US09070917B2
In a fuel cell system, regeneration-time voltage fixed control is implemented where during regeneration or when regeneration is expected to occur, output voltage of a fuel cell is set to a voltage value outside an oxidation reduction progress voltage range, and the amount of reactant gas supplied to the fuel cell is changed based on the amount of electric power remaining in an energy storage device. In the regeneration-time voltage fixed control, it is determined whether or not regeneration occurs while a moving body equipped with the fuel cell system is moving down a slope, and in the case where it is determined that regeneration occurs while the moving body is moving down a slope, the amount of the reactant gas supplied to the fuel cell is decreased in comparison with the case where it is determined that regeneration occurs while the moving body is not moving down a slope.
US09070912B2
A fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell having an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, a hydrogen pressure reservoir, a recirculation line connecting an outlet of the anode chamber to an inlet of the anode chamber, a recirculation conveyor with a compressor wheel in the region of the recirculation line, and a turbine for expanding the hydrogen that is under pressure before entry into the anode chamber. The recirculation conveyor is driven at least partially by the turbine. The turbine and the compressor wheel are formed in one component.
US09070910B2
According to the present invention, a porous material for a fuel cell electrolyte membrane, wherein at least one strength auxiliary layer is provided inside and/or on the surface of a high porosity layer, the high porosity layer and the strength auxiliary layer constitute a multilayer structure, and the average diameter of pores of the high porosity layer is different from the average diameter of pores of the strength auxiliary layer, is provided. Also, a porous material having high porosity and high strength, which is suitable as a base material for an electrolyte membrane of a solid polymer fuel cell, is provided and a high-performance fuel cell using such material is realized.
US09070909B2
A stack for a fuel cell system, including: a membrane electrode assembly, a separator that includes a fuel passage that supplies a fuel to an anode electrode of the membrane electrode assembly and an oxidant passage that supplies an oxidant to a cathode electrode of an adjacent membrane electrode assembly, a first manifold that is formed by connecting first penetration holes that penetrate the separator in a stacking direction and that is connected to the fuel passage, a second manifold that is formed by connecting second penetration holes that penetrate the separator in the stacking direction and that is connected to the oxidant passage and a baffle that is disposed in at least one of the first manifold and the second manifold. The baffle has a membrane structure to control the fluid flow inside of the at least one of the first manifold and the second manifold.
US09070907B2
A stainless steel separator for fuel cells and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method includes preparing a stainless steel sheet as a matrix, performing surface modification on a surface of the stainless steel sheet to form a Cr-rich passive film having a comparatively increased amount of Cr in a superficial layer of the stainless steel sheet by decreasing an amount of Fe in the superficial layer of the stainless steel sheet, and forming a coating layer on the surface of the surface-modified stainless steel sheet. The coating layer is one selected from a metal nitride layer (MNx), a metal/metal nitride layer (M/MNx), a metal carbide layer (MCy), and a metal boride layer (MBz) (where 0.5≦x≦1, 0.42≦y≦1, 0.5≦z≦2).
US09070903B2
A quantum-dots containing multi-component inorganic oxide thin film is provided to include an amorphous inorganic oxide bulk region and a plurality of crystalline inorganic oxide regions, wherein the crystalline inorganic oxide regions are discontinuously formed to be surrounded by the amorphous inorganic oxide of the bulk region.
US09070902B2
Patterned LED device, method of generating a patterning, system and method of calibrating the system
A patterned light emitting diode device includes a layer of light emitting material between an anode and a cathode. Further, a light-reflective layer is visible through a light-emission window of the patterned light emitting diode device. The light-reflective layer includes a pattern formed by local deformations of the light-reflective layer. The pattern may be generated via impinging condensed light beam which may enter via a rear-wall of the light-reflective layer, or via impinging the condensed light beam through the light-emission window on the light-reflective layer. The deformations may be generated without significantly altering the conductivity of the light-reflective layer. An effect of this patterned light emitting diode device is that the pattern remains clearly visible both during an on-state and during an off-state of the light emitting diode device.
US09070889B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display a includes: a substrate; an organic light emitting element on the substrate and including a first electrode, a light emission layer, and a second electrode; and an encapsulation layer on the substrate while covering the organic light emitting element. The encapsulation layer includes an organic layer and an inorganic layer. A mixed area, where organic materials forming the organic layer and inorganic materials forming the inorganic layer co-exist along a plane direction of the encapsulation layer, is formed at the boundary between the organic layer and the inorganic layer.
US09070887B2
A photoelectric conversion device comprising an electrically conductive film, an organic photoelectric conversion film, and a transparent electrically conductive film, wherein the organic photoelectric conversion film contains a compound represented by the following formula (1) and an n-type organic semiconductor: wherein each of R1 and R2 independently represents a substituted aryl group, an unsubstituted aryl group, a substituted heteroaryl group or an unsubstituted heteroaryl group, each of R3 to R11 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent provided that an acidic group is excluded, m represents 0 or 1, n represents an integer of 0 or more, R1 and R2, R3 and R4, R3 and R5, R5 and R6, R6 and R8, R7 and R8, R7 and R9, or R10 and R11 may be combined each other to form a ring, and when n is an integer of 2 or more, out of a plurality of R7's and R8's, a pair of R7's, a pair of R8's, or a pair of R7 and R8 may be combined each other to form a ring.
US09070886B2
Fluoroacyl arylamines are disclosed for use in an electronic applications, such as, in photoresponsive and electroresponsive devices.
US09070884B2
The present invention provides organic light emitting devices having a combined emission from at least two emissive materials, a fluorescent blue emissive material and a phosphorescent emissive material. The device may further comprise additional fluorescent or phosphorescent emissive materials. In preferred embodiments, the invention provides OLEDs having three different emissive materials—a red emissive material, a green emissive material and a blue emissive material. The invention provides a device architecture which is optimized for efficiency and lifetime by using a combination of fluorescent and phosphorescent emitters. Further, in preferred embodiments the device architecture provides a high color-stability of the light emission over a wide range of currents or luminances.
US09070883B2
Novel anthracene derivatives, novel materials capable of blue light emission with high color purity, and a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, and an electronic device using any of the novel materials. The anthracene derivative represented by general formula (1) is provided. With the anthracene derivative, a light-emitting element with high emission efficiency can be provided. With the anthracene derivative, a light-emitting element emitting blue light with high color purity can be provided. In the formula, A1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, B1 represents any of an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, α represents any of a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group or a substituted or unsubstituted biphenyl-4,4′-diyl group, and R1 to R9 individually represent any of hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group.
US09070881B2
A method of manufacturing an organic semiconductor thin film includes coating an organic semiconductor solution on a substrate, and shearing the organic semiconductor solution in a direction that results in a shearing stress being applied to the organic semiconductor solution to form the organic semiconductor thin film, wherein a speed of the shearing is controlled such that an intermolecular distance of the organic semiconductor solution is adjusted.
US09070880B2
A manufacturing process provided herein pertains to a single-piece, multi-layer piezoelectric stack in a sonar transducer element utilized in acoustic arrays requiring many thousands of elements. A slurry formed by mixing ceramics, powders, and binders is filtered, dried and cast into a thin film on a moving substrate. When the film has dried, it is removed from the substrate and layered into piezoelectric stacks. Screening a pattern of conductive platinum ink onto a desired layer forms electrodes. Applied heat and pressure forms a unitary body with electrically accessible layers. Burning removes the binders and sintering produces a final density. Dicing the body exposes the desired electrode polarities. A strip of conductive material is applied to connect the electrodes of like polarity and the ceramic parts are polarized. The transducer elements may be arrayed to conform to the curved surfaces such as a ship's hull.
US09070877B2
A method can include forming at least one memory layer over a first electrode, the memory layer having at least one element formed therein that oxidizes in the presence of an electric field to form conductive paths within the memory layer; and forming an inhibiting layer within the memory layer that increases an oxidation energy for the at least one element, as compared to the oxidation energy for the at least one element in the memory layer without the inhibiting layer.
US09070875B2
A deposition process to form a conformal phase change material film on the surface of a substrate to produce a memory device wafer comprises providing a substrate to a chamber of a deposition system; providing an activation region; introducing one or more precursors into the chamber upstream of the substrate; optionally introducing one or more co-reactants upstream of the substrate; activating the one or more precursors; heating the substrate; and depositing the phase change material film on the substrate from the one or more precursors by chemical vapor deposition. The deposited phase change material film comprises GexSbyTezAm in which A is a dopant selected from the group of N, C, In, Sn, and Se. In one implementation, the process is carried out to form GST films doped with carbon and nitrogen, to impart beneficial film growth and performance properties to the film.
US09070869B2
Embodiments of the invention are described that use a thin metallic hard mask, which can be a bi-layer film, to increase the incident IBE angle for MTJ sidewall cleaning without losing the process margin for the subsequent interconnection process. The patterned metallic hard mask pads also serve as the top electrode for the MTJ cells. Using a thin metallic hard mask is possible when the hard mask material acts as a CMP stopper without substantial loss of thickness. In the first embodiment, the single layer hard mask is preferably ruthenium. In the second embodiment, the lower layer of the bi-layer hard mask is preferably ruthenium. The wafer is preferably rotated during the IBE process for uniform etching. A capping layer under the hard mask is preferably used as the etch stopper during hard mask etch process in order not to damage or etch through the upper magnetic layer.
US09070868B2
A technique is provided for a thermally assisted magnetoresistive random access memory device. A magnetic tunnel junction is formed. Contact wiring having a top contact electrode and a bottom contact electrode is formed. The contact wiring provides write bias to heat the magnetic tunnel junction. A multilayer dielectric encapsulant is configured to retain the heat within the magnetic tunnel junction.
US09070867B2
Non-volatile resistive-switching memories are described, including a memory element having a first electrode, a second electrode, a metal oxide between the first electrode and the second electrode. The metal oxide switches using bulk-mediated switching, has a bandgap greater than 4 electron volts (eV), has a set voltage for a set operation of at least one volt per one hundred angstroms of a thickness of the metal oxide, and has a leakage current density less than 40 amps per square centimeter (A/cm2) measured at 0.5 volts (V) per twenty angstroms of the thickness of the metal oxide.
US09070861B2
An ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer device includes a transducer array consisting of an array of vibrating elements, and a base to which the array of vibrating elements in the transducer array are attached. The base include integrated electrical interconnects for carrying driving signals and sensed signals between the vibrating elements and an external control circuit. The base can be an ASIC wafer that includes integrated circuitry for controlling the driving and processing the sensed signals. The interconnects and control circuits in the base fit substantially within an area below the array of multiple vibrating elements.
US09070852B2
A light emitting device (LED) package and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The LED package includes an LED including a first electrode pad and a second electrode pad disposed on one surface thereof; a bonding insulating pattern layer configured to expose the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad; a substrate including a via hole bored from a first surface to a second surface and a wiring metal layer formed on an inner surface of the via hole to extend to a part of the second surface; and a bonding metal pattern layer bonded to the wiring metal layer exposed through the via hole at the first surface of the substrate and also bonded to the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad.
US09070847B2
An ultraviolet semiconductor light-emitting element comprises a light-emitting layer which is arranged between an n-type nitride semiconductor layer and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer, an n-electrode that is in contact with the n-type nitride semiconductor layer, and a p-electrode that is in contact with the p-type nitride semiconductor layer. The p-type nitride semiconductor layer is provided with a p-type contact layer that has a band gap smaller than that of the light-emitting layer and is in ohmic contact with the p-electrode. A depressed part is formed in a reverse side surface of a surface of the p-type nitride semiconductor layer that faces the light-emitting layer so as to avoid a formation region on which the p-electrode is formed. A reflective film that reflects ultraviolet light emitted from the light-emitting layer is formed on an inner bottom surface of the depressed part.
US09070842B2
A light-emitting diode manufacturing method comprises steps of: providing a flexible material layer having a flexible reflective layer and phosphor glue in the flexible reflective layer; providing a hard material layer having a substrate and an LED chip on the substrate; combining the flexible material layer and the hard material layer together wherein the LED chip inserts into the phosphor glue and is surrounded by the flexible reflective layer; and solidifying the flexible reflective layer and the phosphor glue to form a reflective cup and a phosphor layer, respectively.
US09070841B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes: a stacked body, a wavelength conversion layer, a first metal layer, and a first insulating section. The stacked body includes: a first and a second semiconductor layers; and a first light emitting layer provided between the first and the second semiconductor layers. The wavelength conversion layer is configured to convert wavelength of light emitted from the first light emitting layer. The first semiconductor layer is placed between the first light emitting layer and the wavelength conversion layer. The first metal layer is electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer. The first insulating section is provided between a first side surface and a first side surface portion of the first metal layer and between the wavelength conversion layer and the first side surface portion.
US09070834B2
A semiconductor light emitting device includes a light emitting structure, a first electrode unit, and a second electrode unit. The light emitting structure includes a first and second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer. The first electrode unit includes a first electrode pad and a first electrode finger extending from the first electrode pad, and having an annular shape with an open portion. The second electrode unit includes a second electrode pad and a second electrode finger extending from the second electrode pad, and has an annular shape with an open portion. One of the first and second electrode units substantially surrounds the other, and the center of the annular shape of at least one of the first and second electrode units is spaced apart from the center of the upper surface of the light emitting structure.
US09070825B2
A thermoelectric conversion module includes a pair of substrates, electrodes formed on the facing surfaces of a pair of the electrodes, a thermoelectric element disposed between the electrodes, and a joining layer that joins the electrodes and the thermoelectric element, in which the thickness of the joining layer is 30 μm or more, and is formed by sintering paste including metal particles smaller than 100 nm.
US09070823B2
A method for making a LED comprises following steps. A substrate having a surface is provided. A first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor pre-layer is formed on the surface of the substrate. A patterned mask layer is applied on a surface of the second semiconductor pre-layer. A number of three-dimensional nano-structures is formed on the second semiconductor pre-layer and the patterned mask layer is removed. The substrate is removed and a first electrode is formed on a surface of the first semiconductor layer away from the active layer. A second electrode is formed to electrically connect with the second semiconductor pre-layer.
US09070822B2
The method disclosed herein includes a first step of forming an i-type amorphous silicon layer 16 and an n-type amorphous silicon layer 14 on a light-receiving surface of an n-type monocrystalline silicon substrate 18; a second step of forming an i-type amorphous silicon layer 22a and an n-type amorphous silicon layer 23a on a backside surface of the n-type monocrystalline silicon substrate 18; and a third step of forming, after completion of the first step and the second step, an antireflection layer 12 on the n-type amorphous silicon layer 14, and subsequently forming an insulating layer 24a on the n-type amorphous silicon layer 23a.
US09070818B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to methods and structures for fabricating semiconductor structures that include at least one bonding layer for attaching two or more elements to one another. The at least one bonding layer may be at least substantially comprised of zinc, silicon and oxygen.
US09070805B2
A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device has a first conductive-type nitride semiconductor layer, a superlattice layer provided on the first conductive-type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer provided on the superlattice layer, and a second conductive-type nitride semiconductor layer provided on the active layer. An average carrier concentration of the superlattice layer is higher than an average carrier concentration of the active layer.
US09070804B2
A solar cell uses a sliver of a silicon wafer as a substrate. The sliver has a front side that faces the sun during normal operation. The front side of the sliver includes a surface from along a thickness of the wafer, allowing for more efficient use of silicon. Metal contacts are formed on the back side of the sliver. The metal contacts electrically connect to the emitter and base of the solar cell, which may be formed within the sliver or be made of polysilicon. The emitter of the solar cell may be a P-type doped region and the base of the solar cell may be an N-type doped region, for example. The solar cell may include an anti-reflective coating formed on the front side of the sliver. The anti-reflective coating may be over a textured surface on the front side of the sliver.
US09070800B2
The present invention relates to a solar cell. The solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type, the substrate having a textured surface on which a plurality of projected portions are formed, and surfaces of the projected portions having at least one of a plurality of particles attached thereto and a plurality of depressions formed thereon; an emitter layer of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, the emitter layer being positioned in the substrate so that the emitter layer has the textured surface; an anti-reflection layer positioned on the emitter layer which has the textured surface and including at least one layer; a plurality of first electrodes electrically connected to the emitter layer; and at least one second electrode electrically connected to the substrate.
US09070798B2
A charge transferor of a solar cell, which collects and transfer charges generated from a semiconductor substrate, includes at least one electrode collecting the charges; and at least one collector transferring the charges collected by the at least one electrode, the at least one collector being included in at least one collector region on the substrate, wherein the at least one collector region in a first direction comprises at least one deletion portion where the at least one collector is not formed.
US09070797B2
A photovoltaic installation includes a photovoltaic generator, electrical connector lines, an enabling signal source, and an arc discharge detector. The generator is configured to generate a DC voltage when an enable signal is applied to the generator. The electrical connector lines connect the generator to a voltage converter for the voltage converter to receive the DC voltage from the generator. The enabling signal source is configured to apply the enable signal to the generator. The arc discharge detector is configured to detect for an arc discharge by detecting for the presence on the connector lines of an AC voltage signal having characteristics indicative of an arc discharge. The arc discharge detector is further configured to cause the enabling signal source to stop applying the enable signal to the generator when an arc discharge is detected.
US09070796B2
A solid-state imaging device generates signals by photoelectric conversion elements included in a first substrate in which circuit elements of a plurality of pixels are arranged. The solid-state imaging device outputs, from the plurality of pixels via output circuits, the signals that are generated by the photoelectric conversion elements and are via connection parts that electrically connect the first substrate with a second substrate, the output circuits being included in the second substrate.
US09070790B2
A vertical semiconductor device has a semiconductor body with a first surface and a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface. A first metallization is arranged on the first surface. A second metallization is arranged on the second surface. In a sectional plane perpendicular to the first surface, the semiconductor body includes an n-doped first semiconductor region in ohmic contact with the second metallization, a plurality of p-doped second semiconductor regions in ohmic contact with the first metallization, and a plurality of p-doped embedded semiconductor regions. The p-doped second semiconductor regions substantially extend to the first surface, are spaced apart from one another and form respective first pn-junctions with the first semiconductor region. The p-doped embedded semiconductor regions are spaced apart from one another, from the p-doped second semiconductor regions, from the first surface and from the second surface, and form respective second pn-junctions with the first semiconductor region.
US09070785B1
An integrated circuit with a thick TiN metal gate with a work function greater than 4.85 eV and with a thin TiN metal gate with a work function less than 4.25 eV. An integrated circuit with a replacement gate PMOS TiN metal gate transistor with a workfunction greater than 4.85 eV and with a replacement gate NMOS TiN metal gate transistor with a workfunction less than 4.25 eV. An integrated circuit with a gate first PMOS TiN metal gate transistor with a workfunction greater than 4.85 eV and with a gate first NMOS TiN metal gate transistor with a workfunction less than 4.25 eV.
US09070783B2
It is to enhance a current increasing effect by increasing a stress applied on a channel of a transistor. The invention is characterized by comprising: side wall insulating films 33 and 53 formed on a semiconductor substrate 11 with trenches 39 and 59 which are formed by removing dummy gates; gate electrodes 43 and 63 formed within the trenches 39 and 59 through a gate insulating film 41; first and second stress applying films 21 and 22 respectively formed along the side wall insulating films 33 and 53 over the semiconductor substrate 11; and source/drain regions 35, 36, 55, and 56 which are formed in the semiconductor substrate 11 on the both sides of the gate electrodes 43 and 63, in that the stress applying films 21 and 22 are formed before the first trench 39 and the second trench 59 are formed.
US09070782B2
A semiconductor structure includes multiple buried gates which are disposed in a substrate and have a first source and a second source, an interlayer dielectric layer covering the multiple buried gates and the substrate as well as a core dual damascene plug including a first plug, a second plug and an insulating slot. The insulating slot is disposed between the first plug and the second plug so that the first plug and the second plug are mutually electrically insulated. The first plug and the second plug respectively penetrate the interlayer dielectric layer and are respectively electrically connected to the first source and the second source.
US09070777B2
A semiconductor device includes: a substrate, a semiconductor layer including an oxide semiconductor disposed on the substrate, a barrier layer disposed on the semiconductor layer and an insulating layer disposed on the barrier layer. The semiconductor layer includes an oxide semiconductor, and the barrier layer includes a material having a lower standard electrode potential than a semiconductor material of the oxide semiconductor, a lower electron affinity than the semiconductor material of the oxide semiconductor, or a larger band gap than the semiconductor material of the oxide semiconductor. The insulating layer includes at least one of a silicon-based oxide or a silicon-based nitride, and the insulating layer includes a portion which contacts with an upper surface of the barrier layer.
US09070773B2
A semiconductor device and a method for preparing the same that can solve crack of a semiconductor film, capacitance electrodes and the like due to stress when forming a source electrode and a drain electrode in a semiconductor device having a thin film transistor and a holding capacitance with three or more capacitance electrodes is provided. Before forming the source electrode and the drain electrode, a crystalline silicon film for relaxing the stress is formed, then a contact hole connecting to the semiconductor film of the thin film transistor is opened, and a metal film to be the source electrode and the drain electrode is formed.
US09070767B2
Vertical memory devices comprise vertical transistors, buried digit lines extending in a first direction in an array region, and word lines extending in a second direction different from the first direction. Portions of the word lines in a word line end region have a first vertical length greater than a second vertical length of portions of the word lines in the array region. Apparatuses including vertical transistors in an array region, buried digit lines extending in a first direction, and word lines are also disclosed. Each of the word lines extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, is formed over at least a portion of a sidewall of at least some of the vertical transistors, and vertically has a depth in a word line end region about equal to or greater than a depth thereof in the array region.
US09070762B2
A lead frame support plate 200 and a window clamp 400 for wire bonding machines are disclosed herein. In a described embodiment, the lead frame support plate 200 includes a network of suction grooves 218 provided on a support surface 212, each suction groove 218 being arranged to be in fluid communication with at least a vacuum hole 216 to enable a suction force to be created, in response to a vacuum force, along the network of suction grooves for holding a lead frame against the support surface. A window clamp 400 having slots for compensating deformation of the window clamp and a method of fabricating the lead frame support plate are also disclosed.
US09070761B2
A field effect transistor (FET) having fingers with rippled edges is disclosed. The FET includes a semiconductor substrate having a front side with a finger axis. A drain finger is disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate such that a greatest dimension of the drain finger lies parallel to the finger axis. A gate finger is disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate. The gate finger is spaced from the drain finger such that a greatest dimension of the gate finger lies parallel to the finger axis. A source finger is disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate. The source finger is spaced from the gate finger such that a greatest dimension of the source finger lies parallel to the finger axis. The drain finger, the gate finger, and the source finger each have rippled edges with an axis parallel with the finger axis.
US09070755B2
According to an exemplary implementation, a transistor includes drain finger electrodes interdigitated with source finger electrodes. The transistor also includes a current conduction path in a semiconductor substrate between the drain finger electrodes and the source finger electrodes. At least one of the drain finger electrodes has a drain finger electrode end and a drain finger electrode main body, where the drain finger electrode main body is non-coplaner with at least a portion of the drain finger electrode end. The transistor may also include a dielectric material situated between at least a portion of the drain finger electrode end and the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric material can be an increasing thickness dielectric material. The dielectric material can thus elevate the drain finger electrode end over the semiconductor substrate. Further, the drain finger electrode end can have an increased radius of curvature.
US09070754B2
The present invention prevents bumps on semiconductor chips from sticking to probe needles and coming off from the semiconductor chips. A wafer has effective areas where a plurality of bumps (first bumps) are formed. The bumps are formed on the side of an active surface of the semiconductor chips. The wafer further has non-effective areas where a plurality of dummy bumps are formed. Among the dummy bumps, some positioned at the outermost circumference are dummy bumps (second bumps) that are smaller than the other bumps. The dummy bumps (second bumps) intersect the inner peripheral edge of a shielding member as viewed in a plan view. The dummy bumps (second bumps) are formed over third pad electrodes. A bump-formation insulating film is removed from over the entire third pad electrodes.
US09070729B2
A wafer processing method, by which a device wafer may be aligned and bonded to a carrier wafer to perform a back grinding process for the device wafer and may be separated from the carrier wafer after performing the back grinding process, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by using the wafer processing method are provided. The wafer processing method includes: disposing a first magnetic material on a front side of a wafer and disposing a second magnetic material on a carrier wafer, wherein a surface of the first magnetic material and a surface of the second magnetic material, which face each other, have opposite polarities; aligning and bonding the wafer to the carrier wafer by magnetic attraction between the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material; grinding a back side of the wafer to make the wafer thin; and separating the wafer from the carrier wafer.
US09070719B2
A semiconductor device structure, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor fin are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method for manufacturing the semiconductor device structure comprises: forming a fin in a first direction on a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate line in a second direction, the second direction crossing the first direction on the semiconductor substrate, and the gate line intersecting the fin with a gate dielectric layer sandwiched between the gate line and the fin; forming a dielectric spacer surrounding the gate line; and performing inter-device electrical isolation at a predetermined position, wherein isolated portions of the gate line form independent gate electrodes of respective devices.
US09070715B2
Provided is a method for fabricating an array substrate. The method for fabricating the array substrate includes forming a semiconductor layer on a substrate, forming a gate electrode which is insulated from the semiconductor layer, forming source and drain electrodes which are insulated from the gate electrode and connected to the semiconductor layer, and forming a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode. Here, at least one of the forming of the gate electrode, the forming of the source and drain electrodes, and the forming of the pixel electrode includes forming a conductive layer on the substrate, cooling the substrate on which the conductive layer is formed to a temperature of no greater than about 0° C., heating the cooled substrate, and patterning the conductive layer.
US09070713B2
A power semiconductor device includes: a drain region of a first conductive type; a drift region of a first conductive type formed on the drain region; a first body region of a second conductive type formed below an upper surface of the drift region; a second body region of a second conductive type formed below the upper surface of the drift region and in the first body region; a third body region of a second conductive type formed by protruding downwards from a lower end of the first body region; a source region of a first conductive type formed below the upper surface of the drift region and in the first body region; and a gate insulating layer formed on channel regions of the first body region and on the drift region between the first body regions.
US09070710B2
A semiconductor process includes the following steps. A substrate is provided. At least a fin-shaped structure is formed on the substrate and a gate structure partially overlapping the fin-shaped structure is formed. Subsequently, a dielectric layer is blanketly formed on the substrate, and a part of the dielectric layer is removed to form a first spacer on the fin-shaped structure and a second spacer besides the fin-shaped structure. Furthermore, the second spacer and a part of the fin-shaped structure are removed to form at least a recess at a side of the gate structure, and an epitaxial layer is formed in the recess.
US09070706B2
A semiconductor device including a group III-V barrier and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device including: a substrate, insulation layers formed to be spaced apart on the substrate, a group III-V material layer for filling the space between the insulation layers and having a portion protruding higher than the insulation layers, a barrier layer for covering the side and upper surfaces of the protruding portion of the group III-V material layer and having a bandgap larger than that of the group III-V material layer, a gate insulation film for covering the surface of the barrier layer, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulation film, and source and drain electrodes formed apart from the gate electrode. The overall composition of the group III-V material layer is uniform. The barrier layer may include a group III-V material for forming a quantum well.
US09070705B2
A HEMT semiconductor device can include a dielectric layer that includes a silicon nitride film and an AlN film. In an embodiment, the HEMT semiconductor device can include a GaN film and an AlGaN film. In a process of forming the HEMT device, the AlN can provide an etch stop when forming an opening for a gate electrode.
US09070699B2
A micromachined structure includes a substrate and a suspended structure. The substrate has a cavity formed thereon. The suspended structure is formed on the cavity of the substrate. The suspended structure includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and a first dielectric layer positioned between the first and second metal layers, wherein the first dielectric layer has a first opening in communication with the cavity through an opening formed in the first metal layer.
US09070696B2
In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a molding die for molding a resin case for a semiconductor device is prepared such that the molding die has protrusions to fix each of a plurality of terminals having a leg portion in a predetermined position. Each of the plurality of terminals is held to the corresponding protrusions in the molding die, and resin is injected into the molding die to integrally mold the plurality of terminals and the resin case.
US09070695B2
An integrated circuit package for an integrated circuit having one or more sensor elements in a sensor element area of the circuit. An encapsulation covers bond wires but leaves an opening over the sensor element area. A protection layer is provided over the integrated circuit over which the encapsulation extends, and it has a channel around the sensor element area to act as a trap for any encapsulation material which has crept into the opening area.
US09070691B2
A semiconductor package includes a substrate having a substrate body possessing a first region, a second region which is defined around the first region and a third region which is defined around the second region. Wiring lines are placed on the substrate body, and the wiring lines have first ends that extend to the third region. Connection patterns are placed in the third region and are electrically connected to the first ends of the wiring lines. A to semiconductor chip is disposed in the first region and is electrically connected to the respective wiring lines, and a molding member is disposed in the first and second regions and covers the semiconductor chip.
US09070690B2
A semiconductor device is provided in which reliability of the semiconductor device is improved by improving an EM characteristic, a TDDB characteristic, and a withstand voltage characteristic of the semiconductor device. An average diameter of first vacancies in a lower insulating layer which configures an interlayer insulating film of a porous low-k film for embedding a wiring therein, is made smaller than an average diameter of second vacancies in an upper insulating layer, and thereby an elastic modulus is increased in the lower insulating layer. Further, a side wall insulating layer which is a dense layer including the first vacancies having an average diameter smaller than the second vacancies is formed on the surface of the interlayer insulating film exposed on a side wall of a wiring trench.
US09070685B2
A compound semiconductor integrated circuit is provided, comprising a substrate, at least one compound semiconductor electronic device, a first metal layer, a protection layer, a plurality of second metal layers, and at least one dielectric layer. The first metal layer contains Au but does not contain Cu, and is at least partly electrically connected to the compound semiconductor electronic device. The protection layer covers the compound semiconductor electronic device and at least part of the first metal layer. Each of the plurality of second metal layers contains at least a Cu layer, and at least one of the plurality of second metal layers is partly electrically connected to the first metal layer described above. The at least one dielectric layer separates each pair of adjacent second metal layers. The second metal layers are used to form passive electronic components.
US09070684B2
An integrated circuit power grid is provided with improved routing resources and bypass capacitance. A power grid for an integrated circuit comprises a plurality of thick metal layers having a plurality of metal traces, wherein at least one of the thick metal layers has a lower pitch than a substantial maximum pitch allowed under the design rules for a given integrated circuit fabrication technology. A power grid for an integrated circuit can also comprise a plurality of thin metal layers having a plurality of metal traces, wherein a plurality of the metal traces on different thin metal layers are connected by at least one via, wherein the at least one via is substantially surrounded by a metal trace on at least one thin metal level connected to a different power supply voltage than a power supply of one or more additional thin metal levels. The via can be positioned, for example, at an intersection of a given standard cell row and a given vertical strap.
US09070680B2
A chip on film (COF) type semiconductor package is provided. The chip on film (COF) type semiconductor package includes a film, a plurality of leads formed on a surface of the film, a chip adhered to ends of the leads, an underfill layer filled within a space between the chip and the leads, and a heat dissipation layer adhered to an other surface of the film, the heat dissipation layer including a graphite material layer, a protection layer formed on a surface of the graphite material layer to cover the graphite material layer, and an adhesion layer formed on an other surface of the graphite material layer to adhere the heat dissipation layer to the other surface of the film.
