US09159118B2
An aspect of the present invention provides an image processing apparatus including: a people detecting unit that detects image portions of faces of a plurality of people in an image; and an image converting unit that enlarges a portion below a horizontal line segment of the image in a manner that locates the horizontal line segment at a top end of the enlarged image based on upper end positions of the detected faces. The horizontal line segment is on or above the extracted faces and has a lateral width equal to or larger than a lateral width of the faces. The image processing apparatus performs enlargement with reference to the faces so as not to warp the faces.
US09159113B2
A cell phone is disclosed for acquiring information to be transmitted to a receiving facility and for transmitting such thereto. A capture device captures information from an external source. A processor is provided for associating with the captured information a representation of the date and time of the capture of the information, such that the representation of the date and time information in association with the captured information forms augmented captured information. The processor also places the augmented captured information in association with subscriber information in a transmission of the augmented captured information to a receiving facility requiring such subscriber information. A transmitter transmits the transmission including the augmented captured information and the subscriber information to the receiving facility. An encryptor encrypts the augmented captured information with a symmetrical encryption algorithm to provide encrypted augmented captured information in the transmission with the subscriber information.
US09159108B2
The apparatus, systems and methods herein facilitate generation of energy-related revenue for an energy customer of an electricity supplier. The apparatuses and methods herein can be used to generate operating schedules for a controller of the energy assets. When implemented, the generated operating schedules facilitates derivation of the energy-related revenue, over a time period T, associated with operation of the energy assets according to the generated operating schedule. The energy-related revenue available to the energy customer over the time period T is based at least in part on a wholesale electricity market.
US09159097B2
System and method for communicating with an electronic exchange in an electronic trading environment
System and methods for a connection proxy server are described. According to an example method described herein, a connection proxy server stores subscription, product tables as well as other downloads that are provided to a client terminal during initialization stage as well as later during a trading session. Upon detecting that a connection between the client terminal and a gateway is lost, the connection proxy maintains a communication session created for the client terminal at the gateway and receives data intended for the client terminal. If the connection is re-established between the client terminal and the gateway during a predetermined period of time, the connection proxy provides the stored data to the client terminal thus avoiding a surge in processing resources at the gateway due to the necessary downloads.
US09159096B2
A vehicle rental transaction system and method which provide a vehicle lot owner with a choice of options for vehicle security and customer convenience. The vehicle rental transaction system includes a computer for identifying a customer as part of a rental transaction involving a vehicle, and for sending a wireless message to the vehicle containing instructions for preparing the vehicle for the customer. Example instructions include, but are not limited to, unlocking doors and a trunk of the vehicle, adjusting power seats and power mirrors in accordance with customer preferences, adjusting climate control settings in accordance with the customer preferences, adjusting radio station settings in accordance with the customer preferences, and adjusting GPS settings in accordance with the customer preferences.
US09159094B2
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques which aid in correctly capturing what a restaurant customer intends to order, and may enhance the customer's satisfaction with the ordering and dining process overall. For example, an interface may be provided through which a customer may specify an order, and the interface may clearly convey such information as each ordered item's ingredients and nutritional content. The interface may enable the customer to customize ordered items, and may clearly convey any changes that the customer has made, allowing the customer to make informed choices about the items included in an order. The interface may embody a design which enables the customer to quickly and easily customize items, and/or to re-order previously customized items.
US09159074B2
Embodiments are directed to managing viewer entered comments about a specific word, phrase, picture, or other multimedia content, such as a picture, sound, or video clip, in an article, document, and/or a web page. A document is presented to a viewer, wherein the document includes special highlighting (e.g., font type/size, underlining, colors, and the like) of certain portions of the document defining one or more target objects. The highlighted portions are determined for the viewer according to a plurality of unique lists of target objects defined by an author of the multimedia content. The viewer selects the target object and a list of recent comments related specifically to the selected target object is displayed. The viewer may also enter comments directly related to the same or a different target object. Advertisements related to the target objects may be displayed to the user when the user selects the target object.
US09159071B2
A method and article for increasing the opening/reading rate of mail and thus adding value to advertising by mail. A coupon value is embedded within a machine readable code of an information based indicia used as postage evidence on each piece of a mailing. The amount of the coupon and type of coupon can be determined by the customer creating the mailing. The information based indicia is digitally signed prior to printing, allowing a redeeming vendor to verify the authenticity of a coupon, preventing fraud and changing of data within the information based indicia. In addition, the customer originating the mailing may obtain marketing information such as mailing date, type of products purchased, after the coupon is redeemed.
US09159069B1
A rules engine stores a first rule, a second rule, and customer data. The rules engine transforms a portion of the customer data into a first code segment by applying the first rule and transforms a portion of the customer data into a second code segment by applying the second rule. In addition, the rules engine combines at least the first code segment and the second code segment to form a customer profile code. The generated customer profile code is associated with a customer identifier. A decision engine communicatively coupled to the rules engine matches the customer identifier of the customer profile code to third party data associated with a request for customer information. An interface engine communicatively coupled to the decision engine communicates the customer profile code to a third party if the customer identifier of the customer profile code matches the third party data.
US09159068B2
A method, system, and computer usable program product to determine a first mood of the user, where the first mood is based on a characteristic of the user at a first time during the providing of an online service and to determine a second mood of the user, where the second mood is based on a characteristic of the user at a second time during the providing of the online service. The first mood of the user and the second mood of the user are compared to determine a delta or change in mood of the user.
US09159066B2
The optimization system monitors a mobile phone user's behavior in response to an offer for a reward and determines a good level for a product promotion. The determination may be made based upon the user's current response, past response patterns to various reward levels or a correlation between a user's behavior and the behavior corresponding to a class of users. The system can determine an offer level that maximizes the return on the profit or revenue from a potential purchase for which the offer applies.
US09159061B2
A method for facilitating the widespread use of the PIN-Debit payment method for Internet “eCommerce” and mobile payments sales which requires little or no change for the cardholders, merchants, debit networks and card issuers based primarily on the introduction of a layer of middleware and wherein the Debit Networks and Issuing Banks may customize the implementation of the services based on individual strategy and cardholder preferences.
US09159052B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for adapting formats of data queries into a generic format. A query requesting data stored in a business objects data source is received. The query has a generic format and includes parameters that describe a computer interface implementation configured to execute the query to identify the requested data. Based on the one or more parameters, the computer software interface implementation is identified. The interface implementation specifies an interface-specific query format. The query is converted from the generic query format into the interface-specific query format, and provided to the computer software interface implementation. The interface implementation executes the interface-specific query and obtains the requested data in an interface-specific results format. This data is converted into a generic results format, and provided in response to receiving the query.
US09159039B2
An exemplary method for reducing complexity of at least one user task includes steps of calculating a complexity metric for the at least one user task; identifying one or more usability issues having a measurable impact on the complexity metric for the at least one user task; determining one or more recommendations for addressing at least one of the one or more usability issues; and displaying a representation of at least one of the one or more usability issues and of at least one of the one or more recommendations. In an illustrative embodiment, implementing any one of the one or more recommendations reduces the impact of the usability issue on the complexity metric of the at least one user task and thereby reduces a complexity of the at least one user task.
US09159020B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to a multiplexed neural core circuit. One embodiment comprises a neural core circuit including a memory device that maintains neuronal attributes for multiple neurons. The memory device has multiple entries. Each entry maintains neuronal attributes for a corresponding neuron. The core circuit further comprises a controller for managing the memory device and processing neuronal firing events targeting each neuron. The controller multiplexes computation and control logic for the neurons. In response to neuronal firing events targeting one of the neurons, the controller retrieves neuronal attributes for the target neuron from a corresponding entry of the memory device, and integrates the firing events based on the retrieved neuronal attributes to generate a firing event for the target neuron.
US09159019B2
An antenna (1) in accordance with the present invention includes a ground plate (11) and an antenna element (12) provided on an identical plane or on different planes parallel to each other, and is suitable for use in a wireless tag (2). The antenna (1) in accordance with the present invention further includes a shortening capacitor (14) that bridges the ground plate (11) and an end part (12B) of the antenna element (12), the end part (12B) being opposite to the power feed-side end part.
US09159016B2
Mediums that include features that work together to create a medium that can be tracked, identified and authenticated efficiently and accurately. In addition, these features may be concealed to prevent or hinder potential copiers from copying or passing off a copy as an original. Further, these features may allow organizations to determine the origin of a copy.
US09159010B2
A code is applied to a part of the retail item or its packaging/label. The code is applied in a repeat pattern. The code is presented in an optical machine-readable format. Code markers are arranged at pre-defined positions within a matrix. An optical machine-readable orientation device indicates the correct orientation of the matrix, so that the position of the code markers within the correctly orientated matrix corresponds to a pre-defined sequence of code integers. The code corresponds to an existing barcode number for the retail item. The code is presented in a manner discreet enough to be part of the printed design of a label or packaging for the retail item, without changing the overall appearance of the printed design.
US09159009B2
The invented image forming apparatus includes an image data production condition production section for producing an image data production condition, an image data output condition production section for producing an image data output condition, and an image data management section for obtaining the image data production condition and the image data output condition in response to an output demand of the image data, for outputting the image data in a case where the image data production condition coincides to the image data output condition, for obtaining a password of the image data in a case where the image data production condition does not coincide to the image data output condition, for outputting the image data in a case where the designated password is entered at a time of image production, and for not outputting the image data in a case where anything other than the designated password is entered at the time of image production. With the invented image forming apparatus, the user's manipulability is much improved as ensuring the security.
US09159007B2
A network apparatus transmits the completion notice of the start to a start indicating apparatus in a case of completing a start processing to be executed according to a start indication. In a case of monitoring and receiving the receipt of the completion notice of the start transmitted from the network apparatus, the start indicating apparatus transmits the completion notice of the start with respect to a terminal apparatus through a repeating apparatus.
US09159005B2
A system including a communication interface, a memory, and a processor. The communication interface is configured to receive data. The memory is divided into a first retention region and a second retention region, wherein the first retention region is configured to store data for a first predetermined period of time, and the second retention region is configured to store data for a second predetermined period of time. The processor is configured to i) initially store, within the first retention region of the memory, the data that is received, and ii) in response to the data that is received having been stored in the first retention region of the memory for a time limit that exceeds the first predetermined period of time, transfer the data that is received from the first retention region of the memory to the second retention region of the memory.
US09158999B2
Logical pages are laid out on a physical page according to setting of a multipage printing condition. When a user drags a logical page, a layout of logical pages is changed based on an area to which the logical page is dragged.
US09158991B2
An embodiment is a method for detecting image features, the method including extracting a stripe from a digital image, the stripe including of a plurality of blocks; processing the plurality of blocks for localizing one or more keypoints; and detecting one or more image features based on the one or more localized keypoints.
US09158990B2
A system, computer readable medium and a method for motion detection, the method includes: receiving multiple frames; generating a set of digits for each pixel of multiple pixels of each frame of the multiple frames; wherein each set of digits represents a pixel that belongs to a patch of a frame and represents relationships between (a) first similarities between the patch and a set of patches of a next frame that are located in locations that differ from each other and differ from a location of the patch; and (b) second similarities between the patch and a set of patches of a previous frame that are located in locations that differ from each other and differ from a location of the patch; and processing the sets of digits to detect motion.
US09158989B1
A method and system comprising image processing techniques is provided that utilize spatio-spectral information relevant to an image, derived from multiple sets of selectively varied representations of the image to accurately and correctly identify illumination and material aspects of the image. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a scale-spaced pyramid arrangement is provided to preserve the purity of color from scale to scale, to insure accuracy in the identification of illumination and material aspects of the image.
US09158979B2
When a pedestrian candidate and an animal candidate that are detected from an image imaged by an imaging device mounted in a vehicle are in a specified relationship in said image (such as existing nearby), the animal candidate is considered to be an item related to the pedestrian candidate, in other words, a pair object. Attention-arousing output directed at the animal candidate configuring the pair object is not generated. Therefore, a vehicle vicinity monitoring device is provided that reduces the frequency of attention-arousing directed at an animal (for ex-ample, a small animal such as a dog) being walked by a human.
US09158976B2
Local models learned from anomaly detection are used to rank detected anomalies. The local models include image feature values extracted from an image field of video image data with respect to different predefined spatial and temporal local units, wherein anomaly results are determined by failures to fit to applied anomaly detection module local models. Image features values extracted from the image field local units associated with anomaly results are normalized, and image feature values extracted from the image field local units are clustered. Weights for anomaly results are learned as a function of the relations of the normalized extracted image feature values to the clustered image feature values. The normalized values are multiplied by the learned weights to generate ranking values to rank the anomalies.
US09158973B1
A soft, weighted constraint imposed upon image locations temporally spaced in frames of a video, can be used to provide a more accurate segregation of an image into intrinsic material reflectance and illumination components. The constraint is arranged to constrain all color band variations between the image locations into one integral constraining relationship.
US09158972B2
Objects within two-dimensional video data are modeled by three-dimensional models as a function of object type and motion through manually calibrating a two-dimensional image to the three spatial dimensions of a three-dimensional modeling cube. Calibrated three-dimensional locations of an object in motion in the two-dimensional image field of view of a video data input are determined and used to determine a heading direction of the object as a function of the camera calibration and determined movement between the determined three-dimensional locations. The two-dimensional object image is replaced in the video data input with an object-type three-dimensional polygonal model having a projected bounding box that best matches a bounding box of an image blob, the model oriented in the determined heading direction. The bounding box of the replacing model is then scaled to fit the object image blob bounding box, and rendered with extracted image features.
US09158971B2
A system and method enable generating a specific object detector for a category of interest. The method includes identifying seed objects in frames of a video sequence with a pre-trained generic detector for the category. An appearance model is iteratively learned for each of the seed objects using other frames in which the seed object is identified. The appearance models are learned jointly to optimize a loss function which accounts for the loss of incorrectly labeling sub-images and a regularization term which measures a distance between the appearance models. The loss of incorrectly labeling sub-images is determined using a motion model which predicts the location of the seed object in the subsequent frames so that sub-images outside the location that the current appearance model contribute to the loss. The specific object detector is then generated by aggregating the optimized appearance models.
US09158965B2
As visual recognition scales up to ever larger numbers of categories, maintaining high accuracy is increasingly difficult. Embodiment of the present invention include methods for optimizing accuracy-specificity trade-offs in large scale recognition where object categories form a semantic hierarchy consisting of many levels of abstraction.
US09158959B2
A user is identified and an in-place personalized interactive display provided by detecting, via a first imaging system, one or more unique characteristics of a user's palm, identifying the user via the one or more unique characteristics and a database containing mappings between detectable unique characteristics and user identities, retrieving user-specific interactive content as a function of the identity of the user, projecting, via a second imaging system, the user-specific interactive content onto the user's palm, and detecting, via a third imaging system, a user's interaction with the projected user-specific interactive content. The user may be identified by transmitting the one or more unique characteristics to a remote authentication server and receiving, in response, an identity of the user. User-specific content as a function of the identity of the user may be retrieved from a remote interactive content server.
US09158954B2
Systems and methods of reading machine-readable symbols are provided. A method of reading a machine-readable symbol includes emitting by a first source outgoing electromagnetic energy comprising wavelengths in a first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum towards a target comprising the machine-readable symbol. Incoming electromagnetic energy comprising wavelengths in a second portion of the electromagnetic spectrum reflected or emitted by the machine-readable symbol are discerned by a global shutter sensor after transmission through at least a first portion of a color filter array having a plurality of portions.
US09158950B2
At a facility having a first area and a second area that is at least substantially non-overlapping with the first area, these teachings provide for using at least a first RFID-tag reader to read RFID tags in a first inventory state in the first area using a first session protocol while also contemporaneously using a second session protocol to cause the RFID-tag reader to cause RFID tags in the first area to switch to that first inventory state. In a similar manner these teachings also provide for using a second RFID-tag reader to read RFID tags in the first inventory state in the second area using the second session protocol while also contemporaneously using the first session protocol to cause RFID tags in the second area to switch to the first inventory state.
US09158949B2
A method, system and tag for low power radio frequency communication is described. In one embodiment, the RF tag comprises: an access point comprising: a first antenna; a first radio coupled to the first antenna; a central processing unit coupled to the first radio; a backscatter adapter coupled to the access point via a wired communication interface, the backscatter adapter comprising a backscatter radio and a second antenna coupled to the backscatter radio for use in communicating with an RF tag in the network via backscatter.
US09158946B2
A locker system includes one or more banks of electronic lockers. Each locker has a door lock that releasably retains the door in the closed position. The locker system also includes at least one barcode scanner selectively unlocks the door of at least one of the lockers. A locker manager is coupled to each of the electronic lockers via an electronic network. The locker manager stores a list of unique barcodes that are each associated with a locker rental plan including at least one locker account. Each locker account includes an activation indication, a use indication, a locker type indication, and a duration. The unique barcodes are printed or otherwise included on wristbands, which may be scanned at the barcode scanner to gain access to one or more of the lockers.
US09158938B1
In some embodiments, techniques for secure data entry comprise receiving a request for secure data entry in an electronic document, presenting a data field in a spoof-resistant manner, receiving field data, and securing field data.
US09158930B2
An operating system identifies a request of a process to create, in a file system of the computing device, a new object. The operating system creates an object label for the new object, identifies one or more security policy rules applicable to the process, and verifies whether the process is authorized to create the new object with the object label in the file system of the computing device using the applicable security policy rules. When the process is authorized to create the new object with the object label, the operating system creates the new object with the object label in the file system of the computing device. When the process is not authorized to create the new object with the object label, an error message is generated.
US09158925B2
Existing private set intersection (PSI) protocol allows two parties to find intersection of their sets, but restricts learning any other information about each other's set except for its size. In general, the server-aided private set intersection with data transfer technique described herein provides a server-aided private set intersection (PSI) protocol that supports data transfers. The technique pertains to a method for providing a server-aided private set intersection protocol which allows two parties to transfer some of the information about their elements via an untrusted third party. The protocol involves (a) parties applying a shared pseudo-random permutation to each of their sets to create labels of the elements of the set, (b) sending the labels to the third party and (c) the third party performing data transfer between the two parties along with computation of intersection of sets received using a multi-share key.
US09158924B2
An information processing apparatus that processes data to be protected is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a first storage unit, a second storage unit, and a cache control unit configured to cache data stored in the first storage unit into the second storage unit. The cache control unit is configured to lock a cache region in the second storage unit to thereby prevent cache data of the stored data from being written back into the first storage unit, the cache data being obtainable from the cache region in the second storage unit in which the stored data is cached, and write the data to be protected different from the stored data into the cache region in the second storage unit, after the cache region in the second storage unit is locked.
US09158923B2
A method includes performing on a computing system a source-to-sink reachability analysis of code of an application. The reachability analysis is performed using a static analysis of the code and determines flows from sources of information to sinks that use the information. The method includes determining scopes for corresponding security sensitive operations using the determined flows, each of the security sensitive operations corresponding to statements in the code and one or more flows. A scope for a security sensitive operation includes a block of statements in the code that correspond to a set of one or more flows ending at a sink. The method includes, for each of one or more selected scopes, moving statements in a corresponding block of statements that are independent of a security sensitive operation in the block to code before or after the block. Apparatus and program products are also disclosed.
US09158921B1
A processing system has a stored, encrypted data structure that is decrypted to provide verification data values. System data values are retrieved from locations distributed about a memory storing system data. The verification data values are compared with corresponding system data values to determine if a predetermined threshold of verification data values matches the system data values. The system resumes operation if the predetermined threshold is met.
US09158918B2
Various embodiments provide methods, apparatus, and computer readable medium for determining a malicious program. In an exemplary method, a specific application programming interface (API) within an application program can be obtained. Call logic for calling the specific API can be determined. The call logic can include a triggering event to trigger the specific API to be called, a feedback path provided after the specific API is called, or a combination thereof. Whether the application program is a malicious program can be determined according to the call logic.
US09158917B2
An apparatus is provided for auditing protected health information of one or more patients. The apparatus includes at least one memory and at least one processor configured to detect a query to access information stored in a database including patient-related information. The processor is further configured to save the query in an event file. The processor is further configured to capture query-related information associated with the query and save the query-related information in the event file. The processor is further configured to determine that the query involves protected health information. The processor is further configured to transmit, in response to determining that the query involves protected health information, the query-related information to be used in a reporting table. Corresponding computer program products and methods are also provided.
US09158912B2
A simple to customize secure IT infrastructure architecture. The IT infrastructure architecture includes a secure general purpose virtualized architecture platform. The IT infrastructure architecture is well suited for delivering simple pre-packaged software solutions to the small business segment as plug and play type appliances. In certain embodiments, the IT infrastructure architecture includes a secure virtual appliance device such as a virtual appliance universal serial bus (USB) key. The IT infrastructure architecture uses embedded server virtualization technology to host applications as a virtual appliance.
US09158908B2
Exemplary methods, systems and components are implemented on a multipassenger transit vehicle to provide passenger access to a pre-assigned interactive electronic media device associated with a passenger identification (ID) code or associated with an on-board situs location. The electronic media device may include a storage component, and a battery module that can periodically be replaced or recharged. Security techniques may provide protection against unauthorized usage of each electronic media device, and also help prevent unauthorized removal of the electronic media device from its approved location in the transit vehicle. Selective content may be accessible or downloaded via a communication node, wherein such content may include application programs or informational data specifically correlated with a media device location or a designated vehicle passenger. Selective content and/or operation capability for the electronic media device may be varied based on predetermined qualifications or passenger request.
US09158905B2
A method for computer startup protection, wherein the method includes steps that a computer powers up, and loads and executes a dynamic password computer startup protection program; the dynamic password computer startup protection program receives a password entered by a user; the password is obtained by the user via sending a dynamic password generating command to a dynamic password device; then the dynamic password computer startup protection program determines whether the password is valid, if so, the dynamic password computer startup protection program loads a computer startup program of the computer; otherwise the dynamic password computer startup protection program does not load the computer startup program of the computer. A system includes a computer and a dynamic password generating device.
US09158902B2
This disclosure is directed to software modification that may be used to prevent software piracy and prevent unauthorized modification of applications. In some embodiments, a software vendor may modify software prior to distribution to a user. The software vendor may extract cutouts from an application to create a modified application. The modified application and the cutouts may be downloaded by a user device. The user device may run the application using the modified application and by executing the cutouts in a secure execution environment that conceals the underlying code in the cutouts.
US09158901B2
A system and method for device security is described, the system and method including at least one integrated circuit including a CPU, a key register storing a hardware enabling key, the key including a large number of bits, such that each bit of the large number of bits has a correct value, and if any one bit of the large number of bits is set to an incorrect value the key will not function correctly a combination circuit for performing a function, ƒ, the function ƒ being essential for correct functionality of the CPU, such that the combination circuit is activated by the key, the combination circuit only performing function ƒ if each of the large number of bits of the key is set to the correct value, and there exists no set of intermediate or output bits derived from the large number of bits of the key, which determine if the combination circuit performs function ƒ, the set intermediate or output bits including fewer bits than are included in the key. Related apparatus, methods, and systems are also described.
US09158892B2
Devices, systems, and methods are described for remotely managing items that are configured to be stored in at least one dispensing device. This includes receiving user identification information at a host computer system from an electronic device that is remotely located from the dispensing device. This also includes transmitting from the host computer system to the electronic device a disposition of at least one item, wherein the at least one item is associated with a patient. Further, this includes receiving, at the host computer system from the remote electronic device, information about the item originating from the dispensing device, wherein the information includes a further disposition of the item.
US09158882B2
Systems and methods for automatically generating a Network on Chip (NoC) interconnect architecture with pipeline stages are described. The present disclosure includes example implementations directed to automatically determining the number and placement of pipeline stages for each channel in the NoC. Example implementations may also adjust the buffer at one or more routers based on the pipeline stages and configure throughput for virtual channels.
US09158878B2
According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for designing an integrated circuit by a computer including an input unit, a memory unit, a calculating unit, and an output unit. The method can include storing a design model in the memory unit. The design model has parameters of physical quantities of active elements, passive elements, and an interconnection pattern included in the integrated circuit. The design model has an algorithm generating a circuit layout from values of the parameters. The method can include inputting the values of the parameters based on a first design specification of the integrated circuit by the input unit, generating a first circuit layout of the active elements, the passive elements, and the interconnection pattern by the calculating unit using the design model from the values of the parameters received by the input unit, and outputting the first circuit layout by the output unit.
US09158877B2
A semiconductor structure includes a first active area structure, an isolation structure surrounding the first active area structure, a first polysilicon structure, a first metal structure, and a second metal structure. The first polysilicon structure is over the first active area structure. The first metal structure is directly over a first portion of the first active area structure. The second metal structure is directly over and in contact with a portion of the first polysilicon structure and in contact with the first metal structure.
US09158863B2
A data acquisition system can include a central controller to provide a data acquisition system signal. The data acquisition system can also include a cabinet to receive the data acquisition system signal. The cabinet can have an array of modules installed therein. The cabinet can include a backplane connected to each module of the array of modules. The backplane can provide a status request signal to a given module in the array of modules if the given module is assigned a module address identified by the data acquisition system signal. The given module can provide status data characterizing an operational status of the given module in response to the status request.
US09158847B1
The invention provides a fast approximate as well as exact hierarchical network storage and retrieval system and method for encoding and indexing graphs or networks into a data structure called the Cognitive Signature for property based, analog based or structure or sub-structure based search. The system and method produce a Cognitive Memory from a multiplicity of stored Cognitive Signatures and are ideally suited to store and index all or parts of massive data sets, linguistic graphs, protein graphs, chemical graphs, graphs of biochemical pathways, image or picture graphs as well as dynamical graphs such as traffic graphs or flows and motion picture sequences of graphs. The system and method have the advantage that properties of the Cognitive Signature of the graph can be used in correlations to the properties of the underlying data making the system ideal for semantic indexing of massive scale graph data sets.
US09158845B1
A page structure may be used to begin validation of an embedded resource prior to the time a browser issues a request to validate the embedded resource. A page structure includes information indicating one or more embedded resources in the web page and, in some implementations, its corresponding cache characteristics. The page structure may be used to generate a validation message that indicates resources to be validated. The validation message may be sent to a server at substantially the same time that the browser begins rendering the web page. The server can then begin validating the resources indicated in the validation message by sending validation requests to an origin or other server storing the embedded resources. The server then may send the validation responses back to the client computer executing the browser so that the validation responses can be used to satisfy corresponding validation requests generated by the browser.
US09158832B1
The disclosure is generally directed to a method and computing device for maintaining dependencies among multiple reference elements (e.g., formulas of a table or spreadsheet). In various embodiments, prior to a reevaluation operation carried out on the reference elements, a computing device receives an input of a reference element via a user interface (e.g., receives a user's input of a formula), assigns the reference element to a group based on the dependency between the reference element and one or more other reference elements, and assigns the reference element to a location within a dependency graph to which the other reference elements are assigned. In response to an event that requires at least one of the reference elements to be reevaluated, the computing device reevaluates each group of reference elements in sequence a group at a time.
US09158823B2
A method for controlling a displayed user interface for accessing content provided by a multimedia content delivery network is disclosed. A plurality of user interface events, representing user actions during operation of the user interface, are recorded for one or more end users. The recorded user interface events include user actions that do not result in a command or transaction received by the service provider of the network. The recorded user interface events may be stored in a data warehouse and mined for business purposes.
US09158815B2
A method determines a number of unique values in a sample of a list of values and estimates a number of the unique values for an unsampled portion of the list of values. The method estimates a number of the unique values in the list by adding the number of unique values in the sample to the number of the unique values in the unsampled portion.
US09158812B2
According to one aspect of the invention, for a database statement that specifies evaluating ranking or cumulative window functions, an execution strategy based on an extended data distribution key may be used for the database statement. In the execution strategy, each sort operator of multiple parallel processing sort operators computes locally evaluated results of a ranking or cumulative window function based on a subset of rows in all rows used to evaluate the database statement, and sends the first and last rows' locally evaluated results to a query coordinator. The query coordinator consolidates the locally evaluated results received from the multiple parallel processing sort operators and sends consolidated results to the sort operators based on their respective demographics. Each sort operator completes full evaluation of the ranking or cumulative window functions based at least in part on one or more of the consolidated results provided by the query coordinator.
US09158810B2
A method and apparatus for sending and receiving messages between nodes on a compute cluster is provided. Communication between nodes on a compute cluster, which do not share physical memory, is performed by passing messages over an I/O subsystem. Typically, each node includes a synchronization mechanism, a thread ready to receive connections, and other threads to process and reassemble messages. Frequently, a separate queue is maintained in memory for each node on the I/O subsystem sending messages to the receiving node. Such overhead increases latency and limits message throughput. Due to a specialized coprocessor running on each node, messages on an I/O subsystem are sent, received, authenticated, synchronized, and reassembled at a faster rate and with lower latency. Additionally, the memory structure used may reduce memory consumption by storing messages from multiple sources in the same memory structure, eliminating the need for per-source queues.
US09158806B2
An approach for managing a data package is provided. Network throughput is determined to exceed a threshold. A sender computer determines a hash digest of the data package by using a hash function selected based on central processing unit utilization. If the hash digest is in a sender hash table, then without sending the data package, the sender computer sends the hash digest and an index referring to the hash digest so that a recipient computer can use the index to locate a matching hash digest and the data package in a recipient hash table. If the hash digest is not in the sender hash table, then the sender computer adds the data package and the hash digest to the sender hash table and sends the data package and the hash digest to the second computer to check the integrity of the data package based on the hash digest.
US09158801B2
In one embodiment, a method includes maintaining data stores for objects of a social-networking system, each data store being configured to store objects of a particular one of multiple object types indexed by a search index; receiving an object; identifying an object type of the received object; storing the received object in at least one data store being configured to store objects of the identified object type; and updating the search index of the at least one data store based on the received object.
US09158800B2
In some instances, a resource may have display space that is independent of the first-party content and which may be used for presenting third-party content items. The display of third-party content items may also depend on one or more device parameters. For a non-standard space, such as a content item slot having a non-standard ratio of height to width, a determination of the number of content items that can fill the non-standard content item slot may be made based on the height of the content item slot, the width of the content item slot, and a minimum content item size. The number of content items may be selected and formatted, such as by modifying a font size, based on the height and width of the content item slot and the minimum content item size. Data may be output to effect display of the formatted content items with the resource.
