US09093518B1
Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a method of dicing a wafer involves providing a semiconductor wafer having integrated circuits on a front side thereof, and having a wafer-level underfill material layer disposed on the integrated circuits. The method also involves laser irradiating the semiconductor wafer from a backside of the semiconductor wafer to generate defects along dicing streets of the semiconductor wafer, the dicing streets oriented between the integrated circuits. The method also involves, subsequent to the laser irradiating, mechanically singulating the integrated circuits along the dicing streets.
US09093513B2
A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
US09093504B2
A semiconductor device is manufactured by forming, on an insulating base material, a first support element having a side face that extends from a surface of the insulating base material, forming a coating of amorphous silicon on the side face of the first support element, filling an aperture disposed between the first support element and a second support element that extends from a surface of the insulating base material with an insulating film, planarizing the insulating film to expose an exposed portion of the coating and a surface of the first support element, and siliciding the amorphous silicon of the coating to form an interconnect.
US09093498B2
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a bonded wafer comprising steps of forming an oxide film on at least a surface of a base wafer or a surface of a bond wafer; bringing the base wafer and the bond wafer into close contact via the oxide film; subjecting these wafers to a heat treatment under an oxidizing atmosphere to bond the wafers together; grinding and removing the outer periphery of the bond wafer so that the outer periphery has a predetermined thickness; subsequently removing an unbonded portion of the outer periphery of the bond wafer by etching; and then thinning the bond wafer so that the bond wafer has a desired thickness, wherein the etching is conducted by using a mixed acid at 30° C. or less at least comprising hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, and acetic acid. Thus there is provided a method for manufacturing a bonded wafer by which unbonded portions of the outer periphery of the bond wafer are removed with a high selectivity ratio (RSi/RSiO2) without causing metallic contamination.
US09093494B2
A guard structure for a semiconductor structure is provided. The guard structure includes a first guard ring, a second guard ring and a third guard ring. The first guard ring has a first conductivity type. The second guard ring has a second conductivity type, and surrounds the first guard ring. The third guard ring has the first conductivity type, and surrounds the second guard ring, wherein the first, the second and the third guard rings are grounded. A method of forming a guard layout pattern for a semiconductor layout pattern is also provided.
US09093490B2
A disclosed film deposition apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate by supplying a reaction gas to an upper surface of the substrate in a vacuum chamber includes a susceptor provided in the vacuum chamber, wherein substrate receiving areas are formed along a circle whose center lies in a center portion of the susceptor; a main gas supplying portion provided opposing the susceptor in order to supply the reaction gas to the substrate receiving areas of the susceptor; a compensation gas supplying portion configured to supply the reaction gas to an upper surface of the susceptor in order to compensate for concentration of the reaction gas supplied from the main gas supplying portion along a radius direction of the susceptor; and a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the susceptor relative to the main gas supplying portion and the compensation gas supplying portion around the center portion of the susceptor.
US09093488B2
According to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention, there is provided an AC-driven electrostatic chuck including: a dielectric substrate including protrusions formed on a major surface on a side of mounting a clamped object, and a bottom surface part formed around the protrusions; and an electrode provided on the dielectric substrate, the electrode including a plurality of electrode elements spaced from each other, the plurality of electrode elements being enabled to be applied with an AC voltage of mutually different phases, respectively, and the protrusions being arranged on the major surface with a prescribed spacing depending on shape of the plurality of electrode elements. The AC-driven electrostatic chuck is capable of suppressing local damage to part of the protrusions provided on the mounting surface side.
US09093480B2
A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a stack of alternating layers of a first material and a second material over a substrate, etching the stack to form at least one opening extending partially through the stack and forming a masking layer on a sidewall and bottom surface of the at least one opening. The method also includes removing the masking layer from the bottom surface of the at least one opening while leaving the masking layer on the sidewall of the at least one opening, and further etching the at least one opening to extend the at least one opening further through the stack while the masking layer remains on the sidewall of the at least one opening.
US09093479B2
A nonvolatile memory device and a method of forming the same, the device including a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of gate patterns stacked on the semiconductor substrate; inter-gate dielectric patterns between the gate patterns; active pillars sequentially penetrating the gate patterns and the inter-gate dielectric patterns to contact the semiconductor substrate; and a gate insulating layer between the active pillars and the gate patterns, wherein corners of the gate patterns adjacent to the active pillars are rounded.
US09093474B2
A manufacturing method of an electric power semiconductor device includes following processes. A plurality of first second conductivity type impurity implantation layers are formed in a surface of a second semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type. A first trench is formed between a first non-implantation region and one of the plurality of first second conductivity type impurity implantation layers. An epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type is formed and covers the plurality of first second conductivity type impurity implantation layers. A plurality of second second conductivity type impurity implantation layers are formed in a surface of the epitaxial layer. A second trench is formed between a second non-implantation region and one of the plurality of second second conductivity type impurity implantation layers. A third semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type is formed and covers the plurality of second second conductivity type impurity implantation layers.
US09093472B2
A semiconductor device comprising a substrate in which a first region and a second region are defined, a gate line which extends in a first direction and traverses the first region and the second region, a source region including a portion formed in the first region, a first part of a body region which is formed under the portion of the source region in the first region and has a first width, a first well which is formed under the first part of the body region in the first region and has a second width greater than the first width, a second part of the body region which is formed in the second region and has a third width, and a second well which is formed under the second part of the body region in the second region and has a fourth width smaller than the third width.
US09093463B1
A silicon controlled rectifier includes: a substrate; a N well and a P well positioned on a side of the substrate and contact with each other; a first N region and a first P region positioned on an upper surface of the N well and contact with each other; a second N region and a second P region positioned on an upper surface of the P well and contact with each other; a first oxide isolation region isolating the first P region and the second N region; a second oxide isolation region isolating the second N region and the second P region; an anode terminal coupled with the first N region and the first P region; and a cathode terminal coupled with the second N region and the second P region. The first P region has a doping concentration less than 80% of that of the second P region.
US09093452B2
A method of forming an electronic fuse including forming an Mx level including a first and a second Mx metal, forming a first Mx+1 dielectric above the Mx level, forming a conductive path on a portion of the first Mx+1 dielectric, forming a second Mx+1 dielectric above the first Mx+1 dielectric and above the conductive path, the first and second Mx+1 dielectrics together form an Mx+1 level, forming a first and a second via in the Mx+1 level, the conductive path extending from the first via to the second via and partially encircling the first via, and forming a first and second Mx+1 metal in the Mx+1 level, the first via extending vertically and electrically connecting the first Mx metal to the first Mx+1 metal, and the second via extending vertically and electrically connecting the second Mx metal to the second Mx+1 metal.
US09093451B2
A multiple-patterned semiconductor device and a method of manufacture are provided. The semiconductor device includes one or more layers with signal tracks. The signal tracks have a quality characteristic. The semiconductor device also includes repeater banks to repower signals. The method of manufacture includes defining portions of layers with photomasks having signal track patterns, determining a quality characteristic of the signal track patterns, and selecting a photomask for etching vias.
US09093445B2
Methods and structures are provided for packaging identically processed chips in a stacked structure. A latch chain includes a first latch chain, having a single or multiple latches, associated with a first chip. The first latch chain is structured to read data information from the first chip. The latch chain includes a second latch chain, having a single or multiple latches, associated with a second chip. The second latch chain is structured to read data information from the second chip. The first latch chain and the second latch chain are connected to one another such that form a single latch chain that crosses chip boundaries. The first latch chain and the second latch chain are structured to provide identification information for identifying the first chip and the second chip, respectively.
US09093443B2
Provided are a tape package and a flat panel display device including the tape package. The tape package includes a base film, a semiconductor chip mounted on one surface of the base film, a wire pattern including an input wire pattern and an output wire pattern formed on one surface of the base film and electrically connected with the semiconductor chip, a solder resist covering the remaining portion, except for an end of the wire pattern, and a protection film provided on an edge at one side of the solder resist facing an end of the output wire pattern.
US09093433B2
A semiconductor power chip may have a semiconductor die having a power device fabricated on a substrate thereof, wherein the power device has at least one first contact element, a plurality of second contact elements and a plurality of third contact elements arranged on top of the semiconductor die; a plurality of ball bumps or a loaf bump disposed on each of the plurality of second elements and the plurality of third elements; and at least one ball bump or loaf on the at least one first contact element.
US09093422B2
A semiconductor device includes a fin portion protruding from a substrate. The fin portion includes a base part, an intermediate part on the base part, and a channel part on the intermediate part. A width of the intermediate part is less than a width of the base part and greater than a width of the channel part. A gate electrode coves both sidewalls and a top surface of the channel part, and a device isolation pattern covers both sidewalls of the base part and both sidewalls of the intermediate part.
US09093421B2
A method and circuit for implementing field effect transistors (FETs) having a gate within a gate utilizing a replacement metal gate process (RMGP), and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. A field effect transistor utilizing a RMGP includes a sacrificial gate in a generally central metal gate region on a dielectric layer on a substrate, a source and drain formed in the substrate, a pair of dielectric spacers, a first metal gate and a second metal gate replacing the sacrificial gate inside the central metal gate region, and a second gate dielectric layer separating the first metal gate and the second metal gate. A respective electrical contact is formed on opposite sides of the central metal gate region for respectively electrically connecting the first metal gate and the second metal gate to a respective voltage.
US09093409B2
A luminescent display device includes a substrate and first and second thin-film transistors above the substrate. The first thin-film transistor includes a semiconductor layer, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain. The second thin-film transistor includes a semiconductor layer, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, and a drain electrode. The device also includes an interlayer insulating film on the gate electrode of the first thin-film transistor and the gate electrode of the second thin-film transistor, a first capacitor electrode on the interlayer insulating film, and a luminescent element such that the first capacitor electrode and the gate electrode of the first thin-film transistor constitute a first capacitor, and the first capacitor electrode is not connected to the source electrode and the drain electrode of the first thin-film transistor.
US09093406B2
An organic light emitting diode display device is provided. The organic light emitting display device includes at least one capacitor, at least one transistor, and an organic light emitting element connected to the capacitor and the transistor. The transistor includes a first structure and a second structure disposed on the first structure with a first insulating layer therebetween. The capacitor includes a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on the first electrode with the insulating layer therebetween. A distance between the first electrode and the second electrode in at least a region, is less than a distance between the first structure and the second structure.
US09093397B2
Flexible device manufacturing method including: forming thin film by coating surface of support with predetermined solution in state where hydroxyl groups are present on surface; forming releasing layer by baking thin film; forming flexible substrate on releasing layer; forming device on flexible substrate; and releasing releasing layer, flexible substrate and device from support at interface between support and releasing layer. Predetermined solution contains alkylsilane alkoxide derivative and titanium alkoxide derivative. Baking temperature for baking thin film is at least 200° C. and at most 350° C. Ratio of number of silicon atoms in alkylsilane alkoxide derivative to number of titanium atoms in titanium alkoxide derivative is 3.3:1 to 4.1:1 when baking temperature is at least 200° C. and less than 270° C., 3.3:1 to 23:1 when baking temperature is at least 270° C. and at most 330° C., and 19:1 to 23:1 when baking temperature is more than 330° C. and at most 350° C.
US09093385B2
A method for processing a semiconductor workpiece is provided, which may include: providing a semiconductor workpiece including a metallization layer stack disposed at a side of the semiconductor workpiece, the metallization layer stack including at least a first layer and a second layer disposed over the first layer, wherein the first layer contains a first material and the second layer contains a second material that is different from the first material; patterning the metallization layer stack, wherein patterning the metallization layer stack includes wet etching the first layer and the second layer by means of an etching solution that has at least substantially the same etching rate for the first material and the second material.
US09093381B2
A method for forming, on a substrate, a seed layer enabling the subsequent deposition of a metal layer, including the step of immersing the substrate in a bath containing a material from the ethoxysilane or siloxane family and a copper or nickel amidinate.
US09093376B2
A method for fabricating a field effect transistor device includes depositing a hardmask over a semiconductor layer depositing a metallic alloy layer over the hardmask, defining a semiconductor fin, depositing a dummy gate stack material layer conformally on exposed portions of the fin, patterning a dummy gate stack by removing portions of the dummy gate stack material using an etching process that selectively removes exposed portions of the dummy gate stack without appreciably removing portions of the metallic alloy layer, removing exposed portions of the metallic alloy layer, forming spacers adjacent to the dummy gate stack, forming source and drain regions on exposed regions of the semiconductor fin, removing the dummy gate stack, removing exposed portions of the metallic alloy layer, and forming a gate stack conformally over exposed portions of the insulator layer and the semiconductor fin.
US09093374B2
The gate electrode of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) comprises a source side gate electrode and a drain side gate electrode that abut each other near the middle of the channel. In one embodiment, the source side gate electrode comprises a silicon oxide based gate dielectric and the drain side gate electrode comprises a high-k gate dielectric. The source side gate electrode provides high carrier mobility, while the drain side gate electrode provides good short channel effect and reduced gate leakage. In another embodiment, the source gate electrode and drain gate electrode comprises different high-k gate dielectric stacks and different gate conductor materials, wherein the source side gate electrode has a first work function a quarter band gap away from a band gap edge and the drain side gate electrode has a second work function near the band gap edge.
US09093366B2
An N-polar III-N transistor includes a III-N buffer layer, a first III-N barrier layer, and a III-N channel layer, the III-N channel layer having a gate region and a plurality of access regions on opposite sides of the gate region. The compositional difference between the first III-N barrier layer and the III-N channel layer causes a conductive channel to be induced in the access regions of the III-N channel layer. The transistor also includes a source, a gate, a drain, and a second III-N barrier layer between the gate and the III-N channel layer. The second III-N barrier layer has an N-face proximal to the gate and a group-III face opposite the N-face, and has a larger bandgap than the III-N channel layer. The lattice constant of the first III-N barrier layer is within 0.5% of the lattice constant of the buffer layer.
US09093362B2
A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes an n-type SiC impurity region containing a p-type impurity and an n-type impurity. Where the p-type impurity is an element A and the n-type impurity is an element D, the element A and the element D form a combination of Al (aluminum), Ga (gallium), or In (indium) and N (nitrogen), and/or a combination of B (boron) and P (phosphorus). The ratio of the concentration of the element A to the concentration of the element D in the above combination is higher than 0.40 but lower than 0.95, and the concentration of the element D forming the above combination is not lower than 1×1018 cm−3 and not higher than 1×1022 cm−3.
US09093354B1
Three dimensional quantum well transistors and fabrication methods are provided. A quantum well layer, a barrier layer, and a gate structure can be sequentially formed on an insulating surface of a fin part. The gate structure can be formed over the barrier layer and across the fin part. The QW layer and the barrier layer can form a hetero-junction of the transistor. A recess can be formed in the fin part on both sides of the gate structure to suspend a sidewall spacer. A source and a drain can be formed by growing an epitaxial material in the recess and the sidewall spacer formed on both sidewalls of the gate electrode can be positioned on surface of the source and the drain.
US09093349B2
In a region of a weak internal electric field, photocharges generated in a region deeper than the photodiode are diffused laterally to lower the sensitivity by photoelectrons flowing into adjacent pixels, etc (crosstalk). An anti-crosstalk layer is disposed in the photodiode forming portion, and between a pixel region and a peripheral circuit region. Crosstalk between a pixel and a pixel or between a pixel region and a peripheral circuit region is decreased to improve the photosensitivity.
US09093347B2
A detecting apparatus includes a substrate that permits visible light to pass therethrough, a converting element that includes a pixel electrode, an impurity semiconductor layer, and a semiconductor layer arranged in that order from a side adjacent to the substrate and is configured to convert radiation or light into charge, and a light source configured to emit the visible light through the substrate to the converting element. The pixel electrode includes a metal layer that permits the visible light to pass therethrough.
US09093346B2
A photoelectric conversion device including a photoelectric conversion element including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type provided in contact with the first semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type provided apart from the second semiconductor region, a fourth semiconductor region of a second conductivity type provided between the second and the third semiconductor region, and a fifth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type provided apart from the third semiconductor region, wherein an impurity concentration of the third semiconductor region is lower than that of the fifth semiconductor region, and a depth of a lower-edge of the third semiconductor region from a surface of the semiconductor substrate is larger than that of a lower-edge of the fifth semiconductor region.
US09093342B2
An optical sensor includes an image sensor, a proximity sensor and a visible light sensor. The image sensor includes a first pixel and a second pixel. The first pixel is coated with a first optical film for blocking light whose wavelength is outside a first predetermined range and a second optical film for blocking light whose wavelength is outside a second predetermined range. The proximity sensor generates an IR signal according to a first exposure value. The visible light sensing unit generates a visible light signal according to the difference between the first exposure and a second exposure value or according to a ratio of the first exposure value to the second exposure value. The first exposure value represents an incident light quantity which is absorbed by the first pixel. The second exposure value represents an incident light quantity which is absorbed by the second pixel.
US09093341B2
An imaging apparatus includes: a sensor substrate, wherein the sensor substrate has plural photoelectric conversion devices and driving devices thereof formed on a substrate, signal lines for reading imaging signals obtained in the photoelectric conversion devices through the driving devices and relay electrodes electrically connecting between the driving devices and the signal lines to relay between them.
US09093337B2
A method includes placing a plurality of dummy dies over a carrier, placing a plurality of device dies over the carrier, molding the plurality of dummy dies and the plurality of device dies in a molding compound, forming redistribution line over and electrically coupled to the device dies, and performing a die-saw to separate the device dies and the molding compound into a plurality of packages.
US09093335B2
A method includes probing at least one semiconductor fin using a four-point probe head, with four probe pins of the four-point probe head contacting the at least one semiconductor fin. A resistance of the at least one semiconductor fin is calculated. A carrier concentration of the semiconductor fin is calculated from the resistance.
US09093329B2
Embodiments of the invention provide an array substrate and a fabrication method thereof, and a liquid crystal display device. The array substrate comprises: a gate line, a data line, and a pixel unit formed by the gate line and the data line intersecting with each other. A first thin-film transistor and a pixel electrode are formed in the pixel unit, and the pixel electrode has slits. The pixel unit further comprises a second thin-film transistor, a first common electrode and a second common electrode, and the second thin-film transistor is configured to turn on and transmit a signal of the first common electrode to the second common electrode when a data line signal is at a high level.
US09093327B2
A display panel device includes: a gate electrode above a substrate; a gate insulator above the gate electrode; a first source electrode and a first drain electrode above the gate insulator; a second source electrode and a second drain electrode above the first source electrode and the first drain electrode respectively; a first partition wall part having an opening in which the second source electrode and the second drain electrode are exposed; a semiconductor layer in the opening; an insulation layer above the semiconductor layer; a lower electrode above the insulation layer; and a contact hole in the insulation layer, for connecting the lower electrode and the second drain electrode or the second source electrode, wherein a film structure of each of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode is sparser than a film structure of each of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode.
US09093322B2
A semiconductor device is disclosed. One embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate and at least two insulating elements located above the semiconductor substrate or above a mold compound embedding the semiconductor substrate. The at least two insulating elements have a first face facing the semiconductor substrate or the mold compound and a second face facing away from the semiconductor substrate or the mold compound. A conductive element for each of the at least two insulating elements extends from the first face of the insulating element to the second face of the insulating element.
US09093308B2
A double seal ring for an integrated circuit, the double seal ring includes a first seal ring surrounding the integrated circuit and a second seal ring spaced from the first seal ring. The double seal ring further includes two connectors connecting the first seal ring and the second seal ring, wherein the first seal ring, the second seal ring, and the two connectors form a closed loop. A method of forming a double seal ring for an integrated circuit includes forming a first seal ring surrounding the integrated circuit and forming a second seal ring spaced from the first seal ring. The method further includes forming two connectors connecting the first seal ring and the second seal ring, wherein the first seal ring, the second seal ring, and the two connectors form a closed loop.
US09093306B2
In semiconductor devices in which both NMOS devices and PMOS devices are used to perform in different modes such as analog and digital modes, stress engineering is selectively applied to particular devices depending on their required operational modes. That is, the appropriate mechanical stress, i.e., tensile or compressive, can be applied to and/or removed from devices, i.e., NMOS and/or PMOS devices, based not only on their conductivity type, i.e., n-type or p-type, but also on their intended operational application, for example, analog/digital, low-voltage/high-voltage, high-speed/low-speed, noise-sensitive/noise-insensitive, etc. The result is that performance of individual devices is optimized based on the mode in which they operate. For example, mechanical stress can be applied to devices that operate in high-speed digital settings, while devices that operate in analog or RF signal settings, in which electrical noise such as flicker noise that may be introduced by applied stress may degrade performance, have no stress applied.
US09093299B1
A semiconductor arrangement and method of formation are provided herein. A semiconductor arrangement includes a metal connect in contact with a first active region and a second active region, and over a shallow trench isolation region located between the first active region and a second active region. A method of forming the semiconductor arrangement includes recessing the metal connect over the STI region to form a recessed portion of the metal connect. Forming the recessed portion of the metal connect in contact with the first active region and the second active region mitigates RC coupling, such that a first gate is formed closer to a second gate, thus reducing a size of a chip on which the recessed portion is located.
US09093288B2
A semiconductor device which solves the following problem of a super junction structure: due to a relatively high concentration in the body cell region (active region), in peripheral areas (peripheral regions or junction end regions), it is difficult to achieve a breakdown voltage equivalent to or higher than in the cell region through a conventional junction edge terminal structure or resurf structure. The semiconductor device includes a power MOSFET having a super junction structure formed in the cell region by a trench fill technique. Also, super junction structures having orientations parallel to the sides of the cell region are provided in a drift region around the cell region.
US09093278B1
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system including: heating a support structure having a conductive pad and an organic surface protection layer on the conductive pad; removing the organic surface protection layer from the conductive pad by a plasma process with a two-step method, the two-step method includes a first step with a dioxygen and a second step with a dihydrogen, wherein the second step immediately follows the first step; and forming an underfill over the conductive pad.
US09093273B2
A method comprises growing a channel layer over a substrate, wherein the channel layer comprises a first channel region and a second channel region, and wherein the first channel region and the second channel region are separated by a first isolation region, depositing a hard mask layer over the channel layer, patterning the hard mask layer, applying a first delta doping process to the first channel region to form a first delta doping layer over the first channel region, applying a second delta doping process to the second channel region to form a second delta doping layer over the second channel region, wherein the second delta doping layer is of a different doping density from the first delta doping layer and applying a diffusion process to the first delta doping layer and the second delta doping layer.
US09093266B2
An isolation structure, such as a trench isolation structure, may be formed by forming an aperture in a semiconductor substrate and then filling the aperture with boron. In some embodiments, the aperture filling may use atomic layer deposition. In some cases, the boron may be amorphous boron. The aperture may be a high aspect ratio aperture, such as a trench, in some embodiments.
US09093263B2
Disclosed herein is a formulation for depositing a cured underlayer for promoting the formation of self assembled structures. The underlayer comprises: (a) a polymer comprising at least one pendant vinyl ether monomer repeat unit having the structure, (I): wherein R is chosen from H, C1-C4 alkyl, or halogen, and W is a divalent group chosen from C1-C6 alkylene, C6-C20 arylene, benzylene, or C2-C20 alkyleneoxyalkylene; (ii) optional thermal acid generator; and (c) a solvent. The invention also relates to processes of forming a pattern using the underlayer.
US09093261B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes processing a semiconductor substrate using a plasma etching apparatus provided with a processing chamber. The semiconductor substrate has an uneasily-etched material formed thereabove and at least an upper layer film formed above the uneasily-etched material. The method includes etching the upper layer film after loading the semiconductor substrate into the processing chamber; forming a lift-off layer along an inner wall of the processing chamber with the semiconductor substrate loaded in the processing chamber; etching the uneasily-etched material and causing deposition of a reactive product of the uneasily-etched material along the lift-off layer; and cleaning, by removing the reactive product by removing the lift-off layer, the inner wall of the processing chamber after the semiconductor substrate is unloaded from the plasma etching apparatus.
US09093255B2
Apparatuses and methods for the moderation of positrons are provided herein. The apparatus includes a structure consisting of linear arrays of electrode and semiconductor structures of generally planar or cylindrical form with vacuum gaps between each element electrode. This structure may be contained within a vacuum chamber. The positron source is positioned adjacent to the moderator structure or the electrodes may act as the positron source by pair production through bombardment of high energy photons, electrons, or neutrons. Positrons from this source are implanted into the moderator material and drift to the moderator surfaces through the influence of the electric fields produced by the electrodes. Positrons are emitted from the surfaces of the moderator material and are confined by orthogonal electric and magnetic fields while they drift out from the vacuum gap between cathodes and anodes for extraction.
US09093250B2
A scanning transmission electron microscope system includes: an annular dark-field detector; an electron energy loss spectroscopic apparatus configured to acquire an electron energy loss spectroscopy spectrum of a first electron beam from the annular dark-field detector; and an image processing apparatus configured to generate a first STEM image based on an output signal from the annular dark-field detector and generate a second STEM image based on an integrated value of the electron energy loss spectroscopy spectrum.
US09093232B2
An electronic switch may include transfer transistor having a first conduction terminal for receiving an input signal, a second conduction terminal, and a control terminal. The transfer transistor may enable/disable a transfer of the input signal from the first conduction terminal to the second conduction terminal according to a control signal. The control signal may take a first value and a second value different from the first value, a difference between the first value and the second value defining, in absolute value, an operative value of the control signal. The electronic switch may further comprise a driving circuit for receiving the input signal and the control signal, and for providing a driving signal equal to the sum between the input signal and the operative value of the control signal to the control terminal of the transfer transistor.
US09093228B2
A method of producing an electric storage device includes a fastening that includes fastening a laminate that includes a lithium foil and a metal foil to at least one of a first separator and a second separator using a bonding member, and a winding that includes winding the first separator, the second separator, the laminate, a cathode, and an anode to obtain a wound element, one of the first separator and the second separator being disposed between the cathode and the anode.
US09093227B2
Super capacitor including a gel electrolyte and manufacturing method thereof are provided. The gel electrolyte is one selected from a group consisting of a P(AN-EG-AN) copolymer, a P(AN-EG) copolymer, a P(EG-AN-EG) copolymer and a combination thereof.
US09093223B2
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes: a ceramic body having laminated dielectric layers having an average thickness of 0.2-2.0 μm; an active layer including first and second internal electrodes alternately exposed through end surfaces of the ceramic body having the dielectric layer interposed therebetween and contributing to capacitance formation; upper and lower cover layers respectively formed above and below the active layer, the lower cover layer being thicker than the upper cover layer; first and second external electrodes covering the end surfaces of the ceramic body, wherein a bottommost internal electrode adjacent to the lower cover layer has an oxide layer formed on at least one of top and bottom surfaces thereof, and when lengths and thicknesses of the bottommost internal electrode and the oxide layer are denoted by ‘Le,’ ‘te’ and ‘Lo,’ ‘to’, respectively, in a cross section of the ceramic body taken in length-thickness direction, 50%
US09093216B2
Provided is a non-contact power transmission apparatus that can be made thinner without any drop in power transmission efficiency.The non-contact power transmission apparatus includes: primary coil (2) generating a magnetic flux (Φ1); secondary coil (4) disposed facing primary coil (2) to receive power in a non-contact manner from primary coil (2) by electromagnetic induction; magnetic-substance layer (5) that covers a side opposite the side of secondary coil (4) facing primary coil (2) so that the magnetic flux (Φ1) can pass; magnet portion (7) disposed to be able to switch two magnetic poles and configured to generate a magnetic flux (Φ2) that is larger than the difference between the maximum value of the first magnetic flux (Φ1) and the saturated magnetic flux of magnetic-substance layer (5) and that passes through magnetic-substance layer (5) in a direction in which magnetic-substance layer (5) spreads; and magnetic pole switching unit (8) that detects the direction of the first magnetic flux (Φ1), and switches the magnetic pole of magnet portion (7) to generate a magnetic flux (Φ2) in a direction opposite the direction of the first magnetic flux (Φ1).
US09093214B2
Embodiments of magnetorheological systems, devices, and associated methods of control are described below are described herein. In one embodiment, a magnetorheological device includes an magnetorheological fluid, a shaft proximate and mechanically coupled to the magnetorheological fluid, and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic flux through the magnetorheological fluid along a magnetic flux path. The magnetorheological device also includes a sensor positioned in the magnetic flux path and configured to measure a current value of magnetic inductance of the magnetic flux flowing through the magnetorheological fluid.
US09093206B2
A device and method for connecting a cup and a lid includes a cup portion that has a lip, the lip extending from an outer circumference of the cup portion at an open end of the cup portion. The device has a lid portion and a collar portion. The collar portion engages with the lip, thereby holding the collar portion to the cup portion. A series of magnets and/or metal pieces couple magnetically attract the lid portion to the collar portion. As pressure within the cup portion increases beyond a predetermined point, the series of magnets and/or metal pieces partially disengage, thereby allowing escape of excess pressure.
US09093205B2
Thermally annealed superparamagnetic core shell nanoparticles of an iron oxide core and a silicon dioxide shell having high magnetic saturation are provided. A magnetic core of high magnetic moment obtained by compression sintering the thermally annealed superparamagnetic core shell nanoparticles is also provided. The magnetic core has little core loss due to hysteresis or eddy current flow.
US09093199B2
A method for making superconducting wire is provided. A number of superconducting preforms is formed on a carrier. A carbon nanotube layer is placed spaced from and opposite to the carrier. The superconducting preforms are moved from the carrier onto the carbon nanotube layer by applying an electric field between the carbon nanotube layer and the carrier. A composite wire is made by treating the carbon nanotube layer with the superconducting preforms thereon. Finally, the composite wire is sintered.
US09093193B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of forming a film of an insoluble conjugated polymer (CP) by deposition of an ionic CP from aqueous solution and converting the ionic CP to the insoluble CP. The ionic CP can be the salt of a carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid, phosphonic acid, boronic acid, amine, imine, phosphine, thioether, or complexed bidentate or polydentate ligand. The insoluble CP film can be used with an aqueous electrolyte solution for use as: an electrochromic film; charge injection layer for a solar cell, LED, and FET; conventional paints; supercapacitor; battery; electronic paper; anti-static coating; transparent conductor; sensors; anti-microbial coating; adhesive; RFID; or memory system.
US09093192B2
This silver-coated spherical resin includes: a spherical resin; and silver coated on a surface of the spherical resin, wherein an amount of the silver is in a range of 2 to 80 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the silver-coated spherical resin, and a crystallite diameter of the silver measured by X-ray diffractometry is in a range of 18 to 24 nm. This method for producing a silver-coated spherical resin includes: a process of subjecting a spherical resin to a pretreatment using an aqueous solution of a tin compound; and a subsequent process of subjecting the spherical resin to an electroless silver plating using a reducing agent, wherein, during the pretreatment, a temperature of the aqueous solution of the tin compound is set to be in a range of 20 to 45° C.
US09093188B1
A low voltage lighting apparatus, and its novel components, for decks and railings stairs or steps, both outdoor and indoor. One aspect of the invention pertains to various wiring harness designs used to conveniently hook up the lighting apparatus. A wiring harness permits the easy swapping out of defective components such as burned out light bulbs, and is customizable in terms of size and shape. Another aspect of the invention pertains to arrangements for placing most of the wiring behind the steps of a staircase, and below the deck surface, or for otherwise concealing wiring that is in front of a step, or above the deck surface.
US09093187B1
A volumetric stationary CT system has at least one stationary array of x-ray detectors extending proximate at least a portion of an imaging volume, at least one stationary x-ray source proximate the stationary array or arrays of x-ray detectors, and a collimator having a slit with a non-uniform opening width. The collimator is intermediate the stationary x-ray source and the stationary array of x-ray detectors. The result is a uniform flux normal to the detector array across the entire length thereof.