US09070677B2
A semiconductor package comprises a lower package comprising a lower substrate, a lower semiconductor chip on the lower substrate, a lower graphene layer on the lower semiconductor chip, and a lower molding layer between the lower substrate and the lower graphene layer. An upper package is on the lower substrate, the upper package spaced apart from the lower package, the upper package comprising an upper substrate, an upper semiconductor chip, and an upper molding layer. Lower conductive bumps are positioned between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, the lower bumps comprising a ground bump and a signal transmitting bump.
US09070673B2
A semiconductor device suitable for preventing malfunction is provided.The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip 1, a first electrode pad 21 laminated on the semiconductor chip 1, an intermediate layer 4 having a rectangular shape defined by first edges 49a and second edges, and a plurality of bumps 5 arranged to sandwich the intermediate layer 4 by cooperating with the semiconductor chip 1. The first edges 49a extend in the direction x, whereas the second edges extend in the direction y. The plurality of bumps 5 include a first bump 51 electrically connected to the first electrode pad 21 and a second bump 52 electrically connected to the first electrode pad 21. The first bump 51 is arranged at one end in the direction x and one end in the direction y.
US09070666B2
A semiconductor device includes a package and a cooler. The semiconductor package includes a semiconductor element, a metal member, and a molding member for encapsulating the semiconductor element and the metal member. The metal member has a metal portion thermally connected to the semiconductor element, an insulating layer on the metal portion, and a conducting layer on the insulating layer. The conducting layer is at least partially exposed outside the molding member and serves as a radiation surface for radiating heat of the semiconductor element. The cooler has a coolant passage through which a coolant circulates to cool the conducting layer. The conducting layer and the cooler are electrically connected together.
US09070662B2
A semiconductor package can include a semiconductor die having an integrated circuit, a first die surface, and an opposite second die surface. A packaging can be attached to the die and have a holder surface opposite the first die surface. A heat spreader can be configured to cover the second die surface and the packaging surface and can be attached thereto by a layer of adhesive positioned between the heat spreader and the semiconductor die. A semiconductor package array can include an array of semiconductor dies and a heat spreader configured to cover each semiconductor die. A conductive lead can be electrically connected to the integrated circuit in a semiconductor die and can extend from the first die surface. Manufacturing a semiconductor package can include applying thermally conductive adhesive to the heat spreader and placing the heat spreader proximate the semiconductor die.
US09070660B2
A polymer thermal interface material is described that has enhanced thermal conductivity. In one example, a vinyl-terminated silicone oil is combined with a silicone chain extender, and a thermally conductive filler comprising at least 85% by weight of the material, and comprising surface wetted particles with a range of shapes and sizes. The material may be used for bonding components inside a microelectronic package, for example.
US09070657B2
An integrated circuit package includes a substrate having a heat conducting portion integrally formed with a heat dissipating portion. First and second integrated circuit dies are mounted to opposite sides of the heat conducting portion of the substrate. The first and second integrated circuit dies may each be packaged as flip-chip configurations. Electrical connections between contact pads on the first and second integrated circuit dies may be formed through openings formed in the heat conducting portion of the substrate. The heat dissipating portion may be positioned externally from a location between the first and second integrated circuit dies so that it dissipates heat away from the integrated circuit package into the surrounding environment.
US09070651B2
A non-linear kerf monitor, methods of manufacture and design structures are provided. The structure includes a coplanar waveguide provided in a kerf of a wafer between a first chip and a second chip. The structure further includes a shunt switch and a series switch coupled to the coplanar waveguide.
US09070647B2
An organic electroluminescence (EL) device is provided, including a transparent substrate and an array of pixels over the transparent substrate. Each of the pixels includes at least one first sub-pixel and at least one second sub-pixel, wherein the at least one first sub-pixel each includes a first organic light emitting diode for providing light in a first direction, and the second sub-pixel each includes a second organic light emitting diode for providing light in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction.
US09070639B2
In sophisticated semiconductor devices, manufacturing techniques and etch masks may be formed on the basis of a mask layer stack which comprises an additional mask layer, which may receive an opening on the basis of lithography techniques. Thereafter, the width of the mask opening may be reduced by applying a selective deposition or growth process, which thus results in a highly uniform and well-controllable adjustment of the target width of the etch mask prior to performing the actual patterning process, for instance for forming sophisticated contact openings, via openings and the like.
US09070638B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate on which a structure portion is provided except a peripheral portion thereof, and has a laminated structure including low dielectric films and wiring lines, the low dielectric films having a relative dielectric constant of 3.0 or lower and a glass transition temperature of 400° C. or higher. An insulating film is formed on the structure portion. A connection pad portion is arranged on the insulating film and connected to an uppermost wiring line of the laminated structure portion. A bump electrode is provided on the connection pad portion. A sealing film made of an organic resin is provided on a part of the insulating film which surrounds the bump electrode. Side surfaces of the laminated structure portion are covered with the insulating film and/or the sealing film.
US09070627B2
An integrated circuit (IC) package includes an IC die having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface. The IC package includes first contact members coupled to the second surface of the IC die. The IC package includes a bottom substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface, where the first surface of the bottom substrate is coupled to the second surface of the IC die via the first contact members. The IC package includes an interposer substrate coupled to the first surface of the IC die via an adhesive material, where the adhesive material is disposed on at least a surface of the interposer substrate. The IC package includes second contact members coupled along a periphery of the interposer substrate, where the interposer substrate is coupled to the first surface of the bottom substrate via the second contact members.
US09070620B2
Methods and devices associated with phase change memory include diodes operating as selector switches having a large driving current and high switching speed. A method of forming a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate, defining a diode array region and a peripheral region on the semiconductor substrate, forming an N+ buried layer in the diode array region by performing an ion implantation process and an annealing process. The method also includes forming a semiconductor epitaxial layer on the N+ buried layer, forming deep trench isolations through the epitaxial layer and the N+ buried layer into a portion of the substrate in the first direction, and forming shallow trench isolations in the diode array region and in the peripheral region in the second direction. The shallow trench isolation has a depth equal to or greater than a thickness of the epitaxial layer.
US09070619B2
A nitride semiconductor wafer includes a substrate, and a buffer layer formed on the substrate and including an alternating layer of AlxGa1-xN (0≦x≦0.05) and AlyGa1-yN (0
US09070608B2
An image sensor includes, inter alia: a first and second capacitors arranged serially between an input terminal and a first node, a first comparing unit connecting to a first reference signal and a connecting node of the first and second capacitors, and an output terminal connecting to the first node wherein the first comparing unit provides first or second preliminary ramp signals on the first node, first and second switches arranged between the first comparing unit and the first capacitor to selectively connect the first capacitor to a ground voltage or the input terminal, a third capacitor connecting to the second capacitor in parallel, a third switch selectively connecting the first node to the third capacitor, a first ramp signal output unit generating a first ramp signal with the first preliminary ramp signal provided, and a second ramp signal output unit generating a second ramp signal using the second preliminary ramp signal.
US09070599B2
An array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof and a display device are provided, and the array substrate comprises: a substrate (1); a plurality of data lines (16), formed on the substrate and extending in a first direction; a plurality of gate lines (15), formed on the substrate (1), crossing the plurality of data lines (15), and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality of pixel regions, defined by the plurality of gate lines (15) and the plurality of data lines (15) crossing each other and arranged in a matrix form, wherein each of the pixel regions is provided with a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode (12), wherein, the thin film transistor comprises: a gate electrode (2), connected with one of the plurality of gate lines (15); a gate insulating layer (3), provided above the gate line (15) and the gate electrode (2); an active layer (5), formed on the gate insulating layer (3) and disposed corresponding to the gate electrode (2); a drain electrode (8) and a source electrode (9), disposed opposite to each other above the active layer (5) and having a channel region of the thin film transistor therebetween; a filling layer (4), provided between the gate electrode (2) and the gate line (15) connected with the gate electrode, and the drain and source electrodes (8) and (9); and a passivation layer (10), provided on the source electrode (9), the drain electrode (8) and the active layer (5), wherein at a position directly facing the gate line (15), the passivation layer (10) is provided with a passivation layer through hole (11) configured to perform a connection between the drain electrode (8) and the pixel electrode (12).
US09070593B2
To provide a circuit used for a shift register or the like. The basic configuration includes first to fourth transistors and four wirings. The power supply potential VDD is supplied to the first wiring and the power supply potential VSS is supplied to the second wiring. A binary digital signal is supplied to each of the third wiring and the fourth wiring. An H level of the digital signal is equal to the power supply potential VDD, and an L level of the digital signal is equal to the power supply potential VSS. There are four combinations of the potentials of the third wiring and the fourth wiring. Each of the first transistor to the fourth transistor can be turned off by any combination of the potentials. That is, since there is no transistor that is constantly on, deterioration of the characteristics of the transistors can be suppressed.
US09070585B2
An electronic device can include a transistor structure, including a patterned semiconductor layer overlying a substrate and having a primary surface. The electronic device can further include first conductive structures within each of a first trench and a second trench, a gate electrode within the first trench and electrically insulated from the first conductive structure, a first insulating member disposed between the gate electrode and the first conductive structure within the first trench, and a second conductive structure within the second trench. The second conductive structure can be electrically connected to the first conductive structures and is electrically insulated from the gate electrode. The electronic device can further include a second insulating member disposed between the second conductive structure and the first conductive structure within the second trench. Processing sequences can be used that simplify formation of the features within the electronic device.
US09070584B2
A memory array includes a plurality of digitline (DL) trenches extending along a first direction; a buried digitline between the DL trenches; a trench fill material layer sealing an air gap in each of the DL trenches; a plurality of wordline (WL) trenches extending along a second direction; an active chop (AC) trench disposed at one end of the buried digitline; a shield layer in the air gap; and a sidewall conductor around the sidewall of the AC trench.
US09070579B2
A stack of a gate dielectric layer and a workfunction material layer are deposited over a plurality of semiconductor material portions, which can be a plurality of semiconductor fins or a plurality of active regions in a semiconductor substrate. A first gate conductor material applying a first stress is formed on a first portion of the workfunction material layer located on a first semiconductor material portion, and a second gate conductor material applying a second stress is formed on a second portion of the workfunction material layer located on a second semiconductor material portion. The first and second stresses are different in at least one of polarity and magnitude, thereby inducing different strains in the first and second portions of the workfunction material layer. The different strains cause the workfunction shift differently in the first and second portions of the workfunction material layer, thereby providing devices having multiple different workfunctions.
US09070578B2
The present invention is notably directed to an electromechanical switching device having: two electrodes, including: a first electrode, having layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; and a second electrode, having layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface vis-à-vis said first surface; and an actuation mechanism, where: each of the first and second 2D layered materials is electrically conducting; and at least one of said two electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism to modify a distance between the first surface and the second surface, such as to modify an electrical conductivity transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface and thereby enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US09070573B2
A light-emitting system comprises: a first power input terminal and a second power input terminal; an insulating substrate; a first light-emitting-diode string formed on the insulating substrate comprising at least three light-emitting diodes placed sequentially in a first direction to allow a current flow through the at least three light-emitting diodes of the first light-emitting-diode string generally in the first direction; a second light-emitting-diode string formed on the insulating substrate comprising at least three light-emitting diodes placed sequentially in a second direction to allow a current flow through the at least three light-emitting diodes of the second light-emitting-diode string generally in the second direction; a third light-emitting-diode string comprising at least three light-emitting diodes placed sequentially in a third direction to allow a current flow through the at least three light-emitting diodes of the third light-emitting-diode string generally in the third direction.
US09070569B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor die and an input-output bump pad part. The semiconductor die includes a plurality of memory cell arrays. The input-output bump pad part is formed in a central region of the semiconductor die. The input-output bump pad part provides a plurality of channels for connecting each of the memory cell arrays independently to an external device. The semiconductor memory device may adopt the multi-channel interface, thereby having high performance with relatively low power consumption.
US09070566B2
A composite focal plane assembly with an expandable architecture has a multi-layer, double-sided aluminum nitride (AlN) substrate and vertical architecture to achieve the dual function of focal plane and electronics backplane. Imaging dice and other electrical components are mounted and wire bonded to one surface and then direct backplane connectivity is provided on the opposing surface through a matrix of electrical contacts. In one embodiment, a flexible connector is sandwiched between the AlN focal plane and a FR-4 backplane is used to compensate for differences in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the AlN and commercially available high density circuit card connectors that are commonly manufactured from materials with CTE properties more closely approximating FR-4. In an alternate embodiment, the FR-4 and flexible connectors are eliminated by using high density circuit card connectors that are fabricated out of materials more closely matching the CTE of AlN.
US09070564B2
A metal gate electrode and a poly-silicon resistance element are mixedly mounted in the same semiconductor substrate. The metal gate electrode is formed on a first gate insulating film and includes a first gate metal film and a first gate silicon film. The poly-silicon resistance element includes a silicon film pattern formed on a laminated pattern which includes a first laminate insulating film, a first laminate metal film, and a second laminate insulating film. The first laminate insulating film and the first gate insulating film are formed from a common insulating film; the first laminate metal film and the first gate metal film are formed from a common metal film, and the silicon firm pattern and the first gate silicon film are formed from a common silicon film. In a planar view, a footprint of the silicon film pattern is included within the second laminate insulating film.
US09070546B2
Provided is a semiconductor device in which change in characteristics of a transistor is suppressed and an output signal is changed sharply without increasing W/L of the transistor can be provided. Two transistors are connected in parallel between a wiring to which a low potential is supplied and an output terminal. When the low potential is output from the output terminal, both of the two transistors are turned on and then one of them is turned off. Thus, change in characteristics of the transistor can be suppressed and an output signal can be changed sharply without increasing W/L of the transistor.
US09070531B2
Provided is an X-ray generator comprising an X-ray tube including a cylindrical body; an electron source in the body; a target at an end of the X-ray tube facing the electron source, the target generating X-rays by irradiation with electrons; a container in which the X-ray tube is arranged; insulating liquid filled between the X-ray tube and the container; and a holding member holding the body of the X-ray tube in the container, with a channel for the insulating liquid around the X-ray tube. The distance between the holding member and the end face at the end of the body in the direction in which the electron source and the target face is twice or more as large as the minimum width of the channel that is in contact with the outer surface of the X-ray tube at the end face side with respect to the holding member. This allows heat in the target to be quickly radiated, thus allowing X-rays to be generated stably for a long time.
US09070514B2
A thin-film device system includes a substrate and a plurality of pillars. The plurality of pillars project from a surface of the substrate. Each of the plurality of pillars have a perimeter that includes at least four protrusions that define at least four recessed regions between the at least four protrusions. Each of the at least four recessed regions of each of the plurality of pillars receives one protrusion from an adjacent one of the plurality of pillars. A thin-film device is fabricated over the plurality of pillars.
US09070512B2
An electrolytic capacitor includes a metal case, a porous pellet anode disposed within the metal case, an electrolyte disposed within the metal case, and a cathode element formed of an electrophoretically deposited metal or metal oxide powder of a uniform thickness disposed within the metal case and surrounding the anode. A method of manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor includes providing a metal case, electrophoretically depositing on the metal can a refractory metal oxide to form a cathode element, and placing a porous pellet anode and an electrolyte within the can such that the cathode element and the anode element being separated by the electrolyte.
US09070508B2
A method of producing an R-T-B rare earth magnet that include forming an R-T-B (R: rare-earth element, T: Fe, or Fe and partially Co that substitutes for part of Fe) rare earth alloy powder into a compact and performing hot working on the compact, wherein the hot working is performed in a direction that is different from the direction in which the forming was performed.
US09070507B2
Communication and charging circuitry for an implantable medical device is described having a single coil for receiving charging energy and for data telemetry. The circuitry removes from the AC side of the circuit a tuning capacitor and switch traditionally used to tune the tank circuitry to different frequencies for telemetry and charging. As such, the tank circuitry is simplified and contains no switchable components. A switch is serially connected to the storage capacitor on the DC side of the circuit. During telemetry, the switch is opened, thus disconnecting the storage capacitor from the tank circuit, and alleviating concerns that this capacitor will couple to the tank circuit and interfere with telemetry operations. During charging, the switch is closed, which allows the storage capacitor to couple to the tank circuitry through the rectifier during some portions of the tank circuitry's resonance.
US09070506B2
A novel and useful radio frequency (RF) front end module (FEM) circuit that provides high linearity and power efficiency and meets the requirements of modern wireless communication standards such as 802.11 WLAN, 3G and 4G cellular standards, Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc. The configuration of the FEM circuit permits the use of common, relatively low cost semiconductor fabrication techniques such as standard CMOS processes. The FEM circuit includes a power amplifier made up of one or more sub-amplifiers having high and low power circuits and whose outputs are combined to yield the total desired power gain. An integrated multi-tap transformer having primary and secondary windings arranged in a novel configuration provide efficient power combining and transfer to the antenna of the power generated by the individual sub-amplifiers.
US09070503B2
A dry type economizer includes an economizing unit formed of a plurality of bodies, each body including a silicon-steel layer, an insulating layer surrounding the silicon-steel layer, a plurality of windings surrounding the insulating layer, and reactance elements and reactance filter converters respectively electrically connected to the windings, each winding being formed of a wire material having an increased wire diameter larger than a standard wire diameter of 3.5 mm. Thus, each body eliminates the use of any insulating oil, and has an increased volume to provide a large surface area in contact with the atmosphere for quick dissipation of heat during operation of the reactance elements.
US09070498B2
A method for manufacturing a multilayer electronic component includes the steps of preparing a laminate including a plurality of laminated insulating layers and a plurality of internal electrodes disposed along interfaces between the insulating layers, edges of the internal electrodes being exposed at a predetermined surface of the laminate, and forming an external electrode on the predetermined surface to electrically connect exposed the edges of the internal electrodes. The step of forming an external electrode includes a plating step of forming a continuous plating film by depositing plating deposits on the edges of the internal electrodes exposed at the predetermined surface and by performing plating growth to be connected to each other, and a heat treatment step of performing a heat treatment at an oxygen partial pressure of about 5 ppm or less and at a temperature of about 600° C. or more.
US09070496B2
The object is to allow rotatable rollers to rotate smoothly. Rotatable rollers axially supported by bearings provided in a retainer so as to be rotatable include legs, each of which has an engaging part engageable with the corresponding bearing. A sliding part of the leg which is slidable against an inner circumferential surface of the bearing has a cross-sectional shape which is contactable with the inner circumferential surface over a width smaller than a width of the leg.
US09070492B2
A method is disclosed for fabricating a low-impedance nanoporous metal multiple electrode array for measuring electrophysiology activity. A patterned photoresist is applied to a substrate, in which the patterned photoresist corresponds to a pattern of the nanoporous metal multiple electrode array. A metal alloy including a sacrificial alloying element is deposited in the pattern of the nanoporous metal electrode array. The patterned photoresist is removed to expose the metal alloy as deposited. At least part of the sacrificial alloying element is removed from the metal alloy to create nanoporous metal electrode tips thereby forming the nanoporous metal multiple electrode array. The resultant nanoporous metal multiple electrode array has improved impedance characteristics in comparison to conventional multiple electrode arrays.
US09070488B2
Conductive composition, method of producing the same, conductive member, touch panel, and solar cell
A conductive composition includes: a) metal conductive fibers having an average minor axis length of from 1 nm to 150 nm; and b) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide and a derivative thereof, in an amount of from 0.005% by mass to 0.05% by mass with respect to the metal conductive fibers.
US09070478B2
A variable resistive memory device includes an array of a plurality of memory cells. Each of the plurality of memory cells includes first and second electrodes, and an SbmSen material layer (where m and n are positive numbers, respectively) interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The SbmSen material layer includes a separation structure in which a plurality of Sb atoms are in contact with a plurality of Se atoms.
US09070476B2
A refresh circuit includes a period signal generation circuit configured to drive a control node according to a level of the control node, discharge first and second currents from the control node in response to the first temperature signal, and generate a period signal, a division signal generator configured to divide the period signal to generate a first division signal and a second division signal, and a selector configured to select one of the first and second division signals in response to a second temperature signal and for outputting the selected division signal as a refresh signal.
US09070475B2
Methods and devices for simultaneously verifying or reading multiple states in non-volatile storage are disclosed. Methods and devices for efficiently reducing or eliminating cross-coupling effects in non-volatile storage are disclosed. Methods and devices for efficiently performing reads at a number of voltages to search for the threshold voltage of a memory cell are disclosed. Memory cells on different NAND strings that are read at the same time may be tested for different threshold voltage levels. Memory cells may be tested for different threshold voltages by applying different gate-to-source voltages to memory cells being tested for different threshold voltages. Memory cells may be tested for different threshold voltages by applying different drain to source voltages to the memory cells. Different amounts of compensation for cross-coupling affects may be applied to memory cells on different NAND strings that are read or programmed at the same time. A binary search may be performed.
US09070470B1
In an embodiment, a target memory cell in a first block of memory cells of a memory device and a target memory cell in a second block of memory cells of the memory device are sensed concurrently while a read voltage is applied to a selected access line coupled to the target memory cell in the first block of memory cells and while a read voltage is applied to another selected access line coupled to the target memory cell in the second block of memory cells.
US09070468B2
Described is an apparatus, for spin state element device, which comprises: a variable resistive magnetic (VRM) device to receive a magnetic control signal to adjust resistance of the VRM device; and a magnetic logic gating (MLG) device, coupled to the VRM device, to receive a magnetic logic input and perform logic operation on the magnetic logic input and to drive an output magnetic signal based on the resistance of the VRM device. Described is a magnetic demultiplexer which comprises: a first VRM device to receive a magnetic control signal to adjust resistance of the first VRM; a second VRM device to receive the magnetic control signal to adjust resistance of the second VRM device; and an MLG device, coupled to the first and second VRM devices, the MLG device having at least two output magnets to output magnetic signals based on the resistances of the first and second VRM devices.
US09070464B2
A spin transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STTMRAM) element and a method of manufacturing the same is disclosed having a free sub-layer structure with enhanced internal stiffness. A first free sub-layer is deposited, the first free sub-layer being made partially of boron (B), annealing is performed of the STTMRAM element at a first temperature after depositing the first free sub-layer to reduce the B content at an interface between the first free sub-layer and the barrier layer, the annealing causing a second free sub-layer to be formed on top of the first free sub-layer and being made partially of B, the amount of B of the second free sub-layer being greater than the amount of B in the first free sub-layer. Cooling down the STTMRAM element to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature and depositing a third free sub-layer directly on top of the second free layer, with the third free sub-layer being made partially of boron (B), wherein the amount of B in the third sub-free layer is less than the amount of B in the second free sub-layer.
US09070463B2
A flash memory module may include a plurality of flash memory chips. The memory chips may include one or more blocks. Each block may be a unit of erasing data. A flash controller may be coupled to the plurality of flash memory chips. The flash controller may program data to block and erase data from a block. The flash controller may manage a recent programming time for each of the plurality of blocks. The flash controller may erase data stored in a block for which an elapsed programming time is larger than a first value.
US09070462B2
A memory element has a layered structure, including a memory layer that has magnetization perpendicular to a film face in which a magnetization direction is changed depending on information, and includes a Co—Fe—B magnetic layer, the magnetization direction being changed by applying a current in a lamination direction of the layered structure to record the information in the memory layer, a magnetization-fixed layer having magnetization perpendicular to a film face that becomes a base of the information stored in the memory layer, and an intermediate layer that is formed of a non-magnetic material and is provided between the memory layer and the magnetization-fixed layer, a first oxide layer and a second oxide layer.
US09070460B2
A non-volatile semiconductor memory includes a memory array. In a programming operation, programming pulses are applied to a page of the memory array to program data to the page. In an erase operation, erase pulses are applied to a block of the memory array to erase data in the block. The non-volatile semiconductor memory performs a pre-program operation before the erase operation and a post-erase operation after the erase operation. In the pre-program operation, each page of the block is programmed according to voltage information relating programming pulses. In the erase operation, data in the block is erased according to the voltage information relating programming pulses.
US09070459B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive an external erase command at a control circuit coupled to an erasable memory array located on a substrate. A global select gate voltage may thereafter be enabled for application to wordline transistors coupled to the erasable memory array after a voltage applied to the substrate has reached a preselected initiation voltage level between about zero volts and an ultimate erase voltage.
US09070458B2
A method of writing to magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) of a magnetic memory array includes storing in-coming data in a cache register, reading the present logic state of a first one of a set of at least two MTJs, the set of at least two MTJs including the first MTJ and a second MTJ. The in-coming data is to be written into the second MTJ. Further steps are storing the read logic state into a data register, swapping the contents of the data register and the cache register so that the cache register stores the read logic state and the data register stores the in-coming data, applying a first predetermined voltage level to the set of MTJs thereby causing the first MTJ to be over-written, applying a second predetermined voltage level to the set of MTJs, and storing the in-coming data into the second MTJ.
US09070454B1
This disclosure describes techniques for using environmental variables to improve calibration of flash memory by adapting to changing threshold-voltage distributions. These techniques effectively increase the speed and/or accuracy at which flash memory can be written or read.
US09070452B2
Provided is a programming method of a nonvolatile memory device which includes a plurality of strings each including a source select transistor, a plurality of memory cells, and a drain select transistor which are connected in series between a common source line and a bit line. The programming method includes: applying a first voltage to the common source line during a first period in which a channel of a plurality of memory cells of an unselected string is floated; and applying a second voltage increased more than the first in voltage to the common source line during a second period in which a selected memory cell is programmed, when a selected word line belongs to a word line group adjacent to the common source line.
US09070450B2
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, modules, and systems for operating non-volatile multilevel memory cells. One method embodiment includes assigning, to a first cell coupled to a row select line, a first number of program states to which the first cell can be programmed. The method includes assigning, to a second cell coupled to the row select line, a second number of program states to which the second cell can be programmed, wherein the second number of program states is greater than the first number of program states. The method includes programming the first cell to one of the first number of program states prior to programming the second cell to one of the second number of program states.
US09070447B2
Vias are formed within a stack of alternating active and insulating layers by forming a first sub stack, a second sub stack over the first sub stack, a first buffer layer therebetween and a second buffer layer under the first sub stack. An upper layer of the first sub stack is exposed through a set of vias by first and second etching processes. The first etching process forms a first set of etch vias through the second sub stack and stops at or in the first buffer layer. The second etching process etches through the first buffer layer to the upper layer of the first sub stack. A third etching process etches through the first set of etch vias, through the first sub stack and stops at or in the second buffer layer. A fourth etching process and etches through the second buffer layer.
US09070441B2
A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system includes: providing a resistive storage element having a high resistance state and a low resistance state; coupling an analog multiplexer to the resistive storage element for applying a bias voltage; and switching between a verification bias and a read bias through the analog multiplexer for increasing a read margin between the high resistance state and the low resistance state.
US09070434B2
A semiconductor device comprises a stacked layer memory block and associated peripheral circuits, such as a booster circuit, in stacked layer arrangements. The booster circuit includes plural rectifier cells that are series-connected and plural first capacitors. The plural first capacitors receive a first clock signal on one end, and the other ends thereof are each connected to one end of a different rectifier cell. Each first capacitor is composed of plural first conductive layers that are arrayed with a set pitch perpendicular to the substrate. Either the even numbered or the odd numbered first conductive layers are supplied with the first clock signal. The other of the even numbered or odd numbered first conductive layers are each individually connected to one end of a different rectifier cell.
US09070433B1
A technique to generate timing control for an SRAM circuit operating with dual power supplies is provided. A voltage signal is generated by a programmable local clock buffer that receives power from a first voltage level. The voltage signal is shifted higher by a level shifter that receives power from both the first voltage level and a second voltage level. The voltage signal is delayed by a delay clock chopper circuit that receives power from the second voltage level. The delay clock chopper circuit includes a programmable pulse width variation (PWVAR) circuit that varies the pulse width of the voltage signal. The PWVAR circuit receives power from the second voltage level. The voltage signal drives a global bitline of the SRAM. The voltage signal has timing sensitive to both the first and second voltage levels. The voltage signal has its pulse width sensitive to the second voltage level.
US09070432B2
A device includes a transistor switch coupled between a bit line voltage node and a ground node and a boost signal circuit coupled to a gate node of the transistor switch, where the boost signal circuit providing a boost signal responsive to a write enable signal. The device also includes a first delay element and a first capacitor in series with the first delay element. The first capacitor has a first end coupled to the bit line voltage node and a second end coupled to the gate node through the first delay element.
US09070430B2
Designs of a sampling controller working with memory chips are described. The designs enable a memory chip to work in high frequency clocks, resulting in high data throughput rate. A data sampling device includes a memory chip and a sampling controller. The sampling controller includes an asynchronous data memory. A data writing port of the asynchronous data memory receives a clock signal and employs the clock signal as a writing clock to store the sampling data into an internal memory and activate a data reading port thereof to read and output the sampling data.
US09070428B2
A semiconductor device includes first and second bank groups coupled to first and second data lines which are electrically isolated from each other. The semiconductor device includes a register unit suitable for providing predetermined data to the second data line in a specific mode, a data transfer and output unit suitable for externally outputting the predetermined data loaded onto the second data line and simultaneously transferring the predetermined data to the first data line in the specific mode, and a data output unit suitable for externally outputting the predetermined data loaded onto the first data line in the specific mode.
US09070421B2
A page buffer circuit includes first and second bit lines coupled to a first sensing circuit and with a first space therebetween, and third and fourth bit lines coupled to a second sensing circuit and with the first space therebetween. The second bit line and the third bit line are adjacent to each other with a second space therebetween, and the second space is smaller than the first space.
US09070417B1
According to one embodiment, a controller of a magnetic disk device starts to receive first data specified in a first write command from a host, and starts to write the first data to a disk in accordance with the first write command. The controller reports a status for execution of the first write command to the host depending on whether or not a second capacity of data not yet written to the disk is less than or equal to a first capacity of a first free space in a nonvolatile cache. The first free space is available to save data during a first period when a backup power supply enables power to be supplied. The second capacity decreases as writing of the first data to the disk progresses.
US09070416B2
Methods and architecture for monitoring hard disk drive operation is provided. The hard disk drive system provided includes a spindle, a head and a disk with a disk medium including a buried servo layer having a first frequency of data on a first track and a second frequency of data on a second track, the second track adjacent to the first track. The method includes the steps of writing a wide track pattern having a predetermined frequency on a track of a hard disk drive medium, generating a readback signal by reading the pattern from the track, processing the readback signal by mixing the readback signal with a reference signal to obtain a mixed signal having a summed signal and a difference signal, and filtering the mixed signal by a filter centered around the difference signal to generate a measurement signal corresponding to a relative speed change of the spindle and a head-to-disk motion. In addition, filtering a readback signal generated by the head when positioned at the middle of the first track and the second track with a first filter centered at the first frequency and a second filter centered at the second frequency is used to generate signals for determining spindle speed variation, spindle speed jitter, and relative head-disk vibration in the downtrack direction, for synchronizing writing in Two Dimensional Magnetic Recording (TDMR) and for measuring continuous flying height information based on Wallace equations.