US09158799B2
A management system may include a reconciliation engine configured to reconcile a first instance of a resource object from a first data provider and a second instance of the resource object from a second data provider to obtain a reconciled resource object, and store the first instance, and second instance, and the reconciled resource object in datasets. The management system may include a context sensitive query engine configured to receive a context-sensitive query including context information identifying a source originally providing context sensitive data associated with a context-sensitive attribute, and retrieve the context sensitive data from one or more of the datasets based on the context information.
US09158798B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to database large object (LOB) reorganization. An aspect of the invention includes calculating an activity of an inline LOB. The length of an inline LOB is redefined according to the activity of the inline LOB. LOB reorganization is performed based on the redefined length of the inline LOB.
US09158791B2
Technologies are generally presented for employing enhanced expectation maximization (EEM) in image retrieval and authentication. Using uniform distribution as initial condition, the EEM may converge iteratively to a global optimality. If a realization of the uniform distribution is used as the initial condition, the process may also be repeatable. In some examples, a positive perturbation scheme may be used to avoid boundary overflow, often occurring with the conventional EM algorithms. To reduce computation time and resource consumption, a histogram of one dimensional Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) with two components and wavelet decomposition of an image may be employed.
US09158785B1
Described herein are methods, systems, and computer program products for managing and synchronizing content between a document sharing platform and an enterprise social platform. A connector module of a server computing device receives a request to transmit one or more files between the document sharing platform and the enterprise social platform. The connector module synchronizes the files between the document sharing platform and the enterprise social platform. The connector module validates the files for compliance with one or more of: a document retention policy and a digital loss prevention policy.
US09158784B2
A method, system, and computer program product to process data in a streaming application are disclosed. The method, system, and computer program product may include receiving a stream of tuples to be processed by a plurality of processing elements operating on a plurality of compute nodes. The method, system, and computer program product may determine whether a first processing element has additional processing capacity. In some embodiments, the method, system, and computer program product determine whether a second processing element, which receives its input from the first processing element, also has additional processing capacity. The method, system, and computer program product may employ compression at the first processing element if one of the first and the second processing element has additional processing capacity.
US09158779B2
Replication techniques are presented. According to an embodiment of a method, a node of a replicated storage network is assigned to be an owner of a data block to issue write memory block commands. The network includes at least two nodes including the node assigned to be the owner. If a read memory block command is received to read the data block, a read_lock is issued for the data block, the data block is read, and the read_lock for the data block is released. If a write memory block command is received to write new data to the data block, a write_lock is issued for the data block, the data block is written and a version associated with the data block is incremented, and the write_lock for the data block is released.
US09158773B2
System, method, and computer program product to reduce an amount of processing required to generate a response to a first case by a deep question answering system, by, determining that a similarity score, of the first case relative to a second case, exceeds a similarity threshold, identifying a first feature of the second case having a first relevance score exceeding a relevance threshold, identifying a first candidate answer for the first case that does not have the first feature, and refraining from analyzing the first candidate answer in generating the response to the first case, thereby reducing the amount of processing of the deep question answering system.
US09158769B2
A content delivery system including a subscriber controller and cache, a source controller configured to transmit content to the subscriber controller and cache via a multicast transmission; and a network content delivery controller (NCDC) in communication with the subscriber controller and cache and source controller. A control plane is used to communicate the delivery of control information using Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) between the subscriber controller and cache, source controller, and NCDC.
US09158768B2
A method and a system to configure a query language using an operator dictionary are provided. Dictionary information that corresponds to a first user is generated. The dictionary information includes a first list of compatible query operators and a description of compatible data types that correspond to each operator in the first list of query operators. A search query to search for document information in a database is received from a first user. The database includes an inverted index. Terms of the search query from the first user are determined to be in accordance with the dictionary information that corresponds to the first user. The search query is applied to the inverted index in the database to identify the document information. The document information is sent to the first user.
US09158763B1
This disclosure relates to a method and a system for cataloging storage arrays and devices. Exemplary systems create, update, and store indexes, and also provide a search facility to search indexed information. Cataloging creates, stores and updates indexes of all the configuration of a storage array or device, as well as snapshots of applications. Exemplary methods comprise identifying a storage array, conducting a storage discovery, obtaining a complete storage array information, and creating an index.
US09158760B2
System, apparatus and method for determining semantic information from audio, where incoming audio is sampled and processed to extract audio features, including temporal, spectral, harmonic and rhythmic features. The extracted audio features are compared to stored audio templates that include ranges and/or values for certain features and are tagged for specific ranges and/or values. The semantic information may be associated with audio codes to determine changing characteristics of identified media during a time period.
US09158751B2
The present invention includes a method and system for persistently self-replicating multiple ranges of cells through a copy-paste operation, in a multi dimensional spreadsheet. A set of ranges of cells is defined, wherein each range of cells has the same size. Each time the content of a range of cells belonging to this set is changed, a self-replication operation is performed automatically. The self-replication operation includes the steps of copying the changed range of cells onto a buffer; determining the set of ranges of cells to which the changed range of cells belongs; identifying the ranges of cells belonging to the set; and pasting the content of the buffer in each of the identified range of cells belonging to the set.
US09158750B2
A method and system to process an electronic form is provided. The system may include a communications module to receive a request to digitally sign an electronic form, the electronic form being direct rendered, a suspend module to respond to the request by suspending direct rendering, and a signed content generator to generate a signed version of the electronic form. The signed version of the electronic form is to reflect a state of the electronic form at the time of the request digitally sign the electronic form.
US09158749B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to form value processing and provide a method, system and computer program product for smart completion of form values in a form. In a first embodiment of the invention, a data processing system for completing form data can include smart complete logic configured for coupling to a content server in a content distribution platform. The smart complete logic can include program code enabled to dispose a smart complete control element and a save control element in a form where the smart complete control element can include one or more selectable form value sets.
US09158748B2
A method of annotating an electronic document includes generating a first annotation in a first electronic document using an annotation service, where the first annotation makes a first correction to a portion of text based on the context of the portion of text within the first electronic document. The method further includes storing the first annotation in the metadata of the first electronic document, detecting electronic copying of the portion of text to a copy buffer, and correcting the portion of text in the copy buffer according to the first annotation.
US09158743B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for designing a network site. A grid layout component is provided in conjunction with a network page. The network page has at least one text element and at least one image element. The grid layout component has a plurality of cell configurations. Each cell configuration includes at least one text cell and at least one image cell. An indication is received from a user, indicating that one of the cell configurations is to be an initial cell configuration. In response to the user indication, the at least one text element and the at least one image element are displayed in a grid having the initial cell configuration. Layout code is generated which renders the grid, including the at least one text element and the at least one image element, within the network page for display by the browser.
US09158734B1
Methods and apparatus for a cloud storage system to add a first one of a compute, network, and/or storage layer resource to the service, provision the added first one of the compute, network, and/or storage layer resources, and activate the provisioned first one of the compute, network, and/or storage layer resources into the already provisioned service with minimal interruption of the service to elastically add a resource to the service.
US09158728B2
System and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a master device comprising a first serial peripheral interface (SPI) port having only a first four wires. The system further includes a slave device comprising a second SPI port having only a second four wires. The system additionally includes a galvanic isolation barrier communicatively coupling the first four wires to the second four wires. The master device is configured to use the first four wires to transmit a plurality of signals representative of a reset and of a first communications mode. The first communications mode is used to transfer data between the master device and the slave device.
US09158720B2
An integrated circuit includes a trace subsystem that provides timestamps for events occurring in a trace source that does not natively support time stamping trace data. A timestamp inserter is coupled to such a trace source. The timestamp inserter generates a modified trace data stream by arranging a reference or references with the trace information from the trace source on a trace bus. A trace destination receives the modified trace data stream including the reference(s). In some embodiments, a timestamp inserter receives a timestamp request and stores a reference in a buffer. Upon later receipt of trace information associated with the request, the timestamp inserter inserts the reference, a current reference and the received trace information into the trace data stream.
US09158719B2
Heterogeneous parallel systems for accelerating simulations based on discrete grid numerical methods
A system for executing a given scientific code using a suitable finite-volume or finite-element solver for a large dataset represented as a grid, comprising a plurality of equal computing nodes interconnected by node communication means and a parallel computing software package for distributing and controlling the execution in sub-grids among said computing nodes; each computing node comprising at least a CPU-based first processing means and a FPGA-based second processing means interconnected by a bus; said package being configured for the simultaneous execution of at least one first solver process (which is fully executed in a first processing means) and one second solver process (which is fully executed in a second processing means) in each computing node for one sub-grid of said grid and for managing the exchange of boundary data with the solver processes that solve neighbor sub-grids.
US09158717B2
There is a need to alleviate or reduce crosstalk between bonding wires or wires in a device substrate. One selection configuration divides a multiplexed terminal group into three groups according to functions differently from another selection configuration that divides the multiplexed terminal group into two groups. A first multi-pin semiconductor device is configured such that the groups are successively arranged along one edge of the chip. The first semiconductor device connects with a second semiconductor device via a multiplexed terminal group. The multiplexed terminal group includes first through third interface terminal groups that differ from each other in signal input/output configurations.
US09158716B2
A memory/storage module is provided that implements a solid state drive compatible with Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) or Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) signaling on a double-data-rate compatible socket. A detachable daughter card may be coupled to the memory module for converting a memory bus voltage to a second voltage for memory devices on the memory module. Additionally, a hybrid memory bus on a host system is provided that supports either DDR-compatible memory modules and/or SATA/SAS-compatible memory modules. In one example, the memory/storage module couples to a first bus (DDR3 compatible socket) to obtain voltage and/or other signals, but uses a second bus for data transfers. In another example, the memory module may repurpose/reuse electrical paths that typically carry non-data signals for data traffic to/from the memory/storage module. Such data traffic for the memory/storage module permits concurrent data traffic for other memory modules on the same memory bus.
US09158715B1
Described herein are memory apparatuses, and methods of operating the same, that have a memory array module configured, in a given clock cycle, to either receive a first command to write to a first memory location having a first address, or receive a second command to read from a second memory location having a second address. A comparison circuit of the memory apparatus is configured to compare the first address to the second address. The memory apparatus also includes an output circuit configured to output data stored in the memory array module at the second memory location based at least on the first address and second address being different. The output circuit is also configured to output data received from a write data input, bypassing the memory array module, when the first address and the second address are the same.
US09158713B1
A system and method are provided for evenly distributing central processing unit (CPU) packet processing workloads. The method accepts packets for processing at a port hardware module port interface. The port hardware module supplies the packets to a direct memory access (DMA) engine for storage in system memory. The port hardware module also supplies descriptors to a mailbox. Each descriptor identifies a corresponding packet. The mailbox has a plurality of slots, and loads the descriptors into empty slots. There is a plurality of CPUs, and each CPU fetches descriptors from assigned slots in the mailbox. Then, each CPU processes packets in the system memory in the order in which the associated descriptors are fetched. A load balancing module estimates each CPU workload and reassigns mailbox slots to CPUs in response to unequal CPU workloads.
US09158709B2
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to memory devices and security of same.
US09158703B2
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for linear to physical address translation with support for page attributes. In some embodiments, a system receives an instruction to translate a memory pointer to a physical memory address for a memory location. The system may return the physical memory address and one or more page attributes. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09158701B2
The page tables in existing art are modified to allow virtual address resolution by mapping to multiple overlapping entries, and resolving a physical address from the most specific entry. This enables more efficient use of system resources by allowing smaller frames to shadow larger frames. A page table is selected. When a virtual address in a request corresponds to an entry in the page table, which identifies a next page table associated with the large frame, a determination is made that the virtual address corresponds to an entry in the next page table, the entry in the next page table referencing a small frame overlay for the large frame. The virtual address is mapped to a physical address in the small frame overlay using data of the entry in the next page table. The physical address in a process-specific view of the large frame is returned.
US09158699B2
Memory management techniques that permit an executing process to store content in memory and later retrieve that content from the memory, but that also permit a memory manager to discard that content to address memory pressure. A process executing on a computing device may notify a memory manager of the computing device that first memory space allocated to the process contains first content that is available for discard. If the memory manager detects the computing device is experiencing memory pressure, the memory manager may address the memory pressure by selecting memory space available for discard and discarding the content of the memory space. Before a process reuses content made available for discard, the process may notify the memory manager of the intent to reuse and, in response, receive empty memory and an indication that the content was discarded or receive an indication that the content is still available for use.
US09158698B2
According to an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for control block management is provided. The computer-implemented method includes placing one or more control blocks in a queue for execution by a computer hardware device. The computer-implemented method also includes allocating a purge flag in each of the control blocks. The purge flag instructs the computer hardware device to skip execution of the corresponding control block.
US09158694B2
A method, information processing device, and computer program product mitigate busy time in a hierarchical store-through memory cache structure. A cache directory associated with a memory cache is divided into a plurality of portions each associated with a portion memory cache. Simultaneous cache lookup operations and cache write operations between the plurality of portions of the cache directory are supported. Two or more store commands are simultaneously processed in a shared cache pipeline communicatively coupled to the plurality of portions of the cache directory.
US09158690B2
A method and system for sending data in a file system that uses cryptographic signatures to protect data integrity. A computer system calculates a signature based on the content of a page of a memory. The memory is shared by processes that run on the computer system. The computer system write-protects the page while the page is used for calculation of the signature. When a first process attempts to modify the page, a page fault is triggered. In response to the page fault, the content of the page in memory is copied to a new page in the memory. The new page is accessible by the processes. Access to the page by the first process is redirected to the new page. Subsequent to the page fault, access to the page by the second process is also redirected to the new page.
US09158687B2
A method for efficiently processing write data from a storage controller to a striped storage volume is provided. The method includes receiving, by the storage controller, a host write request including a host write request size, calculating, by the storage controller, that a time to fill a stripe including the host write request is less than a host guaranteed write time, and processing, by the storage controller, the host write request as a writeback host write request. The storage controller stores writeback host write requests in a write cache. The time to fill the stripe is a size of the stripe divided by a data rate of a corresponding host write stream including the host write request. The host guaranteed write time is the maximum latency that the storage controller guarantees host write requests are committed to one of the write cache and the striped storage volume.
US09158683B2
A multiport memory emulator receives first and a second memory commands for concurrent processing of memory commands in one operation clock cycle. Data operands are stored in a memory array of bitcells that is arranged as rows and memory banks. An auxiliary memory bank provides a bitcell for physically storing an additional word for each row. The bank address portion of each of the first and second memory commands is respectively translated into a first and second physical bank address. The second physical bank address is assigned a bank address of a bank that is currently unused in response to a determination that the bank address portions are equal and the bank associated with the first bank address is designated as a currently unused bank for subsequently received memory commands in response to the determination that the bank address portions are equal. Simultaneous read and write operations are possible.
US09158674B2
A storage device with a health status check feature is disclosed. In one embodiment, the storage device keeps track of the number of erase cycles performed on the memory of the storage device. The storage device also stores a value of the predicted limit on the number of times that erase cycles can be performed on the memory. In response to a request from a host device for the health status of the memory, the storage device can provide the host device with information about how many erase cycles have been performed on the memory as compared to the predicted limit.
US09158670B1
Embodiments of the invention are directed to optimizing the selection of memory blocks for garbage collection in solid state devices to efficiently maximize the amount of memory freed by garbage collection operations. The systems and methods disclosed herein provide for the efficient selection of optimal or near-optimal garbage collection candidate blocks, with the most optimal selection defined as block(s) with the most invalid pages. In one embodiment, a controller classifies memory blocks into various invalid block pools by the amount of invalid pages each block contains. In one embodiment, the controller selects for garbage collection a block from a non-empty pool of blocks with the highest minimum amount of invalid pages. One or more of the pools have minimum thresholds that can be dynamically adjusted according to an observed usage condition, such as a change of an over-provisioning amount in the storage state device.
US09158664B1
An embodiment can include one or more computer-readable media storing executable instructions that when executed on processing logic process variable signals. The media can store one or more instructions for receiving executable code that includes constructs with variable signals for processing the variable signals, and for performing a coverage measurement on the executable code based on information about one or more of the variable signals processed by the executable code. The media can store one or more instructions for producing a coverage result based on the coverage measurement, the coverage result identifying a degree of coverage for the executable code when the executable code processes the variable signals.
US09158661B2
Methods, machine-readable tangible storage media, and data processing systems that enable a debug host device to acquire memory dump information from a debug target device after the target device suffers an unrecoverable system malfunction are disclosed. In one embodiment, data in the volatile memory on a debug target device is accessed via a hardware integrated debug framework, which is also used to access data on a nonvolatile electronically erasable semiconductor memory of a debug target device, and one or more registers of one or more processors on a debug target device, and a core dump is created on the debug host device.
US09158656B1
A method for progressively launching a website is disclosed. A production phase website may be launched or made available to a limited number of consumers. In addition, the performance of the production phase website may be evaluated based upon a comparison of the performance of the production phase website to a performance of the predecessor website. Further, the predecessor website may be replaced with the production phase website.
US09158650B2
In one embodiment, a non-transitory processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions that when executed cause a processor to receive a first signal including a performance datum associated with a first mobile application resident at a mobile device. The code can further represent instructions that when executed cause the processor to receive a second signal including a performance datum associated with a second mobile application resident at the mobile device. The code can further represent instructions that when executed cause the processor to send, based on the first signal and the second signal, a third signal including at least one performance metric based at least in part on the performance datum associated with the first mobile application and the performance datum associated with the second mobile application.
US09158649B2
Provided are methods and computer program products for generating a model of network application health. Methods may include receiving activity data that corresponds to activities of multiple applications that are operable to execute on at least one networked device, and combining the received activity data to remove redundant portions thereof and/or to reconcile inconsistencies therein. Based on the received activity data, ones of the multiple applications are identified, and relationships between the identified applications are determined. A model is generated including the identified applications and the relationships therebetween, and a representation of the model is displayed. Related computer program products are also provided.
US09158644B2
A circuit and method of analog data acquisition synchronization from an analog sensor in multiple channels associated with a USB hub. An analog to digital converter connected to the sensor that is part of a USB device has a time and phase corrected sampling clock that is referenced to a start-of-frame traffic signal with a preconfigured message indicating a time offset or delay seen upstream through a USB port. A plurality of similar devices are autonomously synchronized by the same message for multi-channel data acquisition by a locally generated trigger signal that allows a preset amount of delay set by the message. An accelerometer is a preferred sensor for such multi-channel data acquisition.
US09158629B2
A method of managing bandwidth usage among a plurality of client devices is provided. A request is received at a first device from a second device. The request is to transfer a file between the first device and the second device and includes an identifier of the second device. A client group associated with the second device is determined based on the identifier and used to select a bandwidth usage policy. A data transfer rate for transferring the file between the first device and the second device is determined based on the selected bandwidth usage policy and a bandwidth usage at the first device associated with a plurality of devices. A number of bytes to transfer is determined based on the determined data transfer rate and a time period. A response, which includes the determined number of bytes and the time period, is sent to the second device.
US09158623B2
A memory system includes a flash subsystem for storing data identified by page numbers. The memory system further includes a central processing unit (CPU), and a flash controller coupled to the CPU, the CPU being operable to pair a lower with an upper page. Further included in the memory system is a buffer including a page of data to be programmed in a block of the flash subsystem, wherein split segments of pages are formed and concatenated with split error correcting code (ECC), the ECC having a code rate associated therewith.
US09158620B2
A memory module including a first memory, a second memory, a test module, and a control module. The first memory is configured to store pages of data to be tested for errors. The second memory is configured to store addresses for the pages of data and store copies of the pages of data. The test module is configured to perform testing on the pages of data stored in the first memory. The control module is configured to, prior to the testing being performed by the test module on the pages of data stored in the first memory, cause the second memory to store the addresses and the copies of the pages of data stored in the first memory and, subsequent to the testing being performed by the test module, store the copies of the pages of data to the first memory based on the addresses stored in the second memory.
US09158617B2
Performing a write operation or a read operation in a memory system may include compressing data of a first size unit, generating a plurality of types of Error Checking and Correction (ECC) information based on the compressed data, combining the compressed data and the plurality of types of ECC information in units of a second size, and writing the information combined in units of the second size into a memory device.
US09158609B2
A USB testing device is provided for an electronic device having a USB port. The USB testing device includes a first USB control unit, a second USB control unit, and a micro-processor. When the first USB control unit has received power, the first USB control unit processes a connection test via a first data port. When the second USB control unit has received the power, the second USB control unit processes a connection test via a second data port. When the USB testing device is connected to the USB port, the micro-processor provides power to the first USB control unit. When the first USB control unit receives power, the first USB control unit provides power to the second USB control unit after waiting for a predetermined period of time. The electronic device determines whether the first and second data ports are operating properly.
US09158608B2
Systems and processes may be used to retrieve metadata from a nonvolatile memory of a portable device and transmit the retrieved metadata to an external host. Metadata may be analyzed using the external host and/or at least a portion of the metadata may be modified based on the analysis. Modified metadata may be transmitted from the external host to a memory controller of the host.
US09158603B2
The present invention provides a message processing method and device, wherein the method comprises: creating a message queue by an application; taking out all current messages from a message queue created by an operating system; performing order adjustment for the taken-out messages and placing them in the message queue created by the application; performing delivery-processing for each message according to an order of messages in the message queue created by the application. Through the present invention, the messages in the message queue may be processed more flexibly.
US09158600B2
Access information is received for a data sender interface accessible over a network and a data receiver interface accessible over the network. A set of navigation steps necessary to access data fields on the sender interface are determined. The data fields on the data sender interface are automatically mapped to data fields on the data receiver interface using at least one data mapping rule, such that a set of data field mappings is created. A data transfer scenario is generated using the set of navigation steps and the set of data field mappings, such that the data transfer scenario specifies a set of operations for transferring data from the sender interface to the receiver interface. The data transfer scenario is stored to computer readable media and can be executed any number of times to transfer data from the sending interface to the receiving interface.
US09158594B2
Synchronizing access to resources in a hybrid computing environment that includes a host computer, a plurality of accelerators, the host computer and the accelerators adapted to one another for data communications by a system level message passing module, where synchronizing access to resources includes providing in a registry, to processes executing on the accelerators and the host computer, a key associated with a resource, the key having a value; attempting, by a process, to access the resource including determining whether a current value of the key represents an unlocked state for the resource; if the current value represents an unlocked state, attempting to lock access to the resource including setting the value to a unique identification of the process; determining whether the current value is the unique identification of the process; if the current value is the unique identification accessing the resource by the process.
US09158593B2
Technologies are generally described for load balancing scheme in a cloud computing environment hosting a mobile device. In some examples, a load balancer may include multiple request processing units, each of the multiple request processing units comprising a network socket that is connected to at least one application server and at least one cache server and a programmable processor configured to process a cache request from one of the at least one application server, a performance checking unit configured to measure processing loads of the programmable processors, and a processor managing unit configured to adjust the processing loads by writing or deleting a load balancing program in at least one of the programmable processors.
US09158586B2
Systems and methods for managing cloud computing resources are provided. A plurality of available cloud computing servers may be identified by a cloud computing resource manager (“CCRM”). The CCRM may include one or more computers. The initiation of one or more processes on one or more servers included in the plurality of cloud computing servers may be directed by the CCRM. Operational data associated with the operation of the one or more processes and network data associated with network timing delays between the one or more servers and one or more client devices in communication with the one or more servers may be obtained by the CCRM. Based at least in part upon the operational data and the network data, the distribution of resources among the plurality of cloud computing servers may be managed by the CCRM.
US09158578B1
A method, computer program product, and computing system for receiving an indication that a target virtual machine is going to be migrated from a first operating environment to a second operating environment. The target cache system is associated with target virtual machine. An auxiliary virtual machine is generated within the second operating environment. An auxiliary cache system is associated with the auxiliary virtual machine. The target virtual machine and the auxiliary virtual machine are connected. IO requests for the target virtual machine are mirrored to the auxiliary virtual machine. At least a portion of cache data included within a target memory system associated with the target cache system is copied to an auxiliary memory system associated with the auxiliary cache system. The target virtual machine is migrated from the first operating environment to the second operating environment.
US09158577B2
Disclosed are various embodiments for a deployment management system. A second version of a deployable application is executed concurrently with a first version. Network traffic sent to the first version of the application is redirected to the second version. In the event of an error, network traffic is directed back to the first version of the application. After a period of concurrent execution, the first version of the application is terminated.
US09158565B2
The invention relates to a method for providing guaranteed quality of service in distributed computing platforms for execution of distributed applications, by combining: i) a partitioned operating system (POS) or a hypervisor (101) executed on at least two computers (300,301); where said POS/hypervisor allocates the CPU, memory and I/O hardware resources to computer partitions in said computers; where said computers are capable of executing different computer partitions (104, 105, 106) with different application tasks within one said computer partition or executing different operating systems (in case of hypervisor) within one said computer partition; wherein the said POS/hypervisor ensures that the application tasks executed in different partitions within the same said computer get their allocated hardware resources; wherein said POS/hypervisor performs a time-driven scheduling for a subset of computer partitions based on a given configuration (136), ii) means, for example network communication technology, for implementing partitioning of Ethernet communication resources and creating virtualized networks out of one physical network.
US09158551B2
An apparatus and method for dynamically reconfiguring an Operating System (OS) for a manycore system are provided. The apparatus may include an application type determining unit to determine a type of an executed application, and an OS reconfiguring unit to activate only at least one function in an OS, based on the determined type of the application, and to reconfigure the OS.
US09158544B2
A method and system are provided for deriving a resultant software code from an originating ordered list of instructions that does not include overlapping branch logic. The method may include deriving a plurality of unordered software constructs from a sequence of processor instructions; associating software constructs in accordance with an original logic of the sequence of processor instructions; determining and resolving memory precedence conflicts within the associated plurality of software constructs; resolving forward branch logic structures into conditional logic constructs; resolving back branch logic structures into loop logic constructs; and/or applying the plurality of unordered software constructs in a programming operation by a parallel execution logic circuitry. The resultant plurality of unordered software constructs may be converted into programming reconfigurable logic, computers or processors, and also by means of a computer network or an electronics communications network.
US09158540B1
Solid-State Drive (SSD) burst buffer nodes are interposed into a parallel supercomputing cluster to enable fast burst checkpoint of cluster memory to or from nearby interconnected solid-state storage with asynchronous migration between the burst buffer nodes and slower more distant disk storage. The SSD nodes also perform tasks offloaded from the compute nodes or associated with the checkpoint data. For example, the data for the next job is preloaded in the SSD node and very fast uploaded to the respective compute node just before the next job starts. During a job, the SSD nodes perform fast visualization and statistical analysis upon the checkpoint data. The SSD nodes can also perform data reduction and encryption of the checkpoint data.
US09158537B2
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, hardware initialization code and error action information are retrieved from separate storage areas. The hardware initialization code includes code that initializes a device, and also includes placeholders corresponding to actions that are performed when the device fails initialization. Likewise, the error action information describes the actions that are performed when the device fails initialization. The error action information is converted into macros that include lines of code. As such, the error action placeholders are matched to the macros and, in turn, each of the error action placeholders is replaced with the lines of code corresponding to the matched macros.
US09158518B2
The present disclosure provides a Web-based integrated development environment and graphical user interface for real-time collaborative application development which uses a connected device. Changes made to an application within the application development tool are applied to a connected mobile device in real-time or near real-time application.
US09158517B2
An optimizing compiler includes a strength reduction mechanism that optimizes a computer program that includes operations that have an unknown stride by analyzing the instructions in the computer program in a single pass, determining whether instruction substitution is profitable for original instructions in the code, and performing instruction substitution for one or more original instructions for which instruction substitution is deemed profitable, including operations with unknown strides. The substituted instructions result in strength reduction in the computer program.
US09158516B2
A dual evaluation mode method for use with computer software that includes the acts of determining, for certain functions and expressions within input computer code, whether each function and expression may have any recursive dependencies, generating eager evaluation mode executable code for one or more elements of the input computer code based on the act of determining and providing both eager evaluation mode executable code and non-eager evaluation mode executable code to runtime software that supports both eager and non-eager evaluation modes.
US09158514B2
Providing change information includes obtaining information of a change track that changes software source code, wherein the change track includes a change item, identifying at least one preliminary candidate change item from the change item, wherein the preliminary candidate change item is a change item causing execution of the source code to change, and inserting an instrument in the source code at a location corresponding to the at least one preliminary candidate change item so information of at least one candidate change item is outputted in testing the source code using a test case. The at least one candidate change item is a change item related to the test case from the at least one preliminary candidate change item. The information of a change track is combined with the information of a candidate change item. The change-related information is provided based on the result of the combination.
US09158504B2
A system and computer-executed method automatically generate a sequence diagram from Class-Responsibility-Collaborator (CRC) information. The CRC information identifies objects, responsibility information for each object, and collaborator information for each object, and the CRC information corresponds with each activity in an activity diagram. The method includes storing, in a storage device, the objects and corresponding class types of the objects according to the CRC information and associating, by a processor, each of the objects with one or more other objects according to the collaborator information of the CRC information. The method also includes determining, by the processor, messages from each of the objects to associated objects according to the responsibility information, and the processor automatically generating the sequence diagram including the objects and the messages among the objects.
US09158503B2
The UML model integration and refactoring method steps include extending the metamodels, composing an integrated UML model derived from the extended metamodels, defining refactoring opportunities and transformation operations during the integrated UML composition, and applying a set of composite refactorings to remove an identified smell from the integrated UML model.
US09158498B2
Systems, apparatus and methods are described related to optimizing fixed point divide.
US09158488B2
A data processing apparatus includes an input unit configured to input data, a first processing unit configured to generate intermediate data using a printer driver based on the data input by the input unit according to a print setting that is determined not to divide an editing area of the data into pages, and a second processing unit configured to perform editing processing based on the intermediate data generated by the first processing unit.
US09158482B2
A system and method for recommending and installing scheduled delivery (SD) print applications is disclosed. In one example, one or more SD print applications are determined based on prior usage of SD print applications in a printer application store by a user of a web connected computing device. Further, the determined one or more SD print applications are recommended by sending a notification to the web connected computing device and then to a web connected printer via an electronic messaging service.
US09158481B2
Systems and methods for monitoring printer status in a networked environment are provided. For each of a plurality of printers, a respective server port device is connected to a communication port of a corresponding printer. Each server port device is adapted to receive real-time printer status information from the corresponding printer. A status monitor is provided for receiving the printer status information from one or more of the server port devices. The printer status information is wirelessly broadcast from the respective server port devices to an IP address of the status monitor. The server port device may comprise a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) status processor for converting the printer status information received from the printer in a first format into a second format for broadcast using a UDP protocol.