US09093180B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of banks, a plurality of compression blocks configured to compress a plurality of first read data respectively provided by the banks and output a plurality of second read data, a plurality of pipe latches configured to latch the second read data and output third read data in series, an output controller configured to receive the third read data from the pipe latches and sequentially output fourth read data in response to a plurality of bank addresses and a read enable signal, and a pad configured to transfer the fourth read data sequentially outputted from the output controller to an outside of the semiconductor memory device.
US09093159B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell array; a first data latch; a second data latch; a first data bus; a second data bus; a first temporary latch; a second temporary latch; and a control unit. The first and the second data latches are electrically connected to the memory cell array. The first data bus is electrically connected to the first data latch. The second data bus is electrically connected to the second data latch. The first temporary latch is electrically connected to the first data bus. The second temporary latch is electrically connected to the second data bus. The control unit is configured to write data on the first temporary latch and transfer data retained in the first temporary latch to the first data latch while writing data on the second temporary latch.
US09093154B2
An exemplary method for reading data stored in a flash memory is disclosed. The flash memory comprises a plurality of memory cells and stores N bit(s) data in a memory cell of the memory cells by programming the memory cell to one voltage state of 2N voltage states. The method includes: controlling the flash memory to perform at least one read operation upon the memory cell to obtain at least one binary digit for representing a bit of the N bits data; generating a codeword for representing the bit of the N bits data according to the at least one binary digit, wherein the codeword is different from the at least one binary digit; providing the codeword to an error correction decoder for performing an error correction operation.
US09093153B2
The present invention discloses a discrete three-dimensional memory (3D-M). Its 3D-M arrays are located on at least one 3D-array die, while its read/write-voltage generator (VR/VW-generator) is located on a separate peripheral-circuit die. The VR/VW-generator generates at least a read and/or write voltage to the 3D-array die. A single VR/VW-generator die can support multiple 3D-array dies.
US09093143B2
A control circuit, on selecting a memory cell as a selected memory cell to perform a write operation, before executing the write operation, applies a first voltage to the selected memory cell via a first line and a second line to perform a first read operation. The control circuit, when judged that a result of the first read operation does not match write data intended to be written, executes the write operation. The control circuit, when judged that a result of the first read operation matches write data intended to be written, omits a voltage application operation for the write operation.The first voltage is larger than a second voltage which is applied to the selected memory cell via the first line and the second line in a second read operation, the second read operation acting as a normal read operation for reading held data of the memory cell.
US09093142B2
Some embodiments include methods and apparatus having a module configured to program a memory cell using a signal to cause the memory cell to have a programmed resistance value, to adjust a programming parameter value of the signal if the programmed resistance value is outside a target resistance value range, and to repeat at least one of the programming and the adjusting if the programmed resistance value is outside the target resistance value range, the signal including a different programming parameter value each time the programming is repeated.
US09093137B2
A semi-conductor storing apparatus is provided, which comprises plural storing units, each having a line buffer including plural flip-flop circuits and a clock supplying circuit for supplying a clock to the plural flip-flop circuits, a clock-controlling unit, which controls on/off operation of the clock supplying circuit to decide whether to output a clock, a selecting unit, which selects one from among outputs from the plural storing units, and an unit-controlling unit, which controls the operations of the clock-controlling unit and the selecting unit.
US09093132B2
An operating method for a memory system provides a ready/busy signal from a nonvolatile memory device indicating an idle state or a busy state to a controller. The controller generates a next command but transfers the next command to the nonvolatile memory device in response to the ready/busy signal and the idle verse busy state of a target plane among multiple planes of the nonvolatile memory device.
US09093128B2
An electronic device includes a non-volatile memory having a plurality of memory cells, a memory controller, and an evaluator. The memory controller is configured to provide control signals to the non-volatile memory causing the non-volatile memory, or a selected memory section of the non-volatile memory, to be in one of a read state and a weak erase state, wherein the weak erase state causes the plurality of memory cells to maintain different states depending on different physical properties of the plurality of memory cells. The evaluator is configured to read out the plurality of memory cells and to provide a readout pattern during the read state, wherein the readout pattern that is provided after a preceding weak erase state corresponds to a physically unclonable function (PUF) response of the electronic device uniquely identifying the electronic device.
US09093121B2
In one aspect, a method related to data management includes but is not limited to accepting input for a designation of a reference designator in an audio data stream; accepting input for a designation of a beginning demarcation designator in the audio data stream; accepting input for a designation of an ending demarcation designator in the audio data stream; and accepting input for retaining at a high resolution a portion of the audio data stream beginning substantially at the beginning demarcation designator and ending substantially at the ending demarcation designator. In addition, other method, system, and program product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and/or text forming a part of the present application.
US09093116B2
Various approaches, methods, systems, circuits and devices for channel bit density estimation.
US09093108B2
A fluid dynamic bearing motor is provided having relatively rotatable facing surfaces that are reliably lubricated. A radial gap is defined between the relatively rotatable facing surfaces, wherein a first axial end of a fluid dynamic bearing has a larger radial gap as compared to a central region of the fluid dynamic bearing. In an aspect, a fluid recirculation passageway is established between the first axial end and the central region of the fluid dynamic bearing. In an aspect, a fluid reservoir is formed axially above the first axial end of the fluid dynamic bearing. Robustness of the FDB motor is increased, and sensitivity to external loads or mechanical shock events is reduced. Dry surface-to-surface contact of bearing surfaces and reduced performance or failure of the motor or disc drive components is averted. The use of diamond-like coating on relatively rotatable fluid bearing surfaces may also be reduced or eliminated.
US09093100B2
A magnetic recording medium enabling excellent magnetic recording reproduction characteristics to be exhibited with the spacing loss reduced. The magnetic recording medium has a magnetic recording layer of a granular structure having nonmagnetic boundary portions between pillar-shaped magnetic particles on a nonmagnetic substrate, and an exchange coupling layer provided on the magnetic recording layer to add an action of exchange coupling the magnetic particles. Ion irradiation on the entire surface of the exchange coupling layer after layering the exchange coupling layer on the magnetic recording layer is performed.
US09093093B2
An adaptive guard band scheme is disclosed for a data storage device. In illustrated embodiments, the adaptive guard band scheme formats different guard band cylinders and track zeros for different heads depending upon a contact cylinder of the different heads. In an illustrative embodiment, the adaptive guard band scheme utilizes the contact cylinders for the heads and a no fly cylinder to determine track zero(s) and extended data zone(s) for select heads.
US09093091B1
A pattern is written to only a portion of a test track of a magnetic disk. The pattern written to the portion of the test track is read using a read head. A cross-track offset between the read head and a write head is determined at a position on a disk based on reading the pattern.
US09093086B2
In one embodiment, a device includes a light source, a near-field light transducer including an electroconductive scattering body configured for generating near-field light when irradiated by light from the light source, the near-field light transducer including a triangular shape at a media-facing surface thereof having three apexes including a trailing-side apex positioned on a trailing side of the near-field light transducer, a main pole configured for writing data to a magnetic medium, the main pole being positioned in a down-track direction from the near-field light transducer, a first material positioned near the trailing-side apex of the near-field light transducer, and a second material positioned near other apexes of the near-field light transducer, the first material being more difficult to etch than the second material, wherein the near-field light transducer is configured to assist the main pole in writing data to the magnetic medium by production of the near-field light.
US09093076B2
A multipass processing system includes a first grammar-based speech recognition system that compares a spoken utterance to a sub-grammar. The sub-grammar includes keywords or key phrases from active grammars that each uniquely identifies one of many application engines. The first grammar-based speech recognition system generates a first grammar-based speech recognition result and a first grammar-based confidence score. A demultiplexer receives the spoken utterance through an input. The demultiplexer transmits the spoken utterance to one of many other grammar-based speech recognition systems based on the first grammar-based speech recognition-result.
US09093074B2
Regarding audio data related to document data, an image processing apparatus pertaining to the present invention generates text data by using a speech recognition technology in advance, and determines delimiter positions in the text data and the audio data in correspondence. In a keyword search, if a keyword is detected in the text data, the image processing apparatus plays the audio data from a delimiter that is immediately before the keyword.
US09093053B2
An arrestor restricts the movement of a user operated device and is designed to allow flexible placement of the user operated device and subsequent locking to an adjacent object. While one function is to fix a foot pedal relative to a keyboard stand, the foot pedal arrestor can also be applied to any user operated device associated with a broad spectrum of applications. These range from musical instruments through foot operated industrial equipment and office equipment to in home devices such as sewing machines and recreational equipment such as boat motor controllers.
US09093049B2
A backlight module of a display provides a backlight controlled by a switch. A first electrochromic film comprises a plurality of first electrochromic devices which may each be powered on to appear white or transparent, and a first power supply module. A second electrochromic film comprises a plurality of second electrochromic devices which may each be powered to appear black or transparent, and a second power supply module. The first electrochromic film is positioned between the backlight module and the second electrochromic film. A controller applies voltages to the first electrochromic devices and to the second electrochromic devices to control appearances of each individual first electrochromic devices and each individual second electrochromic devices.
US09093042B2
A transparent display apparatus includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines including first and second data lines, a gate driver, and a data driver. Each of the pixels comprises sub-pixels arranged in a row direction, each gate line is operatively coupled to sub-pixels arranged in a corresponding row, and each first and second data line is operatively coupled to sub-pixels arranged in a corresponding column. The gate driver sequentially applies a gate signal to the pixels through the gate lines. The data driver applies sub-data signals to the sub-pixels through the first data lines, and applies down data signals to the sub-pixels through the second data lines. Each of the down data signals has a voltage level lower than a voltage level of a corresponding sub-data signal.
US09093031B2
A method for modifying an image to be displayed on a display includes receiving an image to be displayed on the display having a backlight and a transmissive panel. A backlight signal is provided to the backlight for causing the backlight to selectively illuminate different portions of the backlight with different characteristics. The characteristics include at least one of a different color and a difference luminance. A panel signal is provided to the panel for causing the transmissive panel to selectively change its transmittivities. At least one of the backlight signal and the panel signal are modified in a manner to reduce off-axis artifacts.
US09093029B2
Disclosed is a system and method to improve the extraction of transistor and OLED parameters in an AMOLED display for compensation of programming voltages to improve image quality. A pixel circuit includes an organic light emitting device, a drive device to provide a programmable drive current to the light emitting device, a programming input to provide the programming signal, and a storage device to store the programming signal. A charge-pump amplifier has a current input and a voltage output. The charge-pump amplifier includes an operational amplifier in negative feedback configuration. The feedback is provided by a capacitor connected between the output and the inverting input of the operational amplifier. A common-mode voltage source drives the non-inverting input of the operational amplifier. An electronic switch is coupled across the capacitor to reset the capacitor. A switch module including the input is coupled to the output of the pixel circuit and an output is coupled to the input of the charge-pump amplifier. The switch module includes a set of electronic switches that may be controlled by external control signals to steer current in and out of the pixel circuit and provide a discharge path between the pixel circuit and the charge-pump amplifier and isolating the charge-pump amplifier from the pixel circuit. A controller is coupled to the pixel circuit, charge-pump amplifier and the switch module. The controller controls input signals to the pixel circuit, charge-pump amplifier and switch module in a predetermined sequence to produce an output voltage value which is a function of a parameter of the pixel circuit. The sequence includes providing a program voltage to the programming input to either pre-charge an internal capacitance of the pixel circuit to a charge level and transfer the charge to the charge-pump amplifier via the switch module to generate the output voltage value or provide a current from the pixel circuit to the charge-pump amplifier via the switch module to produce the output voltage value by integration over a certain period of time.
US09093027B2
A display device includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel including an organic light emitting diode (OLED) and a driving transistor, a sustain power supply unit applying a first sustain voltage to a plurality of data lines connected to the plurality of pixels, and a data driver applying one of a data signal and a second sustain voltage to the plurality of data lines. For each pixel, the sustain power supply unit applies the first sustain voltage as a first level voltage to reset a gate voltage of the driving transistor and applies the first sustain voltage as a second level voltage to increase the gate voltage of the driving transistor. When an anode voltage of the OLED in each pixel is discharged to be reset, the anode voltage of the OLED is controlled according to a voltage difference between the first level voltage and the second level voltage.
US09093023B1
An organic light emitting display device including a plurality of pixel areas including an emission area and a pixel circuit area, the plurality of pixel areas being configured to emit light; a plurality of dummy pixel areas formed adjacent to the plurality of pixel areas to include a non-emission area and a pixel circuit area; an anode electrode form in the plurality of dummy pixel areas; and a bridge line formed from a portion of the anode electrode and in the plurality of pixel areas.
US09093016B2
An electro-optical device includes, on a substrate, three sub-pixels, three sampling switches, three data lines, three image signal lines, and three lead wiring lines. The three sub-pixels correspond to red, green and blue, respectively. The three sub-pixels are included in a unit pixel. The three sampling switches correspond to the three sub-pixels, respectively. The three data lines electrically connect the three sub-pixels and the three sampling switches with each other, respectively. The three image signal lines, which are provided on a side opposite to the three sub-pixels with respect to the three sampling switches, correspond to the three sampling switches, respectively. The three lead wiring lines electrically connect the three sampling switches and the three image signal lines with each other, respectively. Among the three sampling switches, a sampling switch corresponding to green is disposed close to the three image signal lines compared to other two sampling switches.
US09093008B2
A display device includes: a driver including: a scanning line driver; and a signal line driver, in the pixels, a quenched state sequentially starts, for each row, in the rows of the pixels, based on the first pulse of the scanning signal that is input through the scanning line, and light-emission data from the signal line is written on the row of the pixels, based on the second pulse of the scanning signal, the driver supplies the scanning signal and the image signal to the scanning line and the signal line, respectively, such that writing the light-emission data on a first row of the pixels starts before a start of the quenched state in a last row of the pixels, and such that writing the light-emission data on the last row of the pixels ends after a start of a light-emission state in the first row of the pixels starts.
US09093006B2
A graphics or image rendering system, such as a map image rendering system, receives image data from an image database, such as a map database, in the form of vector data having image features defined as sets of vertex data. The vertex data includes location data as well as an attribute reference that references a lookup table, in the form of a texture map, which is sent to or generated in the image rendering system. The attribute reference is then used by an image shader, such as a vertex shader, to determine the specific values for a plurality of vertex attributes or properties, as stored in the look up table. The image rendering system thus processes the vector data in a manner that allows for minimal data to be sent to the image rendering system from the image database as this system enables multiple vertex properties to be specified by a single attribute reference for each vertex data point.
US09093003B2
An illuminated color display panel having at least one light diffusing waveguide, and a transparent panel having at least one luminophore provided in a predetermined pattern on at least one major planar surface of the transparent panel is provided. Light from at least one light source is coupled to the waveguide and light from the waveguide is coupled to the panel at or adjacent at least one edge of the panel. The resulting illuminated color display panel is useful for general lighting purposes and signage.
US09093002B2
A direct type backlight module includes a bezel, a light source, a reflecting plate and least one buffering liner plate. The bezel includes a bottom plate and a plurality of sidewalls connected to the bottom plate, and defines a receiving space therein. Each of the sidewalls includes a connecting portion and an extending portion. One end of the connecting portion is connected to the bottom plate, and the extending portion extends from another end of the connecting portion. The light source and the reflecting plate are disposed within the receiving space. The reflecting plate includes a stopping portion and a reflecting potion disposed between the light source and the bezel. The stopping portion extends outwardly from the reflecting portion and is fixed on the corresponding extending portion. The buffering liner plate is disposed on at least one of the extending portion and adjoins to an edge of the stopping portion.
US09093001B1
A motorized flag raising and lowering device which comprises a flag pole being hollow and having a storage compartment therein with a side exit port. A pulley is on an upper end of the flag pole and a drive wheel is in a lower end of the flag pole. A continuous halyard extends about the pulley and the drive wheel through the flag pole and out of the side exit port. A flag is connected to the halyard. A reversible motor assembly is mounted to the flag pole and connected to the drive wheel. A mechanism is for operating the reversible motor assembly, whereby when the reversible motor assembly is activated by the operating mechanism the flag can be lowered into the storage compartment within the flag pole, while the flag can also be raised from the storage compartment and out of the exit port for display.
US09092991B2
Systems and methods described herein utilize a distributed server network to allow for the real-time distribution of copies of a data stream uploaded from a computing device. The uploaded data stream corresponds to an environment surrounding a user (exam taker) of the computing device during execution of a testing routine for an examination. Providing copies of the data stream in real-time allows proctors as well as other test assessment authorities to ‘peek in’ on the exam taker's environment during the exam. As a result, the environment surrounding the exam taker can be monitored in real-time to determine whether any visual or audio activity in the environment constitutes activity not in accordance with the exam protocol. Following an affirmative determination that the exam taker violated an exam taking protocol, a proctor or other test assessment authority can then make a final or early decision regarding disciplinary action.
US09092988B2
Methods/systems receive a question and automatically search sources of data containing passages to produce candidate answers to the question. The searching identifies passages that support each of the candidate answers based on scoring features that indicate whether the candidate answers are correct answers to the question. These methods/systems automatically create a scoring feature-specific matrix for each scoring feature. Each scoring feature-specific matrix has a score field for each different combination of text passage and question term (vector), and each score field holds a score value (vector value) indicating how each different combination of text passage and question term supports the candidate answers as being a correct answer to the question. Next, such methods/systems automatically combine multiple such vectors to produce a combined vector score for each of the candidate answers, and then rank the candidate answers based on the combined scores.
US09092985B2
A system and methodology/processes for non-kinematic/behavioral mapping to a local area abstraction (LAA) includes a technique for populating an LAA wherein human behavior or other non-strictly-kinematic motion may be present.
US09092980B2
According to the invention, a terrain avoidance maneuver is engaged when the alerts of a given pair of alerts are emitted simultaneously, the triggering of one of the alerts depending on the information provided by a first measurement chain and the triggering of the other alert of the pair relying on information provided by a second measurement chain, distinct from and independent of the first chain.
US09092978B2
A system or computer usable program product for tracking and routing traffic to avoid congestion via a plurality of user devices including providing a traffic reservation user interface for receiving a plurality of path selections from the plurality of user devices; responsive to predicting a traffic congestion from the plurality of user devices taking into account real-time and predicted conditions, presenting a first set of users with a first set of route selection recommendations via the user interface; and responsive to receiving a plurality of actual routing selections from the first set of users from the user interface, adjusting the traffic prediction, and presenting a second set of users with a second set of route selection recommendations via the user interface to reduce expected traffic congestion.
US09092977B1
A controlled vehicle is provided that detects the presence of an emergency vehicle by monitoring the trajectories of vehicles that are sharing the road with the controlled vehicle. The controlled vehicle may determine that the trajectory of each of the monitored vehicles follows the same predetermined pattern. Based on detecting the predetermined pattern in the behavior of the monitored vehicles, the controlled vehicle may deduce that an emergency vehicle is present in the vicinity of the monitored vehicles and/or the controlled vehicle.
US09092974B2
The subject disclosure is directed towards using an emitter such as an IR blaster to output control traffic (e.g., control codes that control operation of an appliance or toy) and data traffic. The timing of the output of the control code traffic and the data traffic is controlled so that the control code traffic and the data traffic are independent of one another in time. The control code traffic may be output in between outputting the data traffic, so that a user does not perceive a delay when attempting to control a device via interactive control code requests.
US09092973B2
Provided is a very usable and flexible broadcast control system that can use content that does not present in a set-top box by having a plurality of communication means, and can be easily operated by a user by using a paper controller printed with a dot pattern and a scanner remote controller. The broadcast control system is provided with a dot code reading device which has at least two communication means and optically reads the dot pattern formed on a medium, a first relay device for receiving the communication signal from the first communication means and controlling the broadcast receiver, and a second relay device for receiving the communication signal from the second communication means and transmitting to a server through a network.
US09092969B2
An approach for enabling a security function of a mobile device to be activated based on a change in proximity of another device is described. A notification service determines whether a proximity threshold between a first device and a second device is satisfied based on pairing information corresponding to a wireless link between the first device and the second device. The notification service also generates a control signal to activate a security function to restrict access on either the first device or the second device based on the determination.
US09092963B2
An apparatus and method for a tracking device to inconspicuously track a person to be monitored (such as a child or at-risk adult) are presented. Some embodiments of the present invention combine a positioning receiver (e.g., a GPS receiver) and a locking mechanism to act as a tracking device, which attaches to an article of clothing or fabric wearable by the person to be monitored. Some embodiments of the present invention keep a positioning receiver and a radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) or other RF tag, which are physically separate but in RF proximity of each other.
US09092958B2
According to an embodiment, a computer-implemented method of processing alarms, including a processor receiving machine-readable alarm information having a plurality of formats from a plurality of facility monitoring systems. The processor converting the machine-readable alarm information into normalized machine-readable event information having a common format and being free of vendor-specific alarm information, the normalized event information representing an exception condition detected by at least one of the plurality of monitoring systems. The method further includes the providing by the processor via a user interface, user access to the normalized event information independently of the alarm information.
US09092955B2
The present invention relates to a laser apparatus for inducing a photo-mechanical effect. More particularly, the present invention relates to a laser apparatus for outputting a pulsed laser beam and inducing a photo-mechanical effect by controlling pulse energy of the pulsed laser beam.
US09092953B1
Systems and methods to provide a remote haptic and vibratory feedback stimulus to the body of a participant that may be remote from an actuator for the generation of vortex rings.
US09092946B2
Apparatus and methods related to multi-player casino games are described. An electronic gaming device is provided that allows a live player to compete against a virtual player in a multi-player wager-based game. The electronic gaming device can comprise a multi-player game engine that does not distinguish between virtual players and live players. The electronic gaming device can be configured to simulate the decision making of a virtual player and associated behaviors of the virtual player during game play. In some instances, the simulated behaviors of the virtual player output at the electronic gaming device can be learned by a live player so that the live player can make better or more advantageous game play decisions. The simulated behaviors of the virtual player can be conveyed to the live player via visual images, such as simulated facial expressions of the virtual player.
US09092944B2
Techniques are described for providing group play bonus events with multiple game devices. A group play bonus event is initiated based in part on the occurrence of a group play bonus event trigger. End users of game devices participate in an initiated group play bonus event if the end users qualify to participate in the group play bonus event at the time of the occurrence of the group play bonus event trigger. In some situations, group play bonus events are initiated by the occurrence of a randomly generated group play bonus event trigger.
US09092931B2
Systems described herein include wagering game systems having one or more electrically responsive touch screens, and input devices for use with such touch screens. The disclosure addresses example configurations for such input devices that may be used to provide inputs to the wagering game system. The described input devices may be used to provide various input capabilities to the gaming assembly, and to thereby facilitate different configuration options of the gaming assemblies, including new operational options and functional capabilities.
US09092929B2
A wagering game that forms an array of indicia that contains multiple individual games that are played serially. The game array is built by a series of primary games. Primary games are those games that are played serially—the game outcome for one primary game is determined before the subsequent primary game begins. Secondary games are progressively formed through the sequential completion of the primary games—the secondary games are formed from indicia contributed by a plurality of primary games.
US09092922B2
Systems, methods, and programs allow for the secure compilation of vote data from electronic voting machines at a voting location. Systems, methods, and programs provide the secure electronic transmission of the vote data to a central location for tabulation. provide a vote data consolidation function that can collect and consolidate vote data from a plurality of types or generations voting machines. Systems, methods, and programs provide a vote data transmission function that can communicate with a server in a central tabulation headquarters to securely transmit vote data that has been consolidated from a plurality of voting machines. Systems, methods, and programs provide a voter initialization function, wherein, after establishing a voter's identity, a voter authorization card may be initialized for the voter to gain access to a voting machine.
US09092918B2
A system of authentication is provided including several personal authentication devices, one terminal including biometric means so arranged as to generate biometric information on the user, wireless communication means so arranged as to transmit biometric information without contact between each personal authentication device and the terminal, each personal authentication device including a memory so arranged as to store biometric data, processing means so arranged as to compare the biometric information and the biometric data, the wireless communication means being so arranged as to transmit biometric information to a plurality of personal authentication devices, each being arranged as to transmit, without contact, to the terminal, positive authentication data in the case of the authentication of the user and wherein the terminal being arranged as to open a transactional session only with the personal devices having transmitted the positive authentication data.
US09092915B2
A road surface management system is capable of detecting road surface conditions that tend to damage dump trucks and displaying the positions of such road surfaces. When the traveling speed of the dump truck is higher than or equal to a preset threshold value, the server judges whether or not each of the pressures of suspensions of the dump truck detected by pressure sensors is within a reference range which has been set corresponding to each suspension. The server judges that the road surface at the position of a dump truck is in a poor condition if one of the pressures of the four suspensions of the dump truck is judged to be outside the reference range and the remaining three pressures are judged to be within the reference range. The positions of the road surfaces judged to be in the poor condition are displayed on an indicator.
US09092913B2
A method for providing location-specific data services to vehicles that carry onboard units for short-range communication with tolling stations at known locations in a road-tolling system and mobile terminals for data reception in a mobile communication network. The method includes: storing a list of service IDs, a mapping between a device ID and a terminal ID, and at least one booking of a service ID for a device or terminal ID within the road tolling system; transmitting the device ID of an onboard unit to the tolling station; retrieving the booking of the service ID for the device ID or the mapped terminal ID; testing whether the service ID from this booking is included in the service ID list, and if so, transmitting of the mapped terminal ID to the data service; and providing this data service via the mobile communication network to the mobile terminal.
US09092910B2
A first application executes on one or more computing systems to generate a series of original frame pixel data sets for rendering of graphical images associated with the first application execution. A second application executes on one or more computing systems to detect one or more key graphical images present in the series of original frame pixel data sets. Upon detection of the one or more key graphical images, the second application directs replacement of a portion of pixel data in the series of original frame pixel data sets with substitute pixel data so as to generate a series of modified frame pixel data sets for encoding in lieu of the series of original frame pixel data sets.
US09092904B2
A multi view image display apparatus is disclosed. A multi view image processing apparatus includes a depth extractor which is configured to extract depth information of a three-dimensional (3D) input image, a depth corrector which is configured to correct a depth of an on screen display (OSD) region in the 3D input image based on the extracted depth information and OSD mask information which corresponds to the OSD region in the 3D input image, and a rendering device which is configured to render multi view images using the 3D input image with the corrected depth.
US09092902B2
A method of visualization of a multi-dimensional dataset of data-elements involves a rendering process in which a display-value and an opacity value are assigned to individual data-elements. One or several control sets are defined comprising respective datavalues, display-values and opacity values related according to the transfer function and for individual control set(s) the opacity value is adjustable independently of the opacity values of other control set(s). The individually and independently adjustable control sets enable the user to adjust the transfer function in a very intuitive way.
US09092897B2
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to provide an efficient, aesthetically pleasing display of points of interest in an AR interface that maximizes usability and display efficiency. In this regard, the method, apparatus and computer program product may utilize a mobile terminal to perform pre-processing of interface elements to reduce display clutter and increase efficiency of display processing. Interface elements may be projected onto a cylindrical surface to locate the interface elements relative to the mobile terminal. Three dimensional coordinates for the interface elements may be derived from the cylindrical projection. A perspective grid may provide a user of the device with a frame of reference to interact with the display and interface elements displayed thereon. Display elements may further conform to input operations performed by a user to interact with the AR interface.
US09092893B2
A method and apparatus for generating a grayscale image. The method and apparatus receive a single value. From the single value, the method and apparatus generate a set of grayscale weighting values. The method and apparatus generate the grayscale based on a color image and the set of grayscale weighting values. By limiting the number of values to a single value, the method and apparatus prevents a user from arbitrarily selecting a number of possible weighting values which could result in a grayscale image that is too dim or too bright. This single control method and apparatus quickly and efficiently produces a grayscale image that is neither too bright nor too dim.
US09092878B2
A method of processing an image having a plurality of picture-elements is disclosed. The method comprises: preprocessing the image to selectively enhance contrast of some picture-elements of the image, and employing a companding procedure for the preprocessed image, thereby providing a processed image. The contrast enhancement optionally and preferably features a mapping function having a plateau region for diminishing image data with intensity levels below an intensity threshold, thereby providing a preprocessed image.
US09092865B2
Systems and methods for map generation for an environment based on captured images are disclosed. According to an aspect, a method includes capturing a first image of an environment. The method also includes identifying a reference in the first image. Further, the method includes generating, based on the identified reference, a map of the environment to use for physically orienting a computing device within the environment based on a second image including the reference.
US09092864B2
A displacement detection method includes the steps of: capturing a first frame and a second frame; selecting a first block with a predetermined size in the first frame and selecting a second block with the predetermined size in the second frame; determining a displacement according to the first block and the second block; comparing the displacement with at least one threshold; and adjusting the predetermined size according to a comparison result of comparing the displacement and the threshold. The present invention further provides a displacement detection apparatus.
US09092853B2
A method for dynamically calibrating rotational offset in a device includes obtaining an image captured by a camera of the device. Orientation information of the device at the time of image capture may be associated with the image. Pixel data of the image may be analyzed to determine an image orientation angle for the image. A device orientation angle may be determined from the orientation information. A rotational offset, based on the image orientation angle and the device orientation angle, may be determined. The rotational offset is relative to the camera or orientation sensor. A rotational bias may be determined from statistical analysis of numerous rotational offsets from numerous respective images. In some embodiments, various thresholds and predetermined ranges may be used to exclude some rotational offsets from the statistical analysis or to discontinue processing for that image.
US09092846B2
Methods and systems for detecting defects on a wafer using defect-specific and multi-channel information are provided. One method includes acquiring information for a target on a wafer. The target includes a pattern of interest (POI) formed on the wafer and a known defect of interest (DOI) occurring proximate to or in the POI. The method also includes detecting the known DOI in target candidates by identifying potential DOI locations based on images of the target candidates acquired by a first channel of an inspection system and applying one or more detection parameters to images of the potential DOI locations acquired by a second channel of the inspection system. Therefore, the image(s) used for locating potential DOI locations and the image(s) used for detecting defects can be different.
US09092843B2
In order to inspect a board, firstly, a measurement area is set on a board, and reference data and measurement data of the measurement area are acquired. Then, a plurality of feature blocks is established by a block unit so as to include a predetermined shape in the measurement area, and a merged block is established by merging feature blocks overlapped in the feature blocks. Thereafter, a distortion degree is acquired by comparing reference data and measurement data corresponding to a feature block except for the merged block and/or the merged block, and the distortion degree is compensated for, to set an inspection area in the target measurement area. Thus, an inspection area, in which distortion is compensated for, may be correctly set.
US09092841B2
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for automatic optoelectronic detection and inspection of objects, based on capturing digital images of a two-dimensional field of view in which an object to be detected or inspected may be located, analyzing the images, and making and reporting decisions on the status of the object. Decisions are based on evidence obtained from a plurality of images for which the object is located in the field of view, generally corresponding to a plurality of viewing perspectives. Evidence that an object is located in the field of view is used for detection, and evidence that the object satisfies appropriate inspection criteria is used for inspection. Methods and apparatus are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images at high speed so that multiple viewing perspectives can be obtained for objects in continuous motion.
US09092837B2
During a process of migrating a source system into a standardized virtual environment, virtual machine instances of the source system executing in a hypervisor are snapshotted as virtual machine images in an operational repository of the hypervisor. The virtual machine images in the operational repository are short-term snapshots. From time to time during the migration process, long-term snapshots of the source system are created by checking given ones of the virtual machine images from the hypervisor operational repository into an image library as image objects.