US09070404B2
A recording tape cartridge capable of keeping position error signals during running of a recording tape small. A recording tape cartridge is provided with a reel hub, a magnetic tape that is wound round the reel hub, and a lower flange and upper flange that are disposed to oppose one another at each of the both axial direction ends of the reel hub. In a state in which the magnetic tape is completely wound on the reel hub, the magnetic tape is offset toward the upper flange. A space of an edge clearance between a lower end of an outermost periphery portion of the magnetic tape and the lower flange is at least 0.18 mm and at most 0.46 mm. A rate of widening of a facing distance between the lower flange and the upper flange increases toward the outer periphery side.
US09070391B1
A baseplate for attaching at least two elements includes a flange having at least one first portion with a first uniform thickness and having at least one second portion with a second uniform thickness. The second uniform thickness is less than the first uniform thickness. The baseplate further includes a boss tower that protrudes from and is contiguous with the flange. The boss tower protrudes from the at least one second portion of the flange.
US09070388B2
In a plasma processing method of dry-etching of a magnetic film having a thickness of 200 nm to 500 nm, a plasma processing method of dry-etching of a sample having the magnetic film on which a multilayered film including a resist film, an non-organic film underlying the resist film, a Cr film underlying the non-organic film, and an Al2O3 film underlying the Cr film.
US09070380B2
High-performance and reliable objective lens driving apparatus and optical pickup wherein the tilt of an objective lens relative to an optical disc is suppressed are provided. The optical pickup is equipped with a semiconductor laser, an electro-optic component, and the objective lens driving apparatus. In this optical pickup, the objective lens driving apparatus is comprised of: a moving part including an objective lens, a holder that holds the objective lens, a focusing coil, and a tracking coil; a holding member for elastic support members that couples together multiple elastic support members providing elastic support on a fixed part and the moving part and is mounted on the moving part; the elastic support members that elastically support the moving part from the fixed part; and the fixed part. The holding member for elastic support members mounted on the moving part and the holder that holds the objective lens are joined together by fitting together a concavity and a convexity.
US09070375B2
A voice activity detection method in a low SNR environment. The voice activity detection is performed by extracting a long-term spectrum variation component and a harmonic structure as feature vectors from a speech signal and increasing difference in feature vectors between speech and non-speech (i) using the long-term spectrum variation component feature or (ii) using a long-term spectrum variation component extraction and a harmonic structure feature extraction. A correct rate and an accuracy rate of the voice activity detection is improved over conventional methods by using a long-term spectrum variation component having a window length over an average phoneme duration of an utterance in the speech signal. The voice activity detection system and method provides speech processing, automatic speech recognition, and speech output capable of very accurate voice activity detection.
US09070371B2
A method and system for peak limiting of speech signals for delay sensitive voice communication is disclosed. In an embodiment, a position of a sample with highest magnitude within a current block of samples is determined. Further, a peak gain to be applied for the current block of samples to bring down the highest magnitude to a predetermined threshold value is determined. Furthermore, a gain delta by which an old gain is updated to the peak gain is computed. Then, a gain factor is computed for the current block of samples based on the position of the sample with highest magnitude and the gain delta. Subsequently, the gain factor is set to a predetermined minimum gain factor when the computed gain factor is less than the predetermined minimum gain factor. In addition, gain is applied to the current block of samples using the gain factor.
US09070368B2
A system, method and computer readable medium that provides an automated web transcription service is disclosed. The method may include receiving input speech from a user using a communications network, recognizing the received input speech, understanding the recognized speech, transcribing the understood speech to text, storing the transcribed text in a database, receiving a request via a web page to display the transcribed text, retrieving transcribed text from the database, and displaying the transcribed text to the requester using the web page.
US09070363B2
A field maintainable class-based translation system and apparatus with components that ease use by linguistically untrained users is disclosed. The apparatus includes modules for recovering errors, extending and customizing language coverage and increasing the speed of effective communication.
US09070360B2
Described is a calibration model for use in a speech recognition system. The calibration model adjusts the confidence scores output by a speech recognition engine to thereby provide an improved calibrated confidence score for use by an application. The calibration model is one that has been trained for a specific usage scenario, e.g., for that application, based upon a calibration training set obtained from a previous similar/corresponding usage scenario or scenarios. Different calibration models may be used with different usage scenarios, e.g., during different conditions. The calibration model may comprise a maximum entropy classifier with distribution constraints, trained with continuous raw confidence scores and multi-valued word tokens, and/or other distributions and extracted features.
US09070355B2
An object is to flatten a frequency characteristic. For achieving the object, an acoustic generator according to an embodiment includes a piezoelectric element (exciter) and a film (film-like vibrating body). The piezoelectric element receives input of an electric signal and vibrates. The piezoelectric element is bonded to the film through a bonding material and the film vibrates together with the piezoelectric element with the vibration of the piezoelectric element. Furthermore, the acoustic generator in the embodiment has voids in the bonding material.
US09070344B2
An approach is provided in which a system retrieves a street view image that depicts a geographical area viewed from a street view perspective. The system identifies a video device depicted in the street view image that provides a live video stream of a real-time viewable area corresponding to at least a portion of the depicted geographical area. In turn, the system generates a composite image that combines the street view image with a viewing area overlay corresponding to the real-time viewable area.
US09070342B2
A display panel includes a switch control circuit, a first pre-charge switch circuit and a second pre-charge switch circuit. The switch control circuit is used for comparing the most significant bits (MSBs) of data signals to generate switch control signals for controlling the first and second pre-charge switch circuits, such that data lines are pre-charged through the first and second pre-charge switch circuits respectively. A method for driving a display panel is also provided herein.
US09070341B2
An LCD device and a driving method thereof are disclosed. The LCD device includes a data driver, a detection unit, and a power mode control option generation unit. The data driver controls a consumption power of an output buffer which outputs an image data signal to a liquid crystal display panel. The detection unit detects a low power driving mode interval for driving the data driver at a first consumption power. The power mode control option generation unit transfers a second power mode control option to the data driver during an interval other than the low power driving mode interval, and transfers a first power mode control option to the data driver during the low power driving mode interval.
US09070340B2
There is provided a driving device of a display device, including: a first switching portion; a second switching portion; and a control section that, when the potential of a drive signal line is lower than a target potential, operates the first switching portion by using, as a first reference potential, a potential that is less than or equal to the target potential and that is closest to the target potential, among predetermined n types (n≧1) of potentials, and, when the potential of the drive signal line is higher than the target potential, operates the second switching portion by using, as a second reference potential, a potential that is greater than or equal to the target potential and that is closest to the target potential, among the n types of potentials.
US09070335B2
A display device includes an insulating substrate; a first conductive layer in which a first signal line and a second signal line are formed on the insulating substrate; an insulating layer provided in an upper layer of the first conductive layer; and a semiconductor layer, which is provided in an upper layer of the insulating layer, and in which a semiconductor film, which overlaps the first signal line and the second signal line in plan view, is formed.
US09070333B2
An information processing apparatus includes a first graphics chip, a second graphics chip, a detection unit, and a display unit. The first graphics chip has a first drawing processing capacity. The second graphics chip has a second drawing processing capacity different from the first drawing processing capacity. The detection unit detects a request to change over from an execution of the first graphics chip to an execution of the second graphics chip. The display unit displays a first window prompting to close an application in execution, in a case where the detection unit detects the request to change over from the execution of the first graphics chip to the execution of the second graphics chip.
US09070324B2
An image display apparatus includes a light emitting unit that emits light by current flowing through the light emitting unit; and a driver unit that includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The driver unit has a characteristic that an absolute value of a current flowing through the second terminal increases with a potential of the first terminal to the second terminal, and controls light emission of the light emitting unit based on a potential difference between the first terminal and the second terminal. The image display apparatus also includes a control unit that controls the potential of the first terminal to the second terminal of the driver unit to a value lower than a threshold voltage of the driver unit.
US09070323B2
A display device includes a substrate having a display area; row electrodes formed over the substrate in the display area extending in a row direction and column electrodes formed over the substrate in the display area extending in a column direction different from the row direction, the row and column electrodes overlapping to form pixels; wherein the pixels are divided into two or more separate pixel groups, each pixel group having group row electrodes and separate group column electrodes; two or more spaced column driver chiplets located in the display area, each column driver chiplet uniquely connected to a different pixel group wherein in at least one of the column driver chiplets is located between pixel groups, and the two or more spaced column driver chiplets adapted to drive the group column electrodes of the one pixel group; and one or more row driver(s) connected to the row electrodes.
US09070320B2
A display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a display panel for displaying an image in at least two separate fields during a frame, a panel driver configured to transmit output data for each field corresponding to the at least two fields and drive the display panel according to each field, and a controller configured to analyze an image pattern corresponding to input data, and generate the output data for each field from the input data according to an analysis result of the pattern, or extract each field data from the input data according to a predetermined data alignment method and generate the output data for each field by using the field data.
US09070311B2
An illumination device includes a number of radiation reflectors that are each irradiated by at least one light source. The radiation reflectors are shaped in such a way that they can be combined modularly to form a radiation-reflecting luminous area.
US09070303B2
Methods, computer systems, and computer-readable storage media for determining that a user of a general search engine has intent to not only view search results in a native language on a general search engine results page, but also to have non-native language learning opportunities presented on the general search engine results page. The non-native language learning opportunities include a set of search results drawn from a non-native language document source and presented in the non-native language. Other opportunities include a non-native language dictionary definition of a received search query, a non-native language translation of the search query, and on-demand translation tools available on the general search engine results page.
US09070293B2
A method and apparatus for determining whether to alert a driver of a vehicle to the presence of a traffic sign in the vehicle's driving environment. An optical system on-board the vehicle detects the traffic sign and determine information related to the sign. Driving maneuvers carried out by the vehicle are monitored to determine driving situation information. The driving situation information and the traffic sign information are used to determine a probability that the sign is pertinent for the vehicle under the current driving conditions. If the probability is above a threshold, the driver is alerted to the traffic sign. The probability of the pertinence of the traffic sign may be further determined on the basis of lane-specific information such as vehicle position relative to a freeway exit ramp start or end, or performance of a lane change by the vehicle.
US09070290B2
An apparatus and system for monitoring and managing traffic flow. The system includes a plurality of remote sensor devices arranged in a plurality of vehicles, a plurality of remote communication devices arranged along one or more roadways and in communication with the plurality of remote sensor devices, a central server, a network interface in communication with the central server and the plurality of remote communication devices over a network, and a shared database in communication with the central server. The central server is configured to receive traffic data from the plurality of remote sensor devices over the network, update traffic data in the shared database, periodically calculate an optimal traffic flow for one or more of vehicles traveling along the one or more roadways based on the updated traffic data, and transmit timing adjustments over the network to one or more traffic light intersections based on the optimal traffic flow calculations. The network interface is configured to send and receive traffic data, wherein the traffic data includes vehicle location information.
US09070289B2
A method and system for measurement of ground based vehicle speed includes a movable platform that includes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) located in proximity to a roadway, the UAV operates under control and navigation of a UAV control unit, and the UAV also carries camera and monitoring equipment, the camera and monitoring equipment including an onboard computing system, and a camera with a wide angle lens and a camera with a telephoto lens, the cameras being mounted on a pan/tilt device. An algorithm operated by the on-board computing system is used to detect and track vehicles moving on a roadway. The algorithm is configured to detect and track the vehicles despite motion created by movement of the UAV. The cameras mounted on the pan/tilt device are moved under the direction of the computer vision algorithm to maintain a target vehicle of the detected moving vehicles in view, and the speed of the target vehicle is measured.
US09070287B2
Traffic management reports are created from data provided by vehicle sensor devices placed at different fixed locations in a region. Data of vehicles that pass each of the vehicle sensor devices are captured and communicated to a central computer database. At the central computer database, traffic management reports are periodically created from the vehicle data. Each traffic management report incorporates vehicle data from a plurality of vehicles. The vehicle data is for a plurality of previous, non-current times so as to allow for analysis of past vehicle data.
US09070283B2
Embodiments of a flight deck display system for deployment onboard a host aircraft are provided, as are embodiments of a method carried-out by a flight deck display system. In one embodiment, the flight deck display system includes a cockpit display, a wireless communication module, and a controller operatively coupled to the cockpit display and to the wireless communication module. The controller is configured to generate a vertical In-Trail Procedure (ITP) window on the cockpit display, which includes graphics representative of the current position of the host aircraft, the current position of an intruder aircraft when present within a predetermined distance of the host aircraft, and a plurality of flight levels. The controller is further configured to receive data from which the current flight path of the intruder aircraft can be derived; and periodically update the vertical ITP window to include flight path symbology indicative of the current flight path of the intruder aircraft.
US09070277B2
Meter capable of having communication security and data transmitting/receiving system using the same
Disclosed is a meter capable of having communication security and a data transmitting/receiving system using the same, the system being such that a the server generates a public key and a private key corresponding to the public key, and transmits the public key to a meter, and the meter comprises a communication unit receiving the public key from a first communication unit, a frame generating unit encoding the data frame using the public key, and a controller controlling the communication unit to allow transmitting the encoded data frame.
US09070276B2
A system includes a vehicle computing processor. The processor is configured to, through wireless communication with a phone, and after determining that a vehicle engine is not running, request and receive motion sensor data from the phone. The processor is further configured to determine if a phone is moving with a driver based on the motion sensor data. Also, the processor is configured to alert the driver if the phone is not moving with the driver.
US09070273B2
Methods and devices are provided for monitoring a battery to determine whether sufficient battery power remains to perform an event at a pre-scheduled time. A communications device includes a processor that receives instructions to perform the event at the pre-scheduled time, determines a first amount of time until the event is performed, detects an idle mode of the communications device, the idle mode consuming a minimum amount of power, calculates a second amount of time until the battery is depleted, the second amount of time being calculated while the communications device operates in the idle mode, determines whether the second amount of time is less than the first amount of time, activates a first alert if the second amount of time is less than the first amount of time while remaining in the idle mode, and performs an action prior to the pre-scheduled time while remaining in the idle mode.
US09070271B2
An asset tracking device includes a mounting bracket and a housing attached to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket includes a magnetic portion, first apertures that receive first fasteners for attaching the mounting bracket to the asset, and second apertures that receive second fasteners. Third apertures in the housing, aligned with the second apertures in the mounting bracket, receive the second fasteners for attaching the housing to the mounting bracket. When the housing is attached to the mounting bracket, the housing makes the fasteners in the mounting bracket inaccessible so that the mounting bracket cannot be removed from the asset. When the housing is removed from the mounting bracket, a magnetic switch changes state and triggers a controller to generate a tamper alert with location information indicating the location of the tracking device. A wireless transmitter wirelessly transmits the tamper alert and location information to a central monitoring station.
US09070268B2
A method, apparatus, system, and computer program products provides personal alert and tracking capabilities using one or more nodes. Each node includes radio transceiver chips operating at different frequency ranges, a power amplifier, sensors, a display, and embedded software. The chips enable the node to operate as either a mobile sensor node or a relay base station node while providing a long distance relay link between nodes. The power amplifier enables a line-of-sight communication between the one or more nodes. The sensors provide a GPS signal, temperature, and accelerometer information (used to trigger an alert condition). The embedded software captures and processes the sensor information, provides a multi-hop packet routing protocol to relay the sensor information to and receive alert information from a command center, and to display the alert information on the display.
US09070266B2
Provide an operation management support apparatus for power plant, supporting a maintenance work and preventing a user from violation of the operational safety programs, caused by a human error in case where a power plant temporarily deviates from LCO. The operation management support apparatus for power plant includes: an alarm device 12 that compares a plant data measuring by sensors 3a-3x installed in a nuclear power plant 2 with preset alarm the value and generates an alarm output instruction signal for instructing an alarm output in case of determining that the power plant is abnormal; an operational safety program DB 14 that stores an information in relation to an operational safety program of the power plant; an support device 13 that extracts an information in relation to the operational safety program of which the alarm output represents a conflict from the operational safety program DB 14 based on the plant data in relation to the alarm output in case of receiving the alarm output instruction signal; and a display device 15 (16) that displays the plant data and the information in relation to the operational safety program, extracted by the support device.
US09070262B2
An electronic device for providing tactile feedback is provided. The electronic device may provide tactile feedback using any suitable approach, including for example vibration, heat, electrical, visual, or any other type of feedback. The electronic device may provide tactile feedback in response to detecting any particular status of the electronic device, receiving any particular input, or detecting any suitable communication received by the electronic device. For example, the electronic device may provide tactile feedback in response to identifying the current network of the device, the status of a particular electronic device component, or any other electronic device status. As another example, the electronic device may provide tactile feedback in response to receiving a particular type of communication, or in response to receiving a communication from a particular contact. As still another example, the electronic device may provide tactile feedback in response to receiving a particular user input, or to detecting a user's finger on a particular portion of the electronic device.
US09070250B2
A gaming system that provides game play in exchange for monetary input per game played is disclosed. The gaming system includes a game server and a plurality of game units connected to the game server via a network. In this gaming system, at least a portion of the network is a wireless network, and wherein the game system enables wireless real time gaming.
US09070240B2
A coin sorter machine including an encoder and a sensor assembly more accurately determines the position of coins in a coin sorting path to facilitate coin sorting. The coin sorter uses a coin size attribute to more accurately calculate the timing of interactions between coins on the coin sorting path and one or more components of the coin sorter. One such component is a diverter configured to perform an offsorting operation.
US09070230B2
Systems and methods are provided for simulating strobe effects with digital image content. In one embodiment, an image manipulation application can receive image content. The image manipulation application can generate blurred image content by applying a blurring operation to a portion of the received image content along a blur trajectory. The image manipulation application can sample pixels from multiple positions in the received image content along the blur trajectory. The image manipulation application can generate a simulated strobe images based on the sampled pixels and at least some of the blurred image content.
US09070225B2
One embodiment is directed to a computer program, embodied on a computer readable medium. The computer program is configured to control a processor to execute instructions. The instructions include receiving one or more files as input. The files may each include descriptions of different shapes. The instructions may further include interpreting each of the files as a layer of shapes, converting each of the shapes into an interactive element, layering the converted shapes onto one another to create a custom interactive display, and displaying the custom interactive display.
US09070222B2
A computer-implemented method for determining bounded-parallax constraints for the placement of a pair of stereoscopic cameras within a computer-generated scene. An initial near-parallax value is determined based on the focal length and a minimum scene depth. An initial far-parallax value is determined based on a focal length. A scaled near-parallax value and scaled far-parallax value are calculated based on the initial near-parallax value, initial far-parallax value, and a range of focal lengths. A creative near-parallax value is calculated based on a stereo-shift value and the product of a stereo-volume and the scaled near-parallax value. A creative far-parallax value is calculated based on the stereo-shift value and the product of the stereo-volume and the scaled far-parallax value. The creative near-parallax value and the creative far-parallax value are stored as the bounded-parallax constraints for the placement of the pair of stereoscopic cameras.
US09070213B2
In a raster stage of a graphics processor, a method for tile based precision rasterization. The method includes receiving a graphics primitive for rasterization in a raster stage of a graphics processor and rasterizing the graphics primitive at a first level precision to generate a plurality of tiles of pixels. The tiles are then rasterized at a second level precision to generate covered pixels. The covered pixels are then output for rendering operations in a subsequent stage of the graphics processor.
US09070207B2
A system includes an aligner to align an initial position of a partially kinematically, parameterized model with an object in an image, and a modelizer to adjust parameters of the model to match the model to contours of the object, given the initial alignment. An animation system includes a modelizer to hierarchically match a hierarchically rigid model to an object in an image, and a cutter to cut the object from the image and to associate it with the model. A method for animation includes hierarchically matching a hierarchically rigid model to an object in an image, and cutting the object from the image to associate it with the model.
US09070192B1
A method of finding unique targets arranged in a unique sequence of targets in a color image applies ratio space rich colored filtering to identify a band of pixels that form a transition curve from one rich color to another. A set of transition curves with simple geometric and color properties for the entire image, are compared to a database of target properties to identify a target in an image. The targets are provided on a carrier that is attached to a surface to enable processor to identify the surface location and orientation by the targets.
US09070189B2
The present image blurring correction device includes light field information generating portion, angle blurring amount detecting portion and correcting portion. The light field information generating portion generates a series of light field information corresponding to consecutive shooting images shot by a digital camera. The angle blurring amount detecting portion detects a blurring amount of the digital camera based on variation in the series of light field information. The correcting portion corrects the series of light field information in accordance with the blurring amount so as to suppress variation in the series of light field information.
US09070181B2
A technique is provided for extracting one or more features of interest from one or more projection images. The technique includes accessing projection images comprising at least one feature of interest enhanced by a contrast agent, generating a contrast agent null image based on the projection images, generating a bone mask based on the contrast agent null image, and generating a bone extracted image based on the bone mask.
US09070161B2
A method of conducting a real time auction comprises the steps of: Broadcasting from a production studio at least high definition images of material of each lot being auctioned to at least a plurality of digital theater environments via satellite; Providing multiple auction bidders at each digital theater environment; Providing each auction bidder with individually assigned audience response system input devices; and Receiving bid information at the production studio from selected auction bidders for each lot being auctioned over a bid receiving network via the individual audience response system input devices. A method of conducting an audience guided event includes satellite broadcasting in high definition to multiple digital theater environments where event participants have individually assigned audience response system input devices in which individual participant information is associated with each assigned individually assigned audience response system input device including at least bibliographic participant information.
US09070151B2
The invention discloses a system for enhancing trust in transactions, most particularly in remote transactions between a plurality of transactional parties, for instance a seller and buyer(s) of goods and/or services over a public computer network such as the internet. Trust is disclosed to be a multivalent commodity, in that the trust that is to be enhanced relates to information about the subject matter of the transactions (e.g., the suitability of the goods and services sold), the bona fides of the supplier of the goods and services, the appropriateness of a pricing structure for a particular transaction or series of transactions, a quantum of additional transactional value that may be imparted to the transactional relationship, security of information exchange.
US09070150B2
A method and system for reserving future purchases of goods or services or events. Plural electronic options are provided based on a priority ordering scheme. The plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws. The plural electronic options includes a plural different electronic option terms for a plural different suppliers and a priority ordering scheme. The electronic option terms for a desired supplier are unique to the desired supplier. The electronic options include personalized electronic reservations and personalized electronic coupons. The purchased electronic option is exercised for preferred or priority access or entry to events or places or goods or services based on the priority ordering scheme.
US09070149B2
Various techniques are provided for the gifting between multiple electronic devices of media content provided by an online digital media provider. An offer and acceptance of a selected gift file is accomplished between a gifter device and a receiving giftee device using a near-field communication (NFC) connection. If a connection to the online provider is available, the gifter device may transmit a gift request by which the gifter's account is charged for the gift file. Thereafter, a gift file created using DRM keys associated with the giftee's account may be downloaded to the giftee device. If a network connection is unavailable, the giftee device may transfer a locked gift file and a corresponding gift license to the giftee device using a peer-to-peer connection. The giftee device may authenticate the license and unlock the gift file once a connection to the online provider is available.
US09070140B2
A system and method for measuring the efficiency of social media campaigns. The system collects searchable activity data of members of a social network and processes this data locally to extract interaction data happening on the profile page of the social media campaign on the social network. The interaction data is then weighed in accordance with its type. The system may also determine an effort score representing a monetary value of the profile page based on the volume of contribution by the owners of the social media campaign. The efficiency score may then be determined based on a relationship between the number of interactions, the weight associated with each interaction, and the effort score.
US09070130B1
Disclosed is encoding of probiotic formulations, in order to alert both consumer and producer to counterfeiting and to allow purchasers of authentic product to gain access to quality and quantity testing regarding the product. The purchaser would preferably also provide, along with its identifying information, any product complaints, adverse reaction and positive responses, and consumer interest in and reaction to different formulations and products, as well as demographic, general health and education information, and other information about the purchaser (including any information useful for marketing and future product development and selection).
US09070121B2
A computing system receives status transmissions from nodes within a portion of an electricity distribution network. The status transmissions include information related to hardware problems experienced by nodes within the portion of that network. The computing system determines a “heat” value for each of the status transmissions, where the heat value for a given transmission represents the operating conditions of, and/or the severity of hardware/software problems experienced by, the node responsible for sending that transmission. The computing system aggregates the heat values across the entire portion of the electricity distribution network and compares the aggregated heat values to a threshold value. When the aggregated value exceeds the threshold value, the computing system identifies a crisis situation arising within the portion of the electricity distribution network. The computing system may then convey information associated with the status transmissions to operators of the electricity distribution network.
US09070114B2
A method for downloading an attachment to an attachment viewer of a portable electronic device includes: sending an initial data request from the attachment viewer to a server in response to receipt of an email message including the attachment, building and storing a graph structure within the server representing a map of the attachment, encapsulating the graph structure in data having an attachment viewer readable format and sending an initial chunk of the data to the attachment viewer, the initial chunk of the data being stored on the portable electronic device. The initial chunk of the data is received by the portable electronic device prior to a request to view the attachment being selected by a user.
US09070112B2
This invention discloses a novel system and method for displaying electronic documents on remote devices and enabling collaborative editing in conjunction with a content management system where the documents that are shared are securely encrypted on the system in a manner that avoids a single point of failure in the security.
US09070107B2
Disclosed is an architecture that allows business objects to communicate across deployment unit boundaries. A runtime object may be defined to listen for a trigger event in an offering business object. The runtime object then assemble and communicate a message for processing by a consuming business object. User interfaces allow a user to configure a service integration definition to generate the runtime object.
US09070104B2
A method and system to manage tasks are described. The method may provide a graphical user interface to allow a user to identify a first task context and associate a plurality of first tasks with the first task context, and to identify a second task context and associate a plurality of second tasks with the second task context. The method may associate at least one of the plurality of first tasks with at least one of the plurality of second tasks. Accordingly, tasks in different contexts and sourced from different applications may be managed.
US09070103B2
The invention provides systems, methods, and computer programs for fulfilling requests from users wanting current information related to legal or other topics designated by the users from lists of available topics. Information related to available topics is classified by type, and at least two types of information related to the designated topic(s) and/or type(s) are provided to the user. Optionally the information, when provided, is displayed on a computer display, or provided in other physical or electronic form, and is sorted according to the type or class of information to which the information belongs. The invention also provides for the gathering and making available of such information, and for the automatic updating of information in the selected legal or other professional topic(s) without intervention by the user on a periodic and/or continual basis.
US09070093B2
A system and method for generating an occupancy model are disclosed. The model is learned using occupancy data for zones, each zone including cells, which are occupied or not at a given time, each with a sensor, which may be reporting or not. The data provides an observed occupancy corresponding to a number of cells in the respective zone which have reporting sensors, and the number of those sensors which are reporting that the respective cell is occupied. The occupancy model is based on a demand model and a sensor noise model which accounts for behavior of the non-reporting sensors. The noise model assumes that the probability of a sensor being in the reporting state is dependent on whether the respective cell is occupied or not. The model can fit the occupancy data better than one which assumes that non-reporting cells are occupied with the same frequency as reporting ones.
US09070088B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying documents related to a person, deriving behavior and personality trait metrics from analyzing the documents for information relevant to assessing behavior and personality of the person, and determine a trustworthiness score or compatibility score of the person based on the behavior and personality trait metrics using a scoring system.
US09070082B2
An image forming apparatus includes a job receiving part that is configured to receive a job for image formation, an image generating part that is configured to perform an image generation process based on the job received by the job receiving part, a restriction information holding part that is configured to hold restriction information to restrict the image generation process, and a restriction information judging part that is configured to execute an analyzing/judging process in which whether or not the image generation process is allowed is determined by analyzing whether or not specific information is contained in the job based on the restriction information held in the restriction information holding part.
US09070077B2
An information processing apparatus includes: a storage unit configured to record output data to a first storage unit; an administration unit configured to administer a holding period of the output data held by the first storage unit; a setting unit configured to set the holding period of the output data; a second storage unit configured to store condition information used to determine whether or not to accept the setting of the holding period for the output data; a reception unit configured to receive a setting request of a holding period for the output data; and a setting control unit configured to control the setting of the holding period for the output data with the setting unit, on the basis of the condition information in accordance with the setting request.
US09070076B1
Systems and methods for extended gamut printing. A print job is received into a print engine having a processor and a limited number of receptacles for colorant extension attachments that can be used in addition to a standard color gamut. The processor analyzes a page of the print job for the color gamut and for the color gamut with each possible gamut extension colorant. The processor calculates gamut distances for the color of each pixel outside of the color gamut for every gamut colorant extension. The gamut distances are the distances from the color of the pixel to a boundary of the color gamut. The processor calculates a sum of the gamut distances. For each pixel on the page outside of the color gamut, the processor selects an extension colorant attachment to attach to the limited physical receptacles based on having the greatest sum of the gamut distances.
US09070062B2
Methods and devices for receiving a data signal transmitted via load modulation, by detecting current supplied in an amplifier feeding the antenna of the device which transmits the carrier signal.
US09070061B2
The present invention provides an active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and an application system and method thereof. The system includes: a control processor; a coordinator; an active RFID tag, configured to perform an RF feature check first with very little time before spending more time to receive a whole valid data packet during the time period of an interception state; and a reader/writer. Therefore, the power consumption of an active RFID tag is reduced drastically. Further, the present invention also provides an active RFID tag having a plurality of fixed mode actions and the application system and method thereof, thereby improving the communication efficiency of the radio communication system and effectively reducing the probability of signal collision and mutual interference.
US09070058B2
A communication device includes: a communication unit that adjusts communication characteristics; a setting unit that sets adjustment values used in adjustment of the communication characteristics of the communication unit among parameters of the adjustable communication characteristics set for applications relating to communication on the basis of the parameters corresponding to the application which is a process target; and an adjustment control unit that controls the communication unit to adjust the communication characteristics on the basis of the adjustment values.
US09070057B2
A method for identifying assets is provided. The method includes illuminating an identification pattern associated with the asset with non-visible light. The identification pattern includes retroreflective material that represents identity information of the asset. The method further includes adjusting either a shutter speed of an image sensor, or a power of the non-visible light, or both, based on motion state of the asset. The image sensor is configured to receive response of the retroreflective material to the non-visible light. Furthermore, the method includes the step of identifying the asset based on decoded identity information. The decoded identity information is obtained by processing the response of the retroreflective material.
US09070055B2
A flexible manufacturing system for an article of footwear includes a printing system for printing graphics onto the footwear. The flexible manufacturing system includes a first display device that is transparent and which may be used to superimpose graphics over an article to align the article with the printing system. An optical device and a second display device provide a fixed viewing angle for a user aligning the article under the first display device.
US09070043B2
A video analysis apparatus may include a generating unit to generate at least one spatiotemporal pattern by performing pixel sampling on a plurality of frames in an input video, an extracting unit to extract at least one region of interest having a sinusoidal pattern from the at least one spatiotemporal pattern, and an analysis unit to perform a frequency analysis of the at least one region of interest to determine whether the input video includes a predetermined type of content.
US09070041B2
Corresponding partial features are extracted from an input pattern and a registration pattern as a preregistered pattern. A plurality of combinations of the partial features are generated as composited partial features. One of registration pattern classes to which the input pattern corresponds is identified by using the plurality of composited partial features. The identification is performed based on the result of evaluation of the partial features which belong to the composited partial feature and correspond to each other in the input pattern and the registration pattern. In the evaluation, the composited partial feature is evaluated based on the measurement result of the quantity of partial features meeting a predetermined criterion.