US09158478B2
When a request to write data to a logical storage area realized by a storage area of a first storage apparatus is made in a storage system, a determination section determines whether a write pattern is sequential access or random access. When the write pattern is the sequential access, a control section writes the data to the logical storage area. On the other hand, when the write pattern is the random access, the control section writes the data to a virtual storage area obtained by virtualizing a storage area of a second storage apparatus which is faster in access speed than the first storage apparatus.
US09158476B2
An operation mode switching method for a memory storage apparatus, a memory controller and a memory storage apparatus using the method are provided. The operation mode switching method includes receiving at least one access command from a host system and determining whether the access command conforms to a predetermined pattern. If the access command conforms to the predetermined pattern, an operation mode of the memory storage apparatus is switched from a first mode to a second mode. The access command includes a first write command including a write string, and the memory storage apparatus executes an operation corresponding to the write string. Accordingly, the method switches the operation mode of the storage memory apparatus by determining the pattern of the access command, so as to simplify the procedure of switching the operation mode and effectively decrease the probability of switching the operation mode incorrectly.
US09158472B2
Placement of object replicas in a distributed storage system includes, at a first instance, opening a journal for storage of object chunks. Each journal is associated with a single placement policy. An object is received, which comprises a chunk. The object has a placement policy, and the chunk comprises a plurality of storage blocks. The blocks are stored in a journal that matches the placement policy. Global metadata for the object is stored, which includes a list of chunks for the object. Local metadata for the chunk is stored, which includes a block list identifying each block of the plurality of blocks. The local metadata is associated with the journal. The journal is later closed. The journal is subsequently replicated to a second instance according to the placement policy. The global metadata is updated to reflect the replication, whereas the local metadata is unchanged by the replication.
US09158466B1
Described is storage system and method for reducing power consumption. The storage system has first and second physical disks configured to provide mirroring. The first physical disk is placed into a power-saving mode of operation, while the second physical disk is in an active mode of operation responding to read and write requests. The first physical disk transitions from the power-saving mode of operation to an active mode of operation for destaging writes pending from cache to the first physical disk, while the second physical disk responds to read and write requests. The second physical disk transitions from the active mode of operation to the power-saving mode of operation, while the first physical disk responds to read and write requests.
US09158459B2
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for managing a storage device using a hybrid controller are provided where the storage device comprises an internal peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) interface to control solid state memory within the storage device. In particular embodiments, the storage device includes a first external interface configured to establish an external PCIe link and a second external interface configured to establish at least one of an external serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) link and an external serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) link. Embodiments include receiving from an external source, by the hybrid controller, a first command at the first external interface and a second command at the second external interface; and concurrently implementing, by the hybrid controller, the first command using a PCIe protocol and the second command using one of a SAS protocol and a SATA protocol.
US09158445B2
This document describes techniques and apparatuses for managing an immersive interface in a multi-application immersive environment. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable a user to alter sizes and/or a layout of multiple immersive interfaces with as little as one selection.
US09158444B2
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for displaying a user interface for managing communication sessions on a communication device. A system configured to practice the method displays, on a first side portion of the user interface, a first set of user-configurable communication information. The system displays, a second side portion of the user interface, a second set of user-configurable communication information. The system displays, on a center portion of the user interface, a communication work space for managing communication sessions. In one embodiment including a touch sensitive display, this interface is used with a tablet device such that a natural position of user's thumbs are in an optimal position to interact efficiently with the user interface. The side portions can be user-configurable to display, for example, contacts, calendar events, tasks, memos, and so forth.
US09158442B2
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an interface method for controlling a menu on an electronic device includes displaying, on a screen of the electronic device, a plurality of service pages and at least one menu object attached to one of the plurality of service pages, receiving a menu configuration mode conversion command to change a configuration of at least one of the plurality of service pages, displaying, on the screen, a menu generating object in response to the received menu configuration mode conversion command, receiving a motion command to move the menu generating object, moving the menu generating object in response to the received motion command, receiving a drop command to attach the moved menu generating object on a particular service page among the plurality of service pages, and attaching the moved menu generating object to the particular service page in response to the drop command.
US09158441B2
Methods and apparatus are provided that improve graphical software applications, by filtering the data for display according to techniques for defining and manipulating visual indicia. Data may be filtered according to multiple filters that are combined in a number of ways to form the set of data for display. Data may be filtered ontologically and geometrically according to their relationships with other data. Visual indicia that represent filters may be drag-and-dropped between input areas to facilitate ease of use. Data selected according to a filter may be displayed at the same time as non-selected data by applying visually distinctive characteristics to the selected data. A virtual environment may be shown simultaneously on several different video displays at a single workstation.
US09158440B1
In some implementations, a method includes causing a display of a portion of a data presentation within a view in a graphical interface, where different portions of the data presentation are displayable. The method includes determining at least one current state of the device, and causing a display of one or more information areas within the view based on the current state, including determining a display mode from available display modes for each of the information areas. The available display modes include independent and dependent display modes, where the independent display mode causes an information area to be displayed within the view regardless of the displayed portion of the data presentation, and the dependent display mode causes the information area to be associated with one or more locations in the data presentation and displayed within the view based on an associated location being in the view.
US09158435B2
System, method, and computer program product to resume playback between different media formats of a media title, by monitoring progress of a user consuming the media title in a first media format, differences existing between the first media format and the different media formats, responsive to the user stopping consumption of the media title in the first media format, computing a stopping point in the first media format, identifying at least one resume point for each of the different media formats, computing a similarity score for each identified resume point based on a similarity of the stopping point in the first media format and each identified resume point, and upon determining that the user has triggered an indication to consume the media title in a second media format, resuming playback of the media title at a resume point for the second media format having the highest similarity score.
US09158434B2
User interface virtualization describes a technique for providing a user with access to one computing device from another computing device, while translating the ergonomics of one computer's user interface style into the ergonomics of the other's. An agent running on the remote desktop may use an interface interaction API or software framework to programmatically manipulate the user interface of the remote desktop and act as a proxy for a corresponding client running on a client device that accepts a “touch and swipe” style input. A user interface virtualization profile is used to specify application-specific augmentations and application-specific support for the interface interaction API.
US09158418B2
Disclosed herein is a pointer detection apparatus, including: a conductor pattern including a plurality of first conductors disposed in a first direction and a plurality of second conductors disposed in a second direction; a multi-frequency signal production circuit configured to produce a plurality of signals of different frequencies; a first conductor selection circuit configured to selectively supply the signals of different frequencies to those first conductors, between which N ones of the first conductors are interposed, N being a predetermined integer equal to or greater than 0; a second conductor selection circuit configured to selectively receive detection signals from the second conductors; and a signal detection circuit configured to obtain signals of individual frequencies, corresponding to the signals of different frequencies produced by the multi-frequency signal production circuit, which are representative of coupling states at cross points between the first conductors and the second conductors and are received from said second conductor selection circuit.
US09158414B1
A radius parameter may be included with mapping data requests resulting from “longpress” fingertip selection actions on client computing devices including touch screen display interfaces. The radius parameter may be based on the approximate size of a user's finger in pixels. Based on a current zoom level and/or altitude and a latitude, the radius may be used with a finger tip size to determine how far away a location on the screen from the finger tip center is. A remote mapping server may use the radius as a distance limit for performing a snapping action. For example, if the best candidate for a feature snap is outside the range of the longpress radius, then the feature snap may be abandoned, and the remote mapping server returns a dropped pin response to the client. The user may then customize the dropped pin for sharing or other actions.
US09158408B2
A device and method for area sensing and actuation comprises highly scalable sensing and actuation network that can control a high density of sensing and actuation elements over a physical area. The device comprises a matrix of CMOS sensing chips that each comprise a plurality of sensing electrodes arranged in a matrix of columns and rows along horizontal wires and vertical wires. The vertical wires carry an activation signal to activate a column of sensing electrodes, and the vertical wires carry sensing and actuation signals between the column of sensing electrodes and a processing chip. The signals may be amplified by CMOS sensing chips between the source and destination of the signals. In this way, signals may be received from and sent to a dense matrix of sensing electrodes spanning a large geographic area with little or no degradation.
US09158407B2
A capacitive touch panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate arranged relative to the first substrate. A plurality of drive electrodes are arranged on the first substrate, wherein each drive electrode comprises a first drive electrode section and a second drive electrode section. In addition, a plurality of sense electrodes are arranged on the second substrate, the plurality of sense electrodes including touch sensing electrodes and force sensing electrodes. At least part of a sense electrode of the plurality of sense electrodes forms a force sensitive coupling capacitance with a second drive electrode section and not with a first drive electrode section.
US09158402B2
A method of detecting and interpreting a path of designated positions is disclosed. The method concurrently detects a plurality of designated positions on a touch panel, again detects the plurality of designated positions subsequent to a travel of the designated positions, determines the distances between each of the current designated positions and the respective immediately preceding designated positions, treats an immediately preceding designated position, closest to the current designated position of interest, as the immediately preceding designated position of the current designated position of interest, and acquires the path of each designated position, thereby recognizing the paths of the plurality of designated positions that move concurrently. A combination of the paths of the plurality of designated positions is interpreted to identify a designation input by a user, and an operation thus designated is executed.
US09158401B2
A device obtains a signal representative of objects on a touch surface of a multi-touch sensing apparatus and executes a method for extracting touch data from the signal. The method operates in a sequence of detection frames. Each detection frame comprises the steps of: obtaining (300) the signal; processing (301) the signal for identifying touches; determining (302) a set of identified touches and touch data for the set of identified touches; and outputting (303) the touch data. At least one of the steps of processing (301) and determining (302) includes a prioritization that actively favors certain touches to be identified and included in the set of identified touches, respectively. Temporal prioritization favors a touch that corresponds to a previous touch, which is identified in one or more preceding detection frames. Spatial prioritization favors a touch that is located within at least one predefined subarea on the touch surface. The and prioritization enables the touch data to be generated in way that is predictable, consistent and in accordance with user expectations within a general or specific context.
US09158397B2
A touch input apparatus and method in a user terminal is provided. The apparatus includes a touch input unit for generating a touch input event according to a touch of a user; a single or multi touch input determiner for entering a drawing mode according to the touch input event and determining one of a single touch input and a multi-touch input; a touch point sampling unit for performing a touch point sampling according to a single touch movement and providing a sample point for a drawing when there is a single touch input; and a multi-touch processor for, when there is a multi-touch input, entering a multi-touch mode and performing a multi-touch action including at least one of an enlargement, a reduction, and a movement of a drawing screen according to a multi-touch movement.
US09158391B2
There is provided a mobile terminal with a camera, such as a smart phone, capable of controlling the functions of a remote screen and content displayed on the remote screen. The mobile terminal defines a remote screen area in an image obtained by capturing the remote screen, receives remote screen resource information, and performs screen mapping between the remote screen area and the remote screen using the remote screen resource information. If it receives a user input signal related to the remote screen area, the mobile terminal generates event information for controlling an object based on the results of the screen mapping, and transmits the event information to a remote apparatus with the remote screen. The remote apparatus processes the event information and controls the object.
US09158389B1
An example system includes a computing device located proximate to a physical activity surface, a video capture device, and a detector. The video capture device is coupled for communication with the computing device and is adapted to capture a video stream that includes an activity scene of the physical activity surface and one or more interface objects physically intractable with by a user. The detector processes the video stream to detect the one or more interface objects included in the activity scene, to identify the one or more interface objects that are detectable, to generate one or more events describing the one or more interface objects, and to provide the one or more events to an activity application configured to render virtual information on the one or more computing devices based on the one or more events.
US09158387B2
A touchscreen-controller and data-entry ensemble are attached conterminously or proximately to a touchscreen device. A touchscreen-controller attachment device has one or more input ends and one or more output ends. The input and output ends may be opposite ends of unitary elements and/or may be remote from one another and connected by wire or wirelessly. Each input end of a unitary conductive element is connected to a respective output end and the plurality of output ends, residing in an attachment base, are in a position of contact with or in close proximity to the soft buttons, keys or controller(s) of a touchscreen. The output ends thus activate the touchscreen when the input ends are manipulated. A base maintains the input and/or output ends in fixed position during use. Input and output elements can be spring-mounted. New controllers offer the user haptic ability.
US09158385B2
According to one embodiment, input receiver includes: cover; key module; detector; and button. Second opening is close to one end of the cover. First supporting surface is close to other end of the cover. Recess is between the second opening and the first supporting surface. Second supporting surface is configured to be aligned with the recess in direction intersecting first direction in which the second opening and the first supporting surface are aligned. The key module includes: area including keys separated from one another at first pitch; and area including keys separated from surrounding keys at second pitch shorter than the first pitch. The key module is in contact with the cover. The detector is aligned with the key module in the first direction. Detecting area is covered with portion of the first supporting surface and the second supporting surface.
US09158384B2
Flexible hinge and removable attachment techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a flexible hinge is configured to communicatively and physically couple an input device to a computing device and may implement functionality such as a support layer and minimum bend radius. The input device may also include functionality to promote a secure physical connection between the input device and the computing device. One example of this includes use of one or more protrusions that are configured to be removed from respective cavities of the computing device along a particular axis but mechanically bind along other axes. Other techniques include use of a laminate structure to form a connection portion of the input device.
US09158383B2
Force concentrator techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a pressure sensitive key includes a sensor substrate having a plurality of conductors, a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate and configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input; and a force concentrator layer disposed proximal to the flexible contact layer on a side opposite the sensor substrate. The force concentrator layer has a pad disposed thereon that is configured to cause pressure applied to the force concentrator layer to be channeled through the pad to cause the flexible contact layer to contact the sensor substrate to initiate the input.
US09158379B2
A system is provided that transforms haptic signals into vibrotactile haptic effect patterns. The system receives a haptic signal that includes haptic effect patterns. The system further detects a start time and an end time for each haptic effect pattern. The system further detects haptic effect patterns based on a characteristic, and replaces the detected haptic effect patterns with substitute haptic effect patterns. The system further shifts the start time for each haptic effect pattern back by a shift duration. The system further assigns a vibrotactile haptic effect pattern to each haptic effect pattern. The system further sends the vibrotactile haptic effect patterns to a standard-definition haptic output device to generate vibrotactile haptic effects.
US09158377B2
An electronic device (1) is provided with a contact detection unit (40) that detects contact by a contacting object, a vibration unit (50) that vibrates the contact detection unit (40), and a control unit (10) that controls the vibration unit (50) to vibrate. The control unit (10) treats a position of the contact detected by the contact detection unit (40) before the control unit (10) controls the vibration unit (50) to vibrate as a position of the contact being detected by the contact detection unit (40) while the control unit (10) controls the vibration unit (50) to vibrate.
US09158369B2
A technique for sensing involving one or more individual sensing tiles that are physically connected to a frame with electrical and communications wiring integrated into the frame and with corresponding physical, electrical and communication connectors on the tiles and the frame.
US09158366B1
An electronic device including a thermal reduction device, and a storage device electrically connected to the thermal reduction device. The storage device including a media, a channel configured to perform data operations on the media, a power input interface configured to receive power for consumption by the storage device from an available average amount of power, wherein the received power reduces the available average amount of power, and the available average amount of power is no greater than a maximum average power threshold, a thermal sensor configured to generate thermal data corresponding to a temperature of the storage device, and a thermal control unit configured to activate or deactivate a power savings mode for the storage device based at least on the thermal data, and to activate or deactivate the thermal reduction device based at least on the thermal data. The power savings mode affects an operation of the channel.
US09158364B2
A touch pad module includes: a touch pad, a sensor group, a touch pad controller IC and a touch pad controller IC (Integrated Circuit). The touch pad has a touch surface touchable by a user. The sensor group is mounted on a mount surface of the touch pad. The sensor group includes at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor and a geomagnetic sensor. The touch pad controller IC is mounted on the mount surface of the touch pad configured to control the touch pad and includes a detector, a digital processor and a first interface. The detector generates digital data representing an electrical state of the touch pad. The digital processor generates coordinate data representing coordinates touched by the user based on the digital data. The first interface transmits data between the digital processor and the outside of the touch pad controller IC.
US09158363B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for sending a first link handshake signal between a first subsystem and a power management unit (PMU) of a system on a chip (SoC) to request entry into a power saving state for the first subsystem, sending a second link handshake signal between the first subsystem and the PMU to acknowledge the request, and placing the first subsystem into the power saving state without further signaling between the PMU and the first subsystem. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09158357B2
In at least one embodiment described herein, an apparatus is provided that can include means for communicating a latency tolerance value for a device connected to a platform from a software latency register if a software latency tolerance register mode is active. The apparatus may also include means for communicating the latency tolerance value from a hardware latency register if a host controller is active. The latency tolerance value can be sent to a power management controller. More specific examples can include means for communicating a latency tolerance value from the software latency register if the software latency tolerance register mode is not active and the host controller is not active. The apparatus can also include means for mapping a resource space in the software latency register for the device using a BIOS/platform driver. The mapping can be achieved using an advanced configuration and power interface device description.
US09158349B2
The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to manage heat flow for dissipating heat generated by electronic components in an electronic system (e.g., a memory system that includes closely spaced memory modules). In one embodiment, heat sinks are disposed on front sides of a first module and a second module in the electronic system, and at least one heat sink in the second module is disposed between at least two heat sinks in the first module. In some embodiments, the number of heat sinks and/or a subset of geometric parameters for the locations, sizes and shapes of the heat sinks are configured for the purpose of disturbing and mixing air flow that passes an air gap between the front sides of the first and second modules.
US09158327B2
An audio processing device comprising: a network interface to receive audio information from a packet network; a user interface module having a display of a list of audio tracks to be played; a control module to receive input from the user interface module indicating that a currently playing track is to be skipped and to advance playback to a next track in the list; an audio information channelization device connected to the network interface configured to (i) receive the list, (ii) request the audio information from an audio information source according to the list, (iii) transmit the audio information in packet form via the network interface to two or more audio playback devices, and (iv) cease transmission of packets associated with a currently playing track and begin transmission of packets associated with the next track in the list to the two or more audio playback devices.
US09158314B2
The present invention discloses a method for controlling a voltage regulator, including steps of: converting an input voltage to an output voltage and providing an output current; sensing the output current; reducing the output voltage; and when the reduction of the output voltage causes the output current to change, setting the output voltage back to a value which does not change the output current.
US09158313B2
System and method for incrementally varying input levels and recording respective output temperatures at the varied levels, storing, in a training table, first correlations between the varied levels of the input parameter and defined temperature ranges, detecting an input parameter level during operation and re-recording the output temperature at the detected level, generating a second correlation between the detected level and a second temperature range, determining whether the second temperature range is different from a first temperature range from among the defined temperature ranges, the first temperature range correlating to the level of the input parameter corresponding to the detected level, updating the training table when the second temperature range is different from the first temperature range, predicting an expected temperature range, and dynamically scaling, based on the expected temperature range, the detected level of the input parameter to control the output temperature in real-time.
US09158308B2
The pumps and pressure controllers described herein aim to pump fluid in two directions, such as from a first port to a second port and vice versa. The pressure controllers aim to control pressure in a system or device, such as a test device, accurately and precisely at a variety of different pressure levels. Generally described, the pumps and pressure controllers described herein may include two or more control valves, which may be actuatable in such a manner so that the pump or pressure controller can switch between operating as a vacuum pump and operating as a compressor. In some embodiments, the pressure controllers may be able to adjust a pressure in the device by small increments thereby providing increased control of the pressure in the device over the prior art. Furthermore, the pressure controllers may be able to control the pressure of a system having low pressure levels.
US09158300B2
A method for designing a control apparatus includes: determining first, second and third threshold values; setting a first weighting function for calculating a first controlled variable by being multiplied by a difference between a control target value and an output value of a storage battery, a second weighting function for calculating a second controlled variable by being multiplied by the output value of the storage battery, and a third weighting function for calculating a third controlled variable by being multiplied by an integrated value of the output value of the storage battery; and determining a transfer function of the control apparatus in accordance with an H-infinity control theory such that the first controlled variable, the second controlled variable and the third controlled variable are respectively smaller than the first, second and third threshold values.
US09158298B2
A device for operating an automated machine for handling, assembling or machining workpieces, comprising: a display apparatus having a screen for displaying a graphic user interface for controlling and/or monitoring machine functions of the machine, an operating apparatus for inputting command-triggering operator actions for controlling functions of the machine and controlling functions of the graphic user interface, and a controller for implementing input command-triggering operator actions into control commands for controlling functions of the machine and/or functions of the graphic user interface. The operating apparatus comprises an apparatus for inputting manual operator actions and an apparatus for inputting contact-free operator actions. The apparatus for inputting contact-free operator actions includes: a sensor system for detecting contact-free actions of the operator and a detecting unit for picking up a command-triggering operating action of the operator by means of the contact-free operator actions detected by the sensor system.
US09158297B2
In a method for generating a measurement program of a product, a CAD file of the product is read and attribute data of the product is obtained from the CAD file. By creating a mesh over the attribute data of the product using a plurality of triangles, the method obtains coordinate information of measuring points of the product from the CAD file, arranges the measuring points of the product into one or more geometrical elements using a curve fitting method, and obtains measuring information of each geometrical element. By integrating the measuring information of each of the one or more geometrical elements into a predefined program model, a measurement program can be generated and displayed on a display device.
US09158289B2
An exemplary safety circuit includes a plurality of contacts that are configured to establish a conductive path across the contacts when the contacts are in electrically conductive contact with each other. The contacts selectively interrupt the conductive path across them when the contacts are separated. A controller selectively introduces a voltage pulse across the contacts at a voltage level that is effective to overcome an electrical resistance of any contamination on at least one of the contacts. The controller introduces the voltage pulse at least when the contacts are expected to be in contact to establish the conductive path.
US09158288B2
Logging events associated with accessing an area includes recording an event associated with accessing the area to provide an event recording and authenticating at least the event recording to provide an authenticated recording. Recording an event may include recording a time of the event. Recording an event may include recording a type of event. The event may be an attempt to access the area. Recording an event may include recording credentials/proofs used in connection with the attempt to access the area. Recording an event may include recording a result of the attempt. Recording an event may include recording the existence of data other than the credentials/proofs indicating that access should be denied. Recording an event may include recording additional data related to the area. Authenticating the recording may include digitally signing the recording.
US09158286B2
An electronic device comprises a receiver configured to receive a satellite signal; a time generator configured to generate time; and a processor configured to selectively execute an automatic reception process or a manual reception process. The automatic reception process includes acquiring time information based on the received satellite signal and correcting the time based on the acquired time information. The automatic reception process is executed when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The manual reception process includes calculating the position of the electronic device based on satellite orbit information and the received satellite signal, and correcting the time based on the calculated position. The manual reception process is executed based on manual operation.
US09158284B1
Display device for a timepiece includes: a first indication organ kinematically linked to a wheel rotatable by a timepiece movement; a second indication organ, coaxial to the first indication organ; a control device including a control organ to be activated by a user; the device arranged to drive the indication organs in superposition to indicate a first item of information, and, in response to an activation of the control organ, to displace one of the indication organs relative to the other to indicate a second item of information; a first and second cam, representing respectively the first and second item of information; a rack having a first and second probe intended to interact respectively with the first and second cam; wherein: in an inactive position of the control organ, the indication organs are superposed; and in an active position, the second indication organ indicates the second item of information.
US09158282B2
Timepiece barrel assembly including a barrel arbor including between first and second guide shoulders, a median shoulder carrying a core and a spring mounted between a drum and this core, this barrel arbor including, between this first shoulder and this core a ratchet-holder for securing a ratchet, and this core including, on the same side as and at a distance from this ratchet-holder, a first part for guiding the pivoting of this drum, in immediate proximity to which there is fixed this ratchet at a distance from and on the same side as this first shoulder, and the ratchet-holder directly or indirectly limits the shake of this drum relative to a bearing surface of this core at the edge of a receiving surface for this spring.
US09158279B2
A spatial light modulator may include a refraction layer including first and second regions with refractive indices different from each other; and/or a metal thin film on a lower face of the refraction layer configured to generate surface plasmons due to light incident on the metal thin film via the refraction layer. When first light is incident on the refraction layer, a phase difference between light reflected by the first and second regions may occur. A spatial light modulator may include a metal thin film and a refraction layer on the metal thin film. The refraction layer may include a first region with a first refractive index and a second region with a second refractive index different from the first refractive index. When first light is incident on the refraction layer, there may be a phase difference between light reflected from the first and second regions.
US09158276B2
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device to fix an image on a recording medium, at least one temperature control target to be kept to or below a reference temperature, and a cooling system to insulate the temperature control target from the fixing device. The cooling system includes an air vent to introduce external air into an apparatus body, an exhaust duct assembly disposed between the fixing device and the temperature control target, a first inlet formed in the exhaust duct assembly to cause the external air to pass through a range in which the temperature control target is provided, and a first fan to generate airflow inside the exhaust duct assembly.
US09158273B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an image, a developing device for developing with a toner an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member, and a detecting portion for detecting environmental information. In addition, a storing portion stores the environmental information, and a controller controls an image forming condition on the basis of the environmental information detected in a last detection and current detection. The controller controls the image forming condition so that a change amount per unit time of the image forming condition when the developing device is driven is made larger than a change amount per unit time of the image forming condition when the developing device is stopped.
US09158271B2
A photosensitive member cartridge includes first and second side walls which rotatably support end portions of the photosensitive member in an axial direction of the photosensitive member, a rotating body disposed between the first side wall and the second side wall to face the photosensitive member, and a cartridge electrode which extends in the axial direction and disposed on the first side wall to be movable in the axial direction, and contacts the rotating body to supply electric power to the rotating body. The cartridge electrode includes a contact portion which contacts an end surface of the rotating body in the axial direction. The first side wall includes an abutting portion which abuts on the end surface of the rotating body. The cartridge electrode is configured such that the first contact portion is movable further than the abutting portion in the axial direction.
US09158270B2
A fixing device includes a housing detachably attached to a body of an image forming apparatus, a fixing unit mounted on the housing to heat and fix an unfixed toner image onto a recording medium, a locking mechanism to lock and unlock the housing in the body of the image forming apparatus by switching its own position from a locking position to an unlocking position, vice-versa, and an operating member integrally connected to the locking mechanism to operate the locking mechanism. First and second handling members are provided on lower and upper sides of the housing, respectively, to be handled when the housing is either attached to or detached from the body of the image forming apparatus. The operating member approaches the second handling member when the locking mechanism changes its position to detach the housing from the body of the image forming apparatus.
US09158259B2
An image processing apparatus includes a plurality of medium storage portions, a medium feeding unit that feeds a medium from any one of the medium storage portions, an image forming unit that performs image formation to thereby form an image on the medium fed by the medium feeding unit, a storage unit that stores an image formation waiting time after the medium feeding unit starts feeding the medium from the medium storage portion and before the image forming unit starts the image formation, and a control unit that causes the image forming unit to wait for a time interval based on the image formation waiting time, after the medium feeding unit starts feeding the medium.
US09158257B2
An image forming apparatus includes a cassette chamber, a paper feed cassette, a sheet size sensor, a lift-up sensor, and an arithmetic control unit. The paper feed cassette can be mounted in the cassette chamber, and lifts up a recording sheet placed in the paper feed cassette upon being mounted in the cassette chamber. The arithmetic control unit is configured to decide that the paper feed cassette is mounted when the lift-up sensor detects that the recording sheet is lifted up, despite the sheet size sensor having detected that the paper feed cassette is not mounted.
US09158256B2
An image forming apparatus includes: rotators; a drive motor configured to drive the plurality of rotators and including a hall element configured to output a hall signal according to a change of a magnetic field; a counter configured to count the hall signal; an image forming unit forming a color image on a recording medium; and a controller configured to function as: an acquiring unit controlling the image forming unit to form a test pattern on the recording medium, and acquiring correction information based on the formed test pattern; a phase managing unit managing the phases of the rotators based on a count value of the counter from the formation start timing; and a correcting unit correcting the positional deviation based on the phases which are managed by the phase managing unit, and the correction information acquired by the acquiring unit.
US09158253B2
An image forming apparatus includes a generation tendency determining section to determine, before execution of a job, whether or not this job is a large-amount generation tendency job that is likely to generate a large amount of ultrafine particles. When the current job is determined to be the large-amount generation tendency job and a toner adhesion status value is equal to or higher than a first predetermined threshold representing an amount of toner adhering to a surface of a fixing member, cleaning of the fixing unit is performed before execution of the job. On the other hand, when the current job is determined to be a small-amount generation tendency job or the toner adhesion status value is less than the predetermined first threshold, the job is executed without cleaning the fixing unit.
US09158251B2
A cylindrical film used in an image heating device heating a recording material, on which an image has been formed, has a resin layer, this resin layer being made from a resin in which a crystalline resin and an amorphous resin having a higher glass transition temperature than the crystalline resin are blended, wherein a volume ratio of the crystalline resin with respect to the amorphous resin in the resin layer is 70/30 to 99/1.
US09158247B2
According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a fixing belt including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section to electromagnetically induction-heat the conductive layer, an opposed section to form a nip in cooperation with the fixing belt, an auxiliary heat generating section electromagnetically induction-heated by the induction-current generating section, and a moving section to move the auxiliary heat generating section with respect to the fixing belt.
US09158236B2
An image forming apparatus supplies toner to an electrostatic latent image on a circumferential surface of a photosensitive rotating member to develop the electrostatic latent image, and includes: a photosensitive unit including the photosensitive rotating member and a pair of support frames rotatably supporting the photosensitive rotating member at its axial ends; a developing unit including a developing sleeve that is longer in its rotational axis direction than an element tube of the photosensitive rotating member in its rotational axis direction, and a pair of bearings provided outward from axial ends of the element tube and rotatably holding the developing sleeve at its axial ends; and a forcing member relatively forcing the developing unit toward the photosensitive unit to bring the bearings into abutment with the respective support frames, such that a gap between the developing sleeve and the photosensitive rotating member is maintained at a predetermined value.
US09158232B2
A developer container is fitted in a first direction to an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet. The developer container includes a main body and a protrusion. An inner space filled with a developer is formed in the man body. The protrusion protrudes outward from an outer wall of the main body. The protrusion includes a plurality of wall surface parts facing in a direction opposite to the first direction. An order in which the plurality of wall surface parts are arranged when viewed in the first direction is different from an order in which the plurality of wall surface parts are arranged when viewed in a second direction intersecting with the first direction. A plurality of wall parts are formed integrally to connect the plurality of wall surface parts through the plurality of wall parts.