US09092831B2
Certain embodiments of the invention may include apparatus, systems and methods for efficient implementation of energy-recapture farms for conditioning electrical power from energy-recapture sources of vehicular mechanical energy, which would otherwise be dissipated, as exemplified by farms for energy-recapture that provide available electrical energy for commercial distribution. Said farms may include one or more energy-recapture sources. One method for aggregation may include a plurality of mechanical energy-recapture devices comprising individual source energy output of one or more energy-recapture sources, measuring conditions of one or more energy-recapture sources via a controller that facilitates communication with one or more energy-recapture sources, and managing the distribution of the conditioned electrical energy to the national electrical grid.
US09092830B2
A matrix code reader may detect a matrix code, which may be displayed along with content and include information identifying the content. The matrix code reader may obtain user information associated with a social networking service and, based at least on the content information and the user information, may transmit an instruction to the social networking service to perform a social networking service function. The matrix code reader may obtain the user information and/or the instruction to perform the social networking service function from information included in the matrix code, from a non-transitory storage medium of the matrix code reader, from a user, and so on. In some implementations, the matrix code reader may determine that additional information or a confirmation to transmit the instructions is needed and may prompt a user for the additional information or confirmation.
US09092828B2
A data sharing platform can be used to implement a method for allowing at least one entity which makes payments with a payment network to share transaction data. A database containing the transaction data from the at least one entity which makes payments with the payment network is maintained. A user interface is provided, which presents the at least one entity which makes payments with the payment network with at least one selection providing consent to sharing of at least a portion of the transaction data with at least one third party. The consent from the at least one entity which makes payments with the payment network is obtained, via the at least one selection. Interfacing takes place with the at least one third party to share the at least portion of the transaction data.
US09092816B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for identifying relevant browsing and/or purchasing activity associated with one or more contacts of a user having a user account with an electronic commerce system. In one embodiment, a determination is made as to whether each contact is associated with a different user account with the electronic commerce system. If so, network content comprising such relevant browsing and/or purchasing history may be presented to the user.
US09092811B2
A system and computer program product for guideline-based food purchase management include generating a personalized set of nutrition guidelines for a user, generating a user profile for the user, wherein the user profile comprises health information and nutrition preferences, and using the personalized set of nutrition guidelines and the user profile to generate a guideline-based shopping list for the user.
US09092810B2
A method and a system for providing product bundles are described. In some instances, the method begins by receiving a request for a view product interface. The view product interface includes a description of a primary product offered for sale by a seller and indicates that a first item is for sale by the seller where the first item is an instance of the primary product. Next, a product bundle definition for the primary product by the seller is identified. The bundle includes a plurality of secondary products selectable by a buyer. An inventory of the seller is accessed to identify a second item for sale that is an instance of a secondary product. The view product interface is provided and includes the description of the primary product and a description of the bundle that includes a description of the second item.
US09092806B2
In the present disclosure, there is disclosed a communication device including a pre-loading module configured to retrieve a first and a second set of flyer image tiles from a flyer image tile set stored in memory, the first set of flyer image tiles being associated with the most zoomed-out state and the second set of flyer image tiles being associated with a zoom level of a current viewport. The pre-loading module is further configured to associate the first set of flyer image tiles with an underlay viewport. The communication device further includes a display configured to display the first set of flyer image tiles in the underlay viewport that are visible in the current viewport and overlay the second set of flyer image tiles visible in the current viewport onto the first set of flyer image tiles.
US09092804B2
Methods and systems are disclosed to map locations of wireless transmitters for use in gathering market research data. A disclosed example method involves displaying a representation of a commercial establishment on a portable device, obtaining transmitter data via the portable device from a wireless transmitter located within the commercial establishment, and in response to the portable device receiving a user selection of a first location on the representation of the commercial establishment, associating the first location with the transmitter data and location information generated by the portable device representative of a physical location in the commercial establishment.
US09092798B2
Various embodiments are directed to one or more transcoder devices in communication with an input device such as a remote control device and multiple destination devices in which the transcoder device(s) facilitate communication between the remote control and the various destination devices in the vicinity. The transcoder device(s) can also provide the user with an environmental awareness of conditions and events surrounding the user. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09092795B2
According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus comprises a customer specification section, a salesclerk specification section and a notification section. The customer specification section specifies a customer as a received target is watching an advertising information displayed on an advertising apparatus advertising a commodity. The salesclerk specification section specifies a salesclerk as a notified target based on at least one of the advertising information that the customer as the received target is watching specified by the customer specification section and the position of each salesclerk. The notification section notifies the existence of the customer as the received target specified by the customer specification section to a portable communication terminal carried by the salesclerk as the notified target specified by the salesclerk specification section.
US09092790B1
A system for processing a macroblock comprises a plurality of processors and a selector. The selector is for selecting one processor of the plurality of processors based at least in part on a loading of the one processor. A step in processing the macroblock is assigned to the one processor.
US09092788B2
An aspect of the present invention relates to tracking a computer user's behavior and providing related visual media segments with a graphical user interface. In embodiments, the visual media segments are slide-in visual media segments and the user has preemptive control over certain aspects of the visual media segments.
US09092779B2
An indication is provided to a transaction participant as part of a message originating from a transaction coordinator. The message indicates that the transaction coordinator supports a heuristic response. The transaction coordinator coordinates commitment of transactions as requested by an application in response to a determination by the transaction participant of a heuristic outcome. Heuristic outcomes include situations where transaction participants determine they are unable to honor transactional prior prepared commitments made to the transaction coordinator during first prepare phases of two-phase commits associated with the transactions. The heuristic response is received from the transaction participant in association with a transaction coordinated by the transaction coordinator and indicates that the transaction participant is unable to honor a transactional prior prepared commitment made by the transaction participant during a first prepare phase of a two-phase commit associated with the transaction coordinated by the transaction coordinator as requested by the application.
US09092778B2
A novel method of substantially, if not totally, eliminating financial account fraud through the implementation of a specific algorithm that permits a financial institution the means to communicate directly and nearly instantaneously with an account holder for verification purposes during a financial transaction. The overall system depends on a string variable method that accords a limited number of representations to all the words and numbers of a specific human language in order to provide a suitable machine language translation for the capability of communicating quickly and effectively between a financial institution, an account holder, and possibly, a third party. Through a link between the digital communication platform set up by the variable string algorithm between the financial institution's system and at least one account holder electronic device, such communications, which do not require any need to divulge personal or other information of the account holder, ensure such transactions are proper.
US09092776B2
A system and method for managing payment in a transaction using a portable computing device (“PCD”) includes a mobile wallet token being received from an account issuing entity. Next, the mobile wallet token is stored in memory within a PCD payment platform (i.e., a cloud payment solution). A PCD token that corresponds with the mobile wallet token is generated by the PCD payment platform. The PCD token is transmitted over a communications network to a PCD. The mobile wallet token corresponds to at least one of: a credit card account, an alternative or non-traditional payment account, a stored value account, an account from a financial institution, and a merchant based card account. A mobile wallet token may be generated in response to receiving input from an on-line portal that future use of a payment account with a PCD is desired or in response to input received from a point-of-sale terminal.
US09092775B2
The invention provides a method for loading an application requiring personalization into a portable storage medium which is set up to be operated in a terminal. Personalization data for personalizing the application and possibly application data are additionally loaded into a restore module which is independent of applications stored in an application memory, is configured as a non-volatile memory, and is disposed within the portable storage medium or within the terminal. For updating an application, the personalization data and possibly application data are loaded from the restore module into the updated application. A portable storage medium has a non-volatile, application-independent restore module. System with storage medium and terminal and non-volatile, application-independent restore module.
US09092774B2
Enables creating, displaying, and managing augmented reality (AR) messages linked to objects that display or contain identifiable information such as codes, including card products/prepaid card products, etc. Applies multi-factor recognition technology to process an object/card having a unique code. May utilize an application on a mobile device/computer, to capture an image of the object, recognize the signature of the object, convert the code into alphanumeric digits and generate a Unique Identification Token (UIT). The application can create a personalized AR message, e.g., text, 2D/3D image, freehand drawing, animation, video, audio, avatar character, or any combination, optionally enhanced with pre-made templates. The completed message is stored in a remote database with the UIT. The recipient of the object/card uses the application and captures an image of the object or card image with code, triggering the message experience that may display account balance information and targeted advertising.
US09092762B2
A system for maintaining medical devices includes: a computing device including memory and a processor that, when executing instructions stored on the memory, creates a user interface including: a health module providing a summary of a maintenance status of the medical devices; a location module providing a summary of a location of the medical devices; and a maintenance alert module providing a list of the medical devices needing maintenance, the list including a type of maintenance needed for each of the medical devices in the list.
US09092760B2
A response event to provide a communication reply can be detected. The reply can be to an email message which is part of an email conversation. The email conversation can include a sequence of zero or more response email messages to an initial email message as well as the initial email message. Attributes of different ones of the email messages can be queried. A quantity N can be determined based on values of the attributes being compared against at least one history criteria. The quantity of N can vary based on the values and the history criteria. A reply history set can be created that includes a set of history segments. Each history segment can correspond to one of the N different ones of the email messages of the email conversation. The reply history set can be incorporated within the communication reply.
US09092759B2
A message header of an email message can be identified. The message header can comprise of an exemption field which specifies one or more email addresses that is prohibited from receiving the email message. The sending email address can be associated with a sender node and the one or more email addresses is associated with a prohibited node. The sender node and the prohibited node can be arbitrarily linked within a network that is a social structure comprising of one or more individuals and organizations which can be connected by one or more specific type of interdependency. The network can be modeled as a graph which can be a mathematical structure modeling pairwise relations between nodes and edges. The email message can be conveyed to multiple email addresses except the one or more email address associated with the exemption field.
US09092758B2
An information processing system and a service providing apparatus store an electronic file transmitted by an information processing apparatus, receive comments posted to the electronic file, manage the comments with arranged in a time order, and insert the comments into the electronic file. When downloading of the electronic file is instructed, the information processing system and service providing apparatus output the electronic file into which the comments have been inserted.
US09092757B2
The disclosure herein relates to a system and method for personalizing an online experience of a user based on the user's attitude. Attitude models are constructed from user activity data that are able to infer or determine attitudes for a user. Based on the attitudes derived from applying the attitude models, attitude profiles are created for the users. As a users engage in various types of online interactions, the attitude profiles associated with the users can be utilized to personalize the online experience of the user.
US09092755B2
Methods and apparatus for providing a document authoring application. A palette comprising a plurality of editing controls may be displayed within the canvas that is associated with an electronic document having an associated structure. The palette may be positioned within the canvas based at least in part on the associated structure of the electronic document. Responsive to selections of editing controls at the palette, documents objects may be added to the canvas. The palette may be repositioned within the canvas based at least in part on the structure associated with the electronic document.
US09092754B1
Each tag in a plurality of tags is respectively assigned to each equipment location in a plurality of equipment locations, wherein each tag comprises a scannable identifier unique to each location. A tag is assigned to a first equipment cabinet, wherein the tag comprises a scannable identifier unique to the first equipment cabinet. The first equipment cabinet is positioned at one of the plurality of equipment locations. The tag assigned to the location of the first equipment cabinet and the tag assigned to the first equipment cabinet are scanned, wherein scanning of the tags is performed via a mobile device comprising a scanner. An association is automatically created between the unique identifier of the location of the first equipment cabinet and the unique identifier of the first equipment cabinet.
US09092752B2
A targeted product distribution system is described herein with respect to an exemplary management of product flow through a distribution center. Specifically, the system and method described herein is directed to the management and display of direct and easily-understood instructions, such that average individuals, as well as those with mental disabilities, will be able to contribute equally to the overall process.
US09092751B2
A method includes obtaining, by a processor, a representation of a first process and dividing the first process into tasks that make up the first process. The method includes determining relationships between the tasks and generating a task network comprising the tasks of the first process. The task network represents the relationships between the tasks of the first process. The method further includes receiving a priority criterion defining an objective and generating, based on the priority criterion, an optimal set of tasks in the task network to be performed.
US09092746B2
An information processing device, a workflow processing method, and a workflow processing program are provided. A hook section hooks the fact that an information communication function has communicated textual information. When the hook section hooks communication of textual information, a keyword extraction section reads the textual information that has been communicated, and extracts a keyword or keywords stored in a keyword storage section from the textual information that has been read. From the keyword or keywords extracted by the keyword extraction section, a commitment creation section creates new commitment information representing a commitment that is newly registered by a commitment management function, or revised commitment information representing revision of a commitment that has already been registered. A commitment updating section compares the commitments managed by the commitment management function with the commitment information that has been compiled, and inputs the comparison result to the commitment management function.
US09092733B2
A management system for guiding an agent in a media-specific dialogue has a conversion engine for instantiating ongoing dialogue as machine-readable text, if the dialogue is in voice media, a context analysis engine for determining facts from the text, a rules engine for asserting rules based on fact input, and a presentation engine for presenting information to the agent to guide the agent in the dialogue. The context analysis engine passes determined facts to the rules engine, which selects and asserts to the presentation engine rules based on the facts, and the presentation engine provides periodically updated guidance to the agent based on the rules asserted.
US09092719B2
A color image processing apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a color image using recording materials of plural colors, an image processing unit configured to implement plural image processing methods that achieve plural types of pseudo-halftone representations, a color measurement unit configured to perform color measurement of the color image formed by the image forming unit, and a control unit configured to control execution of multi-color calibration in which the color measurement unit performs color measurement of a pattern image including plural multi-color patch images formed using recording materials of plural colors by using a smaller number of image processing methods than plural image processing methods used in single-color calibration for correcting reproduction characteristics of single-color images formed by the image forming unit and in which reproduction characteristics of a multi-color image formed by the image forming unit are corrected using a result of the color measurement.
US09092715B2
An identification feature for identifying an object comprises at least two identification elements, wherein at least a first identification element thereof is formed by at least one defined, delimited surface with a defined diffractive surface structure that can be recognized through light irradiation in the visual range, and at least one second identification element is provided within an optical detection field, said second identification element at least partially detecting the defined, delimited surface of the first identification element. In a method for identifying the object, the position at which the at least one second identification element is located relative to the at least one first identification element is stored in memory. Further, identification information unique to the at least one second identification element is stored in memory. A depiction of the first identification element is compared to the stored data for the purposes of identification.
US09092705B2
A method of tele-transmitting information of a medical device, a medical device thereof, a method of data reading and a data reading device are provided. By using the technical scheme of the present invention, the tele-transmission of the medical device information could be implemented without any modification of the medical device. Wherein, the method of tele-transmitting information of medical device includes: collecting and detecting therapy and/or status information of the medical device; transforming the therapy and/or status information of the medical device to one or more barcodes; outputting the one or more barcodes via an output device of the medical device.
US09092696B2
Examples disclosed herein relate to an image sign classifier. In one implementation, a processor causes a user interface to be displayed to receive information related to a target sign type in an image. The processor may train an image sign classifier based on the information to recognize the target sign type and output information related to the trained classifier.
US09092690B2
Capturing information from payment instruments comprises receiving, using one or more computer devices, an image of a back side of a payment instrument, the payment instrument comprising information imprinted thereon such that the imprinted information protrudes from a front side of the payment instrument and the imprinted information is indented into the back side of the payment instrument; extracting sets of characters from the image of the back side of the payment instrument based on the imprinted information indented into the back side of the payment instrument and depicted in the image of the back side of the payment instrument; applying a first character recognition application to process the sets of characters extracted from the image of the back side of the payment instrument; and categorizing each of the sets of characters into one of a plurality of categories relating to information required to conduct a payment transaction.
US09092688B2
A method including determining a position of each glyph in an image of a text document, identifying word boundaries in the document thereby implying the existence of a first plurality of words, preparing a first array of word lengths based on the first plurality of words, preparing a second array of word lengths based on a second plurality of words of a text file including a certain text, comparing at least part of the first array to at least part of the second array to find a best alignment between the first and second array, deriving a layout of at least part of the certain text as arranged in the image of the text document at least based on the best alignment and the position of at least some of the glyphs in the image. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US09092683B2
A data decoding system can comprise a client computer including an imaging device and one or more servers executing at least one decoding process. The client computer can be configured to acquire an image of decodable indicia and to process the acquired image by: (i) identifying one or more areas of interest within the image; (ii) cropping the image based on the identified areas of interest; (iii) clipping one or more images from the image based on the identified areas of interest; (iv) increasing or reducing a pixel resolution of at least part of the image; (v) converting the image to a grayscale image or to a monochrome image; and/or (vi) compressing the image using a compression algorithm. The decoding process can be configured, responsive to receiving a decoding request comprising the processed image, to decode the decodable indicia and to transmit the decoding operation result to the client computer.
US09092678B2
A computer implemented method to locate an object is described. A first transmission is obtained from a transmitter. The first transmission received at a first receiver. Tuning instructions are determined for a second receiver based at least in part on frequency information of the first transmission. The second is instructed to tune into a second transmission from the transmitter according to the tuning instructions. Arrival information for the arrival of the second transmission is obtained at each of the first receiver and the second receiver. A location of the transmitter is determined based on the arrival information.
US09092677B2
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for recognizing the location of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a landmark recognition unit, a distance recognition unit, and a vehicle location calculation unit. The landmark recognition unit receives information about images of landmarks, indicated around a road in a direction in which the vehicle is traveling, from an image sensor, and recognizes a reference landmark closest to the vehicle based on the image information. The distance recognition unit collects values of distances to the reference landmark from the range sensor. The vehicle location calculation unit calculates the final location of the vehicle based on basic information about the reference landmark and the distance values.
US09092676B2
A solid object detection device detects solid objects in the periphery of a vehicle. A camera captures images including detection regions set in adjacent traffic lanes to the rear of the vehicle. A solid object assessment unit assesses whether or not a solid object is present in the detection regions. A lateral position detection unit detects a distance between the vehicle position and a dividing line that divides traffic lanes. A region setting unit enlarges the detection region on the side of the dividing line by a greater amount correspondingly with respect to an increase in the distance to the dividing line. A traffic lane change detection unit detects a traffic lane change made by the vehicle. Upon detecting a traffic lane change by the vehicle, a smaller enlarged amount is used when enlarging the size of the predetermined region outward in the vehicle-width direction.
US09092667B2
An arrangement for, and a method of, electro-optically reading forms, each form having a plurality of form fields arranged at locations relative to one another, by image capture, includes storing form templates, each template having a plurality of template fields arranged at locations relative to one another, and capturing images over a field of view. A form and a correct orientation of the form, whose image is being captured, are automatically identified by matching the locations of the form fields in the captured image of the form with the locations of the stored template fields. The form fields on the identified form in the correct orientation are thereupon processed.
US09092666B2
A method of estimating an organ deformation model includes generating at least one 3D organ shape model of an organ of a subject based on at least one non-real time medical image representing a deformation state of the organ of the subject; generating a deformation space for the organ of the subject based on the at least one 3D organ shape model and prior knowledge regarding the organ; and estimating a 3D organ deformation model of the organ of the subject based on a real-time medical image of the organ of the subject and the deformation space.
US09092663B2
An entrance and in-store matching unit searches a first mismatched face image that is not matched with a face image captured at an entrance from all face images, which are captured in a store and registered in a biological information DB. An entrance and exit matching unit searches a second mismatched face image that is not matched with a face image captured at an entrance from all the face images, which are captured at an exit and registered in the biological information DB. An exit and in-store matching unit searches a matched face image that is matched with the second mismatched face image among the first mismatched face images. An entrance information registration unit registers the searched matched face image in the biological information DB as the face image captured at the entrance. The present invention can be applied to a monitoring system.
US09092660B2
A face image registration device includes an image input unit that inputs face images of a subject person, and an others face retention unit that retains a plurality of others faces. The device further includes: a false alarm characteristic calculation unit that collates the face images of the subject person with the retained others faces, and calculates a false alarm characteristic of the face images of the subject person; a correct alarm characteristic calculation unit that collates the face images of the subject person with each other to calculate a correct alarm characteristic of the face images of the subject person; and a registration face image selection unit that selects a registration face image from the face images of the subject person by using the false alarm characteristic of the face images of the subject person and the correct alarm characteristic of the face images of the subject person.
US09092651B2
A system for authenticity verification includes: a unique product identity generation system (UPIDGS) configured for generating a unique product identity (UPID) code corresponding to a product; an anomaly generation and identification system (AGIS) connected with the UPIDGS and configured for generating an anomaly to be inserted into a standard pattern attached to the product; a database and information management system (DBIMS) connected with the UPIDGS and the AGIS; and a unique product identity verification system (UPIDVS) connected with the DBIMS and configured for receiving information from the DBIMS and verifying the authenticity of the product based on the authenticity of the 2D codes and the anomaly. The 2D codes are attached to the product and captured by the DBIMS. The AGIS is configured to locate and identify the anomaly from the product. The DBIMS is configured to determine the authenticity of the 2D codes and the anomaly.
US09092642B2
Various systems and methods for managing user information on mobile devices are described herein. A selection of user information is received from a user operating a user device. A privacy setting for the selection of user information is received from the user, the privacy setting to permit or deny access to the user information to a third-party application. The selection of user information and the privacy setting is transmitted from the user device to a receiving device, where the receiving device is configured to enforce the privacy setting for the third-party application executing on the receiving device.
US09092638B2
A system and method is provided for managing one or more docking applications running on a wireless device. The method displays to a user at least one docking application while the wireless device is coupled to another device. The method comprising the steps of: executing a docking application control module when the wireless device is first coupled with the other device; retrieving user preferences associated with the docking application control module; executing, based on the retrieved user preferences, at least one docking application for use on the wireless device while the wireless device remains coupled to the other device; and terminating the docking application when the wireless device ceases to be coupled to the other device.
US09092634B2
A storage battery comprises a data storage device that allows for storing and retrieving data that may be useful during the life of the battery. The device may include a radiofrequency tag applied to the surface of the battery. Data stored in the device may be accessed by various devices, such as battery analyzers that perform remaining life other analyses. Some or all of the data may be encrypted to require that approved or licensed devices only access and use the data. Some data may be encrypted in one manner, requiring a first key, and other data in a different manner, requiring a different key. The different data sets may have different purposes, such as for battery analysis (using no encryption or requiring the first key), and for warranty, manufacturing, retail tracking and other purposes (using the second key).
US09092632B2
A method, apparatus, machine-readable medium, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes a processor. The processor includes switching a platform firmware update mechanism located in a computer platform to a platform firmware armoring technology (PFAT) mode on a boot of the computer platform. The computer platform includes a platform firmware storage location that stores a platform firmware. The method then persistently locks the platform firmware storage location in response to the platform firmware update mechanism switching to the PFAT mode. When persistently locked, writes are only allowed to the platform firmware storage location by an Authenticated Code Module in the running platform and only after a platform firmware update mechanism unlocking procedure.
US09092626B2
A system and method are described that will enable mobile smart devices, such as a cellular phones, PDAs, or iPads, smartphones, mobile payment systems, mobile healthcare systems, handheld law enforcement systems, and other types of tablet devices, to trust download applications and for the download applications to trust the mobile smart devices onto which they are downloaded. The system and method enables charging a mobile smart device and while charging the mobile smart device scans for malware and other viruses in the applications and the operating system on the mobile smart device.
US09092622B2
A data processing system having a first processor, a second processor, a local memory of the second processor, and a built-in self-test (BIST) controller of the second processor which can be randomly enabled to perform memory accesses on the local memory of the second processor and which includes a random value generator is provided. The system can perform a method including executing a secure code sequence by the first processor and performing, by the BIST controller of the second processor, BIST memory accesses to the local memory of the second processor in response to the random value generator. Performing the BIST memory accesses is performed concurrently with executing the secure code sequence.
US09092611B1
A mobile computing platform for processing data in an environment requiring multiple levels of authentication may include processes to authenticate various applications at each of the multiple levels. The mobile computing platform may integrate with aircraft avionics to provide data from applications to a certified avionics system.
US09092610B2
Systems and methods for providing secured network access are provided. A user device located within range of a branded hotspot initiates a request for the secured network access. The request concerns secured network access at the hotspot by the user device and includes a unique pre-shared key. A query regarding the unique pre-shared key is sent to a database, which retrieves information regarding a corresponding pre-shared key. That information is sent to the hotspot controller, which allows the user device secured network access as governed by one or more parameters associated with the pre-shared key.
US09092606B2
An electronic device may include a communications interface, a user prompting device, a biometric sensor, and a controller. The controller may perform biometric spoof detection with the biometric sensor, and receive a request for human presence verification from a remote device via the communications interface. The controller may also prompt the user for a verification action using the sensor based upon receiving the request, and determine that the user has completed the verification action in response to the prompting and based upon the biometric spoof detection. The controller may further send a response to the remote device via the communications interface and based upon determining that the user has completed the verification action. The controller may send a notification to the remote device that there is a biometric sensor.
US09092599B1
A method is used in managing knowledge-based authentication systems. Organization based information is analyzed for information that is suitable for creating a set of responses for a question. The question is used for authenticating a user. A set of responses is created for the question based on a set of parameters. The set of responses includes incorrect responses to the question along with a correct response. The incorrect responses helps in identifying an unauthorized user.
US09092594B2
A system board includes a substrate with one or more connectors. A set of power signals and a set of communication signals are communicated between the one or more connectors. The system board also includes one or more physical connections that connect to an outside entity. The system board further includes one or more node cards. Each node card connects to at least one of the one or more connectors, and each node card is configured to receive power from the set of power signals and communicate using the set of communication signals.
US09092586B1
A version management system for fluid guard ring (FGR) PCells uses one or more new version management parameters that are added to the FGR PCell definition to manage the source code versions for a PCell. The system saves instance layout information with a version management parameter that identifies the current PCell source code version for each FGR PCell instance. When evaluated using a newer version of the PCell source code, the instance layout information generated with a previous version of PCell source code can be retrieved. The retrieved layout information will be used during evaluation of the PCell to ensure the integrity of the PCell geometries that were previously verified. The saved layout information will be uniquely identifiable with a hash code of the name-value pairs for one or more parameters associated with the PCell instance.
US09092585B2
Methods of using computer based models for simulating the physical behavior of bodily fluids with absorbent articles.
US09092575B2
Systems and method are provided for determining risk of product release failure in an environment where multiple independent releases come together into a shared environment. A risk factor for success or failure of a product release is based on release information input by a user and information input by other users regarding releases, the users typically on distinct development systems. The information from each distinct system is mapped (e.g., normalized and weighted) into a common schema. A risk index for the product release is determined. The risk index, risk factors, and/or associated information therewith, is presented to a user.
US09092570B2
During software development for embedded systems, it is very common to use a remote debugger to debug the software applications. In such a debugging environment, the debugger will be running on a remote computer and the application under development will be running on the embedded system. The debugger will be connected to the embedded system via a software link or a hardware emulator. During the debug process, it is desirable to access various memory blocks in the embedded system in different ways. An example would be to enable or disable CPU cache during memory access for a specific address range. Another example would be the ability to designate a memory block as a flash memory to allow the use of a programming algorithm. This feature is addressed by adding a Memory Access Table (MAT) from a configuration file or compiler output to the debugger, emulator or debug monitor.
US09092567B2
Transactions in a multi-component system have corresponding local identifiers uniquely identifying the transaction among transactions within a particular functional block of the device under test. For each transaction, it is determined whether the transaction is a new request, a handshake request corresponding to a previously generated request, or a response. In response to determining that a transaction of the plurality of transactions is a new request, a global identifier is assigned to the new request which uniquely identifies the new request among new requests of all functional blocks of the device under test. A global entry corresponding to the new request is stored that includes the global identifier of the new request, an indicator of a functional block of the device under test which generated the new request, and a local identifier uniquely identifying the new request within the first functional block.
US09092566B2
A method for central monitoring of a research trial includes the steps of creating and storing a clinical database consisting of datasets generated during the research trial, preprocessing the database to remove variables that are unsuitable for analysis, extracting metadata from the database to identify types of the variables, storing the preprocessed datasets and corresponding metadata in a statistical database, executing statistical tests on a data collection center by data collection center basis to detect abnormalities and patterns present in datasets, creating and storing a matrix containing p-values based upon the executed statistical tests, identifying any outlying data collection centers by summarizing the p-values, determining if any of the executed statistical tests are faulty and removing such faulty executed statistical tests from the matrix to create a filtered matrix, and computing an overall p-value score.
US09092565B2
Visualization of synchronization points in modified program source code includes identifying the synchronization points in a program source code segment. The identification is performed in response to a modification of the program source code segment. The visualization of the synchronization points also includes storing line numbers of the synchronization points and line contents corresponding to text located at stored line numbers in the program source code segment. The visualization of the synchronization points further includes implementing, as part of a debugging session: retrieving the synchronization points and the line contents, displaying the line contents of the synchronization points on a display screen, and providing a user with an option to step through the synchronization points in the program source code while skipping the remaining portions of the program source code segment. Displaying the line contents includes visually differentiating the synchronization points from remaining portions of the program source code segment.
US09092546B2
A transformation engine that enables content and information to be transformed from one format, a source format, to a format that is compatible with the requesting device, a destination format. Advantageously, various device types can access and share content via a network without concern as to the original format of the content. When a client device provides a request for content, the transformation engine identifies delivery characteristics of the client device, and identifies a source for the requested content. The transformation engine then transforms the source formatted content into a format identified through a best fit analysis of the delivery characteristics of the device.
US09092544B2
Techniques are provided for displaying a uniform resource locator (URL) to assist a user in determining whether a URL destination is what the user expects. A link is presented for selection to a user, and a URL corresponding to the link is accessed. A portion of the URL that corresponds to a hostname component of the URL may be identified, and the URL may be displayed. The hostname component of the URL is visually distinguished from other components of the URL. In addition to or as an alternative to displaying the URL and visually distinguishing the hostname component, a warning message relating to the hostname portion of the URL may be displayed. The techniques may be implemented as a software plug-in or in any type of software application that is capable of recognizing URLs.
US09092530B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for rapidly provisioning of virtual storage objects, whereby such rapid provisioning does not require clearing of physical storage resources when initialized for use in a virtual storage object. Accordingly, a virtual storage object of embodiments of the invention is provisioned without the time-intensive process of clearing (e.g., writing zeroes to) data blocks of the physical storage resources.
US09092525B2
Method and apparatus for facilitating real-time searching of non-public data using a single search query are provided. Method includes facilitating reporting of availability of companion application of remote source unit to auto discovery module to enable client device to automatically discover remote source unit and to enable client device to search, in real-time, non-public data on remote source unit using single search query. Companion application is non-public application. Single search query comprises a search term. Method includes enabling automatic access to non-public data on remote source unit, by single search query. Method includes facilitating receipt, at remote source unit, of single search query with search term. Method includes, in response to single search query, searching, in real-time, non-public data on remote source unit using search term; retrieving, in real-time, non-public search result comprising one or more file names or folder names; and transmitting non-public search result in real-time.
US09092520B2
A similarity of a first video to a second video may be identified automatically. Images are received from the videos, and divided into sub-images. The sub-images are evaluated based on a feature common to each of the sub-images. Binary representations of the images may be created based on the evaluation of the sub-images. A similarity of the first video to the second video may be determined based on a number of occurrences of a binary representation in the first video and the second video.
US09092514B2
A method and system for automatically summarizing fine-grained opinions in digital text are disclosed. Accordingly, a digital text is analyzed for the purpose of extracting all opinion expressions found in the text. Next, the extracted opinion expressions (referred to herein as opinion frames) are analyzed to generate opinion summaries. In forming an opinion summary, those opinion frames sharing in common an opinion source and/or opinion topic may be combined, such that an overall opinion summary indicates an aggregate opinion held by the common source toward the common topic.