US09070024B2
A media recording within a data store of a computing device can be identified. The media can be a photograph or a video. The media can be analyzed to determine a participant associated with the media. The participant can be a creator or a subject. The identity of the participant can be determined utilizing biometrics associated with an identity source. The identity can be associated with a confidence score which can indicate the accuracy of the identity. The identity source can be associated with a weighted value which can represent the validity of identity data associated with the source. The identity of the participant can be automatically tagged within the media. The tagging can be a participant name or participant user name.
US09070020B2
Foreground feature data and motion feature data is determined for frames of video data acquired from a train track area region of interest. The frames are labeled as “train present” if the determined foreground feature data value meets a threshold value, else as “train absent”; and as “motion present” if the motion feature data meets a motion threshold, else as “static.” The labels are used to classify segments of the video data comprising groups of consecutive video frames, namely as within a “no train present” segment for groups with “train absent” and “static” labels; within a “train present and in transition” segment for groups “train present” and “motion present” labels; and within a “train present and stopped” segment for groups with “train present” and “static” labels. The presence or motion state of a train at a time of inquiry is thereby determined from the respective segment classification.
US09070018B1
Automatic roof identification systems and methods are described. Example embodiments include a roof estimation system configured to automatically detect a roof in a target image of a building having a roof. In one embodiment, automatically detecting a roof in a target image includes training one or more artificial intelligence systems to identify likely roof sections of an image. The artificial intelligence systems are trained on historical image data or an operator-specified region of interest within the target image. Then, a likely outline of the roof in the target image can be determined based on the trained artificial intelligence systems. The likely roof outline can be used to generate a roof estimate report. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09070007B2
A data reading system for reading encoded data, such as barcode labels or RFID tags, from an item. The data reading system includes a housing, a data reader disposed within the housing, the data reader configured to read the encoded data from the item through a scan window on the housing. A clamp secures the housing to a receiving post on a base mount, and supports rotational movement of the housing about both a first axis and a second axis. In one configuration, the clamp and receiving post each include through holes that together form a passageway to support a communication/power cable from the base mount through the passageway and into an interior portion of the housing to communicate with and/or provide power to the data reader without limiting rotational movement of the housing.
US09070003B2
A method for handling collision in an identification system where the identification system includes a reader, a first transponder and a second transponder. The method involves the reader transmitting an initialization command to the first transponder and to the second transponder; upon receiving the initialization command, the first transponder and the second transponder enter into a muted state where the first transponder and the second transponder do not respond to commands from the reader; in a randomly determined first start time slot the first transponder enters into an un-muted state and the first transponder remains in the un-muted state until the reader sends a mute command to the first transponder; in a randomly determined second start time slot the second transponder enters into an un-muted state and the second transponder remains in the un-muted state until the reader sends a mute command to the second transponder.
US09069999B1
Systems and methods are disclosed to automatically detect the presence of a substance on a test swipe by capturing a background image of the test swipe; applying one or more test chemicals to a test swipe; adjusting the temperature of the test swipe to a predetermined temperature range; controlling a variable speed fan to avoid fogging the camera's lens; capturing an in-situ image of the test swipe after the application of chemical at the predetermined temperature range; subtracting the background image from the in-situ image; generating a difference value from the two images; and searching a known database to identify the substance.
US09069997B2
The present disclosure concerns a method of identifying a biometric record of an individual in a database comprising a plurality of biometric records, each record comprising at least one reference biometric sample, the method comprising: receiving, by a biometric identification unit (202), an input biometric sample with associated source information; selecting, by the biometric identification unit using a reference table (210), and based on said source information a matching process; and applying by said biometric identification unit said selected matching process to at least some of said biometric records of said database to determine whether said input biometric sample matches a reference biometric sample of one of said biometric records.
US09069996B2
Described embodiments include a system, method, and computer program product. A described system includes a receiver circuit that receives at least two medical images that each includes a respective region of interest of a mammalian body part. The receiver circuit also receives at least two reference images that each includes a respective landmark subsurface feature of the mammalian body part. Each landmark subsurface feature has a respective spatial relationship to a respective region of interest. The system includes a coordinate analysis circuit configured to determine a common frame of reference at least partially based on a landmark subsurface feature included in a reference image. The system includes a registration circuit configured to register the respective regions of interest. The registration is based on the determined common frame of reference. The system includes a computer-readable media configured to maintain informational data corresponding to the respective registered regions of interest.
US09069994B1
Tracking modes of a user device is described. In one method, the user device tracks the user device in a stolen mode and an elevated mode. The user device generates a challenge to authenticate a user as an owner of the user device when the user device is in the elevated mode. The challenge includes a question about a list of history items comprising at least one counterfeit history item and at least one valid history item. The user device generates an audible alert when the user device is in the stolen mode.
US09069993B2
Described herein are apparatus, system, and method for protecting electronic devices through the creation of a virtual perimeter among the electronic devices. The virtual perimeter may be generated by the electronic devices themselves. The method performed by an electronic device comprises: identifying a current context; receiving a role, according to the current context, in a hierarchy of multiple electronic devices, and operating in accordance with the role in the hierarchy within a secure perimeter in the current context around the multiple electronic devices, wherein the hierarchy includes a system of security checks based on context information.
US09069992B1
A computing device receives a file. The computing device determines whether the file has previously been scanned for violations of a data loss prevention policy. If the file was previously scanned, a result of the previous scan is used to decide whether or not the file violates the data loss prevention policy. If the file was not previously scanned, the file is scanned to decide whether or not the file violates the data loss prevention policy.
US09069989B2
Methods and systems for generating a circuit identification number include determining a propagation time delay across a scan chain of known length; comparing the propagation time delay to a threshold associated with the scan chain length; storing an identifier bit based on the result of the comparison; repeating the steps of determining, comparing, and storing until a number of stored identifier bits reaches a threshold number; and outputting the stored identifier bits.
US09069984B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for authorization management. In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method. The method may include receiving a request to authorize at least one user to at least one module of a system; mapping the received request to a semantic tag; processing, based on the semantic tag, the request to authorize the at least one user to determine whether to grant the at least one user access to the at least one module; and sending a response to the request to authorize the at least one user, wherein the response is in accordance with the result of the processing. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
US09069981B2
A method of federating electronic mail (e-mail). A request can be received from a first user to view at least one e-mail of a second user, the request including at least one identifier corresponding to the second user and a criteria indicating a subject matter of the e-mail. The method further can include verifying whether the first user is authorized to access the e-mail of the second user that satisfies the criteria. Responsive to determining that the first user is authorized to view the e-mail of the second user that satisfies the criteria, the first user can be provided access to view the at least one e-mail that satisfies the criteria.
US09069978B2
A flash memory includes a plurality of blocks. A controller encrypts a first file to produce a first encrypted file and stores the first encrypted file to the flash memory, wherein the controller further comprises a key generation module, an encryption/decryption module and a key eliminating module. The key generation module produces a first key according to a first write command of a host device, wherein the first key is stored in a first block of the blocks. The encryption/decryption module encrypts the first file according to the first key to produce a first encrypted file, wherein the first encrypted file is stored in at least one second block of the blocks. The key eliminating module deletes the first key stored in the first block according to a first eliminating command in order to invalidate the first encrypted file stored in the second block.
US09069964B2
A system and associated computer program product for identifying malware. The system includes one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on the one or more storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories. The program instructions include program instructions to receive a data communication simulating manual interaction between a user of the computer and the computer. The program instructions may determine that no user was interactively logged on to the computer approximately at a time the data communication was received by the computer, and in response, classify the data communication as a potential malware communication.
US09069963B2
Embodiments of an inspection system and method for a collection of information objects, for example, a collection of executable software applications may be inspected for computer viruses, or a collection of genomes may be inspected for common or unique gene sequences. Information objects may contain identified sequences of instructions, each of which may be labeled with a symbol. In the software context, programming languages may include symbols that indicate functionality. In some embodiments, an inspection of the statistical properties of the information objects and their included symbols may allow for the symbols (and thus instruction sequences) to be grouped into logical components. In some embodiments, objects that include individual logical components may be grouped together. These groupings and their dependencies may be used to determine the structure of each object by detailing its constituent components, how they relate or depend on one another, and how the information object may function.
US09069954B2
Security events associated with network devices and an actor category model are stored (501, 503). The actor category model includes levels arranged in a hierarchy and each level is associated with a subcategory for a category of the model. Security events are correlated with the actor category model (505), and a determination of whether a security threat exists is performed based on the correlating (506).
US09069951B2
Inferring security decisions from trusted users, including: identifying, by a security inference module on a computing device, a candidate application to be installed on the computing device; identifying, by the security inference module, one or more trusted users; identifying, by the security inference module, trusted user installation activity associated with the candidate application; and determining, by the security inference module, whether to install the candidate application in dependence upon the trusted user installation activity associated with the candidate application.
US09069948B2
Methods, systems, and media for measuring gesture-based password quality are provided, the methods comprising: receiving a first image; receiving a proposed password; identifying points of interest in the image each associated with an attribute; receiving a gesture selection function sequence, with a plurality of gesture selection functions each associated with a gesture type and a point of interest attribute; determining that a subset of points of interest in the image have attributes corresponding to attributes associated of a gesture selection function sequence; generating a possible password based on the gesture selection function sequence; determining and presenting a relative strength of the proposed password based on whether the proposed password matches the possible password.
US09069931B2
An operating system identifies a request of a process to create, in a file system of the computing device, a new object, the new object having a name. The operating system identifies a policy rule applicable to the new object using a label of the process, a label of a parent object pertaining to the new object, a class of the new object, and the name of the new object. The operating system creates a label for the new object using the applicable policy rule and associates the new object with the associated label.
US09069928B2
Analog processors for solving various computational problems are provided. Such analog processors comprise a plurality of quantum devices, arranged in a lattice, together with a plurality of coupling devices. The analog processors further comprise bias control systems each configured to apply a local effective bias on a corresponding quantum device. A set of coupling devices in the plurality of coupling devices is configured to couple nearest-neighbor quantum devices in the lattice. Another set of coupling devices is configured to couple next-nearest neighbor quantum devices. The analog processors further comprise a plurality of coupling control systems each configured to tune the coupling value of a corresponding coupling device in the plurality of coupling devices to a coupling. Such quantum processors further comprise a set of readout devices each configured to measure the information from a corresponding quantum device in the plurality of quantum devices.
US09069921B2
The verification apparatus for a semiconductor integrated circuit verifies a logic equivalence before and after modification to the circuit by replacing a memory with a divisional memory model that agrees with the memory in number of input and output pins and verifying logics at an input and an output thereof.
US09069903B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to host platform configuration for software testing and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for multi-platform test automation. In an embodiment of the invention, a multi-platform test automation data processing system can include a test automation controller enabled for coupling to multiple, different designated host computing platforms. Each of the different designated host computing platforms can host the execution of an application under test. The test automation controller can include a configuration for dispatching test commands to the different designated host computing platforms based upon provided test case documents, topology data and a general function file. In this way, tests can be constructed from a set of test commands without regard to the underlying details of different, target host computing platforms.
US09069898B2
A method includes providing a graphical user interface to an automated software development system, and providing a customized software application to an enterprise. The application comprises a collection of codesets that together are configured to perform an integration process.
US09069896B2
During a debug mode of operation of a data processor, it is determined at the data processor that a watchpoint event has occurred, and in response, an operating condition of a trace FIFO that stores trace information not yet communicated to a debugger is changed. For example, the occurrence of a FIFO flush watchpoint results in trace information being flushed from the trace FIFO before the trace information has been communicated to a trace analyzer.
US09069887B2
Systems for use with a medical device for reducing medication errors are provided. In one aspect, a system includes a medical device that is configurable with operating limit parameters for providing medication to a patient, and a limiting system. The limiting system includes a memory that includes patient-specific information for the patient and a database includes acceptable operating parameters for providing the medication to the patient using the medical device, and a processor. The processor is configured to compare the acceptable operating parameters with the patient-specific information, and provide a modification of the operating limit parameters for providing the medication to the patient based on the comparison of the acceptable operating parameters with the patient-specific information. Methods and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09069885B1
Systems and methods for automated retrieval, monitoring, and storage of online digital content, wherein such content includes source code and files for hosting websites, audio files, video files, data files, system files, image files, or any other content that is typically stored in third party servers. A content retrieval system hosted on a physical server or a cloud continuously monitors user data hosted on a third party server for changes to the data. The method involves creation of an index list that is updated periodically to keep track of changes to the metadata associated with the user's content. Such an approach saves time and valuable resources to individuals and/or organizations enabling them to perform periodic monitoring of their data, and enabling rollback to a previous version of their data whenever needed. The system additionally monitors user content for malicious attacks and hacks, and provides notification alerts relating to the same.
US09069879B2
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for implementing globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) in a multi-user network-based content management environment, from the perspective of a server creating a GUID for a content item, and serving requests based on the GUID. A content management system can identify a content item at a location within the data storage. Each user of the content management system can be associated with a respective user account having an amount of storage space within the storage environment. The content management system can model a user account as a collection of content item objects and globally unique identifiers that are independent of a directory-based hierarchy of content items.
US09069878B2
A database server determines, on an element-level of granularity, what form of VARRAY storage to map collections of elements defined by a XML schema. A collection element may be mapped to an in-line VARRAY or an out-of-line VARRAY. The determination may based on a variety of factors, including the database type mapped to the collection element, database limitations that limit the form storage for certain database types, and annotations (“mapping annotations”) embedded within that XML schema that specifying a database type for database representation of a collection element or a form of VARRAY storage.
US09069875B2
An adaptive data replication and caching system configured to enforce service terms at the network edge. Service terms can include, but are not limited to established quality of service (QoS) terms, as well as the terms of a service level agreement (SLA). This system can include a data caching system configured to cache application data in a data store and to satisfy queries for application data from the cache. The system also can include a data replication system configured to replicate application data in the data store and to satisfy queries for application data against the replicated application data. Finally, the adaptive data replication and caching system can include a configurator for configuring portions of the data store for exclusive use by the data caching system and the data replication system based upon the service terms.
US09069868B2
A device, server, method, and computer program product for reading an e-book are provided. The e-book may include at least a content identifier corresponding to a content in the e-book. The device may include a content navigator configured to present the content according to a command from a user and a processing unit configured to acquire the content identifier corresponding to the content presented by the content navigator, send the content identifier to a server, and receive from the server a message associated with the content. An output unit configured to output the message to the user may be provided.
US09069854B2
A method of facilitating the browsing of a plurality of result sets by a user. The method includes displaying a plurality of queries on a computer display, each query having a corresponding result set, the plurality of queries thereby constituting a set of displayed queries, and displaying the result set of a selected displayed query in response to the user selecting the query from the set of displayed queries via a user interface procedure, while continuing to display the set of displayed queries so the user can subsequently select other queries from the set of displayed queries to thereby interleave browsing the result sets of the queries in the set of displayed queries.
US09069849B1
Systems and methods are provided herein relating to speed resistant audio matching. Descriptors can be generated for a received audio signal and matched with reference descriptors. A set of hits for respective reference samples can be generated based on the matching. A histogram can then be generated that correlates probe sample hit time with reference sample hit time. In one implementation, a rolling window can be used in analyzing the histogram allowing for slight variances in the timing between probe sample hits and reference sample hits. In another implementation, the histogram generated can be based on an estimated time stretch of the probe sample. In yet another implementation, a set of histograms can be generated based on a minimum speed change, a maximum speed change, and a speed step. Histograms can be evaluated to determine a most likely matching histogram.
US09069843B2
Provided are techniques for displaying search results in a first page, receiving feedback from the user that indicate which of the search results in the first page are at least one of relevant and irrelevant, re-ordering the search results in a second page based on the indications of the search results in the first page, and displaying the re-ordered search results in the second page.
US09069833B2
A system, method and computer program product for detecting data omissions between intermittently-connected devices. An example system includes a client device configured to execute client queries on a client data set, and generate client result sets. The client queries and client result sets are stored on a query queue as queued queries and queued result sets. The system includes a server device with a data omission detector and server database. The data omission detector receives the queued queries and queued result sets after detecting a network connection, executes server queries on the server database and generates server result sets. The server queries are based on the queued queries. The data omission detector compares the server result sets with queued result sets to determine if there are data omissions. Data omissions include data absent in the queued result set that is present in a server result set.
US09069832B2
Approaches to memory management and synchronization are described relating to provision of highly robust and highly available servers that can serve multiple requests in parallel. Programming objects can be analyzed at design time by comparison to predefined patterns to identify a set of requirements and rules that must be followed to ensure that all part of a program cooperate. In highly complex programming environments, enforcement of such rules for a program as a whole can be quite difficult. As such, analysis of compliance can desirably occur at a programming object level.
US09069826B2
To provide an information provision system capable of improving a users operability in obtaining a list of desired information. A designated position obtaining unit (50) obtains a position in a screen designated by the user. In the case where the user designates a position in the screen and thereafter moving the designated position to thereby input a trace, a trace obtaining unit (51) obtains the trace input by the user. A character string extraction unit (52) extracts a character string from content shown in the screen, based on the position obtained by the designated position obtaining unit (50) or the trace obtained by the trace obtaining unit (51). A list obtaining unit (53) obtains a list of information, based on the character string extracted by the character string extraction unit (52) and the trace obtained by the trace obtaining unit (51). A display control unit (54) displays a list screen showing a list of information obtained by the list obtaining unit (53) on a display unit.
US09069824B2
A method for accelerating time series data base queries includes segmenting an original time series of signal values into non-overlapping chunks, where a time-scale for each of the chunks is much less than the time scale of the entire time series, representing time series signal values in each chunk as a weighted superposition of atoms that are members of a shape dictionary to create a compressed time series, storing the original time series and the compressed time series into a database, determining whether a query is answerable using the compressed time series or the original time series, and whether answering the query using the compressed time series is faster. If answering the query is faster using the compressed representation, the query is executed on weight coefficients of the compressed time series to produce a query result, and the query result is translated back into an uncompressed representation.
US09069821B2
The present invention relates to a file processing method using a data server included in a storage system, such as a Network File System (NFS) or a Distributed File System (DFS). When a file request is received from a client, a file corresponding to the request is loaded. Processing requested by the client is performed on the loaded file. A result file on which the processing has been performed is generated and transmitted to the client. Accordingly, the redundant resources of the data server can be sufficiently used, unnecessary data transmission can be reduced, and the resources of the storage system can be efficiently used.
US09069819B1
A method and apparatus for reliable I/O performance anomaly detection. In one embodiment of the method, input/output (I/O) performance data values are stored in memory. A first performance data value is calculated as a function of a first plurality of the I/O performance data values stored in the memory. A first value based on the first performance data value is calculated. An I/O performance data value is compared to the first value. A message is generated in response to comparing the I/O performance value to the first value.
US09069813B2
Searching stored content is disclosed. A first mapping is created from an object to one or more stored relational database tables. A second mapping is created from the object to an indexer schema. One or both of the following is done: 1) using the first mapping to translate a search request expressed in an abstract query language to a first query language associated with the relational database; and 2) using the second mapping to translate the search request to a second query language associated with the indexer schema.
US09069795B2
A method comprising, clustering a plurality of records, each record comprises at least one object image and at least one textual field associated with the object, to yield a plurality of clusters such that the object images in each cluster exhibit between them a visual similarity above a specified value; associating each cluster with a label by applying a dictionary function to the textual fields of each cluster, wherein the label reflects a common semantic factor of the textual fields of each cluster, and the factor has a value above a specified threshold. Accordingly, the visual similarity provides a measure of resemblances between two visual objects that can be based on at least one of: the fit between their color distribution such as correlation between their HSV color histograms, the fit between their texture, the fit between their shapes, the correlation between this edge histograms, and face similarity.
US09069794B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus are provided for determining location information for images. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining landmark location data from content depicted in an image and corresponding confidence scores. Also, the method includes obtaining caption location data from user input and corresponding confidence scores, and obtaining metadata location data from data provided by an image capturing device. Further, the method includes identifying location pairs from the landmark, caption, and metadata location data, and generating, for each location pair, a geographic consistency score. Additionally, the method includes selecting a location pair based on the geographic consistency scores, and selecting an image location for the image from the selected location pair. Moreover, the method includes determining an image location score based on a confidence score for one of the locations in the selected location pair, and associating the image location and image location score with the image.
US09069786B2
A system and method for managing multiple fingerprint tables in a deduplicating storage system. A computer system includes a data storage medium, a first fingerprint table comprising a first plurality of entries, and a second fingerprint table comprising a second plurality of entries. Each of the first plurality of entries and each of the second plurality of entries are configured to store fingerprint related data corresponding to data stored in the data storage medium. A data storage controller is configured to select the first fingerprint table for storage of entries corresponding to data stored in the data storage medium that has been deemed more likely to be successfully deduplicated than other data stored in the data storage medium; and select the second fingerprint table for storage of entries corresponding to data stored in the data storage medium that has been deemed less likely to be successfully deduplicated than other data stored in the data storage medium.
US09069781B2
Techniques to automatically manage file descriptors are described. An apparatus may comprise a processor circuit and a file descriptor application operative on the processor circuit to manage file descriptors for content files, the file descriptor application arranged to receive a file descriptor request from a client application, generate a file descriptor or file descriptor construct information for a content file, and send a file descriptor response with the file descriptor or file descriptor construct information to the client application. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09069762B2
An approach is provided in which an equivalence class generator selects a configurable module that includes control points and configuration parameters. The configuration parameters define a parameter state space of the configurable module. The equivalence class generator utilizes the control points to generate equivalence classes, which include class representatives that indicate values for the configuration parameters. Next, one of the class representatives are selected and verified from each of the equivalence classes. In turn, the verification of the class representatives verifies the parameter state space of the configurable module.
US09069757B2
A communication system is described. The communication system including an automatic speech recognizer configured to receive a speech signal and to convert the speech signal into a text sequence. The communication system also including a speech analyzer configured to receive the speech signal. The speech analyzer configured to extract paralinguistic characteristics from the speech signal. In addition, the communication system includes a voice analyzer configured to receive the speech signal. The voice analyzer configured to generate one or more phonemes based on the speech signal. The communication system includes a speech output device coupled with the automatic speech recognizer, the speech analyzer and the voice analyzer. The speech output device configured to convert the text sequence into an output speech signal based on the extracted paralinguistic characteristics and said one or more phonemes.
US09069756B2
A data transfer control apparatus includes a transferring unit that transfers data from a transfer source memory to a transfer destination memory, according to an instruction from a first processor; and a first processor configured to detect a process execute by the first processor, determine whether transfer of the data is urgent, based on the type of the detected process, and control the transferring unit or the first processor to transfer the data, based on a determination result.
US09069738B2
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided to facilitate determining abbreviations of a term for conveying navigation information based on one or more other terms of the navigation information. In the context of a method, one or more terms for conveying navigation information are determined. The method may also determine at least one abbreviation for at least one term of the one or more terms so that the at least one abbreviation is unambiguous with respect to other one or more of the one or more terms. The method may also cause a presentation of at least one representation of the at least one abbreviation.
US09069735B2
Systems and methods for integrated application platforms in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computing device configured to execute an application platform application includes a processor, an operating system configuring the processor to create a computing environment, the application platform application at least partially natively implemented and creates an application runtime environment for cross-platform applications to execute non-natively, the application platform application including a rendering engine process configured to render pages by interpreting instructions and implement a virtual machine configured to execute instructions and an integration process that enables instructions executing within the virtual machine to launch natively implemented applications wherein the application platform application includes a pop up page file containing instructions written in the rendering language that cause the rendering engine process to render a pop up page and wherein the application platform application is configured to launch a natively implemented application.
US09069726B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for iteratively calculating standard deviation for streamed data. Embodiments of the invention include iteratively calculating standard deviation in a current computation window based on the standard deviation calculation for a previous computation window. Iteratively calculating standard deviation avoids visiting all previous input and performing redundant computations thereby increasing calculation efficiency. In general, streaming data is added to a buffer of size n until the buffer is filled up. Once the buffer is filled, a sum and standard deviation are calculated for the first n data points. As new data elements are received, a new sum is calculated by reusing the prior sum and a new standard deviation is calculated by reusing the prior standard deviation.
US09069723B2
One exemplary embodiment involves receiving a request at a server device, the request identifying electronic content and a modification for the electronic content. The request may be based at least in part on information provided in a uniform resource locator (URL) or other address used by a requesting client device to initiate the request for the electronic content from the server. A parameter of the URL or other address may be used to specify the modification. The exemplary embodiment further involves identifying, via the server device, a source file associated with the electronic content, changing, via the server device, an element within the source file according to the modification identified in the request, and providing modified electronic content from the server device for use on the requesting client device.
US09069722B2
The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus for network traffic processing in a non-uniform memory access architecture system. The method includes allocating a Tx/Rx Queue pair for a node, the Tx/Rx Queue pair allocated in a local memory of the node. The method further includes routing network traffic to the allocated Tx/Rx Queue pair. The method may include designating a core in the node for network traffic processing. Of course, many alternatives, variations and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US09069714B2
A device includes a memory controller, a memory bus coupled to the memory controller, an internal memory and an external memory connection unit. The internal memory may be directly connected to the memory controller through the memory bus. The external memory connection unit may connect an external memory directly to the memory controller through a portion of signal lines in the memory bus, and may generate a flag signal indicating whether the external memory is connected to the external memory connection unit.
US09069705B2
A method for content addressable memory (CAM) error recovery that includes detecting an error in an entry of a CAM, identifying an address of the entry in the CAM, copying data from the address in the backup random access memory (RAM) into the entry of the CAM to obtain a corrected CAM, clearing a results (first in first out) FIFO structure based on detecting the error, performing, using the corrected CAM, a match request stored in a replay FIFO structure to obtain a revised result, and storing the revised result in the results FIFO structure.
US09069704B2
A plurality of transactions are executed in a data storage application. As a result, log entries according to the plurality of transactions are stored in at least one log. During a data recovery operation, log entries from the log are dispatched into a plurality of worker queues. Each worker queue corresponds to a different one of a plurality of logical central processing units. The log entries are replayed using the plurality of worker queues such that log entries associated with a same object are executed serially by a single worker queue and at least a portion of the log entries associated with different objects are executed in parallel by different worker queues. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US09069701B2
Disclosed is a computer system (100) comprising a processor unit (110) adapted to run a virtual machine in a first operating mode; a cache (120) accessible to the processor unit, said cache including a cache controller (122); and a memory (140) accessible to the cache controller for storing an image of said virtual machine; wherein the processor unit is adapted to create a log (200) in the memory prior to running the virtual machine in said first operating mode; the cache controller is adapted to transfer a modified cache line from the cache to the memory; and write only the memory address of the transferred modified cache line in the log; and the processor unit is further adapted to update a further image of the virtual machine in a different memory location, e.g. on another computer system, by retrieving the memory addresses stored in the log, retrieve the modified cache lines from the memory addresses and update the further image with said modifications. A computer cluster including such computer systems, a method of managing such a computer cluster and a computer program product are also disclosed.
US09069687B2
A memory read-channel is provided with selective transmission of error correction data. The disclosed read-channel improves throughput and reduces power consumption when error correction codes are unnecessary. The data read from a memory device comprises user data, error detection data and error correction data. In one embodiment, the error detection data is evaluated to determine if there is a data error; and the error correction data is transmitted only if a data error is detected. In another variation, the error detection data is evaluated during data transmission to determine if there is a data error and the transmission is suspended if a data error is detected. Typically, the error detection data comprises a cyclic redundancy check and the error correction data comprises parity check data.
US09069675B2
Systems and Program Products are created to execute a prefetch data machine instruction having an M field performs a function on a cache line of data specifying an address of an operand. The operation comprises either prefetching a cache line of data from memory to a cache or reducing the access ownership of store and fetch or fetch only of the cache line in the cache or a combination thereof. The address of the operand is either based on a register value or the program counter value pointing to the prefetch data machine instruction.
US09069672B2
A multiprocessor computer system comprises a first node operable to access memory local to a remote node by receiving a virtual memory address from a requesting entity in node logic in the first node. The first node creates a network address from the virtual address received in the node logic, where the network address is in a larger address space than the virtual memory address, and sends a fast memory access request from the first node to a network node identified in the network address.
US09069666B2
Various system and method embodiments are disclosed that include using a first node to receive messages including error information from a plurality of client computers via a computer network. Recommendations for resolving errors associated with the error information are made available to the client computers via the computer network.
US09069661B2
A memory system digitally communicates with a host device to provide data storage capacity for the host device. The memory system includes a plurality of modules, each module including a nonvolatile memory section. In one feature, at least a particular one of the modules is configured to independently maintain a module portion of a distributed flash translation layer for the nonvolatile memory section of only that particular module based on one or more module input parameters. In another feature, a particular module defines an independent execution of at least one of a wear leveling function, a garbage collection function and a bit density function. Associated methods are described.
US09069654B2
An inverter device includes an inverter main circuit to which a load is connected, an input unit configured to receive an input operation by a user, a connector into which a hot-pluggable external storage device is insertable, and a control unit configured to control writing of a log to the external storage device inserted into the connector. When the external storage device is inserted in the connector, the control unit switches the external storage device to a connected state in which the log is allowed to be written to the external storage device. When the input unit receives the input operation during the connected state of the external storage device, the control unit stops writing of the log to the external storage device and switches the external storage device to a disconnected state in which the external storage connector is removable from the connector.
US09069646B2
The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating a list of object descriptions based on an object's relevance for documentation. In one aspect there is provided a method that may include accepting a setting for a filter and a setting for a flag of an object. The filter setting may represent a type of information to be included in a list of object descriptions. The flag setting may represent a category of documentation relevance for the object that may be stored in a repository. The method may include comparing the filter setting with the flag setting of the object, extracting the description of the object from the repository based on the comparing of the flag setting with the filter setting, and generating the list of object descriptions that includes a description of the object. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are also described.
US09069644B2
A method for executing program builds. According to one embodiment of the invention, jobs are scheduled for a program build based on dependencies between the jobs, where at least some of those jobs include one or more registry operations. Usage information is collected from each of those jobs responsive to those jobs being executed. The usage information includes registry usage information from those jobs that include one or more registry operations and includes the results of those registry operations. The registry usage information is analyzed to determine whether the execution of any of those jobs resulted in a conflict. The analyzing includes, for each job including a registry operation, comparing a version of a registry entry used by that job in the program build with a version of a registry entry that the job would have used in a sequential program build. Results of jobs that generated a conflict are invalidated, and the invalidated job is rebuilt using the correct registry entry versions.
US09069643B1
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for creating a prerequisite checklist corresponding to a software application. In one embodiment, in accordance with the present invention, the computer implemented method includes the steps of identifying prerequisites of a software application that are present in source code of the software application, wherein the prerequisites are software and hardware components, and creating a prerequisite checklist that includes the identified prerequisites of the software application, wherein the prerequisite checklist is in a file format that is compatible with prerequisite checking software. In another embodiment, the computer implemented method includes the steps of analyzing a computer system utilizing the created prerequisite checklist as an input file into prerequisite checking software, and determining whether the computer system is capable if installing and running the software application.