US09158229B2
A development device includes a sheet member, a support member, and a vibration applying device. The sheet member is disposed between a developer carrier and a blade to receive a developer falling from the developer carrier toward the blade. The developer carrier is disposed to face to an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and configured to supply the developer to the image carrier in a facing area to the image carrier. The blade is configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried on the developer carrier. The support member holds the sheet member. The vibration applying device applies vibration to the sheet member. The sheet member is stretchable and flexible and is stretched over the support member.
US09158227B1
The present disclosure relates to a developing roller having a conductive support base, a surface of which is covered with a resin layer, wherein the resin layer contains conductive fine particles and soluble nylon serving as a binder resin, and the resin layer surface has a surface roughness Ra of at least 0.4 μm, a waviness curve cycle of 50 to 400 μm, and a waviness curve height of 2 to 10 μm.
US09158224B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to perform printing using a light source unit and a photosensitive medium, a registration unit to adjust an exposure time to correspond to a change in a power of a light source when the power of the light source changes, and a controller to control the image forming unit to perform printing according to the adjusted exposure time.
US09158220B2
In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises an image forming section configured to form a toner image on a printing recording medium, a fixing section configured to heat the printing recording medium printed with the toner image at a fixing temperature, a temperature control section configured to control the fixing section to a temperature above a color erasing temperature, a conveyance section configured to convey the printing recording medium or a color erasing recording medium to the fixing section, and a speed control section configured to control, according to a setting temperature of the fixing section, a speed ratio of a traveling speed of the fixing section to a conveyance speed of the conveyance section.
US09158213B2
The present invention relates to a charging member. The charging member comprises an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive surface layer, wherein the surface layer includes a binder resin, an electro-conductive particle dispersed in the binder resin, and a resin particle that roughens the surface of the surface layer; the surface layer has a plurality of protrusions each derived from the resin particle in the surface thereof; the resin particle that forms the protrusion has a pore inside thereof; has a porosity Vt of porosity is 2.5% by volume or less as a whole; and has a region whose porosity V11 is from 5% by volume to 20% by volume, wherein the region is farthest away from the electro-conductive substrate in the resin particle, and assuming that the resin particle is a solid particle having no pores, the region corresponds to a 11% by volume-occupying region of the solid particle.
US09158205B2
The disclosure relates to an optical arrangement for three-dimensionally patterning a radiation-sensitive material layer, such as a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography. The optical arrangement includes a mask for forming a three-dimensional radiation pattern, a substrate with the radiation-sensitive material layer, and a projection optical unit for imaging the three-dimensional radiation pattern from the mask into the radiation-sensitive material layer. The optical arrangement is designed to compensate for spherical aberrations along the thickness direction of the radiation-sensitive material layer in order to generate a stigmatic image of the three-dimensional radiation pattern.
US09158203B2
Compositions useful for the selective removal of silicon nitride materials relative to poly-silicon, silicon oxide materials and/or silicide materials from a microelectronic device having same thereon. The removal compositions include fluorosilicic acid, silicic acid, and at least one organic solvent. Typical process temperatures are less than about 100° C. and typical selectivity for nitride versus oxide etch is about 200:1 to about 2000:1. Under typical process conditions, nickel-based silicides as well as titanium and tantalum nitrides are largely unaffected, and polysilicon etch rates are less than about 1 Å min−1.
US09158201B2
A monomer for a hardmask composition is represented by the following Chemical Formula 1,
US09158196B2
A radiation-sensitive resin composition for forming a resist film includes a polymer including a first structural unit represented by a formula (1) and a second structural unit represented by a formula (2). The first structural unit and the second structural unit are included in an identical polymer molecule or different polymer molecules. R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. Q represents a divalent linking group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. X represents a monovalent lactone group. A part or all of hydrogen atoms included in the monovalent lactone group represented by X are not substituted or substituted. R2 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. Y represents a monovalent lactone group. A part or all of hydrogen atoms included in the monovalent lactone group represented by Y are not substituted or substituted.
US09158191B2
A chemically amplified negative resist composition is provided comprising (A) a resin having a crosslinking group, (B) a crosslinker, (C) a photoacid generator capable of generating an acid upon exposure to light of wavelength 190-500 nm, (D) a solvent, and (E) a fluoroalkyl-containing amine compound. The resist composition can form a fine pattern, specifically a fine hole or space pattern which has a positive taper (or forward taper) profile in which the size of top is greater than the size of bottom or improves the overhang profile with extremely projected top.
US09158186B2
A projection display device is provided with a main body cabinet; a projection port which is formed in the main body cabinet to guide modulated light to an outside of the projection display device; an air outlet which is formed at least in one of two surfaces of the main body cabinet facing each other across the projection port; and an exhaust unit which discharges, to the outside, air that has been warmed by heat exchange with a member to be cooled which is disposed in the main body cabinet through the air outlet. In this arrangement, the exhaust unit includes an exhaust fan, and a deflection member which deflects air discharged from the exhaust fan in a direction away from the projection plane.
US09158185B2
In a personal interactive overhead projection IFE system, an overhead projector associated with a passenger's seat projects video onto a passive substrate attached to the seat. The passive substrate may be a tray table or a dedicated video projection screen. The passenger sitting in the seat controls the projected video by positioning his or her finger or making hand gestures proximate the passive substrate. An overhead camera records the hand actions. An overhead processor interprets the hand actions and controls the projected video based on the hand actions. The system provides highly desirable personal and interactive features while obviating the need for seatback video display units or passenger control units.
US09158176B2
An optical filtering method that utilizes a Microchannel Plate (MCP) and an optical system that utilizes the optical filtering method. As an example, a XUV/SXR generation system that includes a MCP as a dispersionless, broadband IR pump filter.
US09158175B2
In some embodiments, an optical coupler comprises a substrate, and first and second optical waveguides positioned on the substrate. The second optical waveguide extends adjacent to and parallel with the first optical waveguide for at least one effective coupling length, the at least one length having a first end and a second end. The coupler further comprises a first phase shift section forming a portion of the first optical waveguide and located at a first predetermined distance from the first end of the length, and a second phase shift section forming a portion of the second optical waveguide and located at a second predetermined distance from the second end of the length, wherein the first predetermined distance is approximately equal to the second predetermined distance, and wherein the second optical waveguide does not have a phase shift section located at the first predetermined distance from the first end of the length.
US09158169B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display to provide improved transmittance and visibility includes a first substrate; a first switching element and a second switching element formed on the first substrate configured to be switched by the same signal; a first subpixel electrode connected to the first switching element; a second subpixel electrode connected to the second switching element; a third switching element connected to the second switching element; a third subpixel electrode connected to the third switching element; a second substrate; a common electrode formed on the second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer formed between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US09158166B2
The present invention provides a shorting strip structure of a liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display panel. The shorting strip structure includes: an even-numbered gate line and an odd-numbered gate line that are arranged parallel, a plurality of even-numbered data lines and a plurality of odd-numbered data lines that are arranged parallel, and a shorting strip that is arranged parallel to the even-numbered gate line. The even-numbered data lines are perpendicularly connected to the even-numbered gate line. The odd-numbered data lines are perpendicularly connected to the odd-numbered gate line. The shorting strip is electrically connected to ends of the plurality of even-numbered data lines that are adjacent to the even-numbered gate line. The present invention is arranged to have the shorting strip connecting the ends of the even-numbered data lines that are adjacent to the even-numbered gate line to each other to effectively spread out electrical charges and to prevent an issue of circuit burn-out caused by an excessive current that is induced at the time when the electrical charges are eventually discharged due to accumulation, so as to effectively enhance the yield rate of the liquid crystal display panel. Further, the shorting strip and the even-numbered data lines are formed simultaneously so that the manufacture process is simple and the cost is low so as to be favorable for cost control.
US09158165B2
A display device includes a plurality of gate lines arranged substantially parallel to each other in a first direction; a plurality of charge share gate lines arranged substantially parallel to each other in the first direction; a plurality of data lines arranged substantially parallel to each other in a second direction, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form in along the first direction and the second direction and each of the plurality of pixels which includes a first switching element and a second switching element, wherein the a first gate line of the plurality of gate lines is electrically connected to the first switching element included in one individual pixel of the plurality of pixels, and the a second gate line of the plurality of gate lines is electrically connected to the second switching element included in the individual pixel of the plurality of pixels.
US09158159B2
A liquid crystal display panel includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate and a liquid crystal layer. The lower substrate includes a first base substrate and a pixel electrode formed on the first base substrate. The first base substrate includes a first sub pixel area and a second sub pixel area. The upper substrate includes a second base substrate and a common electrode formed on the second base substrate. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, and includes a first polymer disposed in the first sub pixel area and a second polymer disposed in the second pixel area. The first polymer has a first pre-tilt, and the second polymer has a second pre-tilt different from the first pre-tilt. Thus, a display quality of a liquid crystal display apparatus including the liquid crystal display panel may be enhanced.
US09158155B2
A film construction (320) includes a broad band reflective polarizing film (312) that may be immersed in an ultra low refractive index medium (322, 324). The reflecting polarizing film is characterized by a pass axis and a block axis, and its reflectivity for white light of the pass state polarization increases with increasing incidence angle to provide a compressed or narrowed viewing cone in one or two planes.
US09158150B2
A backlight assembly includes a first light source part including a plurality of light sources and extending in a first direction, a second light source part including a plurality of light sources, wherein the second light source part is spaced apart from and in parallel with the first light source part, and a driving part disposed between the first light source part and the second light source part. The driving part is connected to the first and second light source parts, and is configured to drive the light sources of the first and second light source parts.
US09158138B2
A novel phase shifter design for carrier depletion based silicon modulators, based on an experimentally validated model, is described. It is believed that the heretofore neglected effect of incomplete ionization will have a significant impact on ultra-responsive phase shifters. A low VπL product of 0.3 V·cm associated with a low propagation loss of 20 dB/cm is expected to be observed. The phase shifter is based on overlapping implantation steps, where the doses and energies are carefully chosen to utilize counter-doping to produce an S-shaped junction. This junction has a particularly attractive VπL figure of merit, while simultaneously achieving attractively low capacitance and optical loss. This improvement will enable significantly smaller Mach-Zehnder modulators to be constructed that nonetheless would have low drive voltages, with substantial decreases in insertion loss. The described fabrication process is of minimal complexity; in particular, no high-resolution lithographic step is required.
US09158134B2
The present invention relates to a light-sensitive compound, a polymer formed by using the compound, and a production method of the compound and polymer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a unit compound that exhibits light-sensitivity with respect to three different wavelengths, a polymer having light-sensitive, which is polymerized by using the unit compound as a monomer, and a production method of the compound and polymer. The light-sensitive compound and the polymer according to the present invention may be usefully applied to an optical film.
US09158133B1
Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens sensors are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes a substrate that forms at least a portion of the body of the contact lens; an optical communication device disposed on or within the substrate; and a photodetector disposed on or within the substrate, wherein the photodetector harvests light emitted from a device and generates power from the harvested light. In some aspects, an apparatus comprises a tag having a circuit including: an optical communication device; and a photodetector that harvests light received and generates power from the harvested light. The tag can be disposed on or within a contact lens in various aspects.
US09158132B1
The defogging eyewear accessory includes a pneumatic pump, a tubing, and a distribution manifold that collectively form an accessory that is configured to dispel fog from eyewear. The distribution manifold is configured to attach onto eyewear via a clip member. The clip member clips onto the bridge of the eyewear in order to nozzles to dispense compressed air onto an interior surface of the lenses of said eyewear. The distribution manifold rests against the eyewear, and is adjacent to the bridge of an end user's nose. The tubing extends from the pneumatic pump to a connection port located on the distribution manifold. The device when in use shall dispel fog or other condensation from accumulating on the interior surface of the lenses of the eyewear in order to maintain a clear view through said eyewear.
US09158130B2
Apparatus and methods for a two-lens optical system having a focal length that can be readily switched between a first focal length and a second focal length. The system includes first and second multi-element lenses, each of which includes a cavity for a fluid. The first lens has the first focal length in the absence of the fluid in its cavity and the second focal length when the fluid is present in its cavity. The second lens has the second focal length in the absence of the fluid in its cavity and the first focal length when the fluid is present in its cavity. The focal length of the optical system is controlled by controlling which cavity of the two lenses contains the fluid.
US09158122B2
A light source module for stereoscopic display includes multi-primary color lasers which output the light with the same polarization direction. Respective lasers are divided into two groups according to the wavelengths of the output light. A light combiner is provided in the output light path of each laser group and is used for combining the output light of all lasers in the group into one output light path. The light source module further includes a polarization conversion rotary member, and the polarization direction of the two output light is periodically and alternately rotated by 90 degree by self-rotation of the polarization conversion rotary member. An imaging device for stereoscopic display includes the light source module for stereoscopic display, the light combiner and a first optical imaging modulator and a second optical imaging modulator. A stereoscopic display system includes the imaging device for stereoscopic display and a projection lens sub-system.
US09158115B1
Single-touch immersion control of head-mounted display (HMD) systems is described. One method outputs video from an electronic device to a HMD system that includes a display layer and a variable-transparency layer. The electronic device controls the variable-transparency layer to operate in a first state in which the variable-transparency layer is transparent and to operate in a second state in which the variable-transparency layer is opaque. The electronic device switches between the second state and the first state in response to a single-touch event detected by the electronic device.
US09158110B2
The invention refers to a compact multispectral scanning system comprising a primary mirror (1) and secondary mirror (2), wherein the mirrors face each other, are adapted to be rotated at the same angular speed in opposite directions, and are tilted with respect to their rotation axes. The primary mirror is concave, the secondary mirror is smaller than the primary mirror and the rotation axes of both mirrors are aligned. This arrangement makes the system more compact than prior art devices and avoids the dependency of the system on the operation frequency.
US09158108B2
An optical scanning device includes movable mirror (21) reflecting a light beam applied thereto, first beam (22) joined to an end of movable mirror (21), second beam (23) joined to another end of movable mirror (21), first piezoelectric element (11) generating stress or swinging movable mirror (21) through first beam (22), and second piezoelectric element (12) generating stress for swinging movable mirror (21) through first beam (22). First and second piezoelectric elements (11, 12) have respective patterns whose longitudinal directions are aligned with a longitudinal direction of first beam (11). First and second piezoelectric elements (11, 12) are disposed on a support plate (3) which is joined to the first and second beams (22 23) and with an insulative distance being present between first and second piezoelectric elements (11, 12).
US09158107B2
Provided is technique for a semiconductor device including a substrate and a tilting plate which is tiltable relatively to the substrate, the technique being capable of effectively suppressing warpage of the tilting plate. The semiconductor device of the present specification includes a substrate and a tilting plate which is tiltable relatively to the substrate. In the semiconductor device, a rib formed of wavelike portions where a plate thickness is substantially uniform is formed on the tilting plate.
US09158095B2
An optical unit and an imaging apparatus including the optical unit. The optical unit includes a first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group, which are arranged in order from an object side to an image plane side. Further, the first lens group includes a first lens element, a first transparent body, and a second lens element, which are arranged in order from the object side to the image plane side.
US09158069B2
An apparatus includes an optical ring resonator, first and second optical couplers, and control circuitry. The first optical coupler is configured to modulate an input optical signal traversing an optical waveguide, by tuning cross-coupling of energy between the optical waveguide and the ring resonator with a first variable coupling coefficient. The second optical coupler is configured to tune cross-coupling of energy between the ring resonator and an auxiliary optical signal, different from the input optical signal, with a second variable coupling coefficient. The control circuitry is configured to modulate the first coupling coefficient with a first control signal so as to modulate the input optical signal, and to modulate the second coupling coefficient with a second control signal, so as to retain a constant electrical-field complex envelope in the ring resonator.
US09158042B2
A design method for an optical sheet for solar concentration and an optical sheet for solar concentration obtained by means of the design method are disclosed. The design method is characterized in that, for a resin optical sheet for solar concentration containing an ultraviolet absorber in a base material thereof, an amount of the ultraviolet absorber to be contained in the base material is determined such that: in an accelerated degradation test by means of a metal-halide-lamp weathering test (device specification: JTM G 01:2000, Japan Testing Machinery Association), decrease in average transmittance in a wavelength range of 400 nm to 1850 nm after testing for an irradiation time T1 satisfies the following equation (1) τuv(0)+τuv(T1)>τ0(0)+τ0(T1) (1) and that decrease in transmittance at each of wavelengths in the wavelength range from a corresponding initial value after testing for the irradiation time T1 is not greater than 10%. T1 is the accelerated test time required corresponding to the actual location of use. The optical sheet of the present invention is capable of efficiently concentrating light without decrease in transmittance while being used for a long time in an environment with a large amount of ultraviolet radiation.
US09158040B2
To provide an anti-reflection article which can be manufactured by using an anti-reflection article manufacturing mold plate having improved abrasion resistance compared to the related art and has a sufficient anti-reflection property. An anti-reflection article is formed as an anti-reflection article in which minute concave portions are densely arranged and the gap between the adjacent minute concave portions is the shortest wavelength of a wavelength band or less of an electromagnetic wave for anti-reflection. In the anti-reflection article, at least some of the minute concave portions are a minute concave portion with multiple lowermost points in the minute concave portion.
US09158034B2
A locator for determining the depth of a buried electromagnetic marker includes a transmission antenna and two reception antennas. The locator has a major axis and is configured. The transmission antenna is configured to generate an oscillatory magnetic field parallel to the major axis. The first reception antenna of the two reception antennas is configured to couple with an oscillatory magnetic field parallel to the major axis emitted by the electromagnetic marker and to generate a first detected signal. The second reception antenna is displaced along the major axis from the first antenna and configured to couple with an oscillatory magnetic field parallel to the major axis emitted by the electromagnetic marker and to generate a second detected signal. The locator includes analogue to digital converters and a processor which is configured to calculate the depth of the electromagnetic marker.
US09158033B2
A method and apparatus is provided for detecting and categorizing subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs. Air samples are collected and analyzed by counting hydrocarbon ions, such as methane ions and counting at least one higher order hydrocarbon ions, such as propane, pentane or hexane. The methane ions and at least one higher order hydrocarbon ions are associated with location co-ordinates to form a first raw data set and second raw data set. The first and second raw data sets are analyzed and processed to produce hydrocarbon footprints. The hydrocarbon footprints are superpositioned with other available geological information and subsurface formations of interest are identified.
US09158015B2
A technique includes designing a streamer, which includes a cable and seismic sensors based at least in part on a relationship between vibration noise and a bending stiffness of the cable.
US09158013B2
A positron emission computed tomography apparatus according to an embodiment includes a detector, a buffer, and a regulating unit. The detector detects annihilation radiation. The buffer stores therein event data generated based on an output signal from the detector. The regulating unit regulates the amount of the event data read from the buffer during a high count rate period of the events at which the annihilation radiation is detected.
US09157991B2
A mechanism is described for proximity detection based on Wi-Fi signals. A method of embodiments of the invention includes determining strength of one or more signals being communicated between one or more antennae of a first device and two or more antennae of a second device. The one or more signals are associated with a broadcast packet. The method further includes determining proximity of the first device and the second device based on the determined strength of the one or more signals.
US09157986B2
A radome for a radar sensor in a motor vehicle. The radome includes a first region, which is permeable to at least one specific type of electromagnetic waves, in particular radar waves, and a second region, which includes a shield, so that the second region is impermeable to the specific type of electromagnetic waves. Also, a radar sensor is described.
US09157985B1
A system and method for detecting unknown signals is presented. A system includes a receiver, a multiplier logic, integrator logic and a peak detection logic. The receiver receives a first radio frequency (RF) input containing an unknown signal and first noise and a second RF radio input containing the same unknown signal and a second noise. The second RF input is orthogonally polarized with respect to the first RF input. The multiplier logic multiplies the first RF input with a conjugate of the second RF input to produce a multiplied signal. The integrator logic integrates the multiplied signal to product an integrated signal. The peak detection logic determines a coarse time of arrival (TOA) of a unknown signal located in the integrated signal based, at least in part, on a peak power in the integrated signal.
US09157984B2
A position detection system, includes at least one moving body (MB) including a transmission device simultaneously emitting a trigger signal indicating transmission timing and an ultrasonic signal obtained by modulating a signal of a frequency as a reference by pseudo random sequence data having high self-correlativity, and a reception device detecting MB position. The reception device includes ultrasonic reception units, a unit calculating a correlation value between a waveform of the ultrasonic signal and a model waveform of the pseudo random sequence, a unit subjecting the waveform of the ultrasonic signal and the model waveform to calculate a correlation value between the two waveforms, a unit calculating a propagation time of each ultrasonic to arrive at each of the ultrasonic reception units from trigger signal reception to correlation peak detection, and a unit calculating MB position from the ultrasonic propagation time and the interval length between the ultrasonic reception units.
US09157979B2
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes at least one controller configured to first acquire at least MRI locator image data for different portions of patient anatomy at each of different imaging stations for a defined multi-station locator sequence. An operator may interface with a respectively corresponding displayed locator image for each imaging station to set diagnostic scan sequence parameters for subsequent diagnostic MRI scans of corresponding portions of patient anatomy. Diagnostic MRI scan data is automatically acquired at each of the imaging stations in a multi-station diagnostic scan sequence that, if desired, can be seamlessly continued without operator interruption once begun.
US09157973B2
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus storage unit stores different eddy current correction parameters that respectively correspond to different imaging positions to correct for influence of an eddy current magnetic field. An eddy current correcting unit receives the waveform of the gradient magnetic field calculated in accordance with an imaging condition, performs calculation onto the received waveform using an eddy current correction parameter selected in accordance with an imaging position, and outputs the calculation result as a corrected waveform to a gradient magnetic field power supply.
US09157969B2
A magnetic element control device controls a magnetic element during detection of an intensity of a stationary magnetic field by a time-resolved magnetic balance system where the magnetic field is applied to a flux-gate magnetic element that is constituted of an excitation coil and a detecting coil. The magnetic element control device includes: an excitation signal generator; an excitation signal adjuster; a detection signal comparator; a feedback signal converter; a feedback signal adjuster; and a data signal converter. The excitation signal adjuster superimposes a feedback signal on an alternating voltage signal and thereby generates an excitation signal, and applies the generated excitation signal to the excitation coil.
US09157967B2
Systems and methods for assessing voltage threshold detection circuitry of individual battery cells within a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle are disclosed. One example system comprises, a plurality of battery cells within a battery pack, a plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits detecting voltage of the plurality of battery cells, a voltage of a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells coupled to a first voltage threshold detecting circuit of the plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits, and a network that selectively couples a second battery cell to the first voltage detecting circuit while the first battery cell is coupled to the first voltage detecting circuit.
US09157964B2
Disclosed is method for producing a secondary battery, capable of selection of a secondary battery having a defect caused by a micro short-circuit with high accuracy. A step for producing a secondary battery includes an inspection step for selecting the secondary battery having the defect among multiple secondary batteries. In the inspection step, a short circuit resistance is calculated based on capacitances of the multiple secondary batteries calculated before self-discharge inspection, a time required for the self-discharge inspection, first and second reference voltages calculated from open circuit voltages measured before and after the self-discharge inspection in the multiple secondary batteries, and first and second voltages which are open circuit voltages of one selected from the multiple secondary batteries measured before and after the self-discharge inspection. If the short circuit resistance is equal to or lower than a predetermined standard value, the selected secondary battery is determined to have the defect.
US09157954B2
Electronic device structures such as a conductive housing member that forms part of an antenna may be tested during manufacturing. A test system may be provided that includes a test probe configured to energize the conductive housing member or other conductive structures under test and that includes temporary test structures that may be placed in the vicinity of or in direct contact with the device structures during testing to facilitate detection of manufacturing defects. Test equipment such as a network analyzer may provide radio-frequency test signals in a range of frequencies. An antenna probe may be used to gather corresponding wireless radio-frequency signal data. Forward transfer coefficient data may be computed from the transmitted and received radio-frequency signals. The forward transfer coefficient data or other test data may be compared to reference data to determine whether the device structures contain a fault.
US09157945B2
A multi-mass resonator and a common-mode detection circuit are provided. The common-mode detection circuit, for example, may include a plurality of sensing electrodes, an interface circuit configured to interface with the plurality of sensing electrodes, and a common-mode capacitance extractor circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the interface circuit and configured to detect common-mode capacitance between the plurality of sensing electrodes and output a voltage representative the detected common-mode capacitance, and a differential-mode capacitance extractor circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the interface circuit and configured to detect differential-mode capacitance between the plurality of sensing electrodes and output a voltage representative the detected differential-mode capacitance.
US09157940B2
A power measurement device for sampling current or voltage signals of a power system to produce a 1-bit delta-sigma bitstream. The power measurement device includes a frequency locked loop for determining the power system frequency directly from the 1-bit delta-sigma bitstream. The frequency locked loop includes a 1-bit rotate CORDIC that is configured to produce difference signals having a multi-bit word for each bit of the 1-bit delta-sigma bitstream, and a phase error calculator that determines the difference between the phase of the power system frequency and a phase ramp generated from a frequency measurement value in a frequency register. The phase error calculator feeds back a phase correction signal to the frequency register to lock the frequency measurement value to the power system frequency.
US09157938B2
A method of computing a peak current density specification (jpeakspec) for an electrical conductor line of an integrated circuit (IC) resulting from conducting pulsed electrical current represented as a current waveform. An on-time (ton) is identified for the current waveform based on a current density being greater than or equal to (≧) a predetermined current density level. The jpeakspec is computed for the electrical conductor line using a jpeakspec modeling equation which includes the ton for the current waveform and a thermal time constant (τ) for the electrical conductor line.
US09157937B2
An integrator circuit includes a switched capacitor bridge including first and second inputs and first and second outputs. The switched capacitor bridge is configured to sample first and second reference voltages twice per unit time interval. The integrator circuit further includes an integrator coupled to the first and second outputs and configured to integrate charge dumped into the first and second outputs twice per unit time interval.
US09157932B2
A wiring board 3 according to the present invention includes a first resin layer 18a formed of a thermoplastic resin; a conductive layer 16 formed partially on the first resin layer 18a; a through hole P for insertion of a screw formed in a region where the conductive layer 16 is not formed and penetrating through the first resin layer 18a in a thickness direction thereof; and a dummy via hole D formed in a region between the through hole P and the conductive layer 16 and penetrating through the first resin layer 18a.
US09157929B2
A method of forming an apparatus for probing die electricity, which determines a reinforcement structure according to features of a converting plate, and combines the converting plate, reinforcement structure and a substrate for forming the apparatus for probing die electricity. In an embodiment, the apparatus for probing die electricity further comprises a substrate, a converting plate, a needle module and a reinforcement structure. The converting plate comprises two opposite surfaces respectively having a plurality of first and second conductive elements. The needle module comprises a plurality of needles respectively and electrically connected to the plurality second conductive elements. The reinforcement structure is disposed between the converting plate and the substrate.
US09157928B2
A microelectronic device tester has a mounting member (for mounting a device), a drive shaft connected to the mounting member, and a vibration shaft mechanically in communication with the drive shaft. The drive shaft and vibration shaft are non-coaxial, and the drive shaft has a drive shaft proximal end and a drive shaft distal end. The drive shaft proximal end is connected to the mounting member, and the drive shaft distal end terminates proximal of the entire vibration shaft.
US09157926B2
Disclosed herein is an angular velocity sensor including: first and second mass bodies; a first frame provided at an outer side of the first and second mass bodies; a first flexible part respectively connecting the first and second mass bodies to the first frame; a second flexible part respectively connecting the first and second mass bodies to the first frame; a second frame provided at an outer side of the first frame; a third flexible part connecting the first and second frames to each other; and a fourth flexible part connecting the first and second frames to each other.
US09157923B2
A system for inserting reagent or macrobeads into bores of a sample plate is disclosed comprising an insertion device arranged to retain one or more reagent or macrobeads by means of a vacuum whilst inserting the reagent or macrobeads into bores of the sample plate.
US09157915B2
The present invention discloses specific human metapneumovirus monoclonal antibodies. The antibody is at least two-fold less reactive with non-human metapneumoviruses including, but not limited to, respiratory viruses or avian metapneumoviruses. Further, the antibody is at least two-fold more reactive with a human metapneumovirus (i.e., for example, Type A or Type B) than with non-human metapneumoviruses including, but not limited to, respiratory viruses or avian metapneumoviruses. Consequently, these novel antibodies are useful as a clinical diagnostic agent, especially when using fresh nasopharengeal aspirates. The invention also contemplates numerous diagnostic platforms that together with the novel antibodies can support economical, fast, and highly selective detection and identification of clinical inoculum samples.
US09157912B2
A method for the diagnosis and/or prognosis of inflammatory states, and the use of at least one soluble receptor-binding (RBD), for the identification and quantification of the expression of membrane receptors present on the surface of target granulocytes, said identification and quantification taking place at a given time or during a given time interval, and allowing the diagnosis and/or prognosis of inflammatory states in a mammal.
US09157903B2
A device includes a plasma separation membrane, a capillary channel positioned adjacent the plasma separation membrane to receive plasma from blood placed on the plasma separation membrane, at least one cuvette coupled to the capillary channel, a gas permeable membrane, and a distribution channel coupled to the capillary channel to provide plasma to the cuvette, wherein the cuvette is configured to hold an amount of plasma with reagent suitable for colorimetric assay by a tester to hold the device. Variations include the use of a quantitation channel to provide a selected amount of plasma and a mixing channel to mix plasma with a diluent.
US09157892B2
To provide a surface property inspection device and surface property inspection method with which the surface treatment condition of treated material such as steel subjected to such surface treatments as shot-peening treatment or heat treatment, nitriding, and the like can be non-destructively and precisely inspected, and which offers a high degree of general purpose application. A surface property inspection device 1 includes an AC power supply, an AC bridge circuit, and a judgment device, and the AC bridge circuit has a variable resistor with a variable split ratio γ, a benchmark detector, and an inspection detector. In variable resistor setting step S1, the split ratio γ of a variable resistor is adjusted and set so that the output from the AC bridge circuit is increased; after setting a frequency at which the output from the AC bridge circuit is maximized using a frequency setting step S2, in pass/fail judgment step S4, a benchmark sample S is brought into contact with the benchmark detector, the sample under inspection M is brought into contact with the inspection detector, and the output from the LPF 33 and the threshold value set in the threshold value setting step S3 are compared and a pass/fail judgment is made of the surface condition of the sample under inspection M.