US09092512B2
System and computer program product to perform an operation for query processing based on normalized search terms. The operation begins by, responsive to receiving a query, generating a normalized search term for a concept in the query based on a first language model, of a plurality of language models each having a predefined association with a respective concept. The operation then modifies the query to include the normalized search term, and executes the modified query against an indexed corpus of evidence including a first item of evidence. The operation then, upon determining that the first item of evidence includes the normalized search term, returns the first item of evidence as responsive to the query.
US09092511B2
Methods for determining solutions to a problem experienced by a data processing system user. A query is received from the user, which includes a problem description of the problem experienced by the user with respect to the data processing system. One or more keywords are extracted from the received problem description. An index of problems and associated solutions is searched using the extracted keywords. The index of problems and associated solutions is created by analyzing a document collection describing problems and associated solutions with a text analytics application. One or more documents are returned that contains words or phrases that are similar to the keywords used for searching the index of problems and associated solutions. The documents relevant for the problem and associated solutions are presented to the user.
US09092510B1
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a method that includes: obtaining user feedback associated with quality of an electronic document; adjusting a measure of relevance for the electronic document based on a temporal element of the user feedback; and outputting the measure of relevance to a ranking engine for ranking of search results, including the electronic document, for a search for which the electronic document is returned. Obtaining the user feedback can include receiving user selections of documents presented by a document search service, the method can include evaluating the user selections in accordance with an implicit user feedback model to determine the measure of relevance, and adjusting the measure of relevance can include adjusting the measure of relevance in accordance with the implicit user feedback model.
US09092505B1
A method includes accessing command sentences stored in a data store, wherein each command sentence is a collection of n-grams and each command sentence includes at least one n-gram that is a non-terminal n-gram that maps to a non-terminal type, and wherein the command sentences include non-terminal n-grams that collectively map to a plurality of different non-terminal types; for each of the non-terminal types: identifying n-gram spans; determining clusters of the n-gram spans, each cluster including n-gram spans meeting a measure of similarity of n-grams spans that belong to the cluster; and for each cluster of n-gram spans, determining, from the n-gram spans belonging to the cluster, a new non-terminal type to which the terminal n-grams of the n-gram spans map.
US09092503B2
A method of selecting and presenting content based on learned user preferences is provided. The method includes providing a content system including a set of content items organized by genre characterizing the content items, and wherein the set of content items contains microgenre metadata further characterizing the content items. The method also includes receiving search input from the user for identifying desired content items and, in response, presenting a subset of content items to the user. The method further includes receiving content item selection actions from the user and analyzing the microgenre metadata within the selected content items to learn the preferred microgenres of the user. The method includes, in response to receiving subsequent user search input, selecting and presenting content items in an order that portrays as relatively more relevant those content items containing microgenre metadata that more closely match the learned microgenre preferences of the user.
US09092502B1
A processing platform integrates ETL (extract, transform, and load), real time stream processing, and “big data” data stores into a high performance analytic system that runs in a public or private cloud. The platform performs real time pre-storage enrichment of data records to form a single comprehensive record usable for analytics, searching and alerting. The platform further supports sharing of components and plug-ins and performs automatic scaling of resources based on real time resource monitoring and analysis.
US09092493B2
Techniques for data validation may include dynamically generating one or more database queries to be performed on a target data warehouse and a baseline data warehouse based on warehouse model metadata for the target data warehouse and the baseline data warehouse. The techniques may further include executing the one or more database queries against the target data warehouse and the baseline data warehouse to receive one or more data sets from the baseline data warehouse and one or more data sets from the target data warehouse. The techniques may further include comparing the one or more data sets from the baseline data warehouse and the one or more data sets from the target data warehouse to validate target data in the target data warehouse against baseline data in the baseline data warehouse.
US09092482B2
A fair scheduling system with methodology for fairly scheduling queries for execution by a database management system is disclosed. The techniques involve obtaining computer-executable query jobs and cost estimates to execute the query jobs. For example, the cost estimate can be a number of results the query is expected to return. Based on the cost estimates, the fair scheduling system causes the database management system to execute the query jobs as separately executable sub-query tasks in a round-robin fashion which can decrease latency of low cost queries concurrently executing with high cost queries.
US09092474B2
A computer system can include a database comparator configured to identify a first database object from an original system for a complete modification based on a comparison of the first database object with a plurality of target upgrade database objects, and configured to identify a second database object from the original system for a partial modification based on a comparison of the second database object with the plurality of target upgrade database objects. A complete modification module can be configured to designate, in response to the identification of the first database object, the first database object for the complete modification based on an incremental conversion process. A partial modification module can be configured to designate the second database object for the partial modification based on the incremental conversion process when an instruction to implement the partial modification satisfies at least a portion of a modification condition.
US09092470B2
Certain example embodiments relate to a method of storing data in a tabular data structure having columns and rows in a column-oriented storage system. At least one of the columns is divided into a plurality of segments. Each segment has an associated cell size that indicates the maximum size of the data items in the respective segment. When storing a data item into one of the segments, it is determined whether the size of the data item exceeds the cell size of the segment; and if the size of the data item exceeds the cell size of the segment, the cell size of the segment is adapted to accommodate the size of the data item. The adapting of the cell size of the segment to accommodate the size of the data item is performed independent of the cell sizes of the other of the plurality of segments.
US09092462B2
A method for processing a media resource playlist in a local area network, where the local area network includes a media server and a media renderer, includes: updating a stored playlist and a stored playlist element table when determining that a state of the media server changes; and sending the updated playlist to the media renderer. In addition, a playlist processing apparatus and a communication system are provided correspondingly.
US09092457B2
A method for organizing images from multiple image capture devices includes allowing the determination of an offset between image capture times recorded in a first image capture device and image capture times recorded in a second image capture device, adjusting the image capture times recorded in the second image capture device by the offset to produce adjusted image capture times by a computer processor, and sequencing images taken by the first image capture device and the second image capture device in an chronological order. The sequencing is based on the image capture times for the images captured by the first image capture device and the adjusted image capture times for the images captured by the second image capture device.
US09092437B2
“Experience Streams” (ESs) are used by a “rich interactive narrative” (RIN) data model as basic building blocks that are combined in a variety of ways to enable or construct a large number of RIN scenarios for presenting interactive narratives to the user. In general various ES types contain all the information required to define and populate a particular RIN, as well as the information (in the form of a series of navigable states) that charts an animated and interactive course through each RIN. In other words, combinations of various ES provide a scripted path through a RIN environment, as well as various UI controls and/or toolbars that enable user interaction with the interactive narrative provided by each RIN. Example ESs include, but are not limited, content browser experience streams, zoomable media experience streams, relationship graph experience streams, player-controls/toolbar experience streams, etc.
US09092426B1
A method is provided for a network-attached storage (NAS) server to directly write data to a disk or block device within a storage subsystem. A NAS server Ethernet interface receives a file, and writes the file data into kernel space as PDU segments. A TCP/IP stack maps the file data in kernel space RAM as sequentially ordered segments. The NAS/CIFS server application sends a call specifying file storage data. A zero-copy DMA application receives the call, maps a file offset to a Logical Block Address (LBA) in the block device, and requests that the block device DMA application transfer the file data. Without rewriting the file data in the system RAM, the block driver DMA application transfers the file data, in units of file system blocks, directly from kernel space RAM to the block device, with each file system block written in a single write operation.
US09092424B2
Described is a technology for understanding entities of a webpage, e.g., to label the entities on the webpage. An iterative and bidirectional framework processes a webpage, including a text understanding component (e.g., extended Semi-CRF model) that provides text segmentation features to a structure understanding component (e.g., extended HCRF model). The structure understanding component uses the text segmentation features and visual layout features of the webpage to identify a structure (e.g., labeled block). The text understanding component in turn uses the labeled block to further understand the text. The process continues iteratively until a similarity criterion is met, at which time the entities may be labeled. Also described is the use of multiple mentions of a set of text in the webpage to help in labeling an entity.
US09092423B2
The present invention relies on the two-dimensional information in documents and encodes two-dimensional structures into a one-dimensional synthetic language such that two-dimensional documents can be searched at text search speed. The system comprises: an indexing module, a retrieval module, an encoder, a quantization module, a retrieval engine and a control module coupled by a bus. Electronic documents are first indexed by the indexing module and stored as a synthetic text library. The retrieval module then converts an input image to synthetic text and searches for matches to the synthetic text in the synthetic text library. The matches can be in turn used to retrieve the corresponding electronic documents. In one or more embodiments, the present invention includes a method for comparing the synthetic text to documents that have been converted to synthetic text for a match.
US09092419B2
An adaptation of standard edit distance spell-check algorithms leverages probability-based regional auto-correction algorithms and data structures for ambiguous keypads and other predictive text input systems to provide enhanced typing correction and spell-check features. Strategies for optimization and for ordering results of different types are also provided.
US09092416B2
Techniques for providing quotations obtained from text documents using natural language processing techniques are described. Some embodiments provide a content recommendation system (“CRS”) configured to provide quotations by extracting quotations from a corpus text documents, and providing access to the extracted quotations in response to search requests received from users. The CRS may extract quotations by using natural language processing-based techniques to identify one or more entities, such as people, places, objects, concepts, or the like, that are referenced by the extracted quotations. The CRS may then store the extracted quotations along with identified entities, such as quotation speakers and subjects, for later access via search requests.
US09092415B2
Methods and systems are provided for generating automatic program recommendations based on user interactions. In some embodiments, control circuitry processes verbal data received during an interaction between a user of a user device and a person with whom the user is interacting. The control circuitry analyzes the verbal data to automatically identify a media asset referred to during the interaction by at least one of the user and the person with whom the user is interacting. The control circuitry adds the identified media asset to a list of media assets associated with the user of the user device. The list of media assets is transmitted to a second user device of the user.
US09092412B2
A computer-implemented method for exploring external data sources includes selecting a first function from a function library in a spreadsheet application based on a first user input, designating a first data source for the first function based on a second user input, wherein the first data source comprises a first dataset stored externally to the spreadsheet application, and arranging a first cell formula comprising the first function and a first identifier for the first data source in a first cell of a spreadsheet. The method further includes selecting an output function from the function library based on a third user input, designating a source function's reference based on a fourth user input, designating an output location in the spreadsheet based on a firth user input, and arranging a second cell formula including the selected output function, the designated source function's reference and the designated output location in a second cell of the spreadsheet. The method further includes translating the first cell formula contained in the first cell referenced as the source function to the output function into a data query for a data engine in response to a refresh action and sending the data query to the data engine, wherein the data engine is configured to execute the data query against the first dataset.
US09092411B2
Among other things, there are two or more data sets. Each of the data sets contains data that can be interpreted as records each having data values for data fields. Each of the data sets contains at least some data that is related to data in at least one of the other data sets. The data in different data sets is organized or expressed possibly differently. Each of the data sets is susceptible to a definition of a key for the records of the data set. The data sets are characterized by repetitions of at least one of (a) records, (b) portions of keys, or (c) instances of values for data fields. Information about at least one of the repetitions is provided to a user.
US09092408B2
A method and apparatus for data listeners for type dependency processing. An embodiment of a method for dependency processing of computer files includes receiving a data stream input at a scanner component, where the data stream input represents program elements of one or more computer files. A data stream of type definitions and type usages is generated, and the data type definitions and data type usages are provided as an input to a listening component. The listening component performs a listening function of filtering the type definition and type usage data, aggregating the type usage data, or echoing the data stream output, and an output is generated from the listening component.
US09092403B2
A method and device for selecting a word to be defined in a mobile communication terminal having an electronic dictionary function. The method includes selecting a word in a displayed text document in response to a first input, displaying the selected word in a search window, searching for the displayed word in response to a request to search for the displayed word, displaying information resulting from the search, and terminating display of the information and displaying the text document.
US09092395B2
A high availability/disaster recovery appliance test vehicle that contains a preconfigured high availability/disaster recovery solution for quick implementation at a test environment. The hardware and software components may be preconfigured with test applications and data and all the necessary networking, SAN and operating system requirements. This single shippable rack can be used to certify a multi site high availability/disaster recovery architecture that supports both local and site failover and site to site data replication. The unit is plug and play which reduces the effort required to begin the evaluation and reduces the number of IT teams that need to be involved. An apparatus and method for implementing the above high availability/disaster recovery vehicle are provided.
US09092385B2
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module generating a temporary public-private key pair, a restricted use certificate, and a temporary password for a device. The method continues with the DS processing encoding a temporary private key to produce a set of encoded private key shares and encoding the restricted use certificate to produce a set of encoded certificate shares. The method continues with the DS processing module outputting the set of encoded private key shares and the set of encoded certificate shares to a set of authentication units. The method continues with the DS processing module outputting the temporary password to the device such that, when the device retrieves the set of encoded private key shares and the set of encoded certificate shares, the device is able to recapture the temporary private key and the restricted use certificate for accessing a dispersed storage network (DSN).
US09092381B2
A device collaboration system includes a server 1 that manages contents, a main communication terminal 10 capable of making access to the server 1 via a network and reproducing a content, and an auxiliary communication terminal 20 capable of making access to the server via the network 30. The server monitors a reproduction state of a content reproduced by the main communication terminal 10, and when the main communication terminal 10 reproduces a predetermined portion in the content, the server controls an action by the auxiliary communication terminal 20.
US09092376B1
Techniques are described herein which minimize the impact of virtual machine snapshots on the performance virtual machines and hypervisors. In the context of a volume snapshot which may involve (i) taking virtual machine snapshots of all virtual machines associated with the volume, (ii) taking the volume snapshot, and (iii) removing all the virtual machine snapshots, the virtual machine snapshots may be created in a first order and removed in a second order. Specifically, snapshots for busy virtual machines (i.e., virtual machines with higher disk write activity) may be created last and removed first. Consequently, snapshots of busy virtual machines are retained for the shorter periods of time, thereby minimizing the effect of virtual machine snapshots on those virtual machines (and their associated hypervisors) that would be most negatively impacted by virtual machine snapshots.
US09092366B2
A computing device may split a translation table used when performing a DMA operation into two different translation tables. To split the translation table, the computing device may update the registers in the IOMMU to include pointers to the two different translation tables. For example, the IOMMU may update one register to point to the same starting address as the original translation table but assign a shorter length (i.e., fewer entries) to that table. The extra entries may then be used to form the other translation table by adding a new pointer to one of the IOMMU registers. The two translation tables may be owned by the same service provider or two different service providers. Alternatively, the computing device may assign the two tables to the same service provider which in turn assigns the tables to respective client devices executed by the service provider.
US09092364B2
A method and controller for implementing storage adapter performance control, and a design structure on which the subject controller circuit resides are provided. The controller includes a performance state machine controlling the use of a performance path and a normal or error recovery path in a storage adapter firmware stack. The performance state machine determines which storage resources are allowed to use the performance path and properly transitions the running of each storage resource to and from the performance path and normal path mode of operation.
US09092363B2
Portions of data stored in a three dimensional memory array are selected based on their locations for calculation of redundancy data. Locations are selected so that no two portions in a set of portions for a given calculation are likely to become uncorrectable at the same time. Selected portions may be separated by at least one word line and separated by at least one string in a block.
US09092359B2
A system for accessing memory locations includes translating, by a processor, a virtual address to locate a first page table entry (PTE) in a page table. The first PTE includes a marker and an address of a page of main storage. It is determined whether a marker is set in the first PTE. The system identifies a large page size of a large page associated with the first PTE based on determining that the marker is set in the first PTE. The large page consists of contiguous pages of main storage. An origin address of the large page is determined based on determining that the marker is set in the first PTE. The virtual address is used to index into the large page at the origin address to access main storage.
US09092357B2
Inoperable phase change memory (PCM) blocks in a PCM device are remapped to one or more operable PCM blocks, e.g. by maintaining an inoperable block table that includes an entry for each inoperable PCM block and an address of a remapped PCM block. Alternatively, the PCM blocks may be remapped by storing the address of the remapped block in the block itself, and setting a remapping bit that indicate the block has been remapped. Where the remapping is performed by a processor, an inoperable block bit may be set in a translation look aside buffer that indicates whether a virtual memory page is associated with an inoperable or remapped PCM block. When a request to access a virtual memory page is received, the processor references the inoperable block bit associated with the virtual memory page to determine whether to check for remapped PCM blocks in the inoperable block table.
US09092356B2
A method, including receiving, by a user space driver framework (UDF) library executing from a user space of a memory over a monolithic operating system kernel, a kernel application programming interface (API) call from a device driver executing from the user space. The UDF library then performs an operation corresponding to the kernel API call.
US09092353B1
Systems and methods for correcting errors in data read from memory cells include a memory controller, which includes an encoder, and a decoder. The memory controller is configured to adjust a correctable raw bit error rate limit to correct different bit error rates occurring in data read from the memory cells. The correctable raw bit error rate limit is adjusted by switching the decoding between hard-decision decoding and soft-decision decoding, wherein a number of soft bits allocated for message values can be changed during soft-decision decoding. The correctable raw bit error rate is adjusted by changing the code-rate within the memory system while making virtual adjustments to the same encoder and decoder.
US09092348B2
A computer-based systems and methods for task processing in a computing device are provided. A method includes the step of entering a slice mode for at least one task, the entering comprising reserving one or more portions of a cache memory to yield a slice cache memory for the task. The method also includes the step of storing a slice in the slice cache memory, wherein the slice comprises at least one program residing in at least one memory space outside of the slice cache memory and associated with the at least one task. The method further includes the step of processing the at least one task utilizing the at least one program by accessing the at least one slice cache memory until the slice mode is terminated.
US09092346B2
In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided methods, systems, mechanisms, techniques, and apparatuses for implementing a speculative cache modification design. For example, in one embodiment, such means may include an integrated circuit having a data bus; a cache communicably interfaced with the data bus; a pipeline communicably interfaced with the data bus, in which the pipeline is to receive a store instruction corresponding to a cache line to be written to cache; caching logic to perform a speculative cache write of the cache line into the cache before the store instruction retires from the pipeline; and cache line validation logic to determine if the cache line written into the cache is valid or invalid, in which the cache line validation logic is to invalidate the cache line speculatively written into the cache when determined invalid and further in which the store instruction is allowed to retire from the pipeline when the cache line is determined to be valid.
US09092345B2
A data processing system includes one or more processors 4, 5, 6, 7 operable to initiate atomic memory requests for execution threads and plural data caches 8, 9, 10, 11 that are used to store data needed to perform an atomic memory operation when an atomic memory operation is to be performed.When atomic operations are to be performed against a data cache, the results of atomic operations that are to access the same memory location are accumulated in a temporary cache line in the data cache pending the arrival in the cache of the “true” cache line from memory. The accumulated results of the atomic operations stored in the temporary cache line are then combined with the cache line from memory when the cache line arrives in the cache. Individual atomic values can also be reconstructed once the cache line arrives at the cache.
US09092344B2
A solid state drive includes a flash memory, a cache memory, and a controlling unit. The solid state drive is in communication with a host. The flash memory includes a plurality of blocks, wherein each of the blocks has a plurality of pages. The cache memory includes a plurality of cache units. The cache units are allocated into a plurality of groups according to operating statuses of respective cache units. The controlling unit is in communication with the host, the flash memory and the cache memory. Under control of the controlling unit, a write data from the host is temporarily stored in the cache memory so as to be written into the flash memory, or a read data from the flash memory is temporarily stored in the cache memory so as to be provided to the host.
US09092342B2
Systems and methods for pre-fetching of data in a memory are provided. By pre-fetching stored data from a slower memory into a faster memory, the amount of time required for data retrieval and/or processing may be reduced. First, data is received and pre-scanned to generate a sample fingerprint. Fingerprints stored in a faster memory that are similar to the sample fingerprint are identified. Data stored in the slower memory associated with the identified stored fingerprints is copied into the faster memory. The copied data may be compared to the received data. Various embodiments may be included in a network memory architecture to allow for faster data matching and instruction generation in a central appliance.
US09092341B2
A scheme referred to as a “Region-based cache restoration prefetcher” (RECAP) is employed for cache preloading on a partition or a context switch. The RECAP exploits spatial locality to provide a bandwidth-efficient prefetcher to reduce the “cold” cache effect caused by multiprogrammed virtualization. The RECAP groups cache blocks into coarse-grain regions of memory, and predicts which regions contain useful blocks that should be prefetched the next time the current virtual machine executes. Based on these predictions, and using a simple compression technique that also exploits spatial locality, the RECAP provides a robust prefetcher that improves performance without excessive bandwidth overhead or slowdown.
US09092340B2
A method and system for achieving die parallelism through block interleaving includes non-volatile memory having a multiple non-volatile memory dies, where each die has a cache storage area and a main storage area. A controller is configured to receive data and write sequentially addressed data to the cache storage area of a first die. The controller, after writing sequentially addressed data to the cache storage area of the first die equal to a block of the main storage area of the first die, writes additional data to a cache storage area of a next die until sequentially addressed data is written into the cache area of the next die equal to a block of the main storage area. The cache storage area may be copied to the main storage area on the first die while the cache storage area is written to on the next die.
US09092338B1
Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to a distributed event joining system for joining primary and secondary events based on a common key. In one example, a continuous stream of primary events may be submitted by a plurality of ad serving computers for storage at a cache layer. Each primary event may be associated with a primary event key. After a time T, the stream of primary events may be sent to long term memory. The system may also receive secondary events, each associated with a primary key. The primary key may be used to identify a primary event in the cache layer. If the primary event is not available in the cache layer, the long term memory may be searched for the primary key. Paired events may then be submitted to a distributed joined event storage system.
US09092336B2
A method includes monitoring a number of read access requests to an address for data stored on a backing store. The method also includes comparing the number of read access requests to a read access threshold. The read access threshold includes a threshold number of read access requests for the address. The method also includes caching data corresponding to a write access request to the address in response to determining that the number of read access requests satisfies the read access threshold.
US09092332B2
Activity-based sampling provides useful and relevantly focused diagnostic data, connected to improve a developer's understanding. An application invokes log-event procedures, causing a logger to check logging conditions and make a log entry when a logging condition is satisfied. The logger has a set of log-enabled activities, and one or more start-events with respective sampling frequency conditions. One logging condition is that a current activity-id be log-enabled. Another states that if the current activity-id is not log-enabled but the log-event procedure identifies a start-event consistent with the sampling frequency condition, the activity is log-enabled and a log entry is made. Creation of a child activity by a parent activity which is in the set of log-enabled activities is noted in the log, and the child is automatically log-enabled. A log consumer may reside inside or outside the application. Event Tracing for Windows services can be enhanced to support activity-based sampling.
US09092331B1
A system, method, and computer readable medium for statistical application-agnostic fault detection of multi-process applications. The computer readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system. A multi-process application runs on a host. Interceptors collect statistical events and sends said events to a statistical fault detector. The statistical fault detector creates one or more distributions and compares recent statistical event data to historical statistical event data and uses deviation from historical norm for fault detection. The present invention detects faults both within the application and within the environment wherein the application executes, if conditions within the environment cause impaired application performance. The invention also teaches consensus fault detection and elimination of cascading fault notifications based on a hierarchy of events and event groups. Interception and fault detection is transparent to the application, operating system, networking stack and libraries.
US09092328B2
A terminal and a method extend a storage space. The terminal includes a contents receiver, an interface, an external memory measure unit, a store determining unit, and a transmission controller. The contents receiver receives contents via a network. The interface accesses at least one external memory. The external memory measure unit measures at least one of a speed of the interface, an available capacity and a use history of the external memory accessed via the interface. The store determining unit determines whether to store the contents in the external memory based on a value measured by the external memory measure unit. The transmission controller controls to transmit the contents to the external memory via the interface when it is determined that the contents are stored in the external memory.
US09092327B2
Systems and methods are provided for allocating memory to dissimilar memory devices. An exemplary embodiment includes a method for allocating memory to dissimilar memory devices. An interleave bandwidth ratio is determined, which comprises a ratio of bandwidths for two or more dissimilar memory devices. The dissimilar memory devices are interleaved according to the interleave bandwidth ratio to define two or more memory zones having different performance levels. Memory address requests are allocated to the memory zones based on a quality of service (QoS).
US09092325B2
A method, device and system directed to fast data storage on a block storage device. New data is written to an empty write block. A location of the new data is tracked. Meta data associated with the new data is written. A lookup table may be updated based in part on the meta data. The new data may be read based the lookup table configured to map a logical address to a physical address.
US09092320B2
Systems and methods of performing a host write process are provided. W blocks are selected from the multiple blocks and W is a natural number. Write target data in accordance with a write command is written to the W next write destination pages which are included in the W blocks respectively. Each block selected is a block whose next write destination page is a first kind page. Each block consists of multiple pages. The multiple pages are two or more first kind pages and two or more second kind pages. Each second kind page is a page with a lower write performance than that of each first kind page.
US09092301B2
A facility for applying a software patch is described. Using an automatic patching agent, the facility receives the software patch. In response to receiving the software patch, without user intervention, the facility performs the following acts: First, the facility identifies an instance of an executable module that is currently loaded, and to which the received software patch pertains. Second, the facility applies the received software patch to the identified loaded executable module instance to modify the behavior of the identified executable module instance.
US09092300B2
A peripheral device for an electronic device includes a memory configured to store at least an active firmware image and another firmware image, and circuitry configured to execute instructions provided in the firmware image. The circuitry receives, from a software application of the electronic device, commands and a firmware image included in the software application. The circuitry verifies the received firmware image file and writes the portions to a memory block different from a memory block at which the active firmware image is located. A command from the software application causes the peripheral device to specify the newly written firmware image as an active firmware image and to execute the newly active firmware image.
US09092299B2
A remote server may receive a data log with information regarding the status and/or a setting of an electronic product. The remote server may store information in the data log in a database. The remote server may process information in the database to determine whether a newer version of firmware is available for the electronic product.
US09092297B2
A firmware update process for a self-virtualizing IO resource such as an SRIOV adapter is incorporated into a platform firmware update process to systematically update the resource firmware in a manner that is for the most part transparent to the logical partitions sharing the adapter. In particular, resource firmware associated with a self-virtualizing IO resource is bundled with firmware for at least one adjunct partition associated with that self-virtualizing IO resource within a common firmware image so that, upon restart of the adjunct partition to use the updated firmware image, the resource firmware is also updated, with a logical partition that uses the self-virtualizing IO resource maintained in an active state during the restart, and without requiring the self-virtualizing IO resource to be deconfigured from the logical partition.
US09092293B2
A system selects an application program for download. The system includes a host system, such as a personal computer, having a disk sub-system storing a plurality of application programs. The disk sub-system includes a file storing a plurality of identifiers, with each of at least some of the identifiers being associated with one or more of the application programs. A target system, such as a wireless handheld electronic device, includes a hardware identifier and a vendor identifier. A communications channel connects the host system and the target system. An application loader routine executes at the host system, communicates with the target system through the communications channel, requests the hardware and vendor identifiers as a received identifier from the target system over the communication channel, and employs the identifiers and the received identifier to select one of the application programs for download from the host system to the target system.
US09092287B2
A product deployment system of an electronic document is described. An example product deployment system includes a deployment processor, a remote execution module, and a plan manager. The deployment processor may be configured to receive a request to deploy an application, generated a deployment plan, provide the deployment plan to the plan manager, and trigger a command to be sent from the remote execution module to the target hosts in the target host set. The plan manager provides the deployment plan to the target host set in response to receiving the identification of the deployment plan from the target host set. The plan manager may also monitor execution of the deployment plan by the target host set without saving a state of deployment process that is being performed at the target host set. The plan manager may also react to perceived failures that may occur at the target host set.
US09092285B2
Method for performing an operation, the operation including, responsive to receiving a file system request at a file system, retrieving a first entropy pool element from the file system, and inserting, at the file system, the first entropy pool element into a network packet sent from the file system responsive to the file system request.
US09092276B2
Users of online services may avoid having to gain knowledge of the intricacies of specific Application Programming Interface (API) syntaxes and elements by using natural language requests which are processed to extract components of the request. The components are then used to find one or more matches of known APIs, and then at least one structured API call is constructed by mapping the request's components to the structured API call's elements. The system can then invoke the online service on behalf of the client, and return the results to the client, or it can return the constructed structured API call to the client. The known API details can be initialized and updated by ingesting the description documents for the structured APIs, and then using natural language processing to extract components from the descriptions, which can then be utilized in the matching process to further enhance the results of the tool.
US09092275B2
According to one embodiment, a method for a store operation with a conditional push of a tag value to a queue is provided. The method includes configuring a queue that is accessible by an application, setting a value at an address in a memory device including a memory and a controller, receiving a request for an operation using the value at the address and performing the operation. The method also includes the controller writing a result of the operation to the address, thus changing the value at the address, the controller determining if the result of the operation meets a condition and the controller pushing a tag value to the queue based on the condition being met, where the tag value in the queue indicates to the application that the condition is met.
US09092271B2
When a load balancer detects that a virtual address is associated with a single destination address, the load balancer sets a flag to distinguish the virtual address from virtual addresses that are associated with a plurality of destination addresses. The load balancer instructs the router to bypass the load balancer for network packets that are addressed to the virtual address, and refrains from storing subsequent flow state for the virtual address. When the virtual address is to be scaled up with an additional destination address, the load balancer sets a flag to distinguish the virtual address from virtual addresses that are associated with a single destination addresses. The load balancer instructs the router to route network packets that are addressed to the virtual address through the load balancer, instead of bypassing the load balancer, and starts storing flow state for the virtual address.
US09092269B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for offloading virtual machine flows to physical queues. A computer system executes one or more virtual machines, and programs a physical network device with one or more rules that manage network traffic for the virtual machines. The computer system also programs the network device to manage network traffic using the rules. In particular, the network device is programmed to determine availability of one or more physical queues at the network device that are usable for processing network flows for the virtual machines. The network device is also programmed to identify network flows for the virtual machines, including identifying characteristics of each network flow. The network device is also programmed to, based on the characteristics of the network flows and based on the rules, assign one or more of the network flows to at least one of the physical queues.
US09092268B2
A first set of management functions is instantiated external to a microkernel of a management system for managing a set of cloud services. The management system further includes a second set of management functions executing within the kernel of the management system. A subset of the first set of management functions is associated with a cloud service in the set of cloud services. A management task for the cloud service is handled using the subset of the first set of management functions. A usage information corresponding to the use of the subset of the first set of management functions for handling the management task for the cloud service is reported.
US09092267B2
Aspects of this disclosure are directed to a method of processing data with a graphics processing unit (GPU). According to some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises receiving input defining execution orders for a shader processor, wherein the execution orders comprise a plurality of kernel designations and a plurality of workgroup designations. The method may also include assigning workgroups of kernels identified in the plurality of workgroup designations and the plurality of kernel designations to the shader processor. The method may also include executing, by the shader processor, the workgroups of kernels identified in the plurality of workgroup designations and the plurality of kernel designations to process input data.
US09092263B2
The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method for an automatic synthesis of distributed embedded systems, wherein the tasks to be processed by the system are mapped to a hardware structure having a plurality of processing units such that predefined time limits of the tasks are met, comprising the steps of (a) assigning the tasks to the plurality of processing steps, with the following substeps: (aa) assigning a task to a processing unit; (bb) determining the outgoing event densities; (cc) comparing the output density towards the next task with a predefined threshold and assigning the next task to the same processing unit if the event density is below the threshold or assigning the next task to any other processing unit if the event density is smaller than the threshold; (dd) repeating steps (aa) to (cc) until all tasks are assigned to the processing units; (b) checking whether the costs of the given task assignment to the processing units satisfy a predefined solution criterion; (c) repeating steps (a) to (b) with a new task assignment to the processing units until the task assignment fulfills the predefined solution criteria; (d) assigning the tasks to the processes of the operational systems of the processing units assigned to the tasks; (e) checking whether the given task assignment to the processes of the operational systems of the processing units satisfies the predefined time criteria of the tasks; (f) calculating the costs associated with the given task assignment to the processes of the operational systems of the processing units if the predefined time criteria of the tasks are satisfied; (g) repeating steps (a) to (c) with a new task assignment to the processing units or repeating steps (d) to (f) with a new task assignment to the processes of the operational systems of the assigned processing units until the costs of the current solution satisfy a predefined solution criterion.