US09069627B2
A computer implemented method and apparatus for providing a dynamic execution environment comprising receiving a base user interface from a server, creating and storing one or more intermediate representations (IR) which represent a mapping between the base user interface and a modified user interface, executing the one or more IRs to intercept network communication from the server, map between the base user interface and the modified user interface, and to send the modified user interface to one or more clients and executing the one or more IRs to intercept network communication from the one or more clients to the server with user data, map between the modified user interface and the base user interface, and to send the base user interface along with the user data to the server
US09069624B1
Methods and systems for signal processing using processing blocks are provided. In one embodiment of the disclosure, there are provided a plurality of multiplier circuitries and control circuitry configured to multiply numbers AB and CD. The number AB includes components A and B, and the component A includes subcomponents AH and AL. The number CD includes components C and D, and the component C includes subcomponents CH and CL. The control circuitry is configured to compute a partial product AD based on multiplying D and AL using a first multiplier circuitry and based on multiplying D and AH the using a first multiplier module of a second multiplier circuitry. The control circuitry is also configured to compute a partial product CB based on B and CL using a third multiplier circuitry and based on multiplying B and the CH using a second multiplier module of the second multiplier circuitry.
US09069605B2
Method, apparatus and system embodiments to schedule OS-independent “shreds” without intervention of an operating system. For at least one embodiment, the shred is scheduled for execution by a scheduler routine rather than the operating system. A scheduler routine may run on each enabled sequencer. The schedulers may retrieve shred descriptors from a queue system. The sequencer associated with the scheduler may then execute the shred described by the descriptor. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09069599B2
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a virtualization environment adapted for development and deployment of at least one software workload, the virtualization environment having a metamodel framework that allows the association of a policy to the software workload upon development of the workload that is applied upon deployment of the software workload. This allows a developer to define a security zone and to apply at least one type of security policy with respect to the security zone including the type of security zone policy in the metamodel framework such that the type of security zone policy can be associated with the software workload upon development of the software workload, and if the type of security zone policy is associated with the software workload, automatically applying the security policy to the software workload when the software workload is deployed within the security zone.
US09069597B2
When hardware failure occurs in an operation device, a provisional job executing unit of a virtual machine is allowed to temporarily execute a job until setup of a spare device as an alternative job execution device is completed. Start of operation of the virtual machine is performed in a short time by shift from a suspending state to an operating state. Therefore, execution of the job is not stopped by the hardware failure of the operation device and it is possible to improve continuity of the job and improve reliability of a redundant configuration of the job execution device in which the spare device is associated with the operation device.
US09069586B2
A system and method for rootkit protection in a hypervisor environment includes modules for creating a soft whitelist having entries corresponding to each guest kernel page of a guest operating system in a hypervisor environment, wherein each entry is a duplicate page of the corresponding guest kernel page, generating a page fault when a process attempts to access a guest kernel page, and redirecting the process to the corresponding duplicate page. If the page fault is a data page fault, the method includes fixing the page fault, and marking a page table entry corresponding to the guest kernel page as non-executable and writeable. If the page fault is an instruction page fault, the method includes marking a page table entry corresponding to the guest kernel page as read-only. Redirecting changing a machine page frame number in a shadow page table of the hypervisor to point to the corresponding duplicate page.
US09069580B2
A user access to help content of an application executed by a computing device is detected. The help content includes at least one configured projected user interaction with the application. At least one subsequent detected user interaction with the application is recorded. A key pair that correlates the accessed help content with the at least one subsequent detected user interaction with the application is created. Effectiveness of the help content is determined based upon the key pair and the at least one configured projected user interaction with the application.
US09069564B1
A method and system are provided for performing efficient and effective scheduling in a multi-threaded system. Dynamic control of scheduling is provided, in which priority weights can be assigned for some or all of the threads in the multi-threaded system. The priority weights are employed to control prioritization of threads and thread instructions by a scheduler. An instruction count for each thread is used in combination with the priority weights to determine the prioritization order in which instructions are fetched and assigned to execution units for processing.
US09069555B2
A processor may include a core and an uncore area. The power consumed by the core area may be controlled by controlling the dynamic capacitance of the processor such that the dynamic capacitance is within an allowable dynamic capacitance value irrespective of the application being processed by the core area. The power management technique includes measuring digital activity factor (DAF), monitoring architectural and data activity levels, and controlling power consumption by throttling the instructions based on the activity levels. As a result of throttling the instructions, throttling may be implemented in 3rd droop and thermal design point (TDP). Also, the idle power consumed by the uncore area while the core area is in deep power saving states may be reduced by varying the reference voltage VR and the VP provided to the uncore area. As a result, the idle power consumed by the uncore area may be reduced.
US09069553B2
The present disclosure describes techniques for switching tasks between heterogeneous cores. In some aspects it is determined that a task being executed by a first core of a processor can be executed by a second core of a processor, the second core having an instruction set that is different from that of the first core, and execution of the task is switched from the first core to the second core effective to decrease an amount of energy consumed by the processor.
US09069552B2
An image forming apparatus includes a functional unit, a first power supply circuit supplying electric power to the functional unit from a commercial power supply, a second power supply circuit including a self-generation power supply, and a third power supply circuit including a power storage unit storing electric power and a charging circuit charging the power storage unit upon receipt of supply of electric power from at least one of the commercial power supply and the self-generation power supply. In accordance with the amount of power supply from the self-generation power supply, higher priority is given to supply of electric power to the functional unit from at least one of the second and third power supply circuits than to supply of electric power from the first power supply circuit.
US09069550B2
In general, embodiments of the invention provide an approach to proactively adjust timeout settings on a display device based on user activity. Specifically, a system and method are presented to adaptively adjust the inactivity timeout settings on a display device based on the application being used, the content being displayed on the device, and an analysis of the user's history with the application. The present invention calculates an inactivity timeout modifier which is utilized to modify the default operating system timeout value.
US09069547B2
Method, apparatus, and program means for performing a string comparison operation. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes execution resources to execute a first instruction. In response to the first instruction, said execution resources store a result of a comparison between each data element of a first and second operand corresponding to a first and second text string, respectively.
US09069541B2
An intelligent power control system and method adapted for use with a digital rack interface pod (DRIP). A switching regulator generates a set output voltage. If power is available from a USB port of an external device, such as an external server, then the system uses this power to power the DRIP. If DC power is detected as being received on a different input from an external power transformer, then the system may still continue to use the power being received from the USB port to power the DRIP. If power from the USB port of the external device is lost but power from the external transformer is present, then the system may use the power available from the external transformer to power the DRIP. If the DRIP is being powered by USB power from the external device, and no DC power is available from the external transformer, but backup power from an appliance to which the DRIP is coupled is being received on one of the DRIP's power input ports, then the DRIP may switch to backup power from the appliance if power from the USB port of the external device (e.g., server) is lost. The system thus intelligently prioritizes the use of power available from a plurality of different power sources to maintain the DRIP powered on when one or more of the power sources is lost or otherwise not available.
US09069535B2
The present application describes various embodiments regarding systems and methods for providing efficient heat rejection for a lightweight and durable compact computing system having a small form factor. The compact computing system can take the form of a desktop computer. The desktop computer can include a monolithic top case having an integrated support system formed therein, the integrated support system providing structural support that distributes applied loads through the top case preventing warping and bowing. A mixed flow fan is utilized to efficiently pull cooling air through the compact computing system.
US09069533B2
A data center container includes a chassis, a cooling system, a draining mechanism, and a latching member. The chassis includes a front plate with a securing hole. The cooling system includes a water tray and a drainer tray. The water tray communicates with the drainer tray. The draining mechanism communicates with the drainer tray and extends out of the chassis. The latching member is attached to the draining mechanism. The latching member includes an inserting post, and the inserting post being engaged in the securing hole, to position the draining mechanism to the front plate.
US09069529B2
A lifting mechanism includes a lifting member, a first magnetic member, a rotating arm, a second magnetic member and a resilient member. The lifting member is pivoted to a first casing. The first magnetic member is fixed on the lifting member. The rotating arm is pivoted to a second casing. The second magnetic member is fixed on the rotating arm for attracting the first magnetic member as being rotated with the rotating arm to where the second magnetic member is aligned with the first magnetic member, so as to retract the lifting member inside the first casing. The resilient member resiliently abuts against the second casing and the lifting member for pushing the lifting member as being rotated with the rotating arm to where the second magnetic member is not aligned with the first magnetic member, so as to expand the lifting member out of the first casing.
US09069527B2
An apparatus for supporting a tablet type computer includes a keyboard, a frame and clamps pivotally connected to the frame by hinges. Each clamp has first and second clamping fingers. The apparatus can further include inserts configured to cover at least a portion of the clamping fingers. The inserts releasably grip portions of the tablet-type computer when the portions of the tablet-type computer are inserted between the clamping fingers.
US09069525B2
An electronic device display may have a color filter layer and a thin film transistor layer. A layer of liquid crystal material may be interposed between the color filter layer and the thin film transistor layer. A layer of polarizer may be laminated onto the surface of the color filter layer. Laser trimming may ensure that the edges of the polarizer are even with the edges of the color filter layer. The thin film transistor layer may have an array of thin film transistors that control pixels of the liquid crystal material in the display. Driver circuitry may be used to control the array. The driver circuitry may be encapsulated in a planarized encapsulant on the thin film transistor layer or may be mounted to the underside of the color filter layer. Conductive structures may connect driver circuitry on the color filter layer to the thin film transistor layer.
US09069523B2
The computer display includes a display case, a bezel, and a bezel frame in contact with the display case and the bezel, the bezel frame including at least one portion extending away from the bezel to a surface of the display case, the at least one portion defining at least a portion of a cavity.
US09069518B2
Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface or “desktop” across two devices are provided. More particularly, a unified desktop is presented across a device and a computer system. The unified desktop acts as a single user interface that presents data and receives user interaction in a seamless environment that emulates a personal computing environment. To function within the personal computing environment, freeform windows are generated to encapsulate user interfaces for device applications. The freeform windows allow the user interfaces for the device applications to function as other windows in the personal computing environment.
US09069514B2
An image processing apparatus implements: receiving a first command for execution of an image processing function; supplying a server with a conversion command if the conversion process should not be executed on the image processing apparatus; acquiring time data indicative of a conversion period of time that the server requires to execute the conversion process; receiving, within the conversion period of time, a second command for execution of an image processing function; starting execution of the second process within the conversion period of time if it is determined that the second process can be completed within the conversion period of time, and failing to start execution of the second process within the conversion period of time if it is determined that the second process cannot be completed within the conversion period of time; acquiring converted data from the server; and executing a prescribed process using the converted data.
US09069511B2
A print control device may include a control device configured to identify a data type of print target data obtained from a clipboard, generate print data based on the print target data in accordance with a print setting appropriate for the identified data type, and send the generated print data to a printing apparatus.
US09069495B2
An image processing apparatus includes a receiving unit, a selection unit, and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit receives, from a terminal apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus, a request for specific information. The selection unit selects at least one piece of specific information in accordance with the request. The transmitting unit transmits the at least one piece of specific information selected by the selection unit to the terminal apparatus. After the transmitting unit transmits the at least one piece of specific information to the terminal apparatus, the receiving unit receives command data based on the specific information from the terminal apparatus. The command data includes input source or output destination information indicating an output destination or acquisition source of data to be subjected to the image processing. The output destination or acquisition source is determined in accordance with an operation state of the terminal apparatus.
US09069491B2
In the case where charging by grade in accordance with a plurality of image attributes is performed, it is not possible for a user to identify the image attribute with which printing is performed from the appearance of printed matter that is output. In accordance with a color pixel ratio in image data, an image attribute of the image data is determined and a display unit is controlled to display the determined image attribute and the color pixel ratio.
US09069488B2
A storage device (3), such as an SD card, that is coupled to a host device (2), such as a mobile phone, includes a computing environment (8). The computing environment (8) includes an application processing part (6), and a separate interface processing part (7). The application processing part (6) of the computing environment 8 is operable to execute one or more applications on the storage device (3). The interface processing part (7) of the computing environment 8 includes an interface processor that interfaces between a communications protocol used between the host device (2) and the storage device (3), and a communications protocol used by the application processor in the application processing part (6) of the storage device (3). The interface processor communicates with the application processor via interrupts and a shared memory (9).
US09069484B2
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to a buffer pool for a database system. In aspects, secondary memory such as solid state storage is used to extend the buffer pool of a database system. Thresholds such as hot, warm, and cold for classifying pages based on access history of the pages may be determined via a sampling algorithm. When a database system needs to free space in a buffer pool in main memory, a page may be evicted to the buffer pool in secondary memory or other storage based on how the page is classified and conditions of the secondary memory or other storage.
US09069476B2
To facilitate the management of a storage system that uses a flash memory as a storage area. A controller of the storage system provided with a flash memory chip manages a surplus capacity value of the flash memory chip, and transmits a value based on the surplus capacity value to a management server, on the basis of at least one of a definition of a parity group, a definition of an internal LU, and a definition of a logical unit. The management server displays a state of the storage system by using the received value based on the surplus capacity value.
US09069463B2
An operating method for dynamically adjusting a touch apparatus is disclosed herein. The touch apparatus includes a storage component and a touch component. The storage component is configured to store at least one application, and a plurality of weights of touch motion modes and touch motion modes corresponding to the application. The operating method includes determining whether execution of the application has started. When execution of the application has started, a plurality of touch motions corresponding to the executed application are received through the touch component. At least one of the weights of touch motion modes corresponding to the executed application is adjusted according to the touch motions. At least one of touch parameters is adjusted according to the weights of touch motion modes corresponding to the executed application.
US09069449B2
A user may make a digital item available to other users of a computer network, such as an instant messaging system, a chat environment, or a subscription-based computer network. Examples of digital items that may be shared with other users include digital representations of graphic images, photographs, audio segments, songs, video segments, movies, and text (such as lists of favorites (e.g., a list of favorite books, a list of favorite movies, and a list of favorite places to visit)). On-line presence information is provided to indicate the on-line presence of users with whom a digital item has been shared, may be shared or is being shared. For instance, an indication of the on-line or offline status of a user with whom an item has been shared or is being shared may be presented.
US09069442B2
The present invention is directed to a system, method and program product that allows a user to acquire resources from a local computer during a session with a virtual universe. Disclosed is a system that allows a user to: invocate a local operating system session that displays an operating system interface onto a client computer during a virtual universe session; navigate the operating system interface using an avatar; and acquire resources from the client computer via the operating system interface using the avatar.
US09069439B2
The present application relates to a multi-dimensional icon that includes a plurality of panels linked together in a user-configurable structure. Based on user input, such as a flick or other gesture, the multi-dimensional icon can rotate to the next of a series of linked panels. In one embodiment, each linked panel can also have functionality or content associated therewith that is customizable by the user. For example, the user can select the panel to launch an application, a web page, or view content (e.g., a photo). In another embodiment, data can also be associated with a panel so that if the user selects the panel, an application can be launched or a website opened, using the data as a customization parameter.
US09069429B2
The invention provides a method and a device for image segmentation. After obtaining an image constructed of a plurality of 1D sensing information, each line piece in each 1D sensing information, which corresponds to touch or proximity of one or more external conductive objects, is determined. Next, the line pieces corresponding to touch or proximity of different external conductive objects are segmented based on overlapping relationships between the adjacent line pieces.
US09069425B2
A touch sensing device includes a touch screen including Tx lines, Rx lines crossing the Tx lines, and touch sensors formed between the Tx lines and the Rx lines, and a touch screen driving circuit which senses all the touch sensors of the touch screen in a first sensing step to detect the presence or absence of a touch input, and then again senses the touch sensors, in which the touch input is detected as a first sensing result, in a second sensing step to detect a position of the touch input. When there is no touch sensor, in which the touch input is detected as the first sensing result, the touch screen driving circuit repeats the first sensing step.
US09069424B2
Provided is a touch panel with improved anti-noise performance. A continuous drive pulse train is input to a plurality of scanning electrodes for each one scanning period in turns, and a detection pulse train generated at detection electrodes which intersects the scanning electrodes is detected. The detection pulse train is sampled at different intervals to generate a plurality of data sequences. The plurality of data sequences may be generated from the detection pulse train over a plurality of frame periods. A signal strength of each frequency component is compared between the frequency spectra of the plurality of data sequences, and a frequency spectrum in which frequency components having different strengths have been corrected is generated. A detection signal is generated from the corrected frequency spectrum.
US09069422B2
A projected capacitive touch device, a projected capacitive touch panel and touch control methods thereof are disclosed. The touching control method includes mixing a detecting signal and a feedback driving signal to generate a sending signal; transmitting the sending signal to at least one touch sensing unit of the projected capacitive touch panel, wherein an electrical field is generated on the touch sensing unit according to the feedback driving signal so that a feedback tactile sense according to the electrical field can be obtained by a user while touching the touch sensing unit.
US09069415B2
Described are systems and methods for estimating finger pose of a user during a tactile input event. In one implementation, the system incorporates: a touch-sensitive display device configured to detect a tactile event and to determine a contact point of an object and the touch-sensitive display device, the contact point associated with the tactile event; a camera configured to capture an image of an area proximal to the surface of the touch-sensitive display device; and a central processing unit configured, in response to the detection of the tactile event, to determine information on a pose of the object based on the captured image and the determined contact point.
US09069411B2
The present invention provides a mutual capacitive multi-touch screen. The conductive strip pattern allows that, when a touch range of each external conductive object on the mutual capacitive multi-touch screen is larger than a predetermined condition, capacitive coupling between each external conductive object and first conductive strip is greater than capacitive coupling between each external conductive object and second conductive strip, such that the proportion of a driving signal flowing out of the first conductive strip via at least one first external conductive object in the external conductive objects and into the second conductive strip via at least one second external conductive object in the external conductive objects decreases as the number of second external conductive objects increases.
US09069410B2
A two-dimension (2D) sensing information is analyzed for determining touch related sensing information. The touch related sensing information may include touch related sensing information with inner low values within outer high values and with inner higher values within outer low values.
US09069403B2
A display operating device includes a position detecting section, an axis decision section, a movement determining section, a display section, and a first rotation processing section. The position detecting section is configured to detect three positions on a touch surface. The axis decision section is configured to decide a first axis using first and second positions which are two of the three positions. The movement determining section is configured to determine whether or not a third position, which is the remaining one of the three positions, is moving. The first rotation processing section is configured to, when with the 3D object displayed on the display section the three positions are detected and the third position is determined to be moving, rotate the 3D object by a first predetermined angle about the first axis.
US09069400B2
A touch display panel includes a first substrate, a pixel array on the first substrate in a display region, first lead lines located on the first substrate in a non-display region and electrically connected to the pixel array, a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate, a display medium layer between the first and second substrates, a touch device layer disposed on the second substrate and having a portion in a first touch region within the display region and the other portion in a second touch region within the non-display region, and second lead lines located on the second substrate and electrically connected to the touch device layer. The material of the touch device layer in the first and second touch regions is the same. The second lead lines extend from the first touch region to an edge of the second substrate through the second touch region.
US09069392B2
An operational display device includes a display portion for displaying an image based on image data including a specific portion, a detection portion for detecting an orientation in which the display portion is held, and a display control unit for controlling a manner of display on the display portion. The display control unit causes an image of the specific portion to be displayed as being zoomed-in and rotated in accordance with an orientation of holding of the display portion when the orientation in which the display portion is held is changed from a first orientation to a second orientation.
US09069388B2
The disclosure relates to implementing different key types on a keypad or keyboard. The implementation can be enabled e.g. by an apparatus including a substrate (28) including a capacitive sensor element (29), the capacitive sensor element having a first electrode (24) forming a first capacitor with an object touching or coming into proximity of the first electrode, wherein the capacitive sensor element is configured to generate a first signal responsive to the object touching or coming into proximity of the capacitive sensor element, a first capacitor circuit coupled to at least the first electrode, and a dome (26) configured to complete, responsive to the dome being depressed, an electric circuit including at least the first capacitor and the first capacitor circuit to form a second capacitor circuit, wherein the second capacitor circuit is configured to generate a second signal.
US09069386B2
The present invention provides a gesture recognition device which can accurately recognize a user's gesture in a free space with a simple configuration, and which is mounted on a processing unit and which causes the processing unit to execute an operation corresponding to the recognized gesture. The gesture recognition device (1000) comprises a palm centroid determining unit (30) for determining centroid of a palm, a palm area determining unit (40) for determining the area of a palm, a finger length/angle determining unit (50) for calculating length of finger by obtaining the length between the centroid and the fingertips and for calculating the angles formed by lines connecting the centroid and the fingertips, and a gesture identifying unit (60) for identifying the gesture by the combination of the variation of the centroid of the palm, the change of the palm area, the change of length between the centroid and the fingertips and the change of angles formed by the lines connecting the centroid and the fingertips.
US09069373B2
In an embodiment, the runtime framework is responsible for executing multidimensional analytical metadata in a runtime environment that is determined by the runtime framework. To generate such a runtime framework, the received multidimensional analytical metadata is analyzed to determine a type of an associated calculation pattern. Based upon the type, subsets of the multidimensional analytical metadata and corresponding runtime decision rules are determined. To execute the subsets, executable conditions corresponding to the multidimensional analytical metadata are identified. Based upon the executable conditions, the calculation pattern associated with the multidimensional analytical metadata is executed by executing the associated subsets, and the runtime framework is generated. The runtime framework determines calculation scenario executable subsets and calculation scenario inexecutable subsets that are associated with the multidimensional analytical metadata, and executes the subsets in their respective engines.
US09069372B2
A pedal system including a support base, a first lever including a root portion and a terminal portion formed such that the terminal portion interfaces with the root portion at a bend in the first lever of a first predetermined angle, the root portion of the first lever being pivotally mounted to the support base such that the first lever is rotatable in a first plane of rotation about an axis of rotation at or near the support base, a second lever including a root portion and a terminal portion formed such that the terminal portion interfaces with the root portion at a bend in the second lever of a second predetermined angle, the root portion of the second lever being pivotally mounted to the support base such that the second lever is rotatable in a second plane of rotation about the axis of rotation.
US09069368B2
A linear regulator contains an additional AC-coupled feedback loop between the output of the error amplifier and the base of the pass transistor that increases the frequency of the pole at the output of the error amplifier at light load currents to at least partially offset the decreased frequency of the output pole at the lighter load currents. Thus, a desired phase margin is preserved. The AC-coupled feedback loop includes a bipolar feedback transistor connected in parallel with the pass transistor. A resistor is connected to the emitter of the feedback transistor to reduce the relative gain of the feedback transistor above light load currents. A feedback capacitor Cfb is connected between the collector of the feedback transistor and the output of the error amplifier. The negative AC feedback increases the pole frequency at the output of the error amplifier and the base of the pass transistor.
US09069365B2
Embodiments for methods, apparatus and systems for operating a voltage regulator are disclosed. One embodiment of the voltage regulator generates a switching voltage through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and a shunt switch element. The voltage regulator further includes a switched output filter that includes a plurality of capacitors for filtering the switching voltage and generating an output voltage. A mode controller is operative to disconnect at least one of the plurality of capacitors upon receiving a first indicator, where disconnecting causes the at least one of the plurality of capacitors to electrically float, wherein while the at least one capacitor is disconnected the output voltage is changed from a first value to a second value, return the output voltage to a first value or a third value upon receiving a second indicator, and reconnect the at least one of the plurality of capacitors.
US09069364B2
This document discusses, among other things, voltage converters and computed on-time voltage converters. In an example, an on-time generator for a voltage converter can include a timing capacitor configured to provide a timing voltage, a comparator configured to receive the timing voltage and a threshold voltage and to provide the timing signal using a comparison of the timing voltage and the threshold voltage, a current source configured to discharge the timing voltage of the timing capacitor after a start-up delay, and first and second compensation capacitors configured to bias the timing voltage of the timing capacitor to compensate for the start-up delay.
US09069362B2
A sprinkler controller in a poultry house having a processor, a data storage device operatively connected to the processor, the data storage device having instructions for programming the processor, and an input/output module operatively connected to the processor. The input/output module is configured to communicate with at least one valve for controlling a flow of fluid between a fluid source and at least one sprinkler nozzle. The at least one valve has an open position permitting the flow of fluid, and a closed position inhibiting the flow of fluid, and the position of the valve being determined by the processor. The processor is programmed to set the valve in the open position at a start of an activity promotion interval, and to set the valve in the closed position at the end of the activity promotion interval. The duration of the activity promotion interval is selected such that a sufficient amount of fluid is dispersed through the sprinkler nozzle to promote physical activity in the poultry. The start of the activity promotion interval is predetermined based on a frequency of operation parameter indicative of a number of activity promotion intervals in a time period, and a value for the frequency of operation parameter being selected to promote growth of the poultry.
US09069359B2
A pressure balance unit for a valve assembly includes a first shell having a tongue extending therefrom, a second shell having a groove indented therein, and a sliding element having a shaft defining an axis. The groove in the second shell is configured to receive the tongue from the first shell for aligning the shells. The first and second shells are united using a sonic welding process. The first shell defines a first bore and the second shell defines a second bore. The first and second bores include inlet ports in circumferential faces thereof, the ports defining openings transverse to the axis. The sliding element includes a first end movable along the axis within the first bore and a second end movable along the axis within the second bore. The ends of the sliding element open and close the inlet ports by sliding across the ports.
US09069354B2
The present invention provides a method for planning a path for an autonomous walking humanoid robot that takes an autonomous walking step using environment map information, the method comprising: an initialization step of initializing path input information of the autonomous walking humanoid robot using origin information, destination information, and the environment map information; an input information conversion step of forming a virtual robot including information on the virtual robot obtained by considering the radius and the radius of gyration of the autonomous walking humanoid robot based on the initialized path input information; a path generation step of generating a path of the virtual robot using the virtual robot information, the origin information S, the destination information G, and the environment map information; and an output information conversion step of converting the path of the autonomous walking humanoid robot based on the virtual robot path generated in the path generation step.
US09069350B2
A processing apparatus includes a unit processing an object, a first conveyer to perform conveyance of the object between the unit and a station arranged between an external apparatus and the unit, the external apparatus including a second conveyer to hold the object with a hand thereof to perform conveyance of the object to or from the station, and a controller to output a request signal and a stop instruction signal. The request signal requests the external apparatus to perform the conveyance by the second conveyer, and is output before the processing apparatus becomes a state to allow the second conveyer to perform the conveyance, and the stop instruction signal instructs the external apparatus to stop the hand and is output based on a state of the processing apparatus after an output of the request signal and before the conveyance of the second conveyer.
US09069347B2
A numerically controlled machine tool for machining a workpiece is provided. The machine tool includes a work spindle, at least one feed axis, and a device for collision monitoring on said machine tool, wherein the device for collision monitoring includes a collision sensor mounted on a machine part of the machine tool, collision detection means for detecting a collision of machine parts of the machine tool when a measuring value detected by the collision sensor exceeds a collision limit value, and signal output means for outputting a stop signal for stopping the at least one work spindle and the at least one feed axis, of the machine tool when the collision detection means detects a collision. The machine tool includes a unit for determining the collision limit value on the machine tool.
US09069341B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for digitally controlling a lighting device which enables a desired lighting device operational set point to be reached in a rapid manner while substantially reducing overshoot and oscillation about the desired lighting device operational set point. In particular the present invention is enabled by a PID controller configured to vary the PID controller parameters based on a relationship based at least in part on the desired lighting device operational set point, the present lighting device operational point or both.
US09069340B2
Nutritional substance systems and methods are disclosed enabling the tracking and communication of changes in nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of nutritional substances, and further enabling the adaptive storage and adaptive conditioning of nutritional substances.
US09069335B2
An emergency stop module arrangement having a logic circuit for the detecting a switching status of an emergency stop switch and for the control of a load switch for the safe connection and disconnection of a load, wherein the emergency stop module arrangement has a first emergency stop module and a second emergency stop module, and wherein the first emergency stop module is coupled via an interface connection to the second emergency stop module. To reduce the wiring complexity as well as the space requirement for the arrangement in a switching cabinet, it is provided that the emergency stop modules are designed as plug-on modules which can be plugged on the load switches, and that each one of the emergency stop modules has at least one switching means which is mechanically positively driven with the coupled load switch.
US09069332B1
A user device determines a rate of consumption value for each of a plurality of measurable units of an electronic publication. The user device calculates a running average of the rate of consumption values and provides a feature based on the running average.
US09069319B2
An information processing apparatus for generating plate data used to generate image data in an image processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a designating unit configured to designate a rendering object; a surface-effect receiving unit configured to receive a type of a surface effect imparted to the rendering object; a plate data generating unit configured to generate the plate data so that the type of the surface effect is imparted to a region in which the rendering object is to be rendered in a recording medium and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the plate data to the print processing apparatus.
US09069303B2
Provided is an image processing apparatus including a mode switching unit that selectively switches a mode between a rapid heating mode and a heat accumulating mode in a fixing unit, a receiving unit that receives an image formation request received from the outside, an extracting unit that extracts mode switching determination information at the earliest from the image formation request received by the receiving unit, a selecting unit that selects the mode based on the mode switching determination information extracted by the extracting unit, specifications of the fixing device, and a current temperature, and a switching control unit that controls the mode switching unit based on the mode selected by the selecting unit to switch the mode to the rapid heating mode or the heat accumulating mode.
US09069301B2
An image heating apparatus includes a rotary member, a heating member configured to heat the rotary member, the heating member being held in contact with the rotary member, a temperature detecting element configured to detect the temperature of the rotary member or the heating member, a protection element configured to interrupt power supply to the heating member, the protection element being activated when sensing an abnormal rise in the temperature of the heating member, and a control portion configured to control the image heating apparatus. When the temperature detected by the temperature detecting element exceeds a threshold value, the control portion stops rotation of the rotary member.
US09069293B2
A developing device includes a developing roller, a magnetic roller opposed to the developing roller so as to form a magnetic brush, a high voltage power supply including a transformer having secondary side outputs one of which is connected to the developing roller while the other output is connected to the magnetic roller, so as to apply AC voltages to the developing roller and the magnetic roller, a detection portion for detecting occurrence of discharge between the developing roller and the photoreceptor drum, a restriction portion for restricting movement of toner from the magnetic roller to the developing roller, and a moving portion configured to move the restriction portion in discharge start voltage detection mode so as to restrict toner movement to the developing roller.
US09069283B2
An image formation unit includes a developer storage configured to store developer, an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developer carrier being in contact with the image carrier and configured to transfer developer to the electrostatic latent image, a developer housing portion located below the developer storage and above the image carrier and configured to house the developer from the developer storage, a supply port provided above the developer housing portion to communicate with the developer storage and configured to supply the developer in the developer storage into the developer housing portion, a developer amount detection member rotatably disposed in the developer housing portion at a position below the supply port, and protrusions disposed on the developer amount detection member.
US09069279B2
An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source configured to emit a light beam, a rotating polygon mirror configured to deflect the light beam such that the light beam scans a photosensitive member, an optical box to which the rotating polygon mirror is attached and which includes a first portion, and a holding member configured to hold the light source, including a second portion and a protrusion portion, and attached to the optical box such that the first portion of the optical box and the second portion of the holding member form a gap therebetween, wherein the holding member is attached to the optical box with an adhesive poured into the gap, and the protrusion portion is arranged toward the optical box from the holding member along a position in the gap into which the adhesive is poured to prevent the adhesive from falling off the position.