US09157890B2
An exchange membrane unit includes a first separation membrane, a first space that is connected to a second space via the first separation membrane, a first path that supplies a first fluid (carrier gas) to the first space and supplies chemical substances, which have passed through the first separation membrane from the second space into the first space and diffused, to an ion detector using the first fluid discharged from the first space, and a first ionizing unit provided in the first space. It is possible to provide a preprocessing system that produces little pollution and enables an ion detector to operate with high sensitivity. The present invention can be applied to FAIMS.
US09157887B2
A method for forming a sensor includes forming a channel in substrate, forming a sacrificial layer in the channel, forming a sensor having a first dielectric layer disposed on the substrate, a graphene layer disposed on the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer disposed on the graphene layer, a source region, a drain region, and a gate region, wherein the gate region is disposed on the sacrificial layer removing the sacrificial layer from the channel.
US09157878B2
A system for detecting aberrations within a workpiece having a conduit with an input end and an output end is disclosed. The system comprises a fluid delivery device arranged proximate to input end of conduit to pass fluid into input end of the conduit, the fluid delivery device having one or more fluid controllers that control one or more conditions of the fluid passed thereby, a sensor having an input and an output, the input arranged proximate to output end of conduit to measure one or more conditions of the fluid experienced by input, a workpiece exciter situated to excite workpiece and a processor having an input connected to the output of sensor, the processor having a correlator to correlate any changed of the one or more conditions of the fluid experienced by input of sensor with an excitement of workpiece by sensor.
US09157874B2
An automated X-ray inspection system employing phase shift profilometry (PSP) and three dimensional (3D) surface modeling for improving inspection of an object, includes at least one projector for projecting light to the object, at least one optical lens for imaging a light pattern obtained from the object to at least one camera, the at least one camera being adapted to capture a plurality of images of the object. The light passing from the projector lens of the at least one projector illuminates the object thereby generating the light pattern to be imaged from the object to the at least one camera via the at least one optical lens.
US09157872B1
A system for emitting X-ray energy is disclosed. An X-ray emitter emits photons in a first X-ray band toward a first photon conversion layer. The first photon conversion layer receives the photons in the first X-ray band and converts the photons in the first X-ray band to photons in a plurality of different second predetermined X-ray bands. The first photon conversion layer emits the photons in the plurality of different second predetermined X-ray bands in a downstream direction toward a second photon conversion layer.
US09157861B2
A sensor and a method of detecting a target analyte are provided. The sensor includes a substrate; a layer comprising a plurality of through holes, wherein the layer is disposed above the substrate; a first element configured to detect a target analyte; a second element that can produce a detectable signal; wherein the first element and the second element are configured to couple the target analyte between the first element and the second element.
US09157847B2
An airborne, gas, or liquid particle sensor with a mixed-mode photo-amplifier front-end. The photo-amplifier uses pulse-height for the high-gain channel and integrates the pulse-energy for the low-gain channel to provide for a larger dynamic range for larger size particles.
US09157846B1
A hollow bob (20A) with a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes (30A). The hollow bob (20A) is attached to a bob shaft (10A) and is submerged in a test fluid (40A).
US09157830B2
A drop test apparatus includes a frame, a first blocking board, a second blocking board, two first pivot poles and two second pivot poles. The frame includes a base board and a holding board above the base board for holding a tested product. The first blocking board is located between the base board and the holding board for placing the tested product when the tested product is dropped from the holding board. The second blocking board is secured to the base board. The two first pivot holes and the second two pivot poles are connected the first blocking board with the second blocking board, and a distance between the first blocking board and the second support is adjusted.
US09157825B2
A knock diagnostic module having a knock module that increments a sample count when a cylinder firing signal corresponding to a first cylinder is received and selectively increments a knock count based on a knock detection signal that corresponds to the cylinder firing signal of the first cylinder A knock analysis module analyzes the knock count of the first cylinder when the sample count of the first cylinder reaches a predetermined value and selectively generates an excessive knock signal when the knock count exceeds a predetermined threshold. A remedial action module selectively performs a remedial action based on the excessive knock signal.
US09157822B2
A transformer-less, solid-state pressure transducer assembly having significantly better characteristics than the electro-mechanical assemblies of the prior art. The pressure transducer assembly of the present invention achieves the many of the same functions as transducer assemblies of the prior art having transformers, however the pressure transducer assembly of the present invention is smaller in size and weight, cost less to manufacture, and has increased reliability.
US09157810B2
Apparatus for spatially resolved temperature measurement, comprising at least one optical fiber (4) for spatially resolved temperature measurement, at least one laser light source (1), the light (11) from which can be coupled into the optical fiber (4), wherein those components (12, 12a, 12b) of the light (11) produced by the laser light source (1) which are scattered back in the optical fiber (4) can be coupled out of the optical fiber (4) and detected, modulator means (2) permitting the modulation of the light (11) that is to be coupled into the optical fiber (4), and also demodulator means (5, 6) which permit a demodulation of those components (12, 12a, 12b) of the light (11) which are coupled out of the optical fiber (4), wherein the demodulator means (5, 6) are designed as optical demodulator means (5, 6) and/or wherein the modulator means (2) are designed as optical modulator means (2).
US09157808B2
A detector assembly is provided and includes a board, a temperature response element and a support coupled to the board to support the temperature response element, the support including an elongate member having first and second opposing ends and being coupled to the board at the first end, guides through which temperature response element leads are threadable, and a saddle disposed at the elongate member second end to inhibit displacement of the temperature response element.
US09157807B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer (2) and a dielectric stack (3) on the semiconductor layer. A plurality of etchant openings (24-1,2 . . . ) are formed through the dielectric stack (3) for passage of etchant for etching a plurality of overlapping sub-cavities (4-1,2 . . . ), respectively. The etchant is introduced through the etchant openings to etch a composite cavity (4) in the semiconductor layer by simultaneously etching the plurality of overlapping sub-cavities into the semiconductor layer.
US09157802B2
The present invention relates to a process control system which can measure the physical properties of a CIGS thin film in real-time in a continuous production line of a CIGS thin film solar cell, more specifically to a system for real-time analysis of material distribution of a CIGS thin film comprising: a header, which comprises a laser irradiation unit producing plasma from the CIGS thin film by irradiating a laser beam to a part of the CIGS thin film; and a spectrum detection optical unit detecting a spectrum generated from the plasma; a transfer unit, which transfers the header at the same rate and to the direction with the transfer rate and direction of the CIGS thin film; and a spectrum analysis unit, which analyzes the spectrum detected by the spectrum detection optical unit.
US09157801B2
A system comprises a processing system, a laser system, a telescope system, a detector system and optical systems operatively arranged such that the laser system may be capable of outputting multiple wavelengths to a common telescope system, and the detector system is capable of receiving signatures from the same telescope system, under the control of a control system. The processor system processes signals received from the detector system to determine substances identified by known signatures. For example, a plurality of detectors in the detector system each receive a range of wavelengths of the signatures received by the telescope system. For example, a variable beam diverger and variable beam expander operatively control expansion and divergence of the output the laser system. For example, a beam reducer and lenslet array may operatively transmit signatures via optical fiber bundle to one or more of the detectors.
US09157796B2
A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first substrate including a photoelectric conversion region and a surrounding region, and a second substrate including a circuit for processing a signal from the photoelectric conversion region, and overlapping the first substrate. In this case, the circuit for processing a signal from the photoelectric conversion region includes a first circuit and a second circuit with a higher drive frequency than that of the first circuit. In an orthogonal projection, the second circuit is only provided in the photoelectric conversion region.
US09157792B2
A photoelectric conversion device includes a circuit board, a light emitting module, a light receiving module, and an optical coupling lens. The circuit board includes two protrusions apart from each other. The light emitting module and the light receiving module are mounted on the circuit board and are apart from each other. The optical coupling lens includes a light incident surface, a first converging lens, a second converging lens and two through holes are defined therein for locating purposes. The first converging lens and the second converging lens are formed on the light incident surface. Centers of the through holes are aligned with centers of the protrusions to ensure the perfect alignment of the light emitting module with the first converging lens, and the perfect alignment of the light receiving module with the second converging lens.
US09157788B2
A part (120) may be subjected to both a resonance inspection and a surface vibration inspection. Various protocols (230; 240; 250; 280; 260) are disclosed as to how the results of one or more of these inspections may be used to evaluate the part (120).
US09157780B2
A device for generating exhaust gas including a exhaust gas channel and a system. The system includes: a plurality of Bragg gratings distributed in positions transversely to the direction of flow of an exhaust gas at the end of the exhaust gas channel; an optical wave guide structure includes at least one optical wave guide and the Bragg gratings; and a heating device arranged adjacently to the Bragg gratings and through which the Bragg gratings are subjected to heat, or a cooling device arranged adjacently to the Bragg gratings, through which the Bragg gratings can be subjected to cold. The optical wave guide structure and the heating device or the cooling device are arranged at the end of the exhaust gas channel at a distance from an outlet of the exhaust gas into the surroundings of the device.
US09157774B2
A differential pressure flow sensor that includes a plurality of channels divided into multiple sets of channels having different characteristics. Primary channels establish fluid communication between an inlet and an outlet of the flow sensor. Secondary channels establish fluid communication between the inlet and a first pressure port, but not the outlet. Tertiary channels establish fluid communication between the outlet and a second pressure port, but not the inlet. Signals generated at the first and second pressure port are used to determine a rate of flow through of gas through the sensor. Due to the structural features of the device, the phase delay of individual oscillatory flow components compared to corresponding oscillatory pressure components remains substantially constant across a wide range of flow rates.
US09157770B2
The encoder includes a plurality of position-detection-signal generation systems that generates electrical signals as position detection signals having different cycles, respectively; a first computing unit that calculates first position data based on the position detection signals generated by the position-detection-signal generation systems; a second computing unit that calculates second position data based on electrical signals generated by fewer ones of the position-detection-signal generation systems than in the first computing unit; and a failure determination unit that determines whether the encoder is defective based on a comparison between the first position data and the second position data.
US09157769B2
A reference point detection light-receiving unit receives light from a reference point detection pattern by first to fifth light-receiving elements. The first to fifth light-receiving elements are arranged in a first direction and outputs first to fifth signals, respectively. A reference signal generation circuit outputs a reference signal that starts at a period where a level of a signal, which is obtained by adding first and second signals, and a level of a signal, which is obtained by adding third and fourth signals, will become equal, and ends at a period where a level of a signal, which is obtained by adding the second and third signals, and a level of a signal, which is obtained by adding fourth and fifth signals, become equal.
US09157765B2
The power consumption detecting device is without external power supply. It installed on the electric equipment. This self-powered detecting device comprises at least one thermoelectric element, a processor and a wireless transmitter. As the electric equipment working, the temperature difference on the surface of the electric equipment drives the thermoelectric element to generate a voltage signal. Therefore, a self-powered thermoelectric detecting device will decrease standby power demand. The amplitude of voltage signal is proportion to the temperature difference. In the same time, the power generated by thermoelectric element can be a power source of the wireless transmitter and the chip or processor, so the supply of exterior power is no needed. The wireless transmitter transmits a signal, which is according to the power consumption of electric equipment or electric appliance, to the control center.
US09157764B2
Devices, methods, and systems for occupancy detection are described herein. One device embodiment includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to determine energy consumption data associated with a structure at a point in time, and determine whether the structure is occupied at the point in time based, at least in part, on the determined energy consumption data.
US09157757B1
Aspects of the present invention are related to methods and systems for autonomous navigation using visual landmark recognition.
US09157756B2
Vehicle management systems and associated processes can consider energy consumption when selecting routes for fleet vehicles. Vehicle management systems and associated processes are described that, in certain embodiments, evaluate vehicle energy usage based on factors such as terrain or elevation, vehicle characteristics, driver characteristics, road conditions, traffic, speed limits, stop time, turn information, traffic information, and weather information, and the like. The features described herein may also be implemented for non-fleet vehicles, such as in personal vehicle navigation systems.
US09157746B2
A method and apparatus for routing a vessel from a start point to an end point. Routes are generated from the start point to the end point based on a number of objectives. A group of waypoints is added between the two waypoints with respect to the region of interest in response to a segment between two waypoints in a route in the routes crossing a region of interest.
US09157736B2
According to one aspect, a method of determining an attitude matrix on a portable electronic device. The method includes determining a first attitude matrix gradient using data from at least one of an accelerometer and a magnetometer, determining a second attitude matrix gradient using data from a gyroscope, fusing the first attitude matrix gradient and the second attitude matrix gradient based on a mixing coefficient to generate a fused gradient, and based on the fused gradient, updating a fine attitude matrix for the portable electronic device.
US09157735B2
The present invention is directed to automated apparatuses and methods for measuring fastener hole depth, fastener length, countersink depth and/or hole diameters in a workpiece (or other object) in an automated and extremely rapid, efficient and accurate manner. The apparatuses may be operably connected with a power source and with one or a plurality of computers or other data collection devices to transmit fastener hole depth, countersink depth and/or hole diameter measurement data and/or information to them each time that a fastener hole is measured, while the apparatus is continuously measuring fastener holes (i.e., with no interruptions).
US09157732B2
A first metrology method includes the steps of projecting a first image and a second image, aligning the first image and the second image to form an aligned image of a known size, and determining a dimension of a target object by comparing the aligned image to the target object. A second metrology method includes the steps of projecting a first image and a second image, aligning the first image and the second image to form an aligned image of a known size by synchronously adjusting a zoom factor for projecting the first image and an angle for projecting the second image, and determining a dimension of a target object by comparing the aligned image to the target object.
US09157726B2
An optical coherence tomographic imaging apparatus including a planar image obtaining unit configured to obtain a planar image of a subject based on a return beam from the subject irradiated by the irradiation unit that irradiates the subject with light of a first wavelength band, a tomographic image obtaining unit configured to obtain a tomographic image of the subject based on a beam in which a return beam from the subject irradiated with the laser beam emitted while sweeping a second wavelength range which is longer than the first wavelength band and a reference beam corresponding to the laser beam are combined, and a correction unit configured to correct an optical path length difference generated due to a difference between the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band.
US09157725B2
A method of producing a sensor unit for sensing the angular position of a rotatable element with respect to a fixed element, providing an encoder element fastened to the rotatable element, adapted to generate magnetic field variations as a function of its angular position, and a sensing element fastened to the fixed element, adapted to sense the magnetic field variations. The sensing element is mounted on and connected to a printed circuit board mounted in a shielding casing fastened with the fixed element. The method further comprises a step consisting in earthing the shielding casing by electrically connecting it to a load discharging device of the printed circuit board.
US09157711B2
It comprises hollow body (6) with head (2) joined to base (3), in which inside of said hollow body (6) contains tip (4) fixed to referred body (6) characterised in that: tip (4) is fixed in an immobile manner to body (6) and there is at least one lateral space or cavity (5) defined between body (6) and tip (4) and said body (6) is manufactured from an elastic material, at least around the zone where said space or cavity (5) is defined.
US09157698B2
A mounting device for use with a firearm comprising: (a) a first frame; (b) a second frame, where the first frame and the second frame collectively include a first sphere and a second sphere, where the first frame and the second frame collectively include a first receiver configured to restriction motion of the first sphere in at least one degree of freedom, where the first frame and the second frame collectively include a second receiver configured to restriction motion of the second sphere in at least one degree of freedom, and where the first frame and the second frame collectively include a projection and a lock configured to engage the projection and: (a) restrict motion of the first sphere in a degree of freedom not restricted by the first receiver, and (b) restrict motion of the second sphere in a degree of freedom not restricted by the second receiver.
US09157693B1
A draw extending archery system enables a user to draw a draw string multiple times to store energy. Embodiments of the system include a transmission that operatively engages the draw string and a flexible limb. From an initial rest position, the user initiates a charging stroke on the draw string. During a first charging stroke, the transmission engages to store energy during the draw. At the end of the charging stroke, the transmission engages to prevent release of stored energy. The transmission also disengages the draw string to enable a subsequent charging stroke from an intermediate rest position. From a final rest position, the user initiates a firing stroke on the draw string. At the end of the firing stroke, the transmission couples the draw string and the flexible limb to release stored energy through the draw string.
US09157691B2
An apparatus configured to aid a user in actuating a slide mechanism of a semi-automatic pistol is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first side portion connected to a second side portion by a top portion extending therebetween, a tunnel configured to receive the slide mechanism therein and extend a length of the apparatus from a first end portion to a second end portion, and a flange configured to rest against an end of the slide mechanism to provide a pushing force on the end when a user actuates the slide mechanism.
US09157688B2
A communication plate extends along and is sandwiched between cylindrical communication manifolds of a first heat exchanger assembly and a second heat exchanger assembly. The communication plate includes a saddling surface arcuate in one direction and a saddling surface arcuate in the opposite direction for engaging in saddle-like fashion the cylindrical shape of the manifolds. The communication plate defines a plurality of communication plate orifices disposed along the communication plate and aligned co-axial with a plurality of communication orifices disposed along the manifolds to seal the communication orifices of the manifolds and establish distributed and sealed fluid communication between the heat exchanger assemblies.
US09157684B2
A refrigeration apparatus (air conditioner (1A)) includes: a vapor channel (2A) that directs a refrigerant vapor from an evaporator (25) to a condenser (23); a liquid channel (2B) that directs a refrigerant liquid from the condenser (23) to the evaporator (25); a first circulation path (4) that allows the refrigerant liquid retained in the evaporator (25) to circulate via a first heat exchanger (indoor heat exchanger (31)); and a second circulation path (5) that allows the refrigerant liquid retained in the condenser (23) to circulate via a second heat exchanger (outdoor heat exchanger (33)). A first switching means and a second switching means are provided on the first circulation path (4) and the second circulation path (5). The first switching means and the second switching means are, for example, four-way valves 61 and 62.
US09157676B2
A refrigerator provided with a rotating bar configured to seal a gap between one pair of doors, capable of preventing the door from being incompletely closed due to an erroneous operation of the rotating bar, the rotating bar capable of sealing a gap formed between the rotating bar and a body as well as a gap formed between one pair of doors, the rotating bar being elastically supported by an elastic member so as to move by receiving an external force from a guide part provided on the body, the rotating bar including a sealing member protruding from the rotating bar so as to seal a gap between the rotating bar and the body.
US09157672B2
A command device (13) includes a sensor (15,16) for the measurement of a measured value VM of a characteristic C of a fluid FR,A and a comparison (14) of the measured value VM of the characteristic C of the fluid FR,A with at least two step-values VSmin, VSmax of the characteristic C. The command device (13) includes an upstream temperature sensor (20) to be positioned upstream the evaporator (12) according to the air flow direction (6) to measure an upstream temperature T2 of the air flow (3) and give an information (18) which is taken into account by the command device (13) in order to determine the step-values VSmin, VSmax of the characteristic C.
US09157662B2
A photovoltaic module has an opening through which rainwater and waste matter are discharged. The photovoltaic module includes a front substrate, a rear substrate disposed opposite to the front substrate, a solar cell disposed between the front substrate and the rear substrate, and a frame surrounding edges of the front substrate and the rear substrate, the frame being formed or substantially formed in a rectangular shape, the frame having at least one opening formed at a short side or long side thereof.
US09157659B2
A method of converting a liquid into a vapor includes directing liquid into one or more solar collectors through a manifold that supports the one or more solar collectors. Each of the one or more solar collectors includes a transparent outer cylinder having a closed end and an open end, an inner cylinder having a closed end and an open end, the inner cylinder being concentric with and disposed within the transparent outer cylinder so that the closed end of the inner cylinder is located proximate to the closed end of the transparent outer cylinder, an outer surface of the inner cylinder being made of a material that absorbs solar radiation to generate heat, the longitudinal axes of the transparent outer cylinder and the inner cylinder being substantially horizontal, and an enclosed and evacuated space formed between the transparent outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. A maximum value is determined for the amount of liquid to be converted to vapor during a daylight portion of a day as a result of the heat generated in the inner cylinders of the one or more solar collectors. An amount of the liquid is directed into the one or more solar collectors, where the amount is a value that is at least the maximum amount value.
US09157654B2
A heat pump system includes a heat pump circuit, a heat load circuit, first and second heat exchangers, a flow rate regulation mechanism and a controller. A first passage connects branching and converging portions of the heat load circuit. A second passage connects the branching and converging portions without converging with the first passage. The first and second heat exchanger perform heat exchange between discharge refrigerant from the low and high stage compression mechanisms and fluid in the first and second passages, respectively. The flow rate regulation mechanism regulates a ratio between flow rates through the first and second passages. The controller controls the flow rate regulation mechanism so that the fluid is allowed to flow to the first heat exchanger when a temperature of refrigerant flowing into the first heat exchanger is lower than a heating target temperature of converged fluid flowing through the heat load circuit.
US09157648B2
A HVAC unit manufacturing method and a HVAC system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the HVAC system includes: a controller having control board terminals, a parallel wiring harness having a first and a second connection header, the first connection header coupled to the control board terminals, and a switch having terminals. The terminals of the switch including: a pair of functional terminals configured to indicate a status of the switch and a pair of jumpered terminals independent of the pair of functional terminals and internally connected together within the switch, wherein designated combinations of the terminals indicate a circuit configuration for employing the switch in the HVAC system with each of the terminals having a particular design that dictates a specific corresponding connection header be used for each of the designated combinations, wherein a single one of the designated combinations of the terminals corresponds to the second connection header.
US09157646B2
Methods and apparatus for automatically changing between heating and cooling in an HVAC system. In one example, an HVAC controller may monitor the temperature of an inside space of a building, and may switch the HVAC system to cooling when the temperature of the inside space rises above a high switch-point temperature, and may cool the inside space to at least below the high switch-point temperature. The HVAC controller may also switch the HVAC system to heating when the temperature of the inside space falls below a low switch-point temperature and may heat the inside space to at least above the low switch-point temperature. In some cases, after switching to heating or cooling, the HVAC controller may cause the HVAC system to heat or cool the inside space, respectively, to substantially the set-point temperature.
US09157644B2
An air humidifier comprises a base. An opening water tank is integrated into the humidifier base. A water inlet is opening on the upper surface of the casing. The inside of the base is combined with the water tank and an atomizing chamber. The atomizing chamber is composed of a water sub-tank, a water level control board and the bottom of the water tank form a first chamber, A water opening is provided at the bottom of the water tank. A water level control board is provided with a water exit valve corresponding to the water opening. The water exit valve is provided for controlling the flow rate and on/off of the water flow downwardly from the water tank through the water sub-tank. On the water sub-tank is provided with the atomization device and an automatic breaker. The atomization device can be an ultrasonic device or a heater or filter for transforming water into vapor. A fan is installed on the base. A first vapor opening is disposed on the upper surface of the casing.
US09157639B2
A cooking oven comprising a cooking cavity and an exhaust gas purification assembly comprising a self-heated filter element comprising a gas-permeable, electrically conductive silicon carbide material and a current supply structure operable for self-heating said filter element. Preferably, said purification assembly comprises a self-heated filter element comprised of a foamed silicon carbide structural element.
US09157618B2
A luminaire may be carried by a lighting fixture and may have a generally concave elongate-shaped housing defining an optical chamber and an aperture. The luminaire may include a plurality of lighting devices each having a heat sink, a light source, and a magnetic attachment member. The magnetic attachment member may magnetically bind a lighting device to pads proximate to ferromagnetic material in the housing. Light emitted by the light source may enter the optical chamber and pass through the aperture in a generally orthogonal direction in relation to the orientation of the device. Electrical power may be delivered by one or more power supply unit of either an external or an on-board type, and by using either inductive or conductive coupling. Network interfaces may enable communication of control instructions among a multiple controllers located either within a single luminaire or distributed among multiple luminaires.
US09157617B1
Disclosed are a system, device and/or an apparatus of modular hanging lasers to enable real-time control in a distribution center. In one embodiment, a laser assembly, includes a first support member having a curved upper hook, a second support member having the curved upper hook, and a printed circuit board in between the first support member and the second support member: (1) that is physically coupled with the first support member at a first rotation point of the printed circuit board, and which is physically coupled with the second support member at a second rotation point of the printed circuit board. The laser assembly is attached to a first wire of a distribution center above at least one row of the distribution center having at least one of a shelving, an inventory, and storage compartments along at least one row.
US09157613B2
A mobile electronic device is provided, including a first housing, a second housing and a circuit board assembly. The first housing is connected to the second housing to form a receiving space with the circuit board assembly disposed therein. The circuit board assembly includes a first circuit board having a plurality of light emitting diodes, a second circuit board, and a frame disposed between the first circuit board and the second circuit board.
US09157610B2
A manufacture method for a surface mounted power LED support comprises providing a wiring board having both sided metal layers. In addition, the method comprises forming a hole. Further, the method comprises setting a metal layer in the surface of the hole. Still further, the method comprises thickening the metal layer of the wiring board. The method also comprises etching the metal layer of the wiring board. Moreover, the method comprises cutting the wiring board to form single support unit. A surface mounted power LED support comprises a both sided wiring board, a hole formed in the wiring board and wiring layers set on the surface of the wiring board.
US09157608B2
A dampener configured to augment the mounting of a lamp in a socket by resisting displacement of the lamp relative to the socket. The dampener is made from a material able to absorb vibrations and to reduce or prevent vibrations in the lamp. The dampener is made in one piece or more pieces, wherein each piece is interposable in whole or in part between the socket and the lamp base to insulate the lamp in whole or part against the vibration translated through the socket or surrounding air.
US09157599B2
Disclosed is an LED lighting system comprising a housing equipped with a transparent substrate as an illuminating side, an LED light source located in the housing, and a haze-changeable film attached to the transparent substrate, wherein the transparency of the haze-changeable film changes depending on the application of electric power and the haze-changeable film has a haze on light varying with the intensity of an applied voltage/current. The LED lighting system may be useful for interior emotional lighting because a direct/indirect lighting and a mixed lighting thereof can be provided with a single system and various correlated color temperatures can be produced with a single LED light source.
US09157593B2
A vehicle headlight for generating a main light distribution and a secondary light distribution is disclosed. The vehicle headlight comprises two or more LED light modules. Each LED light module comprises a number of LED light sources. Each LED light module comprises a lens. The light emitted by the LED light sources of an LED module is irradiated directly onto the lens and is projected therefrom into the outside space. The light emitted by the LED light sources of the LED modules forms the main light distribution or the secondary light distribution.
US09157590B2
A base carrier (2) for an illumination device (L1; L2; L3), comprising a printed circuit board (4) having at least one first plug-in connection element (9) for mechanically securing and electrically coupling a light source carrier (3) to the printed circuit board (4).
US09157582B2
The invention relates to a lighting strip (100) for mounting in or on a panel support element (210) of a modular panel system (200). The lighting strip comprises an optical waveguide (120) having a tapered portion increasing in thickness from the center towards a first side of the lighting strip. The lighting strip also comprises a first plurality of solid state lighting elements (110) placed along the first side of the lighting strip, facing said tapered portion (120). The lighting strip further comprises a reflective surface (140) and a light output surface comprising a glare reducing member (130), each extending between the first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The optical waveguide is located between the reflective surface and the glare reducing member. A lighting system, panel support element (210) and modular panel system (200) including such a lighting strip (100) are also disclosed.
US09157580B2
The invention relates to a retrofit LED lamp having an LED module, a driver circuit for supplying power to the LED module, a base for making mechanical and electrical contact with a bulb fitting and a heat sink arrangement for dissipating the heat produced during operation at the LED module and/or the driver circuit. The heat sink arrangement in this case has a metal mount insert consisting of a mount plate with an integrally attached collar, the mount plate bearing, in thermally conductive contact, the LED module, and a transparent upper shell being fitted to the collar of the mount insert in the light exit direction and a thermally conductive lower shell being fitted, in areal contact, in the direction of the base for heat dissipation, said upper shell and said lower shell together forming a housing of the LED lamp which surrounds the LED module and the mount insert.
US09157569B2
A moving platform for use with a camera and track assembly, and comprising a platform body having a hollow rectangular shape with five mirrored exterior sides and one open bottom side. Within and attached to the platform body is a drive wheel, an electric motor and a gear box adapted to drive the drive wheel, a non-drive wheel positioned and rotatable parallel to the drive wheel, a pair of directional wheels spaced from the drive wheel and the non-drive wheel, and a guide wheel assembly attached between the pair of directional wheels and including at least one caster wheel assembly adapted to roll within a recessed rail of a track assembly.
US09157566B2
Insulation systems employing expansion features to insulate elongated containers subject to extreme temperature fluctuations, and related components and methods are disclosed. Elongated containers, such as pipes, tanks, vessels may have contents that need to be insulated to prevent heat exchange with the outside environment. Insulation systems are disposed along the perimeter of the elongated containers to prevent the heat exchange. In cases where the insulation systems are subject to extreme temperature fluctuations, components of the insulation may thermally expand and/or contract, and may form gaps between the components. Alternatively, damaging stresses may be formed as the thermal dimensional changes may be restricted as part of the installation. The insulation system comprises expansion features to better enable the gaps to be filled and relieve damaging stresses. In this manner, the elongated containers may be efficiently insulated even while subjected to extreme temperature fluctuations.
US09157559B2
An exhaust connection coupler and a method for manufacturing a braid cover incorporated therein are provided.
US09157558B2
A flexible hose (100) having a grooved liner (102) forming a part of the side walls of the hose to define an internal bore (101). Helically formed grooves (108) are formed at an external facing side of liner (102) with an innermost side (104) comprising a substantially smooth, non-profiled surface. A coiled wire retainer (107) is housed within each groove (108) to provide a hose (100) resistant to crushing and collapse of the internal bore (101) due to kinking when the hose (100) is flexed.
US09157545B2
An air bypass valve (10) includes a solenoid assembly (30) including a magnetic housing (32), a coil bobbin (34) in the magnetic housing, a coil (36) disposed about the coil bobbin, and a magnetic flux ring (38) coupled with the magnetic housing. An armature and seal assembly (12) includes an armature structure (14, 16) that can move with respect to the solenoid assembly from a closed position to an open position in response to a magnetic field generated by the coil. Seal structure (22) is coupled with armature structure so that the seal structure can pivot with respect to the armature structure. The seal structure has a sealing edge (28) to seal with a manifold component when the armature structure is in the closed position thereof. A spring (44) biases the armature structure to the closed position and a main housing covers (46) the magnetic housing.
US09157540B2
A fluid flow control device includes a regulator for operating at high pressures and an integral bypass valve. The regulator and the bypass valve each include a control assembly that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The regulator and bypass valves are biased into the open positions and adapted to move into the closed positions when an operating pressure rises to above respective regulator and bypass set-point pressures. The bypass set-point pressure is lower than the regulator set-point pressure such that when the operating pressure rises above the bypass set-point pressure, the bypass valve automatically closes and allows the regulator to perform under normal operating conditions. So configured, the bypass valve is arranged to accommodate at least some of the fluid flow through the system until the operating pressure reaches the normal operating pressure, which is somewhere between the bypass and regulator set-point pressures.