US09092262B2
The invention includes a computerized method responding to a navigation cue from a user by saving the writable state of the application and directing the computer through the window operating system to perform the navigation task 36 indicated by the navigation cue. The invention includes the following, which will each be discussed in turn. An alteration mechanism including means for altering window operating system by altering the hook triggered by each navigation cue to integrate saving the writable state. The window operating system integrating response to each navigation cue and saving the writable state. Source code artifacts which can be installed to implement navigation cues triggering saving the writable state. A business method generating revenue for a business entity.
US09092260B1
An information processing system in an illustrative embodiment comprises a sync point coordinator providing resilient high throughput job processing via coordinated resource scheduling across a distributed virtual infrastructure. In one aspect, a processing device of the information processing system comprises a processor coupled to a memory. The processing device implements a controller configured to coordinate interaction of each of multiple sync point components of the information processing system with distributed virtual infrastructure of the information processing system. The controller is coupled between each of the sync point components and the distributed virtual infrastructure. The controller may comprise, for example, a sync point coordinator having a schedule optimization module, and the sync point components may include, for example, a throughput scheduler, a resource manager, a job management system and a snapshot management system.
US09092254B2
A method and system for enabling multiple users in a computing environment is provided. The method includes receiving software comprising an operating system, integrated development environment (IDE) software, middleware software, and database software. A virtual image instance of operating system, the IDE software, the middleware software, and the database software is provisioned to a virtual instance. User IDs for access to the operating system instance are generated. Workspaces are generated and associated with the user IDs. The middleware software and the database software are configured and the virtual image instance is enabled to accept multiple concurrent logins associated with the user IDs.
US09092251B2
A method for managing virtual machines, the method comprising providing a virtual Advanced Configuration and Power Interface, ACPI, arranged to interact with the virtual machines, and interacting with a real ACPI based on interaction between the virtual ACPI and the plurality of virtual machines.
US09092247B2
In the field of computing, many scenarios involve the execution of an application within a virtual environment (e.g., web applications executing within a web browser). In order to perform background processing, such applications may invoke worker processes within the virtual environment; however, this configuration couples the life cycle of worker processes to the life cycle of the application and/or virtual environment. Presented herein are techniques for executing worker processes outside of the virtual environment and independently of the life cycle of the application, such that background computation may persist after the application and/or virtual environment are terminated and even after a computing environment restart, and for notifying the application upon the worker process achieving an execution event (e.g., detecting device events even while the application is not executing). Such techniques may heighten the resiliency and persistence of worker processes and expand the capabilities of applications executing within virtual environments.
US09092246B2
Code compatibility provisions are provided. These may include identifying coding that is incompatible with a rule-based environment, searching replacement code solutions for compatible code and identifying a replacement code solution, manipulating the identified incompatible code using the identified replacement code solution, and, after manipulating the incompatible code with the replacement code solution, loading the services across a rule-based environment.
US09092243B2
A management tool can be included in a software appliance. The management tool can be configured to provide control, management, and maintenance of the software appliance. The management tool can be utilized in order to start/stop, configure, repair, and update a software appliance. The management tool can be configured to provide an interface for management of the software appliance. The interface allows for management of the software appliance and the individual components of the software appliance.
US09092233B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for booting an accessory with an accessory firmware image received from a host device are described. When the host device detects a connection between the accessory and the host device, the host device may send a request for an accessory identifier to the accessory. The accessory may send an accessory identifier to the host device in response. The host device may select an accessory firmware image that is suitable for the accessory, and may transmit the accessory firmware image to the accessory. The accessory firmware image may include information that the accessory can use to enable the accessory to exchange application data with the host device.
US09092231B2
A terminal device includes an inbox driver unit to provide information of one or more printer drivers, and a controller to select from the inbox driver unit one of the one or more printer drivers that responds to an error, which occurs in an image forming apparatus due to the printer driver, based on information of a printer driver supportable by the image forming apparatus.
US09092225B2
In a processing system capable of single and multi-thread execution, a branch prediction unit can be configured to detect hard to predict branches and loop instructions. In a dual-threading (simultaneous multi-threading) configuration, one instruction queues (IQ) is used for each thread and instructions are alternately sent from each IQ to decode units. In single thread mode, the second IQ can be used to store the “not predicted path” of the hard-to-predict branch or the “fall-through” path of the loop. On mis-prediction, the mis-prediction penalty is reduced by getting the instructions from IQ instead of instruction cache.
US09092220B2
A computer system comprising a graphics processor, a frame buffer, a display device, a system agent operable to detect an absence of active software applications and system configurations capable of rendering a disruptive user experience during system suspend, and a memory for storing instructions, that when executed perform a method of entering a power conservation state. The method comprises detecting a system idle event, activating the frame buffer, and storing display information in the frame buffer from the graphics processor. The method further comprises initiating a power reduction state for the graphics processor, self-refreshing the display device during the power reduction state with the display information stored in the frame buffer, and initiating a system suspend comprising a power reduction state for the computer system provided the system agent detects the absence of disruptive software and system configurations.
US09092219B2
A method for automatically scaling estimates of digital power consumed by a portion of an integrated circuit (IC) device by the operating frequency of the portion of the IC are described herein. The method may include obtaining an energy value which may correspond to an amount of energy used by the portion of the IC. A cumulative energy value may be generated by repeatedly, at a frequency proportional to the operating frequency of the portion of the IC, obtaining energy values and adding each obtained energy value to a sum of energy values for the portion of the IC. The cumulative energy value may be sampled at a time sample interval to generate an estimate of the portion of the IC's digital power consumption that is automatically scaled with the operating frequency of the portion of the IC.
US09092206B2
A power mode control system for microprocessors offers an unlimited variety of hardware-supported power modes that may satisfy any operating scenario. The microprocessor unit comprises a register that contains particular bit fields for defining selectable power modes. The particular bit fields in the register define pointers to a power mode defining register. Each pointer selects a corresponding bit field in the power mode defining register. The bits in the bit fields of the power mode defining register either directly control a power mode of at least one functional or peripheral blocks of the unit; or they are pointers to a further power mode defining register and the bits in the bit fields of the further power mode defining register directly control a power mode of at least one functional or peripheral blocks of the unit.
US09092205B2
A method, system, and computer program product for non-interrupting performance tuning using runtime reset are provided in the illustrative embodiments. Component performance data from a component of a data processing system is analyzed. The component participates in processing a workload of a workload type. The analyzing determines a characteristic of the workload. A performance requirement of the workload is determined according to a performance requirement of the workload type. A set of preferred performance tuning parameter values is identified to apply to the component to meet the performance requirement of the workload. The set of preferred performance tuning parameter values is sent to the component such that the component is tuned using a value in the set of preferred performance tuning parameter values to meet the performance requirement of the workload.
US09092202B2
A mobile storage device is used for coupling to a host device via a communication interface. The mobile storage device receives power from the host device. The mobile storage device includes a substrate, a resistive circuit and a first integrated circuit. The substrate includes at least a first heat-dissipation slot. The resistive circuit is disposed around the first heat-dissipation slot of the substrate. The resistive circuit is coupled to a voltage source of the host device. The first integrated circuit is disposed on the substrate. The first integrated circuit is coupled to the resistive circuit, so as to receive power which is stepped-down by the resistive circuit.
US09092200B2
An example display device includes a display device stand and display device housing pivotably connected to display device stand. The display device housing is to pivot between a vertical operating position and a horizontal servicing position, and a lid portion of the display device housing is to rotatably open away from a back portion of the display device housing to provide access to components within the display device housing.
US09092186B2
Method and related systems for dynamically sharing desktop contents during a video communications call is disclosed. The available communications bandwidth for transmitting desktop content and video content from a host computer to a client computer is divided between the desktop and video contents based on priority levels assigned to each of the desktop and video contents. The display area of the client computer may also be adjusted based on the priority levels.
US09092183B2
Embodiments are described for displaying indications of notifications received by a multi-screen device. The notifications may relate to a number of different categories including, without limitation, phone calls, SMS messages, email, notifications from applications, battery level, and signal strength. The multi-screen device includes a unified desktop that displays indications of the notifications regardless of the state of the multi-screen device, which in embodiments includes an undocked state and a docked state, in which a peripheral screen is used to display the indications. The indications may be displayed differently depending on the state of the multi-screen device.
US09092178B2
Provided is a printing system in which a mobile terminal that instructs the print service device to print without specifying an image forming device that executes printing in response to a selection of document data, and the print service device transmits a command for causing the terminal device to write, in the near field communication unit of the terminal device, storage information related to a storage location on the network of the print job generated upon receiving the instruction, and the image processing device activates the near field communication unit of the image processing device, and acquires the print job based on the storage information acquired by the acquisition unit and print the print job.
US09092175B2
Job cancellation with a simple operation is prevented depending on a type of a job to be cancelled. A job processing apparatus includes a holding unit configured to hold a job subjected to execution, a receiving unit configured to receive a cancellation instruction for canceling execution of the job held in the holding unit, and a control unit configured to perform control in response to reception of the cancellation instruction by the receiving unit so that when the job held in the holding unit is of a specific type, the job is not canceled and when the job held in the holding unit is of a type other than the specific type, the job is canceled.
US09092168B2
This disclosure discloses a non-transitory recording medium storing a contents information processing program for executing steps on a computing device, the steps comprising: an explanatory text acquisition step for acquiring explanatory text associated in a fixed manner with specific contents selected from a plurality of contents prepared and related to producing the print label, a keyword acquisition step for acquiring at least one keyword associated with each of a plurality of preview images prepared, an image determining step for determining for each preview image a compatibility between corresponding the at least one keyword and details of the explanatory text acquired, and determining an image of the plurality of preview images that has a highest compatibility as a preview image to be associated with the specific contents, and an image output step for outputting the preview image to the operation terminal for display on a display device.
US09092153B2
In the prior art clone creating technique of a file, a management table of a snapshot and the file was created when creating the clone file, so that a considerable amount of creation time for creating the clone file and storage capacity was required. In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a system wherein if a request to create a clone of a file is received, a differential file is created while inhibiting update of the file, and update data is written to the differential file. Further, when a first update request is received to the differential file after creating the differential file, a management table is created. According to the invention, a large amount of clone files can be created speedily.
US09092135B2
A virtual object can be controlled using one or more touch interfaces. A location for a first touch input can be determined on a first touch interface. A location for a second touch input can be determined on a second touch interface. A three-dimensional segment can be generated using the location of the first touch input, the location of the second touch input, and a pre-determined spatial relationship between the first touch interface and the second touch interface. The virtual object can be manipulated using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input. The manipulated virtual object can be displayed on a display.
US09092128B2
Efficiently managing visual information by small form factor electronic devices having limited display resources using a persistent overlay is described. The persistent overlay can be formed of selected visual information from a first page and can remain viewable over subsequently displayed pages.
US09092117B2
Multimedia content of exchangeable storage media, such as optical discs, may be extended by bonus content that is downloaded via Internet connection and stored on a local storage device. An improved method for integration of different menu items relating to on-disc content and downloaded content provides flexibility and a simple, low cost solution. The method for integration of downloaded bonus content into a menu comprises defining one or more placeholders within a menu, determining a storage location or naming convention for bonus content, declaring for each placeholder an attribute providing a unique association to a specific type of bonus content, providing a button image, detecting presence of bonus content data, replacing the associated placeholder by the associated button image and enabling an associated action to be taken when said button is selected.
US09092115B2
A visual clipboard system and method are provided, in which drag-and-release operations are employed to move copies of a displayed object onto and off of a predefined clipboard area. When a copy of a displayed object is placed on the predefined clipboard area, the displayed object is visually modified to indicate that the visually-modified copy is docked on the predefined clipboard area, and thus eligible for use in a copy operation. When a copy is removed from the predefined clipboard area and placed in a desired target location, the original appearance of the displayed object is restored.
US09092109B2
A method, system, and data structure for creating electronic calendar entries are disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a computer data structure that includes an email message with an embedded link. The embedded link contains event information corresponding to multiple parameters for an event described in the email message. The embedded link is configured, upon activation, to initiate generation of an electronic calendar entry form with multiple fields. A plurality of the multiple fields contain event information from the embedded link.
US09092108B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for setting a user interface according to user preferences, more particularly, an apparatus and method for setting the user interface according to the user preferences, in which the user interface can be set up by reflecting the user preferences, and the set user interface is synchronized in order to be used in other devices. The apparatus includes a user-interface-configuration unit that is notified of an update and rearrangement of a predetermined user interface element by a user, a user-information-management unit that manages security information of the user that reconfigures the user interface element, and a user-interface-tree-management unit that reconfigures a predetermined user-interface tree based on the reconfigured user-interface element.
US09092105B2
According to an aspect, a liquid crystal display device with a touch sensor has a liquid crystal display function and a touch sensor function. The liquid crystal device includes a first substrate including a pixel electrode and a first electrode; a second substrate including a second electrode; and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. When the liquid crystal display function is activated, the first and second electrodes are supplied with common voltage. When the touch sensor function is activated, the first electrode is applied with a first signal, and a second signal is detected through the second electrode.
US09092103B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel that displays an image during a display period and detects a touch event during a non-display period. The display panel includes a plurality of common electrodes and a plurality of data lines capacitively coupled to the common electrodes during the non-display period. Coordinate information of a position at which the touch event occurs is calculated on the basis of a capacitance variation of the common electrodes and the data lines.
US09092102B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a touch switch that enables reduction in the low-sensitivity region where the contact by fingers cannot be detected. The touch switch of the present invention comprises an insulating layer; sensor electrodes as a plurality of first electrodes provided on one surface of the insulating layer; a plurality of wire portions provided on one surface of the insulating layer, individually connected to the sensor electrodes; and auxiliary electrodes as a plurality of second electrodes provided on the other surface of the insulating layer, each auxiliary electrode being provided in a portion opposite each sensor electrode, wherein a boundary of adjacent auxiliary electrodes is provided in a region between adjacent sensor electrodes.
US09092099B2
The touch panel is provided with: a touch panel substrate; and a flexible printed circuit board, wherein the touch panel substrate has an electrode for detection and a rear surface electrode, the flexible printed circuit board has a terminal portion, the terminals in the terminal portion are electrically and mechanically connected to connection terminals formed along a side of the touch panel substrate, the terminal portion has a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion, a terminal in the second terminal portion is shorter than a terminal in the first terminal portion, the flexible printed circuit board has a rear surface electrode connection portion and has a terminal for shielding, and the rear surface electrode connection portion is folded on a rear surface side of the touch panel substrate so that the terminal for shielding is mechanically and electrically connected to the rear surface electrode.
US09092093B2
A steering wheel that identifies gestures performed on its surface, including a circular gripping element including a thumb-receiving notch disposed along its circumference, an array of light-based proximity sensors, mounted in the gripping element, that projects light beams through the notch radially outward from the gripping element, and detects light beams reflected back into the gripping element by a moving object at or near the notch, and a processor, coupled with the proximity sensor array, for determining polar angles along the circumference of the gripping element occupied by the object, responsive to light beams projected by the proximity sensor array and reflected back by the object being detected by the proximity sensor array.
US09092087B2
A display device includes: a display functional layer that can change display for each pixel in accordance with an application voltage; a plurality of driving electrodes separately disposed in one direction; a plurality of pixel signal lines to which pixel signals used for applying the application voltage to the display functional layer in accordance with an electric potential difference from the display reference electric potential are applied; a plurality of detection electrodes that are separately disposed in a direction other than the one direction, are coupled with the driving electrodes as electrostatic capacitance, generate detection electric potentials in response to the detection driving signal, and change the detection electric potential in accordance with approach of a detection target object; and a pixel signal control unit that controls the pixel signals so as to include pixel signals having different polarities during the display period.
US09092083B2
A contact detecting device includes a plurality of detecting elements, a generating unit, and a determining unit. The plurality of detecting elements are related to one another in a two-dimensional configuration on a predetermined contacted surface, and respectively detect a contact of an object with the contacted surface. The generating unit generates, on the basis of the result of detection by the plurality of detecting elements, feature information representing a feature of a trajectory drawn on the basis of a contact of an object with the contacted surface. The determining unit determines whether or not the feature information generated by the generating unit corresponds to previously registered specific contact feature information representing a feature of a trajectory drawn on the basis of a specific contact of an object with the contacted surface.
US09092080B2
An organic light emitting diode display with improved aperture ratio includes: a substrate; first and second pixels disposed in a first row of the substrate and third and fourth pixels disposed in a second row adjacent to the first row and respectively disposed in the same columns as the first and second pixels; a scan line and a previous scan line applying a scan signal and a previous scan signal, respectively, to the pixel units; a data line and a driving voltage line applying a data signal and a driving voltage, respectively, to the pixel units; and a common initialization voltage line disposed between the first and second pixels and between the third and fourth pixels, commonly connected to the pixel units, and applying an initialization voltage. One common initialization contact hole connected to all pixels units and one initialization voltage line connected to the common initialization contact hole are surrounded by the pixel units.
US09092079B2
An example of an information processing apparatus distinguishes whether there is an operation instruction or not in accordance with an operation made on an input device. First, an acquiring section acquires an input value based on the operation made on the input device. An operation instruction distinguishing section distinguishes whether there is an operation instruction or not provided by the operation made on the input device, such that the distinguishing result is different between when the input value is within a distinguishing range, which is a prescribed range, and when the input value is outside the distinguishing range. When the input value is changed in a direction of being away from a border of the distinguishing range, a range setting section changes a size of the distinguishing range such that the border approaches the post-change input value.
US09092073B1
Methods and apparatus provide for an adjustable pointing device. The adjustable pointing device includes a base and an adjustable arm connecting a portion of the base with an input control portion. The input control portion includes at least one input control. A first end of the adjustable arm, which is distal from the base, allows for and independently maintains changes to various orientations of the input control portion. In other words, after the user adjusts the input control portion to be set at a new orientation, the first end of the adjustable arm maintains the input control portion at the new orientation as the user interacts with the adjustable pointing device. In addition, a second end of the adjustable arm, proximal to the base, also allows for and independently maintains changes in a distance between the input control portion and the base itself.
US09092071B2
A control device includes a two-dimensional inertial system configured to measure an acceleration of the control device. A control circuit is coupled to the two-dimensional inertial system where the control circuit is configured to receive acceleration information for the acceleration measured by the two-dimensional inertial system. The control circuit is further configured to integrate the acceleration information to calculate the velocity of the control device and determine if the velocity of the control device becomes zero along one or both of the two dimensions for which the two-dimensional inertial system is configured to measure acceleration. The control circuit is further configured to correct a drift in the velocity if the control circuit determines that the velocity is zero along one or both of the two dimensions.
US09092063B2
An electronic system incorporates an image-sensing device and a processor coupled with the image-sensing device. The image-sensing device includes an image-sensing area configured to generate a picture. The picture includes a noisy region. The processor is configured to select a tracking region from the portion of the picture outside of the noisy region. The tracking region corresponds to an operative region of the image sensing area.
US09092059B2
A haptic conversion system is provided that receives a plurality of audio streams of an audio signal. The haptic conversion system further determines, for each stream of the plurality of streams, whether at least one parameter of the one or more parameters indicates that the corresponding stream is to be converted into a haptic effect, and thus, identifies one or more streams that include at least one parameter that indicates the corresponding stream is to be converted into the haptic effect. The haptic conversion system further generates, for the identified streams, a haptic signal based on each corresponding stream. The haptic conversion system further sends, for the identified streams, each haptic signal to an actuator to generate a haptic effect.
US09092054B2
The Thimble is a wireless electronic device that can be worn on a finger, in order to control electronic devices, computers screens, laptops screen, televisions game console etc. The Thimble can replace either a computer mouse or a remote control. The Thimble uses location technologies in order to calculate its position, movement and orientation. Touch pads allow for accepting user selection, similar to mouse left-clicks or right-clicks, or remote control OK function.
US09092043B2
Power switches with current limitation and zero Direct Current (DC) power consumption. In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes switching circuitry coupled between a voltage supply node and a given one of a plurality of power domains, the switching circuitry configured to limit an amount of current drawn by the given power domain from the voltage supply node during a transition period, the switching circuitry further configured to consume zero DC power outside of the transition period. In another embodiment, a method includes controlling, via a switching circuit coupled between a voltage supply and an integrated circuit, an amount of current drawn by the integrated circuit from the voltage supply during a transition period; and causing the switching circuit to consume no static power during periods of time other than the transition period.
US09092036B2
Pressure regulator assemblies that are overall small in size, have a thin form factor, can be repeatedly manufactured at relatively low cost and which can avoid the use of poppet valves, pivots, sliding members or rubber and metal diaphragms are disclosed. These pressure regulator assemblies can find utility in small or micro-fluidic applications, such as fuel cell systems, for example. The fluid to be regulated by the assemblies can be a liquid or gas.
US09092029B2
An example reconfigurable vehicle monitoring arrangement includes a housing securable relative to a vehicle, a communication base at least partially disposed within the housing, and a universal connector assembly configured to selectively operatively connect the communication base with a plurality of different modules. At least one of the modules is configured to communicate data gathered from a plurality of vehicle data sources to the communication base.
US09092025B2
A thermal displacement compensating device calculates a thermal displacement amount which is produced by heat generation or dissipation as a machine tool is actuated or stopped and changes with time. A thermal displacement compensation amount is calculated by multiplying the calculated thermal displacement amount by a coefficient. A position command is compensated by adding the thermal displacement compensation amount to the position command. On the other hand, a variation between a thermal displacement amount calculated last time and a current thermal displacement amount is determined for each predetermined time. A plurality of thermal displacement amount change states are identified based on comparison between the determined variation and a predetermined threshold. The coefficient is calculated based on the identified thermal displacement amount change state.
US09092020B2
A system is provided that includes an audio source configured to drive at least one audio output and a module under calibration integrated in a vehicle. The module under calibration is configured to receive a calibration command sequence from the audio source and decode the calibration command sequence into a digitally-encoded calibration command. The module under calibration is further configured to select a set of calibration data from a plurality of sets of calibration data to configure the module under calibration based on the digitally-encoded calibration command.
US09092017B2
This disclosure relates generally to air handling systems for buildings, more particularly to energy recovery ventilation systems, and specifically to a calculation/estimation of effectiveness which may be used for informational and maintenance purposes.
US09092015B2
There is provided an electronic timepiece that includes a solar panel which receives light to generate electric power, is operated with the electric power supplied from a secondary battery charged with output voltage of the solar panel, and includes a normal mode in which clock display is performed on a display unit and a power saving mode in which clock display on the display unit is stopped, based on illuminance detection of the solar panel, the electronic timepiece including: a mode control unit which switches cycles of the illuminance detection, by setting a cycle of the illuminance detection of the normal mode as a first cycle (for example, one minute), and a cycle of the illuminance detection of the power saving mode as a second cycle (for example, two seconds).
US09092005B2
An image forming apparatus of the present disclosure includes a drum unit, a development unit, a stopper, a pressing unit and an interlock device. The development unit includes a development roller that develops a toner image on the photoconductor drum. The drum unit and the development unit can be removed from the main body of the apparatus. The stopper is freely moved between a restriction position where the removal of the drum unit is restricted and a release position where the restriction of the removal of the drum unit is released. The pressing unit is freely moved between a pressing position where the development roller is pressed onto the photoconductor drum and a pressing release position where the development roller is separated from the photoconductor drum such that the pressing is released. The interlocking device interlocks the movements of the stopper and the pressing unit.
US09091989B2
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive section driven to rotate, a light emission unit configured to emit light to form electrostatic latent images on the photosensitive section, a process section configured to form images on the photosensitive section, a detection unit configured to detect an output generated via the process section when an electrostatic latent image for correction passes through a position facing the process section, and a control unit configured to execute a correction of a position of an electrostatic latent image in image formation based on a detection result from the detection unit.
US09091988B2
An image forming apparatus includes first and second image forming devices each including a rotatable drum, a charging device, an exposure device, and a developing device, each of the image forming devices being configured to form an image on a sheet; a gradation pattern forming device for forming a first gradation pattern on a sheet by the first image forming device and forming a second gradation pattern on the sheet by the second image forming device; a density detecting device for detecting a density of the gradation patterns; a correcting device for correcting an image forming condition of each of the image forming devices; and a potential detecting device, selectively provided to the first image forming device, capable of detecting potential in order to adjust the potential of the drum.
US09091977B2
The image heating apparatus includes an endless belt, a connector and a heater including an insulated substrate, a heat generating resistor, an electrode brought into contact with a contact of the connector; and a conductor provided on a surface of the insulated substrate opposite to a surface on which the electrode wherein the insulated substrate includes multiple through holes electrically connecting the electrode and the conductor to each other, in an area in which the electrode is provided, wherein the distances between a position on the electrode brought into contact with the contact and the multiple through holes are substantially equal to each other, so that burning of the through hole and conduction failure caused by the burning can be prevented.
US09091976B2
Provided is a fixing apparatus that can satisfy a quick start property while preventing degradation of paper non-passing sections of a fixing belt due to heat. In continuous image formation on a plurality of small-sized papers, if a temperature of the fixing belt at the reception of an execution command of a job is lower than a predetermined temperature, a heat equalizing roller is abutted to a pressure roller when an increase in the temperature of the paper non-passing sections of the fixing belt is feared along with progress of the job to thereby guarantee the quick start property. On the other hand, if the temperature of the fixing belt is higher than the predetermined temperature, the heat equalizing roller is abutted to the pressure roller from the beginning to suppress an increase in the temperature of the paper non-passing sections of the fixing belt.
US09091973B2
An image forming apparatus with a duplex printing function may include a closeable and openable portion. In one example, the portion may correspond to a cover of the image forming apparatus. The cover may include guiding portions configured to define a return path for duplex printing. In another example, the portion may correspond to a document reading unit including an outer casing. A portion of the outer casing may be configured to guide a recording sheet that is conveyed out of a housing of the image forming apparatus by a switchback roller. In one example, the switchback roller may convey a recording sheet to a position above an upper surface of the outer casing.
US09091972B2
A fixing device includes a heat roller, a fuser member, an endless belt, a pressure member, a first rotation transmitter, a second rotation transmitter, a rotation sensor, a controller, a first biasing member, and a second biasing member. The heat roller is rotatable around a rotational axis thereof while subjected to induction heating. The fuser member is disposed parallel to the heat roller. The endless belt is looped for rotation around the heat roller and the fuser member. The pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser member via the endless belt. The first rotation transmitter is connected to the rotational axis of the heat roller to rotate around a rotational axis thereof upon rotation of the heat roller. The second rotation transmitter engages the first rotation transmitter to rotate around a rotational axis thereof upon rotation of the first rotation transmitter.
US09091970B2
A transfer device includes a transfer portion that transfers a toner image formed with a toner containing flat pigment particles to a recording medium; a DC voltage applying portion that applies a DC voltage to the transfer portion; and an AC voltage applying portion that applies an AC voltage to the transfer portion.
US09091968B2
An image forming apparatus having: an image support that supports a toner image; a transfer member adapted to sandwich with the transfer member and the image support; a voltage application unit that applies a transfer bias voltage to the transfer member; a current detecting unit that detects transfer current flowing from the voltage application unit to the transfer material after transfer processing on the transfer material starts; and a control unit that sets an upper limit of transfer current on the basis of a value of the transfer current detected by the current detecting unit, and thereafter further acquires a transfer current value from the current detecting unit to control a transfer bias voltage generated by the voltage application unit, such that the transfer current value during transfer does not exceed the upper limit.
US09091965B2
An image forming apparatus includes a movable intermediary transfer member, a first photosensitive member contacting an outer surface of the intermediary transfer member to form a first nip, a second photosensitive member provided in a downstream direction of the first photosensitive member and contacting the outer surface of the intermediary transfer member to form a second nip, a first transfer roller contacting an inner surface of the intermediary transfer member to form a first contact portion, and a second transfer roller contacting the inner surface of the intermediary transfer member to form a second contact portion. A length of the second contact portion is longer than a length of the first contact portion, measured in the moving direction. In addition, a supporting roller is disposed at the position which is adjacent to and downstream of the second transfer roller with respect to the moving direction and which is shifted in a plane parallel with the moving direction such that its peripheral surface is on an opposite side from the first and second photosensitive members with respect to a common tangent line, adjacent to the intermediary transfer member, between the first photosensitive member and the second photosensitive member.
US09091959B2
A developing device and image forming apparatus are provided. The developing device includes a chassis; a developer carrying member; a thickness regulating member; a supply member; and a conveying member. In a state in which the developing device is attached to a main body an opening of the chassis faces upward; the thickness regulating member pressure-contacts the developer carrying member from below the developer carrying member; the conveying member is disposed below the developer carrying member; the supply member overlaps a portion of the conveying member in a horizontal direction; and a portion of the conveying member is disposed within a vertical projection plane between a pressure-contact position of the thickness regulating member to the developer carrying member, and a contact position of the supply member to the developer carrying member. The image forming apparatus includes a main body; a plurality of photosensitive members; and a plurality of developing devices.
US09091947B2
Embodiments of EUV photomasks and methods for forming a EUV photomask are provided. The method comprises providing a substrate, a reflective layer, a capping layer, a hard mask layer, and forming an opening therein. An absorber layer is then filled in the opening and over the top surface of the hard mask layer. A removing process is provided to form an absorber with a top surface lower than a top surface of the capping layer.
US09091942B2
A system and method for assessing line edge roughness (LER) is disclosed. An artificial conformal liner on a simulation test structure absorbs the same amount of light that otherwise would be scattered in the dark-field by a rough surface. A RCWA based scatterometry model is used to model absorption and the absorption is correlated to line edge roughness, which allows RCWA to be used in effect to model LER.
US09091936B2
An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a light source configured to produce projection light that propagates along a light path. The illumination system also includes a beam deflection array of reflective or transmissive beam deflection elements. Each beam deflection element is configured to deflect an impinging light beam by a deflection angle that is variable in response to a control signal. The beam deflection array is used in a first mode of operation to determine an irradiance distribution in the system pupil surface. The system further includes an optical raster element, in particular a diffractive optical element, which is used in a second mode of operation to determine the irradiance distribution in the system pupil surface. An exchange unit is configured to hold the optical raster element in the second mode of operation such that it is inserted into the light path.
US09091935B2
A technique for inspecting, qualifying and repairing photo-masks for use at extreme ultra-violet (EUV) wavelengths is described. In this technique, multiple images of a substrate and/or a blank that includes multiple layers deposited on the substrate are measured and compared to identify first potential defects. Using information associated with the first potential defects, such as locations of the first potential defects, another image of the EUV photo-mask that includes a mask pattern defined in an absorption layer, which is deposited on top of the multiple layers, is measured. Based on the other image and the first potential defects, second potential defects in the EUV photo-mask are identified. Next, a qualification condition of the EUV photo-mask is determined based on the first potential defects and the second potential defects.