US09069272B2
An emulsion aggregation (EA) toner includes an amorphous polymeric resin, optionally a colorant, and a small molecule crystalline organic compound having molecular weight less than 1,000 g/mol and melting point less than the fusing temperature of the EA toner, wherein a mixture of the resin and the small molecule compound is characterized by a reduction in glass transition temperature from that of the resin and by the lack of a significant solid to liquid phase transition peak for the small molecule compound as determined by differential scanning calorimetry, the enthalpy of fusion for the small molecule compound in the mixture being measured to be less than 10% of the enthalpy of fusion of the compound in pure form. Furthermore, the EA toner may be configured to have a crease fix minimum fusing temperature (MFT) less than or equal to the crease fix MFT of a benchmark ultra-low-melt emulsion aggregation toner.
US09069269B2
There is disclosed a toner for electrostatic latent image development which includes at least a colorant, a charge control agent, and a release agent in a binder resin and is produced using a pulverizing process. An average circularity of the toner is 0.960 or more and 0.980 or less with respect to toner particles having a primary particle diameter of 3 μm or more and 10 μm or less. A numerical proportion of toner particles, having a concave portion of which outer diameter is 200 nm or more and being observed by a predetermined condition, is 10% by number or less.
US09069261B2
A surface position detection apparatus capable of highly precisely detecting the surface position of a surface to be detected without substantially being affected by relative positional displacement due to a polarization component occurring in a light flux having passed through a reflective surface. In the apparatus, a projection system has a projection side prism member (7) having first reflective surfaces (7b, 7c), and a light receiving system has a light receiving prism member (8) having second reflective surfaces (8b, 8c) arranged in correspondence with the projection side prism member. The surface position detection apparatus further has a member for compensating relative positional displacement due to a polarization component of a light flux having passed through the first and second reflective surfaces.
US09069255B2
An improved apparatus for thermally developing a flexographic printing element to reveal a relief image on the surface and a method of using the apparatus to develop a flexographic printing element. The apparatus typically comprises means for softening or melting a crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element; at least one roll that is contactable with the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element and capable of moving over at least a portion of the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element to remove the softened or melted non-crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element; and means for maintaining contact between the at least one roll and the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element. A layer of resilient compressible material is positioned between the flexographic printing element and a supporting conveying means. The means for softening or melting non-crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element comprise a heater positioned adjacent to the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element and/or heating the at least one roll that contactable with the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element. The apparatus may also contain an exposure device to crosslink and cure the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element prior to thermal development.
US09069245B2
A composition comprising (A) a near-infrared absorbing dye of formula (1), (B) a polymer, and (C) a solvent is used to form a near-infrared absorptive layer. In formula (1), R1 and R2 are a monovalent hydrocarbon group which may contain a heteroatom, k is 0 to 5, m is 0 or 1, n is 1 or 2, Z is oxygen, sulfur or C(R′)(R″), R′ and R″ are hydrogen or a monovalent hydrocarbon group which may contain a heteroatom, and X− is an anion.
US09069242B2
A method of assembling a three-dimensional display apparatus involves providing a support unit, made up of a projector mounting and a screen mounting surface having a first aperture therethrough; and a screen unit, made up of a diaphragm and an inflatable screen affixed thereto-the diaphragm defining a second aperture in communication with the inflatable screen. The screen mounting surface and the diaphragm are brought into contact so as to align the first and second apertures; and to secure the support unit to the screen unit to thereby create a seal between the support surface and the diaphragm around the first and second apertures. The seal being sufficiently gas tight to enable inflation of the screen.
US09069240B2
A system and method for calibrating system parameters of a lithography apparatus is disclosed. The system includes a measurement device configured to measure an overlay error between patterns formed on a substrate during different exposures and a processing device configured to determine a model representative of a relationship between the overlay error and a system parameter error based on the measured overlay error. The method includes measuring an overlay error between patterns formed at different exposures with the substrate positioned at different orientations during each of the different exposures. The method further includes determining a model representative of a relationship between the overlay error and a system parameter error based on the measured overlay error and deriving a calibration correction factor from the model.
US09069233B2
Provided is a mirror unit comprising a movable mirror that pivots back and forth between an observation position and a withdrawn position; a movable mirror drive section that accumulates bias force using drive force of a drive force source, and causes the movable mirror to pivot from one of the observation position and the withdrawn position to the other by releasing the accumulated bias force; an attachment drive section that accumulates bias force using the drive force of the drive force source, and drives a working section other than the movable mirror by releasing the accumulated bias force; and an interlocking section that interlocks with the movable mirror and the attachment drive section, accumulates bias force in the attachment drive section while the movable mirror drive section releases bias force, and releases bias force from the attachment drive section while the movable mirror drive section accumulates bias force.
US09069232B2
A lens barrier unit capable of improving the external force-resistance without increasing the size of the lens barrier unit itself. The lens barrier unit opens/closes an opening portion of a cover member. Each of a first panel member and a second panel member has an opening communicating with the opening portion and a plate-shaped portion for partially defining the opening. A lens barrier member moves between a lens protection position and a lens exposed position. A link member moves a lens barrier member to the lens protection position or the lens exposed position. The lens barrier member and the link member are arranged between the first panel member and the second panel member with the link member located on a side of the second panel member side, and the second panel member and the link member overlap with each other through a static pressure receiving structure.
US09069229B2
CdSiP2 crystals with sizes and optical quality suitable for use as nonlinear optical devices are disclosed, as well as NLO devices based thereupon. A method of growing the crystals by directional solidification from a stoichiometric melt is also disclosed. The disclosed NLO crystals have a higher nonlinear coefficient than prior art crystals that can be pumped by solid state lasers, and are particularly useful for frequency shifting 1.06 μm, 1.55 μm, and 2 μm lasers to wavelengths between 2 μm and 10 μm. Due to the high thermal conductivity and low losses of the claimed CdSiP2 crystals, average output power can exceed 10 W without severe thermal lensing. A 6.45 μm laser source for use as a medical laser scalpel is also disclosed, in which a CdSiP2 crystal is configured for non-critical phase matching, pumped by a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser, and temperature-tuned to produce output at 6.45 μm.
US09069227B2
The invention is directed to an acousto-optic lens (AOL) and corresponding method. The AOL of the invention comprises a first and second acousto-optic deflector, each being arranged to support a respective acoustic wave. The AOL includes a driver for synthesizing first and second drive signals for the respective first and second acousto-optic deflectors. The driver is arranged to synthesize the drive signals so as to be phase-modulated by functions that can be expressed as a Taylor series having one or more coefficients greater than second order. The functions are preferably non-sinusoidal and have sufficient magnitude at the higher orders to effect one or more of fixed aberration correction, dynamic aberration correction and Z-scanning.
US09069226B2
Thermally stabilized resonant electro-optic modulator (1), wherein the temperature control unit (8) is provided for separately determining the first and the second intensities measured by the light sensor (6) at the first voltages and the second voltages respectively in function of time.
US09069222B2
Disclosed is an electrochromic display element, including a display substrate, an opposed substrate that is opposed to the display substrate, an opposed electrode being formed at a display-substrate-opposed side of the opposed substrate, a first display electrode and a first electrochromic layer being laminated at an opposed-substrate-opposed side of the display substrate, a single porous film being formed between the display substrate and the opposed substrate, a second display electrode and a second electrochromic layer being laminated at a display-substrate-opposed side of the porous film, a third display electrode and a third electrochromic layer being laminated at an opposed-substrate-opposed side of the porous film, and an electrolyte being present between the display substrate and the opposed substrate.
US09069215B2
There is provided a high quality liquid crystal panel having a thickness with high accuracy, which is designed, without using a particulate spacer, within a free range in accordance with characteristics of a used liquid crystal and a driving method, and is also provided a method of fabricating the same. The shape of a spacer for keeping a substrate interval constant is made such that it is a columnar shape, a radius R of curvature is 2 μm or less, a height H is 0.5 μm to 10 μm, a diameter is 20 μm or less, and an angle α is 65° to 115°. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the lowering of an opening rate and the lowering of light leakage due to orientation disturbance.
US09069212B2
This invention is an exposure apparatus for exposing a photoalignment film provided on a substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a light source and a photomask, and exposes the photoalignment film through the photomask while scanning the light source or the substrate. When a direction in which the light source or the substrate is scanned is taken as a scanning direction, and a direction that is orthogonal to the scanning direction is taken as a vertical direction, the photomask includes a first region and a second region that is adjacent to the first region in the vertical direction. The first region includes a plurality of first transparent portions inside a first light-shielding portion. The plurality of first transparent portions are arranged in the vertical direction. The second region includes a plurality of second transparent portions inside a second light-shielding portion.
US09069207B2
The invention provides a display device having a slim structure and a small size with enhanced strength. The display device according to an embodiment includes a display panel, a backlight assembly disposed below the display panel, a first support section surrounding lateral sides of the display panel, and a second support section extending from an inner side of the first support section such that the second support section is disposed at lateral sides of the backlight assembly.
US09069203B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal panel, which includes: a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate, a color filter (CF) substrate opposite to the TFT substrate, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the TFT substrate and the CF substrate. The TFT substrate includes a first glass substrate and a pixel electrode. The CF substrate includes a second glass substrate and a common electrode. The pixel electrode includes a plurality of pixels, each of which includes a plurality of sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel includes: a first zone and a second zone adjacent to the first zone. The first zone has a liquid crystal cell thickness that is greater than or smaller than a liquid crystal cell thickness of the second zone. The same driving voltage applied to the first and second zones of would result in different electric fields due to the different liquid crystal cell thicknesses.
US09069198B2
Disclosed is a display apparatus in which liquid crystal is injected into a non-display area having a transmitting hole formed in a predetermined portion of a panel corresponding to a camera, wherein the display apparatus comprises a display unit having a panel; and a guide frame, wherein the guide frame includes: a guide sidewall; and a panel supporter, wherein a camera receiving part with a camera mounted thereon is formed in a first panel support of the panel supporter, a transmitting hole for transmitting light to the camera is formed in a black matrix of a first non-display area to be placed on the first panel supporter of the upper substrate, and a display area of the panel and the first non-display area are filled with liquid crystal.
US09069197B2
The present invention provides a method for improving visibility of an image display device which is capable of providing an image display device excellent in anti-reflection properties and bright-field contrast even using an optical layered body including a light-transmitting substrate having in-plane birefringence, such as a polyester film. The method of the present invention is a method for improving visibility of an image display device that has an optical layered body including a light-transmitting substrate having in-plane birefringence and an optical functional layer disposed on one surface of the substrate. The method includes the step of disposing the optical layered body such that the slow axis showing a greater refractive index of the light-transmitting substrate is in parallel with the vertical direction of a display screen of the image display device.
US09069195B2
According to embodiments of the invention, there are disclosed a liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display panel comprises: a liquid crystal layer; a conductive structure, surrounding the liquid crystal layer; and a driving circuit, connected to the conductive structure. The driving circuit comprises: a power supply circuit and a switch circuit. The power supply is connected to the conductive structure and provides the conductive structure with a DC voltage. One terminal of the switch circuit is connected to the conductive structure and the other terminal thereof is grounded.
US09069189B2
An eyewear is provided. The eyewear includes lenses interconnected via a lens bridge and a nose clamp connected to the lens bridge or lenses. The nose clamp includes nose pads which are mountable onto a nose of a user, wherein the nose pads are configured for accommodating noses of varying width without substantially affecting a distance between the lenses or their orientation on the face of the user.
US09069187B2
Photochromic spectacles which use solar energy as the power source include a frame, two lenses arranged in the frame, and a driving circuit. Each lens includes a substrate, an electrochromic film and a solar cell film. The solar cell is a transparent and outer film and absorbs infrared light and ultraviolet light from the sun, to convert the infrared and ultraviolet light to electrical power. The driving circuit is arranged on the frame and electrically connected with the electrochromic film and the solar cell, the driving circuit can be switched to apply or not to apply electrical power generated by the solar cell film to the electrochromic film to darken the spectacles.
US09069184B2
Disclosed is a display device capable of inhibiting a projected picture from occurrence of brightness unevenness while reducing speckle noise. The display device (100) includes a control portion (15) continuously supplying current to a laser beam generation portion (12, 13, 14) nonstop for a period longer than a first period thereby controlling the laser beam generation portion to output the laser beam and controlling the laser beam generation portion to stop the output of the laser beam at least once in a second period scanning one image forming element (1, 2).
US09069175B2
An optical microscope is provided with an adjustable optical phase ring. The adjustable ring provides a way to compensate for distortion in the visible phase ring before the light reaches the sample. In an inverted microscope, when observing transparent cells under a liquid, the visible light phase ring is distorted. By the use of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) in place of a fixed ring, the projected ring is adjusted to realign the light and produce phase. In a typical micro plate, the meniscus formed produces a lens effect that is realigned by providing changes in the position and pattern, to allow phase imaging over a wider portion of the well. The realignment of the ring can be manual or automated and can be dynamically adjusted based upon an observed image of the sample.
US09069172B1
A multi-mode sight includes an optical sight that provides a direct view image of an aiming point or reticle superimposed on a target scene. The optical sight includes a single optical path defined through the sight comprising a direct view and overlay path. A thermal imager provides a monochromic thermal image of the target scene. A single combiner is located in the optical path and passes the direct view image and reflects the thermal image to overlay the thermal image onto the direct view image for an operator to see as a superimposed thermal and direct view optical image of the target scene together with the aiming point or reticle.
US09069165B2
The invention provides a binocular image display apparatus provided which comprises: two image display devices corresponding to the left and right eyeballs of a viewer, respectively, and two viewing optical systems, one for the left eye and one for the right eye, for projecting original images on the image display devices onto the left and right eyeballs of the viewer. In the left-eye and right-eye viewing optical systems, an observation image projected onto one eyeball includes a fused image area wherein the observation image overlaps a part of an observation image projected onto another eyeball and a monocular area other than the fused image area, and inside resolution in a horizontal direction with respect to a visual axis of the viewer is set higher than outside resolution.
US09069164B2
The present application discloses systems and methods for a virtual input device. In one example, the virtual input device includes a projector and a camera. The projector projects a pattern onto a surface. The camera captures images that can be interpreted by a processor to determine actions. The projector may be mounted on an arm of a pair of eyeglasses and the camera may be mounted on an opposite arm of the eyeglasses. A pattern for a virtual input device can be projected onto a “display hand” of a user, and the camera may be able to detect when the user uses an opposite hand to select items of the virtual input device. In another example, the camera may detect when the display hand is moving and interpret display hand movements as inputs to the virtual input device, and/or realign the projection onto the moving display hand.
US09069163B2
A head-up display system suitable for an aircraft. The head-up display including an image source arranged outside the desired field of view of an observer and where the intensity of symbols of the image source are modulated differ depending on their perceived position relative to the horizon line. A light source is arranged for providing light to an image source which is arranged to modulate the light of the light source thereby creating an image for the head up display. A brightness control unit have inputs for vehicle pitch- and roll angle, and a calculator configured to calculate, based on the pitch and roll angles, the current position in the image of a virtual horizon line, corresponding to the real horizon line as perceived by the observer, and for controlling the brightness of symbols above the virtual horizon line to be different from the brightness of symbols below the line.
US09069153B2
An optical module comprises: a first positive meniscus lens having a focal length F1 and comprising a first convex optical surface facing an object side, and a second concave optical surface facing an image side; a second positive meniscus lens having a focal length F2 and comprising a third concave optical surface facing the object side, and a fourth convex optical surface facing the image side. The four surfaces follow the curvature equation: Zi=CURViYi2/(1+(1−(1+Ki)CURVi2Yi2)1/2)+(Ai)Yi2+(Bi)Yi4+(Ci)Yi6+(Di)Yi8 with Mi=1−(1+Ki)(CURVi)2(Ri)2 where: i is the surface number, Ki is the conic constant of the i-th surface; CURVi is the curvature of the i-th surface at the optical axis; Ai, Bi, Ci, Di, are aspheric coefficients of the i-th surface; Ri is the effective radius of aperture of the i-th surface. The following relations are satisfied: 0.60
US09069152B2
Furcating fiber optic cables without direct coupling of optical fibers to strength members are disclosed. Related methods and assemblies are also disclosed. The furcation includes shrink tube(s) securing optical fiber(s) to their fiber sub-unit jacket(s). The shrink tube(s) is secured inside a cable jacket of the fiber optic cable to secure fiber sub-unit(s) and their optical fiber(s) as part of the furcation. The strength member(s) of the fiber optic cable is also secured to the cable jacket as part of the furcation. The shrink tube(s) prevents direct coupling of the optical fiber(s) to the strength member(s) in the furcation. By not directly coupling the optical fiber(s) to the strength member(s), cable strain can be directed to the cable jacket and the fiber sub-unit jacket(s). The shrink tube(s) can also prevent or reduce micro-bubbles from forming around the optical fiber(s) in the furcation which may cause attenuation from optical fiber micro-bending.
US09069148B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a downhole cable, the method including, forming a helical shape in an outer circumferential surface of a metal tube, the metal tube having a fiber element housed therein, and stranding a copper element in a helical space formed by the metallic tube. Also provided is a downhole cable including, a metallic tube having a helical space in an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein the metallic tube has a fiber element housed therein, and a copper element disposed in a helical space formed by the steel tube. Double-tube and multi-tube configurations of the downhole cable are also provided.
US09069146B2
Provided is an optical module. The optical module includes: an optical bench having a first trench of a first depth and a second trench of a second depth that is lower than the first depth; a lens in the first trench of the optical bench; at least one semiconductor chip in the second trench of the optical bench; and a flexible printed circuit board covering an upper surface of the optical bench except for the first and second trenches, wherein the optical bench is a metal optical bench or a silicon optical bench.
US09069141B2
A fiber optic termination arrangement includes a first optical fiber with a core surrounded by cladding having, a first end having a first outer surface and a second end having a second outer surface. The second outer surface is sized to match that of a second optical fiber to facilitate splicing the second end of the first optical fiber to a third end of the second optical fiber. Additionally, the first outer surface is sized and configured to interface with a connector capable of operationally aligning the core of the first optical fiber with a core of a third optical fiber or an optical receiving/transmitting device. The first optical fiber also includes a transition region wherein a third outer surface of the first optical fiber transitions from the first outer surface to the second outer surface.
US09069135B2
A polarized light beam having a coherence length L can be depolarized by splitting the beam into orthogonally polarized sub-beams and delaying one of the sub-beams relative to the other by a length larger than L. This spatial delay is created by splitting the beam in a walk-off crystal and disposing in the optical path of one of the sub-beams a slab of an optically dense material, while allowing the other sub-beam to propagate outside and near the slab. The sub-beams remain parallel to each other, allowing another walk-off crystal to be used to recombine the sub-beams. A dual-core fiber ferrule and a microlens array can be used to combine fiber-coupled output beams of two laser diodes in a single compact walk-off crystal.
US09069132B2
A photosensitive resin composition for a light blocking layer includes (A) a colorant including a blue material including a dye represented by the following Chemical Formula 1, and a red material, (B) a binder resin, (C) a photopolymerizable monomer, (D) a photopolymerization initiator, and (E) a solvent, and a light blocking layer using the same. In Chemical Formula 1, each substituent is the same as defined in the detailed description.
US09069131B2
A transfer print structure is provided. The transfer print structure comprises a substrate; a color ink layer including a functional region; and an adhesive device combining the functional region with the substrate.
US09069117B1
Disclosed is an optical fiber formed from a preform that includes a clad material and a core material. The clad material includes an oxide glass and the core material includes as a primary component a semiconductor material that melts at a temperature below where the cladding glass draws into fiber. In addition, the core material includes a scavenger for oxide precipitates that can precipitate into the core from the adjacent clad material during the fiber formation process. During formation, the scavenger reduces oxide precipitate to form the core primary component, or a phase compatible with it, and volatile products. The volatile products evolve out of the system. The primary material of the core can melt during the fiber formation process and crystallize upon cooling leaving the formed optical fiber with a crystalline core and little or no impurities due to precipitation of oxide into the core.
US09069112B2
A first lens array unit includes a first lens array plate and a second lens array plate in which a plurality of lenses are provided in the main scanning direction, and a first light shielding member piece and a second light shielding member piece provided with a plurality of through holes corresponding to the lenses. The first lens array plate, the second lens array plate, the first light shielding member piece, and the second light shielding member piece are formed as one piece. The lens array is built by bending joints joining the lens array plates and the light shielding member pieces such that the lens is located to directly face the corresponding through hole.
US09069105B2
An imaging lens having reduced susceptibility to thermally-induced stress birefringence for imaging an object plane to an image plane; comprising a plurality of lens elements. The lens element that experiences a highest optical power density is fabricated using a glass having a negligible susceptibility to thermal stress birefringence as characterized by the thermal stress birefringence metric. The other lens elements are fabricated using glasses having a negligible or a moderate susceptibility to thermal stress birefringence, at least one of the other lens elements being fabricated using a glass having a moderate susceptibility to thermal stress birefringence.
US09069104B2
A computer generates a three dimensional map of a pathway area using a plurality of overhead images. The computer determines a forecasted weather pattern to occur in the pathway area. The computer analyzes the three dimensional map and the forecasted weather pattern to predict one or more violations of the pathway. The computer generates a priority for the one or more predicted violations of the pathway. The computer generates a plan for pathway management of the pathway area.
US09069102B2
A subterranean reservoir where the pore space of media or formation rock is multimodal, and the media may have imbedded multiple scales of fracture networks, is simulated. The modes of the pore system and the scale of fracture networks are each represented as a separate, but interactive continuum with the other. A matrix solution with arrangement of the reservoir data adapted for parallel computation is utilized. The simulation allows multiple continua to be co-located and multi-interacting, in that each continuum may have current and counter-current multiple multiphase exchanges with other continua.
US09069099B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed for monitoring microseismic activity in a formation. The method and apparatus include placing a tool string having a shuttle including a sensor thereon in a stimulation well, and activating the shuttle to acoustically couple the sensor to an inner surface of a casing. The sensor is acoustically decoupled from the tool string. Fluid is then injected into the formation via the tool string. The sensor is reengaged with the tool string. The tool string may then be removed from the stimulation well or moved to another position along the wellbore.
US09069091B2
A technique includes generating one or more sweep sequences for one or more seismic vibrators for a seismic survey and evaluating a cost for the sequence(s). The technique includes perturbing the sequence(s) and continuing the evaluation and perturbing until the cost is within a limit or a maximum number of perturbations is reached.
US09069086B2
A patterned scintillator panel including an extruded scintillator layer comprising a thermoplastic polyolefin and a scintillator material, wherein the scintillator layer comprises a pattern. Also disclosed is a method of making a patterned scintillator panel including forming a scintillator layer by melt extrusion, the scintillator layer comprising thermoplastic particles comprising a thermoplastic polyolefin and a scintillator material; and patterning the scintillator layer. Further disclosed is a method of making a patterned scintillator panel including forming a scintillator layer by injection molding, the scintillator layer comprising thermoplastic particles comprising a thermoplastic polyolefin and a scintillator material; and patterning the scintillator layer.
US09069085B2
The present invention relates to quaternary compound scintillators and related devices and methods. The scintillators may include, for example, a mixed halide scintillator composition including at least two different CsLiLa halide compounds and a dopant. Related detection devices and methods are further included.
US09069074B2
A method of inferring a user's direction by a computer, the method includes: recording a relative azimuth angle obtained from an output of a direction sensor included in a terminal apparatus carried by the user; identifying the user's direction at a first point at which the user's direction is capable of being identified; and inferring the user's direction at a second point by using a relative azimuth angle corresponding to the first point and a relative azimuth angle corresponding to the second point different from the first point, and the user's direction that has been identified at the first point.
US09069068B2
Systems and methods for reporting position and associated integrity during times when extrapolation is not taking place as accurately as possible. In one example, a processing device deactivates extrapolation of global positioning system (GPS) position information based on a predefined condition, receives ground speed information, and HFOM and HIL values from a global position system (GPS); calculates inflated HFOM and HIL values based on the received HFOM and HIL values and the ground speed and generates an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) OUT signal based on the calculated inflated HFOM and HIL values. A transmitter coupled to the processing device transmits the generated ADS-B OUT signal.
US09069065B1
Techniques are described for determining locations of audio sources. Audio signals are captured from multiple locations. Pairs of the audio signals are analyzed to create correlograms, indicating correlation scores corresponding to different time offsets between the signals. Based on the correlograms, various locations are analyzed to determine probabilities of audio originating from those locations. The highest probabilities are found, indicating locations containing audio sources. In some situations, the audio sources may be reflective sources, and the locations of the reflective sources may be used to determine locations of objects or surfaces.
US09069063B2
The invention relates to a method for recording medical images, in particular ultrasound images, of a moving object, in particular of a heart, said method comprising the following steps: generating a movement signal that dynamically represents the state of movement of the moving object, identifying the phase position and the frequency of the moving object on the basis of the movement signal, reconstructing the images on the basis of the phase position and of the frequency and/or carrying out at least one scan of the moving object, with the recording times being adjusted according to the phase position and the frequency of the moving object.
US09069058B2
Static transmitter stations are used to determine the position of a mobile receiver unit. Each transmitter station transmits an ultrasonic signal including a transmitter-specific phase-shifting signature. The receiver unit receives a signal and identifies a transmitter station by its signature. It uses the received signal and the identity of the source transmitter station to determine the position of the mobile receiver unit. The signature may include two patterns phase-shift-key (PSK)-encoded on respective carrier signals of the same frequency but different phase, with the patterns being offset from each other by a transmitter-specific offset. The signal from the transmitter station may also include a PSK-encoded message.
US09069053B2
In a method for the computer-assisted processing of measurements of features in a radio network, each of a plurality of measurements is associated with a base station and describes a feature of a field transmitted by a mobile object at the associated base station and/or a field transmitted by the associated base station at the mobile object. A plurality of evaluation units communicate with the base stations, one or more base stations of the radio network being associated with each evaluation unit. The evaluation units evaluate features in the radio network, a suitable evaluation unit always being determined by the position of the mobile object to evaluate the features. Since the feature evaluation is distributed, not all evaluated data in the network is lost in case an evaluation unit breaks down. In addition, using multiple evaluation units ensures that enough computer capacity is available to process the measurements in the method.
US09069045B2
Disclosed herein is a voltage sensing assembly to detect voltages of battery cells having electrode terminals formed at an upper end or a lower end thereof in a state in which the voltage sensing assembly is mounted to a battery module, the voltage sensing assembly including (a) a block case, formed of an electrically insulative material, mounted to a front or rear of the battery module corresponding to electrode terminal connection parts of the battery cells, (b) conductive sensing parts connected to voltage sensing terminals located at one-side ends of bus bars electrically connected to the electrode terminal connection parts of the battery cells, and (c) a connector to transmit voltages sensed by the conductive sensing parts to a controller, wherein the block case includes mounting grooves, opened to a front, formed at positions of the block case corresponding to the voltage sensing terminals of the bus bars such that the conductive sensing parts are mounted in the mounting grooves, and the conductive sensing parts are connected to the voltage sensing terminals of the bus bars in a state in which the conductive sensing parts are mounted in the mounting grooves of the block case.
US09069034B2
An apparatus, system, and method for phase detection of electromagnetic signals are presented. The apparatus may include a magnetic element, one or more first signal contacts coupled to the magnetic element for receiving a first signal, and one or more output contacts coupled to the magnetic element for providing a variable level voltage generated by the magnetic element, the level of the voltage being responsive to a phase difference between the first signal and a second signal. In a further embodiment, the apparatus may include a substrate for mechanically supporting the magnetic element. Additionally, the apparatus may include a conductor mechanically supported by substrate, the conductor configured to receive the second signal.
US09069032B2
A magnetic balance type current sensor includes: a magnetic detection bridge circuit of which output varies due to an induced magnetic field from a current wire; a magnetic field attenuation unit that attenuates the induced magnetic field that acts on a magnetoresistive effect element; and a feedback coil which generates a cancel magnetic field that cancels the induced magnetic field in accordance with the output of the magnetic detection bridge circuit, and through which a current corresponding to the current to be measured flows when it enters a balanced state in which the cancel magnetic field and the induced magnetic field cancel each other, wherein the feedback coil is provided in such a manner that a direction of the cancel magnetic field that acts on the magnetic field attenuation unit is opposite to a direction of the induced magnetic field that acts on the magnetic field attenuation unit.
US09069026B1
A diagnostic tool for trailer lights to assist in troubleshooting of trailer wiring and exterior lighting components comprises a small hand-held plastic enclosure and interior electrical diagnostic components. The diagnostic device further comprises a vehicle-type connector and a series of colored indicator lamps. When the diagnostic device is connected to a trailer wiring connector, the indicator lights will inform the user of all working and non-working circuits on the trailer. The device also comprises various types of adapters so as to work with any size trailer from small utility trailers up to large tractor trailer rigs.
US09069018B2
A device for monitoring and measuring the electrical and mechanical parameters of a power line conductor. Sensors of the device measure conductor temperature, the angle of inclination of the overhead conductor, current flowing in the conductor, and voltage to ground. The device has a low-power mode in which parameters of the power line conductor are not measured. Upon detecting a change in an electrical or mechanical value of the power line conductor, the device measures parameters of the power line conductor for a predetermined length of time before returning to the low power mode.
US09069016B2
A current sensor includes at least three bus bars made of flat-plate-shaped conductors and an inverter, a plurality of cores in which a core is formed by stacking flat plates made of U-shaped magnetic bodies, and a detecting element arranged on the side of an opening portion of each of the cores for detecting the intensity of a magnetic field. An interval between the core and another bus bar that is adjacent to the bus bar inserted into the U groove of the core is ½ of the length of the opening portion in the spacing direction, and the tolerance of the gap is set to a value obtained by subtracting the value of 3/2 of the length of the opening portion in the spacing direction from the value of the interval between the bus bars that are adjacent to each other, with the gap as a median value.
US09069014B2
A wire probe assembly and forming process is described. In one example, a method includes inserting a plurality of wires through a probe former and a tip retainer to contact a probe head substrate, attaching the wires to a surface of the substrate, pulling the probe former laterally with respect to the substrate surface and the tip retainer to bend the wires into test probes with a resiliency to transverse movement, and removing the tip retainer to form a test probe head.
US09069003B2
An apparatus for determining a speed of cyclic motion of a device or user and one or more poses of a device may include a processor and memory storing executable computer code causing the apparatus to at least perform operations including receiving one or more determined acceleration values during one or more time periods in response to detected cyclic motion of a user moving with an apparatus. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to transform the acceleration values to one or more corresponding frequency components associated with the acceleration values. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to determine a speed of the cyclic motion of the user based in part on comparing a spectrum of the frequency components to one or more spectrums of distribution associated with respective one or more speeds of training data. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.
US09069001B2
Systems and methods for potted shock isolation are provided. In once embodiment a shock isolation system comprises an isolator comprising an outer ring for mounting to an external housing, and an inner ring connected to the outer ring via an isolating element; and an inertial sensing assembly comprising: at least one circuit board secured to the inner ring of the isolator, the at least one circuit board further comprising a triad of gyroscopes and a triad of accelerometers; and a low durometer highly dampened supporting material encapsulating a first surface of the at least one circuit board.