US09157525B2
The automatic transmission includes a first friction engagement element which is engaged when a first gear position is realized and disengaged when a second gear position is realized, a second friction engagement element which is engaged when the second gear position is realized and disengaged when the first gear position is realized, and a controller. The controller causes the second friction engagement element to slip by decreasing an instructional pressure for the second friction engagement element while running in the second gear position, and learns an engagement start pressure of the first friction engagement element based on a change in a differential rotation of the second friction engagement element, or in a parameter that changes in accordance with the differential rotation, at a time when an instructional pressure for the first friction engagement element is increased during the slip.
US09157524B2
A vehicle transmission includes a main transmission, a sub-transmission, a sub-transmission shift position sensor, and a map switching device. The main transmission is an automatic transmission configured to perform gear shifting according to a gear shift map selected between a first gear shift map and a second gear shift map in accordance with a throttle opening degree and a vehicle speed. The sub-transmission is configured to change rotational speed of rotational drive force output from the main transmission by manually selecting a sub-transmission gear position between a drive position and a low position having a reduction ratio larger than a reduction ratio of the drive position. The map switching device is configured to perform switching between the first gear shift map and the second gear shift map in accordance with sensing signals from the sub-transmission shift position sensor.
US09157522B2
A shift control device for an automatic transmission comprises a referee shift control bracket mounted to a vehicle and an actuated shift control bracket that is actuated relatively to the referee shift control bracket. The referee shift control bracket cooperates with the actuated shift control bracket to define a path of travel of the actuated shift control bracket relative to the referee shift control bracket. The actuated shift control bracket is coupled, through a shift linkage system, to the automatic transmission such that a movement of the actuated shift control bracket along the path of travel to a first position corresponds to actuation of the automatic transmission into a first gear position. The referee shift control bracket cooperating with the actuated shift control bracket to define at least one detent positioned along said path of travel, said at least one detent corresponding to the first gear position.
US09157521B2
A planetary carrier having: a first carrier member that has a first shaft support portion that supports respective first ends of a plurality of pinion shafts inserted through the pinion gears, and a plurality of first leg portions extended from the first shaft support portion; a second carrier member that has a second shaft support portion that supports respective second ends of the plurality of pinion shafts, and a plurality of second leg portions extended from the second shaft support portion; and an annular member that has one end surface with which the plurality of first leg portions of the first carrier member and the plurality of second leg portions of the second carrier member are brought into abutment, and a welded portion to which the plurality of first leg portions and the plurality of second leg portions are welded at different positions in a circumferential direction.
US09157511B2
A transmission gearing arrangements produces up to ten forward and one reverse speed ratios by selective engagement of various combinations of four shift elements. Each disclosed transmission includes four planetary gear sets and at least six shift elements. One of the shift elements may be a dog clutch. Optional passive one way brakes simplify the control.
US09157509B2
The disclosure describes a driving device for a mill including a gear ring, suitable for being fastened to a grinding chamber, a first reduction transmission suitable for transmitting a rotation from a first motor to the gear ring, the reduction transmission comprising a case, an output module including an output pinion and an output shaft defining an output axis. The gear ring has helical teeth, the output pinion has helical teeth, the or each output module can be inserted in a single piece into the associated case in an insertion direction or removed in a single piece from that associated case in a removal direction. The driving device includes a disconnectable connecting element suitable for rotatably connecting the output shaft to a transmission element and allowing, in a disconnected state, a rotation of the output pinion around the output axis upon removal of the output module outside the case or during insertion of the output module into the case.
US09157506B2
A fusible link is described comprising a first member selectively coupled to a second member via a connection member. The connection member is retained by way of first and second stop members that are defined in the second member and bear against the connection member and the first member.
US09157505B2
An apparatus for securing a rope includes a device body having a first width, a first length, and a first height, the first width substantially greater than each of the first height and the first length, the device body having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends at opposing ends of the first width of the device body. The apparatus includes a first rope notch, the first rope notch located at the first end of the device body, the first rope notch extending in a first direction parallel to the first height away from the central body. The apparatus includes a second rope notch, the second rope notch located at the second end of the device body, the second rope notch extending in a second direction parallel to the first height away from the device body, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.
US09157494B2
A drive system may provide centrifugally driven clutch members into engagement and disengagement using weights between an interface of the clutch members. The weights maybe disposed in races between the clutch members. The weights may move centrifugally within the races pushing the clutch members apart during rotation of an input drive shaft. In some embodiments, two clutch members may provide the engagement and disengagement of the input drive shaft power to a drive output member and a third clutch member may be configured to engage the two clutch members during drive engagement. The third clutch member may be configured to disengage from the two clutch members as a failsafe during, for example, an overspeed condition or a jammed clutch interface.
US09157492B2
A launch device for a vehicle transmission includes a housing, an impeller, a turbine; and first and second clutches. The first and second clutches include first and second pistons, respectively. The first and second pistons are sealingly engaged with one another. The first clutch releaseably engages the impeller with the housing and the second clutch releaseably engages the turbine with the first piston. In an example embodiment, the first clutch is disposed radially outside of the second clutch and at least a portion of the first piston is disposed axially between the housing and the second piston. In an example embodiment, the first clutch is engaged by a first pressure, and the second clutch is engaged by a second pressure greater than the first pressure.
US09157487B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an improved clutch-brake for a PTO unit. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure, a dual direction clutch-brake with a clutch cup is disclosed. When moved in one direction, the clutch cup engages a clutch pack resulting in the input shaft being engaged with the output shaft. When the clutch cap is moved in the opposite direction, the clutch cup engages a breaking member, for example a cover or casing of the PTO unit, which applies a force to the output shaft opposite to the direction of rotation and thereby stops the output shaft from rotating.
US09157480B2
A bearing assembly includes an inner member having an outer engagement surface and an outer race. The outer race has an inner surface defining a first end and a second end and an inner engagement surface therebetween, the inner engagement surface is positioned on the outer engagement surface of the inner member. A first annular groove is formed in the inner surface, proximate one of the first end and the second end. A second annular groove is formed in the inner surface and is positioned axially inward from the first annular groove. An external seal is positioned in first annular groove and slidably engages the inner member. An internal seal is positioned in the second annular groove and slidingly engages the inner member.
US09157471B2
A spherical bearing permits alignment, maintained alignment, and the immobilization of an attachment to a shaft passing through a core of a bearing. The bearing includes a spherical inner core surrounded by a housing around the core. The bearing does not require alignment of the housing and core to perform its function. Design features based on structural modification of the inner core allow the bearing to be immobilized using minimal compression and releasability when the bearing is released.
US09157465B2
The present invention relates to a fixture and/or locator for supporting and positioning and/or calibrating an object comprising a male or female portion of an interlock mechanism, the fixture and/or locator comprising: at least one fixating (2) component for holding the object in a fixed position, characterized in that, the at least one fixating component comprises a locking element (3) configured for receiving the male portion and a release element (4) for releasing the male or female portion from the locking element by actuating the release element.
US09157464B2
A functional element having a head part with a flange and a section projecting away from a first side of the flange which is punching into a sheet metal part without piercing the sheet metal part and also having a shaft part with a longitudinal axis which satisfies a function and which projects away from the side from the flange opposite to the first side. The flange and the section are arranged at least substantially coaxial to the shaft part, with the section, which is formed as a hollow cylinder having ribs extending parallel to the longitudinal direction at its outer jacket surface. At the inner side the section has a diverging truncated cone shape which substantially runs out at the free end, with the truncated cone shape serving for the dilation of the section during punching into the sheet metal part. A component assembly and a method of manufacturing it are also claimed.
US09157459B2
A liquid storage container has a double structure provided with an outer container forming an outer shell and a liner arranged in the outer container, the liner accommodating a liquid, wherein the liquid is pushed out from the liner by gas pressure introduced into the outer container so as to flow out to an exterior of the container from a siphon of a plug attached to a stopper portion of the outer container, a substantially concentric drop tube is arranged on an outer periphery of the siphon so as to form a space portion serving as a liquid flow passage, a through hole is formed on a tube wall of the drop tube, and an outlet opening for making the inflow liquid coming from the through hole flow out from the liquid flow passage.
US09157457B2
A fan holder includes at least one frame, a first lateral plate, and a second lateral plate. The frame has a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to each other, and the first side surface and the second side surface respectively have a positioning member and a slot. Each frame can be selectively combined with each other through the first side surface and the second side surface. The first lateral plate has a positioning trough, and the second lateral plate has a stopper. The first lateral plate and the second lateral plate are detachably disposed on the first side surface and the second side surface respectively. The positioning member is interlocked with the positioning trough, and the stopper is inserted in the slot. The fan is disposed in the fan holder, and the fan holder is fixed to a case of an electronic device, so as to provide an air flow to cool the electronic device.
US09157448B2
Various systems and apparatuses are provided for a turbulence member for an annular seal cavity in a fluid handling device. In one example, the turbulence member includes an inner face positioned to cooperate with a seal assembly in the annular seal cavity to define an inner channel. The turbulence member also includes an outer face positioned to cooperate with a housing to define an outer channel in the annular seal cavity. The turbulence member also includes a front face extending between the inner face and the outer face, and a rear face spaced from the front face and extending between the inner face and the outer face. The turbulence member is configured to disrupt fluid flow within the annular seal cavity and inhibit formation of an air pocket adjacent to the seal assembly.
US09157446B2
This disclosure relates to a centrifugal compressor. In a first example, the compressor includes a first impeller provided in a main refrigerant flow path, a second impeller provided in the main refrigerant flow path downstream of the first impeller, and a recirculation flow path. In the first example, the recirculation flow path is provided between a first location and a second location along the main refrigerant flow path. The first location is downstream of the second location, and the second location is downstream of the first impeller. In a second example, the compressor includes an impeller provided in a main refrigerant flow path, and a recirculation flow path provided between a first location and a second location along the main refrigerant flow path. In the second example, the recirculation flow path includes a recirculation volute. Further disclosed is a method for operating a centrifugal compressor.
US09157445B2
A ceiling fan blade includes a lower blade and an upper blade combined together. The lower blade is provided with a recess and secured thereon with a plurality of engage fasteners, and the upper blade is formed with a recess and embedded therein with a plurality of engage posts respectively corresponding with the engage fasteners. The engage post is engaged with the engage fastener to form a one-way engagement for reinforcing combination of the upper blade with the lower blade. The ceiling fan blade of this invention can not only conform to environmental protection but also avoid being broken apart when used to insure safety in use. In addition, the ceiling fan blade of this invention is hollow in structure, able to lighten the blade, and no locking member is provided on the surface of the blade, able to keep beautiful external features of the ceiling fan.
US09157440B2
In a method or system for controlling a process fluid stream within an industrial process plant, a pump is provided in series with a control valve having an associated positioner to control the fluid stream. A required fluid passage quantity for the process fluid stream is set by positioning the control valve with the positioner into a respective valve position and capturing an actual position of the valve. A physically sensible actual property value related to passage of the process fluid through the control valve is determined. The actual property value as well as the actual valve position are evaluated by an evaluation routine with respect to a predetermined optimization parameter specific to the valve with its associated positioner. If a deviation occurs from the optimization parameter, a pump drive value for the pump and control valve position drive value for the valve positioner are tuned to each other in such a way that the optimization parameter is approached.
US09157439B2
A universal oil fitting may include a body and an orifice. The body may include a first end, a second end, a first outer portion and a second outer portion. The first outer portion may include external threads and may extend longitudinally between the first end and the second outer portion. The orifice may extend longitudinally through the body and may include a first portion having a first inner diameter and a second portion having a threaded second inner diameter. The first portion may extend longitudinally between the first end of the outer body and the second portion.
US09157436B2
A oil pump includes a pump housing in which a first partitioning section is formed between a trailing end section of the intake port and a leading end section of the discharge port, and a second partitioning section is formed between a trailing end section of a discharge port and a leading end section of an intake port. A width dimension of the second partitioning section is the same as or larger than the formation range of a space between teeth which is constituted by an inner rotor and an outer rotor passing the second partitioning section during low-speed rotation. A protruding surface section is formed in the same plane as and continuously with the second partitioning section from the vicinity of an inner diameter side of the trailing end section of the discharge port.
US09157435B2
A dosing system for delivering a dosing fluid includes a dosing manifold having a front panel and a rear panel with a plurality of channels and a plurality of inlet and outlet ports in fluid communication with corresponding channels. The front panel holds a plurality of flow control devices in fluid communication with corresponding channels to control the flow of the dosing fluid in the channels. A dosing pump is in fluid communication with the dosing manifold and is configured to pump the dosing fluid through the dosing manifold.
US09157433B2
A pressure-controlling appliance for an inflatable product has a inflatable body, a pump mounted in the inflatable body, a pump switch and an inflation-deflation valve. The pump inflates or deflates the inflatable bodythrough the inflation-deflation valve. The pressure-controlling appliance also comprises an inflation-deflation controlling mechanism and a pressure-controlling mechanism. The inflation-deflation controlling mechanism is applied to open and close the inflation-deflation valve and to turn the pump switch on or off. The pressure-controlling mechanism operates the inflation-deflation controlling mechanism according to the pressure in the inflatable body that compared with the high or low reference pressure.
US09157425B2
Provided is an inverter-integrated electric compressor in which the layout of a wiring path connected to an IPM is optimized, the wiring path is simplified, and the noise interference due to disturbance is suppressed, thereby improving the controllability. In an inverter-integrated electric compressor in which an inverter box is provided on the outer periphery of a housing accommodating a compressor and a motor, the inverter box integrally accommodating an inverter device, the inverter device includes an IPM constituting an inverter circuit, and UVW output terminals arranged on one side of the IPM are disposed, in the inverter box, so as to face a glass-sealed terminal that applies power from the inverter device to the motor.
US09157418B2
A sustainable power supply unit for ISO containers that includes photo voltaic solar panels that produce electric power allowing standardized mounting and attachment on top of ISO containers. The power supply unit can include ISO container corner castings that allow two or more sustainable power supply units to be stacked during transportation and storage. The power supply unit can include a maximum power point tracker, electrical batteries, data handling equipment and an inverter for supplying plug and play electric power to an ISO container or other electricity demanding equipment.
US09157413B2
An array of buoys is disclosed for obtaining energy from a wave in a body of water. The array of buoys can include a framework having a plurality of vertical members and a base buoy coupled to the framework to support the framework in a body of water and maintain the vertical members in a vertical orientation. The array of buoys can further include a plurality of movable buoys. Each of the plurality of movable buoys can be movably disposed about a different one of the plurality of vertical members and configured to move relative to the respective vertical members and the base buoy in response to a wave in the body of water. Additionally, the array of buoys can include an energy conversion device operable with each of the plurality of movable buoys to generate power from movement of the movable buoys relative to the vertical members.
US09157403B2
A fuel injection valve includes a valve element movably disposed to a valve seat member having a valve seat and formed with an opening located at a downstream side thereof. A swirl imparting chamber is formed to impart a swirl force to fuel within the swirl imparting chamber by turning fuel. An injection hole is opened to the bottom of swirl imparting chamber to inject fuel to outside. Additionally, a communication passage is formed to connect the swirl imparting chamber with the opening of the valve seat member. In this fuel injection valve, the swirl imparting chamber and the communication passage are formed to satisfy the following equation: 0.15≦W/D<0.5 where W is width of the communication passage; and D is diameter of the swirl imparting chamber.
US09157401B2
An apparatus for coupling components in a fuel delivery system together is presented. The apparatus comprises a first member having a first end, a second end, and throughgoing passageway therebetween. The apparatus further comprises a second member having a throughgoing bore therein. The throughgoing bore is configured to receive the first end of the first member. The first and second members of the apparatus are configured to be affixed together to create a joint between the first end of the first member and the inner wall of the bore of the second member such that the passageway and the bore are in substantial alignment with each other.
US09157394B2
A hanger for suspending a liner within an exhaust duct of a gas turbine engine exhaust system comprises a connector assembly, a cable and a bracket. The connector assembly is for connecting to an exhaust duct of the gas turbine exhaust system. The cable extends from the connector assembly and is configured to extend into the exhaust duct. The bracket is for connecting to an exhaust duct liner of the gas turbine exhaust system. The bracket is connected to the cable.
US09157387B2
A fuel combustion enhancement apparatus of an internal combustion engine, which is capable of greatly reducing fuel and improving combustion efficiency and torque and reducing exhaust gas, includes a power source terminal, a conductor plate 10 for gas activation, an amplifier 30, and a gas activation enhancement device 20 which includes a frequency resonance coil power source 22, a local oscillation power source, a detection circuit 23, a power amplification circuit 24, a power amplification IC 27, and an amplifier power source 28 connected between the power source terminal and the conductor plate. The conductor plate 10 includes a coil unit 12, and copper plates 14 are electrically connected between both ends of the coil unit 12, and auxiliary plates 16 made of materials having a different standard electrode potential value from materials of the copper plates are disposed at bottoms of the copper plates 14.
US09157384B2
A dual fuel engine utilizes a compression ignited pilot injection of liquid diesel fuel to ignite a mixture of gaseous fuel and air in each engine cylinder. The gaseous fuel is injected at a relatively low pressure directly into the engine cylinder from a fuel injector. The liquid diesel fuel is injected directly into the engine cylinder from the same fuel injector. In-cylinder dynamic gas blending during the compression stroke can reduce potential hydrocarbon slip that could occur when unburned fuel resides in crevice volumes within the engine cylinder.
US09157380B2
Systems and methods for operating a twin scroll turbocharged engine with a junction configured to selectively control exhaust gas delivery to an exhaust gas recirculation system and a twin scroll turbine are provided.
US09157379B2
Intermediate position feedback control is executed when valve timing of an intake valve is at an intermediate lock position, an intermediate lock is needed, and an engine revolution speed is greater than a first engine revolution speed R1. Forced lock control is executed when the valve timing of the intake valve is at the intermediate lock position, the intermediate lock is needed, the engine revolution speed is less than the first engine revolution speed R1, and the intermediate position feedback control is not being executed. As a result, even when the engine revolution speed increases in the presence of a demand that the valve timing needs to be in the intermediate lock position, it is possible to maintain the valve timing at the intermediate lock position.
US09157364B2
An object of the present invention is to control a supercharge pressure in such a manner as not to interfere with warming-up of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst, in an internal combustion engine with a turbo supercharger. To this end, a control device for an internal combustion engine with a turbo supercharger provided by the present invention makes a determined value of a target supercharge pressure with respect to a same target intake pressure smaller when a request to warm up the exhaust gas purifying catalyst is present, as compared with when the request is absent. Note that the target intake pressure is determined based on a target air amount determined from a requested torque for the internal combustion engine. The present control device operates a throttle based on the target intake pressure and an actual supercharge pressure, and operates a wastegate valve based on the target supercharge pressure.
US09157363B2
An engine receiving boost from a supercharger and/or a turbocharger compressor is provided, along with methods for its operation. The engine may include inline cylinders arranged on an engine block and an integrated exhaust manifold (IEM), where exhaust flow from inner cylinders is kept separate from exhaust flow from outer cylinders within the IEM and where exhaust flow from the inner cylinders but not the outer cylinders flows through a turbine of the turbocharger. The supercharger and turbocharger compressor may be arranged in parallel upstream of an intake manifold of the engine, and throttles upstream of each of the supercharger and compressor may be controlled to direct intake air through one or both of the supercharger and the compressor based on engine operating conditions.
US09157361B2
A liquid cooling system includes at least one fluid line in fluid communication with an intercooler for circulating a coolant through the intercooler. An inlet port assembly interconnects the intercooler and the at least one fluid line. The inlet port assembly defines an opening for introducing the coolant into the liquid cooling system. The inlet port assembly is rotatable relative to the intercooler and the at least one fluid line between a fill position, in which the opening is disposed in a vertically upright orientation, and at least one operating position, in which the opening is disposed in a non-upright orientation. A shield is moveably positioned relative to the intercooler to define an attached position preventing rotation of the inlet port assembly into the fill position, and a detached position, allowing rotation of the inlet port assembly into the fill position.
US09157360B2
A method for low-contamination generation of energy comprising: (a) forming a gas mixture by mixing a treated gaseous effluent stream and air; (b) introducing the gas mixture and fuel at a given gas to fuel ratio into at least one diesel engine (3); (c) burning the fuel in the diesel engine to generate energy and a flue gas stream comprising particulate matter (PM), and nitrogen oxides (NOx); (d) treating at least a portion of the flue gas stream with an aqueous stream in a cyclone unit (27) comprising a housing defined by a cylindrical peripheral wall (2) and provided with at least one inlet opening (10) for receiving flue gas and at least one inlet opening for receiving fluids thereinto and with at least one swirling means, whereby a treated gaseous effluent stream and an aqueous effluent stream are formed; (e) emitting a portion of the treated gaseous effluent stream to form an emitted portion; (f) using a portion of the treated gaseous effluent stream to form the gas mixture, and (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) multiple times.
US09157358B2
An exhaust gas system includes a reducing agent preparation section having a first cylindrical exhaust gas line pipe section opening approximately perpendicularly into a second exhaust gas line pipe section via an opening in a cylinder lateral surface of the second exhaust gas line pipe section. An injector unit for introducing the reducing agent into the exhaust gas is situated at the first exhaust gas line pipe section, upstream from the opening. The opening in the cylinder lateral surface of the second exhaust gas line pipe section has a larger extension in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the second exhaust gas line pipe section than transversely thereto. In a method using the reducing agent preparation section a rotating exhaust gas flow is formed within the second exhaust gas line pipe section.
US09157354B2
An exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine comprises a NOx selective reduction catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine; an upstream side oxidation catalyst which is a catalyst having an oxidizing ability provided in the exhaust passage upstream from the NOx selective reduction catalyst and which includes a carrier for carrying a noble metal for oxidation, the carrier being formed of a basic carrier; and a reducing agent supply until which supplies a reducing agent to an exhaust gas allowed to flow into the NOx selective reduction catalyst. Accordingly, even when the oxidation catalyst causes the SOx poisoning in the exhaust gas purification apparatus for the internal combustion engine having the oxidation catalyst and the NOx selective reduction catalyst provided in the exhaust passage, the reduction efficiency of NOx reduced by the aid of the NOx selective reduction catalyst is favorably maintained.
US09157352B2
Various methods and systems are provided for an engine system for a vehicle. In one example, the engine system includes a turbocharger including a turbine, the turbocharger configured to be driven via exhaust gas from an engine during a turbocharger mode and via the exhaust gas from the engine and mechanical output from the engine during a supercharger mode. The engine system further includes a bypass control element to decrease an amount of energy extracted from exhaust flow through the turbine in a regeneration mode of operation and to increase an amount of energy extracted from exhaust flow through the turbine during a non-regeneration mode of operation, and an aftertreatment system disposed downstream of the turbocharger and including a particulate filter.
US09157348B2
A lubrication system for an engine is provided. The lubrication system may include an oil pan configured to receive oil from the engine. The oil pan may have a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a middle portion located between the first and second ends. The lubrication system may also include a suction pump configured to pump oil from the middle portion to the engine, a first conduit fluidly connected to the first end, a second conduit fluidly connected to the second end, and at least one pump fluidly connected to the first and second conduits. The at least one pump may be configured to direct oil from the first end toward the middle portion when the engine is tilted in a first direction and direct oil from the second end toward the middle portion when the engine is tilted in a second direction.
US09157345B2
A forward phase of a forward intermediate rotor is adjusted relative to a crank shaft. A forward stopper mechanism prevents further advance of the forward phase by engaging the forward intermediate rotor at a forward most-advanced phase. A forward locking mechanism locks the forward phase when reaching the forward most-advanced phase at a start time of the engine. A forward biasing member biases the forward intermediate rotor in an advance direction. The backward phase of the intake cam shaft is adjusted relative to a backward intermediate rotor by receiving a cam torque that is biased on average in a retard direction. A backward stopper mechanism prevents further retard of the backward phase by engaging the intake cam shaft at a backward most-retarded phase. A backward locking mechanism locks the backward phase when reaching the backward most-retarded phase at the start time of the engine.
US09157343B2
A variable valve timing control device includes a driving side rotation member configured to synchronously rotating with a crankshaft, a driven side rotation member positioned coaxially to the driving side rotation member and integrally rotating with a camshaft, an intermediate lock mechanism selectively switching a locked state and an unlocked state, a first electromagnetic valve arranged at a position coaxial to the driving side rotation member and for controlling an supply and draining of an operation fluid relative to the fluid pressure chamber, a second electromagnetic valve positioned being offset from the position coaxial to the driving side rotation member and for controlling a supply and draining of the operation fluid flowing from the camshaft to the intermediate lock mechanism separately from the first electromagnetic valve, and a pump supplying the operation fluid to the first electromagnetic valve and the second electromagnetic valve.
US09157341B2
A camshaft assembly comprising an outer shaft, an inner shaft received within the outer shaft, and a bushing disposed about the inner shaft, the bushing having an outer surface defining at least one longitudinal groove extending at least partially along a length of the bushing, wherein the longitudinal groove cooperates with the outer shaft to define a fluid passage.
US09157338B2
A lash adjuster is configured that reduces the impact at the time when a pressure force is exerted on a pressure-receiving effector, and reliably opens a valve by the necessary amount. This lash adjuster includes, in a relatively movable manner, the pressure-receiving effector that receives the pressure force and a relay effector that performs an operation of opening an intake valve, a pressure receiving-side damper space is formed at an insertion portion thereof, and an orifice portion is formed that suppresses an outflow of oil in the pressure receiving-side damper space when the pressure-receiving effector and the relay effector move in approaching directions. An abutting portion is formed that directly transmits the pressure force of the pressure-receiving effector to the relay effector when the pressure-receiving effector and the relay effector approach each other.
US09157333B2
The present application provides an inlet bleed heat system for supplying a flow of bleed air to a flow of incoming air into a compressor of a gas turbine engine. The inlet bleed heat system may include an air knife and a silencer panel. The air knife may include a compressor bleed air port in communication with the flow of bleed air and a discharge gap to discharge the flow of bleed air into the flow of incoming air. The air knife may and the silencer panel may form an integrated air knife/silencer panel.
US09157328B2
A gas turbine engine component is disclosed having a cooling fluid passageway that provides relatively cool fluid to a surface of the gas turbine engine component. The cooling fluid passageway can be shaped in cross section to reduce a stress present in the gas turbine engine component. One form of the shape is non-circular. The gas turbine engine component can be formed such that an overhanging material otherwise formed by the intersection of a cooling fluid passageway and a surface of the gas turbine engine component is absent. The gas turbine engine component can also have a depression formed near the surface of the gas turbine engine component such that the cooling fluid passageway exits into an upstream portion and a downstream portion of the depression.
US09157326B2
A vane assembly for use in a gas flow duct. The vane assembly includes multiple vanes arranged circumferentially about the duct. A throat angle of each of the vanes at mid-span is greater than the throat angle at the tips of the vane.
US09157324B2
This disclosure is related with propeller noise and cavitation abatement in applications like propulsion, ventilation, pumping or turbine systems on liquid or gas fluids working like a propellers, pumps, fans or turbines, by novel techniques that allows a stronger propellers and improves laminar flow and allow a smooth acceleration or deceleration of the liquid or gas by means of a propeller that consist on a rotating cylindrical block with one or more tunnels around it axis, said cylindrical block also may have flow separators structures at both input and output that helps to keep laminar flow of the fluid or gas with it surrounding media, having This rotating cylindrical block tunnels with either circular or irregular oval section that accelerates fluid or gas by means of both combined centrifugal and axial movement.
US09157318B2
A method for performing wellbore operations of a field having a subterranean formation. The method includes determining, based on an image log of a wellbore penetrating the subterranean formation, a plurality of interpreted geological surfaces, identifying a plurality of estimated slickensides from the plurality of interpreted geological surfaces based on at least one pre-determined criterion, calculating, using a processor, a differential stress using a curvature model representing at least one mechanical unit defined by the plurality of estimated slickensides, generating a stress model using the differential stress, identifying a modeled wellbore stress-induced failure in response to a total stress value in the stress model exceeding a strength property of the subterranean formation, determining a difference between the modeled wellbore stress-induced failure and an observed stress-induced failure in the subterranean formation, and updating the stress model by adjusting the plurality of estimated slickensides to, in turn, adjust the difference.
US09157315B2
Disclosed herein are electromagnetic resistivity logging systems and methods that employ an antenna configuration having at most two transmitter or receiver antenna orientations that rotate relative to the borehole. The measurements made by this reduced-complexity antenna configuration enable the determination of at least seven components of a coupling matrix, which may be determined using a linear system of equations that express the azimuthal dependence of the measurements. For increased reliability, measurement averaging may be performed in azimuthally spaced bins. The coupling matrix components can then be used as the basis for determining logs of various formation parameters, including vertical resistivity and anisotropy.
US09157308B2
A system, method, and computer program product are disclosed for analysis of artificial lift systems. An Artificial Lift Analysis Solution (ALAS) is also provided to view and analyze artificial lift well data trends, prediction and detection event alerts, and to diagnose system conditions to facilitate production optimization. Production well information is provided for a plurality of the production wells each being associated with an artificial lift system. Artificial lift system failure alerts for the plurality of production wells are received and processed on a computer. A relevance measure for each of the artificial lift system failure alerts is determined responsive to the production well information. A summary of the artificial lift system failure alerts is displayed in an ordering based on the relevance measure.
US09157303B2
A device for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having at least one pair of laterally extending upper and lower wellbores therein may include a radio frequency (RF) source. The device may also include an upper wellbore RF radiator to be positioned in the laterally extending upper wellbore and including a plurality of first terminals. The device may further include a lower wellbore RF radiator to be positioned in the laterally extending lower wellbore and comprising a plurality of second terminals. The device may also include an interconnection arrangement configured to couple the RF source and the first and second terminals so that at least one of the upper and lower wellbore RF radiators heat the hydrocarbon resource in the subterranean formation.
US09157302B2
A technique facilitates the pumping of fluids in a subsea environment. A pumping system is formed by combining a submersible pump with a permanent magnet motor to power the submersible pump. The pumping system is positioned in cooperation with a subsea structure to improve the fluid flow and the functionality of the system in specific applications.