US09091934B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a mask blank that is improved in cleaning resistance to ozone cleaning or the like, thus capable of preventing degradation of the mask performance due to the cleaning. The method is for manufacturing a mask blank having, on a substrate, a thin film which is formed at its surface with an antireflection layer made of a material containing a transition metal, and carries out a treatment of causing a highly concentrated ozone gas with a concentration of 50 to 100 vol % to act on the antireflection layer to thereby form a surface modified layer comprising a strong oxide film containing an oxide of the transition metal at a surface of the antireflection layer.
US09091930B2
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor lithography system. The lithography system includes a projection optics component. The projection optics component includes a curved aperture. The lithography system includes a photo mask positioned over the projection optics component. The photo mask contains a plurality of elongate semiconductor patterns. The semiconductor patterns each point in a direction substantially perpendicular to the curved aperture of the projection optics component. The present disclosure also provides a method. The method includes receiving a design layout for a semiconductor device. The design layout contains a plurality of semiconductor patterns each oriented in a given direction. The method includes transforming the design layout into a mask layout. The semiconductor patterns in the mask layout are oriented in a plurality of different directions as a function of their respective location.
US09091927B2
A positive resist composition contains: (A) a polymer compound having a structure where a hydrogen atom of a phenolic hydroxyl group is replaced by an acid labile group represented by the following formula (I): wherein R represents a monovalent organic group; A represents a group having a polycyclic hydrocarbon ring structure or a group having a polycyclic heterocyclic structure; and * represents a bonding position to an oxygen atom of the phenolic hydroxyl group.
US09091923B2
Contrast enhancing exposure apparatus and method for use in semiconductor fabrication are described. In one embodiment, a method for forming a pattern on a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a photoresist layer comprising photoacid generators (“PAGs”) and photobase generators (“PBGs”), is described. The method includes dividing the pattern into two component patterns; exposing the photoresist layer of the substrate to UV light through a first mask corresponding to a first one of the component patterns; subsequent to the exposing the photoresist layer of the substrate to UV light through the first mask, exposing the photoresist layer of the substrate to UV light through a second mask corresponding to a second one of the component patterns, wherein the PAGs and PBGs disposed in areas of the photoresist layer that have been exposed to UV light at least twice are activated and wherein the activated PAGs neutralize the activated PBGs in areas of the photoresist layer that have been exposed to UV light at least twice.
US09091920B2
[Object]To provide a photosensitive siloxane resin composition excellent in alkali-solubility and in sensitivity, and also to provide a pattern-formation method employing that.[Means]The present invention provides a photosensitive siloxane resin composition comprising: a siloxane resin having silanol groups or alkoxysilyl groups, a crown ether, a photosensitive material, and an organic solvent. This photosensitive composition is cast on a substrate, subjected to imagewise exposure, treated with an alkali aqueous solution, and cured to form a pattern.
US09091918B2
A sulfonium salt having formula (1a) is provided wherein R1 is H, F, CH3 or CF3, R1a to R1m are each independently H or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, L is a single bond or divalent hydrocarbon group, X is a divalent alkylene group optionally substituted with fluorine, and n is 0 or 1. The sulfonium salt having a polymerizable anion provides for efficient scission of acid labile groups in a chemically amplified resist composition, and it is a very useful monomer from which a base resin for resist use is prepared.
US09091909B2
A projection type display apparatus (50) includes: a plurality of light sources (100a) and (100b); a light source control section (101) configured to control each of the plurality of light sources (100a) and (100b); a plurality of fans (102a) and (102b), provided to correspond to the plurality of light sources (100a) and (100b), respectively, for cooling the corresponding light sources; and a fan diagnosis section (104) configured to diagnose a state of each of the plurality of fans (102a) and (102b). When a malfunction of one of the plurality of fans (102a) and (102b) is detected by the fan diagnosis section (104) while the plurality of light sources (100a) and (100b) are lit up, the light source control section (101) turns off one of the light sources corresponding to the one fan and continues to light up the remainder of the light sources.
US09091888B2
A liquid crystal display device, includes a first substrate including a first insulating substrate, a first thin film positioned on the first insulating substrate, and a first alignment layer positioned on the first thin film and including a first exposing area that exposes the first thin film, a second substrate facing the first substrate and including a second insulating substrate, a spacer positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate and including at least a part that corresponds to the first exposing area, and a liquid crystal layer positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US09091882B2
The purpose of the present invention is providing a light emitting module capable of emitting illumination light having a nearly uniform color tone as a whole. The invention also provides a surface light source having such light emitting modules, and a liquid crystal display and an illuminating device having such a surface light source.In a light emitting module (50), adjacent dot light sources (17, 17) satisfy the relationships ΔX1+ΔX2=ΔX×2 and ΔY1+ΔY2=ΔY×2, so that the resultant mixed color can fall within a target chromaticity rank area (M), and the center (gc) of a first chromaticity rank area g and the center (Ec) of a second chromaticity rank area (E) are axisymmetric with respect to virtual straight lines (gE1, gE2) that pass through the center (Mc) of the target chromaticity rank area (M) and parallel to one side or another side of the target chromaticity rank area (M).
US09091879B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and a liquid crystal display apparatus. The LCD panel comprises a color filter sheet. A second substrate of the LCD panel comprises a plurality of pixel units. Each of the color filters of the LCD panel corresponds to one of the pixel regions of the pixel units. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The color filter sheet includes color regions corresponding to the color filters, respectively, wherein the color regions and the corresponding color filters have the same color.
US09091875B2
A screen includes a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules, and polymer molecules different from the liquid crystal molecules, a twist angle of the polymer molecules is equal to or larger than 180°, and the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer comes into a first state of transmitting light entering the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer in a period in which an electric field fails to act on the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer, and comes into a second state of scattering the light entering the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer in a period in which the electric field acts on the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer.
US09091874B2
One inventive aspect is a touch control liquid crystal display device. The device includes a color film substrate, a thin film transistor array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer between the color film substrate and the thin film transistor array substrate. The color film substrate includes a grid-shaped black matrix layer, a touch control layer, and a color film layer. The touch control layer includes metal grid electrodes in a rectangle, where the metal grid electrodes include metal lines intersecting transversely and vertically. In addition, the metal grid electrodes include drive electrodes and sense electrodes. The drive electrodes are connected together through first metal connection lines in a first direction, and the sense electrodes are connected together through second metal connection lines in a second direction. In addition, the projection of the metal grid electrodes falls into the projection of the black matrix layer in the light transmission direction.
US09091871B2
In a polarizing liquid crystal panel and a display apparatus including the polarizing liquid crystal panel, the polarizing liquid crystal panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate includes a plastic substrate, a first electrode on the plastic substrate, and a first alignment layer on the first electrode. The second substrate includes a base substrate which opposes the first substrate, a second electrode on the base substrate, and a second alignment layer on the second electrode. The liquid crystal layer is between the first and second substrates and polarizes a light using an electric field between the first and second electrodes.
US09091869B2
A terahertz-wave element includes a waveguide (2, 4, 5) that includes an electro-optic crystal and allows light to propagate therethrough, and a coupling member (7) that causes a terahertz wave to enter the waveguide (2, 4, 5). The propagation state of the light propagating through the waveguide (2, 4, 5) changes as the terahertz wave enters the waveguide (2, 4, 5) via the coupling member (7).
US09091857B2
A microscope or use of a microscope with at least one illumination beam that is phase-modulated along its cross section partially with a modulation frequency, in which an advantageously local excitation of a transition, advantageously a fluorescence excitation in a sample, is performed by means of a pump beam of a first wavelength and the transition is induced and detected advantageously by means of a second beam, advantageously of a second wavelength, or a local heating is generated that is read out from the detection signals by means of a detection unit, advantageously an infrared camera.
US09091856B2
An optical reflecting device includes a mirror, a frame connected to the mirror, and a driver beam configured to vibrate to rotate the mirror about a rotation axis. Rigidity of the frame is higher than rigidity of the mirror. The rotation axis is perpendicular to a line that connects a first connecting part to a second connecting part. This optical reflecting device can suppress a dynamic warp of the mirror.
US09091851B2
A see-through head mounted display apparatus with reduced eyeglow is disclosed. Two images of a scene are combined and presented to a user, the combined image including portions of reflected image light and light from a see-through view of an external environment. The apparatus includes a light control element to block escaping portions of image light and reflected portions of scene light, while allowing incoming scene light to be transmitted from the external environment. The images are produced using a partially reflecting mirror and a light control element. A portion of scene light is transmitted through the partially reflecting mirror and is combined with a portion of image light reflected from the partially reflecting mirror. A light control element is used to block a portion of the image light and a portion of the scene light to reduce eyeglow.
US09091830B2
A fiber optic cable includes a core and a binder film surrounding the core. The core includes a central strength member and core elements, such as buffer tubes containing optical fibers, where the core elements are stranded around the central strength member in a pattern of stranding including reversals in lay direction of the core elements. The binder film is in radial tension around the core such that the binder film opposes outwardly transverse deflection of the core elements.
US09091820B2
A high density, low power, high performance information system, method and apparatus are described in which perpendicularly oriented processor and memory die stacks (130, 140, 150, 160, 170) include integrated deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguides (e.g., 190) at each die edge to provide optical communications (182-185) in and between die stacks by supplying deflection voltages to a plurality of deflection electrodes (195-197) positioned on and around each MEMS optical beam waveguide (193-194) to provide two-dimensional alignment and controlled feedback to adjust beam alignment and establish optical communication links between die stacks.
US09091808B2
A system, method and assembly for performing traffic sign inspections is provided. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a first plurality of sheetings that each have a combination of retroreflectivity and color that is different from the combination of retroreflectivity and color of each of the other first plurality of sheetings; a first clamp and second clamp for clamping one of said first plurality of sheetings to a traffic sign; a first handheld light source; and a first enclosure for removably housing the first plurality of sheetings, said first and second clamps, and said first handheld light source. The assembly may further include a second enclosure for removably housing a second plurality of sheetings that each has a combination of retroreflectivity and color that is different from the combination of retroreflectivity and color of each of the other second plurality of sheetings.
US09091789B2
Method for addressing non-stationary seismic data for data processing techniques (106) that assume that the data are stationary. In the present invention, windowing operations are applied, not in time and space as in traditional methods, but in frequency and wavenumber. This windowing in frequency and wavenumber is done implicitly by a cascade of separable one dimensional time and spatial filtering operations (104). These filters are Gaussian functions modulated by a complex exponential. By using a variety of these filters, the input data can be decomposed into a series of slopes and frequencies that can be reassembled to the original by applying the adjoint operation followed by a weighted sum (108). This decomposed domain of time, space, frequency and slope can be used as a domain where a priori information about the output can be applied in a straightforward manner.
US09091787B2
Generating an image of an interior of the Earth from a seismic survey using multiple sources. The multiple sources may be fired simultaneously and the data received by seismic sensors in the seismic survey may be decomposed so that seismic data generated by each of the multiple sources may be determined. Decomposing of the received data may be performed using frequency diverse basis functions and converting the data separation problem into an optimization problem, which can be a one-norm or zero-norm optimization problem in frequency-space domain. The decomposed data may be used to generate the image of the Earth's interior.
US09091784B2
A source wavefield is computed from encoded source data calculated by performing encoding of source wavelets with noise. A receiver wavefield is computed from encoded receiver data calculated by encoding of measured receiver data with the noise. An output representing a target structure is determined based on the source wavefield and the receiver wavefield.
US09091782B2
Resistivity logging tool module systems and methods enable efficient logging string assemblies and logging operations. In some of the disclosed embodiments, a resistivity logging tool module includes a mandrel with a connector section at each end and a ring support section between the connector sections. The resistivity logging tool module also includes a composite layer disposed around the ring support section. A set of ring electrodes is positioned along the ring support section around the composite layer, wherein the composite layer electrically isolates the ring electrodes from the ring support section. One of the modules of the multi-module resistivity logging tool includes an adaptor in an isolation joint configuration with one of its connector sections. A related assembly method includes obtaining a mandrel with a connector section at each end and a ring support section between the connector sections. The method also includes disposing a composite layer around the ring support section. The method also includes moving a set of ring electrodes to a position along the ring support section, wherein the composite layer electrically isolates the ring electrodes from the ring support section. One of the modules of the multi-module resistivity logging tool includes an adaptor in an isolation joint configuration with one of its connector sections.
US09091781B2
A method for determining permeability of a subsurface formation includes measuring a parameter related to fluid content of the formation at a first time from within a wellbore penetrating the formation. A rate of entry of fluid from the wellbore into the formation is determined from the measurement of the parameter made at the first time. The permeability is determined from the rate of entry.
US09091776B2
A subterranean mapping system may include at least one electrically conductive element associated with a subterranean formation having a passageway therein. The subterranean mapping system may also include a radiofrequency (RF) source coupled to the at least one electrically conductive element to generate an electromagnetic (EM) field in the subterranean formation. The subterranean mapping system may also include a subterranean mapping device configured to be carried along a path of travel within the passageway and while sensing the EM field versus time.
US09091775B1
A method and apparatus is described whereby invisible camera illuminators may be readily identified and located. In one embodiment the method of detecting the presence of an imaging system producing an invisible illuminator includes introducing a first optical filter capable of blocking energy from an LED infrared illuminator band source and allow energy from broadband visible light source to pass with minimal attenuation; and introducing a second optical filter that permits most of the energy from said infrared illuminator to pass and blocks a substantial portion of said broadband visible light; wherein said filtered LED infrared illuminator and said broadband visible light blink on and off.
US09091773B1
A system for geo-steering during directional drilling of a wellbore including a processor, a data storage, and client devices in communication with the processor through a network. The processor can receive data from directional drilling equipment and can present that data to users in an executive dashboard. Users can send data and/or commands to the directional drilling equipment. The executive dashboard can present: a portion of interest in a stratigraphic cross section for user identification of: the drill bit in the stratigraphic cross section, formations in the stratigraphic cross section, and other formation data. The system can be used to identify a projected path for the drill bit, import data, compute wellbore profiles and stratigraphic cross sections, plot actual drilling paths, overlay the actual drilling path onto the projected path, and present control buttons to the user.
US09091771B2
A system and method are provided for determining the onset of gamma interactions for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging more accurately than with existing techniques. The timing of a sequence of primary trigger events is obtained and used to determine a weighted combination, which mixes the timing information from the various primary trigger events to compute an overall event trigger timing with improved time resolution. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the invention improves time resolution by approximately 10% over state-of-the-art methods. This improved time resolution directly benefits the imaging performance of the PET scanner, especially in time-of-flight (TOF) mode, where a high time resolution directly translates to a reduction in image noise at the same dose—or, alternatively, a reduction of dose to the patient or scan time for the same image quality.
US09091761B2
An image processing method using an algorithm which incorporates simulated annealing by parallel Markov chains, the calculation of fitness values of states of the Markov chains which have substantially the same simulated annealing temperature, the calculation of the standard deviation of these fitness values, and the use of this standard deviation in setting the simulated annealing cooling schedule. The method may be used to delineate an object of interest in an image against a background by estimating the boundary of the object and optimizing the fit of the region within this boundary to the region occupied by the object.
US09091758B2
A detection and ranging system includes: M transmitting sensor elements configured to transmit a probe signal; N receiving sensor elements configured to receive an echo signal generated upon reflection of the probe signal from a target; a matrix generator configured to generate a third matrix by multiplying a first matrix by a second matrix, the first matrix including as diagonal components L received signals obtained from an effective receiving sensor array formed by synthesizing the M transmitting sensor elements and the N receiving sensor elements, the second matrix being formed of P L-dimensional vectors that are linearly independent of each other; and an estimator configured to estimate a direction of arrival of the echo signal from the target according to a pseudo covariance matrix generated by multiplying the third matrix by Hermitian conjugate transposition of the third matrix.
US09091756B2
In a baseband process circuit unit, a demodulation unit demodulates a received satellite signal which carries a navigation message to obtain a demodulated data. Further, an error bit detection unit detects an error bit from among the demodulated data using a parity code included in the demodulated data. An inconsistent bit detection unit detects an inconsistent bit by comparing the demodulated data with prescribed comparison data. An adoption determination unit determines whether or not to adopt the demodulated data, based on a difference between the error bit and the inconsistent bit. In addition, a correction unit corrects the demodulated data, in a case where the demodulated data is determined to be adopted by the adoption determination unit.
US09091747B2
The proposed self-mixing interference device comprises a substrate (1) with an integrated optical wave guide structure (3), a semiconductor laser source (2) arranged on a surface of the substrate (1) and emitting laser radiation towards said surface, and a photodetector arranged to detect intensity variations of the laser radiation. The wave guide structure (3) is optically connected to the laser source (2) and designed to guide the laser radiation emitted by the laser source to an out-coupling area at the surface of the substrate (1) and to guide a portion of the laser radiation scattered back from a target object (4) outside of the substrate (1) to re-enter the laser source (2). This self-mixing interference device can be realized with a lower total height compared to the known self-mixing interference devices.
US09091743B2
A local screen screens out magnetic resonance signals of an object under examination during magnetic resonance imaging with a magnetic resonance device. The local screen includes a plurality of electrically conductive local screen elements that are arranged such that no direct electrically conductive connection pertains between the local screen elements. The local screen further includes a carrier device for accommodating the local screen elements and a number of switching devices that are connected in an electrically conductive manner to the local screen element, and are embodied such that the electrical resistance may be controlled by a number of screen control signals. In addition, the local screen includes a number of screen control signal inputs for the number of screen control signals.
US09091739B2
A method for detecting SOC and SOH of a storage battery includes: calculating an SOC value of the storage battery with use of an SOC calculation unit based on a measured voltage value or a measured current value of the storage battery and calculating an SOH value of the storage battery with use of an SOH calculation unit based on the SOC value; further calculating a new SOC value with use of the SOC calculation unit based on the SOH value and calculating a new SOH value with use of the SOH calculation unit based on the new SOC value, these further calculations of SOC value and SOH value being repeated a prescribed n times of at least one so as to obtain an nth calculated SOC value and an nth calculated SOH value; outputting the nth calculated SOH value as an SOH output value and outputting the nth calculated SOH value as an SOC output value; and storing the SOH output value into a memory.
US09091737B2
A battery system comprises a battery module, including a high-voltage grid and a low-voltage network having a BCU. The battery module includes a plurality of battery cells connected in series and a plurality of cell monitoring units configured to measure and to transmit battery voltages of the battery cells with respect to a first control signal. The BCU is configured to determine a charge state of the battery cells. The BCU includes a microcontroller and a nanocontroller. The nanocontroller is or can be directly connected to the cell monitoring units and is connected to the microcontroller by means of an isolator, and is configured to generate the first control signal and to transmit the signal to the cell monitoring units and to receive the battery voltages of the battery cells transmitted by the cell monitoring units and relay same to the microcontroller.
US09091729B2
Electronic scan circuitry includes a decompressor (510), a plurality of scan chains (520.i) fed by the decompressor (510), a scan circuit (502, 504) coupled to the plurality of scan chains (520.i) to scan them in and out, a masking circuit (590) fed by the scan chains (520.i), and a scannable masking qualification circuit (550, 560, 580) coupled to the masking circuit (590), the masking qualification circuit (550, 560, 580) scannable by scan-in of bits by the decompressor (510) along with scan-in of the scan chains (520.i), and the scannable masking qualification circuit (550, 560, 580) operable to hold such scanned-in bits upon scan-out of the scan chains through the masking circuit (590). Other scan circuitry, processes, circuits, devices and systems are also disclosed.
US09091726B1
An integrated circuit (IC) device, and method therefor, the IC device comprising a plurality of self-test components arranged to execute self-tests in parallel during a self-test execution phase of the IC device, and at least one clock control component arranged to provide at least one clock signal to the plurality of self-test components at least during the self-test execution phase of the IC device. The at least one clock control component is further arranged to receive at least one indication that self-testing has ceased within at least a first self-test component, and dynamically modulate the at least one clock signal provided to at least one further self-test component for which self-testing has not ceased to increase a clock rate of the at least one clock signal upon receipt of an indication that self-test execution has ceased within the at least first self-test component.
US09091725B2
An inspection method includes photographing a measurement target to acquire image data for each pixel of the measurement target, acquiring height data for each pixel of the measurement target, acquiring visibility data for each pixel of the measurement target, multiplying the acquired image data by at least one of the height data and the visibility data for each pixel to produce a result value, and setting a terminal area by using the produced result value. Thus, the terminal area may be accurately determined.
US09091724B2
A measuring device provides a synthesizer device, at least two controlling devices and at least two controlled oscillators. The synthesizer device contains at least one direct digital synthesizer and generates at least two signals of known phase ratio. Signals generated by the synthesizer device form reference signals of at least one controlling device. Signals formed by the controlling devices control the controlled oscillators. The measuring device contains only frequency splitters, which divide by integer division factors.
US09091723B2
A program can be instrumented to test the program. The test instruments are classified, and concurrency constraints applied based on the classifications. A testing tool determines classifications of a plurality of test instruments in the instrumented program. The testing tool prevents concurrent instantiation of multiple of the plurality of test instruments in a first classification of the classifications. Multiple of the plurality of test instruments in a second classification of the classifications are concurrently instantiated.
US09091717B2
A method for nondestructive and noncontact detection of faults in a test piece, with a transmitter coil arrangement with at least one transmitter coil, a receiver coil arrangement with at least one receiver coil for detecting a periodic signal which has a carrier oscillation whose amplitude and/or phase is modulated by a fault in the test piece. A signal processing unit producing a useful signal receiver coil signal, and an evaluation unit evaluating the useful signal for detection of a fault in the test piece. A self-test unit automatically or upon an external request undertakes systematic quantitative checking of signal processing functions of the signal processing unit and/or systematic quantitative checking of the transmitter coil arrangement and/or of the receiver coil arrangement and/or upon external request undertakes calibration of the signal processing unit using a calibration standard which replaces the transmitter coil arrangement and/or of the receiver coil arrangement.
US09091710B2
A circuit arrangement (16) for monitoring electrical isolation in a power supply system (7). Electrical isolation is provided between a high-voltage system (8) and a low-voltage system (9), wherein the high-voltage system (8) and the low-voltage system (9) are connected to ground (14), and wherein the high-voltage system (8) has a first connection (T+) for a first supply voltage potential and a second connection (T−) for a second supply voltage potential of a voltage source (10). In each case, at least one variable resistor (Rm1, Rm2) is connected between the connections (T+, T−) and ground (14), and a voltage measuring device (17) for detecting a potential shift of the ground (14) relative to the supply voltage potentials when at least one of the resistors (Rm1, Rm2) is varied. And an evaluation device, which determines the ability of the electrical isolation to function depending on the detected potential shifts.
US09091702B2
Embodiments relate to integrated sensor and magnetic concentrator devices and methods. In one embodiment, an integrated sensor and magnetic field concentrator device comprises a sensor device comprising at least two xMR sensor elements spaced apart from each other on a surface of a die to define a first gap of about 5 millimeters (mm) or less; and a magnetic field concentrator disposed in the first gap and configured to guide magnetic flux from an external source in a direction perpendicular to the at least two xMR sensor elements.
US09091699B2
The present invention discloses a system for testing microfluid which is made with a disposable disc. The high sensitivity, high sensing accuracy, and quick response microfluidic disc is demonstrated in the present invention. It is note that easy to test microfluid without traditional detecting method, and then reduce energy and simplify procedure. Furthermore, to additive the microfluidic disc is useful to enhance blood typing, and hence raising the sensitivity by the video recognition of blood agglutination.
US09091689B2
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for preventing and treating Staphylococcus aureus in a subject. Therapeutic compositions of the present invention comprise leukocidin E and/or D proteins or polypeptides and anti-leukocidin E and/or D antibodies. The invention further relates to methods of identifying inhibitors of LukE/D cytotoxicity and inhibitors of LukE/D-leukocyte binding.
US09091688B2
A method is disclosed for the detection of magnetic particles, so-called beads, immobilized on an essentially flat-planar holding area of a substrate. In at least one embodiment, a sensor array, which is arranged in the holding area and is composed of XMR sensors, is subjected to an external magnetic field and the change in the resistance of an XMR sensor caused by a stray field of a bead is measured to detect the bead, with the external field being produced by passing a direct current through a conductor track which is arranged on the holding area.
US09091686B2
The invention relates to compounds that specifically bind a T1R1/T1R3 or T1R2/T1R3 receptor or fragments or sub-units thereof. The present invention also relates to the use of hetero-oligomeric and chimeric taste receptors comprising T1R1/T1R3 and T1R2/T1R3 in assays to identify compounds that respectively respond to umami taste stimuli and sweet taste stimuli. Further, the invention relates to the constitutive of cell lines that stably or transiently co-express a combination of T1R1 and T1R3; or T1R2 and T1R3; under constitutive or inducible conditions. The use of these cells lines in cell-based assays to identify umami and sweet taste modulatory compounds is also provided, particularly high throughput screening assays that detect receptor activity by use of fluorometric imaging.
US09091673B2
Methods of automated meat processing including an end to end processing method in which carcasses are cut into major portions at a first robotic processing station and into minor portions at robotic processing sub-stations. In one processing method carcass portions are acquired by a robotic arm, imaged and then cuts performed without transfer. In another a first series of processing steps are performed by rotating carcass portions through a plurality of processing stations and a second series of processing steps are performed as carcass portions are advanced along a linear conveyor. In another processing method a plurality of clamps are employed to stabilize a saddle section during a flap cut. In another processing method split pins are used to position a saddle section for a vertebrae cut. In another method a spinal cord is removed by applying a pressurized fluid stream against one end of the spinal cord and applying suction at the other end of the spinal cord.
US09091667B2
A method of the detection of particle contamination on a semiconductor wafer is provides which includes examining an area of the semiconductor wafer by a metrology system comprising a scatterometry or ellipsometry/reflectometry tool to obtain measured metrology data, comparing the measured metrology data with reference metrology data and determining the presence of particle contamination in the examined area of the semiconductor wafer based on the comparison of the measured metrology data with the reference metrology data.
US09091663B2
Device for determining wear in a carbon ceramic brake disk. The device includes a coil arrangement having at least one coil structured and arranged to generate a magnetic field in the brake disk and to detect an eddy current in the brake disk, and an arcuate measuring area.
US09091651B2
Provided herein are methods for developing selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (LC-SRM-MS) assays.
US09091650B2
The disclosure is directed to various apodization schemes for pupil imaging scatterometry. In some embodiments, the system includes an apodizer disposed within a pupil plane of the illumination path. In some embodiments, the system further includes an illumination scanner configured to scan a surface of the sample with at least a portion of apodized illumination. In some embodiments, the system includes an apodized pupil configured to provide a quadrupole illumination function. In some embodiments, the system further includes an apodized collection field stop. The various embodiments described herein may be combined to achieve certain advantages.
US09091648B2
Sensors, processes for manufacturing the sensors, and processes of detecting a target molecule with the sensor generally includes a substrate including a channel and first and second electrodes electrically connected to the channel, wherein the channel includes a monolayer of surface functionalized graphene or surface functionalized carbon nanotubes, wherein the surface functionalized graphene or surface functionalized carbon nanotubes include an imidazolidone compound.
US09091647B2
The present disclosure provides a biological field effect transistor (BioFET) and a method of fabricating a BioFET device. The method includes forming a BioFET using one or more process steps compatible with or typical to a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process. The BioFET device includes a plurality of micro wells having a sensing gate bottom and a number of stacked well portions. A bottom surface area of a well portion is different from a top surface area of a well portion directly below. The micro wells are formed by multiple etching operations through different materials, including a sacrificial plug, to expose the sensing gate without plasma induced damage.
US09091646B2
A NOx sensor 100 includes a sensor device 110 and a heater 70 capable of heating the sensor device 110. The sensor device 110 includes an inner pump electrode 22 and an outer pump electrode 23 disposed respectively on the inner side and the outer side of a solid electrolyte layer 6. The sensor device 110 detects the concentration of NOx by introducing a gas to be measured into a first inner vacancy 20, pumping out oxygen in the gas to be measured from the inner pump electrode 22 to the outer pump electrode 23, introducing the gas to be measured, from which the oxygen has been pumped out, into a second inner vacancy 40, reducing the NOx in the gas to be measured, to thereby generate oxygen, and detecting the generated oxygen. A characteristic stabilizing layer 24 covers the outer pump electrode 23 and is made of a porous body with a thickness of 10 to 200 μm and a thickness variation of 20% or less.
US09091641B2
A sample measurement device (110), in which a biosensor (30) having an electrode is mounted, voltage is applied to the electrode, and the concentration of a specific component in a sample deposited on the biosensor (30) is measured, comprises a voltage source (19) configured to apply voltage to the electrode, a time measurement component (22), and a controller (18) configured to control the voltage to be applied and measure the concentration of the specific component. The time measurement component (22) measures a detection time, which is the length of time between the mounting of the biosensor (30) and the deposition of a sample on the biosensor (30). The controller (18) changes a set value for measuring the concentration of a specific component according to the detection time. Consequently, measurement accuracy can be improved regardless of the temperature of the biosensor (30).
US09091636B2
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe and provides the ultrasonic probe in which acoustic matching layers are formed on both sides of a piezoelectric ceramic capable of simultaneously increasing the signal strength of ultrasonic waves and improving the waveform characteristics of the ultrasonic waves. According to the present invention, a rear-side acoustic matching layer is formed in the upper part of a rear-side block. The piezoelectric ceramic is formed in the upper part of the rear-side acoustic matching layer. A front-side acoustic matching layer is formed in the upper part of the piezoelectric ceramic. Further, an acoustic lens is formed in the upper part of the front-side acoustic matching layer. Particularly, the rear-side acoustic matching layer reflects, toward the acoustic lens, the ultrasonic waves which are propagated to the rear-side block.
US09091629B2
A flow cell module for use in a liquid sample analyzer includes a module housing, a liquid core waveguide mounted in the module housing to receive a flow of a liquid sample from a liquid sample source, an input optical fiber disposed in the module housing to transmit radiation from a radiation source to the liquid core waveguide, an input termination located on an input end of the input optical fiber, a first kinematic connection mechanism operative to bias the input termination in a first direction along a first axis while permitting displacement of the input termination in a first opposing direction along the first axis, and a second kinematic connection mechanism operative to bias the input termination in a second direction along a second axis while permitting displacement of the input termination in a second opposing direction along the second axis. The second axis is transverse to the first axis.
US09091625B2
Provided herein are systems and methods for analyzing blood samples, and more specifically for performing a basophil analysis. In one embodiment, the systems and methods include: (a) staining a blood sample with an exclusive cell membrane permeable fluorescent dye; and then (b) using measurements of light scatter and fluorescence emission to distinguish basophils from other WBC sub-populations. In one embodiment, the systems and methods include performing a basophil cluster analysis of the blood sample, based on the combination of light scatter and fluorescence measurements.
US09091619B2
A test fixture for determining circumferential shear properties of an arcuate test specimen may include an outer fixture and an inner fixture. The outer fixture may be coupled to an outer side of the test specimen, and may be rotatably mounted on a central pin and may include a rocker arm. The inner fixture may be coupled to an inner side of the test specimen, and may be rotatably mounted on the central pin and may include a load arm extending in a direction opposite the rocker arm. The inner fixture and the outer fixture may be configured such that application of a test load to the rocker arm and the load arm causes rotation thereof about the central pin producing circumferential movement of the inner side relative to the outer side and inducing a circumferential shear load in the test specimen.
US09091606B2
Various embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for assessing the performance of an actuator of an attitude control system (ACS), such as a control moment gyroscope (CMG). In one embodiment, a system includes a support bracket assembly coupled to an actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to generate an output torque. The system also includes at least one sensor assembly that includes a sensor configured to measure the output torque about at least one axis of the support bracket assembly while the support bracket assembly remains substantially motionless.