US09068993B2
The polynucleotide encoding the antigen Wb123 from the filarial nematode Wuchereria bancrofti, the major causative organism of lymphatic filariasis is provided, along with the polypeptide encoded by the polynucleotide. Methods for making the WM23 antigen, recombinant vectors encoding the Wb123 polynucleotide, and methods of detection of the Wb123 antigen through luciferase immunoprecipitation, ELISA and other detection systems are also provided.
US09068991B2
Cardiovascular disease, e.g., congestive heart failure, is often first diagnosed after the onset of clinical symptoms, eliminating potential for early intervention. The invention provides a multi-marker immunoassay, including cardiac pathology and vascular inflammation biomarkers, yielding a more sensitive assay for early detection of CHF in plasma. A panel consisting of cardiac pathology (cTnI, BNP) and vascular inflammation (IL-6, TNFα, IL-17a) biomarkers provided a sensitivity of 94% for association with CHF.
US09068988B2
The present invention relates to novel methods and products for assessing the physiological status of a subject. More particularly, the invention relates to methods of assessing the presence, risk or stage of a cancer in a subject by measuring the levels of antibodies against particular aberrant protein domains in a sample from the subject, or the presence or number of immune cells hearing TCR specific for such aberrant protein domains. The invention is also suitable to assess the responsiveness of a subject to a treatment, as well as to screen candidate drugs and design novel therapies. The invention may be used in any mammalian subject, particularly in human subjects.
US09068987B2
The present invention describes inhibitors of extracellular Hsp90. The inhibition of extracellular Hsp90 leads to a reduction of the invasiveness of the tumor cells. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of molecules inhibiting extracellular Hsp90 function for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment or prevention of invasion and/or metastatic potential of cancer cells.
US09068973B2
The present invention provides methods for identifying candidate compounds for limiting development of and/or treating diabetes, and methods for limiting development of and/or treating diabetes.
US09068972B2
A reversion mutation assay that is unique in providing a quantitative readout for mutagenesis. This assay is based on the creation of a functional GFP-β-lactamase fusion protein as a reporter providing both antibiotic resistance and fluorescence. This dual reporter is placed in a multicopy plasmid to increase the number of targets, with a reversion site at the N-terminus. Rare mutations at the reversion site allow read-through of the fusion protein, producing both beta-lactamase (providing antibiotic resistance) and GFP (emitting fluorescence). In the presence of carbenicillin, beta-lactamase production confers a selective advantage that allows amplification of mutant plasmids, raising the level of fluorescence emitted by GFP to levels that are detectable by fluorimetry. A window of time can be found where fluorescence is proportional to the number of mutation events at the reversion site, making fluorescence a quantitative measure of mutagenesis. Quantitative (as opposed to binary) detection of mutations allows substantial savings in test sample. This has applications in drug discovery, allowing high-throughput screening for DNA-targeting compounds and early pre-screening of leads for potential carcinogenic activity. The increased sensitivity of this assay also facilitates monitoring complex environmental samples.
US09068963B2
A composition useful as a Reference Standard for measurement of Cetane Number or for use as a standard for determining a Derived Cetane Number consists essentially of a blend of n-hexadecane and 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane. The disclosed Reference Standards can be used directly as substitutes for blends of n-hexadecane and 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane in ASTM D613-10a for determining Cetane Number, or in ASTM D6890, ASTM D7170 or ASTM D7668 to determine a Derived Cetane Number.
US09068961B2
A method of testing an earth sample and an apparatus for executing the method are disclosed herein. The method includes the steps of obtaining at least one earth sample. The method also includes the steps of detecting one or more counts of decay from the at least one earth sample. The detected count is at at least one level of radiation decay energy from among a plurality of possible levels of radiation decay energy associated with decay daughters of Radium 226 and/or 228. The method also includes the steps of deriving a level of radiation emission activity of the at least one earth sample based on the one or more counts of decay detected in said detecting step.
US09068960B2
The present invention provides methods for determining the presence of oxidizing salts. According to the current invention, analyte is collected on a swipe and subsequently heated to a temperature sufficient to release a detectable vapor phase component of the oxidizing salt. The vapor phase component passes reacts with a pH sensitive molecule. Reaction of the vapor phase product with the pH sensitive molecule produces a detectable change in response intensity.
US09068948B2
This invention provides for compositions for use in real time nucleic acid detection processes. Such real time nucleic acid detection processes are carried out with energy transfer elements attached to nucleic acid primers, nucleotides, nucleic acid probes or nucleic acid binding agents. Real time nucleic acid detection allows for the qualitative or quantitative detection or determination of single-stranded or double-stranded nucleic acids of interest in a sample. Other processes are provided by this invention including processes for removing a portion of a homopolymeric sequence, e.g., poly A sequence or tail, from an analyte or library of analytes. Compositions useful in carrying out such removal processes are also described and provided.
US09068944B2
There is provided a structure to reduce the size of light intensity data in the scanning molecule counting method using an optical measurement with a confocal microscope or a multiphoton microscope. In the inventive optical analysis technique of detecting light of a light-emitting particle in a sample solution, time series light intensity data of light from a light detection region detected with moving the position of the light detection region of the microscope in the sample solution is generated, and a signal of a light-emitting particle individually is detected in the time series light intensity data. In that case, regions where no signal indicating light of light-emitting particles exist in the time series light intensity data is removed from the time series light intensity data.
US09068942B2
The present invention relates to methods of diagnosing, monitoring, and treating elastin fiber injuries. In additional preferred embodiments, the present invention relates to methods of validating candidate compounds for use in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, emphysema, refractory asthma, and other related diseases. Examples of such methods include determining if the candidate compound decreases the degradation of elastic fiber in a patient administered the candidate compound by measuring, using mass spectrometry employing an internal standard, a marker of elastic fiber degradation in a sample of a body fluid or a tissue of the patient. The invention provides that a decrease in the presence of the marker compared to a control validates that the candidate compound is effective to treat, prevent, or ameliorate the disease.
US09068935B2
A sensor for biomolecules or charged ions includes a substrate; a first node, a second node, and a third node located in the substrate; a gate dielectric located over the substrate, the first node, the second node, and the third node; a first field effect transistor (FET), the first FET comprising a control gate located on the gate dielectric, and the first node and the second node; and a second FET, the second FET comprising a sensing surface located on the gate dielectric, and the second node and the third node, wherein the sensing surface is configured to specifically bind the biomolecules or charged ions that are to be detected.
US09068931B2
A biosensor includes a working electrode 101, a counter electrode 102 opposing the working electrode 101, a working electrode terminal 103 and a working electrode reference terminal 10 connected to the working electrode 101 by wires, and a counter electrode terminal 104 connected to the counter electrode 102 by a wire. By employing a structure with at least three electrodes, it is possible to assay a target substance without being influenced by the line resistance on the working electrode side.
US09068920B2
A mobile scanner is disclosed and may include a frame. A front axle and a rear axle may be attached to the frame. The front axle may include a first tire/wheel assembly mounted thereon and a second tire/wheel assembly mounted thereon. Further, the rear axle may include a first tire/wheel assembly mounted thereon and a second tire/wheel assembly mounted thereon. Moreover, a cab may be mounted on the frame and a body may be mounted on the frame adjacent to the cab. A volumetric document scanner may be disposed within the body. The volumetric document scanner may be configured to use x-ray computed tomography in order to scan documents and create a three-dimensional data set representing the documents.
US09068909B2
A method for testing internal differences in reinforced flexible composites including placing a flexible composite on a rigid support structure, tapping the composite with a tapper of predetermined mass, determining a value representative of the impact duration of the tap and/or computing a value representative of the local stiffness of the composite. The composite may be a power transmission belt or portion thereof with tensile cord reinforcement. The method is useful for comparing the degree of penetration of elastomer into the tensile cord, for example in a cast polyurethane toothed belt.
US09068906B2
Turbine blade tip clearance is measured in a fully assembled turbine casing by mounting a non-contact displacement probe or sensor on a turbine blade that generates data indicative of sensor distance from the turbine casing that circumferentially surrounds the blade. The sensor is mounted on the blade with a sensor fixture, which includes a clamping mechanism and a sensor retention mechanism that retains and calibrates the sensor by selective movement of the sensor relative to the retention mechanism. Variations in sensor distance data are recorded when the turbine is operated in turning gear mode. Blade rotational position data are collected by a rotational position sensor. A data processing system correlates the distance and rotational position data with localized blade tip gap at angular positions about the turbine casing circumference. This method and apparatus facilitate assessment of turbine casing deformation impact on blade tip clearance and rotor/casing alignment.
US09068905B2
A method determines a rotational speed of a driveshaft of an internal combustion engine. The rotating driveshaft assumes different rotary positions at different times. An average gradient of rotary speed for the driveshaft is determined at at least two rotary positions. Subsequently, an average rotational speed for the driveshaft is obtained from a past average gradient of rotary speed at at least one later point in time.
US09068893B2
A spectral characteristic obtaining apparatus including a light irradiation unit configured to emit light onto a reading object; a spectroscopic unit configured to separate at least a part of diffused reflected light from the light emitted onto the reading object by the light irradiation unit into a spectrum; and a light receiving unit configured to receive the diffused reflected light separated into the spectrum by the spectroscopic unit and to obtain a spectral characteristic. In at least one example embodiment, the light receiving unit is configured to be a spectroscopic sensor array including plural spectroscopic sensors arranged in a direction, and the spectroscopic sensors include a predetermined number of pixels arranged in the direction to receive lights with different spectral characteristics from each other.
US09068888B2
An opto-isolation circuit (300) is provided, including an optocoupler (303) configured to optically transfer a raw output signal, a conversion circuit (317) coupled to an optocoupler output and configured to convert the raw output signal into a predetermined converted signal, and a control circuit (306) coupled to the optocoupler output. The control circuit (306) is configured to generate an autonomous control signal from the raw output signal after the raw output signal passes through the optocoupler (303), wherein the autonomous control signal is generated only if the raw output signal exceeds a predetermined conversion threshold, and control the conversion circuit (317) and convert the raw output signal into the predetermined converted signal if the autonomous control signal is generated by the control circuit (306) and output the raw output signal to an output port if the autonomous control signal is not generated by the control circuit (306).
US09068887B1
A UV dosimetry system comprises a wearable unit and a mobile computing device. The wearable unit measures the UV irradiance intensity and wirelessly communicates with the mobile computing device. The UV dosimetry system supports multi-user control and can link one mobile computing device with multiple wearable units. The UV dosimetry system processes the measured UV irradiance intensity to calculate the UV index (UVI) and the sensor site specific UV dose. It can also calculate the total absorbed UV dose and vitamin D production by taking into account user specific factors. The UVI data measured by a plurality of UV meters such as the disclosed UV dosimetry system are crowd sourced to a remote server together with the location and time data of the measurement. The remote server excludes invalid UVI measurement and generates UVI maps showing time-varying distribution of UVI data at different locations.
US09068886B2
A method and a system for vicarious characterization of a remote sensing sensor are described. The system includes a plurality of reflective mirrors configured and arranged to reflect radiation from a source of radiation onto a remotely located radiation sensor. The plurality of mirrors are spaced apart so as to obtain a plurality of distinct spot images on the remotely located radiation sensor. The system further includes a processor configured to analyze the plurality of spot images by fitting the images to obtain a point spread function of the remote sensing sensor.
US09068881B2
Operational parameters of a single-photon detector are determined with a continuous wave laser source. At a fixed trigger, a dark count probability and a series of count probabilities at different optical powers are determined. A particular optical power is selected by using a wide-range variable attenuator to attenuate the optical power of the continuous wave laser. The dark count probability and the count probabilities are determined for different trigger rates. The operational parameters include efficiency, afterpulsing constant, and detrap time. The operational parameters are computed by fitting the computed dark count probabilities and count probabilities to a user-defined relationship.
US09068879B2
A printer cassette device is arranged to be removably mounted to or inserted into a printing device of a weighing scale. The printer cassette device comprises a rotatable locking mechanism for rotational engagement with the printing device.
US09068876B2
A fill-level measuring device includes a self-learn device that can calculate the length of the dome shaft, the container height, the permeability value of a feed material or the permittivity value of a feed material. This takes place with the use of one or several determined speed values of echoes of a measured echo curve. In this manner the accuracy of fill level determination can be improved.
US09068874B2
The invention relates to a container for a fluid, the container comprising: a storage compartment with a passage opening; a dosing compartment with a closable pouring opening and with an inflow opening arranged on the passage opening of the storage compartment; a conduit arranged between the inflow opening and the pouring opening of the dosing compartment, wherein at least one opening is arranged in the wall of the conduit; an adjusting part arranged in the conduit for at least partially closing the at least one opening in the conduit wall such that the distance between the inflow opening of the dosing compartment and the part of the least one opening left clear can be varied; and operating means for operating the adjusting part, wherein the operating means are arranged on the outer side of the container.
US09068869B2
A magnetic flowmeter includes a pipe with a non-conductive PTFE liner, magnetic coils to generate a magnetic field, and electrodes in contact with the fluid on opposite sides of the pipe. The electrodes comprise conductive PTFE patch electrodes bonded to the non-conductive PTFE liner so that an inner end of each patch electrode is exposed to fluid flowing through the interior pipe and an outer end of each patch electrode is aligned with an electrode hole in the pipe.
US09068867B2
An aspect provides a flow metering apparatus, comprising: a fluid conduit having a differential pressure producer therein; at least one pressure port angled between 0 and 90 degrees in a wall of the fluid conduit; and at least one other pressure port; wherein the at least one pressure port and the at least one other pressure port provide pressure signals. Other aspects are described and claimed.
US09068862B2
The invention relates to an improved encoding disk for an optical rotation angle sensor or a rotary encoder, an optical rotation sensor or rotary encoder comprising an improved encoding disk, and a method for optically correcting or compensating for an angle measuring error of a rotary encoder, in particular an angle measuring error which is contingent on a displacement or decentralization of the encoding disk. The encoding disk (20) comprises at least one measuring track (22) and at least one compensating track (24), wherein the measuring track (22) is in a first radial region of the encoding disk (20); and the compensating track (24) is centered with regard to the measuring track (22) on a second radial region of the encoding disk (20) so that the center of the measuring track (22) coincides with the center of the compensating track (24). The compensating track (24) is preferably designed such that at least one part of the light incident on a region of the compensating track is deflected by the compensating track (24) radially in the direction of the axis through the common center of the compensating track (24) and the measuring track (22). The direction of the readout light which is deflected by the compensating track preferably intersects the axis through the common center of the compensating track and the measuring track, wherein the distance between the compensating track and said intersection corresponds to the length of the light path between the compensating track and the measuring track. The readout light can be coherent or incoherent. The radius of the compensating track can be less than, greater than, or equal to the radius of the measuring track. The compensating track (24) preferably has a diffractive structure.
US09068859B2
Magnetic field sensors and related techniques can identify passing conditions, failing conditions, and marginal conditions of a sensed object. A magnetic field sensor used in the techniques can have a substrate and can have one or more magnetic field sensing elements disposed on the substrate that are configured to generate a proximity signal responsive to a proximity of the sensed object. The magnetic field sensor can have a self-test module disposed on the substrate, coupled to receive the proximity signal, configured to sample the proximity signal, by analog sampling or digitally converting, to generate a plurality of analog samples or a plurality of digital samples, respectively, each digital sample comprising a plurality of digital bits, configured to select samples from among the plurality of analog or digital samples, and configured to communicate the selected samples to outside of the magnetic field sensor.
US09068857B2
A navigation apparatus includes an exit route determine unit and a route guidance unit. The exit route determination unit determines whether an exit route of a route guidance from a branch point corresponds to a learned road link. The route guidance unit provides route guidance by presenting a progress direction toward the exit route from the branch point in a first mode or a second mode. Per the first mode, the progress direction is based on an existing road link, and per the second mode, the progress direction is based on the existing road link and the learned road link. Accordingly, the route guidance unit presents the progress direction in: (i) the first mode when the exit route from the branch point does not correspond to the learned road link, and (ii) the second mode, when the exit route from the branch point corresponds to the learned road link.
US09068838B1
An automatic timing measurement system provides a measure of time of passage of a watercraft through a prescribed course. Inertial or other estimates augmented by GPS speed/position measurements are used to track position of a watercraft. Position estimates are used to allow the locations of prescribed courses to be mapped and memorized. Passage of a watercraft is automatically detected through mapped courses for the purpose of measuring and reporting time of passage past key points in the course, and the speed of the apparatus may be modified if necessary at certain points in the mapped course. A measure of accuracy of driver steering can be provided along with the ability to automatically steer the watercraft through the course. GPS speed control is augmented with a secondary velocity measurement device that measures speed over water resulting in an optional user selectable real-time compensation for water current.
US09068835B2
A functional element including a substrate having a principal surface, a groove portion (a first groove portion, a second groove portion) disposed on the principal surface, and a fixed electrode section (a first fixed electrode finger, a second fixed electrode finger) laid across the groove portion on the substrate, wherein, in the groove portion, a raised portion formed by using at least one of the substrate and the fixed electrode section is provided in a position overlapping with the fixed electrode section in a plan view, the raised portion has a bonded surface (an end face), a wiring line (a first wiring line, a second wiring line) is disposed on the bonded surface, and the substrate and the fixed electrode section are connected with the wiring line sandwiched between the substrate and the fixed electrode section.
US09068820B2
Method and device for calibrating an optical system, distance determining device, and optical system
A method for calibrating a distance determining device for determining a distance between an optical system and an object. The method includes providing a detecting system having marking elements and a measuring camera. Using the distance determining device, a light structure is projected onto a carrier that provides a calibration pattern. The measuring camera detects the marking elements or the calibration pattern to determine the spatial position of the optical system. Coordinates of a calibration pattern in a coordinate system associated with the measuring camera are determined. An image of the calibration pattern and the light structure is created using a camera of the optical system. Coordinates of an image of a calibration pattern and the light structure in a coordinate system associated with the camera image plane are determined. The distance determining device is calibrated using the determined coordinates and the determined spatial position of the optical system.
US09068819B2
A measuring apparatus to identify a material and thickness of each of a plurality of layers included in a layered body, based on a measurement result obtained by measuring a time domain waveform of an electromagnetic wave pulse from the layered body, includes a database configured to store data of a plurality of material candidates and a plurality of thickness candidates, an input unit configured to input a search range of the data stored in the database, and a processing unit configured to reproduce a time domain waveform of an electromagnetic wave pulse from the layered body by employing data of a plurality of material candidates and a plurality of thickness candidates within the search range, and to compare this reproduced time domain waveform and the time domain waveform of the measurement result, thereby identifying the material and thickness of each of the plurality of layers.
US09068815B1
Position sensors and methods having a coil, a magnetic target movable into greater and lesser proximity to the coil responsive to the position to be sensed, and circuitry responsive to an inductance of the coil to provided a measure of the proximity of the magnetic target to the coil. Various embodiments are disclosed, including embodiments having improved sensitivity and shielding from stray fields and for shielding from magnetic fields generated by the coil excitation.
US09068803B2
A weapon system including a weapon, and methods of manufacturing and operating the same. In one embodiment, the weapon includes a guidance section in a front section of the weapon, and a signal cartridge assembly behind the front section and including a signal cartridge configured to provide a signal indicating a location of impact for the weapon.
US09068800B2
A method includes receiving location data corresponding to a physical location of a user at a computing device and receiving prey data corresponding to a relative position of an animal at the computing device from a gun scope. The method further includes determining a location of the animal relative to the computing device based on the location data and the prey data.
US09068796B2
A weapon and weapon system, and methods of manufacturing and operating the same. In one embodiment, the weapon includes a warhead including destructive elements and a guidance section with a seeker configured to guide the weapon to a target. The seeker includes a detector configured to receive a distorted signal impinging on an objective lens from the target, memory configured to store target criteria and a correction map, and a processor configured to provide a correction signal based on the distorted signal, the target criteria and the correction map to guide the weapon to the target.
US09068790B2
The present invention is an ambidextrous slide stop for use with a handgun consisting of an assembly of a right side slide stop bracket and a left side slide stop bracket, so that a right handed shooter can still activate on the left side with the right thumb. Alternatively, right side slide stop allows a left handed shooter to use the left thumb to pivot the assembly downward to release the slide. A pivot pin of the right bracket engages with a pivot shaft of the left side bracket.
US09068776B2
Methods for drying oil sand fine tailings treated to comprise flocculated fine tailings, by deposition and farming techniques, are provided. A deposition cell is provided with a sloped bottom surface and the flocculated fine tailings are deposited to undergo channelless advancement in the cell while allowing drainage of release water. When the deposit is uneven, the deposit may be plowed while wet for spreading and ensuring water release conditioning is imparted thereto, while avoiding over-shearing, and maintaining sufficient shear strength to allow standing. Once a dried upper crust forms, the deposit may be harrowed to break up the crust, expose wet regions there-beneath and create furrows in the standing deposit. The methods improve the dewatering and drying of mature fine tailings in oil sands.
US09068775B2
A drying apparatus and method including heated airflow and ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasonic transducers are arranged and operated for effectively breaking down the boundary layer to increase the heat transfer rate. The ultrasonic transducers are spaced from the material to be dried a distance of about (λ)(n/4), where λ is the wavelength of the ultrasonic oscillations and n is an odd integer (i.e., 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.). In this way, the amplitude of the ultrasonic oscillations is maximized to more-effectively agitate the boundary layer. In addition, the ultrasonic transducers are operated to produce about 120-190 dB (preferably, about 160-185 dB) at the interface surface of the material to be dried. In one embodiment, the ultrasonic transducers are of a pneumatic type. In another embodiment, the ultrasonic transducers are of an electric type. And in other embodiments, infrared and/or UV light devices are included for further boundary layer disruption.
US09068771B2
The present invention relates generally to a method for automatically adjusting the interval of time between defrost cycles in a heat pump system. The method includes tracking the duration of the previous defrost cycle or cycles, and dynamically adjusting the length of time before initiating the next defrost cycle.
US09068770B2
A method for controlling a refrigerator includes starting water supply to an ice making device in a refrigerator. The ice making device includes a flow sensor configured to detect water supply flow to the ice making device by using a pulse value according to rotation of an impeller. The method also includes operating the flow sensor to detect a pulse value, determining whether the pulse value has reached a target pulse value within a preset time, and, based on a determination that the detected pulse value has not reached the target pulse value within the preset time, determining that water supply to the ice making device is in a low water-pressure state and performing a water supply control process according to the low water-pressure state.
US09068769B2
An oil separator capable of preventing breakage in a float with an extremely simple configuration is provided. An oil separator is to separate oil in a refrigerant that is discharged from a compressor and return the oil to the compressor. The oil separator includes: a tank, into which a refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows; a float having a hollow therein that is held vertically movably in the tank, the float moving up and down with a change of an oil level in the tank; and a needle valve to return oil in the tank to the compressor in accordance with up/down movement of the float. The float includes an equalizing tube having a lower end that opens at a bottom part in the float and an upper end that opens outside of the float and above the oil level in the tank.
US09068765B2
A refrigerant vapor compression system (10) includes a plurality of components, including a flash tank (70), connected in a refrigerant flow circuit by a plurality of refrigerant lines (2, 4, 6, 8). The system internal volume equals to the sum of the internal volumes of the plurality of components and the internal volume of the plurality of refrigerant lines. The internal volume of the flash tank ranges from at least 10% to about 30% of the total system internal volume.
US09068763B2
Solar receiver having a receiver funnel, a solar absorber, and an absorber rotation drive mechanism. The receiver funnel has a funnel entrance and a funnel exit. The solar absorber may have a spherical shape and has an absorber rotation axis. The solar absorber is rotatably positioned in the funnel exit. The solar absorber has an internal absorber fluid chamber, an absorber fluid intake and an absorber fluid outlet. The absorber rotation drive mechanism provides for rotating the solar absorber about the absorber rotation axis.
US09068751B2
An annular combustor for a gas turbine engine is provided that facilitates staged combustion in a lean direct ignition (LDI) mode over an extended range of operating fuel air ratios. A method is also provided for operating a gas turbine engine over a power demand range that facilitates staged combustion in a lean direct ignition (LDI) mode over an extended range of operating fuel air ratios.
US09068750B2
The present application and the resulting patent provide a pre-nozzle mixing cap assembly positioned about a cap member of a combustor for mixing a flow of air and a flow of fuel. The pre-nozzle mixing cap assembly may include a fuel plenum in communication with the flow of fuel and a number of tubes in communication with the flow of air and extending through the fuel plenum. Each of the tubes may include a number of fuel holes therein such that the flow of fuel in the fuel plenum passes through the fuel holes and mixes with the flow of air.
US09068749B2
A swirler for a gas turbine engine fuel injector comprises a swirler body extending from an upstream end to a downstream end. A fuel injector extends into the body, and has a downstream end for injecting fuel in a downstream direction. A first flow path directs air in a first circumferential direction about a central axis of the swirler body. A second flow path directs air to intermix with the air in the first flow path, and then to mix with fuel injected by the fuel injector. The first and second flow paths are positioned to inject air upstream of the downstream end of the fuel injector where fuel is injected. The first flow path is provided in a greater volume than the volume provided in the second flow path. The second flow path directs air at a location downstream of the first flow path.
US09068748B2
A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a radially inboard liner, a radially outboard liner, and a bulkhead that cooperatively define an annular combustion chamber, a plurality of first fuel injectors that are disposed in the bulkhead, and a plurality of second fuel injectors that are disposed in at least one of the inboard liner and the outboard liner aftward of the bulkhead. A method is also provided for operating the combustor of the gas turbine engine wherein fuel distribution between the forward combustion zone and the downstream combustion zone is selectively varied in response to the power operating mode of the gas turbine engine with an objective to control NOx formation.
US09068743B2
A combustor apparatus is provided, comprising a mixing arrangement for mixing a carbonaceous fuel with enriched oxygen and a working fluid to form a fuel mixture. A combustion chamber is at least partially defined by a porous perimetric transpiration member, at least partially surrounded by a pressure containment member. The combustion chamber has longitudinally spaced apart inlet and outlet portions. The fuel mixture is received by the inlet portion for combustion within the combustion chamber at a combustion temperature to form a combustion product. The combustion chamber further directs the combustion product longitudinally toward the outlet portion. The porous transpiration member is configured to substantially uniformly direct a transpiration substance laterally therethrough, about the perimeter thereof defining the combustion chamber and longitudinally between the inlet and outlet portions, toward the combustion chamber for buffering interaction between the combustion product and the porous transpiration member. Associated systems are also provided.
US09068738B2
A light emitting diode (LED) lighting assembly is disclosed. A first panel having a front surface with a protrusion extending therefrom is provided. A second panel is coupled to the first panel directly below the protrusion, wherein the second panel includes at least one LED. A third substantially transparent panel having a cavity formed therein is provided, wherein the cavity is sized to fit over the second panel, wherein the third panel includes a beveled edge that abuts the first panel at a joint directly below the protrusion, and wherein the protrusion and beveled edge are configured to direct moisture away from the joint.
US09068722B2
A repositionable junction box is disclosed. The repositionable junction box can include a base comprising at least one wall that forms a cavity. The repositionable junction box can also include a coupling portion extending from the at least one wall, where the coupling portion can include at least one first coupling feature disposed at a distal end of the coupling portion, where the at least one first coupling feature is configured to mechanically couple to a first complementary coupling feature of a plurality of first complementary coupling features disposed on a frame.
US09068714B2
A light-emitting device includes a plurality of laser elements, a light-emitting section for emitting light in response to a laser beam, and an emission control section for controlling whether each of the plurality of laser elements emits light or not. At least a part of the plurality of laser elements is positioned in such a manner that irradiation regions of the light-emitting section are positioned at least partially differently.
US09068704B2
The present disclosure relates generally to an integrated signal light head. In one embodiment, the integrated signal light head includes a molded housing for holding at least one light emitting diode (LED) light source and a power supply compartment coupled to the molded housing. As a result, a power supply may be remotely located and independent of the at least one LED light source.
US09068700B2
A method of depressurizing a molecular sieve used in ethanol production is provided. The ethanol production system includes a plurality of on-line molecular sieve bottles for removing water from ethanol production. When the molecular sieve bottle becomes saturated with water it is taken off-line to depressurize it. The depressurization and removal of water is done from the product discharge end resulting in an approximately 5% to 10% reduction in external energy required to run the ethanol production line.
US09068696B2
A method of controlling overflow in a below-ground transfer pump sump used in the dispensing of liquid fuels. The method comprises providing a sump having a sump bottom below a level of ground immediately adjacent the sump, providing a storage tank having an internal cavity for the storage of liquid fuel, the storage tank having a conduit in communication with the sump and providing an overflow assembly having an inlet disposed within the sump and an outlet communicating with the conduit. The method includes permitting water from the ground adjacent the sump to enter the sump and mix with any liquid fuel in the sump and if the liquid fuel and water mixture in the sump reaches a predetermined level, allowing the liquid mixture to pass through the overflow assembly, into the conduit and into the storage tank containing the liquid fuel.
US09068695B2
Magnetorheological (MR) antibubbles are used for fluid delivery. A method of transporting a substance in a fluid in accordance with the invention comprising the steps of forming an antibubble in the fluid, the antibubble containing the substance to be transported and magnetic or magnetizable particles, and guiding the antibubble through the fluid with a magnet. The particles are ferromagnetic, paramagnetic or diamagnetic, and the magnet is a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The substance to be transported may include a reactant associated with a catalytic mechanism; a pigment; or a lubricant. The delivery system may include a substance or magnetic particles which are fluorescent.
US09068694B2
The invention is a method of venting the degradation products of an ascorbic acid containing composition. This prevents a build-up of carbon dioxide and may prolong the life of the packaging. The packaging includes an impermeable container and a semi-permeable top, which allows carbon dioxide to vent over time. When the composition includes water, the surface area of semi-permeable material contacting the composition is reduced to lessen water vapor loss.
US09068676B2
A vertical connector composed of three main components; one stationary connector part on a submerged connecting point, one mobile connector part intended for submerging and connecting to the stationary connector part and a connector which subsequent to the mating of the connector parts locks the connector parts together into permanent sealing connection. The stationary connector part has an upwards projecting pipe boss, and the mobile connector part has integrated, internally shielding and guiding means to assist the entering of the mobile connector part onto the stationary connector part.
US09068667B2
An electromagnetic valve includes a flow passage, a valve member, an actuator having a coil and a movable core, an intermediate member, a connecting member, a housing, and a dividing unit. The housing includes a hollow part between the housing and the actuator. The hollow part communicates with the flow passage. The dividing unit includes a through hole which passes through the dividing unit in its axial direction. The dividing unit divides the hollow part between a communicating chamber that is capable of communicating with the flow passage, and a cancel chamber that is cut off from an outside thereof. The intermediate member includes a communicating passage between the intermediate member and the movable core. The communicating passage communicates between the flow passage and the cancel chamber via the through hole and the communicating chamber.
US09068665B2
The invention relates to a process valve (10) comprising a valve seat (14), a flow restrictor (12), a valve rod (16) and a drive unit (18) acting thereon, with a force measuring device (20, 44) being connected between said drive unit (18) and said flow restrictor (12). The invention is characterized in that said force measuring device (49) includes a spring (30, 46), and said force measuring device (29, 44) comprises a travel measuring device (38, 42, 50, 52) so as to allow the force acting on it to be determined based on the change in the deflection of the spring (30, 46) caused by the force acting on it.
