member serves as a counterforce to at least partly offset a force presented on the doctor blade and developer roll by a seal member of the developer unit.
US09020401B2
Apparatus, printers, and charge roller assemblies are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a roller to charge a printer surface when closer to the printer surface than an upper threshold, and a damper to reduce movement of the roller and to keep the roller closer to the printer surface than the upper threshold.
US09020398B2
A developing cartridge includes: a housing having first and second sidewalls through which respective end portions of a developing roller shaft are rotatably inserted; a developing gear, which is arranged outside of the first sidewall, and which is fixed to the end portion of the developing roller shaft; a transmission gear, which is arranged outside of the first sidewall, and which transmits driving force to the developing gear; a first cover member, which is attached to the first sidewall, and which covers the transmission gear; and a second cover member, which is attached to the first sidewall, and which covers the developing gear from an outer side in the axis line direction. The second cover member is formed separately from the first cover member and is arranged side by side with the first cover member outside of the first sidewall.
US09020393B2
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a housing having an opening; a drawer member to support photosensitive drums disposed to have intervals therebetween to be parallel with each other and to be movable in an arrangement direction of the photosensitive drums such that the drawer member moves between an attached position where the drawer member is attached in the housing and a drawn position where the drawer member is drawn to an outside of the housing; and a presser member that is provided in the housing and is configured to press the drawer member toward one side in an axial direction each photosensitive drum, wherein the presser member presses a downstream end part of the drawer member defined in a moving direction of the drawer member, at a position overlapping with the photosensitive drums in the arrangement direction, in a state where the drawer member is at the attached position.
US09020388B2
An image forming apparatus includes a first process unit and a second process unit. The first process unit includes: a first photosensitive member configured to carry a first developer image to be transferred onto a transfer medium; and a blade member configured to scrape substances attached to a surface of the first photosensitive member off the surface of the first photosensitive member. The second process unit includes: a second photosensitive member configured to carry a second developer image to be transferred onto the transfer medium having the first developer image transferred thereon; and a holding member configured to remove substances attached to a surface of the second photosensitive member from the surface of the second photosensitive member, temporarily hold the substances and return the substances to the surface of the second photosensitive member.
US09020372B2
An image forming apparatus capable of properly reducing recovery printing time, while reducing abrasion and deterioration of image bearing members. As an image formation mode determining method, a first method is selected before a print job is interrupted e.g. a jam, whereas for recovery printing, one of the first method and a second method is selected. In the first method, if an image to be formed is a color image, an image formation mode is set to an all-contact mode having an intermediate transfer belt brought into contact with all of photosensitive members, and if the image is a monochrome image, the mode is set to a partial-contact mode having the belt brought into contact only with a photosensitive member for black toner. In the second method, the mode is set to the all-contact mode for all pages on which image formation is to be performed.
US09020370B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a cartridge; a drive source; a detection unit; and a control device. The cartridge includes a movable member provided with a detected portion and configured to move by a predetermined moving amount. The drive source generates a rotation as a drive force and transmits the drive force to the movable member. The drive source includes a rotation amount detection unit that detects a rotation amount of the drive source and outputs a first detection result. The detection unit detects the detected portion and outputs a second detection result. The control device executes: a calculation process configured to calculate the rotation amount of the drive source during a time period of detecting the detected portion based on the first detection result and the second detection result; and a cartridge type determination process configured to determine a type of the cartridge based on the calculated rotation amount.
US09020367B2
Optical devices are disclosed consisting of optical chips (planar lightwave circuits) which have optically symmetric or matching designs and properties and optical components which create asymmetry in the optical devices. The devices find application in detection in coherent and non-coherent optical communications systems.