US09157300B2
A gravel packing apparatus includes: a screen assembly including at least one screen configured to be disposed in a borehole in an earth formation, the screen configured to prevent particulate matter from passing therethrough; an axially extending conduit configured to transmit a gravel slurry from a remote location to a borehole region located between the screen and a portion of the borehole wall; and an exit port including an opening having a first end in fluid communication with the conduit and a second end in fluid communication with the borehole region, the exit port including at least one standoff member extending radially from the second end and configured to prevent blockage of the opening.
US09157297B2
Presented are apparatus and methods for pump-through fluid loss control. In one embodiment, the fluid loss control device is positioned in a wellbore having a first and a second one-way valve therein. The first one-way valve is openable in response to a first, selected differential pressure acting upward across the first one-way valve. For example, fluid pumped from an ESP from below the device acts to open the first one-way valve. Fluid is flowed upward through the device through the first one-way valve while the second one-way valve is closed. The first one-way valve is closed by reducing the first differential pressure across the first one-way valve, for example, by turning off the ESP. The second one-way valve is opened in response to a second, selected differential pressure acting downward across the valve. Fluid is flowed downward through the second one-way valve while the first one-way valve is closed.
US09157288B2
A slip and cone assembly for a downhole tool that includes a composite slip having a one-piece configuration and having at least two grooves disposed therein; and a cone having a first end configured for engagement with the composite slip, wherein the composite slip and the cone are configured for application of a load therebetween that results in a fracture in material between the at least two grooves.
US09157282B2
A roller reamer includes a roller assembly deployed in a corresponding axial recess in a tool body. The roller assembly is retained in the axial recess via compound wedging action provided by at least one retention assembly. The retention assembly includes first and second wedges, the first of which converts a substantially radially directed force to an axially directed force and the second of which converts the axially directed force to a cross-axially directed retention force that retains the roller assembly in the axial recess.
US09157276B2
A ladder accessory device for insertion into an opening in a prior art ladder rung, wherein the ladder accessory device provides an elevated work environment that is out of the path of an individual ascending/descending the ladder. The accessory device is preferably comprised of a rung insert, a rung insert locking device, a support arm, a platform arm, and a platform arm locking device. The rung insert locking device permits the support arm to be rotated about the rung insert locking device, and the platform arm is likewise rotatable about the support arm. A wide arrange of accessories may also be removably attached to the platform to increase the overall usefulness of the device.
US09157270B2
A shutter for protecting an opening. The shutter comprising a plurality of horizontal curtain slats for covering the opening, wherein horizontal refers to a direction when viewing slats from a front surface, and wherein the curtain slats hang freely from a upper region of the opening; an upper transition slat movably affixed to a lower end of a first curtain slat; a lower transition slat movably affixed to an upper end of a second curtain slat; and a horizontal reinforcing member comprising at least an upper and a lower reinforcing slat, wherein the upper reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to a lower end of the first transition slat and the lower reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to an upper end of the second transition slat, and wherein the upper and lower reinforcing slats are rotatably joined.
US09157263B2
A supporting frame assembly includes a first module and a second module pivotally connected to the first module. The first and second modules each include a main body, a pair of aligned knuckles formed on one long side of the main body, a pair of aligned pivot pins formed on an opposite long side of the main body, a lock portion formed between the pivot pins, and a sliding block slidably connected to the top of the main body. The sliding block of the first module is movable along the top of the main body between a first position and a second position with respect to the lock portion of the second module. When the sliding block of the first module is located at the second position, the sliding block is fixedly engaged with the lock portion of the second module to limit rotation between the first and second modules.
US09157251B2
A fuse and a method of using the fuse to removably couple a structure to an anchor preferably partially embedded in concrete. The fuse is configured to be removably coupled to the anchor so that the fuse is positioned in a load path between the anchor and the structure. The fuse is configured to deform in a ductile manner when the structure exerts a force on the fuse that causes a stress in the fuse which exceeds an elastic limit of the fuse. The fuse may be decoupled from the anchor without altering the concrete, the anchor, and the structure. If the structure exerts a force on the fuse that causes the fuse to deform in a ductile manner, the fuse may be decoupled from the anchor and replaced with another fuse.
US09157247B2
An apparatus for use with a masonry block. The apparatus includes a body part that is at least substantially planar, has a perimeter, has a front surface and an opposed rear surface. The apparatus also includes a ¼ block stop part extending from the front surface and a ½ block stop part extending from the rear surface, the body part being dimensioned and the stop parts being positioned and dimensioned such that, when the body part is operatively positioned in a first configuration with the ¼ block stop part abutting the block, the perimeter of the body part can be used to mark the block for a ¼ block cut and when the body part is operatively positioned in a second configuration with the ½ block stop part abutting the block, the perimeter of the body part can be used to mark the block for a ½ block cut.
US09157245B2
A scaffold mount bracket having an upper horizontal mount member, a wedge head, a lower horizontal mount member, a clamp, a vertical mount member, the vertical mount member having coupled proximate to the upper end thereof, and orthogonally thereto, the upper horizontal mount member and coupled to a lower end of the vertical mount member, and orthogonally thereto, the lower horizontal mount member. Coupled to the top of the vertical mount member is an attachment member having an aperture or structure for receiving, either directly or indirectly, a cable for hoisting or lowering a scaffold to which the invention is mounted or for hoisting or lowering a separate scaffold member or structure.
US09157242B2
Building materials include a dampening layer which contains a plaster, and hollow microspheres, such as polymeric microspheres. Methods of making a sound dampening material include providing a plaster mixture. The mixture may include hollow microspheres. The plaster mixture is combined with water to form a slurry. The slurry is applied to a surface so that it sets to form a sound dampening layer. Methods of dampening sound through a structure include disposing a dampening layer on a surface of or within a wall, door, floor, ceiling, roof, or floor/ceiling assembly.
US09157239B2
Roof ridge vent system adapted for housing a plurality of fans in a central airflow channel positioned directly over the opening in a ridge portion of a roof for ventilating a plurality of vent chutes or attic space comprising: a hood member engaged with outer edge portions of vent members having air-passageway holes defined therein and inner edge portions preferably being hinged respectively to inner edge portions of base members so as to be adapted for installation on variously-pitched roofs, each base member also having outer edge portions defining a wall adapted for blocking wind from being blown into the vent and for causing airflow over the top of the vent to encourage airflow through the vent system. Vent member sections may be installed end-to-end to define an elongated airflow channel adapted for ventilating with or without assistance from the fans.
US09157235B1
A geodesic frame system comprises a hub connector comprising a discontinuous ring and having a first ring opening and a second ring opening. The geodesic frame system further includes at least two elongated struts, each strut including a first end, a first strut opening greater than a hub connector cross-section and proximate the first end, a second end, and a second strut opening greater than the hub connector cross section and proximate the second end, where each elongated strut is capable of being coupled with the hub connector by insertion of the hub connector through the first strut opening. A wire piece having a wire piece diameter less than the first ring opening and the second ring opening is capable of being coupled with the hub connector by insertion through the first and second ring opening, is further included.
US09157229B2
A prefabricated composite insulation board comprises a facing of a flexible sheet material and a plurality of vacuum insulation panels (VIP) adhesive bonded thereto. A body of insulating foam overlies the vacuum insulating panels and the carrier. There are gaps between adjacent vacuum insulation panels and these gaps are filled with the foam. Alternatively, groups of VIP's may be positioned close to one another and gaps left at defined locations. These gaps may be used to provide regions at which the panel may be cut to a desired length without cutting through and VIP's. External markings such as cut-lines may be provided to indicated the location of these gaps.
US09157224B2
A trapping device for trapping non-dispersing cloths in a toilet bowl is disclosed. The trapping device comprises a strap and a plurality of hooks. The trapping device may be installed in a trapway of the toilet bowl. The strap has a first end, a second end, and a middle portion, wherein the first end includes a first tab extending perpendicular to the strap and the second end includes a second tab extending perpendicular to the strap, and the middle portion is rounded. The plurality of hooks extend from an inner wall of the strap. The strap is made of a strap material that is resilient to bend and springs back to its previous shape, such as a stainless steel or a high density polyethylene.
US09157221B2
An all-in-one bath mixer assembly has a water-flow controlling apparatus, a water-draining apparatus, an overflow pipe, a pulling rope, and a water plug apparatus. The water-flow controlling apparatus has a base, a cover, a controlling rod, and a swinging rod. The cover and the controlling rod are mounted on the base; the swinging rod is mounted around the controlling rod. The water-draining apparatus is mounted on the water-flow controlling apparatus and connects with the controlling rod. The overflow pipe is connected with the water-flow controlling apparatus. The pulling rope is fixed in the water-flow controlling apparatus and is connected with the swinging rod. The water plug apparatus is connected with the overflow pipe and the pulling rope. The water-flow controlling apparatus, the water-draining apparatus and the water plug apparatus are combined together as a single apparatus and provide multiple functions for easy and quick use and installation.
US09157213B2
A frame for a cover for an inlet of one of a catch basin and a manhole is provided. The inlet has an inlet passageway having a first cross-sectional shape having an axis of symmetry. A hollow body of the frame defines a frame passageway and has a second cross-sectional shape having first and second sides opposite to one another. When the frame is installed, the hollow body has a lower end extending partially within at least one of the inlet passageway and a head portion reducing a surface area of the inlet passageway. The second cross-sectional shape is inscribed within the first cross-sectional shape, and a distance of the first side of the second cross-sectional shape to the axis of symmetry of the first cross-sectional shape is different from distance of the second side of the second cross-sectional shape to the axis of symmetry of the first cross-sectional shape.
US09157209B2
The helical drill bit defines a helical end section of a helical structure formed at its periphery by an auger of an excavation assembly, and it is associated or associable with a support portion of the auger. Such a support portion defines a proximal section of the helical structure, which has an extension substantially centered around a longitudinal axis (X-X). The helical drill bit is adapted to rotate about the longitudinal axis (X-X) together with the support portion so as to drill a hole in the ground. The helical end section extends around an extremity axis (Y-Y; Ψ-Ψ) that is not aligned relative to the longitudinal axis (X-X).
US09157207B2
A pile connecting metal bracket adapted to be secured to a structure to be supported by a metal pile is described. The bracket has a pair of elongated straight vertical support flanges in a pair of spaced-apart horizontal guide walls secured across the vertical support flanges. The guide wall guides driven hollow metal tubes of the pile. A drive mechanism is removably connected to an attachment. The pile connecting bracket is secured to a structure and the metal tubes of the pile are connected to the metal bracket after the metal pile has been driven into soil to a position of rest whereby the pile can support the structure.
US09157205B1
A water containment apparatus includes a straight strut arrangement comprising a plurality of straight strut assemblies forming an alternating v-shape and inverted v-shape pattern; and a curved strut arrangement comprising a plurality of corner strut assemblies forming a desired curvature and connecting two straight strut arrangements to form a closed loop water containment system.
US09157202B2
A snow plow includes a control unit for raising an auger housing to a predetermined upper limit angle when travel device is reversing, and an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration produced in the auger housing. The control unit determines an angle of inclination of the auger housing on the basis of the acceleration. When the travel device starts moving forward after having temporarily moved in reverse, the control unit sets an intermediate lowering target angle of inclination, which is in the lowering path of the auger housing from the upper limit angle to a pre-reversing angle of inclination, in accordance with the forward acceleration; lowers the auger housing at a given lowering speed from the upper limit angle to the intermediate lowering target angle of inclination; and lowers the auger housing at a gradually decreasing lowering speed from the intermediate lowering target angle of inclination to the pre-reversing angle of inclination.
US09157198B1
A method for recycling oil contaminated soil is disclosed as well as a method for testing and selecting soil and adding the oil contaminated soil to the asphalt used in road construction. The oil contaminated soil has a saturation of oil between about 2% and 4%. The demoisturizing of soil was done prior to conducting a sieve analysis and obtained the percentage of oil contamination in the soil. After testing, the oil contaminated soil is used as a replacement for up to 50% of the mineral aggregates used in asphalt concrete for road construction.
US09157197B2
A functional road structure having functions such as emission of light in various colors, freeze protection in winter by radiating heat, or excellent water permeability for trails, parking lots or sidewalks and a construction method thereof. According to this invention, the functional road construction method includes cleaning the road by removing debris and leveling the road evenly; paving a base plate of mesh on the road where the size of mesh is smaller than that of filling stones; laying pipes on the base plate at a predetermined interval where the pipes is made of transparent material and light-emitting-diodes and a control board therefor are inserted inside the pipes; disposing a panel on the pipe where the panel has a six-sided shape with open top and bottom; and filling the filling stones inside the panel.
US09157196B2
A method for installing artificial turf at an airport or airfield includes removing or milling a portion of an airport runway or taxiway to create a new surface of the runway or taxiway, adhering a section of artificial turf to the new surface of the runway or taxiway and applying an infill to at least a portion of the artificial turf. An artificial turf system for an airport includes an airport runway or taxiway having a removed or milled surface, an artificial turf is adhesively secured to the new, milled surface of the airport runway or taxiway and an infill layer installed on at least a portion of the artificial turf.
US09157185B2
A wet paper web transfer belt for transferring a wet paper web includes a wet paper web contacting surface for carrying the wet paper web. The wet paper web contacting surface is constituted by a resin layer. The wet paper web contacting surface includes, in the width direction, sheet edge regions for carrying the edge parts of the wet paper web and a center region for carrying the center vicinity of the wet paper web. The arithmetic average roughness Ra1 (μm) of the wet paper web contacting surface in the sheet edge regions is smaller than the arithmetic average roughness Ra2 (μm) of the wet paper web contacting surface in the center region, and prescribed roughness related equations are fulfilled.
US09157183B2
The present invention provides a treatment agent composition for fiber products capable of producing an exceptional odor-eliminating and odor-preventing effect against various odors. This treatment agent composition for fiber products comprises: (A) highly branched cyclic dextrin; (B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an amine compound having within each molecule one to three C10-26 hydrocarbon groups optionally split with an ester group or an amide group, a salt of the amine compound, and a quaternized form of the amine compound; and (C) at least one compound selected from (C-1)-(C-3) below: (C-1) a fatty acid expressed by RaCOOH (Ra is a fatty acid represented by a C8-35 alkyl or alkenyl group), (C-2) a silicone compound, and (C-3) an aliphatic alcohol represented by RbOH (Rb is an aliphatic alcohol represented by a C8-35 alkyl or alkenyl group).
US09157181B2
Iron body 1 includes pressing surface 6 having pointed front end portion 6a and rear end portion 6b and a concave power receiving portion 14 having power receiving terminals 15. Stand 16 includes seat 17 here iron body 1 is placed with the front inclined upward, convex power supply portion 18 having electrodes 20, and receiving portion 24. In a cordless iron with iron body 1 placed on stand 16, rear end portion 6b is received in receiving portion 24, power receiving portion 14 and power supply portion 18 are fitted, and power receiving terminals 15 and electrodes 20 are electrically connected. The joint of power receiving terminals 15 and electrodes 20 are positioned ahead of rear end portion 6b. Therefore, since the area of pressing surface 6 is ensured and thermal capacity is ensured, it is possible to make rear end portion 6b pointed. Further, it is possible to see rear end portion 6b.
US09157177B2
A method of operating a laundry treating appliance to control a rotational speed of a drum to move the laundry within the drum according to a predetermined category of movement.
US09157173B2
Disclosed herein is the preparation of woven fabrics suitable for use in manufacturing vehicle airbags. Such fabrics are woven from a plurality of polymeric, e.g., polyamide, warp and weft tapes which have preferably been slitted, preferably in the machine direction, from a thermoplastic polymer film, and preferably from such a film which has been drawn at least in the machine direction. The resulting fabrics exhibit both the relatively low basis weight, stiffness and small packing volume typical of nylon films, and the relatively high tear strength and high damage tolerance of yarn-based woven airbag fabrics.
US09157172B2
The invention provides a method for producing carbon fiber bundles excellent in productivity without impairing the quality in the process for producing carbon fibers. The method includes a flame-retarding step, a precarbonization step, and a carbonization step. When traveling pitches of the fiber bundles in the flame-retarding step, precarbonization step and carbonization step are represented by P1, P2 and P3, respectively, 0.8≦P2/P1≦1.0 and 0.4≦P3/P1≦0.8 are satisfied; when traveling pitches of the fiber bundles at the inlet and the outlet of a heat treatment section of a precarbonization furnace are represented by P11 and P12, respectively, 0.40≦(P12/P11)≦0.90 is satisfied; or when traveling pitches of the fiber bundles at the inlet and the outlet of a heat treatment section of a carbonization furnace are represented by P13 and P14, 0.40≦(P14/P13)≦0.90 is satisfied.
US09157167B1
A high pressure apparatus and related methods for processing supercritical fluids are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the present apparatus includes a capsule, a heater, at least one ceramic ring or multiple rings, optionally, with one or more scribe marks and/or cracks present. In certain embodiments, the apparatus has a metal sleeve containing each ceramic ring. The apparatus also has a high strength enclosure, end flanges with associated insulation, and a power control system. In certain embodiments, a high pressure apparatus is constructed such that the diametric annular gap between the outer diameter of the heater and the ceramic ring is selected to provide radial load-bearing contact above a particular temperature and pressure. In certain embodiments, the apparatus is capable of accessing pressures of 0.2 GPa to 2 GPa and temperatures of 400° C. to 1200° C.
US09157166B2
The invention relates to a novel process for preparing the crystalline from A of febuxostat by crystallization in a solvent selected from ethyl acetate, isopropyl acetate or ethyl formiate.
US09157159B2
The embodiments herein provide a HHO generating system and method for generating hydrogen, oxygen and methane. The system adopts electrolysis process to generate a HHO gas from a water-electrolyte solution. The system comprises a reaction tank filled with the water-electrolyte solution, a plurality of disks stacked one above another, a plurality of frames connecting to the disks and an external power supply. The disks comprise a plurality of negatively charged cathode disks and a plurality of positively charged anode disks. The plurality of frames comprises a plurality of conductive frames and a plurality of support frames configured to hold the disks. An electric current is supplied to the conducting frames so as to electrically charge the disks that react with the water-electrolyte solution to produce the HHO gas. The disks are copper-nickel alloy disks in a ratio of 70:30.
US09157157B2
A coupled electrochemical system for its use is disclosed, where a polyol feed, especially a biomass polyol containing feed is reduced in a reducing solution including HI and a metal ion capable of converting I2 to HI during polyol reduction to hydrocarbon or iodohydrocarbon products and where the metal ions are capable of electrochemical reduction so that the system can be run on a batch, semi-continuous or continuous basis. The system is capable of producing hydrocarbon solvent, fuels and lubricating oils.
US09157155B2
A photoelectrochemical cell (100) includes: a semiconductor electrode (120) including a conductor (121) and semiconductor layers (122, 123) disposed on the conductor (121); a counter electrode (130) connected electrically to the conductor (121); an electrolyte (140) in contact with surfaces of the semiconductor layer (123) and the counter electrode (130); and a container (110) accommodating the semiconductor electrode (120), the counter electrode (130) and the electrolyte (140). A band edge level ECS of a conduction band, a band edge level EVS of a valence band, and a Fermi level EFS in a surface near-field region of the semiconductor layer, and a band edge level ECJ of a conduction band, a band edge level EVJ of a valence band, and a Fermi level EFJ in a junction plane near-field region of the semiconductor layer with the conductor satisfy, relative to a vacuum level, ECS−EFS>ECJ−EFJ, EFS−EVS
US09157144B2
It comprises a mask (11) having a first, a second and a third action edge (11a, 11b, 11c), and a drive means for moving the mask (11) relative to a substrate (12) in a uniaxial direction (A) whereby moving the mask at a fixed rate of movement to cause the edges to successively act on an identical substrate region while successively applying different materials thereto forms thin films of three components successively with respective film thickness gradients oriented in three different directions mutually angularly spaced apart by an angle of 120° to allow these films to overlap, thereby forming a ternary phase diagrammatic thin film 13.
US09157137B2
An object is to provide a ferritic stainless steel having excellent oxidation resistance, while preventing a deterioration in formability, without adding expensive chemical elements such as Mo and W. Specifically, the ferritic stainless steel excellent in oxidation resistance having a chemical composition containing, by mass %, C: 0.015% or less, Si: 0.40% or more and 1.00% or less, Mn: 1.00% or less, P: 0.040% or less, S: 0.010% or less, Cr: 12.0% or more and 23.0% or less, N: 0.015% or less, Nb: 0.30% or more and 0.65% or less, Ti: 0.150% or less, Mo: 0.10% or less, W: 0.10% or less, Cu: less than 1.00%, Al: 0.20% or more and 1.00% or less, while the relationship Si≧Al is satisfied, and the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities.
US09157132B2
The high-strength galvanized steel sheet having excellent formability has a component composition containing, on the basis of mass percent, 0.05 to 0.2% C, 0.5 to 2.5% Si, 1.5 to 3.0% Mn, 0.001 to 0.05% P, 0.0001 to 0.01% S, 0.001 to 0.1% Al, and 0.0005 to 0.01% N, the balance being Fe and incidental impurities; and the steel sheet has a microstructure including a ferritic phase and a martensitic phase including a tempered-martensitic phase, the ferritic phase having an area fraction of 30% or more relative to an entirety of the microstructure, the martensitic phase having an area fraction of 30 to 50% relative to the entirety of the microstructure, and the tempered-martensitic phase having an area fraction of 70% or more relative to an entirety of the martensitic phase.
US09157125B2
Described herein is the identification of 68 genes with an elevated frequency of somatic mutations in melanoma. Nine genes were identified that exhibited recurring mutations in melanoma. The TRRAP gene was mutated at nucleotide 2165 (C2165T) in six different melanoma tumor samples. In addition, 16 genes were identified that were highly mutated in melanoma samples. The most highly mutated gene identified was GRIN2A, which was mutated in 34% of melanoma tumor samples. The study disclosed herein identified 34 different nonsynonymous somatic mutations in GRIN2A among 36 melanoma tumor samples. Provided is a method of diagnosing a subject as having melanoma or susceptible to developing melanoma by detecting one or more mutations in the TRRAP or GRIN2A genes. Further provided is a method of selecting an appropriate therapy for a subject diagnosed with melanoma by detecting the presence or absence of a mutation in TRRAP or GRIN2A.
US09157117B2
Method of selecting oocyte donor candidates for oocyte donation. A number of triple CGG repeats on each allele of the isolated FMR1 gene is measured by using an assay, and an oocyte donor is selected for oocyte donation only if both alleles of the isolated FMR1 gene have more than 26 CGG repeats.
US09157111B2
A method of making an electrochemical sensor strip that includes: depositing a first electrode on a base; depositing a second electrode on the base; applying a first layer onto the first electrode; and applying a second layer onto the second electrode. The first layer includes an oxidoreductase and a mediator. The second layer includes a soluble redox species.
US09157108B2
The invention relates to cells, nucleic acids, and enzymes, the use thereof for producing sophorolipids, and methods for producing sophorolipids.
US09157100B2
Integrated processes are provided for the bioconversion of syngas to oxygenated organic compound with the ability to recycle sulfur nutrient and generate sulfur nutrient to the syngas fermentation in a safe and cost-effective manner. In preferred aspects of the invention, an acidogenic digestion is used to provide a biogas containing hydrogen sulfide, and then a methanogenic fermentation can follow to provide a methane-containing biogas that has a low hydrogen sulfide concentration.
US09157098B2
Disclosed are tyrosine-modified rAAV vectors, as well as infectious virions, compositions, and pharmaceutical formulations that comprise them. Also disclosed are methods of preparing and methods for using the disclosed tyrosine-phosphorylated capsid protein mutant rAAV vectors in a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic applications including in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy, and large-scale production of rAAV vectors.
US09157097B2
The present invention provides novel compositions to transfect cells for production of growth hormone (GH). These novel compositions also are used to produce germline transgenic birds that can successfully pass the transgene encoding growth hormone to their offspring. These novel compositions include components of vectors such as a vector backbone, a novel promoter, and a gene of interest that encodes for GH, and the vectors comprising these components. In one embodiment these vectors are transposon-based vectors. The present invention also provides methods of making these compositions and methods of using these compositions for the production of GH in vitro and in vivo. In one embodiment the GH is human (h)GH.
US09157094B2
The soybean variety DLL1182 is disclosed. The invention relates to seeds, plants, plant cells, plant tissue, harvested products and soybean lint as well as to hybrid soybean plants and seeds obtained by repeatedly crossing plants of variety DLL1182 with other plants. The invention also relates to plants and varieties produced by the method of essential derivation from plants of DLL1182 and to plants of DLL1182 reproduced by vegetative methods, including but not limited to tissue culture of regenerable cells or tissue from DLL1182.
US09157089B2
Plant metabolism and alkaloid levels can be regulated by transcription factors that regulate the nicotinic alkaloid biosynthetic pathway. In one embodiment, the disclosure provides a transcription factor that negatively regulates alkaloid biosynthesis, such as nicotine biosynthesis.
US09157068B2
A formulation and method for cultivating dendritic killer cells is disclosed in the present invention. The formulation comprises an effective amount of at least one cytokine and the abovementioned cytokine is IL-15. Furthermore, the method for cultivating dendritic killer cells at least comprises the following steps. A peripheral blood mononuclear cell population is obtained from human blood at first. Effective amounts of the cytokines in the formulation mentioned above are then added into the peripheral blood mononuclear cell population and the abovementioned peripheral blood mononuclear cell population is placed for a first appropriate period.
US09157063B2
The present invention includes methods and apparatus to separate X or Y-chromosome bearing sperm cells in a population by first placing the population of sperm cells at physiological pH environment, and simultaneously contacting the population of sperm cells with one or more additional sub-environments with different pH values. The exposure allows mobile sperm cells bearing X or Y-chromosome to migrate to the different pH sub-environments, wherein each cell only exposed or come in contact with one pH sub-environment. Finally, the collecting X or Y-chromosome enriched population of sperm cells is performed.
US09157062B2
Certain embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a method of producing pancreatic cells or pancreatic cell precursors by exposing human embryonic stem cells to an effective amount of at least one compound listed in Table I to differentiate the human embryonic stem cells into the pancreatic cells or the pancreatic cell precursors. Kits and pancreatic cell lines produced using the methods are also described.
US09157052B2
The present invention provides protease variants, compositions comprising protease variants, and methods of using such protease variants and compositions.
US09157049B2
Alkaline or neutral viscoelastic cleaning compositions are disclosed which use non polymer thickening agents. According to the invention, cleaning compositions have been developed using viscoelastic surfactants in a neutral, acidic or alkaline cleaning formulations. These provide the dual benefit of thickening as well as an additional cleaning, thereby improving performance. Applicants have also identified several pseudo linking agents which when, used with viscoelastic surfactants provide viscoelasticity in alkaline cleaning compositions.
US09157047B2
A soybean cultivar designated S110132 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S110132, to the plants of soybean cultivar S110132, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar S110132, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar S110132. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S110132. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S110132, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar S110132 with another soybean cultivar.
US09157041B2
The present invention relates to diesel fuel compositions comprising a performance enhancing additive, wherein the additive is the product of a Mannich reaction between: (a) an aldehyde; (b) a polyamine; and (c) an optionally substituted phenol; wherein the or each substituent of component (c) has an average molecular weight of less than 400.
US09157038B2
One exemplary embodiment can be a process for washing a gas from a hydroprocessed effluent from a hydroprocessing zone. The process may include adding a first portion of a wash water stream to the hydroprocessed effluent to form a combined stream, condensing the combined stream, adding a first portion of a wash water stream to the effluent to form a combined stream, sending the combined stream to a separator, and providing a second portion of the wash water stream to the tower for washing one or more gases rising in the tower. The separator can include a substantially cylindrical body, in turn, coupled to a boot and a tower.
US09157032B2
One exemplary embodiment can be a process for oxidizing one or more thiol compounds from an alkaline stream. The process may include passing a mixed stream having the alkaline stream to an oxidation vessel having a body and a neck. Often, the body contains one or more packing elements and the neck contains a packing, a distributor, and a mesh. The process can further include passing an oxidized alkaline stream to a separation vessel containing a first chamber and a second chamber. Usually, the first chamber contains a coated mesh.
US09157031B2
The present invention provides processes for deconstructing biomass to produce aqueous and organic products using a solvent produced in a bioreforming reaction.
US09157025B2
The invention relates to novel phosphor mixtures comprising three or more silicate phosphors. The invention furthermore relates to the use of these mixtures in electronic and electro-optical devices, in particular in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for backlighting applications. The invention furthermore relates to LEDs comprising the phosphors.
US09157024B2
A phosphor and a light emitting device are provided. The phosphor comprises a composition having a formula of AaSi5OtNn:EuZ. A is selected from the group consisting of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba. 1.7
US09157014B2
Temporary adhesives include a thermoplastic polymer comprising from about 30% by weight to about 80% by weight of the temporary adhesive, a solvent comprising from about 20% by weight to about 70% by weight of the temporary adhesive, and a filler material comprising from about 0.2% to about 5% by weight of the temporary adhesive. Methods of processing a semiconductor device wafer include bonding the semiconductor device wafer to a surface of a carrier substrate using a temporary adhesive including a filler material comprising from about 0.2% to about 5% by weight of the temporary adhesive, thinning the semiconductor device wafer, and, while the temporary adhesive remains on the surface of the carrier substrate proximate a peripheral edge thereof, subjecting the thinned semiconductor device wafer to one or more back side processing operations. Methods of forming a thinned semiconductor wafer include using such a temporary adhesive.
US09157012B2
Provided is a process for the manufacture of semiconductor devices comprising the chemical mechanical polishing of borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) material in the presence of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) composition which comprises: (A) inorganic particles, organic particles, or a mixture or composite thereof, (B) at least one type of anionic phosphate or phosphonate as dispersing agent or charge reversal agent, (C) at least one type of surfactant, and (D) an aqueous medium.
US09157008B2
Random copolymer top coats are described that can be spin coated onto block copolymer thin films and used to control the interfacial energy of the top coat-block copolymer interface. The top coats are soluble in aqueous weak base and can change surface energy once they are deposited onto the block copolymer thin film. The use of self-assembled block copolymers to produce advanced lithographic patterns relies on their orientation control in thin films.
US09157006B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a coating composition that has excellent curability at low temperatures and in a short period of time, and that also has satisfactory pot life (usable life) and makes it possible to obtain a cured coating film with an excellent finished appearance. The present invention provides a coating composition comprising a secondary hydroxy-containing acrylic resin (A), which is a copolymer of monomer components comprising 20 to 50% by mass of secondary hydroxy-containing polymerizable unsaturated monomer (a) and 50 to 80% by mass of at least one other polymerizable unsaturated monomer (b); a polyisocyanate compound (B); and an organometallic catalyst (C) containing a metallic compound (C1) in which the metal is a member selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, zirconium, bismuth, lead, cobalt, manganese, titanium, aluminum and molybdenum, and an amidine compound (C2).