US09091604B2
A dynamometer measures applied weight and torque at a running tool location and transmits the measured information to a drilling rig operator. The system includes a dynamometer stem having a bidirectional torque and weight sensor coupled inline to the drill string, and further coupled to the running tool, so that the dynamometer stem will measure an applied torque and weight at the running tool and produce a signal in response. The dynamometer stem communicatively couples to a receptor stem, so that the receptor stem may receive the signal from the dynamometer stem. The receptor stem couples inline to the drill string at a rotary table of the drilling rig, and further communicatively couples to a display located proximate to an operator of the drilling rig, so that the receptor stem may transmit the signal to the display. The display presents the signal in real time to the operator.
US09091602B2
The present invention provides a quantum theory correction method for improving the accuracy of temperature measurement of radiation thermometer and a radiation thermometer system. The invention is related to the radiation thermometer in the field of instrumentation. The present invention acquires parameters reflecting energy level structure by adopting effective physical model to process data and using keyboard input or data transmission. The temperature of the object to be measured is finally acquired and displayed on the displayer. The quantum theory correction method and radiation thermometer system effectively overcome the difficulty that the value of radiance ε(λ·T) cannot be accurately measured in the event that radiance correction method is used to improve the accuracy of radiation thermometer. Thus, the accuracy of thermometer is improved significantly.
US09091599B2
A PTFE jacketed tantalum tipped thermowell that can be used in unusually difficult industrial applications such as pharmaceutical and chemical process plants and semiconductor manufacturing facilities. These facilities have process environments that may include at least one of the following: highly corrosive fluids, difficult mechanical conditions such as rapid or turbulent fluid flows, and/or reasonably high process temperatures and/or pressures.
US09091595B2
Among the multiple OES data wavelengths, an analysis device identifies the wavelength of light emissions from a substance contained in the plasma from among multiple light emission wavelengths within the chamber by way of the steps of: measuring the light emission within the chamber during etching processing of the semiconductor wafer; finding the time-based fluctuation due to changes over time on each wavelength in the measured intensity of the light emissions in the chamber; comparing the time-based fluctuations in the wavelength of the light emitted from the pre-specified substance; and by using the comparison results, identifying the wavelength of the light emitted from the substance caused by light emission within the chamber.
US09091591B2
According to example embodiments, an infrared thermal detector includes a substrate, a detector spaced apart from the substrate, and a thermal legal configured to transmit a signal from the detector to the substrate. The detector is configured to absorb incident infrared light via localized surface Plasmon resonance, and the detector is configured to change a resistance value according to a temperature change caused by the absorbed infrared light.
US09091589B2
A distributed acoustic sensor, comprises a housing having a longitudinal bore therethrough, an optical fiber supported in the bore; and an inertial member supported within the bore, wherein the fiber is mechanically coupled to the inertial member. The inertial member may include a weight and may provides isotropic stiffness such that it deforms more readily in a first direction normal to the bore than it does in a second direction that is normal to both the bore and the first direction. The sensor may include a plurality of axially-spaced centralizers in the bore, and at least one of the inertial member and the centralizers may comprise swellable material.
US09091588B2
A mechanical fault detection method and system computes a similarity index to quantify the relationship of a measured spectral signature to a theoretical fault signature. A vibration sensor detects vibrations on machinery with rotating components. The vibration sensor generates a representation of the vibration and provides it to a vibration analyzer. The vibration analyzer is configured to identify peak amplitudes in the generated representation, determine a corresponding frequency for each of the peak amplitudes, and match the determined corresponding frequencies to a theoretical set of frequencies. The analyzer determines a number of matching frequencies and identifies a detection condition when the number of matching frequencies meets a predetermined criterion. The system and method combines vibration amplitude threshold detection with similarity index threshold detection to significantly reduce false fault alarms and false pass errors. The system and method is also used to identify incorrect vibration amplitude thresholds.
US09091582B2
A system and related method for determining the volume of a sample solution delivered by a liquid delivery device. The system includes devices for adding and removing diluent, the sample solution under analysis and a mixture of the two in a cell having a substantially constant cross sectional area and a known horizontal optical path length. The system includes one or more spectrophotometers to measure horizontally and vertically absorbance associated with two distinct chromophores. A first chromophore of unknown concentration is in the diluent and a second chromophore of known concentration is in the sample solution. The method determines absorbance horizontally and vertically of the first chromophore prior to adding the sample solution and then determining absorbance of the first chromophore horizontally and vertically and the second chromophore horizontally after mixing the diluent and sample solution together. That information is used to determine the volume of the sample solution added to the cell.
US09091577B2
Flow sensor assemblies having increased flow range capabilities are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a flow sensor assembly includes a housing with an inlet flow port, an outlet flow port, a fluid channel extending between the inlet flow port and the outlet flow port, and a bypass channel having a pair of taps fluidly connected to the fluid channel at separate locations. A flow sensor for sensing a measure related to a flow rate of a fluid flowing through the fluid channel can positioned in the bypass channel. A pressure differential between the two taps of the bypass channel can drive a fraction of a fluid flowing through the fluid channel through the bypass channel. The flow sensor assembly may be configured to achieve, control, and/or balance a desired fraction of fluid flow through the bypass channel and past the flow sensor.
US09091573B2
A sensor device (340) for determining a flow characteristic of an object (341) being movable in an element (342) comprises a light emitting unit (344) configured for emitting light towards the element (342) and a light detecting unit (344) configured for detecting light scattered back from the element (342). The sensor device (340) comprises an optical unit (346) configured for spatially separating a light incidence element portion (348) of the element (342) and a light detection element portion (350) of the element (342) from one another, wherein the light incidence element portion (348) is associated with the emitted light inciding on the element (342) and the light detection element portion (350) is associated with the back-scattered light scattered back from the element (342) for detection. The sensor device (340) comprises a determining unit (358) configured for determining the flow characteristic of the object (341) being movable in the element (342) based on light indicative of the emitted light and the detected back-scattered light. The sensor device (340) allows for an accurate and easy determination of the flow characteristic of the object (341).
US09091571B2
An instrument lighting device configured in such a manner that even index marks disposed away from the light sources can achieve sufficient luminance using a reduced number of light sources. An instrument lighting device comprising: a pointer needle (4) mounted to a drive shaft (2) of an instrument body (3); a display panel (6) having index marks (5); a light source (7b) for lighting the index marks (5); a reflecting surface section (9) for applying the light from the light source (7b) to the display panel (6); and a reflecting wall section (10) for guiding the light from the light source (7b) toward the reflecting surface section (9). The reflecting wall section (10) comprises a circular conical first reflecting wall section (10a) for mainly lighting index marks (5) which are present in a first index mark region (N) located close to the light source (7b), and also comprises a second reflecting wall section (10b) consisting of a curved surface or a flat sloped surface for mainly lighting index marks (5) which are present in a second index mark region (F) located farther away from the light source (7b) than the first index mark region (N). The instrument lighting device can illuminate the index marks (5) on the display panel (6) by transmitted light with substantially uniform luminance.
US09091569B2
A rotary position sensor includes a rotatable disk, a first light sensor configured to generate a first opacity signal, a second light sensor configured to generate a second opacity signal, and a comparator. The opacity of the rotatable disk is substantially unique at each radial angle value. The comparator is configured to generate a disk position signal as a function of the first opacity signal and the second opacity signal.
US09091568B2
An optical encoder system includes a module that has a light emitting element and a light detecting element, wherein the light detecting element is operable to detect light at a wavelength emitted by the light emitting element. The optical encoder system also includes a code wheel that has facets on its surface. Each facet has a surface that provides diffuse reflectance, with adjacent facets being inclined by different amounts. The code wheel can be disposed with respect to the module so that at least some light emitted by the light emitting element is reflected by the facets back toward the module, wherein an amount of reflected light detected by the light detecting element in the module depends at least in part on the rotational position of the code wheel.
US09091565B2
A magnetic position detection apparatus includes a substrate, a magnet, a bridge circuit including first through fourth magneto-electric converting elements formed on the substrate, and a detection circuit. A substrate surface is substantially perpendicular to a magnet magnetization direction. The second and third magneto-electric converting elements are, when viewed along the magnet magnetization direction, disposed to be on or in the vicinity of a straight line passing through a center point of a magnetic pole of the magnet and parallel to a straight line perpendicular to both the magnet magnetization direction and the magnetic mobile object. The first and fourth magneto-electric converting elements are disposed so that, when not opposed to the magnetic mobile object, a component of a substrate of a magnetic field to be applied thereto is substantially same as that of a magnetic field to be applied to the second and third magneto-electric converting elements.
US09091563B2
An in-vehicle navigation apparatus to support sharing of electric vehicle charging point information such that other electric vehicles can use a charging point where its own electric vehicle is charged. If the in-vehicle navigation apparatus determines that a current position is a charging point on the basis of charge information about an electric vehicle, the navigation apparatus determines whether the charging point has public availability by referring to facility information, such as facility positions in map data stored in a map data storage unit. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus may transmit charging points having public availability to a server apparatus and not transmit the charging points having no public availability to the server apparatus. Vehicles may download charging points uploaded by other vehicles.
US09091561B1
The disclosure includes a system and method for generating a probability model used to estimate most likely routes for users. The system includes one or more processors configured to retrieve route data describing historical routes traveled by a group of users and map date describing a map, match the historical routes to the map, identify one or more intersections associated with the historical routes on the map, determine a maneuver ratio for one of the intersections based on the route data, and generate a probability model including one or more maneuver ratios for the one or more intersections. A maneuver ratio describes a ratio of a maneuver that the group of users has taken at the one of the intersections.
US09091559B2
Managing energy capacity in an electric vehicle based on a driver profile. This is achieved by various means, including interactively determining a travel plan with a user, calculating a total travel distance for the travel plan, determining how far the electric vehicle can travel based on its current energy level, and creating an energy replenishment plan based on the travel plan, the total travel distance, how far the vehicle can currently travel, and the driver profile.
US09091557B2
The disclosure includes a system and method for providing personalized recommendations. The system includes a navigation application comprising a route engine, an intersection extractor, a historical analyzer and a user interface module. The processing unit receives data and transmits the data to the corresponding component in the navigation application. The route engine determines a new route from a first location to a second location for a user, the new route comprising directions for each portion of the new route. The intersection extractor identifies intersections that occur on the new route. The historical analyzer determines historical routes traveled by the user, compares the new route to the historical route to identify which portions and intersections in the new route are familiar to the user and removes directions for the portions of the new route that are familiar. The user interface module provides the new route to the user.
US09091544B2
Cross-talk sensitivity in an xy-axis shell-type gyroscope can be rejected or reduced by operating the gyroscope with a single in-plane flexural or bulk resonance mode and sensing two out-of-plane degenerate or non-degenerate resonance modes resulting from rotations about two axes in the plane of the resonator. Mode matching in an xy-axis shell-type gyroscope can be achieved by configuring the resonator (e.g., size, shape, thickness) to match the in-plane and out-of-plane resonance frequencies for the drive and sense modes of interest.
US09091543B2
A placing member is configured to be supported from an outside by a terminal electrically connected to a terminal electrode, and an X-axis-direction extended portion, a Y-axis-direction extended portion, and a Z-axis-direction extended portion are provided in the terminal. This configuration provides an angular velocity sensor, in which a problem such that Y-axis-direction and Z-axis-direction vibrations applied from the outside cannot be damped is eliminated, and all the vibrations in three axis directions can be damped.
US09091542B2
A sensor element includes a base part, drive vibration arms that extend from the base part, an adjustment vibration arm 241 that extends from the base part and vibrates in response to drive vibration of the drive vibration arms, detection electrodes that output a signal according to a physical quantity applied to the drive vibration arms, and adjustment electrodes 551 and 553 provided on the adjustment vibration arm 241 and electrically connected to the detection electrodes for outputting a charge in a reverse polarity with respect to the detection electrodes in response to vibration of the adjustment vibration arm 241. The adjustment electrode 551 has a common part 60 electrically connected to the detection electrodes and a plurality of branch parts 61 branching out from the common part 60 and arranged side by side along an extension direction of the adjustment vibration arm 241.
US09091523B2
A profilometer incorporating a partial coherence interferometer directs a beam containing a band of wavelengths along object and reference arms of the interferometer into respective engagements with a test object surface and a reference object surface en route to a spectrometer for measuring a spectrum of the beam. Within the object arm, the test object surface is relatively moved through a range of positions offset from a null position at which optical path lengths of the object and reference arms are equal. Modulation frequencies of the beam spectrum are calculated at a succession of different focus spot positions across the test object surface. Changes in the modulation frequency are interpreted to distinguish between optical path length differences at which the optical path length of the object arm is longer or shorter than the optical path length of the reference arm.
US09091519B2
Disclosed herein are significant improvements in security and safety of blasting apparatuses intended for use in mining operations. These include the development of an apparatus and method for blasting that involves activation or deactivation of the blasting apparatus in accordance with pre-determined parameters. For example, these parameters may include one or more of: a location of the blast site, a time for the blasting event, a number of previous blasts, a number of previous blasts within a given time period, and identification of detonator identification codes. The activation or deactivation may involve cross-communication between components of the blasting apparatus and/or associated detonators. Such cross-communication may involve electronic or wireless communication means, including for example the use of cell phone technology, or the internet. In this way, preferred apparatuses and methods disclosed herein permit rapid analysis and verification of a geographical location and time for a blasting event, as well as control and logging of the blasting event, all from a remote location.
US09091516B2
The present invention is directed to a three-part ammunition cartridge casing body comprising a head or base portion, a case portion and a cap portion. The cartridge casing body further comprises: the base portion, made of metal or polymeric resin, having a closed end and an open end; a substantially cylindrical case portion, open on both ends, joined to the open end of the base portion and comprising a nanocomposite material of a nanoclay dispersed in a polyamide resin matrix; and a cap portion, made of a nanocomposite material of a nanoclay dispersed in a polyamide resin matrix and further comprising glass fibers, joined to the other end of the case portion, wherein the case portion is more ductile than the cap portion.
US09091512B2
A ballistic resistant article is presented comprising a plurality of fibrous layers, each of said layers comprising a network of fibers, wherein the fibers have a strength of at least 800 mN/tex (1100 MPa) according to ASTM D 7269-07 and a matrix material, wherein the matrix material comprises a mixture comprising at least one self-crosslinking acrylic resin and/or at least one crosslinkable acrylic resin, and at least one tackifier. Compared with an article of the same construction but with a matrix material without tackifier the article according to the invention comprises a higher adhesion between the fibrous layers both in the unaged and aged state and a lower water pick up after water soak and the article passes the gasoline soak test. The article additionally comprising a plate of metal or ceramic exhibits minimal or even no delamination of the fibrous layers after ballistic attack, whereas an article of the same construction but with a matrix material without tackifier exhibits interior delamination of the fibrous layers.
US09091508B2
A hinged mounting assembly for use in connection with a gun-mounted light accessory is disclosed. The assembly has a light source disposed within a housing and a rail clamp connected to the housing. The rail clamp has a fixed clamp member attached to the housing and a hinged clamp member pivotally attached to the housing. The static clamp member and the hinged clamp member are disposed on opposite sides of the housing. A vertically moveable adjustment tab is attached to a first clamp post end. The adjustment tab has a cylindrical member with a lower half that is planar and an upper half that is arcuate. A vertically and horizontally adjustment tab is attached to a second clamp post end. The second adjustment tab also has a lower half that is planar and an upper half that is arcuate.
US09091506B2
A float support member that comprises a base for mounting to an object, primary linkages rotatably coupled by a primary pin defining a primary movable pin point that moves both in a lateral direction and a transverse direction, and secondary linkages rotatably coupled to said primary linkages, respectively, by first and second secondary pins, respectively. The first and second secondary pins define first and second secondary movable pin points, respectively, that each move both in a lateral direction and a transverse direction. The first and second secondary linkages being rotatably coupled to the base by first and second stationary pins, respectively, defining first and second stationary pin points, respectively. The position of the primary movable pin point in both the lateral and transverse directions depends on the position of both of the first and second secondary moveable pin points in both the lateral and transverse directions and vice versa.
US09091498B1
An adjustable gas block for a gas operated firearm is provided that offers the user a means by which the volume of gas being directed to the host rifle's operating system can be adjusted. The adjustable gas block provides two positions of adjustment, with the position of use being selected based on whether or not a back pressure increasing device, such as a noise suppressor or a silencer, is mounted on the firearm. A first position provides the optimal volume of gas into the gas operating system for it to operate properly based on its factory configuration and in the absence of a back pressure increasing device. A second position is available for use when the back pressure is increased due to the presence of a back pressure increasing device. The second position exposes a port through which a portion of the volume of gas from the barrel is vented into a secondary chamber prior to being released into the atmosphere. By venting a portion of the gas into a secondary chamber, the amount of gas received by the operating system is reduced to a volume that is substantially equal to the volume of gas that would be received by the operating system in the absence of a back pressure increasing device. No tools are required to select either of the positions provided by the gas block.
US09091496B2
A data center cooling system includes a data center having electronic equipment that is supported in multiple racks; a cooling fluid source; multiple cooling units in the data center, where each cooling unit is configured to cool air warmed by a sub-set of the electronic equipment in the data center; multiple control valves, including a control valve associated with a particular cooling unit of the cooling units; and a controller arranged to modulate the control valve associated with a particular cooling unit, to open or close the control valve to substantially maintain an approach temperature set point of the particular cooling unit.
US09091491B2
A cooling plate includes a channel to transmit a fluid, wherein the channel is disposed within a base and the channel has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is disposed substantially along a peripheral edge of the base, and the second portion is coupled to the first portion and is disposed further away from the peripheral edge of the base than the first portion. The second portion has a length that is at least about 35% as long as the length of the first portion. The cooling plate also includes a lid disposed over the base and the channel, wherein the lid provides support for a substrate.
US09091487B2
A double pipe type heat exchanger includes an inner pipe having a first flow path defined therein and an outer pipe arranged around the inner pipe to define a second flow path between the inner pipe and the outer pipe. The inner pipe includes a spiral groove formed on an outer circumferential surface of the inner pipe to extend along a longitudinal direction of the inner pipe. The outer pipe includes a reduced diameter portion protruding inwardly so that the inner surface of the outer pipe is intermittently contacted with the outer circumferential surface of the inner pipe.
US09091486B2
A nuclear reactor cooled with pressurized water, having a pressurized tank installed in which are compact steam generators; each steam generator comprises a plurality of heat-exchange tubes having respective spiral portions set in levels on top of one another to form at least one annular tube bundle delimiting a substantially cylindrical internal central zone, pre-arranged for supply from above with primary water, which then traverses the tube bundle radially.
US09091481B2
A fluidized bed reactor arrangement includes a bottom portion and a roof portion. A reaction chamber is defined by at least one side wall extending between the bottom portion and the roof portion. The at least one side wall includes a vertically extending portion having a lower end and a lower portion, which lower portion is inclined in such a manner that a cross section of the reaction chamber decreases towards the bottom portion. A heat exchange chamber, outside of the reaction chamber, is at the lower portion of the at least one side wall. The lower portion of the at least one side wall forms a partition wall between the heat exchange chamber and the reaction chamber. The heat exchange chamber extends from the partition wall to a rear wall of the heat exchange chamber.
US09091474B2
A storage container can maintain a temperature inside a storage room not to cause a temperature distribution for a certain time even if the operation is stopped. In a storage container 1 storing preserved goods and having an electrical cooling function, the storage container 1 includes a container body 10 and a door 20. A space enclosed by the container body 10 and the door 20 forms a storage room 100. The container body 10 and the door 20 have respectively heat insulating portions 12, 22 and heat accumulating portions 14, 24. The heat accumulating portions 14, 24 are each made of at least one type of material that causes liquid-solid phase transition at a temperature between a controllable temperature inside the storage room 100 and a living environmental temperature. A value obtained by dividing temperature conductivity of the material by an amount of the material used per unit area of a wall surface of the storage room 100 is smaller in the heat accumulating portions 14, 24 arranged near a first area where a temperature is more apt to come closer to the living environmental temperature under a temperature distribution that is formed inside the storage room 100 with changes over time after stop of cooling, than in the heat accumulating portions 14, 24 arranged near a second area where a temperature is less apt to come closer to the living environmental temperature thereunder.
US09091471B2
An air conditioning apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes: an engine; an outdoor unit including a compressor driven by the engine to inhale a refrigerant, and compress and discharge the inhaled refrigerant and an outdoor heat exchanger; an indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger; a controlling unit which controls a rotational speed of the compressor to be lower than a predetermined upper limit rotational speed; an outdoor temperature detecting unit which detects an outdoor temperature; an in-box temperature detecting unit which detects an in-box temperature within an enclosure box which accommodates therein the engine and the compressor; a correcting unit which corrects an upper limit rotational speed of the compressor when the outdoor temperature exceeds a predetermined outdoor temperature; a canceling unit which cancels the correction of the upper limit rotational speed when the in-box temperature is lower than a predetermined in-box temperature.
US09091469B2
In certain embodiments an all vapor driven absorption heat pump is provided comprising a first heat pump generator comprising a falling film heat exchanger and configured to receive a high temperature vapor and a dilute working medium and to evaporate heat transport material from the dilute working medium; optionally, a second heat pump generator comprising a second falling film heat exchanger configured to receive concentrated working medium and output vapor produced in the first heat pump and to further evaporate the working medium and provide a mid-temperature vapor output and a concentrated working medium; and a heat pump absorber configured to receive a low temperature vapor and the concentrated working medium from the first heat pump generator when the second heat pump generator is absent and to receive said concentrated working medium from the second heat pump generator when the second heat pump generator is present.
US09091466B2
A solar-powered adsorption-desorption refrigeration and air conditioning system that uses nanostructural materials such as aerogels, zeolites, and sol gels as the adsorptive media. Refrigerant molecules are adsorbed on the high surface area of the nanostructural material while the material is at a relatively low temperature, perhaps at night. During daylight hours, when the nanostructural materials is heated by the sun, the refrigerant are thermally desorbed from the surface of the aerogel, thereby creating a pressurized gas phase in the vessel that contains the aerogel. This solar-driven pressurization forces the heated gaseous refrigerant through a condenser, followed by an expansion valve. In the condenser, heat is removed from the refrigerant, first by circulating air or water. Eventually, the cooled gaseous refrigerant expands isenthalpically through a throttle valve into an evaporator, in a fashion similar to that in more conventional vapor recompression systems.
US09091457B2
An electro-thermal heating system comprising a substantially hollow housing having detachable upper and lower plates for covering and sealing top and bottom surfaces of the housing. The housing has an inlet and an outlet for a flow of coolant to enter into and leave the housing, and has openings defined therein, for insertion of electric heating elements therein to project into the housing and be in direct contact with the coolant to heat it. The inlet and the outlet can be interconnected with piping to form a closed fluid flow circuit. The housing is substantially circular, to circulate flow of the coolant in a circular manner within the housing, and a diameter of the inlet is greater than a diameter of the outlet, to keep coolant in the housing longer to heat it. A pump and a power source can be interconnected to the system to circulate the coolant in the closed fluid flow circuit.
US09091454B2
A method for controlling a system includes receiving temperature and humidity measurements of supply air to a serviced space, return air from the serviced space, and outside air, wherein the outside air includes air outside the serviced space, calculating a volumetric flow rate of the outside air entering the system using the received temperature and humidity measurements of the supply air, the return air, and the outside air, calculating an air change per hour (ACH) rate in the serviced space using the calculated volumetric flow rate of the air outside the serviced space entering the system and the volume of the serviced space, and controlling the ACH rate in the serviced space.
US09091451B2
A modular air conditioning (AC) system including one or more AC modules is provided. The AC modules may be adapted to function individually or cooperatively as part of a modular system. The AC modules may be further adapted to connect in a variety of advantageous ways to facilitate the supply of conditioned air to a variety of downstream applications.
US09091447B2
The present application in particular is directed to an oven muffle (1) comprising a lighting system (3). The lighting system (3) comprises a light source (6) and a light guide (4) attached to the outer surface of the oven muffle (1), the light guide (4) has at least one light guiding tube (4) arranged and adapted to couple light of the light source (6) into the light guiding tube (4), wherein the light guiding tube (4) extends in parallel to the light guiding direction along a respective wall (5) from a light tube exit window to its light tube face side, preferably lying beyond a respective edge of the wall (5).
US09091441B2
A burner at which fuel cannot be combusted with air as the only source of oxygen for combustion in a stable flame at the burner when the feed rate of the fuel is too low, when the fuel is fed at too high an air-to-fuel mass ratio, when the fuel contains too high an amount of inert matter, or when the specific energy content of the fuel is too low, is modified by supplying oxidant containing more than 21 vol. % oxygen into the base of a flame at the burner, whereupon such fuels can be combusted at the burner.
US09091430B2
Flame stability of a burner that is operated with a mixture of oxygen and flue gas as the oxidant, is enhanced by including a second burner that combusts fuel with oxidant having a high O2 content.
US09091427B2
A display apparatus comprises a display panel. The display panel emits a green light having a green energy and a green point of the CIE 1931 xy chromaticity under the operation of the highest gray level of a green image, and emits a blue light having a blue energy and a blue point of the CIE 1931 xy chromaticity under the operation of the highest gray level of a blue image. The ratio of the green energy to the blue energy is between 0.7 and 1.2. In the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram, the coordinates of the blue point are bounded by the equation: y=−168.72x2+50.312x−3.635 and the equation: y=−168.72x2+63.81x−5.9174, while y is between 0.04 and 0.08.
US09091424B1
A retrofit light emitting diode (LED) bulb includes a screw connector, a bracket, and a housing. The screw connector is configured to be screwed into a receiving socket of an electric light fixture for supporting the retrofit light emitting diode (LED) bulb. The bracket is physically attached to the screw connector. The housing is rotatably coupled to the bracket. The housing includes one or more LED units for generating light and one or more electrically powered cooling devices to remove heat from the vicinity of the one or more LED units.
US09091409B2
A light source device includes a LED light source or a wavelength conversion material having a near Lambertian light emitting surface. The light source device includes a light recycling system to reflect small-angle lights (lights closer to the normal direction of the light emitting surface) back to the light source, and a collection system for collecting and outputting large-angle lights (lights farther away from the normal direction). The lights reflected by the light recycling system is scattered by the emitting surface in all directions, where the large-angle scattered lights are collected by the light collection system and the small-angle scattered light is reflected by the light recycling system again. A second excitation light source without wavelength conversion material or a second light source with its own wavelength conversion material may be provided, and the second light is directed to the light emitting surface by appropriate optical components.
US09091401B2
The invention provides, in one aspect, a work light including a housing and a plurality of light sources coupled to the housing. At least one of the light sources is movable relative to the housing to vary a lighting pattern emitted by the light sources relative to an outer periphery of the housing. The work light also includes an actuator coupled to the at least one movable light source for moving the light source relative to the housing.
US09091396B2
A pressurized gas containing system has a cowling and mounting ring which supports a valve and regulator on a cylinder containing gas under pressure.
US09091394B2
A tripod includes a platform, a connecting element, a leg element, and an operation element. The platform includes a bottom surface, and a first bevel gear extending downward from the bottom surface. The connecting element includes an upper end, a lower end opposite to the upper end, and a side surface connected between the upper end and the lower end. The connecting element is connected to a center of the platform, and defines a spherical cavity on the side surface. The leg element is connected to the lower end of the connecting element. The operation element includes a spherical body, a second bevel gear, and an adjustable leg. The spherical body and the adjustable leg respectively connected to two opposite ends of the second bevel gear. The spherical body is rotatably received in the spherical cavity, and the second bevel gear engages with the first bevel gear.
US09091390B1
A slide-on device for mounting on a frame of a structure, including a support column of the frame of a golf cart, includes a first flange, a second flange, and a rear side, such that the first flange slides on one side of the frame, and the second flange slides on the other side of the frame, so that the slide-on device is held in place on the frame between the flanges. The slide-on device can be adapted to fit on different types of frames, including both 1″ and 1¼″ standard support columns of golf carts. Accessories, including a wireless speaker, can be attached to the slide-on device with an attachment mechanism, including a hook-and-loop fastener. Also disclosed is a method for using a slide-on device with an attached wireless loudspeaker.
US09091384B2
A pipe jack including a sprocket head having radial projections, a hydraulic jack having a ram plunger at a top end and a base at a bottom end, a base plate and a roller chain sized to engage with the radial projections in various embodiments. In one embodiment, arc sprockets are provided in parallel on the sprocket head with each sprocket having a chord, connecting the arc ends, defining a flat surface across the arc sprocket. The chain engages with the arc sprockets and are adjacent and axially offset. The sprocket head having a support plate with a top and bottom surface, the top surface fixedly engaged with the arc sprockets. A receiving tube can be axially centered on and fixedly engaged with the support plate bottom surface. The pipe jack can be used to lift and position a half sole repair sleeve along a pipe to be repaired.
US09091382B2
An improved machine-actuated removable safety closure made according to this invention includes a latch and central hub combination which permits a plug holder to self-align with the drive holes of the closure's cam plate so that an operator can retrieve the closure without having to lean directly over it. A bypass valve interferes with the cam plate when the bypass is in its closed position. This interference prevents the cam plate from actuating the locking leaves. Anti-rotation slots located on the plug body and the flange of the tubular member interlock and prevent rotation of the plug body beyond a certain rotational window during the setting process and when the plug body is in its final sealing position. The latch, along with means to secure the plug holder to the boring bar, allows the holder to be retrieved from the set plug.
US09091373B2
Fittings and coupling assemblies for relatively easy and quick connections to conduits are disclosed herein. A fitting assembly configured in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure includes a male connector and a female connector that can be coupled together to form a fitting assembly for attachment to a conduit or tube. The male connector can include a retaining feature, such as an undulated barb, to correspond with a corresponding engagement feature, such as a tooth carried by a shroud of the female connector, to allow the male and female connectors to be rapidly coupled together and also prevent the connectors from unintentional loosening. To couple and also separate the male and female connectors, a user can apply a compressive force to at least one of the male and female connectors, followed by a partial rotation of one of the connectors.
US09091359B1
The flapper reinforcement plate is a metal C-shaped stiffening plate for attachment to rubber flapper style centrifugal pump check valves. The C-shaped plate assists in sealing by adding weight to the rubber flapper and preventing torsional flexing of the rubber flapper. The improved sealing lengthens the service life of the check valve.
US09091358B2
A flow diverter device includes a valve body component defining therein two inlet channels and an outlet channel; and a rotatable diverter component comprising an exterior side wall and defining therein a connecting channel in the form of an annular slot positioned around a portion of the exterior side wall. The rotatable diverter component is rotatably received by the valve body component and being movable between a first position where the connecting channel fluidly connects one of the inlet channels with the outlet channel only and a second position where the connecting channel fluidly connects the other of the inlet channels with the outlet channel only.
US09091357B2
A ceramic valve with an intermediate section having cold water supply function, which comprising: a valve casing, rotary driving seat, braking valve rod, pedestal, fixed valve block, rotary valve block and coupling seat; of which the coupling seat is assembled securely on top surface of the rotary valve block; it is characterized by that: a driven slot, recessed into an off-center position on top surface of the coupling seat; the toggle end at lower end of the braking valve rod is inserted into said driven slot, and there is an active clearance between the driven slot and toggle end; a biased rotary support unit, comprising of a flanged axle and an axle hole that are sleeved together in a rotatable state; said flanged axle and axle hole are separately arranged at top surface of the coupling seat and an off-center position on bottom surface of the inner seating portion of the rotary driving seat; hence, a biased rotary support position is shaped between the rotary driving seat and coupling seat; when the braking valve rod swings to an oblique water supply mode from the preset intermediate section, the toggle end at lower end of the braking valve rod will linearly toggle the driven slot, then the coupling seat along with the rotary valve block may rotarily shift by taking the biased rotary support unit as a rotary pivotal point, so the water flow control slot is only connected with the cold water through-hole in a cold water supply mode. Hence, the cold water supply function of the ceramic valve's intermediate section could prevent scalding and meet the resetting habit of the user for the handle of the dual-temperature faucet with improved applicability.