US09068664B2
A hydraulic control valve actuated by a diaphragm's integral spring whose thicker part acts with greater force to close the diaphragm and plug unit of the valve and whose thinner part may complete the closing motion so that the integral spring may weaken faster than linearly in relation to displacement of the diaphragm and plug unit. A snap seat supporting the plug may include a seat portion and a grip skirt portion integrally joined at an acute angle. A bracket and sliding guide may guide a helical rotor touching an indicator. Movement of the diaphragm and plug unit may rotate the helical rotor and the indicator without the indicator rising out of the valve. The cover may have an internal control passage in communication with a base of the valve to allow the cover to be installed horizontally and vertically conveniently and without disconnecting the control tubing above the valve.
US09068659B2
Embodiments of the present invention refer to a mixer group for bathroom or kitchen comprising a hollow cylinder, a tubular body that forms a seat for the sliding of the hollow cylinder and comprises an axial inlet and at least one radial outlet for the water, and an electric motor for actuating the hollow cylinder. The mixer group comprises a lid for the end opposite the inlet of the tubular body, defining an extension of the sliding seat, and an annular gasket between the tubular body and the lid, comprising an elastically deformable tab that projects into the extension of the seat, in open flow conditions, or is deformed against the hollow cylinder, to close the flow, when the hollow cylinder engages with the extension.
US09068650B2
A machine has a power train including a prime mover connected to a transmission having two or more selectable gear settings, and a user interface providing an operator selection of at least two gear identifiers of a whole number. Each whole number gear identifiers corresponds to high idle speeds for respective gear settings. The user interface provides a signal indicative of selected gear identifier to an electronic controller, which also receives and transmits signals indicative of machine parameters. The electronic controller contains computer executable instructions which determine an optimal gear setting and whether a gear shift should be made.
US09068644B2
A gear hub assembly is disclosed that has a sealed housing that includes an input gear and an output gear that are meshed together to provide a gear pump to move fluid between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet disposed on opposite sides of engagement of the input and output gear. The housing defines an axle shaft-receiving aperture and a wheel spindle-receiving aperture to allow the gear hub assembly to transmit torque from a vehicle axle shaft to a wheel spindle while operating as a gear pump. The fluid inlet and outlets can be coupled to a hydraulic system to provide braking (or kinetic energy recovery) by restricting the flow of hydraulic fluid which in turn resists rotation of the gears in the gear hub, and thus can act to slow the vehicle.
US09068638B2
A vehicle drive device for a rotary electric machine. A case of the device includes a support wall portion that extends in a radial direction of the rotary electric machine at a location between the rotary electric machine and the fluid coupling in the axial direction. A first bearing and a second bearing that is separate from the first bearing are disposed at different positions in the radial direction from each other, the first bearing being configured to support the rotor member in the radial direction so as to be rotatable with respect to the support wall portion, and the second bearing being configured to support the coupling input member in the radial direction so as to be rotatable with respect to the support wall portion.
US09068637B2
A powershift transmission in a motor vehicle is arranged between a prime mover and driven wheels of the motor vehicle for transmission of propulsive power and selection of different gear speed ratios. The powershift transmission includes at least two factional clutches for alternatively engaging at least two input shafts, a main transmission, a range section and an output shaft. A countershaft in the powershift transmission is rotationally connectable to the output shaft in order to establish a by-pass torque path, passing by the range section, and in which propulsive power can be transferred when the range section is gear shifted between different range speed ratios.
US09068636B2
A multi-group transmission of a vehicle having a motor connected to an input shaft of the transmission, via a starting element, and the transmission comprises a splitter group, a main group and a main transmission shaft, on the drive output side. A powershift unit can couple the input shaft to the main transmission shaft for engaging an intermediate gear during a gearshift. The powershift unit and a shifting device for engaging gear constants of the splitter group are an integrated unit. During operating the transmission, with the starting element at least partly engaged during intermediate gear engagement, the powershift unit operates in a slipping mode and supports torque of the motor at the main transmission shaft while rotation of the motor is synchronized with a target gear. After which, an original gear is disengaged while free from load, the target gear is engaged when synchronized, and the intermediate gear is again disengaged.
US09068633B2
Patent of invention for a transmission comprising a frame (1) provided with tracks (2) and a control carriage (3) having a control lever (3a) journaled in a bearing (3b) and spacers (3c and 3d) connecting the control carriage (3) to the switches (4 and 5) in their spin shaft (4a and 5a), colinear to the guide cutout shaft (4b and 5b) describing (FIGS. 25 to 28) a conicity which allows a limited angular movement between the switches (4 and 5) and the track (2), obtained by the control lever (3a) motion by means of control arms (3e) coupled to the switch bearings (4c and 5c), perpendicular to the spacers (3c and 3d) making up the primary (6) and secondary (7) input sliding assemblies, and having a variant (FIGS. 14 to 21) with two output sliding assemblies, primary (9) and secondary (10), each configured as the two input sliding assemblies, primary (6) and secondary (7), and another variant (FIGS. 22 to 24) with at least one articulated output sliding assembly (15).
US09068632B2
Disclosed is a power transmission device. A power transmission device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: an input gear connected to a motor so that the input gear may rotate by the motor in a forward and backward direction; a planetary gear train circumscribing the input gear with respect to the input gear and rotating in association with the rotation of the input gear; a ring gear inscribing the planetary gear train and rotating relative to the planetary gear train; a main frame having a plurality of rollers coupled along the circumferential direction and interacting with a rack, and coupled with the ring gear on the outside of the ring gear; an irrotational rear side fixture disposed on an area where the input gear is positioned; and an irrotational front side fixture disposed at the opposite side of the irrotational rear side fixture via the ring gear and the main frame therebetween and coupled with the irrotational rear side fixture.
US09068613B2
A method for operating a parking brake of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle, which parking brake operates in the superposition mode, the brake force of the parking brake being applicable by two different force-generating actuators mutually supporting one another in the superposition mode. It is provided that the force-generating, in particular pressure-generating, actuator is activated for support even before the superposition.
US09068604B2
A friction material segment includes a first end and a second end, the first end including an edge having a first section having a reduced thickness and a second section having a second thickness greater than the reduced thickness section. A friction plate with a plurality of friction material segments and a wet-type friction clutch are also provided, as is a method for manufacturing the friction material segment.
US09068597B2
There is provided a sliding member including: a substrate; and a protective film provided on the substrate, wherein the protective film is composed only of a metal base layer provided on the substrate, a low-hardness diamond-like carbon layer provided as a single layer on the metal base layer, and a high-hardness diamond-like carbon layer provided as a single layer directly on the low-hardness diamond-like carbon layer. The sliding member has the protective film which has excellent frictional wear resistance property and satisfactory adhesion property to the substrate, regardless of having a simple structure.
US09068591B2
A sealing assembly of a ball joint, in particular for a vehicle, comprises a retaining ring which includes a ring axis and a radial ring flange having a flange upper side and an opposed flange lower side, and a sealing element which rests against the flange upper side and against the flange lower side and is exclusively connected to the retaining ring with an interlocking fit, the interlocking fit being configured such that the retaining ring and the sealing element are fixed to each other free of play in the axial and in the radial direction, and the flange upper side having an exposed contact surface for a sealing bellows.
US09068585B2
A retainer with an axial passage for receiving a format part is disclosed. The retainer includes several clamping tongues facing in the direction of the format part, the clamping tongues being angularly aligned against an outer lateral surface of the format part and being elastically deformable. The format part is held stationary in a first movement direction by the clamping tongues when its outer lateral surface is contacting the clamping tongues and whereby the format part is movable and/or guidable in a second movement direction, the second movement direction being opposite to the first movement direction. Furthermore the retainer includes at least one adjuster, wherein the surface contact between the respective clamping tongues and the format part is released upon actuation and/or upon a defined alignment of the at least one adjuster.
US09068583B2
An apparatus for making and using a fastener suitable for use in airplane manufacture or repair that is coated with a pre-mixed moisture cure sealant. The sealant layer is coated with a frangible moisture barrier that will break apart when the fastener is installed, thus exposing the sealant to a moisture source. Once exposed to moisture, the sealant will begin to cure. Preferred embodiments also provide a premature cure indicator that provides a visual indication that the outer moisture resistant layer has been damaged.
US09068582B2
An insulation system has an insulation. A metal jacket is disposed about the insulation. The metal jacket has opposing free ends. A circumferential retaining band is disposed about the metal jacket and has a longitudinal length substantially less than a corresponding length of the metal jacket. The circumferential retaining band has a coupler joining a first end of the circumferential retaining band to an opposing second end of the circumferential retaining band and a clip spaced from the coupler along a radially inner surface of the retaining band. The clip is adapted to secure the opposing free ends of the metal jacket.
US09068575B2
A hydraulic control system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have a work tool movable to perform an excavation cycle having a plurality of segments, a motor configured to swing the work tool during the excavation cycle, and a pump configured to pressurize fluid directed to drive the motor. The hydraulic control system may also have at least one accumulator configured to selectively receive fluid discharged from the motor and to discharge fluid to the motor during the plurality of segments, and a controller configured to implement a plurality of modes of operation. Each of the plurality of modes of operation includes a different combination of segments during which the at least one accumulator receives and discharges fluid.
US09068574B2
An assembly in a turbine engine for controlling plural toothed pivotally-mounted blades arranged in azimuth around the axis of the turbine engine and including an actuator ring controlling a position of the blades. Racks mounted on the ring present corresponding sets of teeth meshing with the set of teeth of a respective one of the blades to place it in a selected angular position, and they are held in the radial direction by radial positioning mechanism fastened to the blade. Each rack is mounted on the ring by plural guides spaced apart circumferentially around the ring, that connect together movements of the rack and of the ring in the circumferential direction, and that are configured to slide relative to the ring, for each guide in its own radial direction, and relative to the rack in a direction of movement that is substantially radial and specific to the rack.
US09068573B2
A centrifugal fan is disclosed. The centrifugal fan includes a fan device and a case. The fan device includes an impeller and a plurality of blades, wherein the plurality of blades are mounted separately around the impeller. The case is provided to allow the fan device to be disposed and to rotate inside it. The case includes a top cover, a bottom cover, and a side wall. The side wall is mounted between the top cover and the bottom cover. The side wall includes a fixed part and a deformable part. The fixed part is connected with the top cover and the bottom cover, and the deformable part is connected with the fixed part.
US09068572B2
This centrifugal blood pump apparatus includes an impeller provided in a blood chamber, a first permanent magnet provided in one surface of the impeller, and a second permanent magnet provided in an inner wall of the blood chamber, for attracting the first permanent magnet. The attractive force between the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet on the opening side of a sidewall of the blood chamber is set to be smaller than the attractive force between the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet on the opposite side of the opening. As a result, inclination of the impeller with respect to a dividing wall during pump operation can be prevented.
US09068570B2
A motor-driven compressor includes a back pressure region that pushes a movable scroll against a fixed scroll. The back pressure region is located at a side of the movable scroll located proximate to an opposing member. A defining portion, which is arranged on a movable end face, contact an opposing end face to define the back pressure region and a suction pressure region. The opposing member includes a communicating portion. An orbiting motion of the movable scroll moves the defining portion. This intermittently communicates the communicating portion with the back pressure region and the suction pressure region.
US09068566B2
Systems, devices and methods are provided, for acquiring and dispensing predetermined volumes of liquids and, in particular, to a unique piezoelectric dispenser for acquiring and dispensing of small volumes of fluid in an automatic or manual production of DNA arrays and assays, wherein droplets are dispensed in a single drop format with volumes that may range from about a few picoliters to several nanoliters. The dispenser can advantageously utilize a disposable capillary tube assembly while desirably retaining the piezoelectric actuator for subsequent further uses, thereby mitigating the possibility of cross contamination of fluids and providing an economical and cost effective approach with reuse of the piezoelectric actuator for further operation such as with a variety of liquids to be dispensed and transferred. A unique longitudinal transducer can transmit radial tube displacement into controlled axial motion of the tube.
US09068565B2
A container and method for storing a pharmaceutical agent are provided for enhancing the storage time. The storage time of the pharmaceutical agent is improved by reducing the loss of stabilizing agents in the pharmaceutical agent. The storage container is formed from a polyolefin that includes a stabilizing agent in an amount effective to reduce or inhibit the migration of stabilizing agents in the pharmaceutical agent. The polyolefin container is formed with a fatty acid amide such as erucamide for stabilizing insulin that contains m-cresol and/or phenol as stabilizing agents for the insulin. The fatty acid amide incorporated in the container inhibits and/or reduces the rate of migration of the m-cresol and/or phenol into the polyolefin to extend the storage life of the insulin. The container can be a syringe, such as a pre-filled syringe, a storage vial or the flow path of an infusion pump.
US09068564B2
A controller performs, while controlling a first stage cryopanel to have a target temperature: a first determination in which it is determined whether a second stage cryopanel has been heated to a temperature higher than or equal to an alert temperature set to be lower than a maximum temperature of the second stage cryopanel set in the vacuum apparatus; and a second determination in which it is determined whether the second stage cryopanel is continuously being heated, for a preset period of time or longer, to a temperature within a temperature range set on condition that the alert temperature is a maximum. The controller may perform, while controlling the first stage cryopanel to have a target temperature, a third determination in which it is determined whether a state where an error between the temperature of the second stage cryopump during a pumping operation and the minimum attained temperature thereof measured in the initial stage of an operation of the cryopump occurs, has been continued for a continued period of time or longer, the continued period of time being set to be longer than the preset period of time.
US09068563B2
A motor-driven compressor has a housing and a partition. A compressing portion and an electric motor as the drive source of the compressing portion are accommodated in a first area. A drive circuit for the motor is arranged in a second area so as to have dissipation of the drive circuit. The compressor further includes a conductive member electrically connected to the circuit and fixed to the partition, and an electrical connection portion electrically connecting the conductive member to the motor. The connection portion is partly received in a passing area formed between the housing and the motor. The housing has a suction port and a discharge port. The discharge port is located at a position farther from the partition than the suction port and the passing area. An insertion member in the passing area restricts flow of refrigerant in the housing toward the discharge port via the passing area.
US09068562B1
A propulsion apparatus includes a propellant, at least one laser, and a thrust member. The propellant includes a solid surface having a hollow core disposed within the solid surface and a thrust-producing medium disposed within the hollow core. The at least one laser is positioned to vaporize the propellant with at least one laser-beam into a thrust-producing flow. The thrust member is for flowing within the thrust member a thrust-producing flow created by vaporization of the propellant.
US09068559B2
The invention relates to a rotor blade for a wind turbine. The rotor blade comprises a shell and a spar forming a longitudinally extending hollow structure within the shell and comprising: a leading web, a trailing web, and one or more additional webs. Each additional web defines an intermediate portion between a hub end and a tip end. The intermediate portion of each additional web is spaced apart from the leading and trailing webs and at least one of the tip and the hub ends is connected to or integral with the leading or the trailing web. The invention further relates to a wind turbine comprising the rotor blade, and a method for manufacturing the rotor blade.
US09068551B2
A wave energy converter (10) comprises an energy absorption unit (100) arranged to absorb energy generated by movements of water when the wave energy converter is arranged in a pool of water, an energy accumulation unit (200) connected to the energy absorption unit, and a power generation unit (300) connected to the energy absorption unit. The energy accumulation unit is arranged to accumulate energy from the energy absorption unit when the energy absorption unit absorbs more power than the power generation unit generates and to dissipate energy to the power generation unit when the energy absorption unit absorbs less power than the power generation unit generates. By providing hydraulic components in these units, an efficient and flexible wave energy converter is provided.
US09068550B2
An assembly for generating energy from sea currents comprises a main floating body to be oriented across the direction of the sea current, a rotor assembly depending from the main floating body, at least one stabilising member extending substantially sideways from the main floating body and mooring lines for anchoring the assembly. Each stabilizing member is attached to the main floating body at a position substantially corresponding with the position of attachment of a mooring line. Further an assembly for generating energy from sea currents comprises a main floating body to be oriented in parallel to the direction of the sea current, at least two outriggers extending substantially sideways in opposite directions from the main floating body, a rotor assembly depending from the outrigger means and mooring lines for anchoring the assembly. The mooring lines are attached to the main floating body at or near the opposite frontal ends thereof.
US09068544B2
A fuel-injection system for an internal-combustion engine has at least one fuel injector with a fuel-metering servo valve provided with an open/close element, which is movable in response to the action of an electric actuator; and an electronic control unit which issues to the electric actuator two electrical commands, one for carrying out a pilot injection and one for carrying out a main injection; the two electrical commands being separated by an electrical dwell time such that the main injection starts, without solution of continuity with the pilot injection, when an open/close needle for carrying out fuel injections into a cylinder of the internal-combustion engine remains at a lift value in which the fuel flow rate is negligible; in particular, the second electrical command is issued during a rebound of the open/close element on the valve seat.
US09068526B2
A method for operating a valve, in particular a fuel injector of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in which an auxiliary variable is obtained as a function of at least one electrical operating variable of an electromagnetic actuator driving a component of the valve, in particular a valve needle, and in which the auxiliary variable is checked for the presence of a predefinable characteristic. A reference variable is ascertained as a function of the auxiliary variable, the auxiliary variable is modified as a function of the reference variable to obtain a modified auxiliary variable, and the modified auxiliary variable is checked for the presence of the predefinable characteristic.
US09068515B2
An accessory system for a gas turbine engine includes an accessory gearbox which defines an accessory gearbox axis and includes first and second sides. A first geartrain includes one or more shafts rotatable about axes perpendicular to the first side of the accessory gearbox and a second geartrain includes one or more shafts rotatable about axes perpendicular to the second side of the accessory gearbox. A driven gear set defines an input axis and drives first geartrain and the second geartrain about corresponding first and second drive axes parallel to the input axis.
US09068510B2
A machined spring for injector applications includes opposed first and second spring bases separated apart along a longitudinal axis. A spring body connects the first and second spring bases. The spring body includes a generally annular wall with a plurality of spring channels defined therethrough, such as machined channels. Exemplary applications for such machined springs include liquid strainers, valve components, and structural components for accommodating thermal expansion in injectors.
US09068491B2
In one embodiment, a method for an engine comprises operating the engine with an upstream exhaust sensor, intermediate exhaust sensor, and downstream exhaust sensor each indicating rich, adjusting engine operation to operate the engine with an upstream exhaust sensor, intermediate exhaust sensor, and downstream exhaust sensor each indicating lean, adjusting engine operation to operate the engine with the upstream exhaust sensor indicating rich and the intermediate and downstream exhaust sensors each indicating lean, and indicating degradation of an SCR catalyst based on when the intermediate and downstream exhaust sensors switch from lean to rich.
US09068490B2
The invention relates to an injection nozzle (1) for injection of a reducing agent into an exhaust gas system (2) of an internal combustion engine for selective catalytic reduction, especially for atomization by means of compressed air or propellant gas, the nozzle (1) having at least one outlet opening, the nozzle (1) upstream of the outlet opening having a variable volume (8) which after completion of injection of the liquid is increased in order to draw gas from the vicinity (2) through the outlet opening into the nozzle (1).
US09068488B2
A vaporization device for a motor vehicle exhaust system vaporizes an oxidizable liquid and introduces a vapor produced from the oxidizable liquid into an exhaust gas flow of the motor vehicle exhaust system. The vaporization device includes a heating element that is arranged in a housing, and which has the form of a glowing filament. The housing has an inlet for the liquid, at least one vaporization chamber, and an outlet for the vapor. The glowing filament is embedded in a glow tube surrounding the glowing filament. The glowing filament and the glow tube constitute a prefabricated unit which is fastened on a side of the housing by the glow tube being mounted directly to the housing. Furthermore, an exhaust system having a vaporization device, and a method of producing a vaporization device are described.
US09068481B2
An accommodation space formation member forms an accommodation space and a communication hole. The accommodation space accommodates an electronic component. The communication hole communicates the accommodation space with an outside of the accommodation space formation member. A ventilation member is equipped to the communication hole or an opening of the communication hole on a side of the accommodation space. The ventilation member is configured to permit flow of vapor between the accommodation space and the outside and to restrict flow of liquid between the accommodation space and the outside. The accommodation space formation member has an outer wall having a first groove portion, which forms a first groove. The first groove communicates with an opening of the communication hole on the outside.
US09068479B2
A valve mechanism for an internal combustion engine is operable to selectively open and close a gas exchange valve to accomplish an engine brake during an engine brake mode of an engine. The valve mechanism includes a cam follower in biased abutment against a gas exchange cam element for actuation of a rocker arm connected to the gas exchange valve.
US09068478B2
An apparatus for actuating first and second engine valves comprises a rocker arm that receives motion from primary and auxiliary valve actuation motion sources at a motion receiving end of the rocker arm. A master piston residing in a master piston bore in the rocker arm is configured to received motion from the auxiliary valve actuation motion source. A slave piston residing in a slave piston bore in the rocker arm is configured to provide auxiliary valve actuation motion to the first engine valve. A hydraulic circuit is provided in the rocker arm connecting the master piston bore and the slave piston bore, and a check valve is disposed within the rocker arm, configured to supply hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic circuit. The apparatus may be incorporated into a system comprising a rocker arm shaft and the primary and secondary valve actuation motion sources, such as an internal combustion engine.
US09068472B2
A component of a turbine stage of a gas turbine engine is provided, the component forming an endwall for the working gas annulus of the stage. The component has one or more internal plena behind the endwall which, in use, contain a flow of cooling air. The component further has a plurality of exhaust holes in the endwall. The holes connect the plena to a gas-washed surface of the endwall such that the cooling air effuses through the holes to form a cooling film over the gas-washed surface. Each exhaust hole has a flow cross-sectional area which is greater at an intermediate position between the entrance of the hole from the respective plenum and the exit of the hole to the gas-washed surface than it is at said exit.
US09068470B2
A system adjusts positions of gas turbine inlet guide vanes (IGVs) and variable stator vanes (VSVs). The system includes a hydraulic power unit providing a supply of hydraulic fluid, an IGV servo in fluid communication with the hydraulic power unit, and a VSV servo in fluid communication with the hydraulic power unit. An IGV cylinder set is provided in fluid communication with the hydraulic power unit via the IGV servo and is connected to the IGVs. The IGV cylinder set effects displacement of the IGVs between a closed position and a fully open position. A VSV cylinder set is provided in fluid communication with the hydraulic power unit via the VSV servo. The VSVs include multiple stages linked together with a torque shaft. The VSV cylinder set is connected to the torque shaft, and the VSV cylinder set effects simultaneous displacement of the stages of the VSVs between a closed position and a fully open position. The IGV servo and the VSV servo respectively control delivery of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic power unit to the IGV cylinder set and the VSV cylinder set, and the IGV servo and the VSV servo are independently controllable.
US09068451B2
A method for treating a flow of fluid hydrocarbons containing water includes introducing the flow of fluid hydrocarbons into a first separator and separating at least free water from said flow of fluid hydrocarbons, wherein a remainder of said fluid hydrocarbon flow is introduced into a system converting free/condensed water in the fluid hydrocarbon flow in said system to gas hydrates, and providing at least a first fluid flow and a second fluid flow, wherein said first fluid flow is a liquid phase including gas hydrates, said first fluid flow is recycled into the first separator, and wherein the second fluid flow has a content of dry gas and/or condensate/oil. A system for treatment of a flow of fluid hydrocarbon fluid containing water includes the following elements listed in the flow direction and connected with each other: connection to a hydrocarbon production source (1), a first separator (3) operative to separate at least free water from said fluid flow, a converting system (5) for converting free/condensed water to gas hydrate, a pipeline (6, 18) for transporting a dry gas or condensate/oil; and in addition a line (7′) which leads from the converting system (5) to the first separator (3) providing a first recycling flow including gas hydrates.
US09068449B2
In stimulating a subterranean zone surrounding a well bore, a perforation trajectory is identified that is transverse to a predicted direction of primary fracture propagation in the subterranean zone. A perforating gun in the well bore is aimed to perforate in the perforation trajectory, and then operated to perforate the well bore in the perforation trajectory. Thereafter, a fracture treatment is performed on the subterranean zone through the perforations.
US09068444B2
A velocity string deploys in production tubing of a gas well (or a gassy oil well) to help lift fluid toward the surface. The velocity string reduces flow area in the production tubing so that a critical flow velocity can be reached to lift liquid. Overtime, the reservoir pressure and resulting gas flow may decrease such that less liquid is produced toward the surface. At such a stage, operators then expand the velocity string to further decrease the flow area in the production tubing, which can produce the needed critical flow velocity to allow produced liquid to be lifted toward the surface.
US09068443B2
An improved bypass valve assembly for a plunger lift apparatus comprises a bypass valve cage having improved flow characteristics and a simplified clutch assembly having enhanced durability and low cost.
US09068438B2
Disclosed is a formation testing tool for extracting formation fluid from an earth formation penetrated by a borehole having a drilling fluid. The tool includes: a sample flow element configured to extract formation fluid from the formation in a sample zone; a sample zone seal forming a perimeter defining the sample zone; a contamination removal flow element configured to extract formation fluid contaminated with the drilling fluid from a contamination removal zone in the formation; a contamination removal zone seal forming a perimeter defining the contamination removal zone, which surrounds and excludes the sample zone; and a controller configured to control a sample flow rate in the sample flow element and a contamination removal flow rate in the contamination flow removal element in order to decrease an amount of time required to acquire a sample of the formation fluid having an acceptable amount of contamination.
US09068434B1
An end cap assembly for interlocking with an oil field mat usable to support trucks, equipment and personnel around a drilling rig. The end cap assembly having an elongated base layer, a base layer coupler, a top layer, a middle layer, a plurality of holes, a plurality of fasteners and a plurality of coupler fasteners. Each coupler fastener can be disposed through the holes in the board of the end cap assembly to form a base layer coupler to create a tri-layer oil field mat.
US09068431B2
The present invention is directed to methods for assessing flow-induced electrostatic energy in an oil and/or gas well wherein electric current or electrostatic potential or both are measured to produce data correlating to at least one flow characteristic of a tubular segment in the well. In some embodiments, electric current and electrostatic potential are produced separately for a plurality of segments, and measured. The system further may adjust at least one flow characteristic of a segment of the well to increase hydrocarbon production from the well.
US09068426B2
Certain aspects and embodiments of the present invention are directed an inflow control device tube that can be disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation. The inflow control device tube can include a body, such as a tubular body, and an inlet portion at a first end of the body. The inlet portion can be integrally formed with the body. The inlet portion can be adapted to provide a fluid bypass for a fluid flowing from the inlet portion to an outlet portion at a second end of the body. The fluid bypass can be shaped to allow fluid to bypass one or more objects causing a blockage at an opening of the inlet portion.
US09068419B2
Diverting flow in a drilling fluid circulation system to regulate drilling fluid pressure. A pump of a drilling fluid pressure regulation system for a well bore can discharge drilling fluid through discharge piping at flow rate. A pressure control device has an inlet connected to the discharge piping and an outlet connected to bypass piping. A processor connected to the pump and the pressure control device can adjust the pressure control device to modify a pressure of the drilling fluid by at least partially opening the pressure control device and releasing drilling fluid into the bypass piping at a selected flow rate. The processor can modify the drilling fluid flow rate in the discharge piping based on the pressure represented by the pressure measurement signals and the selected flow rate in the bypass piping such that the target pressure parameter of the drilling fluid in the discharge piping is satisfied.
US09068416B2
Disclosed is a downhole knock-out tool (900) for use in a tubing string (702) with a power head (704) for creating reverse flow. The tool has a cylindrical housing (910) with an inner tube (920) in the housing directing well fluids against a knock-out (940) or deflector cone to accumulate debris in the annulus (926) formed between the housing and tube.
US09068404B2
Apparatus and methods for engaging and gripping a tubular, with the apparatus including a sleeve having a body defining an internal chamber therein, with the sleeve configured to receive the tubular through the internal chamber. The apparatus may also include a laterally translatable spider disposed at least partially in the sleeve and including a bore to receive the tubular.
US09068401B2
A reinforced workover rig mast (40) is disclosed. A top section (60) of the mast (40) telescopes relative to a mid section (44), and includes a scoping cylinder area (72) for receiving a scoping cylinder (90) that may be used to extend and retract the top section (60). A number of external gussets (78) are located within this scoping cylinder area (72) to structurally reinforce the upper section (60). Other reinforcement features are incorporated by the mast (40) as well, including an increased width and depth, along with a reduced vertical spacing between adjacent cross supports (50b, 66b, 74).
US09068399B2
A down-hole hammer includes a two-piece drill bit retained in a casing having an interior surface with a plurality of longitudinal grooves formed therein. The bit shank and the casing are rotationally connected by a number of pins received in the grooves. A symmetrical free piston divides the casing into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston slides on an air control assembly including a ported tube extending axially from said air supply to an axial bore in the shank of the bit to guide exhaust air through discharge ports at the cutting face of the bit, the bit reciprocating on the end of the tube. The upper and lower check valves in the air control assembly and openable by supply pressure against a spring bias in response to working fluid supply pressure.
US09068397B2
The present disclosure provides a drilling method and drill. According to a disclosed method, multiple reciprocating rock-breaking elements, including a hammer drill bit, are used. The elements are moved in alternation to each other such that the net volume displacement by the moving parts is reduced for reducing compression work and thus for losing useful energy from the available amount from the drill bit engine for rock breaking. If desired, a small component of the net volume displacement is kept for enhancing PVW for enhancing rock chipping by tensile strength. The method also includes synchronizing the peak of the pressure depression wave with that of the impact moment of the drill bit's reciprocating motion to enhance, rather than hamper, rock breaking by the creation of PVW.
US09068396B2
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a locking clutch that includes a collection of movable locking blocks slidably coupled to the rotatable output shaft. The movable locking blocks slide radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the rotatable output shaft, and are spaced apart circumferentially about the rotatable output shaft, with each movable locking block having a first contacting face and a second contacting face. A collection of fixed locking blocks are coupled to the rotatable housing, and are positioned radially around the output shaft and spaced apart circumferentially about the interior of the rotatable housing a distance sufficient to receive one of the movable locking blocks when it moves inwardly toward the central axis of the rotatable output shaft, each said fixed locking block having a first contacting face and a second contacting face.
US09068393B2
A cutting machine for cutting components of window coverings has a machine base, a first cutting unit, a first restricting unit, a second cutting unit, and a second restricting unit. The first cutting unit and the second cutting unit are provided on the machine base. The first cutting unit is designed to cut a horizontal top rail, a horizontal bottom rail and horizontal slats of a venetian blind, and a vertical top rail of a vertical blind; the second cutting unit is designed to cut vertical slats of the vertical blind. The first and the second restricting units are designed to hold the components to be cut at specified positions by the first and the second cutting units.
US09068390B2
A hatch control system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and having a rearward field of view that encompasses a region at the rear of the vehicle that is swept by a hatch or liftgate or deck lid or door of the vehicle as the hatch is opened and closed, such as via a powered hatch opening/closing system. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera to determine if an object is present in the region that is swept by the hatch to determine if the hatch may collide with the detected object when the hatch is being opened/closed. Responsive to determination of a potential collision of the hatch with a detected object, the vehicle hatch control system may stop movement of the hatch and/or may move the hatch to a holding position.