US09157005B2
The method of foaming and applying a sealing material is characterized by comprising the steps of hot-melting the sealing material; mixing nitrogen gas into the melted sealing material under a predefined pressurization; discharging the resultant mixture at a predefined pressure into the air to thus foam the mixture and simultaneously apply it to a place necessary to seal, thus making a sealing foam; and curing this sealing foam by ultraviolet rays. By this method, the sealing material does not involve flowing after applied, and shows an excellent sealing performance even under severe heat resistance conditions, and also can make good independent cells inside even when used in a foamed condition.
US09157004B2
A composition for copper patterning and a method of copper patterning using the composition are provided, which composition is excellently safe in copper patterning, sintering at lower temperatures, and capable of forming a highly conducive copper pattern of a desired shape even on a plastic substrate. The composition contains Component A: a copper β-ketocarboxylate compound of formula (1): (R1, R2: H or C1-C6 straight- or C3-C6 branched-hydrocarbon group, etc.); and based on 1 mol of this compound, Component B: an amine compound having a boiling point of not higher than 250° C. at 0.1 to 500 mol; and Component C-1: an organic acid having pKa of not more than 4 at 0.01 to 20 mol, and/or Component C-2: an organic copper compound composed of copper and an organic acid having pKa of not more than 4 at 0.01 to 100 mol. The composition is useful in the field of electronics.
US09156990B2
The present invention relates to a filler comprising calcium salt and cellulose derivative having a degree of substitution of net ionic groups up to about 0.65, wherein the filler is substantially free from fibers or fibrils of cellulose or lignocellulose. The invention also relates to a filler comprising calcium salt and a cellulose derivative having a degree of substitution of net ionic groups up to about 0.65, wherein the cellulose derivative contains cationic groups.
US09156988B2
An object of the present invention is provide a disperse dye composition that has the light fastness required of synthetic fiber materials for automotive interiors that are exposed to sunlight at high temperature and high humidity, and that has good blue, red, and yellow dyeability. This object is achieved by a mixed disperse dye composition comprising a blue disperse dye composition having a specific composition ratio of five specific types of disperse dyes, and other specific yellow and/or red disperse dyes. The invention makes it possible to provide a disperse dye composition having not only high fastness of each color but light fastness with a favorable balance of the three primary colors, with the dye properties of each color equal during dyeing, and good dye color reproducibility, as well as by a dyeing method using this dye.
US09156978B1
Halogen free flame retardant thermoplastic elastomer compositions including a hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer having relatively high styrene or mono alkenyl arene content and styrene or mono alkenyl arene in each block. Surprisingly, the compositions contain low amounts or are free of plasticizing softeners. The compositions include a blend of non-halogen flame retardants including a liquid phosphorous-containing component and a solid secondary component. The compositions are suitable for extrusion or molding and are useful for films or wire and cable applications.
US09156975B2
The present invention relates to a composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of xanthan gum and opacifying pigment particles such as TiO2 encapsulated with a vinyl ester polymer or a vinyl ester-acrylate copolymer, as well as a method for its preparation. The composition is useful in coatings formulations, especially paint formulations.
US09156973B2
A polymer article includes a meltprocessable blend of a melt-viscid fluoropolymer and a liquid crystalline polymer. Methods are presented for preparing a meltprocessable blend from a melt-viscid fluoropolymer and liquid crystalline polymer.
US09156971B2
Resins suitable for rotomolded articles comprise a bimodal polyethylene copolymer comprising from 0.1 to 5 weight % of one or more C6-8 alpha olefins and the balance ethylene, comprising from 20 to 50 weight % of a higher molecular weight polymer component having an Mw greater than 120,000 and correspondingly from 80 to 50 weight % of a lower molecular weight polymer component having an Mw less than 100,000 having a density greater than 0.942 g/cc [but less than 0.965 g/cc] and a bent strip ESCR as determined by ASTM D 1693 in 100 % Igepal® CO-630 (ethoxylated nonylphenols) for conditions A and B of greater than 1000 hours. The resulting articles have a very good balance of properties and significant ESCR.
US09156966B2
A method of incorporating a UV light absorber into a polyester during the esterification or the condensation process by selecting the UV absorber from a class that is substantially not reactive with the polyester raw materials, is stable in the conditions of polycondensation or polymerization, and does not suffer loss through volatilization, resulting in an incorporation yield of 70% or higher, preferably 90% or higher. One embodiment comprises selecting the appropriate compound from the class of triazines and incorporating is as a solid powder in the beginning of the esterification. Another embodiment comprises selecting the appropriate compound from the class of triazines and incorporating it in the form of slurry during the time interval between esterification and condensation. Other embodiments include novel resins and films made by the UV absorber containing polyester resin made by the methods disclosed herein.
US09156956B2
The present invention is drawn to surface-crosslinked latex particulates, corresponding latex suspensions, ink-jet inks, and methods for making the latex particulates. A latex suspension can include a fluid medium and surface-crosslinked latex particulates. The surface-crosslinked latex particulates can be devoid of substantially all crosslinking below the particulate surface. Such surface-crosslinked latex particulates can be prepared with a plurality of monomers and at least one crosslinking agent.
US09156950B2
The invention provides a new collagen based technology. The invention provides a dry collagen powder as a precursor for the preparation of an homogeneous thermoplastic collagen-based composition, which may further comprise additives. The present invention relates also the use of said composition in the manufacturing of solid articles conformed according to plastic technology, and to the articles.
US09156944B2
A process for producing polyphenylene ether involves to keep a combustible solvent at a gaseous concentration below the minimums of explosion, to keep oxygen gas supplied at a gaseous concentration below the limiting oxygen concentration (LOC) of the solvent, and to make use of a reactor having a rotary-sealed mixer sealed with magnetic rotary feedthroughs to prevent static electricity generated, and then to improve safety and yield thereof.
US09156937B2
Provided is a block polyisocyanate composition comprising at least one block polyisocyanate represented by formula (I): R-(A)x(B)y. In formula (I), R is a residue obtained by removing an isocyanate group from a polyisocyanate composed of one or more polyisocyanates selected from aliphatic polyisocyanates, alicyclic polyisocyanates, and aromatic polyisocyanates and is bonded to a substituent containing A and B; A is a group of one or more keto compounds represented by formula (II) or enol isomers thereof; B is one or more constituent units represented by formula (III); and the sum of x and y is from 2.0 to 20, and x is not 0.
US09156930B2
Provided is a film for a film capacitor in which electrical insulation, and especially electrical properties at high temperatures are improved while a high dielectric constant of a vinylidene fluoride resin is maintained. The film for a film capacitor includes a tetrafluoroethylene resin (a1) that includes a vinylidene fluoride unit and a tetrafluoroethylene unit in the vinylidene fluoride unit/tetrafluoroethylene unit ratio (mol %) of 0/100 to 49/51 as a film-forming resin (A).
US09156903B2
The present invention provides T cell receptors (TCRs) having the property of binding to SLLMWITQC-HLA-A*0201, the SLLMWITQC SEQ ID NO:126 peptide being derived from the NY-ESO-1 protein which is expressed by a range of tumor cells. The TCRs have a KD for the said peptide-HLA complex of less than or equal to 1 μM and/or have an off-rate (koff) of 1×10−3 S−1 or slower.
US09156893B2
The present invention provides novel antimicrobial bacteria strains and uses thereof to prepare novel antimicrobial agents. Also provided are the novel antimicrobial agents.
US09156886B2
The present invention relates to cyclosporin analogues having antiviral activity against HCV and useful in the treatment of HCV infections. More particularly, the invention relates to novel cyclosporin analogue compounds, compositions containing such compounds and methods for using the same, as well as processes for making such compounds.
US09156881B2
The present invention is related to the tripeptide (I)Lys-(d)Pro-(I)Thr (KdPT) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof for therapeutic, prophylactic therapeutic or cosmetic treatment of a disease with increased apoptosis, wherein the treatment has an anti-apoptotic effect. The present invention is also related to the use of KdPT or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical or cosmetic composition for an anti-apoptotic treatment of disorders that are related with increased apoptosis.
US09156876B2
The present invention is directed to a process for conferring cytoprotection on a population of cells which comprises administering to that population of cells a compound comprising a hydroxy-substituted aromatic ring structure and a non-fused polycyclic, hydrophobic substituent attached thereto. In particular, the present invention is directed to such a process wherein the administered compound is phenolic, such as a steriod (e.g., estrogen), and has a non-fused polycyclic, hydrophobic substituent attached to the hydroxy-substituted A-ring thereof.
US09156875B2
Immunostimulatory oligoribonucleotides (ORN) featuring 5′-triphosphates and various 5′-triphosphate analogs are provided. Also provided are physiologically acceptable salts of the immunostimulatory ORN and pharmaceutical compositions containing the immunostimulatory ORN of the invention. ORN of the invention are useful as adjuvants and can be combined with an antigen to promote an antigen-specific immune response. ORN of the invention are also particularly useful for promoting a Th1-type immune response. Also provided are methods of use of the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions of the invention to enhance an immune response in a subject, as well to treat a number of conditions including cancer, infection, allergy, and asthma, and to vaccinate a subject against an antigen.
US09156874B2
This application discloses phosphoramidate and phosphonoamidate prodrugs of alcohol-based therapeutic agents, such as nucleosides, nucleotides, acyclonucleosides, C-nucleosides, and C-nucleotides, and use of these prodrugs for treatment of diseases or disorders, including infectious diseases and cancers. This application also discloses a general method for enhancing bioavailability and/or liver-targeting property of alcohol drugs through converting the alcohol drugs to phosphoramidate or phosphonoamidate prodrugs, and methods of preparation of these prodrugs.
US09156866B1
This invention provides a method to recover valuable DTPA from DTPA solvent extraction organic solution that avoids the need to operate at either high or very low temperatures, with extended reaction times and having to carry out solid/liquid separation on organic solution. Furthermore, the invention provides the flexibility of selecting appropriate base solution to carry out the DTPA recovery process and further provides the ability to directly treat metal-containing DTPA organic solution.
US09156864B2
A hydrosilylation method is provided. In this hydrosilylation method, silylation of the carbon atom other than the terminal carbon atom and generation of the by-product isomer by internal migration of the double bond are suppressed without sacrificing the hydrosilylation reactivity, even if an olefin compound having tertiary amine atom which can be a catalyst poison was used. In the hydrosilylation, an olefin compound having carbon-carbon unsaturated bond, and a compound having hydrogensilyl group are reacted in the presence of an acid amide compound, a nitrile compound and an aromatic hydroxyl compound, or an organoamine salt compound, by using catalytic action of platinum and/or its complex compound.
US09156852B2
Provided are a thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivative of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof having inhibitory activity for protein kinase, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising same for prevention and treatment of abnormal cell growth diseases.
US09156837B2
A heterocyclic compound having an RORγt inhibitory activity, which is a compound of formula (I) or a salt thereof is provided. The compound has ring A, which is an optionally substituted cyclic group and is bound to a pyrazole ring though Q. Q is a bond, optionally substituted C1-10 alkylene, optionally substituted C2-10 alkenylene, or optionally substituted C2-10 alkynylene. R1 is a substituent. Ring B is a thiazole ring, an isothiazole ring or a dihydrothiazole ring, each of which is optionally further substituted by a substituent in addition to R2. R2 is an optionally substituted cyclyl-carbonyl-C1-6 alkyl group, an optionally substituted aminocarbonyl-C1-6 alkyl group, an optionally substituted cyclyl-C1-6 alkyl group, an optionally substituted cyclyl-C1-6 alkylamino-carbonyl group, an optionally substituted aminocarbonyl-C2-6 alkenyl group, an optionally substituted C1-6 alkylcarbonylamino-C1-6 alkyl group, an optionally substituted cyclyl-aminocarbonyl group, an optionally substituted cyclyl-carbonyl group or an optionally substituted non-aromatic heterocyclic group.
US09156833B2
The present invention is directed to the following compound: The compound is associated with activity of a muscarinic receptor (e.g., one or more of M1, M2, M3, M4, M5).
US09156830B2
The invention relates to compounds of Formula I: wherein Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, L1, L2, Y, Z and v are defined in the specification, and pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof, compositions comprising an effective amount of a compound of Formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof, and methods for treating or preventing a condition such as pain, UI, an ulcer, IBD and IBS, comprising administering to an animal in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of Formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof.
US09156826B2
We describe ultra-short, short, and intermediate duration neuromuscular blocking compounds, reversible by cysteine or similar compounds, that are bisquaternary diesters of chlorofumaric, fumaric, or maleic acids where the quaternary groups are very different, creating a highly asymmetrical molecule where one quaternary includes an isoquinolinium ring system and the other includes a morpholinium, piperidinium, piperazinium, or pyrrolidinium system, pharmaceutical compositions, methods to use such compounds and compositions, and kits.
US09156814B2
The present invention relates to methods of detecting and monitoring aggregation of beta-amyloid peptides which are associated with neurodegenerative diseases as well as treating and/or preventing the neurodegenerative diseases by using carbazole-based fluorophores. In particular, the present invention provides methods for labeling and imaging the beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptides, oligomers, and fibrils in vitro and/or in vivo, as well as treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease by using the carbazole-based fluorophores of the present invention.
US09156806B2
A process to produce a dry purified furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is described. After oxidation of 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (5-HMF), a crude FDCA stream is produced that is fed to a crystallization zone followed by a solid-liquid displacement zone to form a low impurity slurry stream. The solids in the low impurity slurry stream are dissolved in a dissolution zone to produce a hydrogenation feed that is hydrogenated in a hydrogenation reactor to generate a hydrogenated FDCA composition. The hydrogenated FDCA composition is routed to a crystallization zone to form a crystallized produce stream that is separated from liquid in a solid-liquid separation zone to generate a purified wet cake stream containing FDCA that can be dried in a drying zone to generate a dry purified FDCA product stream.
US09156794B2
Compounds of formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of formula (I) and methods of inhibiting Hsp90 in a cell, treating or preventing a proliferation disorder in a mammal and treating cancer in a mammal comprising administering a compound of formula (I) to a patient or a cell. Variable R5 is an optionally substituted heteroaryl; an optionally substituted 6 to 14-membered aryl; a bicyclic 9-member heterocycle optionally substituted at any substitutable nitrogen or carbon atoms; or a substituent R18, defined herein. Ring A is an aryl or a heteroaryl optionally further substituted with one or more substituents in addition to R3. Substituent R3 is defined herein.
US09156790B2
Compounds according to formula I: wherein Ar is a fused aryl group, R1 is selected from alkyl and aryl amides, CF3, and CH2OH, and R2 is selected from hydrogen, —C(═O)CH2NH2, and —C(═O)CH2CH2NH2 are described. The compounds are effective for inhibiting p21-activated kinases, and can be used for prevention and treatment of cancer.
US09156780B2
The present invention provides a novel sulfonic acid group-containing diamine compound represented by formula (1) below, and a method for producing the same. This compound has a fluorene skeleton with sulfonic acid groups or derivatives thereof. In this compound, a substituent having an amino group is bonded to each of carbon atoms at the 2-position and the 7-position in the skeleton, and no substituent is bonded to a carbon atom at the 9-position in the skeleton. A in formula (1) denotes an optionally-substituted divalent aliphatic group (having a carbon number of 10 or less) or an optionally-substituted divalent aromatic group (having the number of rings of 4 or less), for example.
US09156778B2
Disclosed is a method for lowering the detection limit in a method of detecting a nucleic acid comprising (i) contacting a solution comprising a first PNA with a substrate having a second PNA affixed thereto, the second PNA comprising at least one trans-cyclopentane residue, wherein the first PNA has two linker-attached biotins attached thereto and the first and second PNAs being complementary to different portions of a target DNA; (ii) contacting a sample suspected of containing the nucleic acid with the first and second PNAs; and (iii) determining the presence of the reporter molecule on the substrate. Also disclosed are a detection assay and a kit for detecting a target nucleic acid.
US09156777B2
Improved processes for making an N-acyl amino acid salt from a fatty alkyl ester or a polyol ester are disclosed. Each process uses a polyol selected from glycerin or propylene glycol in an amount effective to keep the reaction mixture fluid until conversion to the N-acyl amino acid salt reaches the desired level of completion. In one process, a fatty alkyl ester reacts with an amino acid salt in the presence of glycerin or propylene glycol to produce an N-acyl amino acid salt. In another process, a polyol ester reacts with the amino acid salt in the presence of added glycerin or propylene glycol to produce the N-acyl amino acid salt. We surprisingly found that an effective amount of glycerin or propylene glycol minimizes or eliminates reaction mixture solidification or foaming, reduces color, and minimizes the level of di- and tripeptide by-products. In a related process, water is added when conversion of the amino acid salt to the N-acyl amino acid salt is in the range of 50 to 90 mole %. Water addition improves processability, advances conversion without producing excessive soap, and helps to ensure that the N-acyl amino acid salt will have low color and a small proportion of by-products.
US09156774B2
The present invention provides a novel carboxylic acid ester compound useful as a fragrance component or a material for a compound fragrance and a method for producing the same, and provides a fragrance composition including the carboxylic acid ester compound. The present invention also provides an acyl fluorides of a 2,4-dimethyl-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane compound and the esters thereof, useful as the raw materials (inclusive of the intermediates of organic synthesis), for example, for the medicines, agricultural chemicals, fragrances, functional resins, optical functional materials and electronic functional materials. The carboxylic acid ester compound of the present invention is a compound represented by the general formula (1). (In the formula, one of R1 and R2 is a methyl group and the other of R1 and R2 is —COOR, and R is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.)
US09156771B2
Enolate salts of 4-fluoro-2-hydroxymethylene-3-oxobutyrates of formula wherein R1 is C1-10 alkyl, R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen or fluorine, M is an alkali or alkaline earth metal, and n is 1 or 2, are prepared from enolate salts of the corresponding 4-fluoro-3-oxobutyrates and carbon monoxide. The enolate salts of formula I can be alkylated or acylated to obtain the corresponding enol ethers and esters. The 4-fluoro-3-oxobutyrate starting material can be prepared from 1,1-difluoroethyl methyl ethers by SbF5-catalyzed fluoromethane elimination followed by halogen exchange with lithium chloride, reacting the thus obtained fluoroacetyl chloride with ketene and quenching with the appropriate alcohol R1—OH.
US09156770B2
The present invention concerns a process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) in the form of any one of its stereoisomers or mixtures thereof, wherein R represents a C2-C10 group of formula CORa wherein Ra is an alkyl or alkenyl group optionally comprising one or two ether functional groups or is a phenyl or benzyl group optionally substituted by one to three alkyl, alkoxyl, carboxyl, acyl, amino or nitro groups or halogen atoms.
US09156764B2
A process comprising catalytically converting ethane to ethylene and acetic acid in the presence of oxygen at a temperature of 450° C. or less in the gas phase wherein the catalyst has the empirical formula MoVaNbbTecZdOn.
US09156759B2
A method for isolating 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (TMCD) solids from an isolated feed slurry formed in a TMCD process comprising TMCD, a liquid phase, and impurities by (a) treating the isolated feed slurry in a product isolation zone to produce an isolated TMCD product wet cake, a mother liquor, and impurities; wherein the product isolation zone can comprise at least one rotary pressure drum filter.
US09156751B2
A lubricating oil composition of the invention contains longifolene represented by the following formula (1), that is, (1S,3aR,4S,8aS)-4,8,8-trimethyl-9-methylene-decahydro-1,4-methanoazulene.
US09156750B2
A process for producing a purified hydrocarbon stream can include contacting a hydrocarbon stream contaminated with one or more organoaluminum compounds with a chemical agent that is capable of reacting with the one or more organoaluminum compounds.
US09156748B2
The invention relates to a process for conversion of a paraffinic feedstock that has a number of carbon atoms of between 9 and 25, whereby said paraffinic feedstock is produced starting from renewable resources, employing a catalyst that comprises at least one hydrogenating-dehydrogenating metal that is selected from the group that is formed by the metals of group VIB and group VIII of the periodic table, taken by themselves or in a mixture, and a substrate that comprises at least one IZM-2 zeolite and at least one binder, with said process being carried out at a temperature of between 150 and 500° C., at a pressure of between 0.1 MPa and 15 MPa, at an hourly volumetric flow rate of between 0.1 and 10 h−1, and in the presence of a total quantity of hydrogen mixed with the feedstock such that the hydrogen/feedstock ratio is between 70 and 2,000 Nm3/m3 of feedstock.
US09156747B2
A process for making an alkylate is presented. The process includes mixing an isoparaffin stream with an olefin stream in an alkylation reactor. The alkylation reactor includes a catalyst for performing the reaction. The catalyst is an ionic liquid that is a quaternary phosphonium based ionic liquid, and the reaction is performed at or near ambient temperatures.
US09156745B2
A controlled release fertilizer composition and methods to produce the controlled release fertilizer composition. The controlled release fertilizer composition includes a fertilizer core that is coated with a polymeric layer, such as polyurethane, that includes an organic carbonate additive.
US09156744B2
Soil amendment/foliar nutrient compositions and methods for their manufacture and use are provided. The compositions are aqueous compositions that include a carbon skeleton energy component (CSE); a macronutrient; a vitamin cofactor; a complexing agent; and at least one of exotic micronutrient component and an ionophore component.
US09156742B2
In a cross section, perpendicular to an axial direction of a honeycomb structural body having partition walls and cells, a plurality of sections having a different cell density is formed from a central area toward an outer peripheral area, and a partition wall is formed between the sections adjacent to each other. The boundary section has boundary partition walls and plural boundary cells having a polygonal shape different in shape from the cells in the sections formed adjacent to the boundary section. The partition walls in the sections adjacent to the boundary section are connected by the boundary partition walls. A part of the boundary cell is surrounded by at least the boundary partition walls. A relationship of φ1/φ2≧1.25 is satisfied, where φ1 indicates an average hydraulic diameter of the boundary cells and φ2 indicates an average hydraulic diameter of the cells.
US09156738B2
The invention concerns a process for preparing a solid comprising ZnO and a binder comprising the following steps: pre-mixing powders comprising at least one ZnO powder and at least one binder (step a), mixing the paste obtained (step b), extruding (step c) the paste obtained in step b), drying the extrudates, and calcining (step d) in a stream of gas comprising oxygen.
US09156735B2
Durable hermetic seals between two inorganic substrates are produced using a high-intensity electromagnetic energy source, such as laser, to heat and seal enamel layers with controlled absorption of high-intensity energy source. Durable hermetic seals incorporating electrical feedthroughs are also produced.
US09156732B2
A method for strengthening a housing comprises the following steps: providing a housing being made of colored glaze and having an initial temperature of about 480° C. to about 550° C.; and spraying the surface of the housing using a spray solution containing potassium nitrate, potassium silicate, diatomite, and water to create an exterior layer on the surface. The exterior layer contains K+ ions, and the concentration of the K+ ions gradually decreases from a maximum value in the area of the outside surface of the exterior layer to zero in the area of the inside of the housing.
US09156731B2
Provided are inorganic fibers which can exhibit high biosolubility and have excellent heat resistance as the constituting material for a filter material, a sealing material or the like, while exerting minimized effects on the human body or the living environment even when the fibers have an average diameter of 1 μm or less. Inorganic fibers including 35 mass% to 88 mass% of Al2O3, 3 mass% to 45 mass% of CaO and 5 mass% to 40 mass% of SiO2, wherein the total content of Al2O3, CaO and SiO2 is 98 mass% or more of the entire fibers.
US09156723B2
The glass substrate of the present invention includes, in terms of mass %: 58.5-69.5% SiO2, 2.5-9.9% Al2O3, 0-2.5% Li2O, 0%≦Na2O<6%, 0%≦K2O<6%, 0%
US09156722B2
A device for exchanging and for preventing the bending of the pushing-in bar (27) having two pivoting arms (15) which are pivotably mounted on a support (9) and can be pivoted by a drive pinion (21). Supporting legs (25) which support the pushing-in bar (27) are fastened to the pivoting levers with the aid of a fastening element (29). One of the fastening elements (29) is fixedly connected to one of the supporting legs (25); the second fastening element (29) carries the pushing-in bar (27) without securing it in the longitudinal direction.
US09156694B2
A porous carbon that retains a three-dimensional network structure and enables the pore diameters of mesopores and micropores to be controlled easily is provided. A method of manufacturing the porous carbon is also provided. The porous carbon is fabricated by mixing a polyamic acid resin 1 as a carbon precursor with magnesium oxide 2 as template particles, heat-treating the mixture in a nitrogen atmosphere at 1000° C. for 1 hour to cause the polyamic acid resin to undergo heat decomposition, and washing the resultant sample with a sulfuric acid solution at a concentration of 1 mol/L to dissolve MgO away.
US09156692B2
According to the method for producing bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide salt of the present invention, the method for producing fluorosulfate, and the method for producing bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide onium salt, first, an aqueous solution is prepared by dissolving a mixed liquid containing bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide and fluorosulfonic acid in water. Then, the aqueous solution is neutralized with an alkaline compound, producing bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide salt and fluorosulfate. In the methods, bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide salt, fluorosulfate, and bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide onium salt can be obtained safely and easily.
US09156690B2
Partial oxidation/steam reformers (222) which use heat integrated steam cycles and steam to carbon ratios of at least about 4:1 to enable efficient operation at high pressures suitable for hydrogen purification unit operation such as membrane separation (234) and pressure swing adsorption.
US09156689B2
A process and plant for the production of synthesis gas by a series arrangement of heat exchange reforming and autothermal reforming stages, in which the heat required for the reforming reactions in the heat exchange reforming stage is provided by hot effluent synthesis gas from the autothermal reforming stage. The invention optimizes the operation and control of an arrangement of heat exchange reforming and autothermal reforming stages and involves the introduction of an additional waste heat boiler.
US09156686B2
Provided is a manufacturing method of a CNT emitter with density controlled CNT, comprising: (i) fabricating a CNT paste by dispersing a carbon nanotube (CNT) powder, two kinds or more of inorganic fillers which have a lower melting temperature than the CNT and different oxidation degrees of the CNT, and an organic binder in a solvent; (ii) coating the CNT paste on an electrode formed above a substrate; (iii) sintering the substrate coated with the CNT paste to selectively oxidize the CNT around one kind of inorganic filler among two kinds or more of the inorganic fillers; and (iv) treating the surface of the CNT paste so that the surface of the CNT paste is activated.
US09156683B2
The present subject matter relates to systems and methods for sealing one or more MEMS devices within an encapsulated cavity. A first material layer can be positioned on a substrate, the first material layer comprising a first cavity and a second cavity that each have one or more openings out of the first material layer. At least the first cavity can be exposed to a first atmosphere and sealed while it is exposed to the first atmosphere while not sealing the second cavity. The second cavity can then be exposed to a second atmosphere that is different than the first atmosphere, and the second cavity can be sealed while it is exposed to the second atmosphere.
US09156664B1
The piñata hanging and swinging apparatus includes a boom pipe that pivots about a vertical support via a pivot point. The boom pipe includes a handle such that the boom pipe can be animated to flail a piñata up/down/around the vertical support. The boom pipe includes a handle to enable articulation of the boom pipe, and a pulley is located at an end opposite of the handle through which a string extends to hang said piñata there from. The vertical support is secured to and rotates about a weight block that rests upon the base. An end user stands on the base while articulating the boom pipe in order to animate the piñata hanging from a string.
US09156658B2
The present invention is directed to, inter alia, devices and methods for precision installation of elevator wall panels and intervening reveal strips in an elevator cab shell. Various embodiments comprise corner stays and intermediate stays with pre-installed clips thereon and with locating means installed thereon to facilitate accurate locating of adjacent stay(s) in order to greatly reduce the labor and time required to install the wall panels accurately. Further, various embodiments comprise pre-installed reveal strips on the stay(s) and that are interposed between each installed wall panel. Pre-installing the reveal strips further reduces the labor and time required at the installation site.
US09156657B2
This invention relates to a free standing lifting device which means that no additional support is required to support the lifting action of the device. The lifting device comprises a lift carriage further comprising at least one lift arm joined to a motor by way of a cable, at least one lift channel having a lift opening for receipt of the lift arm, at least one support arm and at least one support channel having a support opening for receipt of the support arm.
US09156654B2
An elevator monitoring device enables positional relationship of elevator cars to be grasped. The elevator monitoring device includes a receiving section which receives position information of each car, and an indication control section which causes a plurality of car-present-floor symbols representing floors corresponding to positions of the cars to be indicated in line in the order corresponding to the positional relationship of the cars and causes car symbols representing the cars to be indicated by being correlated to the car-present-floor symbols. The indication control section compresses indication areas assigned to inter-floor floors corresponding to positions of the cars between the plurality of car-present-floor symbols, in the arrangement direction of the plurality of car-present-floor symbols compared to the case where a plurality of symbols representing each of the inter-floor floors corresponding to positions of the cars are indicated in line.
US09156646B2
A method and apparatus for forming stacks of printed products supplied in an overlapping flow by an endless conveyor to a stacking shaft. A main stack is formed on a stack support in the stacking shaft. An auxiliary rake is moved from an idle position outside of the stacking shaft to an end position inside the stacking shaft. The stack support is lowered to form an intermediate space below the auxiliary rake between the main stack and a partial stack. An intermediate element is extended into the intermediate space to an end position in the stacking shaft. The printed products are deposited on the intermediate element or on previously deposited printed products, wherein a partial stack forms on the intermediate element. The main stack is carried away from the stacking shaft and the auxiliary rake is retracted to its idle position. Thereafter the intermediate element is retracted to an idle position outside of the stacking shaft to transfer the partial stack, formed so far, as a new main stack to the stack support.
US09156645B2
A sheet storage apparatus for storing sheets including a sheet storage unit including a lower guide configured to guide a lower surface of the conveyed sheet, an upper guide configured to guide an upper surface of the conveyed sheet, and a shutting-off unit provided in one of the lower guide and the upper guide, configured to be movable around a rotational axis and between a shutting-off position at which a downstream end of the conveying direction of the sheet stored in the sheet storage unit is shut off and a retracting position for retracting from the shutting-off position, and a plurality of stages of sheet storage units is vertically stacked and at least a part of the shutting-off unit overlaps the rotational axis of the adjacent sheet storage unit in a vertical direction at the shutting-off position.