US09091352B2
A flow path opening/closing valve is equipped with a main body having a valve chamber housing therein a rotatable valve body, and a sleeve that abuts without gaps against an inner circumferential surface of the valve chamber, such that the inner circumferential surface of the valve chamber and an inner circumferential surface of the sleeve slide without gaps against an outer circumferential surface of the valve body, for thereby shielding the valve chamber by the valve body and the sleeve. First and second seat members, and first and second o-rings that urge the first and second seat members toward the side of the valve body are arranged inside first and second annular grooves, which are provided on the inner circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface.
US09091349B2
A self-energizing seal includes a housing and a plurality of annular seal ring segments movable relative to the housing. The annular seal ring segments include a circumferential slot and a plurality of holes defining a flow passage into the circumferential slot. A plurality of self-energizing ring segments are disposed in the circumferential slot. The annular seal ring segments and the self-energizing ring segments establish a seal with the exterior of a pipe and permit movement of the pipe in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the pipe.
US09091345B2
A piston ring formed of cast iron provides improved machinability and exceptional performance and minimum costs. The cast iron includes 2.2 to 2.9 wt. % carbon, 3.2 to 4.2 wt. % silicon, 0.75 to 1.25 wt. % copper, 1.0 to 1.5 wt. % manganese, 0.09 to 0.15 wt. % sulfur, not greater than 0.2 wt. % phosphorous, and an average carbon equivalent of 3.8. The cast iron preferably includes a matrix of martensite with MnS and carbides dispersed therein. The matrix is also preferably free of ferrite, austenite, and steadite. The cast iron is formed by casting, autenitizing, quenching, and tempering the alloy.
US09091342B2
A control device controls a hydrostatic transmission vehicle having a hydrostatic transmission including a variable displacement pump and a variable displacement hydraulic motor. The control device is configured to set a set vehicle speed based on a forward/rearward travel command and a gear stage command instructed by an operator, to set a torque limit usable for the hydrostatic transmission based on an engine speed, to set a vehicle speed limit based on a pressure in the hydraulic circuit and the torque limit, to select a lower one of the set vehicle speed and the vehicle speed limit, and to control respective displacements of the variable displacement pump and the variable displacement hydraulic motor based on the selected vehicle speed.
US09091337B2
A reducer of an electric power steering apparatus is disclosed. It reduces rattle noise generated by a backlash due to friction and wear of a worm and a worm wheel or an impact transmitted from a road surface through a wheel and a steering shaft and enhances a steering feeling of a driver by improving the catching phenomenon and rotational resistance generated between a worm shaft and a worm shaft bearing.
US09091333B2
A loading machine includes a drum cam configured to rotate and having a cam path. A first track is positioned proximate the drum cam. A rammer subassembly is engaged with the drum cam and the first track. The rammer subassembly is configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position as the drum cam rotates. The rammer subassembly has a first rammer section engaged with the cam path and configured to move longitudinally during rotation of the drum cam. The first rammer section includes a first gear engaged with the first track such that longitudinal movement of the first rammer section causes rotation of the first gear. A second rammer section is telescopically coupled with the first rammer section and is engaged with the first gear such that rotation of the first gear causes the second rammer section to telescopically move with respect to the first rammer section.
US09091324B2
A method of making a belt including the steps of: (a) helically wrapping a fabric strip of predetermined width on a mandrel at a first helix angle; (b) helically winding a tensile cord onto the mandrel over the fabric at a second helix angle less than the first helix angle; (c) wrapping a sheet or a strip of elastomer material around the mandrel over the tensile cord; and (d) curing the elastomer material under pressure to form a belt sleeve. The mandrel may be grooved for making toothed belts. The fabric strip may be preformed. A resulting toothed belt has a fabric seam spanning several teeth and having a helix angle. The seam may be joined.
US09091320B1
A jounce control damping system with an elongated housing containing a damping medium, a primary piston assembly, a moveable outer piston assembly, and a movable inner piston assembly disposed at least partially within the outer piston assembly. The primary piston assembly provides a first compression damping force. The inner piston engages the primary piston assembly and provides a second compression damping force when moved in a compression direction. After the inner piston assembly moves a given distance, the outer piston assembly is moved in the compressive direction and provides a third compression damping force.
US09091310B2
Disclosed are devices, systems, assemblies, couplers, and other implementations, including a coupler that includes a first coupling element matingly engaged to a second coupling element, each of the first and second coupling elements including a plate defining an opening, a projection extending from a first surface of the plate, and a socket extending from a second surface of the plate and configured to receive a rotatable member. The projection of the first coupling element is received in the opening of the plate of the second coupling element, and the projection of the second coupling element is received in the opening of the plate of the first coupling element. The matingly engaged coupling elements are configured to rotate in response to rotation of a first rotatable member of a first device received in the socket of the first coupling element.
US09091293B1
A rotary fastener includes a mounting base member, a fastening device including a pin member suspending in the mounting base member and a head member fastened to the pin member and disposed outside the mounting base member, and an operating device including a bottom seat member fastened to the mounting base member, an operating cap member fastened to the head member and rotatable relative to the bottom seat member to move the fastening device between a locking position where the pin member is extended out of the bottom side of the mounting base member and an unlocking position where the pin member is received inside the mounting base member, and a guide track for guiding the operating cap member and the fastening device to move axially relative to the bottom seat member and the mounting base member upon rotation of the operating cap member by an external force.
US09091289B2
A fastener having a clamp head which has a clamp with a clamp angle in a range of from 75 degrees to greater than 30 degrees. A nail having a clamp head which has a clamp with a clamp angle in a range of from 75 degrees to greater than 25 degrees. A nail stick having a collation angle which has a value greater than 25 degrees. A method of manufacturing a nail stick having a step of punching a collated band of wires to create clamp heads having clamps which respectively have a clamp angles in a range of from 60 degrees to 40 degrees.
US09091285B2
An indicator device for a piston and cylinder assembly has an indicator pin with a distal end indicator section for extending out of a side wall of a piston cylinder assembly when the piston and rod assembly is not at the end of its return stroke. A retracting device retracts the indicator pin when the piston and rod assembly moves to the end of its return stroke and has an optional internal lock that mechanically axially affixes the piston and rod assembly.
US09091284B2
The present disclosure provides embodiments directed towards a system for the control of hydraulic output by a hydraulic power source. In one embodiment, a system is provided. The system includes a hydraulic supply system having a drive, a hydraulic pump coupled to the drive, a first hydraulic output configured to supply a first flow of a hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to a hydraulic lift, a second hydraulic output configured to supply a second flow of the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to a first hydraulic tool, and a controller configured to adjust a speed of the drive in response to a feedback indicative of a first load by the hydraulic lift, a second load by the first hydraulic tool, or a combination thereof.
US09091282B2
A hydraulic arrangement includes at least one pressure unit connected to a hydraulic machine that is operable as a pump and a safety device for the pressure unit. The safety device includes pressure sensors configured to detect a pressure in the pressure unit and an electronic control unit that is connected to the pressure sensors. A delivery volume pumped by the hydraulic machine is configured to be controlled via the control unit.
US09091269B2
The invention provides a device for generating high pressure air. The device comprises a block having an external surface and an internal surface, said internal surface defining an internal cavity in said block. A rotor located inside said cavity is capable of rotating about under the influence of wind energy. The block is capable of moving relative to the rotor in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the rotor so as to vary the position of the rotor within the cavity. A plurality of vanes extend from the rotor, and are coupled to the rotor in such a manner that, in every position that the block is capable of adopting relative to the rotor, the rotor is capable of rotating within the cavity while maintaining a seal between each vane and the internal surface of the block. There is a gas inlet channel and a gas outlet channel on an opposite side of the block to the gas inlet channel. The device also comprises a position controller for causing the block to move relative to the rotor so as to vary the position of the rotor within the cavity.
US09091251B1
An actuation apparatus includes at least one magnetic shape memory (MSM) element containing a material configured to expand and/or contract in response to exposure to a magnetic field. Among other things, the MSM element may be configured to pump fluid through a micropump by expanding and/or contracting in response to the magnetic field. The magnetic field may rotate about an axis of rotation and exhibit a distribution having a component substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Further, the magnetic field distribution may include at least two components substantially orthogonal to one another lying in one or more planes perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The at least one MSM element may contain nickel, manganese, and gallium. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may be enhanced by contacting a PCR reagent and DNA material with the MSM element.
US09091246B2
A power plant device for the production of energy in the waves by the use of float devices, the motion of which is used to power generator to produce energy, and means of conveyance of energy to further use, the device having a rig that is directed to float in the sea by means of a float supporting construction with the floats in the water line so that these may be affected by wave motion in the sea, and where the floats are arranged in a ring shape around the rig's circumference with spacing between the floats, which floats independently of each other are oriented to engage their respective generators via a transmission system, and the rig is anchored to the seabed via a cable.
US09091243B2
The invention relates to a method for securing the operation of a voltage-holding device used for starting or restarting the internal combustion engine of a vehicle, the voltage-holding device being electrically connected by a multiplex network to an electric machine and to a monitoring computer. According to the method, the voltage-holding device can be activated only if it has previously received an activation authorization message, which can be a starting or restarting message, sent by the computer to the electric machine and to the voltage holding device, or a message transmitted by the electric machine indicating that it is about to restart the internal combustion engine.
US09091242B2
A starting system for an internal combustion engine comprising a pressure medium source, means for connecting the pressure medium source to at least two of the cylinders of the engine, a starting valve in connection with each cylinder that is connected to the pressure medium source for controlling the admission of the pressure medium into the cylinder, a control unit for controlling the operation of the starting valves, and an absolute rotary encoder for determining the crank angle of the engine. The system further comprises coupling means arranged between the engine and the absolute rotary encoder for releasably coupling the encoder to the engine. The invention also concerns a method for starting an internal combustion engine and an internal combustion engine.
US09091238B2
The present technology relates generally systems and methods for providing motion amplification and compensation by fluid displacement in fuel injector systems. For example, some embodiments of gaseous fuel injectors include a piezoelectric actuator and a motion transfer system coupled to the piezoelectric actuator. The motion transfer system includes a housing, a first piston having a first effective area disposed in the housing, and a second piston having a second effective area disposed in the housing. The second effective area is less than the first effective area and the first and second pistons define a fluid chamber therebetween. The motion transfer system can amplify actuation of a fuel injector valve.
US09091233B2
A ninety-degree V-engine having eight or more cylinders can include a first pipe that connects an exhaust port of a first dedicated EGR cylinder bank to an intake manifold and a second pipe that connects an exhaust port of a second dedicated EGR cylinder of a different cylinder bank to the intake manifold, the first and second dedicated EGR cylinders each being one of two consecutive cylinders in a corresponding cylinder bank specified by a specific cylinder firing order.
US09091232B2
To solve the problems of compressor wheel blade flow separation causing surge type noises when a compressor return or recirculation valve is opened or closed, bypass airflow from a compressor recirculation valve is fed into an annular volume, defined between inner and outer walls or shaped as a radially expanded, axially flattened cylindrical space in the compressor inlet, so that the generally unidirectional radial flow from the compressor recirculation valve is re-directed and organized as it is turned from generally radial to generally axial, merging with the general inlet flow and presenting the compressor wheel with airflow of “circumferentially uniform” flow velocity.
US09091226B2
A method for adapting a lambda control of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas probe disposed in an exhaust gas duct of the internal combustion engine as part of an exhaust gas monitoring system, wherein the adaptation is carried out on the basis of a comparison between a modeled and a measured signal after a predetermined change in the fuel-air ratio of an air-fuel mixture supplied to said internal combustion engine has taken place and wherein the measured signal is an actual value of an output signal of the exhaust gas probe and the modeled signal is a modal value, which is derived from the air-fuel mixture supplied to said internal combustion engine through the use of an exhaust gas model.
US09091224B2
The present invention utilizes a speed density method for determining the cylinder air mass using volumetric efficiency (VE) based on engine speed and manifold pressure. The VE data contain the cylinder filling efficiency for various engine speed and manifold pressure values. The manifold pressure is then measured by a manifold absolution pressure (MAP) sensor. Using the speed density has the advantage that it is much less affected by pulsation in the intake system of the vehicle, and does not require a linear air flow past a sensor in the engine intake system.
US09091222B2
Providing a control method for controlling an engine of a precombustion chamber type, whereby the misfiring in the precombustion chamber is surely prevented. In the control method for controlling an engine of a premix combustion type, the method including, but not limited to the processes of: a first step where the charging air pressure, the charging air temperature and the engine speed are detected; a second step where the air excess ratio of the air fuel mixture supplied to the main combustion chamber is computed as per predetermined relational expressions; a third step where the amount of the fuel to be supplied to the precombustion chamber is duly computed as per the relational expression between the air excess ratio of the air fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber and the fuel amount of the air fuel mixture in the precombustion chamber; a fourth step where the valve opening duration regarding a precombustion chamber fuel supply valve for controlling the amount of the fuel to be supplied to the precombustion chamber is computed as per a relational expression between the valve opening duration and the computed fuel amount of the air fuel mixture in the precombustion chamber.
US09091218B2
The invention relates to a link lever of a valve train, which is rotatably mounted on a swing arm of the valve train by means of a stationary link point having an intermediate cam follower that follows a camshaft, wherein the swing arm supports a cam track that drives a valve.
US09091212B2
A fuel system for an aircraft comprises a boost pump, a main fuel pump and a motive pump. The boost pump receives fuel from a storage unit. The main fuel pump receives fuel from the boost pump and delivers fuel to a distribution system. The motive fuel pump receives fuel from the boost pump, routes fuel through the storage unit, and delivers fuel to an actuator. A method for delivering fuel in an aircraft comprises pumping fuel from a fuel tank to a distribution system using a main pump, pumping fuel from a fuel tank to an actuator using a motive pump, and routing fuel from the actuator to the main pump.
US09091205B2
A rocker arm cover providing diagnosis and repair access to the rocker arm while the engine is running. The rocker arm is also capable of protecting a rocker arm from contacting other components of the engine, reducing contamination, and inhibiting oil and fluids from dispersing. The casing includes a multiplicity of access holes positioned along the casing, and positioned for accessing the rocker arm. A plurality of removable caps and joining mechanisms cover the access holes. Upon removal of the caps and joining mechanisms, a listening device with a diaphragm may be utilized to listen for specific rattling sounds associated with a loose rocker arm, or other valve in the cam system. After this diagnosis, a fastening device may be utilized to engage and adjust the rocker arm, rocker arm fasteners, or the intake and exhaust valves linked to the rocker arm.
US09091202B2
Methods and systems are provided for varying a proportion of compressed air recirculated to a compressor inlet from a location downstream of the compressor and upstream of a charge air cooler and a location downstream of the charge air cooler. A temperature-controlled compressor recirculation flow is used to reduce condensation from EGR being ingested into the compressor. The temperature-controlled compressor recirculation flow is also used to address compressor surge.
US09091200B2
A turbocharger and engine cylinder head assembly includes a center housing rotating assembly (CHRA) and an engine cylinder head defining a receptacle for receiving the CHRA, the engine cylinder head defining a compressor volute. A diffuser is defined for receiving and diffusing the compressed air from the compressor wheel and supplying the compressed air to the compressor volute. The assembly includes a cap formed separately from the engine cylinder head and removably secured to the engine cylinder head, the cap defining one wall of the diffuser. An opposite wall of the diffuser is defined either by the engine cylinder head or a portion of the center housing, depending on whether the CHRA slides into the receptacle compressor-wheel-first or turbine-wheel-first. The compressor volute can be located on a turbine side of the diffuser.
US09091196B2
A honeycomb body includes at least a housing and a honeycomb structure with a multiplicity of channels. The honeycomb structure includes at least one at least partially structured metallic layer forming connecting points which fix the honeycomb structure. A cross section of the honeycomb structure has radial zones with connecting points. At least 1% and at most 20% of inner contact points of the at least one at least partially structured metallic layer in at least one of the zones forms a connecting point in the cross section. The channels have a different channel cross section in at least two of the radial zones. A motor vehicle having the honeycomb body is also provided.
US09091189B2
A method and system for mitigating a urea deposit within an SCR system that includes determining a mass of an accumulated urea deposit present within the SCR catalyst and SCR piping, comparing the mass of the accumulated urea deposit with a deposit upper threshold limit, and initiating an SCR regeneration event when the mass of the accumulated urea deposit is greater than the deposit upper threshold limit. The method further includes determining an amount of NH3 passing through the SCR catalyst downstream of the urea deposit, comparing the amount of NH3 passing through the SCR catalyst with an NH3 regeneration threshold limit, and terminating the SCR regeneration event when the level of NH3 passing through the SCR catalyst is less than the SCR NH3 regeneration threshold.
US09091188B2
A camshaft support structure for an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head, a camshaft, a plurality of bearings, an auxiliary machine drive cam, an auxiliary machine, and a pulsar plate. The plurality of bearings include a terminal bearing supporting the camshaft to be rotatable with respect to the cylinder head about a rotational axis. The auxiliary machine has a plunger provided to be moved forward and backward by the auxiliary machine drive cam. The pulsar plate projects from the camshaft in a radial direction of the camshaft and is provided on an opposite side of the auxiliary machine drive cam with respect to the terminal bearing. The pulsar plate has a second surface facing the terminal bearing in the axial direction. Each of the first surface and the second surface is provided to slidably contact the terminal bearing.
US09091182B2
A method comprises heating a feedwater stream in a feedwater heater, boiling the feedwater stream in a boiler to produce a steam stream, superheating the steam stream in the boiler to produce a superheated steam stream, producing power using the superheated steam stream to produce an outlet steam stream, using a first portion of the outlet steam stream to provide heat for the heating step, and modulating the flow of the first portion of the outlet steam stream below a full flow to allow the superheated steam stream to meet a superheated steam set point.
US09091178B2
A sealing arrangement, for example for providing an intershaft seal between shafts of a gas turbine engine, includes an air-riding sealing ring disposed between runners. A buffer fluid, such as air, is conveyed to a buffer cavity through a passage in the sealing ring. The buffer air provides a positive pressure drop along fluid-riding gaps, preventing leakage across the sealing arrangement. The sealing ring may be a split carbon ring, and measures may be provided to minimize leakage of buffer air at the split.
US09091167B2
The present invention relates to a self drilling rock bolt which may be used in mining applications. Self drilling rock bolts are typically formed by rebars having an axially extending central passageway for water passage and post grouting. Costs of such hollow steel rebars is quite high. In the present invention, a rock bolt is formed from a hollow tubular member which may be steel pipe, and a reinforcing arrangement comprising prestressed concrete type steel strand wound around the outside of the hollow tubular member.
US09091165B2
Systems and methods that include providing, e.g., obtaining or preparing, a material that includes a hydrocarbon carried by an inorganic substrate, and exposing the material to a plurality of energetic particles, such as accelerated charged particles, such as electrons or ions.
US09091162B2
The method begins drilling a borehole from the surface to an underground shale matrix. A pipe is inserted into the borehole. Openings are created in the pipe in fluid communication with fractures in the shale matrix. The interior surface of at least one section of pipe is coated with a contaminant-capturing substance. Fracturing fluid including water, proppants and various chemicals is pumped through the pipe and into the fractures in the shale matrix. The fluid re-enters the pipe from the shale matrix and moves toward the surface through the coated pipe section where contaminants are sequestered by the coating. Natural gas or oil from the fractured shale then enters the pipe and moves to the surface to be collected. The coated pipe section remains in the ground permanently such that the necessity of disposing of the captured contaminants is eliminated.
US09091160B2
Embodiments disclosed herein may provide for a method of performing a separation process, where the method may include the steps of transporting a single-skid separation unit to a worksite; performing downhole operations at the worksite; recovering a waste stream into the single-skid separation unit, wherein the waste stream may result from performing the downhole operations; and using the single-skid separation unit to separate the waste stream into at least one of an aqueous phase, an organics phase, and a gas phase.
US09091151B2
Various methods and tools optically analyze downhole fluid properties in situ. Some disclosed downhole optical radiometry tools include a tool body having a sample cell for fluid flow. A light beam passes through the sample cell and a spectral operation unit (SOU) such as a prism, filter, interferometer, or multivariate optical element (MOE). The resulting light provides a signal indicative of one or more properties of the fluid. A sensor configuration using electrically balanced thermopiles offers a high sensitivity over a wide temperature range. Further sensitivity is achieved by modulating the light beam and/or by providing a reference light beam that does not interact with the fluid flow. To provide a wide spectral range, some embodiments include multiple filaments in the light source, each filament having a different emission spectrum. Moreover, some embodiments include a second light source, sample cell, SOU, and detector to provide increased range, flexibility, and reliability.
US09091146B1
A subsea umbilical system can be provided for connecting a topside structure at a proximal end of the system to subsea equipment at a distal end of the system. The system can include an umbilical configured to allow one or more cables for powering or communicating with subsea equipment to be passed through at least a portion of the umbilical. The system can further include reinforcing elements radially surrounding a portion of the umbilical. The system can further include a breakout box disposed along the umbilical and configured to be positioned between the reinforcing element and the subsea equipment. The breakout box can include a breakout opening configured to allow one or more breakout cables to exit the umbilical and run along the outside of the reinforcing elements to the topside structure. Related methods of making and using such systems are also described.
US09091138B2
The current application discloses methods and systems for generating high pressure dual phase mixture. In some embodiments, the methods and systems involve mounting a dual phase mixture generator on a transportable platform wherein the dual phase mixture generator comprises a mixing chamber connected with at least a first inlet, a second inlet, and a first outlet. A first container and a first pump are also mounted on the transportable platform wherein the first pump is operably connected with the first container. The transportable platform and the mounted equipments are then deployed at a wellsite. A base fluid is pumped into the first inlet under high pressure, and a gas is pumped into the second inlet under high pressure. The base fluid and the gas is combined in the mixing chamber to generate a high pressure dual phase mixture, which is then discharged via the outlet.
US09091137B2
The present invention relates to a method for performing well operations from a floating installation comprising a high pressure riser (8) connected to the floating installation through a tension system, and where the riser comprises a housing (18) with an internal diameter larger than an internal diameter of the riser and connected at the top of the riser, where it for performing operations is made an assembly (15) comprising a desired numbers of modules for use in a specific operation, the modules are assembled at the installation, then positioned in the housing and the operation is performed through the assembly.
US09091128B1
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for use in subterranean exploration, and provides a rapid rig-up and rig-down pipe racking system that is capable of being retrofit to an existing drilling rig. In particular, the invention relates to a pipe drill floor mounted pipe racking system that is capable of controlled movement of pipe in three dimensions, and most importantly, capable of rapid and precise movement of multiple connected sections of pipe. The invention is capable of moving stands of connected pipe from a racked position on the drill floor to an accurate stabbing position directly above a drill string component held in a rotary table.
US09091127B2
A safety joint to be included in a riser between a floating structure and a subsea installation at a location in the riser above a stress joint where it will be subjected to minimum bending loads. The safety joint includes a first riser coupling at its upper end for connection to a corresponding riser coupling of a riser joint and a second riser coupling at its lower end for connection to a corresponding riser coupling of a riser joint or stress joint. An emergency disconnect package with an emergency disconnect coupling and a retainer valve unit is arranged between the upper end and the lower end of the safety joint. A riser including such a safety joint.
US09091123B2
A pressure pulse generating method and apparatus for use with a drill string includes a top and bottom subs for attaching the apparatus within the drill string; a rotor/stator; a drive assembly; and a nozzle sub which includes a nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle holder and a replaceable nozzle; and a nozzle housing having pulse openings. The nozzle holder has fluid ports which periodically align with the pulse openings as the nozzle holder rotates within the nozzle housing to achieve a desired pulse amplitude, frequency and waveform.
US09091116B2
A mull binder system includes a mull binder that couples a first and second window frame and provides a seal along the grooves. The first window frame has an exterior side, an opposing interior side and at least a first side and a second side extending perpendicular to the exterior side and interior side, the first side including a groove therein. A second window frame has an exterior side, an opposing interior side and a first side and a second side extending perpendicular to the exterior side and interior side, the second side including a groove therein. The mull binder has a first and second arm coupled thereto. Each arm has a plurality of flexible barbs extending therefrom. The barbs on the first arm and second arm are received within the groove of the first window frame and second window frame respectively.
US09091113B2
A safety gate has a frame with spaced apart top and bottom assemblies and spaced apart side assemblies in a deployed configuration. The top and bottom assembly length is extendable and retractable between the opposed side assemblies. A flexible barrier is connected to the frame. A one-way jack mechanism can be carried on each of the top and bottom assemblies. The length of the assemblies can be extended without actuating the jack mechanisms to adjust the frame to nearly fit a space between two surfaces. The jack mechanisms, when actuated, incrementally further extend the top and bottom assemblies so the frame interferingly fits between the two surfaces under compression. The frame can be reconfigurable between a compact configuration and the deployed configuration. The side assemblies can include latches that lock the frame in the deployed configuration.
US09091110B2
A power sliding window assembly for a motor vehicle. The assembly can include a back window casing with a first window pane and a second window pane fixedly attached to the casing. A generally U-shaped guide rail can be at least partially encased within the window casing and be adjacent to the first window pane and the second window pane. A third window pane can have a portion fixedly attached to a glass carrier and the glass carrier can be located at least partially within and slidably engaged with the generally U-shaped guide rail. Located at least partially within the generally U-shaped guide rail can be a first stopper and a second stopper with the first and second stoppers providing for desired placement of the third window pane when it is in a closed position and a fully open position.
US09091106B2
The present disclosure is drawn to a panel hardware system and related methods. The panel hardware system can comprise a track and a wheel configured to interface with the track. The panel hardware system can also comprise a hanger including an extension portion, and a panel coupling portion to couple with a panel, wherein the track or the wheel is coupleable to a support structure and the other of the track or the wheel is coupleable to the extension portion such that the panel is movable relative to the support structure. In addition, the panel hardware system can comprise an adjustable spacer operable with the track, the wheel, and/or the hanger to provide a distance between the panel and the support structure as the panel moves relative to the support structure. The spacer can facilitate variable spacing configurations to accommodate a variety of panel dimensions or support structure configurations.
US09091101B2
Several vehicle liftgate striker and latch constructions are disclosed. The striker includes a striker base from which at least one striker pin extends. A latch, having a latch cover, Is configured to be mounted on a vehicle liftgate, for juxtaposition to the striker base when the liftgate is closed and the latch engages the at least one striker pin. The striker includes a reactor structure for making contact with the latch cover, when the liftgate is closed, for controlling lateral movement of the latch relative to the striker base. The reactor structure preferably Includes at least one roller mounted on a roller support, The latch cover has at least one side which Is angled, so as to exert force, having a lateral component, on the reactor structure. The at least one angled side of the latch cover may Include a detent, for providing additional restraining force, when the liftgate is In the closed position.
US09091099B2
Apparatuses and methods are provided to secure fishing reels to fishing rods. Interlocking apparatuses and methods are provided to secure fishing reel/rod combinations against theft.
US09091098B2
A method of assembling a tubular building structure 1 comprising a circumferential wall structure formed from a plurality of wall elements 2,20. The method comprises mutually assembling at least some of the wall elements 2,20 by use of screw sockets 4 mounted in holes in the wall elements 2,20 and bolts. The wall elements may be superposed tube sections 2 arranged on top of each other, and these tube sections 2 may be formed by interconnecting axially extending tube segments 20. In some embodiments of the invention, the screw sockets 4 are mounted at the manufacturing site, and the wall elements 2,20 are subsequently transported to the erection site of the tubular building structure 1. Preferably the mutual assembly of the wall elements 2,20 is performable solely by people working inside the tubular building structure 1 fastening the bolts 5 to the pre-mounted screw sockets 4.
US09091089B2
A modular tie member which promotes flexibility in manufacturing ICF blocks of varying widths and heights, one embodiment including a pair of side wall bracket members each encapsulated within a respective panel member forming an ICF block and a web member pivotally attached to and extending between the side wall bracket members. Each bracket member may include an extension portion and/or another interlocking mechanism associated with each opposite end thereof positioned for overlapping and engaging similar members associated with similarly constructed tie members when one tie member is stackably arranged one on top of another tie member. The extension portions and/or the other interlocking mechanism extend into respective teeth associated with the horizontally opposed edges of the panel members for mating with the extension portions and/or the other interlocking mechanism of another tie member associated with a similarly constructed ICF block positioned in vertical arrangement thereto. In still another embodiment, the web member is a one-piece member which is slidably engageable with the pair of bracket members thereby allowing the ICF blocks to be field assembled at the construction site.
US09091078B2
The present document describes a fastening device for fastening siding sheets to a surface, each one of the siding sheets comprising a first end, a second end and a projection portion, the fastening device comprising a strip for attachment to the surface; and braces spaced along the strip, at least one of the braces for engaging the first end of one of the siding sheets, wherein while fastening the one of the siding sheets to the surface, the second end of the one of the siding sheets is secured in place, then the first end of the one of the siding sheets is engaged in at least one of the braces.
US09091076B2
A toilet flange template apparatus comprising a first arm having a first head and a first connecting member extending therefrom, the first head defining a first perimeter edge substantially corresponding to and providing circumferential clearance relative to a toilet flange, and a second arm having a second head and a second connecting member extending therefrom, the second arm being pivotally connected to the first arm, the second head formed having a substantially downwardly-extending second center boss configured to be received within the toilet flange.
US09091074B2
A decorative molding located on the interior surface of a wall configured to releasably secure an object adjacent to the interior surface of the wall. The decorative molding further includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion is configured with a laterally oriented channel that is substantially the length of the body. A plurality of slots perpendicularly engage the channel and function to receive therein a suspension member. The suspension member is configured with a first end operable to engage the channel and extend downward through the slot. The suspension member has a second end distal from the first end that is configured to releasably receive an object thereon so as to suspend against the surface of the wall to which the molding is mounted.
US09091069B2
Embodiments relate generally to plastic wall panels. Wall panels are formed by rotational molding processes and may be used in sound attenuation barriers or other wall or building structures. Some embodiments include reinforcing structure. The reinforcing structure may be configured to effectively support a plastic shell of the wall panel in a way that allows some relative movement between the plastic shell and the reinforcing structure.
US09091065B2
A joint connection structure of a building framework includes a column assembly including a column and a pair of gusset plates connected to the column on opposite sides of the column and extending laterally outward from the column. A full-length beam assembly includes a full-length beam having upper and lower flanges and an end portion received between the gusset plates. A connecting member is operatively attached by welding to at least one of the flanges of the full-length beam. The connecting member is bolted to at least one of the gusset plates of the column assembly to connect the full-length beam assembly to the column assembly.
US09091064B1
An anchorage device and a method for connecting the device to an upstanding end of a rebar after the opposite end has been embedded in concrete. The anchorage device forms a head around the upstanding end of the rebar that will be covered with concrete to create bearing surfaces to hold the rebar in place within the concrete. The anchorage device includes a barrel having a tapered bore within which to receive the upstanding end of the rebar. A lid extends across the top of the barrel, and a threaded bolt is rotated through a threaded hole in the lid and into contact with the upstanding end of the rebar to apply an axial pushing force thereto. A segmented jaw slides through the tapered bore of the barrel into surrounding locking engagement with the upstanding end of the rebar to connect the device thereto.