US09020366B2
Provided are a polarization multiplexing optical receiving device and a polarization multiplexing optical receiving method with which a mismatch of optical intensity between polarized signals accumulated in an optical transmission path of an optical receiving system can be compensated with high precision, and a high-quality polarized optical signal can be received.A polarization multiplexing optical receiving device according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor optical element for adjusting the optical signal intensity of each of a TE mode and a TM mode of a polarization-multiplexed optical signal; a polarization beam splitter for spectrally separating the polarization-multiplexed optical signal into the TE mode optical signal and the TM mode optical signal; and a control circuit for calculating the optical intensity ratio between the TE mode optical signal and the TM mode optical signal, which have had the optical signal intensity thereof adjusted by the semiconductor optical element and which have been spectrally separated by the polarization beam splitter, and for performing feedback control of the semiconductor optical element so that the calculated optical intensity ratio reaches a desired value.
US09020362B2
A transceiver architecture for wireless base stations wherein a broadband radio frequency signal is carried between at least one tower-mounted unit and a ground-based unit via optical fibers, or other non-distortive media, in either digital or analog format. Each tower-mounted unit (for both reception and transmission) has an antenna, analog amplifier and an electro-optical converter. The ground unit has ultrafast data converters and digital frequency translators, as well as signal linearizers, to compensate for nonlinear distortion in the amplifiers and optical links in both directions. In one embodiment of the invention, at least one of the digital data converters, frequency translators, and linearizers includes superconducting elements mounted on a cryocooler.
US09020360B2
A method and apparatus includes an optical source for a single order single-sideband suppressed-carrier optical signal with a bandwidth that scales from over 1 gigaHertz to greater than 20 gigaHertz. In an example embodiment, an apparatus includes a stable laser source configured to output an optical carrier signal at a carrier frequency. The apparatus includes a radio frequency electrical source configured to output an electrical radio frequency signal with a radio frequency bandwidth less than one octave. The apparatus also includes an optical modulator configured to output an optical signal with the optical carrier signal modulated by the radio frequency signal in a plurality of orders of optical frequency sidebands. The apparatus further includes an optical filter configured to pass one single order optical frequency sideband of the optical signal.
US09020357B2
A method of calculating a series of control parameters to be applied to a polarization controller arranged so as to compensate for the modal dispersion of polarization affecting an optical signal passing through an optical link by calculating a plurality of polarization states of which the respective representations on a Poincaré sphere are separated from one another by a distance greater than a minimum distance dependent on an acceptable threshold of bit error ratios and, for each state of polarization thus calculated, associating at least one control parameter to be applied to the polarization controller with the calculated state of polarization.
US09020331B2
A video image information playback method and a video image information playback device with which user convenience can be obtained at the start of resume playback. The video image information playback method is a method of playback of a recording medium on which virtual-machine-based content has been recorded. During normal playback of the virtual-machine-based content, a program running on a virtual machine and a decryption program that decrypts encrypted virtual-machine-based content perform decryption processing for the virtual-machine-based content while exchanging data. After suspension of playback of the virtual-machine-based content, at the start of resume playback, which is executed following an instruction to resume playback, a proxy program is launched in place of the program that runs on the virtual machine. The proxy program and the decryption program perform playback of the video image of the virtual-machine-based content while exchanging data.
US09020324B2
A recording apparatus of the present invention, in accordance with a data write speed of an external storage device, switches a writing mode between a first mode in which the apparatus suspends reading out moving image data from a memory until a predetermined amount of moving image data relating to a storage capacity of the memory is stored in the memory, and starts reading the moving image data from the memory to write it into the external storage device, after the predetermined amount of moving image data is stored completely, and a second mode in which the apparatus starts reading the moving image data from the memory to write it into the external storage device, without waiting for the storage of the predetermined amount of the moving image data into the memory.
US09020321B2
The present disclosure relates to an access box including a pivotal mounting panel to which a fiber optic adapter is mounted. The access box also includes a removable faceplate and a cover panel pivotable relative to the faceplate such that when the cover panel is in a closed position, the cover panel is substantially parallel to the faceplate, and wherein when the cover panel is in an open position, the cover panel is at an angle to the faceplate. The access box further includes an access panel pivotably secured to the cover panel. The access panel is movable between a first access panel position where the access panel blocks access to the adapter, and a second access panel position where the access panel allows access to the adapter.